How do I NOT get email 19?

[DeRockProject (jongyon7192p)]

The one after the [Urgent] email 18, where you have to go to Xelpud immediately. For some reason, I'm trying to not get email 19. I tried waiting 15 minutes, rolled around grail points and skipped between two screens a bunch of times, and when I go back to Xelpud, he still says I made it on time, and as I leave the tent in shame, the sound of email 19 hitting my face resonates through the vast cosmos as I--- ok, anyway, how does this work exactly?

I have a suspicion one of the Xelpud's Best Friend dialogues I am missing is to talk to Xelpud late where I don't get email 19, should've mentioned that earlier.

[Vapor Dosh]

From what I understand, #19 is missable if you ignore Xelpud's request in #18 to visit you and go fight a second boss. I don't think I ever did it myself, I'm going by another post I read.

[Dentorhedge]

Xelpud's Best Friend achievement does not require one to not get e-mail 19. What held me back was killing all of the GoG bats, and revisiting the Ghost Lord's room and another in the second or third endless corridor after all guardians are beaten.

[Vil]

Xelpud's dialogue does not in any way react to missing e-mails. All you get for missing an e-mail is having missed that e-mail (which in turn means you miss a character in the ending, as well as a shot at one of several achievements in that playthrough, though the latter's moot if you already have them).

But yes, if you want to deliberately miss it, then don't talk to Xelpud between killing your first and second bosses.

As for what does count towards Xelpud's Best Friend (and Mulbruk's equivalent), there's a guide about it here. It's got a handful of small errors but nothing particularly important. The most important thing to know is that one of the point-cap-raising triggers is not "kill Viy" but "kill your fifth boss".

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=284537618

The main upshot is that you want to talk to him:
- A bunch right at the start of the game until he repeats himself.
- After your first boss.
- After your second boss.
- After waking Mulbruk.
- After your fourth boss.
- The three mandatory conversations required for Mulana Talisman.
- Again after getting Mulana Talisman (do this one asap, it affects the "points" system).
- After your eighth boss, before Hell Temple (technically this one is "general chat" as described below)
- After Hell Temple.

With the exception of the last two, I think most of the rest of the conversations are of the one-shot, "do you want me to repeat that yes/no" variety.

In addition, you want to show him every usable inventory item by having it selected and then talking to him (most of the above list will trump these in priority, though). NB that the lamp of time must be charged to get him to comment, and the woman statue and maternity statue count separately (woman statue is missable). Showing him the Mulana Talisman itself is *yet another* conversation related to the Mulana Talisman, and is not included in the above list.

Finally, the rest of his conversations, in other words his general chat that he repeats, are triggered based on a hidden "points" system as described in that guide. He has three sets of semi-random conversations (during which he can pull out any one of eight pre-selected lines) and most of the time he'll be pulling from one of those.

In all likelihood, you're either missing the Woman Statue chat, missing the post-Hell Temple chat, or missing one of the non-random point-based general chats. One of the last ones I got was the 91-98 point line where he complains that he died again to the second boss of the game he was playing.

[DeRockProject (jongyon7192p)]

Okay, I thought I needed it because in this guide's Xelpud Text Dump, there's a line alternate to getting to him "on time".

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=285186432

I already used the guide Vilurum linked in my first playthough, but I still have 2 dialogues missing. Technically 3, but I know I need to beat Hell Temple. I'm worried these two dialogues are from the random dialogues.

I'll be getting all the emails for the Running Out in the Open achievement, so I don't need it now.

Vilurum, I think the dialogue for waking up Mulbruk wasn't listed in the guide you linked. I feel certain that I got it, but that could be something I missed. Is there anything else that guide may have not listed?

[Vil]

Here's my initial write-up from another forum, way back when, which includes all the conversations, including my numbering. (Note that the game's internal numbering of these doesn't match mine. It jumbles them all fairly well.)

The guide I linked only lists off the score-based conversations, under the reasoning that everything else is straightforward enough to figure out on your own.

XELPUD:

One-time conversations triggered by linear progress:
This means that you may possibly skip some of these if you meet the qualifications for later ones before seeing earlier ones. Be warned.
1. Initial conversation at beginning of game where he gives you xmailer.exe
2. Immediately following the above
3. When summoned by e-mail after first boss
4. When summoned by e-mail after second boss
5. After de-petrifying Mulbruk
6. When summoned by e-mail after fourth boss
7. After showing him Talisman (see #16) and finding inaccessible Diary chest
8. After getting Diary, where he gives you Mulana Talisman
9. Immediately following the above

One-time conversations triggered by showing him items:
10. Hand Scanner
11. Dragon Bone
12. Serpent Staff
13. Pepper
14. Mini Doll
15. Key of Eternity
16. Talisman
17. Mulana Talisman
18. Crystal Skull
19. Lamp of Time (lit)
20. Cog of the Soul
21. Woman Statue
22. Maternity Statue
23. Pochette Key
24. Magatama Jewel
25. Vessel
26. Djed Pillar

Score-based conversations (these are last priority and you will only ever see these once you've exhausted the one-time conversations currently available):
12-14 score: 27. How's exploration going? If well, it's thanks to e-mails
16-18 score: Random set 1:
- 28. Gaming right now, don't bug me
- 29. This game is boring, so many hints
- 30. I am the Elder, I am important
- 31. Good action games make you jump around in your seat
- 32. Buy $10 worth of points for me
- 33. No gaming addiction, can quit any time, just not today
- 34. Tourist destination, round up a harem
- 35. Arms hurt from too many e-mails, need to pace myself
20-24 score: 36. In the middle of writing an e-mail and you showed up, work with me
26-44 score: Random set 1
46-50 score: 37. Second boss killed me, if only you hadn't barged in
52-68 score: Random set 1
70-74 score: 38. Feels good to soak in the hot springs, perhaps there are some in the ruins
76-90 score: Random set 2:
- Gaming right now, don't bug me (same as #28)
- Arms hurt from too many e-mails, need to pace myself (same as #35)
- 39. I'm hungry
- 40. Demo is way too long
- 41. I wish I was rich
- 42. I'm the final boss, just kidding
- 43. Hidden dungeon underneath my home, just kidding
- 44. I want to play a shooter, aren't too many new ones
92-98 score: 45. Died again to the second boss, waah
100-118 score: Random set 2
120-124 score: 46. Oh good, you're still alive. Ain't the ruins huge?
126-128 score: Random set 2
130-134 score: In the middle of writing an e-mail and you showed up, work with me (same as #36)
136-140 score: Random set 2
142-144 score: Random set 3:
- Gaming right now, don't bug me (same as #28)
- I'm the final boss, just kidding (same as #42)
- 47. We could make real good money if we turn the ruins into a tourist spot
- 48. There might be a sequel, yeah right
- 49. I'm actually a girl, you'll get a special photo, just kidding
- 50. Bored bored bored, make a funny face
- 51. You seem awfully busy, shouldn't you take it easy
- 52. I'm always watching over you, teehee
146-150 score: 53. Wrath of god when try to inspect walls, try when there's no eye-ball murals
152-158 score: Random set 3
160-170 score: 54. I'm not looking at anything dirty or perverted, get out of here
172-178 score: Random set 3
180-190 score: 55. I give up on the second boss, he has two swords
192-198 score: Random set 3
200+ score: 56. Wind sure is howling today

After completing Hell Temple:
57. Wind sure is howling todaaaaaaaaayyy

MULBRUK:

One-time conversations triggered by linear progress:
1. Initial "conversation" while petrified
2. Initial conversation after de-petrifying
3. Finally waking up, proper introduction (after seeing above and getting score to 56+)
4. Anubis hint/Book of the Dead: have entered Temple of Moonlight D6

One-time conversations triggered by other things:
I'm not sure of the cutoffs for many of these, but she does refrain from offering hints you no longer need, so....
5. Inferno Cavern hint: have spent some time in Inferno Cavern, have not gotten Ice Cape
6. Chamber of Extinction hint: have entered Chamber of Extinction, have not permanently lit it
7. Endless Corridor hint: have entered Endless Corridor, have not gotten Key of Eternity
8. Twin Labyrinths hint: have entered Twin Labyrinths I5 (Temple of Moonlight entrance), have not fixed elevator by jumping on it from I4
9. mantra.exe hint: have obtained Mobile Super X2, have not gotten mantra.exe
10. Tower of the Goddess hint: have entered Tower of the Goddess D4 (= have started trying to climb), have not succeeded and reached grail point at the top
11. Chamber of Birth hint 1: have entered Chamber of Birth, not sure on cutoff (presumably either Woman Statue or Pochette Key, maybe both, possibly the Ganesha scan)
12. Chamber of Birth hint 2: immediately following the above
13. Maternity Statue/Philosopher's Ocarina hint: have Woman Statue equipped while talking to her
14. Philosopher's Ocarina reaction: any time after getting the ocarina

Score-based conversations (like Xelpud, these are last priority):
50-52 score: 15. Mulbruk is sleepy
54 score: 16. Mulbruk is still sleepy
56 score: Random set 1:
Unlike every other random set, this one seems to only have seven entries rather than eight. Either that or the game really doesn't want to give me the eighth one.
- 17. Sleeping right now, don't wake me, stop it
- 18. Mmmgh, can't eat any more
- 19. That one's big, really big
- 20. Let me sleep for 100 more years
- 21. That's what I call breakfast, slurp raw from the tail
- 22. Stone floors make poor beds
- 23. Snort
58-64 score: 24. Fairy Queen and key fairy
66-74 score: Random set 1
76-84 score: 25. Meaning of La-Mulana numbers
86-88 score: Random set 1
90-94 score: 26. Hidden power of the Holy Grail
96-98 score: Random set 1
100-114 score: Fairy Queen and key fairy (same as #24)
116-118 score: Random set 1
120-124 score: Meaning of La-Mulana numbers (same as #25)
126-128 score: Random set 2:
- Sleeping right now, don't wake me, stop it (same as #17)
- 27. He's after me, the guy in the hat, he wants to get me
- 28. My neck, Mulbruk pulled a muscle
- 29. Old guy in glasses barging in on Mulbruk
- 30. Guy in the hat making Mulbruk talk dirty, sexual horseshoes
- 31. Ruins are crumbling, Mulbruk getting out of here, room leads outside
- 32. Put a stone on top of Mulbruk
- 33. This is a hamburger
130-140 score: Hidden power of the Holy Grail (same as #26)
142-148 score: Random set 2
150-156 score: 34. History of the first children
158 score: Random set 2
160-166 score: 35. History of the second children
168 score: Random set 2
170-176 score: 36. History of the third children
178 score: Random set 2
180-186 score: 37. History of the fourth children
188 score: Random set 2
190-196 score: 38. History of the fifth children
198 score: Random set 2
200-206 score: 39. History of the sixth children
208 score: Random set 3:
- Sleeping right now, don't wake me, stop it (same as #17)
- 40. What's with everyone coming after me, slap 'em around good
- 41. Allure is overpowering
- 42. You ignorant fool
- 43. Mulbruk is happy, hahahahaha
- 44. That doesn't count, continue continue
- 45. Grrrrr
- 46. Bow before Mulbruk, world
210-216 score: 47. History of the seventh children
218 score: Random set 3
220-226 score: 48. Mother has not been making children on her own since the fifth
228 score: Random set 3
230-238 score: 49. Solve all the puzzles, Mother will sleep forever
240-248 score: 50. Day the ruins disappear, my role ends, don't want to be immortal
250 score: 51. When ruins fall apart, will you save me?
252+ score: Random set 3

Hell Temple-related:
52. Initial request to find her father (starts the Hell Temple unlock, available after beating all eight guardians)
53. Hint on where to find her father (after above, must not have met Dracuet in Gate of Guidance yet)
54. Hint on statue unrelated to puzzles (after meeting Dracuet in Gate of Guidance, before proceeding further with unlock)
55. Father is in Hell Temple, what the hell? (after finishing unlock)
56. You brought Father's clothes, why are you wearing them (after completing Hell Temple)