#Become a world class fighter

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[badass-queer-couples-battle]

Sword gays showdown, round 4 of bracket three

Propaganda:

For Adora:

Finding the sword kicks off the whole show. She transforms into a giant magic lady and is now in charge of saving everyone from the  big bag guys (which she used to be a part of). A bunch of stuff happens, but eventually her identity is now tied to having the sword. She is fully convinced that w/o the sword (and therefore She-Ra) she’s worthless. This culminates in having to destroy the sword or the world ends. She’s super depressed bc her whole self worth was tied to the sword and being she-ra. On the way to save her gf, she turns into way cooler she-ra (her own version of it that is not controlled by the sword which was made by her colonialist ancestors). Her sword is now part of her identity instead of her identity revolving around the sword. 

lesbian chosen one who was given a sword that activated her powers and made her into a living weapon, but she destroyed the sword to save her planet - and then made her own sword with her magic and saved the entire universe

For Ballister:

he could tell when his sword was switched out for a fake, graduated top of his class so we know he's a good fighter, also the scene where he's fighting is hot because he's so confident with a sword in his hand, also he's gay

A canonically gay, disabled, South Asian man takes down the government with his genderqueer shapeshifter sidekick/adopted daughter! He has a swordfight with his ex-boyfriend! in which he defeats about 20 knights singlehandedly! 

top of his knight class this man is a master swordsman

(Movie) He has used a sword since he broke into the Institutes training ground and ended up becoming a knight

He has very divorced vibes with Ambrosius and he uses a sword.

He's a legit knight! So, it's in the fine print.

According to the Nimona movie, Ballister here has been practicing the art of sword fighting since childhood to earn the trust of the city and he was SO CLOSE to becoming a knight. He's also definitely not dating another one of his knight mates (?). Nope. Not at all. This movie is super straight /s I think he also beats an entire army of knights with nothing but his sword and a chaotic good shapshifter so that's pretty cool. He's also south Asian, has a prosthetic arm he made himself and is honestly such a goofy guy (in a good way ofc) if that's anything.

[felassan]

June 25th Game Informer article on DA:TV - cliff notes:

In CC we will be able to customize qunari Rook's horn type and material

There are "hundreds of options" in CC

Duelist spec for rogue class is the fastest, with 2 blades for rapid strikes

Saboteur spec for rogues uses tricks and traps

Veil ranger spec for rogues is purely ranged, sniping enemies from afar with a bow

The death caller mage spec is necromancy

The evoker mage spec wields fire, ice and lightning

The spellblade mage spec uses magic-infused melee attacks

The reaper warrior spec uses "night blades" to steal life and risk death to gain unnatural abilities

The slayer warrior spec is a simple but strong 2handed weapons expert

The champion warrior spec is a tactical defense fighter

Specs don't matter up front like in CC or anything ("you class into them via the skill trees you progress through the game")

Selecting Rook's faction is the penultimate step in CC

The Lords of Fortune are pirated-themed

Each faction has unique casual wear worn in specific cutscenes when the character isn't wearing armor

Each faction has 3 unique traits, e.g. for Lords of Fortune, they gain additional reputation with this particular faction, have increased damage versus mercenaries, and perform takedowns on enemies with slightly less effort

"Faction selection, which ties into your character's backstory, determines who your Rook was before, how they met Varric, why they travel with Varric instead of their faction, and more"

"The message of The Veilguard is you're not saving the world on your own – you need your companions, but you also need these factions, these other groups in the world. You help them, they help you now".

Each spec is tied to a faction

Each faction has a companion "as well as [people BioWare are calling agents, ancillarily] who exist as the faces of these factions. We didn't want to just say, 'Here's the Grey Wardens, go deal with them.' We wanted characters within that faction who are sympathetic, who you can see and become the face of the faction, so that even if there are moments where the faction as a whole may be on the outs with you, these characters are still with you; they've still got your back"

BioWare wanted to avoid pointless stuff like 'gather 200 random resources'. The factions want to help you but have realistic challenges and problems in front of them "so that narratively, it makes sense why you help them in return for their help when the time comes"

Rook's appearance, lineage and class can be changed using the Mirror of Transformation in the Lighthouse

Update: the article has been updated with the following Editor's Note -

"[Editor's Note: This article previously stated players can change their physical appearance, class, lineage, and identity using the Mirror of Transformation. That is incorrect as class, lineage, and identity are locked after you first select those. The article has been updated to reflect that, and Game Informer apologizes for any confusion this mistake may have caused.]"

[source]

[tobiasdrake]

Fun Fact: As Saiyans go, Raditz isn't just weak; He's a talentless hack. Nappa is much more talented at martial arts, but his skills are undermined by him being a complete fucking moron.

Raditz is our introduction to the particularities of the Planet Trade Organization - or, well, the Saiyans since the PTO didn't quite exist as a concept yet when he showed up.

Toriyama only came up with the PTO later in the arc. It's honestly kind of funny; Vegeta's referred to as the "Strongest in the Universe" a couple times in this arc because the idea for Frieza doesn't exist yet. The original plan was that the Saiyan race are the ones doing planet gentrification on their own initiative, but they were almost all wiped out by a meteor so if we take out Strongest in the Universe Vegeta, we'll put an end to it.

So all this stuff like the spaceship pods and Scouters that was original Saiyan equipment and methodology got retooled into being PTO equipment and methodology.

But I digress. We meet Raditz and he's unlike anyone we've seen before. He immediately starts shit with Piccolo because they're both assholes, and we see how he operates.

He has a little doodad that reads off someone's "Battle Power" into a flat, easily digestible number that even a child could understand. This is the industrialization of martial arts, simplifying it into something that can be replicated and mass-produced.

It's the difference between teaching swordsmanship lessons in your dojo versus handing someone an AK-47 and telling them to go shoot the enemy.

This is the key distinction between the Saiyans and Earthlings, that made Goku - A Saiyan raised on Earth engulfed by their martial arts philosophy - so formidable. The Saiyans and by extension Planet Trade's culture is built on capitalist efficiency. Their warriors are carefully measured, analyzed, and matched with suitable challenges. They aren't trained. In fact, Vegeta scoffs at the idea of it.

They're battle-hardened.

They measure their fighters and quantify their abilities into a number, then select the right target that matches that number. Those warriors become stronger through fire and frenzy, rather than by studying principles of martial technique.

Consequently, upwards mobility doesn't seem to be a thing. Nobody in the PTO got to where they are by working hard and improving themselves. Every single one of them is naturally gifted, coasting by on whatever privileges their birth afforded them. Especially Frieza.

They aren't practitioners of an art. They're cogs in a machine.

Raditz believes these distinctions made Goku weaker.

He has no idea. The limitations of the PTO's methodology is a recurring theme in the Saiyan and Namek arcs.

Raditz is a low-class Saiyan. By virtue of being a Saiyan, he's still unbelievably powerful compared to the terrestrial races of the worlds he's sent to. But power is all he brings to the table; He's an unrefined juggernaut who coasts by entirely on Big Number Go Brrrrr. Philosophically, Goku is unimpressed.

Coming from Goku, that's a pretty sick burn. He's already lost to Raditz once; He knows how Big Number this guy is. But he can't bite his tongue at Raditz's oversimplification of his art.

As a fighter, Raditz delivers what he promised. All he has going for him is Big Number Go Brr... but it's a really big number.

Raditz is impossibly strong, impossibly fast, and his basic-ass ki blasts are impossibly powerful. The gulf between Goku and an adversary has never been so huge before.

And yet, for all his power, he is repeatedly startled and befuddled by Goku and Piccolo's training and technique. These weaklings are breaking out abilities he didn't even know were possible.

Raditz watching Goku power up the most basic ki concentration technique on Earth and exclaiming "WHAT IS THIS SORCERY!?" really tells you everything about the PTO's methodology, doesn't it?

Raditz falls for every trick and every shenanigan that these guys have spent their careers honing, forced to rely solely on tanking attacks with his tremendous Numbers.

This dipshit hasn't even trained the weakness out of his tail.

Goku was fifteen years old when he trained his tail and eliminated this vulnerability.

Raditz is less proficient than Goku was as a child. This isn't even the PTO's flaws manifesting through Raditz, either. Nappa and Vegeta trained their tails.

"LOL What kind of a useless clown doesn't train his tail?" ~Nappa, probably. Oh, wait. No. Actually.

~Vegeta literally.

Raditz is limited by the philosophy of the Planet Trade and he's also on the weaker side of Saiyans, but he also sucks even without taking power levels into account. He brings absolutely nothing to the table. He reads someone's number to tell him in advance if they'll fall down when he punches them, and then he punches them if the number tells him he's clear.

Raditz isn't a fighter. He's a bully with a gun.

For his part, Nappa is a more advanced version of Raditz. His Big Number Go Brr is even bigger than Raditz's and he's familiar with more advanced techniques beyond "Throw this ball of ki at your face".

As a front-line fighter, Nappa is unbelievably tough. Blow after blow and attack after attack, he never gives as much as it feels like he should. No matter what they do to him, he keeps getting back up and coming back, more bloodied and bruised than ever but ready for another round. He is unbelievably resilient.

Fighting Nappa feels like an exercise in futility. You're going to have to kill this man to put him down because he'll accept nothing less. Even when Goku takes the field, he finds himself at a loss with Nappa's absolute unwillingness to take the hint and lose consciousness already.

Nappa is a brick wall. Goku only finally manages to end this by breaking his spine so he can't keep getting up again.

That is what Nappa brings to his table. Though it's worth noting that his Sisyphean endurance is something Vegeta shares as well. It's not unique to Nappa. Fights with Vegeta are every bit as much of an ordeal as this bout with Nappa was.

Saiyans are hard to put down.

Nappa's biggest weakness, however, is simple: Like Raditz, he's coasting on his brute strength. He doesn't pay attention to what's happening around him, and is easily blindsided by sudden attacks from other fighters in this brawl.

Or baited into incredibly poor decision-making.

For all his Saiyan might, the Earthlings would have killed Nappa well in advance of Goku's arrival, if he didn't have Vegeta to watch his back. I'm half-convinced the only reason he trained his tail is because Vegeta told him to.

Nappa is very much a follower. He does what he's told. He's honestly a better Saiyan than Vegeta in the sense that he. Like. Cares about other Saiyans? His kneejerk reaction when Vegeta suggests taking Earth's Dragon Balls is that he wants his friend back.

And he's filled with eugenic fervor for the glory of the Saiyan race when he finds out what mixing Saiyan and Earthling physiology can do.

Fun little side note: "Super Saiyan" was originally the term used to describe Gohan's hybrid abilities before it was recontextualized to mean something else on Namek.

It's honestly interesting to look at their interactions and realize that Vegeta is a cruel, monstrous, selfish bastard even by Saiyan standards. Vegeta is uniquely wicked within this culture of for-profit colonizing murderers.

But Nappa defers to Vegeta every time. Vegeta tells him, "No, you're wrong," and Nappa pivots to supporting whatever Vegeta just said instead. Nappa obeys.

But he doesn't listen. Vegeta and Nappa were following the action while Raditz was fighting Goku and Piccolo. They saw all of the strange anomalies that occurred, that Raditz couldn't comprehend. Vegeta spends this time thinking about what this means for Earth and re-evaluating his assessment of the foes to come.

And he adjusts accordingly. From the moment they arrive at the fight, Vegeta pegs overreliance on the Scouter's readout for the vulnerability that it is.

Like. He says this. He acknowledges that he understands. And not five minutes later:

BUT THE NUMBERS, VEGETA

THE NUMBERS SAID NO

Even then, Nappa flat-out ignores The Numbers if he doesn't like what's printed on them.

Nappa and Vegeta both disregard the printout this time, but in different ways. Vegeta observes that Earthlings suppress their ki, presenting a smaller number than their true ability. So when the Scouter says 5000, that means Goku's true level is likely well beyond that.

Nappa observes that Goku is probably weak so that's stupid and you're wrong.

Nappa just does things. He doesn't think or pay attention to what they're doing. He destroys a city as soon as they arrive, and Vegeta immediately lays into him for what a fucking idiotic thing to do that was.

He's a beast on a chain, barely restrained by his deference to Vegeta. Powerful, seemingly unstoppable, but needing Vegeta to hold his hand and walk him through the higher concepts of combat and martial arts.

An absolute fool. But a Saiyan elite fool.

[dangermousie]

(maybe impossible but hopefully fun?) Question for you if you're ever up for it!

What are your top 5 cdramas of all time? Bonus points for why.

I almost said top 3 but that felt too cruel lol

It's fun!

Here is my list, no order except Minglan is always n1.

The Story of Minglan (2018-2019)

My n1. cdrama is the amazing, too short at 73 eps, The Story of Minglan, a sort of Elizabeth Gaskell meets period China.

It follows three interconnected upper-class families, but more specifically, it is about Sheng Minglan, a concubine-born daughter of a minister and Gu Tingye, the oldest, legitimate, and hated by his family son of a Marquess. Their narratives run largely parallel for the first half of the story and such is the genius of this drama that I, the ultimate romance junkie, did not mind that.

Minglan is a rarity in dramaworld - she is fiercely smart, very collected and emotionally detached. Life in the troubled Sheng household taught her to survive and to hide her feelings and talents. Tingye is a big cdrama love. Abused and reviled by his household where he can do no right (the Marquess hated having to marry his merchant mother for money and has displaced that hate on her son), Tingye manages to keep his warm heart but acquires the ability to go his own way. Both of the protagonists are wonderful and smart and magnetic and rootable for separately, but when they get together, the sparks go off the charts and they become my n1 cdrama OTP of all time. A lot of the story is about family battles, women’s world dilemmas and relationship (of all sorts) interactions. There is also politics and battles, but the true charm of this drama are the mundane details of the world and the fully-fleshed out people who inhabit it. If you watch only one cdrama in your life, make it this one.   

Novoland Eagle Flag (2019)

There might be one or two cdramas I love more, but none that resonates more for me on a personal level. A grim epic with a sprawling cast and amazing sets (money was SPENT on this one), its strength is its theme of the meaning being not in victory but in the fight, of staying true to what you believe despite (or because) the horrors of the world. It's EVERYTHING.

The cast is huge, but it centers around three protagonists - Asule Pasuer, a nomadic crown prince sent as hostage to the civilized yet even more bloody world of the plains, Yu Ran - a full of life princess in exile of the winged people, and Ji Ye - an amazing fighter brought in the gutter. The three become closest friends and we follow them separately and together. There are multiple OTPs, epic battles, clever plots, but at its heart it's a character study. Asule is a pacifist berserker (it makes sense), Yu Ran insists on joy as her shield, and Ji Ye yearns for recognition and status, and the way the world fulfills or warps them is fascinating.

The Rebel Princess/Monarch Industry (2021)

Gorgeously filmed, impeccably acted, and solidly written (where censorship didn’t come for them), this is such an emotional and visual feast and Awu and Xiao Qi are the best OTP I’ve ever seen in dramas (at least for my specific preferences) and feel real.

If you want to see lavish sets populated by smart, fierce, ADULT characters, this one is for you. If you have a competency kink, this one is for you. If you like cinematic-looking epics, this one is for you. If you like a smart, fierce heroine who is also a believably a period aristocratic woman, this one is for you. If you like dysfunctional families and interesting supporting characters, this one is for you. If you like a hero who redefines calm, deadly, and smart yet feels like a real breathing human being, this one is for you. If you like arranged marriage turns to love, this one is for you. If you like amazing OTP which, once they decide to be all in, never waiver from each other, this one is for you. If you are into couples showing affection in a warm way rarely seen in a period cdrama, this one is for you. If you like hot, adult men and hot, adult women, this one is for you.

Fangs of Fortune (2024)

I have rarely seen a drama that speaks to me so personally, but it is also narratively perfect, emotionally devastating, with impeccable acting, complex characters and visuals that are beyond stunning. This is an emotional and visual feast, with such incredible characters, interesting explorations of fantasy and mortality and morality and what makes life worth living. It is also the most eye popping drama I've ever watched as well as throwing me back into what it's like to be immersed into an amazing fantasy book as a kid and the characters and the relationships and the themes sing to me. A miracle.

Joy of Life (2019, 2024)

This is a masterpiece. The first season was perfect and somehow the second is even more perfect. It’s smart, it’s funny, it’s heartbreaking, the cast is still impeccable and Zhang Ruoyun gives a completely jawdropping performance as the focus of all the madness Fan Xian. It really is the rare drama that lives up to the hype.

The Myth (2010)

For the longest time, this was my favorite cdrama, to be replaced only by Minglan. It starts out funny and ends up tearing out your heart. This is the only time in my drama watching experience I cried so hard I threw up. The story is about two accidental time-travelers - a photographer and a cook - who end up in Qin Dynasty China. And from then on it’s about how that cruel, horrifying world takes two perfectly normal men and by wracking their very souls turns one into a hero and the other into a monster. To me, this is Hu Ge’s best performance and as you see his protagonist desperately try to hold on to his humanity and his love in a world that is doing its best to destroy it, I dare you not to cry like a baby. His character is my ultimate cdrama crush.

The Rise of Phoenixes (2018)

Like dramas to destroy you? Come right in. A story about a disfavored prince and a lost daughter of a previous dynasty, this is smart, gorgeous, incredibly acted and is going to wreck you. The schemes and the intensity and the yearning and the....

Yeah, I realize it's seven, whatever. :P

[soulcccat]

Welcome to the World of Total Drama Arms Race! Pt 2: The Weapons of the cast.

To face the calamity that awaits their world, the Virtuous Seven (Noah, Heather, Alejandro, Courtney, Owen, Bridgette, and Sierra) were the first recipients of their Blessed Weapons. Tools and implements of war that are a reflection of who they are, and who they can potentially become. This, alongside their enhanced bodies to survive their foes and a eye into the world of the arcane, allowed these plucky 18-year olds to slowly weather the storm.

And soon, win. time and time again they fight against the foes. most, with a hair's inch separating their world from destruction.

First summoned at their direst need (and in Owens sleep), the seven fought with the will to survive, growing as people and as warriors, to fight off the entities that dared to threaten their world. With each moment of self reflection and meditation, they grew in resolve, power, and in bond with each other. And became the mighty Blessed of their world.

Even the ice cold heart of Heather softened, when the people she fought along and against, begun to make her feel...

Safe, and loved.

And as their worldwide journey continued, they soon found out, they were not alone. Their castmates, who would none the wiser be their family, were getting tested just as much as the seven would be. All for a journey that asks for the longest look inside themselves, and see if *this* is what they want in life. Enough, that 4 main classes of Blessed were formed:

> Bulwark: The Tanks, Vanguards, and Wardens. They hold the line until no line exists.

> Assault: The fighters, rangers, shock and awe; they blast a hole and push with the Bulwalks

> Hunter: The assassins and dragoons; They strike at the weakest point

> Auxillary: the medics, crowd control, alchemists; they ensure that their allies are at their best, and the enemies at their worst

All these powerful weapons, their superhuman attributes, magic, and formed bonds? the possible allies from the cast and places never expected from?

All necessary for the fight ahead.

For the Legion, marches towards their home. The final bastion, and these people are its gatekeepers.

[princesssarisa]

I think in Wicked (the musical at least – not sure about the novel), there's a bit of an uneasiness between the theme of "everyone is morally gray, no one is all bad or all good" and the fact that Elphaba is a freedom fighter against a fascist government that commits atrocities against a minority group.

Yes, the Wizard has some sympathetic qualities, Elphaba has some flaws and briefly turns to villainy toward the end, and Glinda is a mass of moral grayness under her perky pink facade. But for the most part it's clear who the villains are (the Wizard and Madame Morrible), Elphaba's stance against them is clearly heroic, and Glinda's choice to work for them is clearly a moral sell-out, with which she struggles and from which she eventually redeems herself. When the Animals' treatment parallels the treatment of Jews in Nazi Germany, you can't take a "both sides" view of the situation. But every now and then, the show seems to do just that – whether in the song "Wonderful" with the Wizard's talk of "moral ambiguities" (though of course in that song, he's trying to justify his actions and manipulate Elphaba into joining him), or Elphaba and Glinda's reconciliation in "For Good," where they paint themselves as having been equally at fault. And again, and again, I've heard people say "There are no real villains in Wicked: the whole point is that there are two sides to every story and neither side is all good or all bad." But if that's the intended message, does it honestly fit with a plot that involves fascism and racial persecution?

Another work of fiction that I think has some uneasiness between its themes is Disney's Beauty and the Beast. Namely between "the Beast as a suffering, misunderstood outcast" and "the Beast as a powerful bully who needs to be humbled and change." I think a lot of the controversy about that movie stems from the uneasiness between those two themes.

On the one hand, the Beast is a spoiled, selfish prince, who was cursed as punishment for shutting out a poor beggar woman, who has a terrifying temper, and who orders others around and throws tantrums when he doesn't get his own way. His beastly appearance and mannerisms can be seen as outward symbols of his bad behavior, which is based in toxic class privilege and masculinity. From this perspective, Gaston is his kindred spirit, which is emphasized by visual cues: e.g. their similar striking blue eyes, or Gaston's pelt-covered, horned chair in the tavern that looks like the Beast's silhouette. The difference between them is that the Beast finally realizes he was wrong and changes his ways, while Gaston only becomes more beastly. But on the other hand, the Beast is also an "other", who hides from the world, who struggles with basic social skills, who is full of insecurity and self-loathing, whom Belle bonds with because they're both misfits, whose bestial mannerisms and overpowering rages are at least partly because the spell is warping his mind (in other words, a magical mental illness), and whom a mob tries to murder just because he looks scary. Analogies have rightly been drawn between the Beast and victims of racism, homophobia, or other prejudice. From this viewpoint, Gaston is his opposite: the type of privileged boor who receives undeserved hero-worship just because he's handsome and charismatic, and who persecutes "others" like the Beast.

When people view it chiefly as a story about the taming of a powerful bully, you hear accusations of "Stockholm Syndrome" and of the dangerous fantasies of changing an abuser. Viewing the Beast as a misunderstood outcast, who finds acceptance in a fellow outcast and who overcomes his mental health struggles and bad coping mechanisms as a result, reduces those accusations. But if you view the Beast chiefly as a misunderstood outcast, then his character arc can feel disempowering: so much of it consists of learning to be more people-pleasing and self-effacing, not to mention re-learning "normal" human manners and behavior (as an autistic person, I know I've sometimes felt "He needs to mask to be loved"), and he becomes fully "normal" by becoming human again in the end.

Maybe there is no uneasiness between these different themes: maybe it's just complexity. Maybe my feelings on the subject shows that I'm autistic and struggle with things that aren't black-and-white. But in both of these works of fiction, I do sometimes feel as if the writers were trying to tell two different stories at once, which sometimes fit together, sometimes not.

Does anyone else feel that way about other works of fiction? Can you name any other stories with multiple themes that seem slightly opposed and uneasy together?

[tagamantra]

turning d&d 4e into a brutal xianxia game

i've always looked at D&D 4e as particularly amenable to the wuxia genre. in fact, it works as a spirit cultivation game. a problem with a lot of 4e (for me at least) is its disconnect of mechanics from the fiction. it is a game-first, player-first game, and that's a great genre in itself. but this post is looking at 4e through potential diegetic lens, with each game mechanic justified through spirit cultivation xianxia genre

as follows:

XP as Cultivation: exp serves great as cultivation. leveling up serves as cultivation progress. the three tiers work as "Man -> Earth -> Heaven" kinds of Cultivation Realm.

Powers as Techniques: each power works as a martial art technique that can be learned and mastered. this works better using the Alternative Rewards system found in the DMG, and getting powers from the world instead of getting it immediately on level up.

emphasize alternative rewards: instead of purely making level-ups the main way to get powers, have the powers be found in the world as alternative rewards. have them be of differing levels. if they find a level 14 fighter power from learning it from a bull God, they need to be a Level 14 PC with a Fighter Feat to be able to "equip" it.

Classes as Martial Arts schools: Fighters as the Fighter Sect, Wizards as the Eight School Magics Sect, etc. Subclasses or the Build Options work as School Specializations. this is the one that is least wuxia-esque to me, because wuxia is an inherently classless idea. you should be able to learn a strand of martial arts from one master and then learn a completely new and different one from another master that chooses to pick you up on.

every pc from a different school: to bridge this genre gap, when you make a PC, write the class they choose as a martial school. even if two PCs are two Sorcerers, they must come from different but perhaps similar schools. maybe one is from the Tantric Deity Sect and the other is from the Nine-Elements Yang Sect

Healing Surges as Qi: Qi is the breath or the life force. Similar ideas in other cultures are prana, ginhawa, ki, and kebatinan. You can only heal yourself as much as your inner reserves can heal you. If your Qi is tapped out, even healing potions will have a muted effect

Hit Points as Hit Protection: this one is stealing from NSR ideas. replace hit points with the idea of Hit Protection. Fighting in Wuxia/Xianxia etc. is a flurrious exchange of blows. when attacking a character, as long as they're not bloodied, they're actively fighting back, defending according to the targeted defense (blocking, parrying, ducking, weaving with AC, dodging and leaping with Reflex, resisting with Will, etc.) Hit Protection still includes personal vigor, which justifies attacks that poison or set them on fire as those attacks probably hit home to transmit those effects

xianxia lethality: xianxia and wuxia are surprisingly more brutal than one would think. it's bloody and arms are broken, legs are cut off. we move into homebrew-y territory here.

half HP, double damage: lean into this. power comes not from numbers but from techniques and traits for PCs. half HP and double damage not just for monsters, but for PCs as well. this will make fights less meat sack slogs and into tense, explosive engages.

move attack hit rate from 60% to 90%: this is something fft did well. most attacks have a 100% starting hit rate. enemy evasion values shifts that around. my idea is to raise attack hit rate to much higher. this makes defense-raising options much stronger as well and every attack becomes an important additional strike

make bloodied more potent: bloodied inflicts an injury. make this fiction oriented: a good enough attack might scar your face, or might render your arm useless and make you suffer disadvantage. this might not feel fun, but it will force creativity and the players must respect the world

improvisation: in wuxia and xianxia you actually will see more instances of the heroes using their environment to affect the outcome of the battle. throwing tables to distract, using roofs to provide cover, etc. here we move again into homebrew territory:

improvisation as default. this one is a large shift in the game. get rid of action economy. get rid of action types. you can move and do one thing. this is anything. most commonly it will be an attack. this includes even minor actions. there are no set actions you can do, no list to choose from. use your imagination. lean into the p 42 of the DMG. turn THAT into the core mechanic of the game

use essentials rules: this one is the least controversial but 4e essentials rules are the best consolidation of the rules. especially the item rarity stuff.

dare to be unbalanced: 4e's neo-golden cow is balance. don't care about the balancing. xianxia thrives on the unbalancedness of things to create tension and friction. the need to have revenge on a martial master that killed your master before, but they are a Level 28 Fighter and you're a measly Level 3 Wizard. You have to cultivate to get up to his level. You need 10,000 more years of training to get to him! now there's a reason for adventuring (collecting training manuals, finding masters, finding cultivation cores to gain XP). adopt an OSR mindset. become world-first: make the PCs rise to the challenge instead of tailoring everything to them. if they move into an area with level 8 monsters, they can choose to take those on, or just go back and go somewhere else, return at a later time when they have better equipment and better weaponry.

[multiheadcanons]

DUNGEONS AND MERCENARIES

scout: scout is playing some kind of harengon fighter. maybe a ranger if snipes can convince him to do it. but he will always pick the harengon as his race. he likes the perks that come with it. generally a neutral good or chaotic good character. not particularly good, roleplay wise, but nobody can say he doesn’t try his damnest!

soldier: he’ll be an orc! he likes the orcs. he’s not gonna be anything that doesn’t stand at least 6 feet tall. might be a drow for some variation, but he will always, always be a barbarian, or a fighter. loves path of the zealot. and he loves path of the zealot because medic is always a wizard, so he never dies in battle. soldier always makes his characters himself, personality wise, so he’s always in character.

pyro: pyro switches between a homebrew faerie sorcerer and a centaur fighter, but they really focus on their homebrew faerie. both true neutral characters. they love that character so much it absolutely wrecks them. cannot imagine what they’re going to do if/when this character dies. the amount of love, care, and time they’ve put into this character is astounding. they do have another character in the works, but it takes them days to put a character together in the way they want them, so it’s not going very well.

demo: demo will be a human fighter. he doesn’t really know the game well enough to feel confident to do anything particularly fancy, especially knowing it’s a roleplay based game; but if you put a character sheet in front of him he’ll figure out how to play it. that’s the best way to break demo into the world of dnd. just start putting characters in front of him and say “you’re playing this now”. after a few sessions he really grows to enjoy it! it almost makes focusing on one character alone boring. loves visiting merchants and shops.

heavy: heavy will pick a chaotic good dwarf bard. that’s the point, right, of dnd? you become something you’re not? yeah, so he’s gonna play a dwarf bard. his name is grumley and he’s a bartending bard. his big move is he gets enemies drunk and lets the rest of the team obliterate them. one of the best players. he catches on quick, asks a lot of questions, gets way into his descriptions. heavy in a party is a guaranteed baffling method of killing the BBEG.

engineer: it takes a lot of convincing to get engie to join in on the campaign, and even convincing him means that he’s just gonna be at the table. if you don’t have a character set up for him he’s going to make a god awful amalgamation of a class and a race and a background and then not pay attention to any of it. usually opts for spellcasters, and leans towards warlocks, but he won’t turn his nose up to a martial class.

medic: medic will always, always be a wizard in the school of necromancy. from there, the race doesn’t matter to him. the background doesn’t either. it creates some very interesting characters, roleplay wise, but the doctor is one of the most solid and subsisting fighters in the party. but he will also disengage and run from a battle if he can. normally plays evil aligned characters.

sniper: meet your dungeon master. most would describe snipes as a cruel mistress of the tabletop realms he creates. and he puts a lot of thought and care into his campaigns. they are hard, they are unforgiving, but his party is hooked and obsessed. he’s definitely a hardass, but it’s really what makes his campaigns fun. it’s a crash course in earning your victories. and he gives respect to every character death. he might even shed some tears himself if he really liked your character.

spy: i find it funny that someone in the tags said that snipes would play a kenku ranger because to me spy would be playing a kenku ranger. but really a kenku anything. i think that spy playing a kenku would keep him engaged in the roleplay while also giving him opportunities to leave the table during roleplay heavy sections. it almost blows his cover in another one of snipes’ campaigns because of how much he enjoys playing kenkus. snipes makes an offhand mention about his affinity for them and spy’s response was “oh…. really, i just think the race is interesting…” but he’s pretty sure that didn’t fly (spoiler alert it actually did, snipes can’t fathom for a second that spy might actually enjoy dnd)

[monocaelia]

atlas.

- he could only hold the world for so long, it was about time his body caved in ; aka, the two times you're reminded of his humanity. feat. gojo satoru & gn!reader genre : hurt/comfort , happy ending w.c. : 1.8k

warnings: spoilers for jjk s2 ep5 note : i hate goe joe satoru.

gojo satoru.

you didn't even need to see him to know who he is; he is the revered member of the gojo clan blessed enough to be born with both the six eyes and the infinity cursed technique and is a one in a lifetime miracle.

from the beginning of his life, gojo had been the strongest sorcerer in existence. with both blessed techniques at his will, he was near unstoppable and was worthy of shouldering the problems of jujustu society from a young age, as decided by the gojo clan.

and, for someone as blessed and impenetrable as he is, gojo had never felt the emotional strife of losing someone dear to him.

there are two times that you recall ever witnessing gojo satoru lose his composure, where you have seen the blessed one who holds the power of the gods in the palm of his hands and is always one step ahead of everyone else fall to his knees as the weight of the world finally takes its toll on his poor soul.

the first time was when getou suguru had betrayed jujutsu tech. you weren't sure of the details; you were in the middle of a mission and had returned to the news of your classmate and friend becoming a wanted criminal.

honestly, hearing it firsthand did not feel real to you. getou suguru was someone you had always admired. he was someone who not only had a powerful cursed technique, but was also a skilled fighter and knew how to use his technique to the fullest despite coming from a normal family rather than one of the prestigious families that were well-known in jujustu society.

you had shared smiles with him, stories of the crazy memories made while exorcising curses and the near-death experiences shared while on missions together.

and you knew gojo and getou were near inseparable during their time at jujutsu tech; you couldn't imagine the pain gojo was going through with the news of his one and only becoming a murderer wanted in all of jujutsu society.

you find gojo satoru alone in getou's old dorm room. it's empty; the once neat, but lived in dorm now completely void of any evidence of being lived in with the exception of a framed picture of your class left on the nightstand.

getou and gojo tower over you and ieri, but it's all smiles from the four of you. because of the small frame and the number of people in the photo, you're all squished together. though, it's not like any of you minded.

a perfect picture of youth; the most beautiful moment in life.

the frame is held in gojo's hand as he sits on getou's dorm bed. you can see his fingers clench the frame as frustration settles into his bones, before he relaxes once more.

"it's not your fault, you know," you say gently, breaking the silence and hopefully through the roaring storm that you know is brewing within gojo's head. you step into the room and join gojo on the bed; he doesn't move and he doesn't face you.

"no one saw it coming." you try to reassure him, but you know any attempts at this point are futile. gojo does not respond, a flood of memories flying by crystalline eyes as he tries to figure out when it went so wrong.

the silence is permeable as reality settles into gojo. his lips part, a shaky breath, and he's speaking again.

"i should've seen it coming," he whispers. there's a clear anger in his voice, though you know full well exactly who it's directed at. "i was his friend and i didn't even realize he was hurting alone." His voice cracks.

"i didn't even do anything to save him."

it is then that you begin to see gojo as who he is. he isn't an untouchable god who feared nothing, who had enemies that couldn't even lift a finger to hurt him if they even dared. this gojo beside you isn't an omnipotent god, he's just a kid like you; he's human. he's vulnerable, even if the elders believe otherwise, for his friends are his one and only achilles' heel and the key to his humanity.

not quite knowing the words to comfort him, you reach over to hold his hand. it isn't much, but you know firsthand that just having someone beside you to help support your pain is better than shouldering everything alone.

the tight squeeze of your hand and the quite sniffles beside you are all you need as a reminder that gojo satoru is not a god; he is only gojo satoru.

the second time gojo felt genuine fear was when he nearly lost you.

as a result of a curse that was underestimated for second-class sorcerors to take, you had become collateral for a simple mistake from the higher ups. of course, mistakes could just be that, but everyone knows better.

this was set up so they could easily dispose of you and rule your death as a mere 'accident.' the higher ups needed you gone as the deemed your existence a hinderance to gojo's full potential, a dam in the middle of the river.

lucky for you, you made quick work of the curse before collapsing with the only words you heard being a shout of your name.

the bright lights of the jujutsu high infirmary are the first thing you see when your eyes slowly flutter open. your vision is blurry and the world is still spinning as you regain consciousness. with hesitance, you slowly sit up despite your body aching and telling you to lay back down.

it is only when a firm hand presses against your chest and pushes you down do you actually do so.

crystalline blue meets your gaze. they're playful and full of youth, a pair of blue eyes that you're most familiar with. but theres a shadow of solemnity behind those bright irises and you know exactly why.

"about time you woke up," gojo speaks up, ruffling your hair with his hand. they're roughened from years of training and fighting, but there are no other blemishes that stain the purity of his hands. "i thought you finally had enough of me and decided to kick the bucket, dear." there's a light, jesting tone to his voice as he speaks. he's laughing, though you can see the redness underneath his eyes as he brushes off your near death experience as a joke.

"and leave you alone to torment the students? as if," you jab back with a smile of your own. "i wouldn't ever want to wish that on your students. fushiguro would drag me back from the dead if i left him alone with you."

gojo's bottom lip juts out and his brows furrow in a pout as you say this and you can't help but laugh a little on your own.

"but i know you'll miss me, so i won't die just yet," you reassure your white haired companion. your hand reaches over to hold his own and gives it a gentle squeeze, a reminder that you're alive and still breathing beside him as your pulse and your warmth bleed onto his own.

his hand squeezes yours tightly, as he did years ago, and his bottom lip is caught between his teeth as he bites down onto the plush skin. his eyes aren't focused on you anymore and instead focus on anywhere but you as the reality of the situation settles into his bones.

"promise?" gojo asks, his voice a mere whisper.

he already lost one of his closest friends years ago and you witnessed that heartbreak with your own eyes as you had comforted gojo when he needed it most. you couldn't imagine how his fragile heart would break again if he had lost you just now.

despite being the strongest, you know that not being able to fully protect the ones he held close was one of gojo's biggest weaknesses as much as he tried to hide it.

but you know that you couldn't give him any empty promises knowing the work you're doing. it would only give him false hope and the both of you know that better than anyone else.

you don't answer him and instead pull his hand to your lips, pressing a soft kiss onto his skin. with a gentle tug, the hand held by gojo is pulled into his chest as he cradles your palm. his fingers intertwine with yours and your heart swells at the small action.

it is then that you meet crystalline blue once more, though this time they are unwavering as they firmly stand their ground against the hands of fate that, at any moment, could cruelly tear the two of you apart.

"don't leave me," gojo begs. "you can't leave me until the world has turned for the better, for us and for the youth of jujutsu society. i'll make it happen so..."

the once invincible sorcerer brings your hand up to his lips and he presses a kiss along your knuckles, reciprocating the act you did before.

"please, don't leave me."

gojo leans down and presses a kiss to your forehead. it's soft and hesitant, but you know at this point his fear of your life nearly slipping through his fingers has caught up to him. he pulls away, only to lean down again to kiss you.

your heart flutters feeling his lips kiss yours and you can tell from the way his lips barely ghost of yours that gojo is scared you'll disappear from him if he moves the wrong way. like a warm wave easing the worries that burrow into his entire being, your hand that's free from the one held in gojo's reaches up to cup his face. your thumb caresses his cheek and bring him closer to you, reassuring him that you won't slip away from him should he kiss you too hard.

gojo pulls away from the kiss with cheeks warm and his eyes, now a calming blue that held the stars you love so much, glint with satisfaction and relief.

though, the sweet and tender moment shared between lovers is ruined the moment gojo opens his mouth again.

"don't break my promise, okay? i don't care if you die, i'll die with you and haunt you forever as punishment for dying first, okay?" your white haired boyfriend urges as he leans his forehead against you, blue now an annoyance to you as he forces you to make eye contact with him.

your hand pushes his face away with a snort, ignoring his whining complaints as you do so.

though, it's not like you would ever willingly die first. you couldn't leave gojo satoru alone, your soul couldn't bear the burden of knowing you would shatter the glass that makes gojo's heart.

[badass-queer-couples-battle]

Sword gays showdown, round 3, bracket three

Propaganda:

For Ballister:

he could tell when his sword was switched out for a fake, graduated top of his class so we know he's a good fighter, also the scene where he's fighting is hot because he's so confident with a sword in his hand, also he's gay

A canonically gay, disabled, South Asian man takes down the government with his genderqueer shapeshifter sidekick/adopted daughter! He has a swordfight with his ex-boyfriend! in which he defeats about 20 knights singlehandedly! 

top of his knight class this man is a master swordsman

(Movie) He has used a sword since he broke into the Institutes training ground and ended up becoming a knight

He has very divorced vibes with Ambrosius and he uses a sword.

He's a legit knight! So, it's in the fine print.

According to the Nimona movie, Ballister here has been practicing the art of sword fighting since childhood to earn the trust of the city and he was SO CLOSE to becoming a knight. He's also definitely not dating another one of his knight mates (?). Nope. Not at all. This movie is super straight /s I think he also beats an entire army of knights with nothing but his sword and a chaotic good shapshifter so that's pretty cool. He's also south Asian, has a prosthetic arm he made himself and is honestly such a goofy guy (in a good way ofc) if that's anything.

For Amaya:

Badass super strong disabled lesbian general who can and will take you out. Doesn't need a sword to punch you into next week, but will use one anyway.

She’s married to another sword gay and she’s also disabled so I love her very much 

First deaf character I saw in any cartoon, she's very badass and protects her kingdom's border, later falls in love with an elf warrior princess she once fought. In the new season, they're planning their wedding while trying to navigate political tensions between the elf society and humans. Some of the elves aren't super into the idea of a human marrying one of them, which isn't for homophobic reasons but still (I believe) meant to mirror real world conservatives (really liked a scene with Janai's brother telling Amaya she's fine as a girlfriend for Janai but actually *marrying* her is too controversial and political. Whoever wrote this did a really good job).

She’s currently engaged to another lady, she uses a sword, is a general badass.

General Amaya is a standard sword lesbian with a cool shield and some funny "lines" example: "This bread is...." *bashes bread on table with no damage to the bread* "Weapons grade"

[felassan]

New today on DA:TV from Game Informer, 'Breaking Down Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s Classes And Factions':

"Breaking Down Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s Classes And Factions by Wesley LeBlanc on Jun 25, 2024 at 02:00 PM "As part of the character creation process for Dragon Age: The Veilguard, players will have to select both a class for their player-controlled Rook and a faction. After customizing much of your Rook's body, including things like a Qunari's horn type and material, for example, with the hundreds of options available in Veilguard, it will be time to pick said class.  [embedded link to DA:TV reveal trailer] There are three classes to choose from: Rogue, Mage, and Warrior. As the names suggest, each features a unique combat system and plays differently as a result. Though you’ll be performing things like light and heavy attacks using the same buttons, what those attacks do varies based on your class. For example, a sword-and-shield Warrior can hip-fire or aim their shield to throw it like Captain America, whereas a Mage can use that same button to throw out magical ranged attacks – read more about the combat of Veilguard in Game Informer's exclusive feature here. Plus, as you spec out these classes and unlock their individual specializations, the differences will only grow even more stark.  - The Rogue has access to three specializations. The Duelist is the fastest of the three, with two blades for rapid strikes; the Saboteur uses tricks and traps; and the Veil Ranger is purely range, sniping enemies from afar with a bow. - The Mage can utilize necromancy with the Death Caller specialization; Evokers wield fire, ice, and lightning; and the Spellblade uses magic-infused melee attacks. - The Warrior can become a Reaper, which uses night blades to steal life and risk death to gain unnatural abilities; a Slayer, a simple but strong two-handed weapons expert; or the Champion, a tactical defense fighter. While these specializations don't matter upfront – you class into them via the skill trees you progress through the game – it's nice to see the potential of each class before you choose it."

"For the penultimate step of the character creator, at least during the demo BioWare shows me, players select a faction. The Grey Wardens return, joined by other returning favorites and new additions like the Antivan Crows, the Mourn Watch, the Shadow Dragons, the pirate-themed Lords of Fortune, which is what I chose in my demo for the current Game Informer cover story, and the Veil Jumpers. Each faction has unique casual wear, which is worn in specific cutscenes when the character isn't donning armor, and three unique traits. The Lords of Fortune, for example, gain additional reputation with this particular faction, have increased damage versus mercenaries, and perform takedowns on enemies with slightly less effort. Veilguard game director Corinne Busche says this faction selection, which ties into your character's backstory, determines who your Rook was before, how they met Varric, why they travel with Varric instead of their faction, and more. "The message of The Veilguard is you're not saving the world on your own – you need your companions, but you also need these factions, these other groups in the world," creative director John Epler tells me. "You help them, they help you now.""

"He says BioWare wanted to avoid the trope of needing to gather 200 random resources or objects before helping you save the world. Instead, the team aimed to create factions that want to help you but have realistic challenges and problems in front of them so that narratively, it makes sense why you help them in return for their help when the time comes.  "Gameplay-wise – each of our classes has a specialization, and each of them is tied to a faction," Epler continues. "But beyond that, each faction has a [companion] as well as [people we're calling agents, ancillarily] who exist as the faces of these factions. We didn't want to just say, 'Here's the Grey Wardens, go deal with them.' We wanted characters within that faction who are sympathetic, who you can see and become the face of the faction, so that even if there are moments where the faction as a whole may be on the outs with you, these characters are still with you; they've still got your back."  [old version of this paragraph] If you find yourself unhappy with your lineage or your class, you can change them using the Mirror of Transformation, found in the main Veilguard hub, The Lighthouse. You can also change your Rook's visual appearance there, too." [new version of this paragraph] If you want to make changes to your character's physical appearance, you can do that with the Mirror of Transformation, found in the main Veilguard hub, The Lighthouse. However, class, lineage, and identity are locked in and cannot be changed after you select them in the game's character creator. [Editor's Note: This article previously stated players can change their physical appearance, class, lineage, and identity using the Mirror of Transformation. That is incorrect as class, lineage, and identity are locked after you first select those. The article has been updated to reflect that, and Game Informer apologizes for any confusion this mistake may have caused.] For more about the game, including exclusive details, interviews, video features, and more, click the Dragon Age: The Veilguard hub button below."

[source]

[gx-gameon]

I’ve been thinking about a fantasy au.

What do you think the DM classes are

Atem

I feel he’d be a Sorcerer

Not just because of his relationship with Dark Magician (Mahad) and Dark Magician Girl (Mana) but because Sorcerers are born with their magic

They are either born with wild magic or have a sardonic blood line. This can play into the idea that the Egyptian royalty were gods/decedents of gods. As his Draconic Bloodline could be from The Winged Dragon of Ra.

He’s born into power and spends most of his young life learning how to control his powers.

Yugi

I would love to hear your opinions but I feel that Yugi is a Cleric.

This is because Yugi uplifts all of his friends. Acting as group healer and support fits him well.

He can still fight and pack a heavy punch but part of his job it to watch the battle field strategically and keep any eye on his friends. Making sure they are all good to continue the fight.

I think his patreon you can play with. They don’t technically need a god though you could use Ra or Slifer. All a cleric needs to be driven by their faith. You could have his power come from Atem has he has a spark of divinity but that also implies that Yugi has no power without Atem and I don’t like that thematically. But what does Yugi have the most faith in??

Yugi Muto Cleric of the Heart of the Cards

Or

Yugi Muto Cleric of Friendship.

Joey

Barbarian

Like I know Brooklyn Rage is a joke but it works to well.

He could just be a fighter but I feel like out of every one Joey deserves to rage out. Especially when his friends are in danger.

Tristian

Maybe a controversial but I see him as a Rouge.

Rouges aren’t just theirs but they are known for creative solutions.

Tristian is the one in Duelist Kingdom to lead the charge for how Pegasus is cheating. Goes off on his own to save Mokuba or Kaiba, he finds Mokuba but he was looking for both.

He might not be a duelist but he is thinking outside the box and you have to give that to him

Teá

I think Teá would also make a great Cleric. But I don’t want any repeats.

She loves Dancing though. And do you know what class is made to dance. The Bard

Bards (according to the official DnD site) are performers of Music, Dance, and Magic. They are made to inspire others sooth hurts, dishearten foes and cast illusions.

This fits Teá so well.

She loves to give inspiring speeches, but she also love reading people for filth. I’m rewatching the show and this girl has asked at least three people “how many friends do you even have?” I’m not even halfway through season 2! She’s out her politely calling people friendless freaks, like wow. She’d do great with vicious mockery if given half the chance.

Honestly I wish we got to see Kaiba as part of the actual friend group because if someone insulted Yugi in front of Teá and Seto that is a verbal attack like no other.

Seto Kaiba

Speaking of Kaiba…Wizard

Hear me out. Yes he hates mystic mumbo jumbo in the dub. Yes in the dub he doesn’t believe in mystic stuff. But in a world where magic is a thing, you think Kaiba’s passing up in that power? No

Wizards have to study to use magic. Unlike Sorcerers who are born with their powers Wizards spend years learning.

This plays in Seto’s studying ability and his genus.

Now wizards can become more powerful than sorcerers but they are kinda running different races. Sorcerer are training up their own power and have a power boost over wizards but they are locked into whatever sort of magic they are born into. They can’t learn different types of magic. Wizards in the other hand have to work really hard to get their magic power on par with sorcerers but they can learn all types of magic. Any spell books or scrolls they find they can keep and use. (If they are level enough for that spell)

I think this will keep the spirit of Atem and Kaiba’s rivalry the purest as they are both experts in their form of magic. Atem is blessed by divinity itself, his power is near limitless. Seto works endlessly to meet that power. Constantly looking for new forms or sources of power to keep up with Atem.

It also means Seto and Yugi are more aligned then they think since Clerics can also learn magic. His spells just focus more on healing and protection.

Mokuba

Mokuba is the only one I’m stuck on.

I can see him really admiring Seto and following his footsteps to become a wizard as well.

But wizards are also glass cannons. Extremely powerful but if they get hit they go down hard. I think Mokuba is a lot more practical than Seto. I think if Seto ever gets hurt in a fight it’s going to drive Mokuba to want to have his brothers back and become a tanker build.

I think Paladin would fit him well. He has a strong sense of justice. In season 2 when he is the Battle City commissioner he takes it very seriously. He wants to enforce the rules no matter what. The only times he doesn’t is when Seto tells him to ignore it. He even argues with Seto multiple times that it’s not right. He even gives Yugi Slifer after his duel, it’s in Mokuba’s hands and he even says he really wants to keep it. Seto might have, but Mokuba’s sense of justice is stronger

A paladin fits him well. Instead of having a god he follows I think he devotes himself to the ideal of Brotherhood much like Yugi is devoted to either the Heart of the Cards or Friendship.

Serenity

I like her as a Druid.

She seems to admire the beauty in the digital world, I feel like the girl who nearly lost her sight would love nature and being able to see the beauty of the world

They focus on healing magic, transformation into animals and welding natural elements.

Healing is a theme that I also feel could really suit Serenity.

Maybe in this world instead of Yugi giving Joey the money for the operation he learned the healing spell necessary to heal Serenity himself. Crafting a stronger bond between Yugi and Joey (and playing into Yugi’s theme as a healer) while also inspire Serenity to learn more healing magic.

Duke

Also a bard. Yess I said no repeats but this man lives off of high odds and performances.

He’s playing music while Teá dances

He’s sweet talking everyone around them.

Bakura

Either another sorcerer with innate magic but his bloodline is less divine and more demonic making his magic darker

Or a Warlock who made a pack for his magic.

I kinda like him being a sorcerer as well who’s magic or mind is being corrupted by his ancestry.

Mai

Ranger

It just fits her made to take and hunt targets she shows this ability as early as duelist kingdom by gather information on the other duelist around her. Absolutely comes into this in season 4.

Her companion (as Rangers get an animal companion) is a Harpy Eagle that she calls Lady.

What do y’all think? Any ideas?

I want to do the Gx crew

[midday-headcanons]

FE3H Fan-Made Special Class (Fake DLC)

^ (Sprite edit using Wolfskin/Dread Fighter/Taguel sprites.)

The return of the Beastkin species from the Gamecube/Wii/DS games! It took me forever, but I'm loving the results so far. Taking a considerable amount of inspiration from the Wolf Laguz, Taguel, and Wolfskin peoples, I wanted to make an all new class that could potentially fit into the world of Three Houses and Three Hopes.

Granted, this is actually a species I just made, but it is possible to gain the class through in Abyssian Exam Pass for this reason: you don't actually become this species, but learn to fight like it. This is mainly driven home by the inclusion of weapons proficiencies alongside brawling (aka, the use of gauntlets and weapons to substitute for claws and fangs).

Abyss is home to all sorts, even those from across the sea... like the beast tribes.

I have written up some simple lore for them which gets significantly more information with the inclusion of my oc Viktorya (who you may have seen on my page before). It's why I wanted to get this class done before I started working on her timeskip designs.

The finished product isn't perfect by any means, but damn it, I like it and that's all that matters. Starting the Fire Emblem series with Fates and working my way backwards colored my biases. (Keaton, Yarne, and Nilah were my favourites.)

[theanticool]

So you watched #PaulTyson, saw Amanda Serrano vs Katie Taylor, and now you want to watch more women's boxing? Here's a quick guide!

I have been beating the drum of women's boxing for over a decade at this point, so I feel uniquely qualified to help people who might want to get deeper into their women's boxing bag. So here are a handful of fights to help you jump into the sport!

(I've kept it to recent examples because these fighters are still active)

Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano 1 - April 30, 2022

I'm sure most people who saw Taylor-Serrano 2 on the undercard of the Mike Tyson-Jake Paul card did not get to see the first fight. And they should. The 2nd fight picked up right where the first one left off, with these two getting in the phonebooth and getting to work at a torrent pace. Absolutely fantastic fight. Worthy of the Fight of the Year honors it got from Sports Illustrated. Was lucky enough to be there in person and it is one of my favorite memories as a combat sports fan.

2. Claressa Shields vs Savannah Marshall - October 15, 2022

If there is any woman who has claim to the title of best ever outside of Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, it is the 'GWOAT' Claressa Shields. She is a 5 division champion who was also the undisputed champion at 154lbs. She's a two time Olympic gold medalist, winning her first one at the age of 16 year old. And through her pro and amateur career, only one woman had ever beat her (on the amateur circuit) - knockout artist Savannah Marshall. Marshall has a claim to being the biggest puncher women's boxing has ever seen and has a style unlike any ever seen in women's pro boxing. So a professional meeting between the two was always going to make for a fun clash.

3. Alycia Baumgardner vs Mikaela Mayer - October 15, 2022

Of the fights on the list, this is probably the least exciting but it carried significant weight and I still found it incredibly entertaining. Mayer is a former Olympian who was on her way to unifying all the belts at 130lbs to become undisputed champion. She had marched her way through the pros, earning a 17-0 record at the time and taking out former champions like Maïva Hamadouche, Erica Farias, and Jennifer Han. Alycia Baumgardner was not that. She was a pro boxer who was in the wilds, trying to cut her teeth at a time when no American promoter was investing in women's boxing. It wasn't until Matchroom (UK promotion) gave her a shot against a different super featherweight champion Terri Harper did Baumgardner finally breakthrough, knocking the champ out in an upset victory. That set these two on a collision course for unification

4. Gabriela Fundora vs Celeste Alaniz - November 2, 2024

This one is a little different. It was less a great, competitive fight than the ascension of the next great women's boxer. Gabriela Fundora comes from a boxing family. Her brother Sebastian is a world champion up at 154lbs. So her winning a world title at only 22 years old isn't too crazy. But fighting for the undisputed (all four belts) kind of is. Celeste Alaniz is a fellow young up and coming boxer who had just knocked off former two division champion and Olympic bronze medalist Marlen Esparza. The fight between these two was fun, while it lasted. Keep an eye out on the winner here. They're going places. Like the top of the P4P list.

5. Yesica Nery Plata vs Kim Clavel - January 13, 2023

Felt wrong not putting any Mexican boxers on this one so I'm going with the light flyweight champion, Yesica Nery Plata. At 30-2, Plata has built up an impressive run as a pro. She is the WBA and WBC light flyweight champion. Sadly, the fight I most want to see from her is a rematch with Kenia Enriquez and with Enriquez up a weight class, that ship has sailed. That said, would love to see her in there with a Yokasta Valle.

[vintagerpg]

The Compleat Adventurer (1983) does for the non-magic classes what The Compleat Spell Caster did for magic-users. Basically: made up a whole bunch of new ones.

We have: Beastmaster, Buccaneer, Gladiator, Harlequin, Knight, Martial Artist, Rogue, Spy, Swordsman, Warrior and Hunter, which has three sub-classes - Scout, Bounty Hunter and Witch Hunter. Many of these are expressions of professions from literature or history that seem like they should be represented in RPGs. Solomon Kane is the frame for the Witch Hunter. Spies, Knights, Buccaneers and Gladiators have clear real-world corespondents. Beastmaster is indicated as a stand-in for Tarzan, and I am sure the 1982 film of the same name has nothing to do with the class. The swordsman is interesting because it gestures at (without really fulfilling) the role of the Dexterity-based fighter a la Errol Flynn. The Rogue meanwhile tries to remix the Thief into a better representative of literary predecessors like Cugel and Gray Mouser. Same for the Martial Artist, which I think does the concept more justice than the Monk. The Harlequin is most interesting for me, as it moves a Thief sort of character toward acting, trickery and low magic (and I think might influence some ideas the lads at Games Workshop got a few years later).

I don’t think any of these are great classes right out of the box, but they are almost all interesting in some regard and could certainly be mined for something like OSE. I’d welcome that! I think they (and other books like these) indicate a baseline dissatisfaction with the official D&D offerings (that has maybe since become hard coded into the hobby’s DNA).

I haven’t talked about the art in these books, partly because they mostly lack clear credit. Peter Blandori did all the covers, though and most of the memorable interiors. I love how he makes everyone look haunted and possibly unstable — most of the people look like they could be NPCs in a Mothership game.