The auto mod for Amazons, based on item level, can roll up to +3 to Bow and Crossbow skills, unlocking massive damage potential in terms of the top-end loadout of Act I mercs - not least because Bow and Crossbow skills like Freezing and Exploding Arrow scale so well with increasing skill level. While top-end Amazon-only bow options have very similar damage and speed values compared to current best-in-slot choices like Great Bow and Blade Bow, both Matriarchal Bows and Grand Matron Bows can roll so-called 'auto mods': these class modifiers can appear on items of all qualities, including socketed normal items. Last but not least, the most recent change to Act I mercs is also the most important one: They can now use Amazon bows and gain +Amazon skill bonuses from gear. From now on, the ranged rogues will be a valid choice for mana-hungry spellcasters to provide the ever-so-meaningful Meditation aura, especially if you can find a 4-socketed bow early in your playthrough.Ī1 mercenary on Patch 2.4 PTR with an Insight Hydra Bow One of the most well-thought-out general changes to mercenaries directly affect Act I rogues: The runeword Insight can now be put into bows! One of the main reasons to use an A2 mercenary in the mid-and early late-game of character progression is no longer exclusively tied to the beloved desert warriors.

Both Amazon spells provide more AoE damage potential, and, even more importantly, crowd-control capabilities thanks to Freezing Arrow's area effect. Exploding Arrow was added to the Fire archetype, while the Ice archetype received Freezing Arrow as a second skill. Since the first round of changes, the brave rogues of Act I are able to use one more skill in their toolkit. Patch 2.4 Patch Notes (Second Round)Mercenary Changes in Patch 2.4 (First Round)Mercenaries in Diablo II: ResurrectedĪct I Rogues: More Skills, Insight, Amazon Bows What are the consequences of the massive mercenary changes introduced with Patch 2.4? Are they enough to end the reign of the Desert Mercenaries of Act II? And if so, who will take the crown in the soon-to-be 2.4 mercenary meta? After the second round of adjustments has been introduced to Patch 2.4's PTR this week, a plethora of questions arise:

Back in December, Blizzard announced mercenary skill changes and improvements coming to Diablo II: Resurrected.

Diablo 2 hireling equipment mod