RandomWalker
Posts: 948
12/9/2013
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Hi Everyone, I'm relatively new to the game and hope that you can help me.
I'm currently working on becoming POSI and need to get my watchful up. I also want to get Scholar of the Correspondence because the lack of that is blocking a lot of stuff I want to do.
I've done six successful expeditions (three thieve's catches, three of the deep blue heaven), but my Watchful skill is not high enough for me to have a good chance of doing any of the others. (Base Watchful is 70, 96 with items). Each expedition is costing me a fortune in actions (I use romance actions in the palace to get whispers, turn whispers into resources, so each expedition costs me about a 150 to 200 actions, and nets an insult in terms of value of return.
Is there a better way to do it?
I tried boosting Watchful by getting staff for the expedition, but failures in that boosted progress of other archaeologists, and I can't see any way to reduce that progress. I presume I'm making future expeditions harder for myself.
I also tried other watchful activities, but they all gave nightmares on failure, and getting rid of nightmares costs a large number of actions too.
My persuasion has gone from 100 to 115 to get my Watchful up five measly points. There must be a better way. What am I missing? Can anyone help?
Incidentally, am I right in saying that I need to get to the Tomb of the Seven to progress the scholar of the correspondence line, and that the rivals have a 50% chance of making progress no matter what you do?
Thanks in advance for your help and advice.
(edited to correct number of expeditions done)
edited by RandomWalker on 12/9/2013
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EmilyAriel
Posts: 124
12/9/2013
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I did the Tomb of the Seven at about the same level of Watchful as you did without any problems. There are a few airs-based events that show up that give you free progress, without anything for your rivals... obviously there's some luck to it, but even if you only get one or two they are still a big help. I try to have about 150% of the required supplies whenever I go on an expedition.
For getting secrets, I like to just spam everything in Seeking Curios in the Forgotten Quarter. You'll probably end up in the Mirror-Marshes a few times, unfortunately, but Investigate the Darker Corners gives you something like 150-200 secrets, and Wander the Quarter and See the Sights both give Eyeless Skulls on a rare success, which you'll need at least one of.
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Gillsing
Posts: 1203
12/9/2013
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RandomWalker wrote:
I also tried other watchful activities, but they all gave nightmares on failure, and getting rid of nightmares costs a large number of actions too. Have you tried "Meeting the Topsy King" in the Flit? Watchful 96 should give you 86% chance to get 66 x Whispered Secret and Watchful +2 CP, and a 14% risk of only getting Watchful +1 CP, 4 x Cryptic Clue and Nightmares +1 CP. That's how I got a lot of my pre-Scholar of the Correspondence expedition supplies. Do you have Connected: Urchins 5+ and Connected: The Widow 5+ so you can draw the "A familiar face by the school railings" card and side with the Urchins for Nightmares -3 CP? That's how I avoided having to buy laudanum. But you can buy laudanum! It's quite effective before you're a PoSI. You can rob the drunk, anonymous wretch in Spite if you're somehow out of money to pay for laudanum. Can't take that many Actions, can it?
RandomWalker wrote:
Incidentally, am I right in saying that I need to get to the Tomb of the Seven to progress the scholar of the correspondence line, and that the rivals have a 50% chance of making progress no matter what you do? Apparently there's a dream card that can give you a Scholar of the Correspondence 1, but it's rare enough that I didn't wait long enough for it. And if you go with "A cautious approach" you should only increase Rivals' progress every sixth action on average. So even without "A sign?" or two you should be fine for 30 Actions, since your Rivals' progress should only reach 6 or so. Further information on this subject can be found in this thread, some of it provided by yours truly.
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lady ciel
Posts: 2548
12/11/2013
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Notability is POSI and used to upgrade your profession, you can also use it to boost your stats or get a surprise package (bundle of oddities)
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ciel
Sorry RL means I am not a very active player at the moment. No social actions unless you are prepared to wait and definitely no sparring or other mult-action things.
No Calling Cards or boxed cats please. Will take dupes on the affluent photographers. Other social invitations welcome. Parabolan Kittens usually available, send me an in-game social action saying you want one and I will get one to you as soon as possible.
storynexus name - reveurciel
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Andrea Serafini
Posts: 169
12/11/2013
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MAking waves has fundamentally 2 uses:
1) Notability, notability, notability. In order to have 3rd, 4th, or (in future) 5th tier professions, you need to have a certain amount of notability. To convert mw to notability, you need the card of the slowcake amanuensis, or have mw15 and call it from your lodgings. I would advice you to have Bizarre, Dreaded and Respectable as high as possible (i would say, at least 12-13 if you wish 3rd tier, 16+ if you wish 4th tier)
2) A second (distant) use is to Laugh off your scandal. You need mw 15, and scandal will drop to 0. (together with a huge loss of mw). I advice to use this one only if you gain mw "incidentally", as in the court or because you need second chanches. Otherwise, you need a lot less action to drop it from 7.7 to 0 "normally" than to grow your mw to 15.
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Mizr Edlaine Saphburgh, the Prothean Neologist
Per aspera, sic itur ad astra
(i.e. I'd really love to patron new and seasoned Londoneers, or help them in any other way possible.
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lady ciel
Posts: 2548
12/11/2013
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Most BDR comes from POSI items which you will find in your expanded inventory as you get them. Then there are some clothing, weapons and pets that give 1 or more BDR points.
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ciel
Sorry RL means I am not a very active player at the moment. No social actions unless you are prepared to wait and definitely no sparring or other mult-action things.
No Calling Cards or boxed cats please. Will take dupes on the affluent photographers. Other social invitations welcome. Parabolan Kittens usually available, send me an in-game social action saying you want one and I will get one to you as soon as possible.
storynexus name - reveurciel
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Dr. Hieronymous Alloy
Posts: 228
12/9/2013
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You don't need to worry about rival's progress or failures while "getting staff for the expedition" except within a particular expedition. You're not making things harder long term, just failing a check.
Never buy supplies with echoes. The math works out such that as long as you're doing the better expeditions, you'll *on average* make cash if you buy supplies with secrets, but will have to get very lucky to make $$ if you spend echoes.
I wouldn't worry too much about the Thieve's Cache once you've gotten your Archeologist score high enough to do other expeditions.
I'd recommend grinding this way: http://community.failbettergames.com/topic4344-grinding-watchful-and-persuasive.aspx#post39505
Use that system there to grind watchful and with patience you'll make decent cash and get your watchful up to a decent score, while also getting various other things you need for grinding in the forgotten quarter. If you also run the Deranged Medium quest through the Implacable Detective's Business Card, going to the nightmare-land will also turn into a way to make $$$ rather than a simple loss of actions.
edited by Dr. Hieronymous Alloy on 12/9/2013
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http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/Doctor~Hieronymous
Please, no photographers.
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