Learning Cruel Joke

Hello All,

I'm having trouble pinning down Cruel Joke (I admit, I left learning it for some time, as I questioned is usefulness at the time.. Oi). Is this something that can be learned solo (with trusts?)

I have done the Mini-Vagary Battle many times, but Palloritus usually wipes out 3-5 of my trusts on first use of Cruel Joke, and I don't seem to be able to recover once he gets south of 50% health. There is possibly a mechanic I am missing here, as well..

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Skirmish is a good way to learn or join in on a full Vagary clear to learn it. I do a weekly Vagary and leave time for folks to learn spells.

If you have a whm friend to come along and cursna you it should be easy on mini boss. I learned it that way twice.

There's also the NM in the quest "In the Land of the Blind" (Homiliary) that supposedly does it. The quest-chain aint so long, reward is cool and NM is easy.
I don't know if zoning after killing the NM, instead of touching the "Suspicious Place", cancels the kill. If so, you could redo the NM should you not learn the spell !

I swear Tearing Gust just doesn't like me so I can kind of relate to your pain. I got really good at Vagary from just going on weekly runs. I wish you luck. There always seems to be a pesky stubborn spell.


I'm pretty sure these NMs give up at like 20% so you don't get a complete kill. That really sounds familiar as I may have tried it I think.

a man and a boy walk thru a dark forest. the boy says "I'm scared" the man answers "tell me about it, i got to walk all the way back alone".

The fastest way is just to run the Empy armor unlock BCNM fights. If you can solo Palloritus (get Monb, pay him off, use Kupipi too) it will probably be the fastest way a well.

Not particularly a hard but you will want Malignance and/or Nyame gear.

If youre just starting though, the most accessible way to do it would be buying high tier of yorcia alluvion skirmish then hoping for the bonus zone when Balamor comes to the fray.

Accessible to not that powered players because you dont actually need to fight it. Provided your monsters can put it in the ropes, you can just stay close till he uses Cruel Joke and dealt the final blow on the fortress so you can learn.

Problem is thats random chance x2, because you need luck to learn it and also luck for the Balamor to pop (what I think is more likely at high tier simulacrum). There is the cost per try too.

On the flip side, you can aim for that while farming the dual element spells so two birds in a single stone.