Maybe evaluation on the adjusted censer is premature but I still feel the trinket is not worthwhile. Even if I knew exactly when it’s about to fire off, it still seems too inconsistent to pick over others.

While the censer probably won’t fire directly on top of a scroll or potion, they can get caught up in the path of a firestorm/icestorm. Even if the censer doesn’t shoot when you’re in the shop, it could fire right by the door and end with the shopkeeper leaving.

My priority with the trinkets is to improve my win rate. The risk/reward ratio is not good. The reward feels meager and the risk, while I guess manageable, doesn’t compare with other lower risk yet higher reward trinkets.

I think for it to be worth picking, you would need to have warning before it sets off and have a clue as to which gas. It’s a censer that takes a while to shoot out; I think it would make sense that you’d smell it before it’s dealt.

But that’s just me. Anyone really liking the censer? Are there strategies for it? Only thing I’ve got is throwing items at the grass squares adjacent to the point of impact since they can keep spawning grass for a couple of turns, depending on where the gas landed.

  • @buoEnglish
    4•3 months ago

    Blazing is super powerful, but I tend to avoid it (unless I also get brimstone) because (1) my hero always ends up burning at least 2-3 times per game, always at the worst times, and (2) fire reduces dew drop opportunities and burns scrolls that you haven’t picked up. This is also why I tend to about the wand of fireblast. Maybe I’m doing it wrong, though!

    • @CrayonRosaryEnglish
      2•3 months ago

      Wand of Fireblast is soooo good. It’s hands down the best unupgraded wand because burn damage scales with the dungeon, it has a large AOE, and the burn ticks for a significant time. Just avoid using it in grassy rooms you haven’t trampled yet.

      Tips on using it:

      1. Never zap it if you are standing on something burnable (grass or doorway). You will immediately catch fire.
      2. If you kite enemies over grass or through doorways, it restarts their burn timer. You can kill enemies with a single zap of a +0 wand this way.
      3. It’s fun to zap Evil Eye’s as soon as they charge up, before you duck into cover. They’ll already be burning once you’re ready to start fighting them again.
      4. Flying enemies like bats and flies can’t put out the fire in water. Hit swarms of flies with ranged weapons to split them a couple times before zapping them and the one zap can kill the entire group.
      5. The wand can burn those piles of debris to save you from needing to use Liquid Flame. Same thing with those bookshelves in that one secret room that hide a Stone of Enchantment.
      6. It can’t burn Scrolls of Upgrade. Those can’t be destroyed in any way. I’ve definitely burned a scroll or two in my day, but it’s worth the risk.
      • @buoEnglish
        1•3 months ago

        Good points. I hadn’t realized that going through a door restarts the timer! For removing piles of debris, the disintegration wand is also useful.

        • @CrayonRosaryEnglish
          2•3 months ago

          I think I’m wrong about zapping from a doorway. I did it last night and didn’t catch on fire.

          • @buoEnglish
            1•3 months ago

            I’ll try it next time I get the wand. Following your advice, I want to learn to use it properly.