Hires and auras

Mercenaries in Project Diablo 2

New mercenaries are one of the reasons “what is PD2” is a real question. The wiki lists extra Act 1 versions, two Act 4 Ascendant versions, and an extra Act 5 version. Each act still has its own equipment rules. There is no single best merc on that page, because the aura you need depends on the build.

I used the mercenary article rather than a tier video. The wiki says mercenaries inherit magic find and gold find. Only Desert Guards (Act 2) and Barbarian mercenaries (Act 5) are named for doubled one-handed weapon damage. These are single-source wiki rules; there is no measured global ranking here.

What is new

Treat “new mercs” as extra hires inside the acts, not a seventh class.

  • Act 1 has additional versions beyond the classic rogue.
  • Act 4 has two Ascendant versions. Classic LoD had no Act 4 hire.
  • Act 5 has an additional version.
  • Gear is restricted by act. Read the row before you hand over a polearm.
  • Insight-style mercenary runewords still have to match the weapon type that act allows.

Choosing one

Pick the aura or the damage type your build lacks, then check the Season 14 mercenary chapter if you are following a Season 13 guide. The patch notes index includes a mercenary section for Season 14. A “best merc” video that predates that chapter is a suggestion, not a measurement. Hiim’s build pages sometimes name a merc inside a planner link. That is still their build, not a global ranking.

Mercenary hire panel in Project Diablo 2
Mercenary panel. Source: Project Diablo 2 Wiki, CC BY-SA 4.0, Mercenaries.png. Checked 2026-10-28. Image source
Arreat Battlefield map in Project Diablo 2
Arreat Battlefield map in Project Diablo 2. Source: Project Diablo 2 Wiki, CC BY-SA 4.0. Checked 2026-10-28. Image source

Watch

JuxtAPoser solo leveling and campaign route. Upload date (YouTube metadata, single source): 2025-11-10. Project Diablo 2 - Solo Leveling & Campaign Guide (All Classes) on YouTube. The player loads only after you press play.

Questions

Does my merc get my magic find?

The wiki says magic find and gold find are inherited. Confirm the current sentence if you are stacking a number for a magic-find barbarian.

Why did my polearm not equip?

Check that mercenary’s allowed weapon types and the item requirements. The one-handed damage rule applies specifically to Desert Guards and Barbarian mercenaries, not every act.

Related

Sources

Checked: 2026-10-28. Single-source claims are attributed; disagreements stay visible.

  • Wiki Mercenaries — 2026-10-28 — Fetched 2026-10-28. Single official-wiki source family for detailed numeric rules; separate wiki pages are not independent confirmation.
  • Wiki Patch: Season 14 — 2026-10-28 — Fetched 2026-10-28. Single official-wiki source family for detailed numeric rules; separate wiki pages are not independent confirmation.
  • Wiki General Changes — 2026-10-28 — Fetched 2026-10-28. Single official-wiki source family for detailed numeric rules; separate wiki pages are not independent confirmation.