================================================================================ Wazat's ill-begotten guide to an Ultimate Damascus Brandestoc Version 1.1.0 Created: Nov 16, 2003 Last Modified: Apr 27, 2004 By Wazat (aka Dan Hale) static_void@hotmail.com http://static.condemned.com ================================================================================ I. Introduction II. Quick Q&A III. The Path Step 1: Finding the Fauchards Step 2: The Quest for the Elusive Langdebeve Step 3: Claymore or Shiavona? Step 4: All I want is my Damascus Katana Step 5: Bottle Neck Ball Mace Step 6: Gathering Materials Step 7: Poooooole Axe! Step 8: Enter the Langdebeve Step 9: Return to Nothing Step 10: The Extra Mile? Step 11: Completion! IV. Appendix A: Was there a better way? V. Appendix B: Whispering of Wicked Souls ====================== -Part I. Introduction- ====================== The Damascus Brandestoc is probably the hardest weapon to forge, even on the second playthrough. The source materials are scarce, and it's so high up the blade heiarchy that it's really hard to convert. To make matters worse, the Holy Win cannot convert 2-handed weapons. There are methods out there (a couple of which I discuss below) which supply a route to obtaining this priceless weapon, but they seem insanely time-consuming. Many lack details that would help in finding source materials, most require large quantities of rare blades, or they expect you to play through the game 4 times. This FAQ has been written to help people who want to forge a Damascus Brandestoc on their second or greater playthrough, but don't want to take such a difficult route. It will immensely reduce the number of blades you need compared to the first playthrough method, and those blades will be much easier to obtain than those in other methods. However, BEFORE you begin, make sure you've beaten the game once and are on your second play through. You cannot do this method without the help of the Godhands Workshop, which is not available until the first replay of the game. If you want to do it on your first playthrough, the the scary method presented by Wicked Souls' FAQ is all you have available to you. Good luck! Back to my FAQ: Take note of the multiple paths you can take in this FAQ, depending on what blades you have. During your two playthroughs to open the Godhands workshop, you have probably acquired one or two (D) Voulges. These can help you a lot, so hold on to them. Or, you may have foolishly used them in some other combination, like I did. :) In that case, this FAQ gives you all the info you need to catch up. Note that after writing this FAQ, I learned of several other methods, which I never found posted anywhere else but will discuss in the Appendices. I deeply thank the people who presented these in a nice, civil manner. Those who treated me like an animal for not reading their minds could have probably considered some tact, and perhaps posting their stuff earlier so that people could actually find it, but I digress... ==================== -Part II. Quick Q&A- ==================== In order to explain what this FAQ is, I'll answer a few fabricated questions nobody's ever asked me yet. Q: Why would I want a Damascus Brandestoc in the first place? A: Because it's Rare and Powerful and few people have it. Even the Holy Win is easier to get, even though it's got a higher attack. I suppose it's kind of a status symbol, like for the people who get Ultimate Damascus Dread Armor. The Brandestoc is also cool look'n. Q: Why would you write this FAQ? A: Well, I was going through Wicked Souls' Damascus guide, looking for some easy way to get a Damascus Brandestoc (it's the only guide that I could find that covered it, and it was written for the first playthrough. I'll discuss this further down), and found that the best there was to offer was this: (D) Tabar x80 (D) Lug Crossbow x40 (S) Khukuri x64 (S) Baselard x8 There's only one place to get those Tabars, and they only have a 16/255 drop rate and are not in a prime location. You need half as many Lug Crossbows, but they are twice as worse. 8/255 drop rate, and definately not nearly close enough to anything remotely accessible. Silver Khukuris... I've seen those, but haven't picked many up. And you need a frigg'n 64 of those. I just couldn't believe the ONLY option I could find took that many source materials. So, I gave up for a while. Then, I discovered another, shorter way. Actually, it's not that glamourous, it's just another way to do it. Read through the steps in this FAQ, and perhaps it will suit your needs. If not, feel free to use Wicked Souls' Damascus FAQ, which is actually a very good FAQ IMO. You'll still need to use his if you want to get it on the first playthrough! Later I was told by people in the gamefaqs forum that they'd known how to get it all along, and only then did they disclose this precious information. Excuse me while I savagely bang my head against the table repeatedly. *whap whap whap* On the one hand, it would have been nice of them to tell me when I had asked months earlier. Or post a FAQ on it. On the other hand, it's not like it's their job to fall to my every whim, so the point is moot. :) Q: What's the advantage of this FAQ? A: Well, to start, the items are way easier to gather, and you need a lot less of them. Also, the items you need are almost exclusively Hagane or lower material, which further increases the ease. Also, if you already have some lower material polearms such as (H) Pole Axes etc, then life just gets easier and easier. About the most difficult item you'll need to gather is in Step 1: The (D) Fauchard. You need 8 of them. Compare that to (D) Tabar x80 + (D) Lug Crossbow x40 + (S) Khukuri x64 for first playthrough and the skies look much brigher. It feels good to use the Godhands workshop. :) Also, my FAQ has multiple paths to take, so you can choose which way to go, based on your personal taste and what items you already have available to you. It's hard to determine exactly how many blades this FAQ requires, because you have a ton of options available to you. It's a really leniant FAQ. However, if you just start picking items, you'll need something in the way of: *Note that (A) means the item can be any material: bronze, iron, silver, hagane, damascus, it doesn't matter. (D) Fauchard x8 (D) Chamkaq x4 (A) Bishop's Crosier x4 (A) Chamkaq x4 (A) Battle Knife x4 (A) Hand Axe x4 (A) Footman's Mace 1H x4 (A) Corcesca x 12 (A) Trident x 32 Grand total of 76 blades, going totally from scratch (not counting blades you already have, like the (D) Voulge) - this is *far* easier to obtain than just the 80 (D) Tabars of the other FAQ's method. If you're in your second play through, this is the way to go. Don't worry about the list above, many of the items listed above can actually be traded in for others, based on what you can get your hands on. Also, the 32 tridents can each be built from a Glaive and 2 Scorpions, which are much easier to get a hold of (same thing for the Corcescas). The main advantage to Wicked Soul's FAQ? Well, this FAQ is impossible to do in the first playthrough. His was specifically written for just such a thing, which, it turns out, is why it's so maddeningly long. Make sure you're on your second playthrough if you want to use my FAQ! Q: Why do you keep ragg'n on Wicked Souls? His FAQ rocks! A: I actually don't mean to. He's got a great FAQ that really helped me along in the process of learning to forge awesome items. I do, however, feel that my FAQ will help those in desperate need of a (D) Brandestoc at any means, as his method is too long for a second playthrough and takes a huge amount of time. I should also restate that his method was meant ONLY for the first playthrough. The reason I bring up his FAQ so much is, it was the only one I could find that gave any method at all, and the people on the forums gave me the impression that it was the *only* FAQ that so much as mentions its source materials, which may very well be true. All the other FAQs just tell you to get (D) Pole-Axe x4 and go from there. That's why I wrote my FAQ. I didn't want to do his method, and I'm sure there are a lot of other people on their second playthrough who want a short cut too. UPDATE: Wicked Souls turned out to be a total jerk. He exploded in my face the first time I put this FAQ out for people to read, and never let off. I respect his FAQ (and I recommend you read it), and I respect the work he put into it, but I don't like him. Forgive me if I fail to salute him every chance I get. I just don't have the heart for it. Q: Is this the only good method available? There are several methods, which people started giving me only after I'd written the whole FAQ already. :) I've placed them in the Appendices at the bottom, in hopes that people will get good use of them. Please take note of the authors, they deserve credit. So, without further delay, here is the FAQ: ====================== -=Part III. The Path=- ====================== ====== STEP 1 Finding the Fauchards ====== Go to Forgotten Pathway and kill blood lizards until you have at least TWO (D) Fauchard's. There are two lizards carrying these. One is in the main room with the Curse and Holy Light traps (The Oracle Sins No More). With the entrance door behind you, turn left and enter the door to The Fallen Knight. It will lock behind you and you'll have to kill all 3 enemies to leave. Beware of paralysis. >:) Once you've killed both these lizards, return to the Keep and then come back to Forgotten Pathway to kill some more of 'em. They only have an 8/255 (3.14%) chance of dropping them, so be prepared to spend a lot of time here. And learn to avoid those traps. You may end up walking across them repeatedly just to aleive the bordom. :) Note: During this process, you may find a couple (D) Chamkaqs by killing the other blood lizard in The Oracle Sins No More. These will become important later. In fact, you may want to go into the door on the right (which leads to Awaiting Retribution) as well, just to increase your chances of picking one up. If by some chance you happened to find and *KEEP* the (D) Voulge (called the "White Cargo") that you got from the chest in Mining Regrets in Abandoned Mines B1, you can skip *all the way* down to Step 8. However, you only get one of these each time you replay the game, and you need 4 total. If you don't want to play all over again, you may get some use out of these steps after all. Even if you do get 4 Voulges with 4 playthroughs, you'll still need a total of 4 (D) Fauchards to go with them. ====== STEP 2 The Quest for the Elusive Langdebeve ====== Now we need a (D) Langdebeve. It's the weakest of the Heavy Mace family, and it's our hero. It's going to be our metal converter. If you combine a Heavy Mace with *anything* in the game (except another Heavy Mace), the resulting item will inherit the Heavy Mace's material, no matter the material of the other item. The reason we want the weakest, the Langdebeve, is because when converting weapons or armor, the weakest item will drop the other item the fewest levels (this is the reason the Leather Wizard's Hat is so valuable). More on this later. First thing's first: Use any of these combinations to get a (D) Cranequin: *NOTE: the (A) means it can be any material. Bronze, Iron, Silver, Hagane, Damascus, it doesn't matter. A. (D) Chamkaq + (A) Bishop's Crosier = (D) Cranequin During your quest to obtain two (D) Fauchard's, you may have obtained at least one Chamkaq. The Bishop's Crosier is dropped by Deaths, which are especially accessible in the Keep Time Trials. B. (A) Firangi + (D) Lug Crossbow = (D) Cranequin or C. (A) Morning Star + (D) Lug Crossbow = (D) Cranequin The Lug Crossbow can be gotten from either of two gremlins in Limestone Quarry. One is in Atone for Eternity, the other is in Where the Serpent Hunts. You have an extremely poor chance of getting these, however... Check Jay Tilton's enemies FAQ for more info. NOTE: If you have a (D) Lug Crossbow already, and have a Hatchet or Shotel at your disposal, you can actually skip straight to step 3 if you want and use it in a less round-about way. ====== STEP 3 Claymore or Shiavona? ====== Now find or forge a Chamkaq of any type. You can even use one of the (D) Chamkaq's you found on your (D) Fauchard quest, if you're feeling wasteful (I recommend you find an iron or hagane one and keep the damascus). We want a (D) Claymore or a (D) Schiavona, so that we can turn it into a (D) Katana. NOTE: If you have a Summoner Baton of any material, you can skip step 4 completely: (A)Summoner Baton + (D)Cranequin = (D)Katana Otherwise... (A) Chamkaq + (D) Cranequin = (D) Claymore If you chose to skip Step 2 because you have a (D) Lug Crossbow, here's what to do: (A) Hatchet + (D) Lug Crossbow = (D) Schiavona or (A) Shotel + (D) Lug Crossbow = (D) Schiavona If you want, you can convert that Schiavona to a Claymore, or wait until the next step and take the more direct path. (A) Firangi + (D) Schiavona = (D) Claymore ====== STEP 4 All I want is my Damascus Katana ====== Now we need to convert that (D) Claymore or (D) Schiavona to a (D) Katana. If you have a Claymore: (A)(See list below) + (D) Claymore = (D) Katana Battle Knife Dirk Spatha Rapier Target Bow There may be others... If you have a Schiavona: (A)(See list below) + (D) Schiavona = (D) Katana Scramasax Dirk Scimitar Rapier Broad Sword Francisca Goblin Club Ball Mace Wizard Staff Gastraph Bow Target Bow Hand Axe There may be others... Whether you skipped this step or converted your great sword, you should now have a (D) Katana at your disposal. ====== STEP 5 Bottle Neck Ball Mace ====== Now we'll use that fine (D) Katana. (D) Katana + (A) Ball Mace = (D) Langdebeve Luckily, the material of the Ball Mace doesn't matter. However, it's still a bottle neck. Because there's only one combination option here, it would probably be good for me to tell you where to get a ball mace on such short notice, instead of making you search Jay Tilton's FAQ. Here are a few ways to forge it (you can't find it anywhere!): First Slot |Second Slot ||Result ================== ================== ========== Cinquedea |Falchion || Ball Mace Cinquedea |Claymore || Ball Mace Throwing Knife |Francisca || Ball Mace Battle Knife |Footman's Mace 1H || Ball Mace Scramasax |Morning Star || Ball Mace Dirk |Footman's Mace 1H || Ball Mace Dirk |Morning Star || Ball Mace Dirk |War Hammer || Ball Mace Falchion |Claymore || Ball Mace Short Sword |Francisca || Ball Mace Spatha |Footman's Mace 1H || Ball Mace Scimitar |Morning Star || Ball Mace Rapier |Footman's Mace 1H || Ball Mace Rapier |Morning Star || Ball Mace Rapier |War Hammer || Ball Mace Executioner |Francisca || Ball Mace Broad Sword |Footman's Mace 1H || Ball Mace Norse Sword |Morning Star || Ball Mace Katana |Footman's Mace 1H || Ball Mace Katana |Morning Star || Ball Mace Katana |War Hammer || Ball Mace Katana |Windlass || Ball Mace Hand Axe |Footman's Mace 1H || Ball Mace Battle Axe |Morning Star || Ball Mace Francisca |Morning Star || Ball Mace Francisca |War Hammer || Ball Mace Goblin Club |War Hammer || Ball Mace Spiked Club |Morning Star || Ball Mace Spiked Club |Bec de Corbin || Ball Mace Morning Star |Guisarme || Ball Mace War Hammer |Large Crescent || Ball Mace War Hammer |Sabre Halberd || Ball Mace Bec de Corbin |Sabre Halberd || Ball Mace Morning Star |Wizard Staff || Ball Mace War Hammer |Clergy Rod || Ball Mace War Hammer |Summoner Baton || Ball Mace Bec de Corbin |Summoner Baton || Ball Mace Morning Star |Langdebeve || Ball Mace War Hammer |Sabre Mace || Ball Mace War Hammer |Footman's Mace 2H || Ball Mace Bec de Corbin |Footman's Mace 2H || Ball Mace Morning Star |Spear || Ball Mace Morning Star |Gastraph Bow || Ball Mace War Hammer |Light Crossbow || Ball Mace War Hammer |Target Bow || Ball Mace Bec de Corbin |Target Bow || Ball Mace Note that not all of these are very feasible. For example, you may not be too crazy about letting go of a Claymore or War Hammer, even it it's just Iron. Do what you can, then combine the Ball Mace with the Katana. Now we have our coveted (D) Langdebeve. Set it aside. ====== STEP 6 Gathering Materials ====== Now we need a Pole Axe of any type except Damascus. We're going to use the (D) Langdebeve to convert it. If you already have a Pole Axe, skip to Step 8. Otherwise, you'll need to go to several locations to obtain the scratch materials Scorpion, Corcesca, and (optional) Glaive and Trident. The numbers beside the locations displays the probability of the items being dropped, so you'll need to decide what room is right for you. I will of course give my opinion on what are the best locations. The point here, of course, is to get lots of Corcescas and Tridents. I've also included some good item combinations to obtain these. If you want to do that, then you can skip this searching process. Trident: 26/255 Shasras Hill Park (Town Center East) This is the only place to get Tridents, and all things considered, it's not so bad. It's right near a door to reset the enemies with, and the only things that will aggravate you are the long distance from the door to the enemies, and the knight's compulsion to cast spells while you're trying to reach him. Luckily, you have a 26 drop rate instead of a 16 or 8, and that's pretty decent. Corcesca: 16/255 Sinner's Corner (Undercity West) 16/255 The Weeping Boy (City Walls South) 16/255 Where Weary Riders Rest (City Walls South) 8/255 Delusions of Happiness (Abandoned Mines B2) Sinner's Corner is a good place to go for this. It's close to an area-shift door, and it has a manageable drop rate. The Weeping Boy is better, since its door is right there, minimizing walking distance. Weary Riders is not such a great stop because it's farther from a door. I'm not even going to touch Delusions of Happiness, the drop rate is horrible. If you don't want to get a Corcesca and/or Trident the direct way, you may be interested in forging them. With a scorpion + glaive you get a Corcesca, and combining a Corcesca + scorpion you get a Trident. Scorpion: 16/255 Sewer of Ravenous Rats (Undercity West) 16/255 Swords for the Land (City Walls South) 26/255 Rue Volnac (Town Center South) Rue Volnac is an excellent place to go. It has the highest drop rate, and an area-shift door right there. You can kill the enemies, grab their stuff, then go through the door and back again, and the enemies will have returned. Glaive: 26 Tircolas Flow (Town Center West) This is a decent location to get a Glaive, considering it's the only one. :) If you're really hurting for Corcescas, and you have plenty of Scorpions, then you can get a few glaives here and combine them with scorpions to get Corcescas. If you want to do the forging thing instead, these combinations may come in handy (straight from Jay Tilton's FAQ, of course): First Slot |Second Slot ||Result ================== ================== ========== Khukuri |Double Blade || Corcesca | Kris |Gloomwing || Corcesca | Shotel |Double Blade || Corcesca | Shotel |Shamanic Staff || Corcesca | Shamshir |Gloomwing || Corcesca | Schiavona |Balbriggan || Corcesca | Schiavona |Summoner Baton || Corcesca | Executioner |Footman's Mace 2H || Corcesca | Tabarzin |Balbriggan || Corcesca | Tabar |Shamanic Staff || Corcesca | Chamkaq |Gloomwing || Corcesca | Footman's Mace 1H |Balbriggan || Corcesca | War Hammer |Shamanic Staff || Corcesca | Morning Star |Gloomwing || Corcesca | Double Blade |Shamanic Staff || Corcesca | Double Blade |Gloomwing || Corcesca | Shamanic Staff |Gloomwing || Corcesca | Stiletto |Halberd || Trident | Stiletto |Bishop's Crosier || Trident | Khukuri |Mjolnir || Trident | Khopesh |Halberd || Trident | Khopesh |Bishop's Crosier || Trident | Shotel |Mjolnir || Trident | Nodachi |Double Blade || Trident | Nodachi |Shamanic Staff || Trident | Claymore |Gloomwing || Trident | Chamkaq |Double Blade || Trident | Bullova |Bishop's Crosier || Trident | Tabar |Mjolnir || Trident | Morning Star |Double Blade || Trident | War Hammer |Mjolnir || Trident | Bec de Corbin |Bishop's Crosier || Trident | Halberd |Bishop's Crosier || Trident | Halberd |Mjolnir || Trident | Bishop's Crosier |Mjolnir || Trident | Stiletto |Griever || Awl Pike | Khopesh |Griever || Awl Pike | Schiavona |Mjolnir || Awl Pike | Tabar |Halberd || Awl Pike | Crescent |Sage's Cane || Awl Pike | Bullova |Griever || Awl Pike | War Hammer |Halberd || Awl Pike | War Maul |Sage's Cane || Awl Pike | Bec de Corbin |Griever || Awl Pike | Sage's Cane |Griever || Awl Pike | War Maul |Destroyer || Boar Spear | Crescent |Destroyer || Boar Spear | Bastard Sword |Griever || Boar Spear | Remember that the material doesn't matter at all, so don't worry if you're working with Bronze, Iron, whatever. We'll convert it to Damascus soon enough. In the end, whether you get them directly or forge them using Glaives, Spears, or other materials, you'll need to end up with: (A) Corcesca x 4 (A) Trident x 8 If you get an Awl Pike or Boar Spear in the combination process, lucky you. You'll be able to skip a few steps. I just hope you didn't lose too much valuable stuff in the process... :) ====== STEP 7 Poooooole Axe! ====== Now we're going to make a Pole Axe. NOTE: If you have Glaives and Scorpions and spare Corcescas, combine them to get the appropriate number of Tridents and Corcescas to satisfy the following steps. 1. First we want to make an Awl Pike. We can do this using a Trident and Corcesca: Trident + Corcesca = Awl Pike 2. Now combine the Awl Pike with a Trident to produce a Boar Spear. Awl Pike + Trident = Boar Spear 3. Next, combine the Boar Spear with *yet another* Trident to get a Fauchard. Boar Spear + Another Lousy Trident = Fauchard Set the Fauchard aside. 4. Make another Fauchard, in the same way: Trident + Corcesca = Awl Pike Awl Pike + Trident = Boar Spear Boar Spear + Trident = Fauchard Set this Fauchard aside, too. 5. Now we want another Boar Spear: Trident + Corcesca = Awl Pike Awl Pike + Trident = Boar Spear 6. Now we can make a Pole Axe: Boar Spear + Fauchard = Voulge Voulge + Fauchard = Pole Axe. 7. Please take a moment to consider just how hard it would be to try and do this with Damascus materials. They'd be absolute hell to obtain, trust me. :) ====== STEP 8 Enter the Langdebeve ====== 1. Now it's time for our Langdebeve to work its magic! (D) Langdebeve + (A) Pole Axe = (D) Boar Spear A Damascus Heavy Mace is the only thing higher in the weapon material heiarchy than pole arms, so it's the only way to get the conversion we want. And, the Langdebev converts the Pole Axe into a Boar Spear, instead of something worse like an Awl Pike or Trident or lower! 2. Combine the Boar Spear with your Damascus Fauchards to get a (D) Pole Axe. (D) Boar Spear + (D) Fauchard = (D) Voulge (D) Voulge + (D) Fauchard = (D) Pole Axe Note that, as said in Step 1, if you already had the (D) Voulge "White Cargo", you could skip all these steps and just do this one. Still, you only get one per play, so eventually you'll have to restart the game, or follow the steps above. ====== STEP 9 Return to Nothing ====== Now you have a (D) Pole Axe. Great! You need 3 more. Heh, well, basically you have three options: 1. Quit in disgust. Write me a heated e-mail and threaten my future children. 2. Repeat steps 1 - 8 three more times 3. Beat the game and replay 3 more times to get 3 more voulges, then do Steps 1 and 8 again. This takes about 4+ hours. Both options 2 and 3 require a bit of work, so definately consider option 1 before proceeding to the next step. :) ======= STEP 10 The Extra Mile? ======= Now that you've gotten all four (D) Pole Axes, don't combine them just yet. They were a HECK of a lot of work to create, right? Why not make the best of them? That's right, we're going to give them 100 in all their elements and classes. If you have a rapid fire controller or can buy one, then this is a piece of cake. If not, then consider option #1 in the previous step, or simply proceed to the next step without building them up. Matt Hamand made a great FAQ for this. I'm going to quote the locations he recommends for building up, but first I'm going to give my own comments: 1. Buy a rapid fire controller. It's cheap and will save you an immense amount of boredom. All the classes, and all the elements (except fire and air) can be built up with ease while you play computer games, do homework, or take your spouse or significant other out on a date. Whoever said video games are bad for relationships? :) 2. Once you've got the rapid fire controller, you'll need a rubber band and a pen or pencil or whatever happens to be lying around the house (hamsters don't work though, they keep running away). Strap the pen to the controller, using the rubber band, in such a way that the pen is holding down the circle button. Turn on rapid/auto fire when you're in range of the dummy, and let Ashley beat the tar out of it while you do your own thing. Soon the dummy will die, and you'll need to turn off autofire, leave the area, and come back so the dummy returns, and repeat the process. Do this until the desired stat is at 100. 3. For blade 2 (see below), you'll have to do some special tricks to make sure you hit the right body part in order to get the right elements. The left and right arms are easy. Just get barely within range so that the desired arm is the only part in range (or is at least at the top of the list), and turn on rapid fire. The head is much trickier. You'll have to get right in front of the dummy (so you're not closer to the right or left arm), then back away and shuffle forward & back and swear profusely until you manage to get the head to be the only thing Ashley attacks automatically. This is dang hard, and I wish you the best of luck. It's possible, though, and that's encouraging. If it ends up being too frustrating, you can always whack the head manually. 4. Air and Fire, the Body and Legs of the dummy for Blade 3, are the most frustrating. As far as I know, you'll have to do these by hand. This will take a while and will be mind-numbingly boring. Turn on some music or trick someone into coming over to visit while you do it. 5. Blade 1 and 4 are extremely easy, so no worries. Here's the locations of the dummies you need to thwack. Taken directly from Matt Hamand's excellent Ultimate Weapons FAQ: Blade 1 - Dragon / Beast / Physical For the first blade head to The Boys Training Room in City Walls South. Attack the Dragon dummy there until your Dragon class and Physical affinity are up to 100. Then travel to The Dark Tunnel in Abandoned Mines B1. Use the Beast dummy there until your Beast class is up to 100. Set that blade aside. Blade 2 - Phantom / Human / Earth / Darkness / Water For the second blade go to From Boy To Hero in City Walls North. Attack the Phantom dummy there until your Phantom class is up to 100. Then travel to the Worker's Breakroom in The Wine Cellar. Attack only the Right Arm, Left Arm, and head until your Human Class and Earth, Water, and Darkness affinities are up to 100. Set that blade aside. Blade 3 - Human / Fire / Air For the third blade stay in the Worker's Breakroom in The Wine Cellar. With the same dummy attack only the Body and Legs until your Human class and Fire and Air affinities are up to 100. Set that blade aside. Blade 4 - Undead / Evil / Light For the fourth blade go to the Hall Of Sworn Revenge in The Catacombs. Attack the Undead dummy until your Undead class is up to 100. From there go to Gharme's Walk in Town Center East. Attack the Evil Dummy there until your Evil class and Light Affinity are up to 100. ======= STEP 11 Completion! ======= Now that you have 4 Pole Axes, hopefully with their respective 100 stats, you can combine them into the Ultimate Damascus Pole Arm. 1. Combine two Pole Axes to make a Bardysh. 2. Combine two more Pole Axes to make another Bardysh. 3. Combine the two Bardyshs to make an Ultimate Damascus Brandestoc! If you did Step 10, your Brandestoc will be 100 in all classes and elements. Now add a Spiral Pole and 3 Arturos Gems (IF you have them) and you truely be a force to behold! Have fun! ===================================== -Appendix A: Was there a better way?- ===================================== Recently I was contacted by ada (aka "Rheesal Hendra", anggur1979@yahoo.com ), who gave me an interesting procedure: convert the (D) Fauchards to lower level blades, and use them to build up to Pole Axes. His theory was cool, and at first I thought the actual combinations and blade counts he suggested were wrong, so I did some searching and came up with an alternate method (discussed later). Later he corrected me (he was right all along) and I still feel foolish. :) Here is his method (from now on known as "The 24-blade method"). Look it over and decide for yourself if it's better for you. Materials Needed: (D) Fauchard: 12 (D) Summoner Baton: 4 (A) Ciquedea: 4 (A) Kris: 4 1. (D) Fauchard + (D) Ciquedea = (D) Awl Pike 2. (D) Kris + (D) Summoner Baton = (D) Scorpion 3. (D) Scorpion + (D) Awl Pike = (D) Boar Spear 4. (D) Fauchard + (D) Boar Spear = (D) Voulge 5. (D) Fauchard + (D) Voulge = (D) Pole Axe 6. Repeat steps 1-5 three more times, to get 4 Pole Axes 7. (D) Pole Axe + (D) Pole Axe = (D) Bardysh 8. (D) Pole Axe + (D) Pole Axe = (D) Bardysh 9. (D) Pole Axe + (D) Pole Axe = (D) Bardysh 10. (D) Bardysh + (D) Bardysh = (D) Brandestoc Here is my adaption, which uses slightly different blades. There is also someone else who has a 28-blade method (discussed in Appendix B), so this is referred to as the first one. "The First 28-blade method". (D) Fauchard x12 (A) Cinquedea or Shamshir x4 (A) Baselard x8 (D) Bishop's Crosier x4 Blade Total: 28 1. (A) Baselard + (A) Baselard = (A) Stiletto 2. (A) Stiletto + (D) Bishop's Crosier = (D) Trident 3. Either (A) Shamshir + (D) Fauchard = (D) Awl Pike or (A) Cinquedea + (D) Fauchard = (D) Awl Pike 4. (D) Awl Pike + (D) Trident = (D) Boar Spear 5. (D) Boar Spear + (D) Fauchard = (D) Voulge 6. (D) Voulge + (D) Fauchard = (D) Pole Axe 7. Repeat Steps 1-6 three more times, until you have 4 (D) Pole Axes 8. (D) Pole Axe + (D) Pole Axe = (D) Bardysh 9. (D) Pole Axe + (D) Pole Axe = (D) Bardysh 10. (D) Bardysh + (D) Bardysh = (D) Brandestoc My comments on these methods: Both methods are extremely simplified, and I won't go into how long it takes to get 12 Fauchards. Still, that's only 4 more Fauchards that the other method, so this may be much more likable for some people, especially if they already have the materials they need. Here are some item locations, if you don't know how to get them: (D) Bishop's Crosier: The Death in the second to last Time Trial in the Keep (13/255) (D) Fauchard: Forgotten Pathway The Fallen Knight (8/255) The Oracle Sins No More (8/255) Shamshir: In City Walls East: The Squire's Gathering (16/255) The Invaders are Found (16/255) In City Walls North From Squire to Knight (16/255) In Undercity West Nameless Dark Oblivion (16/255) Cinquedea: In City Walls East: The Squire's Gathering (16/255) The Dream-Weavers (16/255) Baselard: They're all in Undercity East: Bazaar of the Bizarre (8/255) Noble Gold and Silk (8/255) A Knight Sells his Sword (8/255) Sale of the Sword (8/255) Where Black Waters Ran (8/255) Catspaw Blackmarket (8/255) (D) Summoner Baton: Undercity West: Crossroads of Rest (8/255) The Body Fragile Yields (8/255) Kris Iron Maiden B2: The Eunics' Lot (13/255) The Mind Burns (13/255) The Spider (13/255) Lead Sprinkler (13/255) Tongue Slicer (13/255) As you can see, the drop chances of these items are not encouraging. Hopefully you'll be able to find what you're looking for. Also, Mistere Man gave me this method: "The Two-Replay method" Materials: (D) Voulge x2 (must play through game twice) (D) Fauchard x10 (A) Spatha x2 (A) Shamshir x2 You can get Spathas in many places, and the enemies are easy to kill: Wine Cellar: Smokebarrel Stair (16/255) Room of Rotten Grapes (16/255) (only after you get Teleport) Catacombs: The Lamenting Mother (8/255) (only after the earthquake) Hall of Dying Hope (8/255) The Last Stab of Hope (8/255) Sanctum: Corridor of the Clerics (8/255) Theology Classroom (8/255) Process: (D) Fauchard + Spatha = (D) Trident (D) Fauchard + Spatha = (D) Trident (D) Fauchard + Shamshir = (D) Awl Pike (D) Fauchard + Shamshir = (D) Awl Pike (D) Trident + (D)Awl Pike = (D) Boar Spear (D) Trident + (D)Awl Pike = (D) Boar Spear (D) Boar Spear + (D)Fauchard = (D) Voulge (D) Boar Spear + (D)Fauchard = (D) Voulge (D) Voulge + (D)Fauchard = (D) Poleaxe (D) Voulge + (D)Fauchard = (D) Poleaxe (D) Voulge + (D)Fauchard = (D) Poleaxe (D) Voulge + (D)Fauchard = (D) Poleaxe (D) Poleaxe + (D)Poleaxe = (D) Bardysh (D) Poleaxe + (D)Poleaxe = (D) Bardysh (D) Bardysh + (D)Bardysh = (D) Brandestoc At first glance, it's more of the same. However, under closer analysis you'll find it's actually quite cleaver that he avoids replaying the game four times by forging two of the Voulges. The other two are gotten during the first playthrough and then the first replay, at which point you obtain the Godhands workshop. It also only requires 16 blades. Definitely give this method some consideration! ======================================== -Appendix B: Whispering of Wicked Souls- ======================================== Wicked Souls soon saw my FAQ and, after thoroughly chewing me out for misunderstanding the purpose of his FAQ, eventually began to contribute some rather nice ideas that have been very helpful, such as this nice little method. It is also 28 blades, but it takes a very different approach. "The Second 28-blade method" (D) Fauchard x8 (8/255) (A) Bastard Sword x4 (13/255) (D) Bishop's Crosier x4 (13/255) (S) Bishop's Crosier x4 (8/255) (S) Tabar x8 (26/255) The only place to get Bastard Swords (without forging them or getting the ones in chests) is to go to the Keep and beat the Ogre Zombie (and its accompanying Death) multiple times until it finally gives you one. The (D) Bishop's Crosier is the same deal, dropped from the Death, so you can be hunting for both of those at the same time. You'll need four of each. The (S) Bishop's Criosiers are even more rarely dropped: Undercity West: Beggars of the Mouthharp Path to the Greengrocer Salvation for the Mother Bite the Master's Wounds Iron Maiden B2: The Shin-Vice (S) Tabars can only be found in Rue Crimnade in Town Center East, and only after you visit Dining in Darkness (Abandoned Mines B2). There is a much more managable chance of picking them up, however. (D) Fauchards are found in the same place as discussed in Step 1. Now to do the combinations: 1. Do this 4 times: (S) Bishop's Crosier + (D) Bishop's Crosier = (H) Sage's Cane 2. Do this 4 times: (S) Tabar + (S) Tabar = (S) Bullova 3. Do this 4 times: (S) Bullova + (H) Sage's Cane = (D) Griever 4. Do this 4 times: (D) Griever + (A) Bastard Sword = (D) Boar Spear 5. Do this 4 times: (D) Boar Spear + (D) Fauchard = (D) Voulge 6. Do this 4 times: (D) Voulge + (D) Fauchard = (D) Pole Axe 7. Do this twice: (D) Pole Axe + (D) Pole Axe = (D) Bardysh (D) Pole Axe + (D) Pole Axe = (D) Bardysh 8. The final step: (D) Bardysh + (D) Bardysh = (D) Brandestoc Overall, it's a decent method, though I'm not too hot about the rare items it encorporates. Still, it may well be easier and faster than the other methods discussed, including mine, so definitely consider it. And give Wicked Souls a line at: wicked_souls@helpmejebus.com ============= -VI. Contact- ============= It's quite likely that I screwed up something or left something useful out. I've already been corrected on a few things, including the purpose of Wicked Souls' FAQ (I didn't know it was so long and hard because it was for the first playthrough). If you need to tell me about something, or have something to contribute, please e-mail me at the address provided at the top of this FAQ. Include "Vagrant Story" or "Wazat" in the title or my spam filter may bounce it back. Please be tactful, or you will rapidly find yourself on my block list, and will have little success swaying my opinion. And please make sure you've read through my entire FAQ before you send suggestions or hints. It's quite likely I've already covered what you're going to say, or something similar. I also write mods for Quake, and play a number of other games, so if you want to talk to me about whatever, feel free to just e-mail me. If you have Front Mission 3, you may be interested in my Detailed Skills List, which can be found at http://www.gamefaqs.com ============ -VII. Legal- ============ Credits go to ada, Mistere Man, and Wicked Souls for their methods, which I've cited here in this FAQ. Please let me know before posting this FAQ somewhere besides gamefaqs.com. Please also give credit to me for any ideas you take from this FAQ, and give credit to the people above for their contributions. Please do not remove the contact or legal info of this FAQ. In fact, don't modify this FAQ at all without my permission! Copyright Daniel B Hale 2003 Cheers!