TRADESMAN Deal to Dealer The Black Horse — New Story Boss
13,000 HP, AOE crit, and a Protect-order bear that outlasts the whole fight.
The Black Horse is the newest major boss in TRADESMAN: Deal to Dealer — around 13,000 HP and an AOE critical strike that wipes parties without enough total health pool. Community discussions on Steam confirm this fight arrived with Version 1.0 as part of the story content, and that it is beatable with the right setup. Multiple players have reported clears using a single high-HP tank kept alive with the Protect order.
The core idea: tank with Loud Growl, heal with Protect
This strategy was reported independently by several players on the Steam forums:
- Recruit Loud Growl (the bear) at Fishpool.
- Level him up and give him a double-resistance scroll.
- Place him in position 2.
- Get your Tactics talent to at least level 4.
- During the fight, keep issuing the Protect order on him.
Because the boss focuses the taunted tank while the Protect order restores health, a single well-built bear can outlast the entire 13,000 HP bar. Players report finishing the fight with only the bear — or only a wolf — still standing.
Full 6-merc composition (with DPS logs)
Russian community member boroboro published a complete clear on Steam with these units and scrolls:
| Slot | Merc | Scrolls |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BigFoot Hauler | Scratch scroll x3 + double-resistance |
| 2 | Bordeaux the Hungry | Second-chance scroll + double-resistance |
| 3 | White Horror | Second-chance scroll + double-resistance |
| 4 | Loud Growl (bear) | Second-chance scroll + bloodlust |
| 5 | Fofan | Second-chance scroll + double-resistance |
| 6 | The Merchant | — |
Everyone ate Shawarma before the fight. Reported damage contribution:
- Bear (Loud Growl): 11,799
- White Horror: 10,201
- BigFoot Hauler: 3,757
- Mole: 3,374
- Fofan: 2,617
- The Merchant: 525
The fight came down to the last 600 HP with only the bear alive.
The position-2 crit protection was nerfed
The developer confirmed in the Steam forums that the tactic making position 2 immune to critical strikes was too strong against this boss and was reduced from 100 percent to 60 percent crit protection. Strategies written before this nerf may be easier than current in-game reality. Adjust your scroll loadout accordingly.
Lighter alternatives
- A solo wolf has also been reported to finish the boss without a full squad.
- High-HP mercs in general work — the requirement is surviving crits, not raw damage output.
- If your Tactics level is below 4, the Protect order may not heal fast enough to keep the tank alive.
Quick checklist
- Recruit Loud Growl the bear at Fishpool.
- Level up and equip a double-resistance scroll.
- Put Loud Growl in position 2.
- Level Tactics to at least 4.
- Spam Protect order on the bear throughout the fight.
- Everyone eats Shawarma before entering.
If you are running a full squad, follow the 6-merc table above. The boss is beatable. The community has done it.
For the other story boss in Youngfield, see the ThroatCrusher guide. For squad composition theory, see squad builds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common merchant questions.
Where do I find Loud Growl the bear?
Loud Growl is recruited at Fishpool settlement. He is a bear mercenary with high HP — the preferred tank for the Black Horse fight.
What is the position-2 trick?
Position 2 originally had 100% crit protection, but the developer nerfed it to 60% because it was too strong. You still want Loud Growl in position 2, but bring double-resistance scrolls as backup.
Can I beat the Black Horse without Loud Growl?
Yes. A solo wolf has been reported to finish the fight. High-HP mercs that can survive the AOE crit also work — the Protect order on a tank is the key mechanic, not the specific mercenary.
What scrolls do I need?
At minimum: double-resistance scrolls on your tank. Second-chance scrolls on other mercs. Bloodlust on the bear if available. Everyone should eat Shawarma before the fight.