I know this game isn't widely run and the only category right now is 100%, but to the moderator, would it be possible to allow an any% run of this game (in which you don't need to get all the puzzle pieces, just get the Scepter)? I've been tinkering with this game and have an any% down to 24:xx minutes right now, getting all relics and the first 8 contracts (just leaves a 3x3 box in the middle but more than enough to see where the Scepter is).

Sorry for the delay, didn't see the post. I've added an any% category, so feel free to post your run. The only reason I had only created the 100% category is because, since the game is randomly generated every time it's turned on, the scepter can be found by constantly searching in front of the castle and resetting until it's there, making this type of run possible in 0 minutes. But as long as the game is being played, I'm good with any and all categories.

That's quite alright! Thanks for responding. Perhaps then a rule should be made that at least one piece of the puzzle should be unlocked to prevent this sort of abuse (which I've seen in TAS runs if I recall correctly). Either that or rename it from any% to low%.

I have my time down to around 20 minutes with only getting about 12 pieces. The run is much easier than 100% but still fun to play which requires quite a bit of routing.

I've also discovered that the game is NOT entirely random. As I mapped the games, I found that there are basically two types of spawn points that I've found: Good Spawns and Bad Spawns. Each spawn point is ALWAYS in the same spot, but it can vary as to what is there. Bad Spawns are always Enemy Armies, while Good Spawns can be Chests, Relics, Recruitment Buildings, Warp Zones (one set per continent), or Random Mobs that will join you (this knowledge came in handy as I found some Archmages in Forestria where a chest was supposed to be and was able to fly from there). Using this, mapping out a safe route is possible. That being said, the odds of finding the Map to the next continent in a safe zone are limited. Forestria always ends up being a run killer for that exact reason.

I'm fine with the any% category, I was just informing you (and anyone else who may/may not be interested) that it can be trivialized. Unless certain rules are implemented, as you suggest. And the game is much easier to pick up and play in an any% fashion, so I'm happy to accommodate!

I should have prefaced, but I am aware that the game isn't completely random. Enemies are always enemies and treasures/recruitment hubs/etc. are always as such, just that what is what is jumbled up each time. Part of what makes this game doable in a reasonable amount of time is mapping out what's safe and what isn't, and using that to progress inland if the King's Bounty gods are unkind.

I personally enjoy the 100% category since, as a kid, when I would play this game, it would be the same every time: get to Saharia ASAP, recruit archmages and dragons, wipe out the first 3 continents, then find the sceptre. But I wanted to incorporate Arech into the run as the difficult spike from Urthrax to him is pretty steep. I wanted to see if there was a way to deal with him and still be able to complete the game quickly, and what would be involved in doing so. So to me it's something different and requires a lot of planning and execution, as well as good RNG.

I'm glad you've been enjoying this game, as I think it's incredibly fun and relatively unknown (unfortunately). And who doesn't love listening to the same five 20-second music clips on loop over and over and over again!

Since I've been speedrunning this game, I have annoyed my wife with the overworld music to the point where she hears it in her sleep. So to be nice to her, I changed my Ringtone to that just so she can continue to hear it and continue with the trolling.

I loved this game growing up but had NEVER defeated Arech. I did finally complete the game at 100% in a little under an hour, though I messed up a bit with how the desert tiles negate your Time Stop. I wanted to try a different strategy which I may use for a 100% run again now that I know a bit more, but instead of getting Elves with Instant Army, I just spent what extra money I had on Pikemen, Archers, and Knights. The Arech battle was close but my Knights and Archers pulled through. However, the more I think of it, the more I like Instant Army and getting a crap-ton of Elves instead of Pikemen.

I also learned that damage loops after 9999 damage, so if damage calculates at 10000 (say 5000 archers that deals 3 damage on Shoot), you're technically doing 0 damage instead. I have seen it happen, though it's possible it may be a fluke. Though for safety, when I got the Archers at the end, I make sure not to get much more than 3000.

There's probably a lot of other strategies to use which is another reason I like this game. The game can be speedrun many different ways.

I was contemplating a pacifist/all relics% of this game. It would definitely be the cheapest way to go but finding the scepter with only 8 puzzle pieces could prove challenging. Also not being able to fight would also give it an extra challenge.

Haha that's awesome! That's the exact same kind of thing I'd do to annoy my girlfriend, but she doesn't pay any attention to video games to even notice that I'd be doing it to her. I still going around singing that insidious overworld music for days.

I've had the same thing happen to me with regard to the Timestop spell. I've been tinkering with my strategy for completing 100% as I lost an ~35 minute run yesterday on Arech. The elves don't do much, but it's a good way to get a decent amount of troops without spending a penny, as money is pretty tight in the endgame. I'd definitely forgo buying Pikemen, they can't be that useful in the final battle. The only reason I'd even get archers is because you can get a ton of them and they can shoot while someone else is tanking. But I never knew that about the damage cap. If that's true, then I'd absolutely have to make sure that I don't get more than 3,000 archers!

Actually, I found Pikemen to be fairly useful in the final battle and were able to hold their own against Dragons for quite some time. The only reason I'd choose them over Elves is because Elves (as well as Archmages) lose moral with Dragons in the group, whereas Pikemen, Archers, and Knights don't. Because of this, Pikemen will deal more damage to the dragons than Elves will. But again, as you mentioned, money is usually tight and Instant Army goes much further with getting recruits than you would with Pikemen.

I did think of using Militia at the final battle, but like Elves, they lose moral with Dragons.

So is it feasible in human gameplay to retry until the Scepter is there on the start, without moving?

I wouldn't call it feasible as it would require a ton of resets, but it is possible to get the scepter at the starting point without moving.