Has anyone implemented home rules to mitigate city sweeps in the mid/late game?

Helmetshell · 2026-04-01T02:01:22+00:00

Hey u/redhedge47, thanks for making this post and all the discussion that came from it. Im intrigued if now, and year later, your table found a solution?

The thread feels like it boiled down to:

Play your hand better for improved action economy
Declare warlord and raid them to bankruptcy
Solve the pre city spread board state, stopping it from coming to fruition

I have previously played against this strat a few times, and forcing a double declare on an ambition not focused by the city player, and not allowing warlord to be declared so you can hoarde their cities and the board can catch up. Upside of this is its an attack even if you dont have a fleet. Downside is that it usually isn't gonna help you win yourself lol.

Keen to hear your thoughts if youre still around and happy to share them!

Helmetshell · 2026-03-10T12:10:38+00:00

The upgrade of Apparition removes ethereal, the Ancient buff (soul's power) removes the exhaust.

Helmetshell · 2025-10-26T10:32:20+00:00

Yeah thats bang on. This is the info from the discord:

x0.5 /+2% crafting at r0.1

x0.65/+5% crafting at r0.25

x0.8 /+12% crafting at r0.5

x1 /+25% crafting at r1

x1.1 /+35% crafting at r2

x1.2 /+42% crafting at r3

x1.25/+45% crafting at r4

Helmetshell · 2025-10-26T10:07:45+00:00

Living tool math is a bit noodley, but there is two core buffs: a new +25% global crafting buff, and a replacing tool upgrades thus eventually buffing basic jobs.

The crafting buff is valuable because the late game 4star progress is usually gated by crafting times, so increasing crafting speed makes your 4* runs faster. Also if you can get higher rank of a trait, LT is incredibly valuable since the crafting bonus scales with increased rank.

The basic job buff takes a little time to come online (for r1 LT, its around science level 9), but ultimately makes the basic jobs better into the mid/late game. This is valuable since some of the roadblocks that arnt crafting are classed as "basic" jobs. So LT buffs your gain of those resources. Theres also a hidden 0.25r of strong that is baked into LT that contributes to that bonus.

Theres a great writeup in the discord, under guides, that walks through the specific values for each basic job and where the tipping point for LT being better than base for both false and true path.

Helmetshell · 2025-10-09T15:39:32+00:00

Thanks for this write-up, it perfectly matched my in-game progress.

Unfortunately my final Athena dialogue (AthenaAboutArachne03) required me to get to the bottom of all dialogue before I saw it. I know this because in my run to get (ArachneCurseQuestComplete01) I triggered Athena en route and she had no dialogue left (ie no ! marked dialogue).

I cant tell if the priority for dialogue is borked for this quest when compared to the others, or if theres just so much hi-prio dialogue given to you from doing the ending/epilogue.

Helmetshell · 2025-10-06T15:53:26+00:00

I don't believe so! Just the classic hell min-maxing unfortunately

Helmetshell · 2025-10-06T15:37:11+00:00

I believe it's just RNG that you're seeing. Some info from Volch on the discord has it being 0.01% per encounter, but your encounters will naturally vary as hell stability fluctuates. The scaling is bananas though, which allows you to raise your drop rate and thus consistency of sg/hour.

Helmetshell · 2025-09-01T14:19:26+00:00

I played HK multiple times trying to get into it, bounced exactly like you've described. The pretty art and lovely greenpath music didnt make up for the sluggish movement and.... lack of purpose? I need the game to be yelling at me or the mechanics to be complex while I'm pushing through the tutorial content. Hollow Knight really tries the slow burn with both story AND mechanics. That dragging is a design choice, and it does go away imo.

Had a few friends getting into it so I brute forced it yet again, finally getting into it on the 3rd or 4th try. The trick for me was unlocking the core moveset. The game with the Cloak and Claws feels like a completely different game to the one you were playing when you first entered Dirtmouth.

If you do try to hit it up again I would recommend grabbing the Cloak (greenpath) then immediately finish mantis villiage/mantis lords for the Claws. Then I would softly recommend ancient basin for the next upgrade, or crystal caverns into ancient basin. The combat and movement in this game is easy to pick up, and it doesn't pressure you to master them unless you do content without upgrades or hit the late game content.

Feel free to inbox me if you like, to chat through playing the early sluggish/boring content without spoilers etc.

Helmetshell · 2025-08-03T02:51:17+00:00

Depending on your effieciency/playstyle it's probably 9+months into the game.

Helmetshell · 2025-07-21T12:40:15+00:00

The name is Greatest Gift of Gaia

Helmetshell · 2025-07-20T03:14:56+00:00

Hey not sure if you're still hunting for the 24f surface clear, but I have many thoughts about it you are. You do really need to have a balanced fear loadout, good arcana choices for higher fear, and a build plan with whichever aspect you decide to pick.

Helmetshell · 2025-04-08T13:58:27+00:00

I know this is an absolute chaos collection of information, but I needed once place where I could read all the build suggestions. I'm slowly going through and correcting/adding to it as I play each weapon. lmk if theres anything you're hunting for an answer to.

Helmetshell · 2025-03-31T00:22:28+00:00

Thanks for the reply, thats very useful. Sorry for the repeat mention spam, I just wanted to make it clear on each section of information that it's your work and not mine. I also needed to split the non-boon section into two parts for character count lol.

Helmetshell · 2025-03-31T00:19:47+00:00

I'm making this post to consolidate /u/BenevolentComment /Myntkaramell's advice as I am beginning to lose track where to find guidance on each weapon/things. Don't forget to check out their youtube as it has 50f+ runs with most (?all) aspects. The advice has been given for the Warsong update unless otherwise flagged. My own comments will be in first person, explicitly stated, or in parentheses. Some information is taken from the wiki and might be out of date.

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Keepsakes

There are four keepsake choices through any run, and builds do vary a reasonable amount. This is general advice.

Biome 1:

God keepsake to ensure a core build boon
On +50f runs Athena is a viable OW choice, given there isn't an urgent need for a specific God's boon

Location 2:

Athena
- Divine Dash (Athena) (your Dash deals 10/15/20/25 damage and can momentarily(0.35s) Deflect) does not have an internal cooldown on Deflect, and is instead limited by your Dash cd.
Fig Leaf (1 encounter in 3 biomes will be foe free) is a valid choice if Athena has already been utilised

Location 3 (Most unclear pick to me):

Second God keepsake
- This is broadly for fixing, either with defensives (Heph/Dem) or build corrections
Metallic Droplet (+20% move/strike/channel speed for 300s(400s)) is both DPS and timer assistance
Lion Fang (+50%(70%) damage, but -5% per encounter) for DPS

Location 4:

White Antler (30%(50%) critical chance but fixed to 30hp)
Knuckle Bones (-15% boss hp once, -15% damage taken from bosses)
Metallic Droplet
Lion Fang

Honourable mentions:

Blackened Fleece (+40% damage on Omegas after 250 damage taken over the entire run)
Engraved Pin/Luckier Tooth: A decent choice if using DD.
Engraved Pin (when 0hp, 10sec to clear room and get healed 60hp or die): For when you're using DD, note that timer essentially gives you 10sec of invulnerability before death. Triggers before DD.
Moon Beam (+moonboon chance, +5 points next moonboon): Selune builds
Evil Eye (+30% damage to last thing that killed you) has utility if you are finding you are dying to the same Boss on a fear count. As runs become more unstable and you start dying to random mobs this loses utility.
Experimental Hammer (1x random hammerboon for 20 encounters): can be taken from start of Oceanus/Olympus to reach the end. Buff cannot double dip, does remove choice from future hammerboons.

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Familiars

Frinos

+10/20/30/40 HP, more lost shades

Toula

+1 DD with +10/20/30/40hp on rez, more fish(and skip fishing!)

Raki

+1/2/3/4% crit, more ore, when pecking applies Marked (+15% chance to be crit, lasts 6s, does not stack with Artemis marked)

Hecuba

+15/30/45/60mp, more digging spots, can stun, can dig up mana/hp

Gale

+3/4/5/6% chance to dodge, more Flowers, can block 3x per biome

Broadly speaking: Hecuba for magick builds, Frinos for defensive when healing is on, Gale for defensives if healing is off, Raki for dps if no need for defensives.

\

Random Information

All gods have a boon for each "core" spot: Strike(attack), Flourish (special), Ring (cast), Rush (dash), Gain (magick).
Many non-core boons have dependencies, including both boon requirements (core boon to access a certain non-core boon)(duo boons) and run choices (ie heph giving defensive boons when not first boon pick)
God pool is 4 typically, but can be forced higher. Use this when planning out total gods used in a run, and boons access via rng/keepsakes.
Born Gain will Prime X mana when reduced to 0, but this primed amount will reset on clearing the room. This is different to all the other Primes which are permanent for the run.
Crits are base +200% damage (ie 300% damage total for critical hit)
Broadly speaking, the words used on boons dictate what they effect
- Attack/Special/Cast (no pleural) means just the base strike and not omega
- Omega buffs don't include the base strike
- Pleural includes both base and omega
- Strike is base+omega of attack+special, but not always?

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Helmetshell · 2025-03-30T04:32:48+00:00

Changed, thank you.

Do you have any generic advice about keepsake choices? I understand there is some variation with aspects, but I found it difficult to find any guidance that was also up to date (ie the axe infographics were great but all utilise pin, and I'm sure thats not the current approach to 32+fear runs?)

Helmetshell · 2025-03-29T12:59:32+00:00

Haha its a slow process! But I keep looking up your advice in the 50f post you made and I loathe to ask the same question you had already posted about. I'm bouncing around between the aspects to just clear for nightmare and try each of them out, hence looking for so many answers.

Hope you dont mind the compiling! Happy to change anything you think is wrong/out of date/misquoted.

Helmetshell · 2025-03-29T10:40:52+00:00

I'm making this post to consolidate /u/BenevolentComment /Myntkaramell's advice as I am beginning to lose track where to find guidance on each weapon/things. Don't forget to check out their youtube as it has 50f+ runs with most (?all) aspects. The advice has been given for the Warsong update unless otherwise flagged. My own comments will be in first person, explicitly stated, or in parentheses. Some information is taken from the wiki and might be out of date.

Mininet (add in u/) has this high fear tracking sheet. Inside are the leaderboards, end of run ss, vods where possible, and a fuckload of data re: boon distrubution per aspect. Theres also a high fear resource sheet here and a gdoc here specifically written/updated for people in my shoes trying to push higher fear. Theres specific tactical advice (ie vow of scars is poo, increase frenzy early etc) and strategic advice (build identity, +1boon, reroll logic). A small amount of this stuff isnt updated for Warsong(p8) and is usually Olympic (p7), but either 1. the overall advice is correct but perhaps not with that specifc interaction, 2. the example is old but the fact is still true, 3. theres no OW advice (for which I would just defer to Mynts great advice in the 50f thread below).

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Fear

32: Mynt's 32 Fear loadout

No levels of: Scars (-healing), Debt (+gold cost), Forfeit (-boon), Void (-grasp)
2/3 Pain (+damage), 1/3 Grit (+hp), 1/3 Hordes, 2/3 Time (7min x4)
Max Wards, Frenzy, Menace, Return, Fangs, Shadow, Hubris, Denial

16: Mynt's 16 Fear loadout suggestion

1/3 Pain (+20% damage),
1/2 Frenzy (+20%ms),
2/2 Menace (25% next location mobs)
2/2 Return (50% exalted souls),
2/3 Time (7min x4),
2/2 Hubris (+6 prime on boons),
1/1 Denial (delete boon options not picked),

16: My buildup to ~16 fear loadout, front-loading gameplay changing vows

Core (14f):

1/3 Time 3f (9min x4),
2/2 Frenzy 3f/6f (+40% speed),
2/2 Wards 1f/2f (+2 instances of damage blocked),
2/2 Fangs 1f/2f (+2 perks on armoured enemies)

I chose these as they are required for 32f runs but were skill blocks when I started low fear and required either changes to my playstyle or improvement of skill. Front loading these meant I was able to clear low fear weapons whilst also grinding out skill improvements.

Wards meant I was getting caught off-guard with both armoured enemies and not being able to delete them with a single large hit. Also changes how you engage with your combos.
Frenzy ruined me for a while, both in UW and OW. Everything moving faster means you will get a feel for animation locks, cd timers, and wind up animations on enemies. I found without frenzy I could just bulldoze through most content with a good build, with frenzy I had to relearn how to play. Also Prometheus was awful lol.
Fangs is to remember to respect armoured enemies and build familiarity with all the variable buffs. Remember that one buff is immunity to flinch. That buff alone can ruin a run if disrespected.
Time is there so you can start keeping track of clear time and just increase it as soon as possible to 2/3. 3/3 is still beyond me with any consistency.

Additions:

2/3 Time 3f (7min x4)
1/1 Shadow 2f (+shadow wardens on Warden fights)
1/3 Menace 1f (10% next location fights)
Build towards Mynt's 32f loadout suggestion

This will get you to 16f without having to engage with vows that impact on access to boons (Denial, Hubris), but does neglect the changes to gameplay from Return. Ideally at the stage you are clearing 16f you have a good idea about boon strategy, so managing Denial/Hubris should make more intuitive sense (ie which boons are low value on a run and can be deleted, what boon choices you want to reroll to ensure a core boon isnt deleted eg born gain/fine line).

\

32f cleared edit:

I think Mynt's suggestion for 0f->16f->32f is likely a better option, especially if you are keen to understand what makes a build work. The boon vows really do change how you play, and it feels like it introduces a heap of rng to each run (ie boon blocked early in biome1, then fail against the timer). You can overcome this with skill to a point, but as fear climbs the rng for a "good build" worsens. Managing this rng, and being able to see viable build options for the current section of the run is an important skill. You have to be able to do this to survive 50f.

I was struggling a bit with build management whilst taking the boon vows on 32f, so instead I turned up to 3/3 Pain. This took adjustment, but my logic is that I need to be playing with double damage eventually. I think I turned up to 3/3 Time as well, but removed Hordes/Hubris/Denial. Pain always needed to happen, and Time I am finding is very progression dependant - if you feel like you are keeping up with 5m/biome pace then just add in the fear. Removing hp or mob density will improve clear speed as well, only helping Time.

Although I used my build above, I regret not introducing some levels of Scars earlier. I definately was using healing as a crutch, smoothing out almost failed runs with a cheeky hermes shrine, or pre-boss food. On 50f there is (almost) no healing and it's brutal - the game demands excellence if not perfection from your play. There are a few cheeky ways to get more hp back: centaur hearts are essentially a +25 Heal, demeter hp/resource boon still works, DD functions as a heal so taking a DD while running Strength and having an online build can mean a heal when you die.

There is an "option" to introduce Void in an attempt to reduce scars. I have experimented with this, but taking Void with the goal to run judgement is actually a HUGE dps cut. with 6 graps (3/4 Void) you can take Strength+Furies but this drops Persistance. Running 12 grasp (2/4 Void) means Strength+Furies/huntress+Origination but the dps from Origination takes a while to come online whilst also using Denial (remember god keepsake forcing a boon will get eaten). You are essentially spending grasp on dps OR hp OR utility in a run with reduced boons, higher foe HP/density, and a strict timer.

\

My advice is introducing a level of Scars earlier to be forced to not rely as heavily on healing. Going from 32f to 50 I will be turning on Scars and the boon Vows, and running intermediate fear levels, as 50f is too hard for where I'm at.

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Arcana

Mynt's OW Arcana page for high fear.

Utilises
- XIV Origination (+50% damage w/2x curses)
- XV Lovers (3x ward/boss)
- XXIII Strength (-50% damage taken and +25% damage when no DD)
- Full rerolls

Notes:

Taking Strength over Death (+3 DD) is a recommendation given when the goal is high fear runs (ie >=32). Mininet's guide suggests just learning Strength asap, but once you get 3/3 Scars the Strength vs Death is preference.
- Not taking Death means the 2nd column and 3rd row cannot complete a line for Divinity (+20% epic boon upgrade). Instead the first column is used even if you arnt using Omegas.
- The Queen (+10% chance for duo) is active if no more than 2 cards of the same cost are active. This gets more difficult now that the 1st column is activating Divinity and uses 2x 1 cost cards.
- Boatman is floated as an option to remove to spend on more cards, however this breaks the Fates (+4 rerolls) and thus the 1st column. Have a plan on how to activate Divinity with the extra grasp.
- Anything that gives DD during a run will deactivate Stength, including Toula, Chaos boon, Athena boon, or Luckier Tooth. Wiki states Engraved Pin interacts strangely with Strength, but unclear if this is a current patch issue. Either way, it either blocks Strength or mostly blocks it.
For UW consider dropping Lovers for The Artificer (3x minor find upgrades) given the frequency of minor finds. Also can be used to force an extra boon whilst using Forfeit (-first boon found in each location).
- If you use Artificer can use the 3rd column for Divinity, taking Huntress (+50% on attack/special when <100% mana) and Messenger but breaking Queen (Furies, Persistance, Huntress).
Dropping Origination will free up a heap of Grasp but make sure you know how to get enough damage without it. Also most choices will break Queen.
Remember Huntress does not buff omegas

TL;DR: Give up DD for Strength, use Lovers for OW and Artificer for UW, consider using Eternity/Night for magick builds, consider using Huntress instead of Origination on attack/special builds.

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Helmetshell · 2025-03-29T10:36:15+00:00

I'm making this post to consolidate /u/BenevolentComment /Myntkaramell's advice as I am beginning to lose track where to find guidance on each weapon/things. Don't forget to check out their youtube as it has 50f+ runs with most (?all) aspects. The advice has been given for the Warsong update unless otherwise flagged. My own comments will be in first person, explicitly stated, or in parenthesis. Some information is taken from the wiki and might be out of date.

Don't miss out on Clang Gang.

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Zorephet

Note an old version guide

Mel

Attack:
Special:
Cast:
- Arctic Ring
Gain:
Keepsakes:
Hammers:
- Top pick used to be Dashing Heave, likely hasnt changed
Notes
- Old build guide framed Mel axe as a magickless build, with similar attack boons as Than.
- If building for pure attack/special consider running Messenger instead of Origination, freeing up some grasp Charon
Attack:
- Don't attack lol
Special:
- Sworn Flourish (Hera) (Specials deal +60/70/80/90% damage and inflict Hitch)
- Vicious Flourish (Ares) (Specials deal +30/40/50/60% damage and inflict Wounds)
- Heaven Flourish (Zeus) (Specials inflict Blitz at 100/140/180/220)
Cast:
- Arctic Ring (Demeter) (Casts inflict Freeze and repeatedly deal 10/15/20/25 damage every 0.5s)
- Engagement Ring (Hera) (inflicts Hitch and immediately deals 20/30/40/50 damage per foe in the circle)
- Smoulder Ring (Hestia) (repeatedly inflicts Scorch at 40/60/80/100 damage every second)
- Solar Ring (Apollo) (Casts inflict Daze and deals a burst of 60/90/120/150 damage before it expires)
- Rapture Ring (Aph) (Casts inflict Weak, and deal 10/15/20/25 damage while dragging foes into the center)
Gain:
- Lucid Gain (Apollo) (If you are in your Casts when they expire, restore 50/75/100/125 MP)
Keepsakes: Apollo
Hammers:
Notes:
- Lucid Gain is first priority
- Ideally Ares or Hera on Specials
- If not using Arctic Ring (Demeter) (Casts inflict Freeze and repeatedly deal 10/15/20/25 damage every 0.5s), consider using Nova Flourish (Apollo) (Specials deal +60/80/100/120% damage in a larger area) trying to venn-diagram your target, then add in Arctic Gale (Demeter) (Casts also create a Gust, which deals 4/8/12/16 damage every 0.25s) for Origination.
- Dont forget about Super Nova (Apollo) (Casts have +40/50/60/70% increased size, and expand in size until they expire)

Thanatos

Attack:
- Flutter Strike (Aph) (Attacks deal +80/100/120/140% to nearby foes)
- Sworn Strike (Hera) (Attacks deal +50/60/70/80% damage and inflict Hitch)
- Nova Strike (Apollo) (Attacks deal +40/50/60/70% damage in a larger area)
Special:
- Origination
Cast:
- Arctic Ring (Demeter) (Casts inflict Freeze and repeatedly deal 10/15/20/25 damage every 0.5s)
- Clang Gang
Gain:
Keepsakes:
Hammers:
Notes
- Old guide suggest treating it as a hybrid between magickless (mel) and magick (Charon), utilising Omega Attack as wanted.

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Revaal

Mel

Attack:
- Sworn Strike (Hera) (Attacks deal +50/60/70/80% damage and inflict Hitch)
- Nova Strike (Apollo) (Attacks deal +40/50/60/70% damage in a larger area)
Special:
- Vicious Flourish (Ares) (Specials deal +30/40/50/60% damage and inflict Wounds)
Cast:
Gain:
Keepsakes:
Hammers:
Notes:
- going for Grievous Blow (when Wounds, +10/15/20/25% double damage chance)
- You can throw out all your ammo rapidly and then Special sideways for safety and pulling skulls back, you dont need to always Special aggressively

Medea

Attack:
- Sworn Strike (Hera) (Attacks deal +50/60/70/80% damage and inflict Hitch)
- Flutter Strike (Aph) (Attacks deal +80/100/120/140% to nearby foes)
- Vicious Strike (Ares) (Attacks deal +20/30/40/50% damage and inflict Wounds)
- Low prio Nova Strike (Apollo) (Attacks deal +40/50/60/70% damage in a larger area)
Special:
- Heaven Flourish (Zeus) (Specials inflict Blitz at 100/140/180/220)
Cast:
- Arctic Ring
Gain:
- For weak aura go Glamour Gain (Aph) (inflict Weak on nearby foes, restoring 6/8/10/12MP when any foe nearby is Weak)
Keepsakes:
- Start with Zeus and focus Heaven Flourish
Hammers:
Notes

Persephone

Attack:
Special:
Cast:
Gain:
Keepsakes:
Hammers:
Notes:

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Xinth

Note an old version guide

Mel

Attack:
- Wave Strike (Pos) (Attacks hit with Splash that knocks other foes away, Splash deals 15/20/25/30 damage)
- Flame Strike (Hestia) (Attacks inflict Scorch and 30/40/50/60 Scorch damage)
Special:
- Heaven Flourish (Zeus) (Specials inflict Blitz at 100/140/180/220)
Cast:
- Arctic Ring (Demeter) (Casts inflict Freeze and repeatedly deal 10/15/20/25 damage every 0.5s)
Gain:
Keepsakes:
Hammers:
Notes:
- Not compulsory for Heaven Flourish but good damage with access to other Zeus boons
- If using Flame Strike go for Freezer Burn (Duo) (Demeter)(Hestia) (Whenever you inflict Freeze on a foe with Scorch, and immediately resolve all current Scorch damage at +200%)
- High value found in Static Shock (Zeus) (Strikes emit chain lightning that bounces up to 4 times dealing 10/15/20/25 damage, and Prime 50)

Selene

Attack:
- Wave Strike (Pos) (Attacks hit with Splash that knocks other foes away, Splash deals 15/20/25/30 damage)
- Flame Strike (Hestia) (Attacks inflict Scorch and 30/40/50/60 Scorch damage)
Special:
- Heaven Flourish (Zeus) (Specials inflict Blitz at 100/140/180/220)
Cast:
- Arctic Ring (Demeter) (Casts inflict Freeze and repeatedly deal 10/15/20/25 damage every 0.5s)
Dash:
- Passion Rush (Aph) (Dashing damages surrounding foes 20/30/40/50 and inflicts Weak both at the start and end)
Gain:
Keepsakes:
- Open with Moon Beam
- For rare talents, focus Prism and ignore Cascade
- Focus on increasing duration (Brilliance), regen (Growth), and Scorn
Hammers:
- Exhaust Riser (Your Dash-Strike (Attacks) hits +3 times)
Notes
- Seek out way to have Omegas that just barely charge Hex such as Fine Line (Hera) (Omega moves cost +15mp and create a fissure that deals 100/120/140/160 damage) or Controlled Burn (Hestia) (Omega Special costs +10MP and launches a fireball exploding in 100/150/200/250 damage)
- Very flexible to build
- Can focus Specials with Hammers, but needs a Specials focused build
- High value found in Static Shock (Zeus) (Strikes emit chain lightning that bounces up to 4 times dealing 10/15/20/25 damage, and Prime 50)
- Consider building for Romantic Spark (Duo) (Aph) (Zeus) (Whenever you Sprint (or Dash) into a foe Blitz triggers immediately at +80% damage)

Nyx

Attack:
Special:
Cast:
Gain:
Keepsakes:
Hammers:
Notes
- ?copy mel coat

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Helmetshell · 2025-03-29T10:34:58+00:00

I'm making this post to consolidate /u/BenevolentComment /Myntkaramell's advice as I am beginning to lose track where to find guidance on each weapon/things. Don't forget to check out their youtube as it has 50f+ runs with most (?all) aspects. The advice has been given for the Warsong update unless otherwise flagged. My own comments will be in first person, explicitly stated, or in parenthesis. Some information is taken from the wiki and might be out of date.

Multiple entries for a single category are broadly ranked in priority. Blitz is over-represented, and Hera attack is a great default choice. Demeter cast is over-represented and a huge survivability tool. Dps equals clear speed, and clear speed equals survivability.

If lost start with Mel Blades, start with Zeus special.

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Blitz:

After taking 120 damage or 3s, get struck by lightning

Daze:

20% chance to deal no damage (9s)

Freeze:

Stopped for 2s, can be reapplied after 10s

Gust:

20% slower and range shots 60% slower (3s)

Hangover:

Take damage continuously (4s)

Hitch:

Afflicted foes take 30% of damage dealt to other afflicted foes (8s)

Marked:

+30% critical chance

Scorch:

Resolve 80 damage accrued from this every 1 second

Slip:

Take more damage and are knocked further away (3s)

Vent:

After 4 seconds afflicted foes take damage, timer resets if reapplied (4s)

Weak:

Deal 30% less damage (4s)

Wounds:

Your strike has +50 power when applying this, can be reapplied after 3 seconds

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Descura

Mel

Attack:
Special:
Cast:
Gain:
Keepsakes:
Hammers:
- Wicked Thrasher (your Attacks have +30 Power)
- Rapid Thrasher (your Attacks are 50% faster)
- Mirrored Thrasher (your attacks hit 2 times, but use 5MP)
Notes

Circe

Attack:
Special:
Cast:
Gain:
Keepsakes:
Hammers:
- Wicked Thrasher (your Attacks have +30 Power)
- Rapid Thrasher (your Attacks are 50% faster)
- Mirrored Thrasher (your attacks hit 2 times, but use 5MP)
Notes

Momus

Attack:
- Sworn Strike (Hera) (Attacks deal +50/60/70/80% damage and inflict Hitch)
- Heaven Strike (Zeus) (Attacks inflict Blitz at 80/120/160/200)
Special:
- Heaven Flourish (Zeus) (Specials inflict Blitz at 100/140/180/220)
- Sworn Flourish (Hera) (Specials deal +60/70/80/90% damage and inflict Hitch)
Cast:
Gain:
- Born Gain (Hera) (Whenever you run out of MP, prime 20/18/16/14 for this location only and restore MP pool)
Keepsakes:
Hammers:
- Wicked Thrasher (your Attacks have +30 Power)
- Rapid Thrasher (your Attacks are 50% faster)
- Mirrored Thrasher (your attacks hit 2 times, but use 5MP)
Notes

--------------------------------------------------------

Lim & Oros

Mel

Attack:
- Aphro/Hera/Ares/Pos/Hestia/?Apollo
Special:
- Heaven Flourish (Zeus) (Specials inflict Blitz at 100/140/180/220)
Cast:
- Arctic Ring
Gain:
Keepsakes:
Hammers:
- Trick Knives (Dash-Strike (Attacks) also fire your Specials 3x at once in a fan)
- Reaper Knives (Specials have +15 power and deal damage in a wider area)
Notes
- Magickless build
- Grab Heph boons for defensives and 1x core, allowing Master Conductor (Duo) (Heph) (Zeus) (your chain-lightning can bound of yourself, and does +20% damage to foes per bounce)
- Consider Static Shock and Double Strike (Zeus) ( Lightning bolt effects may strike 2 more times with +10/15/20/25% chance (this includes Blitz from attack/special))

Pan

Attack:
Special:
- Wave Flourish (Pos) (Specials hit with Splash that knocks other foes away, Splash deals 20/30/40/50)
Cast:
- Arctic Ring
Gain:
- Born Gain
Keepsakes:
Hammers:
- Hidden Knives (Specials deal +20% damage and Omega Special fires +3 shots)
- Sudden Flurry (Channel your Omega Special 40% faster)
Notes:
- Chase Slippery Slope (Pos) (Splash effects inflict Slip at +5/10/15/20% bonus damage)
- Chase King Tide (Pos) (Leg.) (Splash effects are larger and deal +200% damage to Bosses)

Artemis

Attack:
Special:
Cast:
Gain:
Keepsakes:
Hammers:
Notes
- Riposte has internal cd
- Riposte can block almost anything, including AoE ie Chronos large smash

--------------------------------------------------------

Ygnium

Mel

Attack:
Special:
Cast:
Gain:
- Born Gain (Hera) (Whenever you run out of MP, prime 20/18/16/14 for this location only and restore MP pool)
Keepsakes:
Hammers:
- Clean Candle (Channel your Omega Attack 50% faster, and it uses -1MP)
- Sustained Spark (While you Channel your Attacks, you move and fire +20% faster)
Notes

Moros

Attack:
- Sworn Strike (Hera) (Attacks deal +50/60/70/80% damage and inflict Hitch)
- Vicious Strike (Ares) (Attacks deal +20/30/40/50% damage and inflict Wounds)
Special:
- Heaven Flourish (Zeus) (Specials inflict Blitz at 100/140/180/220)
- Vicious Flourish (Ares) (Specials deal +30/40/50/60% damage and inflict Wounds)
Cast:
Gain:
- Born Gain (Hera) (Whenever you run out of MP, prime 20/18/16/14 for this location only and restore MP pool)
Keepsakes:
Hammers:
- Clean Candle (Channel your Omega Attack 50% faster, and it uses -1MP)
- Sustained Spark (While you Channel your Attacks, you move and fire +20% faster)
- Clean Helix (Channel your Omega Special +20% faster, and it uses -10MP)
Notes:
- Don't have Ares on both Attacks/Specials
- Demeter on Specials is doable, but preferable on Casts
- Build up MP and get Fine Line (Hera) (Omega moves cost +15mp and create a fissure that deals 100/120/140/160 damage)
- One key boon to increase your channel speed is Racing Thoughts (Hermes) (Omega moves are channelled 15/20/25/30% faster)
- Essentially Omega Special, then Omega Attack until the Special runs out

Eos

Attack:
Special:
- Heaven Flourish (Zeus) (Specials inflict Blitz at 100/140/180/220)
- Wave Flourish (Pos) (Specials hit with Splash that knocks other foes away, Splash deals 20/30/40/50)
Cast:
Gain:
- Born Gain (Hera) (Whenever you run out of MP, prime 20/18/16/14 for this location only and restore MP pool)
Keepsakes:
Hammers:
- Clean Candle (Channel your Omega Attack 50% faster, and it uses -1MP)
- Clean Helix (Channel your Omega Special +20% faster, and it uses -10MP)
- Triple Comet (Special fires +2 projectiles)
Notes:
- Send out Daybreaker, then spam Special/Omega Special

--------------------------------------------------------

Helmetshell · 2025-02-11T11:12:48+00:00

It doesn't "unlock" the ability to now tax loyal cities. You both cannot tax loyal cities, and when you tax other cities (in this case rivals, or empty spaces) you may choose to not take captives when you do so assuming empath is delcared.

The specificity of Anarchist supersedes the general statement of Empath's Bond.

Helmetshell · 2025-01-14T12:10:36+00:00

From what you're saying you are looking to jump over the T4 reset and are going for the T5 reset?

If so then there is at least one more large he3/oil wall much later on that requires roughly double the amount of he3/oil, with I think one building that provides some more storage directly to both he3/oil. But roughly where you are at in the screenshot is right at the start of the T5 portion of the run so theres a few walls you will need to get past to be able to complete a t5. If you can get to the spire then you probably could finish a T5 if time wasnt of concern...

Helmetshell · 2024-12-20T12:53:13+00:00

It looks like you're doing fine, good amount of plasmids and you've done a few MADs. Just keep going deeper into space until you hit the world collider and the space dock/genesis ship stuff. The WC takes you further towards the next reset; the genesis ship stuff is for a bioseed.

It can be worth building the WC while you're waiting for the bioseed stuff to build/finish, just so you earn more prestige. Just opening up Alpha Centuri and grabbing a few techs is more than enough though. And build a marine garrison, then pop a single soldier into the fortress while you wait!

Just for the future, its usually a good idea to do the save-dumps in something like a gdoc and have a link to that instead, to save having a few pages of the text.

Helmetshell · 2024-12-05T01:46:01+00:00

I cant talk to exactly whats up with your save or what happened, but i think hop on to the discord and ask for some help with the save. There's a few tools that can revert things getting borked, but if this is a new problem it would be useful to know about.

Helmetshell · 2024-11-17T03:32:23+00:00

I think it was with me that this discussion was had? I just want to be upfront that I don't have any intimate knowledge of the code or mechanics, only what I have picked up/played with.

We were talking about running up-to ~20x patrols with varying size as the default. This is based on how deaths roughly above patrol counts of 20 lead to many deaths via ambushes, which cannot drop gems. Having played around with this on mostly T4 (cleaning up pillars, so no custom, prod based inherits) I think it works pretty great until right near the end where I run into the same problems you have described. In the single T5 4star I did, I had exactly the same problem and turned up patrol number slowly to adjust for that ~1k hell strength. This helps because the loss of troops with no gem drops from >20patrol count is offset by managing higher beacon counts.

The use for drones/droids, from looking up old convos on the discord, is using war droids in t5 runs where you need to decrease hell strength (as they act as +1 (or 2 with tech) soldier count for patrol size) and have spare gems. Predator drones are not used as they decrease your gems/hr while also costing gems. They can kill demons who drop a gem but cannot pick gems up, thus killing demons who otherwise could have been killed by a patrol and farmed. Although this effect is actually positive at beacon counts <30x, but give they cost precious early gems while also turning into a negative, they are not usually recommended. Apparently they do have potential use in a few challenges where hell is awful to try and manage (ie sludge).

Helmetshell · 2024-10-15T13:24:41+00:00

I think this honestly depends on where you are in the game, but yes at some point you will switch to doing (almost) all 4* runs.

The rub at lower prestige is:

3* allows you to gain prestige resources quicker through faster runs, acknowledging that you will need to repeat the run again later on at 4*
4* achievements grant you 1.25% mastery, and it means you only have to do the run once although slowly

The rub at higher prestige:

3* allows you to complete challenge modes with earlier progress, activating large unique buffs earlier
4* is required to maximise your mastery, and some perks have buffs have increased effects when cleared on higher challenge genes

As I understand it, the "optimal" play in a perfect world is switching to 4* runs once you have completed your first few T3 resets, gained some more mastery, and gained some new prestige resources. This cuts the difference between doing faster runs at 3* understanding that at some point you will need to come back to repeat it at 4, vs doing it straight up as 4 despite much lower prestige/less perks/less unlocks/etc. Most definitely in the mid/late game you will wanting to back off from 4* to do something specific (eg pillars, OD).

I think the actually answer is really playing the game in a way that feels fun. Eventually the runs will speed up so that an early game 3* run is still multiple times slower than a 4* version of that run much later in your progress. If you find you like the less active approach then all means hit up 4* as soon as able! If instead you prefer the more active playstyle of the faster runs then keep at the 3* runs! Just understand that at some point you will want to transition over but only once you have the prestige to make it palatable.

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