How to make game easier (or cheats please??)

[Bitcoin Baron]

Im stuck in the impossible royce battle, he gets to go first (thereby ensuring a win every time) for large parts of the time he is not planning turns he is invisible and cant be hit, or too far away and able to run faster than i can.

I need a difficulty setting, or cheats to get past him so I can get on with the rest of the game. Can anyone help? I wouldnt mind this battle if it wasnt completely unfair but it is. Any help appreciated.

[Closer of Doors]

First of all, have you tried turning limiters off?

Second, Royce cannot overload any of your functions in one turn, so he can't ensure victory unless you're overly dependent on a single function.

Third, have you tried masking or jaunting away when it isn't your turn, to deny him the ability to attack or force him to waste some turn moving?

Fourth, Royce isn't constantly invisible out of turn. You can activate your turn and unload on him when he's visible.

Fifth, what is your current build?

Sixth, what functions and slots do you have access to?

[Djzzy]

Here is my strategy and he didn't even hit me once after, breach with ping, mask with load, jaunt with purge.

After his turn, I just use my turn, I ll get behind him and mask, hit him with one breach and jaunt across the map, just keep your distance with him far, when he is about to get within range of 2 jaunts quickly use your turn jaunt twice in get behind him mask breach jaunt out of there and keep your distance, if mask is not ready yet, just jaunt to the other side and hit him with a breach, that'll knock him the other way.

My first play through I just cheesed him away with this, I did get hit sometimes, but it didn't instant kill me, and I had that passive where you regen health when turn is ready(forget the name).

[Sean Dominique]

If you just want general hints instead of a straight solution (for as far as that is possible), please disregard this :P

My strategy was using Help() + Mask()/Load() to create a mass damage companion, then keeping my distance as much as possible. On my turn, I just positioned Luna behind him and ripped half his hitpoints off. Crash(), Bounce() and Tap() as passives helped keep me alive. (Flood() could've helped, too, but I forgot >.>) That alone was already enough for me to kill him without a single Overload, even though the rest of my build wasn't that useful, since I'd expected spawning crowds and had opted for crowd control. Alternatively, Mask(), Void() and Cull() together can do insane things if you're willing to get close, though you might want to save your Mask() to use at the end of your Turn to counter retaliation.

In the end, I think it's the passives that do it, though. Bounce() will nullify one of his hits, Crash() and Tap() effectively give you almost twice your health and Flood() allows you to play the waiting game. (Potentially aided by Mask() or Jaunt() )

Edit: Got ninja'd. Ɖɉʐʐɏ, I should try that for the Agency missions.

[Closer of Doors]

Well, if we're going to get specific, my first time through I just abused Void, Cull, Mask, and Breach (I believe my exact words before the fight were "Oh, I am going to breach the s%#$ out of you!"). My second time around I managed with my still-in-development Void(Purge, Tap) build (which is ironically somewhat weak against Royce, but was still more than good enough to succeed once I realized it was ironically more effective against him with Turn). I'm thinking of adding Cull or Tap to it just for him, though (although that will depend on whether or not it turns out to be possible to defeat the Clucker Army; which I still have to figure out).

[Defendor]

First time I beat him I did something like this (cant remember exactly):
ACTIVE

• Jaunt() - To get to him or away from him fast
  
• Mask() - For Unmask damage
  
• Cull() - Killing blow
  
• Crash() - For Crash and Combo damage

PASSIVE

• Ping() - For faster movement
  
• Bounce() - For a shield

The shield saved me from damage if he managed to attack me. I jumped and ran to him in Turn, got behind him, crashed on him a couple of times from behind and finished with Mask() + Cull() to kill him off, then run away so he couldn't counter. It worked.

I beat him first try in Recursion without taking damage except for his first turn. Tried a simular combination that I used against the normal enemies with max limiters:
ACTIVE

• Void()+Crash()+Spark() - 2 attacks get him to 325% weak + crushed.
  
• Tap()+Cull() - Good damage and heal you.
  
• Mask() - Hide while waiting for turn, or do more damage
  
• Mask() - Hide while waiting for turn, or do more damage

PASSIVE

• Ping() - For faster movement in turn
  
• Bounce() - For a shield

[Bitcoin Baron]

yep thanks for the hints but im no good with strategy, limiters are off, but its still not possible. I dont have the mask plugin because im not into stealth.

I just need a way for him to have less respawns or be invincible myself So i can pass this bit. They really shouldnt have started the turn-based stuff so suddenly and the first baddie that uses it to be hard as nails. Is there any way to make this bit just generally more easier or is the game impossible due to lack of difficulty settings?

[Ruebeus]

Originally posted by Crinkle:

I need a difficulty setting, or cheats to get past him

Sounds like you need a better build...or like you dont really understand the battle system very well.

Originally posted by Crinkle:

I wouldnt mind this battle if it wasnt completely unfair but it is.

No...it's completely fair.

[this first-draft dream of mine]

I beat him with no problem on my first playthrough, no hints, no walkthroughs -- and I'm the kind of easygoing player who would never dream of using limiters (or idols, if you remember Bastion). The kind of player who would, in fact, TOTALLY look up walkthroughs if things seemed too difficult.

IIRC I didn't even overload. If you are failing over and over while refusing to use certain functions, perhaps consider that it's your recalcitrance that's making the fight "impossible", not the inherent difficulty of the game.

Passives:
* Crash and Bounce for protection (resistances and shield)
* Purge so that you're hurting him even when it's not your Turn
* Fourth passive of your choice, or blank

Actives:
* Breach with Ping (+optional other upgrade) to hit hard from pretty much anywhere.
* Help with at least one upgrade -- I like Ping, Mask, or Crash. Effectively extends your turn.
* Mask (+optional upgrade/s) -- backstab damage during Turn, get-out-of-jail-free card if you need to buy time for Turn recovery.
* Jaunt with Tap (+optional upgrade) to give him the runaround AND heal yourself during Turn recovery, basically buying time same as Mask as well as giving yourself the ability to quickly reposition yourself for backstabs when going on the attack.


Get into the mindset of keeping yourself alive until Turn is ready. Run like hell, or hide so he can't hit you, or spam lifedrains, whatever. Have good passives so that you're not completely helpless when it's his turn. The above is a structure that worked for me, but as others have already shown, there are plenty of alternatives.


Edit: I should add -- always have Jaunt selected and ready to use before you execute a Turn. Be ready to do the whole "run like hell" thing the moment you finish executing.

Also, if you spent all your Permissions on, say, upgrade slots instead of passives, and only have one or two, then I believe you're going to have a harder time of it.

[Bitcoin Baron]

Ok maybe im missing something, is there actually a "run" key? As i mentioned before he is a lot faster than me, so can always find me,.

And does anyone have a solution that doesnt use mask, because i never bought it

Originally posted by Ruebeus:

Sounds like you need a better build...or like you dont really understand the battle system very well.

I understood it perfectly well untill they suddenly decided to put a guy in who can also take turns, and i just have to sit there mindlessly taking it. and losing abilities, they should have started with easier turn based things earlier in the game instead of just introducing it with a hard as nails character. Like everything else in this game, it just throws something at you, and expects you to just know whats going on and how to beat it.

[this first-draft dream of mine]

Oh, as in you never bothered unlocking it, not as in you didn't install it. Huh.

You need Jaunt. Jaunt is the running. Notice how everyone has been mentioning it? If you don't have Mask, you definitely need Jaunt... well, you need Jaunt anyway. In the build I mentioned/used, for instance, Jaunt is the active I'd least want to swap out or lose.

Why don't you just post up what functions you have available, along with how much MEM you have and how many passive slots and upgrade slots you have unlocked?

Like I said, you need good passives so that you don't get screwed over when it's his turn, and you need to maximize your own Turn times while minimizing the recovery/running the hell away from him to waste his time.

[Ruebeus]

Originally posted by Crinkle:

I understood it perfectly well untill they suddenly decided to put a guy in who can also take turns, and i just have to sit there mindlessly taking it. and losing abilities, they should have started with easier turn based things earlier in the game instead of just introducing it with a hard as nails character. Like everything else in this game, it just throws something at you, and expects you to just know whats going on and how to beat it.

You dont just sit there mindlessly taking it, thats my point.
Games are all about learning as you go, adapting to new situations and overcoming them through mindful observations, clever tactics, and outwiting your enemy.
Stop being so frustrated with the fact that a boss was suddenly difficult/different and breath it all in. OBSERVE what is happening, calculate how long you have before he acts again, LEARN how his fight mechanics work, then use it all against him.

First time I played through I did not have any problems with him at all. And I did not use Mask either, because, like you, I am not a stealth fan.
He killed me the first two or three times, but I adapted my playstyle and my build to combat him. Thats what YOU need to do.

[Pinzly]

I literally beat the entire game in 5 hours without ever dying once.

this game is easy and if you're stuck well then all I can say is... noob

[Defendor]

Originally posted by Lumpkin:

I literally beat the entire game in 5 hours without ever dying once.

this game is easy and if you're stuck well then all I can say is... noob

Didn't go as fast for me, but I activated every limiter I unlocked right away. It was quite a challenge at times.

[Closer of Doors]

Originally posted by Crinkle:

Ok maybe im missing something, is there actually a "run" key? As i mentioned before he is a lot faster than me, so can always find me,.

And does anyone have a solution that doesnt use mask, because i never bought it

Originally posted by Ruebeus:

Sounds like you need a better build...or like you dont really understand the battle system very well.

I understood it perfectly well untill they suddenly decided to put a guy in who can also take turns, and i just have to sit there mindlessly taking it. and losing abilities, they should have started with easier turn based things earlier in the game instead of just introducing it with a hard as nails character. Like everything else in this game, it just throws something at you, and expects you to just know whats going on and how to beat it.

Do you have Bounce? If so, put it as a passive. This will allow you to ignore the first attack he does on his turn. You could also put Crash as a passive to decrease damage taken by 25% (unless you're using it with Void).

Do you have Void? If so, put it as an active, with Crash on it as an upgrade. Use it three times on Royce at the start of your turn, and your attacks will do over three times as much damage.

Do you have Tap? If so, you've got a couple of options.
Jaunt (Spark, Tap) causes you to heal yourself by a significant amount each time you Jaunt (and you will be doing it constantly outside of your turn). Otherwise, Tap as an active makes an excellent damage function that goes well with Void.

Do you have Cull? Cull also makes an excellent damage function, so it can serve as an alternative to Tap in that regard. If you're using Cull, though, make sure you get a backstab.

Whatever you do, remember that in general the highest memory function (including upgrades) is the first to go, unless it is your only damage function.

Battle Strategy:

Royce gets to go first, and you'll take some damage. You won't lose any functions, so (wo)man up.

Jaunt over to him and then activate your turn (so that you don't waste turn moving). If you have Void, use it on him three times. Then bring out your big damage function. Cull should easily do over 750 damage (eight of those and he's dead) if you're backstabbing or have Crash on Void. Two Taps will inflict a similar amount of carnage.

When your turn is over, start Jaunting as far away from him as you can get. That way, he either has to chase you before using his turn (which leaves more time for your turn to recharge) or activate his turn and waste some of it closing the distance (which means he gets off fewer attacks that turn).

When your turn recharges, Jaunt back over to him and repeat the process. You will likely lose a function somewhere along the way, and that's okay. He only has four lives, with 1500 hp each. Just keep tearing him down.

Even if you don't have Void, the same tactics apply (it'll just take longer), and they're the same tactics the game has been teaching you all along. Get close to the enemy when your turn is ready, use your turn to inflict as much damage as you can, and then Jaunt away while your turn is recharging to minimize the damage you receive while vulnerable.

And if all else fails, you could try the advice in this guide. I haven't tried it myself, but based on the reviews, it probably works.

Edit: I can now confirm that it does indeed work. It's cheesy as heck, but it works, and is hilarious to see.

[KazaaakPlethKilik]

Mask() or Jaunt() away while hes up. Mask() or Jaunt() in once your Turn() is back up.