Editing Cover Identities (Guide)

|Progress Details={{IL|Cover Identity: Elaboration|Appearance=Build}} {{IL|Cover Identity: Nuance|Appearance=out}} {{IL|Cover Identity: Elaboration|Appearance=your}} {{IL|Cover Identity: Credentials|Appearance=cover}} {{IL|Cover Identity: Backstory|Appearance=identity.}}

We can also approximate that [[Fence this identity]] is upper-bounded at 2.50 EPA. Each point of {{IL|Cover Identity: Elaboration}}, {{IL|Cover Identity: Credentials}}, {{IL|Cover Identity: Nuance}}, or {{IL|Cover Identity: Witnesses}} adds one 2.50 E item to the reward and each 5 points of {{IL|Cover Identity: Backstory}} adds one 12.50 E item. Spending a Favour to add {{IL|Cover Identity: Ties}} when starting the identity does not increase the reward at all, but merely changes which 2.50 E items you receive. That said, while it does not compare favourably to other options as an Echo grind, this is a good source for some of the possible rewards. If you do grand larcenies, you can push this up to a 3.60 echo grind, if you get ivory organzas and use the rat market.

The scaling difficulty check for increasing {{IL|Cover Identity: Elaboration|Short=yes}} means even top-level characters will not be able to guarantee success when building an Identity that require high level of Elaboration. The challenge to add a 10th point of Elaboration has a difficulty of 240, which would take {{IL|Shadowy}} 400 to guarantee success. A realistic value of {{IL|Shadowy}} 300 gives only a 75% chance of success. On average it will take <math>1/0.75=1.33</math> attempts to achieve success.

* [[Pit one Varchaasi against another]] from [[Varchas from Behind the Glass]] at {{IL|Well-Placed Pawn|x 25|Appearance=}} an action. (Requires [[Shadowy Gains]] 18).

* [[Consult the Stewards of the Discordance]] (Adulterine Castle): {{IL|Well-Placed Pawn|x 21–27|Appearance=}} or {{IL|Cover Identity: Backstory|x ~1|Appearance=}} per action

* At the [[The Chessboard (Guide)|Chessboard]]: [[Offer a draw]], or '''fail''' at [[Choose a queen mate]] or [[Choose an epaulette mate]]. At most {{IL|Well-Placed Pawn|x 18|Appearance=}} per action.

* [[Direct your network]] in the Khanate for {{IL|Well-Placed Pawn|x 10|Appearance=}} per action.

** Selling {{IL|Night-Whisper|Appearance=Night-Whispers}} from Favour-based Tribute gives {{IL|Well-Placed Pawn|x ~35|Appearance=}} per action, or {{IL|Cover Identity: Backstory|x ~1.32|Appearance=}} per action

{{IL|Vienna Opening}}: Overall, this ends up at {{IL|Cover Identity: Backstory|x ~1|Appearance=}} per action.

** [[Hold your breath underwater|Holding your breath underwater]] in the Hurlers: {{IL|Final Breath|x 23|Appearance=}} at [[Hurlers: Darkness|Darkness]] 0; a loop [[Money-Making/Sources#Holding your breath in the Hurlers|detailed here]] gives {{IL|Final Breath|x ~7.2|Appearance=}} per action depending on your {{IL|Dangerous}}, which works out to {{IL|Cover Identity: Backstory|x ~1.38|Appearance=}} per action.

* [[Sell him Surveys of the Neath's Bones|Sell Surveys of the Neath's Bones]] to the Enthusiast of the Ancient World: {{IL|Final Breath|x 10|Appearance=}} for 5 Surveys. If you can efficiently [[Publish an Expose of Palaeontology|publish a newspaper]] (see [[Publishing a Newspaper (Guide)|guide]]) or [[Assemble your conclusions|perform lab research]] (see [[University Laboratory (Guide)|guide]]), this works out to about ~4.2 or ~4.5 Final Breaths respectively per action.

* If you have access to it, [[Enter the house (Red)|the Red epilogue of the Chessboard campaign]] works out to {{IL|Cover Identity: Backstory|x 1|Appearance=}} per action. This option disappears when you start any new campaign (even the Chessboard).

* [[Take tea with the Diplomat]] in the Khanate: average of {{IL|Moves in the Great Game|x 7.5}} for {{IL|Incendiary Gossip|x 5}}. Not very good. Efficiency depends on source of {{IL|Incendiary Gossip|Appearance=}}:

** From [[An edition brimming with truth and wisdom|newspapers]] (including side conversion and up conversion of Journals): {{IL|Cover Identity: Backstory|x 0.26|Appearance=}} per action

** From twice upconverted {{IL|Inkling of Identity}} bought at the [[The Rat Market (Guide)|Rat Market]] for 1{{r}}, efficiency depends on the source of {{IL|Rat-Shilling|Appearance=Rat-Shillings}}. At best about {{IL|Cover Identity: Backstory|x 0.42|Appearance=}} per action with Tribute-sourced Night-Whispers.

* [[For the Game]], spending Corresponding. Requires {{IL|The Great Game (Affiliation)|Appearance=The Great Game}}.

* [[Read the graffiti on the Statue to (subject)|Read the graffiti on the Statue]] on its Station VIII opportunity card, for 5–7 stories per action, or {{IL|Cover Identity: Backstory|x ~1.3|Appearance=}} per action. [[Station VIII: Darkness|Darkness]] increases the difficulty, so this is not very compatible with [[Break in to the factory|breaking into Station VIII]].

* [[An Exemplary Work of Lapsarian Theological Art]]; 4 stories per action, and hence {{IL|Cover Identity: Backstory|x 0.88|Appearance=}} per action

* [[Await a verdict on Gondoliers v Society Matron (Prosecution)]] in the [[Barristering at Evenlode (Guide)|Evenlode Courts]]: 6 actions each, plus the replacement cost of the {{IL|Preserved Surface Blooms|x 20}} to start each case. Buying Surface Blooms at [[The Rat Market (Area)|The Rat Market]] at 5.0 EPA takes 10 actions to get 20 Surface Blooms. Alongside 1 action to turn in the Mortification, this takes 17 actions in total. This gives about {{IL|Cover Identity: Backstory|x 1.53|Appearance=}} per action.

* [[Expanding your Network]] in the [[Khaganian Intrigue (Guide)|Khanate]] with the Bandaged Naval Officer, Shapeless Aristocrat, or Idle Soldier: 15 actions each, plus an expected 2.2 actions shuffling to the appropriate [[Airs of the Khanate|Airs]], for an approximate {{IL|Cover Identity: Backstory|x 1.43|Appearance=}} per action. Does not include travel time

* [[Send an inordinately enormous stack of documents to Mount Palmerston]] from [[Spelunking in the Sunken Embassy]]: 18 actions per item, {{IL|Cover Identity: Backstory|x 1.37|Appearance=}} per action

* [[Breathe an ancient air]] while [[Diving in the Magistracy (Guide)|Diving in the Magistracy]]: 8 actions, plus a chance to gain 6 CP of menaces on failing a {{IL|Dangerous}} 220 check, which is impossible to 100% pass. Costs {{IL|Final Breath|75 x}}, which would convert to {{IL|Cover Identity: Backstory|x 16.5|Appearance=}}, so a net increase of {{IL|Cover Identity: Backstory|x 9.5|Appearance=}}. Assuming 200 {{IL|Dangerous}} and clearing menaces at 6 CP per action, that's equivalent to {{IL|Cover Identity: Backstory|x 1.12|Appearance=}} per action (300 {{IL|Dangerous}} is only a little better, at {{IL|Cover Identity: Backstory|x 1.16|Appearance=}} per action)

* Getting [[An illicit secret]] as a reward in [[Hearts' Game (Guide)|Hearts' Game]] gives a Morfitication in 19 actions, which means {{IL|Cover Identity: Backstory|x 1.3|Appearance=}} per action.