Already have a bot created by a user name piggy.
That is a notification bot for when your name is added to a post or reply and not when your post/reply is quoted. The only way to do that now is to revisit the thread or be notified of any new post
2. Sorting threads by number of merits the OP has received.
This would create an inbalance making it difficult for lower ranked members to get publicity for their post, so if for example, they wanted to notify others about a potential scam, their post would be buried below other posts even as soon as it is posted. I do not think this would be helpful in any way.