Playthrough notes

[Darvin]

Still have to unlock that, and it'll be some time before I'm able to compete in the "Medals" PBF thing I think looks like a lot of fun.

So you've lost your old profile? That's too bad.

Is there any point to unlocking the Balanced Dagger. It was a bit lackluster last time around, what's the pro opinion?

No; the only place it's any good is Vicious Gaan-Telet (where the majority of the dungeon is a level 10 hero fighting hordes of level 10 monsters). It's otherwise much too niche and is pure pollution for your shop pool.

I'd say the challenge quest items would be prioritized roughly:

#1) Trisword
#2) Gloves of Midas
#3) Martyr Wraps
#4) Vampiric Blade
#5) Agnostic Collar
#6) Whurrgarbl
#7) Stone Sigil
#8) Platemail
#9) Venom Dagger
#10) Blue Bead
#11) Mage Plate
#12) Balanced Dagger

Up to you if you want to unlock "naturally" or with an eye for optimization.

Still have to unlock that, and it'll be some time before I'm able to compete in the "Medals" PBF thing I think looks like a lot of fun.

Only thing you need unlocked for the current open competition is the Berserker Camp and the Priest. The rules have been set up so that it's fairly accessible even to those who haven't unlocked everything. The perspective of an early kingdom might be nice.

[The Avatar]

I disagree with your listing. I'd put blue bead above stone sigil. Then again these are all play style differences. I tend to save up a LOT of popcorn.

[Lujo]

Ty, I won't be unlocking the berserker camp soon, because I'm going for a slower development this time around (had enough of optimization tbh). If the next one falls closer to the early side of things, I'll certanly give it a shot.

Won't unlock dagger till Gaan'Telet runs, and I haven't unlocked the Vampiric Blade at all and Agnostic Collar for ages last time around, and I went for Mage Plate 1st this time around because it was so usefull last time (and I' decided to play around with staring classes and dungeons for a short while first). Was nerfed, I know, but I liked it better than most people. The god-awfull-trice-damned-shop-poluting-useless-blue-bead-of-utter-pointlessness is a great item in my eyes and will be unlocked as soon as possible, as well.

Otherwise, good list.

EDIT: Avatar beat me to it on the bead issue, I'm a notorious popcorn monger myself too

Also, Darvin, where are you on the silly potion prep kit issue? Avatars going full cheeze with autoprep Namtar's Ward, I'm trying to hold middle ground with "just the potions are silly enough" stance, whats your postition? It might account for the love of the bead, powerleveling that way saves you tons of popcorn...

EDIT: - ?????: is the third halfling puzzle doable at all? I'm not sure I've tried every possible way (haven't gone out of my way to save the DP till the snake) but I can't for the life of me think of a solution... Just need info, is it working as intended or has something changed somehow?

[Darvin]

I disagree with your listing. I'd put blue bead above stone sigil. Then again these are all play style differences. I tend to save up a LOT of popcorn.

The thing I dislike about the bead is its low shop density. I totally understand where you're coming from; it's not a bad item and at its price-point it's a no-brainer. The point is, I'd much rather have a chance to get a different item in the same shop.

I might move it above Venom Dagger or Platemail, but not the Stone Sigil.

The god-awfull-trice-damned-shop-poluting-useless-blue-bead-of-utter-pointlessness is a great item in my eyes and will be unlocked as soon as possible, as well.

Very well put.

Also, Darvin, where are you on the silly potion prep kit issue? Avatars going full cheeze with autoprep Namtar's Ward, I'm trying to hold middle ground with "just the potions are silly enough" stance, whats your postition

To repeat myself:

#1) Trisword

is the third halfling puzzle doable at all? I'm not sure I've tried every possible way (haven't gone out of my way to save the DP till the snake) but I can't for the life of me think of a solution... Just need info, is it working as intended or has something changed somehow?

The most recent set of solutions I've written can be found here

[Dreamdancer]

Can somebody explain me the hype around the Martyr Wraps?
Assuming I found the boss around lvl4, till I get lvl7 to fight him, the boss will have 3 stacks of corrosion.
While I fight him, he gets probably some more. But I can't imagine that he'll get as many that the stacks result in a free attack (for this the acumulated damage should be around 60, or better more).
On the minus-side I'll have 7 stacks myself and must pay 8gold for the burn-salve. With the Cauldrom from Naga City this could be cool, but this item is so new -> can't be the hype.
Only other idea is, that corrsion might be nice against the Goo boss (think damage from corrosion ignores resists?)

For Fireball characters I like the Mage Plate really well, so i would rate it higher.

But for position 1+2 i totally agree. These two items are really awesome and i think i've prep'd them 90% of the time, till i have them.

[Darvin]

The damage adds up. I also dismissed this item for the longest time until Lujo demonstrated how it adds up. Yes, you will want to use a burn salve (or Jehora Jeheyu's Chaos Avatar) to remove corrosion, and yes it does penetrate resistances.

First of all, martyr wraps are surprisingly strong early. Every time you hit the monster your next attack deals one point more damage. A 1st level monk or assassin playing regen games is going to eventually topple very powerful monsters, and the damage applies both to melee and fireball. You poke at a 4th level meat man fifteen times and everything - including your fireballs, is hitting for about 20 damage.

Second of all, the damage adds up. It won't do much against low-HP/high-damage bosses, but against tanks like Wall of Goo or Super Meat Man or Frank it makes a huge difference. If you hit the boss 12 times, that's 78 extra damage from the melee attacks alone, which works out to 6.5 extra damage to melee attacks. However, the corrosion damage also applies to knockback (PISORF) and fireball (BURNDAYRAZ), which means you're actually getting well over a hundred extra points of damage over the course of the boss battle.

It's not an item for Warlords or Rogues, but for Monks, Assassins, Paladins, Bloodmages, or anyone else that hits often and/or needs to follow up with fireballs it works wonders.

[The Avatar]

Wow. I always doubted the wraps, but it really adds up.

What do you think of the nerf? You have to see the monster to corrode it on level up. Was that too harsh or fine (in case you can't tell, I almost never use the Wraps).

[Lujo]

Well, I'd say the nerf was was bloody necessary, and yes, the damage indeed adds up like you wouldn't believe unless going really heavy striker. With the Vision restriction - few early hit's of LEMISI is pound to reveal the boss in most circumstances. The fact that it adds to you fireball and pissorff damage is a big seller though.

[Darvin]

A knockback attack lets you double-dip on corrosion

[Sidestepper]

You could remove the positive on level-up effect entirely and the Martyr Wraps would still be good. Monks and Paladins will get the most out of it.

The drawback isn't as bad as you might think it is. Just use your prepped Burn Salve the first time the corrosion would prevent you from winning an important fight, and buy a second one for use after the popcorn stage of the game is over.

Hey, does corrosion get triggered by the Sorcerer's Mana Shield?