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Mercenaries have finally made their way back toDiablo 4, but they work very differently this time compared to the previous game. With each bespoke companion offering various unique fighting styles and bonuses, players will have to make wise decisions regarding who they bring to the fight.
Unlocking and hiring Mercenaries is fairly straightforward, but the units themselves offer a ton of depth and plenty of potential for combos andbuildcrafting inDiablo 4.Here’s a quick guide covering the very basics of how Mercenaries and the new Reinforcement systems work.
How To Unlock Mercenaries In Diablo 4 Vessel Of Hatred
Players will automatically unlock Mercenaries as they progress throughtheVessel of Hatredcampaign. Following the scuffle at Gea Kul, you’ll eventually land in the jungles of Nahantu. Keep progressing the main questuntil you reach the Den in Nahantu, and Mercenaries will then become available to you. This place will become the central hub for all Mercenary-related activities.
At first, you’ll only have access to one Mercenary. If you hire them, they’ll accompany you as you play. There arefour mercenaries in total, three of which players will need to unlock via the following quests:
All quests for these Mercenaries can be started by picking up the marked items inside the Den. To hire a Mercenary inDiablo 4, approach them in the Den, then select the Hire option.
What Is Reinforcement In Diablo 4?
Reinforcement allows Mercenaries to help you without necessarily accompanying you on your journey. If you enlist a Mercernary for Reinforcement,they will perform certain skills along with you as you fight. you’re able to configure what Reinforcements you receive byspeaking to your unlocked Mercenariesand selecting the Enlist Reinforcement option.
In the Reinforcement menu, you can select what skill a Mercenary uses, and whatOpportunitythey will use them in. Opportunities refer to your own skills — for example, you can bind Varyana’s Shockwave to yourRogue’s Twisting Blades, so when you cast that skill, Varyana will join in and do her own attack with you.
You can hire a Mercenary and enlist a different one as your Reinforcement. However, one Mercenary cannot be hired and enlisted as Reinforcement at the same time.
Mercenary Skills
Hired Mercenaries will fight with you as you would expect from NPC companions, while Mercenaries enlisted as Reinforcements will only help when you activate specific abilities. Either way, they will use skills of their own — you’re able to choose what skills they use by speaking with them at the Den, or opening the Mercenaries tab.
Each Mercenary also has a number of passive skills that either apply to you or themselves. These only work when you hire them.
What Is Rapport In Diablo 4?
Rapport works the same as EXP, but for Mercenaries. You’ll earn more Rapport with your companions (hired or enlisted) as you gain EXP for yourself. As you build Rapport, you’ll unlock Mercenary skill points, loot caches, and Pale Marks, a type of currency used for bartering with Mercenaries who are at least Rapport level 5.
If you have a hired and enlisted Mercenary at the same time, the Reinforcement Mercenary will receive only half the Rapport as compared to the usual rate. In times when your main hired Mercenary isn’t able to accompany you (such as when playingDiablo 4with friends), your Reinforcement Mercenary will receive 100% Rapport.
Bartering
The Pale Marks you earn from building Rapport can be used to purchase Legendary gear from Fayira at the Den. This currency is shared between all characters in your account. All gear sold by Fayira will be at your current level, and starting at Torment I, theitem level of her gearwill be at least 750.
