Merlin’s Grimoire is a high-volatility fantasy slot from Play’n GO, officially released on 7 July 2022. Part of the developer’s Arthurian Legend series, it follows a younger Merlin as he searches for an ancient spellbook containing the secrets of magic and his destiny.
The game starts on a 5×3 grid with 243 ways to win. Its Splitting Symbols mechanic can effectively increase the reel height and create up to 7,776 ways, while Free Spins introduce a Special Expanding Symbol and allow splitting across all five reels. The highest published RTP is 96.20%, with a maximum payout of 30,000x stake.
Casinos Where You Can Play Merlin’s Grimoire in the UK
Key Merlin’s Grimoire Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Release Date | 7 July 2022 |
| Provider | Play’n GO |
| Theme | Merlin / Magic / Arthurian Legend |
| Reels & Rows | 5×3 base grid |
| Ways to Win | 243–7,776 |
| Volatility | High |
| Highest RTP | 96.20% |
| Hit Frequency | Not publicly disclosed |
| International Bet Range | 0.10–100 |
| Maximum Win | 30,000x stake |
UK Compliance Deep Dive: Is Merlin’s Grimoire Fair & Legal?
RTP Variation Warning: Different RTP configurations of Play’n GO games can be supplied to operators. Players should therefore check the RTP displayed in the individual game rather than assuming the highest 96.20% setting is active.
UKGC Banned Features Check: UK versions must comply with UK Gambling Commission requirements. Autoplay and other prohibited online-slot functionality cannot be enabled for British players.
Stake Limit Compliance: International versions offer stakes from 0.10 to 100 units. Great Britain’s statutory online-slot limits override this – £5 per game cycle for players aged 25+ and £2 for players aged 18–24.
Responsible Gambling: The Splitting Symbols mechanic can increase the number of available ways to win, but more ways do not guarantee a payout. Similarly, a long period without Free Spins does not mean the bonus is becoming due.
Merlin’s Grimoire has high volatility, so use affordable stakes and never increase wagers to chase a feature or recover previous losses.
Fairness & RNG Certification: Merlin’s Grimoire uses randomised outcomes. The activation of Splitting Reels, Free Spins and the selection of the Special Expanding Symbol cannot be predicted from previous spins.
First Impressions: Theme, Graphics & Soundtrack
Merlin’s Grimoire explores an earlier chapter of Merlin’s story. Rather than portraying him as the experienced wizard of later Arthurian tales, Play’n GO presents a younger Merlin searching for the ancient Grimoire that will shape his magical future.
The reels sit within an atmospheric fantasy setting filled with forests, mystical energy and magical artefacts. Merlin himself occupies the premium end of the paytable alongside other fantasy-themed symbols.
The game combines a traditional fantasy presentation with a relatively modern reel mechanic. As symbols split, the visual reel structure expands vertically, making feature activation immediately noticeable.
Base Game Mechanics & Payouts
Merlin’s Grimoire begins with five reels, three rows and 243 ways to win. Matching symbols form wins across consecutive reels beginning with the leftmost reel.
Instead of using fixed paylines, the game calculates combinations through its ways-to-win system. The number of ways can increase substantially whenever Splitting Symbols activate.
The Grimoire is the Wild Scatter. As a Wild, it substitutes for regular paying symbols. Three or more Grimoire symbols also trigger the Free Spins feature.
A Closer Look at the Bonus Features for Merlin’s Grimoire
Splitting Symbols
Splitting Symbols are the defining mechanic in Merlin’s Grimoire. In the base game, reels 2, 3 and 4 can randomly become Splitting Reels. Symbols appearing on an activated reel divide into two instances of the same symbol. Each split effectively doubles that reel’s contribution to the available winning combinations.
Expanding Reel Structure
The base game starts with 243 ways to win, but splitting increases the effective reel height and number of possible combinations. When all available reels are affected during Free Spins, the game can reach a 6×6×6×6×6 symbol structure, producing a maximum of 7,776 ways to win.
Wild Scatter
The Grimoire symbol acts as both Wild and Scatter. As a Wild, it substitutes for regular paying symbols. Landing three, four or five Grimoire Scatters also provides a small Scatter payout before activating the Free Spins feature.
Free Spins Feature
Landing three or more Grimoire Scatters awards 10 Free Spins. Before the feature starts, the magical book opens and randomly selects one regular paying symbol to become the Special Expanding Symbol for the entire bonus.
Special Expanding Symbol
The selected symbol can expand vertically across a complete reel whenever enough instances land to form a qualifying win. Unlike ordinary ways-to-win combinations, the Special Expanding Symbols do not need to occupy adjacent reels to generate their special payout.
Enhanced Splitting Symbols
The Splitting Symbols mechanic becomes considerably stronger during Free Spins. While only reels 2–4 can split in the base game, all five reels become eligible during the bonus. This raises the maximum number of ways to 7,776.
Split Expanding Symbols
The Special Expanding Symbol can also be affected by the Splitting mechanic. Combining multiple split reels with the selected Expanding Symbol creates the game’s strongest potential combinations and forms the primary route towards the maximum payout.
Free Spin Retriggers
Landing another three or more Wild Scatters during Free Spins awards 10 additional spins. The bonus can be retriggered up to five times, creating a maximum of 60 Free Spins when the initial 10 spins and all available retriggers are combined.
Maximum Winning Potential
Merlin’s Grimoire can award up to 30,000x stake. Its strongest payout potential is concentrated inside Free Spins, where all five reels can split while the Special Expanding Symbol remains active.
How Does Merlin’s Grimoire Compare to Other Merlin Slots?
Merlin’s Grimoire belongs to Play’n GO’s official Arthurian Legend series. The provider specifically positions it alongside titles such as Lord Merlin and the Lady of the Lake and Merlin and the Ice Queen Morgana, while portraying Merlin at an earlier stage of his story.
| Feature | Rise of Merlin | Merlin and the Ice Queen Morgana | Merlin’s Grimoire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theme | Merlin / Magic | Merlin & Morgana | Young Merlin / Grimoire |
| Grid | 5×3 | 5×3 | 5×3 expanding structure |
| Highest RTP | 96.58% | Varies by version | 96.20% |
| Max Win | 5,000x | Up to 20,000x | 30,000x |
| Volatility | High | High | High |
| Main Mechanic | Expanding Symbols | Merlin & Morgana Features | Splitting Symbols |
| Free Spins | Yes | Yes | 10 Initial Spins |
| Maximum Ways | Fixed structure | Fixed structure | Up to 7,776 |
Verdict: Rise of Merlin is the simpler option for players who prefer a traditional Book-style Expanding Symbol feature.
Merlin’s Grimoire significantly develops that formula. Splitting Symbols can increase the game from 243 to 7,776 ways, while Free Spins combine full five-reel splitting with an Expanding Symbol. It also offers substantially higher maximum-win potential at 30,000x stake.
From the Player’s Mouth: Real Experiences & Expert Advice
Player Sentiment: Merlin’s Grimoire combines two familiar ideas – ways-to-win expansion and Book-style Free Spins – in a way that gives the bonus noticeably more potential than the base game.
Regular spins can only activate Splitting Symbols across the three middle reels. Free Spins remove that restriction, making all five reels eligible while simultaneously introducing an Expanding Symbol.
This creates a clear progression from the relatively simple 243-way starting grid towards the game’s maximum 7,776-way configuration.
Expert Tips
- Tip 1: Merlin’s Grimoire is highly volatile. Keep stakes consistent and affordable rather than increasing them while waiting for Free Spins.
- Tip 2: Splitting Symbols increase the number of ways to win, but additional ways do not guarantee that a winning combination will form.
- Tip 3: Free Spins have greater feature potential because all five reels become eligible for splitting. However, this does not guarantee that multiple reels will split during any particular bonus.
- Tip 4: The 30,000x maximum win is an exceptional outcome. It should not be treated as a realistic target for an individual session.
Mobile Performance
Merlin’s Grimoire works well on smartphones and tablets despite its changing reel structure. The game begins with a conventional 5×3 display, keeping symbols clear on smaller screens.
When Splitting Symbols activate, the interface expands vertically while retaining the same five-reel format. The selected Expanding Symbol is also clearly identified during Free Spins, making the feature straightforward to follow.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- 96.20% highest RTP
- 30,000x maximum win
- 243 starting ways
- Up to 7,776 ways to win
- Splitting Symbols
- Wild Scatter
- 10 starting Free Spins
- Special Expanding Symbol
- All five reels can split during Free Spins
- Free Spin retriggers
- Up to 60 total Free Spins
- Official Arthurian Legend series entry
- Strong mobile performance
Cons
- High volatility
- Base-game splitting limited to reels 2–4
- Strongest potential concentrated in Free Spins
- Expanding Symbol selected randomly
- Maximum win probability not publicly disclosed
- No conventional multiplier mechanic
Is Merlin’s Grimoire Worth Your Time & Money?
Merlin’s Grimoire takes the familiar expanding-symbol formula and gives it a meaningful twist through its Splitting Symbols mechanic.
The game begins relatively simply with 243 ways. Random Splitting Reels can increase the number of combinations during regular play, but the system reaches its full potential in Free Spins, where every reel becomes eligible for splitting.
Adding a randomly selected Expanding Symbol creates the most important interaction. A favourable symbol combined with several split reels can dramatically increase the number of possible combinations, reaching 7,776 ways at maximum expansion.
With a 96.20% highest RTP, high volatility and a substantial 30,000x maximum payout, Merlin’s Grimoire is best suited to players who enjoy Book-style Free Spins but want more mechanical depth than a conventional expanding-symbol slot.
Merlin’s Grimoire FAQ
The highest published RTP is 96.20%. Players should check the individual casino’s game information because alternative configurations may be offered.
Selected reels can split their symbols into two instances, increasing the effective reel height and number of winning combinations.
Reels 2, 3 and 4 can become Splitting Reels during the base game. All five reels become eligible during Free Spins.
Play’n GO officially released Merlin’s Grimoire on 7 July 2022.