Mercs
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Mercs (short for "mercenaries") are combat-trained NPCs that will follow you for a price. They will fight for you or guard any place you tell them to; they are particularly useful as base guards. They are not to be confused with companions.
Contents
Basic information
- If you want to recruit a merc, you need to talk to a recruiter. Merc recruiters can be found in most major locations. They are usually inside a building, accompanied by some of their men.
- Once a contract has been signed, your mercenaries will follow you until they die.
- Mercs require wages to stay loyal and fight to the death when the time comes (instead of fleeing to safety). Their wages are 25% of their hiring cost; each payout increases a merc's loyalty by 10%.
- Since mercs are expensive and never respawn (unlike companions, once they're dead, they're gone), it might be a good idea to use them as base guards rather than your personal bodyguards.
- Mercs can be added to your faction and ordered to kill any outsiders.
- Make sure you take full advantage of combat synergies between different types of mercs; for example, when securing your base, you will want both big gunners and snipers (ghoul snipers are particularly effective): the former to knock down the enemy with rockets, the latter to finish them off while they're down.
- Each human/mutant merc you recruit allows you to own one additional slave (by default, you can only own 2 slaves regardless of your Charisma).
- It is not required to take your mercs on slave runs with you as even the mercs guarding your base count as your followers.
- Transporting mercs uniquely requires both Charisma and party points. PP requirements differ from merc to merc; see below for details.
Available mercs
Merc availability varies by location and their prices fluctuate based on current demand. The prices listed below are the base prices for each merc, and may not accurately reflect the actual in-game prices at any given time. All mercs are delivered with a brand new, fully loaded weapon.
New Reno
New Reno's merc recruiter offers a variety of human mercs, same as the recruiters in NCR, Redding, and San Francisco. You'll find him near the main entrance, opposite the Desperados casino.
- 7500 currency: (A simple thug. 80 PP) Punk woman with green Mohawk, wearing a leather jacket, holding a Combat Knife. 95 HP.
- 12000 currency: (Someone that knows how to smash a skull or two. ?? PP) Man wearing metal armor, holding a Sledgehammer. 84 HP.
- 15500 currency: (A professional fighter. ?? PP) Woman wearing metal armor, holding a Sledgehammer. 95 HP.
- 21000 currency: (A ninja. 80 PP) Man wearing metal armor, holding a Sledgehammer. This merc cannot run. 90 HP.
- 27000 currency: (Someone that can hit a non-moving target, sometimes.) Long-haired raider in a leather jacket, holding a 14mm Pistol. 100 HP.
- 33000 currency: (A retired hunter.) Man wearing a leather jacket, holding a 10mm SMG. Can use rifles too. 110 HP.
- 45000 currency: (A sniper that regularly shoots apples from people's heads blindfolded.) Woman wearing a leather jacket, holding an Assault Rifle. Can use rifles too. 115 HP.
- 50500 currency: (Someone that knows how to use a flamer.) Man wearing a leather jacket and holding a Light Support Weapon. 120 HP.
- 60000 currency: (A proficient heavy gunner.) Woman wearing a leather jacket and holding a Minigun. 115 HP.
- 66500 currency: (A veteran in the arts of big weaponry.) Woman wearing a leather jacket and holding a Rocket Launcher. 115 HP.
- 45000 currency: (Someone that knows how to handle a laser pistol.) Man wearing metal armor, holding a Laser Pistol. 97 HP.
- 60000 currency: (A capable plasma gunner.) Woman wearing metal armor, holding a Laser Rifle. 129 HP.
New California Republic
NCR's merc recruiter sells exactly the same mercs as the New Reno, Redding, and San Francisco ones (see above).
She is located in a white building right outside the main city gate.
Redding
Redding's merc recruiter sells exactly the same mercs as the New Reno, NCR, and San Francisco ones (see above).
He is located in a building opposite the Malamute Saloon.
San Francisco
San Francisco's merc recruiter sells exactly the same mercs as the New Reno, NCR, and Redding ones (see above).
He is located just to the north of the town center, in the second building to the right after you exit the Shi temple.
Broken Hills
Broken Hills' merc recruiter is located in the building south of the FLC. He lets you recruit Super Mutants.
Super Mutants are slow, but they have significantly more hit points than any other mercenary type.
- 60000 currency: (This unarmed mutant? I'll hire him.) Unarmed Super Mutant, that will use his fists. 300 HP.
- 155000 currency: (I like the look of this minigun guy.) Super Mutant holding a minigun. 300 HP.
- 180000 currency: (Oh sweet, a mutant with a rocket launcher? Currency coming right up!) Super Mutant holding a rocket launcher. 450 HP.
Gecko
Gecko's merc recruiter is located in a building just to the left of the main entrance. He has a roster of ghoul mercs available for hire, including the infamous ghoul snipers.
- 4500 currency: (This is just some normal ghoul? I'll give you 4500 currency for his services.) Generic ghoul holding a spear. 100 HP. 60 PP.
- 36500 currency: (I like the look of that sniper. How's 36500 currency sound?) Sniper ghoul, holding a Sniper Rifle. 100 to 110 HP. 60 PP.
Junktown
Junktown's merc seller is in front of Gizmo's casino, surrounded by dogs.
- 700 currency: (Best trained dogs!) Trained canidae.
- 500 currency: (A cross-breed of dog and prairie wolf.) Dog skilled in scouting (Outdoorsman 120).
Klamath
A boy called Vic, located in western Trapper Town, will sell you his dogs. Note that the dogs sold in Junktown are tougher and cheaper.
- 700 currency: (Best trained dogs!) A dog. 27 HP.
Salvagers
In the Salvagers area of Boneyard, there is a man who sells two types of dogs.
- 700 currency: (The best dogs the Boneyard can offer.) Trained canidae.
- 500 currency: (Breed of dog and prairie wolf.) Dog skilled in scouting (Outdoorsman 120).
