Getting the Merlin’s Staff in Fisch is one of the bigger mid-to-late progression goals in the Sunstone update. This rod stands out thanks to its mix of magic-based passives, high stats, and a unique bonus that can push progress faster once you lock onto a fish.
If you’re working toward optimized fishing setups or rare fish farming, this rod is worth grabbing. This guide walks through how to unlock it, what you need to craft it, and which enchantments work best for different playstyles.
Where to Get Merlin’s Staff
You’ll find the rod at Sunstone Island, where Merlin sits near the top of the main structure. You must already have access to Sunstone and be able to speak to Merlin after progressing through earlier update steps. There’s no fishing or quest challenge tied to unlocking the recipe — instead, this one requires specific materials.
Required Materials
To obtain Merlin’s Staff, give Merlin the following ingredients:
- Shard of Time
- Anomalous Log
- Iron Chunk
Once these items are turned in, Merlin will hand over the rod. All items may take some time to obtain depending on your progress, so gathering them early is a good idea if you plan to upgrade rods later.
Merlin’s Staff Stats
- Lure Speed 80%
- Luck 102.54%
- Control 0.1
- Resilience 50%
- Max Weight Infinite
The infinite max weight cap and high luck stat make it especially good for rare fish farming and high-tier fish hunts. The downside is the extremely low control stat, which makes handling certain fish harder unless you compensate with enchantments.
Passive Ability Explained
Merlin’s Staff includes a unique passive:
- If you hold the fish steady long enough that the control bar shrinks to its minimum, the rod blasts the fish forward with +30% progress.
- There is also a 25% chance for Magical fish, increasing sell value by 7.2×.
This passive mostly benefits high-value fishing runs and late-game grinding.
Best Enchantments
Since the rod has very low base control, you’ll want enchantments that help balance it depending on your goal:
For Better Handling
- Controlled
- Herculean (preferred)
These make the rod easier to use and help offset the 0.1 base control.
For Money Farming
- Sea Overlord
- Sea Prince
Both enchantments boost value and scale well with Merlin’s Staff passive.
The Merlin’s Staff is built for players who are already deep into Fisch progression and want a rod optimized for valuable catches and fast fishing cycles. While the lack of control can feel rough at first, the passive and luck bonus make it strong once you add the right enchant upgrade. If you’re aiming for rare fish, mutation farming, or big-value hunts, this staff becomes one of the better tools to work toward once you reach Sunstone Island.