EverQuest II Mercenary Guide 2026 — Best Mercs for Every Role

Mercenaries are AI companions that fill gaps in your party. A good merc can turn an impossible fight into a comfortable win, while the wrong merc is a gold sink. This guide covers the best mercenaries for every situation and how to use them effectively.

Note: Verified as of July 2026. Check official patch notes for updates.

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How Mercenaries Work

You hire a mercenary from an NPC in major cities (Qeynos, Freeport, Neriak, Kelethin, etc.). Mercs cost gold to hire and have an hourly upkeep fee. Higher-level mercs cost more.

Mercs come in three roles:

Healer — Heals you and your group
Tank — Holds aggro and soaks damage
DPS — Deals damage (ranged, melee, or caster)

You can only have one merc active at a time. Mercs level with you and can be equipped with gear.

Best Healer Mercs

Healer mercs are the most universally useful type. Pair them with DPS or pet classes.

Merc	Class	Location	Why
Kenny	Inquisitor	Freeport, Qeynos	Highest healing output. Best all-around healer merc.
Stamper Jeralf	Mystic	Kelethin, Neriak	Wards prevent damage instead of healing it. Safer than pure healers for under-geared players.
Perrin Wanderhoof	Warden	Kelethin	Druid healer with good HoTs. Slightly less healing than Kenny but brings damage.

Recommendation: Kenny for general use, Stamper if you are under-geared and taking spike damage.

Best Tank Mercs

Tank mercs are ideal for healer and caster classes.

Merc	Class	Why
Venture Captain Varlos	Berserker	Best tank merc. Strong AoE threat, good survivability.
Lady Liae	Paladin	Self-healing tank. Very durable, lower threat than Varlos.

Recommendation: Varlos for most situations. Liae if you need a tank that never dies (even if DPS is slower).

Best DPS Mercs

DPS mercs are best paired with tank and healer players.

Merc	Type	Why
Ravasect	Ranged (Ranger)	Highest DPS output. Squishier than melee mercs but better survival through range.
Guildhall Guard	Melee (Brigand)	Solid damage, better survivability. Good for solo content where the merc takes hits.

Mercenary Gear and Levelling

Mercs can wear player gear. Equipping your merc with hand-me-downs significantly improves their performance.

Merc gear scales with their level, not yours. A level 130 merc needs level 130 gear.
Prioritise their primary stat: Wisdom for healers, Strength/Stamina for tanks, Agility/Strength for DPS.
Mercs benefit from adornments and augments on gear.

Suppression System (Suspending Your Merc)

Mercs earn EXP like players. Use the Suppression system (right-click the merc window) to:

Suspend: Put the merc away without losing it. You keep the merc for later.
Dismiss: Permanently fire the merc. You must re-hire and pay the hiring fee again.

When suspended, mercs continue to gain EXP while you adventure solo or in a full group.

Hiring Costs and Upkeep

Merc Level	Hiring Cost (plat)	Hourly Upkeep
1-50	1-50g	Negligible
50-100	1-50p	1-5p
100-120	50-200p	10-25p
120-130	500-1,000p	50-100p

High-level mercs are expensive. Do not keep a level 130 merc active while AFK or doing non-combat activities.

Summary

DPS/pet class: hire Kenny (healer). Healer: hire Varlos (tank). Tank: hire Ravasect (DPS). Gear your merc with hand-me-downs. Suspend (do not dismiss) when grouping. Watch your upkeep costs at high levels.