Do I need the merchant?

[jmido8]

I'm only on my second run but I found the merchant while great for the first 10 days or so becomes quite a hindrance since I can't get the archers on one side of the map to hunt anything at all since the merchant spawns so close and I can't cut down the trees. Not only that buy i'm missing out on farm plots and all kinds of stuff just to keep this merchant around.

Can I just get rid of him and keep expanding my kingdom in that direction? I get like 3 bags of gold a day just from the left side of my map with archers/farmers and nothing besides a few coins from the merchant side. I'm not sure if he levels up or becomes more useful later.

Thanks!

[Sillicha]

I would never suggest to despawn the merchant since he gives you always a steady and safe! income, but if you feel confident that you get bigger benefits out of clearing him then go ahead.

Even if something is to happen and you lose because of that (wich sounds unlikely) you know better next time.

[Hole in my Soul]

You can have the merchant is save. Just cut down trees behind him and build there the wall. Merchant will not disapper if there is one tree from left and right of his spawn.

[mruuh]

Just find a spot with enough space between trees for a big of green grass, and you can mark trees to chop down backwards towards the merchant's home, and build a wall somewhere in the cleared space. Like Dante said, you can chop down all trees except the two right next to it,

The same goes for beggar camps, you can usually expand past them without destroying them.

[The Faceless Man]

I have found that if his home is parked on a stream, you should consider cutting down his forest and evicting him. BUT only when you have the resources (manpower and coin) to set up 4 farmers and a farm house and have not tapped other streams yet.

farmers will typically net you significantly more coin without maintenance. sometimes the trader will be blocking 2 streams as well.

[mruuh]

That's definitely a good idea, unless you're going for long survival - farms go dead in winter, while the merchant will keep bringing in money ("Neither rain, nor snow...").

[The Faceless Man]

i have yet to run into a winter season in this game. i usually reach the next island without any interruptions. i'm guessing this happens on one of the later islands in the game?

[mruuh]

No, you can usually easily escape any island before the winter hits, even the last one. The only exception, of course, the inescapable (is that a word?) Skull Island from the DLC. :)