Challenge Path guides

[Eddie Trojan]

So, I've been digging all (well maybe not trendy, so much) of the paths that have been set out for us.

Is there any interest at all in trying to decipher, or make guides for these paths?

FWIW this was partly inspired in a chat with catchops... discussing how to do a lvl 30 run as painlessly as possible.

[catchops]

Boris is going to change very quickly as you get more skills. I started to write more, but it's...OMG, late. I'm doing solely HC Boris so far and could condense some of what I know about it another time.

There are some good HC Boris run logs at Alliance from Hell's HC log forum.

The 'Predominantly Hardcore Guide...' thread in the Asymmetric forums is also helpful, and unlike some other G:D threads gets better in the later pages once people have more runs under their belts. Someone made this cool HC AoB food chart. (They don't include War Hippy pies, but I think doing the war as a hippy is so rarely faster it just doesn't come into play.)

For the level 30 run we discussed going softcore, clovering up to some point, then hitting the Shield Generator with moxie buffed as high as possible. Without Impetuous, sauce potions will just last 5 turns.

[Eddie Trojan]

I'm about 80 turns from reaching my lvl 30 boris trophy.
If you plan on doing this, either stock up on about 1500 turns of transponders and every muscle & moxie potion (5 turns per), or plan on spending upwards of 2 mil, if you dont have them stocked, and are impatient to get it done (like me)

[Foxy Boxy]

Yeah, it's a brutal slog even with the Shield Generator access. The 5 turns/potion is the killer. It probably helped me that I've got all the max moxie % items (brimstone beret / boxers, plexi pendant, etc) which probably saved me 20% or so in turns and meat. I'd stocked up on potions beforehand but I'd forgotten about the loss of ImpSauce and so I was off by 50% on my numbers. D'oh.

[Eddie Trojan]

Anyone bugbearing?

ive got all 3 of my chars. in it.
have 4 sections done with ET after day 1, but almost no "real" quests done.

it will be interesting to see what successive ascensions do to the path (if anything)

[Eddie Trojan]

Zombies!

A couple of observations, on day 2.

This is (at least on the first ascension) a slower path. I'm doing SC, so any suggestions will be directed at that style. There will be spoilers ahead, so proceed at your own risk.

You can only use "undead" type familiars. There arent many that are available (the new iotm is available, but i don't own one) If you have an NPZR use it. the healing it provides is essential early on in the run, particularly if you plan on using any amount of +ML
You cannot use any permed skills, and have no MP.

The skills mechanic is completely different. You don't get skills for directly leveling, at each new level there is a "hunter", if you defeat him you get a hunter brain. Consuming the hunter brain gives you a few adventures, and a skill point. There also seems to be a non-level related hunter that turns up once a day that also drops a brain.

You can only eat foods with the word "brains" in them, and monsters drop brains. The problem is the drops are not great for turngen. The boss drops, and hunter drops arent bad but they don't give mein or lime pie type adv / full. Consider stocking some brains casseroles to help fill your stomach.

Drunkenness is the same as Boris (4) Peppermint drinks are nifty for this, and they provide a good amount of turns.

There are NO available spleen familiars. Stock spleen items. Taking AED is probably a good idea, as well.

There is a new familiar available during the lvl 7 quest. It is a volley / lime type (i believe) In the nook, take the top choice in the non combat to get it.

I have no idea, really, what are good equipment pulls. I pulled my usual SC style gear. Boris Helm, Katana, Pilgrim Shield, Backpack, GAP, V-mask, Navel Ring, Vampire fangs. The helm, fangs & GAPs seem to be decent choices. the others really don't seem to make much difference

I'll add in more stuff later....

[ketchup monger]

I heard that the tiny costume wardrobe allows the other restricted familiars into Zombies. I'm not sure if it's worth pulling (probably not) but the chance at a stat, item or ITOM familiar when all you've got is a ghoul whelp doesn't seem so bad.

It looks like there are 153 possible choices for the familiar (most recent familiar number is 163, but there are 5 blanks in the wiki's table, and the wardrobe has the Hand, hatrack, scarecrow, Coma, and doppleshifter blacklisted). It also looks like there are 32 stat familiars, 33 +item familiars (but not all of these are full powered, or act every turn, Jack and bugged bugbear for example), and there are 2 really bad familiars (Cat, OAF), and 4 that will actively harm you (Bat, Orb, egg and Eye).

chance at stat familiar = 21.1%
chance at item familiar = 21.5%
chance at a bad familiar = 3.9%

[Eddie Trojan]

i forgot about the wardrobe.
I'll investigate.

So far, this path is very boris-like, just not as fast.
I'm going to investigate with a few different weapons today, the haiku katana is a one hit kill . Im looking more for a one hit, then an infectious bite for the kill.

so far on the skill path ive taken 7 hunger, and 2 anger.

edit: The wardrobe does indeed work. nifty.

[Eddie Trojan]

3rd run so far, and it does get progressively faster.
I highly recommend getting Smash & Graaagh as a skill as early as possible. Great for the greater than sign, and the filthworms.

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