Merchants 

by alexburlton

Description

Merchants are first introduced to you during the mission "A New Generator", after which you receive a Merchant Map which marks all merchants on the map for you. These merchants sell items to you for minerals, and these items vary from capsules and missile refills to permanent upgrades that stay with you forever. Merchants come in two types: regular merchants and surface merchants. Your merchants map only marks the regular merchants on the map, surface merchants can be found occasionally when landing on planets. For regular merchants you must beat the square they are on, and then click the merchant icon in the bottom left corner to start buying. Surface merchants can be found in houses when you land on planets. You cannot sell items to merchants and their prices cannot be negotiated; but this guide will hopefully help you in finding the best deals in the universe.

It is possible that you will find items cheaper, if so let us know so the list can be updated accordingly.

Permanent Upgrades

Here is a list of all the permanent upgrades and extensions that can be bought from the merchants.

Capsules           

Capsules are sold by most merchants, and depending on the type can range from anywhere between 10-80 minerals. Capsules act as powerups that you can use whenever you want in a level.

Drones        

A total of 10 drones can be bought, each one increases in price as you buy them. The merchant at [17][4] is known to sell all the drones for the cheapest price:

• Merchant at [17][4] Drone 1: 658 minerals
• Merchant at [17][4] Drone 2: 1316 minerals
• Merchant at [17][4] Drone 3: 2193 minerals
• Merchant at [17][4] Drone 4: 3564 minerals
• Merchant at [17][4] Drone 5: 5482 minerals
• Merchant at [17][4] Drone 6: 8004 minerals
• Merchant at [17][4] Drone 7: 11347 minerals
• Merchant at [17][4] Drone 8: 15623 minerals
• Merchant at [17][4] Drone 9: 21050 minerals
• Merchant at [17][4] Drone 10: 27737 minerals 

Drone Items

Four upgrades that are available to improve the performance of your drones can all be bought from merchants:

• Perforation Tools    

These increase the speed at which your drones disassemble things, the cheapest can be found at a surface merchant on Nalikors at [66][155] for 2891 minerals.  Also, there is a merchant at [-23][-5] selling this for 8228 minerals, and one at [-42][-9] selling this for 4881 minerals.

• Collector                 

This upgrade allows your drones to collect minerals. The drones will first target any sentinels there may be and then will move on to harvest minerals for you. The cheapest one can be found at [-30][-5] for 1366 minerals. 

• Reactor Support      

Makes your drones move faster, and can be bought at [179][-187] for 849 minerals. Closer to the origin, a merchant at [-114][-20] sells this for 860 minerals, and even closer, there is a merchant at [39][-3] selling it for 1124 minerals. 

• Converter               

Your drones now convert sentinels into mineral bricks rather than into regular bricks. The cheapest is at [100][277] for 6473. Another can be found closer to the origin at [27][-30] for 10480 minerals.

Extra Envelope   

Gives you a permanent additional life. The cheapest can be found at [-13][8] for 470 minerals.

FORA 7R-Z Mines

There are three ESCorp-exclusive mines that are made available for purchase after you obtain the first one through the mission Cilorile's Guards. These mines will appear instantly on random normal bricks before a level begins, and have a similar, although weaker effect to the orange explosive bricks found on Lycans. You only find these at the occasional merchant as they are very rare, but the cheapest found so far are:

• Mine 1: [-189][35] for 9191 minerals

• Mine 2: [415][84] for 29094 minerals

• Mine 3: [840][235] for 57695 minerals

Generators

Your generator is what allows you to convert the hydrogen capsules into energy to move. And the better the generator, the more efficient this process becomes, as you can move further per hydrogen capsule.

• Generator V1:          

This generator must be purchased first at [-2][3] for 20 Minerals. You will then be able to purchase a stronger generator.

• Generator V2:          

The cheapest can be found at [23][8] for 158 minerals, alternatively at [-23][-5] for 199 minerals, this generator allows you to move 3 spaces per hydrogen capsule.

• Generator V3:          

The cheapest can be found at [-23][-5] for 788 minerals, this generator allows you to move 4 spaces per hydrogen capsule.

• Generator V4:         

The cheapest can be found at [19][17] for 4603 minerals, this generator allows you to move 5 spaces per hydrogen capsule.

• Generator V5:         

The cheapest can be found at [-162][-39] for 12868 minerals, however a merchant at [-10][24] (much closer to the origin) sells it quite cheaply at 16356 minerals. This generator allows you to move 6 spaces per hydrogen capsule.

• Generator V6:          

The cheapest can be found at [273][-409] for 85909 minerals, alternatively you can get it at [-96][143] for 126070 minerals (cheaper merchants are very far from the origin). This generator allows you to move 7 spaces per hydrogen capsule, and is currently known to be the most advanced generator that can be purchased. 

Ki-Wi Antenna   

The Ki-Wi Antenna upgrade allows you to access the forum no matter how far from the origin you are. For more details see the Signal Strength page. It can be found at [176][84] for 2445 minerals.

Landing Pod Extensions      

These extend your landing pods making it much easier to land on planets without crashing. There are three of these:

• The first sells for 2777 minerals at [45][67].
• The second sells for 6989 at [-420][79].
• The third sells for 43546 at [431][-292]. It alternatively sells for 56858 at a surface merchant on Khorlan at [179][-187] for 56858, and also at [-266][-205] for 75000 minerals.

Liquid Cooler      

This increases the rate at which missiles are fired, and can be found cheapest at [177][57] for 338 minerals. However, an alternative is at [-20][2], where it sells for 450 minerals.

Missile Map          

Like the merchant map, this Map marks on your current area of sight any abandoned missiles that you have not yet attained - collecting these will refill all of your missiles and increase your missile capacity by 1 (the refill happens after the level is completed, so you can feel free to unload all remaining missiles on the level. Just be sure not to let the missile pass by you!). The Missile Map can be bought from the surface merchant on Douriv at [-84][-96] for 1032. It also can be bought closer to origin at [-79][-37] for 1158 minerals or [44][55] for 1193 minerals (this is very close to one of the antimatter nuclei parts so it may be worth picking it up while you're there).

Missile Refill  

All merchants offer this service: they will refill all your missiles at a cost of 1 mineral per missile refilled.

Missile Supplements    

These add one to your missile capacity, a total of three can be bought:

• Missile 1: The first can be found cheapest (as currently known) at [179][-187] for 58 minerals. However, there are many more merchants who sell it with a general cost of about 100.

• Missile 2: The second can be found cheapest at [20][-142] for 789 minerals, however one can also be found at [-23][-5] for 952 minerals, which is much closer to the origin.

• Missile 3: The final missile supplement is VERY expensive, the cheapest being 9984 minerals at [-148][155]. However, the merchant at [22][-18] sells this for 10000 also.

Perpetual Synthesis Motor     

Refills a missile every time you reach a new level. [285][-432] sells this cheapest at 8253; however, it is also sold at [76][-25] for 11765 minerals.

Radar Repair

All merchants offer this service - if your radar is damaged by anti-radar on the map then finding your way to a merchant is the only way to get it fixed. This is usually ~60 minerals.

Side Reactors    

These increase the speed at which your envelope turns when firing a missile. The cheapest can be found at [516][196] for 122 Minerals. You can also find them at [-23][-5] for 141 minerals.

Solid Hydrogen Capsules      

Solid Hydrogen Capsules are sold by most merchants, and with each one you buy, the price increases. The initial cheapest ones can be found for around 100 minerals, however more commonly found for about 200 minerals. 

Sunglasses          

Sunglasses reduce the effect of flash molecules, and can be found cheapest at [-20][25] for 131 minerals.  

Surface Engine     

Your surface engine can be upgraded 3 times, increasing its strength and therefore meaning it does not consume as much fuel when landing or taking off. The three upgrades can be found at:

• 1st upgrade: [-292][153] for 3840, also at [-6][71] for 4289

• 2nd upgrade: [344][55] for 16939 or [-122][-9] for 21603

• 3rd upgrade:  [88][-424] for 143489

It is worth noting that surface engines are unlike generators, in that 'skipping' the first surface-engine upgrade and purchasing the second will have the same effect as if you had purchased the first surface-engine upgrade. Thus, it is suggested that you purchase these from least expensive to most expensive.

Extensive List

An extensive list of merchants, their items, and their items' prices can be found in the Online Shop List (this link is also in the sidebar for easy access).