Mercer

Mercer has been close friends with Kodiak since childhood. The two have remained inseparable despite their wildly different ambitions, frequently teasing one another while supporting each other's dreams. Although Mercer initially views becoming a "mercer'ary" as another clever business venture, his friendship with Kodiak ultimately gives him a far more personal reason to join the White Lions.

Mercer takes an interest in the White Lions throughout their journey by marketing his shop toward mercenaries, whom he affectionately calls "mercer'aries." He happily sells valuable goods at discounted prices, believing that satisfied customers are the key to long-term success. If the White Lions continue to support his business, Mercer eventually decides to repay their loyalty by joining their cause, hoping to discover whether life as a mercer'ary might become his next great adventure.

Recruitment

Part 1: Visit the house in the center of the map during Prelude I to meet Mercer. Mercer appears again in Chapter 9 (revealed with the Compass) where you must purchase his "mystery item." Both encounters are required to continue his recruitment. 

Part 2: Mercer returns in Chapters 14 and Chapter 16. Purchase his "mystery item" during both encounters to unlock Chapter 19x. During Chapter 19x, speak with Mercer using Boone and pay 3,000G to recruit him. 

*Quest (#1) Location Guide*

Unit Data

Unit Analysis

Mercer initially appears to be one of the game's weakest recruits. He joins during the midgame with only E-rank swords, is foot-locked, and requires significant recruitment effort before he can even be obtained. However, first impressions are deceiving. Mercer possesses some of the strongest growth rates in the game, surprisingly solid bases for his level, and one of the fastest snowballing curves of any character in The Lonely Mirror. Given even a small amount of investment, Mercer can quickly transform into one of the army's strongest offensive units. 

Mercer possesses some of the strongest growth rates in the game, particularly in HP (80%), Luck (70%), and Speed (50%), while also maintaining excellent Power and Dexterity growths. Although his Defense and Resistance growths are relatively poor, his respectable base Defense, high HP, and excellent avoid allow him to remain surprisingly durable throughout the game. 

Although Mercer joins with only E-rank swords, his personal weapon, Merciless, almost completely negates this drawback. Merciless grants an enormous +45 Critical, awards 4 weapon experience per attack, and boasts an impressive 60 durability, allowing Mercer to climb weapon ranks at an incredible pace. Within only a few chapters, Mercer can comfortably wield stronger swords while continuing to use Merciless as one of the most reliable critical-hit weapons in the game. Mercer has access to a second personal weapon later in the game, Mercimore, which grants a critical bonus of +60 and cements Mercer as the game's premier critical-hit specialist. 

Mercer has two promotion options: Hero and Swordmaster. Hero provides a well-rounded stat spread and grants access to axes, which gives Mercer reliable 1-2 range through Hand Axes and improves his overall versatility. However, Swordmaster is generally considered his strongest promotion option, as the class's innate critical bonus perfectly complements Merciless and Mercimore. Combined with Mercer's excellent Speed and Luck growths, Swordmaster allows him to reach the highest critical hit rates in the game, and it makes him capable of reliably eliminating many late-game threats in a single strike. 

Mercer is held back almost entirely by the circumstances surrounding his recruitment. He is one of the most difficult characters in the game to obtain and requires the player to complete multiple recruitment events over the course of the campaign. Even after joining, Mercer needs a few levels before his growths begin to shine. Fortunately, thanks to his excellent bases, Merciless, and outstanding growth potential, this period is relatively brief, and he quickly catches up to the rest of the army. 

If Mercer obtains Mercimore later in the game, he remains an exceptional offensive threat through the endgame. Mercimore's tremendous critical bonus allows Mercer to continue dispatching enemies without relying on Tubalcain to perform his best. This leaves the legendary sword available for another member of the army while Mercer continues deleting enemies with his own personal weapon.

Overall, Mercer is one of the game's highest payoff investment units. While his recruitment is lengthy and his late arrival may discourage some players, the effort is rewarded with a unit capable of becoming one of the strongest offensive sword users in The Lonely Mirror. His exceptional growths, unmatched critical-hit potential, and exclusive access to Merciless and Mercimore ensure he remains relevant through the final chapter. Give Mercer an inch, and he'll repay you a mile.