store-bought is fine


This was such a weird and exhilarating run, first and foremost because I was using Narhan. I think he is adorable and I love his character but I just have no success with the guy compared to the other tank options, so it was awesome finally getting to see him come in clutch here. The equipment combo he had (chance to stun enemies that attack him/increase all stun odds and deal damage when an enemy is stunned) just did so much work and he shut Azar and the Program Master out of multiple big attacks over the course of the final boss fights. He literally stopped Program Master from using Eradicate and ending the run on the last turn before I killed him.

I also underinvested pretty severely in both characters and mana on this run, playing with only 6 (!) mana and not one character above level 5. Instead I put all of those extra resources into Lucy draw skills while manipulating Trisha's Focus mechanic with Shadow Dance and skill upgrades that helped allies boost her stacks and cheat out big Shadow Raid crits for free. Was super satisfying playing such a strategic deck and with all of those draw skills I never ended up in those miserable moments where Azar is beating you down and fucking with your hand and you just can't get enough new cards in there. The Lucy skill "Pick Up" did WORK here, that skill is outrageously good for a low-mana build if you use it properly.

Even though it's not the first time I've beaten the true final boss on Expert this was my favorite because I got to win with a lineup and build I'm not super familiar with as opposed to using my usual comfort team (the classic Pain lineup with Ilya, Miss Chain, Charon, Joey, etc.).

Sadly I do feel that I am finally "finishing" with Chrono Ark after putting in about 140 hours over the past few years. I think I have just about reached the limit of what I can explore in the game... it's always sad when this happens as it's really rare that a game can truly capture my heart in this way and make me want to play it over and over again. I'm so grateful to the devs for making something so special in a genre that is often depressingly unoriginal (every time I buy a new one and realize the entire game is just reskinned Slay the Spire mechanics I want to scream).

I know I plug it all the time but I can't recommend this game enough if you like deckbuilders and want something that is really, truly its own thing in a sea of Slay the Spire knockoffs and has a crazy hundred-hour story with multiple twists. Recommending this excellent video essay from a fellow Chrono Ark superfan and Cohost user (@MysticalMonkMusings) again:


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