Dragon Fogel
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 2787
Registered: 06-21-2014
IP: Logged

I'm having a lot of trouble here. In my efforts to scout the level, I got past the mud mother and everything beyond the first blue door does way too much damage, which suggests to me that I was supposed to be exploiting the multiplier boosts much more than I managed to.

My basic problem is I have no idea how to prioritize between getting the multipliers and claiming the stats. Greckle gates are an additional wrinkle, since it's better to open them when the multiplier is low. I feel pretty lost on where to even begin.

I would appreciate any advice for getting through here, either general or specific.

Nuntar
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 5326
Registered: 02-20-2007
IP: Logged

It's definitely a good idea to make the most of the multiplier system by leaving stat upgrades until they have more value. Power gems are the most important to increase; it's fine to take some shield gems early if it helps you get along.

More specifically:


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50th Skywatcher

Dragon Fogel
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 2787
Registered: 06-21-2014
IP: Logged

So I tried taking the above suggestion and I'm still having trouble.

Managing health is the main issue. I tried getting an early kill on the brain in 1N by opening the greckle door before getting any multipliers. This saves a lot of HP on that screen, but I end up taking several potions to do it so I'm losing out on potential HP from getting them later. I'm not sure which approach is better.

This problem gets worse if I try to get the petal in the Entrance behind a greckle door early. (Not as my first multiplier, that's possible but definitely uses up too many potions. I take a few multipliers to improve my HP, but I still open that door before it costs 20 greckles.) I think in my current attempt, I managed to do that and get a large potion after reaching multiplier 3. But then I feel stuck.

I have a save with multiplier 3 where I haven't taken the gems in 1N1E. Not sure if I'm better off grabbing the attack now or waiting for a higher multiplier. I can kill a lot of eyes if I get the attack, which lets me open a couple of greckle doors before boosting multiplier. But I'm unsure of how much that helps me.

Mostly, the complexity is high enough that I have a hard time feeling confident in any step. If I take a petal, I might not be able to get a useful item behind a greckle gate for a while. If I take stats, I might make a fight cheaper immediately, but then come up short on a later one. If I take a potion, I may be able to squeeze out a couple of fights for key resources, but I might want more HP later. If I fight something for greckles, I take damage but maybe I want to spend the greckles now to get something more helpful.

In general, the approach I'm leaning towards is "fight strategically for greckles, take HP and multipliers only when necessary until greckle doors are open, take stats when multipliers are good". However, I'm not entirely sure when the multipliers are good, so I tend to hit choice paralysis easily. And I'm not even sure how viable this overall approach is.

greenscience
Level: Master Delver
Rank Points: 168
Registered: 02-27-2015
IP: Logged

The general approach sounds good. When opening greckle gates focus on the ones blocking multipliers or stats. The gates blocking hp can be opened at the end when there is more spare greckle. Stats should be taken when they can save significant damage on fights for the next 5 multipliers, like around passing the blue door as previously mentioned.

Nuntar
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 5326
Registered: 02-20-2007
IP: Logged

I went through the first area just now to refresh my memory, and concluded:


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50th Skywatcher