#one trick tactician

[marx-soul]

been getting back into fire emblem lately. currently at chapter 18x of eliwood's story in blazing blade. my sain is currently a level 20/2 paladin and is absolutely demolishing everything

[ilk-insolence]

Raph Is A Great Strategist

Numerous times in the show Raph has shown to have a preference for straightforwardly punching his problems away rather than think up a more complex solution. Like how his immediate fix to getting Mayhem out of the mirror in Mystic Library was to punch everything in the bathroom but the mirror. However, when Raph understands the situation requires more in depth strategy, he’s shown to be an incredibly capable tactician.

(long post ahead!)

In nearly all the plot heavy episodes like Shadow of Evil, Many Unhappy Returns, and the season finales, Raph gets moments where he’s highlighted for his strategic thinking. In Insane in the Mama Train, he’s the one who figures out which eyeball-button goes to the front car with the dark armor, because “‘it was the only button [the Foot Clan] didn’t want me to press!’” [21:05]. He’s also the one who came up with the scheme to defeat all the (known) combatants in the train, with Leo specifically attributing Raph as the deviser during their mind meld [19:46]. In Many Unhappy Returns, after spending a single night waylaying the Shredder, Raph formulated a plan using all the tricks the team learned, seamlessly transitioning the mystic collar Leo acquired into it [19:53], to defeating the Shredder. Additionally, he’s repeatedly called for a retreat during fights, like in Shadow of Evil, Shreddy or Not (Finale pt 2), and the movie, when he can tactically recognize that a battle couldn’t be won. Each time, the show/movie implied that that was the right call, for the family to lose the fight but win the war.

And it’s not just that Raph is good at strategy when he’s pushed to be more serious; the show characterizes him as passionate about creating plans, he enjoys doing it. Literally in the first episode, Mystic Mayhem, after the turtles’ initial plan failed of getting Splinter out of the living room to touch his Do-Not-Touch Cabinet, Raph immediately started devising a new plan that involved “ten chickens [and] a gallon of rubber cement” [9:35]. It was convoluted, sure, and they didn’t end up using it, but it was inventive and the opposite of reluctant. This is also shown in Bug Busters, where Raph planned out dousing Mikey in honey to attract the oozequitoes [2:52]; Snow Day, with the idea to freeze Ghost Bear like in Jupiter Jim Pluto Vacation 4; and Raph’s Ride-Along (and also Bad Hair Day), where Mind Raph created multiple schemes to get the criminals arrested. The show wouldn’t have made Raph be so creative with his plans if they were trying to characterize him as someone who didn’t like strategizing.

So does why Raph do stupid shit sometimes where he doesn’t think things through at all? Well, even though Raph is good at strategy and enjoys doing it, it’s clear his immediate impulse is still “punch the problem in the face”. In fact, all the turtle boys contain the fascinating dichotomy of being incredibly smart in some areas, and the dumbest teenagers alive in others. Just look at Donnie. It’s also how Raph is a loving protective older brother, and the guy who shoved Leo into a wall so hard he disappeared in one frame for shits and giggles (The Mutant Menace x). None of this means that Raph is bad at strategy though.

tldr: Yeah, Raph has a lot of dumb and, frankly, insane moments in the show, but he’s still an incredible tactician who’s plans consistently saved his family and sometimes the world. He's a great strategist.

[whereserpentswalk]

There's a chess board out there that's eternally bound to a fae lord. The pieces all look like strange insects, and nobody can tell what the two colors are, no matter how much they look at them, they just know that they're different.

When you move a piece the fae will make his own move, and you'll see him on the other side of the board. Nobody who hasn't played knows what he looks like. And once you start playing, you're not allowed to stand up.

Nobody can see the fae but they can hear him, everyone even a bit close to the board can hear him speak. He promises so many things if you win. "I can make you ruler of the world." "I can make you the richest person to ever live." "I can make anyone on earth fall in love with you." "All you have to do is play and win." "It would all be so easy if you just chose to play."

But you should never choose to play him. When you lose, he will eat your existence, not your current existence, but your existence in the world. Your impact of the world will be erased, and nobody will ever remember you. Everyone who ever knew you, loved you, hated you, will have never met you at all.

It's only a few scholars and sorcerers have figured out what happens to the losers of the game, by finding the holes in people's lives. It's unknown if the people who lose the game die or disappear when they're forgotten, or if they just walk away, anonyms, with no lives to go back to. Perhaps some throw the game on purpose, just to have their name disappear.

Many have played the game and lost, those who thought they would be sure to win. Chess masters. Great wizards and occultists. Military tacticians. People blessed by gods, and those with demons bound to their flesh. Nobody knows their names, only what the fae lord brags about them, only their lives as he saw them.

The fae is not the greatest at chess. He is good, but not the greatest. But he is clever with words, and just as he knows what to tell people to make them play, he knows what to tell people to make them lose, to trick them, to throw them off, to make them cheat, or to make them throw the game. His kind is not permitted to lie, but he does not require lies.

He speaks all languages. He has manipulated people in the tongues of countless nations. He has spoken the secret languages of ancient cults to their followers and spoken to dragons in their tongue of inaudibly low song. When they called on a deaf man to play against him, he signed to them what he needed to sign. And when the great universities of the world brought out a computer to play him, a computer that could defeat any human play, he was even able to psyche that out, and tricked it into leaving it's king open at the wrong time.

They say there is only one person who the fae lord was afraid to play. It was a young woman who had no name, no family, and no official identification. She had been tracking it down for years, since the first record of her existence she had been searching for the chess board, and she seemed to already know a lot about it. He has begged everyone he could, from scholars, to wanderers, to other fae, to not let her near him. If she does play him, and if she does win, who knows what will happen, we do not know if anyone has won before, and if anyone did, we do not know why.

[themattress]

The Shitennou in the 90s anime are fantastic because each one of them is a specialist of some sort and it makes their evil operations distinct from one another, keeping things fresh.

Jadeite - The Illusionist

When it comes to Jadeite, deception is the name of the game. For his energy harvesting schemes he creates fake businesses, has his youma pose as humans, and he himself dons all sorts of disguises: radio DJ, fitness instructor, stage manager, academic professor, shrine assistant, amusement park security guard, and captain of a cruise ship. He will also utilize illusions to intimidate like when he showed a vision of Tokyo in flames, or to trick his enemies like when he had illusionary cops force the Sailor Senshi to transform so that he could learn their true identities. Unfortunately, Jadeite's pride in his capabilities means that he was stubbornly unwilling to adapt and take a more direct approach, leading to his downfall.

Nephrite - The Manipulator

Nephrite is a manipulator in all senses of the word. He manipulates people, objects, events and even the stars themselves in order to achieve his villainous goals. Using the single disguise of Masato Sanjouin, he gets close to victims, then will usually give them an item he curses to amplify their innate negative energy until it matches the energy of the star they were born under, creating a special youma in the process. He eventually singles out a key victim in Naru Osaka, who has a crush on his Sanjouin persona, and manipulates her in plans to destroy the Sailor Senshi or find the Imperium Silver Crystal, and uses a special tool of his own creation known as the Dark Star Crystal. However, his cold heart ends up warmed by Naru's innocence and devotion to love, leading him to his tragic demise defending her.

Zoisite - The Cheat

While Zoisite had aid from Kunzite in strategizing, let's not sell him short when it comes to the moment of truth - Zoisite frequently prevails because he is willing to do absolutely anything to win. No method is too dirty, cheap or cowardly for him to embrace. He'll threaten someone's loved one to coerce them into doing what he wants, he'll sucker-punch his enemies out of nowhere after having previously retreated from them, he'll physically bully whoever is smaller and weaker than him then blind them to make an escape if they prove more formidable than expected, he'll pretend to surrender and then strike, he'll sic a monster on his enemy while taking his prize and running, and when all else fails a good old-fashioned stabbing in the back will suffice. Zoisite got far on dishonesty, but success went to his head and he overreached.

Kunzite - The Trap Master

At first Kunzite was a skilled tactician, but then after Zoisite died the writers made him stupider at crafting strategies without even seeming to realize it. What he remained very consistent on, however, was his brilliant and deadly traps. He engineered a fake hostage situation leading to the Sailor Senshi getting caught in a dark, ever-compressing forcefield, he cut the power in Tokyo to obstruct the Sailor Senshi's efforts and cause Mamoru and Usagi to get stuck in an elevator, he had a great idea for a DNA scanning device to catch Sailor Moon with that his youma sadly screwed up, he held a princess seminar where the target was the overall failures save for in a frisbee-tossing challenge since it reflects Sailor Moon's tiara throwing ability, he had a giant snowy chasm created for his enemies to fall right into and be unable to climb out of, he rigged an ice skating rink temperature control device to blast an obscene amount of icy coldness down on everyone and nearly freeze them to death, he played on Sailor Venus' friendship with another person to almost obtain vital information from her, he turned the Sailor Senshi's own attempt at a trap back on them because he saw right through it, and were it not for the Silver Crystal's interference would have trapped them all in time-space limbo. Of all the Shitennou, he came closest to victory on the most occasions. Additionally, he was a powerful warrior, with his power and pride sadly being his undoing.

[midnight-bay-if]

Hello! I just wanted to say all the RO's are sooo adorable, and I cant wait to read more about them! I was wondering how they would they react if MC got amnesia and didn't remember them anymore?

(Thank you so much! You are also adorable, haha. Also... ouch.)

S: They are known for their patience. For putting their best foot forward and constructing the most effective strategy to solve any problem. So, when it becomes clear you do not remember a single moment of your time together, they do not waste a single second. Their tactician's mind immediately gets to work on looking for a solution. To any who do not know them well, they seem entirely detached from the situation. But to those who know them well, this is S scrambling. It is in the moments of sombre silence that you might just hear the hitch in S's breathing.

Rain: Rain wears their heart on their sleeve, so as soon as the "Who?" leaves your mouth, tears spill down their cheeks. Despite the pain crushing their chest, it would only hurt more to startle you. So, they quickly wipe the tears away and, with a watery smile, lie. "No, I'm sorry. I must have mistaken you for someone else."

They don't dwell on their despair for too long. Neither of you can afford that. If your memories are to return, they need to concentrate on locating the source of the problem. They know how much forgetting your father's murder hurt you. It isn't a fair fight when your own mind is the opponent. Rain will work with their team to help you. It's a promise.

Taj: At first, they think it's a joke. "Snap out of it, MC. This isn't funny anymore." Their desperation swiftly bleeds into anger. When you recoil in the face of it, the shame burns them. They don't understand what's happening, and that always fucks them right off. Whatever wicked curse or ailment has bewitched your mind had better prepare. The one responsible will feel the total weight of this travesty.

And if the change happens to be permanent... Well, the depths of Hael itself couldn't contain their vengeance.

N: They are crossing every boundary you ever set, but they are much too selfish not to. You know what they are; you fell for them anyway. You gave them grace when iron chains would have been more appropriate. If there is anything, ANYTHING, they can do for you now, shouldn't they do it? So, they weave... and weave, burrowing into your mind, resolute in their desire to bring you back. Then, once you are standing in front of them, angry and vengeful, they will seek out the perpetrator and enact their righteous fury.

Umbra: Umbra hadn't realised the frozen shard of their heart had thawed until it froze over once more. Those muttered words "I don't know you" have plagued their every thought since they first fell from your lips. To hear them again... It's a cruel trick. It has to be. Or a punishment.

It's at that moment that Umbra realises they could spend a thousand years filling their cup with goodwill, and still, it would never be enough to quench the thirst of all the people they have wronged - and it is you who pays the price. They want to save you but fear what their karma may cost you next.

[ttrpg-smash-pass-vs]

On the left, Fraz-Urbluu, demon lord of illusion and deception. Size and weight unavailable, as reality itself is at his whim. He has innate magic to basically control all of your senses. He can create things and terrain that your brain treats as real and make the whole area seem to be whatever he needs. He can even make you forget something or try to gaslight you with a fake memory. He can terrify, grapple, even make temporary clones of anyone he sees. He's also an architect! Also, note there's no magic domination, his charms are through skill. Frequently tricking even demon lords who KNOW what he's about! In the past he's shown to court clever and creative individuals, so if you're chosen I'm sure it'll be a ride of your life!...but not one in your control.

Bael, The Bronze General, Duke of the third layer of Hell! 8 feet (2.4 meters), telepathic, can transform into other humanoid species, make illusions, mentally dominate creatures, turn invisible, and fly! Also supernaturally frightens anyone nearby, though he can turn that off! He's a brilliant tactician, a terror on the battlefield, but is actually happy to show mercy. He's a straightforward guy with a skill and interest he likes, but is frustrated because he can't seem to rise in rank. He's just too naive. Most people know he'd be a much better choice for ruler than many of the actual archdevils, but prefer having someone less competent on the throne they're trying to steal

EDIT: WHOOPS, SWAPPED THE OPTIONS! MY BAD! It's fixed now though, sorry if you had to re-vote

[doumadono]

<3 I have been having a hard time and was wondering if you could maybe write a short of Viking Dabi with a male reader?

A/N: I apologize for the delay in addressing your request. I sincerely hope that you are in a better place now. Sending you lots of love and virtual hugs

KVITRAVN - MHA VIKING AU

The training grounds were alive with the rhythmic clashing of weapons and the grunts of warriors honing their skills. Touya Endeavorson supervised the training session with an intensity.

"More! Concentrate! A single moment of distraction could cost you your life!" He bellowed, rallying the warriors and shieldmaidens for the challenges ahead.

Amidst the training, one of the warriors found himself struggling with the weight and technique of the battle axe in his hands. The metallic tang of fear hung in the air as doubt gnawed at his confidence.

Touya, keenly observing the training grounds, noticed the man's faltering moves and approached.

Dabi laid a hand on the man's shoulder, his turquoise eyes bore into the man's, piercing through with unwavering intensity. "What's going on, Y/N? You're better than this. I know you can handle an axe. I saw you doing it before."

The young warrior took a deep breath, summoning the courage to share his true fears. "I'm just afraid, my lord. Afraid I won't be good enough. I don't want to let you or the earl down."

Touya's expression softened, understanding the weight of the man's insecurities. "You're not here to impress us. You're here to learn and grow. Let's take a step back and figure this out, shall we?"

Dabi led him to a quieter corner of the training grounds. "Tell me, what's truly holding you back?"

"I've never been good at fighting. What if I'm not cut out for this?"

Touya's gaze bore into the warrior's. "Being good at something takes time and practice, trust me. Everyone starts somewhere. Even I had to learn. You don't need to be perfect from the start. Just focus on improvement. Now, let me show you a trick."

Dabi took the axe from the man's hands, demonstrating a fluid sequence of movements. His voice carried a casual wisdom. "It's not just about strength. It's about precision and control."

With patience, Dabi guided the young warrior through the motions, correcting his grip and demonstrating the finesse required in each swing. His movements were deliberate, showcasing the essential techniques in wielding an axe effectively. "See, it's not just about swinging. Precision matters," he remarked, emphasizing the calculated nature of each strike. "Your stance is crucial. Balance is everything."

Touya continued the demonstration, guiding the warrior through the intricacies of footwork and the art of anticipating an opponent's move. "Keep your focus. It's not just a weapon. You axe is an extension of yourself. Feel it."

Dabi then paused, his gaze meeting the warrior's. "But remember, this is only half the battle. In real combat, you'll have a shield in your other hand. That changes everything." He gestured toward an awaiting shield, heavier and more cumbersome than the axe. "You need to get used to the combined weight, the balance. The right moves with the axe might not be enough if you can't handle the shield. Training is what bridges that gap. It's what turns you from a warrior into a tactician."

With a final strike that echoed with precision, Dabi handed the axe back to the warrior. "Now, let's go again. And remember, it's not just about swinging metal. It's about mastering the dance of war. The axe and shield, an inseparable duo. That's what makes a true warrior."

Dabi then watched with an approving nod as the young man practiced, mirroring the moves demonstrated by the eldest son of earl Endeavor. "Good, just like that. Remember to keep your knees slightly bent and move your legs quickly. You'll get there, Y/N. It's not about being the best - it's about becoming better than you were yesterday," Dabi reassured, his eyes reflecting a shared understanding of the struggles inherent in learning the art of combat.

As the training continued, the young warrior found a renewed determination. Under the watchful eye of Dabi, the young warrior delved into the rigorous training, each swing of the axe becoming more calculated, every step more deliberate. Dabi's guidance molded the raw potential into refined skill.

After a while, the warrior paused, catching his breath. With genuine gratitude in his eyes, he turned to Dabi. "Thank you, my lord. Your advice has made it all seem so much more manageable. I feel the difference, indeed. I'm ready to keep learning."

Touya, pleased with the progress of the warrior, placed a commendatory hand on the man's shoulder. "Impressive. Your dedication truly shows. You're shaping up to be a formidable addition to our ranks." With a playful glint in his turquise eyes, Dabi continued, "How about we meet later in the tavern? A little toast for the upcoming raid, perhaps? You've earned it."

The warrior, grateful for the acknowledgment, nodded with a grin. "Sounds like a plan, my lord."

[002yb]

I'm pretty sure Jason is forcing his boyfriend into self care, Dick gets so confused

Everyone can think what they will of Jason being a volatile brute, but the truth is that Jason is terrifyingly competent. He’s viciously organized - all carefully laid plans and biting contingencies, everything meticulously considered. A tactician, a one-man army; capable and efficient and cunning. Quick on his feet, quicker still with his wit, his tongue.

There's a reason Gotham was brought to heel when Jason came back to them; how it fell to its knees at Jason's feet. It's why Dick can feel a cold sweat dotting his brow because Jason is up to something and Dick can't figure what, but it feels just as big as before - just as damning.

It's a painful realization, given they just started dating a few months ago and all of Jason's attention is on him.

The thing is - Dick knows when he's being manipulated. He manipulates others all the time. Of course he'll fucking recognize when his own tricks are turned against him. The problem is that Dick can't fathom Jason's end game.

Lately all of their dates have been home bound. It's an abrupt departure from their productive work-dates: reconnaissance and casings and distracted flirting over comms. It's vaguely similar to the few post-patrol breakfast dates they had where Dick would inevitably doze off or the times they would sleep over at either of their flats, though...those really weren't much better, given Dick would sneak out before sunrise to get to his next shift at the precinct. That fleeting time between his day job and night job weren't particularly forgiving for any romance, either, actually...

The home bound dates are nice. Slow, but nice - something Dick comes to understand after weeks of restlessness because the change of pace is so jarring. But Dick is adaptable and Jason a mischievous vixen.

Soon enough, Dick adjusts to coming home from his shifts and sharing a homecooked meal with his boyfriend. A proper meal that tastes good and makes him feel sated in a way he usually isn't - energized and invigorated. Dick gets used to being coaxed into something more leisurely than a perfunctory shower post-patrol and is lulled to sleep instead of burning what few hours are left of the morning to work. And Dick gets used to lazy mornings, dozing in those slow hours before dawn as Jason lays over him - breaths even or hands wandering or-

They're lifestyle habits (improvements) that Dick unwittingly welcomes into his routine even when Jason isn't around and Dick feels good. Better than he has in a long time.

Dick pauses, eyes narrowing as he stares over Jason’s head and through the wall of Jason's bedroom. The man fits into the curve of Dick's body, spooned and playing at sleep because Jason learned weeks ago that his breathing and warmth has the power to lull Dick to sleep.

"Are you domesticating me?"

Dumb as the question sounds, it's honest. Hearing it out loud makes it all so clear, too. Jason is a menace; he's not afraid to play the long con. His boyfriend has patience for lifetimes, as Jason likes to point out to him. Often. Dick can't put it past Jason to condition Dick into taking care of himself.

The way Jason's back trembles as he bites back laughter gives him away. A barked laugh follows when Jason can't contain himself, an ornery cackle that devolves into a sweet titter as Jason looks back at him, teeth bared in a wicked smile.

[heyitschartic]

If the 9 (their line up in their first appearance) were pokemon gym leaders what types do you think they'd use?

Ooooo this is an interesting question. I'll go down the list from the first to last gym leader in this hypothetical scenario. And I feel it would obvious start with...

Cherish! Cherish is the weakest of the group and least experienced so I feel it's obvious she'd be first. She's psychic, no question about that. Favors cuter looking psychic types like Gothita and Kirlia, and doesn't play her moves well, being easily knocked out.

Next would be Burnscar, though she's a capable fighter, she doesn't put her all into it and so can be caught off guard when she isn't expecting it. Burnscar, no question, uses fire types, aiming for strong and quick hits, though her roster is fairly small and not well put together. Obviously, just whatever she caught.

The third leader will be Shatterbird. She's a powerhouse in her own right, but a bit of a one trick pony. She's a ground pokemon leader, who uses pokemon like Sandshrew and Claydol to fill an arena with sand and dirt to obscure and launch cutting attacks while hiding in the cover of dust.

Next would be Crawler, who is a fighting gym leader. He chooses the biggest and the baddest Pokemon for his team. While not the best gym leader, he can lay a fucking beating down and is constantly improving his roster.

After that is Mannequin! Mannequin is a rock gym leader. His pokemon are a wide assortment, generally leaning into the rock/Type2, with each pokemon having a significant defense due to their rock type, but also a secondary attribute they can pull on to catch people off guard, always allowing for a ability to get him out of a bind, somewhat similar to his tinker ability.

The final three. Gym leader six is Bonesaw, the poison gym leader. She favors the cute looking pokemon more than anything else, but Riley's twisted sense of cuteness. She for sure has a trubish on her team. While her pokemon look weak, they are devastating and not to be underestimated.

Second from the last, Siberian, the ghost pokemon gym leader. The ghost pokemon she works with reflect the daughter that she lost. Her pokemon are brutal, tricky, and fight so fierce they could almost be believed to be invulnerable. Though, that might be some of the traps they set up to fool the unsuspecting pokemon trainer. Keep your eyes peeled, not everything is as it seems!

Finally, the last gym leader. Jack Slash. He is a normal gym leader. No need to explain really. He does have a massive roster of pokemon though, always swapping out and in different teams ready to go, each with their own unique tricks. He's a master tactician, known to put HM's and TM's on his pokemon to catch trainers unaware with a surprise thunderbolt or psychic attack when you least expect it.

Do you have what it takes to defeat all 8 and claim the coveted Ninth spot on their team? Your adventure awaits!

[anarchy-and-piglins]

Missing peerpressureduo hours so I've been thinking about a Fae AU where claiming a human is a fae rite of passage. You must claim one when you come of age, or you'll be kicked out of your court. And fae usually do not survive long without a court to live in - nor are other courts likely to take you in after being kicked out of your own.

Fae!Ranboo is extremely anxious about this. He's not very good at any other fae-related things so he's already the lowest rank he could possibly be. But if he succeeds in claiming a human, at least he'll get to live. It'll be a pitiful existence, but still. When he's old enough, he sets out into the human realm with desperation in his heart and a singular goal in mind: to steal a name. Any name.

Enter Technoblade.

Ranboo claims Techno, mostly because Ranboo is such a pathetic wet cat of a man that Techno can't help but feel awkwardly bad for him, and he ends up lowering his guard. And maybe Ranboo is a little more tricky than Techno gave him credit for too.

Techno is - understandably - pretty pissed when he finds out. But he can't do anything about it because Ranboo's deal was incredibly thorough and Techno is now bonded to not do anything against Ranboo's will. This includes hurting Ranboo or refusing to go with him/trying to run away. So basically Ranboo just has ownership of the angriest, most snarky human in existence.

They go back to court where Ranboo is not only allowed to stay, he's boosted to one of the highest possible ranks. As it turns out, Techno is a human of great renown in the fae world, not only because he's a great warrior and dangerous tactician, but also because he's the only human who ever got claimed by a fae before and weaseled his way out of it.

(The fae in question was Skeppy. And he's still very salty about being reverse-tricked by a human.)

So what Ranboo has done is super impressive. And he's accepted as one of the highest members of fae court.

Further on the story would include stuff like: Fae politics that are very tricky and dangerous because other fae would love to get rid of Ranboo and yoink Techno, Techno slowly warming up to Ranboo and friendship and him helping in the politics because he doesn't want to be yoinked by somebody else, AND Skeppy showing up and charging for joined custody over Techno and the court has to humor him because this is kind of a never-before-seen situation. Quackity is the lawyer in fae court.

(Also like, dark!ranboo and maybe dark!sbi/dark!other character vibes because it's me. I'm going to make the fae protective/possessive over their human <3)

[raeynbowboi]

HOW TO PLAY AS THE BELCHERS IN DND 5E

Today, we're going to explore how to build the Belchers as a DnD Party. Plus Teddy. We're not really going to touch on stats. Let's be honest, the Belchers aren't really great at anything. If we were building them accurately, they'd all be super low level and/or with terrible stats. But it's your character and your campaign, so you can make them more or less optimized as you see fit. They're also all basic Humans, so we're pretty much just focusing on their classes and subclasses.

BOB BELCHER

PALADIN OATH OF DEVOTION

Bob is largely defined by his principles and values. As Tina puts it, Bob is a good business owner, but a bad businessman. He cares more about providing a quality service and succeeding his way than making money. And in Little Hard Dad, he's shown to say "It's the principle of it" way too often. This to me reads as a Paladin. Given his belief in quality service and moral principles, I label him as an Oath of Devotion Paladin.

VARIANT BUILD

FIGHTER SAMURAI ARCHETYPE

Bob is pretty boring and straightforward, which makes Fighter really fitting for his personality. If he was going to model himself after anyone, he'd choose Shinji Kojima/Hawk. Thus, the Samurai archetype. However, if we're leaning purely into the boring practicality and straightforwardness of Bob, I might suggest Champion instead. It's the most Fighter-y Fighter you can build.

Regardless of his class, make sure to pick up proficiency with Cook's Utensils or the Chef Feat.

LINDA BELCHER

BARD COLLEGE OF DANCE

Telling Linda Belcher not to sing or dance is like telling Tina not to talk about horses or telling Bob not to cook. It's just not going to happen. She loves the theater, she sings all the time, and she was once in an amateur garage band. All the makings of a classic bard. Given her love of dancing, I went with the College of Dance.

TINA BELCHER

CLERIC LIFE DOMAIN

Tina is the family member who puts the most stock in things like fate, true love, karma, and damnation. She is also one of the characters that mentions religion more than anyone else. More specifically, she strikes me as a Cleric of Sune, the Faerunian Goddess of Love and Beauty. Sune's virtues include following your heart wherever it leads, championing love and romance at all costs, taking any risk in pursuit of love, being true to your heart and your passions without shame, and trying to make the world a more beautiful place. As such, Tina is the perfect candidate for a Cleric of Sune. Sune has two domains: Life and Light. Given that Tina has at least some interest in nursing, the Life Domain seems more in-line with Tina's values as a follower of Sune.

GENE BELCHER

SORCERER WILD MAGIC ORIGIN

I know, I know. It's a sin that he's not a Bard. But Gene and Linda are very similar characters, and both work as Bards. The best thing for a party is diversity. So, I looked at Gene's personality beyond just his music. And the core of Gene is whacky nonsense. Usually, when Gene tells stories, it's an excuse for weird imagery. The Banana-fullo, Fart School, radioactive pizza sauce. Thus, the Wild Magic origin for Sorcerers spoke to me. Gene loves whacky randomness, so he would be drawn to Wild Magic. Plus, he's not really a good bard. He hates practicing, he's unfamiliar with the concept of a workbook, and kind of just expects a music career to be handed to him. Hell, when he got cast in a play and had all of two lines, he didn't memorize them, and wanted to ad lib every take. Gene's a sorcerer with the Entertainer background, but he is NOT a bard. He doesn't take his craft seriously the way Linda does.

LOUISE BELCHER

ROGUE ASSASSIN ARCHETYPE

One of Louise's main skills is her ability to pick locks. Bob is literally afraid to go into her room as he expects boobie traps to hurt him. She's a clever tactician, masterminding several heists and revenge schemes. She's good at tricking people and lying to their faces to get what she wants. As for why she's an assassin, in the episode where Louise is uncertain of her future, one vignette paints as a John Wick style Wedgie-Sassin. She's also a fan of Francine, a Special Girl doll that spied on the Russians during the Cold War. She's not typically a fan of girly things, but she does like the one that's a spy. She's definitely the family member who would be the outlaw punk of the group.

RANGER GLOOMSTALKER CONCLAVE

In more recent seasons, we've seen a newfound interest in archery, with Louise even making a zombie movie centered around her blossoming hobby. The Gloomstalker/Assassin multiclass is also a very good multiclass in combat, which is why I felt it was the most fitting for Louise. She's also pretty accurate with other ranged combat like spitballs and throwing things at people.

TEDDY THE HANDYMAN

ARTIFICER BATTLE SMITH

This one pretty much goes without saying. He's a mechanic and handyman, he's used to moving and hauling heavy objects, plus he's burly, making him a great fit for the party's tank. The Battle Smith is an artificer built for the front line, and they get to be joined by a mechanical ally. Teddy would absolutely take a hit for any of the Belchers. The guy also fell off a roof and walked it off, so he's definitely got the highest Constitution score of the group.

I think this party turned out alright. Bob and Teddy are on the frontlines, Linda and Tina are the primary support, Gene is a ball of pure chaos and uncontrolled energy, and Louise is sniping people from the shadows. Everyone's doing what they should be doing to work as a unit, and also happen to be a fairly well-balanced party as well. This is an especially good party for low stakes and silly campaigns, but probably not the kind of party you want to bring to Barovia or Avernus.

[uneducated-author]

I was thinking about Double Black (when do I stop) and realise that something has been bothering me about Chapter 109 (Ya Think?!)

There's one line that doesn't fit, and it isn't the one about 'fate' because Dazai is constantly shown as believing in fate, nor is it the one about Soukoku's destiny, because Dazai believes in that more than anyone.

It's the one about Chuuya's 'lame ass' punches.

Okay I hear the judgy silence.

Because the thing is, Chuuya is the strongest fighter in the series. Soukoku as designed as a duo comprising of the strongest fighter alongside the smartest tactician. And Dazai might be petty about Chuuya, calling him predictable, short, a puppy, easily led, he doesn't really call him weak. The closest I can think of is in the 15 story, where Dazai points out that Chuuya's raw power has been limited, because the boy hasn't learned to fight strategically in any sort of cunning manner. But even then, that's wholly different to calling Chuuya weak.

And this is a running theme. For instance, think of the Double Black reunion. Dazai meets Chuuya, insults his tacky hats and then Chuuya demands to fight Dazai, crush him along with his schemes.

The reason the reunion scene works so well is because of how balanced it is. There are two fights. One is physical, and the other a battle of information and who has access to it.

First, Chuuya initiates a physical attack, of which Dazai mainly dodges, with one strike towards Chuuya's abdomen which Chuuya basically discounts as weak. Then Chuuya brutally beats Dazai up. Whether Dazai is truly using his full fighting capabilities is debatable, but the real importance is in the dialogue. Dazai's initial statement is actually crediting Chuuya, unabashedly labelling him the greatest martial artist in the Port Mafia. There's no room for doubt here, Dazai is speaking an honest truth. Chuuya internally notes that Dazai is reading his attacks well but Dazai's next observance is all about how predictable Chuuya is, to Dazai specifically. He says that he can read all of Chuuya's movements, as he should be able to, as Chuuya's partner. Chuuya counters by saying that 'you can't beat me just by predicting my moves'.

The fight then pauses the physical element, instead diverting to information. Dazai's a living dead mans trigger, where his death will bring down the port mafia, but the way he has set it up is by giving the current executives information on the leverage he holds against the organisation. It's a plan which is purely suited to Dazai's capabilities and goals, Chuuya even notes that he has a no-win scenario here, and both decisions are hard to make.

Dazai is the victor ultimately, but it's surprisingly balanced. Chuuya won the physical fight, but Dazai gets the information he wanted. On the other hand, Chuuya and Dazai both prove how well they know each other, with Dazai's bragging about knowing Chuuya to the highest degree, and Chuuya knowing immediately that Dazai has some ulterior motive, stating almost immediately that 'you can fool Akutagawa and the rest of the Port Mafia, but not Me'.

Later in the fight to save Q they almost parallel this moment. Chuuya takes a swipe at Dazai with his foot after Dazai makes a quip about his shoes, and Dazai smugly notes that he should give up trying to attack because Dazai knows him so well and can read his attack. Chuuya doesn't refute the statement fully, merely countering that if Chuuya had been attacking at full strength he could destroy Dazai.

Soukoku is special because of the disparate capabilities. But there's something else too.

Dazai doesn't lie. Well, this is a fake statement. More accurately, Dazai doesn't bluff. Dazai bluffs and manipulates and only reveals selected informations to force an incorrect statement, but he has clear strategies to manipulate someone.

Even when Dazai manipulates the Sheep into betraying Chuuya, to expose how fickle the group is, he does it without any hidden tricks. The glory of the scheme is that Chuuya is Right There, and he can piece together how exactly Dazai fooled him in hindsight. Dazai's greatest manipulations are ones where previous conversations click into sharp contrast, and your realise just how badly you were played. He might fake being captured, or hide his motivations, but he very rarely tells truths that can be very easily disputed. Fyodor, Dazai's foil, pulls off a similar sort of strategy when stuck with Ace actually.

Dazai says it best. 'I don't lie in these types of negotiations'. He knows that the best negotiation position is the one where you are in complete control of the circumstances and information available.

So... Why provoke Chuuya with something like this? Both previous times his statements are about Chuuya's 'tacky hats' or a snide comment about 'liking your taste in shoes-just kidding!' and those provoke a physical fight just fine?

Well, look at Chuuya's responses, every time. Dazai points out how he, and he alone is immune to Chuuya, for all his power, and Chuuya always responds with some variation of 'if I was serious I could crush you' and 'reading my movements won't help you win an actual fight'.

Chuuya is a weapon. Was burned, cut and moulded into one, and the worst thing is that it is so bluntly clear. He is known for his power, and nobody can deny the clear and obvious superiority he has over pretty much every other fighter. And Dazai can't refute this. But he can refute that Chuuya is harmful. That Chuuya can hurt Him. He can say, bluntly and clearly, that I am never at risk from you. And Chuuya can try and discount it, thinking of an out of control force of nature help back by two lines of poetry, but Dazai stays firm. That you are powerful, and that means nothing to me. That I know you well enough, and that makes me invulnerable against you.

Dazai for the first time bluffs. Knowing that Chuuya is trapped inside a body that he can't control, a situation beyond his worse nightmare. And Dazai has to trust. But if all goes wrong, he needs to make sure Chuuya can survive this, killing his partner in the way they never feared. He's never wanted to survive this prison arch, has been devoted to merely killing Dostoyevsky.

(It puts Chapter 101 into perspective. Dazai must have known that Dostoyevsky's escape was possible, has known what it is to fight alongside a gravity manipulator. So he says goodbye to Chuuya, because Dazai might be dead soon, and that doesn't matter, but Chuuya once made him interested to live, and that means he should know.)

So he talks to Chuuya, and tells him that it isn't him. This isn't the strongest martial artist in the port mafia. This isn't his partner, this isn't the short dog with bad fashion sense. This is someone who's on the opposite side, a terrible fighter, who can't even aim properly.

This is the only comfort he can offer. This is the only way he can't give up. He tells Chuuya 'you are strong' and he tells Chuuya 'I know you' and he tells the corpse with the mask of his partners face stretched over a strangers skull that 'you are weak'.

When Odasaku had died, in his final moments he had seen who Dazai could be. As Dazai dies in his final moments, he looks up and tells his partner that this isn't him.

[ilk-insolence]

Leo Analysis

There’s a popular reading in the Rise fandom that Leo is the strategist of his brothers, but I’d like to propose a counter-theory that, while Leo can be strategic, his actual skillset is in deception, manipulation, and perception. In other words, Leo is good at things involving people.

(Hey, uh, this is pretty long)

In the show, Leo shows a preference to following others’ leads rather than strategize himself. In One Man’s Junk, Leo is the only brother that doesn’t actually think up a plan to find more mystic metal, instead picking sides on who’s plan he thinks is better. This is seen again in Late Fee, where Raph and Donnie being the ones who formulate a plan to return the DVD. Again, in the season 2 finale, E-Turtle Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (god that is long), Leo doesn’t come up with a plan to defeat the Shredder, he instead made everyone turn to Raph for one [2:15]. This all follows a pattern that Leo admits in Battle Nexus: New York, "And we'll do it with our special brand of teamwork: where my brothers do the work but we share equal credit" [1:10]. He’s very lazy (I mean this affectionately), and prefers to follow someone else’s lead. The final nail in the coffin is the movie, where Leo is very distinctly not the one who comes up with the plan to lock away the Kraang. While admittedly that moment is from him learning to build others up rather than try to do everything himself, Leo is clearly characterized to not tend to strategize.

However, there are episodes where he does plan. A notable example being Many Unhappy Returns, where Leo planned ahead around Big Mama to trick her into giving them the mystic collar. Another is The Hidden City Job, where Leo pretended to be a statue to get into Big Mama’s vault in her auction. There’s also Origami Tsunami, where Leo briefly took the leader position, and planned the fake paper shop to catch the paper thieves. Smaller examples include, Man Vs Sewer (two attempts of snapping Raph out of his savage state), Bug Busters (freeing his brothers), and the movie (teleporting Kraang Prime into the portal). However, one commonality in all those schemes is that they’re all deceptions (okay, except for Man Vs Sewer but I have a whole other reason for that). In Many Unhappy Returns, Leo isn’t so much as being strategic but manipulative, understanding who Big Mama is, foreseeing that she’ll shove him in the arena with his dad, and planning around that by appearing stupid. He tricked her into cutting a deal in his favor (allowing him to have a weapon in the arena [17:25]). In The Hidden City Job, Leo’s plan is basically tricking Big Mama again, pretending to be something valuable enough to belong in her vault (almost worked too well there). Origami Tsunami, Leo surmised that the bad guys would want more paper and created the fake paper store. All of those plans involved tricking the opponent based on what Leo understood of them, and they worked. Of course, planning moves around an opponent could be qualified as strategic, but these events highlighted Leo’s skill in reading and manipulating others, not as a tactician.

Again, I’m not saying Leo can’t be strategic. In Flushed But Never Forgotten, Leo’s plan to fighting Piebald is to camouflage himself with sewer sludge (gross). That’s strategic. In Bug Busters, Leo distracting the guards with an empty laundry bin to trip them into a portal he created behind them is strategic. Leo’s whole stunt with Kraang Prime and teleporting them both into the portal was sick as shit, and strategic. Hell, his whole power with the teleporting/portals requires Leo to think tactically. But, in comparison with his brothers, particularly Raph, Leo doesn’t seem that much better than them at strategizing.

What Leo is characterized to be, is manipulative. Two main examples are Air Turtle and the infamous Lair Games, where, in both, poor Donnie gets tricked by Leo to do something for Leo’s benefit. In both stunts, the emphasis was put on to Leo’s deceptive nature. In the Lair Games, Leo intentionally put his room up as a prize with the knowledge that his brothers wanted to take something important away from him, hiding the fact that that was exactly what he wanted [12:45]. In Air Turtle, he lied to Donnie’s face that he could make the last shot in order to get his own opening/spotlight [10:16, and 11:14]. Unlike with strategizing, these events are made out to be points of distinction for Leo. He’s also shown to be extremely perceptive, as @/our-happygirl500-fan user pointed out in their post of him realizing Splinter had some history with Big Mama. And being the only one to suspect Raph throwing his fight with Donnie in Sparring Partner [9:54]. This all lines up with Leo's role as a faceman, somebody who's good with people. Combined with his performance in Many Unhappy Returns, Leo is shown to be someone extremely skilled in deception, and reading others.

Tldr, I think Raph is the strategist of the group, closely followed by Donnie. And Leo’s actual strength lies in his ability with people, his perception and manipulation. He’s not a strategist, but a trickster. A lying liar who lies (I love him).

Of course, I could be extremely wrong so I would love any input or commentary, especially regarding Leo's strategist status, because I could be glaringly missing something. Thanks.

[nalesnik-z-morela]

‼️"SIX OF CROWS" SERIES SPOILERS‼️

polish version/polska wersja

continuation of this post

Who is Kaz Brekker?

Jordie's brother - he wants to avange him, wants to take revenge for depriving him of his role model, his protection, his leader, his certain future, his security, his friend... and for indirectly traumatizing him for many further years.

bastard of the Barrel - for rich people e.g. for Jan Van Eck: another street rat who is no different than many other crooks. (What's interesting, in the series Kaz says that he's no king of the Barrel - he makes himself equal to others, doesn't talk down to them, unlike e.g. Per Haskell. In "Crooked Kingdom" in the Slat Kaz says to the Dregs: "That is what I do every day. I fight" ((he might have used other words, its my poor translation, but you get what I mean)) - in this way he shows them that he's no better than any of them, they're all equal. Another time when Haskell tells him "Inej is not your property", Kaz answers "She is nobody's property". He's actively against social hierarchy in Ketterdam.)

Dirtyhands - for people of Ketterdam: a swindler, a criminal, a crook. He has much to hide. Probably he has proverbial blood on his hands. There's no person who would know everything about him.

gang leader (after Per Haskell) - for the Dregs: good leader, worthy of trust; for people of Ketterdam: he can win people over and what follows it, he can be dangerous, he can manipulate crowd and information.

demjin (demon) - for Mathias and probably for others in Kaz's surrounding: the one who has their tricks which others don't understand and can't decode. Someone who could make a deal with satan/demon. You need to fear him (or at least beware of him).

the one who broke into the Ice Court (and escaped it, additionally with full squad, a hostage and a tank) - terribly skilful, a genius tactician, he's capable of predicting and planning, he's determined. He constructed a squad that suited the needs of the mission. He has knowledge and connections which let him find proper people to specific tasks. He can do anything.

What else can we say about Ketterdam? (I mean here's the rest)

town of different kinds of people - Kaz found everyone he needed for the Ice Court heist inside of the town;

sewage of society (I'd limit this point only to the Barrel) - we know backstory of Kaz, Wylan, Inej - none of them got there by choice and for sure they aren't the only ones. On the other hand there are many ordinary people who visit the Barrel (Jesper), work there (Nina) or are in a gang (the Dregs etc.) because they want to get money.

[ask-the-critters-survival-au]

Hey hoppy, Tactician here, do you have any idea of what you’re going to say to Catnap if/when you Meet him?

Just trying to look out for you in case of the worst case scenario…

If any of us figure out something, we’ll try our best to help you so stay determined, keep an eye out for your surroundings for something usefull and remember that Kickin’s left side is his weakspot due to his eye, so if you try any sleight of hand or any tricks do it towards his left side.

…Shes having a nightmare. Hops-GAH!

WHERE AM I?!

Hoppy…I can’t breathe!

TALK!

P-Playcare! On…on one of the clouds. P-please I can’t breathe!

[that-ari-blogger]

The Power Of Adora

Episode 4 of She-Ra, Flowers For She-Ra is the first war story in the series. It depicts the cost of war on people and places, and if it wasn't for how obnoxiously lovable the citizens of Plumeria are, it might be genuinely harrowing to watch (Let me know how it went for you if you didn't find the Plumerians endearing)

But I would like to focus on something else. Adora herself. Up until this point, the series has been showing off how powerful She-Ra is and how she is so useful and so strong and bla bla bla. But this episode focuses in on Adora herself, and what she can do.

Let me explain.

SPOILERS AHEAD

"Can Adora do this?"

I would like to examine how Adora reacts to danger. She runs towards it, she is determined to be useful, and she sees She-Ra as her way of helping. What I'd like to focus on is her vernacular. She refers to the form she is not in as a separate person, and how she refers to each facet of herself is pretty obvious. She-Ra can do things, Adora cannot.

So what happens when She-Ra can't fix the problem? That's what this episode explores.

In this episode, we see Adora's experience of the Horde in full effect. Turns out, having someone who understands the enemy on your side is useful. Who knew?

In this episode alone, we see Adora's understanding of the Horde's tactics used to predict the use of the poison and her knowledge of their routines used to effectively infiltrate the base. There isn't much analysis to do here other than to contrast that with how She-Ra is represented in the stories. She-Ra is a warrior where Adora is a tactician.

It's also worth noting that She-Ra's healing would only have been treating the symptoms of the poison, where Adora went to the source of the problem.

Hope. This is an episode about hope.

Adora's defining skillset isn't She-Ra, and it isn't her background, it's her resilience and perseverance. Adora rarely gives up, she instead seeks a new way to fix a problem. And that has an effect on people.

This is a shot from The Batman (2022) and I promise you its relevant. It's important here that Batman isn't carrying people to safety one by one, he's leading them to a better place. He's helping them to help themselves. This is one of the reasons this is the best live action Batman, because it's not about punching the bad guy, it's about saving people. And the way that is done, isn't by solving all of their problems for them, it's by shining a light and inspiring them to do better and to fix their own lives.

This is the effect that Adora has on people. She inspires people to help themselves. What's interesting is that hope is very much associated with the She-Ra personality. She-Ra is a symbol. Maybe there isn't so much of a difference between She-Ra and Adora after all.

Yes, I just linked She-Ra and Batman. No, I am not sorry.

But there is another effect that Adora has on people, and that isn't any effect that she can see. This episode makes a point of showing the effect of Adora's defection on the Horde itself.

"I know you're lying. You have to be lying. What did you do?"

I don't need to explain how bad this is. Not from a writing perspective, but as something for a mother figure to say to her prodigy.

In any case this little scene displays what Adora defecting has cost these two individuals. Shadow Weaver covets power, she seeks to control every piece on the board, and her most influential has just left her side.

Meanwhile Catra gives this line:

"What did I do? She left us, she left me."

Here we see Catra's abandonment issues coming out. She has taken Adora's leaving personally.

There's a neat little trick with her character design that I want to highlight here. Catra is mostly symmetrical, her mask, her hair, her costume (with a couple of flourishes). Even the marks on her arms match each other. The exception to this is her eyes. One blue, one yellow. Eyes that she can't cover up. Everything about Catra is perfectly even, but it's a facade, and the imbalance in her creeps out through the way she sees the world.

In 1810 Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe wrote that yellow and blue are the two primary colours that are in the greatest opposition to each other.

"Yellow is a light which has been dampened by darkness; blue is a darkness weakened by light."

Once again, this is the influence Adora has had on Catra, and the influence the horde has had. Notice how the hoard bears a green that, in this specific shot, is very similar to Catra's yellow eye. The Horde corrupts. And notice how much the blue stands out. Notice how it is the closest to Shadow Weaver, almost protecting Catra from her. Adora weakens the darkness so that in the end, Catra can be free. I'm definitely clutching at straws here, but it's a neat little rabbit hole.

I'd try and summarise my points here, but I think Glimmer says it best.

"Adora, She-Ra isn't the reason we like you. We like you because you're our friend."

She-Ra is a story about purpose, and acceptance. And Adora's journey is about realising that she doesn't need to fit one single purpose for people. She can live her own way.

The two personalities, Adora and She-Ra, represent the sides of Adora as powerful and Adora as herself. In this episode, we learn who exactly that self is, and what effect that has on the world of this story.

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