Not ready to burn my main account to the ground on The Seeking Road just yet, I figured it might be fun to take a fresh account and see how quickly it can hurl itself into the jaws of oblivion. In the process, I’m being reminded of all the things I used to have to deal with in this game that I’d completely forgotten about. Things like:
Failing Checks
How many times in a row can you fail a 70% check? A lot actually. Things started out pretty well for our doomed Seeker but in its quest to reach the Labyrinth of Tigers as quickly as possible so it can more easily control its Unaccountably Peckish levels it hit the black ribbon and has run into a hilarious wall of failure because it’s suddenly unable to pass very modest challenges. The Seeking Road aside, it’s been a long time since checks have come with a meaningful chance of failure (if they have one at all).
Finding Stuff
Once your a POSI, if you need something you generally just have to figure out which Unfinished Business option provides it (and if Thefts of Particular Character or The Affairs of the Box are more efficient) and you’re good to go. Here in the beginning though, if something says you need Foxfire Candle Stubs it can be tricky finding a source even with the help of the wiki. The Bazaar is incredibly expensive for these sorts of things and there aren’t exactly large sign posts pointing you in the right direction.
Menace Control
I’m used to Gawping at hyenas, dreaming of blood, and drinking all the Instant Absolution Solution I need to keep menaces in check (when I get them at all). But the hyena is buried in the Labyrinth, the dream of blood is both buried and fate locked, and Instant Absolution Solution isn’t exactly cheap if you have a persistent problem with the law. There have been no menace trips yet but I’d forgotten how annoying some of these things (Nightmares in particular) are to deal with when you don’t have end game tools.
Did I Mention Failing Checks?
Long ago, I angered the RNG and it cursed me with 1000 years of failure. Now I roam this desolate waste of menaces praying for forgiveness.
I’m getting used to this stuff again and slowly remembering what I used to do to handle them but there’s definitely been an adjustment period. On the plus side, I’m getting the chance to see the new Making Your Name setup which is really interesting. It is kind of getting in my way because I can’t just crank up my stats to unlock what I need to unlock but from a new player perspective it makes the game a lot more approachable.
I have a new alt in more or less the same situation. It is going to take a while to get used to the early game and not being able to play in the same way as a stat capped; end game player.
I remember feeling that the Dangerous tracker had some odd gaps in difficulty that made advancing a slog. It would be exacerbated, I’m sure, by rushing ahead of your wealth and item gain.
The Straveling Soldier is my attempt at a seeking account, and with a little help you can get them off the ground without too much of an issue.
However, these things take time. My advice, instead of simply seeking right away, is to hurry towards the Labyrinth of Tigers for the Menace reduction and the ability to purge UC. I’ve only got like a million animals to catch for Mr. Inch, and then I can begin the damnable process of seeking the Correspondence Stones.
By the way, with the new Favors system expeditions suck, the forgotten quarter sucks, and did I mention the forgotten quarter sucks?
The more I play the forgotten quarter, the more I remember why getting to the University was the last thing my main account accomplished. I hope supplies get reworked one day to not suck to acquire.
[quote=ShroudedInLight]The Straveling Soldier is my attempt at a seeking account, and with a little help you can get them off the ground without too much of an issue.
However, these things take time. My advice, instead of simply seeking right away, is to hurry towards the Labyrinth of Tigers for the Menace reduction and the ability to purge UC. I’ve only got like a million animals to catch for Mr. Inch, and then I can begin the damnable process of seeking the Correspondence Stones.
By the way, with the new Favors system expeditions suck, the forgotten quarter sucks, and did I mention the forgotten quarter sucks?
The more I play the forgotten quarter, the more I remember why getting to the University was the last thing my main account accomplished. I hope supplies get reworked one day to not suck to acquire.[/quote]
That is exactly what I’m doing here. I actually wasted a bunch of time working with rat hunters to open it up early forgetting that you don’t even get access to the first coil stuff until you’re invited in. There’s a lesson to others on the same path. I do think you should start boosting Seeking with UP as quickly as possible because it you can only get one point a week. I’ve been passing a starveling cat around to boost it.
On the forgotten quarter though. The Docks change actually makes expeditions more profitable. But you can’t just grind them. You have to build them up slowly. Having their connected pet helps a lot with that. edited by An Individual on 6/24/2016
[quote=An Individual]I do think you should start boosting Seeking with UP as quickly as possible because it you can only get one point a week. I’ve been passing a starveling cat around to boost it.[/quote]If you have a starveling cat, then I’d also make it a priority to unlock the Flit (can be done for free with Shadowy 50, or by bribing your way even earlier) and gain some "Embroiled in the wars of Illusion", since the starveling cat option under Bats and Cats gives 3 levels of UP.
[quote=An Individual]Not ready to burn my main account to the ground on The Seeking Road just yet, I figured it might be fun to take a fresh account and see how quickly it can hurl itself into the jaws of oblivion. In the process, I’m being reminded of all the things I used to have to deal with in this game that I’d completely forgotten about. Things like:
Failing Checks
How many times in a row can you fail a 70% check? A lot actually. Things started out pretty well for our doomed Seeker but in its quest to reach the Labyrinth of Tigers as quickly as possible so it can more easily control its Unaccountably Peckish levels it hit the black ribbon and has run into a hilarious wall of failure because it’s suddenly unable to pass very modest challenges. The Seeking Road aside, it’s been a long time since checks have come with a meaningful chance of failure (if they have one at all).
Finding Stuff
Once your a POSI, if you need something you generally just have to figure out which Unfinished Business option provides it (and if Thefts of Particular Character or The Affairs of the Box are more efficient) and you’re good to go. Here in the beginning though, if something says you need Foxfire Candle Stubs it can be tricky finding a source even with the help of the wiki. The Bazaar is incredibly expensive for these sorts of things and there aren’t exactly large sign posts pointing you in the right direction.
Menace Control
I’m used to Gawping at hyenas, dreaming of blood, and drinking all the Instant Absolution Solution I need to keep menaces in check (when I get them at all). But the hyena is buried in the Labyrinth, the dream of blood is both buried and fate locked, and Instant Absolution Solution isn’t exactly cheap if you have a persistent problem with the law. There have been no menace trips yet but I’d forgotten how annoying some of these things (Nightmares in particular) are to deal with when you don’t have end game tools.
Did I Mention Failing Checks?
Long ago, I angered the RNG and it cursed me with 1000 years of failure. Now I roam this desolate waste of menaces praying for forgiveness.
I’m getting used to this stuff again and slowly remembering what I used to do to handle them but there’s definitely been an adjustment period. On the plus side, I’m getting the chance to see the new Making Your Name setup which is really interesting. It is kind of getting in my way because I can’t just crank up my stats to unlock what I need to unlock but from a new player perspective it makes the game a lot more approachable.[/quote]
I understand your reluctance to destroy a high-stat, fully developed character. However, it’s clear to me that some of the SMEN challenges likely will be impossible for a new character, so you’re going to have to develop your new character some just to manage to destroy it.
[quote=dov][quote=An Individual]I do think you should start boosting Seeking with UP as quickly as possible because it you can only get one point a week. I’ve been passing a starveling cat around to boost it.[/quote]If you have a starveling cat, then I’d also make it a priority to unlock the Flit (can be done for free with Shadowy 50, or by bribing your way even earlier) and gain some "Embroiled in the wars of Illusion", since the starveling cat option under Bats and Cats gives 3 levels of UP.
edited by dov on 6/24/2016[/quote]
That’s priority number 2. But without the ability to lower UP after boosting it those black cards will ruin your day so the Labyrinth is priority 1.
It actually has more to do with the fate locked things I’d have to purchase again in the process of rebuilding. There’s also things like wanting to complete my ambition and it being my account with EF and I’d like to keep it around to do Exceptional Stories. I actually have another alt that is high stated and is working fairly quickly through Seeking but I plan for it to turn around at the last moment to see what kind of life it can live after the fact.
I’m not worried about developing the new character just to destroy it. In fact, seeing how quickly I can get it from 0 to oblivion is part of the fun. Especially without the use of fate.
That’s priority number 2. But without the ability to lower UP after boosting it those black cards will ruin your day so the Labyrinth is priority 1.[/quote] Most (though not all) of the UP black cards have options which reduce UP without a real cost.
[quote=An Individual]It actually has more to do with the fate locked things I’d have to purchase again in the process of rebuilding.[/quote]Absolutely. Not to mention Kickstarter specific items (e.g. Parabolan Panther) that can’t be repurchased anyway, even if one is OK with paying Fate again for the same content for a new character.
I think definitely two biggest obstacles for my Seeking Alt are going to be getting into the Cave of the Nadir and getting a boat. Both of those were seriously challenging on my main, and it sounds like I’ll need each of those for a candle.
Is knowledge of the correspondence needed, or just a relatively cheap way to boost SMEN?
[quote=Ian Hart]I think definitely two biggest obstacles for my Seeking Alt are going to be getting into the Cave of the Nadir and getting a boat. Both of those were seriously challenging on my main, and it sounds like I’ll need each of those for a candle.
Is knowledge of the correspondence needed, or just a relatively cheap way to boost SMEN?[/quote]
I’m actually most worried about that 12 Notability candle. BDR sources aren’t that abundant and that much Making Waves is extremely difficult to generate. I’m crossing my fingers that the Torment destiny still exists at Hallowmas and I’ll get the opportunity to skip that step.
True, but you can also pass a Starveling Cat around to boost UP. While I think the Labyrinth is the better option it isn’t a run away winner and both are important. My real hope is that I’ll manage to unlock both options before it becomes an issue (which means I’ve got about a week).
Interesting. If you succeed in taking one of your characters to the brink of destruction and then pulling back at the last possible action, drop me a PM; I’d love to see how the rebuilding process would go! edited by cathyr19355 on 6/24/2016
True, but you can also pass a Starveling Cat around to boost UP. While I think the Labyrinth is the better option it isn’t a run away winner and both are important. My real hope is that I’ll manage to unlock both options before it becomes an issue (which means I’ve got about a week).[/quote]
One thing that can help is just keeeping A Restorative in your hand. It’s standard frequency so it should be available once or twice a week depending on how often you play.
Also, while it may not be relevant to you, anyone trying to manage UP and with Mahogany Hall unlocked can also utilize Pygmalion: the Louche Devil has an option that drops it by 3.
Yeah, I’m currently banking on taking Torment at the Fruit of the Zee or Hallowmas, since I’m currently increasing SMEN by the Marsh Mired route, I expect I’ll get it with time to spare. If they removed that, it’ll be a huge wrench in my plans.
It actually has more to do with the fate locked things I’d have to purchase again in the process of rebuilding. There’s also things like wanting to complete my ambition and it being my account with EF and I’d like to keep it around to do Exceptional Stories. I actually have another alt that is high stated and is working fairly quickly through Seeking but I plan for it to turn around at the last moment to see what kind of life it can live after the fact.
I’m not worried about developing the new character just to destroy it. In fact, seeing how quickly I can get it from 0 to oblivion is part of the fun. Especially without the use of fate.[/quote]
Very much this. In fact, I would prefer to destroy my main character (or my alts, which I treat the same as my main character except for no Exceptional Friendship).
However, I simply cannot afford to repurchase all that Fate-locked material, and I want to keep playing the game while benefitting from those monetary purchases. I’m fairly poor in Real Life, so those purchases have more meaning than they might otherwise.
Would be even more so if I had unique Kickstarter rewards which have never yet been put up for ordinary purchase, even for end-game players. (I wonder if certain older players will go Seek if they are put up for purchase…)
Because you can only get one of the candles in a way that ALSO gives you obscurity, and because obscurity can never be removed, you will never have notability even if you retreat at the door and come away with the knock?
Because you’ll ne’er have notability, you won’t be able to get back your profession, your tattoo, or your destiny?
That’s up to 5 points of BDR lost, and the knock is only 4, so it only means a 3 point gain in position, but it’s a 2 point overall loss?
If I could overcome obscurity, I think I’d be willing to seek.
If feels strange to have only one thing between me and madness…
Because you can only get one of the candles in a way that ALSO gives you obscurity, and because obscurity can never be removed, you will never have notability even if you retreat at the door and come away with the knock?
Because you’ll ne’er have notability, you won’t be able to get back your profession, your tattoo, or your destiny?
That’s up to 5 points of BDR lost, and the knock is only 4, so it only means a 3 point gain in position, but it’s a 2 point overall loss?
If I could overcome obscurity, I think I’d be willing to seek.
If feels strange to have only one thing between me and madness…[/quote]
You’re talking about St Erzulie’s candle, for which it is possible to
cheat and obtain it without paying the price of Obscurity thanks to hand-wavey Nadir Irrigo magic..
As a result, it’s possible (albeit still unwise) to go all the way without ever paying a permanent price that you can’t recuperate from. We don’t actually know what turning back at the Gate does, though. We’re all just assuming it gives you the Sevenfold Knock and deposits you back home, Free of the Name.
Having been rather badly burned on my connections when I raised UP too high, I’ll agree - Seeking probably shouldn’t be pursued seriously until you have a Labyrinth of Tigers route.