TRADESMAN Deal to Dealer Defeating the Black Horse
13,000 HP and an AOE crit that wipes unprepared parties. The community found the counter.
The Black Horse is the newest major boss in TRADESMAN: Deal to Dealer, added in the Version 1.0 launch window alongside ThroatCrusher. It has approximately 13,000 HP and an AOE critical hit that can wipe parties without enough total health. Multiple players on Steam have defeated it and shared their compositions. The most reliable strategy is a single high-HP tank kept alive with the Protect order.
The core strategy: Loud Growl + Protect
The community found that the Black Horse focuses on a single target with its AOE crit. The counter is a tank mercenary in the Protect position, combined with continuous use of the Protect order to restore health.
The most confirmed approach:
- Recruit Loud Growl (the bear) from 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, continuously issue the Protect order on the tank.
Because the boss targets the taunted tank while Protect restores health, a single well-built bear can outlast the full 13,000 HP bar. Players reported finishing the fight with only the bear still standing — or in some cases, only a wolf.
Full 6-mercenary composition (with DPS logs)
Russian community member boroboro published a complete clear with damage numbers:
| Slot | Mercenary | 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 |
| Merchant | — | — |
Everyone ate Shawarma before the fight. Reported damage contribution:
- Bear: 11,799
- White Horror: 10,201
- BigFoot Hauler: 3,757
- Mole: 3,374
- Fofan: 2,617
- 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 on the Steam forums that the tactic making position 2 immune to critical hits was too strong against the Black Horse and was reduced from 100 percent to 60 percent crit protection. Strategies written before this patch may be easier than the current version of the game. This change directly affects the tank-in-position-2 strategy.
Lighter alternatives
Not every player has access to a full legendary roster. Confirmed alternatives from the community:
- A solo wolf has been reported to finish the boss. This likely requires very specific scroll investment and may involve significant luck.
- High-HP mercs in general work — the requirement is surviving the crits, not raw damage output.
- Two high-HP tanks in positions 1 and 2 can share the load if your roster is limited.
Scroll recommendations
The Black Horse fight rewards defensive scroll investment:
- Double-resistance scroll on your tank reduces incoming damage significantly
- Second-chance scroll provides a revive buffer if the tank drops
- Bloodlust on DPS units increases damage output during the fight
- Scratch scrolls on the hauler to keep it alive longer
Two-scroll rules still apply: no duplicate epics, no identical effects.
Preparation checklist
- Recruit and level Loud Growl (bear) at Fishpool before attempting.
- Acquire double-resistance scrolls — these are critical for the tank strategy.
- Reach Tactics level 4 to unlock the position-2 crit protection.
- Stock Shawarma or equivalent food for the entire squad before entering.
- Empty the cart — carrying goods scales enemy strength including boss difficulty.
Sources
- Steam thread: The new Boss — Emmeron’s Protect strategy, developer replies
- Steam thread: THE NEW BOSS HORSE (Traditional Chinese) — bear strategy + nerf discussion
- Steam thread: Guide: How to kill the Horse (RU) — boroboro’s full composition and DPS logs
Community-reported as of launch day. Numbers are player-reported, not datamined. The position-2 crit protection nerf was confirmed by the developer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common merchant questions.
How much HP does the Black Horse boss have?
The Black Horse has approximately 13,000 HP based on community reports. It also has an AOE critical hit that can wipe parties without enough total health.
What is the best strategy for the Black Horse?
The community-confirmed strategy is a single high-HP tank (Loud Growl the bear) in position 2 with continuous Protect orders. The boss targets the tank while Protect restores health, letting a single bear outlast the 13,000 HP bar.
Was the tank strategy nerfed?
Yes. The position-2 crit protection was reduced from 100% to 60% by the developer. This affects the tank-in-position-2 strategy. The fight is still doable but requires more attention to health.
Can I beat the Black Horse without legendaries?
Yes. A solo wolf has been reported to clear the fight. High-HP mercs in general work — surviving crits matters more than raw damage. Two high-HP tanks sharing positions 1 and 2 is another alternative.