diff --git a/content/posts/clojure.md b/content/posts/clojure.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6206150 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/posts/clojure.md @@ -0,0 +1,16 @@ ++++ +title = 'Clojure' +summary = 'My first look into Clojure, a functional JVM based programming language.' +date = 2024-11-20T23:53:38+03:00 +draft = true ++++ + +# Clojure + +Clojure is a (well, mostly, somewhat) functional programming language running on +the Java Virtual Machine. It belongs to the family of languages known as Lisp. +It has caught my attention recently. + +A long while ago, around a year or so, I tried learning Common Lisp. It's +another language belonging to the same family, and I liked it a lot. Maybe I'll +write about that at some point. diff --git a/content/posts/metamporhosis.md b/content/posts/metamporhosis.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..40e935f --- /dev/null +++ b/content/posts/metamporhosis.md @@ -0,0 +1,307 @@ ++++ +title = 'Metamorphosis' +summary = 'A deep look into the Metamorphosis mutation in Caves of Qud' +date = 2024-11-20T23:53:38+03:00 +draft = false ++++ + +Well, I have been playing a lot of Caves of Qud lately. I have been playing +for a long time, and when the game had its official 1.0 release, I got +back to it. This reminded me of a guide/post/rambling about this mutation +in Caves of Qud that I had written when I was really into this game, +and I decided I would post it here. + +Please note that some of the information here may be outdated/inaccurate, +I didn't test everything here after the full release. I'm just posting +it here because I thought it would be a shame to let it die. + +Note: a lot of what I've said in this post (some less accurate, some more accurate) +applies to the very excellent [shapeshifting mutation mod](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3367823143) +as well (particularly the part about which forms make good targets). +Honestly, if you're entertained by this, you should probably play with +that mod instead, because base Metamorphosis is just too powerful +(to the point of being boring, and annoying at the same time (due to +not keeping Wayfaring skills in transformation)). The shapeshifting +mod honestly is a lot more balanced, without really feeling like a nerf. +Much more fun in general. + +Anyway, I hope you enjoy. + +# Metamorphosis + +In this post I will be telling you about the wonders of Metamorphosis, and +how you too can live out your repressed fantasies of living as a sentient +chrome pyramid. + +### What is metamorphosis? + +Metamorphosis is a mutation in Caves of Qud. It's a mutation that allows +you to **transform yourself** into another creature (we'll get into +exactly what "creature" means in this context). Let's take a look at its +description first: + +> "You assume the form of any creature you touch. +> +> Cooldown: (level based) rounds +> May only assume the form of creatures level (level based) or lower" + +Wow, short and simple. Deceptively simple, in fact. Touch a creature, +become that creature. Almost makes you want to ask "Why's this a big deal?" + +There are a couple reasons. I will list them in no particular order. + +### 1. The level limit doesn't work. + +You heard that right. The level limit stated in the text *does not work.* You +can transform into any creature you touch, regardless of level. Yes, +that sounds OP, but trust me, that's ***definitely not*** what makes +this mutation absolutely broken. It is plenty OP even if you install +a [mod that implements the level cap](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2805279087). +It really just makes you wait until you get to the truly OP forms, +but that isn't as big of a nerf as you would think. + +### 2. What is a "creature"? + +Think about it. It says you touch a "creature", and take its form. If you've +seen some shapeshifters in media before, that might lead you to believe that +it has something to do with absorbing someone's DNA, and therefore would +require the "creature" to be at least biological in nature. + +This is wrong. You can turn into anything the game considers a "creature". +You can turn into robots. You can turn into mindless slime or fungi. +You absolutely and totally can turn into a freshly animated sentient wall. + +And yes, this means chrome pyramids are fair game. + +If you can touch it, you can turn into it. + +### 3. What does it mean to "transform"? + +In short, most things on your character sheet get replaced with stuff +on the creature's sheet. Your STR, AGI, TOU scores get replaced with the +creature's (but **NOT** your mental scores!), you lose all mutations +and gain those of the creature's, you lose all your skills and gain +those of the creature's. + +Your body plan, a.k.a. your available limbs and body parts get replaced +with those of the creature's as well. + +Interestingly, you also *do* +gain a few interesting things if the creature has them: natural weapons, +reflective shielding (like the one on cherubim), permanent phase (astral tabbies), +permanent invisibility (from the invisible troll in bethesda susa), +instant-kill attacks (from the lithofex and the decarbonizer), +a monosludge's ability to absorb liquids and become a god, +and... pretty much absolutely anything else the creature has. + +Note that despite keeping your own mental attributes, you do **not** +keep your mental mutations, and you will gain any mental mutations +the creature might have. + +### 4. You keep your items. + +This isn't something that would immediately strike one as a pro of +metamorphosis, but think about it. Your base AV gets replaced with +the creature's AV, but in most forms you will still be able to +wear armor like you normally would. + +A lot of enemies in the game (not all, but a substantial amount) +don't wear armor at all: they just have naturally high base AV. So if +you transform into, say, a bear cherub that naturally has 12 AV +with no items, then wear a full zetachrome set... yeah. + +With the right setup, you can become almost fully invulnerable. + +### 5. Your faction changes. + +Creatures will treat you as if you were a member of the faction +you transformed into. You can get out of a fight by transforming +into whatever's trying to eat your face. + + +## Things to look for + +Now that you know a good form can carry you through the game, +you may want to know what you should be looking for in a good +form. Here's a (non-exhaustive) list of things to watch out for: + +- Unique mutations: Some creatures can have powerful mutations +unique to themselves/otherwise unavailable to player characters +(ironically, this includes metamorphosis itself: you can chain +metamorphosis to essentially create a "checkpoint" of your character, +either by transforming into crowsong repeatedly or by transforming +into a clone of yourself). Examples that come to mind: Astral (tabbies!), +Breath weapons (also found on Ice cherubs, those can be nice), +Invisibility. There are others, especially on lategame enemies, +but you'll have to find them yourself. +- Creatures with unusually high stats: This typically means +procgen legendary creatures (especially ones whose base stats +are already high) You'll have to experiment on this, but town +mayors, merchants, lair legendaries and town wardens tend to +have their stats far higher than a normal instance of that +creature type. If the creature type already has very high stats, +this can lead to some insane stuff. Fun tidbit: procgen town +wardens can be *any* creature. Potentially including chrome +pyramids and salt krakens. Yeah. Even if you don't find +a ridiculously overpowered creature, even something like +a legendary issachari raider can provide a good enough +form until you can level it up or travel long enough to +find a better form. +- Cybernetics. You can turn into true-kin. I mention this +for two purposes: + 1) every time you transform into a +true kin that is wearing a cybernetic, you will copy +that cybernetic. You can then go to a becoming nook, +remove the cybernetic, end metamorphosis, and transform +again. Yes, this means if you go to the Yd Freehold, +you have effectively infinite money, as the warden there +has a cybernetic installed, and there is a becoming nook +nearby. + 2) Saad Amus (or maybe a legendary putus templar) can be + a great form to use permanently, as well, just note + that you ***will*** lose all cybernetics and any credits + you used when you end metamorphosis. +- As a general rule of thumb: anything that would be nice +to permanently dominate will be a nice metamorphosis target. +However, unlike perma-domination, you aren't required to +pick one form and commit to it forever, you can experiment +with as many forms as you like, with no limits. You can be +a decasludge one minute, then a cherub in the next, then +turn into a salt kraken and eat everything when you get bored +with that. If you play right (by proselytizing and relocating +your targets) you can have a variety of cherubs and other +powerful forms at your disposal. + +## How to get Metamorphosis + +As it may be obvious from how OP this mutation can get, +Metamorphosis is "unfinished content", meaning normally, +it is not meant to be obtained at all. However, there are still +two main ways one could go about getting metamorphosis. + +1) Go to options, turn on advanced options, enable unfinished +content. This will add Metamorphosis to the character creation +screen, you can just choose it like any other mutation. +2) There is an NPC in Kyakukya, called Crowsong, that has +Metamorphosis. (Note: He *always* spawns with it, regardless +of whether you have unfinished content enabled or not). You +can simply play the game normally until you can dominate him, +then body-swap with him. + +The first method can feel a bit cheaty, but remember: you're +not doing anything that would be impossible for a normal +character to do, you're just saving yourself some time by +skipping the part where you body-swap with Crowsong. +If you're going to get Metamorphosis at all, I recommend +you save yourself the trouble and just enjoy your time, +though I'll admit it can be fun to speedrun the body-swap. + +# Guide + +Here's a guide to get metamorphosis relatively quickly. +(without enabling unfinished content). + +### Start + +Start as Mutated Human Apostle, stat spread 16/10/16/16/16/26. +The high Ego lets us dominate crowsong quicker. We'll be body-swapping with +him to get metamorphosis. Water Merchant also works instead of apostle, I just +find the idea of an apostle receiving divine revelations to permanently +trap himself in the mind of an innocent person really funny. + +Mutations: Corrosive Gas Generation, Confusion, Domination, Sunder Mind and Hooks for Feet(D) + +Corrosive gas helps us deal with enemies without needing good melee stats. +(Honestly, you could pick ***just*** corrosive gas and nothing else, +and that would be a good run on its own) + +Confusion lets us lower crowsong's MA to help us dominate him earlier. + +Domination, necessary for body-swap. + +Sunder Mind, useful for early leveling, as it helps us safely kill dawngliders. + +Hooks for Feet is usually not a very good defect, as later in the game not being +able to wear boots can really hurt. In our case though, we'll be getting rid +of our feet way before that starts to matter. The +4 mutation points at +character generation is just more important. + +### Leveling up + +Once you start, check the only safe chest in Joppa. If you can find enough +trinkets to level up, do so immediately. Otherwise I recommend going into +the waterlogged tunnels until level 3-4. + +Play it safe at this point, don't rush, kill easy enemies like bats and dogs. +Use corrosive gas as much as you can. Don't rush into a room if you don't have +gas. Pick up kills with sunder mind. Proselytize enemies as much as you can +(they will probably die to your gas, but try to avoid that if you can) + +Use all your mutation points on corrosive gas. That alone will be enough for most +normal threats, combined with confusion as a means of diversion, and sunder mind +for powerful threats, you will be fine. Once you get Corrosive gas 3 or 4, it +will mow down most early game enemies (with careful use ofc). + +Once you get your first rapid advancement, start hoarding your mutation points +and instead use them to buy new mutations every time. You don't need any particular +mutation, but some can help you survive (force bubble/wall, teleportation, light +manip) or even help you body swap (precog). Offensive mutations tend to be +traps, physicals will need more investment and are thus undesirable. + +Put all attribute points into Ego. Every bit helps. By level 12 you should have +26 + 4 = 30 Ego, or a modifier of +7 + +Once you're level 4, run into the desert, look for packs of dawngliders. Each one +gives you 375 exp a pop, and you can kill them relatively safely from across the +screen thanks to Sunder mind. Just take care while travelling, and pray that +you don't just walk into a screen to get immediately cooked. + +Watch out for raiders with guns, as those can one or two shot you if you're +unlucky (dumping agility isn't helping you there...). + +If you find a salt kraken... Jackpot! You can kill it with corrosive gas generation +alone. You see, a salt kraken won't actually directly attack you, it will instead +try to eat you by moving on top of you. But since krakens need to spend a turn +locking on to a space, then moving there... you can keep moving around the kraken +forever, with no real danger. so activate your gas, move next to it, and avoid its +attacks. When your gas refreshes, move back one space (letting the kraken get +next to you), then activate the gas, letting the kraken lock on you again, +then keep moving as the acid melts a kraken dozens of levels above you. + +Somewhat disappointingly, killing said dangerous creature dozens of levels above +you only gives the same amount of XP as... less than 3 dawngliders (1000 XP). +Disappointing, but probably fair since corrosive gas is incredibly OP. + +### The Body-swap + +At level 12, berate + confusion will give a total of -10 penalty to crowsong's +mental stats (confusion ALSO lowers crowsong's MA on top of that). +Domination will have to hit dc 24 (level) + 6 (MA) - 6 (confusion MA drop) - +5 (Willpower drop) = 19. with a roll +of 12 (level) + 7 (Ego) + 1d8, that is a guaranteed success. If you don't mind +risking it a bit (or you got lucky and have precognition) you can also do this +at a lower level, but at level 12 it should be guaranteed. + +Note: You don't have to completely body swap. If you have cloning draught, +you can clone crowsong, dominate him, then (as crowsong) metamorph into his clone. +This will pause the domination timer (makes it essentially permanent, with the +option to go back whenever you like) while still giving you full access to +metamorphosis. + +If, however, you don't care about sacrificing your mortal coil, +lower yourself to 1 hp, dominate crowsong, then attack your body to permanently +trap yourself in crowsong. Congratulations, you are one step closer to ultimate +power! + +### What to do now? + +You might think you're home free. For the most part, that is in fact true. You +can become anything, and you have incredible potential now. Heck, a very powerful +metamorphosis target is even present in Kyakukya: Warden Indrix. + +Warden Indrix has 150 HP, a +9 strength modifier, some axe skills, and +Wilderness Lore: Jungle. The latter is surprisingly useful considering not many +good combat forms come with any Wilderness Lore skills (which is annoying! I +don't want to get lost every. single. time. I go ANYWHERE). + +Now you know about metamorphosis. You're welcome.