[Challenge] The Engineer Playthrough!

DicemanX

Brain of Cthulhu
If you are looking for a real challenge in your next playthrough, why not try the engineer challenge?

Engineer Playthrough Rules:

Engineers can only use tools (Pickaxes, Hammers, Axes, or Drills), traps, and lava to inflict damage to mobs and bosses
Engineers cannot use any other melee, ranged, or magic weapons, or summon staffs, or cannons, or any explosives
Engineers are allowed to wear any armor, craft any potions, construct minecart tracks, and fish

The challenge can be divided up into the single world playthrough or the multi-world playthrough. The single world playthrough limits the engineer to only the traps that can be found in one world, although an unlimited number of boulders can be crafted. A multi-world playthrough allows for the acquisition of traps across many worlds but one world should be deemed as the home world where all the bosses must be beaten.

Beating the engineer playthrough:

To beat Terraria with an engineer, the player must acquire trophies (in any order) from the following bosses:

Eye of Cthulhu
Brain of Cthulhu *or* Eater of Worlds
King Slime
Queen Bee
Skeletron
Wall of Flesh


The Destroyer
The Twins
Skeletron Prime
Plantera
Golem
Duke Fishron


Mourning Wood
Pumpking
Ice Queen
Santa-NK1
Everscream


The challenge can be further divided into a playthrough that allows glitches or exploits (hoiks and boss damage prevention via mob statues) and one in which these are not allowed.

Getting Started:

The playthrough might be really tough at the beginning, especially since the mechanic, who sells wire, is in the dungeon and skeletron must be beaten to gain access. However, if the player can boost their health to 200 to trigger the Goblin Invasion and beat the invasion, the player can then find the Goblin Tinkerer who sells the Workshop. The Workshop allows for the crafting of boulders, which can be used to beat bosses. Once the player has access to wire however...well, here's an opportunity for the players to work on their farming skills :).
 
I am in love with this idea and might give it a shot. I might make videos for this depending on the support I possibly may get from here. I want opinions.

Also, is there a difficulty requirement, or no?
 
Challenge accepted.
But I will have to have a modified version.
Because I cannot have what console doesnt give me. That means a number of bosses, minecarts, and frost moon.
I will add Ocram to the list though.

And NO WAY am I doing this on Hardcore. Im having enough trouble with normal-type H-core.
Side note: I am probably not expected to wipe my world when I die on Hardcore but, I do.
And the last death I faced? After acquiring a Sapphire Staff I stepped on an explosive trap.

Gonna be a lot different though, I have to kill Eye with a pick.

EDIT: It is starting pretty well! I have a world with tin, lead, tungsten, and platinum. I did not rewrite the map at all. First try.

My first box had a blowpipe. Nothing special there. Second and third had MENACING aglet and LUCKY climbing claws! This is looking good to start. I need a bit of lava, that is my first mission.
 
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Definitely a great idea, well written up, and refined a little since you posted it on Reddit (for those who missed that).
I am in love with this idea and might give it a shot. I might make videos for this depending on the support I possibly may get from here. I want opinions.
I say go for it! And we can use this thread to discuss any problems you have and exchange ideas on how to overcome them. Diceman's done a great job of blazing a trail with his series of trap based arena designs and importantly outlining the difficult first steps towards that.

But it'll be interesting to see how the details in between pan out, maybe we'll have to think about tweaks to the rules depending on exactly how well things go... Personally I think it seems quite generous to be allowed fish weapons (but I'm sure I'd regret turning them down if I got in a bind!
Also, is there a difficulty requirement, or no?
And NO WAY am I doing this on Hardcore.
I think that would be up to the player's choice, but I'd go for easy personally, since there's going to be enough novel challenges the first time around. Will need to do a lot of wall-off and dig around, I imagine.
Gonna be a lot different though, I have to kill Eye with a pick.
Can't you just wait to do EoC until after skeletron (and wired traps)?
 
Can't you just wait to do EoC until after skeletron (and wired traps)?

I.... suppose you are right. I was thinking that since bombs are forbidden I have to get Dryad for the Eater of Worlds. I gotta figure out some sequence breaking. First step then.... get lava and then attract the goblins!

....
I am not allowed to use ANY magic?? This will be an effort in creativity and turtling.

EDIT: First death - a black slime jumped on me as I was Hellevator-ing. I havent gotten a new pick yet.
 
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The starting difficulty is indeed up to the player, but I'll be planning to do this strictly on hardcore! The main issue will be getting past Skeletron but once access is gained to the mechanic it should be a little easier :).
 
It is an insane challenge, only thought of by a sadist.

Tip - do not try hardcore. Youre gonna have a bad time.

At least dont do world-erasing hardcore like I do.
 
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So far I am not doing TERRIBLY. Except I have died 4 times and still havent attempted any bosses. I did make a dart trap glowing mushroom farm though, its helping.
 
So... we can use fish weapons? Just curious.

Only if they are tools. This means that one option for pre-hardmode is to fish up a Reaver Shark or Sawtooth Shark from the ocean, or a Rockfish anywhere. Of course that would take quite a bit of time catching bait unless you build a bait farm...
 
I have answered the challenge and will make some videos for it.

Awesome! I will be watching them as I am able. I gotta go see family right now though.

I do not use mobs to lessen damage. However, I do like to have a constantly-spawning plate of skeletons, etc. that spill hearts all over the place. That isnt an "exploit", is it?
 
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I do not use mobs to lessen damage. However, I do like to have a constantly-spawning plate of skeletons, etc. that spill hearts all over the place. That isnt an "exploit", is it?

Using statues for heart generation is fine. You can still use the statues to prevent damage if you want to allow for exploits, but it's better to see if you can do without it!

I have answered the challenge and will make some videos for it.

Nice! I look forward to seeing more of the playthrough in action!
 
Ha, finally figured out how to be able to post to this subforum! I'm getting ready to start this right now. I've read a lot of things about autofarms and the like here while lurking, but I have very little experience with it so far. I only have my brain, engineering education, and a knowledge of game mechanics to get me started. Thank you for the idea!

Edit: 4.5 hours in. I've explored the jungle, collected lots of loot, found several very useful statues and accessories, maxed my pre-hardmode health, and built both a west and east kill arena for the goblin army. Still waiting for the goblin army to even come, so time for a break. Here's the unedited footage: http://www.twitch.tv/rafiina/b/593492598

Edit 2: Goblin army showed up shortly after I stopped. It went swimmingly. Now it's time to collect boulders and take on Skeletron!

Final Edit: Skeletron fight with a really fun twist! Time for sleep now lol
http://www.twitch.tv/rafiina/b/593552725?t=25m59s
 
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Yeah. Ain't No Rule saying you cannot use existing underground wires.

I found an area with a cluster of 3 traps really close to each other. I may convert that to a grinder.
hey its all fair game especially if its naturally generated traps. i never thought of using naturally generated traps until i saw a video last week of someone doing that in a let's play series... i was like how come i never thought of that?!
 
I think the only time I've ever used a natural trap was replacing a dart with a slime statue when I tried to do a summoner only run. Took forever to get that staff...
 
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