The Mercenary is the primary frontline warrior of Madrigal, characterized by high physical defense and HP. They specialize in close-quarters combat using a variety of blades and axes.
At Level 15, you can promote to a Mercenary. Upon reaching Level 60, you must choose between two specialized paths:
Knight: A powerful tank that leads to the Templar.
Blade: A dual-wielding specialist that leads to the Slayer.
Mercenaries utilize one-handed melee weapons that prioritize physical strength and durability. Because they are limited to one-handed armaments, they are the only primary combat class that can consistently utilize a shield for protection.
One-Handed Swords or Axes: These are the standard melee weapons for the class. They allow the Mercenary to maintain a high defense while dealing steady damage.
Shields: These can only be equipped when a one-handed weapon is being used. They are essential for utilizing specific defensive skills like Protection and Pan Barrier.
| Feature | One-Handed Swords | One-Handed Axes |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Benefit | Faster attack speed and higher natural accuracy. | Higher base damage and access to stunning/debuffing skills. |
| Key Skill | Sword Mastery: Increases the striking power of a Sword. | Axe Mastery: Increases the striking power of an Axe. |
| Stat Synergy | Works well with DEX for critical hits and hit rate. | Rewards high STR investment for maximum raw power. |
Building a Mercenary requires balancing raw power with the ability to withstand damage.
Primary Stat: STR (Strength)
Recommendation: High to Pure investment.
Why? STR increases your physical attack power, essential for clearing enemies quickly.
Secondary Stat: STA (Stamina)
Recommendation: 30–50 points.
Why? As a frontline fighter, STA provides the HP and Defense necessary to survive consistent damage.
Secondary Stat: DEX (Dexterity)
Recommendation: Invest as needed for Accuracy.
Why? DEX ensures your attacks land consistently and improves your critical hit rate.
Mercenary skills are divided into those requiring a specific blade, those requiring a shield, and "Universal" skills that can be used regardless of your equipped melee weapon.
Universal skills (No Preference) can be used with either a Sword or an Axe. Protection and Pan Barrier require a Shield.
| Skill | Weapon | Lvl | Pre-Skill | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protection | Shield | 15 | None | Increases the defense of a Shield against melee attacks. |
| Slash | Universal | 15 | None | Strikes the enemy two times in rapid succession. |
| Keenwheel | Universal | 18 | Slash 4 | A continuous spinning attack. |
| Pan Barrier | Shield | 18 | Protection 3 | Increases the defense of a shield against ranged attacks. |
| Bloody Strike | Universal | 20 | Slash 3 | Drains life from an enemy. |
| Empower Weapon | Elemented | 20 | Protection 5 | Strengthens the elemental damage of a weapon. |
| Sneaker | Universal | 20 | Pan Barrier 10 | Stops an enemy from moving. |
| Blindside | Universal | 24 | Keenwheel 6 | A spinning, finishing move. |
| Hit Reflect | Universal | 25 | Bloody Strike 8 | Absorbs one attack and releases it back at an enemy. |
| Guillotine | Universal | 30 | Hit Reflect 10 | A powerful, ranged attack. |
| Special Hit | Universal | 30 | Blindside 8 | A single, powerful strike. |
These skills require a One-Handed or Two-Handed Sword to be equipped.
| Skill | Level | Pre-Skill | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blazing Sword | 25 | Empower Weapon 4 | Increases the accuracy and striking power of a Sword. |
| Sword Mastery | 30 | Blazing Sword 9 | Passive skill that increases the striking power of a Sword. |
These skills require a One-Handed or Two-Handed Axe to be equipped.
| Skill | Level | Pre-Skill | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smite Axe | 25 | Empower Weapon 4 | Increases your Defense Rate and the striking power of an Axe. |
| Axe Mastery | 30 | Smite Axe 9 | Passive skill that increases the striking power of an Axe. |
While Mercenaries primarily use one-handed weapons, their choice at Level 60 defines whether they become a rapid-striking assassin or an unbreakable juggernaut. Here is how the two styles stack up against each other:
Best suited for players who enjoy extreme attack speed, high critical damage, and PvP.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Attack Speed: Capable of reaching one of the highest attack speeds in the game after becoming a Blade. | High Cost: Requires maintaining and upgrading two separate weapons simultaneously. |
| Damage Output: Dual-wielding allows for massive sustained damage through rapid normal attacks. | Vulnerability: Lacks the defensive capabilities of a shield or the massive HP pool of a Knight. |
| PvP Dominance: High burst and speed make them a nightmare for single targets in duels. | Short Range: Must be in melee range at all times, making them susceptible to high-damage mobs. |
Best suited for players who prefer high survivability, Area of Effect (AoE) leveling, and tanking.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Extreme Durability: Massive HP and defense bonuses make them the ultimate frontline tank. | Lower Speed: Attacks are much slower compared to the rapid strikes of a dual-wielder. |
| AoE Leveling: Excellent at "mobbing" by pulling large groups of enemies and surviving the heat. | Single-Target Burst: Generally has lower single-target DPS than a specialized Blade. |
| Knight Ready: The natural progression for those aiming to wield massive two-handed swords or axes. | Reliance on Gear: Needs high-tier armor to truly maximize the benefit of their defensive stats. |
| Feature | Dual-Wielding (Blade) | Two-Handed (Knight) |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Stat | STR / DEX | STR / STA |
| Combat Style | High Speed / Single Target | Tanking / AoE |
| Ease of Use | Medium (Requires good gear management) | High (Great for survivability) |
| Best For... | Bossing & PvP (Slayer path) | Rapid Mob Leveling (Templar path) |