Editing Money-Making/Midgame

{{Audience|EarlyPoSI|Evergreen=yes}}
{{ExpiringSoon
|Year=2024
|Month=May
|Day=28
|Detail= The Rat Market will undergo substantial changes. See the [https://www.failbettergames.com/news/upcoming-adjustments-to-the-rat-market blog post] for details.
}}
This section shows money-making options available from the midgame. This is defined from {{IL|A Person of Some Importance|Appearance=PoSI}} and Making Your Name 6+ to the start of the railway and increasing attribute caps.
In order to prevent page bloat, there are some requirements to list a grind or weekly activity here:

*2.5+ EPA
*Grind does not require the railway, nor renown higher than 25.
*Expect players to have max 5 in advanced skills, or lower, depending on the skill.
*Expect players to have modified attributes at 225<ref>225 is used because it's in the late-end of the midgame, which is when players will do most money-making. This is equal to having attributes at 185 and +40 equipment. See [[Equipment Guide]] for suggested equipment</ref> at most, usually closer to 150-200.
:Note: grinds should specify which assumptions are made as requirements/recommendations for said grind. In many cases grinds will also work at lower levels, but at lower efficiency.

This list is not meant to be exhaustive, but should list the best grinds and weekly activities that are relevant in the midgame. See the [[Money-Making/Sources|source page]] for an exhaustive list of all grinds.

==Overview==
Overview presented below. Values in parentheses are expected EPA.

[[File:Moneymaking midgame.png|600px|center]]

===Overview - Rat market===
Maybe you need an item only available in the rat market? If so, there are grinds for many of the relevant items.

*By the nature of Rat Market, any grind requires either operating only during the corresponding {{IL|The Rat-Season:}} or stockpiling items to cash out all at once when the corresponding season starts. The table below shows when grind products are sellable and adjusted EPA.
*Selling tier 5 items in bulk (5 at a time) is only worth doing if your grind is higher than 3.75 EPA, since you’re saving 4 actions at the cost of losing 15 {{e}} profit.

Some EPA values are approximate, based on at most level 225 in the relevant attribute. Also note that this table is skewed slightly compared to the table on the rat market guide.

{| class="article-table mw-collapsible" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="12" style="text-align:center" | {{IL|The Rat-Season:}}
|-
!style="text-align:center"|<!--
-->{{World Quality Condition|Quality=The Rat-Season:|Value=Nitre-Knife|<mark>}}<abbr title="Nitre-Knife">NK</abbr></mark>
!style="border-left:1px solid gray; text-align:center"|<!--
-->{{World Quality Condition|Quality=The Rat-Season:|Value=Kifer-Caitiff|<mark>}}<abbr title="Kifer-Caitiff">KC</abbr></mark>
!style="border-left:1px solid gray; text-align:center"|<!--
-->{{World Quality Condition|Quality=The Rat-Season:|Value=Skitter-Scatter|<mark>}}<abbr title="Skitter-Scatter">SS</abbr></mark>
!style="border-left:1px solid gray; text-align:center"|<!--
-->{{World Quality Condition|Quality=The Rat-Season:|Value=Dimmest-Dark|<mark>}}<abbr title="Dimmest-Dark">DD</abbr></mark>
!style="border-left:1px solid gray; text-align:center"|<!--
-->{{World Quality Condition|Quality=The Rat-Season:|Value=Freeze-and-Fall|<mark>}}<abbr title="Freeze-and-Fall">FaF</abbr></mark>
!style="border-left:1px solid gray; text-align:center"|<!--
-->{{World Quality Condition|Quality=The Rat-Season:|Value=Lying-Longing|<mark>}}<abbr title="Lying-Longing">LL</abbr></mark>
!style="border-left:1px solid gray; text-align:center"|<!--
-->{{World Quality Condition|Quality=The Rat-Season:|Value=Candle-Canker|<mark>}}<abbr title="Candle-Canker">CC</abbr></mark>
!style="border-left:1px solid gray; text-align:center"|<!--
-->{{World Quality Condition|Quality=The Rat-Season:|Value=Wink-and-Wane|<mark>}}<abbr title="Wink-and-Wane">WaW</abbr></mark>
!style="border-left:1px solid gray; text-align:center"|<!--
-->{{World Quality Condition|Quality=The Rat-Season:|Value=Vial-Vane|<mark>}}<abbr title="Vial-Vane">VV</abbr></mark>
!style="border-left:1px solid gray; text-align:center"|<!--
-->{{World Quality Condition|Quality=The Rat-Season:|Value=Take-and-Toil|<mark>}}<abbr title="Take-and-Toil">TaT</abbr></mark>
!style="border-left:1px solid gray; text-align:center"|<!--
-->{{World Quality Condition|Quality=The Rat-Season:|Value=Wine-Whisper|<mark>}}<abbr title="Wine-Whisper">WW</abbr></mark>
!style="border-left:1px solid gray; text-align:center"|<!--
-->{{World Quality Condition|Quality=The Rat-Season:|Value=Rise-and-Rake|<mark>}}<abbr title="Rise-and-Rake">RaR</abbr></mark>
|-
| colspan="2" |{{TableList|{{IL|Unlawful Device}}|No good sources}}
| colspan="3" style="border-left:1px solid gray;|{{TableList|{{IL|Uncanny Incunabulum}}|Source: Newspaper (~4 EPA)}}
| colspan="3" style="border-left:1px solid gray;|{{TableList|{{IL|Storm-Threnody}}|Source: Newspaper (< 4 EPA)}}
| colspan="3" style="border-left:1px solid gray;|{{TableList|{{IL|Ratty Reliquary}}|No good sources}}
| style="border-left:1px solid gray;"|{{TableList|{{IL|Unlawful Device|Appearance =}}|No good sources}}
|-
| colspan="3" |{{TableList|{{IL|Captivating Ballad}}|Source: Underclay (3.54 EPA)}}
| colspan="3" style="border-left:1px solid gray; |{{TableList|{{IL|Night-Whisper}}|Source: Court of the Wakeful Eye (4.90-6.48 EPA)}}
| colspan="3" style="border-left:1px solid gray; |{{TableList|{{IL|Parabola-Linen Scrap}}|Source: Spider-Symposium (~2.83 EPA)}}
| colspan="3" style="border-left:1px solid gray; |{{TableList|{{IL|Crackling Device}}|Source: L.B. Industries (~2.83 EPA)}}
|-
| colspan="12" | Tier 7 items are typically both hard to get and have few if any good grinds in the mid-game
|}

==Options in London==
===Publishing Newspapers===
'''Requirements'''
*{{IL|Shadowy}} 217
*{{IL|Newspaper}}
*{{IL|Watchful}} 200 or {{IL|Persuasive}} 200
'''Expected EPA: 3.73 (~4 when combined with Rat market)'''
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed mw-collapsible-content">
'''Extra recommendations'''

*See [[Publishing a Newspaper (Guide)|Publishing a Newspaper]] for more information.

'''Basic cycle'''
#Finish the [[The Missing Woman|'The missing Woman']] carousel in {{IL|Wilmot's End}} to get {{IL|Whirring Contraption|2 x}}s.
#Use them in {{IL|Doubt Street}} to publish any edition requiring 104 pages of copy (note that this requires '''not''' taking '[[Employ a little theatrical accountancy]]' option). 

'''Meritorous editions:'''
*Requires 6 {{IL|Mithridacy}} for 100%. This can be covered with {{IL|Viscount's Bejewelled Collar}}.
A full cycle is items worth 138 {{e}} for 37 actions, a total of '''3.73 EPA.'''
Converting the Journals into Uncanny Incunabula and selling these on the rat market gives 177.84 {{e}} over 48.14 actions, including actions and item costs to raise {{IL|Connected: Benthic}}. In addition, ~5{{e}} can be expected from item conversions, not accounting for rare successes, which leaves 182.9 {{e}} over 48.14 actions, or '''3.80''' EPA. Including rare successes, this will be a bit higher.

'''Salacious editions:'''
*Requires a friend who you may slight.
*A full cycle costs 5 {{e}} in {{IL|Scrap of Incendiary Gossip}}, but also allows you to slight another player twice.
*A full cycle is items worth 133.8 {{e}} for 37 actions, increasing to 158.8 {{e}} for 39 actions once you have dealt with relevant assassins, a total of '''3.62 EPA''' without assassins or '''4.07 EPA''' when including assassins and disregarding the cost of hiring them. Like the option above, this can be modified with the rat market, reaching slightly higher EPAs

Both of these strategies can be buffed by upconverting {{IL|Journal of Infamy}} to {{IL|Uncanny Incunabulum}} (or {{IL|Storm-Threnody}}) and sold at the Rat Market. {{IL|Connected: Benthic}} is assumed gained from using an {{IL|Endowment of a University Fellowship}} and purchasing {{IL|Flask of Abominable Salts}} from the Bazaar.
</div>
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===Licentiate victim skeletons===
*Expected EPA: '''3.75'''
'''Requirements'''
*Access to {{IL|The Bone Market}}.
*The {{IL|Licentiate}} profession
*{{IL|Bizarre}} 0 or {{IL|Dreaded}} 0. 
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed mw-collapsible-content">
'''The cycle'''
# [[Supply a skeleton of your own]] 
# [[Cap this with a victim's skull]]
# [[Declare your (Skeleton_Type) a completed Humanoid|Declare it a humanoid]]
# Sell to the [[Sell your Skeleton to the Theologian of the Old School|Theologian]] or [[Sell your skeleton to a Pedagogically Inclined Grandmother|Grandmother]] for 15 {{e}} worth of items, resulting in '''3.75 EPA'''.
</div>
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===A Trade in Reputations===
*Requires {{IL|A Person of Some Importance}}
*High {{IL|Shadowy}} and {{IL|Persuasive}} is an advantage.
*High {{IL|Respectable}}, {{IL|Dreaded}} or {{IL|Bizarre}} is an advantage
*Expected EPA: '''2.8'''
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed mw-collapsible-content">
The strength of this grind is that it has very low base requirements, but you can make it harder and more profitable if you want to.
*See [[A Trade in Reputations (Guide)]] for strategies.
Around modified levels at 200 should reach above 2.8 EPA, and you can modify the strategy based on your strengths.
</div>
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==Options at Zee==
===Godfall grind===
*Expected EPA: '''3.56''' to '''4.88'''
'''Requirements'''
*Access to Godfall
*Shapeling Arts
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed mw-collapsible-content">
*Zail to Godfall in 6 actions
*Embark on a Pilgrimage in 1 action
*Complete the Pilgrimage in 14 actions
If you haven't done this before, perform all of the oblations, cross the bridge of hands, and gain one nodule of pulsating amber. Otherwise, choose thusly: If you have somewhat of a high Shapeling Arts, choose those options every time, as upon success, you will level it up and gain more favours than the non-SA option. Otherwise, choose the base skill options. Either way, perform none of the oblations.
*End the Pilgrimage in 1 action. This will gain you a varying amount of Strangling Willow Absinthe, depending on how many Favours you have.
*Repeat to your heart's content
*After gaining a satisfactory amount of Absinthe, return to London in 6 actions
</div>
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===Winsome Dispossessed Orphan grind===
*Expected EPA: '''1.80''' ('''4.79''' with Rat Market)
*Access to {{IL|Tribute}} (see [[Associating with Radical Academics (Guide)]])
*Requires large echo investment
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed mw-collapsible-content">
*Buy 10 {{IL|Winsome Dispossessed Orphan}}s from the Bazaar for 648 {{e}}
*[[Offer a winsome dispossessed orphan|Exhange]] them for 250 Tribute in 10 actions
*Zail to the Court in 6 actions
*Turn 240 Tribute into 750 {{e}} worth of items (1020 with Rat Market) in 48 actions
*Return in 8/7 actions
*Buy another 10 {{IL|Winsome Dispossessed Orphan}}s from the Bazaar for 648 {{e}}
*[[Offer a winsome dispossessed orphan|exchange]] them for 250 Tribute in 10 actions
*Zail to the Court in 6 actions
*Turn 260 Tribute into 812.5 {{e}} worth of items (1105 with Rat Market) in 52 actions
*Return in 8/7 actions.
148/146 actions for 266.5 {{e}} - '''1.80/1.83''' EPA (with Rat Market, 173/171 actions, 829 {{e}} - '''4.79/4.85''' EPA)
</div>
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===Mountain-sherd grind===
'''Requirements'''
*{{IL|Persuasive}} 209
*Access to {{IL|Tribute}} (see [[Associating with Radical Academics (Guide)]])
*'''Expected EPA: 3.30 EPA (4.28 with Rat market)'''

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed mw-collapsible-content">
*Do the following 7 times (total 161 actions) to get 7 {{IL|Mountain-sherd}}s:
**[[Descend (Underclay)|Descend]]
**[[Assist an Unfinished Man]]
**[[Extract confessions from the Calcified Men]] 20 times (requires {{IL|Persuasive}} 209 to 100% the challenge.)
**[[Send the Unfinished Man to the Khanate]]
*[[Offer a Mountain-sherd|Exchange]] those sherds for 245 Tribute in 7 actions
*Zail to the Court in 6 actions
*Turn 240 Tribute into 750 {{e}} worth of items in 48 actions
*Every fourth trip, turn the leftover tribute into another 62.5 {{e}} worth of items (average 15.625 {{e}}, 1 action)
*Return in 8/7 actions
231/230 actions for 762.625 {{e}} - '''3.301/3.315 EPA'''. 
</div>
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===Favour grind (using cards)===
'''Requirements'''
*Access to {{IL|Tribute}} (see [[Associating with Radical Academics (Guide)]])
*Spends favours
*'''Expected EPA: 5.54 (6.48 with Rat market)'''
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed mw-collapsible-content">
*Using opportunity cards, gain Favours with either [[Favours: The Docks|the Docks]], [[Favours: Bohemians|Bohemians]], [[Favours: The Church|the Church]], [[Favours: Society|Society]], or [[Favours: Criminals|Criminals]].
*Every time you have 7 favours of the same faction, exchange them for 23 Tribute. Assuming 1 action/card per Favour, you get 241-263 Tribute in 88 actions, depending on leftovers from previous trips.
*Zail to the Court in 6 actions.
*Turn 260 Tribute into 812.5/875 {{e}} worth of items in 52/56 actions, depending on whether the tribute 260 or more.
*Return in 8/7 actions. 
The 260 Tribute case occurs in 4/20 or 1/5 cases, so on average 147.8/148.8 actions for 825 {{e}} - '''5.54/5.58 EPA'''. Options which give more than 1 Favour per action and/or give additional profit (e.g. [[A Visit]], [[More Larks with the Young Stags]], [[The Calendrical Confusion of 1899]], fate-locked Restoring souls from [[A Trade in Souls]], [[The Tower of Eyes: Behind Closed Doors at a Handsome Townhouse|The Tower of Eyes]] if you have [[Augmented Electrostatic Machine]], professional payments, etc.) will increase the EPA further, while options that consume items and/or give menaces (faction cards, for example) will lower the EPA.
</div>
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===The Maze-Garden===
*Located in {{IL|The Maze-Garden|Appearance=Polythreme}}
*{{IL|Screaming Map}} and ship recommended, but the tramp steamer also works.
*Modified {{IL|Shadowy}} and {{IL|Dangerous}} 200 is an advantage
*1 {{IL|Prisoner's Mask}} recommended per cycle.
*'''Expected EPA: 4.36-5.08'''
See [[The Maze-Garden (Guide)]] for full information on the carousel.
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==Options in Parabola==
===Waswood Shore===
'''Requirements'''
*Access to {{IL|The Waswood}}
*That's it! No skills!
'''Expected EPA: 3.7125'''
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed mw-collapsible-content">
Repeatedly [[Reach towards the shore 2|Reach towards the shore with Airs 50+]]. Note that Airs can be shuffled at no action cost by leaving and returning to the Waswood, so it is not necessary to take the less profitable option.

Specifically, this stated EPA depends on the probability of rare success getting the [[Bottle of Fourth City Airag: Year of the Tortoise|Airag]]. Then we can calculate the expectation, so let's do the math!

Firstly, we assume that the probability of the normal failure and alternative failure are equal (25% each, for an overall failure rate of 50%), and also thusly that the game's stated overall failure/success probability of 50% is in fact true. We will also assume no value for Expertise of the 2nd/4th city ([[User:Druut|the writer]] pulls the old "leaving that as an exercise to the reader" trick), but they do have some value in the lab. Now, since the chance of a success becoming a rare success is 3%, we know the true probability of a rare success is half of that, or 1.5%, which makes the probability of a normal success 50% - 1.5% or 48.5%.

Now, we consider the values of each outcome by their sell values:

*normal failure: 0.45 {{E}}, with a probability of 0.25
*alt failure: 0.95 {{E}}, with a probability of 0.25
* success: 5 {{E}}, with a probability of 0.485
*rare success: 62.5{{E}}, with a probability of 0.015

This gives us an expectation <math>EPA_{reach2}= (0.25)(0.45 E) + (0.25)(0.95 E) + (0.485)(5E) + (0.015)(62.5E)</math>

This gives an estimated EPA of 3.7125{{E}}.

It's important to note that it does cost an action to enter as well as 100/50 drops of honey, so when calculating your final EPA, you'll need to multiply by a factor of <math display="inline">\frac{N}{N+1}</math> where <math>N</math> is your actions spent reaching, then subtract your personal honey cost. You also don't have access to any cards, which can be significant depending on your goals and playstyle. 
</div>
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==Tied to the Rat Market==
===Mr Chimes' Grand Clearing-Out Unveiled activities (Rat Market)===
Expected EPA (mid-game): Up to '''3.54''' at midgame levels.
*Source of {{IL|Captivating Ballad}}s, {{IL|Parabola-Linen Scrap}}s and {{IL|Crackling Device}}s.
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed mw-collapsible-content">
Most of the five activities has at least one reward that can be sold or converted into a sellable item.
*Underclay can produce:
**With [[Send an Unfinished Man to Mahogany Hall]] - {{IL|Captivating Ballad|1 x}} for 23 actions, using [[Stage an introduction]] (requires {{IL|Shadowy}} 209 for 100%). Additional action to [[Sell a Captivating Ballad for 850 Rat-Shillings]], turning Ballad into 85 {{e}}. 24 actions for 85 {{e}} - '''3.54 EPA'''.
** With [[Send the Unfinished Man to teach Third City history]] - {{IL|Storm-Threnody|1 x}} and {{IL|Shard of Glim|200 x}} for 7 actions, combining [[Extract confessions from the Calcified Men]] (requires {{IL|Persuasive}} 209 to 100%) with [[Stage an introduction]] (requires {{IL|Shadowy}} 209 for 100%). Additional action to [[Sell a Storm-Threnody for 200 Rat-Shillings]], turning the Threnody into 20 {{e}}. 8 actions for 22 {{e}} - '''2.75 EPA'''.
*Spider Symposium with [[Accept some of the finest linen]] can produce {{IL|Parabola-Linen Scrap|1 x}} for ~29 actions (using [[Pass the floor to a spider inadequately prepared for debate]] and [[Posit that language makes reality]], requires {{IL|Persuasive}} 225 for 76%). Additional action to [[Sell a Parabola-Linen Scrap for 850 Rat-Shillings]], turning Scrap into 85 {{e}}. ~30 actions for ~85 {{e}} - '''2.83 EPA'''.
* L.B. Industries can produce:<!--Other rewards are too inefficient at shadowy 225 to reach 2.5 EPA and are as such not included-->
**With [[Ask for a Crackling Device as payment]] - {{IL|Crackling Device|1 x}}  for 28.29 actions (using [[Assist with assembly]], requires {{IL|Shadowy}} 225 to 75%). Additional action to [[Sell a Crackling Device for 850 Rat-Shillings]], turning Device into 85 {{e}}. ~30 actions for 85 {{e}} - '''2.83 EPA'''.
</div>
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===The Court of the Wakeful Eye (Rat Market)===
*Expected EPA: Up to '''6.48'''
*Source of {{IL|Night-Whisper}}s.
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed mw-collapsible-content">
You can grind {{IL|Night-Whisper}}s to sell during {{IL|The Rat-Season:}} Dimmest-Dark, Freeze-and-Fall, Lying-Longing:
*Winsome Dispossessed Orphan grind gives you {{IL|Night-Whisper|25 x}} for 148/146 actions and 1296 {{e}}. Additional 25 actions to [[Sell a Night-Whisper for 850 Rat-Shillings]] 25 times, turning them into 2125 {{e}}. 173/171 actions for 829 {{e}} - '''4.792/4.848 EPA'''
*Mountain-sherd grind gives you {{IL|Night-Whisper|49 x}} for 924/920 actions. Additional 49 actions to [[Sell a Night-Whisper for 850 Rat-Shillings]] 49 times, turning them into 4165 {{e}}. 973/969 actions for 4165 {{e}} - '''4.28/4.298 EPA'''.
*Favour grind gives you {{IL|Night-Whisper|12.2 x}} for 147.8/148.8 actions on average. Additional 12.2 actions to [[Sell a Night-Whisper for 850 Rat-Shillings]] 12.2 times, turning them into 1037 {{e}}. 160/161 actions for 1037 {{e}} '''6.481/6.441 EPA'''. Options which give more than 1 Favour per actions and/or give additional profit (e.g. [[A Visit]], [[More Larks with the Young Stags]], fate-locked Restoring souls from [[A Trade in Souls]], [[The Tower of Eyes: Behind Closed Doors at a Handsome Townhouse|The Tower of Eyes]] if you have [[Augmented Electrostatic Machine]], professional payments, etc.) will increase the EPA further.
</div>
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==Weekly Actions==
===Professional rewards===
With a tier one profession, over '''8EPA'''. With a tier three profession, '''15EPA'''. 

Every four weeks, you can assemble four [[Professional Perk]]s to get one [[Trade Secret]] and [[...something else.|convert it]] to a [[Searing Enigma]] and [[Antique Mystery|Antique Mysteries]], which yields {{e}}125 for 11 actions, for a total of '''11.4EPA'''.
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===Using up Bone Market Exhaustion===
Using up Exhaustion is hard in the mid-game, but also profitable. Exhaustion in itself is around 200 {{e}} per week. If you have {{IL|A Custom-Engraved Skull}} from {{FontRose}}, you should use those most weeks, leading to a net gain of 160 {{e}} for 2 skulls. The exception to the rule is when the Phantasist is around - then you may be able to spend all your exhaustion through other means.
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===The Nadir (complex)===
Highly random, but in the long-term, '''5.7EPA'''.
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed mw-collapsible-content">
'''Requirements'''
*{{IL|Route: The Cave of the Nadir}}
The Nadir can be entered once a week without spending Fate. Players are [[Drowning in violet|forcibly ejected]] from the cave when reaching {{IL|Irrigo|10 x}} whereupon it is not possible to return until the next visit from [[Time, the Healer]] ([[Irrigo, begone (50 FATE)|unless they wish to pay 50 Fate]]). Optimal play yields approximately '''5.7EPA''' — see [[Cave of the Nadir (Guide)#Analysis]] for details
</div>
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<references />