Editing Hallowmas (Guide)/Strategies and Analysis

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== Early-Game Players ==
While certain aspects of Hallowmas may be out of reach for early-game players (namely, upgrading Companions you haven't had access to, or using the options at Masques that require pricier items), there are several aspects of the event these players can take advantage of.

===Removal of Menaces===

Menaces can be particularly frustrating for early-game players—with relatively low stats, you often find yourself failing at challenges that inflict Menaces. Hallowmas is a time when this can actually work to your advantage, allowing you to play through sections of the game you're finding challenging without having to worry about keeping Menaces down. 

This is a great time to play through the [[Making Your Name (Guide)|Making Your Name]] stories [[Making Your Name (Guide)#A Name in Seven Secret Alphabets|A Name in Seven Secret Alphabets]] (Watchful; often results in Nightmares), [[Making Your Name (Guide)#A Name Whispered in Darkness|A Name Whispered in Darkness]] (Shadowy; often results in Suspicion), and [[Making Your Name (Guide)#A Name Signed with a Flourish|A Name Signed with a Flourish]] (Persuasive; often results in Scandal), so you can [[The Fool's Judgement|turn in those Menaces to the Fool's Apostate]].

Remember that Wounds isn't a Hallowmas Menace for 2024, so this won't help with [[Making Your Name (Guide)#A Name Scrawled in Blood|A Name Scrawled in Blood]]. Also keep in mind that reaching a Menace level of 8 will send you to the associated Menace area. Any storylets that automatically send you to a Menace area (like the end of the Persuasive storyline) will also bypass The Fool's Judgement.

=== Companions ===
Some of the companions upgradeable this year are obtainable by early-game players and provide useful stat bonuses.

== Menace Gain == 
This section takes the menace-affecting item stacking description given by Bruno; each item is 75% as effective as the last, with the first giving a 15% reduction/increase.<ref>[https://discord.com/channels/606151996663267338/770266641762091079/1152204504448634920 Discord] "So yeah, roughly 15% for the first point then each point is 75% as effective as the last one" - Bruno (FBG), 11:29 UTC 15/9/23</ref>

=== {{IL|Wings of Change}} ===
The {{IL|Wings of Change}} is a [[Burden]] that increases all four menaces, obtained by failing at [[The High Sancta (Guide)|the High Sancta]]. Although this seems at first glance like it would be immensely helpful for Hallowmas, in practice this is not the case. As the burden is removed by [[Time, the Healer]], to take advantage of it for more than a few days of Hallowmas would require you to break away from gathering spirit to run through the Sancta - which for most Woesel-based strategies available to players that advanced works out as a net loss of spirit. Furthermore, you aren't guaranteed to get the burden, and might just waste all those actions for no return at all. Thus, it isn't generally worthwhile to try for the Wings except in the run-up to Hallowmas rather than during the event itself, or if you were planning on going to the Sancta anyway.

=== Suspicion ===
[[File:Sidebarsuspicion.png|alt=|right|frameless]]

=====[[The Wreck of the St Elmo]]=====
If you have the {{IL|The Crown|Appearance=Crown}} mask and are willing to spend {{IL|Volume of Collated Research|Appearance=Volumes of Collated Research}} and {{IL|Knob of Scintillack|Appearance=Knobs of Scintillack}}, then this masque will provide an average of 5 menace CP/action. If you have the mask and are only willing to spend one of these (replacing the other with either {{IL|Tale of Terror!!|Appearance=Tales of Terror!!}} or {{IL|Presbyterate Passphrase}}s, respectively), it'll provide 3.67 per action; if you aren't willing to spend either, or don't have the mask, it'll provide 2.33.

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
!Circumstances
!Suspicion-Increasing Items
!Average Masque Length
!{{IL|Spirit of Hallowmas|Appearance=SoH}}/action
|-
| rowspan="2" |Crown mask, willing to spend both research and scintillack
|1
|7.59
|3.26
|-
|2
|6.91
|3.54
|-
| rowspan="2" |Crown mask, only willing to spend scintillack/research
|1
|9.26/9.19
|2.73/2.75
|-
|2
|8.69/8.62
|2.89/2.91
|-
| rowspan="2" | No mask/unwilling to spend
|1
|12.8
|2.03
|-
|2
|11.9
|2.17
|-
|}

==== Woesel-based strategies ====
Both [[Establish a false Curriculum Vitae]] (Underclay) and [[Sell to a Constable (Skeleton)|Sell to a Constable]] (Bone Market) give +3 CP {{IL|Suspicion}} on a failure, which can be guaranteed with a Woesel.

{| class="wikitable"
!Suspicion-Increasing Items
!{{IL|Spirit of Hallowmas|Appearance=SoH}}/action
|-
|1
|2.95
|-
|2
|3.17
|-
|3
|3.50
|}

If you somehow have access to Balmoral but not a Woesel, failures at [[Develop your cover identity more deeply]], [[Endow your cover identity with eccentricities]], [[Make sure your cover identity has been observed in the right quarters]] and [[Credential your cover identity]] give +3 CP. With sufficiently low BDR and {{IL|A Player of Chess}}, the odds of failure can reach 98-99% for the latter three, meaning that a single cover identity's development can be made to last (on average) about 1950 actions. Thus, the main inconvenience here is travelling back and forth to {{IL|Balmoral}} rather than starting and selling the identities themselves.

=== Scandal ===
[[File:Sidebarscandal.png|alt=|right|frameless]]
=====[[Saint Dunstan's Sacristy]]=====
If you have the {{IL|The Demon|Appearance=Demon}} mask and are willing to spend {{IL|Touching Love Story|Appearance=Touching Love Stories}}, then this masque will provide an average of 4.33 menace CP/action. If you have the mask and would rather spend {{IL|Mourning Candle}}s, it'll provide 3 per action. If you don't have the mask and are willing to spend {{IL|Mourning Candle}}s, it'll average 2.33 menace CP/action.
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
!Circumstances
!Scandal-Increasing Items
!Average Masque Length
!{{IL|Spirit of Hallowmas|Appearance=SoH}}/action
|-
| rowspan="8" | Demon mask, willing to spend love stories
|1
|8.14
|3.06
|-
|2
|7.68
|3.22
|-
|3
|7.50
|3.29
|-
|4
|7.42
|3.33
|-
|5
|7.40
|3.33
|-
|6
|7.39
|3.34
|-
|7
|7.38
|3.34
|-
|8
|7.38
|3.34
|-
| rowspan="8" |Demon mask, spending mourning candles
|1
|10.6
|2.41
|-
|2
|9.91
|2.57
|-
|3
|9.46
|2.68
|-
|4
|9.17
|2.75
|-
|5
|9.07
|2.78
|-
|6
|8.99
|2.80
|-
|7
|8.94
|2.82
|-
|8
|8.90
|2.83
|-
| rowspan="8" |No mask
|1
|12.8
|2.03
|-
|2
|11.9
|2.17
|-
|3
|11.3
|2.28
|-
|4
|10.9
|2.35
|-
|5
|10.7
|2.40
|-
|6
|10.5
|2.44
|-
|7
|10.3
|2.47
|-
|8
|10.2
|2.50
|}

==== Woesel-based strategies====
A variety of actions in London itself (e.g. [[Convince her to produce an elaborate forgery]], [[An admirer among the clergy]]) give +2 CP on a failure.


{| class="wikitable"
!Scandal-Increasing Items
!{{IL|Spirit of Hallowmas|Appearance=SoH}}/action
|-
|1
|2.08
|-
|2
|2.26
|-
|3
|2.39
|-
|4
|2.48
|-
|5
|2.53
|-
|6
|2.55
|-
|7
|2.62
|-
|8
|2.67
|}

With {{IL|Glasswork}} 6 or below, [[Attend a Shrouded Soirée from the Wrong Side of the Mirror]] gives +1.8 CP on average, working out to 1.59 {{IL|Spirit of Hallowmas|Appearance=SoH}}/action. With scandal-increasing equipment, this can be increased up to +2.77 CP and around 2.33 {{IL|Spirit of Hallowmas|Appearance=SoH}}/action.

==== [[Bottle of Black Wings Absinthe]] ====
Normally pretty worthless, this is the best time to drink it, for +5 CP / bottle, plus an additional 1 CP of Wounds.

=== Wounds ===
[[File:Sidebarwounds.png|alt=|right|frameless]]
When reading the below, it is important to remember that the Woesel is worth two ordinary Wounds-increasing items.

=====[[The Roof Below]]=====
If you have the {{IL|The Infant|Appearance=Infant}} mask and {{IL|Shapeling Arts}} 3, this will provide an average of 4.33 menace CP/action. With the mask, no {{IL|Shapeling Arts}} 3, and a willingness to spend some of the {{IL|Unearthly Fossil}}s you gain here, it gives 4.33 CP/action; if you'd rather spend {{IL|London Street Sign}}s it gives 3. If you don't have the mask and are willing to spend {{IL|Strong-Backed Labour}}s and {{IL|London Street Sign}}s, it gives 2.33. Note that if you're using a {{IL|Weasel of Woe|Appearance=Woesel}} for its wounds bonus, you are unlikely to be able to reach the {{IL|Shapeling Arts}} 3 requirement due to its -10 {{IL|Shapeling Arts}}.

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
!Circumstances
!Wounds items
!Average Masque Length
!{{IL|Spirit of Hallowmas|Appearance=SoH}}/action
|-
| rowspan="5" | Infant mask, {{IL|Shapeling Arts|Appearance=SA}} 3/willing to spend fossils
|0
|8.98
|2.81
|-
|1
|8.14
|3.06
|-
|2
|7.68
|3.22
|-
|3
|7.5
|3.29
|-
|4
|7.41
|3.33
|-
| rowspan="5" | Infant mask, spending signs
|0
|11.8
|2.19
|-
|1
|10.6
|2.41
|-
|2
|9.91
|2.57
|-
|3
|9.46
|2.68
|-
|4
|9.18
|2.75
|-
| rowspan="5" | No mask
|0
|14.3
|1.83
|-
|1
|12.8
|2.03
|-
|2
|11.9
|2.17
|-
|3
|11.3
|2.28
|-
|4
|10.9
|2.35
|-
|}

==== Woesel-based strategies ====
The option [[Test out your theories]] in the library at {{IL|Jericho Locks}} gives +5 CP {{IL|Wounds}} on a failure (with another 1 CP guaranteed by your Woesel). [[Take the train to Jericho Locks|Going to Jericho from London]] gives +2 CP {{IL|Wounds}} on failure, and [[Return to London (from Jericho Locks)|from Jericho back to London]] gives +3 CP {{IL|Wounds}} on failure, for a rate of 4 {{IL|Spirit of Hallowmas|Appearance=SoH}}/action. This becomes higher if you get the maximum bonus wounds, which allows you to cut one failure of [[Test out your theories]]:

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
!Wounds items
!Probability of max wounds
!{{IL|Spirit of Hallowmas|Appearance=SoH}}/action
|-
|2
|1.6%
|4.01
|-
|3
|27.5%
|4.18
|-
|4
|82.0%
|4.55
|-
|}

=== Nightmares ===
[[File:Sidebarnightmares.png|alt=|right|frameless]]

When farming {{IL|Nightmares}}, a useful strategy (especially for those with a Woesel) is to acquire the {{IL|The Walls are Wrong}} for a boost to Nightmare gains, by failing the check on [[Greet the Merry Gentleman]].

==== [[The Pavilion of Butterflies]] ====
If you have the {{IL|The Moth|Appearance=Moth}} mask and are willing to spend {{IL|Bottle of Strangling Willow Absinthe|Appearance=Bottles of Strangling Willow Absinthe}}, then this masque will provide an average of 4.33 menace CP/action, not including bonus CP from items. If you have the mask and want to more-or-less break even on absinthe, it'll average ~3.26 menace CP/action. If you don't have the mask and are willing to spend {{IL|Partial Map}}s, {{IL|Scrap of Incendiary Gossip|Appearance=Scraps of Incendiary Gossip}} and absinthe, it'll average 2.33 menace CP/action - worse than the non-masque [[Listen to the silence]] even at {{IL|Steward of the Discordance}} 7.

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
!Circumstances
!Nightmares-Increasing Items
! Average Masque Length
!{{IL|Spirit of Hallowmas|Appearance=SoH}}/action
|-
| rowspan="7" |Moth mask, willing to spend absinthe
|0
|8.98
|2.80
|-
|1
|8.14
|3.06
|-
|2
|7.69
|3.22
|-
|3
|7.50
|3.29
|-
|4
|7.42
|3.33
|-
|5
|7.40
|3.33
|-
|6
|7.39
|3.34
|-
| rowspan="7" |Moth mask, wanting to break even on absinthe
|0
|12.2
|2.11
|-
|1
|11.0
|2.33
|-
|2
|10.3
|2.48
|-
|3
|9.89
|2.57
|-
|4
|9.67
|2.63
|-
|5
|9.61
|2.64
|-
|6
|9.57
|2.65
|-
|}

==== Underclay ====
Failing at [[Console the Calcified Man]] gives +5 CP {{IL|Nightmares}}, which is a viable strategy with a {{IL|Weasel of Woe|Appearance=Woesel}}. As you can freely leave and reenter the Underclay at no cost provided you don't cash out, this is a pretty good source, as shown by the below spirit-per-action table.
{| class="wikitable"
!Nightmare-Increasing Items
!{{IL|Spirit of Hallowmas|Appearance=SoH}}/action
|-
|0
|4
|-
|1
|4.59
|-
|2
|4.67
|-
|3
|4.90
|-
|4+
|5.6
|}

If you don't have a Woesel, failing the {{IL|Steward of the Discordance}} 8 check of [[Listen to the silence]] in the [[Underclay (Guide)|Underclay]] gives +5 CP. 

{| class="wikitable"
!Nightmares-Increasing Items
!{{IL|Steward of the Discordance|Appearance=SotD}} 4 or less
!{{IL|Steward of the Discordance|Appearance=SotD}} 5
!{{IL|Steward of the Discordance|Appearance=SotD}} 6
!{{IL|Steward of the Discordance|Appearance=SotD}} 7
|-
|0
|3.65
|3.29
|2.93
|2.54
|-
|1
|4.20
|3.79
|3.38
|2.95
|-
|2
|4.28
|3.87
|3.45
|3.01
|-
|3
|4.49
|4.06
|3.63
|3.16
|-
|4
|5.15
|4.67
|4.17
|3.65
|-
|5
|5.14
|4.66
|4.17
|3.65
|-
|6
|5.14
|4.67
|4.17
|3.65
|-
|}


==== [[Explore the woods]] ====
This option in {{IL|Balmoral}} gives +5 CP of {{IL|Nightmares}} and +1 {{IL|Extraordinary Implication}}. While this is significantly more profitable than all other options (especially if upconversion and selling to Rat Market is involved), the need to travel to London for each cash-in brings the Spirit gain down. To access this you need to have both unlocked Balmoral but not yet having met the Unyielding Highlander.
{| class="wikitable"
!Nightmare-Increasing Items
!{{IL|Spirit of Hallowmas|Appearance=SoH}}/action
|-
|0
|3.11
|-
|1
|3.46
|-
|2
|3.50
|-
|3
|3.63
|-
|4+
|4.00
|}


=== Mixed ===
====[[Attend and speak of...terrible things.|Attend and speak of...terrible things]] ====
This option in {{IL|The Shuttered Palace}} gives +4 CP of {{IL|Nightmares}} and +4 CP{{IL|Scandal}} on a failure, making it very good in years when both of those menaces may be turned in.
{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2" |Nightmares-Increasing Items
! colspan="8" |Scandal Items
|-
!0
!1
!2
!3
!4
!5
!6
!7+
|-
|0
|6.22
|6.42
|6.62
|6.76
|7.00
|7.13
|7.15
|n/a
|-
|1
|6.42
|6.62
|6.81
|6.95
|7.19
|7.31
|7.33
|7.33
|-
|2
|6.62
|6.81
|7.00
|7.14
|7.37
|7.49
|7.51
|7.51
|-
|3
|6.76
|6.95
|7.14
|7.27
|7.50
|7.62
|7.64
|-
|4
|7.00
|7.19
|7.37
|7.50
|7.72
|7.84
|-
|5
|7.13
|7.31
|7.49
|7.62
|7.84
|-
|}

On a success, it gives +4 CP of {{IL|Nightmares}} and +1 CP{{IL|Scandal}}, so it's still quite good if you don't have a {{IL|Weasel of Woe|Appearance=Woesel}}.
{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2" |Nightmares-Increasing Items
! colspan="8" |Scandal Items
|-
!0
!1
!2
!3
!4
!5
!6
!7+
|-
|0
|4.24
|4.35
|4.42
|4.48
|4.52
|4.56
|4.58
|4.60
|-
|1
|4.48
|4.58
|4.66
|4.72
|4.76
|4.79
|4.81
|4.83
|-
|2
|4.71
|4.81
|4.89
|4.94
|4.98
|5.01
|5.04
|5.06
|-
|3
|4.88
|4.98
|5.05
|5.10
|5.15
|5.18
|5.20
|-
|4
|5.17
|5.26
|5.33
|5.39
|5.43
|5.46
|-
|5
|5.31
|5.41
|5.48
|5.53
|5.57
|-
|6
|5.34
|5.44
|5.51
|5.56
|-
|}

==== Marigold Quests ====
Various options when looking for Marigold emblems give a total of +8 CP of two menaces on a failure; alas, the structure of the station will result in a high number of clicks per action, which can make this option less appealing than it would otherwise be.

{| class="wikitable"
|+[[Carve out the emblem|Carve out the emblem (Nightmares/Wounds)]]
! rowspan="2" |Nightmares-Increasing Items
! colspan="4" |Wounds-Increasing Items
|-
!2
!3
!4
|-
|1
|4.72
|4.84
|4.84
|-
|2
|4.75
|4.87
|4.88
|-
|3
|4.84
|4.96
|4.96
|-
|4+
|5.11
|5.12
|5.13
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+[[Coax out the Knight|Coax out the Knight (Scandal/Wounds)]]
! rowspan="2" |Scandal-Increasing Items
! colspan="4" |Wounds-Increasing Items
|-
!2
!3
!4
|-
|1
|4.72
|4.84
|4.84
|-
|2
|4.75
|4.87
|4.88
|-
|3
|4.84
|4.96
|4.96
|-
|4+
|5.11
|5.12
|5.13
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+[[Scour the earth|Scour the earth (Nightmares/Suspicion)]]
! rowspan="2" |Nightmares-Increasing Items
! colspan="4" |Suspicion-Increasing Items
|-
!1
!2
!3
!4
|-
|1
|4.64
|4.72
|4.84
|4.84
|-
|2
|4.67
|4.75
|4.87
|4.88
|-
|3
|4.77
|4.84
|4.96
|4.97
|-
|4
|5.04
|5.11
|5.22
|-
|}

==== [[So hungry]] ====
1 action for +1-20 CP Nightmares, +1 CP Wounds, -50 CP Watchful, and very rarely +1 x {{IL|Night-Whisper}}. Requires {{IL|Seeking Mr Eaten's Name|Appearance=SMEN}} at least as far as {{IL|St Cerise's Candle}}, and its efficiency depends on using other methods to bridge the gap between when it is safe to use (below 4 + 4CP Nightmares with nightmares-increasing items, below 5 + 1CP without) and the turn-in level of 7; and addressing your Watchful loss after Hallowmas ends.

The values for topping up Nightmares with [[Attend and speak of...terrible things.|Attend and speak of...terrible things]] or Underclay options are given by this calculator. It assumes that if you're willing to spend up to a month regaining Watchful, then you're willing to do some preparatory grinding as well and have:
*{{IL|Weasel of Woe}} (and thus {{IL|The Walls are Wrong}})
* {{IL|Sporing Bonnet}}
* {{IL|Modish Bonnet}}
* {{IL|Barrel with Leather Shoulder-Straps}}
* {{IL|Unjustifiable Necktie}}
* {{IL|The Censored Census of 1862}}
* {{IL|Pair of Scarlet Stockings of Dubious Origin}}

<pre class="jcConfig">
name = So Hungry
template = SoHungryCalculator
form = SoHungryForm
result = SoHungryResult
param = vake|Have Vake Claw||check|1,0
param = mark|Have Mark of Disdain||check|1,0
param = shore|Have At the Shore of Midnight, 5th Edition||check|1,0
param = newt|Have Diamond Newt||check|1,0
param = sound|Have Sound of Wings||check|1,0
</pre>
<div id="SoHungryForm"></div>
<div id="SoHungryResult"></div>

{{GuideNeedsWork|This method has not yet been updated for the newest menace-affecting items}}
==== [[Discordant Missive]] ====
Sending a discordant missive gives +1-7 CP {{IL|Suspicion}}. Reading one gives +1-9 CP {{IL|Wounds}} and +2-14 CP {{IL|Nightmares}}, as well as some random changes to the four main stats. If you have friends to trade with, and it's the one year in four where all three of those menaces can be turned in, then this is an exceptionally good method. Note that it will randomly increase/decrease your four main stats by up to a level (which is only really a problem if you have some kind of overcap going on) and that it relies on using failures of other actions to top up the menaces when they're too close to 8 to safely read another missive and too low to turn in. Suggested actions are:

*{{IL|Wounds}} (from 6 + 4 CP):
**[[Fight without taking your eye off the goods!]]
*{{IL|Nightmares}} (from 5 + 5 CP):
**[[Console the Calcified Man]]
*{{IL|Suspicion}} (from 6 + 6 CP):
**[[Sell your Skeleton to the Sculptress]], or other skeleton-selling actions

This table assumes that you have a {{IL|Pirate Hat}}, a {{IL|Sporing Bonnet}}, a {{IL|Weasel of Woe|Appearance=Woesel}} and {{IL|The Walls are Wrong}} (gained using the {{IL|Weasel of Woe|Appearance=Woesel}}), and that you use these suggested actions for top-ups.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!{{IL|Vake Claw}}?
!{{IL|Spirit of Hallowmas|Appearance=SoH}}/action
|-
|Yes
|6.76
|-
|No
|6.61
|}
<references />