Mercenaries were added to Clicker Heroes in patch 0.23, and rebalanced in
patch 0.25. You can’t keep them around forever, but when used properly, they can provide a substantial boost to your progress. This guide should answer most of your questions about mercenaries. As always, if you find there is something in this guide that is incorrect or missing, your feedback on Twitch or Discord is always appreciated!
How do I unlock mercenaries?
At the beginning of the game, and every transcension, you must ascend once, or purchase a Quick Ascension from the ruby shop to unlock mercenaries.
Do I keep my mercenaries when I transcend?
Yes, but you must ascend once to gain access to them again (or QA.)
How long do mercenaries live?
Every mercenary has a “time until death” that is predetermined. Only time spent out on quests counts toward this “death clock”.
How do I level up my mercenaries?
Every 24 hours spent on quests gains a mercenary one level. A mercenary’s quest rewards are multiplied by its level, so a level 5 mercenary will provide 5 times the reward of a level 1 (not including specialization bonuses.)
Is it better to do short quests or long quests?
Short quests give a better payout per minute invested, while long quests require less micromanagement. It is a trade off, and the length of quest you choose will often depend on your schedule. However, if you have a high level mercenary, it is beneficial to avoid the longer quests so as to minimze the chance of it dying on a quest.
When is it worth reviving mercenaries?
Mercenaries up to level 12 are worth reviving because of the bonus reward they provide for each level. Higher quality Hero Soul bonus mercenaries can be revived at higher levels: Epic 13, Fabled 14, Mythic 15, Legendary 18, Transcendent 21 (if you are ever lucky enough to obtain one of these!)
A mercenary with extra lives should be revived with rubies the first time, provided you have the available rubies and the cost isn’t too big. That way you can save the extra life for the more expensive revival.
How do I get a Leeroy Jenkins/Transcendent/Legendary?
Invest in a lucky rabbit’s foot.
What is a Demigod mercenary?
A Demigod is a level 8 mercenary. Beyond level 8, it will have a plus sign followed by the number of additional levels, i.e. level 11 = Demigod + 3.
Why doesn’t my Extra Lives merc have a bonus?
The extra life or lives is the bonus.
Should I pay 40 rubies (400 on mobile) to recruit a mercenary?
No, you can recruit them for free using other mercenaries.
Should I cycle through mercenaries to get better ones?
No. Send them on useful quests. The levels you gain from questing will provide far more benefit than the occasional higher quality mercenary with a bonus perk.
Which quests should I send my mercenaries on?
- Holiday Quests (Clickmas Presents): See below.
- Hero Soul Quests: These are the bread and butter of mercenary quests; they get their own section below. (10/10)
- Ruby Quests: These are never bad to do. (9/10)
- Gold Quests: These are handy at the beginning of a new transcension for all builds. If you are pure idle, they’re also handy to push your ascension a bit farther. (7/10)
- Relic Quests: Relics are most useful at the beginning of a new transcension, however they don’t replace a Quick Ascension since you still need to QA to unlock your mercenaries. (6.5/10)
- Skill Quests: No good use for these exists, aside from earning the achievement for doing them. (0/10)
What’s the deal with the holiday quest?
Clickmas presents are available until the end of the year, and can contain a Snowman auto-clicker skin, relics, rubies and candy canes that allow you to revive a mercenary of any level. The relics’ level is determined by the level at which you open the presents. Each candy cane and ruby is successively less likely to drop than the one before, but you should be able to earn plenty before reaching a point where these quests aren’t worth it anymore (if that point exists.)
How can I use Hero Soul quests effectively?
There are two situations where you can maximize your benefit from Hero Soul quests. The first is a Mercenary Ascension. This is effective anytime during a transcension as long as you are (1) starting a new ascension, (2) far enough into your transcension where you have all or most of the ancients, and (3) haven’t yet reached the transcendence primal reward cap. Using MAs is a great way to progress your transcension faster. Here’s how you do a Merc Ascension:
- Once you ascend, dump the bulk of your souls into Solomon, with a few into Atman as well.
- Collect your hero souls from your mercenary.
- Ascend again, and spend your new hero souls.
The second situation where you can use HS quests is after you’ve reached the TP cap. This is most effective after reaching your highest zone at the end of a transcension, because your Quick Ascension value will be at its peak. Handing in your hero soul quests at this point allows you to earn more Ancient Souls before transcending.
More information:
Clicker Heroes Subreddit – Mercenary Revival Math
Clicker Heroes Subreddit – Mercenaries FAQ
Clicker Heroes Wikia – Mercenaries Wiki