City of Villains Coldfront (CoH, CoV)

Mercenaries (primary set)

Burst (1): Quickly fires a Burst of rounds at a single target at very long range. Damage is average, but the fire rate is fast. Can also reduce the target's defense. Damage: Moderate(DoT BI:3.00), Recharge: Fast (4)
Slotting:
1 ACC, 3 DMG
*NOTES:
Burst is the first of three attack powers your Mercenaries MM will get. With excellent range (90) and recharge time as well as moderate (low side) damage, it’s a good all-around attack power.

Soldiers (1): Calls forth one to three Mercenary Soldiers (depending on your level) to do your bidding. The third Soldier you gain will be a Medic. All Soldiers use Sub Machine Guns, but these can be upgraded. You may only have 3 Soldiers under your control at any given time. If you attempt to call Soldiers, you can only replace the ones you have lost in battle. If you already have three, the power will fail. Recharge: Very Long (90)
Power Progression:
Levels 1-5, 1 Soldier (your level); Levels 6-17, 2 Soldiers (-1 your level); 18+, 2 Soldiers and 1 Medic (-2 your level).
Inherent Powers:
Soldier Burst (Soldiers); Medic Burst and Heal Other (Medic)
Equip Mercenary:
Heavy Burst (Soldiers and Medic)
Tactical Upgrade:
Auto Fire (Soldiers); Stimulant (Medic)
Slotting:
I suggest at lest 2 +ACC. The rest is really up to you. You can see in my planned build below how I slot them. Some MM’s put 3 +ACC in, but with tactics and supremacy you really only need 2. Once you have Commando, you can slot for healing, but I found with 2 ACC, 3 DMG and 1 HEAL, it makes for a well rounded tier.
*NOTES:
These guys are your meat shields. While you do miss them when they die, they do not dish out near the damage of SpecOps or Commando. The Medic will heal your henchmen and you, but not always when you need it, and he tends be the first one to die. The Medic’s range is also shorter than the other soldiers.

Slug (2): Fires a single Slug at a targeted foe. Firing a single Slug is slower than firing a Burst, but deals more damage is longer range, and can knock down foes. Damage: High, Recharge: Moderate (8)
Slotting:
1 ACC, 3 DMG and 2 Recharge
*NOTES:
Slug is my favorite attack power in the Merc line. If you are going to choose one attack, this one is it. It does have twice the recharge as Burst, but it has more punch with knockback. With two recharges reductions, the timer drops to 6 seconds and is up when you need it! I suggest taking this if you are only going with one attack.

Equip Mercenary (6): Equip your Mercenary Henchmen with more advanced munitions and weaponry. This power permanently bestows new weapons and abilities to one Mercenary Henchman. The powers gained are unique and dependant upon the target Mercenary Henchman. This power only works on your Mercenary Henchmen and you can only Equip any given Mercenary Henchman once. Recharge: Slow (12)
Slotting:
1 END, 2 Recharge
*NOTES:
Take this as soon as it’s available. This is your first of two upgrade powers and comes along at level six when you get your second tier one henchman. See the henchmen powers for what you get with this upgrade, and if you are building an attackless MM, this is where the pain ends!

M30 Grenade (8): Launches a Grenade at long range from beneath the barrel of your Assault Rifle. This explosion affects all within the blast radius, and can knock them back. Damage: Moderate, Recharge: Slow (16)
Slotting:
1 ACC, 3 DMG and 2 Recharge
*NOTES:
There isn’t much to say about M30. The last thing that I want as a MM is lots of agro, and M30 is an agro magnet. The damage is so-so, and the recharge is pretty long. I suggest skipping this one.

Spec Ops (12): You can enlist one to two highly skilled Spec Ops Mercenary (depending on your level). Spec Ops weapons are highly accurate and long ranged, and they are adept in may different tactical weapons. Like all Henchmen, Spec Ops can be equipped with even deadlier munitions. You may only have 2 Spec Ops under your control at any given time. If you attempt to summon more Spec Ops, you can only replace the ones you have lost in battle. If you already have two, the power will fail. Recharge: Very Long (90)
Power Progression:
Levels 12-23, 1 SpecOps (your level); Level 24+, 2 SpecOps (-1 your level)
Inherent Powers:
SpecOps Burst, SpecOps Heavy Burst and Web Grenade (immobilize)
Equip Mercenary:
Rifle Butt (disorient) and Flash-bang (disorient) Buckshot
Tactical Upgrade:
SpecOps Snipe, Teargas (hold), Hand Grenade and Stealth (broken right now)
Slotting:
1 ACC, 3 DMG and 2 Disorient
*NOTES:
These boys are a welcome addition to your team. They come ready with Web Grenade and 2 single target attacks. Since you already have EM, they also get Flash-bang and Rifle Butt. Both are great minor crowd control and will help mitigate some damage. I love matching minions run up to my henchmen only to be greeted by the butt of my SpecOps rifle! Once you have TU, they get Teargas and a Sniper shot. Both are very handy as well. Your SpecOps have the highest survivability of all your henchmen.

Serum (18): You can use a special Serum to turn one Mercenary into a virtually Unstoppable killing machine for a short time. Once the Mercenary is injected with this Serum, his Damage, Accuracy, Endurance Recovery, and Damage Resistance to all damage except Psionics, will be greatly increased. The target Mercenary will also be virtually immune to controlling effects including Disorient, Sleep, Hold, Immobilize and Knockback. After the Serum wears off, the Mercenary will be exhausted and drained of all Endurance for a while. Recharge: Very Long (1000)
Slotting:
3 Recharge
*NOTES:
This is one of those love it or hate it powers. I don’t care for it in my play-style, but other swear by it. What turned me off was the short duration and loooooooooong recharge, but when activate the power does as advertised. Good for finishing off elite bosses, AV’s or when you need to get the heck out of Dodge.

Commando (26): Enlists one highly trained Commando. The Commando is a seasoned professional who favors heavy assault weapons. He is simply a one may army that can leave a wake of destruction in his path. In addition to standard Soldier resistance, the Commandos experience also makes him resistant to Fear and his rugged advanced training makes him slightly resistant to Fire, Cold and Toxic Damage. You may only have 1 Commando under your control at any given time. If you attempt to summon another Commando, the power will fail. Recharge: Very Long (90)
Power Progression:
Level 26+, 1 Commando (your level)
Inherent Powers:
Burst and Slug
Equip Mercenary:
Full Auto (cone)
Tactical Upgrade:
LRM Launcher, M30 Grenade (AoE) and Flamethrower (cone)
Slotting:
1 ACC, 3 Damage
*NOTES:
This is the guy you’ve been waiting for. He’s got more hit points and does more damage than you do. He come in on a parachute and looks the part. If you take serum, this is the guy to hit with it when the fit hits the shan. Pop him with some purple and red pills in big fights and he won’t let you down. In extended fights you may notice that he goes thru some end, but that’s in extreme cases!

Tactical Upgrade (32): Permanently Upgrade the most advanced tactical weapons and gears to one Mercenary Henchman. The Tactically Upgraded Mercenary will gain powers, weapons and munitions. The powers gained are unique and dependant upon the target Mercenary Henchman that is upgraded. This power only works on your Mercenary Henchmen and you can only Tactically Upgrade any given Mercenary Henchman once. Recharge: Very Slow (60)
Slotting:
3 Recharge
*NOTES:
This is the upgrade you have been waiting for. Auto Fire, Stimulant, Snipe, Tear-gas, Flamethrower, M30 Grenade and LRM Missile are all in here! While it has a longer recharge than Equip Merc, if you equip your commando first, then Equip everyone else, TU will recharge by the time you finish and you can hit one of your SpecOps before heading out. Just keep an eye on it and within 5-10 minutes your can have the whole team with TU up.

Traps (secondary set)
The Traps secondary for MM’s is all about using tools to de-buff and damage foes, as well as helping control the fight and protecting you, your henchmen and your team. Having a little bit of everything for just about any occasion makes it one of the best MM secondary sets. With traps, you will play an active part in the fight while still being able to keep good track of your henchmen.

Web Grenade (1): Upon impact, the Web Grenade expels a strong, tenuous, and very sticky substance that can Immobilize most targets. This non-lethal device deals no damage and does not prevent targets from attacking, although their attack rate is Slowed. The Web can bring down flying entities and halts jumping. Recharge: Fast (4)
Slotting:
1 ACC
*NOTES:
No choice on this one, but it has it’s uses. You can keep a boss immobilized once you have SpecOps, and you can root foes on Caltrops.

Caltrops (2): You toss a handful of Caltrops at a targeted location and spread the tiny metal spikes over a large area. Any enemy that passes over the Caltrops will be forced to move at a slower rate. They will also take some trivial lethal damage over time. Damage: Minor (DoT), Recharge: Slow (45)
Slotting:
1 Recharge
*NOTES:
I skipped caltrops until my respect and then put it in. Most of us have used caltrops in CoH so I don’t feel the need to go into detail. Just pick them up and start throwing them down.

Triage Beacon (4): You can plant a Triage Beacon into the ground. The Beacon is immobile, but it emits a powerful healing aura. The Regeneration Rate of you, or your allies, will be greatly increased as long as you are near the Triage Beacon. The Beacon is invulnerable. Recharge: Very Long (200)
Slotting:
3 Heal, 3 Recharge
*NOTES:
I have tried this TB a couple of times and I have to say I am not impressed. It has a 60 second duration and will not get your from 1-HP to Full in that time left unslotted. You also cannot target it, so dragging it around with Recall Friend is out too. To make this one useful you’ll need 6 slots in it and even then, it’s not all that great. If you team up with other /Traps MM’s or Corrupters who also have TB, then it may be more useful, but by itself it’s not all that impressive.

Acid Mortar (10): You can place a small Mortar on the ground. If an enemy passes nearby, the Mortar will fire an Acid grenade at the target. The grenade will explodes in a small shower of acid on impact. This acid eats through armor, causing minor damage over time. It reduces the target's Defense as well as his Damage Resistance. The mortar will last up to 60 seconds and will fire up to 10 grenades. It can be destroyed by your foes. Damage: Minor(DoT), Recharge: Slow (90)
Slotting:
1 ACC, 2 Recharge, 1 END
*NOTES:
Get it, Love it, Live it…. I cannot say enough good things about this power. The base debuffs are really good and it will also take agro. Its one tough little mortar, and you can drag this bad boy around using recall friend. There are two cons to Acid Mortar. One; the activation animation is pretty long. Two; you cannot deploy unless on the ground or hovering just over the ground, however, if you are hovering, it negates the animation.

Force Field Generator (16): You can build a Force Field Generator Drone. The Drone will generate a Dispersion Bubble that gives all nearby allies increased Defense against all attacks including Psionic. The Dispersion Bubble also protects allies from Immobilization, Disorient, and Hold effects. The Drone will follow you and can be buffed and healed or even destroyed like any friendly entity. However, the Drone is not a Henchman and cannot be given commands. You can only ever have one Force Field Generator. Recharge: Very Slow (15)
Slotting:
1 DEF, 1 END
*NOTES:
Get it, Love it, Live it…. Like Acid Mortar, I cannot say enough good things about this power. The defense bonus (7.5% base) is ok, but the status protection is the best part of this one. The reason for the END reduce is for recasting. I usually recast after every two fights. It has a 4 minute duration and a 15 second recharge, so it’s always ready!

Poison Trap (20): You can build a Poison Gas Trap on the ground. Any foes that pass near the Poison Trap will cause it to detonate and release its toxic vapors. The poison is a very noxious gas, and any foes in the affected area may start to choke or even vomit. Affected Foes Regeneration rate will be reduced as well. The trap is almost impossible to detect, but it is fragile and may be set off by an enemy's explosion. Even if destroyed, the Trap will detonate. Recharge: Long (90)
Slotting:
(I have only tested poison trap for a short period. I have no slotting recommendations)
*NOTES:
Poison trap is another one of the love it or hate it powers in traps. While it has it’s uses, I felt like I would not use it enough to justify taking it. It’s effects are interesting, but there were other powers that I would rather have. Your choice, but I suggest using it on the test server to see if your play style can use it.

Seeker Drones (28): You create two Seeker Drones. These Seeker Drones will follow you until they detect an enemy and then they will zero in on their targets and detonate on impact. The small explosive flash of energy does only minor damage, but the concussion can weaken foes. Affected targets will have reduced Damage, Accuracy and Perception and may even be disoriented for a short while. You can only ever have Two Seeker Drones out at one time and they can be destroyed by your foes. Recharge: Long (90)
Slotting:
1 ACC, 2 Recharge, 1 END
*NOTES:
I love Seeker Drones. They don’t do much damage and only have a chance to disorient, but they do a great job taking the initial agro and drop ACC, DMG and Perception of the affected foes. I’m still not quite sure if the impact is AoE or target only, but either way is fine. They are not really pets and the AI is dumb as a rock, but cast them in the middle of a group of foes and they do their thing.

Trip Mine (35): You can place a Trip Mine on the ground. Any foes that pass near the Trip Mine will cause it to explode, severely damaging all nearby foes and sending them flying. The Trip Mine is almost impossible to detect, but it is fragile and may be set off by an enemy's explosion. Even if destroyed, the Trip Mine will detonate. Setting a mine is delicate work, and if you are interrupted, you will fail. Damage: Superior, Recharge: Slow (20)
Slotting:
1 ACC, 3 DMG and 2 Recharge
*NOTES:
If you never used it in CoH, you have probably seen it used or fallen victim to a stack of them in PvP. I suggest taking this one, especially if you are taking TP Foe. You should also be able to toe bomb during fights, since you have little or no agro. It is interruptible, so just be aware!

Detonator (38): A good Mastermind means always plans ahead, but a great one knows when to make a strategic sacrifice. You have equipped all your Henchmen with explosives. When the time is right, select a Henchman and set off the Detonator. Undead and Robots are easily rigged and will blow up instantly, devastating nearby enemies. Ninjas, Soldiers and other free thinking Henchmen will try to place the explosive on the ground and get away. But you know... the fuse is short. Recharge: Very Long (200)
Slotting:
1 ACC, 3 DMG and 2 Recharge
*NOTES:
I have not used this one yet, but I can see the beauty in it. I plan on taking this one as well as grant inviso to do suicide runs.

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