General Feedback on Current Mercenary System & Early Game Experience

First of all, great concept overall—there’s a solid foundation here, but certain aspects still feel underdeveloped?. A few thoughts on what could help improve the experience from my pov.

Mercenary Level Gap
The 20-level difference to use a mercenary feels excessive. A cap of 5 levels—possibly scaling as the player progresses—would make for a more balanced and engaging experience. It would also be great to allow players to start a new character at levels 23, 46, or 65 (corresponding to the appropriate Act), perhaps as a reward after completing a full playthrough. As it stands, leveling has become less engaging when an overpowered mercenary can handle most encounters.

Mercenary Gear Risk
There’s currently little consequence to mercenary deaths, with gear simply staying intact. To introduce more strategic depth, gear could either disappear upon death or gradually degrade over multiple deaths until it breaks. Simply increasing revival costs doesn’t solve the core issue.

Mercenary Dialogue
Mercenaries talk too frequently during gameplay. If an option to mute or limit their dialogue exists, it isn’t readily apparent. A clear toggle would be appreciated.

Alternate Gem Access
It appears that alternate gems are locked behind the map system. While that’s understandable for progression pacing, there could be more variety or availability of these earlier on during the Acts, especially to enrich build experimentation during early leveling.

Losing to a Mercenary
If a player is defeated by a mercenary, it would be interesting to add a visual indicator or warning when encountering the same type again—perhaps a “mark of death.” Defeating that mercenary later while marked could grant a bonus reward or recognition,
In conjunction with the renown system.

Connection Issues (AU Region)
Overall, I’m enjoying the game, but disconnections have been a major issue lately—particularly tonight, where it became unplayable in Australia. Hoping this gets resolved soon, as it’s currently not playable :(