Alistair

I gave all the excellent answers and got a huge XP lamp for the first time I can remember. Worked for me. The fact that Meg is able to not do that well even when given the 'best' advice does make sense though. That must have really screwed up people trying to collect data for successful adventures before the information was given out :P

There's the 12k triple stat for 700 steel too; could only manage about 60% on that without merchant. I really don't like such low numbers, even if the rewards balance out as mathematically greater overall.

The patch to Random Event rewards is somewhat annoying. It insisted on giving me Fortunes of the Sea, Captain Reroll and Crew Reroll, all of which I had maxed, even though I had other options free like the Seasinger's Bottled Cry. Fair enough for stopping people from stacking adventurer and voyage rerolls, but I'd like something at least somewhat useful given the rarity of random events. Unless something better than the 10k captain is confirmed, I really don't need a captain reroll and I'm not getting stainless steel fast enough to ever need a crew reroll. I thought that being guaranteed the +10% seafaring/morale/combat items with everything else maxed was fair; they don't offer arguably overpowered advantages like the adventurer reroll. Now that it seems to completely disregard what items you already have, I'm thinking of just ignoring the random events.

Like I said earlier, I was still able to send 4 ships at 100% without any boosts or saving up low requirement voyages [5 Farcriers for 15k morale; JoD, Chimera, Golem, Farcrier + Hunter for 8k morale and 5 Sea Dogs for 14k Seafaring to answer Jeremy earlier], and even aside from that, I can consistently send them all out at over 85% (which is the lowest % I would go with voyages at this point in time) so it's not like it's a massive risk at any point. It does require some planning like Enaid said, as it encourages you to think about what units you can afford to send in your first ship without compromising what you are able to send in your fourth. 5 spare crew and a spare captain gives you all the leeway you should need towards the end of a region. Also, you should also only send one ship out first, ideally one with expendable crew (work that out from the other two voyages). Then work out how to arrange the remaining three ships rather than figure out what to do with the last one once the first three have been sent out. If that doesn't give satisfactory % for all three, send out another ship and hope the reroll is good; if not, rinse and repeat. Even if you can't send all four ships in your highest region consistently, having a fourth is useful in other ways so maybe it shouldn't be thought of in the same way as getting the second or third boat. Given a lot of crew is already expended on three voyages, it makes it better suited to trawling lower regions for those resources. It also means you won't be screwed over as much if you choose to let your ship be repaired at the dry docks. Also, which totems would people say are the best to get? I am pretty much stating that it is useful to have totems built because there will be a point where you have excess Jade and Cherrywood, and I highly doubt using that to switch between bars or repairing ships is a better idea.

It's so beautiful when the voyage requirements work out perfectly between the four ships. Sent out a 8k Morale/Combat, 13k Combat, 15k Morale and 14k Seafaring all at 100%. That hasn't happened in a while. I feel behind too, but oh well, I'll get there eventually.

Basic crew is probably more important than the Judge, simply because you need to level them up early on whilst there are easy Jade voyages, whilst a lot of the bonuses on the Judge are not level related. Plus the fact that you get 5 base crew for every judge in terms of Jade. Get whatever basic crew you're given essentially. I personally don't think the rudder is worth getting first in Jade, but other people seem to like it. I got mine after fourth ship.

In all fairness, the Oxhead and Horseface could be used in conjunction with Judge of Dice or the next Solidarity unit if it exists for those 3-stat missions.

I agree, getting the Gunpowder Barmaid's Tip is somewhat irritating. Still another 1800 Jade until fourth ship. On the other hand, I do have 5 10k captains (2 seafaring, 2 morale, 1 combat), 4-5 of each Jade basic crew at level 5+ and ship upgrades. No idea when 20k captains show up, but I can barely afford one if it does; I'm actually rather low on chimes :P

30% through Bowl, slowly plodding along. I want the daily voyage rerolls reduced back to 12 so I don't feel as bad leaving so many undone at the end every day >_> Too much effort to do voyages from lower regions. I suppose with regular voyages offering 600 Jade at around 20% into Bowl, you can theoretically get 10k jade from then in 2 days if you're lucky. I like the way the hull specialism is randomly spaced. It makes making decisions on upgrades more interesting. As painful as going through two regions on a subpar morale hull is, it makes getting the Hull of Glory that bit more worthwhile.

I think the payout of trade goods is pretty much the same for normal and special voyages. The difference is that the normal voyages might have a higher difficulty for the same goods (not entirely sure though). Also, just noting that a single Bowl voyage with Lotus Lens will level your Bowl crew to level 3, which is just higher than a level 7 Scythe crew member. You also might as well do Arc missions to use up your daily re-rolls, just for the chance of random events. Having a constant supply of +10% bonuses can help with those screwy missions you get with high rewards.

Are they just plastic bottles? I can't think of much to do with that lol On the other hand, if you drank cans, there are some amazing animal sculptures made from them and wires in the British Museum shop so try cans of coke next time :P

Uploaded with ImageShack.us I was just in a dungeon with Nostar, Gwyn and Nikcevich (obt got taken by his cat or mother or something) and my avatar just disappeared. So whilst the others were doing Gulega, I was without a body and could only move after I pressed printscreen (wut)...

Grats on Hex I was playing with a new toy on that floor Uploaded with ImageShack.us

I think we should have some agreement on how to do Blink. I suggest this method. Four players can do it. Each player needs to stand in one of the white-marked sections. They are each responsible for the 2 adjacent pillars. Alternatively, if 5 want in, 3 can stand in the green-marked squares instead and each be responsible for just one pillar. Look at the minimap. It will show where Blink will start running from before it appears. Blink only runs north and east. If appears anywhere apart from at the south-west corner, raise the corresponding pillar immediately. For example, in the pic, I would go and raise the pillar on the right. If it does appear in the southwest corner, it is slightly more tricky as it can run both north and east - in this case, walk behind the corresponding pillar and only raise it once and if it starts running towards you (or even better, watch when it spawns and see if it is facing you). Note 1: It will not use its running magic attack before it crosses the third pillar (the one you are raising) so you will not be hit by it if you successfully follow the above instructions. Note 2: The magic attack will not hit you if you are far enough away from where it is set off either. Note 3: Because you are not raising the fourth pillars, you can raise and hide behind the third pillar whenever Blink squeaks 'Here it comes!'. Shout at anyone who is standing on the pillar and making you potentially die. Note 4: Blink will not be completely bonked once you raise the pillar. Resume your old positions immediately if it disappears and get ready to raise pillars again. Note 5: The layout (where the entrance and exit is) will not necessarily always be in the same place as in the diagram. The only constant is that Blink runs north and east. I don't think protection prayers or summons are particularly important on Blink. Just melee it with piety or turmoil until kingdom come. This is just a draft method. I'm suggesting this because people seem to approach Blink rather randomly, hoping to get lucky that Blink comes your way and raising the back pillars.

It doesn't work. Choose another ring. To the above, people do use melee weapons like the rapier and battleaxe with Surgebox. So unless OP happens to be pure maging, Berserker is the best suggestion.