So I have the requirements to pick up the "Enforcer" profession, but I need the right faction card to do it, if I understand correctly. Do I need to be drawing cards somewhere in particular to get the card I need, or just wait until it pops? I can’t "arrange a meeting" because I lack Favourable Circumstances.
No, all faction cards can appear in all locations. With patience, you’ll get it.
Are all your stats at 70 or better? If not, it is well to keep a training profession to raise any stat lacking. For this check, equipment does NOT apply.
I found out recently, btw, that so long as you don’t cash in your Earnest of Payment, it will apply to the profession you have at the time you do cash it, which effectively gives you a bit south of two weeks to change professions (the Earnests don’t stack).
– Mal
[quote=malthaussen]Are all your stats at 70 or better? If not, it is well to keep a training profession to raise any stat lacking. For this check, equipment does NOT apply.
I found out recently, btw, that so long as you don’t cash in your Earnest of Payment, it will apply to the profession you have at the time you do cash it, which effectively gives you a bit south of two weeks to change professions (the Earnests don’t stack).
– Mal[/quote]
Not yet… but the one that IS over 70 has nothing to do with my starter profession… I’m starting to tire of the same successes over and over… I learn very little from successes at this point… I get more from higher level failures so I want to make a few jumps… finding profitable storylines seems WAAAAAY more valuable then waiting around for my "profession" to pay off once a week…
I mean, this isn’t a "log in and ignore the game for weeks" kinda game, is it?
At this point I get cards that pay off at a pittance, cards I can’t actually use, and nightmares… LOTS of nightmares… currently have 5 different recurring dreams going at once…
But the cards you draw and the stories you can play are based on your stats, not your profession. So all you can do is keep plugging away at the stories. The second-tier areas (Flit, Shuttered Palace, etc) have more lucrative stories than the starting ones, but of course the stat checks are harder as well.
How is your equipment? A little +15 worth of stuff (it all stacks) can make life easier.
Got Nightmares? In addition to asking other players to help out, if you can access the Shuttered Palace, taking some art lessons will lower them (of course, you still have to pass the stat check). Buy and equip a Cheerful Goldfish to drop them one point (the card that starts turning up at 5 Nightmares is a pain in the butt).
You can change your Training profession at will in your Lodgings. Write a letter to resign, then you’ll have the option to pick another.
And it is pretty much exactly the opposite of "log in and ignore the game." It’s more "Log in and grind every day." Yeah, you will repeat the same things over and over… and over, but there is always something new and cool around the corner.
– Mal
edited by malthaussen on 11/25/2015
edited by malthaussen on 11/25/2015
If you are learning very little from successes, then I’d advise keeping things at “low risk” difficulty (81-90% I believe). That gives 2 CP per success at a relatively high probability.
If you need to reduce your stats to hit that, then get a Talkative Rattus Faber and mix and match gear until you hit the desired stat level.
[quote=malthaussen]But the cards you draw and the stories you can play are based on your stats, not your profession. So all you can do is keep plugging away at the stories. The second-tier areas (Flit, Shuttered Palace, etc) have more lucrative stories than the starting ones, but of course the stat checks are harder as well.
How is your equipment? A little +15 worth of stuff (it all stacks) can make life easier.
Got Nightmares? In addition to asking other players to help out, if you can access the Shuttered Palace, taking some art lessons will lower them (of course, you still have to pass the stat check). Buy and equip a Cheerful Goldfish to drop them one point (the card that starts turning up at 5 Nightmares is a pain in the butt).
You can change your Training profession at will in your Lodgings. Write a letter to resign, then you’ll have the option to pick another.
And it is pretty much exactly the opposite of "log in and ignore the game." It’s more "Log in and grind every day." Yeah, you will repeat the same things over and over… and over, but there is always something new and cool around the corner.
– Mal
edited by malthaussen on 11/25/2015
edited by malthaussen on 11/25/2015[/quote]
No access to Shuttered Palace… and I don’t have much in the way of equipment… a few things I’ve found… and a few purchased… but I don’t know what it’s OK to sell… and have frequently been advised not to buy… :shrug:
It’s just that RL has been so overwhelming stressful over the past few months (and the holidays are a stress-doubler), so I need a RELAXING game… struggling to find one…
But I still don’t see the real advantage to the starter professions… what do they do other than give a weekly bonus?
The game tend to slow down around 70~100 - consider finding some partners to power level your stats with social actions and ignore the story if you really don’t enjoy managing menaces.
Christmas should helps a lot with the power boost you gain from Christmas cards, too.
The beginning professions all give 250 points of stats - while a patron can grant you 70 points per lesson, so it is just something to push you through lower levels.
edited by Estelle Knoht on 11/25/2015
I’ve gotten caught in that slog to - and I also switched to a Tier 2 profession as early as posdible. So I completely sympathize with being impatient with the system of Tier 1 options. I’ve only ever gone straight upwards (Watcher-Agent-Midnighter) on my professions so while it may not be efficient it’s not going to hamper you in the longest run. I’ve played the game for a little over a year now, and discounting the strange effects of the new trackers, my stats are all in the 160’s or higher and I’ve not bought that much equipment.
It may be worth seeing if you can find a storylet you can safely fail without gaining menaces. I remember that for me, there was a great situation where 1) I had an almost impossible chance of succeeding on a Dangerous check (since at that point I had almost not increased my dangerous at all) and 2)the story’s granted actual cash on the fail result. I gained a ton of CP and some cash until I succeeded at it.
Lastly, have you considered sending out menace rediction requests? I’d be happy to repay the favors done to me.
I’m very sorry to hear that John, I hope things get much better soon.
Recurring dream cards are good though aren’t they? For things like Stormy-eyed- they’re a lot of fun to read anyway. (Well not so much the one on the boat where my hands burnt off…)
Again it depends very much on your out-look and why you are playing. For me the story and setting is the most important and to try my best to role-play with some amazing people. All the Menace +8 locations look so much fun to read and a of lot work must have gone into making them. So I’m happy to spend my actions there. Bring on Parabola Base-Camp! - and only Newgate is permanently bad game-play-wise to visit to much - correct? Its not a game you can lose, which as my Sunless Sea captains will tell you, is very fortuitous :)
There are options to trade in your dream qualities for yummies later on! (Mostly after you become a PoSI, though.) Some options on the dream cards also actually reduce nightmares rather than increase them… Uh, if one is lucky, at least. (If you need any nightmare reduction, feel free to contact me too.) Also, I too enjoy reading the cards!
I think there are some good items that are worth investing in. Some of the cheaper pieces are actually best-in-slot for some stats. The Pair of Masterwork Dancing Slippers immediately come to mind. Also, some items are needed for future storylets: an Exceptional Hat and Battered Grey Overcoat will be handy in Polythreme, for example, if one is a completionist.
edited by Sestina Valdis on 11/25/2015
I’ll be honest. I didn’t pursue dream cards until I was a POSI and certainly not when they didn’t autofire (You do know that the autofire cards are red, and they won’t cost an action if you’re at 0 actions, right? I didn’t know that for a really really long time). I learned that the hard way early on, when about half of your deck is nightmare and you’ve no easy way to deal with them (Oh hey, she left me a goldfish! It’s the greatest thing! It’s just what I needed! Waaaaay more excitement about this than I care to admit now)
10 rostygold to the Church and siding with the Urchins can help with nightmares. And you can always play Roulette with the refreshment tent.