Herein is the weekly thread for short questions which require answers for this, the week of our lord beginning the 18th of July.
As I’m building a Zubmarine, I have to assemble a variety of hard-to-get items.
While Ostentatious Diamonds, Correspondence Plaques, Whirring Contraptions and Strong-Backed Labour are expensive, they’re still pretty straightforward to get. However, I also need 6 magnificent diamonds for my Bejeweled Lenses. Can you please advise, what would be the fastest way to get them?
I assumed that I’ll use bulk purchase of flawed diamonds and hope for rare successes, but that’s rather… unreliable. Any better ways?
edited by Wojciech on 7/18/2016
the usually recommended way to get magnificent diamonds is to start racking up a lot of favors with the Criminals. after you max at 7, wait for the implausible penance card, take the big final 7 favor option (pugilism and politics) and if you don’t betray the criminals then you should get a magnificent diamond. your best bet to make this grind as fast as possible is to optimize your source of criminals favors (getting the connected pet, getting a gang of hoodlums, etc)
now, as for the FASTEST way, there might be some fate option somewhere, but i don’t know about it
Great advice, thank you. I have the Gang, and I’m sure I can get a pet… Can you please also elaborate on the "etc" which might help to generate favours?
edited by Wojciech on 7/18/2016
This is harder than it used to be, because you can no longer free transfer Docks connections to Supplies (the Favours are efficient but harder to come by). but you can also go on the thieves cache expeditions for diamonds: it’s random but has a solid 20% chance of obtaining 2 Magnificant Diamonds from A Wooden Mask? You’ll need a criminal Favour to start it.
Wojciech, congratulations on becoming a Person of Some Importance and good luck with your first serious grind. If you are still beginning the process to collect the rest of the materials, just remember to go through your deck while working on the dramatic tension “carousels.” Not only you maximise your chances to draw the cards you need (the “Visit” card, and specifically the Repentant Forger option, also gives a Criminal favour), but the new storylets are a nice respite from the endless grind. If you’re almost done and you’re only missing the diamonds, you should probably start grinding expeditions. Best source of supplies are strong-backed labour (yes, the same dramatic tension grind) and dock favours. Note the the Thieves Cache expedition mentioned by Parelle uses up a Criminal Favour, so it makes you less flexible. The alternative, the Shrine of the Deep Heaven, is twice as long. Hopefully, at this point your Watchful is high enough to automatically succeed in the “bold approach” checks during the expedition.
[quote=Wojciech]Great advice, thank you. I have the Gang, and I’m sure I can get a pet… Can you please also elaborate on the "etc" which might help to generate favours?
edited by Wojciech on 7/18/2016[/quote]
Here’s a solid list of ways to get criminal Favours: community.failbettergames.com/topic22266-storylet-favors-grinding.aspx#post141909
I was finally able to get Soul Trade and become a great Shepherd, but the certain card cures my nightmares as well. As I want to draw The Interpreter of Dreams card, I was wondering what actions increase nightmares on success, but also provide a decent benefit.
I’m Seeking Curious in the FQ, but are there any other options?
EDIT: Or are there any beneficial actions that provide a lot of menaces(like A Public Lecture)? Would seem great to take full advantage of the card.
edited by Skinnyman on 7/19/2016
I am grinding Antique Mysteries in order to purchase reservation at Royal Beth, but my current way (Stealing them from Feducci) doesn’t look like particularly efficient route. Any advices on that?
Stealing from Feducci may not be fast, but it is efficient relative to other options. If you’ve a high tolerance for risk, you could play the Fidgeting Writer storyline, which theoretically takes fewer actions on average but has a high variance.
I am notoriously bad at Fidgeting Writer. I know about the option, but my atrocious luck is not of help there. Slow and steady, is it, then.
how much lacre is in a vial of tears of the bazaar, would you think?
I’ve heard that Tears of the Bazaar have a 1/5th chance of burning up, and if this is correct then you can probably expect about 6 levels on average.
There’s also the option to invest a trade secret (for mysteries).
edited by Meradine Heidenreich on 7/20/2016
Sorry, wrong question- how much volume, from the description, do you think the vials of tears hold each? I’m wondering if it’s, say, 1 fluid ounce a vial- in which case, i have 1/4th of a gallon- or 4 fluid ounces, as a google of the smallest standard flask size claims to be- or 2 fluid ounces, or 8.
I want enough to drown a master, and i’m wondering how much i’d need to dilute it.
something like that, i mean.
edited by Grenem on 7/20/2016
That’s indeed what the game instructions say (1 in five chance).
Of course, when I’ve recently used Tears to raise my Melancholy (for Seeking), I’ve lost 2 Tears in 3 attempts. It seemed to be thematically fitting…
That’s indeed what the game instructions say (1 in five chance).
Of course, when I’ve recently used Tears to raise my Melancholy (for Seeking), I’ve lost 2 Tears in 3 attempts. It seemed to be thematically fitting…[/quote]
losing 2 tears in two attempts is 1-in-25, given those numbers. losing 2-or-more in three attempts is 4-in-25. RNG screwing is pretty common because of things like this.
[quote=Grenem][quote=dov]That’s indeed what the game instructions say (1 in five chance).
Of course, when I’ve recently used Tears to raise my Melancholy (for Seeking), I’ve lost 2 Tears in 3 attempts. It seemed to be thematically fitting…[/quote]
losing 2 tears in two attempts is 1-in-25, given those numbers. losing 2-or-more in three attempts is 4-in-25. RNG screwing is pretty common because of things like this.[/quote]
Oh, absolutely. It’s quite possible to lose more Tears than you hope for in such a small number of attempts. The RNG gives and the RNG takes away.
As I noted, since I used the Tears for Seeking, it somehow felt "appropriate" to lose more Tears than the expected 1 in 5.
Sorry, wrong question- how much volume, from the description, do you think the vials of tears hold each? I’m wondering if it’s, say, 1 fluid ounce a vial- in which case, i have 1/4th of a gallon- or 4 fluid ounces, as a google of the smallest standard flask size claims to be- or 2 fluid ounces, or 8.
I want enough to drown a master, and i’m wondering how much i’d need to dilute it.
something like that, i mean.
edited by Grenem on 7/20/2016[/quote]
77 is usually enough, if that doesn’t work, make sure you have 777 around you just in case someone decides they don’t want to die, and is it just drowning a Master or will there be more? We need more information! (And for the love of God make sure Veils suffers somehow too).
Out of curiosity, I was wondering if anyone here had any idea when the next renown update will be rolling around?