Shortcuts challenge - what am I missing?

[kmoustakas]

Well in my quest to six star all challenges, I've hit an impassable roadblock in short cuts. I am sure I'm missing something but:

the challenge requires you not to kill any kobolds thus making the only possible way to obtain mechanical parts desecrating the kobold altars. Now, correct me if I am wrong but it is not possible to gather enough parts this way to upgrade all small extractors to level 2 and then still have enough to active large extractors to get a shard extraction rate of 12 a second.

Am I missing a different way of obtaining parts? Am I missing a different way of obtaining shards? Are you supposed to not upgrade regular extractors and just grab enough shards through the benevolent lantern archon? Is there a store way to get 5 stars in this challenge?

Thanks for the assistance

[cdr]

You missed the part where they didn't care enough to make all challenges 5-starable.

[PsychoBlonde]

You can sometimes get parts out of supply chests, but all 3 of the Kobold Island challenges are a miserable pain in the ass to 5 or 6-star. I have, literally, NEVER seen anyone successfully do it at-level even with multiple attempts, and I love challenges and run them all the time.

You don't have to upgrade the small extractors, though, in fact, some of the best runs I've seen involved intentionally NOT upgrading the small extractors.

[Marupal]

Well in my quest to six star all challenges, I've hit an impassable roadblock in short cuts. I am sure I'm missing something but:

the challenge requires you not to kill any kobolds thus making the only possible way to obtain mechanical parts desecrating the kobold altars. Now, correct me if I am wrong but it is not possible to gather enough parts this way to upgrade all small extractors to level 2 and then still have enough to active large extractors to get a shard extraction rate of 12 a second.

Am I missing a different way of obtaining parts? Am I missing a different way of obtaining shards? Are you supposed to not upgrade regular extractors and just grab enough shards through the benevolent lantern archon? Is there a store way to get 5 stars in this challenge?

Thanks for the assistance

The amount of parts you get from the idols is random. 3, 5, and 10 are the only numbers I've seen. If all you pull are 3's, you won't be able to pull it off. Recall and try again.

I usually start by getting all 4 smalls running but only 2 of them upgraded to tier 2. Upgrading the smalls to tier 2 only provides a small income (0.75 shards per minute). All 4 at tier 2 is only going to net you 3 shards per minute. A large at it's base will get you 2.5. If I don't have to upgrade the smalls I skip them.

A couple of different scenarios you could try:

large tier 3 (7.5 shards per second) 15 mechanical parts total
large tier 2 (5.0 sps) 8 mechanical parts total
15+8+(whatever you spent upgrading smalls)10-16
total 33-39 mechanical parts required. Needs the both large towers kept alive for 2 minutes

large tier2 (5 sps) 8 mechanical parts
large tier2 (5 sps) 8 mechanical parts
at least 3 smalls upgraded to tier 2 (2.25 sps-3 sps)
8+8+ (cost of smalls) 13-16
total 29-32 mechanical parts required. Needs both larges kept alive and the 3 smalls for the 2 minutes.

large tier1 (2.5 sps) 3 mechanical parts
large tier2 (5 sps) 8 parts needed
large tier2 (5 sps) 8 parts needed
smalls 10-16 parts needed
3+8+8+(10 - 16)
total 29-35 mechanical parts needed. Needs the 3 larges kept alive for the 2 minutes.

Between the six idols, if you average 5 parts it can be done. Just hope your party keeps them alive. There's little room for starting them back up, almost none for the magefire cannons.

[Marupal]

...
You can sometimes get parts out of supply chests,
...

heh, I didn't know about that. I'm going to have to start picking them up now.

[Therrias]

Initially, it was mathematically impossible to 5 or 6 star. At some point they made it easier, but I still haven't heard of anyone actually accomplishing it.

Don't forget to pay-to-win.

[kmoustakas]

thanks very much for the answers guys I'm gonna try again but this time at level 20 with fighting destiny active and see how it goes

[ValariusK]

If you do a lot of challenges, you'll receive as random drops things like the supply crate order (which drops a supply crate close to you) and a minute of time. I think with those 2 items you'd have a better chance of getting what you need for a 5-6 star.