Version 0.6.10

While there are risks involved in going out of one's way to purchase equipment, a merchant along the escape route can prove highly beneficial. Rooms are shut off as the crystal passes through them and the dust which is consequently freed up can be spent on equipment while the game is paused. Since no dust is not carried over to the next level, the player can stock up on all the equipment they would otherwise be hard-pressed to afford.



Edit: There is risk factor in keeping merchant alive until the crystal run. On lower levels this is simple. On later levels, this risk is mitigated by the shop module.

Are people finding that this makes a big difference? When I've been able to keep the merchant alive, I've converted my dust to equipment *before* picking up the crystal. Usually, I have enough to buy up all the most expensive items I can equip and still survive the crystal run.

I've lost a character when I remembered that I forgot shopping and did it during the crystal-run.

So I don't really think it's an exploit. It's risk vs. reward. You can either shop safely before the run or you can have more rooms lit up longer during the run.

Ail wrote:
You can either shop safely before the run or you can have more rooms lit up longer during the run.

It's not necessarily either/or. The scenario suggested by the OP is where the merchant is along your escape route. It's potentially a small windfall: shop when the crystal reaches the merchant, and you have that little bit of extra dust from the rooms that are behind you. Those rooms are already unlit anyway by virtue of not being between the crystal and the exit. (Disclaimer: I haven't personally tested in-game whether this works; I'm just taking the OP's word for it).