Esquestria: The House of the Sun - A pony cultist experience

[Rafuki22]

We should be preparing to win, not trying to not lose.

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Celestia is a timebomb that we don't want to go boom, we can't prepare to win if we are dead, or about to be.

 

[ses]

Turn 24 is really the minimum viable All In, as we don't befriend Forge Name and Smiles until then. We can't bring Name Influences into All In unless the Name is befriended (Name influences expire at end of turn, and All In is "between turns" we can only get +40 influences by having the Name actually join the expedition)

Not being forced into All In is an excellent use of our AP, as we really can't accelerate Smiles/Forge befriendings any further than we already are.

There's really no better All In preparation we can possibly be doing than buying ourselves Turn 24 to get an extra two Names (and an extra two Sacraments).

Next turn we need 4 combined mareinette/velvet AP, 2 selene AP, and 3 mortal ponies, which shouldn't be too hard. We can Lantern/SH sacrament, befriend Forge Name, and still have 2 Velvet/Mareinette AP left over. If we're lucky enough to find exactly a level 5 Heart book we could even hit Heart 4 via Influence+Book study. Otherwise we probably study whatever stuff we get from the Quarry, plus maybe a Heart lesson or something.

 

[spiderhellian]

Influences expire at the end of the turn, so they don't matter.

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Nah, an influence we call ourselves lasts 2 turns — ie would apply to All In.

It's totally valid to say we've bet on not needing to go All In at the end of this turn. But I agree that's probably a bet worth making.

 

[Greymere]

Nah, an influence we call ourselves lasts 2 turns — ie would apply to All In.

It's totally valid to say we've bet on not needing to go All In at the end of this turn. But I agree that's probably a bet worth making.

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Because of how the timing works out, Called Influences will only apply to All In if we call them the same turn we commit to All In. Namely because All In actually happens between turns.

So if we Called an Influence this turn, it would expire at the end of T24... right before the "between turns" phase where All In actually happens.

Unless things go massively, irrecoverably pear-shaped, Calling an Influence this turn wouldn't really do much, in terms of getting to Glory.

 

[dcoconeo]

But I agree that's probably a bet worth making.

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Well, rolling a top tier influence is probably about the same difficulty (or harder!) than outright defusing the meltdown, or at least delaying the meltdown, so yes it is a bet worth making?

 

[ses]

I do notice that if we roll "No lore progress" this turn and can plan for a turn 25 All In, we don't actually need to burn Mareinette/Velvet AP and instead can befriend Smiles via Mortal followers.

Turn 23: Smiles 1, Selene 6, total 7
Turn 24: Smiles 1, Selene 6, Fluttershy 2, Servants 2, Filthy 2, Cheerilee 2 total 22
Turn 25: Smiles 1, Selene 6, Fluttershy 2, Filthy 2, Cheerilee 2, Velvet 1, total 40

Considering how use-impaired non-Lore'd up mortal ponies are, this would be a much cheaper version that would let us get a lot of Lore advancement and sacrament progress or expedition progress if we don't need to worry about getting Smiles befriended on turn 24 for All In.

 

[Shaper47]

It would be nice to be able to have Velvet focus on investigating Stalking and working on Sacraments along with Mareinette grail lessons.

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

Nah, Mareinette Heart lessons. Need that All-4 for sure.

 

[Pittauro]

I really hope we can buy this extra turn or two... We're so close to getting a bunch of Name friendships and Sacraments! Even Neighnia is not impossible!

Each extra turn we get is AT LEAST one more sacrament. And we should keep in mind how they have not only mechanical but narrative value too.

Otherwise I don't see how the Sacraments we know of could have helped with the Master.

Beside the +5 and the sacrament power itself, each level is simply much more narratively valuable than the previous ones

 

[DelightedOne]

Nah, Mareinette Heart lessons. Need that All-4 for sure.

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Yep, All-4 and Family lessons so we can see Silky's affinities.

I mean, we did get a whole thing in "The signs are there" that made it clear Silky's potential had been achieved to a certain point. So it is not that out there to think we are going to see what she can do with the lores, especially with that Cutie Mark.

And there is also how it will benefit Soft Sweeps. More successful Wolf subversion? Better awareness of her cult? Daughter-self not being in control as often?

I NEED TO KNOW!

 

[Pittauro]

I'm just a bit sad we can't go for all 5 (even just all Selene 5. Though for those we only need Winter, so maybe...)

 

[Wise Wolf]

I do notice that if we roll "No lore progress" this turn and can plan for a turn 25 All In, we don't actually need to burn Mareinette/Velvet AP and instead can befriend Smiles via Mortal followers.

Turn 23: Smiles 1, Selene 6, total 7
Turn 24: Smiles 1, Selene 6, Fluttershy 2, Servants 2, Filthy 2, Cheerilee 2 total 22
Turn 25: Smiles 1, Selene 6, Fluttershy 2, Filthy 2, Cheerilee 2, Velvet 1, total 40

Considering how use-impaired non-Lore'd up mortal ponies are, this would be a much cheaper version that would let us get a lot of Lore advancement and sacrament progress or expedition progress if we don't need to worry about getting Smiles befriended on turn 24 for All In.

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That's very efficient unless something else happens on Turn 24 that forces an All-In. Bad Soothe roll, or some unknown issue like Windy or the Wolf cutting our timelines.

There's something to be said for rushing our Smiles friendship just to hedge our bets.

 

[Sveta08]

I need not. And I believe it is already said. But I am slowly somewhat more awake and tired at once. I apologize I could not and did not speak more. But was by most, unneeded.

[X] Plan: The Princess of Love's Chosen Has to Make an Effort

My thoughts are too much on what may yet be. I'll make something soon.