How can I prevent my competitors points from rising when I am embarked on an Expedition?[li]
When the airs of the forgotten quarter are alright you can hinder them by spending a few items.
"A cautious approach" seems to give you a point of Rivals’ progress every sixth time or so, whereas "a bold approach" seems to give you a point every other time. So that’s one way to keep them off your track. (I’m assuming 100% success rate, either because you have 100%, or because you use Sudden Insights and "Perhaps not" to back out if you fail the initial attempt. That method guarantees that you won’t see a ‘Watchful failed’ screen, at the cost of another Action and another Sudden Insight.)
If this is your first expedition you may want to know that when your Rivals’ progress hits 10 you’ll have to deal with them some way, and that way is in my opinion better and cheaper than trying to hinder them before they get to 10. Depending on circumstances, of course. If hindering them would ensure your success before they could possibly recover, then it might be a better alternative. But the only time I tried it, I regretted the expenditure so much, as it was costly and didn’t affect anything in the end, since I had to deal with my rival anyway. I did get enough chances to hinder my rival that I could have relied on that, but doing it more than once was not cost effective compared to the final showdown. (Where I had to rely on using a Sudden Insight and back out for a whole new attempt.)
thank you…that explains a lot[li]
Perhaps I should mention that the way you ‘deal with’ rivals usually cost 10 x Expedition Supplies. So if you’re on a long expedition where just being cautious won’t be enough, you should definitely bring extra supplies. For me, the Cave of Nadir was the only mission long enough for that.
There’s also a trick where you can go “Seeking Curios and Secrets in the Forgotten Quarter” until the Airs of the Forgotten Quarter turns to 96-100 (see the value by putting the airs icon in your scrapbook and checking your profile). Then begin your expedition. Since the initial ‘you are now on an expedition’ screen doesn’t reroll airs, you get to start with 96-100, which offers you “A sign?” that will save you both time and supplies.
Gillsing, I just read your reply and am off to give it a try. Thanks.
Well…oh dear and double d…n. My Airs value is only 60…guess I’ll just have to stock up on Expedition Supplies…she sighs.
The Airs value changes every time you seek curios. If you get Hell’s Coursers as an option that means it is time to check - but that can appear in the low 90’s as well, so don’t just start an expedition until you are sure as once you do you cannot play the seeking curios storylet … not surprising as if it was still available you could just cycle up to Airs in the high 90’s and not spend any supplies.
The Airs value changes every time you do one of the "Seeking Curios and Secrets in the Forgotten Quarter", so even if you fail the checks you still get the reroll. Unless you already started the expedition, in which case you can’t go do that, but the airs value then changes every time you advance the expedition. And you can’t stock up on supplies while already on an expedition. Except with that special code that is mentioned on the helpful blog. (The bottom one in that list gives you 10 extra supplies, capped at 100 as normal.)
I’m feeling a little in over my head. Rhetorical question: How do you come to understand all these refinements? For the time being I can move forward with the understanding of how the rivals are triggered, how to avoid that, and how to deal with a rival more successfully than I did when last one surprised me. Thank you all for your help.
graceagain
Reading the forum and experience. You soon learn the most efficient way to do something. There are a lot of people who put up hints and tips, I know I learnt the Airs trick from somebody else:)
Hell’s Coursers is 80+, but the “Look up, to the bleak arch of the Neath-roof” Airs description is 90+. You’ll be disappointed slightly less often if you check the Airs after seeing that message instead of every time you see Hell’s Coursers.
This, by the way, comes entirely from the Airs of the Forgotten Quarter page on the wiki.
[quote=graceagain]I’m feeling a little in over my head. Rhetorical question: How do you come to understand all these refinements? For the time being I can move forward with the understanding of how the rivals are triggered, how to avoid that, and how to deal with a rival more successfully than I did when last one surprised me. Thank you all for your help.
graceagain[/quote]
In my case, you don’t. And about three months after everyone else, work it out. Sometimes. :-)