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Astralcrescent
Level 52
Joined: 2/8/2023
Threads: 18
Posts: 123
Posted: 3/8/2023 at 8:31 AM
Post #1
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INTRODUCTION
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3/25: I have removed the vast majority of my posts on this site in light of the toxic behaviors that have come out of the woodwork. I appreciate the admins proactiveness, but I need to see more effort made towards giving users power to block and ip-block other users as well as actually removing their posts/profiles from view on blocking and a way to see their friendslist so you can block them as well. I am leaving this thread in particular because I think the info in it is extremely valuable for new players and I don't want to deprive them of that. Just because I no longer feel safe is not a reflection on the site as a whole.
Let's start this over from the top. I took some time to really try to consolidate my thoughts about my 28-day-struggle, which is difficult to me.
As some of you know, I have had multiple public meltdowns of an embarrassing nature. I am going through some stuff to say the least. I toddled over to the actual introduction forum after writing this to hopefully shed a little light on that as I believe in the importance of context when it comes to people with my severity of mental illness, especially in community spaces.
This is very stressful and anxiety-inducing for me, but here we go. I apologize if this feels disjointed, obvious, redundant, or equally confusing. There is a non-zero chance I ask questions that seem totally irrelevant due to just how out of my element and confused I feel.
I'm uh. I'm trying. I swear. I'm just that dumb.
IDK if memes are allowed, I will remove if not. (pictured: me (left), you (right))
Edited By Astralcrescent on 3/25/2023 at 5:09 PM.
Astralcrescent
Level 52
Joined: 2/8/2023
Threads: 18
Posts: 123
Posted: 3/8/2023 at 8:31 AM
Post #2
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GENERAL
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I don't know what questions I should be asking people, which is part of why I shut down and spiraled out of control when people were trying to be helpful.
This site is so much and so deep and thought-out that it completely overwhelms me to the point I don't know what questions to ask or how because where do I start even figuring out WHAT to be asking? That's problem #1, but I've tried.
Not a question, but. Anything that involves numbers and math causes ptsd panic attack meltdowns due to various abusive people who abused me for struggling to learn math. As a result I can barely do basic addition or subtraction much less anything more and I cannot count or manage numbers in literally any capacity whatsoever.
So that is a big. Glaring. Problem. Here.
Being asked to clarify or explain myself or being asked basically anything at all for any reason whatsoever causes mental shut down, brain fog, and panic. So it is very challenging to aid me in nearly any context which is part of why this situation is so upsetting. Any environment where I cannot figure things out for myself ends up feeling like a lost cause because it is at times impossible to communicate with me. As you likely witnessed.
But I obviously cannot figure remotely anything about this site out by myself, so here we are.
I just only realized today that you have to manually add people after they befriend you it doesn't mutual you automatically so sorry to the people who friended me before that, I don't know how to find you.
What is the difference between Blue and Purple theme tags, mechanically and within the pet economy? I have seen, for example, Cute Witch and Cute Witch. What is the difference?
Why should I care (as a newbie and/or veteran player)?
Do other players care?
Is there a tried-and-true way to keep them purebred if you want to deviate from colors?
(ie: I have seen Cute Witch be pastel, red, blue, etc, totally different from its theme standard, but they still have the tag. How was this accomplished and... does it matter?)
I find many 6v pets eye-straining and hard to focus on or parse, especially when there are overlapping lines and patterns. I find pets that have 2-3v much more attractive.
Are pets like these still valuable or do players only care about 6v?
I don't THINK people do bc 2v themed pets are a thing, but just thought I'd ask.
I don't understand how to plan projects or see them out, especially because you can't search by colors.
Especially when it feels almost impossible to actually attain anything you want if you aren't after an official themed pet that there are a lot of stock to breed within.
I am used to the system of Flight Rising where I don't have to have a definitive goal and still make good constant income just off the random babies I breed bc I want to see what happens.
It's easy to go in to the generator and be like "OOH that's cool", "ooh that's pretty", but what is actually attainable within REASON for a spoonie? What actually sells? I cannot keep up with the costs of my needs on here, so I need to figure that out. And fast.
I don't find the play-style of focusing on one thing and one thing only fun, especially when it seems to take half a human lifespan to get anywhere with a project. I am accustomed to working on several goals and projects at the same time simultaneously and not exactly being punished for it in the process. I feel punished and pushed towards focusing on only one thing at a time.
Color swing alienates and upsets me. I will never be able to confidently anticipate it and it has provided me many gut-wrenching heart-shattering disappointments so-far.
I am very much accustomed to Flight Rising which is beautiful and accessible in it's simplicity. Every time I try to breed anything with colors I like it turns out muddy and disappointing.
Two times I used an essence and the pet looked nothing like I tried to generate and I was mortified and heartbroken. I later found out I can't even use a trait disrupter on these so I found myself asking what the point was if I can never get what I want out of that pet.
On Flight Rising I can buy gene scrolls all day long and modify the shown traits on a pet there until it's right. The reason that this does not devalue the importance of breeding is because it is heinously expensive to re-gene theme so you are encouraged to find better breeding partners which... are easier to find because of the lack of an all-or-nothing system where babies are either specialized or sunk cost. (re: punishment for just trying to play the game the ways I find fun and interesting).
There's a question I constantly hit up against ever since my second post in my first thread. What is the point in me playing this site if I can never get what is being advertised and shown to me?
I spent roughly $100 on two bundles and a couple eggs and I didn't have clear instructions on how and when best to use the items and I either lost or wasted them and the eggs turned out ugly and worthless and I'm sick with remorse and regret.
I don't understand how to make money reliably or at a pace that I am not bleeding out just feeding the pets that won't sell. The player economy completely alienates and overwhelms me as someone with severe social trauma and anxiety.
I don't understand how to price my pets when there is no clear base of reference for me to look at for anything not tagged, and there is no way to search colors otherwise.
I can't sus out when it is and is not appropriate to spay/neuter a pet.
Like obviously people do it to keep you from profiting off their babies in turn which imo is something I'd love to see on Flight Rising because ha.(This will only mean anything to other FR players) I sure invested a lot of time and money into creating unique subspecies and rare limited breed combos on there only for people to snap up my 300-600 gem dragons and mass breed them into fodder floor. So I anticipate that infertility kits are for just such an issue but I can imagine the subject sparks controversy in the community (gods know the fr community would tear itself to shreds if they did introduce that mechanic :") )
I personally made my interim results from my first experimental project on here infertile because I felt like there was going to be an over-saturation issue with how many failures I have to sell and figured it would be better for the community if I did-- if that even makes sense-- but I've been weirdly agonizing over whether or not that was the right choice or not?
What is the common courtesies within this player economy??
There are sooooooo many unspoken social obligations on Flight Rising that I'm constantly on edge worrying I've blinked wrong and now everyone hates me because that was my fr experience. You list one pet on there the wrong price and within 2hrs you will be drug on the 3 different Flight Rising Drama Blogs for being toxic.
The state of my hatchery and stables literally gives me panic attacks every time I look at it. I don't know how to get these pets moving, if I should just release them and continue hemorrhaging money until I literally can no longer feed my pets, or what. Everything I do on here makes me feel Punished.
What elements should I prioritize in a capable party?
As an avid and lifelong MMO player I am excruciatingly familiar with the Holy Trinity (tank, dps, support), that much is Same Hat. However, with two in each spec, I struggle to sus out what is my best setup. . .
On Flight Rising there is no-such class system (hate) and there is all of two maybe three whole viable builds-- period. I get the feeling we have more flexibility here, but I can't progress my story due to being curb stomped so I am seeking advice, wondering if my issue is elemental combinations, stats, or gear.
Why would I prioritize Shadow or Earth over one another?
Why would I prioritize Fire or Wind over one another?
Why would I prioritize Light or Water over one another?
I get Fire and Wind are AoE vs Single-Target but that still doesn't really help me make a meaningful choice with confidence. I have been raising up a bunch of different pets, trying to understand why I can't progress story without wiping or lose at the Mushroom King event sometimes but steamroll him with others?
How to I manage my equipment inventory when I'm constantly bringing up new pets because I don't know how to make confident team or mission pet choices?
The stat spreads on gear overwhelm and alienate me and I shut down every time I try to gear my pets because the website layout does not give me a way to compare what is equipped with what I'm hovering over to try to make a decision and I have zero short-term memory so the numbers may as well not exist.
My equipment inventory is always full because I don't know how to confidently decide what is trash and what I should hang onto because of the stat priority confusion, chaos of pet indecision, and the fear that I won't be able to easily replace the gear if I sell it and regret it.
I THINK understand the gear rarity tiers perfectly because I am MMO trash.
BUT In case another newbie rolls in looking for answers, I will try to explain;
Armor Rarity should take priority when considering same or similar-level armor. Because sometimes a piece of gear that is Epic at level 20 will have higher stats due to its rarity than another piece of gear that is Uncommon or Rare and level 25 or even 30.
The trade-offs I think are mitigation, resistance, and maybe health? Can't remember. It's usually still higher/better. Vets correct me if I am somehow wrong and I'll amend!
I don't understand how to recognize good stats on a pet verses bad.
I don't understand how people breed for these or how people can stand doing that when it can mean ruining their pet's target look if they keep having to breed past perfection.
I have Accessibility Gripes that are not really questions. I don't really think there is anything you can do about that, but, it is a point of upset so I am laying it out there as reasons behind my total breakdown. Also, I dunno, maybe other spoonies can tell me how they personally try to get through it?
Lack of keyboard controls on explore and enemy selection in battle or item discovery causes me agonizing pain and suffering and makes the game wholly unpleasant to try to play.
I really kind of resent any game where everything costs resource (gold, gems, cash, etc) and there's no reliable or easy way to get it refunded through normal gameplay (essentially I was raised on the concept that something should eventually pay for itself even if it takes a very long time). I worry this game is starting to really feel like that and I am not happy about it.
When I spend cash on a site I expect to make money not lose it but I feel like I have I have done nothing but lose money. I have lost about $80 on here just trying to understand how to do anything and I am VERY unhappy (mortified, sick, miserable) about it. (Traps, Dyes, and Pies. And Ferreki eggs that I hate.)
I don't really think I can agree from a design philosophy standpoint with a system that puts so much emphasis on extremely difficult to attain cosmetics while also stat breeding.... that's. Not. fun. It isn't even fun in Pokemon where they all look the same barring shinies/dimorphism.
I resent that it seems like I cannot opt out of this mechanic of the site because if given the choice I would hard pass. I don't even have the patience for 6iv Pokemon, broskies. If my little dude can't pull the same weight as an uglier version of him that I have to make myself miserable for, I drop the game. I don't like feeling punished for trying to enjoy a game without being a number-crunching min-maxer.
I do not see any way that it is feasibly possible for someone with my disabilities, anxiety, and functionality to be able to ever understand how to do any of the things people go on and on and on about without someone holding my little baby hand and telling me step by step what the right thing is to do.
Because I feel idiotic any time I step into any guide on this website. Trying to understand anything on here makes me feel very bad about myself which messes with my mental health badly.
As a note and reminder, I'm going through a lot of stuff IRL right now.
As in the biggest worst most traumatizing experience of my life.
I am not mentally stable.
I am not emotionally stable.
I am very fragile and volatile.
Please bear in mind that paragraphs and text walls cause instant shut down which is part of why I feel like a lost cause.
People terrify the ever loving crud out of me and any hint of rudeness or impatience is going to make me recoil and backpedal violently and go back into my shell. Just a fair warning.
Thread end.
YureiNeko
Level 75
Hand of Destiny
Joined: 2/21/2017
Threads: 83
Posts: 1,883
Posted: 3/8/2023 at 12:16 PM
Post #8
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Preface
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Sorry for how long this response took, I was a bit busy and then needed time to type it out lol.
This is going to be relatively long because of how many questions there were, so I'll add a TDLR (Too Long, Didn't Read) to the bottom of each section with shorter answers.
I will also try to break it up into smaller sections like you did to see if its easier to follow. ^^
Regarding the first post in this thread, memes are absolutely allowed (And the site owner has even used them before lol)
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General
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You don't need to come up with specific questions if you need help, you can just mention what you're struggling with and people can either point you to where to look, or try to explain things.
Context helps, but some people can work around it.
You do have to manually add people back when they send friend requests though, otherwise they won't show up in your contacts. >.>
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Breeding And Projects
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What is the difference between Blue and Purple theme tags, mechanically and within the pet economy?
Purple Tags are first generation themed pets, they can also be referred to as "Tagged Pets."
The purple tag and gold star are just proof from the website that it is a rare pet, so they're generally worth more than those without.
A Purebred pet has a Blue Tag and star on its profile.
This means it is the offspring of two Purple Tag pets from the same theme.
These are where most projects on the site come in, they are usually more valuable with 6-visible traits and/or maxed out stats.
If you dye a themed pet, no it doesn't lose its tagged. This works the same on Purebred offspring.
They will get a button that allows you to reset them to their original colors, though.
This does not apply to non-themed pets, if you dye a non-themed pet you will need to redye them to change their colors back.
What are Purebreds?
As explained above, Purebreds are the offspring of two of the same theme of pet. They carry Blue Tags.
Why should I care? Do other people care?
There isn't much about them mechanic-wise unless you want to sell them, as people are (generally) more likely to buy Purebred projects than those without the tag.
That being said, it isn't important to everyone. Plenty of people sell/buy projects that are not purebreds.
Is there a tried-and-true way to keep them purebred if you want to deviate from colors?
If the deviate from the theme's original colors, they stay a purebred, but the colors will pass onto their offspring.
Are pets like [6-Vis Pets] still valuable or do players only care about 6v?
I also find some 6-vis pets too busy to look at, and there is a market for people who like projects with less visible traits. Its just a very small market.
Generally these pets are sold with maxed out stats though.
I don't understand how to plan projects or see them out, especially because you can't search by colors.
People tend to advertise their projects in the forums or in the chatrooms of the game (Regional Chat or the Pop-Out Text Box at the bottom of the window).
They plan out projects in the Generator, where you can see what a pet will look like and try out every trait available in the game. You can also save these designs to look at later.
Generally when people like their own colors and themes, they generate pets to breed or they find pets with the traits they want and then dye them to fit what they want to make.
Color swing alienates and upsets me. I will never be able to confidently anticipate it and it has provided me many gut-wrenching heart-shattering disappointments so-far.
Color swing is something that bothers a lot of people; you are not alone in this.
There is the option to see what potential offspring look like in the Breeding Grounds by clicking on the "Test Breed," it functions just like the Scrying from Flight Rising where it shows potential outcomes but it doesn't guarantee that it is the result you will get.
Two times I used an essence and the pet looked nothing like I tried to generate and I was mortified and heartbroken.
With Essences, when you generate a pet their colors will be more accurate depending on the Essence you use. A blue essence will not be very accurate--A purple one will.
Your Staring Pet was generated with the equivalent of a Purple Essence.
I later found out I can't even use a trait disrupter on these so I found myself asking what the point was if I can never get what I want out of that pet.
Trait disruptors only work on certain types of pets, as dictated by their description.
Themed Trait Disruptors can only be used on Themed Pets, and can't be used on a pet if they have children.
Restricted Trait Disruptors can only be used on certain pets and will need a visible trait already in that slot so it can be replaced by the new trait.
Some Trait Disruptors can also only be used on Tamed pets, pets caught with Traps.
What is the point in me playing this site if I can never get what is being advertised and shown to me?
Because of all of the varying options in traits for themes, what is advertised is only meant to display what colors the pet will have.
Eggs sold in the Diamond Store have a limit to how many traits they will hatch with, and they will be randomly chosen when the egg hatches.
This is done to encourage you to breed with other pets to get the traits you want down the line in Offspring.
TDLR:
- Don't feel bad about needing help, it's okay to need help
- Purple Tags are Themed; Blue Tags are Purebred Offspring
- Blue Tagged Purebreds are the Offspring of Purple Tags
- Using Dye on a Themed Pet does not make it lose its Themed Tag
- Most people generally like 6-Vis pets, but there is a market for pets with less traits
- People plan out projects in the Generator; They generate, dye, and breed for generations to make them
- Color Swing does suck sometimes; Purple Dyes are more accurate than Blue Dyes (Same with Essences)
- Trait Disruptors have rules for what they can be used on (Most are for Themed, Tamed, or with Certain Trait Slots)
- Pets are advertised differently then they will hatch to encourage breeding with other pets to get the traits you want
Edited to add Underlines to questions so its easier to see them
Edited By YureiNeko on 3/8/2023 at 12:18 PM.
YureiNeko
Level 75
Hand of Destiny
Joined: 2/21/2017
Threads: 83
Posts: 1,883
Posted: 3/8/2023 at 12:38 PM
Post #9
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Money & Economy
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I don't understand how to make money reliably or at a pace that I am not bleeding out just feeding the pets that won't sell.
The most reliable way to make gold is to send pets out on Missions (through the Barracks in each of the Towns).
It takes time, but you get both gold and items you can sell.
You do not need to feed your pets. Unlike Flight Rising, there is no benefit/penalty for feeding your pets. You just won't be able to breed them, send them out on missions, or use them in your party.
I don't understand how to price my pets
This is kind of a free-for-all, there is no real "system" for pricing pets because this game operates on an open economy.
Generally non-themed non-project pets sell for under 1000 gold and are released for bonuses.
Themed and Tamed pets (from events) are generally sold for the cost of Traps; 7,500 - 15,000
--------> The exception to this is Rare Themes, like Nephini, Ferrikki, or any other Fabled Species
Themed and Exclusive pets are generally sold at ~100,000 gold or more depending on the theme
Most people use the Advanced Search to look at prices for themed pets and see what is selling.
Purebreds generally don't sell for as much as First Generation Themed pets.
Projects sell for more because they have more traits.
Max Stat Projects sell for roughly 150,000 - 350,000 depending on the person.
Supermax Stat Projects (don't worry, we'll get there) sell for 500,000 to 1,000,000 gold depending on the person.
I can't sus out when it is and is not appropriate to spay/neuter a pet.
This is entirely up to you.
Most people make their pets infertile if they fall into one or more of these:
--------> The pet is from a 6-vis Project
--------> The pet has Max Stats (or is close to it)
--------> The pet is from a self-designed project
--------> The pet is a Supermax Stat Project
It is up to you if you want to make your pets infertile, but it is irreversible.
Don't let someone else tell you that you shouldn't make your pets infertile. They are your pets, not anyone else's.
What is the common courtesies within this player economy??
Most of it is pretty "common sense."
Its generally looked down on if you vastly underprice your things publicly (lots of people do giveaways and give out gifts--which is fine) because it will indefinitely lower the prices for everyone else.
Its generally not taken well if you sell a Max Stat or Supermax Stat pet fertile.
You won't be blacklisted on the site if you do things other people don't like, but there is the possibility that they just won't to business with you in the future.
The state of my hatchery and stables literally gives me panic attacks every time I look at it. I don't know how to get these pets moving, if I should just release them and continue hemorrhaging money until I literally can no longer feed my pets...
You do not have to feed all of your pets, just the ones you are using.
There is no penalty if you don't feed them, they just can't be used in your party/on missions or bred.
Hatchlings and Eggs also don't need to be fed (Unless I am miss-remembering something).
TDLR:
- Missions are your friend; you can make a lot of gold from them, they just take time
- Pricing pets operates on more of a basis of "How much is someone willing to pay?" but I did provide some ranges for most pets
- Make your pets infertile at your leisure; Most people do it to protect their projects
- Common Courtesies are generally; Don't undersell on the public market, don't sell fertile Max/Supermax Stat Pets
- You do not have to feed your pets unless you plan to use them
YureiNeko
Level 75
Hand of Destiny
Joined: 2/21/2017
Threads: 83
Posts: 1,883
Posted: 3/8/2023 at 1:07 PM
Post #10
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Battle & Exploration
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What elements should I prioritize in a capable party?
You weren't wrong in your original question (Using a Tank/DPS/Support).
Up until the (current) end game, you don't need to worry much about anything other than levels.
Tanks: Earth, Shadow, Water (Light too if you build it in a specific way)
DPS: Fire, Air (Light can sometimes do a lot of damage)
Support: Water, Light
Picking Elements:
Air is generally stronger than Fire, but Fire is good in early game because it damages multiple things.
Shadow is what I personally used until I reached "End-Game" because it self heals. Earth is good at taking a lot of damage, Water will negate damage.
Light is a FANTASTIC healer and I prefer it over water for support.
How to I manage my equipment inventory when I'm constantly bringing up new pets...
You don't need a lot of pets for missions, pick only a handful (most people use 10). Focus on raising only 1 stat for each of them so they specialize in that mission type.
...I don't know how to make confident team or mission pet choices?
You don't have to worry much for now other than levels. Stats help a lot; but they aren't necessary for early game (I got far only using the first ability for my party lol).
Mission pet choices are easier, you just boost the stats of a pet to give them a specialty and send them out on only that mission type. Its hard when they're low level because they can fail a mission, but it gets easier I promise.
My equipment inventory is always full because I don't know how to confidently decide what is trash and what I should hang onto...
Like I said above, Stats really do help, but with the earlier equipment it is hard to give exact "This is what you want for this pet."
Earth pets generally want more Health and Agility, but they also use Strength.
Light pets generally want Intelligence and Dexterity (For a healer).
Shadow Pets want Intelligence and Agility.
Fire pets want Intelligence and Dexterity.
Water pets want Health and Agility (For a tank), but they also use Strength.
Air pets want Strength and Dexterity.
It gets easier when you get further in because the equipment changes to share the name of the Element your pet is attuned to. It just sucks to get there.
I don't understand how to recognize good stats on a pet verses bad.
The easiest way to explain this is to tell you what the range is:
--------> The highest Strength, Agility, Dexterity, and Intelligence can go is a base of 100.
--------> The highest Health can go is a base of 2000.
--------> The highest Mana can go is 200.
Generally, any main stat (STR / INT / AGI / DEX) above 50 is very good, especially for early game.
You can see what your pet's stats are on their profile: Total (Base / Wild Stats)
The image above is of a Supermax Stat pet, which is a Max Stat pet with additional Wild Stats.
The wild stats raise its base stats above what is possible through project breeding (We will get here I promise, I will explain what this means lol)
I don't understand how people breed for these [Stats]...
There are items in the game that will boost a pet's base stats, but only can be used when the egg is hatching.
Breeding for stats takes numerous generations, and it takes even longer if you want to breed the pet to look a certain way (For instance, I've spent over a year of time doing this with Themed Purebreds).
...or how people can stand doing that when it can mean ruining their pet's target look if they keep having to breed past perfection.
When you breed a pet, it can have traits guaranteed to pass on.
The breeding mechanics for this game operate like a Punnett Square.
To put it simply, if both parents have the same Trait in the same slot and it is visible, the offspring is Guaranteed to have it.
While Color Swing still applies to offspring of themed pets, the further you get into a generation the less the swing will be because breeding a project requires inbreeding. The color swing will get smaller and smaller as time goes on.
TDLR:
- You only really want a Tank, DPS, and Support. I recommend Earth/Shadow for your tank, Fire for your DPS, and Light for your Support (But this will change when you get further into the game)
- Mission pets should be built around 1 stat that they specialize in
- Party pets should have their stats be based around their element (There is recommendations on their Proficiency Page, but they are not always what is best depending on what you want to build)
- Equipment is hard to understand in the early game; Do the best you can to match the stat for your pets element, it gets easier
- You were right about the Rarity of Equipment; Higher Rarity generally means better stats and more abilites
- Good stats are generally 50+ per base stat (But you can make it to end game with low stats, they just make things easier!!)
- People can breed for stats with an item that raised base stats, but it can only be used as an egg hatches; Breeding for stats takes a VERY long time
- You can reach a point in a project where the traits are guaranteed and color swing is barely noticeable.
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