Forums → Games → [GENERAL] GemCraft CS Thoughts

I have premium, wasn't sure white was inaccessible too.

So far, I haven't been able to make any traps more effective than my beam tower. Maybe I need more experience adjusting the builds. Also, so far white has seemed more efficient and easier to use than black.

Blue in traps is good, no doubt, but anything utilizing a lot of red will not be CPU friendly.

Could you please share your experience on how much black is better than white outside endurance? I hear it has its advantages, like amplifier boosts, but again, hasn't really seen the difference (for reference, I tend to reach mana pool level of 30 or so, which is nowhere near the bloodbound level I could reach with my number of hits).

Maybe for non-premium users this strategy needs to be adjusted utilizing bloodbound instead of poolbound. Either way, thanks for the advice. This is why my strategy can only work as intermediate solution.

Bloodbound rocks. 300 multiplier grade 32. 1000 at grade 40-45. ATM grade 60 has x3570 to specs.

White isn't Premium, AFAIK. Red is, though (red component skill requires Magician's Pouch to be unlocked).

Though I could be wrong there...White may very be obtained on a premium-only hextile...speaking of which, remind me, which hextiles are Premium-only?

Also, White and Black have their advantages and disadvantages, when you think about it.

Black:
Pros: Higher multiplier gain per level, easier to increase in late-game, can be amplified
Cons: Can be harder to increase in early game due to lower firing speed of gems, lesser multiplier to start off with
White:
Pros: Higher multiplier to start off with, easier to increase in early-game
Cons: Can become very difficult to increase later on without mana farm, lower increase per level

Thank you for the information. As I can see, in theory white can be used at the beginning of a stage and black later on to optimise the efficiency and mana gain throughout the battle.

As regards the advantages of bloodbound, is beam hit rate actually affected by gem firing speed? Because if not, the hit rate is constant for the black-orange gem, so it will never get enough hits for higher bloodbound levels.

I am also a bit confused by the way both bloodbound and poolbound multipliers are calculated. Specifically, how are gem level and bloodbound/poolbound level actually related? What is more important to get the highest multiplier?

Similarly, I'd like an advice on how to amplify OW and OB gems. What is better to use in amplifiers, pure black/white, pure orange or a mix thereof, skills disregarded?

White can't be amplified. 'Nuff said.

Also, I'd like to point out something. This:

Because if not, the hit rate is constant for the black-orange gem, so it will never get enough hits for higher bloodbound levels.

Also also, beam is not affected by gem firing speed. It's an enhancement spell.

Also also also, use OR2B (G1 orange, G1 red, G2 black, combine red with orange, combine dual with black, upgrade until satisfied) and put PURE BLACK in the 6 amplifiers around it (assuming you're using a gem in a trap) and cast Beam on it. Now watch the hits (and stats) rack up like crazy.

Y'know...I just noticed: There doesn't seem to be any hextile Z. Why is this?

(sorry for double post, can't edit previous one due to annoying edit button expiration)

Just wondering,

When WoE banishes, does it penalize you if you have the banished monsters trait on?

Is it possible to bomb several gems at wave stone at once? I'm really tired of clicking 30 times while holding shift at each wave.

I would be thankful if anyone could direct me to the macro that would do that (Win7). Thanks

About why bloodbound is epic-

Well, to make it epic, stick it into a trap. Place 5k monsters on top of it. If it has speed of 300+(10 shots/frame, 30 frames / second), it's maxed speed. Now, every frame it will gain 50,000 hits. Yippee!

Most of the bloodbound mod comes from amplifiers. Pure black in all but a very few hit levels(it sometimes varies) is the best.

Blood increases exponentially, as does all specials(something like ^1.4) but....the effect of it, like the actual increase per cost, goes DOWN slowly the higher the grade. Thus, upgrade only with as little blood as it takes such that the mod remains mostly constant after the upgrade(add pure O for example, O increase, blood decrease a little. Add OOOB(3/4 O, 1/4 B) and it'll stay constant, and O will not take much of a penalty).

Amps are wicked, even more OP here than in GCL....thanks to bloodbound.

And since amps are godly, and poolbound cannot use them(because face it, before it was nerfed, it was almost identical in increase rate to bloodbound AND it could be amped, it was overpowered. A LOT), therefore, poolbound is junk, and Bloodbound is GOD.

Now use bloodbound or you will never get to be the best xD. Poolbound just fails in comparison...its REALLY hard to get it over 250 or so....I've gotten blood to 5500 and seen a pic for 14.5K.

Just wondering: What's the deal with the Spiritforge-controlled towers? Do they upgrade randomly or on a certain schedule?

Annoying bug: On field Q6, I destroyed everything, ending on a shadow, but the level won't end. The yellow rectangle in the upper right insists that there are still 69 monsters attacking.

I have a nagging suspicion I have to return to the map and start over again. Anyone know a way to get credit for work achieved?

I am new to this and i just reached lvl 48... and good guides on how to leveling up fast? The mana farm seems impossible for me now. Unable to play endurance btw cos i cant use paypal.... Stucked at Q2 cos the monster is too strong... any good tips plz DD

Take higher skills into older maps and bomb the waves more than you did on your previous visit.

Without the pouch your skills are a little bit more limited, in that you do not have access to Chain Hit, Poolbound, or Bloodbound, as well as a couple other things. However, the big limitation is the lack of Endurance, as you've mentioned, because Endurance is where you can really get a ton of experience.

As a general tip, pair your towers, and set up amps so that each of the two towers is boosted by four amps.
[A][T][A]
[A][T][A]
Vertical arrangement works well too.

Get one or both towers up and running, then start adding in the amps. If you do not have access to amplifiers yet, then simply upgrade the tower gems more.

Unless you are attempting a manafarm, or there simply is no other choice, avoid putting skill points into Mana Leech. That gem is the weakest of all the gems, in terms of damage.

If this color combination is available, try making a mostly Yellow gem, with just a hint of Red. Then use Grade 1 gems to lightly bomb enemy waves, which both increases the number and the toughness of the monsters in the wave. Do not bomb too hard though - It is better to spread your G1 bombs across a bunch of waves than it is to bomb the bajeezus out of one wave that then overwhelms you.

If that color combination is not available, then make the best two-color gem you can (remembering that Yellow is the strongest for damage, but avoiding Orange).

Sorry if this seems fairly generic; I don't have a game around your level, pouch or no pouch.

@Astro Thx! very useful tips help me a lot D