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Merlin Conquest Mid (9.6)

127 19 351,257
8.9
by Kriega1 updated June 12, 2022

Smite God: Merlin

Build Guide Discussion 33 More Guides
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Merlin Build

Start 1 (Sands / Magic Focus)

Notes Can alternatively get 1 Healing Potion and 2 Multi Potions.

Notes

Can alternatively get 1 Healing Potion and 2 Multi Potions.

Build Item Sands of Time Sands of Time
Build Item Magic Focus Magic Focus
Build Item Healing Potion Healing Potion
2
Build Item Mana Potion Mana Potion

Example Build 1 (Flat Pen Rush)

Notes Can swap either Spear of Desolation or Obsidian Shard or Ethereal Staff for Divine Ruin.
Build Item Spear of Desolation Spear of Desolation
Build Item Charon's Coin Charon's Coin
Build Item Obsidian Shard Obsidian Shard
Build Item Soul Reaver Soul Reaver
Build Item Ethereal Staff Ethereal Staff
Build Item Pendulum of Ages Pendulum of Ages

Example Build 2 (Divine Rush)

Notes Can swap Ethereal Staff for Warlock's Staff / Obsidian Shard / Calamitous Rod of Tahuti.
Build Item Divine Ruin Divine Ruin
Build Item Charon's Coin Charon's Coin
Build Item Spear of Desolation Spear of Desolation
Build Item Soul Reaver Soul Reaver
Build Item Ethereal Staff Ethereal Staff
Build Item Pendulum of Ages Pendulum of Ages

Example Build 3 (Divine Rush Alt Version 1)

Notes Can swap Obsidian Shard for Warlock's Staff / Calamitous Rod of Tahuti / Ethereal Staff.
Build Item Divine Ruin Divine Ruin
Build Item Charon's Coin Charon's Coin
Build Item Soul Gem Soul Gem
Build Item Soul Reaver Soul Reaver
Build Item Obsidian Shard Obsidian Shard
Build Item Pendulum of Ages Pendulum of Ages

Example Build 4 (Divine Rush Alt Version 2)

Build Item Divine Ruin Divine Ruin
Build Item Charon's Coin Charon's Coin
Build Item Staff of Myrddin Staff of Myrddin
Build Item Soul Reaver Soul Reaver
Build Item Ethereal Staff Ethereal Staff
Build Item Pendulum of Ages Pendulum of Ages

Start 2 (Conduit / Lost Artifact)

Build Item Conduit Gem Conduit Gem
Build Item Lost Artifact Lost Artifact
Build Item Healing Potion Healing Potion
2
Build Item Multi Potion Multi Potion
2

Example Build 5 (Chronos' Rush)

Notes Can swap Warlock's Staff for Divine Ruin / Spear of the Magus / Spear of Desolation.

Can swap Ethereal Staff for Staff of Myrddin / Calamitous Rod of Tahuti.
Build Item Chronos' Pendant Chronos' Pendant
Build Item Warlock's Staff Warlock's Staff
Build Item Obsidian Shard Obsidian Shard
Build Item Soul Reaver Soul Reaver
Build Item Ethereal Staff Ethereal Staff
Build Item Gem of Focus Gem of Focus

Example Build 6 (Chronos' Rush + Anti-Heal)

Notes Can swap Ethereal Staff for Staff of Myrddin / Calamitous Rod of Tahuti.
Build Item Chronos' Pendant Chronos' Pendant
Build Item Divine Ruin Divine Ruin
Build Item Obsidian Shard Obsidian Shard
Build Item Soul Reaver Soul Reaver
Build Item Ethereal Staff Ethereal Staff
Build Item Gem of Focus Gem of Focus

Start 3 (Sands / Uncommon Staff)

Notes Can alternatively get 1 Healing Potion and 2 Multi Potions.

Notes

Can alternatively get 1 Healing Potion and 2 Multi Potions.

Build Item Sands of Time Sands of Time
Build Item Uncommon Staff Uncommon Staff
Build Item Healing Potion Healing Potion
2
Build Item Mana Potion Mana Potion

Example Build 7 (Warlock's Rush)

Notes Can swap either Spear of Desolation or Ethereal Staff for Divine Ruin.

Can swap Ethereal Staff for Calamitous Rod of Tahuti.
Build Item Warlock's Staff Warlock's Staff
Build Item Spear of Desolation Spear of Desolation
Build Item Charon's Coin Charon's Coin
Build Item Soul Reaver Soul Reaver
Build Item Ethereal Staff Ethereal Staff
Build Item Pendulum of Ages Pendulum of Ages

Example Build 8 (Warlock's Rush + Anti-Heal)

Notes Can swap Soul Gem for Ethereal Staff / Staff of Myrddin / Calamitous Rod of Tahuti.
Build Item Warlock's Staff Warlock's Staff
Build Item Divine Ruin Divine Ruin
Build Item Charon's Coin Charon's Coin
Build Item Soul Reaver Soul Reaver
Build Item Soul Gem Soul Gem
Build Item Pendulum of Ages Pendulum of Ages

Start 4 (Conduit / Magic Focus)

Build Item Conduit Gem Conduit Gem
Build Item Magic Focus Magic Focus
Build Item Healing Potion Healing Potion
Build Item Mana Potion Mana Potion
2

Example Build 9 (Deso Rush)

Notes Can swap Soul Gem for Divine Ruin.

Notes

Can swap Soul Gem for Divine Ruin.

Build Item Spear of Desolation Spear of Desolation
Build Item Charon's Coin Charon's Coin
Build Item Soul Gem Soul Gem
Build Item Soul Reaver Soul Reaver
Build Item Staff of Myrddin Staff of Myrddin
Build Item Gem of Focus Gem of Focus

Start 5 (Shroud / Lost Artifact)

Notes Can go Mana Potions over Multi Potions.

Notes

Can go Mana Potions over Multi Potions.

Build Item Vampiric Shroud Vampiric Shroud
Build Item Lost Artifact Lost Artifact
Build Item Healing Potion Healing Potion
2
Build Item Multi Potion Multi Potion
2

Example Build 10 (Chronos' Rush)

Notes Can swap Spear of the Magus for Divine Ruin.

Notes

Can swap Spear of the Magus for Divine Ruin.

Build Item Chronos' Pendant Chronos' Pendant
Build Item Spear of the Magus Spear of the Magus
Build Item Charon's Coin Charon's Coin
Build Item Soul Reaver Soul Reaver
Build Item Typhon's Fang Typhon's Fang
Build Item Sacrificial Shroud Sacrificial Shroud

Example Build 11 (Chronos' Rush)

Notes Can swap Warlock's Staff for Divine Ruin / Spear of the Magus / Spear of Desolation.

Can swap Obsidian Shard for Charon's Coin.

Can swap Ethereal Staff for Staff of Myrddin / Calamitous Rod of Tahuti / Typhon's Fang.
Build Item Chronos' Pendant Chronos' Pendant
Build Item Warlock's Staff Warlock's Staff
Build Item Obsidian Shard Obsidian Shard
Build Item Soul Reaver Soul Reaver
Build Item Ethereal Staff Ethereal Staff
Build Item Blood-Soaked Shroud Blood-Soaked Shroud

Main Relics

Build Item Temporal Beads Temporal Beads
Build Item Aegis of Judgement Aegis of Judgement
Build Item Aegis of Acceleration Aegis of Acceleration

Alternative Items

Build Item The Alternate Timeline The Alternate Timeline
Build Item Calamitous Rod of Tahuti Calamitous Rod of Tahuti
Build Item Nimble Rod of Tahuti Nimble Rod of Tahuti
Build Item Doom Orb Doom Orb
Build Item Pythagorem's Piece Pythagorem's Piece
Build Item Bancroft's Talon Bancroft's Talon
Build Item Book of Thoth Book of Thoth
Build Item Book of the Dead Book of the Dead
Build Item Breastplate of Determination Breastplate of Determination
Build Item Mantle of Discord Mantle of Discord

Niche Items

Build Item Celestial Legion Helm Celestial Legion Helm
Build Item Jade Emperor's Crown Jade Emperor's Crown
Build Item Winged Blade Winged Blade
Build Item Gem of Isolation Gem of Isolation
Build Item Void Stone Void Stone
Build Item Spectral Armor Spectral Armor

Merlin's Skill Order Notes (Can prioritise 2 or 3 points in your 2 before maxing the 1 if sitting in Ice Stance early more often).

Notes

(Can prioritise 2 or 3 points in your 2 before maxing the 1 if sitting in Ice Stance early more often).

Eclipse / Radiate / Frostbolt

1 X Y
Eclipse / Radiate / Frostbolt
1 4 6 7 9

Vortex / Dragonfire / Blizzard

2 A B
Vortex / Dragonfire / Blizzard
2 8 10 11

Flicker

3 B A
Flicker
3 12 15 16 18 19

Elemental Mastery

4 Y X
Elemental Mastery
5 13 14 17 20
Eclipse / Radiate / Frostbolt
1 4 6 7 9

Eclipse / Radiate / Frostbolt

1 X
Arcane: Merlin conjures an orb of condensed celestial energy that grows in size as it travels, dealing damage every 0.4s and marking Enemies hit.

Enemies marked take additional damage if they stay within the outer range of Eclipse.

Fire: Merlin channels a beam of intense fire for 2s that deals damage every 0.25s. Each time Radiate hits an Enemy, it also applies a Burn, dealing additional damage over time.

Ice: Merlin hurls a Frostbolt that explodes if it hits an Enemy, dealing an additional 15% damage if they are slowed.

Ability Type: Line
Initial Arcane Damage: 40 / 60 / 80 / 100 / 120 (+55% of your Magical Power)
Arcane Damage Per Tick: 5 / 15 / 25 / 35 / 45 (+8% of your Magical Power)
Arcane Duration: 3s
Arcane Cooldown: 14s

Fire Damage Per Tick: 6 / 12 / 18 / 24 / 30 (+18% of your Magical Power)
Fire Burn Damage: 5 / 10 / 15 / 20 / 25 (+5% of your Magical Power)
Fire Duration: 2s
Fire Cooldown: 16 / 15 / 14 / 13 / 12s

Ice Damage: 60 / 95 / 130 / 165 / 200 (+55% of your Magical Power)
Ice Cooldown: 6s

Range: 60 / 45 / 70
Cost: 60
Vortex / Dragonfire / Blizzard
2 8 10 11

Vortex / Dragonfire / Blizzard

2 A
Vortex (Arcane): Merlin deploys a field of arcane energy at a location. After a delay, a Vortex deals damage and pulls Enemies towards the center.

Dragonfire (Fire): Merlin summons forth two ethereal dragons that spout flames towards each other, dealing damage to Enemies every 0.25s. If caught in the center of the area, enemy god's protections are reduced. The dragons last for 3s.

Blizzard (Ice): Merlin creates a Blizzard at a target location. After a brief delay, shards of ice start hurling down every 0.7s. Enemies hit take damage and progressively get more Slowed while they stay within the area.

Enemies hit take damage and progressively get more slowed while they stay within the area.

Ability Type: AoE
Arcane Damage: 50 / 80 / 110 / 140 / 170 (+60% of your Magical Power)
Fire Damage Per Tick: 8 / 11 / 14 / 17 / 20 (+20% of your Magical Power)
Fire Protection Reduction: 4%
Fire Max Stacks: 4
Fire Debuff Duration: 4s
Ice Damage Per Tick: 10 / 25 / 40 / 55 / 70 (+15% of your Magical Power)
Ice Slow Per Stack: 8%
Ice Max Stacks: 5
Ice Slow Duration: 2s
Range: 60 / 50 / 65
Radius: 20 / 30 / 20
Cost: 60 / 65 / 70 / 75 / 80
Cooldown (Vortex / Blizzard): 16 / 15 / 14 / 13 / 12s
Cooldown (Dragonfire): 18 / 17 / 16 / 15 / 14s
Flicker
3 12 15 16 18 19

Flicker

3 B
Merlin quickly teleports a short distance in front of him.

Ability Type: Teleport
Range: 30
Cost: 70
Cooldown: 24 / 23 / 22 / 21 / 20s
Elemental Mastery
5 13 14 17 20

Elemental Mastery

4 Y
Merlin taps into his inner potential, exploding with energy in the stance he is currently attuned to. During this time Merlin can choose which stance to enter into next.

After the explosion reaches its apex, it collapses in on itself. Enemies are dealt damage from the both the explosion and the implosion and suffer different effects depending on which stance's energy they are being hit by.

Ability Type: Buff and AoE
Damage: 100 / 140 / 180 / 220 / 260 (+15% of your Magical Power)
Arcane: Knockup
Fire Damage Per Tick: 5 / 10 / 15 / 20 / 25 (+5% of your Magical Power)
Ice Slow: 20%
Slow Duration: 1.5s
Radius: 25
Cost: 40 / 50 / 60 / 70 / 80
Cooldown: 30 / 27.5 / 25 / 22.5 / 20s

Chapter Title

Fire Stance is good for shredding opponents health close range (usually with team setup on CC'ed enemies, so you don't get targeted / interrupted channelling your Fire 1 / Radiate ), and melting objectives, Ice Stance is good for ranged poke as well as slow utility, and Arcane Stance is useful for CC'ing / catching someone out of position with it's pull to the centre of the AoE on Arcane 2 / Vortex . Generally you will use Ice and Arcane for waveclear, and as your 2 primary zoning / poke stances.

Remember that Overload gives Merlin a Polynomicon-like proc to use after each ability, making AA-cancelling pretty effective for Merlin for waveclearing/farming and general dps. An example could be Ice 2 > AA > Ice 1 > AA.

Venenu's Merlin Tips / Tricks:

Venenu's Merlin Mid Guide / Play by Play:

Merlin guide by Haithi:

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Collapse All Comments

1
Suchiyan | June 29, 2022 8:39am
Um i am new to merlin and dont know how to play him, but i am basically obligated to learn him since i have the aang skin. What would be the best build right now? And any tips on how to play him. Btw i follow a lot of your buiild and guides and they are honestly amazing
2
Kriega1 (143) | June 29, 2022 12:21pm
Probably Focus > Pendant > Divine > Shard > Reaver > Estaff / filler most games

Check the stuff at the bottom of the builds page / the vids, also i'd advise putting his abilities on instant cast with Ground target and ruler on.
1
Klawless1990 | December 13, 2021 5:56am
Question for you for Gem of Focus vs Pendulum of ages.


So right now I’m running a build of chronos pendant, spear of the magnus, rod of tahudi, spear of desolation, soul gem

Now with pendulum of ages(sands of time evo) I get 20% past the ceiling of 40% CDR (I’m at 60% in this build). However when I max out sands of time to pendulum of ages I also get the damage buff. With PoA I get max magical damage at 1000 — with 500 pot and 3000 pot

With gem of focus(conduit gem evo) I get around 973 max magical damage — with 500 pot and 3000 pot. However gem of focus gets % increase to damage, move speed and damage reduction to those that get hit with my abilities. Which may do more damage than the PoA build then?

With Merlin I like all these CD reductions built in and the extra utility like Spear of Desolation (it’s CD reduction during the group stage with getting kills and assists make it so my abilities, even ult, are nearly always ready)

Soul gem also is great with my succession of attacks and getting healed

SoM is helpful early game with a bit of healing and when my CDR isn’t the best, my 3-5 combo ability burst do deadly dmg.

Tahudi is self explanatory, finishing kills made easy

IMO GoF(conduit gem) probably is better due to the extra % damage that is provided (in stacks) that doesn’t show up in the magic damage total (plus full build is only 30 magical damage difference from PoA build, which the stacked passive seems to make up for)

What do you all think?

I kind of want to do SoT then sell it at level 20 for soul reaver (since I cannot switch starter late game for GoF)
2
Kriega1 (143) | December 13, 2021 6:54am
Selling SoT for Reaver is way too late to be getting Reaver. Reaver is core on Merlin (well, most mages, but especially Merlin) and getting Reaver that late is kinda asking tanks to shrug off your damage.

Your build needs Shard, and if you need Divine you swap out Deso / Magus / Soul Gem typically for it.

Estaff is also pretty good atm, i've been generally getting it over Tahuti / Soul Gem on him as of late.

I usually don't bother with Pendant in Sand's of Time builds at all (I don't find it efficient generally outside of early game, when it comes to Pendulum + Pendant), but you could maybe justify it if you're running Pendulum and Pendant as the lone CDR items (though it does waste the 500 gold power pot's 10% CDR, but that's a minor thing).

I usually go Focus with Pendant builds, the lack of cdr at lvl 1 is fine-ish cause you're rushing Pendant anyway so it's not long you'll be lacking CDR, Conduit passive helps with poke / clear / pressure, and with the Conduit + Lost Artifact start you don't really have mana issues.

Deso isn't that great base stat wise till the upcoming buff, and even then it's just ok, the main draw of the item is the passive, which is often just a "win more item".

And yes, Focus does have less power than Pendulum, however it does directly buff Reaver procs which Pendulum doesen't and it gives you more survivability.

Usually I go Conduit (Focus) > Pendant > Soul Gem / Divine / Estaff > Reaver > Shard > Estaff / Tahuti / Soul Gem on Merlin most of my games.

Just remember that Estaff procs don't count towards player damage so you don't necessarily always realise how effective it is during a match / at the end of the match when looking at player damage.

But yes, with your current build, there's not much reason to run Sand's / Pendulum. For something close to your current build either go Focus, Pendant, Deso, Soul Gem, Reaver, Shard or go Pendulum, Deso/Magus, Soul Gem, Reaver, Tahuti, Shard (or Pendulum, Deso/Magus, Coin, Soul Gem, Reaver, Tahuti/Shard).
1
Klawless1990 | December 13, 2021 8:57am
Also thank you again. I’m really not trying to challenge anything you’re saying I’m legit just trying to learn
1
Klawless1990 | December 13, 2021 8:02am
Thank you so much for your input. I’ll try these builds tonight.

To Follow up on some of your points, for my own education. Why wouldn’t you want higher CDR with Merlin? With the build i put up there I get almost constant abilities available to me late game, especially group fights with SoD, which allows me to beat up the tanks with a constant array of abilities.

SoM early game (after chronos) puts the 7.5% more damage buff. I can drop an arcane swirl, arcane pull, ult, flamethrower 1, and flamethrow 2 with those.

So with my early game, I have decent CDR and can do a combo to really hurt someone

Then mid/late game I have constant cooldown ready witn my 40% CDR and the utility of SoD

I feel like I am missing out by not getting Soul Reaver tho but the utility of SoM and SoD are hard to pass especially when they help with dmg pen too

https://www.reddit.com/r/Smite/comments/r5qwiq/math_builds_for_midmages_patch_811_bonus/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

That link also has some curious insight on how nice CDR is in team battles— doesn’t entirely support my build but more so about CDR in general
Load more comments (7 more replies) →
1
JapanXf33l | June 18, 2021 12:06pm
Thank you man!!!
1
Kriega1 (143) | June 18, 2021 12:35pm
I haven't updated this yet, I have up to date Merlin builds on my mid build guide though.

Edit: It's updated now.
1
DKage (1) | June 15, 2021 6:23am
I am an Arena main. I used to build when I played a lot of Merlin around season 6 or 7, but the build no longer feels as viable.

Shoes of Focus > Chronos Pendant > Divine Ruin > Charon's Coin > Rod of Tahuti > Soul Reaver

I build CDR early because Arena matches are much shorter and the pace tends to be quick so the ability to switch stances is a cornerstone of my playstyle. Any recommendations to improve the build? I tried one of your builds (Tahuti Rush), and it felt decent.
1
Kriega1 (143) | June 15, 2021 10:05am
(I need to update these again)

For Arena: Tier 2 Boots start.

Rush Shoes of Focus > Sands of Time > Spear of the Magus / Divine Ruin > Charon's Coin > Soul Reaver > Rod of Tahuti > Pendulum of Ages.

If you can sell boots if you had leftover gold and bought Elixir of Speed, sell it for Soul Gem or maybe even Gem of Isolation.

Or Shoes of the Magi > Sands of Time > Charon's Coin > Spear of the Magus / Divine Ruin > Soul Gem > Soul Reaver / Rod of Tahuti > Pendulum of Ages > boots for Reaver / Tahuti.

My last Merlin Arena match I went this: https://smite.guru/match/1148268420
1
Reyc | May 4, 2021 4:50pm
Like the build, im more a fan of starting with soul gem because the sustain
1
Kriega1 (143) | May 4, 2021 5:09pm
I think Soul Gem is a bit weak to rush straight after boots. If im going flat pen as well I usually want that first after boots instead. Also Soul Gem passive scales better the later on in the build you are.
1
HipJewishMan | May 12, 2020 7:28am
I would greatly recommend gem of isolation it is rather quite gross on him especially in his fire stance no one can run from him
1
Kriega1 (143) | May 12, 2020 7:32am
It can work situationally, but the item isn't near as strong as it used to be on him (item got nerfed a season or 2 ago), plus with Merlin's damage nerfs you can't really afford to build it too much over other items.

That and lategame you mainly use Ice and Arcane stance.
1
Constable Slap Monkey (1) | April 4, 2020 1:56pm
Poly is never worth on merlin. Sure it corresponds with his passive but its not going to be better than buying extra powwer or pen. You are going to be getting most if not all your damage off from abilities not your passive (or Poly).
1
Kriega1 (143) | April 4, 2020 2:01pm
I saw Prettyprime build it on the lifesteal build he uses in ranked, and I think in one game of SCC or SCC (?) he built it.

Not my favourite pickup on him either but I can see it if he's doing a Typhon's lifesteal build, also Poly was buffed at start of season.

Also his passive procs reaver too, another reason to utilise it when you can.

Edit: Removed Poly
1
Vini_sds (13) | March 18, 2020 1:22pm
Build 3 has no flat pen?
1
Kriega1 (143) | March 18, 2020 1:28pm
Flat Pen kinda falls off late, I guess you could fit in Magus or Deso (though Magus is only good in Fire Stance if you get 5+ ticks on a abilitiy compared to deso), also build already had 30% cdr and I didn't want to cap it when power pot exists (outside of Chronos/Deso/Myrdinn combo with their passives).

Actually screw it. I'll just swap soul gem for Deso.
1
Vini_sds (13) | March 18, 2020 1:29pm
It wasn't a complaint, I was just curious about your item choices.

I always pick flat pen third to deal damage to assassins, and Divine Ruin is almost always a welcome pickup anyway.
Load more comments (5 more replies) →
1
Kriega1 (143) | March 18, 2020 5:27am
1
LordEnderSaber215 | August 6, 2019 10:43am
Very Solid Builds
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League of Legends Build Guide Author Kriega1
Merlin Conquest Mid (9.6)
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