POLL: What do you think of Mercenaries?Follow

After reading through all the posts here, there is one thing that nobody mentioned. The fact that everyone playing this game pay their money to play it, therefore they choose how they want to play it. I understand that some people have been hindered by the addition of mercs due to lack of groups, but for others, it has been a great addition to allow them to explore the game more in depth while still playing how they want to, being solo.

While EQ is a social game, that doesn't necessarily mean that you have to group to be social, chatting with people in chat channels is just as social as chatting with them in the group channel. I used to love grouping with strangers, getting to know them etc, but as the game has gotten older (and myself in the process) I have found that the game can be much less enjoyable at times by doing this. Getting into groups that have... let's say, less than educated people just destroys the fun in the game for me. And there are many different ways this can happen, such as the hotzone only players that have leveled so fast, they have no clue how to play their class. Experience mooches who are busy watching TV and at best turn auto attack on and look away. There are so many things I can list that just annoy me while playing that I find it worthless to bother with.

Then you get situations where you are trying to get an item for your toon, or an alt. If you can take this mob with your toon(s) and mercs, this provides more profit for your time involved, rather than camping for hours on end, just to have to roll against others who have no use for the item other than to sell it in bazaar, whereas you are trying to get the item to not have to PAY people like that for that item.

All in all, I feel the mercs are a great addition to the game. It has opened many doors for people to enjoy the game in more ways that provide more enjoyment for them. I do feel a little bad for some people missing out on some groups, but at the same time it is no different than the warriors missing out on groups for years because so many other classes can do their job as long as the mob isn't a raid mob that defensive is required, or wizards/druids losing out on jobs years ago when PoK was added, making the benefit of a porter becoming a non-issue.

In the end, if you truly feel the mercs have ruined the game, think back on how you have played the game and look at features you have used that make the game better for you, and realize that most likely that feature has caused issues for somebody else in the past. Not everyone can be pleased all the time, and in the end, we all have the ability to cancel our accounts if the game has been ruined for us.

You dont have to pay that much every 15minutes just at the first



edit: this was in response to the guy who said you had to pay 180pp

Edited, Dec 26th 2008 1:13am by Technetium

I'm a recently returning player and I've found that having an on hand cleric has been a real help in getting me up to level 50 over the course of a week. Back when I played before in Everquest Classic era this was a full games worth of levels. It's also let me solo almost the full way as a Monk who otherwise would not do so well on my own.

I feel it's a bit of a double edged sword in that people aren't grouping so much anymore leaving a player like me in the lurch who doesn't do so well on their own, but then having the merc allows me to pick up that slack.

So I guess with or without it doesn't make a difference to me, it just determines whether I am playing with real people or not. Without the mercs I would be in a big group playing with real people. Mercs negate the need to group and then allow me to have a group at the same time.

The BIG problem though is keeping up with the cost. I'm level 50 now and it's costing me 20PP every 15 minutes which is a bit of a siphon on the ol' bank. There's times when the cost is not so bad, I'm getting nice loot and can maintain a steady income on top of paying the merc, and then there's times when I check my inventory and I'm 200 - 300PP down on what I thought I was.

TO SUM UP: I'm pretty indecisive about the necessity for them but they definitely are helpful.

i Think the mercenaries need to be scaled back a bit i know all of the tank classes like having them around but as many people there are to a server you should be able to find a group. IF not then go to using a merc but i come from test and i am a cleric and if my dad isnt home i never get a group because everyone prefers a merc because they dont like the "human Error" factor and that said the fact that people are now siding with mercs instead of other real people is why i think that they should be scaled back a little. not nerf or removed from EQ permanently but they are making EQ a solo game and imo if it keeps up the way it is people like me that like to group with real people and have fun are going to leave

Some observations after using Mercs extensively from level 70 to 80 on my Monk and Mage.

A Tier 1 Journeyman Healer/Tank is a lot better than a Tier 5 Apprentice.

They have a lot more Mana and HP the Rk. II Spells/Discs they use are much more efficient. I just got a Tier 2 Journeyman and she is even better.

I think the descriptions are misleading. The only difference between the tiers is NOT just confidence level. A Tier 2 Journeyman has more Mana and HP than a Tier 1 Journeyman.

well, thres alot of things that need to be done to keep the mercs "smart" first off the lvl (apprentice or journeyman) will determine how well it gets outa the way when pet tanking, also , a healer merc thats of good lvl has certain "stances" that are used to stop the CH a FD monk or HoT the puller . those "roles" have to be set or you are killing your selfs, it also takes a good merc owner to set passive or active (or other) at the time its needed, if a monk is FD pulling within 50Feet then the monk needs to get away lol... mercs are the single best thing that sony has done to EQ since pop (verant) IMO
Duncyn Del'boom
Gnome mage 82nd season (10 years)
proud member of <Stonefist Warriors>
Quellious Server

I love them. They are completely game changing. Now you can take any class and be able solo light blues or higher while your waiting for a group. If you're in a group and need a tank or a cleric, just pop a merc. While I agree that they aren't as good as a good cleric or tank, they get the job done.

hello everyone. I am a avid pvper from Zek(obvious).I have played eq now close to 6 years and my wife close to 2 years.The mercs in pve situations are a great addition to the game no doubt!
But for the pvp aspect of the game it is killing what we like best, thats kicking asses and taking names.The healing mercs are ridicoulous to take down or dot or nuke ,cant be stunned,and have a insane amount of mana for heals.Although a nice addition, it takes poor pvp classes and makes them invulnerable and good pvp classes almost impossible to stop.I know it would be wrong to say get rid of mercs on zek( from a tech standpoint)but we would love to see an item added to all new players that silence the mercs in your pvp range only. Thus making the merc suspended during combat.This is just not my wife and I that are posting this but my whole guild (killers paradise)and what we have come up with(like to see happen).The whole idea for pvp is a bunch of ppl trying to make the best toons as possible and pitting them against other players(which healing mercs now make impossible).From a blue server standpoint they dont care but we on zek surely do. We have spent alot of time and effort making the best toons possible, to be the best pkers around and all of our time has been spent in vain since mercs have came out. Although brutal we enjoy the insanity that zek has to offer( plz rectify this situation)we do not want to play on a blue server. ty for listening and plz bring back zek! oh 1 more thing bring back plat loots plz =)Signed helspawnz and pebblesx

First, very nice discussion here on both sides of the issue. I would have chosen an option between the top two, becuase I don't believe it's the best thing that ever happened to EQ, but it's way up there for me.

I initially was excited about the tank merc, as our normal group make up consisted of myself (enchanter), ranger, mage, wizzie and a druid. The Mage can usually keep up with heals on his pet, but the druid would patch heal if needed. Our main problem was with stealing agro from the pet due to our over-nuking wizzie :). I thought the tank merc would be a great 6th for us to hold agro. As it turns out, the tank merc was not all that good, and takes a bit more to control than a healer merc. Adding the healer merc turned out to be better for us (patch heals, rez, buffs, etc.).

Now when I solo, I used to either have to find older content with light blue to green mobs that didn't hit for 2K a pop, or root rot (without snare) which takes forever. Now I can solo in newer content, although not without some risk. The healer merc allows me to charm mobs and stay alive long enough to get early breaks under control. In fact, I am now going to buy those AA's to finish my Total Domination (charm strength).

For the record, we always ditch mercs when someone wants into the group.

I have been using them on a lot of my different characters. I love the ability to be able to gain exp on mobs where I want to get a group while waiting for Guild Members to arrive or waiting for a group. I have been able to fight in zones against mobs where I would only have fought with a group before. Mostly because I don't have to hear the cleric whine about how much mana they're using to keep me alive, lol. I have had a lot better luck with the Healer mercs than some live clerics I've grouped with. They never go AFK, or yell Bio Break, they watch my health better, mostly I think because they're not chatting in General or Guild Chat. The Tanks are great also. They keep aggro VERY well, and I have less trouble healing them than I do a live Tank type. I have better luck with them playing my Shaman than I do playing my Cleric, mostly due to the Shamans ability to slow the mob, but either way I can plow content that I wouldn't try with just myself and another player. A real game changer to say the least.

This is awesome. I always I have a group. I am a tank and i love it. Though on some zones u do need a group. Now can have two ppl and two mercernaries and u have a good group also.
But really this is the best thing that Everquest has done.

Sitting and waiting to grp is a thing of the past...Mercs are a great back up for missing grp members or helpful in lvling and questing...although they will never replace a real player as they have no real natual insticts nor the fear of death...lol
Anyone of doesnt like the idea of them is either a solo artist or just resentful of the new choices the newwer players have.

Dont be sore guys...you folks who worked so hard to get where you are are better for it...your skills and tactics are more honed than the newer players...give them a chance to get a taste of what you already know.

Be safe all
Merc bring us all closer to the perfection in toons we want to achieve
TY SONY
Eagleswan
85 Shammy