"All Natural" Mercs Build: A setup for solo heartbreak?

[DocOccult]

I'm returning to MM for the first time since Live, and I've settled on Mercs as my primary (since I heard they've gotten a performance pass.)  I want to keep it as close to a "regular" human build as possible. Traps would be a natural choice thematically, then Trick Arrow and maybe Poison?  I made this guy for another AT, but he just looks like the head of a private military contractor so here we are.

 

I'm leveling a devil-themed Sentinel blueside, so Demon and Necro MMs aren't that appealing right now.

[evetsleep]

I have them all (literally).  Mercs/traps is solid overall, but can be slow on fast moving teams (this is always going to be a problem with traps).  Trick Arrow is amazing and works well both solo and in teams.

 

Personally I think poison is great on defenders and controllers (and to a degree corruptors), but with how venomous gas works on Mastermind's I wouldn't recommend it.

Edited January 31 by evetsleep

[kelika2]

i guess use a backpack of some sort and try out /sonic

[Force Redux]

My Mercs/Nature is as 'natural' as you can get.😃

 

Nature reflects her guerilla tactics and so forth. 

 

But I like TA a lot too.

[TygerDarkstorm]

Mercs/Traps is a lot of fun. I play Traps fine on even fast moving teams; you learn to pick and choose which abilities you can use reliably.

[Sirrocco]

In my experience, MMs tend to be pretty solid on solo regardless.

 

Traps has some pretty clearly tech themes.  Like, when you can drop a small block on the ground, and it makes all of your nearby friends heal faster...?  When you can launch a forcefield drone?

 

I wouldn't suggest Trick Arrow unless you like the idea of all of your powers on that side being ranged debuffs (area or single-target).  It's going to be the closest you get to all natural, though.

[Decaying Rose]

Mercs/Traps is just solid all around.  Slow, though.  Great for AVs and other set-piece battles. 

 

Mercs/TA lets you and the boys stay completely at range while still applying damage and debuffs, making you into excellent back-line fire-support.  Commando's Flamethrower, SpecOps' Flashbang, and Medic's grenade all have fire or energy damage, and can light your oil slicks.  If you put the Bombardment or Positron's Blast damage procs (fire and energy, respectively) into your M30 grenade (set it to no-redraw at the tailor!) you can light it too.  TA's various -damage and -toHit debuffs mesh nicely with Mercs' built-in defenses.  Pick up Intuition Radial for the alpha slot and you get bonuses to damage and your debuffs on top of all that.

 

Just watch out for those status effects.