Grinding Gear Games just solved a problem that’s quietly nagged players for years. Without breaking the game or alienating new ones. In the latest Path of Exile 1 update (3.2.6), the Mercenary system does something rare: it’s fun, optional, rewarding, and actually improves the pace of early game progression.
But more importantly, it addresses a long-standing issue: how do you make getting to the endgame less of a chore?
The Fastest Way Through a Slow Start
Let’s be honest. Many players just want to get to the endgame maps. That’s where the real customization, challenge, and loot begin. But the early game? It’s something most players endure, not enjoy.
Mercenaries are the answer to that pacing problem. When you encounter one in the wild, you can either:
- Hire them to fight alongside you,
- Duel them to win a piece of their gear, or
- Exile them to stop mercs with that attribute from appearing for a while.
The catch? You have to beat them in combat first, no matter what you choose. And early on, many mercs are downright overpowered with great gear and powerful builds. That’s not a problem. That’s the point.
A Mini-Game That Feeds the Main Game
Once hired, mercenaries become permanent companions, like powerful AI-controlled allies. You can recruit up to three, customize their gear, and swap them out when better ones come along. Their equipment affects their skills and stats, so there’s a whole mini-game here: finding the perfect merc with the right gear, then upgrading it over time.
It’s also a smart design decision. Mercenaries don’t level up with you, which means if you want a stronger one, you have to go back into the field and fight more. That keeps the system feeling fresh and rewarding.
And if you don’t care? You can ignore them entirely. They’re not required. That’s another smart move. This mechanic respects your time whether you use it or not.
Learning by Watching
For newer players, mercenaries offer something the game usually doesn’t: a way to see how certain classes can be built and played. Watching a merc tear through enemies with linked skills, good gear, and passive bonuses gives players a subtle but effective tutorial. Players can view the mercenaries gear and skill gems and learn how to gear a character… in game.
It’s indirect guidance through design. Not a tooltip, not a wiki link. A live demo, right there in your party.
Risk, Reward, and Renown
There’s also a Renown system that rewards consistent engagement. Win your fights, and your Renown increases, leading to better mercs and even rare “Infamous” encounters. But if you inspect a mercenary’s gear and then back out of the fight, or lose, you lose Renown. That small risk keeps players honest. No cherry-picking loot without putting something on the line.
Even better, if you’re in a party, everyone can engage with the merc individually. The fights scale in difficulty, and each party member has their own chance at loot. It’s fair and thoughtfully implemented.
The Bigger Picture: A Step in the Right Direction
Path of Exile’s gameplay loop has always revolved around depth and replayability. But there’s always been friction when it comes to repeating content. Mercenaries reduce that friction without removing challenge. You still have to earn your way forward but you’re no longer trudging through the mud to get there.
And in doing so, Grinding Gear Games has reminded players of something important: they’re listening. Not with empty PR statements, but with design. This isn’t a dramatic rework or a huge gamble. It’s a subtle but meaningful improvement One that makes everything feel better, faster, and more rewarding.
The Mercenary system doesn’t reinvent Path of Exile. It doesn’t need to. What it does is make the journey to the endgame more enjoyable, more dynamic, and more personal.
And sometimes, that’s all a good system needs to do.
