I am about to select my first minister at the Court of the Wakeful Eye. I realize that I can "buy" multiple ministers but since I plan to do other things for a while, this will be my only minister for quite a long time. Which minister do you recommend I select? I suppose the decision should be based on two factors. First - how much you need the boost in main stats or BDR. Second - how useful and how difficult it is to obtain the 62.5 echo items that each minister can provide.
Minister of War: +10 Dangerous, +1 dreaded, gives 1 primaeval hint for 20 tribute
Minister of Enigmas: +10 Shadowy, +1 bizarre, gives 1 searing enigma for 20 tribute
Minister of Culture: +10 Persuasive, +1 respectable, gives 1 night whisper for 20 tribute
Minister of State Affairs: +10 Watchful, +1 respectable, gives 5 favors in high places for 20 tribute
Each player will have to consider their own stats for the first factor. I would like your help with the second factor.
Which of the four items is the most useful and difficult to obtain? I have mostly ruled out the favors in high places. While they seem to have a lot of uses, they also seem reasonably easy to obtain at Port Carnelian and other places. I have 11 already. Their 12.5 echo value would seem to indicate they are easier to obtain than the 62.5 echo items. I have 7 searing enigmas but can’t remember where they all came from. I have 0 primaeval hints and remember it was a lot of work obtaining just one to open my own university lab by getting antique mysteries and upgrading so I am leaning that way. I have yet to encounter any night whispers nor has one been required.
However, I do not know what is coming. My next planned steps are to go on scientific expeditions at zee and to do more research in my lab. I have only done the first two "beginner" research projects.
Do you have any recommendation on which minister to select? Thanks.
You can continue to acquire an infinite amount of the same items with Tribute after grabbing each minister, so this single choice isn’t too significant.
That said, Night-Whispers have a couple things you might want to be aware of if you’re not already: first, they can be traded in at the Rat Market on certain weeks for an extra 22.5 Echoes profit on top of their base value. Second, they are needed for getting extra pails of lacre at Christmas. edited by hwoosh on 11/25/2021 edited by hwoosh on 11/25/2021
Searing Enigmas are straightforward to obtain in the Underclay. Favours in High Places are not difficult to come by.
Between Night-Whispers and Primeval Hints, the latter might be a little harder to obtain, but the former are distinctly more useful because of the Rat-Market. In your position I would favour a Night-Whisper source. You will eventually have sources for both in the Railway, but they are difficult to obtain reliably before then.
[quote=hwoosh]You can continue to acquire an infinite amount of the same items with Tribute after grabbing each minister, so this single choice isn’t too significant.
That said, Night-Whispers have a couple things you might want to be aware of if you’re not already: first, they can be traded in at the Rat Market on certain weeks for an extra 22.5 Echoes profit on top of their base value. Second, they are needed for getting extra pails of lacre at Christmas. edited by hwoosh on 11/25/2021[/quote]
Can you get more than two ministers? I have War, so far.
[quote=Vinish]I am about to select my first minister at the Court of the Wakeful Eye. …
Minister of War: +10 Dangerous, +1 dreaded, gives 1 primaeval hint for 20 tribute
Minister of Enigmas: +10 Shadowy, +1 bizarre, gives 1 searing enigma for 20 tribute
Minister of Culture: +10 Persuasive, +1 respectable, gives 1 night whisper for 20 tribute
Minister of State Affairs: +10 Watchful, +1 respectable, gives 5 favors in high places for 20 tribute
Which of the four items is the most useful and difficult to obtain? …
However, I do not know what is coming. My next planned steps are to go on scientific expeditions at zee and to do more research in my lab. I have only done the first two "beginner" research projects.
Do you have any recommendation on which minister to select? Thanks.[/quote]
WHAT is your ambition? I needed night whispers for Vake hunting and found that quite a hard grind. My Light Fingered alt is in need of primeval hints, and it is very frustrating that forgotten quarter expedition rewards for the shrine are random.
Thanks for the info, folks. My ambition is Light Fingers and I am at step/level 50 - Search in the University for Dr. Vaughan. Yes, you can have more than one minister. The first minister costs only 80 tribute while each successive minister costs an additional 240 tribute. edited by Vinish on 11/26/2021
Well, I went with the Minister of War: +10 Dangerous, +1 dreaded, gives 1 primaeval hint for 20 tribute. My reason for selecting that minister is the need for some more dreaded stat and the suggestion by Bluestocking that my ambition needed primaeval hints. Thanks to everyone for your thoughts on this issue.
Thanks. I don’t know how I got the impression you could only have 2. Anyway, I’m in no hurry, I’m much more interested right now in grinding Antique Mysteries. I want that room at the Royal Beth!