High Mettle Heirloom Derby Run Guide

This page is a User Guide It represents one editor's approach to a subject. It is not in any way "official", nor is it necessarily maintained by Wiki editors Take this information with a grain of salt.

For detailed advice check the two retcon guides written by PenguinPyro below: PenguinPyro speed retcon guide A more general, step-by-step guide Retcon Guide.

Since the Heirloom Derby came out, I've been enjoying doing the high mettle runs and these are my main tips to posting a good time. Winning is highly dependent on RNG though.

List of tips

• Obviously, choose highest mettle possible which is everything set at most difficult other than items which should be set to heirloom
• Increase XP to the maximum possible and reducing time per turn
• Naturalist is my favourite class for this (good melee, taming for increased XP, athelas leaf drop and starfish regeneration healing) with gadgeteers a close second (good ranged, first aid at low level)
• Complete more retcons at any speed and mettle - having 10 skill points per level to boost your new skill makes your life much easier.
• Precede the run with a high mettle run - having a good supply of gold foil makes your life much easier. My favourite foil items are the embossed emblem, foyal crown, gold-plated poncho and gilded leggings, though what you make will be affected by which heirloom item you choose to pull. Having foil to sell also makes a huge benefit at lower levels.
• Buy The Murk's Silk Shirt when you get to level 9. -1 PP and time saving makes this the best of Nocturne for runs.
• Plan ahead - if you finish your quest early, try to fight in higher XP areas to grind XP, but also grab useful items. At low level, I try to patrol the City of Lost robots for computer components, middle levels I explore The Docks for the harbor pearl and [seventh of nine] (to assemble with foil to turn into the [embossed emblem]), higher levels I explore Outskirts of area 54 to get the taut sinew to assemble with army boots for superjumping.
• Grab chips early with the Dude! There's My Car! and A Forgotten Hero's Fortune encounters.
• Buy the Lexura D8 early as you can afford it while still paying for levelling up. The extra PP and enough range to get everywhere you will need is great. Casino Jackpot encounter helps for this.
• Heal and restore PP with potions from The Sun Coast Potion Mixture Company
• Save time as far as possible - when you've finished decoding the casino swipe card, make gigantofirm lookout calendar to save time. Also make hammer time if possible. Take shortcuts, rental coupon and frostheim card on the level 8 quest, glob of goo then superjumping on level 10, motorcycle to break into NCI live building.