Commonly Asked Questions

Members of the MouseHunt community ask the same questions over and over as people go through the different stages of the game. While the developers are updating the game with new traps and locations that impact game play and balance, the purpose of this page is to share the collective wisdom of what has been learned.

As a Novice I wonder

• How do I get started?
  • Help is also available in the user forums
• What do all of those abbreviations I am seeing in Forum mean?
  • See a List of forum abbreviations and acronyms
• Which trap is better the Tacky Glue Trap or the High Tension Spring?
  • The Tacky Glue Trap is the better choice here because the much higher attraction rate more than makes up for the slightly lower power and freshness.
• Should I skip the 500 Pound Spiked Crusher?
  • Yes, if your goal is to upgrade to the Mouse Trebuchet with the fewest hunts. The difference is only a few hunts and you will miss out on that new trap smell. Do you consider MouseHunt a race to be won - or a place to explore?
    • Stick with the Tacky Glue Trap with Wooden Base with Target and Cheddar cheese since this will return a better profit than the 500 Pound Spiked Crusher.
• Should I skip the Stone Base?
  • This is up to the Hunter's preference. The Wooden Base with Target base provides better attraction and the Explosive Base more power with the traps that hunters use early in the game. The Stone Base will make it less likely for your cheese to go stale. Skip the Stone Base and save your gold for the explosive base.

As a Recruit I wonder

• What are Plankrun’s Pages?
  • They are just for collecting, they are not needed to advance in the game. If you get tired of collecting mice, you can challenge yourself by finding these rare items.

As an Initiate I wonder

• Should I hunt in the Harbour?
  • Once you have at least the Mouse Trebuchet or Mouse Rocketine, you should move to Harbour.
• What cheese should I use in the Harbour?
  • If you have Mouse Trebuchet, use Swiss cheese or White Cheddar. If you have the Mouse Rocketine, use Marble cheese. Use Swiss cheese with the Swiss Army Mouse Trap.
• What trap should I use in the Harbour?
  • At least a Mouse Trebuchet or Mouse Rocketine.
• Should I skip the Swiss Army Mouse Trap and go directly to the NVMRC Forcefield Trap or Mouse DeathBot?
  • The Swiss Army Trap provides a quick return on investment, so you will be able to afford the advanced traps faster if you purchase the Swiss Army Mouse Trap.
• Forcefield Trap or Mouse DeathBot?
  • The additional luck of the NVMRC Forcefield Trap makes it a better choice over the more powerful Mouse DeathBot. However the difference between the two weapons is small.
  • See NVMRC Forcefield Trap or Mouse DeathBot?
• Is getting the Forcefield Trap or DeathBot worth it?
  • While many recommend skipping to save gold, as an Initiate you have plenty of time to get a return on your investment. It will also help you get potions in the lab in the future, so yes, it is worth it.

As a Journeyman I wonder

• Should I hunt in the Mountain or the Calm Clearing?
  • You will want to hunt in both locations to open up different areas. If you sell the simple orbs that you collect, you will end up earning more gold in the Mountains.
• Should I buy the NVMRC Forcefield Trap?
  • If you have the money before 50% journeyman, purchase the NVMRC Forcefield trap.
• Which is better - the Explosive Base or the Dehydration Base?
  • Welcome to the ongoing discussion of Luck versus Power. Basically you want the best combination of a weapon and base to have the best chance to catch the most mice. The most important attribute is the type of weapon (physical, tactical, shadow, etc.) since arming the wrong type will be less effective. The good news is that when you first start out this is not an issue since all the traps available to you are physical and that is the type you need. The simple way to play the game is to take your most powerful weapon and put it with your most powerful base and that works fairly well.
  • Observant hunters will notice that they are able to catch a few more mice on average by using a lucky base, like the Dehydration base, in certain locations once they have a powerful enough trap. It also keeps your cheese fresh so you will not waste cheese and will result in more loot drops (a side effect of luck). In general you are better off in the long run with the Dehydration base than with the Explosive base.

As a Master I wonder

• Should I hunt in the Laboratory or the Great Gnarled Tree?
  • Currently, there is no special trap designed for the Lagoon so Gnarled Potions collected will be useless until much stronger traps are bought or crafted. The Laboratory on the other hand drops Radioactive Blue Cheese Curd Potions which can be used in the Mousoleum, which has traps that could work effectively in it.
• Where is the better place to earn gold - the Town of Digby or the Mousoleum?
  • The lower cost of Swiss cheese works well at earning gold in the Town of Digby compared to the cost of Radioactive Blue cheese, but Radioactive Blue cheese has a much higher attraction in the Mousoleum as well as the mice there giving a much higher reward. You will make more gold in Mousoleum but risk experiencing a lot of misses and red boxes.
• Is the Venus Mouse Trap worth it?
  • The Venus Mouse Trap is cheaper than Zugzwang's Last Move but in the long run, Zugzwang's Last Move has a higher catch rate and will be worth the extra gold required; it can also be upgraded to Zugzwang's First Move at a later stage. However, the Venus Mouse Trap can be upgraded more readily (lower points requirement) so is preferred over Zugzwang's Last Move.
• What is the best setup for collecting RB potions?
  • Collecting Radioactive Blue Cheese Potions
• What is the best setup for collecting Gnarled Cheese Potions?
  • Mutated Venus Mouse Trap/Explosive/Brie. Limited Edition setup is 2010 Blastoff or Rewer's Riposte/Magma/Brie.
• Should I use Brie or SUPER|brie+ to make Gnarled cheese?
  • Brie - Google Spreadsheet
• What is the best setup for Wicked Gnarly Cheese Potions?
  • Mutated Venus Mouse Trap with Dehydration Base. Limited Edition setup is 2010 Blastoff or Rewer's Riposte on Candy Cane Base - the Gnarled Potions are hard to come by so you want to keep your bait fresh, and the Curious Chemist mouse is not hard to catch.

As a Grandmaster I wonder

• Where is the best place for points?
  • The best location for earning points is in the Training Grounds with Brie (need confirmation)
• Where is the best place for gold?
  • The best location for earning gold is in the Mousoleum with Radioactive Blue
• Is Maki cheese worth it?
  • If you are willing to spend the SUPER Brie+ needed to craft this cheese, you will get tokens faster.
• What is the best setup for collecting Gnarled potions at the Great Gnarled Tree?
  • Excluding limited edition traps and bases the Digby DrillBot with Explosive Base and Brie cheese should have a good return on potions.
• Should I buy the Venus Mouse Trap or Zugzwang's Last Move?
  • While the Zugzwang's Last Move is a better tactical trap than the Venus Mouse Trap, the Venus Mouse Trap has several advantages: it is less expensive, and it can be upgraded to the Mutated Venus Mouse Trap for use in Furoma, and later upgraded to a more powerful tactical trap - the Horrific Venus Mouse Trap - for use in the Nerg Plains. Upon reaching Lord rank, Zugzwang's Last Move can also be upgraded to the even more powerful tactical trap - Zugzwang's First Move - for use in Zugzwang's Tower.
• What is the best way to catch the Assassin mouse?
  • The Giant Speakers / Wooden Base with Target / Brie Cheese in the Dojo. Without limited edition traps the Mutated Venus Mouse Trap / Wooden Base with Target / Brie cheese in the Dojo is best.
• What is the best way to get the Ambush Trap Blueprints?
  • Hunting with Brie cheese you are more likely to encounter the Hapless Mouse which drops the blueprints in the Pinnacle Chamber than the Assassin Mouse which drops the blueprints in the Dojo.
• Where is the best place to hunt for the Worker mouse?
  • The Training Grounds is better than the Dojo. Remember to user Super Brie cheese to attract this elusive mouse (it can also be attracted, to a lesser extent, with Maki in the Dojo).
• Should I get my Onyx Gorgonzola by crafting or by poking unstable curds?
  • While crafting is a sure thing, it is more profitable to poke unstable curds.
• Should I craft the Onyx Mallet, hunt for the Nugget mouse to collect Digby DrillBot Parts, or purchase the Digby DrillBot?
  • While the Onyx Mallet has more power than the Digby DrillBot, the recommendation is to get the Digby DrillBot since it can be later upgraded to RhinoBot. The Nugget mouse is rare so the recommendation is to purchase the Digby DrillBot at the Town of Digby.

As a Legendary I wonder

• Should I craft Obelisk of Incineration or stick with Obelisk of Slumber?
  • The Obelisk of Incineration has higher power and 1 more luck than Obelisk of Slumber, but it has an extremely stale effect, while Obelisk of Slumber has higher attraction as well as an extremely fresh effect. Since the two traps have similar performance, it will take a hunter longer to get their return on investment to earn back the cost of crafting the Obelisk of Incineration which includes 45,000 gold plus the time to collect rare loot such as coal, and scrap metal. Hunters may want to save up for crafting the Arcane Capturing Rod Of Never Yielding Mystery instead.
• Is Ancient cheese worth it in the Catacombs?
  • Radioactive Blue cheese is more profitable, however Ancient cheese still brings in a small profit (more so if crafted rather than brewed from potions) and is more useful for collecting Scrap Metal.
• What is the best location to hunt for Scrap Metal?
  • Hunters using Ancient cheese are more likely to encounter the Scavenger and Terror Knight mice in the Catacombs. Hunters may also try their luck in the Forbidden Grove. Hydras in the Lagoon may drop up to 8 Scrap Metal at a time, but they are rarer, more difficult to catch, and may drop other types of loot. The general strategy is to hunt in the Catacombs with Ancient cheese.
• Why can't I travel to the Forbidden Grove / Acolyte Realm?
  • The Forbidden Grove periodically closes and no one can travel to it during that time. It is not possible to travel directly to the Acolyte Realm; hunters need to be in the Forbidden Grove and will be automatically transported into the Acolyte Realm on catching a Realm Ripper mouse when the Forbidden Grove closes.
• Can I catch an Acolyte Mouse with the Arcane Capturing Rod of Never Yielding Mystery?
  • It is possible, but not likely. ACRONYM is effective against all the other mice in the Acolyte Realm, but is less effective against Acolyte.
• What is the best setup for collecting Radioactive Blue Potion?
  • Use Swiss cheese if below Legendary, Brie if above. You can also buy Radioactive Blue Cheese from the Marketplace.
• What is the best way to catch the Hydra Mouse?
  • Excluding limited edition traps - Digby DrillBot / Explosive Base / Gnarled Cheese will catch the most Hydra mice - but you may want to go with Digby DrillBot / Dehydration Base / Gnarled Cheese for the extra luck in getting the Ship Blueprints.
• Is it better to hunt for the Ship Blueprints or to buy them?
  • While it may be faster to buy the Ship Blueprints - you would end up missing the enjoyment of hunting in the Lagoon. Don't be in such a hurry - hunt for the Ship Blueprints.
• What is the best setup for Nerg Plains?
  • Your best tactical trap and luckiest base. Excluding limited edition traps your best bet would be the Horrific Venus Mouse Trap with Tribal (or Aqua if you can't afford the Tribal base) and Gouda cheese. Hunters yet to obtain the Thorned Vine can use Ambush.
• What is the best setup for Elub Shore?
  • Your best hydro trap and luckiest base.
• What is the best setup for Derr Dunes?
  • Your best physical trap and luckiest base. Use Brie cheese for profit, and Gouda for Delicious Stones and Points.

As a Knight I wonder

• What Trap should I be using in Balack's Cove?
  • The Ancient Box Trap when hunting for Balack. The ACRONYM and Ancient Box Trap are very close and the best Trap Setup Options for Balack's Cove depends on what base you are using. Shadow weapons are listed as 'Very Effective' and have an advantage if there is a risk of the hunter being washed out to the Jungle of Dread by the high tide, however hunters generally favor Arcane or Forgotten power types.
• Is there a difference between hunting him at low tide and hunting him at mid tide?
  • The nice thing about low tide is that it lasts longer and you can get in more attempts to attract and catch Balack. Mid tide is an ideal time to hunt for Balack since the attraction rate is higher not only for Balack but also for the Liches which drop the loot you need to craft the Vengeful Vanilla Stilton needed to attract Balack. Good luck on this tough mouse.

As a Lord/Lady I wonder

• Is it worth buying the Mystic Pawn Pincher and Technic Pawn Pincher?
  • Yes, with these traps you can focus your efforts on catching either the Mystic Pawn or the Technic Pawn while lowering the odds of catching the other. This will keep your Tower Amplifier higher than it would be when catching both mice, enabling you to progress through Zugzwang's Tower more easily. A good strategy might be to pair these weapons with the Wooden Base with Target if using Gouda cheese or with the Wooden Base if using SUPER|brie+.

As a Baron/Baroness I wonder

• If you leave the Fiery Warpath during one of the waves, does it reset all the way back to wave one?
  • Traveling out of the Fiery Warpath will not affect a Hunter's current progress or streak.
• What length of streaks should I target in the Fiery Warpath?
  • Six since the attraction rate of Gargantua mice increases rapidly as your streak goes over six.
• Should I get the Reaper's Perch before hunting in the Living Garden?
  • The Reaper's Perch is a significant upgrade from the Clockapult of Time and is recommended.
• What order should I craft the weapons and bases in the Living Garden?
  • The largest number of hunts in the Living Garden will be areas that need a Hydro weapon. It is recommended to get the Phantasmic Oasis Trap or Rune Shark or School of Sharks before Clockwork Portal Trap and Grand Arcanum Trap.
  • Getting the Clockwork Portal Trap and Grand Arcanum Trap first to help with getting the Rift Base.
• How many Dewthief Camembert cheese do I need to get an Icuri Essence?
  • The answer depends on how often if ever you use SUPER|brie+ to craft cheese. You may want to do multiple runs with small batches of 100 - 200 Dewthief Camembert cheese at a time to avoid extra hunts with a lower powered weapon.
• How many Grub Salt Charms should I use for King Grub?
  • With Clockwork Portal salt to 16 and with Reaper's Perch salt to 21 to get the most net Cynd Essences. If using Super Salt Charms then salt to 18 with Clockwork Portal and 22 with Reaper's Perch.
• How much salt should I use for King Scarab?
  • This mouse is so tough it is recommended that you don't go for it with the Clockwork Portal and 50 salt.

As a Duke/Duchess I wonder

• Should I craft the Focused Crystal Laser or Multi-Crystal Laser trap first?
  • The Focused Crystal Laser works better in the red zone, and the Multi-Crystal works better in the green zone and in the Whisker Woods Rift. So get the Focused Crystal Laser if you want to collect Rift Circuitry in the red zone, or get the Multi- Crystal if you want to go for the Fissure Base first.

At any level I wonder

• How am I doing compared to everybody else or compared to my friends?
  • Rankings are available on the Scoreboard
• Who is Ronza, why do I care, and when is she coming back?
  • Not much is known about Ronza. She sells exotic goods that are generally only available for a limited time. No one knows when she will come though rumors are that she comes back on special occasions. Her arrival will be announced in the news and her Traveling Shoppe appears under the Travel button.

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