MournfulRelic
The Destroyer
I loooove this idea, it would make complete sense, and is it ok if I use some of this stuff in a thread I am going to make?
NPCs & Enemies Merchant Merchandise - Improvements and Changes
- Thread starter SzGamer227
- Start date
SzGamer227
Spazmatism
Sure!
MournfulRelic
The Destroyer
Thanks! I almost cried when I read this because it isn't in the gameSure!
Xylia
Terrarian
I will agree his usefulness is very limited.
Now that in 1.3, ropes drop like candy from every pot you smash, you don't even need to buy ropes. I had 999 ropes before getting silver done and I hadn't bought a single piece off of the Merchant. And then you got that plant guide that lets you get lots of ropes from cutting vines, too!
And now with the Money Trough, well... let's just say my Almost-Pure 1.3 playthrough found a Money Trough on her first Bloodmoon which happened fairly early in the game (I was still using a cactus sword lol)... I didn't even buy a piggybank off of him.
Some of the suggestions in the OP are cool which would give him at least a little usefulness. But the Merchant isn't the only NPC that suffers from this, most of the NPCs are just there to keep enemy spawns down and to look pretty. I can't remember the last time I bought anything off the Dryad 'cept for 1 powder to rescue to tax collector with, the Dye Trader is "buy the vat and never touch him again" unless you really need Silver dye, the Pirate only sells Cannons and Cannonballs... does anybody actually use those nowadays?
Etc etc etc.
I find that anymore, the Goblin is the only person who really gets any business from me, and that's only Reforges. Otherwise, I've not spent much of any coin anywhere else other than the Gun Merchant (Megashark stuff, and musket balls).
I like the Bottle Idea, but then ultimately, 1k sand will make 1k bottles and I have my high doubts you'd ever need more than 1k bottles, like, ever. Healing Potions are dime-a-dozen (just kill Golem a few times if you get low), you get potions thrown at you from everywhere now. I might use a few here-and-there, but that original stack I made in my latest playthrough? I still have 900+ bottles.
The Bait idea would be awesome to get people started on fishing without having to get ludicrous stuff like Flower Boots or what-not. Not everybody wants to wait until Mid-Hardmode to start farming bait and getting into fishing, as it does have some nice benefits if you start early. Starting early, though, is a chore.
So what else could we give him?
One Idea I like, is to have him randomly sell Biome-themed items (the same items found in chests in those biomes), similar to fishing crates. Have him sell said items for 4x the buy price (For example, Ice Machine vendors for 2g... he'll sell it for 8g). He'll pick two items per day, out of random biomes (even biomes that are not on your world) and obviously Hallow would not be included until Hardmode, Dungeon would not be included until Skeletron is defeated, and Underworld would not be included until you've defeated the WoF.
He could even sell Mimic drops post-Plantera for those people who have horrible luck, and perhaps Post-Fishron he could sell Dungeon drops.
Again, he'd pick 2 items per day so it isn't like you could buy the whole host of HM Dungeon Drops as soon as you knock off Fishron, lol. But if you keep checking him, maybe you'll FINALLY get a chance to see that Paladin Hammer that refuses to drop, or that Wisp-in-a-Bottle that you've killed 5,000 skeletons for and still haven't seen.
The idea is to keep him relevant throughout the entire game, or at least most of it, and I think Biome items would be good for that.
Now that in 1.3, ropes drop like candy from every pot you smash, you don't even need to buy ropes. I had 999 ropes before getting silver done and I hadn't bought a single piece off of the Merchant. And then you got that plant guide that lets you get lots of ropes from cutting vines, too!
And now with the Money Trough, well... let's just say my Almost-Pure 1.3 playthrough found a Money Trough on her first Bloodmoon which happened fairly early in the game (I was still using a cactus sword lol)... I didn't even buy a piggybank off of him.
Some of the suggestions in the OP are cool which would give him at least a little usefulness. But the Merchant isn't the only NPC that suffers from this, most of the NPCs are just there to keep enemy spawns down and to look pretty. I can't remember the last time I bought anything off the Dryad 'cept for 1 powder to rescue to tax collector with, the Dye Trader is "buy the vat and never touch him again" unless you really need Silver dye, the Pirate only sells Cannons and Cannonballs... does anybody actually use those nowadays?
Etc etc etc.
I find that anymore, the Goblin is the only person who really gets any business from me, and that's only Reforges. Otherwise, I've not spent much of any coin anywhere else other than the Gun Merchant (Megashark stuff, and musket balls).
I like the Bottle Idea, but then ultimately, 1k sand will make 1k bottles and I have my high doubts you'd ever need more than 1k bottles, like, ever. Healing Potions are dime-a-dozen (just kill Golem a few times if you get low), you get potions thrown at you from everywhere now. I might use a few here-and-there, but that original stack I made in my latest playthrough? I still have 900+ bottles.
The Bait idea would be awesome to get people started on fishing without having to get ludicrous stuff like Flower Boots or what-not. Not everybody wants to wait until Mid-Hardmode to start farming bait and getting into fishing, as it does have some nice benefits if you start early. Starting early, though, is a chore.
So what else could we give him?
One Idea I like, is to have him randomly sell Biome-themed items (the same items found in chests in those biomes), similar to fishing crates. Have him sell said items for 4x the buy price (For example, Ice Machine vendors for 2g... he'll sell it for 8g). He'll pick two items per day, out of random biomes (even biomes that are not on your world) and obviously Hallow would not be included until Hardmode, Dungeon would not be included until Skeletron is defeated, and Underworld would not be included until you've defeated the WoF.
He could even sell Mimic drops post-Plantera for those people who have horrible luck, and perhaps Post-Fishron he could sell Dungeon drops.
Again, he'd pick 2 items per day so it isn't like you could buy the whole host of HM Dungeon Drops as soon as you knock off Fishron, lol. But if you keep checking him, maybe you'll FINALLY get a chance to see that Paladin Hammer that refuses to drop, or that Wisp-in-a-Bottle that you've killed 5,000 skeletons for and still haven't seen.
The idea is to keep him relevant throughout the entire game, or at least most of it, and I think Biome items would be good for that.
SzGamer227
Spazmatism
Then you would be able to skip right to a full set of steel instantaneously. Methinks it should be random to give the player a few Steel goodies here and there and a full set of armor when they need it, not just plop all of the equipments right there to be crafted.
1.3 fixed this a bit though, since NPCs defense themselves now and can help fend off monsters. Dryad is pretty darn useful now. Her circle give you a nice speed buff and protects other NPCs while frying anything else that gets too close. As for the Dye Trader, his new Strange Plant quests give him a long-term use as well, with lots of really cool Dye rewards (too many to simply "do and be done" quickly). And I'm pretty sure people do use cannonballs. Those things do craptons of damage.
The game automatically makes sell price 5x the buy price, so no hassle there.
As for the idea as a whole, it would definitely help mitigate RNG a bit. I personally prefer unique items as opposed to simply using existing ones, but that's just my opinion. Anyways, that also sounds like something the Traveling Merchant could be doing. Maybe the Merchant could sell one random item and the Traveling Merchant could sell two or three?
Other than that, I think I'm happy with the amount of content in this thread already, and it was your idea, so you can post your own suggestion thread about it. Better way to get feedback, for sure.
Nobody Important
Terrarian
How did I miss this one? No matter, I know of it now. Well done, I can hardly remember a time where I bought anything from him and this would remedy that.
Master Geass
Terrarian
I do like the idea of the Merchant selling more items. I mainly just use him for piggy bank and safe, then I'm mostly done with him. The new color flares would be cool but I mostly love the idea of him selling bottles and bait. I am not sure I care for him selling full suits of armor. That will take a lot of room. How about he sells steel bars so you can craft them yourself and only take up one spot. I know I'm not the first person to suggest it but I think it's for the best. I also like the idea of him selling new items when the Traveling Merchant is in town.
I don't mind him selling tin tools rather then copper. I believe the reason why he sells tools is in case you lose your pick and ax. I know that is unlikely unless you are playing midcore.
I don't mind him selling tin tools rather then copper. I believe the reason why he sells tools is in case you lose your pick and ax. I know that is unlikely unless you are playing midcore.
SzGamer227
Spazmatism
For a few gold coins you could instantly level up all of your equipment as soon as it becomes available, which isn't good. There has to either be some work involved or some RNG, and I chose RNG. And selling a full set of armor wouldn't take up a lot of room (as if NPCs didn't have tons already) because they take the place of the weapons and tools.
But why? That would only split the Traveling Merchant's loot over two NPCs, when it would be better to keep it all on one person.
When you die in Mediumcore you respawn with the starting Copper equipment, so that wouldn't be why.
Soulstiger
Skeletron
Yeah, if Travelling Merchant has any influence over the Merchant I still think it should be a discount. That's if it has any influence at all.
Master Geass
Terrarian
I didn't mean for him to sell some of the Traveling Merchant's loot. I was thinking he could sell some new items he doesn't normally sell and the TM doesn't sell ether. It would be the same few items so you don't have to worry about RGN. Kind of like how NPCs well only sell certain items at certain times (Night, Bloodmoon, etc.) I can't think off hand of what he would sell but I like the basic idea.
Soulstiger
Skeletron
What he is trying to say is in that case, why not just have the Travelling Merchant sell those new items? Why split it between them? If you do that, that just means checking another NPC when the Travelling Merchant arrives.
