formation/merc choice help

[Hotwaffles]

Well Im about to hit lvl 60 as well as get an exo (which I dont plan on using) and Im having a tough time deciding exactly what I want to use later on so I can start advancing skills further (ie, paying 300-400k per Adv book for a merc Ill replace in 10 lvls is silly) So I am looking for some purely PvE advice.

my current setup looks like this
:spm::femalehero::vik:
:arc::art::gun:
:bst::sha::mnk:

The bst will be moved to the front when she lvls up enough (only lvl 48 atm). Main is axe so BT will take her place later.

What I am thinking of is
:swm::bst::femalehero:
:arc::art::gun:
:pro::ora::mnk:

Problem is I want to fit a prophet in there to support the melee but not sure which ranged to get rid of, being able to shoot down 3 in a row from gunner is excellent, silence from archer and insight from arty are all very useful. If possible I wanted to keep my main out of the 1st row but it doesnt look like I have a choice.
Also for skills as best as I can remember all mercs with just 1 main skill(freezing axe, wild shot, etc) are 40/60. Shaman is ~40healing, ~15brutal will, ~3hex(need decrease books). Monk is ~15 across the board with Protect as the passive.

Should I drop one of my ranged and put my viking back in(I hate how soft he is) or maybe my spearman? Just not too sure how well it would work out later in the game.

*edit* hmm or maybe i cna drop the archer for the prohpet instead for something like this

:swm::bst::lak:
:femalehero::art::gun:
:pro::ora::mnk:

since this will be almost pure pve im trying to build a very strong front line without having to worry so much about my main since atm she is the best "tank" I have at lvl (rememer beast is underlvled right now)

[tetron]

you should replace the gunner with somethin more feasibly strong. Like an inventor or janissary(both of which use guns also but much stronger)

[Harbinger]

I'm not sure prophet would really benefit you that much with only 4 melee and 2 of them meatshields rather than damaging ones.

[Hotwaffles]

I'm not sure prophet would really benefit you that much with only 4 melee and 2 of them meatshields rather than damaging ones.

Just got the prophet this weekend. So far I am liking what she does so far, even though she is only lvl 50. Sadly the skill information for most merc skills are lacking (or empty) so it is hard to say what she might actually get. But my setup now looks like this

:bst::swm::spm:
:pro::art::gun:
:sha::femalehero::mnk:


I am positive I will be getting an LK but I want to keep my spear at this point. I have found him more useful as time goes on and my archer less useful (which is why I dropped her for prophet instead of spear like I originaly posted)

I still really like, and use heavily, Deep insight from my arty so I am leaning towards keeping that but I have to make room somewhere. I could bring in a viking if I really have to but 2x freezing axe isnt that useful in PvE (and tbh only mildly useful in my limited pvp experience. no one I fought had 2 viks. And there was not ever a time that 2x freezes would have saved me. However being able to heal all melee, atleast for a little bit would have done quite a bit for me. Same goes for PvE. Basically I am looking for passive abilities to help my front line have better staying power in PvE since my mid and especially back row (not main obviously) is rather soft.

Shaman will still be replaced by Oracle, Monk will stay, Fairly sure Arty will stay and gunner my get booted for the LK instead. Still need a little ranged for flying of course but I will have to see. My main issue now is that I need an actual tank in the 3rd slot up front but without hurting my damage too much. Both BT and sword are doing rather good damage right now. Spear is too obviously but he is so much weaker compared to the others to be on front line.

Bah, just dont know what to do >.<

[aspekt]

Theres tons of good things to use for pve as an axe. Only when it comes to PvP are things more limited. I am not that high lvl, but the xp books I am saving are for all my ranged mercs, so when I do actually pve instead of pvp at higher lvls I can bring them out for anti-air.

Either way, the oracle is much better than a shaman ever could be. I could never imagine switching back after I have brought my oracle to such a good high lvl.

[Harbinger]

Ok some remakrs. Don't be afraid to put your main in the front row on PvE. With good gear (just +1/+2, nothing godly) and high level protect + concentrate and you'll be able to tank just fine in the front. Spear is very fragile and not a good tank by any means in high levels.

Imo I wouldn't run just 1 spear, either 0 or 2. So I see 3 options for you:

:lak::bst::femalehero:
:spm::spm::art:
:mnk::ora::pro:

or

:lak::bst::witc:
:jan::art::femalehero:
:mnk::ora::arc:

or

:lak::swm::femalehero:
:art::jan::bst:
:mnk::ora::pro:

Two very different formations indeed. Second is clearly more aoe oriented with some snipping from janni and archer. I wouldn't run a prophet with just 3 melee.

3rd one is pretty much your build with janni instead of gun which is considerably better and more powerful. I personally would go with either 1st or 3rd but I'm sure you could do ok with the 2nd build as well.

Oh and one more thing, you can have 130 skill points at level 100 by using secret vials of potential so for 2-skill mercs you could easily get 60-60 at level 90. Vials are pretty much the cheapest mall item, they go for ~200k on macedon and for some mercs they are well worth it imo, for example monk and oracle.

[Locksley]

If this is solely pve, I'll tell ya, a fully upgraded sword has more def than BT, esp since he's only gonna get better, and better shields.

Axe(M) can do in front until very late game, cuze mobs somehow learn to focus fire, and they hit really, really hard. take that from a fellow axe(M)

:swm::lak::swm:
:malehero::art::arc:
:ora::pro::mnk:

The archer is there to silence boss after you break monster frontline (shouldn't be a problem for you.
frankly, double freeze is handy, I've encountered axe(M)+viking in macedon a few times. once frontline breaks, 2 units in front, and 3 units in mid are frozen ASAP. keeping nasty, hard hitting mobs perma frosten by alternating freeze by axe(M) & viking is nice. the main issue is how easily viking falls to boss AoE.
If you dislike archer, put BT there, and use deep insight, then seth will midline & murder those monsters.

[Hotwaffles]

Hmm, I think I like that last set. I will mostcertainly drop archer for BT I think. I will also be replacing Arty with Cannoneer later since Ive heard a lot about smoke bomb and its power compared with deep insight.

So I think it will be:


:swm::lak::swm:
:femalehero::can::bst:
:ora::pro::mnk:

I already see the issue at times with having my main up front. Having been roaming around in valley of kings lately Ive nearly lost my main a couple of times to focused fire. The only thing that saved her is having a lot (lot) of vitality so I dont expect her to take hits later in the game. Spearmen is definately weak in that regards too but I dont have many more options for it. I think I will just snag another sword now to replace him.

Also I have used a number of potential vials for various mercs (specifically monk and my main at this point) Saving the rest for later, probably prophet and oracle some too.

*edit* I think I will try and keep my gunner leveled to bring her in if I need extra damage to flying but meh, I should be able to last long enough with such a strong front line that the extra time needed to take down fliers wont be an issue IMO.