Zee-Voyages

Neat! I was beginning to think those Tomb-Colonists were just scribbling random lines on a napkin and chuckling every time they wanted something from me.

&quotBetter boats:&quot There’s a bit of a delicate balance right now, and I think that attempts to change it would be difficult to balance.
Steamer - cheap
Clipper - expensive, most useful option when zailing
Yacht - expensive, most useful option when not zailing
Zubmarine - expensive, a little useful when zailing, a little useful when not zailing.
edited by Theus on 7/23/2015

When you say “better boats”, I just hear “Zubmarine”.

Not particularly exciting mechanics-wise, you say? True, because that would be trying too hard. You don’t need to show off when you’re a Zubmarine, you’re already awesome.

Also, hurrah for zailing changes! Let the mass exodus from London to all points Archipelago commence!

I am a bit curious now…How is the zubmarine useful out of the Zailing? I know it has a point of bizarre, but it is outclassed by the yacht. I have contemplated long and hard about scuttling my Zubmarine in favor a yach because of that, but I just can’t bring myself to do it. It is a Submarine made for the Zea that I built from scratch! How in the Neath could I possibly let go of such a thing?

Apologies, I am a little obsessed with my ship and seemed to wondered off my point: How is the Zubmarine useful outside of zailing, again?
edited by Koenig on 7/23/2015

This is probably why the Yacht was called &quotmost useful option when not zailing&quot and the zub &quota little useful when not zailing&quot. +1 Bizzare is still much more than the Clipper or the Steamer give you when not zailing ;)

If you’re only out to optimize your stats, the Yacht will work better. But I sense a hint of attachment for that most intriguing vessel on the waves or under them. I zail in my Zubmarine not because it helps me be more Notable, but because it helps me be more me.
edited by The Dark Gentleman on 7/23/2015

I see. I sympathize with The Dark Gentleman in this regards, though I do wish there was a way to augment my Zubmarine to be more useful.

Just headed out to Zee on an alt, and I’d like to thank you very much for making the storylet to hunt the Seal stay visible even when you have enough Approaching to reach your destination. That’ll make getting Seals less troublesome. :)

Thank you so much for the new monster hunter content! Can’t wait to try my harpoon!

Well, rather than changing the existing boats, hand size would probably correspond to new content, or re-purposed old content. White Glim Telescope, An Experienced Zailor, or perhaps fantastic new boat upgrades, buyable in Polythreme or the Blue Bazaar, or earned through new quests.

This is so cool! :D All these changes are really very neat indeed.

The ‘less than a single candle’ thing is very nice! Largely the reason I don’t zail more often is the repetition problem for little payout, and this solves most of that immediately. Being able to actually use maps is also great. I also think the three-card infinite deck is a good choice for the Zee.

I, too, am excited about monster hunter content! I chose that on my alt for entertainment value despite all advice saying it was non-optimal BUT WHO IS LAUGHING NOW (it is me)

I would like to chime in against that idea. It seems like changing your ship would require a lot of work, as opposed to the relatively simple changing of lodgings.

Errrr… guys… I’m not gonna lie I don’t want to bring this up… but if you use all your cards in London, go Zail, and then head back to London, it refills your deck. I’m assuming it’s due to the no draw limit, which I want to keep, but I’d asssme it’s explotiive. Also, you can probably get plated seals easier just by drawing cards till you get to Troubled Waters 10.

I dunno; I can’t imagine wanting to use up a bunch of actions to get a free deck refresh. Maybe if the Plated Seal grind becomes economy breaking it’ll need addressing, but that would probably involve lowering the echo value of the rewards rather than eliminating the unlimited deck.

Being a zee-zoul by nature I welcome the fresh breeze of change. Though I do not understand half of this breeze - I’ve only been aboard once. And I was a passenger. And everything swayed. And the food tasted of Wolfstack. Not to say the crew were the kind of gentlemen I would otherwise rather not meet without a horsed constable squad. But that’s not the point.

The point is I’m now finding means to lure a yacht into my adventure-yearning hands. The process of luring is (if not outright painfully slow) a bit of an unhurried business. All the greater the voyage itself will be quick. But that’s what frightened me and prompted to write.

&quotYacht - expensive, most useful option when not zailing&quot.

What do you mean &quotnot zailing&quot?! I was promised a zailing vessel! Well, maybe it was not pronounced that way, but that was strongly implied. And I was promised some comfort. And probably even one of those apples still rolling somewhere around the deck. I hope that comfort and that b____y apple that enticed me into this whole business are not just a pier-bound laughing stock of a hotel? There are journies to far-away lands expecting this ship to be strong. And there are storms and dangers waiting to put it to proper test.

So, my question to the seasoned zailors is: if I’m a zee-oriented person, does it mean I should opt for the Clipper instead?
edited by Happy Londoner on 7/24/2015
edited by Happy Londoner on 7/24/2015
edited by Happy Londoner on 7/24/2015
edited by Happy Londoner on 7/24/2015
edited by Happy Londoner on 7/24/2015

The Yacht is a fine vessel for zailing. You can host parties while you’re waiting to arrive at your destination, and the storage space is excellent - you certainly won’t be wanting for food when the zee gets rough.

If you aren’t familiar with some of the following terms:

Approaching Journey’s End is progress towards your destination at zee. You want to raise this.

Troubled Waters is the zeeborne Menace. If it rises significantly, your available opportunity cards change for the worse. If it rises to 10, you can no longer sail from the Southern Archipelago to the Sea of Voices, or vice versa (you have to make port and set out again, or reduce it); furthermore, you will draw very hazardous cards, including some that can reset all your progress on that trip.
The particular levels are 1-7, &quotCalm Seas&quot, 8-9, &quotLashing Waves&quot, and 10+, &quotFury of the Unterzee&quot.

The rundown of benefits is that each ship has a different amount of BDR, a unique opportunity card at zee, and additional options on three other zee cards (two in the Broad Unterzee and one in the Sea of Voices). BDR is useful when for acquiring large amounts of Notability (if you attempt to max it out, maxing your BDR is all but required.)

The specifics are as follows:

[spoiler]The Zee-clipper provides no BDR, but its opportunity card gives a very significant amount of Approaching Journey’s End – other than paying Fate, it’s the fastest option for traversing the zee. It also has options on one Lashing Waves card in each area (i.e. one in the Southern Archipelago and one in the Sea of Voices) which guarantees progress and a small reduction in Troubled Waters, and it has an option on a Fury of the Unterzee card which effectively guarantees success on the luck check that owners of other ships have to make on it.

The Zubmarine provides one point of Bizarre. Bizarre is harder to come by than Respectable or Dreaded but has few uses other than Notability, which only cares about how much BDR you have total. Its opportunity card makes relatively little progress but is a guaranteed reduction of Troubled Waters. It has an additional option on one Lashing Waves card in each area which reduces Troubled Waters and gives a small payout (between 0.65-1.00 Echoes), and an option on one card (which doesn’t require any particular level of Troubled Waters) in the Southern Archipelago that bypasses the luck check.

The Yacht provides two points of Respectable. Respectable is very easy to come by on other gear, but as with Bizarre, there are relatively few checks against that stat specifically. Its opportunity card gives you a token amount of progress and no reduction of Troubled Waters, but it does give you a significant payout (1.62 Echoes and 1 CP of Persuasive). It has an additional option on one Calm Seas card in each area; the one in the Sea of Voices gives a standard amount of progress and Troubled Waters reduction, while the one in the Southern Archipelago is actually hazardous – it increases your Scandal, Hedonist, and Troubled Waters, decreases Austere, and gives no progress, but does pay out 2.90 Echoes and is one of the few ways to acquire Secluded Addresses. It also has a luck-check-bypassing option on one Fury of the Unterzee card.[/spoiler]

(edited for readability and for a few errors)
edited by Jeremy Avalon on 7/24/2015

Thank you, lady Hysaro. And thank you, sir Avalon. Especially for the specs: they highlight the important points while not giving away any content. That’s precious. I can see they call you Ludologist for a reason!

On the one hand, Clipper is best-equipped for a zailing life of hardship, but on the other hand - where is comfort to it? And where is style?

The Zubmarine is out of this casting. There is something bizzare about it. Even eerie. And it’s dangerous. What if it, you know, goes zub? Right there, in the neathiest parts? With a conventional vessel you at least have hope… But this zub-thing makes me think of something very silent and very inevitable. But I’d even put up with that. If not for its abominable looks. What do they think I am to offer this… one to me - a revolutioner? A zpy?

No, that won’t do. The Tigers won’t care as much as to spit in my direction if I arrive on anything other than a yacht. And what would the people say? Now that’s the sure thing. I’ll keep working on the stake. I should arrive with grace. And again – that apple stirs my curiosity…
edited by Happy Londoner on 7/24/2015

Hmm did my casing not reset when I went to Zee? I think I kept my casing.

I would like to chime in against that idea. It seems like changing your ship would require a lot of work, as opposed to the relatively simple changing of lodgings.[/quote]
If they ever do decide to tie hand size on the zea to your ship, all ships would likely be given one. I highly doubt we would have to get an entirely new ship for it.