As a newly-minted POSI, I find myself wondering what levels of connection are useful in the latter stages of the game.
While there are some connections I care about for character-based reasons, others have simply accumulated due to stories I happened to be focusing on, such as my highest connection (Society at 72), which is more the result of hanging around the palace and some perhaps-misguided experiments into how well philanthropy towards the soulless pays, as opposed to a desire to be that well-connected.
I would hate, though, to abuse such connections for the gifts they offer, only to later learn that I need to reestablish the connections I’ve squandered in order to avail myself of storyline opportunities.
I don’t think any Connected higher than 20 unlocks anything. Most descriptors cap at about 150. Then again, some folks have raised their Society all the way to quadrupole digits just for the heck of it.
I do recall seeing a Connected: Faction 100 unlock in the early days of the Numismatrix stuff, but that was dropped. It might be a thing in future releases though.
I think there are a few times when a requirement of 30 or above in a Connected quality are required for things.
I know for sure to get on the Velocipede Squad I needed to build up my Constables to 30, and I think breeding in the Labyrinth required a Church connection of 30 ( but about the Church I’m not so sure, because I easily had that connection so didn’t pay too much attention.)
[quote=Aryenke]I think there are a few times when a requirement of 30 or above in a Connected quality are required for things.
I know for sure to get on the Velocipede Squad I needed to build up my Constables to 30, and I think breeding in the Labyrinth required a Church connection of 30 ( but about the Church I’m not so sure, because I easily had that connection so didn’t pay too much attention.)[/quote]
The beginning of the Hound of Heaven story does indeed test the Church connection, but all a failure gets is different reward text. The Velocipede Squad can be joined with sufficient Dangerous and the Bringer of Death quality, or a Comprehensive Bribe.
Joining the velocipede squad can also be done if you have the Bringer of Death quality, or by spending a comprehensive bribe. And breeding in the labyrinth actually doesn’t matter if you pass or fail the connection challenge, it only alters the text.
Really, ~20 will do you well for most things outside of spending connections on main stats (which most people don’t do anyway). Getting stuff to 20 is also the easiest, you can use the carnival up to 10 and use the items at the bazaar to raise it to 20 (You only have to pay the high cost once, and you can sell it back for almost as much as you bought it for if you want. Does cost 150 pence of goods for 75 CP of connections). With the carnival at around 20 CP per action, and the items granting 25 CP per action, these are the fastest methods for the majority of connections, barring some of the easier to raise ones like Society.
Although some people try to get a connection higher than everyone else, as a way to distinguish themselves from the masses.
That’s what I’m doing, but The Great Game is really hard to raise. The only real options are on infrequent opportunity cards, and one storylet that raises it 1 CP an action.
[quote=Twoflower]Although some people try to get a connection higher than everyone else, as a way to distinguish themselves from the masses.
That’s what I’m doing, but The Great Game is really hard to raise. The only real options are on infrequent opportunity cards, and one storylet that raises it 1 CP an action.[/quote]
The way Scarlet Fenwick did it was by having wine with the Wry Functionary. 2cp per action, which is just slightly worse than how I’m grinding for Revolutionaries.
[quote=Nigel Overstreet][quote=Twoflower]Although some people try to get a connection higher than everyone else, as a way to distinguish themselves from the masses.
That’s what I’m doing, but The Great Game is really hard to raise. The only real options are on infrequent opportunity cards, and one storylet that raises it 1 CP an action.[/quote]
The way Scarlet Fenwick did it was by having wine with the Wry Functionary. 2cp per action, which is just slightly worse than how I’m grinding for Revolutionaries.[/quote]
Ouch. That’s…wow. Does anyone know how much the Fate-locked Cipher Ring option gives?
Fate-locked options appear to give 75 CP, same as the non-fate version, but for free, only costing one turn, and working past 20. There are slight other benefits as well… oh, but I do suppose I’m not allowed to tell EVERYTHING. Technically I don’t think I even should have mentioned as much as I did, but hopefully they’re more lenient in this regard… after all, this is less a spoiler, and more an advertisement. I’m guessing a few of you are thinking “Well, I might just go ahead and try the fate-locked option now” edited by Urthdigger on 7/8/2012
I can think of one instance where connections in excess of 30 may become useful - [color=rgb(255, 255, 255)]Mingling with the Guests at the Little Soirée[/color], which isn’t straightforward unless the Connection you choose to be tested is around 45. Since one of the options is [color=rgb(255, 255, 255)]Connected: Society[/color], however - which is laughably easy to acquire - it shouldn’t be much of an obstacle.