Fax machine strategy
The fax machine, located in the Clan VIP Lounge, has proven to be a significant part of ascension gameplay. This page lists some of the most effective fax targets ("faxes") in the game for standard (no path) runs. Special challenge path runs may benefit from different strategies, or may block access to the fax machine altogether; see the appropriate path strategy page for details. See copying strategy for targets that would need to be faxed multiple times.
The player-sponsored faustbot and Easyfax accounts retain copies of most of the interesting fax targets, and can deliver them on demand to your clan's fax machine. Faustbot or Easyfax must be whitelisted into your clan for this to work.
Most of this strategy also applies when deciding what to have the painting in Chateau Mantegna when you ascend. Keep in mind that in Standard-restricted runs, it will be your only source of outside-context fights, and you'll only get one (though it can be refought each day, if you don't decide to overwrite it in-run). Outside of Standard restrictions, it can be thought of as a second fax on day 1, and a simple copy on all other days.
Turn Efficiency
These faxes directly reduce the number of turns required to complete quests, and the benefit gained from faxing them can't be gained in any other way. Monsters are listed in roughly the order you'd fax them.
| Monster | Availability | Purpose | Needs Copying? |
Other Requirements? |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| writing desk | /w faustbot writing_desk | Partial Spookyraven Manor unlock | Yes | None | Requires 4 copies. Allows skipping The Haunted Kitchen, The Haunted Billiards Room and The Haunted Library. |
| sleepy mariachi | /w faustbot sleepy_mariachi | Item drops, Moxie stats | No | Yellow ray | Saves several powerleveling turns for Moxie classes; makes the best Fairies in the game |
| ghost | /w faustbot ghost | digital key | Yes | 150% items | Saves ~15+ turns in the 8-Bit Realm when copied if you can't access Fear Man's Level |
| ninja snowman assassin | /w faustbot ninja_assassin | Level 8 quest | Yes | Survival | Saves ~12 turns (or 3 pulls) when copied twice |
| Orcish Frat Boy Spy | /w faustbot frat_spy | Level 12 quest and/or the Nuns trick | No | 234% items | - Saves 1-2 yellow rays, depending on if you need anything from The Hippy Store - Saves 8 turns if it frees up resources that enable the Nuns trick |
| dirty thieving brigand | /w faustbot brigand | The Nuns trick | No | Frat war outfit | Saves 8 turns during the war; only necessary when non-arrow copying is not available (i.e. Hardcore when an unfinished ice sculpture is unavailable) |
| lobsterfrogman | /w faustbot lobsterfrogman | Sonofa Beach quest | No | None | Saves ~4 turns (and lots of RNG swing) over finding each one manually (per copy, up to a total of ~20 turns for 5 copies) |
Niche / Quality of Life
These faxes can be helpful, even if they're not strictly optimal.
| Monster | FaxBot Message | Purpose | Needs Copying? |
Other Requirements? |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000 ML butt | /w faustbot bigbutt | Substats | No | Survival | For players who want lots of substats on turn 1 |
| Bailey's Beetle | /w faustbot baileys | (see Notes) | No | Yellow ray | A multi-purpose quality of life fax; provides some substats, the full War Hippy Fatigues, and a powerful shield |
| sleepy mariachi | /w faustbot sleepy_mariachi | Item drops | No | Yellow ray | For non-Moxie classes, a spangle-fam is still fantastic for item drops and Potato blocking |
| Blooper | /w faustbot blooper | digital key | No | Olfaction 67% items |
To kick off Olfaction; hugely inferior to Fear Man's Level or the ghost fax, but does not require any extra IotMs |
| Semi-Rare Monsters | /w faustbot kge /w faustbot miner /w faustbot baabaaburan |
Knob Goblin Elite Guard Uniform Mining Gear stone wool |
Varies | None 234% items Up to 400% items |
In case you weren't able to structure your SRs around them, or if your path blocks fortune cookies |
| mountain man | /w faustbot mountain_man | Drops ore | Yes | 150% items for one of each ore, YR for two of each | Alternative to mining or clovering ores |
| modern zmobie | /w faustbot modern_zmobie | The Defiled Alcove | Yes | None | Saves several turns in the Alcove over encountering them directly |
| remains of a jilted mistress | /w faustbot jilted | antique hand mirror | No | 150% items | Saves several turns hunting for One Nightstand (Wooden) for Myst classes, if powerleveling in the Haunted Bathroom is desired. |
| Bad ASCII Art, rampaging adding machine |
/w faustbot ascii /w faustbot adding_machine |
A Quest, LOL | Varies | None | For players who want the Meat from this quest or want to copy the ASCII art for 31337 scrolls |
Notes
- You can only use one photocopied monster per day.
- You can use photocopied monsters while falling-down drunk.
History
- The smut orc pervert used to be the best turn-saving fax target until it become uncopyable on August 14, 2013.
See Also
| Ascension Strategy | |
| Rankings: | HC Skills - HC Familiars - HC IotMs |
| General: | Class selection - Familiar usage - Lucky adventures |
| Paths: | BHY - Fist - AoB - BI - ZS - AoJ - BIG! - KOLHS - CA2 - AoSP - SS - HR - Picky - Ed - Random - AoWoL - Source - NA - GN - LtA - L.A.R. - PF - G-Lover - DD |
| Additional Paths: | DG - 2CRS - KoE - PotP - LKS - GG - Y,Robot - QT - WF - GY - JM - FotD |
| IotMs: | Tomes - Faxing - Copying - YR - Garden - Correspondent - Workshed - Tea party - Florist |
