New DPS mercs

[Merlaina]

So I saw on a SOE blog post that they're adding DPS mercs (melee and caster versions) and that these are already available on test. Has anyone gotten to play with them yet and figure out how much DPS they add? I know we're tremendously effective with a cleric merc, but I was wondering if these might make a viable second choice for either xp grinding against mobs our pet can easily tank, or if we regularly group with people with their own cleric mercs.

They also adding bigger bags. Woohoo!

[Tacoma2586]

there will be a rogue and wizard dps mercs. rogue will use some regular attacks and a posion. have prolly a sustained dps of roughly 2500dps. wiz they said will be more burst dps and more med time.

[Wyntyr]

I run a bard,war,shm boxed group and the rogue merc (L85 J5) does indeed put out about 2500 dps in that setting. I've heard but can't confirm that the wizzy merc puts out similar dps with an enchanter in group.

[nako]

2.5k sustained? Jeebus. I would hazard a guess that's more than any rogue below Tower/T9 can sustain. Fallout to ensue perhaps. It's certainly a hell of a lot more than almost all casual dps'ers you would find LFG, apart from possibly high AA wiz/nec/mag, and maybe rog/zerk/monks. Group game is dead already though, so I suppose it's a bit of a moot point.

I average about 3k in a furious pulling group, assuming a med break every 30min to an hour. I think on a 30min solo lesson burn it was around 3.5-4k.

[Falino-Luclin]

I'm guessing they will get tuned down a little if that's really how much they're doing.

Since they are supposed to be balanced around SoD group content, I would say the rogue should do as much DPS as a T5 geared, low AA level 85 rogue, and likewise for the wizard. I'm not sure what exactly those numbers would be, but that sounds reasonable. That's probably about where the tank and cleric mercs are balanced. I highly doubt a T5 group geared rogue can sustain anywhere near 2500 DPS. Maybe if they're max AA, but not otherwise.

[Eandori Raintree]

Ok, stupid question time. Sorry, I'm out of the loop a bit.

Can we use more then just 1 Merc per active player yet?

[Wyntyr]

Nope

[qibrme]

Ok, stupid question time. Sorry, I'm out of the loop a bit.

Can we use more then just 1 Merc per active player yet?

Looks like a possible spring board for the pet swap AA we have been asking for over the last 99999 expansions.

With only tank or cleric as current merc choices there is little need to swap mercs, healers hire tanks, the rest of us hire clerics, for the most part.

I am sure all other classes will want to be able to swap out mercs (healer or DPS) depending on the situation or group make up, without having to pay start up cost every time or go back to POK. Can have an hour or more lockout timer on reuse to curb abuse.

Back to the pet swap ability: If SoE gives into the merc swap, IMO we will have a powerful argument for alllowing pet owners to swap their pets while out of combat.

Just a though,

Sued...

[Goranothos]

If the group game really is dead, then SoE should let us hire two mercs at the same time. Why not?

[Eandori Raintree]

That's actually exactly what I meant. 2 Mercs at the same time.

As some of you have seen on my other posts, I just flat out don't have time to join groups/guilds/raids. I have to leave suddenly and that's just not kind in a MMORPG so I always end up Solo or Molo. But I can't join any group instances even if I could smash it entirely by myself. Groups are hard to find sometimes and for me it just doesn't work so if I could at least get into the group instance with my 1 toon + 2 Mercs then I could go do older content and/or get myself killed in new instance content.

As long as Mercs are always worse then having RL players I don't see the issue personally.