With Life Leech, is Merdhampir a Game Changer?

With Merdhampir, the Water Splinter Gets Its First Life Leech Card

One of two Water splinter cards in the New Rewards, Merdhampir is a range monster with the notable use of Life Leech and Cripple. It also is a Common card that is a bit of step up from others. Stylistically, it is a Death Card masquerading as a Water Card.

But first...

Merdhampir's Unauthorized Story

Merdhampir is a Merman who is taking his anger out on the world because he faces the Mermaid/Merman Dilemma. It's really that simple, he wants to be something he is not and do things that he cannot do. He takes his anger out on everyone in sight. He's a cross between the Beast from "Beauty and the Beast" and Lieutenant Dan from "Forrest Gump" in his attitude toward the world, except that he cannot be softened.

Breaking down Merdhampir's Abilities

One BCX Perspective

Life Leech straight out of the gate, it is a range version of Venari Bonesmith. Health, mana, and speed-wise it is almost the exact same as Venari Bonesmith. However, unlike Venari Bonesmith, the ability to Life Leech off a tank with a shield is going to be a challenge. The good news is that by the time Merdhampir is able to fire away, the opposing tank's shield should be gone.

It's a bit of misfit card in an extremely loaded deck and it just is too slow to get rolling and it needs several rounds to gain momentum for very little payoff even it does get to the front for a final confrontation because it does not have close range.

Bronze Play

It's a faster card at Level 3 and it has one more health, but what is this actually going to be paired with to make it worth your time? It does not complement any summoners and it really does not do much to change the game. It's not like Venari Bonesmith where magic abilities and a high amount of mana can make a difference once reaching the tank position to put an opponent away.

It's not worth playing, generally speaking. Possibly an intriguing Little League card if you're expecting to see a Xenith Monk, but outside of that possibility, really not worth playing.

Silver Play

At Level 4, the Cripple ability to comes into play and while that is nice, the extra amount of damage at Level 5 is the real goal. Getting to 2 damage with Life Leech and Cripple makes this card a bit nifty.

Does it have much of a synergy with any summoners? Maybe. Vera Salacia gives Merdhampir the ability to speed up a tank's demise in an Earthquake match. Kelya Frendul speeds this card up, but it is still not as good as using the other range options available.

It's still a very situational card.

Gold+ Play

Getting this card to Level 9 is the objective, the health bumps do not overcome the lack of offense and comparative dynamism. With the extra health, this becomes a card you would want to use with Brighton Bloom in an Earthquake match.

Tucking it away in the corner and hoping the best is tough given the fact that opponents like to sneak and the fear is that this card would eventually find its way into the tank position where it can do absolutely nothing but absorb damage.

Final Thoughts

This is a better card than Vampire Bat, but this is a very low bar. It's an extremely situational card that can hasten the demise of a tank, but it does not have enough offense to justify playing it over other options in the Water splinter.