Editing Cat and Mouse (Guide)

{{GuideFor|Concept = Concept:Cat and Mouse}}
{{Audience|EarlyMYN}}
{{Audience|MidZailing}}
[[File:Oldwoman.png|right]]
{{ActivitySummary
|Activity=Cat and Mouse
|Length=Fixed
|Starting Actions=1
|Progress Actions=9
|Ending Actions=1
|Progress Details=Build up {{IL|Cat: Getting Warmer|Appearance=Cat}} to 50 to win. 60 for a bonus. Rewards and Boosts depend on selected case.
|Output Items=*{{IL|Journal of Infamy}}
*{{IL|Jade Fragment}}
*{{IL|Correspondence Plaque}}
*{{IL|Sapphire}}
*{{IL|Inkling of Identity}}
*{{IL|Extraordinary Implication}}
*{{IL|Memory of Light}}
*{{IL|Nevercold Brass Sliver}}
*{{IL|Antique Mystery}}
*{{IL|Justificande Coin}}
*{{IL|Fistful of Surface Currency}}
*{{IL|Piece of Rostygold}}
*{{IL|Bone Fragments}}
*{{IL|Lump of Lamplighter Beeswax}}
|Boost Items=*{{IL|Whispered Hint}}
*{{IL|Drop of Prisoner's Honey}}
*{{IL|Favours: Society}}
*{{IL|An Identity Uncovered!}}
*{{IL|Blackmail Material}}
|Raw EPA = 0.81
|Starting Items=*{{TableList|{{IL|Implacable Detective's Business Card|1 x}}|{{IL|Whispered Hint|200 x}}}}
*{{TableList|{{IL|Implacable Detective's Business Card|1 x}}|{{IL|Cryptic Clue|150 x}}}}
*{{TableList|{{IL|Implacable Detective's Business Card|1 x}}|{{IL|Cryptic Clue|200 x}}}}
}}
This guide covers both [[Playing Cat and Mouse with an Evasive Target]] with the Implacable Detective, and with [[Polythreme Ho!]].
This is a collection of 3 ventures requiring an {{IL|Implacable Detective's Business Card}} and 3 ventures requiring [[PoSI]] and [[Polythreme Ho!]].

The goal for all these ventures is to get 50 {{IL|Cat: Getting Warmer|Appearance = Cat}} before {{IL|Mouse: So Little Time|Appearance = Mouse}} reaches 1. Getting 60 {{IL|Cat: Getting Warmer|Appearance = Cat}} usually gives a 12.5 {{E}} bonus. 

It should be noted that you earn the first cat by starting the venture, so you need to earn another 49 (or 59).

==With the Implacable Detective==
The investigations are started by using the business card in your inventory. Each investigation requires an {{IL|Implacable Detective's Business Card}} as well as some of the following mysteries:
*Absentee aunt - {{IL|Whispered Hint|200 x}}
*Eccentric Burglar - {{IL|Cryptic Clue|150 x}}
*Deranged Medium - {{IL|Cryptic Clue|200 x}}

In addition to the investigations, there's an option that allows you to convert {{IL|Whispered Hint}} into {{IL|Scrap of Incendiary Gossip}}.

Note that all the investigations require some items that may be hard to get at the early stages of the game, in order to be efficient. It's a good idea to check which items are needed before starting. Additionally, you are unlikely to succeed without spending items, so spend them early.

===Items for Guaranteed Progress===
{|class="article-table"
!{{IL|Mouse: So Little Time|Appearance = Mouse}}
!Cost
!Absentee aunt
!Eccentric Burglar
!Deranged Medium
!{{IL|Cat: Getting Warmer|Appearance=Cat}}
!Notes
|-
|7-10
|0.5
|colspan=3|{{IL|Whispered Hint|50 x}}
|5
|Costs 2 actions.
|-
|7-10
|1.60
|{{IL|Drop of Prisoner's Honey|80 x}}
| -
| -
|10
| Costs 2 actions, Decreases Mouse by 2.
|-
|7-10
|4.20
| - 
| {{IL|Favours: Society|1 x}}
| -
|10
| Costs 2 actions, Decreases Mouse by 2.
|-
|3-6
|2.5
|colspan=3|{{IL|An Identity Uncovered!|1 x}}
|Costs 2 actions.
|8
|-
|2
|12.5
|colspan=3|{{IL|Blackmail Material|1 x}}
| -
|10
|-
|}

===Rewards===
*Absentee aunt
**{{IL|Journal of Infamy|30 x}}
**{{IL|Journal of Infamy|30 x}} + {{IL|Jade Fragment|1250 x}} on a Notable Success.
**Roughly 0.81 EPA

*Eccentric Burglar
**{{IL|Correspondence Plaque|30 x}} + {{IL|Sapphire|8 x}}
**{{IL|Correspondence Plaque|32 x}}, {{IL|Inkling of Identity|10 x}}, {{IL|Extraordinary Implication|4 x}} on a Notable Success
**Roughly 1.19 or 0.97 EPA depending on the amount of favours spent, disregarding value of favour.

*Deranged Medium
**{{IL|Memory of Light|30 x}} + {{IL|Nevercold Brass Sliver|200 x}}
**{{IL|Memory of Light|30 x}} + {{IL|Nevercold Brass Sliver|100 x}} + {{IL|Antique Mystery|1 x}} on a Notable Success
**Roughly 1.46 EPA

===Strategy - Aunt and Burglar===
You need to get 50 cat - 60 for a bonus. 
The maximum amount of Cat you can gain is 63 for the Absentee Aunt and the Burglar.
This means that if you want to have a chance at the bonus, you'll have to succeed every check with the Aunt and Burglar, however you may gain 5 cat instead of 8 for one option and still make it.

As such, the strategy for the Aunt and Burglar:
* Use whispered hints once or thrice. As this takes an extra action, once is recommended.
* Use the venture-specific option until you're at mouse 5.
* You will then have to safe it for 3 actions
* Gamble on the last option. Again, this takes an extra action.

{|class="article-table"
!{{IL|Mouse: So Little Time|Appearance = Mouse}}
!Cost
!{{IL|Cat: Getting Warmer|Appearance = Cat}}
|-
|0 (starting)
|Varies
|1
|-
|10
|{{IL|Whispered Hint|50 x}}
|5
|-
|9-6
|{{IL|Drop of Prisoner's Honey|160 x}} or {{IL|Favours: Society|2 x}}
|20
|-
|5-3
|{{IL|An Identity Uncovered!|3 x}}
|24
|-
|2
|Gamble (70%)
|10 or 0
|}

For the Aunt this should cost 13.2 {{E}} in items and give a 70% chance at the bonus. This comes out to a net gain of 10.55 {{E}} over 13 actions, giving 0.81 EPA

For the Burglar this should cost 11 {{E}} and 2 {{IL|Favours: Society}}. It adds up to a net reward of 15.49 {{E}} over 13 actions or 1.19 EPA (not considering the 2 favours).
If only spending 1 favour, the net reward is 14.49 {{E}} over 15 actions or 0.97 EPA while spending 1 favour.

===Strategy - Medium===
You need to get 50 cat - 60 for a bonus.
The maximum amount of Cat you can gain is 67 for the Deranged Medium, this means that if you want to have a chance at the bonus, you may fail one 5-cat option with the Medium. Because of the costs of entering and leaving {{IL|The Mirror-Marches}} (actions raising then lowering {{Unlock|Nightmares}} 8, and either {{Unlock|Memory of Light|1 x}} or {{Unlock|Having Recurring Dreams: Is Someone There?}} 10), this assumes that you would be visiting anyway and have advanced this case to Mouse 6 in preparation.

As such, the strategy for the Medium:
{|class="article-table"
!{{IL|Mouse: So Little Time|Appearance = Mouse}}
!Cost
!{{IL|Cat: Getting Warmer|Appearance = Cat}}
|-
|0 (starting)
|{{IL|Cryptic Clue|200 x}}
|1
|-
|10-7
|Gamble (70%) - until you fail once
|5 or 0 per mouse
|-
|9-7 (after you've failed once)
|{{IL|Whispered Hint|50-150 x}}
|5 per mouse
|-
|6-3
|Luck check in {{IL|The Mirror-Marches}}
|36
|-
|2
|Gamble (70%)
|10 or 0
|}

On average this should give a net profit of 20.31 {{e}} over 13.9 actions, giving 1.46 EPA, in addition to reducing nightmares by 8.9 CP. This does not take into account other actions while in {{IL|The Mirror-Marches}}.

==Polythreme Ho==
These options allow you to find the {{IL|Screaming Map}}, or to sell the parts for other items.

The {{IL|Screaming Map}} is needed in order to zail to {{IL|Polythreme Docks|Appearance = Polythreme}} as well as another island in {{IL|The Sea of Voices}}. In addition a {{IL|Screaming Map}} can be used to gain access to {{IL|The Copper Quarter|Appearance = the Khanate}}. For more information on this, as well as general zailing, see [[Zailing (Guide)]].
It should be noted that once a {{IL|Screaming Map}} has been assembled, the storylet to deal with it will disappear. As such you should avoid having multiple map parts when finally assembling them.

In order to get the Screaming map, you need both halves:
* The {{IL|Screaming Map: Left-Hand Half}} can only be gained from the Disgruntled Naval Officer
** Requires {{IL|Shard of Glim|500 x}}, and is a {{IL|Respectable}} 2 challenge (Respectable 6 for 100%)

* The {{IL|Screaming Map: Right-Hand Half}} can be gained from two sources:
** Enterprising Astronomer: {{IL|Zee-Ztory|10 x}}, {{IL|Bizarre}} 6 challenge (10 for 100%)
** Masked Clay Man: {{IL|Partial Map|2 x}}, {{IL|Dreaded}} 6 challenge (10 for 100%)

You will lose the supplies whether you succeed or fail the challenge. This guide will assume that you can reliably succeed.
===Items for Guaranteed Progress===
{|class="article-table"
!{{IL|Mouse: So Little Time|Appearance = Mouse}}
!Cost
!A Disgruntled Naval
!An Enterprising Astronomer
!Masked Clay Man
!{{IL|Cat: Getting Warmer|Appearance=Cat}}
!Notes
|-
|7-10
|0.5
|colspan=3|{{IL|Shard of Glim|50 x}}
|5
|
|-
|7-10
|1.50
|{{IL|Vision of the Surface|3 x}}
| -
| -
|10
| Decreases Mouse by 2.
|-
|7-10
|1.5
| - 
| {{IL|Whisper-Satin Scrap|3 x}}
| -
|10
|Decreases Mouse by 2.
|-
|3-6
|2.5
|colspan=3|{{IL|Partial Map|1 x}}
|8
|Costs 2 actions.
|-
|2
|12.5
|colspan=3|{{IL|Puzzling Map|1 x}}
| 10
| -
|-
|}

===Strategy===
The maximum Cat you can get is 63 for all 3 ventures. This means you should try not to fail any checks, except maybe the last one.
If you're hunting the map-halves for profit you should always try to get the right-side of the map, as it can be sold for more.
If chasing the Astronomer or the Officer you may exchange a 8-cat option for a 5-cat option to save some resources. This also has the bonus that you save actions. This is the most efficient, as long as you can get the resources needed and pass the initial challenges.

Step-by-step guide (Astronomer/Officer):
{|class="article-table"
!{{IL|Mouse: So Little Time|Appearance = Mouse}}
!Cost
!{{IL|Cat: Getting Warmer|Appearance = Cat}}
|-
|0 (starting)
|Varies
|1
|-
|10
|{{IL|Shard of Glim|50 x}}
|5
|-
|9-6
|{{IL|Vision of the Surface|6 x}} or {{IL|Whisper-Satin Scrap|6 x}}
|20
|-
|5-3
|{{IL|Partial Map|3 x}}
|24
|-
|2
|Gamble (70%)
|10 or 0
|}

Step-by-step guide (Masked Clay Man):
{|class="article-table"
!{{IL|Mouse: So Little Time|Appearance = Mouse}}
!Cost
!{{IL|Cat: Getting Warmer|Appearance = Cat}}
|-
|0 (starting)
|{{IL|Partial Map|2 x}}
|1
|-
|10-7
|{{IL|Shard of Glim|200 x}}
|20
|-
|6-3
|{{IL|Partial Map|4 x}}
|32
|-
|2
|Gamble (70%)
|10 or 0
|}

This should always get you the Map Piece with a 70% chance of a bonus.

For the astronomer this adds up to a net gain of 17.75 {{E}} over 11 actions for 1.61 EPA

===Rewards===
The pieces of the Screaming map take a couple of days to arrive.

*Enterprising Astronomer
**{{IL|Screaming Map: Right-Hand Half}} (Also {{IL|Correspondence Plaque|25 x}} on a Notable Success)

*Masked Clay man
**{{IL|Screaming Map: Right-Hand Half}} (Also {{IL|Puzzling Map|1 x}} on a Notable Success)

*Disgruntled Naval Officer
**{{IL|Screaming Map: Left-Hand Half}} (Also {{IL|Puzzling Map|1 x}} on a Notable Success)

*{{IL|Screaming Map: Right-Hand Half}} may be traded for {{IL|Puzzling Map|2 x}} or {{IL|Muscaria Brandy|6 x}}
*{{IL|Screaming Map: Left-Hand Half}} may be traded for {{IL|Presbyterate Passphrase|6 x}}
[[Category:Guides]]