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 Scrawled in Blood|A Name Scrawled in Blood]] (Dangerous; often results in Wounds), [[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 Nightmares isn't a Hallowmas Menace for 2023, so this won't help with [[Making Your Name (Guide)#A Name in Seven Secret Alphabets|A Name in Seven Secret Alphabets]]. 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 ===
{{GuideNeedsWork|Update for 2023|section=yes}}
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>


=== 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="5" | 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
|-
| rowspan="5" |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
|-
| rowspan="5" |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
|}

==== 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
|}

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 +2.62 CP and around 2.4 {{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]]
=====[[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
!Woesel
!Average Masque Length
!{{IL|Spirit of Hallowmas|Appearance=SoH}}/action
|-
| rowspan="2" | Infant mask, {{IL|Shapeling Arts|Appearance=SA}} 3/willing to spend fossils
|No
|8.98
|2.81
|-
|Yes
|7.68
|3.22
|-
| rowspan="2" | Infant mask, spending signs
|No
|11.8
|2.19
|-
|Yes
|9.91
|2.57
|-
| rowspan="2" | No mask
|No
|14.3
|1.83
|-
|Yes
|11.9
|2.17
|-
|}

==== 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 gauranteed 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 (technically, slightly higher if you get the maximum bonus wounds from Woesel, which allows you to cut one failure of [[Test out your theories]], but this is extremely unlikely, at just over a 1% chance).

=== Nightmares ===
[[File:Sidebarnightmares.png|alt=|right|frameless]]'''''Note:''''' ''Nightmares cannot be relinquished to the Fool's Apostate this year (1899 III/ 2023). This information is included in the guide for future reference.''
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed mw-collapsible-content">

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="5" |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
|-
| rowspan="5" |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
|-
|}
==== 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
|}


==== [[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
|}
</div>


=== 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="6" |Scandal Items
|-
!0
!1
!2
!3
!4
|-
|0
|6.22
|6.42
|6.62
|6.76
|7.00
|-
|1
|6.42
|6.62
|6.81
|6.95
|7.19
|-
|2
|6.62
|6.81
|7.00
|7.14
|n/a
|-
|3
|6.76
|6.95
|7.14
|n/a
|n/a
|}

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="6" |Scandal Items
|-
!0
!1
!2
!3
!4
!5
|-
|0
|4.24
|4.35
|4.42
|4.48
|4.52
|4.56
|-
|1
|4.48
|4.58
|4.66
|4.72
|4.76
|4.79
|-
|2
|4.71
|4.81
|4.89
|4.94
|4.98
|n/a
|-
|3
|4.88
|4.98
|5.05
|5.10
|n/a
|n/a
|-
|4
|5.17
|5.26
|5.33
|n/a
|n/a
|n/a
|}

==== 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.

Note that, for the two Wounds-increasing quests, it is possible to take advantage of the Wounds gain from failing the travel actions (+1 on the way out, +3 on the way back) to adjust your levels and increase your gains. In particular, with 4 items of the other menace, you can fail on the way out, succeed on the way back in and out again, and if necessary fail on your way back in for the second Scandal turn-in to get a Wounds turn-in at the same time for an average of 5.6 Spirit per action.

{| class="wikitable"
|+[[Carve out the emblem|Carve out the emblem (Nightmares/Wounds)]]
!Nightmares-Increasing Items
!{{IL|Spirit of Hallowmas|Appearance=SoH}}/action
|-
|1
|4.72
|-
|2
|4.75
|-
|3
|4.84
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+[[Coax out the Knight|Coax out the Knight (Scandal/Wounds)]]
!Scandal-Increasing Items
!{{IL|Spirit of Hallowmas|Appearance=SoH}}/action
|-
|1
|4.71
|-
|2
|4.80
|-
|3
|4.87
|-
|4
|4.98
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+[[Scour the earth|Scour the earth (Nightmares/Suspicion)]]
! rowspan="2" |Nightmares-Increasing Items
! colspan="4" |Suspicion-Increasing Items
|-
!0
!1
!2
!3
|-
|0
|4.31
|4.39
|4.48
|4.61
|-
|1
|4.48
|4.64
|4.72
|4.84
|-
|2
|4.52
|4.67
|4.75
|4.87
|-
|3
|4.62
|4.77
|4.84
|n/a
|}

==== [[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 you own at least a {{IL|Sporing Bonnet}}, a {{IL|Pair of Scarlet Stockings of Dubious Origin}} and a {{IL|Modish Bonnet}}, and that if you have one of the -1 {{IL|Steward of the Discordance}} companions from the Hurlers or {{IL|Sugarplum}} then you can afford a {{IL|Weasel of Woe|Appearance=Woesel}}.

<pre class="jcConfig">
name = So Hungry
template = SoHungryCalculator
form = SoHungryForm
result = SoHungryResult
param = woesel|Have Woesel (and thus The Walls are Wrong)||check|1,0
param = nicomp|Have a Nightmares companion||check|1,0
param = vake|Have Vake Claw||check|1,0
param = sccloth|Have Scandal clothing||check|1,0
param = census|Have The Censored Census of 1862||check|1,0
param = disco|Lowest level of Steward of the Discordance you can achieve||int|0-7
</pre>
<div id="SoHungryForm"></div>
<div id="SoHungryResult"></div>

==== [[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 />