Tougher hires
Every mercenary has 30% more life and life per level, 25% more defense and defense per level, and +15 to all resistances. Hell Act 2 hires keep their own bigger boost (below).
Auras
Every act's hire now has an aura, shown on the hire screen next to its type. Every mercenary aura gains one level about every 16 mercenary levels. Concentration, Fanaticism are given from Nightmare on.
| Mercenary | Type | Aura |
|---|---|---|
| Act 1 Rogue | Fire Arrow | Holy Fire in Normal, Meditation in Nightmare, Fanaticism in Hell |
| Act 1 Rogue | Cold Arrow | Might in Normal, Meditation in Nightmare, Fanaticism in Hell |
| Act 2 Desert Mercenary | Hire that had Holy Freeze | Salvation |
| Act 2 Desert Mercenary | Hire that had Blessed Aim | Concentration (from Nightmare) |
| Act 2 Desert Mercenary | Every other hire | Its usual aura |
| Act 3 Iron Wolf | Fire | Holy Fire |
| Act 3 Iron Wolf | Cold | Holy Freeze |
| Act 3 Iron Wolf | Lightning | Holy Shock |
| Act 5 Barbarian | One-handed | Might |
| Act 5 Barbarian | Two-handed | Concentration (from Nightmare) |
Act 3 spells
Iron Wolves cast the big spell of their element next to their old second spell, at spell level 3 in Normal, 9 in Nightmare and 15 in Hell, growing about one level every 5 mercenary levels. Mercenaries get no synergies or masteries.
| Aura | Big spell |
|---|---|
| Holy Fire | Meteor |
| Holy Freeze | Frozen Orb |
| Holy Shock | Chain Lightning |
Hell hires
Hell Act 2 and Act 5 hires also gain more per level (internal per-level units):
| Hire (Hell) | Change |
|---|---|
| Act 2 Comb | life/level 40 → 60, defense/level 28 → 35, damage/level 8 → 10 |
| Act 2 Def | life/level 40 → 60, defense/level 28 → 35, damage/level 8 → 10 |
| Act 2 Off | life/level 40 → 60, defense/level 28 → 35, damage/level 8 → 10 |
| Act 2 HolyFreeze | life/level 40 → 60, defense/level 28 → 35, damage/level 8 → 10 |
| Act 2 Might | life/level 40 → 60, defense/level 28 → 35, damage/level 8 → 10 |
| Act 2 Thorns | life/level 40 → 60, defense/level 28 → 35, damage/level 8 → 10 |
| Act 5 Barbarian 2hs | life/level 45 → 60, damage/level 8 → 10, Battle Cry chance 15% → 25% |
| Act 5 Barbarian 2hs | life/level 45 → 60, damage/level 8 → 10, Battle Cry chance 15% → 25% |
Gear
Every mercenary can wear an amulet, two rings, a belt, boots and gloves, like you, on top of its helm, body armor and weapon. Open the mercenary's panel and drop the item into its slot.
Weapons
Mercenaries take more kinds of weapons than in the base game. Barbarians that fight with two weapons take one-handed axes only; Iron Wolves hold a staff in both hands, without their shield. A Rogue never runs out of shots, so her arrows or bolts only add their bonuses.
| Hire | Weapons |
|---|---|
| Act 1 Rogues | bows, crossbows, arrows or bolts in the other hand |
| Act 3 Iron Wolves | swords, daggers, staves |
| Act 5 Barbarians | swords, axes |