Merc/Storms or Ninjas/Thermal?

Quite an Odd comparison, but reason being I have a Merc/Storms, and want a Nin/Therm.

My Merc/Storms is sitting at 32, and I enjoy him. A fun little protective barrier with Hurricane and a Stealth Aura (Steamy Mist) I like sitting back on teams while I launch snow storm on the boss, Freezing rain on the whole group, and watch my pets take care of the rest while I attend to others with O2 boost.
My main reason for making him was to PvP, and he's done well so far in Siren's call, but I fear with DR his debuffs won't do nearly as well as a Ninja/Thermal, esp. in RV, which is where I plan to be most of the time...

Ninja/Thermal, well /thermal on a MM I believe will become a huge Fotm among PvEers and PvPers alike. Between an Aura Heal, a ST Heal, 2 Shields, and the best debuff currently (Heat Exhaustion) for PvP, with a quick recharging mass -def -resist debuff, /Thermal has a lot to offer, except for mitigation, which /Storms has tons of in Gale, Hurricane, Tornado, Snow Storm, and Freezing Rain.
My reason for wanting the Ninja/Thermal is also for PvP.

I would like to keep my Merc/Storm but I don't see the point in keeping a character I'm not going to use when another set does everything it does and then some.

So, I guess my question is...does Merc/Storm have that a Ninja/Thermal isn't as good at?
(PvE and/or PvP uses, I don't mind transforming my Merc/Storm from PvP to PvE if it's better suited there.)
-Av Killing?
-Better teaming? (PvE and PvP)
-Soloing? (PvE and PvP)
-Team Support? (PvE and PvP)
-Better in specific PvP zones? (BB, SC, WB (lol), RV, Arena)
-Etc.

I'd save some speculation 'till we see how /Thermal is handled on the MM, sometimes powers are tweaked, though I do imagine it would stay the same.

For higher level PvP, I'd say that ninja/thermal would handle very well. Solid utility (no one trick pony-ness to get butchered by DR) and pets don't get heal Decay like you do. Its ability to boost damage via damage buff and resist debuffs will be of much benefit to /nin. Forging your ninjas for a wonderful ST damage slaughter house =O

plus, you'll be the proud owner of ninjas.. on fire. Can't get much more awesome than that XD (Though I'm thinking of rolling zombie/thermal, if we can make anything remotely dark out of fire. Purple/black flames would look aaaaaamazing on them)

I would wait to see about this, chances are that MMs will have the same set, but, rumor is castle is going to gut HE, becuase he doesn't like the fact that you have to get powers or build powers to not be stupidly end heavy, skill doesnt matter he's just going to fix the problem for them. However forged ninja crits sound hawt

If he nerfs HE, its gonna be pretty bad, given the fact that, if he gives it the DP treatment, it will be nearly useless as a power to use solo, then with DR, the thermal set will be even more useless, prolly clocking in at just above /kin for pvp

Drain Psyche, they reduced the -recovery from like -14 end a second to -.5 end a sec, although the drain psyche numbers are out of this world and would ground you no matter what you popped regen and recovery-wise, i don't see this happening to HE if logic is involved, i have slotted staminia, my base recovery and a small amount of recovery bonus's and i pop retsu on my stalker and am still recovering end, although its only half an end a second, im still there. Add to the fact that HE really doesn't do much more then that.