Mercenaries?

Will this game have mercenaries or followers, who i can hire and give them equipment like in D2:LOD?

if you pay me, i will follow you and even kill some monsters for you :D

Stupid troll get lost!

As long as they don't end up stuck whenever there's a tree.

I don't like the idea of mercenaries in Path of Exile. Of course, they would be another option to further customise your build, but I feel like they don't fit the setting too well. The mood of depression and loneliness which the game sets would be destroyed by an AI-controlled character that would run in circles around me all the time.
I think it would be a better idea to add additional summon-skills for more followers, and forget about the mercs.

I'm all for more options, more optional content, more customization and all that. Add whatever you want, I don't care. The only thing I would say is a criteria is that it's optional. I don't mind mercenaries, but I shouldn't have a problem playing without them if I prefer. This could be solved quite simple by scaling the game depending on whether you have a Merc or not with you. You could have Mercs substitute players for a full group for all I care, as long as it's optional.

I think if they want to copy D2 they should add mercanaries to. And for the atmosphere. Seeing your companion die adds more scarines and fun at the same time. I hope you add mercanaries in the same way as in D2:LOD!

Nah, they need to have Mercs like in Diablo 3. I don't like the nameless nobodys we hire in Diablo 2. What's the point in dragging them along when we get no feelings for them what so ever? Back then we didn't care if the merc lived or died. If he died, we just got another one. The ones in Diablo 3 are actual charaters, like companions like Baldur's Gate etc.

Hope not.

I was watching Playtime! and Community Q&A With Path of Exile Lead Dev Chris Wilson

Chris on Mercenaries (YouTube)

"

We have some very interesting plans that unfortunately we can't talk about yet. (...) Really cools plans.