So i was attempting the speedrun, but, no matter how i try with Handmaiden just dashing past pretty much all fights and only stopping to do wards/levers and even with the bots feeding me potions i still somehow end up 30-40 seconds short of the 12 minute mark if my timer is right. Even with near perfect barrel deliveries without any waste and just invis-dashing through incoming waves.
How in the world is this challenge meant to be done? Feels like you gotta skip Sofia chatting at the stairs somehow, or cut the ghost fights at the end down since they sponge up time.
“Edit”
Thank you @Adelion for the Zealot suggestion, that did the trick clocking it at 11:10 or so.
No, no skipping necessary. It is soloable and can be done without teammates.
Obviously, do this on Recruit as even playing Veteran gave me a boss each run and one run even twice (on Veteran!). Also, it is 80 % Trolls just to make your time more miserable. Also, it should be doable with several careers. I have read succesful runs for Handmaiden, Slayer and Grail Knight. Personally, I did it with Zealot chosing the two movement speed talents (5 % per stack and 30 % when hit). An additional 5 % on the Trinket helps too. In addition, equip the Billhook and use excessive air-w*nking to get faster. You don’t necessarily need to stop to get some stacks. Latest at Sofia’s dialogue, you can get all six stacks by going into the room on the left with the cirlce (it opens during the monologue). There are some random elements like potions or bosses but it should be reproduceable. Also, in case you didnt notice (because i didnt in the first 10 runs), when dropping down the ledge first time there is a symbol on the right side. Remember it, to not waste time for the light bridge part.
The final itself, takes about 3:30 to 4:00 minutes. So if you have taken already 9 minutes to get there, you have no chance even with a perfect run. Also, pay attention to the blue skulls to not waste your throws.
Other than that, there has been a bug - and maybe it is still active - that joining the game inbetween counts for the challenge as well. So joining shortly before the end makes this a very easy experience.
I’m stuck at the same stage as you, my best time is 12 minutes 32… And yet I even put the BH bot for the moovespeed bonus when it crits from a distance.
And I don’t see how to improve this time. There must be something to do, a secret somewhere else. Like, when we talk for the first time in Sofia, there is a small room next to it with a well that inflicts damage on us if we go there. He’s not here for nothing? Maybe with a barrel
Ahhh, thank you for the suggestion to use Zealot, got it done in 11.10 with him x)
Seriously though, i can scarcely imagine how it´d be possible on anyone else simply because you need to walk a fair bit to even get to the finale. I tried on a movespeed GK build as well but got about the same time as handmaiden with that.