D2R Mercenary Guide

Andariel's Visage (8-10%), or runeword bonuses for at least 8% leech. Without this, mercs die constantly in Hell.

Hell difficulty applies -100 resist penalty. Treachery's Fade proc gives +60 all res and 15% physical damage reduction.

Mercs prioritize nearby enemies and lock onto a target until it dies. Teleport onto the desired enemy to reposition your merc, or walk up to the target to pull your merc if you lack Teleport.

Fortitude's +200% defense, or Treachery's Fade (15% PDR) reduces incoming damage. Equip Insight on a Prayer merc — Meditation synergizes with Prayer, multiplying healing by 2-3x.

When your merc is low, take a town portal — they follow and fully heal. Resurrection costs scale with merc level, so this saves gold at high levels.