Focus on hitting your abilities. Ice Stance is strong in the early game, as mid-late game arrives, put effort into using Void and Fire. Become familiar with doing a quick 180 flicker to escape danger. Play with your team, don't be afraid to move up. Your abilities do insane amounts of damage mid-late game. Use this to your advantage; Fight within your abilities if you are getting dove.
![Mage's Blessing](https://static.smite.guru/i/items/15482.jpg)
Mage's Blessing
+10 Bonus Ability Damage +10 Physical Power +30 Magical Power +2 MP5 Per 10% Missing Mana ROLE QUEST: MID Kill or Assist Lane Minions or Enemy gods to gain stacks. Lane Minions are worth 1 Stack and Enemy gods are worth 5 Stacks. At 75 Stacks Mage's Blessing Evolves, gaining 10% Cooldown Reduction.
![Lost Artifact](https://static.smite.guru/i/items/9860.jpg)
Lost Artifact
![Healing Potion](https://static.smite.guru/i/items/7621.jpg)
Healing Potion
This consumable heals 250 Health over 25 seconds.
![Healing Potion](https://static.smite.guru/i/items/7621.jpg)
Healing Potion
This consumable heals 250 Health over 25 seconds.
![Mana Potion](https://static.smite.guru/i/items/7622.jpg)
Mana Potion
This consumable heals 150 Mana over 25 seconds.
![Mana Potion](https://static.smite.guru/i/items/7622.jpg)
Mana Potion
This consumable heals 150 Mana over 25 seconds.
![](https://static.smite.guru/i/items/undefined.jpg)
Complete Boots before finishing Chronos Pendate.
![Chronos' Pendant](https://static.smite.guru/i/items/7784.jpg)
Chronos' Pendant
PASSIVE - Every 10s the Pendant activates, subtracting 1s from all of your abilities currently on Cooldown. The initial countdown will not start until you leave the fountain.
![Shoes of the Magi](https://static.smite.guru/i/items/9633.jpg)
Shoes of the Magi
![Y10 Spear of the Magus](https://static.smite.guru/i/items/18180.jpg)
Y10 Spear of the Magus
PASSIVE - Whenever you damage an enemy god with an ability you mark them to take 5% increased damage from all sources. This effect lasts for 8s and can only occur once every 15s.
![Y10 Soul Gem](https://static.smite.guru/i/items/15582.jpg)
Y10 Soul Gem
PASSIVE - On successful hit of an Ability you gain 1 stack. At 3 Stacks your next Ability that damages an enemy God will deal bonus damage equal to 20% of your Magical power to each God hit, and will heal yourself and allies within 20 units for 15 (+5 Per Level) and will consume the 3 stacks.
![Y10 Typhon's Fang](https://static.smite.guru/i/items/15579.jpg)
Y10 Typhon's Fang
PASSIVE - Your Healing obtained from Magical Lifesteal is increased by 15%. Your Magical power is increased by 1.5x the amount of Magical Lifesteal you have.
![Obsidian Shard](https://static.smite.guru/i/items/18179.jpg)
Obsidian Shard
PASSIVE - Your first ability cast gains 20% Magical Penetration. This can only occur once every 10 seconds.
For Joust is it very strong to go a lifesteal heavy build on Merlin. In higher level Joust you will often face against double front-line comps that will dive you. With Merlin's high damage, especially with spear of magus in combination with lifesteal, you can out-trade and kill aggressive tanks. With this build you will have 30% CDR and 30 %Pen (40 on first cast.) Soul gem can be replaced with Bancrofts if you are getting dove extremely hard and need the additional power/lifesteal.