#archetype – ancient gear

[ygo-monster-type-tournament]

Round 1c, Match 7: Sportsdragon vs. Ancient Gear vs. Aesir!

Sportsdragon Keeper // Ancient Gear Catapult // Odin, Father of the Aesir

[honourablejester]

PF2e Character Concept – Archaeologist Rogue

Guess who this was inspired by? Since I’ve been talking about Jonathan Carnahan recently. Heh. Though this will be more loosely inspired than an actual attempt to create the character in Pathfinder. We’re just going to take the idea of a charming and loyal pickpocket with some scholarly backing behind him, and go from there.

As for why PF2e, mostly for the archaeologist archetype, but also because Osirion is right there? Golarion has a straight-up Ancient Egypt analogue sitting pretty in northern Garund, so we might as well use it!

So. Our class is obviously going to be Rogue, and given that the main thing that Jonathan repeatedly does to the benefit all is pickpocket people, we’ll be taking the Thief racket (Scoundrel is a possibility, if we wanted to lean more on the charming angle, but thievery usually works better for Jonathan, so we’ll go Thief). And to hone in on that … If we want a background that will give us the Pickpocket feat, we could go Street Urchin, but I rather like Hounded Thief from Guns & Gears. Because the premise of that background is that you stole a ‘unique item from a strange individual’ and now you have the creeping feeling that you’ve drawn eyes because of it. So, for example, possibly we stole a mysterious strangely-shaped amulet from a strange person, and it might turn out that it’s the key to a magical tomb in the desert? Just spitballing here. Heh.

For ancestry … Okay. If we want an ancestry that is smart, fast, well-travelled, loyal, communal, curious, and inveterate hoarders … I mean. He’s got to be a Ratfolk, no? That might sound cruel or on-the-nose, that the thief is a rat, but ysoki are loyal, love their families, love travel, and just enjoy collecting things. Like shiny things. But that’s besides the point! *grins* Let’s go with the Desert Rat heritage, and say we’re actually from Osirion, or possibly Katapesh. For our languages, we’ll take Common, Ysoki, and Ancient Osirion, because our little scholarly thief has always been interested in the ancient empire (and its mysterious treasure-filled tombs).

Our starting stats will be a +4 to Dexterity, a +2 to Constitution and Charisma, a +1 to Intelligence, and a +0 to Wisdom and Strength. We’ll primarily be levelling those first four, but at some point we’ll try to boost our Wisdom for Perception in there.

For skills, we’ll start with Stealth, Thievery and Underworld Lore, and then 7 more, plus 1 for our Int modifier, and 1 because we doubled up on Thievery between the Thief Racket and Hounded Thief. So we’re also going to take Deception, Intimidation, Diplomacy, Society, Survival, Acrobatics, Medicine and Crafting because they’re handy, and then Lore: Ancient Osirion. Taking the Archaeologist dedication feat at Level 2 will auto-bump Society and Thievery to Expert, and we’ll bring at the very least Stealth and Deception all the way up with them.

For feats, we’re definitely going to focus around stealth, theft and deception, stuff that will get us out of trouble if at all possible. Subtle Theft, Multilingual, Charming Liar, Fleeing Diversion, Slippery Prey, Swift Sneak, Kip Up, etc. Amusingly, there are a couple of feats, one a rogue feat (Mug, on attacking) and one an acrobatics/thievery skill feat (Tumbling Theft, on tumbling past), that let you rob enemies in combat, which is my favourite Jonathan move, so we’ll definitely snag at least one of those. From the archaeologist archetype, I also definitely want Scholastic Identification, to let our boy decipher those important ancient arcane text at key moments. Heh. Also Magical Scholastics so he can cast Detect Magic and hopefully figure out if something is cursed before he picks it up.

So. We have a cheerfully light-fingered ratty rogue who grew up in the desert and fell in love with the romance of an ancient empire and the tombs buried under the sands. Nahan, a charming and loyal and ever-so-slightly greedy Ysoki Rogue, who got into some slight trouble when he stole a very particular object from a mysterious stranger.

[ygoartreviews]

The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak

The haunted remains of long abandoned battle gear have come to life as honestly pretty cute, cyan colored ghosts. Just look at those adorable dot eyes! But don't be fooled; they can still be pretty spooky. I love that even in an archetype of Warrior monsters, the depictions of some of the Phantom Knights are clearly somewhere beyond/outside of that typing. This guy is a pretty striking example, where they look more like a magical wraith than an ancient warrior. The choice to not give them any arms to hold their tiny staves with is kinda funny though, but having them magically floating alongside enhances the magician look. The effects of the shading between this version and the original anime version are actually pretty distinct and good in their own ways. The shading used here is okay, but it lacks a lot of the depth that the original version has. However, I like the way their magical purple flames are rendered in this one more; they actually look pretty solidly like flames while having a nice translucent effect to them. Unlike most Phantom Knights cards, this guy actually has a proper backdrop setting, which I really enjoy. The derelict graveyard at night really helps them look a bit more spooky than the rest.

Rating: 9/10

[howlingday]

siguiendo con yugioh!au (personalmente prefiero pokemon pero gx llamó mi atención)

Qrow lo veo con un deck tipo archfiends debido a su pasado como bandido y su reputación, así mismo el efecto de desgaste de tus puntos de vida hace alusión a su semblante desventajosa, además creó que tendría cobertura con algunas cartas de joey debido al tema de la suerte y el asar aunque capaz que esto pega más con clover, en otro punto gx tiene un deck no-canon de vodka perdón "salsa picante" según la censura

El caso de penny es complicado debido a la cantidad de archetypes de máquinas aunque se me hace divertido que tenga el deck de syrus de vehicroid, debido a la naturaleza de niña curiosa de penny sería adorable como su deck se conforma principalmente por cosas salidas de bob the builder además debido a que varios de ellos dehecho contienen efectos problemáticos refleja también su otra naturaleza de androide de batalla, aunque definitivamente si habló de naturaleza de batalla entonces tendría a cyber dragon

Iroonwood definitivamente tendría un deck ancient gear, esto aparte de su prótesis también refleja sus características militares asi como la historia de atlas de tanto avanzar como quedarse estancado en el pasado

Por último cómo otra nota talvez jaune tendría una actualización de su deck con los neo space, debido a que estos provenían de un mundo aparte me parece lógico que se encuentren en ever after, además en lugar de curious cat podríamos tener a yubel

Continuing with yugioh!au (personally I prefer pokemon but gx caught my attention)

I see Qrow with an archfiends type deck due to his past as a bandit and his reputation, likewise the effect of wearing down your life points alludes to his disadvantageous appearance, he also believed that he would have coverage with some joey cards due to the theme of luck and roasting, although maybe this works better with clover, at another point gx has a non-canon deck of vodka, sorry "hot sauce" according to censorship.

Penny's case is complicated due to the number of machine archetypes, although I find it funny that she has the Vehicroid Syrus deck, due to Penny's curious girl nature, it would be adorable how her deck is made up mainly of things from Bob the builder also because several of them actually contain problematic effects also reflects his other nature of battle android, although definitely if he talked about battle nature then he would have cyber dragon.

Ironwood would definitely have an ancient gear deck, this apart from his prosthesis also reflects his military characteristics as well as Atlas' history of both advancing and staying stuck in the past.

Lastly, as another note, maybe Jaune would have an update to his deck with the Neo Space, because these came from a separate world, it seems logical to me that they are in Ever After, also instead of Curious Cat we could have Yubel.

--------------------------------------------------

Previously

Huh. I never realized the "hot sauce" was actually sake. Pretty funny censorship! But, yeah, I can see Qrow having similar cards due to his battle with alcoholism, and his use of Dark monsters, including Archfiends, is also fitting due to his role as the sort of shadow ops of Ozpin. I can even see him pulling out something old school like Archfiend Emperor, The First Lord Of Horror simply to utilize it's one of many special effects.

Actually, if we follow the Chibi logic, we could also give Penny some Insect cards, like Naturia Mole Cricket or Atomic Firefly. You could even take a step further with Inzektor cards, like Inzektor Exa-Beetle, or a monster that gains attack based on the monsters around it, like Insect Queen gaining ATK for every Insect on the field, or Humongous Hive Hegemon - Zexstagger, which also gains ATK AND can special summon Insect monsters from your graveyard or hand.

I can definitely see General Ironwood having military specific cards, as well as cards that are very similar to airships. Ancient Gear also works with his allusion to the Tin Man. In fact, Ancient Gear fusions would also allude to Atlas' use of robots AND their willingness to sacrifice for a supposed "greater good". That said, I would say his most powerful card would be Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem, acting as a menace of titanic proportions only matched by the might of the most technologically advanced kingdom on Remnant.

To be honest, I never finished GX. Partially because the ending wasn't dubbed and also because I don't even remember where GX stopped off. But I've heard plenty about how bad Jaiden got for no reason because of Yubel, which would be a pretty neat parallel with the Curious Cat.

[sonicasura]

Ok here is the list for the DMC/ Yu-Gi-Oh Crossover

Quick Note: Ignis is freaking out along with others like Scare, Ziggy, and Walker and few others who rush over too Slifer too ask for help in any way too track down Ash and the others that were thrown into the rift. Oh and incase your wondering why there are so many Duel Spirits lost it was because it was Ash's Birthday and a lot of Duel Spirits were enjoying the festivities as they were all of Ash's friends and family

Chronological

DMC 3

Starting - Time Thieves Windy and Redoer, Genex Controller ( Gizmo), Cooky Yummy ( Choco), Kashtira Riseheart, Rapid Warrior

The Entire Wind-Up Archetype including the Link and Xyz, Speedroid Colonel Clackers ( Colon), Symphonic Warrior Miccs ( Mike), Phantom Bouncer, Photon Bouncer, Dark Strike Fighter, Fiendsmith Engraver, Heroic Champion - Excalibur

DMC 1 Decode Talker, Ancient Gear Gadget, Darklord Ukobach and Fluffal Angel ( Bach and Angie), Genex Ally Powercell, War Rock Meteoragon, War Rock Gactos, Genex Ally Axel,

DMC 2 and Anime Ancient Gear Golem, Summoned Skull, Gagaga Cowboy, Zubababancho Gagagacoat, Locomontion R-Genex, Junk Synchron ( Blue), Genex Ally Triarm, Genex Ally Triforce,

DMC 4 One-Eyed Skill Gainer, Kashtira Fenrir, Kashitra Ogre, The Magnet Warriors and the Electro Magnet Warriors, Black Ray Lancer, Submersible Carrier Aero Shark,

DMC 5 Kashtira Arise-Heart, Gauntlet Launcher, Black Luster Soldier,

Will Change but for now this is what I got! Anything too change add, and any other notes?

Can only imagine how chaotic those birthdays would get with the other fandoms and Yugioh eras. Especially if none of the characters realize how many Duel Spirits Ash has befriended.

I imagine this one of the few occasions where Slifer is super concerned. Rifts like that don't happen unless someone in the Human World is messing with something pretty powerful. Nevermind when it becomes apparent it occurs in five different points in time.

Slifer checks in with the other two to see if any rifts have appeared within their regions. Thankfully none have manifested but they do lend aid in search of Ash and their missing companions. Ra sends over Yummy Snatchy since this particular monster has a knack for finding members from their archetype.

Like Choco who was in our duelist's death grip as they got dragged in together. Find the Yummy Cooky and they find the missing birthday kid.

[dailycharacteroption]

Jinyiwei (Investigator Archetype)

In the real world, the Jinyiwei, or “Embroidered Uniform Guard” was a secret police organization founded in the 14th century by the Hongwu Emperor in order to root out corruption and insurrection from within, able to overturn and ignore the judicial proceedings to arrest, interrogate, and punish anyone in the kingdom, including nobility and even the emperor’s own relatives.

Ostensibly this body would help preserve the empire with only the Emperor themselves to answer to, able to arrest and prosecute politically untouchable figures should they become enemies of the state.

Buuuuut if you’ve ever heard the term “secret police” in regards to world history before, you probably know how this goes. At best, the Jinyiwei were used as assassins to eliminate rivals, and at worse, were just as corrupt and capable of abusing their own power.

Who knew a paramilitary group answerable to literally only one man would be a bad idea for everyone?

However, for all it’s real faults, the Jinyiwei we’re describing today is a bit different than the real thing. For one, the Mandate of Heaven is actually real with gods and divine dragons granting power and authority to rule empires.

However, corruption remains, and the Jinyiwei of the Lung Wa empire was created to counteract and root out this corruption that drove the bureaucracy of the nation into the dirt, but in the end they failed, falling to corruption itself until the empire fractured and crumbled, robbing them of any authority.

But why the original Lung Wa Jinyiwei are long gone, there are those across Tian Xia that take inspiration from them, and seek to emulate them as they stand against the corruption that poisons governments and ruins nations.

Such dedication grants these investigators a bit of divine power, which they use alongside their keen minds to bring justice to the land, even if they aren’t quite as unimpeachable as their ancient predecessors.

The result is a sort of fusion of investigator and inquisitor, as we’ll soon see.

Careful consideration and insight, as well as the blessing of the divine is what fuels these investigators. As such, their inspiration is powered by their wisdom rather than intelligence, and instead of using alchemy they cast spells, drawing magic from the same arsenal as inquisitors.

Like the Jinyiwei of old, they understand that corruption and deception can be anywhere, and are especially skilled at noticing lies, forgeries, and disguises, as well as that which is hidden, be it a person or secret containers and doors.

Their suspicion also guards them against the magics of deception, enchantments and illusions, helping them avoid falling under their sway and pierce the false reality they create.

Finally, their divine mandate goes so far as to allow them to unleash divine judgement as inquisitors do, albeit somewhat less skillfully.

With the combination of the inquisitor spell list, geared towards information gathering, buffing, debuffing, and divine wrath; as well as their knack for discovering all types of deception, this archetype plays a bit more of a support and combat role than the vanilla inquisitor before even taking talents into account. As such, A combat build seems like a good choice here, one that can learn about the enemy and set up spells and tactics beforehand to take them down.

As written, the lore states that these individuals are not part of an organization, extrajudicial or otherwise. As such, their desire to follow such a path and endorse such ideals may be considered a relic of the past, and what that means will vary by nation and by individuals. Some may mock them as deluded fools clinging to ideals and a nation that no longer exists, others may honor them as a symbol of better days, or revile them as echoes of a past that needed to burn or as the shadow of a threat to the new order. Or, you know, in your setting their organization may still exist, and may or may not a blight upon the people in the way that secret police tend to be.

Through terrible coincidence and just bad luck, the party has accidentally slain one of the sacred white-antlered deer that only the emperor may hunt, and now they are on the run, chased by the mask-wearing secret order that answers only to His Holy Eminence.

A chance encounter can change your life, and so it was with Jinga, a monkey goblin who stumbled upon an aging old hermit on his island home who taught him about the great empire and how he was once one of it’s secret guardians, blessed by the gods. Jinga looked up to him so much that he studied his ways and received the divine blessing, leaving home to offer his services. He never fully understood, however, that the empire had fallen long ago.

The nation is on the verge of falling, consumed from within, all at the hands of those who should have been it’s protectors. Indeed, the Talisman Police, named for the divine tokens of their role they wear, have been corrupted from within and seek to usurp control. Is their leader a fiend in disguise? Merely power-hungry? It matters not. All that matters is that they must be stopped.

[shadowron]

The Troll Decker, a Better Troll Archetype for Shadowrun (1st Edition)

Goblinized Teenage Angst and Art by @skullchicken

I cite the ancient texts:

“Suppose you wanted a Troll Decker.” (Charette, Hume, & Dowd, 1989)

So it will be.

It can’t be easy being a troll in 2050.

And despite several advances in the field since 1989, neither is pimpin'

But some "normal" children changed as they grew older, joining the ranks of the so-called Orks and Trolls. These either grouped with their own kind or mated with great-hearted souls who could see past the physical shells. The offspring of such unions were sometimes normal and sometimes produced the new racial types. Not all the "normal" children remained that way, however. Many suddenly underwent gobllnlzation at puberty, and the trauma and its associated maladjustments cycled again through the community. (Ibid.)

Reader, think back to when you went through puberty, and just what a messed-up bag of acne and stress you were. You found solace in the online world, where you could create an image and persona of yourself that was closer to the True You than anyone you knew in your real miserable life.

Then, while waiting for pizza rolls to cook in the microwave, you start goblinizing. Instead of sprouting a few inches, you sprout a few feet. Instead of zits, you have sudden dermal bone deposition and grow fragging horns. And yes, you have the munchies like you wouldn’t believe, but this doesn’t explain the doubling of your body weight.

Suddenly your pre-teen moping seems pathetic – you imagined yourself a hideous monster before.

But now this.

This is our Troll Decker.

Attributes:

Body: 6 Quickness: 2 Strength: 5 Charisma: 1 Intelligence: 4 Willpower: 2 Essence: 5.3 Reaction: 3

Skills:

Computer: 6 Computer Theory: 6 Computer (B/R): 6 Electronics: 4 Etiquette (Street): 2

Cyberware:

Datajack Headware Memory (50 Mp)

Gear:

Microtronics Tool Kit Fuchi-Cyber 4 (Response Increase 2, Active Memory 550 Mp, Storage Memory 1000 Mp) Programs (All at Rating 6): Bod, Evasion, Masking, Sensors, Analyze, Attack, Browse, Deception, Decrypt, Evaluate, Medic, Mirrors, Relocate, Shield, Sleaze, Slow, Smoke

Contacts:

Decker Dwarf Technician Elven Decker Troll Bouncer

[dungeonmalcontent]

The Living Grimoire Expansion

Grimdark & Dangerous: The Living Grimoire Expansion is a smaller book that holds a variety of content. The big chunk of content is the living grimoire class.

Living grimoires are similar to wizards, in that they record their spells on a tangible medium. However, unlike wizards, that tangible medium is alive. This medium can be your own body or the body of a creature that you create. You can record your spells with arcane ink to create tattoos, you can record them on implanted arcane items (piercings, body augmentations, cybernetic type modifications), or you can build a construct companion that contains your magical secrets. These three types of methods of spell storing medium constitute the three subclasses that a living grimoire can choose from. Apart from choosing the medium on which you record your grimoire, you can also stylize your grimoire with a series of aesthetics. These aesthetics determine what kinds of spells you prioritize and what flair they bring to your magical skill set. When you use a variety of aesthetic spells in conjunction, the style and coordination of the grimoire makes progressively more stylish spells more potent.

Beyond the living grimoire class, there are several subclasses that almost made it into the core G&D book, but without the living grimoire class the vibe was just not there.

The manabound grimoire soul is a subclass/archetype for the manabound class introduced in G&D. Manabound are burdened rather than blessed with the capacity to perform magic as their magic overwhelms their bodies. The grimoire soul archetype is geared to be more of an eldritch knight, using the magic in their bodies as both armor and weapons. Grimoire souls can use cantrips as part of their martial refinement abilities, leave shattered mana around you after a manaburst to create difficult terrain, and tag targets for high impact spells by other players or by a mana burst.

Monks get the way of ancient writ, a martial artist that secrets away esoteric knowledge. Again, rooted in the themes of the living grimoire class, the way of ancient writ arms monks with a variety of cantrips that they can then weave into their martial arts. These monks also unlock greater secrets of time and space as they grow in power, bending the fundamental powers of nature and magic to their will.

Rogues are masters of secrets, and the secret keeper archetype emphasizes this. Imagine an arcane trickster rogue, but what if they were closer to a warlock than a wizard. These rogues learn eldritch invocations and can whisper secrets into the hearts of other creatures to debilitate them.

Warlocks get three new invocations along with the grimoire keeper patron archetype. The grimoire keeper is a master of arcane secrets and you, as their warlock, become their grimoire. This pact grants you a more durable body, a boost to magical power based on the patron's aesthetics, and the ability to substitute part of your own body as spell components. When you grow powerful enough, you become a valuable resource for your patron and they can be compelled to protect you when you knock on death's door.

This expansion book includes five feats. Arcane aptitude, which allows you to attune to an extra magical item; arcane secret, which allows you to learn spells outside of your class; ink adept, which allows you to permanently add a spell scroll to your body that can be recast; ink finger, an odd feat which improves pickpocketing and writing related abilities (it's better than it sounds, trust me); and the living grimoire initiate, which is a spellcasting initiate feat for the living grimoire's special brand of magic.

There are two backgrounds, tattooist and arcane resonator. The tattooist background is fairly self-explanatory. The arcane resonator describes someone with a natural talent for understanding magical items and constructs without classical training; a natural artificer talent, if you will.

The following magical items are also included:

Effervescent Ink - a magic ink that works similar to the magic mouth spell

The Gouge - a powerful magical pen that can be used to create special curses

Living Grimoire Fragment - a repository of arcane knowledge preserved on a formerly living medium

Mercurial Implement - Similar to an all-purpose-tool but more versatile and always at hand

Pitchblack Pigment - similar to nolzur's marvelous pigment, makes holes and smoke clouds

Shard of Ioun's Writ - a shard of ioun's pen, can be added to, improves spell attack dc

Soul Siphon Crystal - better pearl of power with a price

Tinkerplate - modifiable material that can make shields or armor, perfect for artificers

This book comes complimentary with purchase of Grimdark & Dangerous. Grimdark & Dangerous is currently 50% off for the month of October. Snag a copy along with The Living Grimoire while it's cheap.

[villabella12]

@arcvmonth Day 28 Extra Prompt: Doodlebook - Uh Uh Uh!

This isn't basically a fanmade card but instead a fanmade deck, usually for my ocs as a follow-up for Day 28. Look Im not the best at creating a deck archetype but here's the concept of how they work (won't be listing the entire names of each monsters)

Prym Rose (Raya's Deck)

The Prym Rose Archetype are a series of monsters which heavily focuses on quickly Ritual Summoning Prym Rose Celestial Dragon (Raya's Ace) and other Ritual Monsters, either tributing monsters from her or her opponent's field, banishing an Extra Deck monster, or simply banishing a monster from the graveyard. The entire deck is a bit anti-pendulum since half of the monsters, including Prym Rose Celestial Dragon, negates all pendulum effects and instead of sending them to the Extra Deck, it sends them instead to graveyard (excepts Zarc's Deck)

There are certain monsters that allows Ritual Summoning just by tributing them and/or monsters in the field whose level equals or exceeds said Ritual Monster, although it strictly won't use an Ritual Monster as a material

There is one specifc weakness however, and that all can be defeated using the effects or doing battle damage by the Fusion, XYZ, and/or Synchro monsters, but certain spells and/or traps will protect it

Lore: The Prym Rose, or Prymnaris, are a huge King-Arthurian-Style Civilization that are protected underneath the kingdom's main source, The Prymnarite Crystal, serving as a protection barrier from enemies outside the Kingdom's walls. The princess, Joan (Prym Rose Princess Paladdin), doesn't take her position too seriously and instead went on to become the squire of the General Knight, Lance (Prym Rose Advance Nobleman), only to become 5 steps ahead of him and goes into wild misadventures with her friends.

TwinNight Symphonia X (Maria's Deck)

The TwinNight Symphonia X is a musician-themed deck that heavily revolves around Special Summoning level 5 or higher monsters from the deck, hand, or graveyard in order to perform a XYZ summoning, mainly Ibong Adarna The Divine Phoenix of Light (Maria's Ace) by using 3 Level 7 Winged-Beast type monsters and using their effect to return as many cards as possible to the opponents hand and gaining 200x ATK for how many cards the opponent have on their hand. The deck doesn't consist any Rank-Up Spells but instead having to pay LP in order to perform a Rank-Up XYZ Evolution either from the field, discarding a card from hand, or banishing said monster from the Graveyard.

Eris Adarna The Dark Phoenix of Corruption is a difficult card to summon to the field as it requires 4 XYZ materials from the graveyard with the same level (Level 7) in order to perform "Phantom XYZ Summon" though it is also possible using a Spell or Trap.

It's impossible to determine what its weakness is, but it's possible that "Speedroid", "Ancient Gear", "Supreme King", and "Superheavy Samurai's" are its weaknesses but it has yet to be comfirmed

Lore: The TwinNight Symphonia X are a mega-band that tours around the world through their indescribable music. Often paired with the Melodious, Performapals, Perfomages, and Abyss Actors, the band is phenomenal with their perfomances, giving the audiences the show of a lifetime with their melodies.

[lorem-text-backup]

The Past through the Lens of the Future.

Cuthbert Beckett has long been a renowned member of the archaeological community. Having made numerous contributions to the International Archaeological Society of Naples, the European Association of Archaeologists, the Society for American Archaeology, and many more, his impact on the field of archaeology is undeniable. Even so, the elusive archaeologist and historian rarely boasts about his accomplishments. As such, despite his reputation in archaeological and historical circles, he remains a mystery to the rest of the world.

We at Night Owl sat down with him in hopes of getting a glimpse into his exciting life.

"I was always interested in questioning what is considered to be 'common sense' by most people."

Born and raised in England, even in his youth Beckett had a tendency to question what was taken for granted by the people around him. It's no surprise, then, that as he grew up, he became enthralled by history; a science known as much for its diachronism as for its innumerable inconsistencies, as truth blends with legend and legend turns into myth.

His career began in Oxford, where his passion for discovering the truth drew the attention of a then-renowned scholar, who took the young Beckett under his wing and introduced him to his studies. In the following years, Beckett studied meticulously under the guidance of his new mentor, even travelling with him to France, where he remained for a few years before ultimately returning to England.

Of course, for a man such as Beckett returning home rarely means settling down and -encouraged by his mentor- he started his own journey, which would take him the world over.

"[During excavations] I feel pretty much the same as any archaeologist would: like a kid in a sandbox full of really, really precious toys."

Since his time as a student in Oxford, Beckett has inadvertently built a quite the reputation for himself as a paragon and a paradigm to historians and archaeologists everywhere.

His work has taken him all across the globe and back countless times, and his passion for his field of study doesn't seem to have any intention of diminishing, as even today, the struggles involved in the unearthing of humanity's past have the look of fascinating puzzles in his eyes. Of course, much like with a literal puzzle, the illustrious archaeologist's patience is tested every day, as is expected for someone in his field.

Patience, however, isn't the only skill Beckett has developed during his long career.

In the words of the man himself, "[…] the most useful skill I learned over the years is making connections."

Despite the archetype we have in our minds of Indiana Jones or Lara Croft bravely venturing into ancient tombs with nothing but their trusty gear, an archaeologist's job is a social one.

For a start, any good archaeologist has their sources; people who tell them about possible sites, guide them in their search for specific artefacts or even go on-site with them to assist in properly interpreting their findings.

Furthermore, excavations themselves are in no way solitary operations. From professional workers who prepare the dig site and do the actual digging, to specialized architects who draw the layouts of each site, to fellow archaeologists who work together during the excavation, a large number of people have a hand in bringing ancient discoveries to light.

Beyond that, there are museum curators and government officials who oversee the excavations, journalists and interviewers (that's us!) who report on the various operations, and, of course, fellow archaeologists who collaborate to put together the individual pieces they've discovered to reveal the real picture of each 'puzzle'.

As you can see, archaeology is by no means a solitary sport, so along with their investigative skills, professionals must also hone their social skills.

Finally, we all know the old saying, 'Learn from your past.' Be it due to his work, his own experience, or a combination of the two, that is Beckett's advice to our readers.

"If our kind paid more attention to the matters of the past, they'd see the patterns that form in [our lives] over the centuries, and that would definitely help them […] It will be a hard road to walk, but it is worth it."

Eliot Wilde, journalist and writer for Night Owl and host of Night Owl FM

[warriorpax]

This has nothing to do with roleplay, but I’ve been eyeing YuGiOh for a while (I mostly play Magic the Gathering atm) and I’m wondering if you can recommend a deck archetype that’s easy to start out with. Ancient Gears had my eye right now because it’s exactly my aesthetic but I’m unsure how difficult it is to pilot.

Alright, SO-

First of all, I'm honestly honored that someone came to me for advice on beginner-friendly decks in Yu-Gi-Oh, so thank you for that.

Secondly, word of warning...I'm a fucking ape when it comes to this lmao, so if I give you bad advice here, I do genuinely apologize for that, PLEASE don't storm my house with torches and pitchforks? Thanks! lol

NOW, as for actual deck suggestions... these are going to be from my personal experience of using these, or my personal experience of playing AGAINST these (mainly in "Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel"). These will be put under the cut for those that wish to just keep scrolling and don't want to read through a wall of text of my dumbass blabbering on lmao.

One of the first ones that really come to my mind are the "Branded" series of cards, which tends to end up being one of the sort of go-to engines for a number of decks (One of the most common of which being Branded Despia). These can be identified by using the monster, "Fallen of Albaz," who is basically just a Superpolymerization on legs, to go into a lot of fusion-oriented plays. So, if you wish to begin with fusions, Brandeds are one I definitely would recommend to begin with.

Another deck I could recommend, if you really want to embrace your inner Pharaoh Atem, would be Dark Magician, due to how much overwhelming support it has, and still gets to this very day. Follows the "KISS" rule, or "Keep It Simple, Stupid." Typically, your main goal is to have a board ending on "Dark Magician the Dragon Knight," Dark Magical Circle, and Eternal Soul set, which you will activate as soon as you get the opportunity to, that being as early as the next turn's draw phase. This effectively shuts down any lame-brained attempts of trying to shut you down, as both Dragon Knight and Eternal Soul will be stuck in a loop of defense. Dragon Knight protects all of your spells/traps from destruction and targeting, and since it's name changes to "Dark Magician" while on the field or in the graveyard, it'll become unaffected to literally every effect that your opponent has to pull out of their ass due to Eternal Soul's continuous effect, and can be summoned back to the field by Eternal Soul if it gets destroyed by battle or it gets tributed for a Kaiju summon (you can ask me about THIS mechanic later on if you'd like to know any further information on that, which I recommend as it's better to know about the mechanic than to experience it firsthand and not know how it happened)

As for Ancient Gears...I would only recommend you build this if you're willing to make some VERY big investments, as it's really at it's "best" with other earth-attribute (or element), machine-type monster archetypes (such as Machina monsters and Infinitracks). While Ancient Gears also has a lot of fusion-centered mechanics - in fact that's 90% of the Ancient Gear archetype - in my experience, you're going to be using Ancient Gears with decks that utilize other extra deck summoning mechanics...A LOT.

However, you CAN make a purely Ancient Gears deck work if you've got better deck building skills than whatever I've got going on in my head, and got a lot more passion for it and ambition than I do. Really just depends on how you'd prefer that.

So, TLDR; I recommend Branded and/or Dark Magician (because you CAN in fact combine these two decks together) for a beginner deck, and I suggest that you do a lot more research on the Ancient Gear archetype if you wish to build an Ancient Gear deck, whether that be purely Ancient Gears, or combined with something else that can also work.

I hope to god that made sense and I didn't just make myself look like a complete and utter fool, lmfao, and I hope that this was at least SOMEWHAT helpful for you in becoming a Yu-Gi-Oh duelist.

[ygo-monster-type-tournament]

Round 2c, Match 4: Ancient Gear vs. Armed Dragon!

Ancient Gear Catapult // Armed Dragon LV7

[team-frightfur]

Day 23: Back At Class, They Never Taught A Thing 

@arcvmonth​

This feels weird and will probably never happen again but whatever.

Headcanon/Fabrication dump time because I’m procrastinating on Sleep. Blame Kubera.

Now you hear headcanon/fabrications and I bet that you think “ooooh character headcanons, right?” Wrong! These are logistical headcanons! And now I’ve lost you! (There are character headcanons woven in but this is mostly just boring).

...Ok you can all have (1) free character headcanon each.

Yuri is not inherently obsessed with gardening. He actually started because he assumed, given The Professor named him ‘Yuri’, it was expected of him. Nowadays, he uses gardening to vent.

Serena is a closet fan of Shonen. Her taste is, unfortunately, not very discerning. She’s heard of Sailor Moon, but cannot watch without wanting to strangle Usagi.

Since rations normally don’t include candy, Sora had to win a 32 child battle royale to take his candy into Xyz. The other students find the noises he makes insufferable.

Dennis...I got nothing lol.

Anywa, back to logistics, this is all Real in Dramaturgy. To the degree that it may as well be a Dramaturgy expos dump. There’s even some small spoilers in strikethrough! But most of it isn’t spoilery.

Political Status.

Academia is an Independent City State encompassing both Port City on the mainland and the island of Academia. (Synchro’s City is also a City State, while Heartland and Maiami are normal cities). Academia has full sovereignty, but is still beholden to international law.

Appearance.

The Volcano has been repurposed for geothermal energy. 

Unlike Duel Academy, Academia has 9 dorms. 3 Obelisk Blue dorms, 3 Slifer Red dorms, and 3 Ra Yellow dorms. This is because of Academia’s three tracks: the Leadership Track, Duellist Track, and Disciplinary Track.

Tracks.

The Leadership Track is for training commanding officers. Students in the leadership track are ranked based on team survival rate, grades, anonymous review, and military achievement. Those in the Leadership Track are often promoted out of the Duellist Track, but not all leaders are duellists. Edo is ranked Obelisk in both Leadership and Duelling. Meanwhile, both Sora and Yuri were blacklisted from the leadership track, Sora for having poor emotional control and Yuri for having an antisocial personality.   

Those who rank highly in the Leadership Track (colonel and above) can travel through the dimensions without restriction. However, they do not have their own Archetypes.

In the Duellist Track, students are ranked based on grades, carding rate, victory rate and physical ability. The duelling track is also mandatory, so even leaders and disciplinary officers will have a duelling rank. 

Obviously, not all good duellists are good leaders and not all good leaders are good duellists, but since promotions often entail leadership responsibilities, promoting based on pure strength could be disastrous. On the other hand, Academia had to reward strength, if not, their students wouldn’t apply themselves. Their solution was to rank duelling separately. 

The highest rank of duellist is ‘Special Agent’, which is Yuri, Dennis and Sora’s rank. Uniquely, while every duellist ranked below Special Agent must use the standardised Ancient Gear deck, Special Agents may develop, request and print their own Archetypes. 

Many Academia classes focus on Ancient Gear decks. Since these classes are useless for Special Agents, they can be dropped.

The Disciplinary Track trains students to investigate, apprehend and reeducate deserters, traitors, and troublemakers. Members of the Disciplinary Team are handpicked by The Professor. As a result, among Academia students, becoming a disciplinary officer is considered tantamount to earning The Professor’s trust and respect. Sora’s dream is to become a disciplinary officer. Ryo is the top ranker in this track.

Dennis is a genius who ranked high in all 3 tracks. Hypercompetent. Sora and Yuri are only ranked highly in Duellist. Serena would be a Special Agent as well, but she’s not ranked.

Expulsion.

Academia students who underperform have two fates. If they’re orphans or factory children, they can be confined, disciplined or carded. If they have family, however, Academia will instead expel them. Expelled children are considered stupid and challenged.

Biopolitics.

Wars take bodies, so how does Academia get them?

Firstly, all children in Port City are legally required to attend Academia, so most duel soldiers are essentially conscripted. Only a small percentage of students are international students whose parents just don’t care.

Yuri wasn’t known by Port City conscripts, so he can’t be from there. He also arrived by boat, so he isn’t an Academia native. Thus, Yuri is rumoured to actually be an international student. No one has asked. 

This begs another question! How does (1) city have enough bodies to take on All of Xyz!?

Aggressive pronatalism. I’m so sorry. 

Basically, give one child to Academia, and they’ll offer low interest loans. Offer two and they’ll give you free healthcare. Offer three and they’ll give you lifetime employment. Offer 4 and you get a house. Et cetera. 

Academia will take any ‘child’ between 2-16, but the vast majority of students are 7 or 13. This is because their parents want to, like, raise them. Orphanages, however, send the children at 6 per Academia policy (Academia wants them potty trained and literate). Serena is an orphan.

Finally, some parents view their children primarily as bargaining chips. Consequently, they have children purely for the sake of handing them off. Although they’re regarded as abhorrent, Academia nonetheless rewards their behaviour. They make bodies, after all, and due to their parent’s open inhumanity, their children are often highly loyal to Academia. To such rejected children, there are only two options: 1.live in Academia or 2.go back to the parents who threw them away. It’s easy to see which option they’ll pick. For one, the children literally only know Academia. For another, they’re highly ranked and respected due to their early start.

Economics

Third question! How do they fund this insane pronatalism? 

In Academia, only 80% of students are deployed in Xyz. 20% are deployed in Fusion, where they work as independent mercenaries for other nations. Academia maintains a stranglehold on Real Solid Vision and, as the OG dimension proved, Real Solid Vision is canonically better than tanks and fighter jets. As a result, competition for Academia’s services is fierce and lucrative.

Timeline

Final question, how did the The Professor set this up in 3 years? The answer: In Dramaturgy, he didn’t. 

The Professor has been visiting Fusion for 15 years, but only left permanently 3 years ago. At first, he’d only visit for a few days, then a few weeks, then a few months. To be frank, Reiji expected his disappearance. Still, he wanted to believe he was wrong.

“But Team Frightfur, the universe is canonically only 14 years old!” 

Yeah, that’s another thing I decided to ignore. In Dramaturgy, all the dimensions   have complete histories. The reason Leo, the Yuboys, and the Bracelet Girls were all born at this specific juncture is because the date coincides with Zarc and Ray’s births in the OG dimension.

[eikooowie]

Ah, a Steampunk World for Buddyfight! That's a fantastic concept, brimming with potential for intricate mechanics and visually striking cards. Let's delve into the gears and steam of this fan-made realm!

Conceptualizing Your Steampunk World:

* Core Concept: What defines this steampunk world? Is it a world where advanced technology is powered by steam and intricate clockwork, a society of brilliant inventors and daring engineers, or perhaps a fusion of magic and mechanical marvels?

* Aesthetics: Picture the visuals. Think of gears, cogs, pipes, steam vents, brass and copper constructions, airships soaring through the skies, and automatons of all shapes and sizes.

* Attributes: What unique characteristics define the monsters and spells? Do they focus on mechanical engineering, steam power, intricate mechanisms, the fusion of magic and technology, or perhaps the manipulation of time itself?

* Playstyle: How would a Steampunk World deck play? Would it be about assembling powerful contraptions, overwhelming opponents with relentless automatons, utilizing intricate combos of triggered effects, or perhaps controlling the flow of the game with precise timing?

Potential Themes and Mechanics:

* Assembly and Combination: Monsters could have abilities that allow them to combine or attach to each other, forming larger, more powerful machines. Spells might involve assembling intricate devices for powerful effects.

* Steam Power: Mechanics could revolve around generating and utilizing "Steam Counters" to power up monsters or activate special abilities. Perhaps cards could interact with the amount of steam available.

* Clockwork Precision: Abilities might trigger based on specific timings or the number of actions taken. There could be a focus on precise planning and execution.

* Automation and Control: The world could feature various types of automatons with different roles, and spells might focus on controlling and enhancing these mechanical allies.

* Gadgets and Contraptions: Spells and items could represent various ingenious inventions, each with unique and powerful effects.

Drawing Inspiration from Existing Buddyfight Concepts:

While there isn't a dedicated "Steampunk World," some existing worlds or cards might offer thematic inspiration:

* Dragon World: The emphasis on powerful, often technologically advanced dragons could be re-imagined with a steampunk twist. Think mechanical dragons powered by steam.

* Hero World: The idea of heroes with unique gadgets and abilities fits well with the inventor archetype of steampunk.

* Ancient World: The concept of ancient civilizations with forgotten technologies could be reinterpreted as a lost age of advanced steam-powered marvels.

Developing Your Fan-Made World:

* Choose a Flag: Design a flag that visually represents your Steampunk World. Perhaps it features gears, steam clouds, or a stylized mechanical device.

* Create Monsters: Imagine a diverse cast of characters. This could include brilliant inventors, brave engineers piloting their creations, various types of automatons (from small helpers to colossal war machines), and perhaps even creatures that have been mechanically augmented.

* Develop Spells & Items: Design spells that represent technological advancements, powerful inventions, or the manipulation of steam and energy. Items could be specialized tools or powerful gadgets used by the world's Buddyfighters.

* Consider an Impact: What ultimate invention or display of engineering prowess would be the Impact of your Steampunk World? Perhaps a massive, game-changing machine or a devastating burst of steam power.

I'm excited to hear more about your vision! Do you have any initial ideas for specific types of steampunk monsters or mechanics you'd like to explore? Let the gears of creativity turn!

[literaturereviewhelp]

A directional driller performs a series of tasks that relatively depend on the employer’s objectives. One of the main responsibilities of a directional driller is giving technical assistance to clients and workgroup members at the extraction site (Gow and Gow 201). The directional driller also stays current of all directional drilling methodologies and surveying techniques. A directional driller also builds professionalism on cutting-edge proper planning methods (Horizontal Directional Drilling Design Guideline Task Committee 3). A directional driller also arranges for and offers end-of-site releases and clients’ conclusive product provision releases (Gow and Gow 201). A directional driller is in charge of overseeing inventory and provisions while remaining in contact with client site agents, gear crew, and field assistance workers. The directional driller further makes sure all reporting qualifications are reached by acting on service value events and making sure event reports are wrapped up with clients. Lastly, experienced directional drillers teach, train, and guide recruit and new directional drillers (Gow and Gow 201). The requirements for getting a directional drilling job are based on academic achievements, experience, familiarity, and communication skills. First, the applicant has to have a minimum of a two to three-year secondary program degree from a tutoring and training college. Engineering or applied science degrees in bachelor and master’s levels are more acceptable. The applicant also has to have at least five years of oil-extraction experience in directional drilling (Horizontal Directional Drilling Design Guideline Task Committee 2). The applicant has to have comprehensive knowledge in advanced drilling and charting technologies and activities. Lastly, the applicant has to be able to communicate proficiently with superiors, peers, and clients in verbal and textual   OR Leonardo Da Vinci patrons might find his failures to complete a commission exasperating, just as we may share their regrets at the perfectionism which made it difficult for him to bring a work of art to a successful conclusion, but contemporaries generally had no doubts about the genius of Leonardo da Vinci. Naturally, in that era of classical revival, he was often compared with the great scholars of ancient Greece, with Archimedes, Pythagoras, and most of all, perhaps, with Plato, whose figure in Raphael's famous painting of the School of Athens is generally believed to be modeled on the venerable Leonardo. Leonardo's name was actually Leonardo di Ser Piero da Vinci, though he was known throughout his life as Leonardo or Leonardo Ser Piero. 'Da Vinci' is simply a reference to the Tuscan village in which he was born. Referring to him as 'Da Vinci' is a little like referring to Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery of Alamein as 'Of Alamein'or Joan of Arc as 'Of Arc'. It is strange that Brown calls him 'Da Vinci' consistently, despite the fact he apparently studied art in Seville and his wife is supposedly an art historian. The life and work of Leonardo, the archetypical 'Renaissance Man' for whom no branch of knowledge was allowed to remain a closed book, has proved endlessly fascinating to later generations. At one time he was known only as a painter, although many of his works by other hands were unknown and a number of inferior works by other hands were wrongly attributed to him. The full, amazing extent of his genius emerged only in quite recent times with the rediscovery of his notebooks and drawings. For a time, even Leonardo the painter seemed to be submerged by the weight of his new reputation as a scientist. Some readjustment has taken place since then. As a scientist and engineer, Leonardo's achievements, though staggering enough, have proved to be a shade less novel than once we thought, while at the same time a succession of brilliant art historians, beginning with Bernhard Berenson and Kenneth Clark, have made us far more knowledgeable about his art. Though Leonardo would have jibbed at such a judgment, he was and is, first and foremost a great painter; a man whose output was tiny compared with other geniuses of his time (a Michelangelo, a Raphael, a Titian) yet included possibly the two most famous paintings in history, the Mona Lisa and the Last Super. Leonardo was a 'worshipper of Nature's divine order' and seems to think this put him at odds with the Church.   Read the full article

[dailycharacteroption]

Retrograde Revision 1: Acrobat Archetype for Rogue

(art by Robyn Bond on Artstation)

 So, some of my peers on tumblr (whom I should really talk to more) sometimes go back and redo old content on their blog in an attempt to apply modern reflection and a more defined writing style to them and bring them into the modern era.

So that’s what I’m doing this week! I’ll be taking a whole week’s worth of entries from the blog’s past and redoing them, starting with my first entries back in… 2014?

Good heavens, has it almost been 10 years? It’s amazing how much of your life can change, and how much stays the same.

In any case, let’s jump right in. I won’t be doing all of my previous entries with this series, but up to a certain point when I started properly using paragraphs in them rather than the hot mess I started out with.

Our first entry is the Acrobat, an entry with literally 3 short paragraphs in the body before the adventure hooks. Definitely in need of expansion.

Without further ado, let us begin!

The human body has a fascinating relationship with physics. After all, our bipedal gait essentially means that we controlled-fall our way through our lives, to say nothing of our efforts to go beyond the limits of our bodies and go real fast, whether it be by taming fast animals and riding them or inventing wonders of engineering that go fast, sometimes in directions usually reserved for birds and marine animals.

But before we were runners, riders, and fliers, our ancient ancestors were jumpers and climbers. That lovely opposable thumb we use to engineer and build and affect our environment started out as a way to hold on nice and tight to tree branches, while the limbs themselves were powerful, able to help launch them from branch to branch, all things we can see in the rest of our primate cousins.

So what do you get when an arboreal tree climber switches to being mostly on flat land with the brain and limbs to alter their environment and most importantly, understand it? A lot of things, but the thing we’re focusing on today is how some humans develop the art of jumpling, climbing, and balancing into an art form.

Enter the profession of the acrobat! Death-defying leapers, tumblers, and balancers who perform such deeds not just to prove they can, but also give a thrill to onlookers who have not perfected these arts. It is very dangerous work though, and such individuals spend years honing their bodies and minds to finally do these things without the safety nets or cushioning pads. But even then, accidents happen.

The Pathfinder acrobat, which has it’s roots in one of the old subclasses of rogue from the early days of the hobby, uses their skills not just for performance, but also for more directly practical uses. Turns out a lot of doors (or more accurately windows) open up to you when you can just climb and leap to places that are possible entryways, but are less secured because nobody without that training would ever consider them a method of ingress.

They might be performers that moonlight as thieves, or they might be “second story specialists” in their local thieves guild, or they might simply be enthusiasts in the acts of running, jumping, and climbing that apply their skills as spies and sneaks. Either way, they are masters of going where others can’t and avoiding notice purely because nobody every looks up.

 Agility is a must for acrobats, so they train with and/or modify their armor to remain flexible in it, bolstering their ability to perform physical activities while wearing protective gear, and making them even better when not wearing it.

A bad fall can spell the end for such daring leapers and climbers, so they develop good instincts and reflexes for catching themselves at the last moment, though even that can fail.

This archetype favors rogue talents that provide additional advantages to balancing, leaping, and climbing, as well as those that let them use their nimble moves in other situations such as combat.

A fairly simple archetype from the early days of Pathfinder, but still a good one. Obviously these rogues never want to be seen or engage in combat in the first place, but aside from building for their utility in moving about swiftly and with agility, definitely try building them with tumble checks, flanking, and using their mobility against foes in mind. Most importantly, use the environment whenever possible.

 Being any sort of athlete requires paying a lot of attention to the needs of your body, so I can imagine that there is actually a curious dichotomy with acrobats in their relation to risk. Certainly all are daredevils, but many may not take certain risks if they would ruin their ability to perform, while others throw caution to the wind.

  The arid desert steppes of Vollak are home to the indigenous catfolk population called the Mlei Mlei. Extremely distrustful of outsiders, the Mlei Mlei specialize in unique ambushes wherein each member of the war party anchors themselves to a piton driven in the rock, rappelling down and running along the walls of the canyon expertly, staying just out of reach as they deliver attack after attack.

 High above the clouds, the flying city of Urbrisk is in constant competition between mages, flying warriors, and the thieves guild, all vying for mastery over the city’s airspace. For their part, the thieves guild keeps up, mastering stolen trinkets of flight, and moving so swiftly they barely seem to touch the ground.

 The local lord, paranoid about thieves, guards his keep with cunning traps and locks, keeping his most prized possessions in a tower too high to be climbed… Or so he thought until they went missing. He commissions the party to retrieve his property, and capture the nimble thief so that he can avenge his wounded pride.