Druid vs Mercenary
vs
The Druid is a Strength/Intelligence class (11/7/11 Str/Dex/Int) that starts with a Voltaic Staff and a Changeling Talisman; the Mercenary is a Strength/Dexterity class (11/11/7) that starts with a Makeshift Crossbow. They begin at different points of the passive tree. Across their ascendancies the biggest differences are armour (1 vs 7 nodes), evasion (1 vs 7 nodes) and spells (4 vs 0 nodes). Patch 0.5.5, from the game files.
Side by side
| Druid | Mercenary | |
|---|---|---|
| Attributes | Str11 Dex7 Int11 | Str11 Dex11 Int7 |
| Trait | Natural resilience to Lightning | Totems remain for longer |
| Starts with |  Voltaic Staff Changeling Talisman |  Makeshift Crossbow |
| First skill gem |  Volcano |  Fragmentation Rounds |
| Gems that need its weapon | 16 (staff, talisman) | 28 (crossbow) |
| Ascendancies |  Oracle Shaman |  Tactician Witchhunter Gemling Legionnaire |
Their ascendancies' nodes by theme
| Nodes about… | Druid | Mercenary |
|---|---|---|
| Minions | – | 2 |
| Spells | 4 | – |
| Projectiles | – | 3 |
| Attack speed | 1 | 2 |
| Critical hits | 2 | 1 |
| Fire | – | 1 |
| Physical | – | 1 |
| Elemental | 4 | – |
| Totems | 2 | 4 |
| Life | 3 | – |
| Energy shield | 1 | – |
| Mana | 4 | – |
| Armour | 1 | 7 |
| Evasion | 1 | 7 |
| Resistances | 2 | 1 |
| Spirit | 1 | 2 |
| Flasks and charms | 2 | – |
| Stun | 1 | – |
| Area of effect | – | 3 |
| Movement speed | – | 1 |
| Cooldowns | 1 | 3 |
| Strength stacking | – | 1 |
| Dexterity stacking | – | 1 |
| Intelligence stacking | – | 1 |
Nodes of all the class's ascendancies added up; each ascendancy's own counts are on its page.
Druid ascendancies
Mercenary ascendancies
- Tacticiantotems 4, armour 4 and evasion 4
- Witchhunterarmour 3, evasion 3 and cooldowns 3
- Gemling Legionnaireattack speed 1, critical hits 1 and resistances 1
Tactician vs Witchhunter · Gemling Legionnaire vs Tactician · Gemling Legionnaire vs Witchhunter
More class comparisons: Druid vs Huntress · Druid vs Monk · Druid vs Ranger · Druid vs Sorceress · Druid vs Warrior · Druid vs Witch · Huntress vs Mercenary · Mercenary vs Monk · Mercenary vs Ranger · Mercenary vs Sorceress · Mercenary vs Warrior · Mercenary vs Witch.