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Mercenaries unlock as you progress through the Vessel of Hatred main quest. Continue the expansion campaign until it introduces the Mercenary Den, then complete the available Mercenary quests to recruit additional companions. Raheir becomes available for combat after you finish the campaign.
What you need before you can unlock Mercenaries
The Mercenary system is part of Vessel of Hatred, so you need access to the expansion. Blizzard says a new character can choose Skip Campaign to begin at the start of Vessel of Hatred; it recommends completing the base game campaign first if you want the full story experience. See Blizzard’s launch guide.
Expansion bundles and edition contents can change. Blizzard’s 2026 Lord of Hatred announcement says Vessel of Hatred is included with Lord of Hatred editions and that the expansions require the Diablo IV base game. Check Blizzard’s current listing for the terms that apply to your purchase.
How to unlock and recruit each Mercenary
- Progress through the Vessel of Hatred main quest. Mercenaries are introduced during the expansion campaign, which leads you to the Den.
- Complete the campaign to use Raheir in combat. Blizzard specifies that Raheir becomes available as a combat companion after the Vessel of Hatred campaign is complete.
- Find the other Mercenaries in Nahantu and complete their questlines. The four companions are Raheir the Shieldbearer, Aldkin the Cursed Child, Varyana the Berserker Crone, and Subo the Bounty Hunter. Blizzard’s Mercenary overview directs players to seek out the others in Nahantu and complete their individual quests. It does not give exact quest names, map coordinates, or step-by-step objectives, so use the in-game quest guidance rather than relying on unverified location instructions.
How to assign a Hired hand and a Reinforcement
When playing solo, choose one unlocked Mercenary as your Hired hand to join the party. You can also assign a different unlocked Mercenary in the Den as a Reinforcement. Blizzard says the Reinforcement slot opens after you unlock a Mercenary beyond Raheir. A Reinforcement joins when the configured Opportunity occurs; it is not the same as having a second companion continuously follow you. Details are in Blizzard’s Mercenary overview.
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What Rapport does
Mercenaries gain Rapport when you use them as Hired hands or Reinforcements in battle, and Mercenary events can also provide Rapport. Each Mercenary has 10 Rapport levels. Rapport rewards include skill points and caches, and progression expands bartering in the Den. Repeating the final Rapport level grants additional Pale Marks, which you can spend to barter there. These systems are described in Blizzard’s Mercenary overview.
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