Unlocking the full power of Diablo 4’s Vessel of Hatred expansion means recruiting the ultimate allies – the Mercenaries. From Raheir the Shieldbearer to Aldkin the Cursed Child, these four unique companions bring distinct skills and deadly perks to your battles. Discover how to find them, complete their quests, and build unbreakable bonds to unleash their full potential on Sanctuary’s darkest foes. Ready to command your own unstoppable squad? Here’s your complete guide to unlocking all Mercenaries in Diablo 4 across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox.
How to unlock and use Mercenaries in Diablo 4
You unlock the Mercenary system in Diablo 4 through the Vessel of Hatred expansion campaign. During the journey toward Nahantu, you meet Raheir, who leads you to the Mercenary Den, a hub where you can recruit and manage mercenaries. There are four mercenaries available-Raheir, Aldkin, Varyana, and Subo-each with unique skills and playstyles. You can hire two mercenaries at once: a primary mercenary who fights alongside you continuously and a reinforcement mercenary who appears under specific conditions. Building rapport with your mercenaries by fighting alongside them unlocks skill points, perks, and a special currency called Pale Marks, which you can use for bartering and upgrading your companions.
You’ll unlock the Mercenary system as part of the Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred campaign. During your journey toward Nahantu, you’ll meet Raheir, who will eventually take you to the Mercenary Den. This place acts as a kind of hub for all the mercenaries in the game. It’s where you can pick up quests to unlock additional mercenaries, customize your current allies, and even barter with a special currency you get for leveling up your mercenaries.
Once you reach the Mercenary Den, you’ll also be able to unlock additional Mercenaries and take them with you. There are four Mercenaries currently in Diablo 4:
- Raheir
- Aldkin
- Varyana
- Subo
Note that if you’re a solo player, you should acquire at least one additional Mercenary before continuing with the Vessel of Hatred story, otherwise you’ll end up wasting a bunch of Mercenary experience (Rapport) during the campaign. You’ll eventually need to acquire all mercenaries before you can continue the post-campaign quest.
If you’re solo, you can assign any Mercenary as your bodyguard. They’ll travel with you constantly, and you can level them up by defeating monsters together. While Mercenaries don’t have gear you need to worry about, they do have four skill points and a small skill tree so you can customize their moves. You can change out your hired bodyguard at any time.
If you’re a solo player who’s already hired a main Mercenary, or you’re playing in a group (which automatically suppresses your hired Mercenary ally until you’re alone again), you can still hire a second Mercenary as a reinforcement. This must be done with a different Mercenary than your currently hired one.
Reinforcements also gain Rapport and level up with you, but they only pop in under certain conditions – conditions which you set. You’re able to create a trigger with your reinforcement, which allows you to summon them into battle when you use a certain skill on your bar. When the trigger happens, they’ll leap in and use a skill that you designate them to use. This effect has a cooldown, so you want to try and pair their skill with a trigger skill of yours that shares a similar cooldown or that you use regularly.
As both hired bodyguards and reinforcements, Mercenaries can drastically change how you think about combat in Diablo 4, especially if you’re a solo player, so spend time during the campaign experimenting with them.
All Mercenary abilities and unlock requirements in Diablo 4
Mercenaries in Diablo 4 come with unique skill trees that define their roles in combat, such as tanking, damage dealing, or crowd control. Each Mercenary has two distinct skill trees, but only one can be active at a time, featuring core skills, core passives, iconic skills, and iconic passives that enhance their effectiveness. For example, Aldkin can shift between shadow and fire magic, each with its own set of abilities and passives, while Varyana excels in physical damage and crowd control. Unlocking Mercenaries requires building rapport with them, which unlocks their full skill set and powerful iconic abilities. Mercenaries can die in battle but can be revived to continue providing crucial support. Mastering their abilities and unlocking their full potential is key to complementing your playstyle and overcoming challenges in Diablo 4.
Raheir is the first Mercenary you’ll meet, and he’s unmissable. You’ll find him during the main Vessel of Hatred campaign and he’ll introduce the entire system to you. He’ll act as your first Mercenary, and you can either make him your main bodyguard or a reinforcement. Raheir is built to protect you, and serves as a tank. He has abilities that allow him to intervene if you’re about to die, or taunt enemies to attack him instead. He also acts as the den blacksmith and can fix or salvage your gear.
Aldkin sits just to the right of Raheir in the den, and you’ll hire them via the “A Nameless Mystery” quest, which you can pick up as soon as you unlock the Mercenary Den. Aldkin is the magic-user of the Mercenaries, and uses what’s often referred to as a “kiss/curse” playstyle, meaning their abilities will harm you in some way but have a powerful benefit. Their skills revolve around shadow and fire magic, and they will occasionally transform into a powerful demon that can decimate enemies. They also act as the den occultist and can enhance your gear with Legendary Aspects.
Varyana sits just left of Raheir in the den, and you’ll hire her during the “Slayer’s Retribution” quest, which you can pick up as soon as you unlock the Mercenary Den. Varyana acts as the party’s martial warrior, using dual axes or a two-handed mace to dish out punishment. Her main perk is Massacre, which gives you a powerful movement speed buff for chaining enemy kills together.
Subo sits on the far left side of the den, and you’ll hire him during the “A Feather on the Scale” quest, which you can pick up as soon as you unlock the Mercenary Den. Subo acts as the party’s rogue, and uses a bow or crossbow to deal damage from afar. Subo’s main perk highlights enemies and materials in the area, and will occasionally mark a target, allowing you to regain resources by killing them. His abilities revolve around traps and stuns or fire and damage over time.
Discover the secrets to unlocking all Mercenaries in Diablo 4 and turn your journey into an unstoppable force
Discover the secrets to unlocking all Mercenaries in Diablo 4’s Vessel of Hatred expansion and transform your journey into an unstoppable force. From recruiting Raheir, the tanky shieldbearer, to uncovering the hidden quests for Aldkin, Subo, and Varyana, each Mercenary brings unique skills and powerful perks to your side. Unlock their full potential by progressing through the campaign, visiting the Mercenary Den hub, and completing their quests to customize and upgrade your companions. Whether playing solo or with friends, mastering the Mercenary system will redefine your combat strategy and dominate Sanctuary’s darkest challenges.
What are the key steps to unlock each Mercenary in Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred
The key steps to unlock each Mercenary in Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred are as follows:
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Unlock Raheir (Tank Shieldbearer)
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Automatically unlocked early in the Vessel of Hatred campaign during the quest “Thrust Into the Dark” after reaching the Nahantu region.
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Raheir leads you to the Mercenary Den, which becomes the hub for all Mercenary activities.
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You recruit Raheir by talking to him in the Den.
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Unlock Aldkin (AoE Magic Caster)
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Start the quest “A Nameless Mystery” by interacting with the “Archive of Kuo Chosah” item marked with a purple icon inside the Mercenary Den.
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Follow the quest markers south of the Den, explore a hidden passage, and defeat a boss named Vnus the Hunter at a burned-down manor to complete the quest and unlock Aldkin.
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Unlock Varyana (Melee DPS Barbarian)
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Begin the quest “Slayer’s Retribution” by interacting with the “Brutal Note” item inside the Mercenary Den.
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Completing this quest unlocks Varyana as a recruitable Mercenary.
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Unlock Subo (DPS Archer)
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Trigger the quest “A Feather on the Scale” by interacting with the “Muddy Letter” item in the Mercenary Den.
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Completing this quest unlocks Subo to fight alongside you.
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After unlocking each Mercenary, you can hire them in the Den and customize their skills and equipment. Progressing with Mercenaries also earns you Rapport, which grants skill points and special currency for upgrades.
