Fans of Diablo 2: Resurrected would fondly remember their battles with their Hirelings against the Prime Evils and the Burning Hells. Unlike what some players expect, they never fought the Prime Evils alone in this hit sequel to Blizzard's gothic horror Diablo franchise.

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Interestingly, Hirelings added another dimension to gameplay in Diablo 2: Resurrected release. After all, players had to decide whether they needed a long-ranged specialist or a melee expert for their skirmishes. Moreover, players had the option to interchange Hirelings throughout their journey - adding a lot of versatility in the process. However, for newcomers out there, just which Hirelings stood out among the rest?

Updated on December 15th, 2021 by Hodey Johns: Given the release of Diablo 2: Resurrected, it was time to revisit this guide, which was written a while ago. Back when players hadn't thoroughly tested the extent of speed runs, there was a good deal of controversy about which hireling was the best. Now that gamers have been testing this for over two decades, there is finally some degree of consensus over which hirelings are good and which ones fall flat. The entries have been reordered and rewritten to reflect these findings. As a key part of every build, gamers should know exactly which hireling to use than this guide makes that decision much more informed.

6 Rogue Archer (Act 1)

Diablo 2 Resurrected The Amazon Archer On The Hunt In A Cutscene

Rogue Archers serve as the first Hireling players can recruit in Diablo 2. After defeating Blood Raven, the Sightless Eye's field captain Kashya will let a Rogue Archer accompany players in their travels. In terms of gameplay, Rogue Archers serve as the AI-controlled equivalent of the Amazon Class, albeit with limited abilities. Interestingly, lore-wise, Rogue Archers belong to the Rogue Class.

Their damage is decent, but they are too squishy to be trusted at higher difficulties. Because their only function is damage, something that any player build worth their salt is better at, they are generally considered the worst hireling. Even the most worthy recipes in the Horadric cube can't craft anything that will change this fact.

5 Barbarian Warriors (Act 5)

Barbarian ready to fight - Diablo 2 Hirelings Explained

As with other Barbarians, the Barbarian Warriors serve as the stalwart guardians of Mount Arreat and the Worldstone within it. Additionally, their brute strength and weapons training make them capable warriors to best even the mightiest of demonic forces.

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The Barbarian Warriors have elements of support and damage since they can stun and bash opponents and can equip gear exclusive to Barbarians. Overall, they have average tanking, damage, and support capabilities compared to the other classes, but they'll never have the output of an ideal Whirlwind build.

4 Iron Wolf (Act 3)

Diablo 2 Resurrected Iron Wolf Mercenary Concept Art And Character Model

The Iron Wolf In Act 3 should get strong consideration for being the best mercenary possible while leveling up. It does some great damage and comes in three varieties: fire, ice, and lightning. Each of these types has its own set of spells, making the Iron Wolf an effective damage-dealer at both casting and physical damage.

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The tanking abilities are pretty good as well. If it weren't for a lack of support skills, the Iron Wolf would be top of the charts. For players that want to make the main character do the supporting, the Iron Wolf is the best, just be sure to equip him well and know how to make the most of mercenaries.

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1 Desert Mercenaries (Act 2)

Desert Mercenary using their Aura - Diablo 2 Hirelings Explained

There is a simple reason that the Deser Mercenary is handed the title of best mercenary in the game without any debate currently. With six different varieties of support auras, the Desert Mercenary boosts the main character, making the gamer much more equipped to take out the game's toughest bosses.

There are six total auras that help different builds: Thorns, Holy Freeze, Might, Prayer, Defiance, and Blessed Aim. Each character will benefit differently, so choose wisely. Once players get the right aura going, the entire game gets much easier.

Diablo 2: Resurrected was released on September 23rd, 2021, and is available on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

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