User talk:TW George
WARNING: Leaving Zugzwang's Tower will cause the Tower Amplifier to lose all of its charge.
Hunters in Zugzwang's Tower who capture the Technic King or Mystic King without Checkmate Cheese armed, or Chess Master with Checkmate Cheese armed, will be moved to the Seasonal Garden.
| TW George | |
|---|---|
| Region: Rodentia | |
| Minimum Rank: | Lord/Lady |
| Travel Requirement: | Zugzwang's Tower Key |
| Required Power Type: | Tactical |
| Number of Mice: | 13 |
| Shops: | None |
| Lose Gold: | Yes |
| Lose Points: | Yes |
| Lose Cheese: | Yes |
| 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
WARNING: Leaving Zugzwang's Tower will cause the Tower Amplifier to lose all of its charge.
Zugzwang's Tower is a Chess themed location in the Rodentia region requiring a minimum rank of Lord or Lady and the Zugzwang's Tower Key to enter.
Mice found in Zugzwang's Tower are part of the Wizard's Pieces group and are weak to Tactical weapons.
Hunters rely on the Tower Amplifier's charge to give their Tactical traps the needed power to capture the mice found in this location. Each hunt within Zugzwang's Tower reduces the Hunter's Amplifier charge and reduces the power of their trap set-up.
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.
Encountering Mice
The mice found in Zugzwang's Tower are divided into a Technic group and a Mystic group and the mice within the groups become available in a specific order.
Example: All Mystic mice of a specific type must be captured before the next type of Mystic mouse can be encountered. Pawns of both types can be encountered immediately upon entering Zugzwang's Tower.
Order of encounter
- Pawns
- Knights
- Bishops
- Rooks
- Queens
- Kings
- Chess Master
Hunters must catch a specific number of each type of mouse within the Technic or Mystic group before the next type of mouse within the group is added to the mouse population.
- Hunters must capture 8 Pawns of one type to encounter Knights of the same type.
- Hunters must capture 2 Knights of one type to encounter Bishops of the same type.
- Hunters must capture 2 Bishops of one type to encounter Rooks of the same type.
- Hunters must capture 2 Rooks of one type to encounter Queens of the same type.
- Hunters must capture 1 Queen of one type to encounter the King of the same type.
- Capturing a King with Checkmate Cheese armed will allow Hunters to encounter the Chess Master.
- Hunters must arm Checkmate Cheese to encounter the Chess Master.
Tower Amplifier
WARNING: Leaving Zugzwang's Tower will cause the Tower Amplifier to lose all of its charge.
Catching mice in the Seasonal Garden charges the Hunter's Tower Amplifier. A fully charged Tower Amplifier is necessary for Hunters to have the best chance of capturing the most powerful mice found in Zugzwang's Tower. Hunters can travel to Zugzwang's Tower with an Amplifier that is not fully charge, but this will reduce the likelihood of catching the strongest mice found here.
Hunters ranked Lord or Lady can charge their Amplifier to 150%.
Hunters ranked Baron or Baroness can charge their Amplifier to 160%.
Hunters ranked Count or Countess and above can charge their Amplifier to 175%.
Every catch of a mouse in Zugzwang's Tower will reduce the charge of the Hunter's Tower Amplifier from 1% to 10%, depending on the mouse captured.
Every Failure To Attract a mouse will reduce the charge of the Hunter's Tower Amplifier by 3%.
Failing to catch a mouse will have no effect on the Tower Amplifier's charge.
Exiting Zugzwang's Tower, by traveling or catching a King or the Chess Master, will reset the Hunter's progress and completely drain the Tower Amplifier of its charge. Reaching 0% on the Tower Amplifier does not transport the Hunter out of Zugzwang's Tower, but Hunters will be unable to capture any mice.
Journal Entries
- Upon catching a Mystic King or a Technic King with any cheese besides Checkmate, the Hunter is automatically transported back to the Seasonal Garden with the following message:
- 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.
- Upon catching a Chess Master, the hunter is automatically transported back to the Seasonal Garden with the following message:<br\>
- Checkmate! I defeated a Chess Master! I was transported to the Seasonal Garden.
Zugzwang's Tower HUD
The Heads-Up Display in Zugzwang's Tower shows the Hunter's current Amplifier charge, the maximum charge available to the Hunter, and the progress with the Technic and Mystic groups of mice.
Mousing over the Tower Amplifier reveals the following message:
- Everytime you hunt in the tower, your amplifier will go down making your trap less powerful.
- Leaving the tower will reset it to zero!
- Watch your amplifier! As it drops, so will your trap power.
- Good luck, and be sure to shout Checkmate when you capture a King!
Mousing over the Technic status display reveals the following message:
- 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.
Mousing over the Mystic status display reveals the following message:
- 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.
Zugzwang's Tower Mice
Mice in Zugzwang's Tower are all members of the Wizard's Pieces and are weak only to Tactical weapons.
Standard Cheese will attract all mice found in Zugzwang's Tower, except the Chess Master which is only attracted to Checkmate Cheese
Mystic King and Technic King
Capturing the Mystic King or Technic King with any bait other than Checkmate Cheese will cause the Hunter to be moved to the Seasonal Garden.
When either King is captured with Checkmate Cheese armed, Hunters will remain in Zugzwang's Tower and can attempt to capture the Chess Master.
Chess Master
In order to attract the Chess Master, Hunters must capture either a Mystic King or a Technic King with Checkmate Cheese armed. Once either of those mice has been captured, Hunters may continue to hunt with Checkmate Cheese in order to capture the Chess Master.
Capturing the Chess Master will cause the Hunter to be moved to the Seasonal Garden
.
| Mouse |
Points |
Gold |
Decrease in Tower Amplifier |
Loot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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) Technic Cheese Mould Torn Technic Page |
| 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 |
| Chess Master Requires Checkmate Cheese |
119,600 | 19,000 | N/A | Ancient Relic Master Bindings Zugzwang's Left Sock |
Mice with Special Requirements
- M400 – This mouse will sometimes be available in Zugzwang's Tower when Hunters are actively working an M400 Hunting Research Assignment. It is attracted only to Fusion Fondue which will not attract any other mice. It drops a wide variety of loot.
- Catching the M400 will have no effect on the Tower Amplifier.
Obtaining Checkmate Cheese
The primary source for Checkmate Cheese is crafting. The Mystic King drops the required Mystic Curd and the Technic King drops the required Technic Cheese Mould.
3 Piece Recipe
Hunters must reach the rank of Lord or Lady before they can use this recipe.
| Formula: Checkmate Cheese (3 pieces) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Recipe can be unlocked by: | Capture a Mystic King mouse and a Technic King mouse | ||
| Item | Item Qty |
Item Cost |
Item Source |
| Mystic Curd | 1 | N/A | |
| Technic Cheese Mould | 1 | N/A |
|
| Ionized Salt | 12 | 450 (5,400 total) |
|
| Total | 5,400 gold | Cost Per Piece: 1,800 gold | |
| Recipe costs represent Shoppe prices only. The cost of items obtained through other sources will affect the total cost of crafting. | |||
9 Piece Recipe
Hunters must reach the rank of Lord or Lady before they can use this recipe.
Hunting Strategy
WARNING: Leaving Zugzwang's Tower will cause the Tower Amplifier to lose all of its charge.
Hunters will have difficulty capturing the stronger mice found in Zugzwang's Tower without fully charging their Tower Amplifier by capturing mice in the Seasonal Garden.
The mice found in Zugzwang's Tower are all part of the Chess Pieces group and are weak only to Tactical weapons.
Standard Cheese and SUPER|brie+ will attract all mice found in this location, except the Chess Master, which requires 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.
Hunters must catch a specific number of each type of mouse within the Technic or Mystic group before the next type of mouse within the group is added to the mouse population.
- Hunters must capture 8 Pawns of one type to encounter Knights of the same type.
- Hunters must capture 2 Knights of one type to encounter Bishops of the same type.
- Hunters must capture 2 Bishops of one type to encounter Rooks of the same type.
- Hunters must capture 2 Rooks of one type to encounter Queens of the same type.
- Hunters must capture 1 Queen of one type to encounter the King of the same type.
- Capturing a King with Checkmate Cheese armed will allow Hunters to encounter the Chess Master.
- Hunters must arm Checkmate Cheese to encounter the Chess Master.
Every catch of a mouse in Zugzwang's Tower will reduce the charge of the Hunter's Tower Amplifier from 1% to 10%, depending on the mouse captured.
Every Failure To Attract a mouse will reduce the charge of the Hunter's Tower Amplifier by 3%.
Failing to catch a mouse will have no effect on the Tower Amplifier's charge.
Exiting Zugzwang's Tower, by traveling or catching a King or the Chess Master, will reset the Hunter's progress and completely drain the Tower Amplifier of its charge. Reaching 0% on the Tower Amplifier does not transport the Hunter out of Zugzwang's Tower, but Hunters will be unable to capture any mice.
Single and Double Runs
A Single Run requires catching all the mice of either the Mystic or Technic group. Catching the King will return the Hunter to the Seasonal Garden and will reset the Hunter's Tower Amplifier to 0%.
A Single Run with Chess Master requires catching all the mice of either the Mystic or Technic group and capturing the Chess Master. Hunters must capture a Technic King or Mystic King with Checkmate Cheese armed to prevent being moved to the Seasonal Garden. Catching the Chess Master, which is attracted only to Checkmate Cheese, will return the Hunter to the Seasonal Garden and will reset the Hunter's Tower Amplifier to 0%.
A Double Run requires catching all the mice of both the Mystic and Technic group. Hunter's will need to capture the first King with Checkmate Cheese armed to prevent being moved to the Seasonal Garden. Catching the second King will return the Hunter to the Seasonal Garden and will reset the Hunter's Tower Amplifier to 0%.
A Double Run with Chess Master requires catching all the mice of both the Mystic and Technic group and capturing the Chess Master. Hunters must capture a Technic King and Mystic King with Checkmate Cheese armed to prevent being moved to the Seasonal Garden. Catching the Chess Master, which is attracted only to Checkmate Cheese, will return the Hunter to the Seasonal Garden and will reset the Hunter's Tower Amplifier to 0%.
Location-Specific Effects
Charms
- The Uncharged Scholar Charm must be charged by catching a Chess Master Mouse in Zugzwang's Tower. Doing so results in a Scholar Charm which can be used to attract Zurreal the Eternal in the Crystal Library.
- The Rook Crumble Charm provides a 300% power bonus against Mystic Rook and Technic Rook mice.
Traps
- The Mystic Pawn Pincher increases attraction of Mystic Pawn mice and decreases attraction of Technic Pawn mice. The Mystic Pawn Pincher also has increased effectiveness against Mystic Pawn mice and decreased effectiveness against Technic Pawn mice.
- The Technic Pawn Pincher increases attraction of Technic Pawn mice and decreases attraction of Mystic Pawn mice. The Technic Pawn Pincher also has increased effectiveness against Technic Pawn mice and decreased effectiveness against Mystic Pawn mice.
- The Blackstone Pass Trap has increased effectiveness against Mystic mice and decreased effectiveness against Technic mice.
- The Mystic Crystal, required for crafting this trap, is dropped as loot by the Mystic King.
- The Obvious Ambush Trap has increased effectiveness against Technic mice and decreased effectiveness against Mystic mice.
- The Droid Jetpack, required for crafting this trap, is dropped as loot by the Technic King.
Adventure Book
- Hunters can Capture the Mystic and Technic Kings by catching all the Technic and Mystic Wizard's Pieces mice to obtain the Sandtail Call to Arms.
- The Sandtail Call to Arms is required for travelling to the Fiery Warpath.
- Hunters can complete steps to Capture Zurreal the Eternal by catching the Chess Master to charge an Uncharged Scholar Charm and obtain a Scholar Charm.
Library Assignments
- Zugzwang Research - These assignments require Hunters to complete tasks in Zugzwang's Tower.
- Advanced Zugzwang Research - These assignments require Hunters to complete tasks in Zugzwang's Tower.
- M400 Hunting Research Assignment - This assignment may require capturing the M400 in Zugzwang's Tower.
Tournaments
Zugzwang's Tower mice are worth points during some Tournaments.
Treasure Maps
Mice in Zugzwang's Tower are often found on Zugzwang Treasure Maps and Relic Hunter Treasure Maps.
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. Make sure you don't leave the Tower before you catch a King, or drain your Amplifier. If you do, your progress, and your Amplifier will be set back to zero.
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.
History and Trivia
- 26 August 2010: Zugzwang's Tower was introduced.
- 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.
Links
