Merc/dark build

[cms72]

Hello want to see if someone can help me make a cheap but very good merc/dark build to include what enhancements.  Appreciate it.  

[Xandyr]

I am actually working on one now. I've paired Mercs with Pain, FF, Storm, Electric, Thermal, and Nature. Not sure when I'll be able to pull up my build, but I'll try to throw a few pointers.

 

Soldiers

 Slot the Overwhelming Dam/KB/KD and Acc/Dam/End. Along with Achilles' :chance for -resist.  The Overwhelming kb/kd is a great mitigation tool.

 

Get the Accurate Heal Chance for End for Twilight Grasp.

 

Fearsome Stare...slot the (I think) Dark Watcher chance for damage. It fires fairly often. Same for dark servant.

 

You can squeeze all the Pet +Resist/Defense in your pets. Just spread out.

 

Panacea chance for HP/End for health.

 

 So far I'm liking my build. I've mainly been ToTing though. The few times I've solo'd, I find myself wanting to continually increase difficulty and team size. Once I'm incarnated out, gonna try a couple of TFs solo and see how it goes.

 

 Start saving/making some influence. Some of the enhancements aren't cheap, but make a world if difference (MM ATO, Overwhelming, Panacea, LotG:Recharge, Unbreakable Constraints, etc.

[cms72]

19 hours ago, Xandyr said:

I am actually working on one now. I've paired Mercs with Pain, FF, Storm, Electric, Thermal, and Nature. Not sure when I'll be able to pull up my build, but I'll try to throw a few pointers.

 

Soldiers

 Slot the Overwhelming Dam/KB/KD and Acc/Dam/End. Along with Achilles' :chance for -resist.  The Overwhelming kb/kd is a great mitigation tool.

 

Get the Accurate Heal Chance for End for Twilight Grasp.

 

Fearsome Stare...slot the (I think) Dark Watcher chance for damage. It fires fairly often. Same for dark servant.

 

You can squeeze all the Pet +Resist/Defense in your pets. Just spread out.

 

Panacea chance for HP/End for health.

 

 So far I'm liking my build. I've mainly been ToTing though. The few times I've solo'd, I find myself wanting to continually increase difficulty and team size. Once I'm incarnated out, gonna try a couple of TFs solo and see how it goes.

 

 Start saving/making some influence. Some of the enhancements aren't cheap, but make a world if difference (MM ATO, Overwhelming, Panacea, LotG:Recharge, Unbreakable Constraints, etc.

thanks mate I do appreciate the feedback

 

[Xandyr]

 

 

Here's what I'm running. So far, End has not been a problem whatsoever (even with running all toggles including Darkest Night). The Theft of the Essence in Twilight Grasp really helps.

 

 I'm sure there are "better" ways to slot the Pets (I didn't even use the Soulbounds or SCotM IOs. I really like having the Achilles' in Soldiers. Almost every attack they have will have a chance to proc the Achilles:Chance for -Resistance (along with the Touch of Lady Grey: Chance for Neg Energy damage, or the Shield Breaker: Chance for Lethal damage, neither of which I slotted). You could go crazy and load up all your pets with as many procs as you can, but I never do. I try to get a solid combination of Acc/Dam/End in them, and fit in all the +Def/Resist IOs. Works for me. Others may say I'm an idiot for doing so, but anyway.

 

You could swap out the Superior Entombs (in Petrifying Gaze) with Basilisk's Gaze for another 7.5% to your recharge, a little extra Energy/Neg Energy defense, and +2% to end recovery (instead of the 4% from the S. Entomb). I went with the S. Entombs for the F/C resist, slow resist, and the +4% End Rec. Again, either one would be fine. P. Gaze is a nice power.

 

I am leaving for vacation tomorrow, so I won't have internet service or anything for a week or so. Feel free to pick apart my build, comment, ask, rip it apart, etc. Like I said, so far it is working great for me. I do wish I could have gotten Serum's recharge down a bit more. I may  play around with it at some point to see about doing that. But for now, I'm having fun, and that's what matters.

 

-X

Mastermind (Mercenaries - Dark)1.mbd

[Crysis]

I started one of these but at around 36 I parked it and rolled a Merc/Cold.  Might pick up the M/D again but wow I was impressed with Merc/Cold.

Edited November 21, 2023 by Crysis

[Xandyr]

On 11/20/2023 at 9:10 PM, Crysis said:

I started one of these but at around 36 I parked it and rolled a Merc/Cold.  Might pick up the M/D again but wow I was impressed with Merc/Cold.

 I've heard Mercs/Cold is a great combo.

[KC4800]

I have a Merc/Poison that does great for the Winter event.

 

I took her on a Vigilante mission vs Longbow and it was another story. Made it through but had to change my tactics a bit. Ooof!

[Riverdusk]

On 11/2/2023 at 10:25 PM, Xandyr said:

 

 

Here's what I'm running. So far, End has not been a problem whatsoever (even with running all toggles including Darkest Night). The Theft of the Essence in Twilight Grasp really helps.

 

 I'm sure there are "better" ways to slot the Pets (I didn't even use the Soulbounds or SCotM IOs. I really like having the Achilles' in Soldiers. Almost every attack they have will have a chance to proc the Achilles:Chance for -Resistance (along with the Touch of Lady Grey: Chance for Neg Energy damage, or the Shield Breaker: Chance for Lethal damage, neither of which I slotted). You could go crazy and load up all your pets with as many procs as you can, but I never do. I try to get a solid combination of Acc/Dam/End in them, and fit in all the +Def/Resist IOs. Works for me. Others may say I'm an idiot for doing so, but anyway.

 

You could swap out the Superior Entombs (in Petrifying Gaze) with Basilisk's Gaze for another 7.5% to your recharge, a little extra Energy/Neg Energy defense, and +2% to end recovery (instead of the 4% from the S. Entomb). I went with the S. Entombs for the F/C resist, slow resist, and the +4% End Rec. Again, either one would be fine. P. Gaze is a nice power.

 

I am leaving for vacation tomorrow, so I won't have internet service or anything for a week or so. Feel free to pick apart my build, comment, ask, rip it apart, etc. Like I said, so far it is working great for me. I do wish I could have gotten Serum's recharge down a bit more. I may  play around with it at some point to see about doing that. But for now, I'm having fun, and that's what matters.

 

-X

Mastermind (Mercenaries - Dark)1.mbd 44.62 kB · 83 downloads

 

My build ended up similar.  I'd love to fit more procs into them, but also ended up with just the achilles heel and the overwhelming force kd.  Can't find a way to do more without giving up stats I feel they need while also fitting in all the pet IO's, and getting the recharge bonuses I would want from splitting up Mark of Supremacies.  I did fit 4 SCotM's into spec ops too though.

 

One quick change you might want to look at is swapping out temp invuln for charged armor since that is the only power you are taking in the pool anyway.  Basically in exchange for giving up about 4% s/l resistance you get an extra 42% or so energy resistance (assuming near max resistance slotting).   Well worth the trade off imo considering energy is one of the more common damage types.  You could also go with dark embrace if you wanted to stay more on theme and pick up some extra negative and toxic instead.  The 'split' resistance armors I always find more worthwhile than temp invuln basically unless there is something else in the pool you are going for.