Zugzwang's Tower

Zugzwang's Tower is a Chess themed location.

Zugzwang's Tower
Region: Rodentia
Minimum Rank:	Lord/Lady
Travel Requirement:	Zugzwang's Tower Key
Required Power Type:	Tactical
Number of Mice:	13
Shops:	Cheese Shoppe Trapsmith General Store
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

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.

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 Tower 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:

• Capture the Mystic and Technic Kings
• Capture Zurreal the Eternal

Single and Double Runs

The primary goal of each tower run is to catch a King.

A Single Run is a run where the Hunter attempts to catch one King.

• Catching a King will reset the Amplifier and transfer the Hunter to Seasonal Garden.
• Hunters who wish to stay in the Zugzwang's Tower after catching a King will need to have either Checkmate Cheese or Stalemate Charm armed when catching it.

• The Hunter can then attract the Chess Master in the tower with Checkmate Cheese. Catching a Chess Master will reset the Amplifier and transfer the Hunter to Seasonal Garden unless Stalemate Charm is armed.
• The caught King cannot be attracted again in the run, but the other King can be unlocked and attracted as normal, thus makes a Double Run possible.

A Double Run is a run where the Hunter attempts to catch both Kings.

• The Hunter needs to catch the first King with either Checkmate Cheese or Stalemate Charm armed to stay in the tower.
• The other King can then be unlocked and attracted as normal.
• Hunters who wish to stay in the Zugzwang's Tower after catching the second King will need to have either Checkmate Cheese or Stalemate Charm armed when catching it.

• Since using the Checkmate Cheese will also attract the Chess Master, it is recommended that the Hunter has Stalemate Charm armed when attempt to catch the second King even with Checkmate Cheese to prevent unwanted Amplifier reset 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 increased effectiveness against Mystic Pawn
  • Has decreased effectiveness against Technic Pawn
• Technic Pawn Pincher:
  • Increases attraction of Technic Pawn
  • Decreases attraction of Mystic Pawn
  • Has increased effectiveness against Technic Pawn
  • Has decreased effectiveness against Mystic Pawn
• Blackstone Pass Trap:
  • Has increased effectiveness against Mystic mice
  • Has decreased effectiveness against Technic mice
• Obvious Ambush Trap:
  • Has increased effectiveness against Technic mice
  • Has decreased effectiveness against Mystic mice
• 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

Bases

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

Weapons

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

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

• Banner image