Low Key Summer
Low Key Summer is the Summer 2020 special challenge path, introduced on May 15th, 2020. This path adds variant rules and restrictions to an ascension run. Its description in The Bureau of Reincarnation reads "Travel to out-of-the-way locations. Variety is key!"
Contents
Divergences
- Your adventure begins with Low-Key Summer.
- The Sorceress has removed her contest registration table and hedge maze, but her tower door requires far more than the usual six keys (you still need the original six keys).
- Each key can be found after spending 11 turns in the location where it drops. The key will be dropped in a non-combat adventure on the 12th turn.
- All of the regular Council Quests still need to be completed. Attempting to open the door after using all the keys fails if the Council quests are not complete.
- You cannot enter The Sea. Clicking An Old Man gives the following message:
That shack you saw on the main map was just a picture of a shack drawn on the ground.
Locks and Keys
| Lock | Key | Enchantment | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rabbit-Eared Lock | rabbit's foot key | All Attributes +10 | The Dire Warren |
| Boney Lock | actual skeleton key | Damage Absorption +100 Damage Reduction: 10 |
The Skeleton Store |
| Cactus-Shaped-Hole Lock | cactus key | Maximum HP +20 Regenerate 9-10 HP per adventure |
The Arid, Extra-Dry Desert |
| Overgrown Lock | discarded bike lock key | Maximum MP +10 Regenerate 4-5 MP per adventure |
The Overgrown Lot |
| Mine Cart Shaped Lock | knob shaft skate key | Regenerate 9-12 HP and MP per adventure +3 Adventure(s) per day when equipped. |
The Knob Shaft |
| Taco Locko | aquí | Serious Hot Resistance (+3) +15 Hot Damage +30 Damage to Hot Spells |
South of the Border |
| Frigid Lock | ice key | Serious Cold Resistance (+3) +15 Cold Damage +30 Damage to Cold Spells |
The Icy Peak |
| Bat-Winged Lock | batting cage key | Serious Stench Resistance (+3) +15 Stench Damage +30 Damage to Stench Spells |
The Bat Hole Entrance |
| Antlered Lock | weremoose key | Serious Spooky Resistance (+3) +15 Spooky Damage +30 Damage to Spooky Spells |
Cobb's Knob Menagerie, Level 2 |
| Loaf of Bread with Keyhole | deep-fried key | Serious Sleaze Resistance (+3) +15 Sleaze Damage +30 Damage to Sleaze Spells |
Madness Bakery |
| Polka Dotted Lock | clown car key | +10 Spooky Damage +10 Stench Damage +10 Hot Damage +10 Cold Damage +10 Sleaze Damage +10 to Monster Level |
The "Fun" House |
| Lockenmeyer Flask | knob labinet key | +20% to all Muscle Gains Muscle +5 -1 MP to use Skills |
Laboratory |
| Infernal Lock | demonic key | +20% to all Mysticality Gains Mysticality +5 -1 MP to use Skills |
Pandamonium Slums |
| Junky Lock | scrap metal key | +20% to all Moxie Gains Moxie +5 -1 MP to use Skills |
The Old Landfill |
| Lock with one Eye | peg key | +5 Stat(s) Per Fight | The Obligatory Pirate's Cove |
| Boat Prow Lock | f'c'le sh'c'le k'y | +20 to Monster Level All Attributes +5% |
The F'c'le |
| Barnacley Lock | treasure chest key | +30% Item Drops from Monsters +30% Meat from Monsters |
Belowdecks |
| Anchovy Can | anchovy can key | +100% Food Drops from Monsters | The Haunted Pantry |
| Golden Lock | knob treasury key | +20% Pickpocket Chance +50% Meat from Monsters |
Cobb's Knob Treasury |
| Trolling Lock | kekekey | +50% Meat from Monsters | The Valley of Rof L'm Fao |
| Spooky Lock | black rose key | +5 to Familiar Weight +2 Familiar Experience Per Combat |
The Haunted Conservatory |
| Sausage with a Hole | key sausage | Monsters will be much less attracted to you. | Cobb's Knob Kitchens |
| Crib-Shaped Lock | music box key | Monsters will be much more attracted to you. | The Haunted Nursery |
Strategy
For the most part, this challenge path is normal aside from the extra turns that must be spent in various zones that are often outside the beaten path. Success depends on minimizing the impact this has by coordinating various objectives to make use of the time spent in such zones while maximizing turngen to compensate for the extra turns required. This will inevitably make leveling up less of a concern than usual.
In addition, the keys themselves are accessories that potentially provide some useful enchantments. You do not need to use them right away, so it is better to keep ones with useful enchantments on hand, or potentially seek them out earlier than usual. This is especially important for ascenders with fewer permed skills or IotMs to rely on.
The Kramco Sausage-o-Matic™'s free fights against sausage goblins and the Pocket Professor's Lecture on relativity to duplicate such fights are especially useful, while angry ghosts from the Voting Booth can allow you to make better use of the extra adventures spent in such zones.
The latte lovers member's mug and Iunion Crown both benefit from the greater variety in zones visited, offering more versatile enchantments to draw upon compared to a normal ascension.
Some sidequests will require some attention in order to obtain some of the keys involved.
- In particular, the Cap'm Caronch Quest is relevant once again! Several keys are obtained within the Cove, as well as within the final zone unlocked within, so previous strategies will be relevant for this.
- With this in mind, any moon sign that allows access to the friendly variant of Degrassi Knoll is recommended. This is used for the easy acquisition of a frilly skirt from The Degrassi Knoll Bakery and Hardware Store, which in turn are used with 3 hot wings as a solution for The Infiltrationist.
- One key being in The "Fun" House means you will need to complete the first step of the Legendary Epic Weapon Quest, which in turn means that you need access to your guild. As you need to adventure in The Outskirts of Cobb's Knob anyways, any Muscle class is suitable. In addition, another key being in The Haunted Pantry makes Mysticality classes a viable option as well. There is no reason to adventure in The Sleazy Back Alley, which makes Moxie classes a poor choice.
- Adventuring in The Unquiet Garves can be coordinated with seeking out the Snakeleton for Shen Copperhead on day 2 of your ascension.
- Low-Key Location Strategy
This section will address noteworthy enchantments for the keys, mug and crown while also providing specific information about strategizing the zones they are found in.
Rewards
- Finishing a Low-Key Summer run while it is the current special challenge path -- between May 15th, 2020, and August 15th, 2020 -- gives players 50 (in Normal) or 100 (in Hardcore) extra karma points the next time they visit Valhalla.
- Finishing a Low-Key Summer run also gives a Manual of Lock Picking. On August 17th, 2020, an announcement was made saying "* The reward still drops and this is intended. It will continue to drop until the normal Standard cycle for this item would end (until January 2023).", which is most likely due to how mandatory/important the granted skill may become for speed ascension during this period. However, as of July 2023 the manual is still dropping.
- Players will receive a Thwaitgold keyhole spider statuette upon defeating the Naughty Sorceress.
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