For those of you that want to check out mercs you can do a /testcopy and load up on test to check them out, here is a copy of a post by the Dev Steven Klug on the test forums.
*** Mercenaries ***
This update enables the purchase of mercenaries.
The Seeds of Destruction Zone Sneak Preview Event is also available on the Test Server!
A web tutorial on the use of mercenaries will be coming later, but here is some info and tips:
- Mercenary liaisons are located in PoK and starting cities.
- Mercenaries have an initial hiring cost (based on quality of the merc and your level) and an upkeep cost that is charged from money in your inventory once every 15 minutes.
- Mercs take up a slot in your group and take their share of xp.
- Mercs will level up (or down) with you.
- Initially there are healer and tank type mercs.
- Mercs change their behavior based on their current stance and on the group role assignments of the group.
- One of the more useful group roles is the puller role. Setting the puller role on your group puller tells the merc AI to not engage the mobs or heal the puller until they are in camp.
- A tank merc will only taunt if it is set to the main tank role. Though it will still attack and behave as a secondary tank if it is not set as main tank.
- Some mercs are not available until you have completed certain content. But Apprentice mercs (tier 1-5) and Journeyman mercs (tier 1) are available to everyone.
- The difference between grades and tiers of mercs are numerous. The mercenary descriptions on the liaisons are a good guide to the differences.
- Mercenaries are not 100% confident. There are circumstances where they may lose confidence and leave you in the lurch. The chance of this happening is higher with the less expensive mercenaries.
- You can suspend your mercenary if you need to make room in your group for a real player (or if you just don't need the merc at the moment). However there may be minor time penalties for doing so.
- If your mercenary dies, you can revive him (a button on the mercenary manage window) after a certain amount of time has passed. You will be charged the upkeep cost at the point the merc is revived.
- Some zones do not allow mercs, and your merc will automatically be suspended if you enter them.
- You will not be allowed into a raid if you currently own a merc.
- The passive stance is universal to all mercs and will cause them to do nothing other than follow you. Also, if left in the passive stance for an entire billing interval (15 minutes) you will not be charged the upkeep cost
NOTE: FOR TEST ONLY! The mercenary initial hire cost has been reduced to zero so that /testcopied characters can try them out more easily.
Have fun! Experiment! Let us know what you think. Please post feedback on the In Testing Discussion forum!
*** UI ***
Fixed a UI inconsistency issue in Group Window (the font on the second gauge percent sign was 1 size too large and the alignment of the first guage text need to be moved by 1 pixel)
Fixed a problem with toggling betwee the last two targets if last target was selected by clicking the group window or player window using the mouse.
The Group window now supports the Player gauges and roles for custom UIs.
Fixed an issue where all items in any list window would display a tool tip regardless of whether there was a tool tip string defined.
*** Misc ***
When a corpse is ressed, it should poof if there is no longer any experience (or items in the case of old corpses) stored on the corpse.
Fixed a bug that caused groups to be out of sync when a group member went linkdead.
Fixed a bug with /hidecorpse looted that caused it to hide your own corpse when you looted it.
Fixed a bug that caused active and suspended pets to be lost when their owner went link dead.
Optimized the packet traffic for the target buff window. This should result in significant improvements in lag.
Message edited by SKlug on 10/09/2008 16:07:39.
For those who rely on a group all the time and have only one account, this may be a small solution when lfg for too long. At least I might get some experience other than repetitive solo questing, hehehe.
Phantom Grimmac Blueshadow
Currently there are two mercenaries, a tank and a cleric,
Tank can be agressive or passive, you can set this in the merc window. Passive does not get aggro when you are invis and running through mobs. Agressive fights anything that has aggro on you, or continues fighting after you die.
Clerics have multiple stances, from passive, to fast heal, to others i do not remember off the top of my head(at work when i learned NDA was lifted)
They will rez you if you die, 96%, heal you and otherwise be an acceptable replacement to a real cleric, i do not remember if they cure you, and if someone joins your group, and has a corpse, they will rez them, but not until you pay your next reoccuring charge.
Both of these are NOT as good as a real person, you pay to get one, and pay a fee every 15 minutes you keep them. You can suspend them at any time, to save the recurring charges. there is a chance they will "Lose Confidence" and cower in the corner if you get adds.
There are two skills of mercs, and both have 5 tiers and the more expensive, the better, as well as the less likelyhood of losing confidence.
You cannot take them to raid zones(i.e. CoA), but open zones they will go to, so something like a epic kill in an open zone, you can have them help, but they will only heal and help the group they are in.
Gotta do some work will add more as i can.
Bamorfy
Barbarian Shaman
Quymeni
High Elf Wizard
Anyone know if you can set the CLR merc to heal a MAGE pet? And is it only adds that make them run away? Endless mana pool? Can they drink C potions??? I suppose I could spend a few bucks and find out, but if someone already knows, could you post? Do they auto buff with level appropriate buffs up to the max? Is there any difference cheap to expensive other than confidence? Any reason at all to pick a particular race? Do they work better if your races are identical? Are some races better'n others?
My understanding is that no, pets cannot be made the main assist for mercs.
The functionality in the new group windows is what you will have to work with, and why it was implemented....so that mercs know who the MA and pullers are.
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Pets cannot be assigned roles, however, the cleric should heal your pet, but only after it ensures the PC's and mercs are healed.
Also i never got unlucky on confidence, but my understanding is it is only adds that break confidence.
Yes they do buff with level appropriate spells, even my pet got temerity rank 2 on him, and the new version of temerity at level 85(do not remember the name)
Apprentices cast rank 1, Journeymen cast rank 2 spells iirc
tier 1-5 Mostly buys Confidence, as well as some skill knowing what to cast, you get what you pay for.
Race has no bearing on the skill of the merc that i could find.
Bamorfy
Barbarian Shaman
Quymeni
High Elf Wizard
http://everquest.allakhazam.com/wiki/EQ:Mercenaries
this has some good information, and seems to be a simple and accurate summary.
Bamorfy
Barbarian Shaman
Quymeni
High Elf Wizard
