Stasis

Stasis, also known as Stasis Spheres, SaucesphereSynergy or Thorns, is a speed Ascension strategy. Largely limited to the Hardcore playerbase, Stasis results in virtually free usage of skills, allowing for Meat to be put to uses other than simply restoring MP as well as allowing for a skill load which might otherwise be impossible.

The entire basis of the strategy is the skill Jabañero Saucesphere, which replenishes a range of 1 to 5 MP upon a successful strike by an opponent. In addition, the opponent receives damage equal to MP gained. This offers what amounts to a conversion of monster HP to player MP, with a monster HP plus four MP to be gained per adventure as a maximum.

The efficiency of Stasis depends on your opponent remaining alive as close to the thirty round limit as possible. Therefore, players often find it advantageous to limit or prevent damage being done to the monster. The Star Starfish Trick page offers several of many possible ways in which this can be done.

Though there is no set method for proper Stasis, most players agree upon the effectiveness of several tactics.

Stat Control

Because Stasis relies on the player taking damage from an opponent, the most obvious strategy is to have player Moxie approach the monster's attack level without surpassing it. That way, the damage the monster is able to deal is restricted, while still having a chance for the monster to strike. Having player Moxie too close to monster attack results in a situation in which the player is not hit often enough for the saucesphere to deal lethal damage before the round limit is reached. Tight control of moxie versus monster level and a good understanding of the Game Mechanics is a necessity to optimize MP gained while still getting stat points.

Healing

Regardless of the best intentions of the player, healing will be required both in and out of battle. As such, it becomes important to heal efficiently. In battle, the cheapest healing method is Saucy Salve. Saucy Salve will heal between 10 and 15 damage per round. To be used to its greatest potential, it should only be used if a player is likely to lose the battle within this range.

In battle healing should be limited as much as possible as out of battle skills offer cheaper alternatives. Tongue of the Walrus is the cheapest healing skill on average up to 70 HP to be healed. After this, Cannelloni Cocoon becomes best. Therefore, Reptilian Fortitude and Spirit of Ravioli are often employed to increase the effectiveness of Cocoon. Jalapeño Saucesphere is also employed in cases where a player would otherwise take too much damage from monsters. Jalapeño Saucesphere, though it reduces MP potential, may also result in the ability to kill monsters within 30 rounds that Jabanero alone would not.

Maximum MP

Often, when Stasising, the player may restore more MP than his or her maximum in a single adventure or before it can be used to its fullest potential. Because of this, skills which increase Mysticality or maximum MP are often employed. The Magical Mojomuscular Melody and Wisdom of the Elder Tortoises are the primary of these.

Damage Reduction

All players will benefit from a reduction in damage taken. There are three main ways to reduce damage: Damage Reduction; Elemental Resistance; and Damage Absorption.

Damage reduction offers the most obvious results of these. Damage reduction, which removes a flat amount of damage from a monster's strike, is achieved largely through the Skin of the Leatherback skill and through shields equipped in a player's off-hand. The most commonly used shields are the two cola shields which become available at level 4. Due to the early time at which these can be acquired, as well as the relative speed at which they can be found (3 adventures, on average), it is rare to see a player employing Stasis without one of these equipped.

Elemental resistance is also an important part of damage reduction. Elemental resistance, though only viable against elemental attacks, offers a relatively easy to achieve percent reduction in damage. Intrinsic resistance skills, Elemental Saucesphere and Astral Shell will together reduce damage from elemental attacks by 50%. Various items will add an extra level of resistance to players. As a result, these skills make areas which contain only elemental monsters (The Friar's Gate, the Hippy Camp, the Cyrpt, and yes, the Icy Peak) veritable MP mines.

Damage absorption, though useful against all monsters, only becomes powerful in great quantities. Intrinsic skills Hide of the Otter and Hide of the Walrus offer 20 and 40 damage absorption, respectively. Astral Shell and Ghostly Shell both offer 80. Hat, shirt and pants power is also added directly to damage absorption. Tao of the Terrapin doubles the effectiveness of both hat and pants. The sum of these, though ineffective individually, can reduce damage taken by close to or more than half in an average hardcore run.

Monster Level

Stasis also benefits from an increase in monster level. Monster level will increase the amount of HP possible to convert to MP, will increase stat gains from monsters, and will allow Stasis against monsters which might otherwise be too weak to battle properly. This makes Mysticality signs favoured by Stasisers thanks to the mind-control device, as well as the availability of jewelery components.

In battle, monster level is often reduced. Reduction in monster level results in less damage being dealt to the player. The skill most often employed for the purpose is Entangling Noodles due to its low cost and relatively high reduction rate. The myriad Disco Bandit deleveling skills are also employed, as are various items. Note that reduction in monster level will, if done incorrectly, destroy any chance of gaining MP during the battle by dropping the monster's chance to strike to near- or sub-zero levels.

Skill Cost Reduction

As Stasis requires extreme efficiency, items which reduce MP cost can greatly increase effectiveness. The baconstone bracelet, stainless steel solitaire and plexiglass pocketwatch all impact skills greatly. Because these items remove a constant amount of MP from the cost of each skill, their effect is greatest on low-cost skills, such as Entangling Noodles and Saucy Salve. Mysticality signs are often employed by Stasisers for, among other reasons, access to the baconstone bracelet.

High Level Stasis

Though most players choose to abandon Stasis between levels seven and eight for LTSynergy, extremely high level Stasis is also possible up through and including the Hole in the Sky. As a result of the Hero of the Half-Shell skill, when a shield is equipped, this skill allows moxie to be dropped and muscle to be raised. This changes the dynamic of Moxie to monster muscle such that one can drop ones moxie to dangerously low levels, while inflating muscle to reduce damage while still ensuring damage is dealt every round.

Familiar Choice

It is a common misconception that players who Stasis choose star starfish or mosquito type familiars. In fact, as with all speed Ascenders, stat gaining familiars are the most favoured by far. It is true that some may choose to Stasis with other familiar types. In these cases, the NPZR is most often used for its Meat gaining abilities, though the damage it deals reduces efficiency.

Notes

• Before May 23, 2006, you could click outside the combat window (for example on inventory or campground) to skip your turn and allow the monster to attack you again. Clicking outside the combat window now brings up the message, "You twiddle your thumbs".
• It was mentioned on one of Jick's radio shows that the Joybuzzer is still an effective way to do nothing for a turn.

References

• Stasis (or "Stasis Sphere") was the name of a strategy employed by many Magic: the Gathering players which used a mostly blue deck that controlled the rate at which your opponent could access his recources.
• Thorns refers to the Diablo II Paladin skill which damages all opponents who attack you.