Rockridge Deep Storage

[Ceiling Durkheim]

So, I was looking over the Synergizer item list after beating the game recently, and I found myself troubled by one thing: how in blazes does one access the deep storage in Rockridge Keep? Ostensibly there's a switch that opens it up, but I never could find it, even after my confrontations with two separate giant demon spiders.

[Zummi]

They're the level below the level below the Quartermaster/Barracks/Scouts buildings(towers actually, via in-game description). Doing this as soon as you get access is possible.

[Ceiling Durkheim]

I'm aware of that. That's where I fought the spiders. What I'm referring to more specifically is "-- NW - hidden switch - Rockridge Deep Storage -- hidden switch - hidden switch - bypass to Deep Storage room -- door ---- east metal chest - 192c, emerald, fancy toolbelt (10% armor, +2 to build boltflinger, snare turret, and blessing pylon, +1 to freezing turret ---- west metal chest - 234c, ruby, wand of corruption, pulsing runestone"

[Lilith]

You know that bit of wooden wall northwest of the spider lair? The button is very well hidden on the stone wall near that, just north of the stalagmite.

[Ceiling Durkheim]

You know that bit of wooden wall northwest of the spider lair? The button is very well hidden on the stone wall near that, just north of the stalagmite.

 

Ah! Just what I was looking for. Thank you very much. Also: wow. Most of the hidden switches in this game only dubiously qualify as "hidden" at all given the larger image, but that one blends in uncannily well.

[Randomizer]

There are a few others that I've walked past because there isn't enough contrast between the wall and the switch.

[DanNeely]

I have access at level 4, but how am I supposed to get past the defenses? The turrets are able to heal themselves faster than my party can damage them on the rare occasions we make a hit, and my party's attempt to disarm a mine before it kills us is equally ineffective.

[Lilith]

Yeah, you'll probably have to come back after gaining a few more levels.

[springacres]

And when you do, check the walls before wasting your energy on the turrets.

 

 

There's another hidden switch behind the searing mines. You should be able to get to it without activating the mines if you're careful.

 

[Randomizer]

From testing, level 8 seems to be the lowest level where you average to hit is high enough to do more damage than the mines and turrets regenerate.

[springacres]

And even then you want to make sure to have AoE wands, scrolls and (if possible) abilities.

[Aoslare]

As far as the mines go, you can damage them remotely by using area of effect attacks.

 

Since the turrets have a shorter range than regular missile attacks do, all you have to do is beat their regen -- depending on your build, you can do that earlier than level 8, if all 3 party members focus on one turret.

[DanNeely]

And when you do, check the walls before wasting your energy on the turrets.

 

 

There's another hidden switch behind the searing mines. You should be able to get to it without activating the mines if you're careful.

 

 

I saw that switch too; and by sacrificing a party member was able to trip it only to find equally overpowering defenses in the second room too.

[Jerakeen]

I saw that switch too; and by sacrificing a party member was able to trip it only to find equally overpowering defenses in the second room too.

 

Not quite equally.

And you can step up to the switch, hit it, and step away on one turn without tripping the mine.

[DanNeely]

Not quite equally.

And you can step up to the switch, hit it, and step away on one turn without tripping the mine.

 

I'm pretty sure I was zone of control trapped and only able to move back one space leaving me in the turrets kill zone.

[Jerakeen]

If you go all the way down to the tile immediately east of the switch that will happen, yes. But you can reach the switch diagonally from the space north of there. Not that it matters much.

[Aoslare]

You can also run past the turrets. Begin in walkabout mode, JUST far enough away that the turrets won't trigger combat to begin. Then click past them. If it works right, some or all of your characters will make it past the turret's zone of control before combat begins. Have those characters run. The others will die; that's okay, as they'll just regenerate once you're past the turrets.

 

I made it past all three sets in the long hallway using this strategy. One PC got stuck on the first turret; both PCs got stuck on the last one in combat mode, but one PC survived the extra turns needed to get away while the other PCs were being targeted.

[Jerakeen]

I was shocked to discover that Shadowwalkers can leap over mines. Seems like an exploit, but it's pretty useful.

[Lilith]

Other classes can pull off the same trick with a teleport scarab. Teleportation is surprisingly useful: it's also possible to leap over those areas of uneven ground in the final Corruption quest, which allows you to skip most of the zone if you're so inclined and to reach some treasure that's otherwise practically inaccessible.