Cat and Mouse (Guide)

Early MYN Content

Mid Zailing Content

Cat and Mouse Summary
Fixed-Length Activity
Setup				Progress				End
1 A				9 A				1 A
Progress Details			Build up Cat to 50 to win. 60 for a bonus. Rewards and Boosts depend on selected case.
Items Inputs/Outputs Start-up Boosting Outputs
Raw EPA			0.81			Raw SPA			-

This guide covers both Playing Cat and Mouse with an Evasive Target with the Implacable Detective, and with Polythreme Ho!. This is a collection of 3 ventures requiring an and 3 ventures requiring PoSI and Polythreme Ho!.

The goal for all these ventures is to get 50 Cat before Mouse reaches 1. Getting 60 Cat usually gives a 12.5 bonus.

It should be noted that you earn the first cat by starting the venture, so you need to earn another 49 (or 59).

With the Implacable Detective

The investigations are started by using the business card in your inventory. Each investigation requires an as well as some of the following mysteries:

• Absentee aunt -
• Eccentric Burglar -
• Deranged Medium -

In addition to the investigations, there's an option that allows you to convert into .

Note that all the investigations require some items that may be hard to get at the early stages of the game, in order to be efficient. It's a good idea to check which items are needed before starting. Additionally, you are unlikely to succeed without spending items, so spend them early.

Items for Guaranteed Progress

Mouse	Cost	Absentee aunt	Eccentric Burglar	Deranged Medium	Cat	Notes
7-10	0.5				5	Costs 2 actions.
7-10	1.60		-	-	10	Costs 2 actions, Decreases Mouse by 2.
7-10	4.20	-		-	10	Costs 2 actions, Decreases Mouse by 2.
3-6	2.5				8	Costs 2 actions.
2	12.5				10	-

Rewards

• Absentee aunt
  • 
  • + on a Notable Success.
  • Roughly 0.81 EPA

• Eccentric Burglar
  • +
  • , , on a Notable Success
  • Roughly 1.19 or 0.97 EPA depending on the amount of favours spent, disregarding value of favour.

• Deranged Medium
  • +
  • + + on a Notable Success
  • Roughly 1.46 EPA

Strategy - Aunt and Burglar

You need to get 50 cat - 60 for a bonus. The maximum amount of Cat you can gain is 63 for the Absentee Aunt and the Burglar. This means that if you want to have a chance at the bonus, you'll have to succeed every check with the Aunt and Burglar, however you may gain 5 cat instead of 8 for one option and still make it.

As such, the strategy for the Aunt and Burglar:

• Use whispered hints once or thrice. As this takes an extra action, once is recommended.
• Use the venture-specific option until you're at mouse 5.
• You will then have to safe it for 3 actions
• Gamble on the last option. Again, this takes an extra action.

Mouse	Cost	Cat
0 (starting)	Varies	1
10		5
9-6	or	20
5-3		24
2	Gamble (70%)	10 or 0

For the Aunt this should cost 13.2 in items and give a 70% chance at the bonus. This comes out to a net gain of 10.55 over 13 actions, giving 0.81 EPA

For the Burglar this should cost 11 and 2 . It adds up to a net reward of 15.49 over 13 actions or 1.19 EPA (not considering the 2 favours). If only spending 1 favour, the net reward is 14.49 over 15 actions or 0.97 EPA while spending 1 favour.

Strategy - Medium

You need to get 50 cat - 60 for a bonus. The maximum amount of Cat you can gain is 67 for the Deranged Medium, this means that if you want to have a chance at the bonus, you may fail one 5-cat option with the Medium. Because of the costs of entering and leaving (actions raising then lowering 8, and either or 10), this assumes that you would be visiting anyway and have advanced this case to Mouse 6 in preparation.

As such, the strategy for the Medium:

Mouse	Cost	Cat
0 (starting)		1
10-7	Gamble (70%) - until you fail once	5 or 0 per mouse
9-7 (after you've failed once)		5 per mouse
6-3	Luck check in	36
2	Gamble (70%)	10 or 0

On average this should give a net profit of 20.31 over 13.9 actions, giving 1.46 EPA, in addition to reducing nightmares by 8.9 CP. This does not take into account other actions while in .

Polythreme Ho

These options allow you to find the , or to sell the parts for other items.

The is needed in order to zail to Polythreme as well as another island in . In addition a can be used to gain access to the Khanate. For more information on this, as well as general zailing, see Zailing (Guide). It should be noted that once a has been assembled, the storylet to deal with it will disappear. As such you should avoid having multiple map parts when finally assembling them.

In order to get the Screaming map, you need both halves:

• The can only be gained from the Disgruntled Naval Officer
  • Requires , and is a 2 challenge (Respectable 6 for 100%)

• The can be gained from two sources:
  • Enterprising Astronomer: , 6 challenge (10 for 100%)
  • Masked Clay Man: , 6 challenge (10 for 100%)

You will lose the supplies whether you succeed or fail the challenge. This guide will assume that you can reliably succeed.

Items for Guaranteed Progress

Mouse	Cost	A Disgruntled Naval	An Enterprising Astronomer	Masked Clay Man	Cat	Notes
7-10	0.5				5
7-10	1.50		-	-	10	Decreases Mouse by 2.
7-10	1.5	-		-	10	Decreases Mouse by 2.
3-6	2.5				8	Costs 2 actions.
2	12.5				10	-

Strategy

The maximum Cat you can get is 63 for all 3 ventures. This means you should try not to fail any checks, except maybe the last one. If you're hunting the map-halves for profit you should always try to get the right-side of the map, as it can be sold for more. If chasing the Astronomer or the Officer you may exchange a 8-cat option for a 5-cat option to save some resources. This also has the bonus that you save actions. This is the most efficient, as long as you can get the resources needed and pass the initial challenges.

Step-by-step guide (Astronomer/Officer):

Mouse	Cost	Cat
0 (starting)	Varies	1
10		5
9-6	or	20
5-3		24
2	Gamble (70%)	10 or 0

Step-by-step guide (Masked Clay Man):

Mouse	Cost	Cat
0 (starting)		1
10-7		20
6-3		32
2	Gamble (70%)	10 or 0

This should always get you the Map Piece with a 70% chance of a bonus.

For the astronomer this adds up to a net gain of 17.75 over 11 actions for 1.61 EPA

Rewards

The pieces of the Screaming map take a couple of days to arrive.

• Enterprising Astronomer
  • (Also on a Notable Success)

• Masked Clay man
  • (Also on a Notable Success)

• Disgruntled Naval Officer
  • (Also on a Notable Success)

• may be traded for or
• may be traded for