If you thought PvP in World of Warcraft was crazy before, things are about to take an even more intense turn. In Patch 6.2.1, Mercenary Mode will be made available to players. This new feature is causing more than a few waves in the game community, with players staunchly for and opposed to its addition. This guide will cover everything you need to know about this new feature and what about it has the player base so fired up.

As mentioned above, Mercenary Mode is a brand new PvP feature coming to World of Warcraft in Patch 6.2.1. This mode is designed specifically to cut down on queue times in Ashran or other unrated battlegrounds. Up until this point, long queue times have severely limited the participation of players with no time to sit through an extensive wait.

As the name implies, this mode will allow players to act as a mercenary for the opposing faction in PvP. For example, an Alliance player playing Mercenary Mode would play with a Horde team. As the old saying goes, keep your friends close, and your enemies closer, and Mercenary Mode will allow you to do just that.

Mercenary Mode will not be a feature that is available at all times. In fact, it may not be available even most of the time. Designed specifically to reduce queue times, you can only choose to be a mercenary when there is an exceptionally long wait for Ashran and other unrated battlegrounds. This,, in Blizzard's words will “do so without having to wait through long queues, while still maintaining the spirit of the core Alliance vs Horde fantasy.”.

Queuing Up for Mercenary Mode

Queuing Up for Mercenary Mode will be done in a slightly different manner than when you queue up for normal PvP. When your faction starts to experience an exceptionally long wait time, agents from the opposing faction will appear in Ashran, either Stormshield (Alliance) or Warspear (Horde). Speaking to these agents will allow you to enter Ashran or other Battlegrounds disguised as an enemy player and fight for that faction.

It is prudent to note that Mercenary Mode is entirely optional. If you choose not to participate you will be unaffected in any way. Never will players be forced to participate in this faction-swap PvP style, even if queue times skyrocket.

Swapping Factions

If you are like me, you are probably wondering what happens when you make the faction swap. It seems that it is very important to game developers that Mercenary Mode does not destroy the Horde vs. Alliance feel. So players will never, ever be aware that any player they do a Battleground with will be using Mercenary Mode.

From the time you queue up, to the time you leave the battleground, you will be transformed to look like a player from that faction. Mixed-faction scenarios are not the point of this new mode, Humans will not be fighting alongside Orcs and Undead will not be fighting alongside Night Elves. In fact, you will never know if your team mates are playing in Mercenary Mode or not.

Mercenary Mode Rewards

Wondering about what rewards you will earn while participating in PvP Mercenary Mode? Blizzard has confirmed that players will earn the exact same rewards they would have earned by winning or losing as their own faction. The only exception to the rule; faction-specific achievements. So, don't look for any special rewards here, playing this mode is to help reduce queue times only and will be just like playing for your own faction.

Mercenary Mode Controversy

While Mercenary Mode may seem harmless, it has caused quite a stir within the community. Players opposed to the new PvP mode say that it doesn't really fix the problem. They also claim that this undermines the Alliance versus Horde tension that make the game interesting.

On the other hand, players for the new mode see this as a way to redeem PvP in this expansion. Players with limited time are hopefully they will finally get to get into more player versus player action and the more hardcore look forward to trying out something new. Also some players think that this could be a doorway to Mercenary Mode in other aspects of the game or even the eventually addition of a third faction.

While what the future holds for Mercenary Mode remains to be seen, it does raise some interesting questions. Will it be a temporary solution or something that will stick around and potentially expand into other areas of the game? We can only wait and see. For now be sure to check out the In Develpment post for more information and any new updates on Mercenary Mode.


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Last Updated: Mar 21, 2016

About The Author

Amunet, also fondly known as Memtron, is an organic life form best known for its ongoing obsession with Blizzard Entertainment's numerous properties. To that end, Amu has authored hundreds (thousands?) of the most popular World of Warcraft guides, editorials, and Top 10 lists on the planet. When not gaming and writing, Amu is busy chasing after her three children in a perpetual loop of ongoing disaster.

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