Jagged Alliance 3 (JA3) - Best Mercs to Start With
In this Jagged Alliance 3 Guide we will talk about best Mercenaries. Learn who to hire at the beginning.
The President of Grand Chien is missing. The emergence of a paramilitary group called "The Legion" leads to a power struggle. Jagged Alliance 3 takes you on a captivating adventure where the President's family hires skilled mercs to find him and restore peace. Assume the role of a military leader and embark on a mission to bring stability back to the country. Your first task is to select soldiers, who will accompany you at the beginning of your adventure. We will tell who to pick.
Picking Mercs in Jagged Alliance 3 – Tips
- First of all, it is important to say that most mercenaries are cheaper when you hire them for 2 weeks rather than 1. You should use it, as money is an asset and it is hard to come by (yes, just like in the real life). You may spend more initially, but at the end of the day you will save a lot.
- Secondly, some mercenaries do not like to work with each other. They may even refuse to fight alongside someone they hate. But it works also in the other way round. They will be happy to fight with people they like.
- Thirdly, starting the game you may notice that some mercenaries are offline. It is random. If the soldier you wish to hire is unavailable, just start the game once again.
- Fourthly, you can’t hire Legendary soldiers at the beginning of the campaign. To do this you need A.I.M. Gold which will unlock itself at one point of the game. We talk about it more on the separate page.
- Fifthly, remember to read closely perks of your mercs. They can impact the game quite heavily. Some of the will determine which weapons your soldiers should use. In rare cases they can influence the conversation and unlock additional dialog options.
- At the end, remember that you should start with at least 3 mercenaries. Among them should be: Medic, Mechanic and Explosive expert.
Remember that you can create your own mercenary. You can use IMP to do that. Read our article to learn more about it.
JA3 – Best Mercenaries to start with
- Medic – we recommend Fox (Recruit). Hiring her for 2 weeks costs only $6 320. Her medical skills may be not the best, but she starts with 2 very powerful Perks. Striking Looks allows her to open combat with enemies Surprised rather than Aware. It is quite useful if you want to be sneaky. What is more she has the Teaching ability which allows her to give 10% extra XP to the squad. What is more, she has Scoundrel perk, which will influence many conversations.
- Mechanic – pick Kalyna (Recruit). Hiring her for 2 weeks costs only $8 400. As in the case of Fox, she is also not the best Mechanic but she has other useful capabilities. She has very high Leadership stat. It allows her to boost your training operations at the beginning of the game – 2 in 1.
- Explosive Expert – you can pick Barry (Recruit). Hiring him for 2 weeks costs only $4 940. He is quite cheap, but is very capable. Barry has also useful perks. Fixit gives him bonuses to Disarm traps, Hack devices, and Pick locks checks. Breach and Clear will reward him with free move after throwing grenades or using shotguns. Thanks to Boutique Explosives he will produce 2 Shaped Charges every 168 hours (not much, but always something).
- Additional mercenary – picking above soldiers will allow you to get someone else (you have enough money). You should pick Wolf (Veteran). Hiring him for 2 weeks costs $12 300. He is All-Rounder, so he may help your squad in various ways. Nevertheless, his strongest point is the Jack of All Trades perk. Wolf will allow you to complete Operations 33% faster.
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