Tower Amplifier

"Amplifier" redirects here. For other uses, see Amplifier Charm.

The Tower Amplifier is a game element that is first found upon traveling to the Seasonal Garden, and is also used in Zugzwang's Tower. In the Seasonal Garden the amplifier is charged, and then in Zugzwang's Tower it affects the power and luck of the hunter's trap, giving a bonus when fully charged, or decreasing them as it's being depleted. The current charge of the Tower Amplifier appears in the Heads-up Display of both locations. The effect of the Tower Amplifier on your trap's power and luck can be seen in the values of power and luck displayed on the Camp page, and the Profile page. The effects are shown in more detail upon mouseover of the power and luck stats on the trap selector of the camp page.

Charging or Depleting

In the Seasonal Garden, the percentage of the Tower Amplifier increases by a different percentage depending on the mouse caught. The more the mouse is worth in points, the more the percentage gained will be, as seen in the Seasonal Garden Mice table. When Amplifier Charms are used, the amplifier gained will be doubled.

Upon moving to Zugzwang's Tower, the Tower Amplifier decreases for every successful catch, with percentages following the points used in chess, as seen in the Zugzwang's Tower Mice table. Event Mice do not affect the amplifier.

In both locations, failing to attract a mouse will decrease the Tower Amplifier's percentage by 3%. Failing to catch a mouse or attracting a prize mouse will not affect the Tower Amplifier.

Moving out of Zugzwang's Tower will reset the percentage to 0%, including the case when a Mystic King or Technic King is caught without Checkmate cheese, or when catching a Chess Master. Traveling out of the Seasonal Garden will not affect the Tower Amplifier's percentage.

In Zugzwang's Tower, if the amplifier dips below 20%, a popup message appears:

Your Amplifier is low!

As your amplifier lowers, so does your trap's power and luck. You can recharge your amplifier by catching mice in the Seasonal Garden.

The Travel tab warns about the potential loss of amplifier before leaving Zugzwang's Tower:

Warning! You are currently in Zugzwang's Tower.

Leaving the tower will reset your Tower Amplifier, Technic Progress and Mystic Progress.

Maximum Charge Percentages

The maximum percentage of the Tower Amplifier increases with the hunter's rank.

• Lord/Lady: 150%
• Baron/Baroness: 160%
• Count/Countess and above: 175%

Strategy

Since failure to attract decreases the amplifier, it is common to hunt with Gouda or SUPER|brie+, since these cheeses have the highest attraction rate. Also, a hunter has a better chance of completing a run in Zugzwang's Tower if the amplifier is fully charged before entering, since it is harder to catch mice as the amplifier loses strength.

Within Zugzwang's Tower, there are some additional strategies for making the most use of the amplifier. Since failure to catch does not have a negative impact, a common strategy is to start with either the Mystic Pawn Pincher or Technic Pawn Pincher while hunting for the eight pawns of a particular flavor. That way, even when pawns from the opposing side are attracted, they will not be caught and will not reduce the amplifier.

History and Trivia

During the Great Winter Hunt 2010 and Great Winter Hunt 2011, hunters were able to charge their amplifier by catching Vinetail Mouse in the Festive Comet, regardless of whether they had the Zugzwang's scarf which allows access to Seasonal Garden.

See Also

• Hunting Sequence

Links

• Tower Amplifier image - blank image of the Tower Amplifier.