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Author Topic: (0.9.9.7) [N!|AoB+AoLT|68%|YASD] Arena Diamond Badge & 26/26 Diamond Badges!  (Read 2727 times)

Icy

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  • First-try Veteran Angelic Badge
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Spoiler (click to show/hide)

(Video)

I'm the very first to achieve this badge on this version, and I have achieved ALL 26 Diamond Badges!!!

Arena Diamond Badge was somewhat viewed as an impossible badge, and on face value, it seems absurdly difficult, but during my grind, I'm come to realize it's not that bad, just like I did with Everyman Angelic Badge. It does require a lot of luck and it does require a lot of skill, but there are definitely more difficult badges. A good way to capture a sense of this badge is that it has a fairly low skill ceiling, but also a fairly low skill floor. Unlike some badges, it's not something any player could just churn out, but it's also more possible for a wider variety of players to achieve.

What makes this badge interesting is that it had been achieved many times in past versions, where it was possible to get Hell's Arena on Phobos 3, allowing for much better preparation while entering. It's also suspected the AI difference was more beneficial. However, Angel of Light Travel was also not available. Below is a simple spreadsheet I made showing some of the details:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Below are my thoughts on the badge after my attempts, as well as various advice.

Your options to combine Angel of Berserk are Light Travel, Darkness, Masochism, and pure, of which I tried all of them. Darkness gives some extra experience which helps for the beginning, but isn't great for Hell's Arena and makes starts extremely difficult. Masochism with trying to time the health boost on a level-up is way too gimmicky and doesn't help a whole lot. Light Travel offers a lot of extra speed, but it does mean you leave behind items sometimes and enemies moving around less can burn Berserk turns. That said, the trade-off in speed is definitely worth it, especially for Phobos Base Entry and Phobos 2, over trying for the badge purely.

Marine is the best choice as the extra health and longer Berserk duration significantly helps in Hell's Arena. Scout's extra speed is mostly nullified by Angel of Light Travel, and Technician's advantages don't help much. The best trait selection is Brute x2 and then Berserker as additional Berserk is key. If you hit another level, I would generally say Brute is the best choice, but there could be an argument for Tough as Nails or Finesse.

Hell's Arena is really tough and heavily luck-based, so it's ideal to be entering only on good starts. With this in mind, I always take Blue Armor off and generally don't wear any until I'm entering Hell's Arena to keep durability as high as I can. Only when I would have a pile of Green Armors would I wear one while going through Phobos 2. Likewise, it helps to stretch out Med Packs as much as you can. I generally would let my health get very low before using them, which did result in many runs dying to risky decisions, but every resource is invaluable and needs to be used to full potential.

Phobos Base Entry is best done by charging towards the centre and trying to stack corpses on the corners of the building, ideally luring in the Shotgunners with the Small Med Packs. Taking some damage is okay, but it helps a ton to get those Med Packs, as you can use one to heal anyway, or you can hope that you find Small Health Globes on Phobos 2. It's also worthwhile killing everything as it's very safe and easy experience, which helps get to Brute x2 earlier. If you get a Phobos Base Entry with a small building, looping around and using Run->Wait can help spread them outside, making grabbing the Combat Knife easier. Phobos Trees can also occasionally be used to block shots and you can even force Zombiemen to run out of ammo. Don't be afraid to play risky and be a bit reset heavy to get a good start.

For Phobos 2, there is a ton of variance and it can be tricky to give specific advice. You'll have to rely on your ability and judgement to make correct decisions, but I can offer lots of general advice. First, it's very helpful to camp at a door corner so that you can fairly safely kill most enemies with taking little damage. Ideally, you'll be at a door of a T-junction so that they approach from only one side and you don't risk getting attacked on the door opening. If they do, step back from the door, then go to the corner to minimize damage taken.

Vaults can contain many helpful items, but are generally dangerous since they'll always have either Demons or Cacodemons. If there is a source of acid, a hiding place, and you can hear they're Demons, it can be safe and even beneficial to free them. If they're Cacodemons, you have to keep the door from being opened or you'll take way too much damage killing them all. However, if the door of the Cacodemon vault is at a corner and you kill everything else to get Berserker, you can reasonably kill them all by camping the corner, especially if the vault has very high density.

Vaults can offer many various items that are helpful, that you can't ordinarily find. Boots can help with reducing knockback, and taking an Agility Mod Pack if you're extra lucky. Power Mod Packs are best in armors, Technical Mod Packs are best in Combat Knife, and Bulk Mod Packs could go in either armors or Combat Knife, depending on what else you find. Nukes are useless as the badge requires exiting Hell's Arena alive after clearing the third wave, so trying to use it on the third wave doesn't work. Envirosuits are only helpful for Barons, or otherwise navigating through Phobos 2, and may not be worth bringing to Hell's Arena if you don't have space.

Barrels are very helpful to create holes, creating faster paths to the exit, funneling enemies into a door from only one side, creating a pool of acid, or to even trap Demons. You can throw a Combat Knife without getting hit or destroying the weapon. Barrels of acid usually destroy Combat Knife though.

While a level feeling of "The smell of a massacre" sounds good, there are some disadvantages to it. First, while it does gib all the humanoids, that also means it destroys Med Packs and Armors they pickup, so if you take awhile getting to the switch, you may want to save it for later, or not use it at all. Imps die but are not gibbed, while Demons, Lost Souls, and Cacodemons take damage. Since it kills every door-opening enemy, if you can see valuable items in unopened rooms, it can be safer to use the lever.

Levers in general are risky and I wouldn't recommend using them often unless you desperately need a boost in health, armor durability, or setting off explosions.

Tracking Maps are very helpful, but they do cause longer games due to a much slower Run->Wait. I highly recommend using them if you find them, and accepting being patient.

Breakable crates that contain armors and Med Packs are highly valuable, and are a great source for Blue Armor and Large Med Packs. They require some luck to get though.

Berserk Packs, Med Packs, Light-Amp Goggles, and various armors are all crucial for Hell's Arena. Never use them unless you have no choice, or the risk of not using them is too great.

Butcher's Cleaver at first glance may seem mandatory, but it's not required at all. Brute's flat damage also brings it closer to double the damage of Combat Knife instead of triple. Butcher's Cleaver kills much faster, but it also makes triggering Berserk harder, and has no accuracy boost like Combat Knife. That said, it's very helpful for Hell's Arena, but it's not necessary and it's also not an instant win. It may actually be more helpful for Phobos 2. It's also rare enough that I hadn't found it once in all of my attempts, so you definitely don't want to have to rely on it.

For Hell's Arena, wear Blue Armor, start running, and charge into enemies, playing aggressively. As time goes on, the respawn chance always increases, and it's generally in your best interest to kill as quickly as possible. Run->Wait can help if you're attempting to stack corpses, but that method makes less use of Berserk, is unhelpful with enemies scattered everywhere, and can get you sniped occasionally. Defensive play is critical for Phobos 2, but is terrible for Hell's Arena.

Try to continue spreading out when you use Med Packs, especially for the benefit of regaining run with them, as it helps a lot with reducing time passing and enemies roaming around. Try to attack and clear one side first, listening closely for enemies, then approach the other. Ideally, you get the last kill for each wave around the middle so that you have a better chance to charge the enemies of the next wave while they're momentarily still. Running is also helpful for the increased dodging chance, allowing you to use Cacodemon fireballs to destroy corpses without taking a hit. Play very positionally and paying attention to where a fireball would go if it misses. You can also try to get Cacodemons to kill each other, which significantly helps clearing the floor and reducing necessary melee damage.

For the third wave, two Barons and a Large Health Globe appears. Because of Angel of Berserk, the Large Health Globe functions like a Berserk Pack, which is incredibly helpful. While doing the first two waves, try to explore the map as well so that you can see its spawn location.

And the rest is luck! Lots and lots of luck!

Spoiler (click to show/hide)
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v0.9.9.7G: [43|26/26/26/26/26/4]

Omega Tyrant

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Just wanted to comment here to commemorate you winning the first Arena Diamond in over a decade and for being the first player to legitimately get every Diamond badge in any version. If any mods come around, they should definitely pin this thread.
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0.9.9.8 Badges - [26|26|26|18|5|1] (26/26/26/17/5/0 in 0.9.9.7)
0.9.9.8 Medals - 44/50 (35/43 in 0.9.9.7)
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