Music: Assemble, People
Well that was quite the waste of time. Now, can someone please teach Solitaire what the cardinal directions are?
It's not my fault we didn't use them on the Observatory, you know. When you've got a bird's eye view of everything, it's easy to see where to go!
Even so, it's a goo idea to learn! I'd be happy to give you some pointers.
I suppose I'll have to, won't I? Let's get it over with quickly...
Well, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. It's slimeple!
It's really as easy as that? I bet I could have worked it out myself, then!
Before anything else, I would like to remind you that these stairs are still here. They are always here. They always take, at a minimum, around 9 seconds to climb up. These stairs are bad.
Anyway, we're healing up in preparation for the Tower of Trades. There's also some new dialogue from the people down here now that we've set progressed the plot enough.
Apparently the vocation-changing ceremonies used to be held at the top of it, but now it's overrun by monsters.
Of course it is. Is there anywhere that doesn't have monsters crawling all over it?
Yeah, of course! There was Stornway, and Coffinwell, and...er...
Those are populated. They don't count.
I've never seen anything like it before. Do you think... Do you think it has something to do with the Abbot going missing?
Yes. Yes, I do. How much more obvious can you get?
Hey, be fair! It's not my fault if the thing was so sour the poor man had to run outside and throw up!
What? That's not... Ugh.
Anyway, it can't be that, or he'd have come back by now, wouldn't he? It must be something else.
Sometimes, I don't know why I bother.
You know, Solitaire, you really need to work on your tolerance towards these things.
Speak for yourself! Or have you forgotten about how you react to slimes?
That is completely different, I'll have you know!
Are you ever gooing to tell us why you're so angoory about slimes? I'm sure we can help you move past it if you'll let us!
That is a secret for me and me alone. Now, we have a job to do, do we not?
Anyway, the actual preparation part. With the money we got from beating up Newid Isle's monsters, we buy iron armour for Reona, and also I finally remember to equip that agility ring that we got. It goes on Solitaire, just in case she needs to be a backup healer, and her gold bracer goes to Freddy.
Music: Alchemy Pot (VIII)
Haaaaaahahahahaha! Yes, more heat! More fire!
And now, alchemy. We found the recipe for steel claws last time, and they're the best claws available right now, so why not get them for Reona? She's our primary physical damage dealer, after all. Sadly there aren't any other steel weapons this party can use yet.
Also, steel shields for everyone else! The fire and ice resistances on them get better as well as their Defence and block chance, so they're a solid choice for something to alchemise if you've got limited ingredients.
Full plate armour's also a good choice, with the highest Defence out of all the steel armour pieces. To compensate, it's not exactly widely equippable, but Reona can and that's what matters right now.
Oh, and I never checked the Battle Records since meeting the special inn guests, so we have this accolade now. Hooray! Stella also has these words of wisdom for us:
Are you nuts? Why aren't you eating the seeds you've got saved up? You're the pits! We should call you Colonel Kernel-Keeper!
Despite what it sounds like, no, this isn't an accolade. That'd be silly! No, I'm just really, really bad at using my stat-increasing seeds. Who should they go to? I don't know! Whatever the case, I'm kind of amazed by just what the game keeps track of to harangue me about. Although it does tend to get a bit single-minded if you do a lot of one thing...
Do you see, Solitaire? The tower's right here. It's not difficult at all to find it.
You don't need to rub it in that much!
Anyway, now we're done with preparations, it's time to actually go to the Tower of Trades. As we've already been told, simply heading east from Alltrades Abbey will get us there in short order.
Music: Omen of Towering Death
The sunset over the tower is really goorgeous! It's just a shame that nobody else is around to see it.
Okay, first off, that music is pretty ominous for something so underused. Can't say it's bad, though. Second off, that's a surprisingly nice view. I'm glad we got here at this time to see it, even if it was by accident.
What was it I had to do again...? Oh, right, bowing. This feels so wrong.
Wow, the door opened by itself! D'you think the abbot knows how it works?
I don't know, and I don't care. That abbot can take this door, and shove it.
Welcome to the interior of the Tower of Trades. Small, numerous floors are the name of the game here. More specifically, there are seven of them.
These barrels are in very goo condition! The monsters must be maintaining them.
Treasure already! Barrels in dungeons, as before, are very lucrative. We get a wing of bat and a snakeskin from these, which is a little boring but still appreciated.
Music: Are You A Loser
What!? I thought those were just mould!
Solitaire, we've fought mushrooms before. You should really be more wary.
Of course, a dungeon wouldn't be a dungeon without monsters to populate it. The final mushroom monster is here, and it likes to cast magic. Specifically, Crack.#053 Mushroom mage wrote:
Elemental resistancesCode: Select all
Plant Family HP: 67 MP: 18 Attack: 50 Defence: 56 Agility: 56 Exp: 144 Gold: 70
: 125 : 100 : 100 : 100
: 100 : 100 : 125
Status resistances
: 075 : 100 : 050 : 100
: 075 : 075 : 075 : 100
: 075 : 100
: 100 : 100 : 100 : 100
Common Drop: Belle cap (1/8)
Rare Drop: Fisticup (1/8)
Mean mushrooms who go round in groups endeavouring to make ice cubes out of adventurers with constant cold spells.
Cooled the once-warm area south of Alltrades Abbey with a century of Crack-casting 'til it became outright autumnal.
Aah, c-c-cold! Colder than normal!
Of course, they can get a critial Crack too. Thank goodness for those steel shields reducing the damage.
Why me? What did I goo?
And then there's Zam. It's a Dark-elemental spell. It does about the same damage as a non-haywire Crack. Mushroom mages can cast Heal, too, but what if we did something about that?
I've had it! No more spells!
Shutting these monsters down is simple: just use Antimagic! Fizzle's a great ailment for fighting magically-inclined monsters. Mushroom mages have a 75% chance of getting tagged by it via Antimagic, and unlike slime knights, they'll try to use spells while under its effects, thus wasting their turns. And we want them to waste turns instead of just killing them, because...
They're the best source of belle caps and fisticups in the game! Yes, already. They can flee, but that's not a concern yet.
Dear Almighty, it smells like something died in here. I feel as if my skin is peeling off.
I do not like fighting walking corpses. At all. They're another big HP sack, like the Quarantomb's mummy boys. First off, being mindless undead, they won't run away.#055 Walking corpse wrote:
Elemental resistancesCode: Select all
Zombie Family HP: 105 MP: 9 Attack: 70 Defence: 35 Agility: 35 Exp: 155 Gold: 66
: 125 : 075 : 100 : 100
: 100 : 075 : 200
Status resistances
: 075 : 075 : 075 : 100
: 050 : 000 : 075 : 050
: 025 : 050
: 100 : 075 : 075 : 100
Common Drop: Manky mud (1/8)
Rare Drop: Strength ring (1/128)
These dogged dead bodies fixate on a foe and won't leave them alone. They may be brittle, but they're tough too.
They live by the saying "tHe ROttEnEr tHE BeTtERer", and ensure that any midway manky remains are made fully foul.
Aaaah! G-g-get away from me, o-or I'll b-b-burn this place down!
Do you think they can hear you? The organs in their ears have likely rotted away.
Y-you're not helping, R-Reona!
This attack is new and reduces the tension of whoever it hits to 0. Fun. They've also got a poison attack that we've seen before. All in all, not too interesting, but they hit decently hard and take a while to take down.
Oh, also, they show up with mudrakers on occasion out on the overworld. Yet another reason to avoid fights with those. Unless you want manky mud, of course, because they're the best source of it.
Drackies, too!?
Are you scared of those? But some of my best bloodies are drackies!
Now it's dracky puns? Better than slimes, I suppose...
The last member of the dracky family is, frankly, quite boring. Not that I'm not glad to run into them! As a counterpoint to walking corpses, they're frail, relatively weak, and fast, although they too like to disrupt the party.#054 Drackyma wrote:
Elemental resistancesCode: Select all
Bird Family HP: 52 MP: 10 Attack: 58 Defence: 58 Agility: 70 Exp: 145 Gold: 74
: 100 : 100 : 100 : 125
: 125 : 100 : 125
Status resistances
: 075 : 100 : 100 : 100
: 100 : 075 : 075 : 075
: 075 : 100
: 100 : 075 : 100 : 100
Common Drop: Wing of bat (1/8)
Rare Drop: Gold ring (1/64)
Be grateful that these dukes among drackies can't cast Kasnooze too - Snooze is more than enough of a nuisance.
Don't make drackies really mad - they might morph into the mighty yellow force for justice that is...DRACKYMA(N)!
I'm feeling so...tired... Wish we...could...talk more...
Oh, good, he's asleep. I was getting tired of him trying to make friends with the monsters.
Snooze is, as their description says, a nuisance. Nothing more. It's also the only thing they can do beyond the standard attacking and fleeing. We could cure it with Healie's Cock-a-Doodle-Doo spell...but he's asleep. How ironic.
Oh, and stealing from them is a good idea, because they're the best source of wings of bat. They're not used to make much, but what they are used in is good.
Music: Omen of Towering Death
Next floor! I said they were small. The stairs up are in the northeast and northwest corners.
There's a door there. But this can't be the top yet, can it?
Your powers of observation never cease to amaze. This quite obviously leads out onto a balcony.
And look, there are even chests here!
You don't have to keep rubbing it in.
These chests are boring and got us nothing we haven't seen before. If only they felt like giving up iron nails at some point. Those things are weirdly hard to come by!
Why couldn't I have gone up those stairs instead and saved myself the embarrassment...?
We could've skipped the balcony area entirely by just going up the northwestern stairs instead of the northeastern ones, but we found those chests there. Either way up is entirely valid!
Also, pots and the way up. These pots gave up a new item: a resurrock! It's for alchemy. We'll find a better source later.
Frankly, I'm not buying this. I've known plenty of people who have been forced into the thieving life. I'm just glad I happened to enjoy it!
Hey, um, Reona? Are you okay? You're snapping a lot today...
I am a little annoyed, yes. Have you seen the condition of the flooring in here? I'm having to make a conscious effort to make sure I don't sprain my ankle in these heels, not to mention how unwieldy they are in battle!
Why don't you just take them off, then?
Because, for some reason, they keep making me stumble out of the way of danger. I think they might be magical.
3F's got a couple of points of interest, but it's primarily a linear path to the next stairs up. Of course, we can't move on without mentioning the new monster that shows up from here on up. You can even see it in that screenshot!
Music: Are You A Loser
Just like drackymas were the last of the dracky-like monsters, jinksters are the last of the winkster-like monsters. They're a little bit different to the other two in that they've put a bit of focus on support rather than just casting offensive spells all day.#056 Jinkster wrote:
Elemental resistancesCode: Select all
Demon Family HP: 60 MP: 11 Attack: 50 Defence: 60 Agility: 78 Exp: 127 Gold: 80
: 100 : 100 : 100 : 100
: 100 : 100 : 125
Status resistances
: 100 : 100 : 100 : 100
: 100 : 075 : 075 : 100
: 075 : 100
: 100 : 100 : 100 : 100
Common Drop: Magic water (1/32)
Rare Drop: Pointy hat (1/64)
Smash these supportive spellcasters before they can bolster their buddies' tension and tend to their wounds.
Court jesters of the monster realm, they make their way in the world by brown-nosing, but are laughed at behind their backs.
Hey, that's my spell! I never knew how much it hurt...
Don't worry, I'll heal us up. Just form an orderly gooueue and you'll be feeling gooreat in no slime!
If I have to listen to one more slime pun, I swear to the Almighty...
This is your occasional reminder that we can't heal multiple targets at once for ages! When they're on their own, and sometimes when they're not, jinksters love casting Bang, and their attack drains MP. They won't flee, either, so the drain will remain an annoyance even if we come back later. The same goes for their 2% dodge rate.
Their support capabilities are Psyche Up, which we know all about already, and Caduceus, which we don't. It's a staff skill we don't have yet which provides a pretty good heal! In fact, it's so good that it's an almost-full heal for even the most bloated monsters in this dungeon. Also, because it's an ability and not a spell, it can't be disabled with Fizzle. So, jinksters should be taken out first, right?
Ah, these should be very useful. It almost takes my mind off all this.
Well, yes, they should be, unless you want to steal their amazing treasure. Both of these are items that we will find very useful in the near future; pointy hats are from a couple of towns ahead of us and are required for an upcoming quest, while magic waters restore MP and are buyable right now but cost 1000G a pop. That's way too much to just casually spend on a consumable. We also need four for an unrelated upcoming quest, so we're spending some time getting those.
Music: Omen of Towering Death
While we're doing that, Freddy hit level 15 and learned how to make do spells betterer by putting points into Spellcraft. Also, Solitaire got to level 16 and learned the second-tier ice spell, Crackle! It hits a group and does really good damage right now. Healie got a level too, but it didn't get him anything except more stats.
4F time! This floor's a bit of a maze, albeit a small one, but we have a map so it barely registers. There's treasure, though!
Rubbish.
Not rubbish.
Also rubbish.
B-but coins like that might have huge archaeological value!
I don't care, I'm selling it.
For whatever reason, there isn't anything up in the northeast corner of this floor, despite that being an obvious place to put something. It's probably just there for symmetry.
There's still more of this tower!? Give me strength...
Welcome to 5F. We're almost done! Our goal is right in the middle of the floor, but there's some other stuff to take a look at first. The final new monster of the Tower of Trades starts turning up here, for example.
Music: Are You A Loser
Look at his posture! He'll hurt his back gooing on like that.
That'll be the least of its problems when I'm done with it.
I don't get why restless armours are here. They'll show up a couple of towns ahead on the overworld, and they seem to be tuned for that area instead of this one. I think they only show up one at a time here, at least.#057 Restless armour wrote:
Elemental resistancesCode: Select all
Material Family HP: 100 MP: 12 Attack: 95 Defence: 97 Agility: 63 Exp: 324 Gold: 120
: 100 : 100 : 125 : 100
: 100 : 100 : 100
Status resistances
: 075 : 050 : 000 : 100
: 050 : 000 : 075 : 050
: 025 : 050
: 075 : 075 : 075 : 100
Common Drop: Iron broadsword (1/64)
Rare Drop: Iron armour (1/128)
Chivalrous champions who like to fight fair and square. Beware the tension-draining Morale Masher.
Suits of armour that have soaked up sorrowful swordsmen's souls. Healslime helpers make them hard to hurt.
Aaaaaaaaaaaargh!
Oh, a new friend!
Not that they'll stay alone for long! Restless armours love to summon healslimes to help them out. They're exactly the same as the ones we saw in Brigadoom, so they won't put up much of a fight. They will cast Heal, though.
Morale Masher's just an attack that lowers tension by one stage. We'll get it eventually from Warrior's skill, Courage. This version looks a lot better, though, because of the purple slash effect.
Anyway, that's really all restless armours do aside from blocking attacks (8% of the time, for reference), making them tankier than they already are. They can't even run away. Not that they would at these levels anyway.
Music: Omen of Towering Death
What are these rooms that only have two pots in? What's their purpose? Do the monsters use them for storing things!?
Don't think about it too much, or you'll go potty! Hee hee!
I hate this. I hate all of this.
I wish I could say something about this floor other than everything about the restless armours, but the stairs are right there and the treasures aren't interesting. Next.
It's 6F next! Obviously, for anyone who can count to six. The structure's much the same as 5F, and even has the same monsters. Also, there's nothing here except stairs and battles. Let's just skip this one.
Oh my goodness, we're finally out of that awful place. I'll be glad to never see another set of stairs again.
And just look at the view! I'd say it was worth it to slime all the way up.
Welcome to the roof! We're all but done with the Tower of Trades now; it's just a few treasures and the boss fight left. Monsters even stop spawning up here.
Um...is it just me or is this saying the opposite of the one downstairs? You choose your vocation...and then you're stuck there?
In my experience, that's just how things are. Do you know how many people get out of the thieving business? Not many, I can tell you, and those who do often don't last long.
But that's awful!
I'm well aware of that, Freddy.
Last two chests of the tower. I've already extolled the virtues of free magic water, and of course, mini medals are Important.
What are we gooing to do now? The Abbot's not here, and it's the top of the tower.
Please don't tell me this whole thing was pointless.
...Can you not see the glowing door? It's right there!
There's a door, you say? Well, you're the expert on seeing things that nobody else does. How ironic that you miss so much else.
...Fair. I guess.
Isn't everyone tired, though? We should goo back and prepare for whatever's in there!
Hey, I was about to say that! There's definitely something dangerous in there.
Now hold on just a moment! If you do that, then-
...We'll have to climb all the way back up. Bugger.
Extra: The Collection
More special guest items! There are way too many of these.
Cannock cloak
Style: 43 Nonchalant, 67 Vain, 53 Alluring, 60 Aloof, 45 Naive, 51 Chic
Moonbrooke dress
Style: 42 Nonchalant, 61 Vain, 82 Alluring, 55 Aloof, 48 Naive, 52 Chic
Can only be worn by female characters.
Ragnar's armour
Style: 39 Nonchalant, 58 Vain, 40 Alluring, 57 Aloof, 53 Naive, 48 Chic
Alena's dress
Style: 48 Nonchalant, 73 Vain, 74 Alluring, 67 Aloof, 45 Naive, 50 Chic
Kiryl's clothes
Style: 38 Nonchalant, 69 Vain, 45 Alluring, 53 Aloof, 43 Naive, 49 Chic
Borya's robe
Style: 40 Nonchalant, 55 Vain, 38 Alluring, 50 Aloof, 51 Naive, 45 Chic
Torneko's clothes
Style: 37 Nonchalant, 30 Vain, 42 Alluring, 35 Aloof, 48 Naive, 32 Chic
Maya's outfit
Style: 42 Nonchalant, 59 Vain, 85 Alluring, 52 Aloof, 22 Naive, 8 Chic
Can only be worn by female characters.
Meena's robe
Style: 38 Nonchalant, 59 Vain, 76 Alluring, 48 Aloof, 56 Naive, 38 Chic
Can only be worn by female characters.
Bianca's clothes
Style: 45 Nonchalant, 56 Vain, 82 Alluring, 48 Aloof, 51 Naive, 48 Chic
Can only be worn by female characters.
Nera's dress
Style: 41 Nonchalant, 50 Vain, 85 Alluring, 49 Aloof, 45 Naive, 72 Chic
Can only be worn by female characters.
Debora's dress
Style: 45 Nonchalant, 67 Vain, 87 Alluring, 60 Aloof, 35 Naive, 22 Chic
Can only be worn by female characters.
Carver's vest
Style: 39 Nonchalant, 42 Vain, 18 Alluring, 53 Aloof, 62 Naive, 12 Chic
Can only be worn by male characters.
Milly's clothes
Style: 48 Nonchalant, 77 Vain, 58 Alluring, 66 Aloof, 43 Naive, 50 Chic
Ashlynn's clothes
Style: 68 Nonchalant, 51 Vain, 79 Alluring, 55 Aloof, 48 Naive, 42 Chic
Kiefer's clothes
Style: 51 Nonchalant, 68 Vain, 42 Alluring, 62 Aloof, 45 Naive, 51 Chic
Maribel's clothes
Style: 52 Nonchalant, 21 Vain, 65 Alluring, 48 Aloof, 68 Naive, 40 Chic
Trode's robes
Style: 33 Nonchalant, 22 Vain, 43 Alluring, 18 Aloof, 66 Naive, 38 Chic
Yangus's billy
Style: 48 Nonchalant, 38 Vain, 40 Alluring, 35 Aloof, 65 Naive, 8 Chic
Jessica's frock
Style: 42 Nonchalant, 65 Vain, 80 Alluring, 58 Aloof, 55 Naive, 38 Chic
Can only be worn by female characters.
Templar's togs
Style: 32 Nonchalant, 72 Vain, 48 Alluring, 75 Aloof, 50 Naive, 62 Chic
GUSTO garb
Style: 80 Nonchalant, 80 Vain, 35 Alluring, 70 Aloof, 38 Naive, 41 Chic
Fleurette's frock
Style: 55 Nonchalant, 71 Vain, 93 Alluring, 73 Aloof, 41 Naive, 12 Chic
Can only be worn by female characters.