Underrail: The Incline Awakens

[Yaz]

Some pieces of armour if anyone's interested.

A set that makes even a 3 Con Psicher incredibly tanky. I actually used that on a 3 Con Psicher and now all those snipers' Aimed Shots hit for like 20. If you farm a set like this more carefully(I just kinda got what I had around, tbh) you could even go Mechanical immunity, not sure. Probably achievable only with Tungsten, though.

Full Heat immunity with the ability to swim in Toxic Gas. If your build has Sure Step you can make full danger zone with Acid Puddles and Caltrops and be just fine walking around. There's a certain point at which enemies won't even step through.

These are for melee immunity sets. I don't know which one I like better. If one's lucky to find very good Leper Skin Leather you can make sick Strider Boots with that one and the Skinner feat. Otherwise you probably will have to use reinforced Bison Leather or some form of the serpent ones. Which ain't bad, as well.

 

[Tigranes]

Dom/Oddity Laser/Chem Pistolero bumbles on, suboptimal but proud. Wandered over to Balorland at level 16. On Hard runs, I tend to enjoy the Balor map as a kind of Last Stand deal; stand in one of the narrow corridor back alley corners, trap up, call the entire map over and hope to remain standing. Obviously, that's asking for trouble. This time, turns out even shooting and lobbing grenades, you can pretty easily segment the map's enemies. Ended up covering half the map in poison caltrops, using acid and fire to control. Ironically, there's not much difference between Balor and other enemies because a SI pistolero can't let anybody ever attack anyway.

On the gear end, I'm always getting into a mid-game rut. There's an obvious power jump when you can craft your first decent energy shield or ancient rathound leather or whatever, and then there's obviously super impressive pieces you can craft on the higher end (like above), but in, say, levels 10-15 I often sit there looking at what feels like marginal gains, 20% to 22% mechanical and so on. Am I just underestimating how much difference is made by the small upgrades? At that point always feels like you're stashing away 100+ quality parts and waiting.

 

[Fenix]

I've played with a girl in a full suit of borrowed Spec ops commando suit and he was double confused!

Ah shit, yeah, I never thought about it,but his rection should be different for woman lol, given what are restrictions there for women.

 

[Trashos]

I have come to believe that SI psi is much more convenient than SI pistol. SI psi can take Stoicism, which can lead to 100% damage resistance for a couple of turns (along with morphine and aegis EDIT: and Last Stand! Do not forget Last Stand if you are using morphine!).

That's how I ended up killing Balor this time. I entered mainly from the west, killed whoever was close, and gtfo. Then I would re-enter with 100% DR. I also tried my "enter from different entrances successively" idea, but I messed up the execution. It will have to wait for a different playthrough.

I would be very interested in seeing how you guys separate the enemies of that location in a safe and predictable fashion. I cannot figure it out, enemies tend to appear unpredictably when I try to do that there.

 

[Fenix]

Well, to make it in a safe and predictable fashion you actually need to try it first.
At my attempt to Ironman psionic run (wasn't Ironman long before that point but I still tried to be on that path) I usually first eliminate all the dogs, then guy with hummer at the south-west building, sometimes if dogs not there him first.
Then group at barrel at south-east corner.
Patience is the key - you wait, dogs wander into position where you can eliminate them without anyone noticing.
But - there is a particular tricky place, in south-east corner of the map, where mobs behavior is NOT what you expect.
I dunno is that due bug, or incredibly cunning devs but - if you try to eliminate group near the barrel in that corner, and then try to hide in the most presumably safe place, because it's the last place where mobs could go - between a building and a southern wall, you will be in trouble, because mobs WILL go there, and it's the first pace for them to go - due pathfinding. They just can't walk to that barrel because there are many of them, so they go rigth around that building and between southerns wall and buiding.
You need to hug eastern wall instead, and obviousl don't picklock that eastern door in a building where Balor is, otherwise they will be roam that way too.

That was infuriating lol.

 

[Trashos]

I *have* tried it (and it didn't go well!), even back when there were fewer dogs.

Interesting info, I will see what I can do next time (but suffice it to say, the only dude I have safely killed without trouble is the one in the SW room. So I have a long way to go).

One time I was close to doing it, and after I killed the SE group I even managed to flee to the SW room and close the door. And then they fucking entered the room...

 

[Ol' Willy]

I shanked all lone guys, then all dogs, then guys around the barrel. Shanked some more guys with grenade distraction trick, then Balor. Then lone negro in the middle of the map. Now, I managed to do that without mass aggro and in the end I was left with two groups of enemies - one in the building to the east, one in the west. Western group is temporarily disabled with bear traps so I can kill the remaining guys in the east and restealth. The last group is a piece of cake then. No one even made a shot at me.

 

[Tigranes]

So this time, what happened was:

• Single dude in southwest room = easy to walk in, shut the door, kill in one turn.
• I enter the other unoccupied room in the south, where just to the right three dudes are enjoying the fire barrel, and one dude is walking back and forth. Couple of traps then open fire - usual stuff, acid, fire, guns. It attracts a couple of other dudes, like the one dude in the very centre of the map, but not the Balor or the dudes hanging out in the big buildings.
  
• I thought the dogs would be attracted by the above, but for some reason they got a bit lost elsewhere, and got popped later. I can also imagine their sensitivity means they're easy to lure in other circumstances.
• I then looped round and re-entered Balorland from the North, where you have that tiny room with a door opening into a room full of dudes. Traps, chuck caltrops into the room, then the usual show. I actually think you could kill everyone there and leave if you're quick enough. In this case, I kept going until Balor came around, got some hits on him, and then left the map.
• Then I looped round again to the West entrance, threw caltrops, and killed Balor/stragglers as they came by, despite the lack of cover there.
  
• Finally, couple stragglers chilling in the big East building finished off.

I imagine there are some other ways in which this can go, but yes, I think people with decent stealth can always eliminate dogs and couple stragglers, and then find a way to kill the fire barrel group and get away without everyone converging.

I generally try not to leave area during a fight, as it feels cheesy to me - but especially on Dominating I thought avoiding that would ultimately just mean more traps, caltrops, reloads, in this instance.

 

[Ol' Willy]

And now I have a jet ski. Zenith docks are still pain, but now I know a couple of new tricks.

Patrolling Sentinel - place bear traps, preferably poisoned, at the end of his route. Tedious, but he is going down.
Dreadnought - place MKIII EMP mines at the end of its route. How many I needed? 11. I guess it's easier with plasma mines, but they harder to come by.
Two workers at the NW corner. Couple of more bear traps to remove them - bastards can spot you. Now you can travel along the northern section freely.
Two tincans in the pocket at W and E. Wall them up with bear traps so you won't have to deal with them now.
I managed to lure the second sentinel to the dark corner and shank him. Same thing I did with electro-boy.
Marine skier is not dangerous if you know where he can't hit you.
This lefts us with two snipers and marine. Easier said then done, but if you can reliable kill at least one enemy per turn from distance, it's doable without much problem.

 

[Trashos]

Hey, I have invested several ability points, feats, skill points, and a couple of spec points in order to be able to get in an area and out at will. Cheese or not, I have earned it!

But yes, if I figure out how to kill the groups separately and safely, I will also prefer that. I generally have trouble doing that in UR for some reason. A lot of the times the game does not work like I expect it to.

 

[Fenix]

I *have* tried it (and it didn't go well!), even back when there were fewer dogs.

You need to be patient. You are a hunter, they are the prey. I did this many times without failing.
Eventually all the dogs will get to a dead zone.
The one that is in the middle will wander most likely behind the crates at the north side.

I shanked all lone guys, then all dogs, then guys around the barrel. Shanked some more guys with grenade distraction trick, then Balor. Then lone negro in the middle of the map. Now, I managed to do that without mass aggro and in the end I was left with two groups of enemies - one in the building to the east, one in the west. Western group is temporarily disabled with bear traps so I can kill the remaining guys in the east and restealth. The last group is a piece of cake then. No one even made a shot at me.

I alway left western group for last. Those in Balor's building are easy - wait for Balor to goout, and eliminate them one by one.
Ib the end there are like 3? of them in one room, I usually quickly eliminate psionic and lightly armored bomber? and then run from a guy in heavy metal armor.Eliminate him rigth before Balor enters the building lol.

 

[CHEMS]

And now I have a jet ski. Zenith docks are still pain, but now I know a couple of new tricks.

Patrolling Sentinel - place bear traps, preferably poisoned, at the end of his route. Tedious, but he is going down.
Dreadnought - place MKIII EMP mines at the end of its route. How many I needed? 11. I guess it's easier with plasma mines, but they harder to come by.
Two workers at the NW corner. Couple of more bear traps to remove them - bastards can spot you. Now you can travel along the northern section freely.
Two tincans in the pocket at W and E. Wall them up with bear traps so you won't have to deal with them now.
I managed to lure the second sentinel to the dark corner and shank him. Same thing I did with electro-boy.
Marine skier is not dangerous if you know where he can't hit you.
This lefts us with two snipers and marine. Easier said then done, but if you can reliable kill at least one enemy per turn from distance, it's doable without much problem.

I can't deal with the snipers with my shotgun build. And i'm on level 29...

 

[Ol' Willy]

A lot of the times the game does not work like I expect it to.

Underrail maps are rather small and jam packed with enemies, especially on Dom. Even when this is not the case, enemies are lumped tightly together, keeping each other within their field of vision - and the size of that field is rather huge, from half to quarter of the entire map. This way, when you aggro one guy the aggro of entire map is just one or two turns away. Also, Underrail employs telepathic communication between enemies, most of them have a zero-in on your location regardless of the fact if they saw you or not.

Sadly, even quiet and stealthy builds with powerful alpha-strikes - like electroshock energy guy or TC Psi - often have no choice but to aggro everyone due to map and encounter design.

 

[Ol' Willy]

I can't deal with the snipers with my shotgun build. And i'm on level 29...

I killed them with Hammerer - I guess you can burst or pick up some rifle for that occasion. They don't have too much HP anyway.

 

[Fenix]

I can't deal with the snipers with my shotgun build. And i'm on level 29...

You need lotsa MP I think, to make quick raid and return behind a cover.

 

[Yaz]

Stoicism, which can lead to 100% damage resistance for a couple of turns

Are you putting Spec points into Stoicism?

I would be very interested in seeing how you guys separate the enemies of that location in a safe and predictable fashion. I cannot figure it out, enemies tend to appear unpredictably when I try to do that there.

One way to do it is to bar the one-tile entrance in the small room to the NW. With three Toxic Gas Grenades you can just suffocate everyone while you're controlling the one enemy caught in a bear trap, which itself is either laid diagonally from a tile out of view, from stealth, or best practice - Quick Tinkering. Controlling the one enemy can be done with somewhat crappy Pneumatic Leather Gloves for less dmg, Cryostatis which can be stacked for 5 turns freeze or even more if you have TM, or various other tools like Crawler Caltrops, Nets and whatnot.

You can always just deal with the lone guy who has the key and Vanishing Powder Grenade out of there. The ''unpredictability'' when making noise is stemming from the fact that the enemies in their attempt to reach the area with noise are blocking each-other's paths, so some will go all over the place around in order to get there. There are these small additional tiles next to the building in the SW which can be used to hide from the passing enemies.

I can't deal with the snipers with my shotgun build. And i'm on level 29...

You can make a sick SS set, but at this point you don't really gain anything from that area, tbh. Might as well not bother at all. I think you can take down the Juggy with one shotgun burst, though.

 

[Trashos]

A lot of creative and interesting ideas there, Yaz. Youtube is missing a full playthrough by a top player. Just saying.

Are you putting Spec points into Stoicism?

Yes, if they can't kill me I can't lose.
At 1HP, plain Stoicism gives 24% DR. Fully specced, it gives 36% DR. Adding aegis (15%) and morphine (50%), I am invincible until I use Last Stand to prevent morphine's side effects.

 

[Yaz]

Yes, if they can't kill me I can't lose.
At 1HP, plain Stoicism gives 24% DR. Fully specced, it gives 36% DR. Adding aegis (15%) and morphine (50%), I am invincible until I use Last Stand to prevent morphine's side effects.

There's some mathematical threshold at which you actually can survive the after effects of Morphine even without Last Stand, but I am not even remotely familiar with the maths behind that. Sometimes you might that useful, who knows. It would probably involve Super Hypos and/or some of the healing perks.

A lot of creative and interesting ideas there, Yaz. Youtube is missing a full playthrough by a top player. Just saying.

People want flashy things. I don't think they'd be interested into the mostly careful and preparatory way said players might play the game.

I did do a Let's Play some time ago and people actually enjoyed that but it was mostly in text and screenshot form. I suppose the occasional video is also possible.

 

[GentlemanCthulhu]

Man, this game is so good, that I still find new approaches and options in the Gorsky mission for the intro.

 

[Yaz]

Man, this game is so good, that I still find new approaches and options in the Gorsky mission for the intro.

The game's very much on the emergent gameplay side of the fence. I think it's safe to say that it's like Deus Ex in this regard. It does have quite a bit of the immersive sim qualities.

 

[Ol' Willy]

I did do a Let's Play some time ago and people actually enjoyed that but it was mostly in text and screenshot form. I suppose the occasional video is also possible.

You may go the Sheepherder way - record the toughest fights only.

 

[CHEMS]

Got me thinking here. There might be a possibility that Gorsky was a soldier from the West Underrail, possibly the Gray Army. He's got a slavic name like all of them, according to Oculus files, and they couldn't link his military training to Biocorp.

 

[Parabalus]

How high is the perception check on the vent besides Ray's shop, for getting the discount?

 

[Trashos]

There's some mathematical threshold at which you actually can survive the after effects of Morphine even without Last Stand, but I am not even remotely familiar with the maths behind that. Sometimes you might that useful, who knows. It would probably involve Super Hypos and/or some of the healing perks.

Gonna look into this. Last Stand is generally handy because it can take SI builds straight to 1HP with one move. What should be interesting is creating a systematic continuous pattern of 100% DR for longer fights (because the way I currently use it, I have to gtfo if the fight is not over by the time I go Last Stand).

This playthrough is my first effort at using 100% DR (and it naturally led me to a psi SI build due to the requirements and mechanics of Stoicism), so I still have a lot of work to do to polish the strategy.

I did do a Let's Play some time ago and people actually enjoyed that but it was mostly in text and screenshot form. I suppose the occasional video is also possible.

You may go the Sheepherder way - record the toughest fights only.

That's fine too, but there are already vids like this. What is actually missing, regardless of how many people are going to find it interesting (I sure am), is a full playthrough. There are full playthroughs by more casual players, but not one from a player who can ironman Dominating.

 

[Tigranes]

Has anyone ever used the cryo gas grenades to any effect? I'm just not sure how you're ever meant to stack up to full freeze before everyone's gone home for tea and biscuits. Grenadier + massed throws? Throws pre-fight? Combine with other sources like psi? Gas grenades are obvious, cryo feels strange.

Energy/Acid pistolero went and scrounged together a good amplified plasma pistol. Nothing special but +750dmg crits at 50% crit at level 17 is OK for now, alongside the acid, laser, and a hammerer. Time to get Expeditions started.