Hiya,

I know that part of the game's point is to get captured. But I read a lot of comments like, I can't get past level five, or abilities way down the list, so clearly they're getting through the game. I can not make it past floor one without getting overwhelmed, even when I have party members.

I'm not looking for a walkthrough, but clearly I'm not playing the game correctly, and was hoping for a little bit of guidance. The game is fun, but after twenty tries I would like to see more of the game, (Yes, I know I suck, no need for insults).

Please and thank you!

Sybella

An easy way to start is as a wizard, with points into the class ability that reduces mana cost, with fire magic for damage and then light magic to keep allies up. With some luck in enchantments, you can spam multiply-upcasted fireballs and start to really roll over groups of enemies. You can also create minefields for free and then lure enemies into them, or create a minefield before opening a shadow chest.

Other classes seem to be a lot harder without either careful perk choices, or much more care with managing distraction.

It might also be that you're giving up in situations that you could still continue the run from. Do you know that you can go back up to the shopkeeper and get bondage removed? Or that you can get ask angels at shrines for help? Or that the different ways to remove bondage stack together (60% cut + 40% struggle = 100% free)?

Its important to take floor exploration slowly. Always make sure there arent threats behind you to deal with before moving on, and explore in directions that leave as few unknown threats around you in other rooms as possible.

 Wait to consider opening potentially trapped chests or exploring rooms with teapped floors (they look slightly different than normal and usually have the chests in the center.

Always know where the nearest ghost is who can bail you out. Until you have a lot more will, its often better to just run away if you get caught out with a restraint and come back after a ghost helps you remove it.

As the above post mentions, wizard is often considered the easiest starting class. Aside from its aoe in combat, when paired with the smooth talker perk, you have access to the unlock/greater unlock spells, unless covered with a ton of gags...and the cost is reduced just by being a wizard from inner power.

Finally, Wizard gives you access you have to a magic lock removal two piece combo (they do cost spell points). First, Arcane blast (to initially allow the collecting of arcane energy), and Akashic conflux to convert arcane energy to mana and also allow you to use magic for 3 turns even when heavily restrained, by spending 100 arcane energy. This is your bread and butter of helping deal with restraints and can even make magic locks be the one you prefer enemies use over normal ones. Anytime else for anything else you generally want to be ready to run off to the nearest Ghost for help.

Here's an older thread with a lot of relevant advice: https://itch.io/t/5399516/how-to-git-gud

Thank you all! That helped a lot, took me a few days to get back to it, finally made it past floor 1.

I never got wizard builds to work.

So I'm going to tell you to go become a fighter.  You're NEVER going to put on a single piece of armor. Maybe a cloak if you feel sassy.

Now you need to customize your perks. You want the perk that gives you bonus  melee electrical damage if your  mana is full. Your goal here is to  maximize your damage output. Take every flaw that inhibits your casting--we will be doing zero casting, and those are FREE PERK POINTS. We  UNGA, then we BUNGA. (I like Psychic, and Better Struggle/Escape/Lockpick)

You're going to take , however, the skills that give you bondage resistance  based on willpower, riposte,--you're going to take every defense skill, and you're going to break orbs (Switch goddesses to avoid angering any. Do NOT anger Restoration at all costs.) to make sure you have the double-attack skill. as well. The MOST important skill is the one that stuns enemies if you block them. Remember how high your block is? That's right. You're turning enemy abilities into self-stun. 

You want a weapon that gives magic or shadow damage, unless it's just A Really Good Weapon. Never touch armor. Keep every bit of food. Your willpower must remain high at all times.    Anything you can do to increase attack power at that point, and as long as you don't actively stand in the bad, the unavoidable stuff won't really...do? Anything?   If a gag gives you phys attack  damage, do it. If a chastity belt gives you physical attack, do it. Anything that does not IMPEDE  your movement or ability to swing a weapon? Take it.

Do NOT take the restoration quest early on. You are melee, and you are angering the 'we have bondage arrows' crowd. You don't need the rewards that badly. In fact, if you're fullclearing floors, you're going to have embarassing amounts of gold. Spend it, again, on every source of willpower. Eat those good girl cookies.