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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Slam23" data-source="post: 133312" data-attributes="member: 896">Phew, I'm over 1000 HOF points at last, clocking in at a modest 270M. But I did it without milking the Ring Master Battle, which teaches me to always check out the Tips & Strategies thread first.... <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> Great read and explanation as always Sean!I do have some additional points to make that may help:- firstly, any defeated Ringmaster that ends with a multiball (Frenzy, Razz, Special) can be best stacked with Juggler MB in my opinion. If you time it correctly and master two shots, hitting the Ringmaster hole and shooting the Juggler orbit, then you can stretch out those multiballs indefinitely (in theory). The thing with Juggler MB is that you can lock balls whilst being in the MB and that's not the case with Highwire or Strike-an-Arc MB. Via the Juggler and Acrobat Orbits, you essentially can lock two balls for a short time before they are released again. This is my favorite setup: activate the Ringmaster round (any collar lights already activated are icing on the cake and diminish the risk of losing both MB chances before you stack) and start working toward Juggler MB and activate it. The first orbits can scream around the bend, but they can be deadpassed from right to left and it's even possible although a bit tricky to backhand the Juggler orbit from the left flipper. Defeat the Ringmaster with the Juggler MB and activate the Ringmaster MB. Don't worry about losing a ball before defeating the Ringmaster, getting the Ringmaster MB will resurrect the Juggler MB. Controlling this situation works best for me with 2 balls, so I lose 1 or 2 balls depending on the particular MB on purpose because they tend to get in the way of my aimed shots. Alternate hitting the Ringmaster and shooting the Juggler orbit. The Ringmaster kickout can be deadpassed from the left to the right and cradled for an orbit shot for Juggler MB jackpots and locks. You start with a normal jackpot (500.000) and within two timers can get up for a double (1.000.000) and super jackpot (2.000.000). If a timer runs outs, the locked ball will be released at the Juggler kickout, this ball can be trapped immediately at the left flipper. From there you can hit the Ringmaster (jackpots range somewhere between 300.000 and 600.000, double when you hit two balls quickly in succession), after which the ball can be dead-passed again from left to the right for an orbit shot. The trick is to get in the right rhytm and alternate between shooting orbits and the Ringmaster, and feeling like a wizard when you get it rolling! <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> The point rewards are fairly nice, with 3.500.000 for a completed Juggler MB cycle and Ringmaster jackpots in between. 20 M is easily gotten from this setup, and I have probably scored 30M or 40M or more on some occasions. I'm still debating if it's better to not score the Super Juggler MB jackpot, because this releases the two balls fairly quickly after each other. This can be controlled but is also the hardest situation to get back in rhytm and requires shooting in flow, not from cradled balls. On the other hand is scoring the 2M the most attractive points reward from this setup.- On iOS a ball that returns from the Highwire ramp can be cradled on the fly by holding the right flipper up. The hole at the end of the ramprail will absorb a lot of momentum and the ball will lose enough speed to cradle. But be careful: 1 in 10 balls will tip over the right flipper and you better be ready to save it with the left flipper! This cradle is essential in controlling the ball in the second Cirqus stage when you have to unmask Voltaire because it sets up a controlled ball for shooting the Ringmaster again, after shooting the ramp. If your aim is precise, it's possible to catch the ball back on the right flipper after hitting the Ringmaster and you can finish this whole mode on 1 ball and only from the right flipper. But I must say that I lose the most (extra) balls on this part of the multistage wizard mode.- The Volt rollovers lead to the irritating Boom Balloon popup bumper (which btw they should have had in lowered position during Party Multiball, or hits should count toward the extra ball which they obviously don't). I think I have never gotten the extra ball from the Balloon, so I should probably wait until it times out as suggested above. However, I'm not good at waiting things out.... <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> So I try to shoot the Spin Marvel loop around the ringmaster (from left to right), which leads to a Ricochet from the Balloon up the Acrobat orbit. When it comes down again, I nudge leftwards to hit the Balloon and with the right timing, the ball goes up the orbit again. This way I can get in 5-6 hits on the Balloon before it lowers again. Because of the time the ball needs to go up and down the orbit, there is no risk for a tilt. A good combo with the Balloon is the Hat-Trick Sideshow award because the Ringmaster kickout will hit the Balloon and carom into the Ringmaster hole, this way the mode completes itself. But then again, waiting for it to time out is probably best....All in all I must say this table has become fun after I avoided it at first. I thought the outlanes were too much of a drainfest and I was turned off because of the Neon Multiball bug in which the camera stays fixed on the plunger area and the flippers stay dead. This happens in about 1 in 3 times I think, but you feel robbed of an extra ball anyway (even when completing this mode is no easy thing!). I'll try the Ringmaster Battle trick and then move on to other tables!</blockquote>

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