Zugzwang's Tower
Zugzwang's Tower is a Chess themed location.
| Zugzwang's Tower | |
|---|---|
| Region: Rodentia | |
| Rank requirement: | Lord/Lady |
| Map piece: | Zugzwang's Tower Key |
| Required Power Type: | Tactical |
| Required Cheese: | Standard Cheese Checkmate |
| Number of Mice: | 17 |
| Shops: | Cheese Shoppe Trapsmith Charm Shoppe General Store |
| Release Date: | 26 August 2010 |
| An ordered chaos consumes the enchanted tower as the technological chess mice do battle with their mystical counterparts, all under the auspices of a dark game master who hides in the shadows. Conquer both Kings to find what lurks beyond the chess board, but beware: this is a place of powerful magics, where things are not always what they seem. | |
Overview
Zugzwang's Tower is a hunting location in Rodentia region.
It requires the rank of Lord/Lady and the Zugzwang's Tower Key to access.
Mice here become available under certain conditions.
Amplifier modifies power and luck, thus greatly affects the Hunter's ability to catch mice here.
Each trip can be a single or double run. After each run, the Hunter need to charge the amplifier in Seasonal Garden again before doing the next run.
Hunters must complete the Capture the Mystic and Technic Kings Adventure to obtain the Sandtail Call to Arms, which is necessary to gain access to the Fiery Warpath.
Hunters wishing to travel to the Crystal Library location must obtain a Crystal Library Card from the mice found in this location.
Gameplay Mechanics
Mouse attraction pool
When the Hunter enters this location, only Mystic Pawn and Technic Pawn are available.
Other mice are added to the attraction pool upon completing certain tasks:
- Catching 8 Pawns of one type adds Knights of the same type to the attraction pool.
- Catching 2 Knights of one type adds Bishops of the same type to the attraction pool.
- Catching 2 Bishops of one type adds Rooks of the same type to the attraction pool.
- Catching 2 Rooks of one type adds Queens of the same type to the attraction pool.
- Catching 1 Queen of one type adds King of the same type to the attraction pool.
- Catching a King of either type adds Chess Master to the attraction pool.
- Doing so will also remove all mice of that side from the attraction pool, except:
- Pawn can be attracted using Standard Cheese.
- Rook can be attracted using Checkmate Cheese.
Be noted that the Hunter needs to use either Checkmate Cheese or Stalemate Charm when catching the said King in order to prevent being transferred to Seasonal Garden and having amplifier reset.
Tower Amplifier
In Zugzwang's Tower, an Amplifier mechanic is in effect:
- The amplifier acts as a special power and luck multiplier in Zugzwang's Tower.
- However, the luck multiplying effect is only active when the amplifier drops below 100%, which means the Hunter won't have more luck than normal even if the amplifier is greater than 100%.
- Catching a Zugzwang's Tower Mouse will deplete the amplifier.
- The amount of deplete depends on the mouse, and can be found in the Zugzwang's Tower Mice table.
- Failing to attract a mouse will deplete the amplifier by 3%.
- The amplifier will be reset to 0% and the Hunter transferred to Seasonal Garden when the Hunter either:
- Manually retreat from the tower
- Catch a Mystic King or Technic King with neither Checkmate Cheese nor Stalemate Charm armed
- Checkmate! I defeated a Technic King Mouse! I was transported to the Seasonal Garden.
- OR
- Checkmate! I defeated a Mystic King Mouse! I was transported to the Seasonal Garden.
- Catch a Chess Master without Stalemate Charm
- Checkmate! I defeated a Chess Master! I was transported to the Seasonal Garden.
- Checkmate! I defeated a Technic King Mouse! I was transported to the Seasonal Garden.
Heads-Up Display
In Zugzwang's Tower, the HUD shows:
- The Amplifier bar showing the percentage
- Every time you hunt in the tower, your amplifier will go down making your trap less powerful. To recharge your amplifier, retreat from the tower to return to the garden.
- Good luck and be sure to shout CHECKMATE when you capture a King!
- The progress with the Technic and Mystic groups of mice
- These are the Technic mice you have caught since entering the tower.
- The mice must be caught in this order: Pawn, Knight, Bishop, Rook, Queen, King.
- These are the Mystic mice you have caught thus far.
- Capturing either a Technic or Mystic King resets your progress and moves you back to the Seasonal Garden.
Mice
Mice found in Zugzwang's Tower are all members of the Wizard's Pieces mouse group.
Tactical power type is very effective against these mice. There are some Weapons with increased effectiveness against certain sub-groups.
All other types are ineffective.
Mice here are divided into Mystic and Technic sub-group. Within each group, a certain number of lower level mouse must be caught in order to unlock the next level, as stated in Attraction order.
Standard Cheese will attract all mice found in Zugzwang's Tower, except the Chess Master which is only attracted to Checkmate Cheese
Checkmate Cheese will increase the attraction rate of the highest ranked mouse Hunters are currently able to attract.
- Example: Hunters needing to catch a Rook in order to unlock the Queen can arm Checkmate Cheese to increase the odds of encountering a Rook.
| Mouse | Points | Gold | Decrease in Amplifier |
Loot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mystic Pawn | 8,800 | 890 | 1% | |
| Mystic Knight | 19,060 | 1,620 | 3% | Crystal Library Card |
| Mystic Bishop | 40,655 | 900 | 3% | Crystal Library Card |
| Mystic Rook | 72,600 | 2,277 | 5% | Crystal Library Card |
| Mystic Queen | 80,960 | 13,970 | 9% | Crystal Library Card |
| Mystic King | 98,670 | 8,560 | 10% | Hunting Research (10,000 points) Mystic Crystal Mystic Curd Torn Mystic Page |
| Technic Pawn | 7,200 | 1,090 | 1% | |
| Technic Knight | 15,590 | 1,980 | 3% | Crystal Library Card |
| Technic Bishop | 33,265 | 1,100 | 3% | Crystal Library Card |
| Technic Rook | 59,400 | 2,785 | 5% | Crystal Library Card |
| Technic Queen | 66,240 | 17,080 | 9% | Crystal Library Card |
| Technic King | 80,730 | 10,470 | 10% | Droid Jetpack Satchel of Gold (5,000 gold) Technic Cheese Mould Torn Technic Page |
| Chess Master Requires Checkmate Cheese |
119,600 | 19,000 | 10% | Ancient Relic Master Bindings Zugzwang's Left Sock |
Hunting Strategy
Hunting Tips by Larry
Greetings, Mousehunter!
I hope you've got your Tower Amplifier charged, because the mice of Zugzwang's Tower are going to put up a fight unlike any other.
Long ago, the Tower mice became enchanted chess pieces in a game that never ends. The two teams, Technic and Mystic, use a clear strategy when attacking, much like real chess pieces. Catching eight Pawns releases the Knights. Catching two Knights releases the Bishops. Catching two Bishops releases the Rooks. Catching two Rooks releases the Queen, and catching one Queen releases the King.
Did you get all that? Don't worry if you didn't-- when you enter the tower, your Tower Amplifier also comes equipped with a progress bar to let you know how close you are to the King!
Each time you catch a mouse, or fail to attract, your Tower Amplifier's charge decreases. Once you begin to hunt in the tower, you cannot return to the Seasonal Garden until your Amplifier is drained unless you choose to retreat. Take heed that retreating will reset your Amplifier as well as all of your progress in the tower.
If your strategy is sound, and you capture the King, your progress will be reset and you will be whisked away to the Seasonal Garden. If however, you catch a King using the rare Checkmate Cheese then you shall remain in the tower and a greater adversary will await your challenge.
Adventure Book
The Hunter can complete steps of the following Adventures in Zugzwang's Tower:
Single and Double Runs
The primary goal of each tower run is to catch a King.
In a Single Run, the Hunter attempts to catch only either Mystic King or Technic King.
- Catching a King without Checkmate Cheese or Stalemate Charm armed will reset the Amplifier and transfer the Hunter to Seasonal Garden.
- Hunters who wish to stay in Zugzwang's Tower after catching a King will need to have either Checkmate Cheese armed or any Standard Cheese with Stalemate Charm armed when catching the first King.
- The Hunter can then attract the Chess Master in the tower with Checkmate Cheese. Catching a Chess Master without a Stalemate Charm armed will reset the Amplifier and transfer the Hunter to Seasonal Garden.
- If the Hunter catches a Chess Master with a Stalemate Charm armed, the mice pool does not change and the Hunter can continue to hunt in Zugzwang's Tower.
- The caught King cannot be attracted again in the ongoing run, but the other King can be unlocked and attracted as normal, thus transitioning a Single Run into a Double Run.
In a Double Run, the Hunter attempts to catch both Kings.
- The Hunter needs to catch the first King with either Checkmate Cheese armed or any Standard Cheese with Stalemate Charm armed to stay in Zugzwang's Tower.
- The other King can then be unlocked and attracted as normal.
- Hunters who wish to stay in Zugzwang's Tower after catching the second King will need to have either Checkmate Cheese armed or any Standard Cheese with Stalemate Charm armed when catching the second King.
- Since Checkmate Cheese allows the attraction of the Chess Master, it is recommended that the Hunter has Stalemate Charm armed when attempting to catch the second King even with Checkmate Cheese to prevent an accidental transport to the Seasonal Garden in case of catching the Chess Master before the second King.
Location-Specific Effects
Weapons
- Mystic Pawn Pincher:
- Increases attraction of Mystic Pawn
- Decreases attraction of Technic Pawn
- Has a bonus of 10,920 Power and 51 Luck against Mystic Pawn
- Has a penalty of 60 Power and 0.05 Luck against Technic Pawn
- Technic Pawn Pincher:
- Increases attraction of Technic Pawn
- Decreases attraction of Mystic Pawn
- Has a bonus of 10,920 Power and 51 Luck against Technic Pawn
- Has a penalty of 60 Power and 0.05 Luck against Mystic Pawn
- Blackstone Pass Trap:
- Obvious Ambush Trap:
- Zugzwang's Ultimate Move - has a chance to instantly catch a mouse if the Tower Amplifier is not at 0%
Charms
- Uncharged Scholar Charm - adds a Scholar Charm to the Hunter's inventory upon catching a Chess Master
- Rook Crumble Charm - has a bonus of 300% power bonus against Mystic Rook and Technic Rook
- Stalemate Charm - prevents Amplifier reset and allows the Hunter to remain in Zugzwang's Tower upon catching a Mystic King, Technic King, or Chess Master
Shops
These are the shops found in Zugzwang's Tower.
Cheese Shoppe
| Item | Cost | Requirement | Refund |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swiss Cheese | 100 gold | None | 100 gold |
| Brie Cheese | 200 gold | None | 200 gold |
| Gouda Cheese | 600 gold | None | 600 gold |
Trapsmith
| Item | Cost | Requirement | Refund |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bamboozler Base | 75,000 gold | None | 13,500 gold |
| Aqua Base | 115,000 gold | None | 20,700 gold |
| Spellbook Base | 1,296,000 gold 1 Master Bindings 3 Torn Technic Page 3 Torn Mystic Page |
None | N/A |
| Item | Power Type | Cost | Requirement | Refund |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zugzwang's Last Move | Tactical | 310,000 gold | None | 55,800 gold |
| Zugzwang's First Move | Tactical | 615,000 gold 1 Zugzwang's Last Move 1 Magic Feather |
None | N/A |
| Mystic Pawn Pincher | Tactical | 300,000 gold | None | 54,000 gold |
| Technic Pawn Pincher | Tactical | 300,000 gold | None | 54,000 gold |
| Obvious Ambush Trap | Tactical | 650,000 gold 1 Droid Jetpack |
None | N/A |
| Blackstone Pass Trap | Tactical | 650,000 goal 1 Mystic Crystal 4 Coal |
None | N/A |
| Reaper's Perch | Shadow | 2,767,750 gold 1 Reaper's Perch Blueprints 6 Onyx Stone 6 Rune |
None | N/A |
| Zurreal's Folly | Tactical | 1 Desert Travel Almanac 1 Encyclopedia Gnawnia 6 Luscious Lumber 1 Mesh Netting 3 Ectoplasmic Essence 3 Warp Nail 3 Runestone 1 Draconic Book 1 Lich Jewel |
None | N/A |
Charm Shoppe
| Item | Cost | Requirement | Refund |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charmbit | 25 gold | None | 20 gold |
| Power Charm | 150 gold | None | 45 gold |
| Luck Charm | 300 gold | None | 90 gold |
| Lucky Power Charm | 900 gold | None | 270 gold |
| Super Power Charm | 500 gold | None | 150 gold |
| Super Luck Charm | 750 gold | None | 225 gold |
| Super Lucky Power Charm | 2,500 gold | None | 750 gold |
General Store
| Item | Cost | Requirement | Refund |
|---|---|---|---|
| Curds and Whey | 12 gold | None | 3 gold |
| Ionized Salt | 450 gold | None | 150 gold |
History and Trivia
- 26 August 2010: Zugzwang's Tower was released as a new hunting location in Rodentia region.
- 26 Febuary 2019: Hunters can now leave Zugzwang's Tower without losing their amplifier or progress.
- Zugzwang is a term from chess that describes a player being in a position where they are forced to move to a position of greater disadvantage.
Images
