malachiical | Slay the Princess Playthrough Advice Post

...Specifically if you're wanting to write Voice of the Cold/Voice of the Paranoid after seeing as much of their characters as is reasonable.

(You can also just go for both Chapter II: The Spectre and Chapter II: The Nightmare, and take either one of them into Chapter III: The Wraith with both characters, in a single playthrough and that would be fine. This is just some help with the more in-depth version for anyone who wants it, because this gives a lot more dialogue and personality.)

THIS POST CONTAINS SOME GAMEPLAY SPOILERS. I've tried my best to avoid actual story spoilers as much as I can.

You will need two playthroughs to do this in full, and it will probably take you about seven hours total.

(Note: If any dialogue contains an em-dash at the end, be careful about clicking through to the next line, because it will actually move on on its own; it's easy to miss a line that way!)

PLAYTHROUGH #1

Chapter I: The Hero and The Princess

Choose whatever options you want as long as you go to the cabin. (You can even turn around and leave more than once, so long as you choose to go into the cabin by the "I'm just going to wander around in the woods" option; after that you'll be on the wrong path.)
Take the blade from the table.
Say whatever you want on the stairs.
When you get down to the basement, don't say anything at all. Choose to slay the Princess without talking to her or hesitating from this point on.
When you get the option, say it's over and go back upstairs. DO NOT take the blade back or check her pulse.
Say anything you like at the door, and choose any explore options after that, but agree to go with Voice of the Hero's plan.

Chapter II: The Spectre

Choose whatever Explore options you like to get Voice of the Cold dialogue out in the woods.
When you get to the cabin, choose whatever Explore options and to examine the mirror there to get more Cold dialogue.
Do not take the blade, and enter the basement.
You can choose to try slaying the Princess here! But then you need to choose to keep talking with her afterwards instead of trying to slay her again.
When speaking with the Princess, choose whatever Explore options you like for more dialogue!
Try to just leave the Princess in the basement.

Chapter III: The Wraith

Choose whatever Explore options you like out in the woods to get more Cold dialogue, and also dialogue from Voice of the Paranoid!
When you head to the cabin, do whatever you like, up until the point where she wants to possess you. Then do anything except just letting her do it.
When you get to the point of choosing between freeing the Princess or going with Paranoid's plan, go with Paranoid's plan.

Intermission

Be as kind as possible to the voices.
Choose whatever options you want with Her.

Chapter I: The Hero and The Princess

Once again, choose whatever options you want as long as you go to the cabin.
Don't take the blade from the table.
Say whatever you want on the stairs.
When you get down to the basement, you can say anything you like, choose to sit and talk with her or not. Just choose to examine her chains to try to free her.
Go up the stairs! Come back down the stairs!
Choose to free the Princess.
Scroll down until you find the "Warn her" option, and then again for "Resist."

Chapter II: The Damsel

Choose any Explore options you want if you like, but otherwise head to the cabin.
Take the blade or don't, it's up to you!
Head downstairs and choose as many Explore options you want during this initial conversation with the Princess.
If you chose to bring the blade, slay the Princess here and you're done!
If you chose not to bring the blade, free the Princess. You can choose whatever you like when talking to her after that, but if things start getting weird, you have to back out once Voice of the Smitten assures you that she's "just sweet on us" and stop choosing Explore options immediately.
Head upstairs and open the door out of the basement!
Once upstairs, as soon as you get the option to take the blade and slay the Princess, do so.

Chapter III: The Grey

Choose whatever Explore options you like on the path to get more Cold dialogue.
Go to the cabin. Head down to the basement. Choose whatever you like on the stairs.
Choose whatever Explore options you like when talking with the Princess! (I recommend choosing at least one to get some unique Cold dialogue.) Either exhaust your options or make either of the other choices.

Intermission

Again, be as kind as possible to the voices.
And again, choose whatever options you want with Her.

Chapter I: The Hero and The Princess

Remember your very first Chapter I? Do exactly that up until you successfully slay the Princess. Seriously.
Once you've slain her, choose to either take your blade back or check for a pulse. Whatever you do after this doesn't matter.

Chapter II: The Razor

Choose any Explore options you want if you like, but otherwise head to the cabin.
Don't take the blade, and head down to the basement.
You can choose as many or as few Explore options here as you like... sort of (and I recommend exploring at least a few, because they're very funny)... but once the voices say something about exhausting all of your dialogue options you'll want to stop.
Choose to either go back upstairs for the blade or just leave the Princess in the basement.

Chapter III: No Way Out

(Don't worry, you didn't do it wrong. Voice of the Paranoid is there, you just have two extra voices this time.)
You don't need to head to the cabin. You don't need to worry about the blade. Just approach the mirror.
When given the chance to choose an option, choose the "we're going to let her stab us and we're going to have a stiff upper lip about it" one.
It doesn't matter what you choose after that.

Chapter IV: The Empty Cup

Let it play out.

Intermission

Again, choose whatever options you want with Her.

Chapter I: The Hero and The Princess

This time, just do exactly what you did on your second playthrough when you were going for the Damsel, right up to the point where you get a chance to "Warn her" and/or "Resist." Instead of doing that, this time, slay the Princess.
Finish things instead of giving up.

Chapter II: The Witch

Again choose any Explore options you want if you like, but otherwise head to the cabin.
Take the blade or don't, it's up to you!
Head downstairs and choose as many Explore options you want during this initial conversation with the Princess.
Whenever you're done with that, decide to just leave her in the basement.
Choose whatever options you want.

Chapter III: The Wild

Do whatever you like in this one! There are two major ways you can go and both have some neat dialogue. You could save and do both, even, if you felt like it.
Since you have Paranoid with you again here, I do recommend Exploring as much as you feel like, though.

Intermission

Once more, be as kind as possible to the voices.
And one final time, choose whatever options you want with Her.

Chapter I: The Hero and The Princess

By this point, you know the drill when it comes to heading to the cabin.
Take the blade or don't, it doesn't matter. Again, it doesn't matter what you say on the stairs, either.
Choose to talk to the Princess. If you took the blade, drop it when she asks you to. If you didn't, just ask to talk!
Choose as many or as few Explore options as you like, but in the end, choose to leave her locked up in the basement.
No matter how many outs the Narrator gives you, stick to your guns and head upstairs.
Choose whatever options you like once the Princess stars a-knockin'.

Chapter II: The Nightmare

Like with The Spectre chapter, choose whatever Explore options you like to get Voice of the Paranoid dialogue out in the woods!
When you get to the cabin, choose whatever Explore options and to examine the mirror there to get more Paranoid dialogue.
Don't take the blade. (You can, honestly, but you'll be back here later, so this gets you a little extra dialogue.)
It doesn't matter what you choose on the stairs or what direction you go when at the bottom.
When speaking with the Princess, choose whatever Explore options you like for more dialogue!
Whenever you're done Exploring, choose the option to remain with your Nightmare.

The Moment of Clarity

Choose whatever you like at first. You can even choose to remain in the woods (and might want to to get some interesting extra dialogue!), but you can only choose it once; don't double down on it.
Head to the cabin. It doesn't matter what you do after that. There's really only one option anyway.

Endgame

Choose whatever Explore options you want to with Him, though they're limited.
Have your talk. Have your fight.
Slay the Princess. You'll get some help.
Enter the cabin. Take the blade.
You can choose any dialogue and Explore options you like, but in the end, slay the Princess.
Enjoy your ending. :)

PLAYTHROUGH #2

Chapter I: The Hero and the Princess

You know the drill for the first part of Chapter I by now! However you decide to, get thee to the cabin.
Take the blade, head down to the basement, it doesn't matter what you say on the stairs.
Say whatever, but don't drop the blade. When you get the option choose the Explore option asking if the Narrator is sure she isn't armed.
Slay the Princess. It doesn't matter what you choose after that.

Chapter II: The Razor

Yep, you're back here again! You can speedrun through a lot of this particular chapter or explore options you didn't choose. Since there were only 6 chapters you needed, some of these are reruns to give extra dialogue and show you new paths.
Head to the cabin. Take the blade this time.
Choose whatever options you like on the stairs, and whatever ones you like when talking to the Princess. Either explore until you can't anymore, choose to free her, or choose to slay her.

Chapter III: The Arms Race

You'll have a totally different set of two new voices for this one. Otherwise, the instructions are the same until you finally get the chance to choose an option when in the basement.
This time, instead of choosing to let her stab you, choose to panic!
It doesn't matter what you choose after that.

Chapter IV: Mutually Assured Destruction

Let it play out.

Intermission

Choose whatever options you want with Her.

Chapter I: The Hero and The Princess

Do everything you did in the very first chapter of your first playthrough again. Take the blade when you get to the cabin; when you get down to the basement proper don't say anything to her or hesitate in any way, just slay the Princess. Don't examine her corpse or check her pulse, just go upstairs. Once she's for-real dead, have fun until the end of the chapter.

Chapter II: The Spectre

Choose whatever Explore options you like to get Voice of the Cold dialogue out in the woods.
When you get to the cabin, choose whatever Explore options and to examine the mirror there to get more Cold dialogue.
It doesn't matter whether you take the blade or not before entering the basement!
You can choose to try slaying the Princess here! But then you need to choose to keep talking with her afterwards instead of trying to slay her again.
When speaking with the Princess, choose whatever Explore options you like for more dialogue!
Agree to let her possess you.
Free the Princess. Going this route winds up with some interesting unique dialogue from Cold, imo.

Intermission

This time around? Tell the voices that it's the end for them, aka choose one of the cruel options.
Choose whatever options you want with Her.

Chapter I: The Hero and The Princess

A brand new chapter finally!
You know the drill for the first part of Chapter I by now! However you decide to, get thee to the cabin.
Take the blade, head down to the basement, it doesn't matter what you say on the stairs.
You can refuse to drop the blade for a bit and chat as much as possible that way, but eventually drop the blade and go talk to her.
Explore whatever dialogue with the Princess you like! But eventually choose to free her.
Just like with the Damsel in your last playthrough, try to go upstairs, come back downstairs, free the Princess, and warn her + resist the Narrator.

Chapter II: The Prisoner

Again choose any Explore options you want if you like, but otherwise head to the cabin.
Take the blade or don't, it's... uh, well, it doesn't matter.
Once you're in the basement you can choose almost any options you like. The only things you should NOT do during this part is examine the chains.
If the Princess winds up beheaded, do not take her head out with you. Otherwise, continue to choose whatever options you like.

Chapter III: The Grey

Yes, this is the Grey again, but this one has some differences...
Choose whatever Explore options you like on the path to get more Cold dialogue.
Go to the cabin. Head down to the basement. Choose whatever you like on the stairs.
Choose whatever Explore options you like when talking with the Princess! (I recommend choosing at least one to get some unique Cold dialogue.) Either exhaust your options or make either of the other choices.

Intermission

Again, choose one of the cruel options with the voices rather than reassuring them.
And again, choose whatever options you want with Her.

Chapter I: The Hero and The Princess

By this point, you know the drill when it comes to heading to the cabin.
Don't take the blade.
Again, it doesn't matter what you say on the stairs. It doesn't matter what you say down below, either, but when you feel like moving on, choose to go back upstairs to get the blade.
When you come back downstairs, choose to lock the Princess in the basement and let her bleed out. Stick to your guns with that decision.
Choose whatever options you like once the Princess stars a-knockin', because this is a fun alternate route to the Nightmare path!

Chapter II: The Nightmare

Once again, choose whatever Explore options you like to get Voice of the Paranoid dialogue out in the woods!
When you get to the cabin, choose whatever Explore options and to examine the mirror there to get more Paranoid dialogue, if you missed any before.
Take the blade this time!
It doesn't matter what you choose on the stairs or what direction you go when at the bottom.
When speaking with the Princess, choose whatever Explore options you like for more dialogue!
Whenever you're done Exploring, choose the option to free the Princess.
Don't slay the Princess yet. Try the door until it opens.
Only when you're back upstairs and have gotten Paranoid's input, then slay the Princess.
Choose as many Explore options as you feel like for more unique Paranoid dialogue!
When you're done, make a choice. I suggest using the blade.

Chapter III: The Wraith

Choose whatever Explore options you like out in the woods to get more Paranoid dialogue, and also some stuff with Opportunist, who's back again!
When you head to the cabin, do whatever you like, up until you have to choose between freeing the Princess or Paranoid's plan.
Free the Princess this time.

Intermission

Again, choose the crueler options with the voices.
Choose whatever options you want with Her.

Chapter I: The Hero and the Princess

Your final chapter. You know the drill when it comes to getting to the cabin.
Take the blade when you get there and head downstairs; again, it doesn't matter what you say on the stairs.
Do not confirm to the Princess that you're there to kill her. Do not ask the Narrator if he's sure she's unarmed. Otherwise say what you like but then drop the blade.
Ask her a question or two, then slay the Princess.

Chapter II: The Tower

Again choose any Explore options you want if you like, but otherwise head to the cabin.
Take the blade and head downstairs!
Tighten your grip on the blade, then say no.
Choose as many Explore options you want during this initial conversation with the Princess.
Whenever you're done with that, refuse to free her.
When ordered to slit your own throat, do so.

Chapter III: The Apotheosis

Explore as much as you feel like at first, since you have Paranoid with you!
When you get to where you have to choose between taking the blade and not, take the blade.

Endgame

One last time, choose the crueler options with the voices.
Choose whatever Explore options you want to with Him, though they're limited; you can choose totally different ones this time if you like.
Have your talk. Have your fight.
Slay the Princess. You'll get some help.
Enter the cabin. Take the blade.
You can choose any dialogue and Explore options you like, but in the end, slay the Princess.
Enjoy this alternate version of the ending! :)