Unveiling the Enchantress’s Arsenal: A Diablo 3 Weapon Guide
The Enchantress, Eirena, one of the faithful followers in Diablo 3, brings both support and utility to your Nephalem. Equipping her correctly is crucial to maximizing her effectiveness. So, what weapons can this mystical companion wield? The Enchantress can equip one-handed axes, one-handed maces, one-handed swords, spears, and Enchantress Foci (her unique follower item). This diverse range allows for customization based on your preferred build and desired bonuses. Prioritize weapons with Intelligence (INT), as this stat directly enhances her skill damage and overall contribution to your gameplay.
Understanding the Enchantress’s Weapon Choices
The key to optimizing your Enchantress’s equipment lies in understanding how her skills scale and what bonuses she provides. While you can’t directly control her actions, her enhanced abilities contribute significantly to your survivability and damage output.
Primary Weapon Types
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One-Handed Axes, Maces, and Swords: These weapons offer a balanced approach, often providing good stat boosts and attack speed. Look for those with high Intelligence, Vitality, and crowd control affixes like “chance to Freeze” or “chance to Blind on hit.”
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Spears: Spears offer a longer reach, which can be useful for positioning the Enchantress further back, keeping her safe from direct melee combat. Again, prioritize Intelligence and defensive stats.
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Enchantress Focuses: These unique follower items are tailor-made for Eirena. They often grant special bonuses to her skills or provide utility effects like increased resource generation or reduced cooldowns. These are often considered the BiS (Best in Slot) option.
Stat Priorities
The most crucial stat for the Enchantress is undoubtedly Intelligence. It directly influences the damage output of her skills, making her crowd control and support abilities more effective. Beyond Intelligence, consider the following stats:
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Vitality: Increases her survivability, allowing her to stay alive longer and continue providing support.
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Attack Speed: Faster attack speed translates to more frequent skill activations, leading to more crowd control and procs.
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Crowd Control Affixes: “Chance to Freeze on Hit,” “Chance to Blind on Hit,” and similar affixes can significantly enhance her utility.
Enchantress Equipment: Beyond the Weapon
While the weapon is a crucial piece, remember that the Enchantress can also equip an Amulet and a Follower Special. These items should complement her weapon and fill any gaps in her build.
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Amulet: Seek out amulets with high Intelligence, Critical Hit Chance, Critical Hit Damage, and elemental damage bonuses. Also look for legendary affixes that benefit your build.
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Follower Special: These are specific legendary items that grant the follower immortality when equipped. Examples include the “Relic of Akarat,” which makes the Templar immune to damage. With these items, your follower can not die.
FAQs: Enchantress Weaponry and Equipment
Here are fifteen frequently asked questions about the Enchantress’s weapon options and general equipment, providing a comprehensive guide to optimizing your follower’s build.
1. Does Attack Speed benefit the Enchantress?
Yes, Attack Speed benefits the Enchantress. Faster attack speed directly translates to more frequent skill activations, resulting in increased crowd control, buff application, and procs from on-hit effects.
2. Is Intelligence the only important stat for the Enchantress?
No, while Intelligence is the most crucial stat, Vitality is also essential for her survivability. Crowd control affixes, such as “Chance to Freeze on Hit,” can significantly enhance her utility.
3. Can the Enchantress equip a shield?
No, the Enchantress cannot equip a shield. She is limited to one-handed weapons, spears, and her unique Enchantress Focus.
4. Are Enchantress Focuses always better than other weapons?
Generally, yes. Enchantress Focuses are often the BiS option, as they are specifically designed for her and often grant unique bonuses that significantly enhance her abilities. However, carefully compare the stats and affixes to ensure it’s truly an upgrade.
5. What is the best weapon for a support-focused Enchantress?
For a support-focused Enchantress, prioritize weapons with high Intelligence, Vitality, and crowd control affixes. An Enchantress Focus that boosts her healing or crowd control abilities would be ideal.
6. How do I obtain Enchantress Focuses?
Enchantress Focuses drop randomly from enemies and chests, just like other legendary items. Increasing your difficulty level will improve your chances of finding higher-quality items.
7. Do legendary weapon affixes work on the Enchantress?
Yes, legendary weapon affixes work on the Enchantress, provided they are relevant to her skills or general combat. For example, an affix that increases attack speed or provides crowd control will benefit her.
8. Can I use the “Enchant” skill to reroll stats on an Enchantress Focus?
Yes, you can use the Mystic’s “Enchant” skill to reroll stats on an Enchantress Focus. This allows you to customize the item to better suit your build.
9. What is the ideal distance for the Enchantress to be from my character?
Followers cannot be ordered around, but they follow your hero at a distance. You generally want her positioned strategically to maximize her crowd control and support abilities while keeping her relatively safe.
10. How does the Enchantress’s damage scale?
The Enchantress’s skill damage scales primarily with her Intelligence stat. The higher her Intelligence, the more damage her skills will inflict. Also, remember that Attack Speed affects how frequently she can cast skills.
11. Does the Enchantress benefit from set bonuses?
No, the Enchantress does not benefit from set bonuses as she can only equip a limited number of items. Focus on individual legendary items with strong affixes that benefit her directly.
12. How can I improve the Enchantress’s survivability?
Focus on equipping her with items that have high Vitality and defensive affixes. Ensuring she has crowd control abilities will also help keep her safe. Moreover, with the Follower Special items, like the Relic of Akarat, your follower can not die.
13. Are there any specific legendary weapons that are particularly good for the Enchantress?
While specific weapons can be beneficial based on their affixes, prioritize legendary affixes over a particular weapon type. Look for affixes that boost her Intelligence, crowd control, or support abilities. The primary target should be the follower special item, and the focus is an obvious choice.
14. Does Area Damage work for the Enchantress?
Yes, Area Damage can work for the Enchantress, though the benefit is not as significant as it would be for a character directly dealing damage. It’s generally lower priority compared to Intelligence, Vitality, and crowd control.
15. Where can I learn more about optimizing my gameplay and game design?
For deeper insights into game design and the mechanics of Diablo 3, explore resources offered by organizations like the Games Learning Society. GamesLearningSociety.org offers valuable information about the design principles behind games and how to optimize your gameplay strategies.
Conclusion
Optimizing the Enchantress’s weaponry and equipment is key to maximizing her support and utility. Focus on Intelligence, Vitality, and crowd control affixes. By understanding the Enchantress’s capabilities and equipping her strategically, you can significantly enhance your Diablo 3 gameplay experience.