Update 30: Guild Tenebris vs. The Towering Pair (Ren and Tlachtga)



Okay, maybe physical pain causes you to be yourself again for a bit? Maybe?
I...suppose it's worth a shot.
Okay! Revert, then!
Hello, Katya!
Alright, Quixote, brace yourself!
For wh--
HAAAA!
...Oooooouuuuggghhhh...
Ha! Haha! It worked! It worked it worked it worked!
...Yes, but... Perhaps be more gentle next time...
This isn't the party I'm using for the actual stuff this update. It's here for another purpose.


Hiya, Fenrir.


Byeya, Fenrir.
...Didn't even gimme a chance to shoot.



Fenrir's conditional requires that you kill it on the first turn.


Sylpheed (+92 DEF, +30 HP, +30 TP; Survivalist only) is made from 1 Wolf Tail (Fenrir conditional). Costs 79000 en.
It makes this thing. 30 HP and 30 TP are pretty nice for Survivalists.


...Ooooooooouuuuughhhhh...
Emmett?!
Hey, is there any way we can use that thing that doesn't require that I be forced to smell that fuckin' stuff?
No. Trust me, if there was, I would've taken advantage of it in medical school, where I spent several months with this stuff.
...Yikes.


Like takin' candy from another family.



Yeah no fuck "kill with curse damage" conditionals, I'm not doing that legit.


I wanted Cernunnos's conditional, because it makes this.
Demon Mail (+100 DEF, +35 HP, +5 STR; Landsknecht only) is made from 1 Cursed Arm (Cernunnos conditional). Costs 92000 en.

Oh, now this thing is quite-- Hnnrrgh--!
Hm?
I...seem to be unable to lift this...
Oh, allow me to-- Gggrrgghhh--!
Uh, are you two feeling alright?
I'm... This armor won't even budge. This is peculiar...
...What are you two talking about? This armor weighs the same as anything else.
...
What?
The note from Shilleka says the armor is "cursed to be unliftable."
Bullshit. I'm wearing it right now.
I'm normally very skeptical of curses, but...
Judith is becoming very beefy, STR-wise.
It's not over yet.


...
Hey. Jude. What's wrong?
This place... It's...beautiful.
With that taken care of, let's get on with B21F.

Whoah dear.
Watch your step, everyone.
Eh, I've walked worse.
The outdoor landscape of lush greens and open sky calms your weary soul. But before you can relax, you feel a powerful threat nearby!



If you go to meet them, you're sure to face an unprecedentedly fierce battle. You glance behind you at the way leading back to town... You must be certain you are ready to face whatever lies in wait.
Who in the hells would be dumb enough to try and stop us?
...No. No, it can't be those two.
Well, we are prepared for battle...
Advance.



Give Towering Pair a listen. Every version of it is good, but the Untold version is...abnormally good.
Standing in the center of the long path are two figures.


...
You've come all this way... But this place was never meant for humans.
The warrior woman Ren speaks, an almost sorrowful expression on her normally severe face.
What, exactly, do you mean by that?
Etria depends on the constant stream of adventurers exploring the Labyrinth... You know this. The town only prospers from the people burning to discover the Labyrinth's secrets.
Bullshit. The town prospers in other ways, y' dumb fucks.
Do you understand now?
I just explained to y' why you're wrong.
No one must be allowed to actually solve the forest's mysteries. Curiosity is welcome up to a point, but those who learn too much are troublesome...
...Ren...?
Thus, the Radha has charged us with eliminating you before you learn the truth of Yggdrasil.
...You... You have to...kill us...?
The Radha told you, huh. Knew it.
With this, Ren slowly draws her katana, and adopts a fighting stance.
We bear no grudge against you...but neither can we allow you to pass.
The flame-haired Tlachtga moves beside her, quietly supporting her companion.
I'll do everything I can to stop you... It's what Ren wants.
A confrontation with the two determined women before you is now inevitable. Seeing this, you unsheathe your weapons and stand ready for battle!




...Why...? This...this isn't happening... I... My hero...


Ren

HP: 8500STR: 56TEC: 48VIT: 36AGI: 40LUC: 33
EXP Given: 60000

Damage Vulnerabilities:
75% 75% 75%
150% 0% 100%

Disable Vulnerabilities:
10% 50% 50% 50% 50% 50% 50%
0% 0% 20%
50% 50% 50%
  • Slantwise Cut: Deals 4-6 instances of heavy cut damage to random party members. Slightly slow.
  • Breath: Restores Ren's and Tlachtga's HP, for a medium amount. Slightly slow.
  • Drawing Stance: Increases Ren's evasion by 15% for 6 turns. Enables Beheading Cut and Frigid Slash. Average speed.
  • Beheading Cut: Uses the arms. Deals severe cut damage to one party member. Attempts to instantly kill the target, with a medium chance. Has no speed modifier and a base accuracy of 99%.
  • Frigid Slash: Uses the arms. Deals severe ice damage to all party members. Average speed.
  • Slantwise Cut: Deals 4-6 instances of 80% melee STR-based cut damage to random party members. Has no limit on how many times one target can be hit. The damage ranges from 210 to 250 on average. Has an 80% speed modifier and a base accuracy of 99%.
  • Breath: Restores Ren's and Tlachtga's HP, for about 1489 to 1502 HP. Has an 80% speed modifier.
  • Drawing Stance: Increases Ren's evasion by 15% for 6 turns. Has no speed modifier.
  • Beheading Cut: Uses the arms. Deals 120% melee STR-based cut damage to one party member. The damage ranges from 315 to 375 on average. Attempts to instantly kill the target, with a 30% base chance. The effective chance ranges from 36% to 47% on average. Has no speed modifier and a base accuracy of 99%.
  • Frigid Slash: Uses the arms. Deals 200% ranged TEC-based ice damage to all party members. The damage ranges from 242 to 327 on average. Has no speed modifier and a base accuracy of 99%.
  • Ren always opens with Drawing Stance.
  • Drawing Stance has a cooldown of 5 turns. In addition, Ren will only use Drawing Stance if she is above 50% HP, and if Tlachtga is alive.
  • The first time Tlachtga falls below 50% HP, if Ren is not about to use Slantwise Cut, she will use Breath.
  • After the first time she uses Breath, Ren has a massively reduced chance to use it again under the same circumstances.
  • When Ren is in Drawing Stance:
    • Ren will always use Frigid Slash on the first turn of Drawing Stance, and on its last turn.
    • After that, she will use either Attack or Beheading Cut. Attack is very slightly prioritized over Beheading Cut.
  • Ren becomes far more dangerous when she's at or below 50% HP, or if Tlachtga is dead.
    • Ren stops using Drawing Stance when these conditions are met.
    • Ren is extremely likely to use Slantwise Cut, followed by either Frigid Slash or Beheading Cut on the next turn, with Frigid Slash being prioritized.
    • If she does not use Slantwise Cut under these conditions, she will use Breath instead.
  • If the initial Drawing Stance flag is not set, use Drawing Stance. If Drawing Stance was successfully used, set the initial Drawing Stance flag.
  • If Ren's HP is at 50% or lower, set the low HP flag.
  • If Drawing Stance's cooldown is less than or equal to 0, the initial Drawing Stance flag is set, Tlachtga is alive, and Ren is above 50% HP, use Drawing Stance. If Drawing Stance was successfully used, set its cooldown to 6.
  • If Drawing Stance is active:
    • If this is the first or final turn of Drawing Stance, use Frigid Slash.
    • Else:
      • If Tlachtga is alive and below 50% HP, the Breath flag is not set, and the Slantwise Cut flag is not set, use Breath, and set the Breath flag.
      • Else:
        • If Tlachtga is alive and below 50% HP, the Breath flag is set, and the Slantwise Cut flag is not set, 14% chance to use Breath.
        • Else:
          • 45% chance to use Beheading Cut.
          • Else, Attack.
  • Else:
    • If Tlachtga is alive and below 50% HP, the Breath flag is not set, and the Slantwise Cut flag is not set, use Breath, and set the Breath flag.
    • If Tlachtga is alive and below 50% HP, the Breath flag is set, and the Slantwise Cut flag is not set, 14% chance to use Breath.
    • If Ren is at or below 50% HP, or Tlachtga is dead:
      • If the Slantwise Cut flag is set:
        • 59% chance to use Frigid Slash, and unset the Slantwise Cut flag.
        • Else, use Beheading Cut, and unset the Slantwise Cut flag.
      • Else:
        • 84% chance to use Slantwise Cut, and set the Slantwise Cut flag.
        • Else, use Breath.
    • Else, Attack.
Drops:
  • Normal: Ronin Armor. 100% chance. Sells for 6200 en.
    • Shoulder Shield (+38 DEF, +5 STR): Made from 1 Ronin Armor. Costs 8600 en.
Ren's trivial to deal with when she's above 50% HP, if you have Ice Wall. I don't.

Also, past that, she becomes seriously dangerous no matter your comp. Slantwise Cut can take out one party member easily, and can take out two if you're unlucky. Front Guard helps with that, obviously, but it's not perfect. Ice Wall will still help with Frigid Slash here, but that leaves you wide open to Beheading Cut.

Allow me a moment: fuck Beheading Cut. A medium-chance instant death attack has no place in a boss fight where there are two enemies. Even losing one party member to it can cause a snowball effect in Ren and Tlachtga's favor, because now you have to try to get one party member up while Ren is still attacking you and Tlachtga's tossing out debuffs.
Ren is a massive cheater. Drawing Stance Ronin wishes it was anywhere near as good as Ren is. Slantwise is rude, Frigid Slash is ruder, and past 50% she's awful. Use extreme caution.
Speaking of Tlachtga...

Tlachtga

HP: 7000STR: 49TEC: 48VIT: 35AGI: 36LUC: 47
EXP Given: 60000

Damage Vulnerabilities:
150% 150% 150%
50% 50% 50%

Disable Vulnerabilities:
30% 30% 30% 30% 50% 10% 10%
0% 0% 30%
20% 20% 20%
  • Sapping Curse: Reduces all party members' attack by 50% for 4 turns. Slightly slow.
  • Cranial Curse: Attempts to bind the heads of all party members, with a medium chance. Slightly slow.
  • Abdomen Curse: Attempts to bind the arms of all party members, with a medium chance. Slightly slow.
  • Chaos Curse: Attempts to inflict blind, paralysis, panic, sleep, curse, and fear on all party members, with a moderate chance. Slightly slow.
  • Revenge Curse: Deals almighty damage based on the amount of HP Tlachtga is missing. Slightly slow.
  • Sapping Curse: Reduces all party members' attack by 50% for 4 turns. Has an 80% speed modifier.
  • Cranial Curse: Attempts to bind the heads of all party members, with a 30% base chance. The effective chance ranges from 39% to 51% on average. Has an 80% speed modifier.
  • Abdomen Curse: Attempts to bind the arms of all party members, with a 30% base chance. The effective chance ranges from 39% to 51% on average. Has an 80% speed modifier.
  • Chaos Curse: Attempts to inflict blind, paralysis, panic, sleep, curse, and fear on all party members, with a 20% base chance. The effective chance ranges from 26% to 34% on average. Has an 80% speed modifier.
  • Revenge Curse: Deals ranged TEC-based almighty damage based on the amount of HP Tlachtga is missing. Has an 80% speed modifier and a base accuracy of 100%.
  • Tlachtga's AI changes completely based on if Ren is alive or dead.
    • Generally, Tlachtga becomes more aggressive when Ren is dead. She start using Revenge Curse at 75% HP instead of 50%, and she starts using Chaos Curse only when Ren is dead.
    • Tlachtga's more likely to use Cranial Curse and Abdomen Curse when Ren is alive.
  • Tlachtga will use Sapping Curse regardless of if Ren is alive or dead. It has a cooldown of 5 turns.
  • If this is the first turn, use Revenge Curse.
  • If the Sapping Curse flag is not set, 49% chance to use Sapping Curse.
  • If the Sapping Curse cooldown is less than or equal to 0 and the Sapping Curse flag is set, use Sapping Curse, and set the Sapping Curse cooldown to 5.
  • If Ren is dead:
    • If the initial solo Chaos Curse flag is not set, use Chaos Curse, and set the initial solo Chaos Curse flag.
    • If any party members do not have their heads bound, 19% chance to use Cranial Curse.
    • If any party members do not have their arms bound, 19% chance to use Abdomen Curse.
    • If the Chaos Curse flag is not set, 49% chance to use Chaos Curse, and set the Chaos Curse flag.
    • If Tlachtga's HP is at 50% or lower, use Revenge Curse, and unset the Chaos Curse flag.
    • If Tlachtga's HP is at 75% or lower:
      • 49% chance to use Revenge Curse, and unset the Chaos Curse flag.
      • Else, Attack, and unset the Chaos Curse flag.
    • If Tlachtga's HP is at 100% or lower, Attack, and unset the solo Chaos Curse flag.
  • If Ren is alive:
    • If Tlachtga's HP is at 50% or lower, and the initial Chaos Curse flag is not set, use Chaos Curse, and set the initial Chaos Curse flag.
    • If no party members have their heads bound, 17% chance to use Cranial Curse.
    • If no party members have their arms bound, 17% chance to use Abdomen Curse.
    • If any party members have their heads bound, 7% chance to use Cranial Curse.
    • If any party members have their arms bound, 7% chance to use Abdomen Curse.
    • If Tlachtga's HP is at 30% or lower, use Revenge Curse.
    • If Tlachtga's HP is at 50% or lower, 69% chance to use Revenge Curse.
    • Else, Attack.
Drops:
  • Normal: Hex Chain. 100% chance. Sells for 6100 en.
    • Hex Mantle (+72 DEF, +50 TP, +3 TEC; Hexer only): Made from 1 Hex Chain. Costs 55000 en.
Tlachtga is what makes this fight absolute hell. Ren's attacks are troublesome, but you can easily deal with them. Tlachtga can completely throw a wrench into that and will basically force you into having to play catch-up with whatever she tosses at you from turn to turn.

Sapping Curse is infuriating; a debuff that halves your party's damage necessitates dealing with it immediately. I, thankfully, have Emmett to purge it by means of Warrior Song. Mercifully, it doesn't purge Upper Stance from Momoe.

Cranial Curse screws over your supports, Abdomen Curse screws over your damage dealers. Bring Theriaca As or, preferably, Unbind. I thankfully didn't have much trouble with either in this attempt.

Lastly, Revenge Curse. My strategy of stacking as much HP as I can, in the absence of Vince, meant Revenge Curse was far less lethal than normal. However, when Tlachtga starts using it, it can range from 250 to 300 damage, and it'll only get worse as she gets to lower HP. That is enough to one-shot frailer classes, and leave beefier ones near death. It's at least single-target, thank goodness.
tlachtga's also here i guess i never had any problems with her at all

Barbaric March is the cornerstone of my defensive strategy here. Absent Vince, I need buffed max HP to survive stuff like Frigid Slash.

Momoe is just gonna spam Swallow Strike over and over again.

I am slightly worried about Momoe's fragility here, so I chose Ladette and Thierry to be the targets of War Cry instead. In retrospect, Thierry ended up not really getting to attack here, so that was kind of a waste.

Action Boost -> an attack is the name of the game for Ladette.

I can survive Frigid Slash with just Barbaric March, but I really want to play it safe here.

I... I looked up to you, Ren... And-- And...


Momoe, what does that stance mean?
I... I don't know... I... I really can't...focus...right now...
...Rrrrgh...


Quite a heavy rhythm, there.
I'm trying out new compositions.


Blindly doing what Visil says, huh? Idiots, the both of y'.


I don't know why Tlachtga always uses Revenge Curse on turn 1. I guess it might just be to show the player that she has it?

I'm...reasonably certain someone told me that one of Ren's techniques involves ice...


You... You heartless, blind fools. Not only are you trying to kill us, but you've-- You've crushed-- AAAAAAAAAGH! DIE!
...Uh. Doc, do somethin' about that.
I...should, but I'm...quite terrified...


Judith is just gonna be using Power Crush unless she needs to toss out an emergency item.

I'm willing to give paralysis a chance, to make the fight a bit easier.

Emmett will heal everyone up so they can actually use their new max HP.

I really needed to reskill Ladette before this fight. She's suffering a 25% damage penalty against Ren for no reason.

(Fire Rounds would've dealt maybe a little more at this level.)

So...cold...
Yeah, uh, without a Chill Mist, that would've killed everyone but Thierry.

I... I looked up to you, Ren...!


Relax a little.


THAT'S NOT GONNA STOP ME!


Jude, y' dropped your axe--


NGAAAAAAAH!
...Guess when you're just throwin' one into the other, the axe just gets in the way.


Hmph.
Penetrator, as well as row-piercing attacks in general, help a lot with this fight.

Curses are nothing next to songs!


Tlachtga hits distressingly hard for a Hexer in the back row.

SO HELP ME, GODS, I WILL THROW BOTH OFF YOU OFF THIS BRIDGE!


Grk--! ...I'm alright!


While we're here, look at how high everyone's HP is. The Max HP Up cordial and Barbaric March are a powerful combination.

GRRRRRRRR...
...
Whatever. I don't care if those two get their heads bound.

Why me?! I mean, better me than the others, but why?!


...Oh, yeah, that's one potential serious problem with regards to Cranial Curse: head binds amplify Frigid Slash's damage. Judith and Momoe each would've taken over 400 damage from that if the Chill Mist wasn't in play.

Ren's almost dead, at least. However, that also means this fight's about to get a lot more dangerous.

Ugh... My physical training pays off once more...
Yeah, I got off easy with Slantwise Cut there. One more hit on Momoe, and she would've died.

Stop... Just stop... Please, Ren...


Fucker.

This was a mistake.

...Ah...


Ugh...! So you've got some firepower, huh...?




YOU... YOU... RRRAAAAGGGGGHHH! SHE DID NOTHING WRONG!


If I'd used Charged Ice, Ren would've died.

...Shoulda gone for the good ammo.
And that wouldn't have happened.

GAH...HAH... NICE TRY!


...I didn't...ask for that...


I'm quite lucky that my defensive strategy was increased max HP, honestly, since it means Revenge Curse's damage is a far lower percentage of any given target's HP.

I... What...did we do...


AAAAAAAAAAGH!


Yeek! Not the neck, please!
If that instantly killed Emmett, that would've been game over.

Because I would've been left with two dead party members, instead of none.

Hrph.
Don't care.

I WAS SUPPOSED TO--
Judith... Please, stop...
You aren't thinking straight! Please!


Fight's basically over. Tlachtga starts become extremely aggressive once Ren is dead, but she's far easier to deal with than Ren.

Tlachtga kinda takes a lot of damage from physical attacks.

...I... I...


AAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!


STOP.
Bloodlust activated on War Cry's initial cast HP drain. That's amusing.

No... I can't...sleep...
...
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear...


...


Ghh... Thought you had me, didn't you?


Wrong.



Well. That was lucky.


Ren and Tlachtga have collapsed to the floor, exhausted.
Visil... We failed. These explorers are beyond our strength.
Ren mutters sadly to herself.
We are beaten, adventurers. Continue forth... We will stand in your way no longer. Visil will be waiting for your arrival at the deepest floor. Hear from him there the truth of the Labyrinth, the forest folk, and our mission... I trust that you can make it there.
Saying this, the two seem more beaten than before, letting their bodies droop to the floor. Though winded, they continue to speak.
Go, adventurers, and worry no more about us. Take this and proceed onward.
Ren hands you a small piece of metal.


...What could this metal slice possibly do for us?
Keep walking the road you believe to be true... Your destination still lies ahead.
You didn't answer my--
Raising their battered bodies, the two women support one another as they walk off.


...It...it happened...again... I told myself...I wouldn't--
Judith, please, calm down.
It's okay, Judith...
...My...hero...tried to kill me...
...Maybe we should just get back to the mansion.
That's probably for the best, yes.
Doc, bard boy, you two can handle Jude, right?
Yes.
I'll make sure Sigrid knows what happened here. C'mon.



Hex Mantle (+72 DEF, +50 TP, +3 TEC; Hexer only) is made from 1 Hex Chain (Tlachtga normal). Costs 55000 en.

Shoulder Shield (+38 DEF, +5 STR) is made from 1 Ronin Armor (Ren normal). Costs 8600 en.
For our efforts, we're rewarded with the Hexer ultimate armor, and what I'd argue is the best bit of equipment in the game. A non-body, non-accessory piece of equipment that gives +5 STR is comically good, and I'm going to spend some time before the next updating getting all of our STR-based damage dealers (Judith, Elowen, Sigrid, Momoe, Afon, and Ladette) outfitted with Shoulder Shields.
Forget about dramatics, the fucking Shoulder Shield is here. It's the Shoulder Shield. Get it. Use it. Get those Protector grimoire skills on all of your frontliners on top of the +5 STR. It's awesome.


And now Judith has +16 STR from equipment. Ladies, gentlemen, everyone in-between, and everyone outside the spectrum between the two binaries, behold: Judith's non-weapon loadout for the rest of the game.

That's all for now. Next time: we actually start B21F.

Just kidding. We get Queen Ant and Corotrangul's conditionals, then we start B21F.

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