Mob boss path subtypes might be coming in book 3
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Anarchist. I’m not sure about subtype.
Mob Boss didn’t interest me at first, but I enjoyed scenes with MC’s team.
Hero hunter… Meh. I want to destroy the government, not just heroes.
Thief. I haven’t even played this route xD
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My main Step is a feared anarchist (still more of a hero despite his best efforts), but I also, much to my surprise, loved thief’s route, even though for me it seemed the least likely choice storywise. Goes really well with the hungry scar and Argent as a sexy yet intimidating sheriff chasing your criminal ass while having hots for you.
(and by goes really well I mean the scar was almost always on 100, I’m probably doomed)
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Tech Thief, here. It seems the best path for a Step who wants to keep things quiet and avoid drawing attention.
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Hero Hunter for me, I love the pure nihilism of going around attacking and killing heroes just for the sake of it, maybe hoping that one of them will prove strong enough to finally stop you. I love playing a speed/strength high daring fighter who can go toe-to-toe with anything in a straight-up brawl and come out on top. It’s such a huge departure from the broken person Sidestep really is inside.
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Took my time to start playing the sequel and holy shit this book blew me away. Currently playing as tech thief sidestep who want to make better life for themself. Can’t believe how many branching there are in this game, i replayed a few time to test the water and i always find new things that i’m not sure which route i want my mc to take in book 3. Personal favorite is the route where mc confessed to ortega as being the villain because they thought ortega knew everything.
I feel like after subjecting my step to so many Ls they deserve to get together with one guy that has golden retriever energy for a change of pace. I honestly didn’t expect to like him this much since i don’t give much thought about him in rebirth Shoutout to his romance route, when Daniel found out that mc is the one who beat him up at the gala and he’s def angry at mc but decided to help bailing him out from the hospital alone, even when mc admitted that they’ll hurt him in the future if they met/fight. he’s really the heart of the group. Man, this is why i keep accidentaly went to his route when i want to see what ortega’s route like.
Anyway i’d recommend to try his route just once to see the person behind Herald.
The ending of this book is really well done! Especially for my step since they want to be more in control of themself but they found out that “someone” is controlling the puppet. (bonus point when i replayed so i can play as puppet who kidnap step’s body from the hospital. Imagine waking up finding that someone is occupying your og body. Now THAT is much scarier.)
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I still don’t quite know how to get that ending where Herald took MC out of the hospital…
MC can’t be a killer (known killer?) I presume? Not to beat him too much in Rebirth?
No known killing or you can be a former killer I think (repentkill). Also make him afraid of the villain or become his nemesis and no rescue from Flyboy for you, MC (not villain persona) automatically gets tagged “nemesis” if revealed and it replaces the “heartbroken” tag required for being rescued.
I think even terrifying armor or choosing rivalry-locked option when fighting him is enough to make him afraid during the gala fight if you don’t override it by humiliating him. And yeah, breaking his knee also prevents you from being rescued.
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You can humiliate him in the battle of the museum (using telepathy) and still get the ending where he rescues you. I did not realize he was always humiliated if I used telepathy to send him into the van and then knocked him out immediately (but I still do it for the telepathy increase that doesn’t out Step’s villainsona as a telepath. In character I write it off as Step not knowing Herald as more than an obstacle).
I think you have to raise your “doubt” stat with him and build a good relationship (not sure if romance specifically is required). The easiest way to do that is to tell him about your experience with Heartbreak on the rooftop (+30 doubt) and tell him that him letting the desperate restaurant robber go after giving him money is not “on-brand” for the Rangers(+10 doubt). If Sidestep is revealed as the villain, either have a sympathetic motive and not be known as a killer (non-killing hero trainer and truth-seeking anarchist get +5, saying that you don’t kill civilians also gets +5, pointing out that you’re small fry as a criminal is +10. You can only pick one of these choices). Saying that you’re not human, if you killed people, also gives +10 doubt. This is in accordance with the doubt guide spreadsheet found upthread. Not sure if there’s a doubt threshold you need to meet before Herald breaks you out of the Rangers base (he breaks me out at 45 doubt, when I have been his sincere coach and later lover and the reveal of my secret identity broke his heart). But you definitely have to build a high relationship with him, and not killing helps.
@Nm6k Thanks so much. Although that said, I wonder what the consequences of raising/lowering doubt stat will be. I try to raise it whenever I can.
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@Snowflower No besides one scene with Steel in path 4 the doubt stats has no effect on things so far. Here are the requirements for Herald breaking you own as a know villain in the code
*if ((herald_relationship = “heartbroken”) and ((not(knownkill)) or (repentkill)))
*set epilogue42 true
*set epilogue46 true
So pretty much you just have to romance him and currently not be killing people
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Oh wait just saw this you also can’t get the nemesis relationship status with him during the confutation dialogue. Which means you can’t have afraid. I think there might be a way to break his leg and not get afraid but I’m not sure
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Herald will become afraid if he faces MC in terrifying suit (though only on hunter path, not, say, if you blow up the museum), MC fights him using "i've studied him" or "I'll make this painful" options, or if they make a show out of killing Captain Blaze (or just murder everyone in the room) in Retribution.
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@Snowflower Here is the scene with Steel that I was talking about which is in path 4 which is the only time any of the doubt stats are used so far
“At least we know where we stand now.”
*if knowssteelsuspects
A sad little smile is aimed at you, and you get the feeling that he understands your choices more now.
*else
He smiles, and you keep a straight face because he really has no idea. Not really.
“Do we?” you ask. “It’s your job to return me to them. You’re the Marshal.”
*if steeldoubt >= 50
“Bullshit.” The reaction is instantaneous. “You know I’m not going to do that.”
*else
“I’m not going to do that.” A tired sigh. “You know that.”
“Do I?” Your smile is cold. “Why on earth wouldn’t you?”
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Oh yeah! I got that exact scene on my Steelmancing run of FH2. I didn’t know it was tied to Doubt.
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Playing no killing route xD
Ok, I can’t say I like the endings where one of Rangers helps MC. It’s pathetic and humiliating. No self-respecting villain would allow to be put in such situation. Humph!
Although I’m a little curious what will happen next for MC and Herald after this ending.
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That’s because no self-respecting villain would allow themselves to get discovered. Self-respecting villains come out of this ordeal pure as snow.
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There’s even an achievement ‘Pure as Snow’ hehe
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If by the hunter path you mean debut fight the rangers path then Yes
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Shroud’s powers theory
It is mentioned, in the Shroud reveal (obtained by using the puppet to scout the auction and then asking Dr. Mortum to research Ace and Shroud), that Ace’s comatose (supposedly brain dead) body was to be sold for organs. However, Sidestep got to it first and made them a puppet. Do you think that Ace’s lingering presence and possible resurrection of personality (if you believe that what’s inside the puppet is Ace/is a combination of Ace and that made-up puppet personality if Sidestep isn’t in the puppet’s body) is a one-off incident (made possible by Sidestep’s powers and possibly by Heartbreak), or if all of Shroud’s victims could possibly come back as themselves given time and care (which they don’t get, assuming that Ace’s presumed fate of being sold for organs is normal for anyone drained by Shroud)?
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I believe it’s stated that it took Step a while to stabilize the puppet’s condition and Shroud’s victim’s eventually lose the ability to function independently entirely.
Ultimately, I think Ace’s “survival” was a result of timely intervention of a strong telepath and years of physical (to stabilize) and telepathic (bringing back any remnants of their personality] care.
Is it enough to save Ace? Only time will tell.
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