Day 17: Cow -> Zero fun day.

So, on Tower Level 3, I got the cow.

I thought white picket fences dropped like mad. They don't. It's a non-combat adventure. So, after spending 30 adventures there, and taking 3 trips to the moxie, I let out a well-meant curse. The annoyingest thing is: In regular hardcore it will cost you a day at worst. In HOXY it can take a long, long, long time. I might even fail my previous record, just because of this fence. Seeing the stat gains from the White Picket Fence area also made me decide that vacationing for it was better, except that's so costly.

Really, I'm screwed. And I apologise to all those that said it before and I tried to mitigate it, but this really is "zero" fun.

Keypunch (#30036)
Level 11
Crocodile Lord
Turns Played (this run): 869
Days Played (this run): 17

I got to wield the Pike! I lost one fight, but won 22 flowers. I guess I'll have to focus on this.

PvP Ranking: 110
Fights Won/Lost: 227/111

Day 16: So close, yet so far away.

When I logged in, I was faced with 20 (!) attack messages. The net effect of them was that I had gained 4 ranks. Pretty cool :-)

No clover, I had to gain just a few stats. And I got a guitarrr from the pirates. Getting past the skeleton key door was boring, however. Roll, fail, repeat until low HP, heal, repeat. Then, the hedge maze took a lot of turns. The first two tower monsters also were stuff that I didn't have (sonar-in-a-biscuit, frigid ninja stars). I ran out of adventures, before I acquired the stars.

Keypunch (#30036)
Level 11
Crocodile Lord
Turns Played (this run): 825
Days Played (this run): 16

With one Hatorade and a bunch of boosting, I tried to be as conservative as possible, in my targets. Still, only 12/14 and a major loss of rank. So sad. I'm keeping the pike equipped overnight, so that means 23 attacks tomorrow! Woot!

PvP Ranking: 99
Fights Won: 204/109

Day 15: Maybe Tomorrow.

No clover. But I did get some banjo strings. And I did get all the star stuff. And I turned the wheel to Mysticality. And I zapped my furry suit (saves an adventure).

So, if there's clover tomorrow, I will get at least one. After that it's merely gaining enough stats and running the tower. I'll probably have to backfarm and run out of adventures. Would be nice to make it 16 days, but if it's 17, that wouldn't be too bad.

Keypunch (#30036)
Level 10
Rattlesnake Chief
Turns Played (this run): 778
Days Played (this run): 15

I merely consolidated. Fun to see that I indeed nabbed a few with my Muscle boost. I did a similar boost for today, except that Wereseal blood has lost effectivity. I pondered keeping my Pike, instead of my chrome sword, but if I don't ascend tomorrow, I'll do that then.

PvP Ranking: 130
Fights Won: 187/91

*buff boost = Patience of the Tortoise, Spiky Hair, Temporary Lycanthropy & Extreme Muscle Relaxation. Yesterday I managed a Sugar Rush as well, for good measure.

Day 14: Clover in the Sky

Except for the astronomer, who seems to be smoking clovers, there were none to be gotten in the Kingdom. Which was just as well, because I had forgotten all about them, 'till I was out of turns.

It took 40 or so adventures for a giant needle to drop...*sigh* My motto proven once more. Luckily the next few adcentures in the Hole were quite fruitful. I made another mistake however, spending all my meat at the Hall of Legends of Old. I forgot I might need the meat to buy buffs tomorrow. Luckily I've got a small fortune left in items and as I said, the drop rate is generous (2 charts, 8 stars, 4 lines, already).

Now, let's hope for clover tomorrow.

Keypunch (#30036)
Level 10
Rattlesnake Chief
Turns Played (this run): 731
Days Played (this run): 14

Sensitive PvP-information, I've got a tonne of buffs going, meaning a seriously boosted Muscle. I tried my hand at some more risky combats, and got 11 very rewarding flowers out of 13. Pretty neat. Especially since PvP seems to have heated up. I hope my muscle buff can trip up one or two opponents.

PvP Ranking: 105
Fights Won/Lost: 169/83

Day 14: Planning Notes

It's unlikely I'll get to ascension tomorrow, but I should make a few notes.

First of all, I lack a stringed instrument. I do have a bone rattle and a stolen accordion, but no banjo or guitarrr. I need a clover day to make the banjo. While I'm at that, I should also get strings and an extra clover for the door: estimated # of adventures: 9.

Then there's backfarming. Nine items. Must be some new record. Well, I think I shouldn't count the hairspray, so it's just 8.
Gotten: meat vortex, baseball, chaos butterfly
Might need: frigid ninja-stars, sonar-in-a-biscuit, NG (got the G), barbed-wire fence (moo!), spider web, razorsharp can lid, photoprotoneutron torpedo, disease.

Lest I forget, I should eat a snowcone, first thing tomorrow.

That's about it. Unless Pike+Tenacity turns out not to be a starkiller.

Day 13: A Stalker Is Me!

Well, I went up the stalk. Had to linger to get the metallic A...the torpedo didn't drop, sadly. My Tower Item collection looks rather meagre (I have a mere 3/12), so that will prompt some backfarming. I did get the various immateria and access to the Giant Castle.

The Tenacity of the Snapper combined with the Pike spells misery for the Giants. I have managed to turn the wheel to "Lights Out" and checked in with the Council. All that's left is to gather the items for the Giant Castle Map* and go fetch stars, before I can face the Sorceress. I have the utmost confidence that I can defeat her.

Keypunch (#30036)
Level 10
Rattlesnake Chief
Turns Played (this run): 684
Days Played (this run): 13

A mix of different targets for PvP. Sadly, I get pounded upon by all those who are preparing for the Valentine's Day Massacre by Iocaine Powder. Oh well, such is the life, the PvP contest has turned into a "who can amass the most stats" contest. I'm not a powerleveller, by any standard.

PvP Ranking: 108
Fights Won/Lost: 157/73

*Did I ever tell my motto for this game? "Nothing ever drops. Ever."

Day 12: Stuck on a mountain

All my adventures were spent battling Yeti, again. Perhaps I should farm the Valley for a 31337 so that I can make Arse-a-Fire elixir eventually, to hit the HitS. On the other hand, I'm betting that my Pike manages to carry me through, there. At the end of the day, I was 29 substats short of level 10.

Keypunch (#30036)
Level 9
Bullfrog Overseer
Turns Played (this run): 637
Days Played (this run): 12

I mostly ravaged the level 9 ranks. 13 flowers. Hurray!

PvP Ranking: 113
Fights Won/Lost: 144/64

p.s. Only 121 turns of WANG left... :-/

Day 11: Pike

Pike! Pike! Pike!

I finished the Rofl'mao quest, in order to get the Pike. I also did the whole 31337 h4xx0r thing. The pike rules, but it poses me the problem, do I wear the Pike at rollover for PvP++ or the Chrome Sword for turn++?

Questions, questions!

Keypunch (#30036)
Level 9
Bullfrog Overseer
Turns Played (this run): 571
Days Played (this run): 11

The PvP was sweet. I struck fear into the hearts and minds of many a PvP'er, especially with my evil and twisted Pike of Doom!
Birdy taunted me into attacking him. It was a risk, but I won on the mini. 14 flowers!

PvP Ranking: 109
Fights Won/Lost: 129/55

Day 10: Yo ho ho, a pirate's life for me!

Mostly all of my adventures were spent with the Pirates. That is, I spent 6 turns on moxie vacation (no fence) and spent over 30 at the Cove. I got the pants, I got an eyepatch, I got another pants, but zapping them turned them into another eyepatch. Eventually, I got the parrot (but no guitarrr). And another 5 turns or so was good for the dictionary.

With 1 turn left, I had enough for the day.

Keypunch (#30036)
Level 9
Bullfrog Overseer
Turns Played (this run): 542
Days Played (this run): 10

PvP was a simple affair of easy pickings.

PvP Ranking: 96
Fights Won: 115/49

Day 9: Does my hair look good like this?

A day full of moxiousity. My moxie indeed skyrocketed. First I swung by the Daily Dungeon and got a second Jarlsberg key :-/. Then it was time for the mountain. I had some trouble with the goats at first, but with a purple snowcone they were tamed. A potion of chalky equality helped me take on the Bonerdagon (barely). There was no stopping me from there on. A swift visit to the Dungeon of Doom gave me the wand, and I zapped one of my two Jarlsberg's into a Boris Key.

The yeti's were next. At first they were tough to fell, but as my stats rose and I got skills like Tenacity of the Snapper they got easier. In the end either a lunging thrust-smack or one of those with a can of hairspray for good measure did the dirty deed. When I got to wear my penguin skin shorts and chrome helmet turtle the damage I received was also quite bearable. Level 9 was reached and the strange leaflet completed.

Sadly, I had only enough adventures left to visit the Shore once. Moxie holidays are something that will have to be done tomorrow.

As it looks now, I won't need to turn the Wheel counter-clockwise later.

Keypunch (#30036)
Level 9
Bullfrog Overseer
Turns Played (this run): 496
Days Played (this run): 9

Ah, PvP. I put some fear and respect into the ranks of the level 8 players.

PvP Ranking: 98
Fights Won/Lost: 102/45

p.s. Day 8 was a break day: 13 flowers, 3 snowcones and evil food autosold.

Day 7: Chrome Medal for Valour

My reasoning was that getting the chrome sword ahead of time would make for more adventures gained. That said, in the end it cost me 21 turns to get. Some of which were purely to get the meat (I visited the Treasury) for the meatsmithing hammer and the dense meat stack.

All in all it took me 21 turns. Seeing as how I would've gotten it otherwise in the course of adventuring in two days, the question is whether those extra 6 adventures are really worth it. Then again, the three turns spent smithing and the 10 (?) turns spent mining were necessary evils to begin with. Which leaves 21-3-10-6=just 2 wasted adventures.

As an added bonus, this means I have finished the Mining part of the Tr4pz0r quest.

Keypunch (#30036)
Level 8
Salamander Subduer
Turns Played (this run): 379
Days Played (this run): 7

In PvP I tried to snipe at an old nemesis and failed and also took too much of a risk trying to beat someone low-ranked with a high level. You just absolutely can't rely on your mini's in HCOxy, which is a shame and left me spending the other 11 bullying hapless low-leveled low-ranks. Being WANG'ed for 300 turns by some random n00b in chat doesn't really help either.

Then I had a cat-related emergency (bleeding paw) and only now can post my results, after being succesfully hit by several people. So without much further ado, here are my PvPstats:

PvP Ranking: 54
Fights Won/Lost: 76/40

p.s. Cat is fine, my brand-new white shirt is ruined.

Day 6: Low on Meat, High on Fibre

It was a bit of a slog, but when I look back, I think I did a lot of useful maneuvering.

First of all, I reached level 8, which means I unlocked the tr4pz0r quest and am one level closer to 11. Also, it means my meat woes are quite close to being over.

I also got a DD key. Jarlsberg Key. Not that great, but it's one out of three that I need, eh.

Next, I got the major consultation. So, that means that once I have the meat, I can visit the DoD and get that zapping wand. I've got lots of stuff to zap: a lime, dungeon keys, maybe a wolf mask, scrolls! Oh my!

Also, I have taken two shore trips and posess dinghy planks. On my way to the Island!

I have 1 piece of chrome ore. I think I'll continue in the mines tomorrow. The earlier I can smith a chrome sword, the better.

Finally, I cleared most of the Cyrpt. Only the Bonerdagon stands. I tried to take him on, but failed. I think I can take him on next day I play (moxie day). I won't be able to take advantage of Wereseal blood, but I might be able to make a potion or two. Never mind my increased stats. Also, I can use the Grue for supportive firepower.

Keypunch (#30036)
Level 8
Salamander Subduer
Turns Played (this run): 358
Days Played (this run): 6

Uh yeah, PvP. A shameful day. I got owned by Soulcake. My popularity as a target has grown with a major part of the population, and I ended up farming rock bottom for flowers.

Ranking: 71
Fights Won: 65/32

Day 4 & 5: Sipping on snowcones

Actually, just summoning snowcones, the odd scrumptious reagent and hitting people up in PvP. I lost one fight out of 26.

Keypunch (#30036)
Level 7
Iguana Driver
Turns Played (this run): 226
Days Played (this run): 5

Ranking: 80
Fights Won: 50/24

p.s. I think tomorrow I'll start off with Dungeon crawling. Getting a DD item and getting the wand.

Day 3: Thick Fat Spleen

Enthusiastically, I bought an Oyster Bucket, thinking I could use it to nab an oyster or two when I was finished getting a spleen. No such luck. It was a struggle through all the three places, before I had the 3 artefacts for the Arcane Ritual, to close the Deep Fat Friar's Gate. But what was worse: Once I had the final piece, I didn't have a Ruby W, yet. My choice for the Pygmy Bugbear Shaman turned out to be quite inconvenient here. I was pretty low on meat and I had the Bugbear up to a high level, but no luck. I even sold my oyster basket again for meat. Eventually I switched back to my Cheshire Bat and got the Ruby W on the very last turn! (With the help of a blue tongue)

On my campground, I've installed some Evil Arches. Every day, that means I'll get a minor amount of meat from autoselling a piece of evil food. Not bad.

Keypunch (#30036)
Level 7
Iguana Driver
Turns Played (this run): 226
Days Played (this run): 3

For PvP, I did quite well, but a lost a fight to sheer bloodymindedness. "SirCoolWhip". I always lose from SirCoolWhip! What made me think this time would be different? After getting 11 flowers, I had a single fight left. With the help of the lovely inhabitants of /pvp I lost enough rank to bully another old nemesis of mine....muhahahaha, your flower is mine Soulcake!

With those flowers, I completed my campground collection of pretty bouquets.

PvP Ranking: 58
Fights Won/Lost: 23/12

p.s. I had hoped to find a diamond-studded cane, but no luck. I'm still weilding my 40-power Gnollish Flyswatter. Makes smithing something rather tempting.

Day 2: Full Steam Ahead!

What a rollercoaster rush, the first day of real adventuring. The Premium Canned Air made it easier, that's for sure. It took me to level 4 like that. From there on, it all went so fast. My accomplishments:
- Pretentious Artist Quest done.
- Tavern Quest solved, with a dead baron (monocle).
- Dead Boss Bat (britches).
- Plied Jewels (Hamethyst necklace and baconstone bracelet)
- Bitchin' Meat Car acquired.
- Screwdriver returned.
- Meat maid at the Campground.
- Dead Goblin King (Crown).
- Pixels hunted (4 Red Pixel Potions & Digital Key)

Basically, everything you *can* do at level 6, except for the Friar's. I used my grue to help against the bosses, although Lunging Thrust Smack was more key. It's one of the few things that isn't great about my run...I haven't found many good weapons, yet. The stolen accordion I had fished from the sewer was just too underpowered, so I used the sweet ninja sword for a while. Currently, I'm using a Gnollish Flyswatter...gonna take a while before I get something cool, or that I can use my Pike Pike.

Keypunch (#30036)
Level 6
Frog Boss
Turns Played (this run): 182
Days Played (this run): 2

PvP wasn't all that impressive. Being so on the high end of level 6, I wasted the other top level 6 players and also level 5, setting me up as prime target. Already got attacked once (and lost 10 rank) before I got to write this.

PvP Ranking: 79
Fights Won: 10/1

As a nice idea to flesh out this post, my current adventuring outfit:
Hat: Crown of the Goblin King (Power: 70) (+10 muscle)
Shirt: Knob Goblin elite shirt (Power: 35) (+3 muscle)
Weapon: Gnollish flyswatter (Power: 35)
Pants: Boss Bat britches (Power: 65) (+5 moxie)
Accessory: shiny ring (+3 to all)
Accessory: hamethyst necklace (+4 muscle, +5 damage, +3PvP)
Accessory: Baron Von Ratsworth's monocle (+10% item drop)
Familiar: lead necklace (+3 weight)

Day 1: A new run

A new beginning. With two glorious tattoo's! It makes my collector's score standing:
You have unlocked 64 tattoos.
You have earned 24 trophies.
You have collected 41 familiars.
For a total score of 129.

I sold 2 of my pork jewels, spent 2 adventures getting a trinket, exchanged it for a ten-leaf clover, got another trinket, mariachi pants and a stolen accordion. I used the other trinket for sweet rims. Gonna need those eventually. The rest of the adventures is saved for tomorrow (Muscle Day) and so is the Premium Air.

[edit]
I also chose to spend 9 adventures leveling up my Pygmy Bugbear Shaman. And one getting a lead necklace (blast) for my Cheshire Bat.

Keypunch (#30036)
Level 1
Toad Coach
Turns Played (this run): 13
Days Played (this run): 1

Day 19: A day under parrrrr!

My original aim was 20 days, for 840 adventures. I boosted my turn count (in amusing ways) so I broke the 840 barrier, but managed to stay under the 19 day one.

Fighting at the Castle went well. Even got that extra wolf mask. Zapping the Metallic A gave a ruby W. I zipped through the Entrance cavern. I forgot that I could use goofballs against the Topiary Golems, but they still posed little threat. The first tower monster was the Desktop Globe, of course. So, I zapped the ruby W and lo and behold, I got that lowercase n. Next was the Flaming Samurai, so I took my mosquito to the Ninja Snowmen and managed to level him up and get the stars. The next four challenges were a doozy, which meant a level 2 potato. Door, bolt, shadow, all done. The first enemy was immediately defeated by my mosquito. One fight at the arena was enough for Billy to defeat the next. I tried a few turns farming at the Valley for flaming talons, but to no avail. Oh well. I faced the Sorceress with my hamethyst necklace, infernal insoles and a stuffed shoulder parrot. Arrrrr!

Keypunch (#30036)
Level 11
Reindeer Threatener
Ascended in 890 turns, spread out over 19 days, under the Platypus sign as hardcore Seal clubber, following the Oxygenarian path.

Hurray!
1/6 Oxycores done!

Day 18: Ass on Fire!

Sadly, nobody got pulverized by my burning ass overnight. It was quite efficient however to smack the star creatures. It took about 30 adventures or so to get all the star stuff. In the castle, I was quite lucky, I got two wheel turns quite quickly and the "Taking Out The Garbage" adventure as well. It was so efficient, that I'll take this post's space to put in the planning for tomorrow, as well.

Keypunch (#30036)
Level 10
Moose Harasser
Turns Played (this run): 847
Days Played (this run): 18

I won it all with PvP. I picked easy targets.

PvP Ranking: 111
Fights Won/Lost: 195/68

And now, for the planning.

I only need 4 muscle points for level 11. My secondaries are 70+ already. I got everything for the entrance cavern. I think I can handle the Topiary Golems as well (if necessary with goofballs).

My tower checklist:
In possession: barbed-wire fence, baseball, can of hair spray, chaos butterfly, meat vortex, photoprotoneutron torpedo, razor-sharp can lid, sonar-in-a-biscuit
Sadly lacking: frigid ninja stars, NG, spider web, disease.

I also have a chance of zapping an extra lowercase N, taking care of the NG. The three others all have a relatively high drop rate. With a fully pumped itemdropper, they shouldn't require more than 5 adventures each.

The top of the tower should go relatively smoothly as well. I have lots of initiative boosters and 4 pixel potions to use against my shadow. My familiars get boosted +18 pounds right from the start (+5 sympathy, +5 empathy, +5 green tongue, +3 figurines). So that's two turns spent at the arena...or even just one, if I have good luck taking the right one up the tower. I shouldn't forget to turn down the MCD after reaching level 11.

The fight itself. Either I can zap a second wolf mask, if I find it, or need one turn to smith the furry pants. The weapon speaks for itself. My accessories, however, are a bit less given. I can use my hamethyst necklace for the melee damage bonus. There's the off-chance I can pick up an acid-squirting flower, if I'm forced to farm a disease. If I have adventures left, I could also farm the Valley...nice to have a flaming talon or two.
I have a variety of combat items to chuck at her Naughtiness, so I see no point in getting more of those, I also can try to thrust-smack her, of course.
And finally, Ryan, my trusted dodecapede will be at my side for the fight.

Day 17: Starstruck Seal Clubber

My 48 adventures of the day took me through the Giant Castle. It took a few extra turns to get an awful poetry journal, but the wheel was quite gentle, even though it was Friday the 13th. I wonder if there will be some follow-up for the bad luck adventures I experienced (which was just a "you see a black cat", tacked to the end of an adventure. My last two adventures were spent catching stars.

Fighting the Giants was already an HP-costing proposition, but fighting the Stars even more so. To counter this, I've prepared arse-a-fire elixir. Should get me through the worst of it. Combined with licking a blue snowcone, I should be through tomorrow. Perhaps I'll even have the opportunity to scale Her Naughtiness's Tower tomorrow. The biggest challenge will be getting the stats. I also had no luck with zapping a superfluous Heavy D. It turned into an 'A', rather than an 'n'.

Keypunch (#30036)
Level 10
Moose Harasser
Turns: 799 [-edited in]

I did have bad luck with PvP. I still need 10 full muscle points, and that's the biggest challenge. Losing 60 odd points is harsh. 3-4 adventures. Combined with I already lost, that sets me back in the direction of 1/6th to 1/5th of a day. And not to mention the horrible, horrible rank loss.

PvP Ranking: 101
Fights Won: 181/66

Day 16: Sweet!

Actually, my play wasn't all that sweet. The loophole of logging out to clear your non-combat adventure history has been closed. I also wasted a few adventures while trying to get the wand. At least I did get the wand. Zapped the final key (should've done this before, to not have wasted those trips to the DD). I also opened up the Castle of the Giants, that's at least something.

I spent my last adventure at the Peak. With some autoselling, I got 4000 meat, enough for 20 cups of strongness elixir.

Keypunch (#30036)
Level 10
Moose Harasser

Turns Played (this run): 751
Days Played (this run): 16

I lost another PvP-fight. Again against a "safe" (but horribly well-buffed) target. 12/13 ain't that bad, it's the stats that are so wasted. At least I didn't play all chicken and those twelve shots were all great hits.

PvP Ranking: 106
Fights Won: 167/61

p.s. The 20-day target I set myself seems to be closing in rapidly. I hope I can make it! I should play more attentively the next days, because I can't afford mistakes. I also have to pray I don't get the Desktop Globe.

Day 15: PvP loss!

I got to level 10 and already have 3 of the immateria. Tomorrow, however, I will probably do the Dungeon of Doom.

Keypunch (#30036)
Level 10
Moose Harasser
Turns Played (this run): 703
Days Played (this run): 15

I lost a PvP fight. Also, didn't I have the hamethyst bracelet on at rollover, because I only had 10 fights?

eh_steve was the one to break my streak. Ironically, I had been picking risky targets, succeeding on mini's a few times and he was supposed to be an "easy" win...

PvP Ranking: 109
Fights Won/Lost: 155/59

Day 14: Back to that mountain...

Still level 9, although I gained decent stats. Only slightly more than 600 muscle substats to go, before I reach 10. Hippo skin day at the Bounty Hunter Hunter was a nice boost for donating.

The Dungeon gave me another Sneaky Pete Key. So I have 2 boris key, 2 pete key, and a boris ring. I'm going for the Wand, and should've done so earlier. Steep path, meatwise, though.

It doesn't look like I have to worry about my secondaries, which is neat.

Keypunch (#30036)
Level 9
Caribou Smacker
Turns Played (this run): 655
Days Played (this run): 14

PvP-wise, I was slightly more adventurous, picking on a few known names and those of higher level. It showed, because I lost the buffed muscle contest in two or three matches. Thankfully, my mini's were up to par. The flowers directly went into my shop. I even upped a bit of rank, this way.

PvP Ranking: 111
Fights Won/Lost: 146/52

Day 13: Down in the Valley

Today I spent most of my time in the valley, looking for that elusive lowercase n. Eventually I got one (1), but I had to get out the Coffee Pixie. Next time, I should level up the Pygmy Bugbear.

Also, hanging around there, I get spare 31337 scrolls, so no need to fish for trinkets those first days, except for the one for the sweet rims and the one for the dingy planks.

The fifth pr0n finally dropped a lowercase N and that was that. I also ran the Daily Dungeon, got another Sneaky Pete's Key. Another chance tomorrow, although if I don't get it tomorrow, it's time to get the Wand.

Keypunch (#30036)
Level 9
Caribou Smacker
Turns Played (this run): 607
Days Played (this run): 13

I just smacked easy kills for the first dozen fights, but took on a decent target for the final hit. Netted me 12 rank points, plus the flower.

PvP Ranking: 88
Fights Won/Lost: 133/51

Lovely Flowers

As some sort of pass-on question by Soulcake, I got asked "What the heck do I like about PvP?"

It all started after that faithful November 8, when PvP stopped costing turns. In the really old days, I had broken my hippy stone, but lost the enjoyment. Once I could heal my stone, I did. After that, I never broke my stone again, because I was worried that as a chat mod, I would have a giant target painted on my back, in a discipline I didn't want to put energy in. Even later, once I started HC runs, I only broke my stone a few times to get flowers to specifically defeat a big monster or survive in the HitS/against the Topiary Golems. Quickly, reagent potions became a much more efficient way, so I stopped doing that as well.

On November 9th however, I was willing to give it a try. After all, you had nothing to lose in defence, so being a target was no problem, and it wouldn't cost precious turns, needed to ascend. It quickly turned from "something else to do when you're done adventuring" to a minor passion. After all, I noticed this was a leaderboard at which anybody had a shot, since it refreshed a lot.

The real joy however is in the hunt. First you make your own preparations at the end of adventuring. Trying to minimize the number of buffs, for the biggest effect. Putting on the best wardrobe. Drinking up as close to the limit as you can. Then, set as well as possible, the profiling begins. Using search to find targets. Trying to estimate their prowess. Sometimes it's just looking for easy kills, but it gets really interesting when you're tussling with the big guys. Dilemma's start presenting itself. Would it be wiser to keep that statboosting stainless steel slacks? Or better to wear the yakskin pants, so as to win the possible fashion show? Especially when you are buffed to your eyeballs and in between way higher-level people, you know that once you press that "attack" button, there's no going back. You've considered all eventualities, you've maximized your chances, you've crossed your fingers and you hit the button. A screen of blue and red presents itself, you quickly scan the colour distribution and it doesn't look good, that first buffed contest is red, and that was supposed to be your strong. You've won the unbuffed but lost the secondary. But thank goodness, you've gotten away with it. Your mini's have saved you...this time.

That's the thrill of winning a fight.

Then there's also the moment you log off. You've prepared your best set of defense equipment, made sure that you've got a full set of pretty bouquets at your campground and softly curse because the hippies wouldn't drop that set of windchimes, which would've improved your campground. You go to sleep. The following day, you log on. Several "you've been attacked" greet you. Some of them are from total noobs. But you also recognize the name of that levelcamper and of a couple of the regulars in PvP. The ones that you've lost to before...or utterly pulverized. The glee and discontent that the results of those messages give. Overwhelmingly holding your ground against a newbie, winning on mini's against a rival. Being crushed by a PvP fiend. They make it worth it. The best, for me, is when I see multiple attacks by one person. It means he's failed at least once. And he was annoyed enough by this to make it worth for him to take his chances once more.

That's what makes it worth it to drink white canadians if you can mix them, to grab flowers whenever you can, to go for the hippy outfit every run...the emotions induced by true competition.

Day 12: No Mountain Too High

SO, I forgot to do the Daily Dungeon, but luckily, I have plenty more opportunities (or I can even do the whole wand thing, after getting a few echoey antidotes).

Instead, I spent my grand total of 48 adventures on pure, unadulterated adventuring. I continued with my massacre of the Peak and followed up with a moxious roll into the valley. Getting the dictionary took a few adventures too many (close to 6 or so!), which was an annoyance, but so be it.

Interestingly, I (in general) generate 60 turns of snowconey effects a day, while I only have 48 of those to spend. This gives me a surplus of 12 snowcone turns per day, meaning that after 2 days, I have more than a snowcone in reserve. I should mind casting snowcones on a possible ascension day, because I wonder if the skill resets for that event. Worth testing, I suppose.

Keypunch (#30036)
Level 9
Caribou Smacker
Turns Played (this run): 559
Days Played (this run): 12

Overnight, I got pvp-ed by the usual gang, but also actually won 3 pvp fights. One of them was from an overconfident level 7, who had buffed himself up, but lost the unbuffed moxie contest and consequently two minigames (but not buffed muscle). Sniping gone awry. Two others were from Disco Bandits, that backstabbed me, but lost the buffed muscle contest and two minigames. They were several levels above me. For my own PvP-ing, I simply PVP'ed picking one juicy target from each of the ranks 24-37 upwards. Only had to rely on mini's in one fight. It's tacky, but I can't really afford to lose stats in Oxycore.

PvP Ranking: 71
Fights Won/Lost: 119/48

Day 12+: Holding My Breath

Things have begun to be moving considerably forward. Also, I've entered the "linear" zone. It's worth planning that linear path, so that I can go through it as efficiently as possible. Using assets like the snowcones at the right time, for example.

First of all, I should run the Daily Dungeon tomorrow. After hopefully getting the Jarlsberg Key, I can go back to beating up Yeti, with the aid of a red snowcone. Once I reach level 9, I can do all leaflet tricks. I get the dictionary dressed up like a pirate, and use a blue snowcone in the valley, to hopefully get that lowercase n to drop. After I have at least one of those and solved that quest, I can go back to the Yeti, and use a familiar/volleybal snowcone, so as to get to level 10 the fastest. Up the beanstalk, to the castle, into the hole. All standard stuff there.

I should fashion penguin shorts, to ensure that initiative advantage. For the rest I can hopefully sell my skins to the Bounty Hunter, so I have extra meat to donate to the Hall (all to Boris).

Day 11: Set Mind-Control Devices to Ridiculous!

Today, all adventuring was done with the MCD set to 11. At first I was worried that my moxie might horrible overshoot, but my stats are actually looking pretty good. My intention is to play daily from here on, if I can, see how fast I can make it.

The snowcones are really beneficial! First, I could cast a tonne of Empathy and keep fighting in Menagerie Level 3, without any worries due to a regenerative purple snowcone. Then I reached level 8 and went on the trapper quest. I used a new-fangled trick I got from my clannies to move through the mines somewhat smoothily and used a a different snowcone to increase drop rate for the goat cheese. I used various familiarboosting snowcones in between. Even ran the daily dungeon (boris ring :-() and took 2 more holidays in between (hurray, got the fence!). After finishing the trapper quest, I gathered the swashbuckling outfit before I dared to go to *that* place. The Yeti.

Using a red snowcone (more meat), empathy, buttrock hair, the clock effect, seal clubbing frenzy and an elemental saucesphere, I went there with shaking hands. I Lunging Thrust Smacked the Yeti. Dead! And that at setting 11. The initiative boosts from the various items were more than enough. I didn't even need to wear penguin shorts.

My luxury problem is that I only got two chrome ore from the mines. I had to make the choice, either make a chrome sword, or a chrome helmet turtle. Seeing as how I already got a good hat and that other possible hats that might drop along the way (f3d0r4, mohawk wig, wolf mask) ain't half bad, I went for the extra turns from the chrome sword. Another turtle saved.

Keypunch (#30036)
Level 8
Otter Crusher
Turns Played (this run): 511
Days Played (this run): 11

PvP-wise, I was only slightly less yellow in my choice of targets. I pondered using Hatorade, but instead opted to use that reserve of spleen for strongness elixir.

Ranking: 79
Fights Won: 103
Fights Lost: 41

Day 9 & 10: Key, Snowcones, Flowers

Basically, I spent 6 adventures, to run the DD on day 10. Boris Key!

I also got the Mr. Store Snowcone skill, and now have a variety of snowcones. They will make my Oxygenarian life easier, I imagine. And then there was PvP. Making easy hits for maximum effect.

My home internet is finally disconnected (the phone had been disconnected a few days earlier), but I'm an addict, so I've arranged to use the 'net at a friend's place saturday. Might even be better to switch the appointment to Sunday. I have 84 adventures and will have gotten 90 more, so that's not over the 200 limit.

Keypunch (#30036)
Level 7
Narwhal Pummeler
Turns Played (this run): 382
Days Played (this run): 10

PvP is all a bit slow. At the end of the second moxie day, I'll be sure to cook up a potion or two.

PvP Ranking: 67
Fights Won/Lost: 90/37

Day 8: Mystical Moments

Well, I really progressed the game in certain aspects. I was a bit sloppy at first keeping up Empathy, but eventually wisened up in that regard. Finished the Pixel Hunt, turned to the Friar's and the Cyrpt.

Level 6 and 7 is where Elemental Saucephere really proves its worth. The Friar's took a slightly higher than average time to beat, and the reward isn't all that great. Spleen Health. Yay... Fighting at the Cyrpt wasn't too bad, except that it doesn't drop meat. Seeing as how I had just spent several days without income, a lot of time at the Pixel guys (who don't drop meat) and had used soda water to cast scrumptiuous reagents, I was running a bit low on it and alternated with trying the laboratory and menagerie, with different attires (with and without infernal insoles, various MCD settings) and gained a bit of meat and some stats. I eventually also bought Thrust Smack. Using moxieboost, my (lunging) thrust smacking powers and elemental saucesphere, I cleared the Cyrpt, except for the heart. I didn't have the heart to take the Bonerdagon on just yet. I spent a little time at the beach (6 advs) and some more in the laboratory, with a turned up MCD.

I realized that farming those reagents over the day had been a bit wasteful. I have so many now, and since I don't have a chef in-the-box, I won't be using them all. Next run, I'll make less of them. I used one of them however with the grapes I had found along the way, for a wrath potion. Cranked the MCD to 10 and went out to crush the bonerdagon with pure force. Now I have a cool item, the bonerdagon necklace, which is going to fit nicely into a superstrategy. The necklace gives +5 muscle and moxie, but more importantly, a 30% initiative bonus.

Now, the advantage is that I can crank up the MCD, (L)TS mobsters and gain stats fast. Makes it worth reconsidering what skill to take into the next Ascension. The Claws look more and more appealing now. I don't expect much bonus from my Advanced Meatsmithing.

In other good news, I also picked up a dead guy's watch along the way. I'm up to 45 adventures/day.

Keypunch (#30036)
Level 7
Narwhal Pummeler
Turns Played (this run): 376
Days Played (this run): 8

PvP-wise, I made a major error. I drank the wrath potion a turn to soon, letting it expire once I ran out of turns. This left me unbuffed and still in the lower echelons of 13-a-day flower runs. I also realized that I had been selling flowers at my stores, while forgetting to bouquet my campground. All a bit silly.

No PvP data noted, sadly.

Day 6&7: A Small Circle of Smoldering Ashes

The blazing action of day 4 had already turned a tainted flame on day 5. All that was left of this initial inferno on day 6 and 7 was a small smoldering of my PvP fury. Surely it will burst to full ignition again tomorrow. Rekindled, and better guided than before.

Keypunch (#30036)
Level 6
Malamute Basher
Turns Played (this run): 244
Days Played (this run): 7

Besides summoning 3 scrumptious reagents, I took flowers from 13 hapless victims (both days :-)). I wish I had been closer to the top for Iocaine Powder's Valentine's Day Massacre. I like to fool myself that I wouldn't have stood without chance. They are actually putting out a HC PvP challenge for Valentine's Day (February 14th). By that time, I hope to have finished my second Oxy run. I could consider taking a premature break from my Oxycore cycle and take a chance on it. Anyway, such ruminations are of little concern now.

PvP Ranking: 63
Fights Won/Lost: 50/26

Day 5: Pixel Pressure

So, I switched of the Rat Faucet and then continued hunting for a bottle of perfume. Should've taken the Pixie with me earlier, but oh well. I got a knob goblin elite shirt , which was a neat plus. The King fell under a Lunging Thrust-Smack, and dropped his cape.

My next trick was to hunt pixels. With the neat moxie boost, I could set the MCD to 5. I wonder how necessary 4 red pixel potions are, or whether 3 red pixel potions and a Doc Galactik Homeopathic elixir will defeat the shadow as well. I should consult with some of the smartypantses in my clan.

Keypunch (#30036)
Level 6
Malamute Basher
Turns Played (this run): 244
Days Played (this run): 5

PvP-wise, young Keypunch played it safe. Thirteen out of thirteen flowers gained. I did suffer the indignity of being pummeled by a Boozed up Soulcake.

PvP Ranking: 54
Fights Won/Lost: 22/8

p.s. This is my last day of home internet access. Have to see what I'll have to do to be able to play on weekends :(