Low Tide

From Protochroma Wiki
Low Tide

Associated Sector

Chroma Coast

Delve Type

Regular

Level

2

Rank Requirement

None

Rooms

12


The Low Tide is a regular Delve associated with the Chroma Coast and containing many of its creatures as enemies.

Strategy

Vullux/Gemstealer Grind

This strategy relies on Earth-elemental tagalongs to damage enemy creatures which are weak to it, the Butterfish (including the boss) and the frequently-encountered Glass-Winged Mew, while using a different elemental weapon to cover what the tagalong can't. While any Tagalong with an Earth attack will theoretically work, both Vullux and Gemstealer do the most base damage for their elemental attacks, and are thus preferred over Saltvine (second best) and Tunnelwyrm. This strategy can be used both to loop and to item grind.

  • Tagalong: Any personality with an Earth attack; lower-HP players strongly recommended to use Stoic/Valiant Vullux or Gemstealer if possible
  • Equipment: Electro-Arc Rifle + Wetsuit or Flared Blazer
    • Add-On: Dodgy + Wing Glass/Shimmering Scales/Hardened Goo/Frail Beak
      • The Add-On should be a Blue, Purple, or Emerald Chroma resist, as well as the element not covered by the armor.
  • Ammo: Scaleshredder + Dehydrator

Either the Wetsuit or Flared Blazer can be used; there are only two elemental attacks in this Delve, which are Water (Horned Tidewatcher), and Fire (Vitrevern). Vitreverns can both be easily defeated with Scaleshredder ammo. Horned Tidewatchers are weak to the weapon attack, and thus go down more easily, so Flared Blazer is weakly recommended.

During battle, search only Rocky Ground (once) or Tide Pools (as needed); the other terrains do less damage on average than it's worth, and the stronger effects are rare. Attack as normal, relying on the Tagalong to help. Because Vullux and Gemstealer both have an Earth attack and a Neutral attack, they shouldn't be a hindrance in addition to the damage from your weapon. The only enemy resistant to Earth is the one that's weak against Electric. When encountering Vitreverns or Voidwalkers, you can attack Vitreverns as normal and either do the same for Voidwalkers, or use Scaleshredder ammo; Voidwalkers do high amounts of damage and can end a loop by themselves.

During Examining turns, gather items if your HP is reasonably high and otherwise focus on healing via Shallow Pool, Noné Tree, or Snacks. It's very important to keep your HP at a comfortable range during this Delve, as the larger number of rooms, the higher-damage enemies, and the high-health boss can quickly wear even experienced players down.

The boss doesn't do much damage comparatively. Dehydrator ammo can be used to wear it down until Rapid Fire becomes available, which should be saved for this battle and used as soon as possible. The Tagalong should do more damage to it than your weapon, but personalities other than Stoic or Valiant will attack less often and this can cost the battle if your health is too low. Bad luck can end this loop; it's strongly recommended to start preparing for the boss a few rooms in advance, using Snacks to heal if luck with Examine points isn't good.

Trilopede Grind

Basically the inverse of the above strategy. The combination of three different gears listed below, with Trilopedes checking the Seismizooka's only weakness, calling this strategy broken may be an understatement. With this setup it is possible to clear this delve at least a dozen of times, with average luck, before one of the enemies finally best the elusive dodgy add-on and knock out the researcher.

  • Tagalong: Trilopede preferred if possible, Knutte and ELEMER are also okay
  • Equipment: Seismizooka + Researcher Uniform
    • Add-On: Shimmering Scales/Hardened Goo (Dodgy) preferred, Wing Glass acceptable
  • Ammo: (Not usually needed) Dehydrator only in case of emergency when facing a Horned Tidewatcher

Seismizooka covers most of the commonly seen creatures with Glass-Winged Mew and Butterfish being weak to it. At the time of this writing, Trilopede is the strongest electric creatures. Even with its weaker electric attack, it still deal decent electric damage to Horned Tidewatchers. With Trilopede's both attacks being electric, they are guaranteed to do electric damage if they do choose to attack, which is much better and more predictable than other electric tagalong creatures that may opt to use the non-electric attack instead.

Research Uniform recently got a balance change. It resists neutral at the cost of base DEF going down to 10 as opposed to the rest of purchasable armors at 15 DEF. In this delve, neutral attacks are by far the most common attacks with a small few exceptions (add-on covers most of these). Especially invaluable for cutting the otherwise high damage of Horned Tidewatcher's ram attack and both of Voidwalker's attacks in half (75% for blue Tidewatcher with the add-on). The rest of neutral attacks are no more than a tickle.

Shimmering Scales/Hardened Goo with Dodgy attribute provides resistance to Fire element and Blue Chroma. Vitrevern's fire attack is slightly stronger than Horned Tidewatcher's spray attack hence the choice of Shimmering Scale, though Wing Glass (Water, Blue) may work as well. Dodgy brought significantly better results than Handy in testing, therefore Dodgy is recommended.

If the current HP is above 30%, pick any desired examine points (except Loose Seaweed). Bright Speck is recommended for Credits. If the HP is getting low, choose examine points that will heal. In an encounter, always use Search, only once for Rocky Ground, except if the terrain is either Sandy Beach or Current's Edge.

Terrains

Terrain Effects Description
Current's Edge Nothing
Stuck (2 turns)
The nearby water may be shallow, but there's a rip current. Always be wary of the current.
Rocky Ground Shielded (infinite turns) Rough, rugged terrain that must be traversed carefully.
Sandy Beach 8 Earth Damage
15 Damage + Stuck (2 turns)
Soft, slightly loose sand without much of note around.
Tide Pools Heal: 15 HP
5 Earth Damage + Distracted (1 turn)
Tide pools housing pockets of water and life, free from the crashing waves.

Tagalong Actions

Action Effect Context
Attack Use Basic Attack
Tagalong Injured
Combat
Distracted by Something Find Item
Nothing
Examining
Find Tiny Fiery Crustacean Heal (5-15 HP) Combat
Find Something Find Item Combat
Intercept Ambush 5 Damage Combat (Start)
Looking for Something Nothing Combat
Rummage Around Area Search Reset Combat
Find Item
Nothing
Examining
Stand Guard Will Intercept Ambush Examining
Survey Area Nothing Examining

Examine Points

Name Possible Results Description
Algae-covered Rock Item: Agate
Trap: Glass-Winged Mew (Emerald)
A shallow pool of water sits at the base of this rock.
Bright Speck Item: Solar Shard
Trap: Voidwalker (Emerald F)
Something in the sand is giving off an impressive glow.
Broken Shell Pile Item: Spiral Shell
Nothing
Bits and pieces of shells. There might be a whole one in there somewhere.
Loose Seaweed Item: Purple Seaweed
Trap: Horned Tidewatcher (Purple)
A pile of purple seaweed.
Noné Tree Item: Noné Fruit
Heal: 20 HP
A short, stocky tree with several fruits growing on it.
Shallow Pool Item: Tiny Fiery Crustacean
Heal: 20 HP
A small pocket of saltwater that may have a thing or two swimming around in it.
Shiny Object Item: Shiny Metal Fragment
Trap: Vitrevern (Obsidian F)
Whatever this is, it's reflective enough to be seen from very far away.

Possible Enemies

Species Image HP Spawn Conditions Additional Notes Attacks Weaknesses Resistances
Butterfish 70 Randomly -- Peck
Smack
Earth Water
Glass-Winged Mew 50 Randomly Higher Defense Peck
Swoop
Earth
Fire
Air
Water
55 Randomly Higher Defense
55 Trap: Algae-covered Rock Higher Defense
Horned Tidewatcher 60 Randomly -- Spray
Ram
Electric
Ice
Water
Earth
Fire
Shadow
65 Trap: Loose Seaweed --
60 Randomly --
Vitrevern 65 Randomly -- Bite
Spit fire
Air
Shadow
Fire
Solar
70 Trap: Shiny Object --
Voidwalker 60 Trap: Bright Speck -- Tail slam
Swipe unseen
Air
Ice
Shadow
Water

Boss

Species Image HP Spawn Conditions Additional Notes Attacks Weaknesses Resistances
Butterfish 200 Boss Room 12 Peck
Smack
Earth Water

Available Items

For information on Scraps available in this Delve, refer to the Scrap table in Item List and search for relevant creatures.

Image Item Type Spawn Conditions Value (Demand)
Agate Mineral Examine: Algae-covered Rock
Tagalong
2 (3)
Fine Black Sand Mineral Tagalong 1 (2)
Iridescent Shell Organism Tagalong 5 (8)
Many-legged Starfish Organism Tagalong 3 (5)
Noné Fruit Flora Examine: Noné Tree
Tagalong
2 (3)
Purple Seaweed Flora Examine: Loose Seaweed
Tagalong
2 (3)
Rusted Scrapheap Artefact Tagalong 6 (9)
Sharpshell Clam Organism Tagalong 2 (3)
Shiny Metal Fragment Artefact Examine: Shiny Object
Tagalong
3 (5)
Solar Shard Element Examine: Bright Speck
Tagalong
4 (6)
Solar Sphere Element Tagalong 10 (15)
Spiral Shell Organism Examine: Broken Shell Pile
Tagalong
1 (2)
Tiny Fiery Crustacean Organism Examine: Shallow Pool
Tagalong
2 (3)