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[zenfur]

Hey folks, I am quite intermediate in this game, but I have always wondered what are the best (here I mean, your, veterans' experience) uses of the entitled stuff.

I find myself very rarely use Arena Master staff, as  turn on running and gtfo from swarming place is usually better than weaken everyone (as it doesn't kill even formers afaik).

Also I actually don't use skulls in other situations than limbo/mortuary.

To be honest I'd like to ask for your knowledge/opinion in the matter of Shockwave pack as well, as usually I end up not using it too. So? :)

[LuckyDee]

I think the skulls and the shockwave packs - if you indeed don't need the skulls for L/M - are only worth carrying around if you have weapons, ammo, armors and medkits aplenty. I usually end up not using them either.

As to the Staff: it has another semi-secret use. If you want it spoiled, it's on the Wiki.

[Ashannar]

This is the best use of a shockwave pack I've ever seen. Read this post and the next one.

[LuckyDee]

Very cute, too bad scrolling through your mortem thinking "crap I could have used that" is more common :S

[Klear]

I usually just (u)se the Staff right after the Arena Master dies to get rid of the formers around, but that's about it. I remember trying to use it to pass Unholy Cathedral ages ago before I knew better. It would rock against lost souls, if only it wasn't for their fire resistance.

When I find a blood skull and don't plan on using it in the mortuary, I treat it as a medkit. Fire skulls are dangerous, so I usually don't bother.

[zenfur]

This is the best use of a shockwave pack I've ever seen. Read this post and the next one.

Nice! Still pretty rare... Is it worth to keep it in backpack?

@Ashannar: btw, I was wondering who is the person who had name of my first ass kicking marksman marine :D [http://forum.chaosforge.org/index.php/topic,6359.0.html] Gotcha!

I know that use of Arena Master staff, but it is planned to have some utility before that imo, so I ask about the time before that.
Oh, also one use of Arena Master staff which is worth mentioning are AoB/Strongman runs when you want to kill those pesky sergeants in open space. Sometimes.

Oh, I recollected one important use of hatred skull. I consider it best one, and sometimes even useful, as 60% def on demand is a nice thing. Also it has one secret use...

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

muahahaha ]:-> can't tell, sorry

So I keep it sometimes just in case.

When I find a blood skull and don't plan on using it in the mortuary, I treat it as a medkit. Fire skulls are dangerous, so I usually don't bother.

How does it happen they are dangerous? They don't hurt ya.

I think that skulls could be useful at N! for perfect runs to destroy some random corpses, but I didn't play nightmare so can't tell.

I guess that hatred skull could be also possitively used at UC for clearing it without brute and getting badge - as you could zerk on those dead demons.

[bwross]

My approach is that if you're not taking these sorts of things somewhere specific to use them or at least have some real plan for it, then you should feel free to pick them up and use them as soon as possible for whatever reasonable benefit you can get.  Preferably on the same level, because if you pick these up on the chance you'll use it later and then move on to the next level, there's a good chance that they'll be forgotten and never used, and so they'll just rob you of an inventory slot for the rest of the game.

[zenfur]

Preferably on the same level, because if you pick these up on the chance you'll use it later and then move on to the next level, there's a good chance that they'll be forgotten and never used, and so they'll just rob you of an inventory slot for the rest of the game.

Assuming you find a random one I guess. Using that at the City of skulls has little sense :) Yea I actually am trying to locate and terminate my inventory stealers, that's what this topic did stem from.

Thanks for the replies so far. I think we didn't deplete the subject, so please go on.

[Fanta Hege]

Arena Master Staff has only one use and one use only currently to be completely honest.
The attack effect it makes isn't powerful enough to waste a good run on.

Blood and Hatred skulls on the other hand.. They can be truly handy, specialy hatred skulls.
Fire skull? It's a bit meh really. And I don't like risking items blowing up using it either.
I could imagine it could be handy for damage when trying UC with no brute when used tacticaly, but then again, so is hatred for similiar use situation.

Honestly it'd be pretty nice if the staff's damage could be buffed up or atleast made non fire so it could be used for killing lost souls.
I wouldn't mind if fire skull's effect was made to have bit more kick either

[White Rider]

Never found much use for the Arena Master's Staff outside of using it to open up the Vaults. I used to think I could get myself out of a bad spot, like getting surrounded by Lost Souls at a place like the City of Skulls. Then again, I dumped that mindset back in 0.9.9.6 when Lost Souls never wandered around and instead made a beeline for you. I bet the damage dealt from the Arena Master's Staff can take out an unfortunately placed group of formers in one shot, but how often does that happen where you would prefer to use an item and drain your stamina...?

I prefer using Hatred Skulls at Unholy Cathedral, and Blood/Hatred Skulls at Mortuary/Limbo. It's been awhile since I've used a Fire Skull...I think why I don't use them is because enemies in the endgame/Hell tend to resist fire damage. Aside from those two stages actually, I don't see myself using skulls all that much.

Something I need to learn how to do more effectively is corpse disposal, and I suppose skulls do just that.

[Klear]

Honestly it'd be pretty nice if the staff's damage could be buffed up or atleast made non fire so it could be used for killing lost souls.

That was my idea too. Plasma would be great, and the Arena Master does plasma damage, so it would make sense. It would be a guaranteed kill on Lost Souls, though, which might be overpowered, and it would make CoS a lot easier for all builds. Lowering the staff's damage would result in it no longer killing formers, which would reduce its usability in the unchained court...

[bwross]

If you want a plasma AMS, use the Subtle Knife, that's what makes it good.  Sure, you don't get the Subtle Knife very often... but that's a good thing, because being able to reliably sweep being swarmed by LSs in every game is a bit too twinky.  The AMS has its good use, and the cost is having to carry it across a lot of levels.

Assuming you find a random one I guess. Using that at the City of skulls has little sense :) Yea I actually am trying to locate and terminate my inventory stealers, that's what this topic did stem from.

Sure, you can't just burn them in the City for any benefit, but the rule about having a plan for them still applies. 

[Klear]

If you want a plasma AMS, use the Subtle Knife, that's what makes it good.  Sure, you don't get the Subtle Knife very often... but that's a good thing, because being able to reliably sweep being swarmed by LSs in every game is a bit too twinky.  The AMS has its good use, and the cost is having to carry it across a lot of levels.

I don't want a plasma AMS, I want the artifact to have some use during the game.

[Evilpotatoe]

Maybe change his damages to 1/2 or 1/3 enemies current HP ("pure" damages, not affected by resistances, rounded down)

Note it wouldn't "work" anymore in CC, but is it a problem ?

[bwross]

I don't want a plasma AMS, I want the artifact to have some use during the game.

But it does have a use.  And carrying it is the cost you pay until you can cash it in for other goodies.  If that's not good enough for you, you can always leave it and try teleporting instead. :)