I hope this is an acceptable question to ask here! I’ve been a PoSI for some time now, with my unmodified Persuasive 127, Dangerous 109, Watchful 101, and… Shadowy 70. I only got PoSI because of a mood and some Shadowy increasing clothes, and I’ve been suffering as a result! I just started Mahogany Hall (Tales of Mahogany Hall 5, No Pygmalion, No Days of the Week, and no idea what those are yet), but my Shadowy’s too low to effectively do any of the Shadowy actions there, which is a bummer because I could use the moon pearls. Today I finally got everything I needed to pick out my ship, and my jaw dropped when I saw how much it costs to build a zubmarine. Gonna need lots of pearls and diamonds to get all those bejewelled lens! Don’t even get me started on everything else.
But I digress. Does anyone have any suggestions for any good places to work on grinding up my Shadowy, hopefully while earning materials for my zubmarine?
I’m in a similar situation-- currently, I’m grinding up my Shadowy to 100 by doing activities in Wilmot’s End, which I’ve found to be a more effective place than the Flit. Not sure about Ship materials (I haven’t even started that yet), but increasing the Dramatic Tension will get you some nifty items.
You can try barreling through the Affair of the Box content of Mahogany Hall by leaning on your Persuasive instead of your Shadowy. Once that storyline progresses, you’ll eventually get to a carousel that is a fine way to build up Shadowy.
Try not to be in any hurry to get the Zubmarine. I know it’s cool and all, but the Tramp Steamer gets the same job done much cheaper, and you can build up the necessary goods for the Zub at your leisure. edited by Lady Taimi Felix on 9/24/2015
The Wilmot’s End carousel can pay out, depending on your choice, in the Whirring Contraptions or Strong-Backed Labor you need for the Zub. As far as I know Bejewelled Lenses can only be obtained reliably from the side streets; most of the jewels can be bought there too but the Magnificent Diamonds are the problem. Each lens needs one and you get two on a (very) rare success buying Ostentatious Diamonds or from one expedition reward. Expeditions are probably the best way to go there, Shrine of the Blue Haven specifically, since you’ll want to get Archaeologist to 5 for the Cave of the Nadir storyline.
Though as said the Zubmarine isn’t really that better when you first get a ship. I myself ground for it instead of buying a tramp steamer, but it doesn’t make much difference. All you get from the Zub is a point of BDR and a couple different card options at zee that can slightly speed up progress. (The Yacht is the best stats-wise with 2 BDR but apparently its special opp card is terrible. Plus obtaining it is a difficult luck challenge.)
Oof. Before the recent changes, The Flit would’ve been your savior for both the Shadowy and the zub. Now, though, it’s still good for Shadowy.
You can use the 5-action Casing option available for POSI. This action cannot fail. You can then sell Casing to Criminals for pretty nice Shadowy boosts.
The diamonds are best acquired via Criminals favors on Implausible Penance, which you can earn through drawing cards (there are a couple other ways, but that one’s likely the best, just not the most direct). That doesn’t really make use of Shadowy, though.
You didn’t mention Whirring Contraptions, but that’s gonna be a big obstacle too.
You can get Whirring Contraptions partially through Shadowy, but you need to have high enough Shadowy to draw the card to open Wilmot’s End first (and to pass the challenges). You’ll also need Persuasive or Watchful, but you look okay on that front if you can afford stat boosting equipment.
To be honest, it’s that step that makes the zub quite hard to get for a new POSI. Lady Felix has good advice there.
Don’t worry about the pearls; the pearls will be easy to get by the time you’ve taken care of the other stuff.
[quote=Optimatum]… Magnificent Diamonds are the problem. Each lens needs one and you get two on a (very) rare success buying Ostentatious Diamonds or from one expedition reward.[/quote]One small correction: When buying diamonds on the side streets, the rare success will give you only one Magnificent Diamond.
As to how rare it actually is, I’ve recently converted close to 100,000 Cryptic Clues to diamonds and the rare success rate for me was 5.21%. So I assume the real probability is 5%.
Up to Shadowy 78, you can go to the Flit and entertain the Topsy King: http://fallenlondon.wikia.com/wiki/Entertain_the_Topsy_King
Pick the first entry, "A little light legerdemain". It has no negative effects even if you fail. When higher than Shadowy 78, you’ll need some Shadowy reducing items, including the most important, the Talkative Rattus Faber from Nassos Zoologicals in the Bazaar. When equipped, he drops all 4 main Attributes by 25. With him and 3 other Shadowy -1 items, I was able to Entertain the Topsy King until I got past Shadowy 106.
To assist in this, I suggest using the Dressing Room extension: http://community.failbettergames.com/topic20417-fallen-london--dressing-room-extension.aspx
Install this and you will have a "Dressing Room" button on your "Myself" tab. Read the information at that link and it will tell you how to use it to remember and recall outfits maximizing the main Attributes, others like Dreaded, or even BDR mixing the three.
This allows you to quickly don items to give you Shadowy 78. edited by Jacke on 9/25/2015
I’m also currently grinding for the Zub. The Bejewelled Lenses sound harder than they are, the Ostentatious Diamonds can be easily acquired. Just wait for the card "Remember the Honey-sipping Jewel Thief?", one option gives you a diamond. Not efficient, but without a skill check. Get the pearls from Watchmaker Hill.
You can get 4 Strong-backed Labor without risk of menaces (with Shadowy 95) once you have Connected: The Docks 30, use the storylets in Spite to grind Connected: The Widow up to 30 and wait for a card named "The Acacia and the Butterfly". Second option gives you the labor and drops Connected: The Widow by a lot, you will need about 50 actions to grind it back up again. Less action efficient than Dramatic Tension, more realistic for lower stats.
The Whirring Contraptions are where I am currently sinking actions like mad. One round of "Searching for a Missing Woman" in Wilmot’s End, until I reach the final step. Then it’s "Fighting a War of Assassins" in The Flit, with the Persuasive and Watchful options until Dramatic Tension is 2. Cash in in Wilmot’s End, rinse and repeat. I have 8 now… so only about 3 bazillion more actions, yay…
Edit: I obviously goofed up (thanks, Schmidt), the Magnificent Diamonds don’t come from the Honey-sipping Jewel Thief. Must have been from expeditions, then. edited by Thorbimorbi on 9/26/2015
I’m also currently grinding for the Zub. The Bejewelled Lenses sound harder than they are, the Magnificient Diamonds can be easily acquired. Just wait for the card "Remember the Honey-sipping Jewel Thief?", one option gives you a diamond. Not efficient, but without a skill check. Get the pearls from Watchmaker Hill.
You can get 4 Strong-backed Labor without risk of menaces (with Shadowy 95) once you have Connected: The Docks 30, use the storylets in Spite to grind Connected: The Widow up to 30 and wait for a card named "The Acacia and the Butterfly". Second option gives you the labor and drops Connected: The Widow by a lot, you will need about 50 actions to grind it back up again. Less action efficient than Dramatic Tension, more realistic for lower stats.
The Whirring Contraptions are where I am currently sinking actions like mad. One round of "Searching for a Missing Woman" in Wilmot’s End, until I reach the final step. Then it’s "Fighting a War of Assassins" in The Flit, with the Persuasive and Watchful options until Dramatic Tension is 2. Cash in in Wilmot’s End, rinse and repeat. I have 8 now… so only about 3 bazillion more actions, yay…[/quote]Ah…this brings back memories. I remember spending a couple weeks grinding out the whirring contraptions needed to make a Zubmarine. As a fair warning though, unless you are going for a Zubmarine for role playing purposes you might be better off saving up for the items to get a Pleasure Yacht, as it provides better a BDR stat.
I’m also currently grinding for the Zub. The Bejewelled Lenses sound harder than they are, the Magnificient Diamonds can be easily acquired. Just wait for the card "Remember the Honey-sipping Jewel Thief?", one option gives you a diamond. Not efficient, but without a skill check. Get the pearls from Watchmaker Hill.
You can get 4 Strong-backed Labor without risk of menaces (with Shadowy 95) once you have Connected: The Docks 30, use the storylets in Spite to grind Connected: The Widow up to 30 and wait for a card named "The Acacia and the Butterfly". Second option gives you the labor and drops Connected: The Widow by a lot, you will need about 50 actions to grind it back up again. Less action efficient than Dramatic Tension, more realistic for lower stats.
The Whirring Contraptions are where I am currently sinking actions like mad. One round of "Searching for a Missing Woman" in Wilmot’s End, until I reach the final step. Then it’s "Fighting a War of Assassins" in The Flit, with the Persuasive and Watchful options until Dramatic Tension is 2. Cash in in Wilmot’s End, rinse and repeat. I have 8 now… so only about 3 bazillion more actions, yay…[/quote]
I’m fairly certain the honey sipping jewel thief only gives you an ostentatious diamond, not a magnificent one. And some there is no up converting your best best is probably criminal favors.