Mercs/Traps

[qwerty1971]

Looking for any advice on game play strategy and tactics, power selection, skippable powers, and slotting for a Mercs/Traps MM. I envision him a completely normal human military commander type and am wondering if he can get away without a travel power (by purchasing the jetpack frequently), how that plays out at the higher levels.

[Coyote]

Travel: between Ninja Run and the jetpacks you should have no problems. Their cost is cheap for a high level character.

 

Your questions are quite broad, too much so to answer in a post, you will have to narrow them down... is this your first MM, or do you want to know what's different about Mercs and/or Traps?

 

Mercs fight at range, so using FFG for defense and Caltrops to keep mobs from coming to them works fine. Skip Serum, it's terribad and should feel ashamed for existing. Poison Gas Trap is a solid power especially with several damage procs slotted in it and will be the key to soloing AVs easily since it shuts off their regeneration. Put an Achilles Heel proc somewhere... my suggestion would be Burst since the henchmen powers are slot-starved. Slug and M30 are poor attacks if slotted normally, but good if you slot them with damage procs and the Force Feedback proc... because their base damage is low, enhancing it isn't that useful, but proc damage doesn't look at the power's base damage. If you do slot with procs, don't put Recharge enhancing in the powers since it lowers the chance for procs to activate.

[SaintD]

You can just put on a jetpack costume part to justify a travel power. 🤨

[Zeraphia]

I recommend just no. Mercs are the all-time worst MM powerset of all time... Traps by itself is a complicated toolset to use, you're asking for trouble with these two and it may lead to a lot of frustrating gameplay situations... But if you are hardset on thematic choices, you have been warned. 

[tremor3258]

Mercs as ranged got a buff on Homecoming recently so they're less likely to run into melee.  I've been hearing a lot of relief secondhand at improved shootingness.

[qwerty1971]

This is a quick starting point for what i think i can do to make the build enjoyable to play. Taking the advice about travel power and costume pieces I added flight and group fly to take the pets with me. Basically I want good defense for me and pets to survive at ranged distance. This won't be an expensive purple spending build but what I think I can afford. Thoughts and tips are appreciated on IO sets, set bonuses and slotting .

 

Villain Plan by Mids' Reborn : Hero Designer 2.6.0.7
https://github.com/ImaginaryDevelopment/imaginary-hero-designer

Click this DataLink to open the build!

General Frenzii: Level 50 Mutation Mastermind
Primary Power Set: Mercenaries
Secondary Power Set: Traps
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Concealment
Ancillary Pool: Mace Mastery

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Soldiers -- EdcoftheM-Acc/Dmg(A), EdcoftheM-Dmg/EndRdx(7), EdcoftheM-Dmg(7), EdcoftheM-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(33), CaltoArm-+Def(Pets)(34), ExpRnf-+Res(Pets)(34)
Level 1: Web Grenade -- TraoftheH-Acc/Rchg(A), TraoftheH-Dam%(9)
Level 2: Caltrops -- Dtn-Acc/Dmg(A), Dtn-Dmg/EndRdx(11), Dtn-Dmg/Rchg(11), RechRdx-I(15), ImpSwf-Dam%(15), PstBls-Dam%(34)
Level 4: Triage Beacon -- Prv-Heal(A), Prv-Absorb%(9), Prv-Heal/Rchg(13), RechRdx-I(13)
Level 6: Equip Mercenary -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 8: Slug -- Thn-Acc/Dmg(A), Thn-Dmg/EndRdx(17), Thn-Dmg/Rchg(17), Thn-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(36), Apc-Dam%(36), SuddAcc--KB/+KD(36)
Level 10: Acid Mortar -- ShlBrk-%Dam(A), ShlBrk-Acc/DefDeb(19), ShlBrk-Acc/Rchg(19)
Level 12: Spec Ops -- EdcoftheM-Acc/Dmg(A), EdcoftheM-Dmg/EndRdx(21), EdcoftheM-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(21), EdcoftheM-Dmg(37), EdcoftheM-PetDef(37), SvrRgh-PetResDam(37)
Level 14: Fly -- Srn-EndRdx(A)
Level 16: Force Field Generator -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(23), Krm-ResKB(23)
Level 18: Serum -- StdPrt-ResKB(A), StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(25), GldArm-3defTpProc(25)
Level 20: Poison Trap -- GhsWdwEmb-Acc/Rchg(A), NrnSht-Acc/Rchg(27), NrnSht-Dam%(27), GhsWdwEmb-Dam%(43)
Level 22: Maneuvers -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(29), Rct-Def/EndRdx(29), Rct-ResDam%(50)
Level 24: Stealth -- Ksm-Def/EndRdx(A), Ksm-ToHit+(31)
Level 26: Commando -- EdcoftheM-Acc/Dmg(A), EdcoftheM-Dmg/EndRdx(31), EdcoftheM-Dmg(31), EdcoftheM-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(40), ExpStr-Dam%(40), TchofLadG-%Dam(40)
Level 28: Grant Invisibility -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(33)
Level 30: Hover -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(33)
Level 32: Tactical Upgrade -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 35: Group Fly -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 38: M30 Grenade -- Dtn-Acc/Dmg(A), Dtn-Dmg/EndRdx(39), Dtn-Dmg/Rchg(39), Dtn-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(39), ExpStr-Dam%(46), SuddAcc--KB/+KD(46)
Level 41: Burst -- Thn-Acc/Dmg(A), Thn-Dmg/EndRdx(42), Thn-Dmg/Rchg(42), Thn-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(42), AchHee-ResDeb%(43), ShlBrk-%Dam(46)
Level 44: Scorpion Shield -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def(45), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(45), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg(45), LucoftheG-EndRdx/Rchg(48), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(50)
Level 47: Tactics -- GssSynFr--ToHit/EndRdx(A), GssSynFr--Rchg/EndRdx(48), EndRdx-I(48)
Level 49: Phase Shift -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(50)
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Dash -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Slide -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Quick -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Rush -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Surge -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Clr-EndRdx(A), Clr-Stlth(43)
Level 1: Supremacy 
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Ninja Run 
Level 2: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Health -- NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(A), RgnTss-Regen+(3), Mrc-Rcvry+(5)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- PrfShf-End%(A), PrfShf-EndMod(3), EndMod-I(5)
Level 26: Commando 
Level 12: Spec Ops 
Level 1: Soldier 
Level 1: Medic 
------------

Edited February 17, 2020 by qwerty1971

[@T3h Ish]

Can't say I have any problems playing Mercenaries, especially after some of the AI improvements. Here's what I use.

Traps is certainly not recommended for newer players, as it requires a lot of investment to make phenomenal, it comes into it's own at 16 and 20, when it gets Force Field Generator and Poison Trap.

I use Soul Mastery for Oppressive Gloom, Dark Embrace and Soul Storm for additional CC. But if you aren't comfortable with that, Mace Mastery for Scorpion Shield does allow you to grab some other powers since Power Boost doesn't do much for you.

Mastermind - Mercenaries - Traps - Soul Mastery - Kesh.mxd

[Clave Dark 5]

On 2/16/2020 at 10:07 AM, 33053222 said:

I recommend just no. Mercs are the all-time worst MM powerset of all time...

Nah, that's Ninjas.  No, wait - Zombies!  =)

[EyeLuvBooks]

On 2/17/2020 at 9:54 AM, tremor3258 said:

Mercs as ranged got a buff on Homecoming recently so they're less likely to run into melee.  I've been hearing a lot of relief secondhand at improved shootingness.

I can verify this. Just this morning my Merc/Traps performed beautifully and the mercs didn't go HtH until the enemies rushed us.

 

That being said, don't listen to nay-sayers about Mercs or Traps. Neither is very noob-friendly but if you're willing to invest the effort they can be a great combo.

 

I take Slug just to attract the enemies into the traps I've set. No point in having Slug AND Burst though. Web Grenade delays enemy Recharge even if it doesn't slow the enemies (looking at YOU Werewolves!) and it stacks with the Web Grens your minions get. I agree that you don't really need a movement power with all the alternatives around. I do take Combat Jumping to mule Stealth and -KB IOs though.

 

Learn your Minion commands! This will be the best advice I can give! With a Stealth IO (or Concealment) you can tell the troops to stay put while you plant traps at the corner, fire a shot to draw the enemy in and duck back. As others have already said, Serum is worse than useless and some powers (like Acid Mortar) can be slotted to hell and gone for better effects.

 

I also suggest Heal Other since the Healing Beacon has a slow recharge. Hasten might be your preferred way to deal with this but YMMV