Ick Swamp "Way of the open fist"

[Lujo]

Wait, wait, wait. I know I said this twice at least in this thread, but I'm still amazed people see this dungeon as a problem.

Look, guys, there are two ways to beat it, with one being really, really easy, and one being not only easy but cheezy as well.

If you find EM at any cost, you can remove the one defining feature of the level, whih is PLANTS EVERYWHERE. You can, for no investment remove the main thematic feature from the level at no cost except exploration and some mana, unless really unlucky. And then you play it like any other level.

The other is any variation of JJ (w/wo PM), where you turn most of those plants into piety which, again, makes it a really easy level, since you get boatloads of piety.

There is also a third option, if it still works, where you find TT, get dodge, and get piety everytime you dodge a plants "attack" which also means you get a boatload of piety for almost no investment.

I'm a bit stumped as why people find it difficult at all. Seriously, what am I not seeing?

[CznRhubarb]

We're just not all as good as you. =/

I guess part of my problem is that I'm just terrible with the Monk. I know you went on a tirade about how broken he is a while back, and guess since then they've been nerfing him left and right. I hate playing as a Monk. After the Transmuter, he is the most difficult class to play for me.
Even when I get lucky enough to find EM early on (Still can't find Jehora early), I always get near the end and can't seal the deal. I just had my best run so far and got the second boss (Tower of Goo. Awesome.) to half health and hadn't even touched the primary boss. I spent so many tiles trying to find the right plants to IMAWAL that I could hardly regen-fight the higher level enemies I found. And regen-fighting is the only remotely decent way I have found to play the monk.

I mean, even when the plants aren't there, what is the monster line up? Wraiths, Vamps, Warlocks, Gorgons, and Naga. I try not to fight the Naga unless I can one shot, since the last thing the monk needs is less damage out put. Wraiths, Vamps and Warlocks all deal magic damage, which means that for me, I can usually only hope to fight them if they are my level or lower. That only leaves the Gorgons as higher-level monsters I can manage to take down.

[Gorgon]

I know how frustrating it is if you get lots of vampires, wraiths and warlocks at the beginning. The "magical attack" update really hurt the monk. The Earthmother really helps, though, specially because of corrosion. You can use an elf monk with fireball to clear all those plants, then use corrosion to boost damage.

[Lujo]

Ahhh, well that explains why people are having difficulties. Everything does magic damage now -.-' I'm not sure what you mean by "right" plants to IMAWAL, except if you mean "plants that wouldn't block off passages". This thing either needs to lose magic dealing vampires for anything else, or a solid step by step walkthorugh, and since everybody's done one I could probably do this one once I unlock the damn thing.

Ok, unlocked it but don't seem to have the quest. We're talking purist monk here? How many unlocked gods do I need for 2 altars to spawn?

[Darvin]

You need 4 gods unlocked to get 2 altars to spawn. I'd imagine TT/EM/MA/JJ are the four you'd want in this case. The quest is indeed a purist monk victory, not sure what unlocks the quest itself.

[CznRhubarb]

I think it is 4 gods to get two altars, but I may be guessing. (I am.)
It is a purist monk. (I have been trying Human and Orc to try and negate the innate crappiness of the Monk.)
Also, I believe it is the second mission in a quest line, so you may need to do that first.

As for "right" plants, I mean the barbed brush or the corrosive plants (that also don't block any passages.) Both the murkshade and poison pods have 100% magic resist and can't be stoned.

[Lujo]

Right, I'm on it, tx for the quick info. Way too many barbed bushes in here, IMO, I'm not "taping" this run, but I'll see how it goes.

[The Avatar]

I suggest immediately going around killing plants and then use your two starting potions to negate the poison and mana burn.

Also, if you get Jehora, go around killing and stepping on all corrosion before you take chaos avatar. If you can manage to pull Taurog that helps a lot. Take EM for clearance then convert, or JJ for chaos avatar and then convert. The extra damage is great. Also, if you can set up a mid fight level up for the first boss and take him down using only 1 or two potions, Chaos Avatar will make Itsssama a pushover.

[Lujo]

Ok, still on the same run, did just what Avatar suggests, went around killing MB plants and regen fighting lvl 1 monsters (carefully), found EM and fireball, had to kill a bunch of poison plants first. Used a HP, leveled up of of 5 lvl 1's, I'm lvl 3 now and I think there are no more plants in the level (while regen fighting stuff I used mana to stone a plant here and there and used clearance, and then used plantation to get 36 mana, and removed (i hope) all plants from the level).

Lets see now. Any EM boons worth it or should I change to mysteria? I got Burndayraz and halpmeh, and I converted wonnafyt (not sure if that was a good idea, but I was MB's at the time).

BTW: I feel incredibly stupid, as it still feels like an onld Monk romp after I've killed all the plants, and I'm totaly nervous because "something" might go wrong somehow. And so many things could -.-'

[Darvin]