Merlin – The Free-to-Play Mage That Can Dominate Any Battlefield?

Introduction.

When you think of powerful mages in Infinity Kingdom, Merlin is likely one of the first names that comes to mind. He’s a fan favorite, an explosive damage dealer, and best of all—he’s completely Free-to-Play

Despite being easy to obtain, Merlin remains one of the most devastating Mages in the game with the highest damage AoE ultimate in Infinity Kingdom. But how do you get the most out of him? Should he always stay in Pure Water teams, or does he have a place in hybrid compositions?

In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into Merlin—starting with his legendary origins, his role in Infinity Kingdom, and then moving on to team-building strategies for all types of players: Free-to-Play, Mid-Spenders, and High-Spenders. Whether you’re looking to build the ultimate Water team or try out some off-meta hybrids, we’ve got you covered!

Table of Content.

1️⃣ The Myth & The Legend – Who Was Merlin?

2️⃣ Merlin in Infinity Kingdom – The Ultimate Free-to-Play Mage

3️⃣ How to Obtain & Build Merlin – Skills, Stats & Key Considerations

4️⃣ Best Team Setups for Every Player – Pure Water & Hybrid Compositions for F2P, Mid & High Spenders

5️⃣ Final Thoughts – Why Merlin is a must-have?

1️⃣The Myth & The Legend – Who Was Merlin?

Merlin is one of the most famous figures in Arthurian legend, known as a master sorcerer, prophet, and advisor to King Arthur. But depending on the source, Merlin's origins and powers vary greatly.

Some legends say he was a half-demon, born from a mortal woman and an incubus, which gave him his supernatural abilities. Others depict him as a wise druid, a powerful shape-shifter, or even a madman gifted with visions of the future.

No matter the version, Merlin’s role remained the same: he shaped the fate of Camelot, orchestrated Arthur’s rise, and wielded magic beyond human comprehension. His wisdom and power made him one of the most influential figures in medieval mythology—a legend that has lived on for centuries.

2️⃣ Merlin in Infinity Kingdom – The Ultimate Free-to-Play Mage

In Infinity Kingdom, Merlin isn’t just a story from the past—he’s a game-changing Mage that every player, regardless of budget, can use to their advantage.

As a Water-element Mage, Merlin’s Prophecy deals 520% AoE magical damage, one of the highest AoE damage skill in the game. Even better? If his enemies are Chilled, they take 50% more damage, making him a lethal force when properly built.

🔹 What Makes Merlin So Powerful?

✔ "Nearly" Free-to-Play – You don’t need much to unlock and use Merlin effectively.

✔ Insane AoE Damage – His ultimate ability is one of the strongest AoE attack in the game.

✔ Late-Game Viability – Unlike many other starter and accessible Immortals, Merlin stays relevant even in advanced play.

However, he does have a few weaknesses—his energy regeneration isn’t the best, his artifact can help compensate (not much) and he’s vulnerable to crowd control (CC). If he gets stunned or silenced, his damage potential drops significantly.

But here’s the exciting part—Merlin isn’t just limited to Water teams. With the right setup, he can thrive in hybrid compositions, making him a flexible asset for different playstyles.

3️⃣ How to Obtain & Build Merlin – Skills, Stats & Key Considerations

🔹How to Get Merlin

Merlin is one of the most accessible legendary Immortals in the game, making him a must-have for any player, especially Free-to-Play users. Here’s how you can get him:

• First Recharge – Merlin shards are given as part of the first recharge players do in game.
• VIP Privilege – You can get additional Merlin shards through the VIP Privilege (exalted chests) levels 1, 2, 3, 4.

• Market: Once unlocked, players can level up Merlin by purchasing his shards in the Market using Soul Crystals. He has a 4.17% drop rate probability.

Merlin’s strength lies in his devastating AoE magic damage, but to maximize his potential, you need to equip him with skills that enhance his damage output, survivability, and energy regeneration.

🔹 Early Game Skills

At the start, players may not have access to premium skills, so basic magic-boosting abilities like Toxin Nova, Chase, Death Breath, or Annihilation can help increase Merlin’s overall damage. However, as you progress, it’s crucial to shift towards high-impact skills that amplify his AoE burst and consistency.

🔹 What to Prioritize in the Long Run?

To get the most out of Merlin, focus on three key effects:

✔ Damage Amplification – Skills that increase magic damage output are a must.

✔ Energy Regeneration – Since Merlin relies on his ultimate, skills like Rage Blessing or Energy Burst help him charge faster, ensuring more frequent bursts of damage.

✔ Control Immunity & Survivability – Merlin’s biggest weakness is crowd control (CC). Fighting Master prevents him from being stunned, silenced, or frozen, keeping his damage output consistent.

Alternative strategies can also include high-crit builds which can create unexpected burst potential.

In short, stick to skills that boost his raw magic damage, help him cast more frequently, and protect him from control effects. This will ensure Merlin remains a dominant force on the battlefield.

🔹Best Stats & Artifact Choices

Merlin benefits greatly from Critical Rate & Damage, so prioritize these:

Primary Attributes: Magic Attack %, Crit Rate %

Ideal Artifact Stats:

• Main Stat: Critical Rate %
• Special Attribute: Annihilation (Bonus magic damage on critical hits)

Merlin’s Exclusive Artifact? Not very impactful. While it provides Energy regen & HP recovery, the values are too low to make a real difference. A high-crit artifact build is better.

Next Up: Merlin’s Best Team Setups!

Now that we’ve covered how to obtain and build Merlin, let’s explore the best team compositions for him!

4️⃣ Best Team Setups for Every Player – Pure Water & Hybrid Compositions for F2P, Mid & High Spenders

💧Pure Water Teams – How to make Merlin shine in an all-Water lineup.

Merlin’s Best Allies in a Pure Water Build

When it comes to Pure Water compositions, Merlin thrives alongside specific Immortals that enhance his already devastating AoE damage. To unlock his full potential, his team must revolve around boosting his burst capabilities—and this means applying the Chilled debuff.

🔹 The Core : Dido

Merlin’s best enablers in a Water team is Dido. She applies the Chilled debuff, a crucial mechanic that allows Merlin to deal an additional 50% damage with his Ult. Without her, his true power is left untapped.

✔ Dido – A fantastic partner who applies Chilled while offering additional team utility.

🔹 Damage Boosters: Ragnar & Harald

While Chilled enablers are essential, there are also Immortals that further amplify Merlin’s raw damage output.

✔ Ragnar – Increases Merlin’s overall damage, making him an ideal secondary support pick for a Pure Water build.

✔ Harald – With his Exclusive Artifact, Harald provides extra damage bonuses, but his impact isn’t as strong as Ragnar’s. He remains a viable choice if you’re looking to squeeze out more magical burst potential.

🌪 Hybrid Strategies – Off-meta setups that break the mold.

Merlin is undeniably one of the strongest Free-to-Play Mages in Infinity Kingdom, thanks to his unparalleled AoE magical damage and synergy with Chilled debuffs. However, while he shines in Pure Water teams, some creative hybrid compositions can unlock his full potential in unexpected ways.

The key to making Merlin thrive in a non-Water setup is to build around his strengths:

✔ High AoE burst damage – His 520% ultimate damage is one of the highest in the game.

✔ Chilled dependency – He needs Chilled effects to maximize his damage output.

✔ Energy regeneration issues – Merlin requires time to build up energy, making team sustain and protection crucial.

To successfully integrate Merlin into a Hybrid team, I recommend focusing on Critical Rate/Damage when selecting his Artifact and Specialization traits. This allows him to land devastating attacks when his allies set up the fight properly. In these setups, other Immortals play key roles by:

🔹 Boosting Merlin’s magic damage output

🔹 Providing crowd control (CC) to delay enemy ultimates

🔹 Offering sustain so Merlin has time to unleash his devastating attacks

Hybrid teams aren’t for everyone, but for those willing to experiment, they can take opponents by surprise and break away from predictable meta matchups. Let’s explore some of the best hybrid setups below, backed by off-meta battle reports showcasing their potential!

Hybrid Strategy #1 – Water & YSS Synergy (Sustain & Burst Build)

Team Composition: Merlin + Dido + Ragnar + Yi Sun-sin (YSS)

This setup balances damage amplification and sustain, allowing Merlin to maximize his AoE burst while staying alive long enough to cast multiple ultimates.

• Dido applies Chilled, triggering Merlin’s 50% bonus damage.
• Ragnar increases magic damage taken by enemies, further amplifying Merlin’s output.
• Yi Sun-sin provides durability and sustain, ensuring the team survives longer fights.

Results & Insights:

In PvP Arena testing, this build allowed Merlin to reach nearly 100M damage agaisnt a Holy, Earth Hybrid team, an impressive feat for a Free-to-Play Mage. The mix of damage boosting and survivability makes it highly effective in extended battles.

Hybrid Strategy #2 – Double Mage Burst (Merlin + Baldwin + Ragnar + YSS)

Team Composition: Merlin + Baldwin IV + Ragnar + Yi Sun-sin (YSS)

This setup sacrifices the Chilled effect from Dido but compensates with massive magical damage amplification, turning Merlin into an even deadlier force. The combination of Baldwin’s ultimate and the Heart of Arcana skill creates an unprecedented boost to Merlin’s damage potential.

• Baldwin IV increases all magical damage dealt by 30%, significantly amplifying Merlin’s burst.
• Ragnar further boosts magic damage taken by enemies, stacking with Baldwin’s effect.
• Heart of Arcana grants an additional 35% magical damage, creating an explosive synergy.
• Yi Sun-sin ensures frontline stability, allowing Merlin and Baldwin to operate freely.

Potential Impact & Expected Performance:

This double mage composition is built for pure magical devastation. While untested, the synergy between Baldwin’s ultimate and Heart of Arcana suggests a huge damage spike when Merlin lands his AoE. Losing Chilled means missing out on Merlin’s natural bonus, but the combined magic amplification could outweigh this drawback.

Hybrid Strategy #3 – Merlin & Crowd Control (Merlin + Tomyris/Loki + Ragnar + YSS)

Team Composition Options:

• Merlin + Tomyris + Ragnar + Yi Sun-Shin (YSS) / Harald
• Merlin + Loki + Ragnar + Yi Sun Shin  (YSS) / Harald

This build shifts focus toward control and disruption (confuse effect), ensuring Merlin has the time and space to consistently land his ultimates. Instead of maximizing damage through raw multipliers, this setup locks down enemies, turning them agaisnt each others, limiting their ability to fight back while Merlin does his work.

How It Works

• Tomyris and Loki introduces Confusion, forcing opponents to attack their own allies, adding unpredictability and disrupting enemy synergy.
• Ragnar maintains his role as a damage amplifier, increasing enemy magic damage taken and further boosting Merlin’s impact.
• Yi Sun-sin anchors the frontline, ensuring the team survives long enough for Merlin to cycle his ultimate.

Source : Nemo, S73

Closing Thoughts on Merlin’s Best Team Setups

Whether in Pure Water compositions or hybrid off-meta builds, Merlin proves to be an incredibly versatile and devastating Mage. His ability to dish out high burst AoE magical damage, combined with the right teammates, makes him a staple pick in both PvE and PvP.

For F2P players, he shines as a main carry in Water teams, offering consistent, reliable damage with easy access to team synergies. For mid and high spenders, Merlin finds his place in third or fourth teams, particularly in hybrid compositions where magic amplification, sustain, and control effects allow him to push his potential even further.

If you're looking to maximize Merlin's power, focusing on critical rate, magic damage, and proper energy regeneration is key. Whether you're aiming for raw burst damage, disruptive control strategies, or sustain-heavy fights, Merlin remains a must-have Immortal for all player types.

5️⃣ Final Thoughts – Why Merlin is a Must-Have?

Why Every Player Should Use Merlin

📌 F2P Players: One of the best accessible Mages with high PvE & PvP viability.

📌 Mid & High Spenders: A powerful third or fourth team Immortal in hybrid setups.

📌 Pure Water Build: Best synergy with Dido, Ragnar, and sustain Immortals.

📌 Hybrid Potential: Can fit in teams that boost his damage or provide sustain/control.

📌 Skill & Artifact Priorities: Focus on Critical Rate, Magic Damage, and Energy Regen.

No matter your budget or playstyle, Merlin stands as one of the strongest Free-to-Play Mages in Infinity Kingdom. His unique strengths, damage potential, and versatility make him an indispensable addition to any roster. Whether you’re dominating in Water teams or breaking the mold with hybrid setups, Merlin’s power remains undeniable.

For more insights, check out my previous articles here or discover exciting content on my newly created YouTube Channel.

Stay epic,

- download Infinity Kingdom now and script your legend.

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