EQ Mercenaries

MERCENARIES FOR HIRE

^{(Mercenaries... how to acquire them and how to utilize them!)}

When enemies lurk, use your merc! -- Bonzz

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Mercs were added to the game with the Seeds of Destruction expansion. Mercenaries (Mercs) were one of the greatest quality of life things to be added to EQ, in my opinion.

Originally, the plan was to allow Mercenaries to also be used with raids, but reportedly, they couldn't work out the code to make that happen.

Thus, in Raid format or in raid-only zones (even if you are in a single-group format in a raid-only zone), Mercenaries are not available or allowed.

Mercenaries have undergone modifications / changes since their inception.

The BIGGEST question about Mercs is, "Are they as good as an actual Player?" Well... the basic answer is "No" -- because they can't do everything a Player Character can do and / or necessarily adapt or react like Player Character.

However, the real answer is "Maybe," -- since how good a Player Character is depends on several factors to include Level, Gear, AA's and especially the skill and attentiveness of the person playing that Character.

NOTE: F2P (Free-To-Play) and 'Silver' Players are restricted to Apprentice Mercs, only.

UPDATE: The May 2022 Patch removed Tier I to Tier V variances from the Apprentice & Journey Mercs. Now there are only Apprentice and Journeyman Mercs (equivalent to what was Tier V, for both).

ANYTHING IN RED BELOW IS INCOMPLETE OR INFORMATIONAL DATA.

DID I MISS ANY? If you note any errors, misspellings, item name errors, misinformation or anything that needs addressing on this page -- PLEASE let me know via an in-game EQ Message (Bonzz on the Bertoxxulous server), or post on Bonzz's Discord Server!

!!!! QUICK LINKS !!!!

BASICS HIRING MERCENARIES HERO'S BARRACKS (ADDING MERC SLOTS)

JOURNEYMAN MERCENARY ACCESS MANAGING MERCENARIES MERCENARIES & GROUP ROLES

MERCENARY AA'S MERCENARY ASSIST MERCENARY GEAR MERCENARY LISTINGS

MERCENARY STANCES & TYPES MERCENARY TIERS NAMING MERCENARIES

SPELL BLOCKING & MERCENARIES TRANSFERRING MERCENARIES

MY MERC IS MISBEHAVING!

MERCENARY BASICS

* A Mercenary (commonly referred to as a "Merc,") counts as a full-fledged group member.

* Mercs earn and get their share of group experience (XP) in the form of Mercenary Alternate Advancement XP.

* Mercs do not take a share of coin splits.

* Mercs, like Pets, are set, by default, as Indifferent (non-aggro) to all Factions (when not in combat, of course).

* Mercenaries are not a Pet or a Familiar! They do require and take up a group slot!

* Mercs count as a player in requesting group missions (for group missions that require more than 1 player in the group).

* A Mercenary is ALWAYS the same Level as your character.

* While Mercs can sometimes have trouble with pathing, they can keep up with you (even if you are on a Mount)!

* If you teleport, zone or get 'called' by a Mage, your Merc will come along for the ride.

* Mercs only have access to some (not all) of the spells and / or abilities relevant to their Level and Class Type, with some limitations (they don't have or use them all, as noted below).

* Mercs do not cast or use Aura's.

* Mercs do not have or use Pets.

* Mercs can be buffed, just like players.

* Mercs use Mana & Endurance just like Players do... which means that they can run out of mana / endurance and need to recover (meditate)!

* Mercs are subject to the most of the same detrimental effects that Players are, to include Direct Damage, Damage Over Time and so forth.

* Mercs will not awaken mesmerized MOB's and they can not get aggro on their own.

* Mercs can wear gear, but only special Merc Gear (see below).

* Mercs can die just like a player, but they cannot be resurrected like a Player. Instead, there is a (5) Minute timer involved. After (5) minutes, you can 'Revive' them (with an additional upkeep fee), so long as you are not in combat (you must have a rest timer). In reality, your Merc has been suspended for 5 minutes, before you can bring them back out.

* You have to pay Mercs every 15-minutes (real life time), using either Coin (platinum, gold, silver and / or copper) or Bayle Marks (purchased in the marketplace). One (1) Bayle Mark will cover 15-minutes of Merc time. Bayle Marks will can be placed in the "Alt Currency" tab of your Character Inventory window to automatically use them to pay for your Mercenary. Bayle Marks kept in your inventory (bags) will not be used to pay for your Mercenary. If you don't have any Bayle Marks in your Alt. Currency tab, then your Mercenary will be paid from your Coin (Platinum, etc.). The cost of a Merc in Coin (platinum, gold, silver, copper) is FREE, but only until Level 13. At Level 14, they start to cost you (about 2 gold per 15-minute cycle). This increases as you gain Character Levels (at Level 125, a Journeyman Merc is about 259 Platinum & 1 Gold per 15-minute cycle). This cost also varies by Merc Types (Apprentice vs. Journeyman).

* WARNING: When it comes time to pay your Merc and you do not have any Bayle Marks in your Alternate Currency tab and you do not have enough Coin on your character (not in the bank) to pay your Merc, the Merc will flat out quit. Gone! You will have to go and hire a new Merc to replace them!

* If your Merc is set on Passive, the cost is zero... at any Level. You can set your Merc to automatically go to the passive setting when you go AFK intentionally, or automatically (after being inactive for a while). This is accomplished via your Options (Alt O) window. On the lower left side of your Options Window, there are two check boxes to control this. One is "Auto Turn On AFK" and the other is "Auto Merc Passive." Passive Mercs do not leave your side, they will still follow you around... but they will not help you in anyway.

* WARNING: If your Merc is set to Passive, do NOT forget to change it away from passive before you start adventuring! While there is another selection box to "Auto Turn Off AFK," there is no selection to automatically to reset your Merc! You have to do this manually! For this reason, I am not a fan of "Auto Merc Passive."

* WARNING: Mercs may sometimes be "auto-suspended" (put away, not dismissed or fired) in certain situations (you will see some spam on this, but if you aren't watching, you may miss it). This can happen such as when accepting a raid invite or entering a zone where Mercs are not allowed. Mercs cannot be used in Raid format, Raid-only Zones and similar. Also -- be warned that when you use Shrouds or do 'Monster' Missions, you loose access to your coin and such. Thus, using a Merc in such situations risks your Merc quitting on you for non-payment (see above). That is, unless you manage to get access to payment for them (it is possible to get Coin in Shroud format).

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HIRING MERCENARIES

* Mercenaries are just that, a Mercenary for Hire. You have to hire them and then pay them on a regular basis.

* There are two "Levels" of Mercenaries... Apprentice (think of them a Rookie Mercs) and Journeyman (think of them as Veteran Mercs). The biggest difference between Apprentice and Journeyman Mercs is that their use of Rank I vs Rank II spells and abilities, respectively.

* You only have access to Apprentice Mercs, initially (or if you are F2P). You can unlock access to the better Journey Mercs by having an All Access (paid account) and via quests.

* To Hire a mercenary, you must visit a Mercenary Liaison, who will allow you to hire ("contract") one of the Mercenary's that they "represent." Think of Mercenary Liaison's as Merc Vendors, who normally represent only the Male or only the Female Mercenaries of their own race; and / or they only represent certain Special Mercs. In short, to acquire (hire) a specific Mercenary type, you will need to interact with a certain / specific Liaison NPC's. These NPC's will have 'Merc Liaison' under their name, and note the race they represent. These Merc NPC's are located in the Plane of Knowledge and City Zones.

* There are also other alternative / non-player race Mercenaries (lets call them "Special" Mercs). You do not have immediate access to these Mercs. In order to hire such mercs, you have to earn access to them (see the Mercenary List, below). These Merc Liaison's are only found in the Plane of Knowledge (see below images).

* Right away, you can hire a Mercenary that is of any of the (16) Player races (and maybe a few non-Player races as well). You can get Male or Female Mercs... and sometimes "It" Mercs (no designated sex). If the sex of your Merc is not visibly obvious, such as with a Guktan (Froglok), you can target them and type /say Hello %s (%s adds the sex of your target into your line of text) and you should see yourself say "Hello female" in your chat box. You can also use %r (for race, which may sometime come back as something like 'NPC,' instead of an actual race).

* Player-race Liaison's can be found in most city type zones, but the race options are limited in those locations. In the Plane of Knowledge, however, a Liaison for every Mercenary type can be found.

* Player Race Mercs can and do have different random "looks" (different markings, eye color, hair styles, etc.), that can vary by Merc Type and Level. Unfortunately, you will have to hire a Merc before you can see what it looks like... unless you use this page (images below!). If you don't like the look, you can fire (dismiss) the Merc and then hire a new one in an effort to get one with a "look" that you prefer (there is a short wait timer between how often you can hire / fire... about 60 seconds). It does cost you coin each time you hire ("contract") a Merc with the Liaison (think of it as a broker fee for the Liaison).

* Unfortunately, a Merc can also change it's "look" as you progress in Levels, particularly every 5th Level! Using Shrouds also seems to have some play into this change (once you unshroud, your Merc may look entirely different than it did before you shrouded). The only way to fix this is to do the hire & fire process noted above... if at all. I once petitioned due this, and this is the process the Dev had me do. While I managed to get the "look" I wanted back, it wasn't long before my Merc changed it's look right back again. In short, if your Merc changes it's look, it is simply better to just accept it, or fire it and get a different merc type.

* There are (4) types of mercs: Healer (Cleric), Tank (Warrior), Melee DPS (Rogue) and Caster DPS (Wizard). Not all Merc variations offer all (4) Merc types (example, Barbarians only offer Melee DPS and Tank) (this is noted in the list below, where known).

* NOTE: Originally there was also supposed to be a "Master" Class of Mercenaries that would be able to attend raids and use Rank III spells / abilities. However, they never quite got them figured out and they were never added to the game.

* Mercs have a level of cowardice! No kidding! Your Merc has a 5% chance to lose confidence in your group and abandon ship, so to speak. Merc "confidence" in your group (or you) is decided every tic, particularly on initial pulls... and the level of the incoming MOB(s). A Merc can "lose" confidence and basically run and hide (become a spectator), rather than help you / your group. If you have ever noticed that your Merc did not seem to be healing or doing what it is supposed to do... this is a probably the reason why (they "lost confidence" in you / your group and thus, left you to your own wiles). Things that play into a Mercs "confidence" include a mix of MOB Level; the Number of Group Members vs. the number of MOB's; and similar.

* If a Merc does lose confidence (this will happen about 10-seconds after the initial pull), it will drop to the bottom of the MoB Hate List and run a short distance away to watch. As the battle progresses, the Merc will re-evaluate the situation every tick (every 6-seconds) and may, or may not, decide to rejoin the fight.

* NOTE / UPDATE: The May 2022 Patch changed Mercs to be only one (1) tier of the two (2) types, instead of five (5) tiers each, of the two (2) types. Originally each Merc type (Apprentice and Journeyman) had five (5) tiers. Essentially, they eliminated Tier 1 to Tier IV of both Merc types, so that now there is only Apprentice and Journeyman Mercs (equivalent to what was Tier V).

* When you are ready to hire a Merc, visit the proper Liaison (see listings below) and click on them like a Vendor. You will then get a window divided into (4) sections (see image), that will allow you to "contract" or "Hire" a Merc.

(1) This states the type of merc you have selected in box #2 (see above image);
(2) This is a list of Apprentice or Journeyman Mercs that the Liaison represents and are available to you (you will not see Mercs that you do not yet have access to) (see above image).
NOTE: The May 2022 Patch removed the Tier I to Tier IV Mercs that you can see in the above image.
(3) This box will allow you select (highlight) a Tier (Apprentice or Journeyman) and Type (Merc Race) for the category of Merc you have selected in Box #2 (see above image);
(4) This box allows you to choose your Mercs initial 'Stance' (discussed later) (see above image). This Stance is not permanent and can be changed after you hire the Merc.
(5) This is the initial cost to Hire the Merc that you have selected along with the "upkeep" costs (what you will need to pay the merc every 15-minutes) (see above image). This cost is progressively more expensive for Apprentice vs. Journeyman and and by Character level.
(6) This box provides basic info about the Merc you have selected (see above image).
(7) This box provides basic info about the Stance you have selected (see above image).
(8) Once you have selected the Merc you want to Hire, click this button to Hire them and they will become available to you for use (see above image).
NOTE: If you are going to Hire a Merc, you may as well buy the best one you can get (Journeyman over Apprentice).

The lower Level you are when you hire a Merc, the cheaper the Merc is to Hire. However, before you get any ideas, shrouding down to Hire a Mercenary on-the-cheap... it will not work (upon unshrouding you will be levied a charge relevant to your level, anyway).

NOTE: You can not have more Mercs than you have slots for. You can, however, expand the number of slots you have (see here).

NOTE: Mercs do not always look like their name may suggest! See below, for images.

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NAMING MERCENARIES

Mercs, initially, have a generic name when hired.

This name can be a randomly name generated name by EQ (like a Player) or a generic name based on the type of merc that you hired (i.e. "a drolvarg guardian").

It always adds to the fun if you can personalize things and this is one of those situations. For instance, I have a Bixie Healer Merc named Hunnee; a Clockwork Tank Merc named Tinkertank; a Jann Healer named Jeannie; and a Gingerbread Man DPS Caster named Misterbill!

You can give your Merc a name of your choice (if approved by game naming mechanics), but it involves buying an item from the Marketplace.

In the Marketplace you can find "Potion of Mercenary Amnesia." To use this item, pull out the Merc whose name you want to change, click the potion, and then type a name in the box / window. Before you finalize the name, make sure you don't have any typo's!

If you want to change the name again, you will have to repeat this process.

!!!BIG NOTE!!!: When naming Mercs, you are not naming that specific Merc. You are actually naming that specific Merc slot. Thus, even if you dismiss that Merc, upon hiring a new Merc for that same slot, the new Merc will retain the name that you gave to that slot.

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JOURNEYMAN MERCENARY ACCESS

The original / intended way is related to Seeds of Destruction progression, which basically means gaining access to the progressive versions of The Void. The Void "A" gave you access to Tier I Mercs; The Void "B" gave you access to Tier II Mercs; The Void "C" gave you access to Tier III Mercs; The Void "D" gave you access to Tier IV Mercs; and finally, The Void "E" gave you access to Tier V Mercs.

With the May 2022 Patch, Tiers were removed all together and now there is only Apprentice and Journeyman Mercs (equivalent to the old Tier V Mercs).

Or... optionally, simply do the quest called "No Heroism Without Fear." It starts in Feerrott, the Dream with Investigator Drolmer. This quest was originally intended as a by-pass or short-cut for Heroic Characters, but anyone can do it. The entire quest takes place in the same zone and involves a series of NPC hails, location updates, looting / collecting some items and killing spawned MOB's. Just follow the task steps. Completing this quest will flag you for Journeyman Mercenary access, that is, unless you are Free To Play... as it is a REQUIREMENT that your account is All Access (paid account) to have access to the Journey Mercs.

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HERO'S BARRACKS (ADDING MERC SLOTS)

There is an Alternative Advancement (AA) called, 'Hero's Barracks'. This AA is directly related to Mercs (specifically, adding more Merc slots).

Initially, you have only (1) available Merc Slot.

You can add to that and have as many as (11) slots (currently).

RUMOR: There is rumor that there was a promotional award of an additional Merc Slot with the Call of the Forsaken expansion (box edition?). If this is true, it is potentially possible to have (12) Merc Slots.

When you add to your number of Merc Slots, they may also become available to every character on your account, or they may only be available to the Character that acquires the slot (noted below).

Merc slots can be increased as as follows:

x1 - Completing the Achievement: Master of Alaris (only for the character that earns the Achievement);
x5 (one slot at a time) - Marketplace (all account characters gain access); "Mercenary Slot" is sold in the Marketplace as a single item, a pack of (3) or a Pack of (5);
x4 (one slot at a time) - Mercenary Recruitment quest (only for the character that does the quest) (this is directly related to the Hero's Barracks AA); The Mercenary Recruitment quest can be done (4) times in order to gain a total of (4) additional Merc slots (and max out your Hero's Barracks AA).

The Mercenary Recruitment quest is given by Mercenary Captain Cecille in the Plane of Knowledge (keyword "Help").

The steps are as follows (unless otherwise noted, all items can be acquired from Vendors in the Plane of Knowledge):

Hail Cook Yates (Plane of Knowledge);
Craft a Great Feast (Baking 335), using a Braxi Tenderloin (Lore drop off 'Braxi' in Veil of Alaris zones); Ground Pepper (Baking Vendors); Jug of Sauces (Baking Vendors); and a Water Flask (many Vendors);
Craft a Shreddergut Booze (Brewing 335), using Liquid Nightmare (random Lore drop in House of Thule zones); Barley (Brewing Vendors); Bottle (Brewing Vendors); Cork (Nitram Anizok); and a Water Flask (many Vendors);
Craft Mercenary Tableware (Pottery 335) using Durable Clay Mixture (No Trade, Lore... hail Marius Lenn in Sarith, City of Tides, to get one) in a Kiln;
Hail Quartermaster Quinn;
Craft Rugged Blades (Smithing 335) using Underfoot Purified Ore (random Lore drop in Underfoot zones); and a Smithy Hammer (Smithing Vendors);
Craft Durable Bows (Fletching 335) using Valley Wood (Lore drop from 'Treants' in Valley of Lunanyn); and a Planing Tool (Fletching Vendors);
Craft Custom-Fit Armor (Tailoring 335) using a Prowler Pelt (Lore drop from 'Prowlers' in the Beasts' Domain); Plated Filament (Tailoring Vendors); and a Simple Sewing Needle (Tailoring Vendors);
Give the Great Feast, Shreddergut Booze and the Mercenary Tableware to Cook Yates;
Give the Rugged Blades, Durable Bows and the Custom-Fit Armor to Quartermaster Quinn;
Hail Mercenary Captain Cecille;
Craft a Mercenary Signet Ring (Jewelry 15) using a Jeweler's Glass (Jewelry Vendor); Oval Cut Tool (Jewelry Vendor); Platinum Bar (Jewelry Vendor) and a Triumvirate Blood Stone (this is a very rare Lore drop in Veil of Alaris zones).
Give the Mercenary Signet Ring to Mercenary Captain Cecille to finish the quest. The first time will award you the first Level of the Hero's Barracks AA, which grants you an extra Merc Slot. You will have to do this (3) more times to get all (4) Levels of this AA.

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MERCENARIES & GROUP ROLES

Mercs essentially behave / perform based on a combination of four (4) player-controlled options.

One is blocked spells (for Healer Mercs, anyway).

Another is their Stance.

A third is their Assist setting.

The fourth is based on assigned Group Roles for Players currently in the group (and / or the Mercs, themselves).

Group Roles are controlled (set) by the Group Leader. This is done by (1) right clicking the name of a Group member (in the Group window), (2) scrolling down to "Roles," and then (3) selecting the role to assign them (see image, below).

While it has been known that Mercs sometimes stubbornly misbehave (my Healer Merc, for instance, loves to stand in front of the group rather than behind the group), they should act as follows, based on Group Role assignments...

LEADER: Mercs cannot be assigned as Group Leaders. This Group Role does not play directly into the behavior of Mercs, in in any way.

MAIN ASSIST: Mercs cannot be assigned as Main Assist. Mercs will assist the Player who is assigned this role, before assisting any other Players in the group.

MAIN TANK: Mercs can be assigned this role, but this is primarily only useful if there is more than one (1) Merc in the group (Players should know who to assist), as other Mercs can focus their efforts on the Main Tank (such as healing the Main Tank Merc or assisting the Main Tank Merc).

MARK NPC: This role cannot be assigned to a Merc, as Mercs cannot Mark NPC's. It does not appear that Mercs recognize Marked NPC's, either. As a test, I marked 3 MOB's, proximity aggroed these same MOB's and my Merc did NOT attack them in the order they were marked. Thus, Marking NPC's does not seem to play into the behavior of Mercs.

MASTER LOOTER: This role cannot be assigned to a Merc, as Mercs do not loot items nor share in coin splits. This role does not play into Merc behavior, in anyway.

PULLER: Mercs cannot be assigned this role, since Mercs cannot aggro MOB's on their own. When someone is set as the group Puller, Mercs will stay in place and will (should) not chase the Puller around. Mercs will only assist / heal the Puller when they are near the group / camp spot (when the Puller gets back in range of the Mercenary). Thus, a Healer Merc should not heal the Puller until they get back in range of the group. Melee / DPS Mercs should not attack MOB's until the Puller brings them back in range of the group (some say within 50 feet of group members, but I think it's a bit further than that). If the Merc belongs to the Puller, it appears that the Merc will choose another group member (Player) to follow around, such as the Main Assist or Main Tank.

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MERCENARY ASSIST

There are (2) settings for Mercs that appear as a "button" selection on the "Management" tab of the "Manage Mercenaries" window.

These settings, "Auto Assist" and "Call Assist." They can not be used at the same time. It is an either / or choice.

The "Auto Assist," selection will cause your Merc to automatically assist the the player assigned the Main Assist group role, or otherwise automatically attack / assist when combat ensues.

The "Call Assist" option means Mercs will not automatically assist the group, until you direct them to do so, which is done in one (1) of two (2) ways:

1) Click the "Auto Assist" button or use the typed command /mercassist on (to change the setting back to "Call Assist," use the command /mercassist off), or...;
2) Use the command /mercassist and the Merc will assist you for the target in question, and then go back on standby awaiting your next call to assist. This command does not change the Assist setting, and you may even want to add it to a Hot Button, for expedited use.

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MERCENARY STANCES & TYPES

There are only (4) types of Mercenaries you can hire and utilize (noted below... Healer, DPS Caster, DPS Melee & Tank).

Mercenary Stances are set via the Mercenary Window.

How many Stances are available can depend on the Mercenary type (i.e. Healer vs. Tank), and the level of the Mercenary (i.e. Apprentice vs. Journeyman).

The Stances available, and what they mean, are:

HEALER:

INFO: This Merc is a Cleric. A Healer Merc will buff you and members of your group. They will also heal them and even resurrect them (but not when they group is actively in battle). They will not engage in combat. Cleric Mercs can cast Cures (normally as part of a group heal), but they will 100% prioritize healing over curing. If you are a Melee or Pet Class, a Healer Merc may be a good option for you.
NOTE: Healer Mercs will only heal, buff or resurrect Players that are in your group.
PASSIVE: The merc will follow you around, but will otherwise do absolutely nothing. It will not help you at all. However, you also do not have to pay a Passive Merc. As a note, setting a Merc to Passive except as a temporary strategic action (i.e. on a tricky pull), is normally not a good idea. This is because if you forget to change them away from passive and go adventuring, you will not get any help from them until you change their Stance! If you are just setting them to Passive due to AFK, for instance, it is probably better to just suspend them. If you Suspend them, you cannot bring them out while in Combat, but you can change their stance if they are Passive. Your call.
BALANCED: The Merc will buff, heal and resurrect players, but with a priority towards mana preservation. Basically, they will not be as quick to heal or recast heals, as with the Reactive setting. This setting is probably best used if there are other healers in the group and / or another Healer Merc in the group (that is using a different setting, like Reactive).
EFFICIENT: The Merc will buff, heal and resurrect players, but is more concerned with Mana preservation than with healing. In short, they will heal as little as possible and your chances or dying are higher. Only use this setting if you are fighting trivial MOB's or if there are other healers in the group.
REACTIVE: The Merc will buff, heal and resurrect players, and with no real concern for mana conservation. Basically, they will react as quickly as they can, as long as they have the mana to do so. This means your Merc can run out of Mana faster, but they heal better / faster. This setting is probably best used if the Merc is the Main (or only) healer for the group.

DPS CASTER:

INFO: This Merc is a Wizard.
PASSIVE: The merc will follow you around, but will otherwise do absolutely nothing. It will not help you at all. However, you also do not have to pay a Passive Merc. As a note, setting a Merc to Passive except as a temporary strategic action (i.e. on a tricky pull), is probably not a good idea. This is because if you forget to change them away from passive and go adventuring, you will not get any help from them until you change their Stance! If you are just setting them to Passive due to AFK, for instance, it is probably better to just suspend them. If you Suspend them, you cannot bring them out while in Combat, but you can change their stance if they are Passive. Your call.
BURN: The Merc will do as much damage it can using Direct Damage spells, while also trying to avoid aggro.
BURN AE: (AE = Area of Effect, aka AoE): The Merc will focus primarily on AE Damage Spells, doing as much damage to as many MOB's in the range of their AE spells, as possible. This does tend to increase aggro on the Merc and the group as well.
BALANCED: The Merc will focus on defensive concerns (surviving), while also aiding in the battle (with spells).

DPS MELEE:

INFO: This Merc is a Rogue.
PASSIVE: The merc will follow you around, but will otherwise do absolutely nothing. It will not help you at all. However, you also do not have to pay a Passive Merc. As a note, setting a Merc to Passive except as a temporary strategic action (i.e. on a tricky pull), is probably not a good idea. This is because if you forget to change them away from passive and go adventuring, you will not get any help from them until you change their Stance! If you are just setting them to Passive due to AFK, for instance, it is probably better to just suspend them. If you Suspend them, you cannot bring them out while in Combat, but you can change their stance if they are Passive. Your call.
BURN: The Merc will focus on doing as much damage as it can, so the risk of getting aggro is higher.
BALANCED: The Merc will put a level of focus more of defensive abilities (surviving), but still helping with melee.

TANK:

INFO: This Merc is a Warrior. A Tank Merc is all about Melee and Aggro. They can also taunt and hold Aggro reasonably well, even over Players (depending on your settings). They do reasonable amount of Melee damage. If you are a Healer class, a Tank Merc may a good option for you.
PASSIVE: The merc will follow you around, but will otherwise do absolutely nothing. It will not help you at all. However, you also do not have to pay a Passive Merc. As a note, setting a Merc to Passive except as a temporary strategic action (i.e. on a tricky pull), is something to consider. This is because if you forget to change them away from passive and go adventuring, you will not get any help from them at all, until you change their Stance (which you can do while in Combat... you just have to realize this and reset them before you die). There is also a consideration about setting them to Passive vs. Suspending them when you go AFK. If you Suspend them, you cannot bring them out while in Combat, but you can change their stance if they are Passive. Your call.
AGGRESSIVE: The Merc will try to tank everything in range (that is aggroed on the group, it will not aggro on it's own), primarily using it's taunt & offensive abilities, with little concern for it's defensive abilities... particularly if it is set as the Main Tank (if it isn't, it will aggressively assist the Main Tank, but it will Taunt).
ASSIST: The Merc will focus on doing as much DPS as it can when it is on this setting, and assisting the groups Main Assist, It will not put much effort in to acquiring or maintain aggro.

There are also typed commands for these Stances, if you prefer typed commands and / or Hot Buttons: /stance passive; /stance burn; /stance efficient; /stance aggressive; /stance balanced; /stance reactive; and /stance burnae.

The "Manage Mercenary" window allows you to control Stances, even on the fly (during battle), among other things.

This window is brought up via the EQ Button (EQ Button --> Mercenaries), or a typed command (/merc). If you are in the habit of using a Mercenary, you should find a spot for it on your screen, lock it in place and leave it visible at all times.

There are (2) tabs in the "Manage Mercenary" window labeled "Manage" & "Switch."

The top of the Manage tab includes how much time is left on your current Merc payment (aka Upkeep).

Also included on this tab is (see image):

(1) Merc Stance: The current stance is highlighted. This can be changed on the fly, even in combat (just double-click, or use the Set Active button to change).
(2) Auto Assist & Call Assist: This is an either / or selection (you can not use both at the same time (see here).
(3) Set Active: This is used to change the Stance (highlight the Stance and click this button, or just double click the Stance).
(4) Set Hot Key: This will create a Hot Key button (for the current Stance) that you can place on a Hot Bar for convenience. NOTE: If you have used all of your socials, you will not be able to do this, unless you replace one for this purpose.
(5) Set Owner: This is used to transfer the currently active Merc to another Player (see here). WARNING: This does mean you are giving away your merc! You will have to hire a replacement if you do this
(6) Dismiss: WARNING: This will permanently dismiss (fire) your currently selected Merc! Unless you want to get rid of the Merc all together, avoid this button! If you dismiss a Merc, you can go hire another one.
(7) Info: This button will pop up a Window with detail about the Merc you currently have active (stances, Tier, type, purchase cost, upkeep cost, race, confidence level...).
(8) Suspend / Unsuspend / (Timer Shown) / Revive: This button will change it's name based on:
- Unsuspend: When you do not have a Merc active, this button will allow you to activate ('unsuspend') a selected Merc.
- 5-Minute Count Down Timer: If your Merc has recently been killed or Suspended, you will see a 5-minute count down timer on this button. You must wait for the timer to run it's course, before you can activate a Merc.
- Suspend: If you have an active Merc, this will allow you to Suspend that Merc (put it away, for now).
- Revive: Once the 5-minute timer for a recently killed or suspended Merc has run it's course, this button will allow you to "revive" that same Merc.

The "Switch" tab includes:

(9) Owned: A List of your currently available Mercs. Highlight one and then unsuspend it, use the Switch button, or double-click to activate it.
(10) Set Hot Key: This button is to create a Hot Button that you can place on a Hot Bar, for convenience (to swap to this Merc from another Merc). NOTE: If you have used all of your socials, you will not be able to do this.
(11) Switch: If you all ready have a Merc out, this button allows to switch to the Merc you have highlighted (see #9), on the fly... so long as you are not in combat (rest timer). You can also just double-click on a Merc, instead (see #9). There is also the option to use a typed command to swap (switch) Mercs. If you use the command /mercswitch, you will see a numbered list of your current Mercs (they are numbered by the slot they are in, top to bottom). If you know the number of the merc you want to swap to, you can then use the same command followed by a space and the Merc number (i.e. /mercswitch 3).
NOTE: When you swap Mercs in this fashion, you cannot swap back to the previous Merc until after a 5-Minute re-use timer has run it's course. You can, however, switch to any other Merc you may have.
NOTE: You cannot "Revive," "Suspend," "Unsuspend" or "Switch" Mercs unless you have a rest timer (out of combat) and do not have a 5-minute timer running (noted above).

There is also a command /merclog... but no one seems to know what it does or what it is for.

It does NOT generate a Log in your EQ Directory related to your Merc. When you use the command, you see the message, "Generating mercenary logfile on the server." In short, this is a useless command, particularly if you were expecting a log file specifically for your Merc. However, you Character log (/eglog on) should include your Mercs activities, but it will be mixed in with all the other spam.

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MULTIPLE MERCENARIES

You can only use (1) Merc at a time.

However, if you have other players in your group, they can also use a Merc to help the group, so long as there is room in the group for additional Mercs.

The most Mercs you can have in a group is three (3), since a group is limited to (6) Players... and Mercs count as a Player (three real Players using three Mercs).

When using multiple Mercs, consider what is needed. You may want a DPS Caster, DPS Melee and a Healer Merc. Or you may want three (3) DPS Casters. Or in tough situations, three (3) healers.

Consider the ability of the group you are in, what you are doing (how tough are the MOB's, etc.) and what area(s) your group could use help with.

With a DPS Merc, the biggest concern can be aggro. However, paired with a good Tank Merc that can maintain aggro, the DPS Merc may not have any concerns with dying due to over-nuking. So, setting them to Burn (see Stances) may not be a big issue, except maybe for their Mana.

When using more than (1) Healer Merc, a bit more consideration comes into play.

If they are all set to the same Stance, they may actually be casting the same things at the same time... meaning they are all most literally acting as a single Healer Merc. Basically, you may not be benefitting from (3) of the same heals cast on you at about the same time. This is because the first heal may have healed you to 100%. The next two heals landing right behind that first heal, will essentially heal you for zero. For this reason, you may want to alternate the stances of the Healer Mercs so they are more likely to cast different things at different times. You may also consider unblocking Promise and Heal Over Time spells, as well (at least, temporarily... see below).

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MERCENARY AA'S

Mercenaries do partake in group experience (aka XP) and earn their own experience (Inventory Window --> Alt. Adv. Button --> Merc tab).

Like a Player, there is a cap on how many Merc AA's you can save up. This amount was changed in the October 2021 Patch, to be one-half your current Level, every 10th Level, starting at level 50.

What this means is that, starting at Level 50, every 10th Character Level will increase your banked Merc AA Cap by five (5), starting at Level 50, as follows:

Level 1 to Level 49: 10 Merc AA's can be banked;
Level 50: 25 Merc AA's can be banked;
Level 60: 30 Merc AA's can be banked;
Level 70: 35 Merc AA's can be banked;
Level 80: 40 Merc AA's can be banked;
Level 90: 45 Merc AA's can be banked;
Level 100: 50 Merc AA's can be banked;
Level 110: 55 Merc AA's can be banked;
Level 120: 60 Merc AA's can be banked.

There are currently (13) Merc AA Categories.

Some of the categories are generic (they apply to all Merc types), while some are specific (they apply only to a specific Merc type).

The costs to buy each Level of these AA's gets progressively more expensive.

Initially, it is advisable to focus on the AA's that primarily benefit the Merc type that you use the most.

After a point, some of the AA Levels have requirements that also come into play, such as Character Level and / or having previously purchased other Merc AA's.

UPDATE: The Night of Shadows expansion added two (2) to three (3) levels to all Merc AA's, except the 'Essence of the Dragon' Merc AA.

The Merc AA Categories are:

Essence of the Dragon 1/1: This provides immunity to the "green Kar'Zok" curse (Aura of Kar'Zok & Gust of Atrebe). You cannot purchase it unless your character is Level 100 and has earned the Achievement: Essence of the Dragon I.
Furious Wrath 21/21: This is a Tank Merc AA, that aids in aggro.
Healing Acumen 21/21: This is a Healer Merc AA that helps improve instant (direct) heals.
Improved Health 31/31: This AA increases the Hit Points of all Merc types.
Improved Mana 31/31; This AA increases the Mana Pool of your Healer & DPS Caster Mercs.
Improved Melee Defense 24/24: This AA increases the base Armor Class of all Merc types.
Improved Spell Resistance 24/24: This AA increases the the base resistances (except Corruption) for all Merc Types.
Mystic Destruction 21/21: This is a DPS Caster AA that increase spell damage.
Rising Fury 21/21: This is a DPS Melee AA that increases melee damage.
Silent Arcanum 21/21: This is a DPS Caster AA, that reduces aggro from cast spells.
Subtle Magic 21/21: This is a Healer AA that reduces aggro from cast spells (heals).
Steadfast Resolve 21/21: This is a Tank Merc AA that reduces incoming melee damage.
Subtle Strikes 21/21: This is a DPS Melee AA that reduces aggro from melee attacks.

Currently (Laurion's Song expansion), there are a total of (279) levels of AA's that will cost 1,810 Merc AA's to purchase, which can cost between 1 and 24 Merc AA's each.

As you earn Merc AA, it will seem very, very slow... and it is, when compared to Player AA. Merc AA progresses at a pace more akin to Player Level XP. Fortunately, there are ways to speed this process up a bit!

Remember, Mercs are taking their share of group XP, so...

What zone you XP in can speed up Merc XP a little, such as a Hot Zone.
What MOB's you kill can speed up Merc XP a little, such as Red Con vs. Green Con.
How fast you kill MOB's can speed up Merc XP a little... killing (5) Dark Blue cons is actually more XP than than killing one (1) Red Con that takes about the same amount of time, or longer, to kill.
The Daily Heroic Adventure (HA) Bonus Missions (see Clayton Teek in the Plane of Knowledge) can often award chunks of Merc XP (to include full Merc AA's).
Overseer tasks (/overseer), particularly the 'Character Experience' reward option, are very good Merc AA.
There are some tasks / missions / raids (such as certain seasonal events) that offer Merc XP, as well.

OVERSEER ALERT #1: When it comes to Overseer, there is a secret to know! You may sometimes see two options... "Character Experience" and "Mercenary Experience." Logically, it would seem the way to go is with the pure Mercenary Experience in order to get the most Merc XP possible. However, this is not the case at all! The Character Experience option also includes Merc XP in an amount that is normally more than the Mercenary Experience Option!

NOTE: You must have your Mercenary active in order to get the Merc XP. UPDATE: This was reportedly changed in the October 2021 Patch, where you no longer need to have the Merc active.

OVERSEER ALERT #2: The amount of mercenary experience granted by Overseer tasks can, and does, vary by quest category and quest level. When undertaking Overseer quests, keep in mind the time it takes to complete each quest. While you are restricted to the quest choices currently available to you, you may also note that quests can take 6 hours, 12 hours or 24 hours (or longer, in rare cases). Keep the time required in mind. Example, in the same time span, two (2) 6-hour quests that grant 52.89% (105.78% combined) Merc experience, are better than one (1) 12-hour quest that grants 96.16% Merc experience. Of course, if you are not able to be in-game 6-hours later, this is a moot point. In that case, the longer 12-hour & 24-hour quests are the better option.

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MERCENARY GEAR

Mercenaries cannot wear gear like a Player can, nor can they be given gear like a Pet can.

None the less, there is special "Merc Gear" that they can utilize to increase their durability / stats / etc..

Merc Gear comes in four variations, that best suit one (1) of the four (4) types of Mercs, even though any Merc type can utilize them. In fact, some players just equip tank merc gear and leave it at that, but this sacrifices the bonuses for the other three Merc types, when you use them.

In your Inventory window, there is a tab called "Merc." On this tab you will see four slots... basically a slot for an earring, a necklace, shoulder pads and a belt. You can drop "Merc Gear" into these slots. If you do, your active Merc will benefit by the stat increases the gear offers.

Merc Gear that is best for a Healer Merc is usually includes "Soother" in the name; Tank Gear usually includes "Defender" in the name; DPS Melee Gear usually includes "Assassin" in the name; and DPS Caster Gear usually includes "Sorcerer" in the name.

Ideally, you want a set of the four (4) for each Merc type, so you can swap them out (manually), depending on which Merc type you are currently using.

UPDATE: With the Laurion's Song expansion, Merc Gear was simplified into one all-in-one set (it applies to all four Merc types).

There is also Level Restricted Merc gear. This means at higher levels (and with new expansions) there may be better Merc Gear that you can acquire and utilize:

Level 75 = Crude;
Level 80 = Simple;
Level 85 = Rough;
Level 90 = Ornate;
Level 95 = Flawed;
Level 100 = Intricate;
Level 105 = Elaborate;
Level 105 = Elegant;
Level 105 = Extravagant;
Level 105 = Vigilant.
Level 120 = Grandiose (universal Merc gear).

Merc Gear has been obtainable in various ways, such as No Trade Gear from a Group Vendor sold items (using expansion-specific specialty coin earned from Missions) and more recently as an expansion-related MOB drops (uncommon, but tradeable).

Using the best available Gear for the Merc type that you are currently using is always a good idea, even though most will claim the tank gear is all you need. If you use a Healer Merc, but wearing tank sacrifices the Heal Amount bonuses.

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SPELL BLOCKING & MERCENARIES

Spell blocking can be essential, especially when using a Healer Merc, and particularly when using just one (1) Healer Merc (meaning another player in the group is not also using a Healer Merc and / or you have no Cleric in the group).

Healer Mercs tend to use slow / long term heals that are simply not as good or as effective as a quick heal, in my opinion. It does seem that Healer Mercs are less attentive when a Heal Over Time or a 'Promised' type heal is ticking away, as they may not cast a direct heal on you in time to prevent your death. For this reason, if you are using a Healer Merc and see such things being cast on you, you may want to consider right clicking the icon (in the buff window or song window) and adding it to your Blocked Spells.

This will prevent the Merc from wasting mana and cast time by casting such spells on you, forcing them to use the faster and quicker direct-type heals. However, if other players in your group do not also have them blocked, the Merc can continue to cast them anyway (at least, on the other Players).

While you can remove buffs on your Merc, you cannot Block Buffs on your Merc, like you can with Pets.

Lastly, blocking these spells does also mean that actual Clerics (Players) will not be able to use them on you, either.

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TRANSFERRING MERCENARIES

It is possible to transfer your Merc to another Player, or for another Player to transfer their Merc to you.

This means you are handing over that Merc.... literally giving it away... to the other player. The Merc will no longer be available to you.

It appears this transfer ability originally may have had something to do with a Player running low on funds to pay the Merc and could give it to another Player who did have funds to pay the Merc (it would seem simpler to just give the other Player some Platinum, imo). Or, giving it to a Player who did not have the Merc type desired.

This can, however, be useful in some situations. For instance, let's say you are in a group using your Healer Merc. There is room for another Merc in the group... and a DPS Merc would be useful... but the other Player(s) do not have a DPS Mercs... but you do! You can give the other Player your DPS Merc so that the group can then have a Healer Merc and a DPS Merc (with some caveats, noted below)!

In order to transfer (give) a Merc to another Player, you must:

Activate the Merc you want to transfer;
Target the other Player (the other Player has to be in your group);
Click the "Set Owner" button in the "Manage" tab of the "Manage Mercenaries" window.

There are limitations on transferring a Merc to another Player, as follows:

The other player must have an open (available) Merc Slot to accept the Merc;
The other player must be flagged for the Merc type you are trying to transfer to them (Apprentice vs. Journeyman). This also means Specialty Mercs (after all, if the other player is not flagged for the specialty merc, they can't accept it).

NOTE: Just because you give away a Merc, does not mean you can not simply go and re-hire a replacement Merc... you can! You gave away the merc, not the Merc Slot. You can even re-hire the same Merc type.

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MY MERC IS MISBEHAVING!

I sometimes hear Players complain that their Merc(s) are not doing what they are supposed to do.

However, this is normally an issue related to group roles, merc stances and other factors, that can be resolved, or explained, as noted below.

LATENCY (LAG): If you are experiencing Lag, then so are Mercenaries. Lag can delay / effect Merc reactions.
NOT HELPING AT ALL: When a Merc is not helping at all, this likely has to do with their 'confidence' in you / your group. This can be due to mass pulling and other concerns. This is countered by less aggressive pulling.
DID NOT HEAL AND THE TANK DIED: Healer mercs use a variety of Heal spells, to include Heal Over Time and a Promised Renewal type spells. So, they could be in mid-cast of one of those spells when this happens, or delaying a heal in favor of the Heal Over Time or Promised Renewal hopefully kicking in. Blocking these spells (on you Character) will force the Merc to use direct and faster casting heals. This can also be due the Mercs stance (Reactive vs. Efficient). It can also be related to group roles, as the Merc will pay more heed to the Tank than others, so it you don't have group roles properly assigned, that may be the issue.
MERC IS FOLLOWING / HEALING THE PULLER AND DIED: Mercs will follow their owner. They will also run ahead to try and heal or assist the puller, if the Puller has taken damage and / or acquired aggro In any of those situations, this should be remedied by assigning the group role of Puller to that Player. At that point Merc(s) will wait until the Puller is back in close proximity to the group, before assisting or healing.
MERC DIES DUE TO TAKING AGGRO FROM THE MAIN TANK: If your Merc is set to Aggressive, Burn, Burn AE or similar, this can be the reason. Change the stance of the Merc(s) to counter this.
THE TANK MERC IS NOT SAVING PLAYERS BY TAKING AGGRO OFF THEM: This can have to do with the Tank's stance (Aggressive vs. Assist).
MY MERC IS SOMEWHERE ELSE: This probably has to do with group roles. Mercs will generally favor Players who have assigned roles, so if you run away from your group (and do not have an assigned role as Main Tank or Main Assist), it is possible that the Merc will remain with the rest of the group and not follow you.

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MERCENARY LISTINGS

NOTE: Mercs that have images are in-game verified.

NOTE: Merc Types are listed by the name you will see in the Liaison window, rather than the item references (i.e. the name of the contract). If the same Merc "name" is listed below, more than once, then there are multiple versions of that Merc that have different origins (where / how to get them). Some may vary by appearance (i.e. Old School vs. New School graphics), some may vary by Mercs types available (i.e. only Tanks, or only Healers) and so forth.

NOTE: Images for Mercenaries can and will vary from the ones shown. Their "look" can vary with Merc Type (Caster DPS v Melee DPS v Healer v Tank), Character Level (Level 50 v Level 100), Racial Variations (hair style, eye color, skin markings, color / tone...), and sex (Male or Female). Where it is clear that there are both Male & Female versions of the same Merc types exist, an example image of both has been included. All images are of Journeyman Mercs.

NOTE: Claim items are normally from the purchase of an Expansion. Prize items are a possible award from from a specific type of Marketplace item, like the LoN (Legends of Norrath) Cards. If an expansion is noted, it is a claim item from the purchase of that expansion and / or the noted version of that expansion. If there is no info on how to acquire a given Merc, then it is readily available to everyone.

NOTE: Marketplace items may not be available year round.

A B C D E F G H I J K L

M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

MERCENARY TYPE (as seen on the Liaison)	APPEARANCE	SOURCE NOTES	LIAISON (Plane of Knowledge)
Alaran Spirit	Caster DPS / Healer / Melee DPS / Tank	Contract of the Apparitional Alaran Rain of Fear	Hadya Ware
Amygdalan	Caster DPS / Healer / Melee DPS / Tank	Terrifying Contract Prize: Terrifying Contract	Hadya Ware
Ancient Shissar	(Shissar)	Contract of the Ancient Shissar This item was accidentally awarded from the 2022 Extra Life Charity Drive (to Players who helped raise at least $250 in donations). However, this item was supposed to be the Contract of the Painted Sporali (see below). This was corrected in the February 2023 Patch. It does not appear this Merc Type is currently in the game.	Aemlai Psawaslleh
Animated Armor	Caster DPS / Healer / Melee DPS / Tank	Animated Armor Contract (This was awarded to recurring paid subscribers via /claim, around 2014. It is not known how long of a Player had to be a paid subscriber to get this.)	Hadya Ware
Arc Worker	Caster DPS / Healer / Melee DPS / Tank	Contract of the Arc Worker The Darkened Sea (Collector's Edition)	Iauld Atiqa
Aviak (aka Winter Aviak)	Caster DPS / Healer / Melee DPS / Tank	Contract of the Winter Aviak Achievement: Twelve Days of Frostfell	Hadya Ware
Banshee	Caster DPS, Melee DPS & Tank	Wailing Contract Veil of Alaris (There are (2) versions of this contract. One of them was for pre-order of the House of Thule. The other appears to have been for purchasing Veil of Alaris. It is not known which is which, for sure. However, one granted only a Healer Merc, while the other granted the other three Merc types.)	Hadya Ware
Banshee	Healer Only.	Wailing Contract House of Thule (There are (2) versions of this contract. One of them was for pre-order of the House of Thule. The other appears to have been for purchasing Veil of Alaris. It is not known which is which, for sure. However, one granted only a Healer Merc, while the other granted the other three Merc types.)	Hadya Ware
Barbarian	Melee DPS and Tank Mercs only.	....................	Guardian Aderrawyn (Female Mercs) Guardian Canyd (Male Mercs)
Bazu	Tank Merc Only.	Discordant Contract House of Thule (Pre-Order) (One of four Mercs that appear to have been granted by this one Contract.)	Hadya Ware
Bellikos	Caster DPS / Healer / Melee DPS / Tank	Writ of the Bellikos Underfoot (Beta Reward)	Hadya Ware
Bixie	Caster DPS Only.	....................	Guardian Jerbabi (Male Mercs) Guardian Thaowyn (Female Mercs)
Bixie	Caster DPS / Healer / Melee DPS / Tank	Contract of the Bixie Call of the Forsaken (Collector's Edition)	Iauld Atiqa
Bloodbone Skeleton	Caster DPS / Healer / Melee DPS / Tank	Mercenary Contract (This is a claim item. It is not clear as to it's origin, but it appears to have been given to paid (Gold) accounts when F2P (Free to Play) was introduced.)	Hadya Ware
(Bloodbone Skeleton or Human?)	(need image)	Contract of the Fighter (This was give to Free to Play accounts via claim, possibly when F2P first started (circa 2012). It appears that F2P accounts had to choose between (1) of the (4) variant (Merc Type) contracts, when claiming a Mercenary Contract (see above). It is not clear if this Contract offers Human Mercs, or Bloodbone Skeleton Mercs (info varies).	??
(Bloodbone Skeleton or Human?)	(need image)	Contract of the Healer (This was give to Free to Play accounts via claim, possibly when F2P first started (circa 2012). It appears that F2P accounts had to choose between (1) of the (4) variant (Merc Type) contracts, when claiming a Mercenary Contract (see above). It is not clear if this Contract offers Human Mercs, or Bloodbone Skeleton Mercs (info varies).	??
(Bloodbone Skeleton or Human?)	(need image)	Contract of the Protector (This was give to Free to Play accounts via claim, possibly when F2P first started (circa 2012). It appears that F2P accounts had to choose between (1) of the (4) variant (Merc Type) contracts, when claiming a Mercenary Contract (see above). It is not clear if this Contract offers Human Mercs, or Bloodbone Skeleton Mercs (info varies).	??
(Bloodbone Skeleton or Human?)	(need image)	Contract of the Sorcerer (This was give to Free to Play accounts via claim, possibly when F2P first started (circa 2012). It appears that F2P accounts had to choose between (1) of the (4) variant (Merc Type) contracts, when claiming a Mercenary Contract (see above). It is not clear if this Contract offers Human Mercs, or Bloodbone Skeleton Mercs (info varies).	??
Brownie	Melee DPS Only.	....................	Guardian Onaut (Male Mercs) Guardian Rhenwan (Female Mercs)
Clockwork	Caster DPS / Healer / Melee DPS / Tank	Mechamatic Blueprint Underfoot	Hadya Ware
Dark Elf		....................	Guardian Kedirakith (Male Mercs) Guardian Onay (Female Mercs)
Dark Elf Pirate	It appears random if the Merc will be Male or Female. Caster DPS / Healer / Melee DPS / Tank	Contact of the Blue Pirate Prize: Contact of the Blue Pirate	Hadya Ware
Drachnid	Caster DPS / Healer / Melee DPS / Tank	Contract of the Dark Arachnids Prize: Contract of the Dark Arachnids	Hadya Ware
Dragorn	Caster DPS / Healer / Melee DPS / Tank	Dragorn Contract Prize: Dragorn Contract	Hadya Ware
Drakkin		....................	Guardian Aboekor (Male Mercs) Guardian Adew (Female Mercs)
Drolvarg	Caster DPS / Healer / Melee DPS / Tank	Contract of the Pawbuster Empires of Kunark (Collector's Edition)	Iauld Atiqa
Dwarf	Healer, Tank & Melee DPS Only.	....................	Guardian Cigosh (Male Mercs) Guardian Rirak (Female Mercs)
(Dwarf)	(need image) Melee DPS Only.	Underfoot Raging Mercenary Writ (It appears this was a special bonus for buying the Underfoot Expansion via Steam.)	??
Enchanted Armor	Caster DPS / Healer / Melee DPS / Tank	Contract of Enchanted Armor (This was awarded to Players who raised $250 for the 2023 Extra Life Charity Drive.)	Aemlai Psawaslleh
Erudite	DPS Caster and Healer Mercs Only.	....................	Guardian Bomawyn (Male Mercs) Guardian Adiasean (Female Mercs)
Fear Crazed Chetari	Caster DPS / Healer / Melee DPS / Tank	Contract of the Fear Crazed Chetari Prize: Contract of the Fear Crazed Chetari	Iauld Atiqa
Fearstone Gargoyle	Caster DPS / Healer / Melee DPS / Tank	Fearstone Gargoyle Contract Sold by the Anniversary Vendor, a jubilant merchant, in the Plane of Knowledge (when active), using Commemorative Coins (earned via Anniversary missions).	Iauld Atiqa
Froglok	Melee DPS Only.	....................	Guardian Jelab (Male Mercs) Guardian Frendad (Female Mercs)
Froglok	Caster DPS Only	....................	Guardian Wedrijan (Male Mercs) Guardian Ulaurd (Female Mercs)
Frozen Blue Skeleton	Caster DPS / Healer / Melee DPS / Tank	Quest (You need (3) items from LoN: Trapped Soul Gem (from Prize: Plagued Skull Fragment Pack); Empty Glowing Skull (from Prize: Path of Skulls Pack); & Frost Covered Gem (from one of several "of Bones" Ornament Packs). Hail and then give these to the Frozen Skeleton of the Cursed in the Plane of Knowledge to get access to the Merc. NOTE: When claiming the Prize items, be sure to select the Quest items as your reward, just in case.	Frozen Skeleton of the Cursed
Fungal Fiend	Caster DPS / Healer / Melee DPS / Tank	Contract of the Fungal Fiend Night of Shadows (Included with Collector's premium and the Family & Friends edition.)	Aemlai Psawaslleh
Fungus Man	Caster DPS Only.	....................	Guardian Voelath (Male Mercs) Guardian Helind (Female Mercs)
Gargoyle	Caster DPS / Healer / Melee DPS / Tank	Gargoyle Contract Prize: Gargoyle Contract	Hadya Ware
Gelidran	Melee Only.	Discordant Contract House of Thule (Pre-Order) (One of four Mercs that appear to have been granted by this one Contract.)	Hadya Ware
Gelatinous Cube	Image Caster DPS / Healer / Melee DPS / Tank	Contract of the Gelatinous Cube This contract was awarded to Players that raised $250 for the 2024 Extra Life Charity Drive.	????
Gingerbread Man	Caster DPS / Healer / Melee DPS / Tank	Confectionary Contract Purchased from Alerynril the Loyal (Plane of Knowledge) using Crowns aka Loyalty Tokens.	Hadya Ware
Gnome		....................	Guardian Frilikin (Male Mercs) Guardian Asirav (Female Mercs)
Gnome Pirate	Caster DPS / Healer / Melee DPS / Tank	Gnome Pirate Contract Prize: Gnome Pirate Contract	Hadya Ware
Goblin	Caster DPS / Healer / Melee DPS / Tank	Goblinoid Contract Prize: Goblinoid Contract	Hadya Ware
Goblin	Caster, Healer & Tank Only.	....................	Guardian Cigosh (Male Mercs) Guardian Rirak (Female Mercs)
Goblin	Caster DPS Only.	....................	Guardian Jelab (Male Mercs) Guardian Frendad (Female Mercs)
Guktan		....................	Guardian Norerd (Male Mercs) Guardian Erohach (Female Mercs)
(Hadal)	(need image)	Contract of the Deeps Veil of Alaris (Beta Reward)	??
Half Elf	Melee DPS & Tank Only.	....................	Guardian Jarenth (Male Mercs) Guardian Rhilali (Female Mercs)
Halfling	Healer, Melee DPS & Tank Only.	....................	Guardian Jerbabi (Male Mercs) Guardian Thaowyn (Female Mercs)
High Elf	Caster DPS & Healer Only.	....................	Guardian Onaut (Male Mercs) Guardian Rhenwan (Female Mercs)
Human		....................	Guardian Vaehan (Male Mercs) Guardian Drendle (Female Mercs)
Ikaav	Healer Only.	Discordant Contract House of Thule (Pre-Order) (One of four Mercs that appear to have been granted by this one Contract.)	Hadya Ware
Iksar	Tank Only.	....................	Guardian Jelab (Male Mercs) Guardian Frendad (Female Mercs)
Jann	Female Djinn Emissary / Female Ondine Wavefront / Male Djinn Soldier / Male Efreeti Amir The Merc Type you get is decided by your class.	Contract of the Jann The Burning Lands (Collectors Edition)	Iauld Atiqa
Kobold	Melee DPS Mercs Only.	....................	Guardian Bomawyn (Male Mercs) Guardian Adiasean (Female Mercs)
Lizardman	Caster DPS & Melee DPS Only.	....................	Guardian Rhorin (Male Mercs) Guardian Daknot (Female Mercs)
Lizardman		Contract of the Lizardman The Darkened Sea	Iauld Atiqa
(Marionette)	(need image)	Marionette Strings Fan Faire 2011 This was awarded to Players who attended (bought a ticket) to the noted event.	??
(Minotaur)	(need image) Tank Only.	Mercenary Conscription Authorization Seeds of Destruction (Beta Reward) (One of two Mercs granted by this Contract).	Facesmasher Brog
Nihil	It appears that it is random, or the Merc Type, that decides if your Merc will be male or female.	Nihil Contract Prize: Nihil Contract	Hadya Ware
Nihil	(need image)	Contract of the Nihil Award on the Vaniki TLP Server for defeating the 'Doomscale Horde' event by Level 90... Achievement: Challenge: Defeat the Doomscale Horde. It was awarded as a claim, so it could be claimed by any Character on any server on the same account.	????
Ogre	Tank Only.	....................	Guardian Rhorin (Male Mercs) Guardian Daknot (Female Mercs)
Orc	Caster DPS Only.	....................	Guardian Jarenth (Male Mercs) Guardian Rhilali (Female Mercs)
Orc	Melee DPS Only.	....................	Guardian Wedrijan (Male Mercs) Guardian Ulaurd (Female Mercs)
Orc		....................	Guardian Prau (Male Mercs) Guardian Shabado (Female Mercs)
Orc		....................	Guardian Kedirakith (Male Mercs) Guardian Onay (Female Mercs)
Orc		Crushbone Contract Prize: Crushbone Contract	Hadya Ware
Othmir	Caster DPS / Healer / Melee DPS / Tank	Contract of the Othmir Claws of Veeshan (Collector's, Premium and / or Family & Friends)	Iauld Atiqa
Painted Sporali	Caster DPS / Healer / Melee DPS / Tank	Contract of the Painted Sporali (Awarded to those who helped ran their own Charity Drive and raised at least $250 for the Extra Life Charity Drive in 2022.)	Aemlai Psawaslleh
Phoenix	(Need Image)	Contract of the Phoenix Award on the Vaniki TLP Server from defeating the 'Fight Fire' event by Level 100... Achievement: Challenge: Defeat Fight Fire. It was awarded as a claim, so it could be claimed by any Character on any server on the same account.	????
Pyrilen	Caster DPS Only.	Discordant Contract House of Thule (Pre-Order) (One of four Mercs that appear to have been granted by this one Contract.)	Hadya Ware
Rallosian Goblin	Caster DPS / Healer / Melee DPS / Tank	Contract of the Rallosian Goblin Laurion's Song (Collector's, Premium, or Family & Friends Edition)
Rallosian Orc	Caster DPS / Healer / Melee DPS / Tank	Rallosian Orc Contract Prize: Rallosian Orc Contract Quest (Originally you needed (4) items: Numbing Amethyst Shard; Obsidian Shard; a Numbing Mahogany Shard & a Decaying Chest, all of which came as part of an LoN set / pack. Once acquired, you combined them in the Decaying Chest to make the Contract. If you still have these items, you can still do it this. However, the sets / packs are now awarded as Prize items from LoN Marketplace cards, as a stand-alone Prize.)	Hadya Ware
Restless Orc		Contract of the Restless Ry'Gorr Torment of Velious (Collector's or Premium Edition)	Iauld Atiqa
Scarecrow	Caster DPS / Healer / Melee DPS / Tank	Frightening Writ Quest (Halloween: The Hunt for Tattooed Flesh from a frightening liaison, in the Plane of Knowledge, when active.)	a frightening liaison
Scrykin		Mystical Contract Prize: Mystical Contract	Hadya Ware
(Shiliskin)	(need image)	Shiliskin Contract SOE Live 2013 This was awarded to Players who attended (bought a ticket) to the noted event.	????
Shissar		Shissar Contract Prize: Shissar Contract	Hadya Ware
(Siren)	(need image) Healer Only.	Mercenary Conscription Authorization Seeds of Destruction (Beta Reward) (One of two Mercs granted by this Contract).	Facesmasher Brog
Skeletal Knight	Caster DPS / Healer / Melee DPS / Tank	Contract of the Fallen Rain of Fear	Hadya Ware
Skorpikis		Contract of the Skorpikis Ring of Scale (Collectors Edition)	Iauld Atiqa
Stonegrabber	Caster DPS / Healer / Melee DPS / Tank	Contract of the Stonegrabber Terror of Luclin (Collector's, Premium of Friends & Family Editions)	Iauld Atiqa
Swinetor	Caster DPS / Healer / Melee DPS / Tank	Swinetor Contract Veil of Alaris (Collectors Edition)	Hadya Ware
(Tier'Dal)	(need image)	Contract of the Tier'Dal Royal Guard - Call of the Forsaken (Beta Reward)	??
Troll	Tank Only.	....................	Guardian Wedrijan (Male Mercs) Guardian Ulaurd (Female Mercs)
Vah Shir	Melee DPS & Tank Only.	....................	Guardian Voelath (Male Mercs) Guardian Helind (Female Mercs)
(Vampire)	(need image)	Bloodstained Contract SOE Live 2012 This was awarded to Players who attended (bought a ticket) to the noted event.	??
Werewolf		Werewolf Contract Prize: Werewolf Contract	Hadya Ware
Woeful	It appears that it is random, or the Merc Type, that decides if your Merc will be male or female.	Contract of the Chosen The Broken Mirror (Collector's Edition) This Merc type has a hidden bonus effect in certain The Broken Mirror zones, as it will reduce some of penalties (debuffs) in those zones (by as much as 10%).	Iauld Atiqa
Wood Elf	Melee DPS & Tank Only.	....................	Guardian Prau (Male Mercs) Guardian Shabado (Female Mercs)
Zombie	It appears that it is random, or the Merc Type, that decides if your Merc will be male or female.	Rotting Contract Prize: Rotting Contract	Hadya Ware

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This Page Last Updated August 13, 2024

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