Mercs

How come I never see any Mercs around (except mine)?
Bots are common, Bots/FF are thick as flies, I've seen some Zombie/Dark around a few times, and Thugs seems popular too.

I've rolled a Merc/Traps that I'm now leveling and was just curious about what to expect: What's the good, the bad, and the ugly with Merc/Traps?

I like Mercs.

I think the perception is that they're the weakest set to play. I don't know the exact number on this, but I'm sure someone else does.

I leveled a Merc/TA up, and you can expect ALOT of numbers. but they aren't big number, and that's probably what people don't like.

For me, trying to get up to 26 was the hardest part. The Commando is such a relief. You damage output will finally grow. And it gets better at 32. The AoE isn't too bad either, but some of the other sets overshadow it by a large margin.

There's still nothing like the sound of 6 Assault rifles going off.

Ah yes my favorite subject Merc/Traps

Merc's are diffrent in that there all about a lot of little orange numbers all the time insted of big orange numbers some of the time. They also have very good accucary thanks to there -def so after an attack or 2 the rest will hit... most of the time. /Traps helps even more.

In a way Merc's are a lot like Bots.

The Commando: Your Tier 3 pet is where most of the damage is. Much like the Assault bot. He is kinda like a Assualt Rifle/ Cor. He gets Full Auto, Flame Thrower, LRM Rocket which is on a 4 min recharge. (One of the reasons people don't like Merc's) I think he also gets Frag Grenade, Buckshot and Slug.

Spec-Ops Probably one of the other reasons people don't like Merc's. This is what is suppose to make Merc's different and stand out from other sets. They fail horribly at it. They have I think 2 holds and 2 stuns Tear gas, Web Grenade, Flash Bang and Rifle Butt. Problem is all that stuff is on a long recharge so you don't see them very often and when you do its that lone Longbow Eagle with a sliver of life left. They also get a useless stealth power, 2 SMG bursts and a Snipe.

Soldiers You get a Medic as you last T1 pet he has Stimulant and Med-kit (Aid Other and Aid Self in one more or less), along with a Frag Grenade that gets him killed more often than not. He dose an Ok job at healing but again the recharge on med-kit is to long to help when you run into a lot of damage at once. The other two get a variety of MG burst like powers 2 cones, Full Auto and 2 Singe Target I think.


So in the end you get 3 full auto's 2 frag's (3 if you take the personal attacks) and 6ish cones. Oh and lot's of -def

NEVER EVER EVER EVER take Serum. Serum SUCKS it absolutely SUCKS. 16 min and 40 sek reachable + end crash.


Traps is a good set IMO it has a lot of tools and covers most of merc's failings rather well.

Web Grenade: Good for PVP thanks to the -fly but your not going to need it much for PVE I don't use it a lot so that all I can say. Well that and it can't hold a boss so its kinda "Meh" in my book. The -recharge is good on EB/AV's


Caltrops: A good power its a lot of damage and mitigation (thanks to the fear) in one and can take 6, yes SIX IO damage Procs its no nuke but brings it's damage up a bit.


Triage Beacon You can get a lot of mileage out of this. Its not a heal. However you put this down at the start of a fight and you'll see a difference compared to being with out it. Its also good for EB/AV's I only wish it's recharge was a bit lower or that it was mobile.


Acid Mortar: A unskipable power IMO one of the key things that you just have to take. -res, -def, AOE toxic damage and with enough recharge you can get two of them down whats not to like?


FFG: Another must take PAOE +def Res some mez whats not to like? Some people say they also use it to take alpha but I think the range its to short for that.


Poison Trap: The last of the Must take powers Poison trap won't wow you when you first get it but 6 slot it stick a entire Lockdown set in there and you will get just about everything in the mob but the boss's and some times them to! The -regen and -rechage in this is also what will let you solo EB/AV's

Seeker Drones: The debuff in these is kinda "Meh" but you can summon them at a long range and there great at taking alpha because no matter what there debuff will go off it wont matter if they die.

Trip Mine: I wish this would take Recharge Interrupt Time enhancements or what ever there called. If and I do mean IF you can get this off in the middle of a spawn it's beautiful. A combo Leathel/Fire nuke with no crash I tend to do around 300 or so damage. ( Thats solo on 0 (8) doing Granville paper missions with no boss's and no Malta so mostly COT COS and Council) But it may not fit the way you play. You and also set a whol bunch at once and pull around a corner generally killing what ever it was instantly.

Detonator: See here my thoughts on this.

Pools

Super speed: Sucks Redside because its not flat and there are no strate rodes but good on TF's thanks to the stealth. Hasten is also good for getting your Traps down more often.

Leaping: I like Super jump Redside and Combat jumping is a good place for a LoTG 7.5 and the +def is good for getting Trip Mine down.

Fly: Is ok for the same reasons Leaping is I just don't like how slow it and Hover are. Air Superiority is good for PVP thanks to -fly but you already have Web Grenade.

Teleport: Use to be a no brainer when you could TP Acid Morter around. Seeing as you can no longer do that its a take if you want power pool.

Leadership: A good set to take all around I don't see much use in Veng tho

Medicine: Agin a good way to cover some of Merc's failings aid other to supplement your medic and Aid self is always good.

Fitness: Weather you need this or not is completely dependent on you build and slotting if you take the personal attacks then you will most likely need it.

Fighting: I don't see how you could have space for this in you build but if you want to takermind REALY bad, you could take this I suppose IMO you don't need it.

Presence: Good for tankerminding.

Concelment: Good for TF's

Patron Power Pools: You don't need them IMO.

....Dam I did not mean to stay up till 2:00 am and write an entire freaking guide.


Here is my build this may be more than your willing to do but if you want to you can tag along with me some time when I'm farming if you want to see how the combo performs.

Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.601
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Major Skipper 1: Level 50 Technology Mastermind
Primary Power Set: Mercenaries
Secondary Power Set: Traps
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Leadership

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Burst

• (A) Devastation - Accuracy/Damage
• (7) Devastation - Damage/Recharge
• (40) Devastation - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• (40) Devastation - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
• (46) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
• (50) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance/Recharge

• (A) Immobilisation Duration IO

• (A) Blood Mandate - Accuracy
• (3) Blood Mandate - Accuracy/Damage
• (3) Blood Mandate - Damage
• (5) Blood Mandate - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
• (5) Blood Mandate - Accuracy/Endurance
• (7) Achilles' Heel - Chance for Res Debuff

• (A) Devastation - Accuracy/Damage
• (9) Devastation - Damage/Recharge
• (9) Devastation - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• (40) Devastation - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
• (42) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
• (48) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance/Recharge

• (A) Endurance Reduction IO

• (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed

• (A) Analyze Weakness - Defense Debuff
• (11) Analyze Weakness - Accuracy/Defense Debuff
• (11) Analyze Weakness - Accuracy/Recharge
• (23) Analyze Weakness - Defense Debuff/Endurance/Recharge
• (25) Analyze Weakness - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge
• (25) Undermined Defenses - Defense Debuff/Recharge/Endurance

• (A) Sovereign Right - Accuracy
• (13) Sovereign Right - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
• (13) Sovereign Right - Damage/Endurance
• (15) Sovereign Right - Accuracy/Damage
• (15) Sovereign Right - Resistance Bonus
• (23) Edict of the Master - Defense Bonus

• (A) Unbounded Leap - +Stealth
• (27) Unbounded Leap - Jumping

• (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense
• (17) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance
• (17) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Recharge

• (A) Positron's Blast - Chance of Damage(Energy)
• (19) Eradication - Chance for Energy Damage
• (19) Scirocco's Dervish - Chance of Damage(Lethal)
• (36) Obliteration - Chance for Smashing Damage
• (37) Impeded Swiftness - Chance of Damage(Smashing)

• (A) Lockdown - Accuracy/Hold
• (21) Lockdown - Accuracy/Recharge
• (21) Lockdown - Recharge/Hold
• (27) Lockdown - Endurance/Recharge/Hold
• (34) Lockdown - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge/Hold
• (37) Lockdown - Chance for +2 Mag Hold

• (A) Doctored Wounds - Endurance/Recharge
• (33) Doctored Wounds - Heal
• (34) Doctored Wounds - Recharge
• (34) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Recharge
• (37) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Endurance/Recharge
• (39) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Endurance

• (A) Jumping IO

• (A) Numina's Convalescence - +Regeneration/+Recovery

• (A) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod/Accuracy
• (29) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod
• (29) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod/Endurance

• (A) Blood Mandate - Accuracy/Damage
• (31) Blood Mandate - Accuracy
• (31) Blood Mandate - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
• (31) Blood Mandate - Damage
• (33) Blood Mandate - Damage/Endurance
• (33) Blood Mandate - Accuracy/Endurance

• (A) Endurance Reduction IO

• (A) Kinetic Crash - Accuracy/Damage/Knockback
• (36) Kinetic Crash - Damage/Endurance/Knockback
• (36) Kinetic Crash - Damage/Knockback
• (42) Kinetic Crash - Accuracy/Knockback
• (46) Force Feedback - Damage/Endurance/Knockback
• (48) Force Feedback - Chance for +Recharge

• (A) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage
• (39) Positron's Blast - Damage/Endurance
• (39) Positron's Blast - Damage/Recharge
• (42) Positron's Blast - Damage/Range
• (43) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
• (43) Recharge Reduction IO

• (A) Dampened Spirits - To Hit Debuff
• (43) Dampened Spirits - To Hit Debuff/Recharge/Endurance
• (45) Dampened Spirits - To Hit Debuff/Recharge
• (46) Stupefy - Accuracy/Stun/Recharge
• (48) Stupefy - Stun/Range
• (50) Stupefy - Endurance/Stun

• (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
• (45) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance
• (45) Luck of the Gambler - Defense

• (A) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Chance for Build Up
• (50) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Endurance

• (A) Endurance Reduction IO

• (A) Recharge Reduction IO

• (A) Jumping IO

• (A) Recharge Reduction IO

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I like my merc. Took him to Cimerora Saturday and absolutely kicked tail. I've never had it so easy fighting the romans before and I have like the worst possible secondary with FF.

I respec'd out of Serum and the medic doesn't heal nearly often enough while seeming to always die first so I agree with all that. However, I love my spec ops guys. I use them as my pullers while putting the rest of the team at parade rest. Their long range snipes make them quick to pull back and they don't attract attention while getting into position. Not that I have to pull very often but when I do they are my go-to guys.

Disclaimer - I only have one MM so I have no basis for comparison.

I have a mercs/traps (At 42 IIRC), I have a lot of fun with him. Not as much as I do with my necro MM, but certainly enough to keep playing him.

I don't think its the most potent primary, but its certainly not terrible.

Bronze and everyone, thanks for the tips. Oh, and yes I also took burst and slug. The thing about Caltrops from what I see is that the slow/fear component is the most usefull to me. I try and slot 1 recharge and three slows and I see a big difference compared to any other slotting I've tried so far but I may try procing it out like you have. Or a mix. Or I just may rely on a Mine nearby, not sure yet.

My Mercs/Traps is my favorite MM alt (lvl 32 and counting). This character moves nice and steady, completing mission after mission at a good pace. I enjoy the fact that Traps allows me to use some strategy in setting up fights, and the Mercs, while not doing the best damage, do a decent amount, and they fit into many theme builds.

Very fun.

Merc/Pain at 50 here, I like em, meshed well with pain IMO. May roll another merc at a later date depending on what secondaries are down the line for MMs.

I have a Merc/Poison and yeah it was a bumpy ride but I love them. I might make more but I want to try out thugs as well. Mercs seem like they would pair well with /Pain, /TA, /Traps and /Storm.

I considered Merc/Storm bout half way through bringing up my merc/pain. It's another build that works great together, Hurricane keeps all your pets safe from melee quite well.

My brother has a Necro/Pain and a Mercs/Storm. He has a lot more fun with the Mercs/Storm. Then there's the mildly amusing 'stormtrooper' joke with such a build.

Bah I forgot about thermal. Thermal is win as well.

I would think the ultimate merks build would be merks/dark, since the continual def debuffing by your henchmen would ensure that the targeted heal power always hits. Also, Tar Patch would help with the damage problems.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Golden_Avariel I like my merc. Took him to Cimerora Saturday and absolutely kicked tail. I've never had it so easy fighting the romans before and I have like the worst possible secondary with FF. I respec'd out of Serum and the medic doesn't heal nearly often enough while seeming to always die first so I agree with all that. However, I love my spec ops guys. I use them as my pullers while putting the rest of the team at parade rest. Their long range snipes make them quick to pull back and they don't attract attention while getting into position. Not that I have to pull very often but when I do they are my go-to guys. Disclaimer - I only have one MM so I have no basis for comparison.

I've been curious about this: do medics heal your MM too, or just the other henchmen? I'm debating whether to do a Merks/Thermal build, but I like to make sure my MM has good survivability in case he draws too much aggro.

Medic heals you too.

I have Mercs/TA, and I do like it alot. Your mercs are a little squishy, so keeping foes debuffed is the main key to survival. Mercs/TA is a busy MM compared to some others, but I find it fun and engaging.

I enjoy my Necro/Storm more, but Mercs/TA is great fun.

Quote:

Originally Posted by eltonio This is over the top mental slavery.

I have a merc/FF mastermind, and I far prefer him over my necro/pain. Plenty of pew-pew and I have Achille's Heel procs in the mercs, so things seem to melt quite nicely. I know mercs isn't the top dawg but it sure is fun. The poster upthread who said not to take Serum is absolutely right, the recharge is just way too long and even when it is up it isn't enough to turn a fight around in my experience.

I love Mercs they were my first MM but they do need A LOT of work not only the power issues but their look needs work. The might as well name them soldiers. The only pets who look Mercenary-ish is the Spec Ops. /Thermal would be nice for mercs b/c Forge will give three of them a nice dmg boost. Also the other awesomeness that goes with thermal.