Question about Corrupted Church

[Wilku21]

Is this faction actually good or do I suck? For some reason I barely can win any fights. Seriously, every single enemy (okay maybe not all of them) are stronger by 5-10 points than my units. Basically I can't do anything, even with enchants.
Do you guys have tips how I can improve with it?

[di eshor ribly]

The big game changer when I did my Church playthrough came after I unlocked the luxury sins and confessionals. Let your minions drink alcohol and confess for 5.00 experience, then let them lay with concubines/gigolos and get an extra 18.00 experience.

By the end of drinkin' and whorin' your minions (and keeper) have 20.00-23.00+ experience and the boosted stats to match it. They do require some larger bedrooms to compensate though.

While it's been patched since (no permanent stats for feeding your summoned ghoul), I still got up to the final dungeon run with my first six Armed Brothers, no deaths. I don't think I've seen any other faction ever have such consistent combat experience as the Church does.

After the experience manipulation it's just a matter of training and equipping your minions.

[Wilku21]

Originally posted by di eshor ribly:

The big game changer when I did my Church playthrough came after I unlocked the luxury sins and confessionals. Let your minions drink alcohol and confess for 5.00 experience, then let them lay with concubines/gigolos and get an extra 18.00 experience.

By the end of drinkin' and whorin' your minions (and keeper) have 20.00-23.00+ experience and the boosted stats to match it. They do require some larger bedrooms to compensate though.

While it's been patched since (no permanent stats for feeding your summoned ghoul), I still got up to the final dungeon run with my first six Armed Brothers, no deaths. I don't think I've seen any other faction ever have such consistent combat experience as the Church does.

After the experience manipulation it's just a matter of training and equipping your minions.

Thanks for the tips but I can't really get a second upgrade because there;s nothing that my minions can kill. That is what stops me.

[di eshor ribly]

I see, you might have had a poor selection of world generation. When starting up a game make sure there's at least one tribe of weak enemies (like 18 strength zombie pack) to bully.

Between the peasant village and "present threat" of bandits or dark elves on your home map, the weak tribe of target practice fodder, and whatever side villages are on your nearby foes maps should get you to tech level five pretty easily. Sometimes you'll get two tech levels before you leave your home map. Usual hunting tactic: target the sick and weakly until you've sharpened your teeth.

[Wilku21]

Originally posted by di eshor ribly:

I see, you might have had a poor selection of world generation. When starting up a game make sure there's at least one tribe of weak enemies (like 18 strength zombie pack) to bully.

Between the peasant village and "present threat" of bandits or dark elves on your home map, the weak tribe of target practice fodder, and whatever side villages are on your nearby foes maps should get you to tech level five pretty easily. Sometimes you'll get two tech levels before you leave your home map. Usual hunting tactic: target the sick and weakly until you've sharpened your teeth.

I decided to start over and I chose to have at least zombies as fodder, like you said. I will attack them at some point. I managed to get one point for free (cave bear just died lol) and I unlocked Confessionals but I dont know if they're working because only priests are going there and my armed brothers do not.

[di eshor ribly]

The early tech route I would suggest would be Iron Working, Brewing, Confessional 1, and then Confessional 2. You need the brewing station for your priests to make booze at, after drinking (committing a minor sin) they'll go to the confessionals and earn combat experience. Sort of the same deal with Confessional 2, unlock that and hire courtesans and a gigolo.

In my game the Keeper wouldn't touch the courtesans, but he really liked that gigolo. I guess his major sin was homosexuality or something.

It's not exactly a one-tech trick with the Church, but a couple techs layering on each other. You may also decide to skip the regular iron gear and dig down a few levels (like Level 8 with the Zombie Swarmer room) and build a magma forge instead. Fine gear is better than regular stuff.

I played the slow route as well, only accepting Armed Brothers with the +3 melee training trait. I tried to get my priests to have faster casting, but whatever works with them really. I sat back, biding my time training and crafting Fine Iron equipment while the minions got to drinkin' and whorin'. Then, I took my entire fighting force out together: 6 armed bro's and 4 acolytes, plus my Keeper.

I tailored my prayers to the enemies I was going to face based on apparent strength from the world map. If I was fighting venomous enemies like spiders or hydras I'd pop the poison immunity prayer. Harpies and dryads received the Prayer of Ranged Protection. Other melee meat grinding enemies had either defensive or regenerative prayers. Along the way I upgraded my units to adamantine and adoxium equipment.

Then I got bored and started summoning the demons with only the final dungeon and the necromancer retired dungeons left. I discovered the ghoul bug at the time quite by accident since it wasn't behaving like a normal unit would. It wouldn't move or go to it's assigned room, so I moved it into the graveyard (by my main level entrance) to forget about it. Ghouls belong in graveyards, right? Then it began eating and before I knew it I had a 700 something strength ghoul just standing in my now empty morgue.

That ghoul solo'd the final dungeon with minimal injuries. Now the ghoul corpse eating thing only gives a *temporary* buff instead of a permanent one, so... that tactic is out.

Edit: I snagged this one while he was still snacking, before the suicide solo charge. He lost an arm during the assault.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3353889999

[Wilku21]

Second attempt is going better - I killed A LOT of enemies, unlocked Courteasans, Confessionals, Distillery, Farming.
But I wanted to ask about prayers - can I choose which one will be used? I have couple of them, but for some reason my Keeper is only using one - summoning peasants.
And thanks for the tips, now I kinda understand this faction, but I still have a lot to learn.

[di eshor ribly]

Yeah, micromanage the prayer your Keeper has equipped, that's the one they're casting at each sermon. Lock it in place (the little key on the equipment screen next to items) until the effects go off, then switch it back to whatever you want.

Edit: Almost was rude and forgot, you're welcome for the advice. We may be overlords of dubious ethics, but we stick together in the pursuit of world conquest.

[Wilku21]

I didn't know you can actually change his prayers, or lock them. Wow, I learnt a lot about this faction thanks to you, man! You helped me a lot!

[SoftMonster]

Originally posted by Wilku21:

Is this faction actually good or do I suck? For some reason I barely can win any fights. Seriously, every single enemy (okay maybe not all of them) are stronger by 5-10 points than my units. Basically I can't do anything, even with enchants.
Do you guys have tips how I can improve with it?

Every faction plays differently. It is meant to have its own twists and quirks.

[Wilku21]

Originally posted by SoftMonster:

Originally posted by Wilku21:

Is this faction actually good or do I suck? For some reason I barely can win any fights. Seriously, every single enemy (okay maybe not all of them) are stronger by 5-10 points than my units. Basically I can't do anything, even with enchants.
Do you guys have tips how I can improve with it?

Every faction plays differently. It is meant to have its own twists and quirks.

Maybe that's why I had problems - I tried playing it like a typical, evil faction. It didnt worked.

[Slayer]

Originally posted by di eshor ribly:

The early tech route I would suggest would be Iron Working, Brewing, Confessional 1, and then Confessional 2. You need the brewing station for your priests to make booze at, after drinking (committing a minor sin) they'll go to the confessionals and earn combat experience. Sort of the same deal with Confessional 2, unlock that and hire courtesans and a gigolo.

In my game the Keeper wouldn't touch the courtesans, but he really liked that gigolo. I guess his major sin was homosexuality or something.

It's not exactly a one-tech trick with the Church, but a couple techs layering on each other. You may also decide to skip the regular iron gear and dig down a few levels (like Level 8 with the Zombie Swarmer room) and build a magma forge instead. Fine gear is better than regular stuff.

I played the slow route as well, only accepting Armed Brothers with the +3 melee training trait. I tried to get my priests to have faster casting, but whatever works with them really. I sat back, biding my time training and crafting Fine Iron equipment while the minions got to drinkin' and whorin'. Then, I took my entire fighting force out together: 6 armed bro's and 4 acolytes, plus my Keeper.

I tailored my prayers to the enemies I was going to face based on apparent strength from the world map. If I was fighting venomous enemies like spiders or hydras I'd pop the poison immunity prayer. Harpies and dryads received the Prayer of Ranged Protection. Other melee meat grinding enemies had either defensive or regenerative prayers. Along the way I upgraded my units to adamantine and adoxium equipment.

Then I got bored and started summoning the demons with only the final dungeon and the necromancer retired dungeons left. I discovered the ghoul bug at the time quite by accident since it wasn't behaving like a normal unit would. It wouldn't move or go to it's assigned room, so I moved it into the graveyard (by my main level entrance) to forget about it. Ghouls belong in graveyards, right? Then it began eating and before I knew it I had a 700 something strength ghoul just standing in my now empty morgue.

That ghoul solo'd the final dungeon with minimal injuries. Now the ghoul corpse eating thing only gives a *temporary* buff instead of a permanent one, so... that tactic is out.

Edit: I snagged this one while he was still snacking, before the suicide solo charge. He lost an arm during the assault.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3353889999

Question. are armed brothers exclusive to male leaders? iv never had a single one come up in my recruitment pool (mainly get warrior nuns , priests , artisans and the 2 sin makers) . im playing as the mother and not the pope which makes me wonder this?

[Wilku21]

Originally posted by Slayer:

Originally posted by di eshor ribly:

The early tech route I would suggest would be Iron Working, Brewing, Confessional 1, and then Confessional 2. You need the brewing station for your priests to make booze at, after drinking (committing a minor sin) they'll go to the confessionals and earn combat experience. Sort of the same deal with Confessional 2, unlock that and hire courtesans and a gigolo.

In my game the Keeper wouldn't touch the courtesans, but he really liked that gigolo. I guess his major sin was homosexuality or something.

It's not exactly a one-tech trick with the Church, but a couple techs layering on each other. You may also decide to skip the regular iron gear and dig down a few levels (like Level 8 with the Zombie Swarmer room) and build a magma forge instead. Fine gear is better than regular stuff.

I played the slow route as well, only accepting Armed Brothers with the +3 melee training trait. I tried to get my priests to have faster casting, but whatever works with them really. I sat back, biding my time training and crafting Fine Iron equipment while the minions got to drinkin' and whorin'. Then, I took my entire fighting force out together: 6 armed bro's and 4 acolytes, plus my Keeper.

I tailored my prayers to the enemies I was going to face based on apparent strength from the world map. If I was fighting venomous enemies like spiders or hydras I'd pop the poison immunity prayer. Harpies and dryads received the Prayer of Ranged Protection. Other melee meat grinding enemies had either defensive or regenerative prayers. Along the way I upgraded my units to adamantine and adoxium equipment.

Then I got bored and started summoning the demons with only the final dungeon and the necromancer retired dungeons left. I discovered the ghoul bug at the time quite by accident since it wasn't behaving like a normal unit would. It wouldn't move or go to it's assigned room, so I moved it into the graveyard (by my main level entrance) to forget about it. Ghouls belong in graveyards, right? Then it began eating and before I knew it I had a 700 something strength ghoul just standing in my now empty morgue.

That ghoul solo'd the final dungeon with minimal injuries. Now the ghoul corpse eating thing only gives a *temporary* buff instead of a permanent one, so... that tactic is out.

Edit: I snagged this one while he was still snacking, before the suicide solo charge. He lost an arm during the assault.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3353889999

Question. are armed brothers exclusive to male leaders? iv never had a single one come up in my recruitment pool (mainly get warrior nuns , priests , artisans and the 2 sin makers) . im playing as the mother and not the pope which makes me wonder this?

When I played as bishop I got only Armed Brothers, not Warrior Nuns. So I guess both leaders have different melee units.

[Slayer]

Originally posted by Wilku21:

Originally posted by Slayer:

Question. are armed brothers exclusive to male leaders? iv never had a single one come up in my recruitment pool (mainly get warrior nuns , priests , artisans and the 2 sin makers) . im playing as the mother and not the pope which makes me wonder this?

When I played as bishop I got only Armed Brothers, not Warrior Nuns. So I guess both leaders have different melee units.

it seems that way. i managed to summon armed brothers but only via the tome as a mother as temporary help. i checked in the beastery and it seems both armed brothers and warrior nuns are identical in stats and abilities so its more of a visual thing i guess to go with the pope having armed brothers as protection and the Mother having her Sisters makes alot of sense

[Wilku21]

Originally posted by Slayer:

Originally posted by Wilku21:

When I played as bishop I got only Armed Brothers, not Warrior Nuns. So I guess both leaders have different melee units.

it seems that way. i managed to summon armed brothers but only via the tome as a mother as temporary help. i checked in the beastery and it seems both armed brothers and warrior nuns are identical in stats and abilities so its more of a visual thing i guess to go with the pope having armed brothers as protection and the Mother having her Sisters makes alot of sense

I think you're right, they're just different skins or sprites. Male leader got male warriors, and female leader got female warriors. Make sense.

[Stellar]

I still do not understand what the courtesan does or what sinning does. Do they get xp in the confession booth?

What is the good of using the whipping post?