1. ACT 1 ROGUES
Ranger: Uses Vanquish, Cascade, Wraith Arrow.
Priestess: Uses Pagan Rites, Barrage, Guided Chain.
(All Act 1 mercs also have Defensive Harmony and Wings of Wrath)
Minimum level 3.
Act 1 Rogue mercs are adept at staying out of combat and hopefully keeping resurrection costs low. The Ranger variety does more damage, but the Priestess variety can heal herself very effectively if there are corpses around.
Due to the low initial level of this merc, some of her skills may not yet be available to her. Her first bow skill is added to her arsenal at level 6, and the second bow skill and Wings of Wrath at level 24. Vanquish and Pagan Rites ignore level restrictions and are always available.
2. ACT 2 TOWN GUARDS
Defender: Uses Titan Strike, Guard Tower, Glacial Nova.
Crusader: Uses Retaliate, Retribute, Inner Fire.
Shapeshifter: Uses Werebear, Claw Tornado, Bloodlust.
(All Act 2 mercs also have Berserk Fury and Blessed Life)
Minimum level 12.
Act 2 Town Guard mercs are great damage dealers and support units. The Shapeshifter hits hard, stuns targets and can cast Bloodlust to increase the physical and elemental damage of the whole party. The Defender has an area effect freeze ability. The Crusader variety can damage and stun a wide area of enemies with his melee skills, but relies on getting hit to trigger the skills...
Blessed Life is only available to this hireling at level 24. The Defender's Glacial Nova ignores level restrictions and is always available.
The Shapeshifter and Crusader mercs are often chosen for their tanking ability in the early game, though you may need to provide them with high defense items to keep them ticking in the end game.
3. ACT 3 IRON WOLVES
Necrolyte: Uses Pandemonium, Dark Power, Nightmare.
Slayer: Uses Elemental, Punisher, Pact of Blood.
Abjurer: Uses Forked Lightning, Banish, Lightning Shield.
(All Act 3 mercs also have Arcane Power and Mage Armor)
Minimum level 15.
Act 3 Iron Wolf hirelings possess powerful elemental attacks and various bonuses and curses. The Necrolyte can weaken and slow down enemies and increases the physical damage of the party with Dark Power, the Slayer heals the party and can take out single targets with Punisher, and the Abjurer can lower the maximum life of enemies with his curse, making them easier to kill.
Act 3 hirelings have 30 base energy at level 1 and gain +6 energy per level, which increases the damage of their spells. You can give them items that add to energy to further boost their damage.
Their third spell and Arcane Power are provided to the hireling at level 18, and Mage Armor at level 24.
Ooh, pretty lights...
4. ACT 5 BARBARIANS
Uses Shower of Rocks, Gift of the Wild, Thunder Slam.
(Act 4 mercs also have Circle of Life and Mountain King)
Minimum level 38.
Act 5 Barbarian mercs are much tougher than Act 2 mercs, but their skill set is slightly weaker to make up for it. Nevertheless, Gift of the Wild is a free party-buff version of the Mark spell and Thunder Slam spectacularly knocks back and stuns pretty much the whole screen...
These mercs are particularly useful when you want a merc who can beat up some monsters by himself. The Shapeshifter may do more damage, but this merc combines utility, damage and crowd control.
