Mercenary Guide


 * See the Mercenaries page for a list of available mercenaries and the basic info on obtaining them.

Overview
Mercenaries (a.k.a "mercs") are NPCs for hire. When you hire or summon a mercenary it takes up a group slot and you must "pay" them with in-game currency (gold, plat etc.) every 30 minutes they aid you. In order to hire a mercenary meet at least one of the following conditions:
 * Own the Age of Discovery expansion (having purchased when it was a new release).
 * Own the Kunark Ascending expansion, which also allows the mercenaries to be trained and equipped with stat gear.
 * Owing any current expansion will also unlock these features.


 * Those who prefer Free-To-Play access can unlock Feature: Mercenaries via the Marketplace at a cost of 1500DC.

Important Changes
Since their introduction, some important changes have been made to mercenaries. Players may want to note the following major changes to their functions:
 * In 2016: Mercenaries don't have any initial hiring fees
 * In 2013: Mercenaries don't steal experience for kills
 * In 2013: Mercenaries don't take a split of the coin in a group

How to Obtain
There are essentially four ways to obtain mercenaries.
 * By finding one standing around out in the world in several zones. If you see one mercenary hanging around, there's likely more nearby.
 * By looting a contract from an enemy, most often in difficult dungeons or raid zones, but also during various live events (e.g. during Tinkerfest)
 * By purchasing contracts from the Marketplace and visiting Rogues Gallery. The Mercenary Crates page gives detailed info for more about obtaining this type, even if you are buying a single mercenary.
 * By unlocking them by finishing a quest series or achievement (e.g. Skyshrine mercs)

About Retired Mercenaries
The mercenaries sold on the Marketplace have been released in "seasons". This means they are available to purchase for a limited time. If you already have the token to hire a retired mercenary when it is retired or already redeemed the token, you can still hire the mercenary. It's just not available for new players to purchase. See the Mercenary Crates page (even if you have a single token) for more details, as they can also be sold for status points.

Picking a Mercenary
New or returning players often ask which mercenary is "the best". The short answer is that depends on several factors, like your character's abilities, the intended use, and your play style. For example, a lower level shadowknight working on solo quests will have very different needs than a max-level fury joining guild mates for a difficult dungeon.

Stop by the Tips, Tricks, Faq and New Player Discussion official forum for suggestions, but understand it may also come down to personal preference in the end. It can help to start by hiring some of the easy-to obtain mercenaries (covered later) to get a feel for how they operate first.

More Mercenaries have been added to the game since they were introduced. They have been given as a perk for buying specific game expansions, made available in-game and through the Marketplace in "seasons". There are many options to chose from and may ways to obtain them which is explained below.

Selling Excess Token for Status
Mercenaries purchased from the marketplace that you have a token for but don't want or need are a great way to earn status for your guild. Visit Sneerio Backlash (a shady merchant) on the first floor of the Rogues Gallery to see what a token is worth in status if you sell the token instead of hiring the mercenary.
 * Mercs that are part of premium expansions perks, granted to veterans, or otherwise "gifted" as a reward can not be sold for status points.
 * Once you consume the coin to unlock a mercenary, you can not sell it to a status merchant.

Paying Upkeep
Before jumping into how to find and hire mercenaries, understand that they have a nominal in-game currency to maintain while they are active, and to rehire. The cost is taken from your coin, but suspends if you dismiss them. Likewise, if a player is inactive for a period of time, the mercenary must be rehired.
 * See the official update notes for the above changes.

Typical upkeep is shown in the table. Some special mercenaries may have a higher upkeep or this mechanic may change.

The mercenary will charge you an upkeep fee every 30 minutes, this amount is increased as you level up.

For example, the level 90 upkeep fee is or  per 30 minutes or on a respawn, after the mercenary is killed, depending on if the mercenary is standard or not.

Once you dismiss the mercenary you must also pay the upkeep fee to bring them back or use the Marketplace to buy a "Hire Anywhere" unlock for the mercenary. This feature unlock is accessed from the Mercenary tab of the Character window. Open the tab and click the Hire Anywhere button (looks like a green +) next to the name of mercenaries you previously "met" out in the world and hired.

The option to "hire anywhere" after you've located the hard-to-find mercenaries that roam will save you from traveling to hire them again later.

Hiring Mercenaries
To hire a mercenary the first time you will have to meet him/her/it at a specific location. When you want to hire a Merc keep in mind that some are:
 * Only one mercenary can be active at the time.
 * always at a default location
 * always at a default location, but need an item obtained in order to see them
 * spawn at several possible locations and times in a zone

Locations
Because this is a huge, complex topic and they can be found in many locations, a few pages offer focused info.
 * the Mercenaries page has the most general info, but focuses on those that can be hired by encountering them or "looting" them as drops related to spefific game expansions.
 * If you purchased the mercenary from the Marketplace, see the Mercenary Crates page for specifics about hiring and selling the tokens.
 * The Rogues Gallery page for details on locating them in the maze-like instance associated with the seasonal Mercenary Crates or live event-themed mercenaries from Frostfell.

Mercenary User Interface Basics
The main way you will interact with the mercenary after they are hired and when you want to go into combat is through a tiny window that lists their health and power and some basic command explained in the Mechanics section. An image of this window is also shown near that section. Slash commands that work are also explained later on.

The main window that you will interact with is found embedded in your character sheet (press C) and accessed by clicking on the tab for Mercenaries listed on the left side of the window. By interacting with the various colorful icons and buttons in this tab, you can see the various abilities of your active merc, their stats (to the far right of the tab), add gear for appearance and combat (for most), change the name of common mercs, and train them (see the expansion and account restrictions in the Overview section). Details on how to use this window are covered in detail further in this article.

Seeing Stats and Rehire
You can see your hired mercenaries in your Character (persona) window by pressing C and clicking on the Mercenary Tab
 * Only one mercenary can be active at the time. Most of the mercenaries are shown as "Restricted" or locked in the persona window, which means you have to travel back to the mercenary's hire location to meet the merc to re-hire.
 * On occasion, you will see the "Restricted" flag. Any mercs listed below this flag must be rehired from their "home" location.
 * It is possible to unlock a Restricted mercenary, which allows you to summon him/her/it anywhere in Norrath for 150 DBC.

Training and Gear

 * See the Overview section for the purchase requirements to use these features.

To do this you need to:
 * 1) Press C to open the character sheet
 * 2) Click on the Mercenary tab on the left side of the character sheet.
 * 3) Summon the mercenary you want to train or add gear to, by clicking on the green icon (box with a person outline) near the top of the window.
 * 4) Once the the mercenary is summoned the window will shift and show a larger blue icon with a person on it will appear near the top. Click the large blue icon to open the detailed information about the mercenary's abilities (shown at the bottom of the window), as well as, the icons to toggle to access either their Appearance (just for looks) gear and the Equipment that can effect their performance. Between the gear slots and theor abilities you will see a Training "button" that can be clicked to start the training process.
 * Note that the merc's stats are shown are the far right of this window as well, which may help you assess if this mercenary is "right for the job," before you start a particular quest.

Training is passive and once you begin, the window will change to tell you how many (real world) days you must wait to start the next round of training by repeating the process. Like upgrading your character's abilities through Research, the timer for this training continues even if you are offline.

Training Timeframe
The timer starts at three days and adds two days to the wait every day thereafter.
 * With the Kunark Ascending Expansion, it is possible to train a mercenary to a maximum level of 5, which takes 24 days per mercenary.
 * With the Planes of Power Expansion, it is possible to train a mercenary to a maximum level of 10, which takes 99 days per mercenary.
 * With the Chaos Descending Expansion, it is possible to train a mercenary to a maximum level of 20, which takes 399 days per mercenary.

Gear
Some mercenaries can also wear appearance gear (e.g. weapons) even without Kunark Ascending Expansion. The gear described in this section is purely for stats and has no appearance though.
 * Mercenaries can get a bit more dps and survive longer with better gear.
 * Mercenary-specific gear has the tag "MERC-ONLY" on them or use the accolade slot.
 * Mercenaries can also wear regular armor in the available slots, not just that flagged for mercs. mercenaries can wear as many relics as desired.


 * Mercenary armor also has an effect on unlisted stats such as casting speed and recast. The effect is seen in the spell tooltips.
 * White, purple, etc. runes don't seem to work for mercenaries.

Gear Slots by Mercenary Level
The following gear unlocks occur as your merc levels, with only Accolades (stat bonuses, similar to Adornments) added every two levels after they attain level 12.

You can identify the levels the slots will unlock by opening the gear interface of your mercenary tab inside the character sheet; the levels actually appear over the slots that are still locked. For example, hands unlock at level 6 and you'll see a large 6 appears over the hand slot while it is still locked. Locating the gear slots is covered in detail in the Training and Gear section above.

Mechanics
There are many mercenaries to chose from. Healers and dirges have a chance of actually "rezzing" (resurrecting) you! No need to guess, their ability icons show their archetype, and hailing them will tell you their class. Available types are Tanks, Healers, Melee DPS, Caster DPS, and Support mercenaries.

The suspend timer is 1 minute. If you suspend your mercenary, you'll have to wait 1 minute to use /resume to bring them back. When a mercenary dies, s/he becomes suspended. You can resume him/her from the mercenary window in your Persona window, or you can type /merc resume. Each time you resume your mercenary, you will pay the upkeep.

You can see your mercenary's basic stats (health, power, etc.) and give them some commands using a mini-window for actions that opens when you hire or rehire (summon) them. See the example of Stamper Jerlaf's window above and to the right. To see all of their abilities for combat (e.g. Mercenary's Resolve, Bash, etc.), follow the directions described in the Training and Gear section and locate the abilities icons near the bottom of the window used to add gear and train them.

The actions you'll find in the mini-window are fairly self explanatory and include:

Slash Commands
You can also give your mercenary slash commands using their abilities. This is similar to the commands used for classes with combat pets. but there are three additional options for mercs.

Combat Tips
Right clicking on a Ranger Mercenary will allow you to use the tracking skill.


 * Understanding and using the following group commands is vital:


 * A healer merc: follow the healer character in the group, assist "None", and protect the tank.
 * DPS merc: Follow the dps, assist the tank, protect "none".
 * Tank merc (with a solo char): follow, assist and protect the character. If you don't want to take the first hit, send the merc in before you attack the target.

Mercenary Confidence
Mercenaries have a Confidence mechanic. Mercenaries will fight for you, but the pay isn’t necessarily worth dying for! If too many (or too powerful) enemies are hitting your hired mercenary, the mercenary will cower and lose much effectiveness until the situation changes.

Tank mercenaries have a higher Confidence than non-fighter mercenaries.

Although mercenaries who have lost Confidence appear to stop all other actions and just stand there cowering, in actuality they don’t stop fighting, healing, or curing. Instead their effectiveness is reduced, with Potency being most affected.

Mercenary Types
This guide only describes the general types and differences between various mercenaries.
 * See the Mercenaries page for details about names, classes, status point values, and other relevant info.
 * See the Rogues Gallery page if you purchased a Marketplace contract and want to learn how to locate those mercs to hire.

Original Mercenaries
The original mercenaries are the easiest to obtain and maintain. New and returning players may want to start with these due to the easy access and low cost to maintain them, before going off to seek new or more difficult to obtain mercenaries.

These small zones are located in the pubs of each alignment's city. Some mercenaries are found loitering in the pubs, but a door can be clicked on to find even more.
 * Freeport (Seafarer's Roost in East Freeport. The door to enter is at
 * Qeynos (Basement of Fish's Alehouse and Inn, Qeynos Harbor

The original mercenaries that were introduced are specific characters found exclusively in Freeport and Qeynos Province District, but it is possible to sneak into other cities and hire their mercenaries. Once you have hired "foreign" mercenaries, they will appear also in your alignment's Mercenary Den.


 * See the Mercenaries page for specific names and for links to each merc's specific location, abilities, and appearance.

Elite Mercenaries
Elite mercenaries are rare and more powerful. The elite mercenaries roam the world until hired, after which that mercenary will despawn for a while from the world, so there will be gaps between players being able to find them.

Elite mercenaries are more expensive than normal mercenaries. They cost upkeep every 30 minutes (at level 90-95). All their spells are mastered, and they do not return to start locations like the rest of the normal mercenaries when dismissed.

The re-summon timer for elite mercenaries used to be 5 minutes, but this was changed to 1 minute with the December 17, 2013 patch.

Reported locations for the various elite mercenaries below will be found on their individual pages.
 * See the Mercenaries page for specific names and for links to each merc's specific location, abilities, and appearance.

Looted Mercenaries
These mercenaries can be unlocked by finding their contract as a drop in certain zones/expansions.

Skyshrine
The Ancient Mercenaries have bonuses when used within Skyshrine. Ancient Mercenaries cost upkeep every 30 minutes (at level 90).

To hire an Ancient Mercenary, you must complete the following requirement:
 * Have enough faction to go to Skyshrine: The Forbidden City of Dracur via the portal in Skyshrine at (10,000 Claws of Veeshan faction required).
 * Have completed To Speak as a Dragon quest.
 * In order to get the key that will unlock the mercenaries, you need to defeat Dozekar in the quest Revelations in the Temple, which is the final quest in a series that begins in Skyshrine: The City of Dracur.

Speak to  to begin the Revelations in the Temple. After you kill Dozekar, turn in your quest to receive the key. Return to the starting zone in Skyshrine and use the portal to Skyshrine: The Forbidden City of Dracur (-29.59, -0.41, -7.17). In one of three zones there you will find and be able to unlock your mercenary.


 * See the Mercenaries page for specific names and for links to each merc's specific location, abilities, and appearance.

Expansion and Live Update Related
Some mercenaries are unlocked by going to instances related to specific expansions, defeating enemies in instances, and looting the tokens used to unlocked them.
 * The following expansions all introduced new mercenaries:


 * Chains of Eternity
 * Tears of Veeshan
 * Altar of Malice
 * The following may have mercenaries (please confirm and remove this note)


 * Terrors of Thalumbra
 * Kunark Ascending
 * See the Mercenaries page for specific names and for links to each merc's specific location, abilities, and appearance.

Quest Related Unlocks

 * The mercenary, Zhugrus is rewarded for completing the achievement Exploring the Scourge Wastes (Solo) in The Siege of Zek.

Tradeskill Mercenaries
Those who enjoy tradeskill quests are able to unlock tradeskill-themed mercenaries. These are all tied to completing complex quest series, like the quest series for Raffik.

Live Event Mercenaries
These Mercenaries are only available for initial hire during the respective Live Events. For example, you can hire Gigglegibber Thief only during Bristlebane Day or Tik-Tank Mk III only during Tinkerfest. See the Mercenaries page for a list of mercs available during events.


 * See the Mercenaries page for specific names and for links to each merc's specific location, abilities, and appearance.

Mercenary Statistics
See the Mercenary Stat Comparisons page.

Credits
