The Merchant third-party role, particularly Ikbar the Great, introduces a unique economic strategy into Deck Mafia. Unlike other roles that focus on eliminating or surviving, Merchants win by reaching sales quotas or accumulating currency, effectively turning them into "businesspeople" with a very distinct path to victory. Once they achieve their win conditions, they leave the game, allowing the remaining factions to continue competing.
For Ikbar the Great, the goal is to either sell a total of 12 cards or accumulate 20000 chel in his safe box. Ikbar is a true neutral role, meaning he has no particular allegiance to any faction and is solely focused on fulfilling his win condition. This makes Ikbar a potentially powerful player who can deal with anyone willing to buy, but also a vulnerable one, as certain factions or third parties may seek to eliminate him for control over card flow.
Let’s break down Ikbar’s abilities and strategies to play effectively as a Merchant in Deck Mafia.
Primary Objective:
- Goal 1: Sell a total of 12 cards during the game.
- Goal 2: Accrue 20000 chel in total currency.
- Challenges: Ikbar must manage his sales and prices carefully, balancing between secrecy and revelation, while avoiding theft or capture by certain factions or roles like the Plunderer or Third Party Thief.
Key Abilities:
Access to the Hidden Menu:
- Mechanic: Ikbar has access to a hidden menu where some of the most powerful cards are stored. He can set the prices for these cards and sell them to players.
- Strategic Use: Ikbar’s hidden menu is a powerful advantage because it contains cards that other players may desperately need. The ability to set your own prices means you can adjust based on demand, making key cards more expensive to maximize your profit, or selling them at lower prices to encourage sales.
Bodyguard (Day Action, Even Days):
- Mechanic: Ikbar can select a player to serve as his bodyguard, who will protect and die in his stead if Ikbar is targeted by a kill action that night (unless the bodyguard has immunity to death).
- Strategic Use: This ability provides critical protection from night kills and helps Ikbar avoid elimination while trying to meet his win conditions. Choose bodyguards wisely, selecting players who may benefit from your shop or those whose allegiance you can trust.
Open Shop (Day Action):
- Mechanic: Each day, Ikbar can open shop by selecting four cards from the hidden menu, setting their prices, and inviting three random players to a private group chat called Ikbar Shop. These players can buy goods from Ikbar during the following night.
- Reveal Mechanic: Ikbar can choose to reveal himself by pinging the host and posting "REVEAL ME" in the shop chat. If Ikbar reveals himself, the preset prices are voided, and he can set new prices directly for the cards.
- Strategic Use: The Open Shop action is Ikbar's primary method of selling cards and making money. Keeping your identity secret allows for more subtle sales, but revealing yourself can give you more control over negotiations and pricing. The ability to buy your own goods for cover is also a useful trick to stay hidden.
Private Shop (Night Action):
- Mechanic: Ikbar can choose a player to open a private chat with them, called Ikbar Black Market, during the night. In this chat, Ikbar is revealed as the merchant and can force-sell any card in the public catalog (of weight 4 or less) to the target for their entire balance. The target is also forced to ditch cards to make room for the forced card.
- Strategic Use: This is a highly aggressive sales tactic, allowing Ikbar to directly influence a player's deck and resources. This action also locks the target for the night, making them immune to targeting by other actions and preventing them from performing any actions themselves. Use this ability carefully, as revealing yourself in the Private Shop opens up the risk of retaliation.
Factional Card Theft (Boosted Night Action):
- Mechanic: Ikbar can steal the highest rarity card from a player’s deck. The stolen card can then be sold in the Private Shop, but Ikbar cannot use the card himself.
- Strategic Use: Card theft is a valuable ability for Ikbar, as it allows him to gain high-value cards for future sales. This ability cannot be multitasked with other actions, making it a tactical choice for nights when you need a high-value card to put up for sale.
Win Conditions:
Sell 12 Cards:
- Ikbar wins when he successfully sells 12 cards to players during the game. The number of sales, rather than the value of those cards, is the key metric here.
- Strategic Considerations: Focus on making steady sales, using both Open Shop and Private Shop as your main tools for reaching this quota. You may need to balance between selling cheap cards to increase your sale count and selling expensive cards to reach your financial goal.
Accumulate 20000 Chel:
- Ikbar also wins by accumulating 20000 chel in total currency.
- Strategic Considerations: Maximize your profits by carefully setting prices. Be aware of which cards are in high demand and use your hidden menu to provide valuable cards that players will pay top dollar for. Balancing secrecy and revealing your identity is key to keeping sales flowing.
Optimal Playstyle and Strategy:
1. Early Game: Open Shop and Stay Anonymous
- Stealthy Sales: In the early game, focus on opening your shop and selling cards without revealing your identity. This keeps you under the radar and allows you to build up chel without making yourself a target.
- Card Selection: Use the hidden menu to offer a variety of cards that appeal to different players. Avoid selling all the most powerful cards right away, as you may need them later when demand is higher.
- Build a Network: Identify players who might become regular customers and establish trust through fair pricing. These players may become valuable allies later in the game.
2. Mid-Game: Balance Between Profit and Sales Quota
- Increase Prices: As the game progresses, consider raising prices on high-demand cards, especially if the game has thinned out and fewer players have access to resources. You can use Private Shop to force more lucrative sales and lock players into deals.
- Bodyguard for Protection: On even days, use your Bodyguard ability to protect yourself from night kills. Choose players who might be inclined to help you, such as players who need powerful cards from your shop.
- Theft for High-Value Sales: If you see an opportunity to steal a high-value card from another player, use the Card Theft action to secure it for future sales. This can be especially useful if you’re close to meeting your sales quota but need a few more high-value items.
3. Late Game: Push for Final Sales and Secure Victory
- Maximize Sales or Accumulate Money: If you’re close to meeting your sales quota or financial goal, focus on making the last few sales you need. In the late game, players may be more willing to pay large sums of chel for key cards, so don’t be afraid to increase prices.
- Private Shop for Control: Use the Private Shop action in the late game to force high-value sales and lock players out of night actions. This can be a great way to secure final sales while also keeping key players from targeting you.
- Keep Yourself Alive: Be mindful of players who might try to steal from or capture you. Avoid Plunderers and Third Party Thieves, as they can capture you and prevent you from achieving your win condition.
Strategic Considerations:
Stay Under the Radar: The less other players know about your identity early on, the more freedom you have to sell cards without interference. Use your shop subtly and only reveal yourself when necessary.
Card Pricing Strategy: Balancing the price of your cards is critical. You’ll want to make sales to reach your quota, but you also need to accumulate chel. Set prices based on the demand for certain cards and the desperation of your customers.
Use Bodyguards for Safety: Protect yourself on even nights using your Bodyguard ability, especially if you suspect you may be targeted for a kill action. This can be a critical survival tactic while you work toward your win conditions.
Maximize Black Market Control: The Private Shop action is a powerful way to force players into making deals with you. Use it to secure big sales, lock down players’ actions, and eliminate competition by draining their funds.
Final Thoughts:
Playing as Ikbar the Great requires a balance between stealth, strategy, and economic prowess. By managing your shop carefully and avoiding detection early on, you can accumulate wealth and make enough sales to secure victory. Ikbar’s role as a Merchant makes him a potential ally to all factions, but also a potential target for elimination if other players discover his true goals.
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