Shifting Maze

Items » Equipment » Gadgets » Shifting Maze

Item

Image
Description	At first glance, this could be any worn piece of metal. However, the pieces move to create new paths and barriers. It's hard to say what causes the movement, however, as sometimes the slightest touch will bring movement that a vicious twist could not… and sometimes the pieces seem to change without any cause at all.
Type	Gadget
Use	See below
Effects	+2 Evasion Power Slightly Increases Chance of Choice Encounters

Sources

Zack's House of Coins - originally released February 11th, 2016; see House of Coins page for current rotation

Notes

Can only be used when equipped.

All encounters listed on this page use the following image, except for the combats:

Uses

On use, by default and if the pins have been pushed in:

You pull some pins out of the maze, letting it begin to shift.

And, first time per run only, one of:

The maze in your hands moves in intricate patterns. (Gives Perception XP next level)

The maze in your hands moves fluidly, the tiniest flick sending pieces flying to new positions. (Gives Reflexes XP next level)

The maze in your hands barely seems to move unless you haul at it. (Gives Strength XP next level)

The maze in your hands moves slowly, as though testing your patience. (Gives Will XP next level)

Or, if the pins have been pulled out:

You push some loose pins into the maze, locking it in place.

Encounters

While adventuring with the maze equipped and the pins pulled out and Etheric, you can get one of the following encounters:

Encounter	Result
You watch the patterns of the maze, twisting and shifting in your hands and all around you.	You've earned <X> XP in Perception
You speed through the maze, your fingers dancing over its surface as its barriers flicker all around you.	You've earned <X> XP in Reflexes
You push through the maze, pushing its surface with your fingers as you shove past its barriers with your shoulders.	You've earned <X> XP in Strength
You wait out the maze, letting it take the right form in your hands and all around you.	You've earned <X> XP in Will

The above encounters do not take any energy.

XP granted goes up as you go deeper into the maze, equal to maze depth/2, rounded up (1 at levels 1-2, 2 and levels 3-4, etc.). The type of XP is determined by the which "The maze in your hands moves" message you got. This changes each floor.

Having the glowing draught equipped adds the following before the noncombat encounter text:

The crystal draught in your hand lights your way.

This adds bonus XP equal to maze depth/4, rounded up.

You can also receive a combat encounter consisting of various creatures native to the maze. The creatures you encounter will be a mix of opponents, such that the total XP from the fight is equal to the level you are on. So far up to 5 6 8 (?!) opponents have been encountered at once.

Opponent	XP	Possible Rewards
Bipedal Rat	1	clear draught gutter leathers gutter pistol Gutter Shot technique (with gutter pistol equipped)
Armored Serpent	2	maze fang
Masked Spider	3	inhuman mask Arachnid Glare technique (with inhuman mask equipped)
Robed Corpse	4	1-3 clear draught skeletal staff grave vestments Staff Strike technique (with skeletal staff equipped)

All of the combats start with the following line:

You glance down into the maze, finding it pulling you harder and harder, until it seems to surround you with flashing metal and moving shadows.

The second line changes depending on which combination of opponents shows up. Multiple copies of the same opponent give the same message as a single copy of that opponent.

Message	Rats	Serpents	Spiders	Corpses
A ratlike form slips through the shadows, drawing an archaic pistol as it gets closer. Or: Ratlike forms stalk you from the shadows, waiting for you to slip up.	√
The metal and shadows flash and crawl like serpents.		√
The shadows seem to close in around you, glowing eyes piercing you from beyond the area of faint light.	√	√
A spider… somehow wearing a curious mask reveals itself amid the flashing metal. (Same message, singular or plural)			√
The shadows seem to close in around you, as though probing for weakness as they resolve into twisted shapes.	√		√
A rasping round, somehow calling to mind a scaled bulk crawling over a pile of bones, echoes through the maze as shapes emerge from the shadows.		√	√
A strange menagerie emerges from the shadows before you.	√	√	√
Some of the shadows solidify into a skeleton bearing a staff of bone, moving to corner you in the maze.				√
A ratlike shape slinks from the shadows, moving to serve its master's call. Or: Ratlike shapes rush forward, eager to serve their masters' call.	√			√
The shifting metal gives a muted hiss as a serpent crawls to its master's beckoning. Or: The shifting metal gives a muted hiss as serpents crawl to their masters' beckoning.		√		√
A skeletal shape in the shadows raises its staff and calls silently for its servants. The servants emerge a moment later, advancing cautiously. Or: Skeletal shapes in the shadows raise their staves and call silently for their servants. The servants emerge a moment later, advancing cautiously.	√	√		√
The shifting metal gives a muted rattle like bones striking bones as shapes emerge from the shadows.			√	√
Skeletal shapes in the shadows raise their staves and call silently for their inhuman servants.	√		√	√
A skeletal shape in the shadows raises its staff and calls silently for its animalistic servants. Or: Skeletal shapes in the shadows raise their staves and call silently for their animalistic servants.		√	√	√
A unimaginable swarm of shapes walk and crawl through the maze, intent on your life.	√	√	√	√

After enough time on a level (?):

This part of the puzzle has grown quiet. Deep inside the maze, you find an empty patch with metallic stairs extending both beyond its surface and deeper beneath.

Head up

Climb down

Head up:

You twist the puzzle, expanding it to create a new layer over the old surface as you ascend the stairs.

Climb down:

You twist the puzzle, collapsing it into a denser cube as you descend the stairs.

If this descent takes you to the 36^th floor:

The maze strangely shifts and pops, unfolding into a beautiful array of movement before collapsing back into a simpler configuration.
You've unlocked the Maze Explorer Avatar
(Resets the maze to floor 1.)

And, for both of the above, second paragraph, one of:

The maze in your hands moves in intricate patterns. (Gives Perception XP next level)

The maze in your hands moves fluidly, the tiniest flick sending pieces flying to new positions. (Gives Reflexes XP next level)

The maze in your hands barely seems to move unless you haul at it. (Gives Strength XP next level)

The maze in your hands moves slowly, as though testing your patience. (Gives Will XP next level)

After one of these encounters, it seems you must pull the pins back out and get one of those encounters before you can receive one of the pins-in encounters again.

Techniques

Technique	Type	Attribute	Dam	Notes
Envenomed Fang	Stealth	Reflexes	2	Leaves Poison
Staff Strike	Melee	Will	4	enhanced with an I-Beam weapon or skeletal staff equipped
Burning Draught	Fire	Reflexes	4	+4 following Ranged or Fire
Gutter Shot	Ranged	Reflexes	3	+4 following Evasion
Arachnid Glare	Etheric	Will	8	must have inhuman mask equipped, follow Unleash Spider, or both