Best Ways to Train

[LLSix]

Conventional Wisdom is that the Train action that everyone starts with is a terrible waste of time. What are better ways to improve a skill?

 

Obviously, Sphinx, Contu's, and Iudocia represent the gold standard in skill training.  The next best I found was Library of Longshade or Thoughtful Study which are a long way short of those top three.

 

Here's what I have come up with so far and some related questions.

 

Anyone know a more efficient way to train Natural Philosophy up to 2 to get Thoughtful Action in the early game?

-Family: Graverobbers (+1 Anatomy, Archaeology, and Biology)

and/or

-https://academagia.fandom.com/wiki/Academagia:_Infirmary_Library (+1 random from each Negation/Brew/Natural Philosophy useable every other day) from completing the https://academagia.fandom.com/wiki/The_Upset_Stomach quest which you mostly want to fail because you get more skill gains that way

 

What’s a good way to Boost Bassan to get access to Culiman's Shack?

 

Anyone know how to unlock https://academagia.fandom.com/wiki/Lost_Well_of_Knowledge? Wiki claim of “with a compass” seems unlikely.

 

Anyone brave enough to check and see how https://academagia.fandom.com/wiki/Question_Knowledge_(Action) really works? Wiki claims you lose 1 random skill level in exchange for 5 steps in a chosen skill which is so terrible I have a hard time believing someone actually spent the time to code it.

 

Are there any good ways to raise zoology besides taking the class? You need zoology to be able to train your familiar to not be totally useless.

 

Efficient training

 

1. 4 separate skill steps or equivalent

   1. https://academagia.fandom.com/wiki/Esteban_Contu%27s_School_of_Incantation - all incantation subskills, unlocked by Incantation - Theory of Incantation 1 and paying 900 pims

   2. https://academagia.fandom.com/wiki/Imperial_Palace:_Emperor_Sphinx%27s_Room extensively consult with the sphinx - 1 chosen, 2 random, 1 malice - unlocked by several ways, including Filing 9 or Library Knowledge 10

   3. https://academagia.fandom.com/wiki/Temple_of_Iudocia - -5pims, 1 piety, 1 prayer, 1 oratory, 1 theology - unlocked by Theology 1 or take History: Descended From Heroes at chargen then Work the Looms  (niche but easiest way to unlock cleanse and remake spam)

   4. https://academagia.fandom.com/wiki/Godina_Park:_The_Crystal_Bridge (weaker than it looks since most characters will have several of these maxed as classes or through Esteban Contu’s) - 1 astrology, 1 Glamour, 1 Incantation, 1 Negation, 1 Revision - unlocked by History - The History of Magic  or by buying https://academagia.fandom.com/wiki/A_Guide_to_Statues_from_the_Early_Empire_(Item) for 250pims from https://academagia.fandom.com/wiki/Haejar_Enthifal_Cortath,_Pages_19-22_(Shop) which is unlocked by History - The Early Empire 1 which makes this a nice way to cover the most commonly used magic skills for early game

2. 3 separate skill steps or equivalent

   1. https://academagia.fandom.com/wiki/Imperial_Palace:_Emperor_Sphinx%27s_Room Match Wits with the Emperor Sphinx - 1 chosen, 2 random - unlocked by several ways, including Filing 9 or Library Knowledge 10

   2. https://academagia.fandom.com/wiki/The_Library_of_Longshade Study at the Library of Longshade - 1 chosen, 1 random, 1 concentration - unlocked by Research - Library Knowledge 3 & Insight/Filing Roll v. 10

   3. https://academagia.fandom.com/wiki/Culiman%27s_Shack - 3 random - unlocked by Language - Bassan 10

   4. https://academagia.fandom.com/wiki/The_Venalicium_Library:_Linguistic_Section - 1 Library Knowledge, 2 random languages - unlocked by language parent skill 1

   5. https://academagia.fandom.com/wiki/Lost_Well_of_Knowledge 1 forms, 1 language subskill, 1 random - unlocked by ?

   6. https://academagia.fandom.com/wiki/Stenephan_Pastis%27_Court:_Observation_Galley - 1 wit, 1 law subskill, 1 random - unlocked by Law - Civil Law 1 (situational but wit is a good skill)

   7. https://academagia.fandom.com/wiki/The_Library_of_Manetele Study at the Library of Manetele - 1 chosen, 1 forge subskill, 1 revision subskill (most characters will probably take revision as a class so maybe this should be in the 2 skill step category) - unlocked by Research - Library Knowledge 9

3. 2 separate skill steps or equivalent

   1. https://academagia.fandom.com/wiki/Thoughtful_Study_(Action) - 1 chosen, 1 random - unlocked by Natural Philosophy 2

   2. https://academagia.fandom.com/wiki/Extrapolation_of_Evidence_(Ability) 1 observation, 2 random but Insight/Sleuthing Rolls v. 6 and 13 respectively - unlocked by Dialectic - Study Level 8 (need observation a lot and sleuthing isn’t bad but that second roll is really high so it’s more like 2 skill gains when its useful)

   3. https://academagia.fandom.com/wiki/Work_Until_You_Drop_%28Action%29 - 1 chosen, 1 test taking, 1 study, +1 stress. This is roughly comparable to the Venalicium, depending on how you rate stress and relationship points, but requires a background to unlock

   4. https://academagia.fandom.com/wiki/The_Library_of_the_Mantle_of_Stars - Study at the Library of the Mantle of Stars - 1 chosen, 1 Astrology subskill by 2 - unlocked by Research - Library Knowledge 6

   5. https://academagia.fandom.com/wiki/Impart_Understanding_(Spell) 1 chosen, 1 glamour methods, also increases all clique members by 1 step for chosen - unlocked by Calligraphy - Illustration 10

   6. https://academagia.fandom.com/wiki/From_Nothing,_Knowledge_(Spell) 2 random - Incantation - Incantation Methods 10

4. 1 skill step or equivalent

   1. Train - 1 chosen - start with this

   2. Joie de Vivre - 1 random - start with this

   3. https://academagia.fandom.com/wiki/Filing_Fugue_(Action) - 1 research subskill, +10 pims, -1 stress or 1 random - unlocked by https://academagia.fandom.com/wiki/Welcome_to_the_Club!

 

Study skills

1. Zoe Mellis Clique ability - +2 chosen study, 1 chosen (2 steps), 1/week

2. https://academagia.fandom.com/wiki/The_Venalicium_Library - Study at the Venalicium, 1 chosen study, 1 Research subskill, 1 Relationship (stronger than it looks since you want the research subskills anyways)- unlocked at start

3. https://academagia.fandom.com/wiki/Judge_the_Instructor%27s_Taste_(Ability) - 1 study, 2 random from Wit/Flattery/Storytelling/Syntax/Dispassion/Playfulness but needs a nsight/Character Study roll v. 5 - unlocked by test taking 2. Probably not worth it unless you have all the libraries unlocked (main thing you need research skill for)

4. Bunch of actions locked behind high test taking subskill and so useless

 

[Metis]

Natural Philosophy is free if you're got Family: Graverobbers (+1 Anatomy, Archaeology, and Biology). Aside from that you can get Anatomy from the Anatomy or Organism Phemes (Revision Phemes 3 to unlock both, which you can get from the Manetele if nothing else, or Seeds 2 for the latter which also increases Chirurgery), Anthropology from International Gourmand (Worldliness 2, which is auto-informed after Juvenalia), Archaeology has no better bets that I can find than Professor Sido level 4+ Favor, Biology takes level 9+ favor or Distal Pheme (Anatomy 7, so obviously less than ideal), and Chirurgery has Bone at Gates Phemes 2 or Proximal at Anatomy 3, or Diagnostician's Eye at Field Medicine 1 (School Survival subskill, so auto-informed and even auto-taught on Juvenalia IIRC) or First Aid at Wilderness Survival 2 (I believe that's a simple unlock, but don't quote me on that). I also checked and noticed that apparently Field Medicine 1 is supposed to Inform Anatomy and Chirurgery, so you should have both skills unlocked by default either on Juvenalia or the day after. Alternatively if you can find Gressel's Medications in the City of Mineta you can visit it for +1 random Natural Philosophy SS, but unlocking that location through the associated adventure is, shall we say, an ordeal, and I've got no idea what ED it's got. So finding it randomly is kind of a shot in the dark.

Bassan is easily unlocked through Attend a Tutoring Session with Professor Sido, but I don't remember what actually unlocks that ability. A level 3+ Favor with him can get you Bassan as well, if it's not available (as can some less than early stuff like Playfulness 9 or Minetan Swagger 8).

Not sure why the Wiki points to the Compass as a way to unlock the Well, I assume it's something adventure related but I've got no idea which. As for finding it it's ED 7 in the Academagia Grounds. Not ideal, but it'll work eventually.

Can't check ingame, but as far as I can tell code-wise the skill is programmed correctly. It tried to deduct a skill level from a random skill, but how well that works in practice I've got no idea.

No alternative to Familiar training that I'm aware of, sadly. There's several alternatives to raising just your Familiar's Bond subskills, good ones even, but nothing for any other Familiar skills, so unfortunately you're stuck with Zoology 5.

Incidentally, Extensively Consult (last I checked) is unlocked through an adventure. What's unlocked through skill ranks is the location where Extensively Consult and Match Wits take place, but only the latter can be accessed without doing the adventure.

[Schwarzbart]

Not sure if it is my Class Fix mod or normal that you get Theology 1 very early (Week 1-2) with Dialectic class and resulting from this the unlock of the Temple of Iudocia

[Metis]

Not normal, unless it's a DLC 16+ addition. You can get early Theology through the Scenes From A Dialectic Class adventure, though.

[LLSix]

15 minutes ago, Schwarzbart said:

Not sure if it is my Class Fix mod or normal that you get Theology 1 very early (Week 1-2) with Dialectic class and resulting from this the unlock of the Temple of Iudocia

Not normal. Just spammed through to the second month with a character taking Dialectic class and did not get it.

 

1 hour ago, Metis said:

Incidentally, Extensively Consult (last I checked) is unlocked through an adventure. What's unlocked through skill ranks is the location where Extensively Consult and Match Wits take place, but only the latter can be accessed without doing the adventure.

You're probably right. I've never stuck with a character long enough to make it to the Sphinx.

 

Thank you for the detailed breakdown on how to unlock enough Natural Philosophy subskills.

[Schwarzbart]

Yes Metis is right its from the Dialectic class adventure where you get Theology this early. Didn't play Academagia for way to long that even such basic info start to fade away 😞

[Rhialto]

On 10/31/2019 at 3:58 PM, Metis said:

Bassan is easily unlocked through Attend a Tutoring Session with Professor Sido, but I don't remember what actually unlocks that ability. A level 3+ Favor with him can get you Bassan as well, if it's not available (as can some less than early stuff like Playfulness 9 or Minetan Swagger 8).

1 level of Elumian unlocks the ability "Attend a Tutoring Session with Professor Sido", and all students are informed about Eluminian on Juvenalia.

[Rossa]

On 10/31/2019 at 8:58 PM, Metis said:

Archaeology has no better bets that I can find than Professor Sido level 4+ Favor

I know this was posted a long time ago @Metis and @LLSix, but I'm just putting this here in case someone else stumbles onto this thread in the future.

For archaeology these things may be of interest:

• Graverobber Background (unlocks it from the start with +1) 
• Favor with professor sido (level 4). {You will have to save scum)
• Cobblestone Path to Nowhere. {Zoology 6}
• Explore the sunken palace. {Athletics(Swimming) 2}
• Examine the redoubt {<The nearest shortcut>}

It is extremely easy raising archaeology if you go the swimming route. You will need to inform swimming which can be done by training at the athletics field.
This is not super efficient because training at the athletics field is a meager +1 Expand, -2 stress for 1 action, but it's something all characters can do. 

I don't think there's anything that expands swimming outside of exploring the sunken palace. Therefore if you want to optimize further, I would suggest either getting lucky on an expand random roll (Will take forever so not recommended) or looking for an adventure that gives a skill step to swimming at a low level.(Not sure one exists)

I think "Trying to make the team" and "A walk along the lake" are adventures that can expand swimming, but they are not easy adventures.
A day in frontino doesn't give skill steps in swimming even though, ironically, one of the actions in the adventure is to swim.

Edit: "If hearing is believing" is an easy adventure where one of the options expands swimming, so I would recommend doing that one if you want to skip using the athletics field.  

Anyway, I hope it was useful. Please have fun.  

Edited April 18, 2022 by Rossa
Edit 1: Remembered easy swim adventure. Edit 2: Added examine the redoubt.