Started testing mercs like a newbie
First time I hired that Act 1 Rogue lady. Thought bows were cool. Big mistake. She just stood there shooting arrows while monsters punched my face in. Rogue dies too fast. I kept feeding her red pots like crazy, still got wrecked in Cold Plains. Felt stupid wasting all that gold.
Then I tried big sword guys
Act 5 Barbarian looked tough. Gave him two shiny axes. He ran ahead like a maniac! Got surrounded by skeletons immediately. Healing couldn’t save him. Dead Barb costs 50k to revive. My coins gone like that snaps fingers. Decided Barb isn’t for beginners.
Act 3 mage? Joke. His fireball did nothing to Duriel. Melted like butter in desert. Total waste.
The turning point moment
Was about to quit when some veteran told me “Just grab Act 2 guy”. Bought cheapest one first – Combat guy with Jab skill. Noticed something wild: he actually tanked hits! Didn’t drop dead every 2 minutes! Started putting armor with high defense on him. Stacked life leech rings too.
- Holy Freeze merc = life saver for sorceress
- Might aura merc = perfect for weak melee builds
- Always check their aura type BEFORE hiring!
Gear setup that finally worked
Farm Countess for Tal Rasha’s mask recipe. Cheap life leech! Any armor over 500 defense drops in early Act 2. Stick runes in socketed polearms. My Might merc runs with Insight polearm now – no more mana problems! He tanks while I throw spells safely behind him.
Gold issues vanished too. Revive cost 10x cheaper than Barbarian merc. Act 2 dude just doesn’t die often. Easy mode unlocked!
What I tell new players now
Stop overthinking like I did. Here’s the brain dead method:
- Go Act 2 town (Nightmare difficulty best)
- Pick Prayer aura merc for starters
- Slap highest defense armor you find on him
- Any polearm with life steal = god tier early
- Forget other acts exist til level 80
Saved my HC character three times yesterday. This merc eats hits like breakfast. Newbies: Act 2. Always. Thank me later.
