D2R Merc Guide - Act 3 Iron Wolves Merc (Fire, Lightning, & Ice)

[@vanhemdall9359]

Huge respect for this video is so hard find any good video explain act 3 merc. Thank you

[@silva_579]

He still may not be the strongest merc, but he’s arguably the coolest looking. Reminds me of the sword and board sorcerer from d1.

[@GGMentor]

I personally think that in certain circumstances they are the strongest choices. It really depends on what build you are, and what you need to help your character. For instance while yes Act 1, 2, and 5 can be setup for high single target damage. They all are pretty bad at AoE Damage except the act 1 merc. They also offer very unique options that aren't available on other mercs.

[@PoupiDom]

This might be one of your most instructive videos out there , thx a lot !

[@Agent_HSmith]

A fairly underrated merc. I like your use of it with your Necro. I prefer an elemental Necro with the lightning one. Thank you for continuing these informative videos!

[@kristenjudd1325]

Probably 5th time now watching this. Super great options to think of. 🤘🏻

[@GGMentor]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Jvstm]

Fire Mercs can use the two piece Trang's set for +18 to Fireball, which does not count as a class skill but rather gives you the full +18. With that and 2x Spirit you can get his Fireball to blast for 3k+ damage. Also I'm pretty sure the aura from Lawbringer removes physical resistances from Undead, allowing your physical damage characters to hit things like Ghosts and Stone Skin Undead and stuff.

[@GGMentor]

It allows the user of the aura to bypass physical immunity on undead not other people.

[@Jvstm]

@@GGMentor Dope, thanks. I wasn't sure about that one. Try out 2-piece Trang's sometime.

[@Fakeslimshady]

LOL REALLY! im gonna try this +18 is crazy

[@Fakeslimshady]

Nahh just checked amazonbasin, it doesn't work its capped at +3 fireball

[@jprec5174]

Dang i never thought about trangs on act 3 merc. If i was extra i would give them a phoenix over a spirit because the redemption aura keeps them alive well

[@reap00]

Great video again GGM. I took your advice on the last one for my mosaic sin and made a fire merc 3 instead, after trading for an eth monarch. ONly problem was he was only 88 lol, so I had to end up using an eth face of horror I had to get him to use both spirits. I also ended up using an eth stealth on him, since I dont have any of the options listed, to get him to the 86 FCR breakpoint. Hes working great! Thanks again!

[@GGMentor]

Glad you're enjoying it, another added benefit of the enchant merc is that if he dies you keep the enchant all game 🤣

[@DnBforewer]

Fire merc is a massive fun when combined with my hybid summon / shashift druid with infnity

[@Barnewallian]

That pyromancer build of yours is beautiful man

[@MJ1284]

I love Act 3 Cold merc when going through leveling phase. You really don't care about the damage output when you can pawn off your Stealth RW to them (and maybe a circlet with FCR or Spirit sword), their job is to keep mobs frozen. I usually keep one around until late Nightmare and then swap to my merc of choice.

[@ivanalejandromarinenriquez4708]

Great vid! Love the fire a3 merc on my summon druid.

[@derekgreen7319]

I like the fire merc as a budget option for the physical bowazon

[@EricDavidTippett]

Im guessing the team wont listen but I wish there was a way to tell them to let us select which elemental skeleton mages to summon, to just take the time limit off revives (they can lose health and die like everything else) and to just let our summons move with us to other games like the Iron Golem. Itd just make life easier, and it would make the summons feel like a family you dont want to let die.

[@GGMentor]

I talk about fixes to the mages in my fix video you should probably check it out.

[@ozgun6224]

melee summoner druid might be better because crushing blow prevent monster heal and open wounds are missing when you choose act 3 merch as a support merc. somehow if you can manage to balance summon + melee skils same time

[@GGMentor]

Yup, no need to augment CB or OW if you can do it yourself

[@ozgun6224]

@@GGMentor true :P

[@RubbleRamp]

Damn the enchant on the revive army etc sounds wild!

[@andreandre2230]

We need an upgrade act 4 merc!! He can be a druid or a paladin with some auras or assassin

[@Shrimpzor]

Anyone remember the patch with the bug merc where you could just stack dual dream and dragon/hoj for insane damage? I remember doing chaos run where you start by spam clicking your merc's items until you have 100 auras stacked lol...

[@cvasirocket1401]

Bring back 6os ancient armor, no need for runewords for such, just to find as is. le: 1:04:35 the offensive skills are all not of same type, one is lightning , one fire(some mediocre amount but tons of ar), phys , so even at the outskirts of a possy >not all egs are in one basket.

[@jameskettner8431]

Hey GGM. Thought provoking video. I took your advice on using a fire merc with my necromancer - dare I call it an Auramancer? lol. I loved the experience. Much faster kill speed and the minions looked great doing it.

[@yasaiasazuke]

Love the Act 3 Fire with Kicksin Dragon talon + Venom 1 point wonder blade shield + fury I'm also building 3 elements mastery sorceress farming for gimmershred

[@tobyslycord5421]

My favorite is a tesladin with act 3 merc with dual dream hand of justice and dragon armor he helps the tesladin with enchant increases damage and his ar and the auras doubling up makes where you can walk most hell difficulty were only thing that really poses a real danger is dolls

[@tobyslycord5421]

My current build for hardcore ladder

[@youvere1]

The act 3 merc can hit the last fcr breakpoint you forgot about weapon w/ 50 fcr like wizz and the other dagger wizz + griff + spirit + viper = 50 + 25 + 35 + 30 = 140 fcr

[@GGMentor]

He can only use swords, a dagger is not a sword, try again. And here comes the snarky response, lol if it was that easy don't you think I would have showcased that in the video?

[@youvere1]

@@GGMentor TIL thx :)

[@joshuabenne1184]

When does he cover the gear for the lightening merc? I see full breakdowns of the fire and ice but no lightening, that's the one i wanted to see if it works with a double-Dream sorc

[@BallisticTip]

I do want to say - you can use the expanded storage mod to unlock all equip slots on mercs on single player, and let me tell you, that is super fun and rewarding.

[@sawomirmargas5860]

MHi bro. I am watching here in thé hospital in France your tubes, and wandering if the build of frenzy Barbaurian could be workin'? I am not enough advance to do this build, so asking you to create content like this. The build is simple: Doom 1H Beast 2H Dream helm Dragon armor Rest up to you For the merc with might aura Infinity of course Flickering Flame helm Bramble armor Ps. My wife just loves your chinchilla 👍

[@GGMentor]

Hah Mr Nimoy the chinchilla! I have a similar build called Thor that uses the negative res on crescent moons and lightning charms.. Unfortunately due to the poor damage on dream and dragon they do not work at all on a barbarian. They also don't have the negative resistance needed to make it work. You could however dual wield two crescent moons and use a dream helmet for minor effect.

[@nosbleed]

Merci !!!

[@kylesmith987]

am i the only one that finds it ironic that the only merc that uses a shield is the least tanky of all the mercs lol.

[@alpacaslapper282]

Interesting... Interesting very interesting

[@TheSnoopyclone]

If blizzard can remove one of the cold skill and have him do frozen orb.

[@joeyholthusen6495]

What's fire merc like with a double dragon set up?

[@daveshank1921]

Fun. But not all that strong. He doesn't have the synergies to make the fire aura strong.

[@Shrimpzor]

Ormus' robes says "sorceress only" on the +3 enchant. Does it still work on the merc?

[@GGMentor]

Yes

[@arnes5984]

Last wish in a crystal sword 😂

[@anilkocman9062]

Is it ok to use voice of reason sword for cold merc

[@GGMentor]

Yes I go over that option during the video it works fine on the cold merc.

[@nnovotny7201]

Not sure what you are asking about “okay,” but I think that GGM was highlighting Voice of Reason as a less expensive (Lem+Ko+El+Eld) can be a good - to cold resistance item (-24%). Most people that I’ve seen recommend Voice of Reason for the Chance to Cast” effects, but those only work for melee attacks. GGM was highlighting the increase to cold damage (because of the subtraction to enemy cold resist), I think. Does that help?

[@Fakeslimshady]

How important is poison length reduced on mercs? Since they regen naturally when not poisoned

[@GGMentor]

Poison kills Mercs a lot but it's been my experience poison length reduced isn't enough alone. Cleansing aura or fade work wonders though

[@Fakeslimshady]

@@GGMentor That doesn't make sense. Lvl17 Cleansing from Plague RW reduces duration by 78%. Poison length reduced on circlets reduces duration by 75%. The difference is negligible, yet I too feel there's a world of difference here. I've long suspected Poison Length Reduced mod (not from Cleansing) to be bugged on mercs tbh.

[@DeldiRe]

The cleanse aura "pulse" every 2 seconds and reduce of 78% of remaining duration every pulse. :)

[@edwinjusto5739]

The act3 merc is still in my opinion the absolute worst of the mercs, and theres one quick fix that would make them viable for anything other than normal difficulty as option, they should give at least the hell difficulty act3 mercs the conviction aura, this would buff them inherently since they are elemental damage mercs and conviction is a natural fit for them, that none of the other mercs inherently have, cuz otherwise without a self wilding infinity character those mercs are not really viable in hell difficulty given all the immunes running around, and it probably would make them BIS mercs for alot of builds

[@GGMentor]

I feel like any Merc can be the worst in my opinion. It really has to do with what you need, and what you have to offer. With my Pyromancer build for instance Enchant Merc is best in slot and required for the build. I also think for my mosaic sin the fire Merc was the best choice also. She doesn't need conviction at all.

[@edwinjusto5739]

@@GGMentorohhhh hes got uses for sure but those are nieche build ideas, by simply doing that it would open the act3 merc to a wider use and viability cuz the others have alot wider uses and viability in the endgame, he has the reputation for being the worst but it does synergies good with the merc on its own and all the elemental builds would love that conviction aura, in addition it would mean for him plus skills is king so i would cap his conviction at lvl15 so infinity is still good, but with plus skills just pure +2 all would give his lvl15 plus 8 so it be lvl23 conviction so endgame he be the best utility support merc for like half of the builds

[@HansGuru-bb8iq]

Oh i HATE that idea. It basically takes away a milestone to hit (getting highrune for infinity) for gold (to hire merc). Next destroy another milestone and just give barb mercs bo. Next give free enigma at ladderstart for every character. So much fun until you realize its boring. This is the equivalent of children thinking ice cream for breakfast would be fun

[@user-oh7ey4qb9j]

Can't you reach the max fcr with something like wizard spike? Not that it would be worth it.

[@gacikpl]

wizz spike is not a sword.

[@GGMentor]

No because it's not a sword, he can only wear swords

[@otrotland5377]

is there any aura that helps orb sorc do damage?

[@GGMentor]

hmmm, well you don't really need negative resistance, but Infinity does apply Negative res through conviction which could be helpful.

[@c4rnagEc4]

@GGMentor I'm still confused how the damage is working on mecrs or any weapons --so its like if i strike phisicaly with sword the all stats from sword is applying, but when u cast spell is what is apllying (only elemental below the main stats?)?? sorry I'm stupid :)

[@GGMentor]

No they do not use the sword at all really, it's only a stat stick for their spells like a wand.

[@user-co5ih4qh6y]

Been running with fire merc since 1.09 😅 That enchant is awesome for summoner, but Faith ain't to bad too?

[@GGMentor]

I think the Enchant is > Faith. Enchant is active with 100% uptime, Faith isn't Enchant adds non Physical damage, Faith adds physical damage Enchant gives more Attack Rating Than Faith Attack speed is the only thing faith does that enchant doesn't, but you can put a hustle sword on the enchant merc for faith aura while teleporting. It's not going to be active 100% of the time but you can still get enchant and faith together now.

[@user-co5ih4qh6y]

@@GGMentor absolutely sounds great for telestomp. And statwise, definetly enchant beats Faith, but Faith gives me max attacks speed in vamp form. Helps a lot my b*tch slap necro ❤️ And funniest thing i started making him after watching your vids. I thought hustle is ladder only.

[@seanmorgan8128]

Act 5 merc makes a better Auridin

[@GGMentor]

I haven't gotten to him yet sir =}

[@liquidformat]

man what the heck I always forget how much the game hates A3 mercs, seriously the worst FHR and FCR in the game...

[@NZNeiko]

I’ve never even seen an act 3 merc before

[@andrewrenshaw2741]

Really liking A3 merc on my frenzy barb

[@IcapapalotlPopocatepepetl]

Why do you all poor kiddos whine about uselessness of this merc? You just equip him wrong. Hand of Justice sword, Dream helm and double Dragon (armor and shield) make him really ass-kicking. If you play Conviction Auradin of course and have the same or a bit different equipment. You can also swap merc's sword to Lawbringer if encountering undead enemies.

[@GGMentor]

Dreams and dragons are useless on Mercs. They don't do any damage. A complete waste of time and resources.

[@IcapapalotlPopocatepepetl]

@@GGMentor Quite sad that you are playing 2.6 ,I play 1.14d, it's not that sad for me there. Nevertheless, I can use also Lawbringer sword, Delirium or Dream helm, Leviathan armor and Medusa's Gaze ethereal shield on act 3 merc just because I have them.

[@GGMentor]

@@IcapapalotlPopocatepepetl nothing changes about 1.14d to make dreams and dragons suddenly a good idea for Mercs. They are still terrible in 1.14d. Without synergies they do basically Zero Damage and are a waste of space on mercs. The only two classes that can get good use out of those are Sorceress with lightning or fire mastery, and paladin with synergies. Puttingndragons and dreams on any other character or even Mercs is not only a waste, but also useless to boot because they literally do nothing. You might as well be tickling the monsters. Also D2R is the definitive edition of the game by far, so there is nothing sad about me playing 2.6. D2 LoD was a great game, but comparatively with D2R it's lacking severely. The number of things they have fixed in D2R is immense and overlooking that is as you put it "Sad"

[@IcapapalotlPopocatepepetl]

@@GGMentor Well, it is exactly "Sad". Quite sad to be sad... Do not be sad.

[@GGMentor]

@@IcapapalotlPopocatepepetl I was ironically using your own insult back at you. So making fun of that Insult is just making fun of yourself