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// guide · risk of rain 2

Mercenary guide, skills and build.

A swordsman who chains dashes and is almost never hit.

// at a glance

At a glance.

Mercenary
Health110 (+33 per level)
Base damage12 (+2.4 per level)
Armour20
Speed7 m/s
DifficultyHard
TierA · Very good, with a weak spot (health, mobility or item dependence).

On victory: «..and so he left, with dreams of good food and a peaceful night.»

// unlock

How to unlock Mercenary.

Challenge «True Respite»: Obliterate yourself at the Obelisk.. (45.7% of Steam players have it).

// skills

Mercenary skills.

Damage is a percentage of your normal damage: 100% is a normal hit; 300% is triple.

Cybernetic Enhancements passivealways on

Can jump twice.

Laser Sword primaryleft click

Sword slashes of 130%, even while sprinting. Every third slash is wider and marks the enemy: the next hit deals extra damage and lowers your cooldowns.

Whirlwind secondaryright click

Two spinning slashes of 200% each. In the air, they go top to bottom.

Rising Thunder secondary alternative

A 550% uppercut that launches you into the air. To start air combos.

To get it: As Mercenary, don't touch the ground for 30 seconds (21.9% of Steam players have it).

Blinding Assault utilityShift

You dash forward (300%) and stun. If you hit someone, you can dash again, up to 3 times.

Focused Assault utility alternative

A single 700% dash that stuns and, a second later, marks enemies for bonus damage.

To get it: As Mercenary, use 20 abilities in 10 seconds (28.5% of Steam players have it).

Eviscerate specialR

You jump from enemy to enemy, slashing for 110% over and over. While it lasts, nothing can hit you.

Slicing Winds special alternative

You throw blades at range: 8 hits of 100% on up to 3 enemies. The last one marks them for bonus damage.

To get it: As Mercenary, complete a Prismatic Trial without falling below 100% health (10.4% of Steam players have it).

// loadout

Recommended loadout.

Laser Sword+Whirlwind+Blinding Assault+Eviscerate

// items

Best items for Mercenary.

Hardlight Afterburner

More dashes, more invulnerability.

Your movement skill (Shift) gets two more uses and comes back sooner. Each extra one, two more uses.

Stacking: Each copy, two more charges.

Brainstalks

After an elite kill, everything is back in half a second.

Killing an elite gives you 4 s with no cooldowns: use your skills non-stop. Each extra one, 4 s more.

Stacking: Each copy adds the same, no cap.

Watch out: Not zero cooldown: half a second remains.

Alien Head

Lower cooldowns on everything.

All your skills come back 25% sooner. Each extra head, another 25% less.

Stacking: Each copy cuts a share of what is left: it drops less each time and never reaches zero.

Watch out: It applies before Purity: together they cut cooldowns a lot.

Purity

Whirlwind on near-zero cooldown: he can fly.

Your skills come back 2 s sooner, but luck turns against you: everything random rolls worse.

Stacking: Each copy adds the same, no cap.

Watch out: Cooldowns never go below half a second. Each Purity cancels a Clover. Does not affect Tougher Times.

Ukulele

The area damage he lacks.

25% of your hits release lightning that jumps to 3 nearby enemies. Each extra ukulele makes it jump to 2 more and reach further.

Stacking: The chance stays at 25%; each copy adds 2 more enemies and more range.

Watch out: The lightning has a very low proc coefficient.

// tips

Tips.

// faq

FAQ.

How do you unlock Mercenary in Risk of Rain 2?

Challenge «True Respite»: Obliterate yourself at the Obelisk.. (45.7% of Steam players have it).

What is the best Mercenary loadout?

We recommend Laser Sword, Whirlwind, Blinding Assault, Eviscerate.

What are the best items for Mercenary?

Hardlight Afterburner, Brainstalks, Alien Head, Purity, Ukulele.

// more guides

Other survivors.

Character tier list · Items · Lunar items

Sources: Risk of Rain 2 game names and challenges, the Risk of Rain 2 wiki (stats, cooldowns and tips); the explanations are our own and public Steam statistics, as of 31 October 2026. The tier is our own. Icons: Risk of Rain 2 (Hopoo Games / Gearbox).