Well, it's an end game gimmick:
"There's no more interesting content, but if you still want to dick around, you can try setting records by climbing this thing as far as possible."
It's just not communicated well.
But then again, the bad communication goes for a lot of things.
I'd have never joined the dev's Patreon, if it weren't for the free stuff provided here to first beat my head against the wall for an hour or two before seeing the appeal (at least when playing on Hard).
But even though I've gotten a lot of enjoyment out of this game (I like challenges and finding exploits), it's glaringly obvious, that there's still so much stuff, that needs to be properly set, implemented and explained.
Like "Last Resort" being the one and only skill you'll need to coast through the rest of the game:
With a modicum of STR just pick an enemy that doesn't outrank you by too much, use "Last Resort", wait one hour (or sleep at the inn to be super safe), rinse/repeat.
In the process you'll only accumulate a max of one addiction point per fight at most - which you'll easily cure with a fraction of your earnings.
And don't get me started on stats like CON. Does it actually do anything it claims to do?
Because it can be in the 1000s and you'll still pick up each possible addiction.
So I guess it's just there to buff the shawl (which is a 100% drop, if you wait out the hippie chick).
Same goes for the gimmick enemies: Do any of your attributes actually matter at all for some of them?
Like the therapist chick: You can have beaten the toughest bosses and have a god-like status - and still fail each and every of her checks and lose INT in the process. So you either flee or use "Last Resort".
Or the boxing chick: Your AGI can be at max and the game will still tell you, that you've failed the check.
So again, why use anything but "Last Resort", unless you want the syringe.
Or that Robin Hood chick: No matter how high your stats are, she'll just rob you blind anyways.
Sorry for the long rant, but it's frustrating when you start thinking about certain aspects of the game for too long.