Unsure if it's the actual number of guards killed or just the encounter count. For the record, the text first changed after 4 demands, 1 asking and 2 pick-offs, and they yielded their tree after 8 demands, 2 asks and 4 pick offs.
Guarded Trees / Discussion
Forum
» Hidden / Per page discussions
» Guarded Trees
This is the discussion related to the wiki page Guarded Trees.
An important item that can only be gotten by one method? That seems un-Kinak-like. Demanding vs. picking off guards doesn't seem like enough of a choice. So, how can we get past the guards without resorting to violence?
Things that people have tried so far without success:
- Sneaking by - I had no new options with 21 Stealth Power, and I think others have tried even more
- Checking the Midgard Warehouse - Nothing new on the computer or in the Stacks of Crates that I could find. No new special encounter there while Etheric either.
- Sneaking into the guarded area via the Dockside Sewers - I didn't try this while Etheric, but didn't see any new options with non-Etheric.
- Special Etheric encounters on the Waterfront itself - This encounter does not seem to change while Etheric, and nobody has reported finding any other new Etheric encounters here.
- A helpful bum in Southside Park - last year there was an encounter (which I can't find a wiki page for, btw) there where a bum mentioned the trees on The Docks, but this year I found nothing, at least while non-Etheric.
- People have gone over The Quad pretty intensively both Etheric and not today and have not reported anything that seems relevant to getting a tree nonviolently.
- Dressing up in the Midgard Security outfit, or trying to dress as Dock Security (riot baton, light armored vest, police scanner) doesn't seem to work.
- Going all Tiny Tim with a Cast or other pathetic and/or festive effects does not seem to make the guards' hearts grow even one size bigger
It's interesting that there are no Midgard Security here. Maybe for once these important macguffins belong to somebody other than Midgard?
On the podcast, he definitely implied that there might be another way… I'm at a loss for what to do though.
I suppose I'll document my Tiny Tim efforts here. I warn that I wasn't keeping the best of notes while attempting this.
Having the Cast effect on.
Having the Cast effect on with the Coughing Fit effect active while wearing "Bloody Pants and Shirt" with a "Numbing IV" on while having Classic Carols.
That about does it? I suppose I should try instead of the Cast effect, Broken Bones with all that other stuff on. It'll be tough though.
Ok, a traditional spading blindspot sounds like intentionally getting beaten up a lot by the guards. I just tried that. I didn't try it with any special effects active except Viral Carols at one point. Oh, and Sugar Rush. And Pep in My Step. Sugar Rush and Pep in My Step probably weren't active together.
I got beaten up about 23 times. About at the 15 mark, I tried equipping the "Protest Sign". At the 20th mark, I tried without any weapons equipped at all. Tomorrow, I'll continue with this effort except this time with the Classic Carols effect active. Perhaps even with the "Ordinary Scarf" equipped if some benefactor doesn't mind shooting me a gift. I figure I need to get beaten up as many times as people normally need to beat the guards up to get a tree. There has been no dialogue change, though.
Anyways, till next game day. Happy Holidays everyone.
traditional spading efforts: equipment, effects, bonuses, ?
traditional spading blindspots / difficult to spade things: things you might have to reset to try out, being low-level, talking to contacts, ?
In the beginning, men were mortal.
I got the following message after killing maybe 9 or 12 guards with 'Demand a Tree' (I was still on 3xGuard fights)
The guard looks at you like you've sprouted another head. "You want a… tree?"
He snaps out of his confusion after a momentary pause. "Of course! Of course! Let me go get it!"
True to his word, he comes back a moment later with a tree.
You found: fake christmas tree
(Had just gained PVP control of area)
Effects
Gang Beatdown (46)
Halloween Spirit (56)
Emerald Gift Live (1372)
Perception: 24 (26)
Reflexes: 24 (20)
Strength: 36 (40)
Will: 33 (43)
Skills:
Chess
Eclipse Conduit
Experimental Chemistry
Fae Eyes
Focused Mind
Ghoultouched
Pugilism
Simple Coding
Trauma Tech
Undead Scourge
Undying Heart
Power
6 Etheric Power
18 Melee Power
Defense
2 Etheric Defense
6 Melee Defense
2 Ranged Defense
7 Reactive Defense
Attributes
+2 Perception
-4 Reflexes
+4 Strength
+10 Will
Encounters
Slightly Increased Chance of Choice Encounters
Impressively Increased Chance of PvP Encounters
Other
3 Bonus Eclipse Duration
5 First Aid
Hat: investigator's hat
Weapon: twisting silver blade
Offhand: gel shield
Shirt: reactive gang jacket
Pants: reactive pants
Gadget: Autodoc
So, turns out that Draconis got the new text and the tree just after taking control of the zone in gang warfare. So it might turn out that you can get a tree that way if your gang has control of the area. Since Draconis had killed some guards before taking over the area, it'd need testing to see if this works, and if you have to be in PvP for it to work, or if simply being in the controlling gang is enough.
I have only sadness and failure to document in this next report.
My ideas as tested during this phase were: Tiny Tim, Peace, and Getting the Christmas Cheer Beaten Out of Me.
For the Tiny Tim test:
The effects I tested were Broken Bone, Classic Carols, Harmony, and Coughing Fit active at once. With these all active, I chose the "Ask for a tree." No change.
I tried again with all effects active except for Coughing Fit. This time I chose the option "Demand a tree." No change.
It is possible there is some obscure combination that will grow the guards heart sizes. But, I'm running out of ideas.
I mark this test as FAILURE.
For the Peace test:
The idea was that a high enough "chance of noncombat encounters" would deter the guard's violent ways. I used the equipment lab visor and sheet toga. I had the effects Focused Perception and Harmony active. This makes for a total of +5 in Noncombat Encounters Bonuses.
I tried both options, "Demand a tree" and "Ask for a tree."
No change.
A person with access to Path of Peace or more equipment that modifies the chance of noncombat encounters may want to test this out. It is a relatively easy one to spade.
My efforts, however, resulted in a FAILURE.
For the Getting the Christmas Cheer Beaten Out of Me:
The idea was that coming back over and over again after repeatedly getting beaten to hell by the guards will make them either feel bad and/or get tired of violence. I reasoned I would have to get beaten by the guards about as many times as people normally have to beat up the guards to get a tree.
I have gotten beaten up about 35 times. I admit I did not keep the best of counts. Though, I believe it is telling that I was defeated by the guards a significant amount more than it was necessary to defeat them yet there was no change in text.
Perhaps I just need to get defeated more by the guards. I am, however, ready to move on to other ideas. I mark this test as a FAILURE.
As can be noted, my attempts have only resulted in FAILURES. TomReeve, however, did successfully make a marked difference with gaining a tree without as much slaughter. His efforts were a PARTIAL SUCCESS. The idea there is that your gang needs to be in control of the area. I believe the text "they're more afraid of their bosses than they are of you" is telling. In this case, I believe TomReeve is one of the "bosses." Could it be possible to avoid conflict entirely if you "Demand a tree" only after you gang has taken control of the area? This is a potential area to look into.
This gives me the idea that their text also gives hints to other potential methods to get a tree without a massacre. I have taken note of this particular text: "Either they really hate Christmas." My idea here is to approach the Guards with a VERY strong "Christmas Presence." I will try to mount up huge energy values of Classic Carols. I will also attempt to look for other ways to increase my "Christmas Presence."
I do dearly hope this idea will not also end in FAILURE.
I have done this encounter 4 times:
1st time, Chose to Leave them
2nd time, Asked for a tree, got laughed at
3rd time, Demanded a tree, fought 3 guards and killed them all with a single chain by vitue of Rain of Bullets
4th time, Demanded a tree, The guards handed over a tree
/forum/t-293073/guarded-trees#post-