#but there's something special about PC builds

[elliegoose]

the fucked up thing about lancer is that one of the most fun parts is making cool player character mech builds, but unless you manage to infect someone else with enough of the lancer virus that they volunteer to GM, your best bet for playing a game of lancer is to GM one yourself, which does not involve getting to actually use your cool player character builds

[sugawhaaa]

SEONGHWA HEADCANONS

Christmas with Seonghwa would feel like...

Warnings//genre:: fluff, I think that's it...

Pairing:: seonghwa x fem!reader

A/N:: sorry this is really short 😭 I might add to it here and there and you guys can comment your ideas too!! I just find with this christmas series is that I repeat myself a lot, like I feel like a lot of these idols would have similar ideal Christmases

🎧::

♡-Seonghwa is a cozy Christmas lover. To him, Christmas is all about the homey decorations, presents under the tree, and cuddling with some hot cocoa and Christmas blankets. It's all about the experience of Christmas.

♡-hwa loves to dance with you around the tree or on the sidewalk in the street. He likes taking you to Christmas markets, festivals, and parades, just really basking in the festivities with you.

♡-decorating the Christmas tree on December 1st with festive music and warm lights throughout the house. He loves to make popcorn, hot chocolate and est candy canes during the decorating.

♡-the decorations are all strategically placed to give the best view for the eyes.

♡-Christmas crafts and baking with him 🥺 he would specifically love it if you got him a Christmas Lego set and he would build it with you every year to put on display.

♡-he'd do a lot of cheesy romance things like write your names together in the snow with a heart around it.

♡-he loves it when you use him like a human furnace. Cuddles during the winter is the specialist thing to him, like the two of you are the only warmth needed for survive the winter.

♡-I think Seonghwa would lowkey spoil you with gifts but not expect much in return, he's pretty chill with what he has and though it is the thought that really counts, he has so much money that he has everything he wants.

♡-some gifts he would think of for you is of course things around your general interests like shows you like, books you read and so on. He'd get you an album that you've been wanting or the newest one they've made if you don't have it. Also he'd make you open it in front of him praying that you pull his pcs. Hwa would gift you a lot of cute things too, something like a taba squishy or that type of "kawaii" products. Of course skin care>>> no makeup though, unless you specify exactly what you want. And since he's a sappy baby he'd write you a letter or poem to fully express himself. He would read it out, his hands trembling softly but the sincerity in his eyes shows his hidden trust.

♡-ginger bread house is a must. Though he'd love a Lego one something is so special about making a gingerbread house together. He'd get one of those classic kits to make with you.

♡-matching ugly Christmas sweaters...that's it.

♡-cringy Christmas photos together, like those full body ones you take by the Christmas tree with your family on Christmas day 😭

♡-loves to sing your favorite christmas songs for you 🥺 even if they were ones he's never heard of he'd learn it and have a christmas karaoke night with you just to show off what he's learn to you

[strnilolover]

⋆.˚ Pinks and Cherries .ᐟ

Warnings : None! Just fluff and some pet names (Baby, Sweetheart, Angel)

A/N : I’ve been watching Matt and Chris stream too much, so I figured I’d make something based off of playing Minecraft with Matt.

It always excited you whenever Matt and Chris would play games with one another on stream for their fans. Getting to sit next to them or on Matt’s lap while they played because you just loved watching.

Though you had expressed to Matt many times about wanting to play Minecraft with him, seeing all the different biomes and mods that could be added while playing on a pc. Especially the cherry blossom biome which sparked your interest quickly when you saw how pretty it was. But, you didn’t have a pc of your own to play on, which resulted in watching games rather than playing them.

That had led to this moment now, Matt covering your eyes while he led you into his bed room quickly. His soft laughs filling your ears.

“Matt, what is this all about?” You questioned softly, your own giggles slipping out at the anticipation of what he was guiding you to.

He shushed you, feet shuffling as he moved himself in front of you. “You’ll see sweetheart, just hold on.” He said, fumbling with his bedroom handle while his other hand still covered your eyes, pushing the door open.

You sighed playfully, letting him guide you through the door, closing it with a soft click. “Did you do something? Please don’t let it be something silly.” You stated, the smile growing more across your features.

He silently shook his head, even if you couldn’t see it. “No, no just,” he mumbled removing his hand from your eyes, “open your eyes.” He whispered.

Your eyes fluttered open, blinking a few times from the lack of light. Once they adjusted, your mouth opened agape. There in front of you next to Matt’s desk, was a whole other pc set up, soft white and pink contrasting his black and grey.

You spun to him, eyes practically bulging out of your head. “Wha- Matt you didn’t!” You squealed, body barreling into his as your arms wrapped around his middle.

He smiled down at you, pressing a kiss to the top of your head as he wrapped his arms around you in return. “You’ve been talking so much about wanting to play games with me,” he muttered against your head, “so I wanted to do somethin’ special for my girl.”

You pulled away, the smile still gracing your lips as you turned back around to the pc. Pulling the chair out, you sit down, looking back at Matt. “Can we — can we play Minecraft now?..” your voice dripping with sweetness. He couldn’t say no to you.

-

The game session was well into an hour or more, Matt sitting right next to you at his own desk. You had bought - Matt had bought - some skins to use, wanting your character to look cute. Already having slipping into the rolls of who was going to be doing what so naturally.

Matt did the mining, while protecting you from any of the mobs that were trying to attack you. And you did the building, while making sure you had animals and a farm.

Though you were a little bummed, not having found a cherry blossom biome yet like you had hoped for. Matt took notice to it, “baby, why don’t we go on an adventure, yeah?” He questioned, his head turning to you.

You nodded, smiling at him as you gathered necessary things in the game before setting off. Matt took the lead, making sure you were safe and exploring different areas you hadn’t been to before. As you guys were walking through a birch forest, something pink caught your attention out of the corner of your eye. And you had never turned faster in any game in your life, sprinting toward it.

“Matt! Baby — look I found a cherry blossom biome!” You squealed, eyes frantically darting around the screen as you got closer to the trees. It was even better looking while playing than the pictures, you were absolutely mesmerized.

Once you entered the biome, Matt right on your tail, you stopped. Spinning around to take in the surroundings. “I told you, you would find one angel.” Matt said from next to you, his hand reaching over to rest on your thigh.

You smiled more, moving your character to break the flowers on the floor, then moving to chop some of the trees. Making sure to collect all the saplings that fell to take back home. Once you felt satisfied enough, you and Matt ventured back. Taking the saplings you collected and planting them around your home, making your own cherry blossom grove.

You couldn’t have asked for a better present, turning to Matt in your chair, you leaned toward him. Your hands reaching out to grab his face, turning it to you and pressing your lips to his. Pulling away you looked at him, “thank you baby — I couldn’t have asked for anything better.” You whispered, smiling.

He grinned back, “only the best for my angel, yeah?” He whispered back, taking your face into his hands and kissing you once more.

[ily-tomura]

Tomura’s Love

Autistic!Tomura, GN!Reader, QPR

Tomura thinks that the idea of love languages and classifying people based on them is weird. It’s much easier for him to work with if you don’t use a bunch of labels and instead explain things in clear language for him.

He doesn’t pick up on subtle hints at wanting affection. The whole idea of intimacy is very scary for him but he not only trusts you, but also that you will say when you need something.

Keeping things at a pace and level of intensity that he likes takes a bit of accommodating, but you’re more than willing to give him time and space when he needs it.

He loves listening to you talk. He also asks you questions about the things you’ve been reading because he knows how good it feels when someone pays attention to something you care a lot about.

Tomura will sometimes bring you things and ask you to read them to him because he’s very soothed by the sound of your voice. It’s something he learned he liked while checking out guided meditation type things. His favorite thing to have you read is fanfiction based off of his favorite video games.

He also loves info-dumping. He’s learned to ask before he starts doing it most of the time, but you’ll listen either way. He’s always going down YouTube rabbit holes and he wants to tell you about the things that he’s learned.

His special interest range wildly, from PC building to cryptozoology, horror literature and photography, but video game lore has always and will always be a mainstay. He loves going through interwoven timelines with you. It’s a lot to keep straight, but if you don’t get it all the first time, he’s happy to go through it again.

He’ll give you the floor to talk about the things that really interest you. It’s really nice just to talk and Tomura sits at attention, really listening to what you say.

Tomura’s favorite way to spend time with you is the two of you sitting together but doing your own things. He likes to be around you while you watch TV or YouTube because he can wear his headphones and play on one of his many handheld gaming consoles. Sometimes when he’s reading, he’ll laugh and get your attention to have you read a snippet of fanfiction he finds interesting or funny.

He struggles with big transitions and coming out of his head when he’s been focused for a long time, but you learn to give him a bit of time to adjust between activities.

He really isn’t a fan of being touched, but very occasionally, he’ll ask to hug you to help ground him. This picks up in frequency if he’s having bad days or a lot of stuff is going on at once.

He’ll also ask if you need a hug when you seem stressed out. It was a lot for him to ask that in the beginning, but it’s getting easier and easier for him to do.

He loves to send you things that made him think of you. Text chains between the two of you are sprinkled with pictures and links to things he thought you’d like. It’s fan art of your favorite media, songs he’d thought you’d like, or little things that reference the inside jokes you have together.

[arthurhillmastermind]

Anyone but him | Arthur Hill

“Same Building, same friends, zero patience for each other. For now.”

Kirstie stood in front of her mirror, adjusting her hair for the third time. She felt a mix of excitement and anxiety about attending Chris’s dinner party. After moving into the flat below him, she’d only heard stories about his friends— ArthurTV, and Bach. Chris had promised they were fun, but that didn’t ease her nerves. What if they didn’t like her? What if she didn’t like them?

With a final deep breath, Kirstie grabbed her jacket and made her way upstairs. She knocked on Chris’s door, and it swung open almost immediately, revealing a beaming Chris.

“You made it! I was beginning to think I’d have to come and drag you here myself!” he teased, pulling her into a quick hug.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Kirstie replied, rolling her eyes but smiling as she stepped inside.

The flat was warm and inviting, the scent of something delicious wafting from the kitchen. The living room was filled with laughter and casual chatter, and Kirstie felt her heart race as she spotted three guys lounging on the couch.

Chris led her over, gesturing grandly. “This is Kirstie! Although I feel like I didn't need to say this.”

Bach looked up, a cheeky grin on his face. “Yeah you didn't.! Chris won’t stop talking about you. Welcome to the shit show.”

ArthurTV smirked, raising his drink. “If he’s been hyping you up, you must be something special. I’m Arthur.”

Bach, sitting cross-legged with a warm smile, nodded in greeting. “Pleasure to meet you, Kirstie. Don’t mind Chris and ArthurTV; they’re just jealous I’m the best-looking one here.”

Kirstie chuckled, feeling her tension ease slightly. “Oh really? I'm pretty sure that changed when I came in, but I’ll have to make that judgement for myself,” she quipped back, earning a round of laughter.

“You’re going to fit right in,” Chris declared, clapping his hands together. “Let’s eat before everything gets cold.”

As they gathered around the dining table, Kirstie found herself seated between ArthurTV and Bach. Chris had gone all out, with a spread that looked as good as it smelled.

“So, Kirstie,” ArthurTV started, leaning slightly toward her. “What games are you streaming these days?”

Kirstie took a sip of her drink, feeling more at ease. “I just started streaming GTA V. It’s been a wild ride so far. Lots of chaos and swearing and laughing. I Play with Ginge sometimes and I play Fifa every so often too, ill play anything my stream ask me too to be honest, I did a sims challenge during a 24-hour stream, they asked me to make Chris and harry and let them get married, so I did.”

Chris annoyed “yeah and thanks to that I keep getting fan fiction written about it”

Kirstie impressed with herself “yup and thanks to that I bought my new pc”

Bach leaned in, a mischievous glint in his eye. “ I rate that, Are you a total wild card, or do you play it safe?”

“Depends on my mood,” Kirstie replied with a smirk. “But I’d say I enjoy a bit of reckless abandon now and then. I like leaving a game like sims or   on while streaming when I take a stream break and grab a drink or answer a call.”

ArthurTV raised his glass again with a grin. “That’s what we like to hear! Welcome to the shit show. I can imagine that Ginge is an annoying twat sometimes, though.”

Kirstie laughed, raising her glass to clink with his. “Thank you! He’s one of my favourite people to stream with, though. I try to get him on a stream three or four times a month. We balance each other out, I think.”

Chris groaned, rolling his eyes. “Yeah, I know he’d like to ‘balance you out’ too.”

Kirstie shot him an unimpressed look. “Chris, actually shut the fuck up.”

The group burst into laughter, ArthurTV slapping Chris on the back as he tried to maintain his mock-wounded expression. Kirstie felt her nerves melting away, blending seamlessly into the banter.

As dinner was served, Kirstie found herself surrounded by playful jabs and hilarious stories. She exchanged quips with Bach and ArthurTV, who were both delighted to test her sense of humour. Chris chimed in with a few anecdotes about their friend group that had Kirstie nearly in tears from laughing.

At one point, Chris disappeared into the kitchen to check on dessert, leaving Kirstie and the guys to chat. She noticed Arthur’s name come up in conversation, and her heart raced a little.

“What’s Arthur Hill actually like?” Kirstie asked casually, trying to keep her tone light.

“He’s a bit of a mystery,”  ArthurTV replied, a knowing look in his eyes. “Talented musician, but he can be a pain sometimes.”

“Yeah, like a lovable pain,” Bach added, rolling his eyes. “He has his moments.”

“He’s got this knack for thinking he’s cooler than everyone else,” ArthurTV added with a laugh. “But deep down, he’s a softie.”

Kirstie felt a strange flutter at the mention of Arthur. Despite their less-than-friendly encounters, she found herself curious about him.

Just then, Chris returned with a tray of desserts, interrupting her thoughts. “Alright, who’s ready for some sweet treats?”

The laughter and chatter resumed, and Kirstie felt grateful for the warmth of the evening. Maybe fitting in wouldn’t be as difficult as she had feared.

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

Part 1 - here!

[meltedbluecaterpillar]

Okay guys immersion break. The demon within me is starving so ima feed him. A while ago I talked with a friend about sex in Twisted Wonderland. Specifically dildos. You know how there’s Bad Dragon? Do you think they would have a version of that?

Think about it like this. So, Malleus is the future king of his country. Is it illegal to order a dragon fae dildo and pretend you’re fucking the future king? Is it taboo? Is it something people don’t talk about? Is it something people DO talk about? Would Malleus be upset knowing people want to fuck him?!

Then there’s porn. How likely is it to see Beastman x Human porn? ‘Human Girl Takes Wolfman Raw!’ Shit like that? Is it popular to have videos of mixed species? Is it educational at all? Sex with a merman turning into a softcore documentary on Animal Planet? Are there laws on interspecies relationships? Like how donkeys and horses make non fertile babies? Would that be something they talk about?

Okay back to the dildos; I think that for the Savanaclaw boys… It’s kinda funny how it works in my mind. I think lions are very popular in the dildo department but they’re one of those ‘special order’ things. The idea of fucking Leona or Falena is definitely on someone’s fantasy bucket list. But again is it taboo to own something modeled after a member of the royal family? It’s different than Malleus’ situation because not all lions are members of the royal family… So it’s a loophole haha. I think hyenas are very niche dildo wise. They’re seen as ‘dirty’ but also… There’s a special allure to those kinds of guys. The roughness is pleasant so I think a hyena dildo would be much harder to find. Not because of taboo but most people won’t find hyena men sexually attractive… Maybe… Wolves are probably the most popular but also they’re the most basic and easy to mass produce. Who doesn’t love a good ol’ fashion knot?

This kind of sexual world building is my favorite and you will never see me post about this normally. It all lives in a big document saved on my PC and in my mind where I make Twisted Wonderland more realistic and fun in a bad way. Your favorite Twst character is the worst, and I can make him worse!

[lillotte17]

Okay, I’ve done 2 play throughs and I’m well into my 3rd, so I feel like my review of the game can be (mostly) fair and not as emotionally driven as it was when I finished the first time. (this is very long >_>)

I want to start with the good things!

The game is beautiful. BEAUTIFUL. I was not crazy about the stylistic change of the graphics from DAI at first, but once I started playing, I really loved it. The maps are huge and unique. I find something new every time. I love all the little puzzles and sneaky little side quests you can find. I the little sneaky cameos of items and songs from other games.

I love the mechanics of being able to use companions’ special abilities when they are not in your party. I still wish we got 3 people in our party instead of just 2 for balance reasons, but otherwise I find the fighting really engaging and dynamic.

I love that they brought back specific banter spots, shortened the time between when the next banter triggers AND allowed for recovery of the conversation if it got interrupted by something. Thank you for my LIFE. Waiting for certain banters to trigger in DAI was awful lmao.

I really appreciated the effort they put into the CC, allowing for greater body type differences and the various gender options. Long hair, curly hair, please and thank! The CC took some getting used to, but once I got the hang of it, it’s fun just to build characters, lol.

I really liked the easy upgrades and enchantments for your armors, and I LOVED being able to wear whatever the best armor was, but have a different armor visible. Great call, team! Do that for always and ever. The only qualm I had was that I would have liked to be able to change the colors on some of the outfits, but really, there was such a good variety, this is a very minor complaint.

In terms of storyline, my favorite quest was the Blood of Arlathan, and I also liked the final push at the end through Minrathous. Big surprise that the things I liked best was actually getting to fight with Solas on my team again, lol. But those where also the times where it really felt like everything was on the table, you know? Weisshaupt was a strong contender, too. That quest was so fasted paced, it made it a little hard to appreciate just how much was going on around you. But asking your local assassin to stab a god-cloud is never not funny, so that one gets good points, too.

Overall, the gameplay is really strong. The rollout was really smooth. I didn’t really encounter any bugs, except for one time I managed to change all the subtitles to French? But I think that might have been a user error. If I was just here for a generic fantasy game, this would get 10/10. It’s fun to play and it’s pretty. You can stab stuff, and throw magic around, and there are dragons.

However…

The storyline and the pacing was a mess. Which is honestly baffling from a BioWare game. I am not saying this with spite or hatred, because I know that EA tried to kill this game repeatedly, so it’s kind of amazing that we got anything at all, BUT it’s still frustrating, because…I can SEE IT. I can SEE all the pieces of a REALLY good story. An AMAZING story. The story I WANTED to play!!! And it’s like…it all got put together wrong.

The nearly nonexistent romances are honestly the worst offenders here. Even if they wanted to keep the rating down to make it more accessible to a wider audience, there is no reason why I should only have ONE opportunity to kiss my love interest over the course of an 80+ hour game. SOLAVELLAN had more unique romance scenes and kisses than you get with Lucanis and he DUMPS your character before coming back to steal your hand. Not to mention the fact that it is possible for your LI to die before you ever get to actually say you love them or anything. Davrin was my first romance. At the end of Tearstone Island like…I wasn’t sad. I wasn’t feeling my PCs grief that her boyfriend whom she had kissed exactly one time was dead. I was PISSED. I don’t think I have ever been so mad about a writing choice, and I am a certified Tragedy Enjoyer. It didn’t even feel like a good tragic blow, because they didn’t take the time to build up the romance before killing him. And Rook hardly gets a second to mourn afterwards, so it was just kind of a nothingburger that made me feel like I wasted all the time I had spent playing for it. (I went back and changed it so he lived but jfc)

Speaking of killing characters: Varric. It was a mistake. I know what they were going for. I see what they were trying to do. But it was a mistake. First of all, they relied way too much on the idea that the player has played the other games, in the sense that the story just opens with Rook already with Varric, who they have known for over a year, and then they turn around and nerf him in the first act. There’s no time to establish how Rook feels about Varric, or how they feel about this quest they’ve been on for so long, you just get thrown into it without preamble. And then, Varric is just kind of… there. He’s Rook’s cheerleader, but he almost never has any real advice, and you almost never get to have a discussion with him. Which means, when you find out what happened to him later, the emotional blow is relying almost entirely on your attachment to Varric from previous games instead of the game you are currently playing.

Also, I figured out he was dead pretty early on, so the reveal had almost no impact, and felt a bit ham-fisted, if I’m being honest.

The second reason it was a mistake is that…it just felt like an excuse to make the player hate Solas. Like, it honestly feels like that is the only reason they did it. Which seems so unnecessary? The man is responsible for the fucking blight and the death of the titans and is currently trying to tear the Veil down, and you think that’s not ENOUGH motivation for the PC to want to give him the middle finger???

Which brings us to: Solas. I love this man. I love Solavellan. I love his story. I love THEIR story. But…if I had played this game first, I don’t think I would have cared about redeeming him. All of the companions tell stories about second chances and redemption and being able to change your nature, and I KNOW that was supposed to be in reference to Solas, I know it was but… It just felt like they did almost nothing to SHOW you how much he was trying to do the right thing every time he fucked up. How badly he wanted to be a hero and a protector, and someone giving wisdom instead of orders. When we saw his regrets and talked about them with the team, I really thought it was going to be relevant later. I thought it would come up in conversation with Solas, and depending on how you talked to him about the things you saw, you could slowly guide him towards choosing a better path at the end. I thought it would all be on Rook, and their choice to take a chance to try and redeem him or not. But in the end, it didn’t matter. It only unlocked Mythal. She was the only thing that made a difference. Not Rook. Not your Inquisitor. Not any of the other choices you made in the entire game or the one that preceded it. Don’t get me wrong, I am SO grateful they squeezed a Solavellan ending in there for us, really and truly. But the fact that he was so in love with her during DAI that he was about to give up everything without her even asking, and he’s so torn up about her during Trespasser that he can hardly let her close to him because just being in proximity to her makes him want to stop everything and stay with her, and then when she shows up at the end of Veilguard and asks him to stop…he pauses for even less time to consider the option than when ROOK asks. And then Mythal holds more sway with him by like 1000%. Just. Felt very much like a downgrade. (Also I wanted a hug. He needed a fucking hug and my Lavellan would have hugged the Bad Choices right out of him)

There are other things. Dwarves getting sidelined again. Slavery in Tevinter barely being touched on. The weird idea of the Crows being a good option for orphans with nowhere to go. The SUPER uncomfortable end of Bellara’s quest where a non-elf Rook can have an opinion on what she should do with the history of her people. But those are kind of like…small potatoes. Typical BioWare story flubs tbh.

I know, my complaints are much longer than my praises, but I really do like playing the game. Really and truly. It is a good game, and I am eternally grateful that they got it to us at all. I just…wish we could have gotten the story I think they wanted to tell us, instead of what we ended up with. But as they say: That’s what Fanfic is for. <3

[level2janitor]

grid-combat sandbox thing!

i get distracted with new projects a lot, but lately my brain's been hyperfocused on one in particular. i wanted to take a crack at combining 4e-style tactical combat with OSR-style sandbox play, which on the surface seem like entirely opposite directions. and they kind of are, but i think i have something

since i started work on it i ended up dropping the words "OSR" and "4e" from my descriptions of it bc i think they end up evoking the wrong image. there's a lot that's core to both playstyles that i'm omitting to make it play nicer with the other playstyle. but it's far along enough now that i can talk about some of the design philosophy and how that manifests.

little to no scaling

the traditional way modern D&D (and to an extent even old-school D&D) handles progression is with big numerical scaling. a level 2 PC has nearly twice as much HP/damage as a level 1 PC. so you scale monsters to match, because the PCs have to get into fights around their level for the game to work.

skeletons are a real danger at 1st-level. they're manageable by 3rd, easy by 5th, and a joke by 7th-level. so you just stop running into skeletons, and when you're nearing the end of that level range any skeleton encounters that do happen will have a lot of skeletons.

this is bad for sandboxes! say i'm preparing a sandbox setting ahead of time and have a dungeon with a bunch of skeletons in it somewhere. i don't know what level the PCs will find it at - depending on whether they go through it as a 2nd-level or 6th-level party, it might be incredibly easy or so dangerous there's little they can do to mitigate that difficulty. or i'll just have to redo my encounter math the moment they find it, and that sucks for both the GM and players.

so, big numerical scaling is out. there's levels, you level up, but most of what you get from that level-up is a new ability. not a big pile of hit points and more damage. there's some scaling, your numbers are like twice as big at 10th-level compared to 1st-level, but it's a small enough range that a hard encounter at 1st-level will stay relevant throughout a whole campaign.

the game's far along enough i can create & fully level a fighter PC, so i made a 1st and 10th-level (max) character and put them side-by-side to get a feel for the scaling.

the warrior class

speaking of, the first class i made is the fighter, obviously. it's always the first thing i want to get right if i'm making a D&D-like system.

this is a good showcase of what each class is going to end up looking like: you start with a few core features & two perks (3 for warrior bc i like them being customizable). warrior perks range from a few unique moves to useful passives that let you resist statuses, strike multiple enemies, move further, equip heavier gear, parry weak attacks, etc.

the two core features, versatile fighter & combat opportunist, are designed to reward you for engaging in core combat mechanics. you get bonuses to attack from high ground, and this increases that bonus. every weapon has a unique special move you can do with it, and this lets you use any weapon you have with no cost to switch.

i've never liked the way most D&D-likes handle weapons, where you design your build around one specific weapon. you invest all your feats into being The Polearm Guy and when you find a cool magic warhammer or dagger you're just like. well i don't want this. it's not a polearm. so this fighter is instead designed to encourage you to carry around a ton of different weapons and use all of them.

exploration & the ranger

i used to hang out in the 5e community a lot, and people hated the 5e ranger. why? cause nobody used the travel rules, and you can't really blame them. the game has rules for how far you can travel each day, for random encounters & whether they ambush you, foraging, encumbrance, different travel speeds.

but most people who play 5e don't want that kind of experience, and 5e half-commits to it by leaving these rules scattered through the dungeon master's guide and making them too tedious. everything's measured in real numbers - miles, minutes, pounds. you track weight with pounds instead of item slots. of course nobody wants to track encumbrance when they have to stop the game to ask the GM how many pounds the macguffin weighs. nobody wants to dig through the DMG looking for the rule that tells you how many miles you can move. it just gets in the way and stops the game, so nobody does.

all of this screws over the ranger class which gives you bonuses to things like travel speed, not being ambushed while traveling, finding more rations, and tracking. people disliked the ranger so much that a supplement came out that replaced all of their exploration features with naturey combat features and some skill boosts, and since then that's the actual ranger when anyone wants to play one.

with that context, here's the exploration features my game's ranger gets.

the feature on the left is inherent while the right two are perks. there's combat features, but they're not part of the point i wanted to make.

the ranger needs to feel useful, and for that, the exploration needs to be front and center. so what better game than one designed for sandboxes?

i don't want this to be the kind of big-damn-heroes game where you skip to the next setpiece because the travel is boring. the travel is the game. that's where the OSR influence comes in.

you track rations. it's important - if a place is far from civilization, it feels like it because there's nowhere safe nearby to restock rations.

you track encumbrance. deciding how much space to spend on arrows and rations, and how much to spend on treasure, means more decision-making.

you do hexcrawling, you track time, and you care how many days a journey takes because the world changes as time passes. enemies & other factions progress their schemes, new developments come up. so sometimes you go, wow, good thing we have a ranger - we can move 3 hexes today instead of 2!

the ranger is better at foraging rations so you can venture further into the wilderness, better at moving your party faster, better at keeping watch. i want that to matter! i can envision it being so satisfying to play a ranger and constantly come in handy. and i want parties without a ranger to wish they had one in a way that isn't just tedious.

so hopefully that gives you a good idea of the sandboxy direction for this game. will be posting about it more as i make progress, and gonna continue to support iron halberd in between this sort of thing

[hestzhyen]

Chapter 48 Speculation Posting

Hello, dear void, and welcome to The Hype Building Chapter.

So Chihiro and Hakuri are collecting all the bearers before returning to Kamunabi HQ- hope that doesn't get derailed (sorry). TRAIN FIGHT INCOMING THOUGH! YEAH!

I love train fights! Chihiro's facing off against a snazzy-looking Hishaku guy and it's gonna be epic. I hope we get the full treatment of starting inside, moving to the top, ducking under bridges, decoupling cars- the works. With the current pace, I think we'll get through it and arrive at Senkutusu Temple by the end of the next chapter. What will be waiting for the crew there...? It's the location that probably houses the girlish-looking Bearer, but who knows.

OK, OK, before I get pilloried for trying to guess the associations despite completely whiffing on where Uruha would be, I think I got it this time. Sushi Chef has got to be at the sushi restaurant. If he isn't I'll... I don't know, yeet my PC off the nearest bridge or something. So that leaves two locations: Senkutsu Temple and Kuentaisha Shrine. I think Eye Scars is at Kuentaisha Shrine mostly because the name contains the kanji �� (en), which is specifically for smoke, tobacco, haze, and ash; and both times we've seen him, he's been smoking. So with the other three locations accounted for, that would leave Girl Bearer for the next stop at Senkutsu Temple. That's my theory! It sucks! But I'm rolling with it anyway!

But before we get there, Chihiro's gotta deal with this prettyboy:

Why you got those dots under your eyes like Shiyumi, man? And why did the official TL mistranslate your name to "Hirohiko"?

And we even got this guys' name! (Wow, really spoiling us with the names lately, Hokazono-sensei.) Our villain this time is Hiruhiko (昼彦), meaning "noon boy" in a literal sense. 昼 (hiru) can be chosen to express the importance of being decisive and/or appreciating the joy of life. 彦 (hiko) is exclusively for male names and has multiple connotations- virtuosity, honor, respectability, being of good character... lmao. Wiping out Uruha's buddies and lugging their corpses for a few kilometers to bait him definitely fits the bill for that description, yup. This won't be the only fight between them- a named character is not going to go down in a single skirmish (probably). But hopefully Goldfish Batman can get a few good hits in for Bandana guy and the rest. Fuck 'im up, Chihiro.

"But wait, didn't the Anti-Kuregumo squad go down in one fight over thirty chapters ago?" you didn't ask. Why yes, they did. Isn't it strange that they break the rule of Hokazono-sensei not giving names to fodder and one-off characters?

Gone but perhaps not totally forgotten? Missing: Makoto Kasahara (big hand guy with the stripe over his nose- he was out scouting).

Out of all these guys, Kazane is the only one with a real shot of being relevant again since he's alive and in mostly one piece. But we got full names for every member of the squad despite being stuck using fan nick names for important characters like Ice Lady. What gives? Were they named just for the shock value upon death? Plausibly! But now that we have Ice Lady, Braid Bro, Sazasis, Bandana-kun and more, these guys stick out as an exception.

I think that maybe we could get into sorcery clans as the mysteries surrounding the Hishaku are revealed. Because if I'm right about them being a defeated faction, it would make sense for them to have ties to clans with special abilities and powers like the Sazanamis. Sorcery is inherited, after all, and the Sazanamis aren't the only ones who would build a clan around those powers if they were useful enough.

The Sazanami name was, at best, an indirect reference to the nature of Isou and their clan legacy. I will not be putting much stock into the clan names and how they tie into members' abilities- my Japanese isn't good enough for that, and I don't have access to the raws to confirm what kanji were used for ability names anyway. But I think there are enough physical similarities between one set of characters in particular that illustrate what I mean about clans being tied to or split between sides.

Behold my awful MS Paint skills:

Common traits: extremely short, stocky men with masks over their face (mouth in particular). We've seen Kiyohiko as a member of the task force, an unnamed Kamunabi higher-up that watched Chihiro's interrogation, and one of Uruha's guards at the hotsprings. The repeated mask and stature combination seems like a deliberate design choice at least.

And then there's this shot of the datenseki-empowered onsen invaders:

The guy with the long braid in the middle looks an awful lot like Ikuto, doesn't he? A smidge suspicious in a series that goes out of it's way to kill off uniquely designed characters without any fanfare.

There's also some of the datenseki aura wisps looking like Kuregumo's dragon smoke effect...

Rest in piss, Sojo.

The last time we saw datenseki in use, Tenri's spirit energy manifested as a jellyfish (ch. 33). Why is it indistinct smoke for these guys- is it because they probably aren't elite sorcerers? Are the datenseki provided by Sojo different than the one Tenri used somehow? Also, there's a limited number of these datenseki according to Chihiro... but we can presume that more can and will be made... Sojo is still gonna haunt the narrative though his deadly space rocks, I guess. I'm fine with this if it means he's never resurrected.

I think the designs for the characters and the smoke effects are artistic limitations first and foremost, but I can't completely let go of the "what if" nagging in the back of my head. It's too early in the series to see if this is subtle foreshadowing or just grasping at straws, so I won't hold on tight to this pet theory like I am with the Hishaku one. The only other scenario that's come close is the hinting about Hakuri's real talents (praying mantis imagery, first Isou misfire with his eye still becoming distorted, surviving the Enkotsu hit point-blank, the silhouette of the first patriarch sporting a mirrored version of Hakuri's hair style, Soya's tools disappearing, maybe his name if you read into that kind of stuff).

Oh yeah. We got another name this chapter: Yura (幽). 幽 means (to) seclude, subtle, confinement, tranquil, and/or dark. Spoopy. The connotations as a name are what one one would expect: profundity, having a mysterious presence, subtlety, so on and so forth. 幽 is usually read as yuu (the other reading is kasu), so if it turns out to be a code name of some kind, I wouldn't be surprised. For now, whether or not Yura is actually the Hishaku leader is unclear. It's too late for Hokazono-sensei to give us his name though- the Western fanbase has already dubbed him "John", which shall be his name forevermore.

Other than that, lots of Uruha hooray! He is a perfect blend of ridiculous and badass (sensing a trend with friendly characters that meet Chihiro, hmm...).

His conversation with Chihiro was so bittersweet...

He really, truly cared about Kunishige the man instead of Kunishige the war hero. And Chihiro's expression... oh, my heart. I really appreciate these little reminders that Chihiro's still struggling with grief on top of his father's burdensome legacy. To be told he's the spitting image of his beloved dad after so many people doubted him clearly meant a great deal.

Uruha's raised a flag for teaching Hakuri how to value his own life too, just like I was hoping:

Boy who has trouble valuing himself notices someone correctly assessing their own worth by refusing to take the bait that he would have fallen for. Hm.

I cut out the speculative yapfest because honestly, it's just one potential thread out of many. It might not even go anywhere at all. But if I want to indulge myself, I guess I can put it like this: Uruha is a very strong Hakuri parallel in both demeanor and situation. If it was just the first one, I wouldn't be investing in Hakuri character development stocks this arc. But now I will do so cautiously- and hope Uruha doesn't get buried under a mountain of death flags.

For now, we wait to see how Chihiro's second fight against a Hishaku member goes. Thank you, dear void, for letting me ramble once more.

[necros-writing-stuff]

There is something about Eden that makes me think, if he were to ever get truly drunk, he would forget that PC is his partner, and much to PC's confusion, try to kidnap them out of the cabin.

"I really love m-. M-. Mmmmmmmmyy spouse." The hunter struggles through the line with a furrowed brow, head tucked into his chest as he looks down at you on the rug by the fire.

"Oh you do? What are they like?" You laugh, taking a sip out of scotch. It goes down smooth, an expensive bottle he'd kept for special occasions. You're both sat in the fanciest clothing you own tonight. You'd done a ceremony in the forest, a proper wedding for the two of you. A special occasion indeed.

Eden's head rolls backwards, resting on the back of his chair as he smiles big and wide. "The besssst. Makes great eggs! The. Um. The best eggs."

"Mhm, what else?" You keep prying, desperate to hear his true thoughts just for once. Eden is never this loose tongued.

"So beautiful. Too beautiful f'me, you know? But they're mine anyway! And smart. Smart in ways 'm not." His eyes are fluttering, exhaustion kicking in. He looks content, though. At peace.

Raising your glass again, you keep asking as warmth builds in your chest. "You take good care of them?"

"Mhm," he nods, "I always will. They deserve it."

Shaking your head, you put your glass down. It takes a second or two for Eden to realise that you're climbing into his lap, but when he does he pushes against your chest and mutters a slurred "No."

"'m a loyal man, can't be lettin' you."

Your laugh is loud and full, cheeks going red as the booze starts getting to you, too. "I am your spouse, silly. Open your eyes properly and look at me."

He blinks, his head cocking to the side as he studies your face. His hand rises to cup your cheek, bringing it closer to his face so he can see your properly.

And then you're smushed against him, head tucked under his chin as he gives you a big bear hug.

"My gorgeous spouse..." He sighs while you shuffle your head around to breathe properly.

"Yeah, Eden. All yours." Your leg is a bit uncomfortable, gonna have to wiggle a bit and get it-

The hunter stands with no warning, you in his arms. You yelp, begging him to sit back down when you're put over his shoulder and he wobbles on his feet a bit. He even kicks over your glass.

"Got t'go home now," Eden grumbles, slowly stumbling to the door with you in tow. The cabin door. Because you're already home.

"Eden! We're home right now!" Your fists gently pound on his back to get his attention, trying your best to get out of his grip and slide to a stand. Silly drunk fool has too strong of a hold, though.

"Home 'sjust this way..." He opens the door with one hand and you try your best to squirm so that you're not knocked off of the frame.

"Eden!" It was meant to be a reprimand. It came out with a giggle.

"Consumate the marriage." His voice upturns at the end of the sentence, not like he's asking a question, but showing off his clear excitement.

"And we're going the wrong way you silly man!"

[bloogers-boogers]

Omg thanks again for the yentlman + kyman comic they are really amazing 🤭

Can't wait to see the next part for both of them

Yentl making kyle look stupid is everything 😆 I love Them .

Thank you so much! 🙏

Tho, I have confession to make. I was planning on bailing this comic bc I had no plan whatsoever with it. It just started off as just an request but eventually become a thing 😭 I didn't intend for it to be a comic because I don't normally post something with out knowing where I was gonna go ahead for.

Besides that, the comic was base for a ship "Yentlman" but it doesn't feel like that. It feels more about a story where Kyle realizes too late about his feelings for cartman (which isn't far from it). However, liking Yentlman doesn't mean I'm very interested in the ship itself or know much about their dynamic besides what's been given in the pc specials and it's hard for me to keep up with a ship not being able to picture or expand more about it. And I genuinely don't feel I would because I'm just not that interested in that ship, at least not to come up with a good story for it.

As you see, I keep drawing them as a happy couple in the honeymoon phase of their relationship because that's ALL I can think of for them. Personally I just can't go for it and I'm sorry but I feel like I had to explain myself to you guys 🤧

I'm still not sure if i want to continue this comic but if u guys are interested in seeing more of it without focusing too much on the ship but on a whole different direction. I had a lot of time to think about it and honestly could see myself continuing the comic if it's mostly focus on Cartman and Kyle's friendship. Technically it's still "one-sided" and still "Yentlman" bc Eric will be with her. But instead of the romance it's a build up for kyman friendship after a harsh rejection all those years they built fell down the drain but I see them missing each other's company and typical banter. It's just hard to ignore the other's absence or act like they are total strangers when they're NOT. They care in their way and Kyle still feels the need to correct Cartman when he's being his dumb self while Cartman still needs someone to respond back or it's just meaningless.

Hopefully this explains it all and I would like to know your thoughts about taking the other route instead! C':

[jolalibrary]

Hello fellow scout,

I’m here on official scout business! I would love, love, love to know what your writing process looks like - do you meticulously plot out everything beforehand or are you a dash out ideas in note form and see what your characters are up to kind of person? Does everything get written on your phone or are you a big screen only kind of writer? Do you only get inspo first thing in the morning or last thing at night?!

I’d love to hear anything you’d like to share!

Much love,

Al 🖤

Al!! 🩷 i love this question, but i need to apologise now for how lengthy this is likely about to get, because your girl does not have a linear process.

for your eyes and ease, i have listed in bullet points:

sometimes, i need a detailed plot if there's lots of moving parts within the piece. so if there's lots of build up and i need to weave, then a chapter by chapter (but this isn't rigid) process needs to be built.

but often, I'll have the summary, and then i write the ending/last scene first. because then i have a direction.

i try to then write the beginning scene/opening chapter, even if it's the roughest (because first chapters and opening scenes are always - in my opinion - my weakest) because then it's there.

from then, i fuck about and find out. sometimes i know X, Y and Z needs to happen before i reach the ending, and sometimes a scene will pop up in my head that I decide needs to be in it, and so i then have to move things around to make it work.

if it's a series, I'll have a document of rolling ideas, a document of dialogue (dialogue comes to me easier than scenes) and then my plot. if it's a one shot, I'll separate the document into sections to achieve this so i can work in one place.

before i get into the gritty of it, i need to know my characters. for pedro boys, it's a little easier as I'll already have a concrete-ish idea of who they are, but the person they're paired with often i need to spend a bit of time with. usually they either come to me or i have to work a bit harder (use spotify to find their song, pinterest to find their vibe and play around with dialogue to find their voice).

phone versus PC: i write on both, i tend to find i can write my first draft on my phone - this does also allow me to move around rooms. sometimes, i start something in one room, and then need to sit somewhere else. i can write on my laptop, but the vibe and the mood needs to be right, but my phone doesn't need a lot of that. i can only edit on my laptop though, and usually in a quiet room (i'm dyslexic, so i dread to think what would happen if i didn't). when i edit on my phone, it's for a quick drabble and I'll spend so long editing that i give myself a headache... not ideal.

poor @goodwithcheese and @secretelephanttattoo know the wind can blow and i get inspo. i am somehow incapable of having ideas, it's just that some are like fun "OMG IMAGINE" and some are like, "i need to write this". but i can only write either later at night (post 7pm) or early in the morning (4am-7am) anything between 7-7pm has to be like so good i can't put it down. it does happen, but it's rare and special when it happens. (do me yourself is the exception, if i can squirrel myself away, i can write it, it's the most fun I've had writing in a really long time).

EXTRA BONUS FACT: music is always involved. i have playlists for almost all moods and some fics, and often, i can't begin something without a song. music matters to me a lot.

EXTRA EXTRA BONUS FACT: my commute is 30 mins each way and i usually turn over difficult ideas or issues in plots, and so this either leads to a voice note that i have to cringingly listen back to, OR a note OR, i work out i need to rewrite the chapter. ugh.

I am sure there's likely more jo-weirdness, but i feel I've talked so much, so i'm going to stop, but feel free to ask follow ups if I've not been clear hahaha.

ily, thank you so much for this lovely ask

[pluralpcs]

Playing Plural PCs in Literally Any TTRPG

For our first post, before diving into mechanical ways of playing a plural character, we want to focus on something very important:

You do not need special mechanics to play a plural character.

This blog is a fun little project that we're doing because we love to see mechanical representation of our plurality in the games we play. But regardless of the game you play, the systems you use, or the setting you tell stories in, you can always play a plural character.

To play a plural character in any setting or system, simply play your character as plural!

No really, it's that simple.

But how to do it?

In just about every game we've come across, there are no mechanical limitations that get in the way of plurality. Nor are there any narrative constraints that stop a character from being more than one. Nothing stops you from slapping an ampersand on the end of your character's name, or writing their system name in the name field.

While mechanically there's nothing that differentiates a plural character from a singular character built this way, there are some interesting spins you can take.

Dissociative Dice

A common experience among systems is different headmates having different aptitudes. Some headmates might be better with certain tasks, or they might handle situations better than others. Weave this into your narrative. When you roll really well on a certain action or skill check, you could have one of your PC's headmates switch or start co-fronting. If you roll really poorly, perhaps another headmate took over or was front stuck.

Scene Switches

Alternatively (or additionally), your character could have switches between scenes or encounters. Maybe rolling initative is a front trigger for one of the headmates, so the character changes demeanor and attitude when combat starts. Or your character has a host that does all of the talking in social situations. You can have fun and build on this as you play by considering what would happen when a headmate fronts in a situation they aren't used to.

More meta

Another common experience is memory issues. And a common issue in TTRPGs is forgetting what your character might have learned 20 minutes ago in game, because that was last session which was two weeks ago. So if you want to, you can play with that metagame forgetfulness in character. Perhaps you the player get a refresher from the GM about last session by your character asking an NPC to fill them in.

And of course you can swap or combine these approaches how you like. Maybe someone got frontstuck when you botched an initiative roll for combat and so it takes them a moment to switch out, or they have to lean on muscle memory and their headmate's advice during the fight. Maybe you flub a check to decipher some clues because the socialite headmate is extremely bored of the situation and is extremely distracting in co-con.

Some problems and pitfalls

Sharing the Spotlight

Likely if you're playing a TTRPG, you'll be doing so with other bodies. You'll have other players at the table with their own characters getting their own screen time. This means you'll need to share the spotlight with them. Which in turn can feel like there's not a lot of time to highlight your plural character's internal dynamics. If every PC is getting equal screen time, then inherently the headmates of your plural PC will have less time than the singular PCs.

There's a plethora of advice out there about the social aspects of TTRPGs; the metagame conversations, communication, boundaries, etc. A lot of will apply here. Ways to avoid taking the spotlight away from other PCs will apply just the same if some of those PCs are plural. Likewise, you have a right to have fun, and so asking for more time to explore and showcase the way that your character's system works is perfectly reasonable.

Mechanical Mismatch

Depending on the game system (heh) that you're using, you might find some specific nuances that affect how your character, and in turn their system works. For example, if a game system or setting deals with going into the mindscapes of characters, this might impose some rules on your PC's headspace. Or, if a character's soul is a tangible thing that's dealt with through game features and dice, then a plural PC with multiple souls inhabiting one body may run into issues.

You should talk to your gaming group about these mechanical issues. It should never stop your character from being plural, but you may have to have a conversation when that changes the mechanics. Perhaps your group will decide on homebrew or house rules, or perhaps your plural PC will work a bit differently than you intended.

Shitty Strangers

If you're looking to play plural characters with a group of people you're not entirely familiar with, you may run into people who are close minded or bigoted. This overlaps a lot with the struggles of having a plural identity in the world. This can take all sorts of forms from acting like your character is impossible, to telling you that you're appropriating a very serious disorder, to cringing at an authentic display of enthusiasm. Sometimes there are people that are assholes and they happen to also play TTRPGs.

It sucks and you don't have to stand for it. You might find it worthwhile to educate them about plurality. You might call them on their bullshit. You might just simply tell them that they're actions are harmful. Or you might find it healthier to just leave. If you try to bring your plural character to a table, and get a bad vibe, it's entirely within your rights to reconsider gaming with that group.

You do not need special mechanics to play a plural character.

While all of this stuff is stuff to consider, it's always important to remember that TTRPGs are for having fun. And if you have fun playing a plural character, then you should, regardless of the system or setting that you're using.

[onioety]

Okay!!! I'm fucking around with searches on the thisisnotawebsitedotcom.com's computer. I'll keep this thing updated with everything I find!!

(Disclaimer: typing names several times can change the outcomes)

List below!!

-BILL: either jazz triangle YouTube video or a Wikipedia link to eye triangle dollar bill things.

-MCGUCKET: cottoned eye Joe video on YouTube.

-MABEL: stickers will get sticked in the lab until 'lab now fully mabelized' appears on the pc's screen.

-DIPPER: Note from Bill asking him to stare 13 hours at the sun to develope powers to see 'special sun ink'. If you keep clicking, more notes appear saying you're on the right path. Gradually, the notes will get black (you're blind)

-STAN: HERE ME OUT THIS ONE IS MARVELOUS. The first searches will lead you to eBay and different random objects related to Stan (8 ball, rings, compression vest, hat, bow...). If you keep going you'll be able to see this (I love Stanley he's my baby):

Here you can take a look at a TON of random Stan-related things. Special mention to one of Stan's fear being having very small fingertips. I'll never be over it.

-DIVORCE/BREAKUP: THE FUCKING O'SADLEYS SIGN. I'M.

-BOYFRIEND: the romance book.

No because maybe there's more to this... 'there's three sides to every story'. Yes, triangle, love triangle, it's a very good pun. But we had Ford's POV in Diaries 3 and Bill's in the book of Bill. Thinking thoughts.

-GIDEON: sweat resistant bolo ties search on Google.

-TRIANGLE: ')' and 'tri harder'

-ALEX: flannel search on google

-PORTAL: 'portal.exe has been deleted. I bet you could build one'

-GRAVITY FALLS: 'never heard of it'

-FORD/SIXER: 18th y.o Ford's hand radiography. Weird something written I cannot really tell?? H8T0? HBT0? HBTO? H8TO?

-WENDY: 👌

-SOOS: some notes written down by him. Claims that when looking at the book everything glitches and he just sees 'HE'S UNCORRUPTABLE'.

-PIÑATA: video of a girl punching a Bill-shaped piñata.

-ABUELITA: vacuum cleaner commercial spot on YouTube.

-Any insult: soap image, angry message. They do not approve us.

-LIES: okay I find this specially important because the book is very introspective and gives out a lot of info about Bill but we all know he's an unreliable narrator. He rants about post-truth, scientism and superstition (very cool and interesting philosophical topics if I may say). But it's specially interesting when it comes to understanding Bill and his mindset. Lie until what you want becomes true, which can't. Lie until you can't remember what's a lie and what isn't. Reality is doomed, if you can't physically escape, do so in your mind. Lie until you aren't lying anymore. Reality is a compendium, and ultimate construct, a truth of lies, a possibility among endless. Lies are truths

-GOD: video of an axolot swimming with a Bill figurine made out of rock.

-HEY NERD: advertisement

-EVEN HIS LIES ARE LIES:

SORRY: Old picture of Fiddleford and Stanford back in college :(

ONE EYED KING: fucking morse code. Took me some minutes to catch it: -./.-/../-/.../..-/.-/..-.

Resulting in: NAITSUAF. If you enter this word as a new code, you'll see a page with a contract and terms of service to sell your soul. It has a code that translates to: 'you're now twenty one grams lighter'.

[open-hearth-rpg]

Escalation Die: Great RPG Mechanics #RPGMechanics Week Ten (finale)

I’ve talked about a lot of big scale mechanics on these lists: sub-systems and frameworks which have impacted play. But it's interesting to consider how small, discrete mechanics can drastically change the feel of certain modes of play. The Links mechanics from Girl By Moonlight comes close to this, but it has several stages and parts. 13th Age’s Escalation Die is a tight rule that reshapes combats. It may have appeared earlier than 13th Age, but that’s where I encountered it first. 

The escalation die works simply. After the first round of a combat, the GM sets a d6– often the largest one they have at a “1”. All players now add +1 to their attack rolls. Each following turn, the GM clicks this up by another one, up to a maximum value of “6”. This shifts the combat dynamic hugely but without being too obvious. As the combat rolls forward, the odds of a character landing a blow increases slowly and incrementally. 

This obviously affects player engagement over time. The longer a fight goes on, the more likely a player will be able to land that decisive blow. In practical terms it works to accelerate things. But it also helps reduce players' frustration over bad rolls early in the combat. I’ve played a lot of d20 games where the flatness of the resolution has meant that things stretch on– each round the same without changes. With the escalation die, even if you’re still missing, something about the complexion of the conflict changes each time you go. If you’re still whiffing by the time the die gets to “6”, that’s a story in and of itself. 

But the mechanic offers a host of additional, sometimes subtle benefits. First, it’s an obvious clock. You know how long the fight has gone on and can use that as a gauge of threat and success. On the one side, the players know they’ve been at this a while– or can tell they’ve done a great job if they end things before the escalation die gets too high. On the other side, the GM can see how well they’ve built the combat– if the PCs are cutting through or always desperately fighting forever. It exists as a constant and clear yardstick. 

Second, it impacts the design of monster fights. You can make the foes feel tougher right out of the gate. The players ought to struggle in the first couple of rounds but then begin to gather their strength and fight back against the odds. It naturally builds an arc into any combat. I didn’t realize how impactful that would be until I’d run 13th Age quite a bit. 

Third, it provides a minor risk/reward choice for the players. Do they fire off a once-per-combat attack early on or do they wait for a moment when that strike has a better chance of landing? That’s a small factor and one which enters into player calculations without making the resolution process any harder. 

Of course once you have this piece of game tech operating, the system can add in some additional wrinkles and options. Some powerful monsters can use the escalation die themselves; a few can negate the use of the escalation die against them. Monster special powers can be triggered off of the state of the escalation die: happening on odd/even turns or when the die has reached X level. The GM has another power detail to make their encounters more varied. 

On the player side, their abilities can be tied to this as well. Some powers get stronger the higher the escalation die is. The most common one is an Elvish ancestry feat. At the start of a round, that player rolls a d4 and if the result is equal or below the escalation die, they may take an additional standard action. After the first time they succeed with this, the die goes up a step. The Commander class has several talents and feats interacting with the escalation die. One increases the escalation die the first time the GM rolls a critical against the party. That echoes the escalation die’s intent to represent the rising stakes of a fight. 

I’ll be honest when I first played 13th Age, I thought the escalation die was a cute, throwaway gimmick. The GM didn’t emphasize it. But over time and play, I began to see just how impactful it could be. It’s such a simple thing– but one you can really lean into. For our home group, I bought a massive foam d6 and put that on a stand. It creates a super-clear visualization of how the fight’s playing out. 

Importantly when I don’t have the escalation die present in a d20 game I notice it. Playing Godbound or similar systems, I feel the absence. Even if we’re narrating our misses– giving them color and texture– there’s still a bad feeling if you keep burning your turn hopelessly with wasted blows. The escalation die begins to counteract that. The incremental increase offers hope that the next round might be better than this one. When I’ve added that mechanic into play for d20 or OSR games, it has definitely increased the enjoyment of big fights.  

[theresattrpgforthat]

Protect the Child - The Meddle-Mentor

This is part four of a series in which I cover the playbooks of my game Protect the Child, an alpha playtest, Forged-in-the-Dark game of monster babysitters. This week, it's the Meddle-Mentor!

The Meddle-Mentor's special ability is called Teacher Teacher: You can connect with The Child (and fill a Trust box) by teaching them a new skill.

I suppose now is a good time to start talking about the Trust Meter!

While in Blades in the Dark your scoundrels are trying to save coin in order to retire someday, the most important thing to our monsters is a level of trust with the Child. Trust is necessary in facilitating growth, and the Child won't do what you say if they don't trust you. What I'm hoping to do with this mechanic is reflect the efforts of the PCs regarding building a solid relationship with their kid. The Child's ability to succeed is tied to their knowledge that they can fall back on you no matter what.The Child will grow to trust you, but their trust is a fickle thing. Once you gain 3 marks of trust, the Child will listen to you. Once you gain 6 marks, the Child marks experience.

So how does the Meddle-Mentor struggle with this? Well, they have a very iron-clad view of who the Child is supposed to be. This is a character who failed to do something very important in their career, and they likely see a chance to redeem themselves by training the Child to take their place. Meddle-Mentors are skilled individuals, good at a particular craft or trade, but they'll have to learn how to take the Child's desires into consideration, or they'll burn out their protege - and any chances of a future relationship.

The Meddle-Mentor is an homage to Mr. Miyagi from The Karate Kid, The titular character of The Mandalorian, and Hunter from Bad Batch. It's also written in dedication of every parent who wants their child to follow in their footsteps.

You can check out Protect the Child and it's associated playbooks here. Would you play the Meddle-Mentor? What kind of craft or trade would your character practise? What failure would haunt their steps?