Overview
A Mercenary is an NPC helper that fights at your side. It is controlled much like a Homunculus, but any class can hire one, and instead of growing with you it has fixed stats set by the grade of the scroll you used. You can have a Homunculus and a Mercenary out at the same time.
Where to hire and scroll grades
You buy a contract scroll and use it to summon the Mercenary. Your base level must be at least five levels above the Mercenary's level, and the higher grades also ask for Loyalty Points with that guild. Scrolls cannot be sold, traded, stored or put in a cart.
| Scroll grade | Your level | Mercenary level | Loyalty needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15+ | 20 | — |
| 3 | 35+ | 40 | — |
| 6 | 65+ | 70 | — |
| 7 | 75+ | 80 | 50+ |
| 8 | 85+ | 90 | 100+ |
| 9 | 90+ | 95 | 300+ |
| 10 | 90+ | 99 | 500+ |
In battle
Each Mercenary comes with two to four fixed skills that depend on its type and grade. By default its AI is not aggressive: it only attacks monsters that hit you or that you are attacking. You can also give orders yourself, for example Alt + left-click on a monster to target it.
- It needs no food, and it can be buffed and healed like a player, though Heal, High Heal and Sanctuary restore only half as much and Cure does nothing.
- A mercenary merchant stands near each contract seller with potions for it, such as Mercenary Red Potion (about 1000 HP) and potions that raise its attack speed.
- It can join PvP and War of Emperium maps but cannot damage the Emperium. If it gets more than 15 cells away, it is moved back to you.
- The contract ends when you die, it dies, you dismiss it, or the 30 minutes run out.
Loyalty and kill count
Loyalty Points are kept separately for each guild. A kill counts when the monster's level is more than half of your base level, no matter who lands the blow.
- Every 50 kills: +1 loyalty.
- Surviving a full 30-minute contract: +1 loyalty.
- Your Mercenary dies during the contract: −1 loyalty.
At set kill counts the Mercenary also gets a temporary random bonus to one stat. More loyalty means fewer kills between bonuses. Each stat can be raised five times, and every bonus is lost when the contract ends.
| Stat | First bonus | Fifth bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Attack, Hit, Flee | +15 | +75 |
| Max HP, Max SP | +5% | +25% |
Monster and quest mercenaries
Besides the three guilds, some contracts summon monsters or special allies. They do not earn Loyalty Points and do not get kill-count bonuses.
- Wild Rose, Doppelganger and Egnigem Cenia: earned in the Poring War.
- Valkyrie: part of the Arch Bishop job change test.
- Loki's Shadow and Guardian's alter ego: from quests and instances.
- Antler Scaraba: by killing a monster with a weapon that holds a Queen Scaraba Card.
Sources
Game pictures: © Gravity Co., Ltd. · playragnarok.com
