Greetings all. 0.45.5 has dropped and you know what that means.
It means we all have to start over and get through all the old shit to have access to the new shit.
Rather than bitch and moan I'm going to do what I've already done a half dozen times before.
I've done it so much I have it refined to a science actually. So, with that in mind.
"You can play as this guy..."
"Or you can play as this guy."
RC'S QUICK RESTART GUIDE.
So: your first mission's done. Therese is gone, Alina has been broken in, and you just acquired a Healbot.
Personnel isn't a problem, money is. So, let's get you ahead.
First things first, go to the bank in Northmarket and take out a 10,000 Sil loan.
You're going to get your hands into a lot, and by a lot I mean all, of HC's best cookie jars.
(Do NOT go to the Slums and start the Blacksmith quest or else the loan officer will be stuck in quest mode until you get all three payments - Actor, Elvo and Doll)
Still in Northmarket's Wealthy District invest in the following businesses.
Maisa Delle Dresses----N-----900 Sil-------+90-------10%
Gift Shop Recettear----N-----750 Sil------- +75-------10%
Little Flower Girl--------N-----50 Sil-------- +5 -------10%
From there cross the world map into the Northmarket Slum and invest in these businesses.
(DO NOT FUCK MELINE YET) Stop by the blacksmith to pick up his quest. You'll have to backtrack to the Wealthy District bank for the next phase but if you do you'll pick up Doll as your 3rd party member by the end of this investment run.
Bitch's 6th Tit/ Pink B--N----2,000 Sil-----+200------10%
Cunning Hat Shop------N-----750 Sil-------+75-------10%
Fresh Roast Sausage---N-----500 Sil-------+50-------10%
Cannery-----------------N-----600 Sil-------+12--------2% - 10%. IF you return to your mansion and go through your investment ledgers. Quickly ask Alina about investments and then meet with the foreman again and choose to pay the orphans less. If you're not that cruel (and I'm not) you may skip and pocket the money to payoff your debt faster. At 2% the Cannery is better than banking but with debt accruing at 5% and no quest rewards the cannery is best saved until your last round of investments.
After investing in the Pink Banana exit the building and quickly re-enter, now that the business has transformed talk to the owner who'll give you 6 appletinis.
You'll be turning one of these into the booze merchant quest. look for the wagon near cities on the world map, you'll be comped for each 2nd drink.
Before you leave town head on over to the tool shop and buy a shovel.
Shovel -50 Sil -> Ancient Coin (Westford Mine) -> Eastford Bank +600 = +550 net gain.
It's time to leave town and head on west. You'll be traveling the world map a lot but nothing bad should happen to you.
Except for maybe this: if you come across a battlefield filled with dead soldiers and butterflies don't sweat, you have the shovel so you wont miss the Obsidian Butterfly. If you're not playing easy mode and so haven't used the Dehydrated Orgasm to invest in the Seeker Stone you'll need to dig here.
Once you've crossed the rivers dividing the westlands from Northmarket but before going south to Westcastle proper, drop by the mine along the northern mountains to dig up an ancient coin. If you're warned you've gone to far and are almost in Dwarven lands you're close.
Again, if you have no seeker Stone here's the dig location.
Don't buy anything from the Bizarre Bazaar.
Once you have the coin on to Westcastle to invest in
A Stitch for a Dime------W----1,000 Sil------- +100------10%
Apple Kid-----------------W-----200 Sil -------- +36 ------18%
Once done you're backtracking to Southport, both the magic academy and the docks..
Agi's Fine Scrolls--------S-------1,200 Sil------ +120 -----10%
Dockside Fish Lady----S(D)-----400 Sil-------- +40------10%
Almost done. Head northeast to Lumberhill.
Right Foot Forward----OTHER---- 450 Sil-------- +45----- 10%
And now onto the next to last stop. Eastfort.
Sell the dug up Ancient Coin at the bank and complete the mission The Pusher's Lament.
Don't bribe the captain, blackmail him with his fanfic or else you won't have enough to invest in the Distant Farm. Don't bribe the janitor either.
Drug dealer---------------E---------472 Sil ------ +75 ------ 15.89%
Don't forget to pick up Doll at the slave pen house if you started the smithy quest, you now have 3 party members.
You're now backtracking to Northmarket to Penelope's farm. (don't forget to get the Dark Seed from the well)
Penelope's farm requires an investment of 800 sil and you should have 1228 Sil. 428 Sil isn't enough for the remaining Sil investments... but if you're feeling cruel and want satisfaction over Sil go ahead and invest in the Prosperous Farm just south of Northmarket before investing in Penelope's farm.
Penelope's farm triggers a sex scene and ends the day.
Prosperous Farm-------- OTHER---- 400 Sil------- +0 ------- 0% - +10 Satisfaction.
Distant Farm------------- OTHER---- 800 Sil-------+80--------10%
Total Starting Sil - 10,550. Sil Spent (10,072 / 10,472)
And so, with Penelope's loving embrace (and maybe a bit of arson) your first big day venturing into the world of cutthroat capitalism has reached its brutal end. All that without buying anything unnecessary, spoiling any quests or getting into a single fight.
You are now free to go back to the Slums and pick up Meline (and her extra 25 Sil / day), complete the Blacksmith quest, hire maids, bang the waitress dude at the Pink Banana, kill the orcs to get Florine and her shop, grind gift-giving for affection levels, start paying off your startup debt or anything else you want.
Remember the loan, but don't panic over it. Your debt accrues at a rate of 5% a day and almost all your investments pay dividends of 10%.
Meaning, even if you're not playing in easy mode you should be able to pay off the loan within a week, depending on your questing patterns.
If like me you were tempted to see what would happen if you don't pay it back allow me to spoil you:
There are of course many other businesses to invest in but most of them are 5% returns, meaning they're not bad to have and they're certainly better than the 1% interest you'd accrue keeping the Sil in the bank but they're net neutral vs paying off the debt (i.e. other businesses won't get you out of debt faster for having invested in them).
The world is your oyster... at least so far as capital is concerned. I hope this helps.
EXTRA CREDIT:
SPIRITS & WINE
This quest is a bit of a odd duck because, while buying 2 drinks to sell to the merchant won't earn you a net benefit, in fact it often won't even recoup the money you invested buying the drinks, there is so much free booze from quests and in chests throughout the game that it's possible to turn in buying only 1 drink or even none at all. To access the quest you need to offer Holly an apple (-15 sil at Penelope's farm)
This is the easy list.
-Appletini - Pink Banana: After investing in the bar the owner will give you 6, 4 more than you need. Combined with a free +3 satisfaction day-ending homoerotic experience, the Pink Banana is truly (financially) the best investment in the game (Sorry Meline ). +90 Sil. Net gain +75. (-15 for the apple).
-Tin Dog Brew - Eastfort Barracks. Buy 2nd at Shally's for 50. Turn in for +75. Net gain +25.
-Brandi - Eastfort nonhuman district. Dig up spot about midway along the eastern wall. (behind top of three clustered buildings, below house with fence.)
Purchase a 2nd Brandy at Lumberhill's Inn for 150. Turn in for +225. Net gain +75.
-Cheap Wine - Buried City Exterior (Northern Volcano between Lumberhill and Northmarket)- Dig up near east tree.
Purchase 2nd at Crossroads Inn for 70. Turn in for +90. Net gain +20.
Total net gain: +195
YOU GET WHAT YOU GIVE
The casino south of Lumberhill is open and they want you to distribute flyers. The best part is, flyers can be safely placed in most city maps and you start earning sil on them for each flyer dropped off. So, since you're already getting familiar with the map (or if you want to make this your first move after getting your loan and starting the Blacksmith quest) feel free to backtrack and paper all the towns you've visted or are about to visit. +Sil varies per placed ad.
The following locales are immediately available to poster:
Northmarket Wealthy District- Item Shop Florine
Northmarket Slums - Pink banana Bar
Huntervale - Fur shop
Southport University Distrcit - East Dividing Wall
Southport Docks - Adventurer's Guild
Westcastle Outer District - Flat Earth Theater
Faith's Bastion - The outer wall.
Border Fort Kimochi River - Outer wall.
Border Fort Sorekore Mountains - Outer Wall.
Lumberhill - Inn
Crossroads inn - Inn
Eastfort Nonhuman Disctrict - Pub
Eastfort - Inn
Coastburg (Zombie City) - Inn (run like hell!)
With 5 flyers left over (Orc cave, Ducayne Merc Camp, Westcastle Noble District, Sunnyshore Island, Elf Village) you earn 105 Sil /day.
(Orc Cave becomes available immediately after Florine's rescue.)
(For fun, Added patrons in order: Granny, Bandit, Catgirl, Old Man, 1st door Guard, Orc, Student Girl, Nun, Male Trader + Roulette croupier, 2nd door Guard, Sailor, Scholar, Passed-out Drunk, Maid.)
GRINDING
With Felix and Doll you should have enough power to farm The Giants Path, killing bees, raccoons and bears, and completing Every Day I'm Smuggling.
There is a one time pile of 160 Sil in the top cave. The ogre cave has more gold piles of 220, 120, 210, 150 and 140. (1,000 total).
Animals drop Bear Skins and Raccoon Tails that can be turned into the Huntervale fur trader for 300 (average 4 for 1200) and 76 each (average 5 for 380).
Around +1580.
Innsbrooke (Fairy Village) - Low xp gains, the fairies drop mushrooms which wont benefit you until you get Florine. Do or skip at your leisure.
Total Starting Sil - 10,550. Sil Spent (10,072 / 10,472)
EXTRA CREDIT added Sil: 2775.
Unfortunately an extra 4 - 5,000 Sil isn't enough to invest in anything better than a bar or the maid cafe (Sons of Ducayne don't generate gold until late i game) at this point in time. On the other hand, 5,000 is more than enough to stock up on gifts to start your affection grinding (perfume for Alina, flowers for Penelope - buy these in bulk or else you may find you don't have Penelope's ideal gift for several days.
Re 5% vs Loan payback. There really is no better option until late in the game when Nicholas gives you a tax break, by which point Sil is mostly irrelevant, so the decision comes down to convenience. Do you hate revisiting the bank over and over again to min-max your pkcket change? Then just invest in a 5% business and know your money's working for you automatically. ? Regardless, as in real life paying off your loan early cuts down Sil lost to interest payments.
Thanks for reading and reach for those (151) Stars.