Merging

## Summary

Merging is the most basic and crucial action done in Merge Magic!. The game is built in a grid shape and in order to perform a merge, a minimum of 3 identical objects are needed to be placed adjacent to each other.

Mind that not every 3 or more adjacent objects will automatically make a merge, only if you actively dragged one object to an additional 2 or more, the merge will occur.

## Dimensional Jars

Merging certain objects has a chance to create Dimensional Jars which are available for a limited time and can be opened with Magic Gems. The jar will offer an additional object of the same level as the one which has resulted from the merging itself. If you don't want to spend the gems to open them, any dimensional jars created in your Garden can be sold for 50 coins.

## Verifying a merge

Sometimes, when you shift objects around too fast, unexpected things happen: accidental merges or not merging the correct number of objects.

Note that this is how the shifting of objects via dragging works. When the object is being moved to a new place, it *eases into/tends to* the new position. That is, it moves slower and slower to the new position. This, of course, makes the movement of objects much more fluid. But that is also a source of unwanted merges when you are doing it too fast.

To verify a merge, do not let go of the object *yet*. The other identical objects will also be moving back and forth in the direction of the object you are holding, but that *may be unreliable*. Is there a correct number of white square outlines around the other identical objects you want to merge? If you want to merge 5, there should be 5 of them. If there isn't 5 of them, shift the object you are holding onto the neighboring tiles, especially onto another identical object, and then shift it back to the original place where you want the merge to happen. And look again to verify. Repeat if necessary.

### **Merge Preferences**

On the Settings, accessible from the World Map, a player is able the change the Merge Preferences. Note that this only applies to merging in your Garden!

#### **Require Overlap**

If this option is turned on, it would be possible to place more than 2 identical objects adjacent to each other without merging. In order to perform a merge in this situation, one of the item must be dragged and dropped on one of the other adjacent items.

Do note that even if this option is turned on, if you merge too fast, sometimes the system can accidentally catch only 3 items and not 5. Therefore, when dragging an object to perform a merge of 5, please check that 4 other identical objects are highlighted and moving towards your object.

#### **Allow Chain Reactions**

If this option is turned off, no chain reaction would occur in your Garden. This means combo merging won't be possible and accidental merges are nearly impossible(when combined with 'Require Overlap' turned on).

## Types of Merges

### **3 Objects Merging (3-merge)**

The most minimal merge requires 3 identical objects to be actively placed adjacent to each other in one movement. **The reward for merging 3 objects is 1 object of the next level**.

### **5 Objects Merging (5-merge)**

The most efficient merging requires 5 identical objects actively placed adjacent to each other. This merge is more difficult than the 3-merge as there must be 2 groups of identical objects that are not in direct contact with each other. This is because any group of 3 identical objects will already be combined. **The** **reward for merging 5 objects is 2 objects of the next level**, which is a significantly better outcome.

### **Push Merge**

While the fact that when this happens it is always an accident, it is also possible to merge objects by pushing one into a group of identical objects using a miscellaneous item. If the option 'Require Overlap' in the Settings is toggled on, such accidents can't happen.

## Combo Merging

It is possible to do combo merges by placing groups of consecutive levels of objects in the same merge chain in a certain pattern.

In order to make a single combo, 3 objects of the same merge chain must be available, and additional 2 identical objects of the next level. If a more complex combo is desired, 2 objects of the next level are required, and so on, capped at 4 levels for passive combo chain (which means once you activate the first object and let the objects merging without dragging new ones for 5 tier and 6 tier etc).

Easy to do with 3 objects merging, nearly impossible with consecutive combo chain of 5 objects merging.

Combo merges create Loot Orbs containing blessing power, which is proportionate to the combo number. One Loot Orb is created per combo, so a combo of 3 will create 2 Loot Orbs. If all the land at the Level/Garden is healed, it will be automatically added as points to the Score.

If on Settings, 'Allow Chain Reactions' is turned off, no combo merge would be possible in the garden.

## Merging Creatures

The total number of eggs you have to buy to complete the Merge Chain of that particular Creature can vary a lot, due to the Nests giving a random number of eggs (between 4 to 7 for Tier 2 Nests), and also if you are willing to spend Magic Gems to duplicate Tier 2 Nests that appear randomly in Dimensional Jars.

Assuming **5-merges whenever possible**. To get 1 Level 10 Creature, you will need 50 Tier 2 Eggs, which come from 8 to 13 Tier 2 Nests (Best to worst case). This requires 20 to 33 Level 4 Creatures, which is equals to 783 to 1300 Tier 1 Eggs.