Delay()

What is Delay()?

Delay() is the name for a function that is designed to slow down certain encounters that are important for quests.

• The sum of all delay() over an ascension is unknown, and is the same for everyone.
• While delay() used to be random, Jick has since stated that it is has been set to 5 for all remaining instances.
• When an encounter is delayed that encounter will not happen until delay() is over. This is true regardless of whether the quest adventure was superlikely, non-combat, or combat.
• Functionally delay() is a condition on an encounter which says that the encounter cannot current unless turns_spent_in_zone is greater than or equal to the delay() value (all zones record how many turns have been spent in them during the run). Note that the delay counter on adventures with other conditions (e.g. At Least It's Not Full Of Trash requires you to have read your father's MacGuffin diary) can be decremented before all conditions are satisfied.
• It is unknown exactly which encounters are affected by delay() and which are not. For the most part, however, delay() is assumed to affect almost all quest adventures that cannot be skipped by softcore pulls.
• Remaining delayed turns are not decremented by skipped non-combats, but can be decremented by combats that don't take a turn (like if you use a tattered scrap of paper, for instance).
• Delay() was implemented to provide a hard floor that would stop new items or strategies from breaking the softcore game. Jick has stated that he does not like this mechanic and that he is working on a better solution to this problem.
• Delay() is being phased out, many instances of it have been removed.

What Adventures are Delay()ed?

• The Haunted Pantry: The Manor in Which You're Accustomed has delay plus a 3-5 turn floor - Outskirts used to have same mechanic.
• The Haunted Billiards Room: Minnesota Incorporeals has delay().
• The Haunted Library: First NC (of both Take a Look, it's in a Book! (Rise) and Take a Look, it's in a Book! (Fall)) has delay().
• The Haunted Bedroom: delay() on the first wooden nightstand.
• The Haunted Ballroom: We'll All Be Flat has delay().
• The Haunted Conservatory: Polo Tombstone has delay() plus a few turn floor.
• The Valley Beyond The Orc Chasm: the first rampaging adding machine has delay().
• The Penultimate Fantasy Airship: Cumulative delay() on all of the Immateria. First one can't be found before turn 5, second one can't be found before turn 10, etc. But there's no cooldown period; they can be found back-to-back.
• Castle: delay() on the first wheel.
• Hidden Temple: delay() on the first choice adv.