Changes

==Overview==

==Overview==

[[File:shaft.jpg|thumb|right|A shaft for faster descending]]

[[File:Shaft.jpg|thumb|right|A shaft for faster descending]]

There is no practical limit to the number of floors (sometimes called levels) in the Skull Cavern.<ref name="integerlimit" /> Similar to [[the Mines]], the player advances through floors in the Skull Cavern by finding a ladder on each floor, either by mining rocks or defeating enemies.  

There is no practical limit to the number of floors (sometimes called levels) in the Skull Cavern.<ref name="integerlimit" /> Similar to [[the Mines]], [[the Player]] advances through floors in the Skull Cavern by finding a ladder on each floor, either by mining rocks or defeating enemies.  

Unlike [[the Mines]], there is no elevator to save progress, but on every floor there is a ladder at the starting point where [[the Player]] can leave the Skull Cavern. Each visit must start again from the first floor.

Unlike [[the Mines]], there is no elevator to save progress, but on every floor there is a ladder at the starting point where the Player can leave the Skull Cavern. Each visit must start again from the first floor.

When ladders to the next floor appear from breaking rocks, 20% of the time they will appear as a shaft (or hole) instead of a ladder. Shafts make it possible to travel 3-15 floors at a time. The number of floors dropped is based on an integer x between 3 and 8 inclusive, chosen with equal probability, with a 90% chance that the player drops x floors and a 10% chance that the player drops 2x-1 floors. The amount of floors dropped is predetermined based on the mine floor, game day, and [[Random Seed]]. In particular, [[Luck]] does not affect the chances of jumping down a certain number of floors. This also means that if multiple shafts spawn on the same floor, they will all drop the player the same number of floors, so it does not matter which one is chosen. Jumping down the shaft causes [[Health]] damage equal to 3x the number of floors skipped (although jumping down a shaft will never reduce health to less than 1). Note that if a shaft above floor 100 is calculated to drop the player past floor 100, it will be modified to only drop the player to floor 100.<ref name="shaftlevels"/>

When ladders to the next floor appear from breaking rocks, 20% of the time they will appear as a shaft (or hole) instead of a ladder. Shafts make it possible to travel 3-15 floors at a time. The number of floors dropped is based on an integer x between 3 and 8 inclusive, chosen with equal probability, with a 90% chance that the player drops x floors and a 10% chance that the player drops 2x-1 floors. The amount of floors dropped is predetermined based on the mine floor, game day, and [[Random Seed]]. In particular, [[Luck]] does not affect the chances of jumping down a certain number of floors. This also means that if multiple shafts spawn on the same floor, they will all drop the player the same number of floors, so it does not matter which one is chosen. Jumping down the shaft causes [[Health]] damage equal to 3x the number of floors skipped (although jumping down a shaft will never reduce health to less than 1). Note that if a shaft above floor 100 is calculated to drop the player past floor 100, it will be modified to only drop the player to floor 100.<ref name="shaftlevels"/>

If the player runs out of [[health]] while exploring Skull Cavern, they will wake up sometime later on the same day in [[Harvey's Clinic]]. A fee of {{price|1000}} will be deducted for emergency surgery. Several items may also be lost. Passing out at 2:00 am will cause the player to lose {{price|1000}} or 10% of funds, whichever is less.

If the player runs out of [[health]] while exploring Skull Cavern, they will wake up sometime later on the same day in [[Harvey's Clinic]]. A fee of {{Price|1000}} will be deducted for emergency surgery. Several items may also be lost. Passing out at 2:00 am will cause the player to lose {{Price|1000}} or 10% of funds, whichever is less.

===Iridium===

===Iridium===

The chance to find [[Iridium Ore]] increases slowly and steadily as the player descends into the Skull Cavern, rapidly increasing from floor 10 to 100. See [[Skull Cavern/Ore Distribution]] for more details.

The chance to find [[Iridium Ore]] increases slowly and steadily as the player descends into the Skull Cavern, rapidly increasing from floor 10 to 100. See [[Skull Cavern/Ore Distribution]] for more details.

The monsters in the Cavern also have a chance to drop [[Iridium Ore|ore]] and [[Iridium Bar]]s, as well as [[The Mines#Special Items|special items]]. It can be a good idea to bring the [[Lava Katana]] or [[Galaxy Sword]], as enemies are particularly strong.

The monsters in the Skull Cavern also have a chance to drop [[Iridium Ore]] and [[Iridium Bar]]s, as well as [[The Mines#Special Items|special items]]. It can be a good idea to bring the [[Lava Katana]] or [[Galaxy Sword]], as enemies are particularly strong.

High [[Luck]] increases the frequency of ladders/shafts. Rapid descent to floors with a higher chance of spawning [[Mining#Mining Nodes|Iridium Nodes]] is often more efficient for acquiring ore than thorough exploration. [[Staircase]]s can also be stacked, so a single inventory slot can hold 999 staircases. Even blindly placing staircases will take ''some'' time though; the lower the player descends with staircases, the less time they have to explore the caverns.

High [[Luck]] increases the frequency of ladders/shafts. Rapid descent to floors with a higher chance of spawning [[Mining#Mining Nodes|Iridium Nodes]] is often more efficient for acquiring ore than thorough exploration. [[Staircase]]s can also be stacked, so a single inventory slot can hold 999 staircases. Even blindly placing staircases will take ''some'' time though; the lower the player descends with staircases, the less time they have to explore the caverns.

===Warp Totems===

===Warp Totems===

A [[Warp Totem]] can be used to make a quick exit if supplies are running low or the day is almost over to avoid the fee of up to {{price|1000}} for passing out at 2:00 am.

A [[Warp Totem]] can be used to make a quick exit if supplies are running low or the day is almost over to avoid the fee of up to {{Price|1000}} for passing out at 2:00 am.

A [[Warp Totem: Desert]] (or [[Desert Obelisk]]) can be used to access the Desert about 4 hours earlier than [[Pam]] arrives at the [[Bus Stop]], or when Pam visits the [[Ginger Island#Beach Resort|Beach Resort]] (which makes bus service inactive).

A [[Warp Totem: Desert]] (or [[Desert Obelisk]]) can be used to access the Desert about 4 hours earlier than [[Pam]] arrives at the [[Bus Stop]].

==Monsters==

==Monsters==

Because prehistoric floors are infested, all enemies on this floor must be killed before a ladder appears.

Because prehistoric floors are infested, all enemies on this floor must be killed before a ladder appears.

{{clear}}

{{Clear}}

==Treasure Rooms==

==Treasure Rooms==

==Secret==

==Secret==

<section begin="qiskullcavern" />After reading [[Secret Notes#Secret Note #10|Secret Note #10]], the player will find [[Mr. Qi]] at floor 100 of the Skull Cavern. A cutscene ensues in which:

<section begin="qiskullcavern" />After reading [[Secret Notes#Secret Note #10|Secret Note #10]], the player will find [[Mr. Qi]] at floor 100 of the Skull Cavern. A cutscene ensues in which:

{{collapse|content=Mr. Qi will either congratulate the player for reaching floor 100 while using 10 or fewer [[Staircase]]s or say the player is "clever" but not "honorable" for using more than 10. In either case, he will award the player with Iridium Snake Milk, which permanently increases the player's [[health]] by 25 points.}}

{{Collapse|content=Mr. Qi will either congratulate the player for reaching floor 100 while using 10 or fewer [[Staircase]]s or say the player is "clever" but not "honorable" for using more than 10. In either case, he will award the player with Iridium Snake Milk, which permanently increases the player's [[health]] by 25 points.}}

[[File:QiCutsceneSkullCavern.png|200px]]<section end="qiskullcavern" />

[[File:QiCutsceneSkullCavern.png|200px]]<section end="qiskullcavern" />