[TECHNICAL DETAILS & STARTING NOTES]
The game was recorded using FRAPS at 60FPS. It is the GOG.com release, at 10,000 cycles.
This 100% run of the game involves getting the maximum score of 500 by the end. The different classes have special things they have to do for points. The Fighter must fight one of every enemy. The Thief needs to do an extra questline. The Wizard has to learn every spell and fight a special battle. The Paladin has quests that ONLY the Paladin has access to. I want to thank God for the little bits of extra time I get where I can work on perfecting my runs of my favorite series.
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[TIMING]
Timing starts when the first dialog box appears. Timing ends when you touch Erana's Staff to the crystal (this is also where the last points are awarded).
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[CHARACTER CREATION]
All points go into Magic. Magic is too powerful a tool not to use. The Glide spell adds about 3 seconds to the time, but eliminates about 10 minutes worth of swamp as a Fighter.
[BEGINNING]
The opening involves setting speed, getting the items in the room, the torch, and leaving. I grab the Sword and Shield and fight the Badders (taking care of the points needing for fighting Badders). On the way out, I grab the Dark One Symbol, and using Force Bolt get the Bonsai Bush. I rest for 60 minutes to move time to day.
[FOREST]
I stop and grab flowers from the tree, and these flowers only appear during the day. I then head to the Rusulka and give her the flowers, which takes care of those points. More with her in the Paladin run. I then head up to town.
[TOWN DAY 1]
This is the busiest day in the town. I immediately get the items that I need to buy from the shop. I get the Adventurers' Guild Key from Dmitri (he offers it on your second encounter with him, so I had to wait). I then head into the Adventurers' Guild. In the Guild, I read the books. I forgot to read the "Essential Exercise" book which gives a 25 point boost to Strength which is necessary. It doesn't matter too much, but probably costs me about 3 seconds later in the run. I also grab the Fine Sword, which deals a bit more damage which saves time. I also grab the Grapnel, and start exercising, both of which add points and I will need increased Strength for Fighter required events later. We will come back to the Guild once a day for a 10 point Strength boost by exercising.
I then head to Dr. Cranium's lab, stopping on the way to talk to Nikolai.
[DR. CRANIUM]
You have to do the TRAP puzzle twice for additional points. Otherwise, the only major hiccup was the maze, which is normal. The maze is a bit annoying. I get through the Door, and learn the magnificent Glide spell, and also do the formulas for the Healing Pills and Poison Pills. Both are required in this run for the points but are also useful, since the Wyvern has the chance of being able to poison you, and healing is very likely necessary during the first night. This is less useful in the other classes because they are not required to fight all monsters. I also get some empty flasks.
[FOREST DAY/NIGHT 1]
I get to the Leshy first, and answer his first two questions for points. You have to wait to plant the Bonsai Bush or else you miss 2 points. On the way to the Swamp, I encounter a Vorpal Bunny, which gives me additional points. It is also important to note that during fights I am hitting the 'Z' button, which is the hotkey for casting the Zap spell, even in Strategy Mode. Strategy Mode is ALWAYS faster for traditional combat; the only exception is fights with the Wizard, where holding the 'X' button pretty much decimates all opponents.
I head down to the swamp on the left and get a Bone, and the rest until night before heading into the Swamp.
This is where the Glide spell really shows its power. I head south and... this is the most frustrating part of the run. When the Fighter jumps (and the Fighter ALWAYS jumps), he loses a massive amount of Stamina. Because there are two fights, it is almost a guarantee that I will have to stall in the fight with the second Chernovy Wizard. I also catch, in this time, my Fighter begins to move backwards so I reset the preferences to stop that. The fight ends, and I get the scroll. My normal skip involves clicking the outside edge which skips the puzzle, but also skips the points, so I have to do the puzzle. Luckily, it's easy with the difficulty turned all of the way down.
Afterwards I head up, get the Will-O-Wisps, solve the Squid Stone, get the ritual and some Grue Goo. I am short one bottle so I immediately add it to the pie tin. This is probably a loss of two seconds.
I use my Healing Pills on the way to the ghost. I could have run away immediately from the Chernovy Wizard, but I was thinking I needed the points still and momentarily forgot about the Swamp that was only about two minutes ago. Heading north to the Wraith cancels the Chernovy fight. Another few seconds lost. I then head down to the Elderberry Bush and get the berries, and has a mouse freak-out that caused another two seconds loss. Afterwards, I head to Erana's Garden to plant the Bonsai Bush now that I no longer need it (and also gives more points). Since I have no means to get over the Town Gate, I sleep here. Erana dreams do not give any points, but they are a necessary evil in the run.
[FOREST DAY 2]
I head north to the Leshy to learn the Magic Phrase and get another 2 points for solving the riddle. I then head to town.
[TOWN DAY 2]
I am convinced that talking to Dmitri multiple times eliminates game-breaking glitches on Day 5, so I will see him every day. I head the Guild to do more training, and then tell Nikolai about the ghost. The door evolves a new password every entry, but since I already have the points, I just click the '?' button which bypasses the puzzle. I then visit Dr. Cranium again. You MUST visit him three times. On the way out of town, I remember that I need Corn. Probably another 3-5 seconds lost here.
[FOREST NIGHT 2]
I head down and rest until night, and reunite the ghosts. Heading south, I have a lucky break and run into a Revenant immediately. A quick dispatch (and accidental looting) later and my points are pretty much secured. The only monster I need to find randomly still is the Wyvern. I head farther south and engage the Master Wraith. He counts as both a Wraith kill and the Master Wraith is also worth 15 points, for a total of 17 in one kill. This is the most dangerous part of the run. You are not supposed to fight this Wraith until you have the Aura spell, which protects you from the Wraith's life-draining ability that is constantly in effect. The Wraith can easily kill me (and has) if I am not lucky, which would ruin the run. This fight was about as lucky as I could hope.
Next is Baba Yaga. I head down to her hut. You can skip an entire dialog with her by doing things this way: cook the pie and you will automatically enter the hut. I needed the Corn to get points, however, so you have to feed the hut first. Next is all making the pie, giving her the pie and re-entering to get the Dark One Ritual. Again, I rest at Erana's Staff.
[FOREST DAY 3]
I answer another Leshy riddle for more points and then head to town.
[TOWN DAY 3]
Big day in town. I head to the Guild first (passing Dmitri on the way) and do Strength training. I get into Dr. Cranium's lab again using the '?' button to skip the bells, and give him the recipe for the Rehydration Solution. I then rest until night to avoid a couple second cutscene with Igor the gravedigger and enter the Monastery. Everything in here goes as expected; rehydrate the orange Domovoi, get into the basement and get the last Dark One Ritual.
I then head to the Inn to get the gnome his humor. You have to grab the Rubber Chicken for a few extra points, and I rest until it is after midnight, where it says, "You're getting tired." I head out and talk to the Domovoi twice, which bypasses having to meet him a second time and grab the doll. I then rest through the night.
[TOWN DAY 4]
Usually, this day is useless, but in this one, I do more Strength training. At this point, my Strength is at 290.
[TOWN DAY 5]
Thankfully, the townsfolk are there. It is at this time I realize that I did not read Essential Exercise, and have to head back to the Guild. After reading the book and doing the last training, and being very careful with time, I am at 325 Strength. This is an important number, because it is right below the threshold of letting you force open the Gate to the castle, which is required for the Fighter because of special points in his route.
I save the Gypsy and head back to see Dmitri tell me that he has released him. I get the Crypt Key from Igor.
[FOREST DAY 5]
I head to the Gypsy Camp, solving another Leshy riddle on the way. At the Gypsy camp, I have my fortune read for more points. This is one of the best parts of the game, in my opinion, and recommend going to Magda to have your fortune read often. The story really unfolds nicely through the process. :)
[FOREST DAY 6]
I head back into the Gypsy Camp to learn the Destiny Spell, which you learn on your third encounter with them (hence the exit and re-enter). I solve the last Leshy riddle (accidentally picking up Rocks on the way). I let the Leshy jump me for good measure/points. I end up with an unlucky RNG encounter with another bunny, and head north once escaping combat to cancel the encounter. This was the fastest way to handle the unfortunately fight. I rest until night outside, and then head up to tackle the double Necrotaur fight, which satisfies the need to fight Necrotaurs. I'm still hoping for a lucky Wyvern fight.
[CASTLE]
Luckily, this puts you in a convenient spot for getting through the Castle quickly. I climb the Castle, and rest a couple of times because I usually do here in Any%, which is about an 8 second loss here unfortunately, but my RNG luck/glitch avoidance has been so good up to this point. I give the doll to Tanya and save the little girl, getting Erana's Staff also.
[DAY 7]
Is not necessary. I rest through it.
[FOREST DAY 8]
I still have to head to the Crypt to get points from entering, solving the puzzle inside, getting into the Castle and exiting the Crypt. Back in the forest, this is my last chance to get the Wyvern. After after running around for the LONGEST I've EVER had without an encounter, it finally happens and I get the Wyvern on the first RNG encounter. A clean kill, too! The rest is relatively clear sailing! I rest until night and get captured by Ad Avis, wake Katrina and head back into the Castle to trigger the end game.
[DARK ONE CAVE REVISITED]
The last fight I have to win is against the Pit Horror, who goes down quite quickly. I get the last ritual, head up, and do the rest of the rituals. I save the world along the way, too. Estimated time, if my recommendations above are used, is 43:13.
[POTENTIAL TO SAVE TIME]
Better handling and better RNG. I got killed for time in the swamps, but that always happens. There are mistakes that probably add up along the run, but the route is solid. The Fighter is also the MOST RNG heavy of the four classes for 100%, which plays a significant part. My RNG in this game, outside of the Wyvern, was pretty solid. I've had games where I find nothing but Badders and Bunnies.
As always, thanks SDA! |