So this just started today I think but my Merc Gritstone, who is several expansions old but way better than any of the new mercs has decided to stop healing. He casts something constantly when I am taking damage but healing is not one of the spells. I have Horseman's Hallow so I take damage alot and its been killing me now since the merc has stopped healing. Anyone else having an issue with their mercs? Edit: He will resurrect me though....
Mercs can be quirky at times and healer mercs especially. I mostly use healer mercs. Gritstone is not a merc I'm familiar with or used. That said, Zel, the shissar inquisitor in BoL, is widely used by a lot of players including me and I've found him effective. I have found that having a healer merc on "follow" can be productive to get them healing. I absolutely never have a merc on 'protect' either me or themselves. Little bastids will take off like a rocket and pull aggro from across the zone. So check your settings for your merc and pursue a better merc like Zel. Heck, even Evania from KA was a dynamite merc. That said, you may want to replace your belt with something else until you find a healer merc that's working for you and then put it back on. I get it's a nice belt and all, but you know the old saying, "..if you're dead, you ain't doing anything."
Gritstone is from a merc crate which has been the best option I have found instead of Zel or any other, excluding Evania (Which I will try her next). The only time I have ever come close to dying with Gritstone is when I have had him actively fighting the mobs I was attacking. But this started today.
Okay, so first, this is nothing new. Don't allow your healer mercs to assist or protect you or attack the foe, because they get all excited and forget to heal and cure. Second, if the merc's toes can't "see" your toes, it has a line of sight problem and can't heal you. Try moving around some so that there's a clear LOS toe-to-toe. Third, if you are going to wear equipment that is going to take a huge whack of your health every time you make an offensive cast, you'd better be putting some debuffs and buffs between the hostile actions to give your merc time to try and repair the damage you are doing yourself. Carrying some heal potions could be helpful. A player healer works a little better with Horseman's Hallow and similar gear, but even then, in groups or raids most of the time they'll want you to take the [rude] thing off.
I'm reminded of the item that dropped in a previous xpac that upped your damage, but did damage to the entire group. Once discovered, the offending player was usually given a choice to remove the item or find another group, haha.
Every spell has a recast time (cooldown). Spells used by mercs have recast time too and it put a time limit on healing abilities of mercs.
You're thinking of the Bloodthirsty Choker. It's not that it damaged the whole group, it's that it ate wards at a high rate which then endangered the group. Horseman's Hallow has the exact same problem; actually more so, given the problems with bleedthrough.
I don't think that's the one, Sig, although I could be wrong. That's a L70 item and my impression was that it was later than that. I can remember one of the instances where you were going down through a cave and this mob boss sat was in cave room with piles of gold. Brell Serellis sticks in my head as something connected to it. There were a large number of adds that fronted him in the cave that you had to take out first. During the fight, adds would come from behind you and there was a curse iirc where you had to stop fighting. It was very Highhold like, but I couldn't find any reference to the instance. Any rate, the item I remember did damage to the group and that was in the description. But I could be wrong. At my age, everything starts to blend together when you're trying to remember things from years ago, haha. Drives me crazy at times.
Actually, you said, "...it started today, I think." That suggests you just noticed it and it could have started before then. What I can tell you is I've seen periods where healer mercs seem to work fine and then there are times when they don't. A button changes, and as Sig also suggested, location of merc in relation to you has done it as it's also a factor for human players in groups. In game changes announced or unannounced--who the heck knows.
I am within LoS and he just isn't healing, at all. He has 3 heals and I die from him not casting a single one. I don't understand why the discussion lol?
Is it happening in content thats new to you? I notice some mercs are weird in different zones/fights. Like how Oor will not heal during the Invisible Swordsman fight while every other merc is fine there.
So from what someone told me it's because you're not taking direct damage but reflective damage from the Horseman's Hallow and the merc isn't able to think on his own to counter it...
Usually, when a merc changes behavior from doing something well to not doing it, the first thing to check is your gear--especially if you've added something new. Several of us mentioned removing that belt early on and replacing it, which might have immediately connected the dots for you on a "before and after" basis. I'd suspect that if it's happening with Gritstone, it's reasonable to suspect it might happen when any of the other mercs, but there's only one way to find out. At least you know what the problem is and that means a solution is at hand. Sometimes, you never figure out what the issue is.
I remember that (well not the name but maybe someone will remember) it was an effect on some pieces of jewelry. Was in AoM that it started to show up. something something dragon? and then it was ramped up to something something dragon I, II, III. Will search old hoarded jewelry to see if I find an item with the effect. I may be completely off on the dragon, however, I'm sure someone else will remember
