Mercs?

It's not going to be everyone's choice to have mercs but you could make it optional for those who do. Get 'em to complete a side quest or something which unlocks the ability to hire merc/s (think Blood Raven in D2 - it unlocked the merc but no one forced you to reactivate them once they died).

Personally I don't mind them as long as it does not impose limitations on party sizes, as others have pointed out. Things could get really cluttered on screen if everyone had them though....

Mercenaries are a must have! They must be equippable as well so they can stay alive. People who don't like mercs never equipped them properly. I used to battle people in D2 with just my merc and win all the time.

Including mercs would be a good idea at some point. The whole merc system can not be anything like it was in D2 though. I don't think that would fit with the aesthetic style of the game at all. I like the idea of paying a merc to help you temporarily. Of course temporarily could mean for a limited time or to the end of the current area or whichever comes first.

I don't see the fun in hiring a merc to help me with one boss... I honestly wouldn't use him. The merc himself doesn't represent any hard work or time spent in game. The items he's wearing, do. It's hard and rewarding to find the perfect equipment for a merc.

I do agree with tpap that Mercs can be added later... just get your beta out. I'm very excited to play this game.

"

sodahucker wrote:

I don't see the fun in hiring a merc to help me with one boss... I honestly wouldn't use him. The merc himself doesn't represent any hard work or time spent in game. The items he's wearing, do. It's hard and rewarding to find the perfect equipment for a merc.

Being able to equip mercs in PoE becomes extra interesting due to the fact that your gear controls your active skills. Lets say the team allowed you to equip your merc and to socket gems in their gear. Everyone would use mercs, they would be too powerful to ignore. If they made mercs that powerful, it seems like it would have to effect party size.

It's interesting what others have said about Mercs not fitting in with the story of PoE. From what we know about the game so far, I'd have to agree.

The reason I don't like mercs is because I like taken care of my own crowd control and monster slaying. The mercs in D2 could be really powerful in the higher levels. They could tank a big mob of monsters, and then you could swoop in and take the monsters out. Personally, I don't like that type of gameplay. It's one of the reasons I don't enjoy using necro type characters. I enjoy the combat of Titan Quest the best, when the monsters come running, they're running at you and not your merc.

I don't like the idea of having a merc as your personal pet in the context of PoE. It worked well for D2 but I just don't see your character in PoE having an entourage follow then wherever they go.

I voted no. Keep the focus on the player characters. Maximize performance and balance gameplay without Mercs.

I would like to have Mercs in PoE, maybe not right away... but after a while you get to choose to have a merc if you want to.

If Mercs are/will be implemented I'd like to see a various different kind of Mercs depending on my gamestyle and my likings. Maybe a want a tank merc if I play a witch, or a DPS merc if I play a Marauder... I'd also like to see more customization and not just able to change gear... but maybe change its stats, the priority on spells and who to attack first. I'd like it to feel more personally, like he is more my companion and not just a random paid soldier i met.

"

wakko wrote:

If Mercs are/will be implemented I'd like to see a various different kind of Mercs depending on my gamestyle and my likings. Maybe a want a tank merc if I play a witch, or a DPS merc if I play a Marauder... I'd also like to see more customization and not just able to change gear... but maybe change its stats, the priority on spells and who to attack first. I'd like it to feel more personally, like he is more my companion and not just a random paid soldier i met.

I would like it if Mercs can be sent to town to sell items and buy ones that would benefit my gameplay. I would also like if Mercs can make me a pizza. It would be cool if they can help me with homeworks of any kind. And walk my dog. Thanks!

"

tormenta wrote:

"

wakko wrote:

If Mercs are/will be implemented I'd like to see a various different kind of Mercs depending on my gamestyle and my likings. Maybe a want a tank merc if I play a witch, or a DPS merc if I play a Marauder... I'd also like to see more customization and not just able to change gear... but maybe change its stats, the priority on spells and who to attack first. I'd like it to feel more personally, like he is more my companion and not just a random paid soldier i met.

I would like it if Mercs can be sent to town to sell items and buy ones that would benefit my gameplay. I would also like if Mercs can make me a pizza. It would be cool if they can help me with homeworks of any kind. And walk my dog. Thanks!

I think what Tormenta is getting at is when you have so much customization over the merc then it basically becomes a second character which is absolutely not what the point of a merc is. If you want to play two characters then buy a second PC and learn to control them both at once. Plenty of people already do that in the other MMOs.