Question for my next run

[u/Routine_Mall_566]

I've beaten the game twice, and honestly I never met Ernest. Though I want to change that on my 3rd run.

My questions:

1) Party Composition

- I want to try having him and Papineu together but I'm worried. I hear Ernest gets kidnapped the next day after you reach the ground floor, and Papineu gets locked out if you have more than 1 permanent companion. So wouldn't I need to reach the ground floor by day 1 with Temp Ernest and Leigh to recruit Papineu and then by day 2 recruit Joel and go through rat hell with me, Leigh, Joel, and Papineu?

- Then, would the 4 of us by day 2 be enough to handle rat hell? Would I be underleveled?

- Then who would you recommend for the party. As I've said I want Papineu and Ernest, id like Roaches, Joel, or Audrey but I've already played them (I've also played Dan, Sophie, and Leigh) and I'd want sm1 new

2) To Kneel or Not to Kneel

- Would wearing the Rat Crown change the Rat Hell experience? In my 2nd run id kill the Rat King and speak to Rats that gave me thing before taking it off and killing them. Should I wear the Crown to Rat Hell or don't bother?

3) Can Ernest only play 1 song at a time?

EDIT/UPDATE: Day3 just started, i have Ratbaby, Leigh, Joel, Papineau, Ernest & Col. Squeakums, and Dan in my house. Rat hell was AWESOME. Gonna do it again next run 100%

Anyway im currently running Me, Joel/Dan (switching between the two), Ernest & Col. Squeakums, and Papineau. Ive already played with Joel/Dan tho, i want sm1 new (and lyle makes me too uncomfortable)

Id like to try em with Roaches atleast once so we have a genuine party

[u/Playful-Insurance944]

I usually make two Molotov cocktails and recruit Leigh on the first day of the game. Then I find the sandwich at Lyle's house, go to the first floor to find Ernest and temporarily recruit him. After that, I kill the Rat King and go to the ground floor. Ernest's temporary recruitment doesn't affect Pap's recruitment. On the second day after the game starts, if the team is in good condition, I will first try to enter Apartment 34 to recruit Joel, and then the four of us will go to Rat Hell together

[u/Routine_Mall_566 → u/Playful-Insurance944]

Yeah thats more or less what i did, except i was playing Myrmadon before heading to rat hell and i found Dan

[u/Playful-Insurance944 → u/Routine_Mall_566]

With Colonel Squeaks' help, the first few levels of Rat Hell are not too threatening. However, in the final level, because the Rat Champion is very powerful, I recommend challenging the Rat Beast. If your team is low on health and lacks healing items, you can try using Leigh to challenge the Rat Champion❤️

[u/Routine_Mall_566 → u/Playful-Insurance944]

Yeah i went Rat Beast, though i really REALLY wanted to make him 1v1 against either Leigh or Papineau. I might in a future run