A Necromancer's Handbook

A compilation of personal notes, recipes, and overly-complicated plans for world domination and spiritual enslavement for Iratus: Lord of the Dead.
Ah am using the Wrath of the Necromancer and Supporter Pack DLC.

So ye want to be a Necromancer...

Hello! It is Ah, Angraug, yer friendly neighborhood Abomination butler (or "abutlernation"). Welcome to the Necromancer's Guild. Weh have cookies and painful death (these may or may not be the same thing). Please try the Kool-Aid (c)!

It's a rough life out there - and an even worse death. Use this Necromancer's Handbook to stay ali- er, to keep existing and thrive!

Terminatorology (word-talk ye use for killing things)
Armor = breastplate symbol = damage reduction against physical (red) damage
Resistance = breastplate w/star symbol = damage reduction against magical (blue) damage (for enemies, also damage reduction against Stress [purple] damage)
Block = blue shield symbol = negates all damage and any debuffs from 1 physical damage ability
Ward = purple shield w/star symbol = negates all damage and any debuffs from 1 magical damage ability (or for enemies, from 1 Stress damage ability)

• Ah have not yet found an upper limit on the amount of times Block & Ward can stack on 1 minion

Evasion = the % chance for an ability to completely miss a target. As near as Ah can tell, Evasion is subtracted from Accuracy - so a unit with extremely high Accuracy can still hit even with 100% Evasion (say 150 Accuracy - 100 Evasion = 50% chance to hit). Directly countered by abilities that "do not miss". Evasion works against all kinds of attacks = physical, magical, Stress
Ally = a unit which is friendly to the unit being discussed. This should be qualified with "ally minion" or "ally of [enemy]"

General Tips

• Ye will easily spend at least as much time organizing and preparing for battle as ye do fighting. Get used to equipping items and Artifacts, mixing potions, leveling up minions, and reorganizing yer Battle Squads in between battles.
  
• Make sure Iratus has a Consumable Artifact equipped for every battle. If ye don't need the Consumable for a specific strategy, then use one to give yerself other bonuses like extra parts or experience.
  
• Weirdly, ye get more Wrath from receiving damage than dealing damage. Ye use Wrath to cast minion Ultimate abilities. To generate Ultimate, then, take damage! It's therefore good practice overall to have minions with strong self-heals, high Armor & Resistance, or both!
  
• Don't forget yer most basic combat tools - moving minions left and right, using Alchemy to heal minions and restore Mana, and using Iratus' Wrath- or Mana-based talents.
  
• Abilities that target more than 1 space bypass Redirect powers.
  
• No matter how much ye plan, a lot of the game is still down to gettin' lucky. (No, Bride, that's not what Ah mean. Get that excited look off yer face!) Many tactics only succeed if ye hit the right enemy with the right ability, or that the enemy randomly chooses to attack the right minion. Beware, and be prepared to quickload a LOT of ye're playing on easy or normal difficulty.
  
• If ye are coming up on a quest, try using a squad with 4 different minions, to maximize yer chance of being able to use a minion to solve the quest. Ah would recommend a physical- or magic-damage based squad over a Stress-damage squad, because ye might end up fighting enemies that are immune to Stress.
  
• A lot of yer battle tactics come down to which items ye can equip on which minions, and which Artifacts ye get for Iratus. Adjust accordingly, and see if ye can use Talents or Spells to make up for an item until ye can get the right ones.

Remember: it's reanimate, not reanimate!

Minion Abilities & Stats

Black and yellow striping crosses this book's cover, and its title - "Servants of Evil for the Brainless" - serves as an invitation to all minions who may not have survived into undeath with their skulls intact. Its pages are glossy and slick, probably to make drool and ichor easier to wipe off. Clawed and callused hands have severely frayed the edges of the pages.

This section and related sections have been moved over to meh other Iratus: Lord of the Dead guide, Addendum to A Necromancer's Handbook, found here:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2442878512

Anthropicon Volume I: Mines

A heavy brass-edged tome rests its literal spine on a lectern. You crack open its sallow leathery pages to the inside cover... Iratus was here! is written in blood-red ink. Well, probably ink.
This book is very definitely not a poor copy of the Humonarium tome sitting on Iratus' map table.

Miner = has equal Sanity and Vigor. Ah got that pickaxe stuck in mah gut for a bit; now Ah use it as a toothpick!
Conscript = has more Vigor than Sanity

• Stance: damage random minion on next turn. Interrupted if Conscript moves

Hunky = has more Sanity than Vigor

• -Accuracy debuff

Guard = has more Sanity than Vigor, medium Armor, no Resistance, no Evasion, no Luck

• Defensive Stance stance until battle end, damage minions when minions move
  
• physical attack that damages 1 minion and the minion behind it

Taskmaster = has more Sanity than Vigor

• +Accuracy +Damage buff

Demolition Expert = has more Vigor than Sanity

• Lighten Up! stance: at low Vigor or Sanity, OR if moved to 1st position, destroys self at beginning of Demolition Expert's next turn to damage 2 spaces to the left of Demolition Expert. Can be moved or interrupted strategically. After 6 battle grounds, can explode from any space
  
• magic attack that damages 2 spaces, Demolition Expert moves up 1 space

Mad Mage = higher Vigor than Sanity (figures, don't ye think?), high Resistance, no Evasion, low Luck

• Mad Mages cannot become Insane! (Because theh're already mad, see)
  
• magic attack against 1 minion, Mad Mage retreats 1 space
  
• magic attack that debuffs target for -Accuracy, target knocked back 3 spaces, Mad Mage retreats 1 space
  
• high magic attack that hits ALL spaces, including minions and allies of Mad Mage. Negated by Ward

Ataman = equal Vigor & Sanity, medium Evasion, low Luck, starts battle w/ Block & Ward

• physical attack against 1 minion
  
• magic attack that puts target to sleep (equal to a stun, but damage wakes up the target & allows it to act on its next turn)
  
• Sacrifice attack, kills an ally of Ataman who is at low Vigor or Sanity, then fully heals Vigor & Sanity of the Ataman, lowers Iratus' Wrath, grants high +Damage buff to self until battle end, AND gain +1 Block and +1 Ward

Headsman = equal Vigor & Sanity, comparatively low Accuracy, medium Luck, starts battle with Block & Ward

• Measure the Strength buff, +Attack and +Critical damage on self
  
• Headsman's Mark debuff, target receives more damage & enemies attack the target more often, pulls target minion to the front
  
• physical attack that deals 250% more damage to targets marked with Headsman's Mark debuff

Ogre = has more Vigor than Sanity, no Armor, no Resistance, no Evasion

• War Cry buff, +Damage, +Accuracy, +Luck, +Critical Damage
  
• physical attack that moves Ogre up 1 space
  
• physical attack that stuns target; can only be used from 1st position
  Stone Golem = has NO Sanity, immune to Stress attacks and Ignition debuff. Redirects 50% of single-target attacks to self
  
  • +Accuracy buff on self
  Doomsayer = has more Sanity than Vigor, starts battle with Block & Ward
  
  • The End is Near stance = on start of next turn, deals high magic damage to all other spaces, including allies of Doomsayer; receives +1 Block and +1 Ward
    
  • Repent or Die! mark, deals high Stress damage to ally of Doomsayer, but when marked ally dies, heals all other allies of marked target for high Vigor & high Sanity
    
  • debuff, marks target for GUARANTEED CRITICAL DAMAGE if hit, and enemies attack target more often

Anthropicon Volume II: Dwarven Tunnels

This volume was apparently penned by one "Snyahgbyorg the Deep", though it's hard to tell under the rock-dust and soot. It's a well-beaten tome, and you can easily imagine it being used to prop up some dwarf's table for years before it fell into Iratus' clutches. As you crack it open for the first time, the strong scent of old beer wafts into the air.

Dwarven Warrior = equal Sanity and Vigor, decent Armor & Resistance

• physical attack for low damage
  
• high-damage physical attack that deals more damage the greater Armor & Resistance the TARGET has; removes all Armor & Resistance from the Dwarven Warrior
  
• Shields Up buff, +Armor and +Resistance for the Dwarven Warrior, Dwarven Warrior moves up 2 spaces (used often if the Dwarven Warrior is in the back spaces)

Berserker = has more Sanity than Vigor, high damage, high Luck, DEALS MORE DAMAGE the lower hehs Sanity!!

• Always goes Berserk when driven Insane (natch). Ah think it's trying to compensate for something.
  
• high-damage Physical attack that attacks 2x. Also buffs self for +Luck, +Armor, +Resistance
  
• single-target Physical attack that buffs self for +Attack, but -Armor and -Resistance
  
• high Physical damage attack against 3 random targets, including allies of the Berserker

Treasurer = higher Vigor than Sanity, high Luck, starts battle with high Block & Ward

• Motivate buff, +Luck, +Accuracy for all allies
  
• -Luck, -Accuracy for all hit minions
  
• +3 Block, +3 Ward at battle start
  
• Magic damage attack

Alchemist = higher Sanity than Vigor, high Luck

• AoE magic damage attack w/rearrange
  
• AoE attack that lowers Armor & Resistance
  
• Bolstering Vapor buff, ally gets +1 Block, +1 Ward, and +50% damage

Trader = higher Vigor than Sanity, VERY high evasion, medium Luck

• No Slacking! stance: when ally of Trader takes damage, remove debuffs, heal some Sanity, and buff Initiative of the ally until battle end
  
• small magic damage AoE that attacks all minions
  
• Do Your Job! buff, ally gets +1 Block, +1 Ward, and +Attack

Heavy Firethrower = has equal Vigor and Sanity, no Evasion, low Luck, extremely high Armor, medium Resistance
DO NOT let Heavy Firethrowers get to space #1! Avoiding the ignition damage theh deal is worth the effort to keep thehm away!

• AoE magic damage that attacks all minions, can Ignite minions, only uses this ability when in 1st space
  
• Turtle Advance buff, gives +Armor and +Resistance to self, moves up 1 space

Hammerer = higher Vigor than Sanity, medium Armor, medium Resistance, no Evasion, low Luck, starts battle with high Block & high Ward

• 50% chance to redirect attack against an ally 1 space behind the Hammerer to the Hammerer
  
• medium-damage physical attack that knocks target back 1 space & moves Hammerer up 1 space
  
• Galvanic Strike stance, on next turn, deals high magic damage with a 20% chance to stun each target
  
• Regeneration buff, heals 20% of maximum Vigor per turn for 2 turns

Automaton = CONSTRUCT, NO SANITY, immune to Ignition, large unit, high Armor, high Resistance, high Accuracy, no Evasion, no Luck

• explodes on turn start if it has 10% or less Vigor left, dealing medium magic damage to all minions
  
• attacks 4 times for low physical damage
  
• sets a trap that explodes for VERY HIGH magic damage at either the start of the minion's following turn, or the Automaton's following turn
  
• magic attack that hits 3 spaces, Ignites targets for 3 turns

Oracle = equal Vigor & Sanity, no Evasion, no Luck, starts battle with Block & Ward

• Defense Predict buff, adds +1 Block & +1 Ward to self and all allies
  
• mark debuff, target receives double damage & is attacked more often
  
• Regeneration buff, ally of Oracle heals 15% Vigor per turn

Musketeer = no Armor, no Resistance, high Evasion, medium Luck

• Baleful Eye mark, target receives double damage from any Musketeer, target loses ALL INITIATIVE AND ALL EVASION, debuff removed if target moves
  
• high-damage physical attack against any single minion space
  
• debuff, strikes all minions for -Accuracy, negated by Ward

Geomancer = no Armor, no Resistance, no Evasion, medium Luck, starts battle with Block & Ward

• Stoneskin buff, +low Armor and +low Resistance, moves target up 1 space
  
• low-damage magic attack that randomly shuffles all minion spaces
  
• physical attack 3x, target loses -low Armor and -low Resistance for each successful hit

Anthropicon Volume III: Mercenary Barracks

This leather-bound book is gilt with brass and cheap colored glass - obviously someone skimped on the production value. It contains diagrams of combat maneuvers and standard formations of mercenary companies employed by the Order. Someone has written a nasty but extremely witty limerick on the title page.

Bard = higher Sanity than Vigor, no Evasion, no Luck, starts battle with Block & Ward

• Heroism buff, heals Vigor and Sanity and grants major +Damage
  
• can remove all debuffs from allies of Bard
  
• if in 1st position, has an AoE sleep/stun ability
  
• always goes Insane with Cowardice

Rogue = higher Vigor than Sanity, no Armor, no Resistance, high Evasion, medium to high Luck

• deals more damage the more Vigor the target has missing
  
• Sneak stance, buffs self for high +Evasion, deals high damage physical attack to a random minion when an ally misses with thehr attack, interrupted by movement (y'know, if ye can hit the bugger)
  
• physical attack against 1 minion
  
• low-damage physical attack x2 against one minion, pulls minion 2 spaces closer

(Dual-Wielding) Elven Ranger (your enemies are not above massive archetypes, that is why they must be crushed) = equal Vigor and Sanity, extremely high Evasion, medium Luck

• a damage-dealer & Evasion tank. Use attacks that don't miss, such as the Shade's Gloom Claws
  
• high-damage single target attack
  
• has a Mark ability that causes attacks to ignore Block, Ward, Armor, and Resistance
  
• AoE magic damage ability that strikes all minions

Swordsman = higher Sanity than Vigor, medium Damage, high Evasion, very high Luck

• buffs Accuracy & critical damage when missing an attack

Crossbowman = higher Sanity than Vigor, medium Armor, no Evasion, low-medium Luck

• single-target, high-damage attack
  
• magic damage AoE that strikes all minions

Scout = equal Vigor and Sanity, high Physical Damage, high Accuracy, medium Luck, no Evasion, starts battle with Block & Ward

• physical attack against 1 minion
  
• trap that deals magic damage & Scout moves to mirror opposite position of where trap was placed (i.e., if trap is placed on your 4th slot at the back, the Scout moves to her 4th slot at the back of her lineup)
  
• stance, on start of next turn, deals EXTREMELY HIGH physical damage to marked space, stance can be interrupted by moving the Scout
  
• every time Scout moves, she gains a +Accuracy and +Damage buff

Barbarian = higher Vigor than Sanity, medium Luck, no Evasion

• stun attack that hits first 2 spaces
  
• +damage buff for self
  
• attack that hits 2 spaces

Gargoyle = CONSTRUCT, IMMUNE TO STRESS AND IGNITION, high Armor & Resistance, no Evasion, no Luck, starts battle with Block

• high-damage physical attack, debuffs target by removing all Armor until battle end
  
• low-damage physical attack that strikes all minions
  
• Petrify stance, high +Armor and high +Resistance until stance ends, 50% chance to redirect attack from ally behind Gargoyle to Gargoyle, heals Gargoyle for a significant amount of Vigor, STANCE CANNOT BE CANCELED

Fallen Knight = high Armor, medium Resistance, comparatively low Accuracy, no Evasion, low Luck, starts battle with Block & Ward

• physical attack that strikes first 2 spaces, knocks each target back 1 space
  
• medium magic attack that strikes all spaces
  
• Concentration buff, high +Armor and high +Resistance
  
• 50% chance to redirect any single-target attack behind Fallen Knight to the Fallen Knight
  
• receives a +Damage buff every time Fallen Knight receives damage (Physical, Magical, or Stress damage)

Shield Maiden = high Armor & Resistance, no Evasion, no Luck, starts battle with Block & Ward

• Protect stance, until battle end, 100% chance to redirect attack from marked ally of Shield Maiden to Shield Maiden, high +Armor and high +Resistance, interrupted by movement
  
• low-damage physical attack against 1 minion
  
• negligible physical attack that can stun 1 target (and interrupts Stances), Shield Maiden moves up 2 spaces[/list[

Anthropicon Volume IV: Catacombs

The demon-faced lock that protected this book is broken and bent, and now its fine parchment pages lie open to you. Writings of arcane significance fill it to the brim, imparting the wisdom of learned masters and the coveted secrets of centuries. It is yours to plunder.

Stress damage seems to be very effective against enemies in the Catacombs.

Spellthief = has equal Vigor and Sanity (comparatively low on both), medium to high Luck, low Evasion, high Resistance

Spellthiefs... spellthieves... spellthieveseses!

• Arcane Theft, attack that STEALS IRATUS' MANA AND SPELLPOWER!! Ah do not believe this attack can miss! When the Spell Thief dies, the spellpower is restored (but not the Mana)
  
• magic damage attack that removes Block & Ward
  
• basic stabby-stabby physical damage attack
  
• the only real threat Spellthieves pose is to yer mana pool

Living Armor = high Vigor, CONSTRUCT, no Sanity!, very high Armor, no Evasion, no Luck, medium damage, starts battle with Block and Ward

• 2 basic physical attacks, one of which moves the Living Armor up 1 space

Warden = equal Vigor and Sanity, high Armor & Resistance, no Evasion, no Luck, IMMUNE TO DEBUFFS

• physical attack that damages 2 minions in a line
  
• Ready stance, UNTIL BATTLE END, highly reduces damage, high chance to redirect attacks to self, interrupted by movement

Shadow Elf = equal Vigor & Sanity, no Armor, high Resistance, high Evasion, medium Luck, starts battle with Block & Ward

• heals Vigor on self for 25% of damage done
  
• buffs ally of Shadow Elf, ally will heal Vigor for 100% of damage done by ally

Sorceress = higher Vigor than Sanity, VERY high damage, no Evasion, no Luck, starts battle with Block and Ward

• has an AoE Vigor heal that affects all allies of Sorceress
  
• heals Vigor & removes debuffs from 1 ally
  
• Dangerous Waters, +damage buff for all allies of Sorceress

Conjuress = higher Sanity than Vigor, high Damage, high Luck

• 3 Ward at battle start
  
• if in 1st or 2nd spot, can place 2 traps that switches minions in traps around randomly
  
• magic damage attack that causes Ignition
  
• AoE magic damage attack that strikes all minions and has medium chance to stun any given minion

Blademistress = higher Vigor than Sanity, high Damage, high Accuracy, no Evasion, extremely high Luck, starts battle with Block & Ward

• magic attack that damages 2 random (?) minions
  
• Execute stance, deals TREMENDOUS magic damage to 1 random minion in the 1st or 2nd space, can be interrupted by moving the Blademistress

Golden Golem = CONSTRUCT, NO SANITY, immune to Ignition, no Armor, extremely high Resistance

• physical damage attack that removes buffs
  
• buffs self until battle end with attack, Luck, and Block & Ward
  
• debuffs minions in 2 spaces with -Attack, -Dread, and removes buffs

Wurm = large enemy, high Vigor, IMMUNE TO STRESS, no Armor, extremely high Resistance, starts battle with Block & Ward

• 2-space magic damage attack that causes Ignition
  
• debuff that removes all buffs and removes ALL Armor and Resistance
  
• magic damage attack that pulls target to 1st space and debuffs Accuracy, Attack, and Dread

Storm Caller = higher Vigor than Sanity, starts battle with Block & Ward, high Evasion, high Luck

• +Initiative buff on self when using an ability
  
• buffs allies with Mark that deals damage to minions when attacking Marked enemy

Failed Experiment = higher Vigor than Sanity, high Armor & Resistance, high Luck, low Accuracy

• low-accuracy but high-damage physical attack
  
• Deafening Bellow buff, powerful Vigor & Sanity self-heal that gives +Luck and +Critical damage
  
• SELF-DESTRUCTS for high magical damage at 25% or less Vigor

Anthropicon Volume V: Cathedral

Before you is a copy of the Order's most holy book - blood stains its pages, and it smells of smoke and incense. One authoritative hand has written every page, strangling the margins with cluttered notes and half-rabid dogma. Your eyes ache after only a few minutes of reading.

Physical damage seems to be very effective against enemies in the Cathedral.

Paladin = higher Vigor than Sanity, high Armor & Resistance, no Evasion, very low Luck

• physical attack that stuns 1 target
  
• Exile, magic attack that hits 2 spaces and debuffs -40% Damage
  
• Holy Aegis stance, damages minion when minion deals Stress damage to ally of Paladin. Interrupted by moving

Champion = higher Vigor than Sanity, high Evasion, very high Luck

• physical attack that damages 2 random minions in the first 3 spaces
  
• Champion Strike, physical attack that debuffs target for -Armor and -Resistance
  
• Rage self buff, +Damage done, -Damage taken, heals for 50% of max Vigor and 50% of max Sanity

Priestess = equal Vigor and Sanity, no Evasion, low Luck

• massive AoE Vigor & Sanity heal of all allies of Priestess
  
• Prayer for Salvation stance that massively heals 1 ally of Priestess, removes debuffs, and gives Block and Ward per debuff removed. Interrupted by moving
  
• magic AoE attack that damages 2 spaces & causes Ignition

Knight = higher Sanity than Vigor, high Armor, medium Luck

• physical attack that damages the first 2 spaces
  
• physical damage attack that stuns the target and restores Vigor & Sanity for the Knight
  
• buffs 2 Block on self & moves up 2 spaces

Mercenary Captain = higher Vigor than Sanity, high Armor, medium Evasion, medium Luck

• physical attack
  
• debuffs 1 minion with -Attack, -Dread, -Luck, -Accuracy, -Evasion, and randomly moves the minion
  
• ignites a minion hit with the debuff
  
• Drink Tonic buff for next attack; next attack will be an automatic critical hit and heal Vigor & Sanity for damage done

Standard Bearer = equal Vigor and Sanity, medium Armor, low Luck, starts battle with Block & Ward

• magic attack & debuff that hits all minions with -Accuracy and -Evasion
  
• buffs an ally with +1 Ward and high +Damage, and heals for high Sanity
  
• physical attack and the Standard Bearer falls back 1 space

Cavalryman = higher Sanity than Vigor, high Armor, medium Luck, ACTS TWICE IN A TURN

• low physical damage attack that moves up the Cavalryman up 2 spaces
  
• For the Order! buff, all allies of Cavalryman +Accuracy
  
• physical attack that knocks back 1 minion 3 spaces

Royal Gunner = more Vigor than Sanity, TRULY RIDICULOUSLY HIGH ACCURACY, very high Evasion, high Luck, +Damage and +Luck buff EVERY TURN

• Sniper Stance, deals high physical attack after every minion's turn, interrupted by moving
  
• Reload buff, +Critical Damage until battle end, +1 Block and +1 Ward, Royal Gunner moves back 2 spaces (most often used if Royal Gunner is in 1st or 2nd position)

Zombies make good counters to Royal Gunners, because neither the More Powder nor the Bombardment (setting up or launching the attack) abilities trigger counterattacks from Sniper Stance.
Inquisitor = higher Sanity than Vigor, high Resistance, low Luck

• magic attack x2
  
• debuff that removes buffs from minion, deals magic damage per buff removed, and restores Vigor & Sanity to Inquisitor per buff removed
  
• Hand of Righteousness: trap that Ignites a minion for comparatively high magic damage

Zealot = equal Sanity and Vigor, very high Luck, starts battle with Block & Ward

• trap that makes enemies attack minion more often for medium extra damage
  
• ally of Zealot becomes immune to damage & debuffs for 1 turn
  
• magic attack that strikes all minions

Light Elemental = extremely high Resistance, no Evasion, no Luck, starts battle with Block & Ward

• magic attack against 1 minion
  
• Shining stance, until battle end, on Light Elemental's turn, all allies of Light Elemental gain +2 Block and +2 Ward
  
• "buff", used at low Vigor, the Light Elemental resurrects itself at full Vigor after being destroyed

Anthropicon Volume VI: Cemetery (Wrath of the Necromancer DLC)

This book rests within a granite box, weathered by time and rain. Its title is half-eroded and difficult to make out, and its leather cover is as cracked and dry as ghoul skin. The pages rustle when you are not looking, like lonely leaves blowing through a graveyard.

Healer = more Sanity than Vigor, starts battle with strong Block and strong Ward, low Luck

• has an extremely powerful Vigor & Sanity regeneration buff
  
• buffs ally for +Damage done and -Damage received
  
• magic attack that removes buffs from minion
  
• when killed, heals Vigor & Sanity to all remaining allies of Healer

Hoplite = higher Vigor than Sanity, extremely high Armor, no Resistance, no Evasion, medium Luck

• physical attack that damages minions in first 2 spaces
  
• physical attack that knocks a minion back 1 space
  
• stance, redirects attacks against ally directly behind Hoplite to Hoplite
  
• Battle Rage buff, +Damage done, -Damage received, and gives self +1 Block and +1 Ward
  
• when killed, gives "Hoplite Support" buff that reduces damage allies take by 10%

Amazon = higher Vigor than Sanity, very high Accuracy, medium Evasion, very high Luck, starts battle with Block & Ward

• magic attack that Ignites 1 minion
  
• stance, deals high physical damage to ALL minions, Amazon gets +1 Block, +1 Ward
  
• Pull the Bowstring stance until battle end, deal high physical damage to a minion whenever minion moves
  
• when dying, +Accuracy buff for allies of Amazon

Viking = equal Vigor & Sanity, high Armor, high Evasion, very high Luck

• AoE debuff that strikes all minions with -Attack and -Dreadd
  
• debuff that takes away all minion armor until battle end
  
• physical attack that pulls minion to the 1st space, negated by Block
  
• when killed, gives allies +10% damage

Adept = more Vigor than Sanity, high Resistance, high Accuracy, medium Luck

• magic attack that removes all Resistance from target until battle end
  
• stance that deals magic damage to all minions on the following turn. Adept gains +1 Block and +1 Ward
  
• trap, stuns minion in the space and deals light magic damage
  
• moves all minions to random spaces, this ability IGNORES WARD
  
• when killed, deals magic damage to all minions

Monk = (comparatively low) equal Vigor & Sanity, high Accuracy, extremely high Evasion, no Luck, starts battle with Block & Ward, ALL ABILITIES IGNORE Armor, Resistance, Block, Ward

• physical damage single target attack
  
• AWFUL debuff: when the debuffed minion receives damage, it takes additional damage equal to 20% of its maximum Vigor, AND removes buffs from target, AND target loses all Blocks & Wards
  
• self-buff, gain massive +Evasion, +Luck, +Initiative, and +1 Block & +1 Ward
  
• when killed, removes all buffs from yer minions

Plague Doctor = more Sanity than Vigor, medium Armor & Resistance, medium Evasion, medium Luck, starts battle with Block & Ward

• magic attack that damages 2 spaces
  
• traps his allies, destroys traps placed by Iratus, and grants +2 Block & +2 Ward to ally of Plague Doctor
  
• after getting 3 charges of Purification, 100% heals Vigor & Sanity of allies, removes debuffs from allis
  
• when killed, removes all debuffs from allies

Ronin = equal Vigor & Sanity, medium Evasion (buffs to EXTREMELY HIGH Evasion in Bushido Stance), high Luck, starts battle w/ Block & Ward

• physical attack
  
• physical attack that strikes all minions
  
• Bushido Stance until the end of battle, attacks minion when attacked or hit with an ability for VERY high damage; buffs self for EXTREMELY high Evasion, interrupted by movement
  
• Sharpen the Blade buff, removes all debuffs from self, restore Vigor & Sanity equal to damage dealt for 4 turns
  
• when killed, gives "Ronin Support" buff, +Evasion to all allies of Ronin

Justice = CONSTRUCT, NO SANITY, no Armor, high Resistance, high Accuracy, no Evasion, high Luck, starts battle with Block & Ward, IMMUNE TO DEBUFFS

• physical attack that stuns target for 1 turn
  
• buff, +1 Block, +1 Ward, and +high Armor and +high Resistance for 2 turns
  
• Ancient Punishment buff, +1 Block & +1 Ward, target deals double damage for 2 turns
  
• when killed, grants +1 Block and +1 Ward to all allies of Justice

Bosses - Mines

Remember - bosses reset back to full Vigor, Sanity, and stages if ye leave the battle!

Mines - KEYMASTER

• Comparatively low Accuracy, low Luck, no Evasion
  
• Has higher Sanity than Vigor
  
• Gives +Attack buff to all his allies
  
• Attack that strikes all minions
  
• CAN summon additional enemies
  
• Freedom Chimes, summons 1 additional enemy

Ah defeated the Keymaster in one go (on Hard difficulty) with a heavy Stress-damage team of 4 Wraith 3 Shade 2 Mummy 1 Abomination. Ah wiped out all the Keymaster's summoned helpers, and the Keymaster did not summon more before heh died. Heh didn't really have any special tricks left once hehs minions were gone, though the +Damage buff heh gave was troubling while theh were alive. Ah focused hehs Sanity down, and heh was dead after 9 turns.

Mines - MISTRESS

• For her glory! buff, +high Accuracy, +high Luck, +Damage
  
• physical attack & Mistress moves to a random position
  
• large +Vigor and +Sanity heal on ally of Mistress

The most dangerous thing about the Mistress is that if sheh is attacked, all hehr allies will attack the minion that hurt thehr Mistress. Even damage from debuffs like Black Widow's Spider Venom feature counts as an attack!! Solution: Eliminate all the other enemies before focusing down the Mistress. If ye get lucky playing around with Stress, an enemy might get Betrayal through Insanity, and attack the Mistress for ye. Ye can target the Mistress with spells & potions without any counterattacks. (Who are theh going to hit? Iratus? HAHAHAHAHA!)
Kill the Mistress last - if sheh dies, sheh applies a buff to all remaining (non-summoned!) allies, increasing thehr damage done by 250% until killed!
A way to remove buffs from enemies is also helpful.
Counsel: Ye're looking for minions with high-damage single-target abilities, such as:

• Bride of Iratus (Physical)
  
• Head Hunter (Physical)
  
• Lich (Magical)
  
• Wraith (Stress)

Ye can also use minions with reactive stances, such as Shade or Abomination, which do not count as "attacks".
For once, Ah do NOT recommend using Black Widow, because when hehr Spider Venom feature strikes, it counts as an attack, and will trigger counterattacks from all allies of the Mistress!!
The Mistress has comparatively very low hitpoints & Sanity, so one really good, really solid critical hit might one-shot hehr. Ye might bring a Bride of Iratus (and try to keep hehr alive), build hehr up with Think of Him for a few rounds, then use the Fortune spell to guarantee a critical hit on the Mistress. HOWEVER, the Mistress' allies stick around after sheh's dead, and will launch counterattacks. Ah overall do not recommend this tactic, though, thanks to the Mistress' feature (shown above).

Bosses - Dwarven Tunnels

Remember - bosses reset back to full Vigor, Sanity, and stages if ye leave the battle!

Dwarven Tunnels - STEAM MACHINES MKII AND MKIII

• Bring minions which have good Armor and Resistance, to block damage from the repeated attacks of the Steam Machines.
  
• The Steam machines share Health and Sanity, so focus yer attacks on the Steam Machine which has less resistance to yer chosen attack. The Gold Steam Machine has Armor, and the Silver Steam Machine has Resistance.
  
• Upgrade buff, one Machine grants the other Machine +30% damage until battle end, and heals for a little bit of Vigor & Sanity

Interestingly, the Black Widow's Spider Cocoon ability triggers after each action Steam Machines take on each of thehr turns - meaning the Black Widow can heal up to 9x before hehr next turn (3 from Steam Machine MKII, 3 from MKIII, and 1 each from 3 ally minions).

Dwarven Tunnels - INVENTOR
Inventor = 999 Armor and Resistance as long as a Defensive Pylon is active, comparatively low Accuracy, no Evasion, medium Luck, starts battle with Block & Ward

• can repair a pylon for 100 Vigor
  
• low-damage magic attack that strikes all minion spaces
  
• summons replacements for ANY AND ALL missing Pylons at the end of each round
  
• 999 Armor & Resistance are vulnerable to Fallen Dhampir's Sundering Squall and Pain Blast Ultimates (respectively), but Defensive Pylon can remove the Ultimate debuff, thus restoring the 999 Armor & Resistance
  
• True damage (such as caused by Ignition) is effective because it ignores Armor & Resistance. Minions that Ignite include Bride of Iratus, Blood Phantasm, and Lich. The Ashes of a Burned Witch minion item also causes Ignition. Blood Phantasm has the added bonus of often being hit with Inventor's basic AoE, so if ye put it in Transfusion stance, it will heal the rest of yer minions
  
• AoEs are decently effective, because theh will strip Block & Ward, and killing off Pylons en masse is a viable strategy

Defensive Pylon = low Armor & low Resistance, no Evasion, no Luck, starts battle with Block & Ward

• heals Inventor for Vigor & Sanity
  
• removes debuffs from Inventor

Supportive Pylon = no Armor, no Resistance, no Evasion, no Luck

• Upgrade buff, +Damage and +1 Block & +1 Ward for Inventor
  
• stun burst against 1 minion

Offensive Pylon = no Armor, no Resistance, no Evasion, no Luck

• magic attack against 1 minion
  
• low-damage magic attack against all minions

Bosses - Mercenary Barracks

Remember - bosses reset back to full Vigor, Sanity, and stages if ye leave the battle!

Mercenary Barracks - BOUNTY HUNTER

• Loose the Hounds debuff that causes extra damage to be done to the minion
  
• Bark Commands mark, increases chance the minion will be attacked (what Ah refer to as the "bonk power")
  
• has an AoE physical damage attack that hits all minions
  
• has high Accuracy - counters minion high Evasion
  
• bring good self-healing minions or those with high Armor and Resistance (or VERY high Evasion)

Mercenary Barracks - MONSTER SLAYER
Equal Vigor & Sanity, high Damage, high Accuracy, medium-high Evasion, medium-high Luck, starts battle with Block & Ward

• Attacks twice with every attack, and interrupts stances
  
• RED Oil the Blade buff, heal Vigor & Sanity equal to 100% of damage done. CANNOT BE REMOVED
  
• BLUE Oil the Blade buff, hits remove all buffs from the target
  GREEN Oil the Blade buff, attacks ignore Armor, Resistance, Block, and Ward
  
• Antimagic Bomb debuff that deals magic damage, -25% magic damage done by target
  
• Sign of Power debuff, -25% stress damage done by target, CAN STACK
  
• Slaying Strike, physical attack against 2 minions in a line
  
• Source Stones = immune to debuffs, theh take damage but cannot be destroyed
  
• Source of Vigor
  
  
• Source of Magic
  
  
• Source of Wrath
  

Use high-damage AoEs to trigger the Sources and regain Wrath, Mana, and Vigor for yer minions. Use single-target high-damage abilities on the Source of Vigor to powerfully heal yer minions. Wraiths and Brides of Iratus are good for high-damage AoEs, if ye can keep thehm alive (maybe with Block & Ward)(maybe).
Shades are good to keep themselves healed while dealing Stress damage, thanks to thehr Pain Reflection stance.
Ah eventually beat the bugger by grinding down hehs Sanity with 2 Shades (in Pain Reflection Stance), a Wraith, and an Abomination, but Ah lost the Wraith and one Shade.

Bosses - Catacombs

Remember - bosses reset back to full Vigor, Sanity, and stages if ye leave the battle!

Catacombs - MAD SCIENTIST
low Damage, high Armor, high Accuracy, no Evasion, medium Luck, starts battle with high Block & Ward

• 50% chance to redirect an attack to an ally in front of hehm
  
• AoE magic attack that strikes all minions for minor damage & randomly moves all minions
  
• Restoration buff, when using an ability, restores a cumulative +1.5% Vigor & Sanity per turn
  
• Potion of Speed buff, targets an ally for +Accuracy, +Evasion, and +1 action on thehr next turn
  
• Potion of Restoration buff, massively heals ally for Vigor & Health each turn for 2 turns
  
• Holy Potion debuff, very powerful +Luck, Initiative, Accuracy, Armor, Resistance, Evasion
  
• buffs can be removed with abilities such as the Lost Soul's Sudden Reality Ultimate

No real special tricks with this one - the buffs heh gives to hehs allies are more dangerous than the Inventor hehmself. Bring a Battle Squad that can duke it out for a long time, and/or bring a minion that can remove enemy buffs constantly. These minions include:

• Lost Soul (with the Sudden Reality Ultimate)
  
• Mummy (with the Absorb Power ability mod)
  
• Wraith (Necrotic Wind ability, either mod)
  
• Reaper (Drain ability, either mod)

Recommended Artifacts
Ring of Purity - to remove all the Regeneration buffs & get some mana out of it

Catacombs - PYROMANCER

• Ye face high magical Resistance, Ignition, and high AoE damage when facing the Pyromancer.
  
• The Pyromancer has slightly higher Sanity than Vigor. Sheh is immune to stuns.
  
• The Fire Elementals are fairly low-health, so ye hopefully can remove 1 or 2 in the first 2 turns of battle. At the end of thehr 3rd turn, theh will explode for significant true damage. (True damage ignores Armor & Resistance.) This damage can be Blocked, but apparently ALWAYS HITS. The Pyromancer will replace 1 Fire Elemental at the end of each turn as a free action.
  
• Yer best defenses are extremely high Evasion, replaceable Block and Ward, and immunity to Ignition (which is occasionally found as the Burnt Skin or Orb of Negation minion items).
  
• To attempt survivability, ye need TONS of Block & Ward. Bone Golems w/ Bone Ward ability mod, and Zombies w/ Trench Loading ability mod are ideal for this.

The best strategy Ah've used so far is to do as much damage to the Pyromacer as possible, in as short amount a time as possible. Ye can hopefully eliminate some/most/all of the Fire Elementals before theh get a chance to explode, using the Head Hunter's Ultimate.
Battle Squad (in spite of the picture shown above)

• 4 Vampire with Hypnosis ability mod and Berserk ability mod. The Vampire was equipped with the Burnt Skin item.
  
• 3 Head Hunter with either Bounty Ultimate mod. Equipped with Mechanical Eye and Hero's Blood items.
  
• 2 Head Hunter with either Bounty Ultimate mod. Equipped with Mechanical Eye and Hero's Blood items.
  
• 1 Bone Golem with Fitted Armor ability mod. The Bone Golem was equipped with the Stack of Bones unique item and the Orb of Negation.

Ye need something that deals high-damage, has high Resistance, and comes with its own heal? Smells like a job for a Werewolf! The easiest time Ah've had against Pyromancer on More Pain! (normal) difficulty was with the following Battle Squad:

• 4 Unfrozen, built tanky
  
• 3 Skeleton, built tanky
  
• 2 Werewolf, built tanky
  
• 1 Werewolf, built tanky

The Werewolves & Unfrozen deal enough damage to clear at least one Fire Elemental per turn - with thehr high Initiative, theh should all act before the Fire Elementals get a chance to explode. Skellie buffs the Werewolfs with Strength of Mediocrity, and can finish off a Fire Elemental if ye need. Then, ye grind down Pyromancer with a few Ambushes, using Unfrozen's Call of Winter to pull hehr into the right position to die!

Alchemy & Spells

• 3 Cleansing Potions (use to keep minions alive & remove Ignition debuff)
  
• 2 Potions of Vulnerability (use on Pyromancer to maximize damage)
  
• Fate (Magic spell) (use on Head Hunter's Bounty Ultimate)
  
• Rain of Gore (Destruction spell) (use on Pyromancer to maximize damage)
  
• Make sure Iratus has as much Wrath as possible at battle start.
  
• Make sure Iratus has high Mana at battle start, through Calcination under Alchemy.

Artifacts

• Golden Rose (Amulet): Increase minion damage done by 25% for the first 2 turns
  
• Skulltorch (Consumable): Gain 100% Wrath at battle start

In the end, though, Ah still lost 1 Head Hunter (and its equipped items) and sacrificed mah Bone Golem with Self-Destruct (Annihilation System mod).

Boss - Cathedral

Remember - bosses reset back to full Vigor & Sanity if ye leave the battle! The Grand Magister resets to stage 1 of the fight, meaning ye have to defeat hehm and hehs minions all over again!

Cathedral - GRAND MAGISTER
When the Grand Magister dies the first time, heh will reincarnate as the Ascended Magister, with new abilities.
If ye kill the Grand Magister before killing all of hehs allies, heh will reincarnate and heal hehs remaining allies. Heh may summon new allies so heh will start the second phase of the battle with a total of 3 allies. If ye kill the Ascended Magister before killing off all hehs allies, ye will win, because all of hehs allies are summoned units, and do not stay in battle on thehr own.

Stage 1 Abilities

• Physical attack 3x, heals Grand Magisters Vigor and Sanity for 100% of damage done, interrupts stances, -Armor and -Resistance
  
• remove all debuffs from allies of Grand Magister, buffs allies for +25% damage done and -25% damage taken
  
• Order's Sentence stance, deal extremely high Physical damage to marked minion space at the start of Grand Magister's next turn. Can be Blocked or Evaded.

Stage 2 Abilities
Grand Magister's abilities in the second stage are the complementary opposites of hehs abilities in the first stage.

• Magic attack 3x, heals Grand Magister's Vigor & Sanity for 100% of damage done, interrupts stances, debuffs target for -Armor and -Resistance
  
• debuffs, removes all buffs from all minions and inflicts -25% damage done and +25% damage taken. "Removes buffs" still works on potion buffs, even if the target minion has an Orb of Negation!
  
  • this debuff does not remove some minion buffs that last "until the end of combat". This include's Abomination's Break & Swallow buff
• stance, at the start of Grand Magister's next turn, deal damage to all minions based on amount of Wrath; more Wrath = more damage; remove all Wrath (if Iratus has 0 Wrath, this attack does 0 damage)
  
  the attack of this stance can miss!

Tips & Tricks

• Beware of buffs and debuffs! The Grand Magister has a powerful +Damage buff for hehs allies, and a couple serious debuffs. Hehs Priestess ally also causes Ignition, and hehs Mercenary Captain ally has hehs own powerful debuff. Mummies w/ remove buff or debuff, Lost Soul's Ultimate, and Skeletons are a good counter to these.
  
• Ah THINK the Orb of Negation minion item counteracts the Grand Magister's powerful debuff - which removes buffs from yer minions!

Subduing Strike Ability

the more Wrath ye have, the more damage the Grand Magister does with this stance
This stance is interrupted by movement, so minions like Bride of Iratus or Wraith are good counters. To make sure the Grand Magister is always in range of yer stance-interrupting abilities, kill one of hehs minions, so heh can only move back to the 3rd space, not the 4th.

Boss - Cemetery (Wrath of the Necromancer DLC)

Remember - bosses reset back to full Vigor, Sanity, and stages if ye leave the battle!

Cemetery - RISEN HEROES
Basically, every time something happens, the Heroes retaliate for a little bit of damage to either one minion, or several minions. This happens when:

• A minion moves
  
• Iratus casts a spell
  
• A minion attacks the Paladin Hero (who of course has a shield / redirect stance)
  
• A Risen Hero misses an attack

Minions with good Armor & Resistance are the best counter to this, along with a minion who can remove the -Armor and -Resistance debuff inflicted by the Dwarf Hero (ye can use Mummy with the right skill mod for this). Also, any regular healing such as that granted by Blood Phantasm, Enchanted Heart, or vampiric damage can keep yer minions alive through this constant damage.

Paladin Hero

• Grand Defender stance, 100% redirect chance from ally to Paladin, interrupted by movement

Dwarf Hero

• attacks 2x with every attack, attacks ignore Block
  
• +Accuracy buff for allies when Dwarf Hero misses an attack

Elf Hero

Mage Hero

Counsel: Bring a Mummy with the "Absorb Power" ability mod to remove enemy buffs.
Thankfully, at this stage in the game, these Heroes deal comparatively low damage - theh just deal it constantly. High Armor and Resistance will serve ye well enough, as long as ye have a way to deal damage back out to the Heroes.
It is possible to destroy the Heroes by destroying either thehr Vigor or thehr Sanity. Since theh share both attributes, AoE damage is decently effective. With a Stress Over Time (SOT) damage power like the Mummy's Hex Beam, it is possible to get greater returns, since theh will be hit by damage on each of thehr turns.
Eventually, the Paladin Hero will enter hehs Redirect stance, meaning that ALL attacks will hit hehm. The counter to this? Tag 'ehm with an ability that strips all Armor & Resistance, with minions like Fallen Dhampir, Head Hunter, or Werewolf. Maximize all damage done!

as shown, Pain Reflection stance has a great deal of utility in this final battle

Shade is a good counter to the damage the Risen Heroes deal, thanks to its Pain Reflection stance and Void Flame item. With the combination of these, every time a Risen Hero deals damage (including retaliation strikes), Shade attacks thehm and deals Stress damage - which turns into Mana and Wrath for ye, and Vigor for the Shade, thanks to Void Flame. If ye can afford to lose 1 minion (or start the battle with only 3 minions), then ye can endlessly spam Pain Reflection stance, because Shade will only ever be in the 3rd space, not the 4th (Pain Reflection doesn't work if Shade is in the 4th space). If ye can bring TWO Shades, then... (then ye can rotate thehm between the 3rd and 4th spaces to keep Pain Reflection going, is what Ah'm trying to say.)
Use Talents like Battle Eternal to keep yer minions alive, and Finger of Death to deal extra damage if ye can afford it.
With this strategy, it will be a LONG battle, but if ye pay attention a bit, it's a fairly secure strategy. Ye might lose a minion or two, but that won't matter at all if ye can still win!
If ye want to try Evasion-tanking with this build, ye'll need a minion that removes buffs from enemies (such as Mummy), to strip the +Accuracy buff that the Dwarf Hero gives.
Counsel: Keep in mind that these Heroes DO NOT go Insane!

Ah have had great success using the Black Widow minion against the Risen Heroes. In combination with regularly healing, sheh easily wears thehm down thanks to hehr Spider Venom feature (Ah would seriously recommend the Poison Web Ultimate mod to apply lots of stacks). The Paladin Hero does not strike back when Heroes are hit with the -Vigor and -Sanity. Since Spider Venom affects all Heroes, theh are damaged by it on each of thehr turns!
Ye can use Black Widow's Spider Coocoon ability, potions, spells, or a Lich & Skeleton Sacrifice combo to keep heals going.
Ah have even soloed the Risen Heroes with 1 Black Widow on Good Always Wins (hard) difficulty, with the Venom Spikes & Sharpened Bone items equipped on Black Widow, and a couple useful spells and healing potions. Equip artifacts that increase Armor & Resistance of yer minions, and Black Widow should be able to pretty easily out-heal the minimal damage the Risen Heroes do. If ye need a bonus to hehr healing, use the Ancient Vampire Blood potion - the heal triggers on damage done by Spider Venom. Ye might want 2 Ancient Vampire Bloods, for when the buff gets removed by the Mage Hero.
Black Widow heals after each Risen Hero ACTION, meaning that since theh act 2x on each of thehr turns, Black Widow heals 2x as well! However, Spider Venom only applies at the beginning of thehr turn, not per each action.

Eternal Harvest Difficulties

So here's the thing about Eternal Harvest - the only thing ye get for it is 1 extra Steam achievement. Nothing else. There's no point in going past Eternal Harvest I - all ye face is more pain for no more reward.
Like most "endgame" modes, balance was thrown at the window, shattered against the reinforced glass, and dropped dead to the floor. All enemies scale up**, and all yer advantages scale down - not one or the other, but both at the same time. Ah've gotten as far as Eternal Harvest III, and right now the "weak" enemies have over 500 Vigor & Sanity, and can often 1-shot most of my weaker minions without even getting a critical hit.

So think veeeeeeeery carefully before ye go deeper into the Eternal Harvest.

**not the dwarves, obviously. But theh get stronger & hit harder

But if it's the challenge ye're after...
Ye'll need a few things to survive on Eternal Harvest difficulty. Unlike other playthroughs, ye'll want to prioritize different Talents and minion abilities.

• Instead of going for most Alchemy Talents first-off, ye'll want to go for Ire Talents like Infectious Lunacy (Ire, tier 3), Stoke the Flames (Ire 3), and Battle Eternal (Ire 4), for survivability & ways to counter grossly-inflated enemy Vigor & Sanity.
  
• Increased survivability means ye'll spend less resources rebuilding yer minions, allowing ye to spend 'em on other things like upgrading Parts with Transmutation, and Potion Making.
  
• To feed yer new hunger for active Talents, ye'll want plenty of ways to restore Mana and Wrath, such as Dark Enlightenment (Alchemy 4), Experimental Calcination (Alchemy 1), and minions like Shade w/ Void Flame unique item, Vampire w/ Mesmerize ability mod, and Banshee w/ Absorb Terror ability mod.
  
• Carefully manage buffs & debuffs. These can make all the difference in Eternal Harvest difficulty, where a +50% damage buff on an enemy means theh can 1-shot yer minions. Ah would recommend one Mummy with the Cursed Feast ability mod, and another Mummy with the Absorb Power ability mod. Read up in the Humonarium to see which enemies give buffs or debuffs, and bring the appropriate Mummy. Or bring a Lost Soul.
  
• Since ye're dealing with ridiculous amounts of damage, Block & Ward are going to be yer best friends. Minions like Abomination, Bone Golem, Unfrozen, Wraith, and Zombie w/ Trench Loading ability mod offer good stacks of Block and/or Ward for comparatively cheap. It may take longer to wear down the enemies if ye spend so much time on defense, but it takes much longer on Eternal Harvest difficulty anyway - what did ye expect?
  
• Accordingly, don't bother spending too many stat points on Armor or Resistance for yer minions. High enemy damage renders it almost pointless. Save these points for other stats that will help with other strategies like crit chance, Block & Ward, or damage. Minions that rely on high Armor & Resistance (Skeleton, Dark Knight) are significantly less useful on Eternal Harvest difficulties.
  
• Evasion tanking - when a minion has super-high Evasion (70+) and skips most attacks thrown thehr way - counts for much less when yer average enemy has 120+ Accuracy, oftentimes going up over 170 Accuracy. Powerful debuffs and spells help with this a little, but ye're better off relying on Block, Ward, and Talents.
  
• Likewise, bonuses from minion items count for less. Percentage-based (%) or categorical effects are best, so equip items like Acid Gland, Coward's Foot, and Mechanical Eye. Ye can find better alternatives to minion items like Second Brain and Heart of Emptiness (Dark Knight unique minion item)***.
  
• Percentage-based abilities (those take deal a percentage of enemies' max Vigor or Sanity) are more useful than abilities that deal flat values of damage. Some percentage-based abilities include Hysteria on Vampire, the Deep Shadows Ultimate on Shade, and the Spider Venom feature of Black Widow. Ghoul's Lunch Break Ultimate and Abomination's Break & Swallow Ultimate will let ye finish of enemies without having to grind thehm down the entire way.
  
• Ye'll want to spend a few more points on minion initiative than ye did at lower difficulties. The ability for some minions to act before enemies - to heal, buff, position, or inflict a DoT - can mean the difference between winning a battle and winning a battle in a good position to fight another.
  
• Find a way to deal with enemy stances, as these are usually extremely powerful attacks or heals. A few minions that have anti-stance abilities include: Bride of Iratus, Fallen Dhampir, and Unfrozen. Unfrozen is the only minion Ah've seen whose anti-stance ability (Ice Spear w/ mod) can hit all 4 enemy spaces, making it perfect against Royal Gunners in the Cathedral.
  
• Remember, retreat is a perfectly valid strategy. If ye have a couple high-damage minions, use thehm to burn down one enemy at a time, then ye can retreat on yer next turn for no real penalties. Recharge, resupply, and repeat. The only exceptions to this are quest missions (where ye fail the quest if ye retreat) and bosses (who reset to full health, sanity, and battle stages if ye retreat).

***Ah somehow made it through Eternal Harvest III without finding any Mechanical Eyes. Ah don't recommend it. It would've been perfect for some Head Hunter and Wraith abilities

Here are the stats of two Hunkies:

a Hunky on Good Always Wins (Hard) difficulty - a Hunky on Eternal Harvest I difficulty

As ye can see, the stats don't go up by that much, but theh do go up. This means that all the annoying, frustrating, and overpowered enemies ye already face will be that much more difficult as ye ascend through Eternal Harvest. Be prepared to replace a LOT of minions.

Quest Consequences - Mines

For any quest ye undertake, ye are better off using a Battle Squad based on dealing Physical or Magical damage. There are pretty good odds that ye will encounter quest enemies that are immune to Stress damage.

Spotted a Patrol

• "Proceed with the Attack" = fight Elite enemies to get bonus Iratus XP and 3 free stat points for all surviving minions

Poisonous Mushrooms

• "Study them" = failure = several Bones parts, but spells cost x2 Mana for the next battle

Ancient Maze

• "Have a minion float over the trapped floors" (requires Banshee, Shade, Wraith, Blood Phantasm, or Lost Soul) = free passage past the traps

Mustering of Resistance
Can use Skeleton.

• "Attack them no matter how bleak the odds" = fight an Elite Dwarven Warrior and other Elite enemies, but gain 2 free minions if you win

Bottomless Chasm

• "Levitate your minions across using an expensive spell" = lose 25 mana, but get all minions across safely

Guarded Stash
Attack Them = fight several elites, then make choice

• "They look scared of the dark... let a banshee handle this" = avoid combat & make a choice
  
  Choice on battle victory:
  • "Study explosives" = all minions in Battle Squad gain +2 Attack permanently
    
  • "Study chemicals" = all minions in Battle Squad (maybe all minions??) gain +5 Vigor permanently

Poisonous Mushrooms
Can use Shade

• "Use a Shade to drop a few mushrooms into the water supply" = several Bones & enemies lose 33% Attack for 2 battles

Gruesome Monster

• "Order the beast killed" = success = 3 extra parts, +1 level for Iratus, -25 Mana

Quest Consequences - Dwarven Tunnels

Mushrooms!

• "Destroy medicinal mushrooms" = enemies lose 20% sanity at the start of the next 2 battles

Fiery Furnace

• Fight elites = extra loot, +25% chance to gain extra parts for the rest of the floor

Tunnel Collapse & Rune Tables

• "Spend time to figure out what happened here" = minions in the current Battle Squad lose 2 initiative for 2 battles, but gain 8 accuracy PERMANENTLY

Makeshift Factory
Can use Head Hunter or Bride of Iratus

• "You can't stop him! You will need to face the reinforcements!" = fight 2 squads of elites for extra parts
  
• "Bring him back here with a head hunter" = fight one battle with 3 enemies
  
• "Perhaps a well-placed arrow will stop him in his tracks." = face 1 less enemy (total 3) in 1 battle against Elites = receive many parts

Golem Factory
Can use Lich

• "Order the attack!" = fight 1 battle with Elite Golems and Golden Golems, then fight 1 battle with Elite Geomancers & Oracles = 4 free stat points for all minions in current Battle Squad, a small Mana bonus, and 1 free level for Iratus
  
• "Your Liches can drain some of the magic from this wellspring" =
  
• "Leave this place before they notice your presence" = no fight, no rewards

Retreating Enemies
Can use Ghoul

• "Pursue them without caution" = failure = current battle squad takes heavy damage, no reward
  
• "Pursue them without caution" = success = several parts and 2 Artifacts
  
• "Pursue them cautiously" = enemies might escape, but minions take no damage

Abandoned Experiments

• "Try to blindly reactivate the experiments" = success = restore Vigor of minions in current Battle Squad

Quest Consequences - Mercenary Barracks

Vampire Prostitutes

• "Show them that you are a friend of their kind" = 2 rarer types of blood, 1 Vampire
  
• "Begin diplomacy" = failure = try another option
  
• "Begin diplomacy" = success = gain 1 Vampire
  
• "Starve them out, kill their food source" = fight Elites = gain 1 Vampire

Secret Passage

• "Spend some time trying to figure out how to open it" = success = +1 initiative for all minions in current Battle Squad for 3 battles

Wretched Hobos / Unhappy Mercenaries
Can use Vampire, Dark Knight, or Banshee

• "This is pointless - just kill them all" = use no minion = fight a squad with Elites = 2 free levels for Iratus

Holy Man

• "Scout out his location personally and attack him and his escort" = costs 50 Mana = battle Elites = 150% XP for Iratus, 1 Artifact

Bone Merchant / Murder-Hobo

• "Purchase some of his works" = damage 1 minion in the Battle Squad & gain 2 Artifacts

Crate of Holy Weapons
Can use Mummy

• "Use them to arm your minions" = gain 6 Uncommon or better Weapons Parts, but minions in Battle Squad lose 5% Attack for 3 battles

Mage w/ Mounds of Tomes

• "Engage them! Show them the might of necromancy!" = fight a squad of elites
  
• "Parley with them" = select from one of the following options
  
  [**] Barter with mana = lose XX mana[**] Barter with artifacts = lose a [random] Iratus artifact (including maybe consumables) & avoid a fight[**] Barter with knowledge = requires Lich[**]"Engage them! Show them the might of necromancy!" = fight a squad of elites

Quest Consequences - Catacombs

4-Door Arena

• "Trial by water" = fight an Elite Conjuress. All minions who survive the battle gain +15 Accuracy and +15 Evasion for 3 battles.
  
• "Trial by earth" = fight elite constructs & spellcasters = upon victory, each minion in current Battle Squad receives -15% damage taken for the next 3 battles
  
• "Trial by air" = fight a group with an Elite Storm Caller = surviving minions get +5 Initiative for the next 3 battles
  
• "Trial by fire" = fight a group with an Elite Blade Mistress = +25% damage for all minions in current Battle Squad for 3 battles

Hidden Research Outpost
Fight an Elite Conjuress & hehr Elite allies

• "Take what you can of their research for more in-depth study" = 150% bonus experience for Iratus
  
• "Employ necromancy" = receive 2 minions (Ah got 2 Infested)

Unopened Archmage Tomb

• "Animate the Bones and the Will" = obtain a Lich & several high-quality parts, costs 75 mana
  
• "Animate only the Will" = rewarded with 1 Wraith & Ectoplasm, costs 50 mana

Sinister Mages / Demon Summoning
Can use Ghoul or Iratus

• "Employ Your Magic" = Iratus loses 50 Spellpower for 2 battles and loses all mana

Abandoned Experiments

• "Attempt to reanimate the bodies" = success = 2 free minions (maybe zombies?), many blue parts
  
• "Attempt to reanimate the bodies" = failure = fight Elite Failed Experiments = many Uncommon or Rare parts
  
• "Just butcher the bodies for parts" = several higher-quality parts

Caged Wizards
Can use Blood Phantasm

• "Set them free" = fight 4 Elite Mad Mages = gain several parts & minions who survive the battle get +20% damage for the next 2 battles

Quest Consequences - Cathedral

Band of Knights & Inquisitor
Can use Vampire.

• "Bind his power to your will!" =
  
• "Face him head on!" = Fight a battle against an Elite Inquisitor & bodyguards = all minions recover Vigor equal to 20% of the damage they deal, for 3 battles

Personal Development Day

• "Reveal the secrets of corruption" = enemies lose all Resistance for 3 battles, but costs 40 Mana
  
• "Reveal the secrets of rust" = enemies lose all Armor for 3 battles, but costs 40 Mana

Stone Guardians in Hexagonal Chamber

• "Reduce them to rubble!" = fight Elite constructs (w/ no Sanity to worry about) of various kinds (see picture)

After battle, choose whether to regain Vigor for minions, or regain Mana for Iratus. This is a very pointless quest
Unearthly Music
Can use Lich, Banshee, Skeleton, or Dark Knight. Used minion will be sacrificed.
Undefended Storage Room
Can use Black Widow or Lost Soul

• "Have a Black Widow poison the food" = enemies lose 20% Vigor for the next 2 battles
  
• "Have a Lost Soul curse the food" = enemies lose 20% Sanity for 2 battles
  
• "Spend time to sabotage the supplies personally" = fight a group of Elites, but enemies lose BOTH 20% Vigor AND 20% Sanity for 2 battles

Angry Dwarves
Can use Blood Phantasm or Shade

• "Have a Blood Phantasm subvert their rage" = receive many Uncommon or Rare parts

Grand Magister's Private Lodgings

• "Find out more about his current plans" = Grand Magister loses all Initiative when ye confront hehm
  
• "Anything you can learn about the man himself" = Grand Magister loses all Blocks & Wards when ye confront hehm

Rations Store
Can use Black Widow or Lost Soul
"Attempt to poison the supplies yourself" = fight Elites = enemies lose 20% Vigor and 20% Sanity for the next 2 battles

Quest Consequences - Cemetery (Wrath of the Necromancer DLC)

Cemetery
Moment of Peace

• "Order your troops to take whatever they can carry!" + "You will take everything for your stockpiles!" = Fight 4 Elite Gargoyles = extra loot

Grave Robbers

• "Attack the crypt" = fight 2 groups of Elites for extra artifact

Grave Digger

• "Try communicating with him" = failure = gain 1 part
  
• "Try communicating with him" = success = Iratus gains 5 levels
  
• "Dissect him for parts" = receive 2 Legendary-quality (purple) parts
  
• "Feed him to your minions" = minions receive +15 Vigor for 2 battles

A Ghoul and Her Lair

• "Attack the risen!" = fight a group with Elites = Ghouls receive +10 Vigor, +8 Accuracy, and +4 Attack PERMANENTLY; other minions receive +5 Vigor, +4 Accuracy, and +2 attack for the next 3 battles
  
• "Try to steal from the ghoul's lair" = many parts

Simmering Hate

• "Give in to Ire!" = fight Elites = gain 50 Wrath at battle start for the next 3 battles
  
• "Resist the temptation" = "Quelling your rage might focus your mind, but it comes at a price" = lose 50 Wrath at battle start for next 3 battles

Consecrated Ground

• "Raw physical force!" =
  
• "Risk your troops" = fight a group with Elites = many common parts
  
• "You don't have time for this" = "Nothing will be lost, and nothing will be gained." = skip quest

Powers of the Night Itself

• "Apex of Power" = current Battle Squad gains 6 stat points each
  
• "Apex of Dread" = current Battle Squad gains Dread
  
• "Apex of Savagery" = current Battle Squad gains +6 Attack permanently

Lair Development

Library = +XP for Iratus after every battle
Obelisk = +Diggers Souls after every battle (minimum # guaranteed)
Dead Lake = chance to get an extra artifact after battle per minion slotted
Abode of Wrath = +Wrath per minion slotted at battle start (minimum 10 Wrath per minion)
Iratus Statue = +Mana after each battle
Excavation = chance to get extra parts after battle per minion slotted
Arena = +XP for minions slotted
Mortuary = +Vigor after battle for minions slotted

General Tips

• Buy a rank or two in the Obelisk, first thing. This way, ye get the most return on its bonus to Digger Souls, which will help ye develop the rest of yer Lair faster.

Other good buildings to invest early in are:

• Library (+XP for Iratus)
  
• Dead Lake (maximize chance of getting Artifacts)
  
• Excavation (maximize chance of getting extra Parts)
  
• Mortuary (to heal whole Battle Squads of damaged minions)

Depending on yer playstyle, ye could grind up ranks in the Abode of Wrath (+Wrath at battle start) or Iratus Statue (+Mana after battle end) as soon as ye can. Ah haven't seen the Abode of Wrath offer less than 10 Wrath per minion slotted, and Ah've completed up to Eternal Harvest III difficulty.
The effectiveness of the Obelisk and Arena really fall off at higher difficulties. For the Obelisk, ye'll quickly be getting more Diggers Souls from battle and campaign map locations than ye could ever get from the Obelisk. (Ye can also take the Alchemy Talent "Architecture Buff" to get even more Diggers Souls from battle.)
On Eternal Harvest difficulty, if not before, the Arena really only serves as an extra place to stash minions when yer Battle Squad slots are full. On meh current difficulty, Eternal Harvest III, it takes 3-4 battles for the Arena to level up minions once - whereas the minions Ah'm actually using in battle get 1-2 levels per battle.

Creating & Converting New Minions

Most of the directions to acquire new minions are plain and straightforward, but there are a few that are tricky to get.

Vampires
In order to acquire a vampire, ye need several conditions
1) Ye must unlock the Blood Curse spell in the Magic tree of Iratus' talents.
2) Ye must cast the Blood Curse spell on an enemy.
3) The enemy must be in the rear-most position of the enemy lineup.
4) Keep the enemy alive until they flee WHILE Blood Curse is still active on them. If ye kill the rest of the enemies, this enemy will be automatically in the rear-most position, and have the greatest chance to flee. Making thehm Insane with Cowardice gives ye the best chance, so target enemies afflicted by Cowardice. Ye can increase the chance of enemies fleeing by using a Banshee (or two), lowering thehr Sanity, and sometimes with items.
5) Wait until the enemy flees, and at the end of the battle ye will collect a level 1 Vampire in addition to yer other loot. Because that's not objectifying unliving, unbreathing minions at all.

Counsel: Oracles in the Dwarven Tunnels, Bards in the Mercenary Barracks, and Sorceresses in the Catacombs all flee if theh are the last enemy left.

Ye must do this 3 times to unlock the creation of Vampires.

[Fallen] Dhampirs
When ye encounter a Dhampir in battle (found only in the Mercenary Barracks in the strategic campaign), simply render the Dhampir Insane and kill all other opponents while keeping the Dhampir alive. This is made slightly more difficult by the layers of Wards that Dhampirs enter battle with. Once all other enemies are dead, the Dhampir will surrender, end the battle, and ye will collect a level 1 Fallen Dhampir along with yer other loot.

the conditions ye need to acquire a Dhampir - the Dhampir is the last enemy alive & is Insane
Ye must do this 3 times to unlock the creation of Dhampirs.

Ghouls
The easiest way to deal damage to yer own troops is to use Liches in battle.

Encyclopedia of Artifacts

Step foot inside the Library! Don't worry - the books aren't made from anyone ye know. Ah have listed the Artifacts that Iratus can equip based on type and alphabetical order & Ah have underlined Artifacts that Ah feel are particularly useful. All of these Artifacts only apply their effects when equipped on Iratus.

Chests found on the Dungeon Map give ye artifacts for Iratus.
Don't forget to "Disintegrate" (recycle) artifacts ye don't need, for bonus experience for Iratus.

Armor

• Archmage's Robes = enemies lose 1 Ward at battle start
  
• Cursed Plate = minions get +1 Block and +1 Ward at battle start, but lose ALL initiative
  
• Enchanted Clothing = minions gain +4 Armor and +4 Resistance
  
• Heavy Armor = Minions gain +6 armor, but have a 15% chance to miss their turn
  
• Light Armor = minions receive -25% damage for the first 2 turns of battle
  
• Mist Robes = all enemies lose 18 accuracy
  
• Nobleman's Garb = minions gain +6 Resistance
  
• Pharaoh Mask = random enemy loses -30 Luck for the battle
  
• Rib Cage Armor = minions get +6 Armor
  
• Science Mantle = can use 1 additional potion per round of combat
  
• Shoddy Armor = minions level 5 or lower gain +25 Vigor
  
• Spirit Chainmail = when killing an enemy, minion receives +2 Vigor buff PERMANENTLY, stacks up to 10 times
  
• Unstable Armor = minions gain +1 Block and +1 Ward for 2 turns at battle start
  
• Vagrant's Rags = increase the chance to receive uncommon or better parts by 25%

Ring

• Alchemist's Ring = 25% chance not to use up a potion
  
• Bracers of Madness = all minions get +5 Initiative but -15 Accuracy
  
• Engraved Ring = receive 30% more Diggers' Souls. Useful in the early game
  
• Imprisoned Souls = gain 40 mana for each enemy that flees from battle
  
• Ring of Darkness = minions get +6 Dread
  
• Ring of Decay = enemies lose 1 Block at battle start
  
• Ring of Purity = grants "Devour Magic" Ire spell (remove buffs from an enemy and gain 5 mana per buff removed)
  
• Ring of Terror = increase chance an enemy will die from a Heart Attack (Stress overload) by 10%
  
• Ring of the Apocalypse = +15 spellpower
  
• Ring of the Cruel Leprechaun = critical hits by minions and enemies deal 30% more damage
  
• Ring of the Overlord = start battle with full Wrath
  
• Shackles of War = enemies can't escape or become Inspired. DO NOT USE if you are trying to farm Vampires. DO use with a heavy Stress damage battle squad
  
• Smoking Bands = after casting a spell, a random enemy receives 15 Stress damage
  
• Spiked Bracers = when casting a spell, a random enemy takes 15 physical damage
  
• Spiked Rings = gain 12 Wrath per combat round
  
• Symbol of Fortune = minions gain +13 Luck but -13 Accuracy

Amulet

• Amulet of Perfection = minions made of 4 Uncommon or better parts get +20 Vigor
  
• Amulet of the Dream Eater = enemy critical hit damage reduced by 30%
  
• Archmage Pendant = +5 mana per round
  
• Fortune Magnet = +16 luck
  
• Golden Rose = for the first 2 turns of battle, all minions deal +25% damage
  
• Hoop of Fear = Iratus gains +25% experience for level for each escaped enemy
  
• Iron Heart = +24 Wraith at battle start
  
• Liquid Desolation = 15% chance to stun targets hit with Destruction spells
  
• Maddening Amulet = enemies can go insane of Sanity is 85% or less. Useful with a Stress damage team to impose powerful Insanity debuffs early on
  
• Outdoor Fork = 1 additional part drops after battle victory
  
• Pendant of Might = all minions gain +10 Vigor
  
• Spirit Necklace = all minions and enemies gain +18 Evasion
  
• Talisman of Power = all minions get +2 Attack, +2 Dread, +2 Armor, +2 Resistance
  
• Warding Pendant = +1 Ward for all minions
  
• Void Pendant = +16 Spellpower

Weapon

• Bloody Horn = gain 10 Wrath each round of battle
  
• Broken Sword = minions level 5 or lower get +6 Attack, +6 Dread
  
• Destruction Maul = all enemies lose 1 Block and 1 Ward at battle start
  
• Ghostly Blade = when an enemy dies from a Heart Attack (Stress overload), Iratus gains +3% XP of current level
  
• Glass Dagger = minions get +15 Accuracy and +15% Damage until one of them takes damage
  
• Grappling Hook = minions gain +4 Luck, Accuracy, and Evasion
  
• Hatchet = minions get +2 Attack and +2 Dread
  
• Infused Dagger = grants "Crush Bones" Destruction spell (deal high magic damage, +100% damage if target is stunned)
  
• Jar of Acid,
  
• Ladle = +25% chance to find Flasks (for making Potions with Alchemy)
  
• Sickle = if total of minion levels in Battle Squad is less than 21, Iratus gains +10% bonus XP of current level
  
• Smoking Gun = minions and enemies gain +20 Accuracy
  
• Spirit Spear = when killing an enemy, the minion receives +3% damage buff PERMANENTLY, stacks up to 10 times
  
• Standard of Darkness = if no minions are killed in a battle, all minions in the battle squad heal 20% Vigor at the end of battle
  
• Tempered Blade = all minions gain +6 Attack
  
• Weird Mandolin = grants extra Magic spell, Sleep. Sleep makes all enemies (except bosses) skip 1 turn unless they receive damage

Consumable
ALL CONSUMABLES ARE ONLY GOOD FOR ONE (1) BATTLE!!

• Book of Ancient Wisdom = Iratus gains +100% bonus experience from current level (i.e., Iratus gains a free level if ye win the battle)
  
• Bundle of Dynamite = deals 30-45 Vigor damage to all enemies at battle start
  
• Creepy Doll = at battle start, all enemies make a Sanity check. If theh fail, theh go Insane or become Inspired. Useful in conjunction with the Shackles of War ring Artifact
  
• Cursed Grimoire = each turn, gain 30 Wrath
  
• Delectable Part = when a minion dies, all allies recover 75% Vigor (VERY useful with the Lich combination of Sacrifice + Reanimate)
  
• Jar of Blood = after battle, all minions in Battle Squad heal to 100% Vigor
  
• Mana Crystal = first spell in battle costs 0 mana
  
• Mana Source = recover 10 mana per turn
  
• Mimir = after victory, all minions in battle squad receive +50% experience to the next level
  
• Orb of Vulnerability = at battle start, enemies lose 1 Block and 1 Ward
  
• Scrolls = grants 1 of a specific spell for a battle
  
  Example: Scroll of Skullfall = grants "Skullfall" Destruction spell (deal magic damage to all enemies, set them on fire for additional magic damage for 3 turns)
• Skulltorch = begin battle with 100 Wrath
  
• Smoke Bomb = all enemies lose 20 Accuracy
  
• Strange Jar = guaranteed to find a Brain after battle victory
  
• Terrifying Visage = minions deal +10% damage for battle

Encyclopedia of Minion Items

Welcome back to the Library! There's an inkwell of blood on each table if ye need to take notes. Items are in alphabetical order. At the end are unique items that only work with specific minions.

Ancient Coffins found on the Dungeon Map give you minion items.
Cultists found on the Dungeon Map give you unique minion items based on the minions in your current Battle Squad.

Minion Items
These items can be equipped on any minion type, though naturally you will want to equip them based on your tactics for that minion. Ah have underlined items that Ah feel are particularly useful.

• Acid Gland = chance to remove all Armor & Resistance from an enemy until battle end. 50% chance for single-target abilities, 25% chance for AoE abilities
  
• Alchemist's Hand = when using a potion, minion heals 10% Vigor
  
• Armored Plates = reduce damage (Physical AND Magical) received by 10%
  
• Ashes of a Burned Witch = set enemies on fire when using an ability (that targets enemies?)
  
• Bane Aura = +15 Iratus spellpower
  
• Bloated Flesh = restore 6 HP for every empty battle squad slot, at the beginning of this minions turn
  
• Boiling Blood = minion receives +4 Armor, +4 Resistance, +14 Attack, +14 Dread, +4 Evasion, +6 Accuracy for each empty Battle Squad slot
  
• Broken Orb = when an ally dies, gain +1 Block and +1 Ward (extremely useful with the Lich's Reanimate Ultimate and Sacrifice ability combo)
  
• Bull Skull = if a minion starts their turn in position 1 or 2, they gain +5 maximum Vigor for the battle
  
• Burnt Skin = minion is immune to Ignition debuff
  
• Cannibal's Jaw = minion receives +24 Attack and +24 Dread when an ally dies
  
• Coward's Foot = minion gains 1 additional action on turn 1
  
• Crow Paw = curse enemies for 2 turns with extra Stress damage (6 Stress with AoE abilities, 15 Stress with single-target abilities)(Ah recommend putting this item on a Mummy, so that the extra stacks of Curse do more Stress damage & help heal the Mummy if the Mummy has the Cursed Bandages unique minion item, see below)
  
• Drop of Divinity = increase damage done by +15%, reduce damage taken by -15%
  
• Enchanted Heart = minion restores 5% of maximum Vigor at the start of each round
  
• Essence of Mind = 20% of minion damage done is added as Mana
  
• Gluttons Tongue = increase damage dealt by .1% for each minion part in the stockpile
  
• Halo of Chaos = minion receives 1 random buff each turn, until end of turn
  
• Hawk Eye = after missing an attack, minion gains +8 accuracy until battle end
  
• Hero's Blood = minion deals +100% damage, is immune to debuffs, and is immune to ALL DAMAGE on the first turn of combat
  
• Jester's Visage = higher chance of this minion being targeted & attacked (useful on minions with very high Evasion or very high Armor/Resistance)
  
• Lantern of Souls = when an enemy dies, minion restores 25% Vigor
  
• Legcuffs = minion cannot be moved
  
• Madmans Eye = minion gains +1 action per turn, as long as theh are the only minion left in battle (very excellent for solo builds)
  
• Martyr's Rags = automatically block & redirect damage done from an ally 1 space behind the minion, to the minion equipped with this item
  
• Mechanical Eye = the minion's abilities cannot miss
  
• Nails of Pain = increase critical damage dealt by 20%; reduce critical damage received by 20%
  
• Orb of Negation = minion is immune to debuffs (including Ignition)
  
• Raven Feathers = when damaged, gain +4 Evasion until battle end
  
• Salamander Skin = minion deals 40 magic damage to attackers (dmg absorbed by Resistance)
  
• Second Brain = minion gets +3 Attack and +3 Dread each round, stacks 5 times
  
• Serpent Skull = minion gains +3 Luck and +3% critical damage, per turn, if it spot 3 or 4 (5 stacks)
  
• Sharpened Bone = minion's abilities ignore Block & Ward
  
• Spider Mandibles = with every successful ability use, enemies lose either 4% Vigor & Sanity (single-target abilities, bosses lose 1%) or 1% Vigor & Sanity (AoE abilities, bosses lose .5%)
  
• Spiked Head = when the minion is damaged, the attacker takes stress damage
  
• Unholy Water = increase spellpower by 25
  
• Vampire Fangs = restore 15% of damage done as Vigor
  
• Vulture Feather = minion receives +
  
• Wizard Bones = reduce magic damage received by -50%; increase physical damage taken by +25%

Encyclopedia of Unique Minion Items

Unique Minion Items
These items can only be equipped on the given minion type. These unique items are acquired from visiting Cultists on the Dungeon Map. In order to choose one of these unique items, the minion type must be present in the Battle Squad when you visit the Cultists.

Abomination = Pound of Flesh = receive a free stack of Break and Swallow at battle start

Banshee = The Second Slipper = Banshee restores 20% Vigor when an attack misses her

Black Widow = Venom Spikes = the Black Widow's attacks (except counterattacks of Spiky Cocoon) apply 1 stack of Spider Venom (this doubles most applications of Spider Venom)

Blood Phantasm = Crimson Chains = when the Blood Phantasm is attacked, the attacker receives Ignition (deals 20 true damage for 3 turns)

Bone Golem = Stack of Bones = for every 10 Vigor missing, the Bone Golem receives -2.5% damage (so if the Bone Golem is missing 100 Vigor, it receives 25% less damage)

Bride of Iratus = Wedding Gift = increase critical damage dealt by 50%

Dark Knight = Heart of Emptiness = when the Dark Knight is damaged, receive +5 Wrath and +5 Mana. Useful against small, repeated attacks

Fallen Dhampir = Medal of Betrayal = each time the Dhampir takes damage, receive a buff that gives -5% damage taken (stacks 8 times)

Ghoul = Gruesome Snack = 1 free stack of Lunch Break at battle start

Head Hunter = Contract of Blood = the Head Hunter has an additional 5% chance to kill an enemy with any attack (bosses are immune)

Infested = Plague Body Organ = when the Infested is attacked, the attacker is cursed and receives 20 Stress damage for 3 turns

Lich = Burning Skull = reduce damage done to allies by 65%

Lost Soul = Carnival Mask = Lost Soul receives +1 Attack and +1 Dread for each buff on enemies

Mummy = Cursed Bandages = restore 4 Vigor for each Curse on enemies. VERY useful for keeping yer Mummy alive if ye keep applying the Hex Beam ability. With this constant source of healing, yer Mummy can off-tank while ye are healing or cycling out yer primary tank

Reaper = Hourglass of Doom = when casting an Iratus talent or spell, increase Spellpower by 12 (stacks 5 times)

Shade = Void Flame = 25% of all damage done (including Stress damage or Magic damage done on counterattacks!) is restored as Vigor (to the Shade), Wrath, and Mana

Skeleton = Enchanted Bone = Skeleton can receive buffs, but not debuffs

Unfrozen = Rune of Winter = at the start of each turn, the Unfrozen receives +1 initiative for the battle (stacks 6 times)

Vampire = Tear of Blood = whenever an enemy escapes or becomes Insane, the Vampire gets +6 Accuracy, Evasion, and Luck for the battle. Useful in combination with the Reaper's Expunge ability mod or Skelly's Creepy Clanger Ultimate mod

Werewolf = Moon Shard = Gain +5 Luck and +5% critical damage until battle end each time Werewolf takes damage; stacks 6 times

Wraith = Phantom Clothes = Wraith receives +5 Evasion for each stack of Block or Ward on it

Zombie = Mechanical Aim = Zombie receives +4 Accuracy and +15% damage at turn start. Stacks up to 5 times, but all stacks are removed if Zombie changes position

Potion Recipes (Wrath of the Necromancer DLC)

Note: Potions & alchemy are only available by purchasing the Wrath of the Necromancer DLC! Ye should be able to survive pretty well without potions, but a few of thehm are quite useful, as noted elsewhere in this Handbook.
If ye want to experiment but not lose any precious Parts, then play the game on "Cakewalk" or "More Pain!" difficulty. Quick save before experimenting, unlock all the potion recipes, then quick load to reset yer Parts stockpile.

Higher rarity ingredients result in more powerful potions. Rarity is additive, meaning that the ingredients do NOT have to all be the same level of rarity to give a bigger bonus. See example:

Each additional level of rarity adds to the level of effectiveness (the Roman numerals next to the potion name). Uncommon (green) adds +1 effectiveness, Rare (blue) adds +2 effectiveness, and Legendary (purple) adds +3 effectiveness.

The stats listed here are the values for level I effectiveness using Common (gray background) items. Ah have underlined some potions that Ah feel are most useful.

Wild Beast Decoction = minion gains +8 attack for the battle = Weapon, Skull, Bones

Essence of Horror = target minion receives +8 Dread for the battle = Dust, Heart, Rags

Recovery Potion = minion recovers 10% Vigor = Armor, Blood, Flesh

Elven Ears Decoction = target minion gains +20 Evasion for the battle = Ectoplasm, Flesh, Rags

Eyeball Potion = target minion gains +20 Accuracy for the battle = Dust, Skull, Bones

Recovery Broth = all minions recover 5% Vigor = Heart, Ectoplasm, Blood

Berserker Potion = target minion deals and receives +25% damage for the battle = Armor, Dust, Weapon

Resilience Extract = target minion receives -15% damage for the battle = Armor, Rags, Skull

Ancient Vampire Blood = target minion restores Vigor equal to 15% of damage dealt = Blood, Flesh, Ectoplasm

Dead Leprechaun Potion = minion gains +15 Luck and +15% critical damage for battle = Weapon, Heart, Bones

Acidic Potion = target enemy loses 10 Armor for the battle = Armor, Rags, Weapon

Daze Potion = target enemy loses 20 accuracy for the battle = Dust, Ectoplasm, Bones

Explosive Mixture = target enemy loses 20% (or bosses 5%) of max vigor = Flesh, Heart, Blood

Cursed Flame Potion = all enemies lose 5% of Vigor and Sanity (bosses lose 1%) = Weapon, Skull, Blood

Fear Vial = target enemy loses 20% of their maximum Sanity (bosses lost 5%) = Skull, Ectoplasm, Dust

Bad Luck Mixture = target enemy loses 20 luck = Skull, Ectoplasm, Bones

Debilitating Potion = enemy deals -20% damage for 3 turns = Weapon, Flesh, Bones

Breaking Potion = target loses 10 Resistance for the battle = Armor, Flesh, Rags

Potion of Vulnerability = target receives +20% more damage for 2 turns = Armor, Heart, Rags

Vial of Magic Essence = restore 20 mana = Heart, Skull, Ectoplasm

Essence of Wrath = Iratus gets 20 Wrath = Armor, Blood, Weapon

Magical Emulsion = Iratus spellpower increases by 20 for the battle = Heart, Ectoplasm, Dust

Potion of Denial = remove all buffs from target enemy. Enemy also loses 10 Vigor and Sanity = Rags, Flesh, Blood

Cleansing Potion = remove debuffs from target minion, restore 10 Vigor = Blood, Flesh, Bones

Mist Mixture = all enemies lose 10 Accuracy for 2 turns = Skull, Rags, Dust

Swamp Mud Decoction = all enemies lose 2 Initiative for 2 turns = Armor, Dust, Flesh

Vial of Slime = all enemies lose 10 Evasion for 2 turns = Heart, Rags, Skull

Potion of Bad Luck = all enemies lose 9 Luck for 2 turns = Weapon, Ectoplasm, Bones

Potion of Fallen Warriors = all enemies lose 5 Attack for 2 turns = Dust, Blood, Heart

[DiceDexter]

Ignore the unfaithful my dear Necromancer. They cannot grasp that someone living multiple centuries would speak in a different tone. Thanks for sharing your wisdom!

[Raikao]

Sorry but this is unreadable. You probably thought the gimmick is neat but it's endlessly annoying and makes the guide unusable. Just spell normally.

[Angraug]

Curses! Yeh've discovered meh occupation prior to becoming an abutlernation! Ah never believed anybodeh would. Keep it to yerself, eh?

[TheSleepingDead]

I like to imagine youre secretly an old space cowboy and thats why you use ah a lot

see you in the stars space cowboy

[Angraug]

Eeeeenteresting. Ah never pushed it that far against hehm, Ah guess. Maybe it's also a feature of the advanced difficulty?

[MadCat]

killed him twice when he didnt want to call any pylons about 5 rounds in row, during playing harvest 5

[Angraug]

If Ah can, Ah ignore the pylons in favor of the Inventor - removing hehs buffs is worth more than spending attacks on the pylons - in meh humble opinion. Ah've never noticed hehm run out of pylons. For what it's worth, none of the other bosses Ah've seen ever run out of adds to summon.

[MadCat]

It seems inventor can call only limited number of pylons ( from 3 to 6,maybe even just 3?)

[nanabugazy]

Weird way to say "thanks for putting all this info together for everyone for free"

[ShuShu]

Stop writing "Ah" instead of "I" etc. It makes you sound childish and/or sad. Reading this was painful.