Part 90: Lap 8
Lap 8
Man, can you believe we're almost at the end? I can't believe I made it through the Lap again.
Anyway, this lap is more interesting than the last three or four, becomes we're going to be getting a lot more new equipment this time.
I actually forgot to mention it, but we got two new pieces of armour last Lap - the Eternal Garb is the ultimate cloth armour, and has 4000 RDM, 20 AVD and 10 RST. It's also the only other piece of armour Freya can wear. The Armor of Aleph is the strongest mail chestpiece, and has 5000 RDM, 50 AVD and a 100% resistance to Earth. I put them on Arngrim and Auguste.
The enemies on this lap have much higher stats, and hit much harder. Anyone with the new armours are going to be fine, but for now Natalia and Liese do not want to take a hit.
Doesn't mean they're not dangerous though. Femme fetales.
First Aid is a real lifesaver on later laps, especially since Sorcerers stop messing around.
Our first new piece of equipment on this lap. Gabriel drops the Nefarious Glaive for our Warriors. 5000 ATK, two attacks and SC enabled, and it also comes with a 30% Ice bonus and a 10% chance of Instant Death. As you can quickly surmise, it is very very good.
There are two possible drops of the Sylvan Bow on this lap - as the ultimate Bow, it has 5000 ATK, three attacks and SC enabled. Not amazing compared to the other ultimate weapons, but it'll have to do. There's also a second Armor of Aleph and Eternal Garb to pick up.
By the way, here are Arngrim's stats when Reinforced. 'Tis a thing of beauty.
Langrey's still a pushover though, because of the Armor of Aleph's 100% resistance to Earth. Anyone who's wearing the Eternal Garb should switch back to Mirage Robes when fighting him, for the 90% resistance to his attacks.
Poor Langrey.
Langrey drops the Holy Wand of Telos, the strongest wand.
With 4000 MAG, it's... alright. Considering Sorcerers' low multipliers and their inability to get gems, it's a shame they got the worst ultimate weapon.
It's okay, I suppose. Arngrim is doing scores better, however.
Arngrim can kill enemies all by himself now.
Roienburg has our strongest lance - the Dinosaur's Rage has 6000 ATK, three attacks and SC enabled. Lancers still get the shaft compared to other classes, but I guess at least they're better than Archers and Sorcerers.
To get some perspective, Arngrim is easily doing over 14k damage with a single attack. This means close to 30k whenever he attacks, and if you give them Knockout Blow he can easily get enough gems to fell any non-Boss enemy outright.
Which is kind of why Archers also get boned, since they can't use Knockout Blow, but eh.
Having good armour is rapidly becoming essential.
The European hamster, (Cricetus cricetus), also known as the Eurasian hamster, black-bellied hamster or common hamster, is the only species of the genus Cricetus. It is native to a large range in Eurasia, extending from Belgium to the Altai mountains and Yenisey River in Russia. The animal is widely considered a farmland pest, and has also been trapped for its fur. Across its global range, it is considered of least concern, but in many individual European countries it is considered critically endangered.
Hamsters are still too annoying to invest in killing them because they will pretty much dodge all your attacks.
GAH
Well crap they teamed up.
Ailyth drops her ultimate weapon. The Royal Hel Tea Service comes with 7000 ATK, three attacks, Soul Crush enabled, 20% Darkness bonus, and a matching set of teacups for your guests in the underworld.
Thyodor is still a danger.
Thank you, First Aid. I wish Thyodor was playable, but alas.
On the other hand, Lenneth needs Niebelung Valesti just to kill someone who was just revived.
The thing with how ATK and RDM works is that the greater the difference, the better the return. So Arngrim with 9999 ATK does absolutely heaps against a 3000 RDM Lenneth. I don't even need Liese to set up gems anymore; Final Blast will essentially incinerate almost any Boss.
Lenneth drops the Ridill, the ultimate knife for Natalia. As is customary, 7000 ATK, three attacks, SC enabled.
That's Natalia's ATK just with the Power Bangle on. She doesn't even need Might Reinforce anymore, and I could just drop Fists of Iron for something more useful. The alternative would be to drop the Power Bangle for the Omnicheck or Material Earring and just Might Reinforce her to 9999 ATK.
Beautiful.
Arngrim has the final exclusive for Swordsmen, the Dainsleif - at only 5000 ATK, it's a surprising drop in quality compared to the other weapons.
Freya drops the Ether Laser for herself - 7000 ATK, three attacks, SC enabled. Everybody else will get their final weapons in the next lap.
The enemies start getting steadily higher stats, but none that can really compare to the absolutely wrecking ball that are the new weapons on this lap. I suppose if you're running a team of, say, Ushio/Auguste/Freya/Lockswell, you'd have trouble on this map since you don't get a really good weapon til you beat Freya.
The trick for the Ethereal Queen is to swap back to the Cloak of Britannia and Mirror Plate from the ultimate armour - they don't improve RST, and the 90/50% resistance to Holy still make her attacks much easier to ignore.
I didn't do the numbers, but I think that's about 85,000+ damage.
Anyway! Scene!
---
It's Mireille's...
And Mischka's...
Why are you talking like we're in a chat room?
OMG SHUTUP!! DONT T3L ME WUT 2 DO!1! IL 2TALY KIL U.
I-I'm sorry. I won't complain anymore. Returning to our normal format, today's first letter comes from a certain "Mr. Kato." He writes...
"I only look this way because I am working day and night. Why do they have to make fun of me?" "Is this simply the price of fame? What do I do?"I spent a good half hour trying to find his picture, no joke. If anyone finds one of him I'll edit it in!
People say we're scary-looking all the time. There's really nothing you can do about it. You just can't let it get you down. Why are grown-ups always obsessing over insignificant things anyway? The only thing worse than being talked about, is not being talked about. You need to take all the chances you can get in this game. Hard work never pays off. Think of it as your only chance of fame.
---
WAAH! QUIT IT! UNGH! OW, YOU'RE HURTING ME!---
That was close. You'd better watch what you say! But what you said was so much worse! ...Moving right along, our next letter comes from a programmer who would prefer to remain anonymous. He writes:
"Just as development hit full swing, the director bought me a case of energy drinks and told me it was the Destiny Plume." "Is he implying I should work til I die? I'd really rather he just hired more people."
It's like that director thinks he's Wylfred or something. Sounds like your job isn't all fun and games.
Who said you could make a cameo? You have no right to say anything! There's a difference between mercenaries and programmers, you know. Looks like you have a tough job on your hands, anonymous. Try not to sell your soul to the director from Hel.
---
Valmur:
Lord of Warrior clan House Haughn by title, who would sooner pick up daisies than pick up a blade. Valmur's pacifism is kept in check by his militant father, his vigilant mother, and his belligerent kid sister. His late brother Nicolas was the only one who accepted Valmur for the gentle dove he is. The stress has begun to take its toll, and Valmur noticed he's thinning out on top of late.
---
Phiona:
Youngest of the three children who is constantly reminding her brother Valmur to get his act together. She'll murder anyone who mentions it, but as a little girl, Phiona used to tell everyone she'd marry him today.
Though they remain fit to fight, and have already handed over lordship to the house, Phiona secretly wishes her parents would hang up their gloves once and for all. After all, how can Valmur take charge with mommy and daddy looking on?
---
Reinhilde:
Mature mother who concedes nothing to her daughter when it comes to curves. Nevertheless, Reinhilde keeps herself well covered-up so as not to garner any more of Phiona's resentment.
She married Auguste not out of arrangement, but out of love, a reason unheard of among their class at the time. Their open displays of affection make even their own children queasy, but if ever a lovers' quarrel should break out between them, it will likely sunder a kingdom in two.
I'll save you the trouble of checking - Reinhilde has almost the exact same measurements as Phiona.
---
Auguste:
Martial artist ever testing the limits of mortal strength. His daily regimen consists of beating a tree-stump into pulp each morning, crushing a stone into dust after lunch, and breaking a boulder into pebbles following supper. Thanks to Auguste, the lands of House Haughn are now clear and obstacle-free. All hail the former lord!