Merits: A quick guide

[eqspeef]

It recently came to my attention that I had been playing COH since launch, and I didn't know what any of the various types of Merits did, and I had piles of various mysterious types of them.  Specifically, it was embarrassing to learn that if I'd known what an Empyrean merit was, I'd have saved billions in inf (125m per T4 power created) on my incarnate powers over the years.  Thus humbled, I set out to learn what all the merit types are and what they're good for.

 

 

MERITS

 

Reward Merits

 

Dating back to Issue 13, reward merits are what people usually mean when they say "merits". You get them from doing most content  in the game. There's a ton of guides to raking them in here on the forums.

 

What can I spend 'em on?

Reward merits can be spent or converted at any merit vendor.  Hit the link for a list of vendors and what they sell.

 

What's the best way to use them?

There are some great guides (and a mountain of discussion) on the forum. Start here!

 

 

Empyrean Merits

 

You get these guys just for leveling past 50, as well as doing various trials and raids (hit the link above for a list).

 

What can I spend 'em on?

In the Convert tab of your Incarnate window, you can spend them on T3 (Rare) or T4 (Very Rare) components needed to make T3 or T4 incarnate powers that would normally cost you 25m/100m inf. Luna cam also convert them to Astral and Transcendent merits.

 

What's the best way to use them?

Use them to build your Incarnate T3s and T4s. After that, you can give them to alts on the same account (convert to Transcendent merits), or if you really need to burn some, spend them on fancy inspirations or cosmetic items (convert to Astral merits).

 

Astral Merits

 

Astral merits are Incarnate content rewards.

 

What can I spend 'em on?

Visit Luna in Ouroboros. She sells fancy inspirations and vanity items.

 

Transcendent Merits

 

Transcendent merits are pretty much just a vehicle for trading Empyrean merits.

 

What can I spend 'em on?

Nothing!

 

What's the best way to use them?

Convert them to Empyrian merits at a merit vendor.

 

Hero Merits / Villain Merits

 

Alignment merits were introduced with the alignment system in i18. You may never see these guys, since you can just go talk to Null the Gull in Pocket D to change your alignment very quickly these days.

 

What can I spend 'em on?

No idea!

 

What's the best way to use them?

They can be converted to Reward Merits, which is apparently useful if you want to transfer Reward Merits between characters on the same account.

 

Vanguard Merits

 

A special currency revolving around Vanguard and the RWZ. Once you have the Member of Vanguard badge, you'll earn them for beating up aliens.

 

What can I spend 'em on?

All kinds of stuff, including converting them to Reward Merits! The wiki has you covered on this one. Hit the link above!