I have now beat Dicey Dungeons. It’s a great game, but one episode is very difficult. In my experience, it’s like several times more than any other. I was searching the internet for help, but couldn’t find anything so I had to do some trial and error. Based on my research, I have created the guide that I would have for The Witch Episode 5: Parallel Universe.
The Witch: AU
Parallel Universe Witch is not very talented. She’s also extremely complicated. This setup is not going to be perfect, but it will be reliable. I don’t know if there’s a secretly massive skill ceiling that I haven’t discovered. This guide is for you if you don’t want to fuss with the currency mechanic that will be added to Witch’s already complicated kit.
To begin with, please refer to the General Rules
- We are and not spending money.
The Witch has to balance mana gains and mana expenditures without sacrificing a sustained damage output. It is very difficult for them. We are just not spending it. We are only taking spells that don’t require mana, have a mana threshold for unlocking additional effects, or, ideally, are mana positive. Unfortunately, you have to start with Fruit Bowl. But, we’ll get on top of that asap.
2. Good dice are
Due to the number of spells we’ll be using, results of 4-6 can actually be quite bad. These spells are not very reliable and can be difficult to find. These slots are for spells that are unpredictable, risky, or useful only in edge cases. Rolls of 6 are considered extra garbage. They are only going to be used for feeding Snapdragon, and that’s only in the beginning. You can ditch 6.
3. Prepared slots are better than upgraded slots.
Many Parallel Universe Witch spells don’t do much better when upgraded, especially the ones we’ll use. Not to mention that your spells can make the difference between winning or losing on your third turn. Always be prepared for the first turn, and make sure you have an extra die or prepared dice ready to go the second time. Be careful when choosing, because you might not be able to defeat every enemy or reach your maximum level. If you feel safe, I recommend taking an extra set of dice. Four dice aren’t the same as two prepared slots. Keep that in mind.
Floor one is the only option
The first floor is quite simple and scripted. One chest will be available, which will offer either a Vise Grip or an Enchanted Shield. We’ll accept a Vise Grip if it’s in slot 4 or 5. Vise Grip can be quite useful in this run considering how much we prefer lower dice. Don’t worry if it’s one of the other options. Tossing a die is more important than using these spells 97% the time.
Next, comes the most important part. You’ll have two options after you level up for the first time:
– Lucky 7
– Sun Beam
Cold Snap
If you have been paying attention, then you probably know which one we want. Sun Beam is expensive, and we don’t want it. Lucky 7 is the most powerful single-instance damage spell in this episode. It costs 2 dice to cast and then place, and you have to keep a third handy. There are very specific requirements and no control over the outcome. We want Cold Snap. You can place it in either slot 1 or 3. 1. is very risky because it will overwrite your current only form of dice correction. However, it may be more beneficial down the road if you took Vise Grip sooner. If you have Vise Grip,
Take slot 1. If you didn’t or don’t want to risk your life, then take the slot 3. Place it in slot 3. There are many opportunities available to you. Last but not least, I mentioned that there is a 1/3 chance that you won’t be offered Cold Snap. Restart the run if this happens. Seriously. It’s not the first floor that you are restarting.
Spellbookkeeping: The Options and Ideals
Moving forward, I cannot predict what you will find. It is less with each floor. As you progress, I will be able to recommend which spells you should look for in the chests and Yolanda’s shops. Given that you have Cold Snap on floor 2, I will divide the spells you are looking for into four groups, in descending order of importance.
1. Correction: To control your rolls, you need something. Cold Snap is something you want to activate as often as possible. This means that you should have as many odd rolls available as possible. Fruit Bowl will be your first choice, but I have already mentioned that we want to get rid of it. The shop on floor 2 and the chest on floor 3 have the possibility of having the gold standard for dice correction during this run. It’s a bit of an anti-pun. The spell you really want here is the Bronze Cauldron. It only accepts odd dice and rolls them into even dice. This alone is enough to be considered an ideal. However, it also deals 2 damage per use, which makes it an additional source of damage. It’s also one of the few reusable spells that the Witch has, so you can use it multiple times per turn, just like you’ve diced. You don’t need to re-prepare you Bronze Cauldron. However, this spell is not guaranteed. Here are some options for correction, sorted by quality:
– Bronze Cauldron
– Silver Cauldron
Glass Cauldron
– Subdivide
– Candle
If you find one of these spells once, or as soon as possible, you should use it. It doesn’t matter if it’s Bronze Cauldron or Candle, it can be re-used. You can mark it in your spellbook at any slot above 3. If it’s one of the other, you can bind it to 1, 2, 3, or 3 as long as it isn’t overwriting Cold Snap. You should also overwrite the slot that is currently occupied by Fruit Bowl if it’s not. To ensure that you have a way to control dice, you should swap your first prepared spell once you’ve obtained a spell within this group. As the fight progresses, you should avoid replacing this spell by a different copy.
2. Mana GenerationSo, about level 4. When you refill your XP bar third time, you will be given the option of Magnifying Glass or Daffodil. The latter is far more valuable than the former. Daffodil should be taken as soon as possible. Do not tie it to any higher than 3. Daffodil will fill your second prepared slot. If you have a third slot available, that one can be used as well. This entire build is dependent on Cold Snap. It also depends on having at least 2 mana. It doesn’t really matter how many mana we have, we just want at least 2 and never spend any. Cold Snap can inflict Freeze 1 when cast with at minimum 2 mana This can be used to hinder their ability to harm you or completely block them from doing so, depending on their enemy. This is why mana generation can be so important. However, only needtwo dafodils on turn 1, (or 1 each on your 1st turn and 2nd turns, failing which), so you will need to wait until you make mana for the first few floors. You could also use your Snapdragon, but that would be a bit cumbersome. For the time being, here are some spells to keep you warm and comfortable, provided you don’t have Daffodils.
– Flower Pot (Like Daffodil) – Doubles as okay dice correction
– Gladioli (Doubles for secondary damage output).
– Honeysuckle (Healing isn’t bad)
3. Auxiliary SpellsTechnically, you can just stop reading. If you have dice correction and mana generation, then you are ready to go. If you go into battle with a Bronze Cauldron, two Daffodils, and then swap out your Cauldron with Cold Snaps to barrade the enemy for the rest, your build will be absolutely singing. Despite this, your spellbook will still be half-empty. It’s a good idea to have some backup spells, especially with all the money lying around. These spells are worth the effort:
Enchanted Bolt – If you are willing to dedicate only two spell slots for Cold Snapping and one to your die correction, Enchanted Bolt could be a good quaternary choice, adding more damage to your output.
Vise Grip (Although it was already mentioned in the section about Floor One, it is an unexpectedly powerful way to control your rolls, especially if you keep your most critical spells in lower slots).
– Northern Lights
– Spring Equinox (Can improve a situation in which your dice are scarce, by using one or more means)
4. HubrisYeah! I see that you are interested in Moonlight Spear. You’re likely to be tempted to use some flashy and silly spells, considering I left you so much space in your spellbook. Who doesn’t like to smack the boss with a 30 damage deal? Here are some good spells to fill in a slot for 4 or 6.
Moonlight Spear
– Harvest Scythe
– Moon Beam
– Winter Solstice
Winter Winds
Spellslinging: How To Win Your Battles
You would think that this section would be longest. You might think this section would be the longest.
For every round one, you need dice correction first, mana generator second, and Cold Snaps 3rd. Go ahead if you have 2 mana. If not, don’t worry. Try to get that amount by your second turn. You can fill all other slots with Cold Snaps after that or while you’re doing so. This means you will need to fill two instances first. Once you have reached 2 mana, there will be three Cold Snap slots. The process is straightforward from there. You can cast as many of the odd to even dice as you like, and then load them all into Cold Snap. If you have spare dice, you can re-prepare another Cold Snap and use it. That’s it!
Oh, and also: Dealing with Conditions
The conditions in parallel universes are unique, and the Witch is no exception. While most of these are fairly straightforward, I want to offer some tips before you go.
First, curse is even worse than normal. The curse works in the same manner, except that it will cause spells to fail instead of making them fail. When you are cursed, it is important to notuse Cold Snap or any spell that requires two dice to cast until you have triggered the curse. This usually means that you must use your dice correction method to remove the curse.
The Witch can also help to avoid poison and fire, provided that it is done correctly.
Poison is simple. It will not damage you at the beginning of your turn but replace one of your spells by a cooldown equaling your stacks. You’ll be unable to access the spell if you don’t clear the poison. You can avoid the damage by preparing a new spell over the poisoned one. The Rat King will not be able to harm you if you are careful.
Similar to fire, fire can also mess with your spellbook. You can’t cast spells if you don’t use a dice. You can still prepare another one. To prepare something new, you can drop a burning dice into your spellbook. This will cause the spellbook to become unusable. If you plan to use burning dice to prepare something new, don’t drop them into your spellbook.