A GingerGuide to Gingerbread City

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The Gingerbread City has a lot of interlocking parts. This guide is designed to catalog all of the different things to do there.

General structure

An out-of-the-box Gingerbread City consists of three zones, the Gingerbread Train Station, the Gingerbread Civic Center, and the Gingerbread Industrial Zone. As discussed below, two additional zones, the Gingerbread Upscale Retail District and Gingerbread Sewers can be unlocked.

Players can adventure in Gingerbread City for 20 turns per day; after that, the city is destroyed and cannot be accessed in any way until the next rollover. With an upgrade, discussed below, that time can be extended to 30 turns per day, but cannot be extended further.

Adventures in the zone follow a predictable pattern: your first 9 turns will always be combats. The 10th turn that you spend will always yield a non-combat that offers several choices ("Noon"), except in the Sewer (where no noncombats occur). Your 11th-19th adventures will also be combats, and your 20th turn is always another non-combat ("Midnight") (unless it is the combat with Judge Fudge). If you have unlocked the extra 10 turns per day option, they will all be combats that occur after the Midnight noncombat; no new noncombat choices will occur. It is not necessary that you spend your Noon and Midnight noncombats in the same zone, or that you spend those turns in the same zone(s) where you have fought combats. Often, it will be necessary to spend the Noon noncombat in one zone and Midnight in a different zone to achieve a certain goal. Once you enter a Noon/Midnight non-combat, if you select an option to leave the non-combat, while it will not consume an adventure you will lose our on your non-combat for that time for the day.

The city runs on a special currency, sprinkles. These are primarily dropped after combats in gingerbread zones. Sprinkles can also be obtained through certain noncombats. There are no standalone NPC shops; all sprinkle spending occurs in the course of the Noon or Midnight noncombats. Some monsters -- gingerbread pigeon, gingerbread rat, gingerbread mad dog -- have relatively low base sprinkle drop rates; other monsters -- particularly the gingerbread vigilante and, sometimes, the gingerbread alligator -- have high sprinkle drop rates. As discussed below, several items have enchantments that increase sprinkle drops from monsters. Ordinary combat queue manipulation techniques, such as olfaction and ordinary banishers, are not effective in Gingerbread City; however, there is one permable skill and one item that each allow a single monster type to be banished for the remainder of the day.

Unlocking New Areas and Abilities

The Retail District and Sewers each cost 1,000 sprinkles to unlock. Both are unlocked through the Noon noncombat in the Civic Center, via the Bribe the Clerk option. This choice leads you to another choice adventure in the Civic Planning Office. Choosing the "Gentrification Initiative" unlocks the Retail District. Choosing "Pest Control" both unlocks the Sewer zone *and* relocates all pigeons and rats there, increasing your chances of encountering higher-sprinkle gingerbread men combats in the other zones. Note that you can only choose one unlock per day. These unlocks are permanent and only ever need to be done once.

The remaining options in the Civic Planning Office also cost 1,000 sprinkles each. Choosing "Wall-Thickening" unlocks the ability to spend an extra 10 turns in the Gingerbread City per day. Choosing "Digital Clock Tower" unlocks the ability to choose to advance the Noon and Midnight noncombats, such that they can be encountered on the 4th and 14th turns in the zone, rather than the 10th and 20th. These unlocks are also permanent once purchased.

Some options in the noncombats will not appear initially, but can be unlocked by having a certain item equipped or in inventory or by having performed certain noncombats previously. There are several chains of noncombats that open up over several days as you complete the precursor choices:

• Lay track at Midnight in the Train Station 3 times in one ascension. Eventually, you will receive a message that you have completed the track, which will unlock the additional option to Ride the Midnight Train (Midnight, Train Station). Selecting that option will give you the fruit-leather negatives. With those in your inventory, you will unlock the option to have them developed at Noon in the Retail District. You will be told to return the following day. Thereafter, you can go to the Retail District at Noon and obtain the blackmail photos. Having those in your inventory unlocks an option at Noon in the Civic Center to blackmail the Councilman, which yields your final reward, a briefcase containing several thousand sprinkles. This entire process will take 6 or 7 days.

• Studying in the Library (Midnight, Civic Center) several times gives a message that, once received, unlocks the ability to obtain a teethpick (Noon, Industrial Zone). Obtaining the teethpick unlocks the ability to dig (Midnight, Train Station), which allows you to obtain green-iced sweet rolls, green rock candy, and, eventually, a sugar raygun.

(Note: the blackmail and digging quests can only be completed once per ascension.)

• Obtaining and equipping all of the parts of the Gingerbread Best outfit allows you to access The Gingerbread Gallery at Midnight in the Retail District

• Equipping the Gingerbread mask, Gingerbread pistol, and Gingerbread moneybag unlocks the option to rob a store at Noon in both the Industrial District and Upscale Retail District. It is believed that robbing at least one store unlocks the ability of the Gingerbread vigilante to appear (rarely) in the Sewers. (Note: Initially, the vigilante appeared frequently in the Sewers. On December 14, 2016, HotStuff announced that this was due to a bug that was now fixed, such that the vigilante "should show up SUPER rarely, and only fight folks that have been up to no good.")

• It was previously believed that studying the train schedule (Noon, Train Station) several times or dancing all night (Midnight, Industrial Zone) several times might lead to another quest chain. On the January 19, 2017 radio show, Jick and HotStuff seemed to suggest that this was not the case. The same is true of the fancy marzipan briefcase: it was originally designed to unlock additional options, but at the last minute, Jick used a different unlock mechanism, leaving the briefcase with no undisclosed functionality. Thus, for the time being, it is believed that these choices do not appear to have any further effect on the options available to you.

Choice Adventure Chart

The essence of Gingerbread City is making effective use of the noncombats to obtain the results you want. This chart shows the various choices you can make and the result that follows.

Color coding
Options that are always available
Options that must be unlocked via other choices
Options that require a certain item
Opportunities to purchase items with sprinkles


Zone Time Choices Result
Train Station Noon Dig around in the seat cushions Obtain 8-11 random candies
Study the train schedule Gain approx. 250 mysticality substats
Pull the lever
  • Available only if Sewer is unlocked
Makes Gingerbread alligator more powerful and increases its sprinkle drops for the remainder of the day.
Midnight Help Lay Some Track Gain 500 muscle substats
  • If done 3 times (in the same ascension), unlocks "Ride the Midnight Train" option
Break into the Currency Exchange The Currency Exchange choice adventure; obtain one of
Explore the dark tunnel Lose 3 HP, obtain broken chocolate pocketwatch
Ride the midnight train
  • Requires having unlocked this option by choosing "Lay some track" choice 2-3 times previously.
Obtain fruit-leather negatives
Dig
  • Requires having unlocked this option via studying in library (Midnight, Civic Center) and obtaining a teethpick (Noon, Industrial Zone)
  • Once the sugar raygun is received, both the teethpick and tunnel are destroyed
Obtain green-iced sweet roll (first 3 times)
or
Obtain green rock candy (next 3 times)
or
Obtain sugar raygun (7th time)
Civic Center Noon Grab the briefcase Obtain fancy marzipan briefcase (offhand, +noncombat %)
  • Disappears at end of day
Bribe the Clerk
  • Requires at least 1,000 sprinkles in inventory
Access the Civic Planning Office to permanently unlock upgrades to city
Destroy the column Obtain 50 sprinkles
  • Must be done if you want to fight Judge Fudge at Midnight
Give blackmail photos to Councilman Obtain Briefcase full of sprinkles
  • When used, gives several thousand sprinkles.
Midnight Study in the Library Gain 500 mysticality substats
  • Choosing this option 2-3 times (in same ascension) gives a message about an discovering an "ordinance forbidding digging." This unlocks the ability to buy a teethpick at Noon in the Industrial Zone .
Employ the counterfeiter
  • Costs 300 sprinkles
Obtain counterfeit city (one-day Gingerbread City pass)
Free the robber Obtain gingerbread moneybag (offhand, +25% sprinkle drops)
Buy some cigarettes
  • Costs 5 sprinkles
Obtain 5 gingerbread cigarette (combat item, free kill for certain gingerbread fights)
Rescue the puppy Obtain chocolate puppy (familiar hatchling)
Fight Judge Fudge
  • Available only if you destroyed the column at noon.
  • Combat begins automatically if you adventure at the Civic Center at Midnight; no chance to choose a different option.
Obtain Gingerbread gavel
Industrial Zone Noon Buy a creme brulee torch
  • Costs 25 sprinkles
Obtain creme brulee torch
  • Can be used to free robber (Midnight, Civic Center)
  • Disappears at end of day
Buy a crowbar
  • Costs 50 sprinkles
Obtain candy crowbar
  • Can be used to access The Currency Exchange (Midnight, Train Station)
  • Disappears at end of day
Buy a screwdriver
  • Costs 100 sprinkles
Obtain candy screwdriver
Buy a teethpick
  • Costs 1000 sprinkles
  • Must be unlocked by studying in library 2-3 times to learn about digging ordinance
Obtain teethpick
  • Quest item; unlocks option to dig at (Midnight, Train Station)
"Stick 'em up!" Obtain approx 500 sprinkles
Midnight The seedy bar (choice adventure) Buy gingerbread pistol for 300 sprinkles (1-handed pistol, +25% ranged damage, +10 sleaze damage)
Dance all night, gain 500 moxie
(With gingerbread mug in inventory), obtain ginger beer (Epic booze, size 2)
The abandoned factory Grab some parts, obtain spare chocolate parts
(With gingerservo in inventory), Activate the robot, fight GNG-3-R (gingerservo is consumed)
Tattoo shop (requires 100,000 sprinkles) Obtain tattoo
Retail District Noon Buy a dog treat
  • Costs 200 sprinkles
Obtain gingerbread dog treat
  • Required to obtain chocolate puppy (Midnight, Civic Center)
Buy a candle
  • Costs 150 sprinkles
Obtain Pumpkin spice candle
  • Required to obtain chocolate pocketwatch (Midnight, Train Station)
  • Disappears at end of day
Buy a latte
  • Costs 50 sprinkles
Obtain Gingerbread spice latte (potion, +10 familiar weight)
Buy some pants
  • Costs 500 sprinkles
Obtain Gingerbread trousers
Buy a coat
  • Costs 500 sprinkles
Obtain Gingerbread waistcoat
Buy a hat
  • Costs 500 sprinkles
Obtain Gingerbread tophat
"Stick 'em up!" Obtain approx 500 sprinkles
Drop off the negatives at the photo counter Unlocks ability to obtain gingerbread blackmail photos the following day
Pick up your photos Obtain gingerbread blackmail photos
Midnight Get a free "cocktail" Obtain fake cocktail
The Gingerbread Gallery (choice adventure) Grab a free drink, obtain high-end ginger wine (booze, EPIC, size 2)
Buy a chocolate sculpture (300 sprinkles)
Buy a pop art book (1000 sprinkles)
  • Obtain Pop Art: a Guide skillbook (non-combat skill, gives +hot damage and initiative)
Buy a hat book (1000 sprinkles)

As the chart above reflects, certain results can only be obtained by choosing specific Noon and Midnight options on the same day, usually because the item needed to unlock the correct choice at Midnight will disappear at rollover. Because these choices require closer attention by the player, this chart specifically summarizes those situations:

Desired result Noon zone and choice Midnight zone and choice
Fight Judge Fudge Civic Center, Destroy the column Civic Center, fight starts automatically
Obtain broken chocolate pocketwatch Retail District, buy candle Train Station, explore the dark tunnel
Enter The Currency Exchange Industrial Zone, buy a crowbar Train Station, break into the Currency Exchange
Obtain Gingerbread moneybag Industrial Zone, buy creme brulee torch Civic Center, free the robber

Maximizing your sprinkles

Because so many options in the Gingerbread City require large numbers of sprinkles and because you only have a limited number of turns there per day, it is important to make your sprinkle-collecting as efficient as possible.

Assuming that the Sewers and Retail District have been unlocked, your best options for sprinkle farming are probably: (a) the Sewer with the lever pulled (apprx. 33 sprinkles per combat, possibly more depending on the vigilante's new appearance rate, but subject to significant RNG swing based on monster selection. Also note that the alligators reset on rollover, so the lever has to be pulled every day), and (b) the Retail District (about 23 sprinkles per adventure). Using the banishing methods below on the gentrifier and tech bro in the Retail District can bring that zone's base average up to about 30 sprinkles per combat. For players who haven't yet unlocked any additional zones, the Industrial Zone offers the best base sprinkle rate among the starting zones (about 8 sprinkles per combat vs. the Civic Center's 6 and Train Station's 4), although the once-per-day fight with Judge Fudge at Midnight in the Civic Center can be an excellent source of additional sprinkles

There are several items of equipment that provide bonuses to sprinkle drops from combat. Most drop from ordinary combats in the city. Except for the moneybag and sugar raygun, all are tradeable and available for purchase in the mall:

Sour ball and chain, accessory: +50% sprinkles
Sprinkle-begging cup, offhand: +50% sprinkles
Sugar raygun, 1-handed pistol: +50% sprinkles (untradeable)
Gingerbread moneybag, offhand: +25% sprinkles (untradeable)
candy dog collar, familiar equipment: +25% sprinkles
Gingerbread hoodie, shirt: +15% sprinkles

There are also foods, booze, and potions that give a temporary buff to sprinkle collecting:

Animal part cracker, food (good, size 3), Sprinkle in Your Eye +25% sprinkles for 30 turns
Gingerbread wine, booze (good, size 3), Sprinkle in Your Eye +25% sprinkles for 30 turns
Green-iced sweet roll, food (good, size 1), Sprinkle Sense +50% sprinkles for 40 turns
Green rock candy, potion, Sprinkle Sense +50% sprinkles for 10 turns
Tainted icing, potion, +25% sprinkles for 10 turns
Industrial frosting, potion, +250% sprinkles for 5 turns.

The chocolate lab also increases sprinkle drops when used as your active familiar. The bonus formula appears to be a 1% increase in sprinkle drop rates for each pound of familiar weight.

The Gingerbread Vigilante in the Sewers drops a skillbook, The Gingerbread Vigilante's Handbook, that grants Licorice Rope, a permable skill that allows you to banish one gingerbread man per day. The Gingerbread Lawyer in the Civic Center drops a Gingerbread restraining order, a combat item that also banishes a gingerbread man. These can be effectively used to banish low-sprinkle gingerbread monsters --vagrants and winos (Train Station), convicts (Civic Center), mutants (Industrial) -- to increase the average sprinkle drop rate in a zone somewhat. Note that the banishes only work on gingerbread *men*; gingerbread pigeons, rats, and mad dogs cannot be banished.

When it comes to spending your sprinkles, unlocking the Sewers and Retail District through the Civic Planning Office are probably your best use of early sprinkles, for the reasons given above. Spending sprinkles in the Planning Office to increase your maximum adventures to 30 can also make for more effective sprinkle farming. Getting a chocolate lab and fattening it up (ghost dog chow is a cheap and easy way to get it to 20 lbs. quickly) can also be a good investment of sprinkles, but it may be more economical to buy the dog treat from the Mall with meat instead. The digital clock upgrade option in the Planning Office is probably best avoided early on, as it is bugged in a slightly harmful way (see above) and its functionality is useful only for those who might want to use the Gingerbread City as a powerleveling option in-run or those who have plenty of sprinkles and just want noncombats without having to spend turns fighting.

Outfit

The Gingerbread Best outfit has six parts:

  • Gingerbread tophat - purchased from the Noon noncombat in the Retail District for 500 sprinkles.
  • Gingerbread waistcoat - purchased from the Noon noncombat in the Retail District for 500 sprinkles.
  • Gingerbread trousers - purchased from the Noon noncombat in the Retail District for 500 sprinkles.
  • candy dress shoes drops from Gingerbread lawyer (Civic Center)
  • candy necktie drops from Gingerbread finance bro (Retail District)
  • chocolate pocketwatch must be made
    • Noon noncombat in Retail District and select "Buy a Candle" for 150 sprinkles. (item will disappear at end of day if not used)
    • Midnight noncombat in Train Station and select "Explore the dark tunnel" (requires candle) to get the broken chocolate pocketwatch.
    • Noon noncombat in Industrial Zone and select "Buy a screwdriver" for 100 sprinkles (Quest item)
    • Midnight noncombat in Industrial Zone and select "The abandoned factory" then "Grab some parts" to obtain spare chocolate parts
    • Use the broken chocolate pocketwatch from your inventory with all the above parts to create the chocolate pocketwatch.

When worn, the outfit unlocks additional options in the Retail District's Midnight noncombat, allowing you to access the Gingerbread Gallery.

Other Notable Loot

Gingerbread smartphone: drops in Retail District. Usable for a small stat gain. After combats, tells you approximately what the time of day is in Gingerbread City, in case you've forgotten how close you are to Noon or Midnight.
Gingerbeard: accessory, drops rarely from a Gingerbread gentrifier in the Retail District. Gives +6 rollover adventures (+9 in December), equivalent to the no-longer-available Uncle Hobo's epic beard.
Gingerservo: accessory, drops rarely from Gingerbread welder robot in the Industrial Zone. Gives +pvp fights. Necessary to unlock fight with GNG-3-R at Midnight in Industrial Zone, Factory (is consumed upon entering fight).
Industrial frosting: drops from fight with GNG-3-R. Potion, gives prismatic resistance and +250% sprinkle drops for 5 turns.
Gingerbread mask: hat, drops rarely from Gingerbread mugger in Industrial Zone. +25% hat/pants drops.
My Life of Crime, a Memoir: a skillbook, teaches the permable skill Gingerbread Mob Hit, a once-per-day free instakill similar to Shattering Punch. Awarded to the player in first place on the sprinkle-gathering "Top Citizens" leaderboard at each rollover (note that ascending resets your sprinkle progress on the leaderboard).