If I didn't have to butcher my merits for VW I'd have kept 5/5 Phalanx II, it's better than bio/blind/Para2 above 1 imo. It's tied to Phalanx 1 at 5/5 but loses at every tier under 5/5, that isn't right for a Tier 2 merit compared to a spell you get at level 33. If it's going to be that terrible, turn them all into scrolls and give us better merit categories.