source: http://www.diii.net/blog/comments/on-the-drawing-board-6-mercenaries/ --------------- Personally, I like the idea! As long as they aren't required and completely by choice to have, I say why not? I want Waheed fighting next to me again. What do you guys think? Any suggestions for merc improvements?
Jiram will live again! I don't see what's so wrong about them; they're pretty fragile and everyone's aloud to get one. That's like saying there's a problem with someone stacking aura items for their pets, in summoner builds.
As I said in that original thread, I think they can find a middle ground. It's such a cool feature, it needs to be in, and if it's in, it can't be useless, but at the same time not gamebreaking. They can't be too weak or too strong, really, and most people will use one. Perhaps they will make them wildly different to make it more interesting.
They should try to prevent cookie cutter mercs as well. I think almost every player had and ACT2 merc, and that's basically all you saw most of the time. I hope they find a way to balance mercs so we see more than just 1 type used by players online.
I always was routing for the D2X rouge merc but 50% of the time shes cozzing me more money than giving me..
Mercenaries Should Make A Come Back In Diablo 3. Like any other RPG game it is essential that a player tries their very best to fix the weaknesses of the chosen character/hero without compromising their strengths. The best way to do this is the introduction of the mercenary/hireling concept be it in single-player mode or multi-payer mode. Take for example in the case of the fiesty sorceress in Diablo 2. Her arsenal are the elements and they pack a punch when dealing with a group of monsters. The only drawback is her Health and her Strength. To compensate for this mercenaries are needed to act as meat shields for her especially those from Act 2 and Act 5. However, with the addition of the expansion set mercenaries could be equipped with godly Runewords like Infinity. The statistics for the Infinity runeword listed here just made me laugh. Infinity 4 Socket Polearms Ber + Mal + Ber + Ist 50% Chance To Cast Level 20 Chain Lightning When You Kill An Enemy Level 12 Conviction Aura When Equipped +35% Faster Run/Walk +255-325% Enhanced Damage (varies) -(45-55)% To Enemy Lightning Resistance (varies) 40% Chance of Crushing Blow Prevent Monster Heal 0.5-49.5 To Vitality (Based on Character Level) 30% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items Level 21 Cyclone Armor (30 Charges) Source: http://classic.battle.net/diablo2exp/items/runewords-110.shtml With statistics like these a lightning based Sorceress with her teleporting prowess is second to nothing on the battle.net realms. My countenance turned to one of complete disgust and angst at the choices that Blizzard made with such godly Runewords. I am definitely for the idea of mercenaries/hirelings making a return in Diablo 3. However, Blizzard must be wary of their choices. On that note listed below here are some of the changes that I would like to see take flight in Diablo 3 with regards to the mercenary/hireling concept. 1. Mercenaries/hirelings can only be equipped with common, magical or rare items. Uniques and other godly items would just make them too powerful. 2. In order to maintain survivability of mercenaries/hirelings, they should be given the ability to use and hold potions. Perhaps, the addition of belts on top of the other gears that are allowed. 3. Also, there should be a toggle for us players to switch on and off so that the AI do not carelessly use potions. For novice players having the AI controlling when the mercenaries/hirelings get to use the various types of potions would make it easier for them. This is because in Diablo 2 players had to Shift+Right Click on the potions from the belt interface or drag the potions to the mercenaries/hirelings interface on the top left corner of the screen which was a hastle.
I'm not saying it to you personally, but that's why I hate Diablo 2 nowadays. Yeah, it's all down to numbers in the game but... I play a Barbarian. When I want to be a better character, I get heavier armor and a bigger weapon. Not sit down with some reading glasses and a handful of items that if I throw into my armor correctly, will make it better. Then there's the matter of getting the right armor for it, and all the high level runes.
I think mercs are great. But I stuck with an Act 1 one in D2 because I didn't like the others. Crazy I know but I wanted to be the tank and have the merc as just extra damage. Mercs don't always have to be the tank. I'd like to see a few different tanks in D3. 1. A tank. Low damage output but high health and armours. No real abilities apart from a taunt to keep the enemies on him. Would be a melee fighter. 2. A damage merc. Weaker then the tank. Less health and armours. But it'd do a lot more damage. The bow using one would be top damage and the magic using one would be a little less damage cause it could slow or burn or some other funky ability on the enemies. i'd see this merc as a ranged attacker. And you are the tank and it's added damage to the enemies. 3. The aura merc. Like a Act 2 - D2 merc. But it's have really low damage and a health mid way between the tank and damage mercs. But practically no armours. But it'd have various auras to buff the player. The merc is not buffed with it's own buffs only the player. This merc is more a non attacker and just a walking buff to the player. And it's weapon would be something heave 2 handed and really slow. And maybe you could make a version of it with an uber buff for the player but this merc could not attack at all. But can be killed by the enemies. So you have to protect it to keep the buffs it makes. Kind of like the 2nd merc. You are the tank and it is buffing you instead of damaging the enemies. Sounds a lot like the D2 mercs I know. But much more balanced.
