#take x2 damage

[wormtoxin]

ohhh wait ok wouldn’t it be really funny if i added difficulty modes to arcana girls

[chickencat8]

ive been taking an ssri for 4 days for eye problems and am already experiencing awful side effects

...side effects that exactly mirror the awful hormonal stuff i go through on a daily basis

this week should be a safe week though. but im feeling awful...?

SO here i go, about to begin tapering off of them

they didnt even really help with my eye problems btw

[reiderwriter]

♡ Girls Just Wanna Have Fun ♡

Week 5 of my Playlist Series ♡

Summary: Spencer isn't used to clubs, but when duty calls, he's made to feel a little bit more welcome by a girl who seems to know him better than a stranger should.

Warnings: Smut 18+ Minors DNI!! Hotchner!Reader (Reader is Hotch's sister), semi-public sex (x2 oops), oral sex (m receiving), fingering, dry humping, hand job, cum play, dirty talk, degradation and name calling (slut only), use of daddy/sir even though this is like solidly season 1 Spencer lmao, corruption kink, loss of virginity (surprisingly the readers)

A/N: Every single intrusive thought I've ever had about s1 Reid tied up in a nice little bow masquerading as a song fic. It is finished, and now I feel flushed. Please expect only fluff from me until my next intrusive thought (maybe half an hour, probably no longer).

Masterlist || Spotify Playlist

Flashing lights and the scent of dried up alcohol stains weren't usually signs of Spencer Reid's presence. He'd managed to get through college - two degrees and three PhDs - without stepping foot into a nightclub. But now that he'd joined the BAU, it seemed to be an unavoidable occurrence. 

“The unsub hunts at this nightclub, I get that, I do. But why am I the one going in? He's targeting women,” he panicked as his older team member helped adjust his clothes to conceal the weapon he carried. 

“Because, pretty boy, it's student night, and you're the only one here who can pass for a 21 year old. I guess late puberty has some benefits.” Derek smacked his arm playfully, leaving the younger man wincing slightly. 

“But I'm not a woman.” 

“Yes, but you'll be able to walk around and note any suspicious behaviour, and then we can tail suspects you flag,” Hotch explained to him again. 

“Just act natural, kid, it's not like it's your first time in a club.” 

“It is.” His warnings fell on deaf ears though, as they pushed him out of the van and into the crowd of students queueing to enter. 

It didn't take you long to notice him after you arrived at the club.

The sweater vest was enough to make him stand apart slightly, as much as he was trying his best to blend in. A slight tingle of familiarity raced up your spine as his eyes awkwardly met yours, his scan of the room stopping short as he flushed and turned his eyes down. 

Pushing slightly to the crowd, you leaned over the counter next to him and tried to get the bartenders attention. It was loud and busy, but catching attention and keeping it was a skill you'd mastered early, a skill that you were thankful for as you realised the man's eyes were guiltily flicking between your ass and the crowd once again. 

“Are you going to stare, or are you going to introduce yourself,” you giggled, sliding closer to his perch at the bar, as he panicked, standing straighter. 

“I wasn't, um… your dress, there's a rip at the edge of your skirt, I was trying to figure out if it was part of the design because I know some clothes these days have damage built into the design, or if it was in need of some emergency… sewing.” His hands gesticulating awkwardly throughout his explanation, as if anxious to show you the jumble in his brain was entirely pure and innocent, even as the flush on his face said otherwise. 

“And your name is?” 

“I-.... Spencer. My name is Spencer.” 

You stood a little straighter hearing the name, that familiarity warming you more. Spencer. Spencer. Spencer. You turned the name over in your head but took another step closer as the crowd shifted in a wave, feeling the heat coming off his body. 

“Well, Spencer,” your tongue made the decision to act for your brain, the words coming out before you could stop them. “What conclusion did you draw? Do you think the rip was intentional or not?” 

Gently, you grabbed his hand and led it to the fabric. The skirt wasn't scandalously short, but short enough to suit the dark heated atmosphere of the club at least, but as his fingers grazed the back of your thighs, still hesitant in his actions, you found yourself wishing it were just that bit higher, so his hands would have to reach further up. 

With a gaze over your shoulder at the crowd, Spencer found himself at an impass. He'd already noted a few people of interest, loiterers, men getting a bit rough and aggressive in the club, people on the outskirts (like him, he supposed) that could possibly be their unsub. 

He'd been given the all clear to disengage and leave the club as effortlessly as he could  bit something in your initial gaze had pinned him to place at the bar, and refused still to let him see reason. 

“I think it's a design feature. To draw attention to…” he swallowed hard, but you weren't sure if he was just being delicate about his words or if he was reacting to the hand that was now on him, dragging nails up from his abdomen to his chest. 

“Good observation, Spencer.” 

“Your name. You didn't tell me what your name was.” He said, grabbing your hand to stop its progress and breathing deeply as if to clear his head. 

“Y/N. We should dance.” Without giving him time to react, you abandoned your drink on the counter and pulled his arm around your waist, dragging him out to the crush of people in the middle of the dance floor. 

His protests were lost in the pulse of the music, as you kept your back to him and began grinding and swaying against him. His hands tightened on your hips as he gently started moving with you, and you threw your head back to catch his eye again. 

Spencer didn't know what he'd gotten himself into. He knew that very little actually dancing actually went on at a club, that this was just a more polite socially acceptable form of foreplay, but he didn't know that it would have such an effect on him. 

A mess of sweaty, intoxicated people spilling drinks and other fluids, and he thought he'd stay there forever if it kept your hips torturing his cock like that. 

When you glanced up at him, he was a man lost to his senses, lust clouding his eyes, mouth slightly open in a pant, you reached up to his neck and pulled his lips down to meet yours. 

You were surprised when it was his to guess to reach out first, his hand that trailed under your shirt without tours guiding it. You'd picked up a fairly innocent man at the bar and turned him into a pervert in the space of one dance. It felt like the club was watching you, how his hands grazed the skin under your breasts and caused the shiver up your spine, how your back arched to press deeper against his election. 

You may have tempted him into taking this risk, but he was the one gleefully nosediving into his fall from grace. 

“Spencer,” you whispered as he came up for air, lips resting at your ear. “I think we should get some fresh air.” 

Something in that seemed logical. It was colder outside. Maybe it would cool off whatever had lit him up like a pyre on the dance floor. Maybe the fresh air would clear his head. Or maybe just the open space would help him detangle his hands from you, would lead his thoughts away from burying himself deep in you. 

He would gladly take you outside, bid you farewell, and return to his job and his life. It was a solid exit for his first cover - who was going to question the young lovers leaving together. 

You had a feeling that the idea of outside would have Spencer pulling away from you, but you hadn't had your fill of fun just yet. 

So just as you led him onto the dancefloor, you kept a hand over his, around your waist, and you guided him out of the club, down the street a few paces, and into a darkened alleyway. 

“Y/N, we shouldn't be-” he tried to stutter out as you pulled him in for another kiss. His brain was trying to protest, but his hands were already back on your ass, pulling you up and closer to him. 

“What was that?” You said between kisses, his mouth launching an assault against each inch of your skin. 

He gasped for breath and pulled back, realising that he'd lifted and pinned you to the cold brick wall of the alley in his haste to feel you pressed against him. 

“Y/N… I don't want to take advantage of you, I'm not-” 

“I'm taking advantage of you, Spencer,” you said, nipping at his neck slowly raking your hands into his shoulders. “Am I allowed to do that? Can I take all of you, Spencer?” 

His eyes rolled back in his head as he let put a groan of pleasure, your lips sucking at the tender flesh of his nape. 

“I-I'm not a student, and-” 

“I know, but you are such a pretty boy that I decided I wanted to have some fun with you.” 

His resolve broke in half as you uttered your compliments, and his lips met yours in a moan as his hands pushed your skirt up around your waist. 

His finger trailed between your hips and his, using the wall to balance you as he pushed aside your panties and began slowly stroking your sex. 

Your hips pitched forward to press more of his slender fingers against you,  desperate to feel him stretch your cunt open first with one, then two, then however many he decided was good enough for you. 

Leaving one hand on his shoulder, you let one trail down his pants, stepping one foot down to allow you access to his zipper. 

He pauses Again for a second as you manage to get his pants open, your hand pulling his cock free from the constraint of his clothing. Spitting on your hand, you wrap around it firmly and slowly pump up and down, looking him directly in the eye as you watch the pleasure pour over him. 

His forehead rests against yours as he melts into your touch, so desperate, needing to cum so badly that he's willing to let it happen in this dark dirty alley. 

“Spencer, I want to have a lot of fun with you. Will you let me?” 

“Yes, fuck Y/N.” He nods, his hips rocking into your hand with each slow stroke you give him. 

“Spencer,” you say, rocking your hips forward and pushing your panties further to the side once again. “Spencer, please fuck me. Take my virginity, Spencer, please.” 

His mind whirled at the sentence, the pleas dropping from your lips. Virginity. You were a virgin. 

You'd had him cock stiff after three minutes of conversation  had pulled him into an alleyway and lost him in a fog of pleasure, and you were still innocent. Untouched. 

You wanted to have your fun with him. You'd chosen him. 

He couldn't articulate the lust that coated his tongue, so he simply pushed it into your mouth  grabbed his cock from your hands, lined himself up with your drippy cunt and pushed in with a single thrust. 

You gasped and let out a moan, not quite fully pleasurable. Your hands again found his shouldend, his back, but your nails were sharper this time, digging in further, almost piercing skin. 

“Fuck, Spencer, yes,” you said, breathing shakily as you slowly started moving around his cock. 

“Did it hurt?” 

“It doesn't hurt anymore. Now, please Spencer, fuck me and don't hold back. It's more fun that way.” 

He pulled your hips closer, moaning as you tightened around him. Pressing one hand against the wall and keeping another hand gripped so hard around your hip you knew it'd bruise, he began moving. 

He began slow, trying not to lose himself in the feel of your unused, tight hole. But with each small moan, each scratch against his back, he lost a little bit more of that control he was begging for. 

With his hands engaged, his brows furrowed I'm frustration that he couldn't stroke your bundle of nerves, he couldn't force you to cum on his cock as quickly as he wanted to. 

“Y/N, look at me.” You opened your eyes at the words, unaware that they'd closed tight as you emptied all other senses to just feel him. 

“Touch yourself. Right there, that's it,” he watched your fingers rub delicately against your skin, spoke little words of encouragement, and told you to increase your speed and pleasure. 

“That's it. That's it, now it's time for you to cum, Y/N. Cum on my cock, rub your little clit for me and cum around my big cock, Y/N.” 

“Shit… shit, shit, shit, Spencer, oh my god.” Your hands shook, and your hips twitched, and with a cry, you reached that high you'd been craving since you met his eyes earlier. 

He pulled out of you, slowly pulling you off the wall, as he held you up, letting your legs regain their strength. His cock was still hard, still coated in your arousal as he took care of you. 

You caught your breath fast, regained tour strength quicker as you noticed he didn't plan on getting himself off anymore. He let you have your fun with him and was happy to end it all there. 

You weren't. 

“Spencer,” you sang again, wrapping a hand once again around his erection as he tried to straighten out your now slightly more ripped skirt. “Spencer, it's more fun of we both cum. I want you to make a mess of my hand, can you do that for me?” 

You stroked his cock with a firmer grip than before, your arousal lubricating each stroke, his pre-cum mingling with it to aid you further. You suddenly wondered what he would taste like, but knew your legs would be too weak to do everything your heart desired today. 

There was always tomorrow. 

He leaned his weight back on the wall behind you, forcing you back as well as you pumped him quickly so desperate to hear him moan your name as he spilt his seed. 

“Y/N,” he moaned, and you were triumphant. His hips jerked once, then twice, then a third time, and he stilled, heaving breaths as he buried his head in your shoulder. 

He swallowed and regained his breath, and as he pulled away, you pulled your fingers to your lips and lapped up the final drops of cum that he left there. 

Most of it had his the wall, dripped to the floor, but you enjoyed these few drops and smiled brightly at him, pulling a handkerchief that you knew would be in his pocket out and cleaning the two of you up. 

He flushed again as he came back to his senses, especially as you attempted to put his clothed to rights, stepping back to replace his softening cock in his pants.

“Well,” you said after setting yourself to rights, “Thank you for the fun night, Spencer. See you tomorrow.” 

You skipped off quickly before he had a second to even process your words. 

The next day at the local precinct was a blur for Spencer as he tried to drag himself from the drug induced haze of meeting you. He'd stroked himself to completion two more times in bed after he returned to his motel room, reliving the sound of you begging him to take you, the words ‘pretty boy’ on your lips as you spread your legs. 

It'd taken his entire brain, or what was left of it, to not jump out of his skin every time Morgan had teased him with the words that morning.

“Now how did you like your first club experience, pretty boy? Did any college cuties throw themselves at you?” 

He spat up his coffee, choosing that moment to choke, and begging god for this to just be the end of Spencer Reid entirely. 

Because there was no way Morgan would actually believe that that was exactly what had happened. 

“Morgan, Gideon wants you in the interrogation room, and- wow, Spencer, you should change your shirt. What are you, 5? You can't drink coffee properly?” Elle said, chuckling slightly.

“I choked,” he frowned, but it fell on deaf ears as his teammates walked away quickly to get back to their jobs. 

He wished he could recover so quickly, even now the image of you having your fun with him the night before playing like a movie in his head. 

Looking down, he realised Elle was right, and he really did need to change his shirt. Hotch always had a few spare on hand, even for cases out of the office. He grabbed some tissues, dabbing against the mess of coffee on his shirt, suddenly thankful for lukewarm police precinct coffee, and started making his way towards Hotch. 

“Hey, Hotch-” he made it three steps before your voice cried out. 

“Ronnie!!” You shouted, throwing your hands around your elder brother as he caught you in a hug. 

“Y/N, we're at a police station. If you're going to come see me, you have to at least call me Aaron.” 

“And not take the chance to embarrass you in front of your peers and coworkers? Not a chance, Ronnie. Not a chance.” He chuckled fondly, brushing away his complaints quickly as he turned to introduce you to JJ first, then Elle and then the frozen statue that had replaced Spencer. 

“And, Y/N, this is Dr. Spencer Reid. Spencer, this is my sister, Y/N. She's a student at the university.” 

You held out your hand with a triumphant grin as Spencer stared in wide-eyed horror at the apparition in front of him. 

“Hello, Spencer. It's very nice to finally meet you. My brother has told me a lot about you, and I'm very excited to pick your brains.” 

The air seemed to explode around Spencer as each breath became deliriously hot, filling his lungs with fire. It was moments before he realised that he wasn't actually breathing at all, and the air was actually quite normal. 

Your hand remained out, ready to greet him, and to the surprise of his coworkers, he took it in his for a short shake. 

“Y/N. Hotch's sister, Y/N. Nice to meet you, Y/N Hotchner, Hotch's sister.” 

He could practically hear the audible sound of Elle and JJ smacking a hand against their faces in horror at his stupidly obvious reaction to the woman in front of him. If he wasn't careful, he'd be spouting confessions of desire soon, and knowing that Aaron Hotchner carried two guns on his person even now did nothing to calm his thoughts. 

“Okay, well, Y/N, I'm busy with some interrogations now, but I can drive you back to your apartment in half an hour if you're okay to wait with JJ?” 

“Are you busy, Spencer?” You asked instead, keeping her eyes locked on the man who still weakly shook her hand, unaware of when the right time to stop would be. 

“I was serious when I said I wanted to pick your brain, my brother said you had a PhD in Engineering and I'm struggling through a class right now that I need some guidance in if you can spare five minutes?” 

Spencer stared between Hotch and you, looking for the right answer to please present itself before he imploded right there. 

“Yes. PhD, I have a PhD. Three actually, but whose counting? Me. I just counted them. One of them is in mathematics, actually, so I guess I'm always counting.” He finally dropped your hand, and you gave him a wider smile that dropped his heart to his stomach. “I am free, unless you needed me for something else, Hotch?” 

His gaze was pleading, though he wasn't sure if he was begging for his life, five more minutes alone with you or the power to extricate himself from this situation entirely, but Hotch nodded his acceptance quickly and let you lead Spencer off to the small, empty visitors room at the opposite side of the precinct. 

You shut the door behind you when you walked in, leaning over to close the blinds as well before you turned back to Spencer. 

“Your shirt is wet. You should probably take it off,” you giggled as you trailed a hand up his arm once again. 

His hand grabbed yours before you could do any more damage to his tender nerves than you'd already managed that morning. 

“You knew the entire time? Who I was?” 

“I walked over because you seemed familiar, but I only figured it out when you said your name. My brother does talk about you a lot.”

“Hotch is going to kill me,” he said, slumping down into the chair behind him. “Y/N, your brother was outside the club. He could've seen us leave.” 

You climbed into his lap, and his eyes finally met yours again, his tongue stopping its hopeless tirade as you relaxed into his chest. 

“I have two older brothers, Spencer. Do you know how often they've been able to tell me what to do?” Your hands started down his shirt, making quick work of the buttons as he stared up, enthralled. 

“Not once have they been able to stop me from doing something I wanted.” 

He scoffed quickly, unable to help himself. Your hands gripped either side of his face and lifted his head to meet your gaze again. 

“And right now, Spencer, I really want you.” A roll of your hips was enough to have him hissing and grabbing your hips. You started steadily rocking into him, eyes still locked with his. 

“Y/N, please let's be sensible.” 

“I don't want to be sensible, I want to have fun. I want to suck your dick right here, and let you cum in my mouth. I want to scream your name and let everyone know who is giving me pleasure. Can't I do that, Spencer?” 

“No,” he groaned, his eyes screwed shut as you dry humped him, trying to get yourself off on his lap, his.cock rising with each of your quiet moans. 

“Spencer, please. I want your big, hard cock back inside me. Please, please, please. I'll be a good girl, I promise.” 

His eyes shot open in incredulity as he watched you use his body as you saw fit. 

“Good girls don't lose their virginities in alleyways, Y/N. Good girls don't throw themselves at their brothers' coworkers. Good girls listen when they're told no, and don't try to suck cock in public, like little sluts.” He spat each word at you, bit you enjoyed each insult he hurled your way, enjoyed the way his body recoiled as he finally called you a slut. 

He seemed slightly shocked by his anger himself, but you didn't seem to care. It took you only seconds after to push your lips against his again and have your hands on his cock once again, pulling him out of his pants as his hands explored you just as eagerly. 

“Yeah, Spencer, your little slut. I'm such a little slut for you, please fuck me.” 

He buried a hand in your hair, tipping your head back so his tongue could probe deeper, his other hand already under your shirt and teasing one nipple. You lifted your hips and sunk down onto his cock, neither of you stopping to think again about your actions as you began to rode him. 

“30 minutes, Y/N, by now we have 24 minutes and 17 seconds. Can you manage that, Y/N?” 

“Yes, sir.” You said, feeling his dick twitch as you rode him. “Oh did you like that? You liked me calling you, sir?” His hips pressed up again, his body answering more honestly than his tongue. 

“What else can I call you? Spencer… sir….daddy?” 

He broke away from his place buried in your neck to push the two of you down to the floor, the new angle had you gasping as a hand covered your mouth stifling any screams you could make before you made them. 

“Be quiet and cum on my cock, Y/N,” he whispered and picked up his pace, one hand gagging you while the other pulled painfully at your nipple, pinching it between two hands and using it to lift your entire chest so your body was arched toward him, letting him go deeper. 

“Yes, Daddy,” you whispered again, against his fingers, tempted to wrap your lips around one and suck it into your mouth. 

“Fuck, just call me Spencer, Y/N.” 

But you couldn't respond, suddenly overcome with the numbness of you orgasm washing over you as you bit back a choked cry. 

“That's it, good job, Y/N. You listen so well, good job.” He rubbed soothing circles into your chest as his hips slowed, working you through your orgasm as he withdrew once again. 

This time though, he didn't try to pull away and leave himself hard, but sat himself up, and lifted you once again too, putting slight pressure at the back of your head until you were on your knees and letting your head fall down, down, down as your lips wrapped around his wet cock. 

You took him in your mouth, and tasted the bitter, salty flavor of your illicit activities, lapping every last bit of your joint pleasure up as he pushed your hair up and down his cock. 

It didn't take long for his hips to press up into your mouth slightly harder than before, his hands holding you steady as he came down your throat. He held your head there for a minute two, as you tried your best to breathe and stay there, taking as much of his cum down your throat as you could. He pulled your head off him and you swallowed the rest, smiling brightly at him as you did so. 

“Thank you for the fun, Spencer,” You said again, grabbing your phone and checking the time. 

Standing up, you pulled your clothes back in place, pulling your skirt down and your panties up, smoothing out the tangles in your hair. 

“Let me go get you that spare shirt, Doctor Reid,” you said, opening the door. “I'm very grateful for your help with my class load, sir.” 

His head fell back into his hands as you closed the door, leaving him to wonder just what the hell he'd got himself in for. 

[tailschannel]

Bonus Missions, Snowdrift Sonic, and bug fixes in latest Sonic Forces Mobile update

With the release of the Apple Arcade exclusive Sonic Dream Team came a new patch for SEGA HARDlight's long-running mobile game, Sonic Forces: Speed Battle.

The new update, version 4.23.0, came with a new runner scheduled for future in-game events, several quality-of-life improvements, balance changes, and the introduction of Bonus Missions.

The developers also announced significant improvements to the mobile game's anti-cheat detection code, promising players to see "far less exploiters in races and on the leaderboards."

A look at Snowdrift Sonic

Snowdrift Sonic will be equipped with a speed stat of 10/10, a strength stat of 4/10, and an acceleration stat of 6/10.

Snowball - Give your rivals the chills with this snowy strike.

Gift Wrapped - Need some gift wrap? No problem. With this festive boost you’ll have your rivals covered!​

Festive Forest - Plant trees to needle your opponents and a chance to treat yourself to a free gift.

Speed Battle players can collect cards for this festive runner between 19 to 26 December 2023.

Bonus Missions

Officially dubbed a "new and exciting way to gain cards" for Speed Battle runners, the newly unveiled Bonus Missions feature will allow players to collect cards for different runners every week.

Starting today, this week's bonus mission is to collect cards for Treasure Hunter Knuckles and Elite Agent Rouge.

Balance changes

Character balance changes were made for Mephiles the Dark and Rusty Rose in the latest Speed Battle update.

Changed "guarantee" to "chance of" x2/x3 for Mephiles the Dark's Stalking Shade,

Slightly reduced damage for Rusty Rose's Crossed Wires at all levels, and reduced chance of x2/x3 on Crossed Wires,

Updated upgrade text for Rusty Rose's Crossed Wires to correctly reflect final upgrade (increase to chance of x3, not x2).

Bug fixes

From SEGA HARDlight's official patch notes, bug fixes for version 4.23.0 of Speed Battle are as follows:

Fixed an issue with Darkspine Sonic powerups spawning behind him,

Fixed an issue with Zeena's blizzard bomb spawning behind her,

Fixed an issue with speed up/slow down trail items,

Fixed an issue where vault bonus box would show a cooldown despite not enough time left on vault to claim it again,

Fixed an issue where item slots locked by Booby Trap would unlock when taking electric damage,

Fixed issues with some item behaviour being different on networked clients: Whisper running through her own Pink Spikes made it cause no damage to other rivals; ISJ running through his own Trap Shot made it cause no damage to other rivals; and some projectiles, such as Psychic Surprise, instantly exploded when viewed on a rivals device.

[wizardofrozz]

Next up in my interesting crossover: Marshal Commander Cody 🥰

Perks from the amazing @dickarchivist

You Dropped This, Again, when on strikes/raids, if one or more Guardians are down, as long as you are standing within 10 feet of their Ghost, you are able to REZ them at the same time. Max 3 Guardians.

Take Charge, when downing Vex combatants, abilities and supers charge x2 faster

Guard Dog, when you are the last Guardian, as long as you are not reviving other Guardians, your primary ammo does double (x2.5) damage until all allies are revived.

Captain Rex

Commander Fox

Commander Wolffe

Sergeant Sawbones

Taglist:

@a-single-tulip @wings-and-beskar @anxiouspineapple99 @secondaryrealm @dystopicjumpsuit

@moonlightwarriorqueen @msmeredithrose @starrylothcat @starqueensthings @multi-fan-dom-madness

@sev-on-kamino @trixie2023 @mythical-illustrator @hetalianskywalker

[pale-opal]

A Legitimate Question

You know how in X2, you can go on a sidequest to retrieve Zero's body parts to prevent him from being rebuilt and brainwashed by Sigma & Friends? Well, here's something I don't quite understand about that:

Why is Zero's head detached from his torso?

No, seriously. Why is that? When he self-destructs back in X1, his head and torso are still connected:

This is the case in Maverick Hunter X as well:

Now that we've established that Zero's head was originally still attached, we need to figure out why on Earth the Three Stooges X-Hunters would change that. For what I can tell, there are two potential reasons:

Something Happened to Zero's Head, Meaning That it Had to Be Repaired Separately This is definitely a possibility. Homeboy was not doing well after self-destructing. He couldn't even open his eyes, he was in so much pain. And by the looks of it, his self-repair systems were pulling an X5 and not responding. If you told me that he concussed himself, or damaged some important part of his brain, I'd believe it. ...but at the same time, he literally blew his legs and one of his arms off. It is far more likely that the amount of pain he's in, as well as his self-repair systems not functioning, is a result of his extensive damage instead, much like what happened in X5. Not only that, but his head could've been repaired while still remaining connected to his torso. There's also the possibility that Zero's control chip would have to be inserted between his head and torso, hence why the head is removed. But if that's the case, why does X need all three of Zero's parts? Why not stop at the head and torso, if that's all that's needed? Couldn't Dr. Cain just cobble together some new legs? He's a smart man. I believe in him. So that leaves us with reason number two:

They're Screwing With X Think about it for a second. We know that the X-Hunters wanted to use Zero's parts as bait, so that they would have a chance to fight X and potentially stop him from getting any further in taking out the mavericks. However, they could've easily done this with his arm parts instead of his head if they wanted to, right? But here's the thing: Serges is a mad scientist. Agile is a spy and strategist. Violen is... a regular jerk, I guess (I have no idea what his role on the team is). But the point is that these people know that X beating them is a possibility, and they are going to go out of their way to make it as hard as possible, simply because of who they are. They aren't dueling him for who gets custody rights over Zero out of the nonexistent kindness in their hearts, or in the name of fairness. Think of it like this: if you were an X-Hunter, what would be the easiest way to mess with the guy that's ruining all your plans, while also making his potential victory over you as painful as possible? The answer is simple. Give him the severed head of his best friend before running away. Not only could he not kill you, but he also gets a gruesome reminder of just how dead his bestie is. Oh, and be sure to tell him that this isn't the last he'll be seeing of you:

So, what can we gather from all this? What's the big takeaway? Here's what I think: Dr. Light may have built X to be a peacekeeper, but that doesn't mean he's a pushover. He's got some serious mental fortitude on him. Sure, he retires in between X6 and X7. But honestly? If it were me, I would've hit the bricks a while ago. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't have even gone out to the highway back in X1. I would've been trying to figure out how to get out of the country as fast as possible, just so I wouldn't have to deal with whatever the mavericks were up to that week. But X? He takes those mavericks out, no questions asked. He fights the same dude eight times (ten, if we count Sigma's appearances in the Xtreme titles). He even comes out of retirement, just because he gets inspired by how much Zero and the random kid he brought home care about helping people. And he does all this despite hating fighting more than anything else. And you know what? I can respect that. (This essay was partially inspired by this post.)

[joneoyvilde03]

kuroni kansho emotional story

Hello everyone I got kuroni kansho memories story a emotional saddest and about is blood gore warning and was saddest at a kuroni kansho a kids and gives mother drink poison about accident and kill it and grave funeral and that’s sad and it’s my fault and so next years the teenager grown up and so going trial and they truthfully it and going a jail it on prison and goes sad it and also get run it and escape it and running for it and something and all bad guys running for it and they kuroni is saved they happen the kuroni get really so hurry it and then the lights a truck and get hit it and killed it a traffic at car crashed and destructed a damage a kuroni get injured and falling down a grass and wait it and hear it a heart beat and ear ringing and then the open left eye and is break a blood a right eyes and arm with glasses blood and give up and is hurting something happen what is going on the people get injured and death and came police/cops yell it say you are arrest but wait I think is injury I think is damage we need call ambulance quick!!! And kuroni look see it and all traffic destruction and get werry so bad thing it and kuroni kansho take for hospital and rushing a ambulance and kuroni closed eyes and get black dark and doctor say kuroni are still okay and then kuroni wake it and got bandages and hospital gown and feeling be okay at kuroni kansho and better soon and so after dark hospital and there’s is black wolf with red eyes and kuroni need a change this time and be color to light blue and dark blue and look a mirror a restroom and kuroni begin a anti-hero and that’s emotional story and that’s end and thank for made joneoyvilde03

Character from:

City town mania forces X2

By joneoyvilde03

[soylent-crocodile]

Klingon (Race)

(Artist Unknown, taken from the Klingon Core Rulebook)

(After vulkans, klingons are THE Star Trek race, so I had to do 'em. Also, I hate gamebooks that list all their artists in one big clump at the start without also giving credit to individual art pieces. Makes sourcing damn near impossible.

Also, if it's not clear, I'm not fond of klingon's near-fascism.)

Klingons are a race that pride themselves on a strong warrior code and strict adherence to honor. A klingon’s life is expected to be given in its entirety to battle and strength; he will train from adolescence, and seek an honorable death so as not to shame his family. Horrifically, a klingon who is no longer able to fight is considered useless and a burden on their kind- they are expected to commit ritual suicide. While almost all klingons pay lip service to the ideals of their code, the fact is much of their leadership prioritizes gaining power for themselves rather than acting with honor and honesty, and will gladly stab someone in the back if it means advancement for them. 

Klingons who hew close to this culture tend towards law and evil, although there are klingons who have escaped it and choose to define their own ideals.

Ability Scores: Klingons are tough and powerful, but consider intellectual pursuits to be dishonorable. They get +2 to Strength and Constitution and -2 to Intelligence. Medium: Klingons are medium creatures that get no bonuses or penalties based on size. Speed: Klingons have a base speed of 30ft. Languages: Klingons start play knowing Klingon. Klingons with a high intelligence score may choose from Common, Orc, Andorian, and Tellarite. Redundant Organs: Klingons have redundancy in their anatomy, meaning no one injury deals critical damage. They take half precision damage and get a +4 racial bonus to AC against critical confirmation checks. Honorable Death: Once per day, when brought below 0 health, a klingon may make a melee attack as an immediate action before falling unconscious. Weapon Training: Klingons are proficient with the Bat’leth.

Bat’leth Exotic Two-Handed Melee Weapon Cost: 100gp Damage (S): 1d4/1d4 Damage (M): 1d6/1d6 Critical: 19-20/x2 Range:- Weight: 12lb Type: S, P Special: Double, When wielded by a proficient user the Bat’leth grants a +1 shield bonus to AC.

[amethystfairy1]

Tango Needs a Shower

I've seen this question come up a couple times in the comments of 'Everything and More' which is Zedango's debut fic for TTSBC, and so I thought I'd take the opportunity to expand my thoughts on it here for my first worldbuilding/spitballing post!

Or y'know...whatever snazzier name I can come up with for them 😳

SO BASICALLY...

I think some of you may be keeping up with my other currently WIP AU, 'Traveling Thieves' which I do plan to expand, and try and add to this blog and discuss over here as well once I start working on it more again. I just haven't really done much with it in the past few weeks, but I ASSURE YOU I WILL RETURN TO IT. In that series, there is a fic that fulfills a whumptober prompt called 'You drew stars around my scars, but now I'm bleeding.' and it is a Zed & Tango fic...you could read it as a Zedango pre-relationship fic, but whatever interpretation is up to you.

Point is, in that fic, SPOILER ALERT, Tango is 'burned' by water.

Which understandably threw some of you for a loop when I mentioned Tango taking a shower in TTSBC. And so I thought I'd clarify that blaze-born traits are gonna be different between the two AUs, and for TTSBC it will be as follows....it's essentially the same way scalding/boiling water would burn a human, but in reverse. So Tango showers with scalding/boiling hot water, and he doesn't spend much time in it. Blaze-borns don't like water for the most part, but hey, hygiene is as hygiene does, so you still gotta shower sometimes. If the water is extremely, extremely hot, it could be pleasant, but considering keeping water at that high of a temperature through a showerhead isn't exactly the easiest thing in the world, Tango just sucks it up with as hot as he can manage to get it. Which is still pretty freaking hot. Cold/cooler water would have the same effect on him that scalding/boiling water would have on anyone else. It would scald/burn him. Bonus points if he isn't expecting it and it hits his flares or blaze-rods before he can dim them, that's like x2 damage. Ouchies. And before you ask yes, yes we will be revisiting this concept.

As far as worldbuilding goes, I do like the idea that blaze-born pyres in the under-city form around natural hot springs/lava flows in the tunnels distant from the main cavern, but I dunno if that'll ever come up/become canon, that's just me spitballing.

Sooooooo...

TL:DR: Tango showers with scalding/boiling hot water, but cold/cooler water would burn/scald him.🔥🫖🔥

The fics mentioned in this post are ⬇️

[itsbenedict]

From the beginning | Previously | Coin standings | 5/23 | 0/8

(Multiple solves on the leading options! x2 to FLAP DISPARITY and DODO OFFING.)

You attempt to remedy the FLAP DISPARITY between you and your partner, and APPLY FIRST AID with the SOFTWARE PATCH that was lying next to them. It heals 5% STINGY OUTLIER, healing some of the damage from the gears, and briefly clears the Crashed status. Still, without food, the status effect will just reassert itself in a matter of--

AAAAAARGH THEY JUST BIT YOU

.

You are hungry. You are so, so, hungry. There's hardly anything left of you but the need to take something else and put it inside you to fill the emptiness. Your senses, which you thought had fled you, return briefly to inform you that there is something living before your mouth.

You do the obvious thing and bite down. With your beak you tear flesh and with your tongue you force it inside of you. Which would all be well and good, except that your sense of hearing has reported something unusual.

It's not a food-related sound, and yet somehow it's been flagged as of paramount importance. How could that be? Your conscious mind must be responsible for this glitch, somehow. You force it awake and interrogate it. Why does the sound matter?

The sound is Adea screaming, your conscious mind reports.

[ed: Or maybe Walter. I was being deliberately gender-ambiguous about this (since I wasn't expecting them to be in the same scene), but fuck it, it's not like canon tells us which one was which. Pretty sure there's SE content that would clear that up, but I haven't found it yet. Let's just say Adea's the hawk and Walter's the dove. Avoiding their names and trying to juggle ambiguous pronouns with two player characters sounds like a pain.]

The sound is Adea screaming. That is your wife in pain. Breaking free of its restraints, your conscious mind shoves animal reflex aside and seizes the controls.

You ask if she's okay. She says no she's not okay, you just tore a chunk out of her wing. You apologize, and you start to explain, and she just says to shut up and hold on tight as she scoops you up and starts running.

Oh, god. The thing with the teeth is right behind you. She asks what the hell it is, and you tell her that of course you have no idea. You feel like you've been being followed ever since you decided to PATCH YOURSELF UP with clockwork from the MAKEUP SPINSTERS, but you don't know what it wants from you. She says MAKEUP SPINSTERS? You say no, you meant the MAKEUP SPINSTERS. Gah!

She says you're not making any sense. You're delirious. You need to get some food in you before you lose your mind and pass out again. She knows a place she should be able to get some BEAT USER, but it's a little ways away. You say oh, LOW THEORY? She says no, CLOVER ON CANVAS. She says she means CLOVER ON CANVAS. Fucking hell, she's doing it too.

Adea almost trips over an UNSUNG DRYAD ROOT, from a not-particularly-renowned living tree lady. There's a fork in the road. You need to make up your mind. Where should you go to find safety and supplies?

Continued

[the-typing-dragon]

rhino is such a hilariously overtuned warframe for how early in the story you can get him. iron skin is the "i will no longer take damage" skill, roar is the "fuck you, get a multiplicative team wide damage buff" skill, and stomp is the "fuck your overguard, fuck your cover, get stasis'd idiot" skill. mfer drops from jackal. he can basically solo everything except point defense and even that is mostly just because he cant be in 4 places at once. but really WHY does stomp ignore overguard status immunity. WHO cleared that. rhino can be functionally unkillable while every enemy within 25m is locked mid fall animation while he has a x2 damage modifier on all at once. amazing frame for brute forcing missions. oh also rhino charge is there. if you dont have an augment its kind of a nothing skill. if you DO have the augment it lets iron skin reach funny numbers

[highlander-732b]

Battle Report + Status Update: Succession Wars junk vehicles are very fun

For a little context, I've been waiting impatiently for the BattleTech Mercenaries Kickstarter stuff to actually ship to general customers, as it's been taking Catalyst a while to actually get all of the stuff in order.

Unfortunately for me, I ordered some stuff through our local TTRPG supplier, and I hadn't actually supported the Mercenaries Kickstarter because I wasn't fully committed to actually buying BattleTech stuff until I had gotten a starter box as a birthday gift about a year ago.

Fast forward to now, and my friend had gotten his BattleTech Mercenaries Kickstarter stuff fulfilled recently. We discovered that there were campaign rules included in the small primer booklet, and I decided to fully hammer out the beginnings of a 3151+ campaign then and there. Notably, pilots can't be better than 3/5 (Gunnery/Piloting) to begin with, but we decided to force people to make 3/5 pilots to increase game speed.

We decided on 4000 BV per player to allow for more fun Dark Age mech and vehicle choices. My friend decided to kinda go crazy with his picks, and selected an Ontos Heavy Tank and a Dervish DV-11DK.

For those who are educated in the art of tank warfare in the age of the battlemech, you would know that the Ontos kinda sucks historically. It's a tank with eight medium lasers as a primary armanent, but no fusion engine. That means three heatsinks have to be mounted alongside every medium laser to sink the heat, making the Ontos horribly inefficient as a 95 ton tank. (A Demolisher can do similar close range damage, but can equip Gyrojet Ammo for a -2 to hit using the AC/20s)

HOWEVER, some madman decided to upgrade the thing in Dark Age by adding eight large chemical lasers as a replacement to the medium lasers & heatsinks. Chemical lasers do not generate heat on vehicles, because they use ammunition. You have EIGHT large lasers.

The following fight was very brief.

To set the stage, a pirate raiding party had struck the area my friend was defending, and had landed with:

Hunchback HBK-4N Wolverine WVR-6K Vedette Tank x2 Default Condor Hovercraft Default

With all of these units at 4/5 (Gunnery/Piloting), they roughly were equivalent to the Dervish & Ontos combo BV-wise.

This was not the case in combat, and it turns out defending with a tank that will likely hit more than half its shots against opponents that must close to close combat distances (>10 hexes) kinda just wins. That Ontos was killing a Vedette when it could see a Vedette, and when it ran out of Vedettes, the Ontos killed the Wolverine with little assistance.

The Wolverine barely lasted two turns of direct combat, and gracefully exploded after having every single pip of armor on nearly every armor section completely gone, before it was crit in the SRM-6 ammo bin located in the right torso. No CASE meant instant death.

The Hunchback actually did a minimum of damage before quickly retreating, while both Vedettes exploded instantly from merely attempting to scratch the paint of the Ontos.

The standout was the Condor, being lucky enough to avoid getting hit at all while successfully closing to optimum weapons range, but it was quickly squashed by the Dervish after a lucky boxcars roll on motive system damage after getting a little too close.

In summary, the pirates were reduced to burning slag in a matter of seconds, and playing as them was hilariously fun. Bad units are great as story enemies, because you can aggressively run them into danger without really caring. My friend got a hella large payout according to the campaign rules, so that was a pretty nice way to begin a tale of a new mercenary company.

[tobiasdrake]

Is it just me or do like nine-tenths of X-movies make Logan come off as a truly monumental dope? He seems to run on more abrasiveness and Nuh-Uh That Didn't Kill Me plot power than the goddamn Hulk. It also seems like that Japan entry was fundamentally kneecapped by how thoroughly X2 iced Deathstrike.

I mean, his superpower is not being killed by things.

Wolverine has the regenerator problem: He necessarily must fight stupider than other characters so that we can see how cool his powers are.

Cyclops can show off his powers by blasting people with his laser eyes. Storm can show off her powers by conjuring a hurricane. Jean can show off her powers by levitating someone.

But for Wolverine to show off his powers, he has to take damage. He has to get hit by things. We can't see his powers unless someone bashes him with a sledgehammer. Unless someone shoots him in the chest with buckshot. Unless someone drops a building on him. He has to get the shit kicked out of him or otherwise we don't get to see his powers work.

He has to fight with the overconfidence of someone who is invulnerable so that the audience can watch cool CGI moments of his flesh knitting back together. Regenerators are always some of the dumbest fighters out there, because the metafiction requires that they be.

[perhaps-in-anotherdream]

These calls and moments accompany Victor’s S2 CH 45-48 Karma, and feature S2 Victor and MC, but don’t contain any spoilers from the S2 storyline~

⌚ This post contains detailed spoilers for contents yet to be released on the global server! ⌚

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

【Moments】

Victor’s Post: To my surprise, a certain someone actually grabbed my hand and purposely broke the sandcastle just for the sake of “reviving old memories.”

–

⊳  OPTION A:

MC: Hehe, it’s been so many years. I’ve learned not to cry anymore, you see!

Victor: Hmm, that’s really impressive.

–

⊳  OPTION B:

MC: A certain someone said he wouldn’t repeat the same mistake, but now he has broken- my- sandcastle- again——

⊳  OPTION C:

Victor: ...just state your conditions for making amends directly.

–

MC: It doesn’t matter, anyhow, Vic gēge needs to compensate me with a pudding tomorrow.

Victor: I can compensate you with more.

─

—

【1st Call】

Victor: You sent me ten angry furry cat stickers in a row… what happened again?

MC: Sob, sob, sob, I just went through an “extremely tragic social demise.”

Victor: [sounds so amused LOL]  A rare sight; even dummies have moments when they feel embarrassed.

Victor: What happened?

MC: During the meeting earlier, I was screen-sharing my phone and accidentally revealed my wallpaper. Everyone burst out laughing…

MC: AHHHHHH, thinking back on it even now, I still feel so embarrassed.

 Victor: If I remember correctly, a certain someone recently changed her wallpaper into a new photo of mine.

Victor: [you can practically collect the teasing dripping from his voice in a bucket LMAO]  I don’t think I’m that unseemly, am I?

MC: It’s not that you’re unseemly… it’s just that, I’m just feeling a little embarrassed, you know!

Victor: Who was the one that excitedly sought out Goldman for the best HD version after seeing the cover photo I took for LFG last week?

Victor: She even kept bragging about how she was the one who styled my outfit, so she needed to keep this meticulously crafted masterpiece as her personal collection.

MC: Well, what I said wasn’t untrue. The photo did have my fair share of contribution!

Victor: It was more than just a contribution. The direction of my hair grooming and the cosmetics that ended up plastered on my face was all thanks to your involvement.

MC: Hehe, well, the final result of the photo was absolutely flawless, wasn’t it?

Victor: If the photo is flawless, why do you feel embarrassed about it?

MC: Hm…? Oh… Victor, you’ve misunderstood. I actually changed my wallpaper yesterday…

Victor: [sighs helplessly] …the speed at which your heart changes is truly remarkable.

MC: The new wallpaper I switched to was your new photo. How can you blame me for having a change of heart!

Victor: I don’t remember taking any new photos recently.

MC: That’s true. You don’t remember taking any new photos because it was last night when I couldn’t resist taking a sneaky photo of you while I was putting the cat ear headband on you. 

Victor: …what did you say?

MC: Even though it was a photo of your back, everyone still seemed to have recognized you…

Victor: So, when you said you went through an “extremely tragic social demise,” the main protagonist of the incident was actually me?

MC: Well, I guess you could phrase it like that too?

Victor: [HOLY SHIT THE ALARMING SEXY TONE-DROP x1]  This issue won’t be dropped so easily. I suggest you think of a reasonable compensation proposal as soon as possible.

Victor: [x2]  If I don’t get an answer by tonight, don’t blame me for being a heartless capitalist and claiming for damages according to my own term.

─

—

【2nd Call】

Victor: What’s up?

MC: I’ll be off work soon. How about I come to LFG later, and we can grab some free food from the cafeteria?

Victor: Is the menu at Souvenir no longer able to satisfy your cravings?

MC: How could that be! CEO Victor is already so exhausted from work, I can’t bear to make you cook all the time~

Victor: If memory serves, a certain someone was clamoring about having two puddings this morning.

MC: Hehe, okay, I’ll be honest~ The braised pork you brought me from the cafeteria last week was so, so delicious. It’s constantly been on my mind ever since.

MC: I really wish I could hire this chef with a hefty salary and have them handle the catering for [MC’s Company Name]’s company meals!

MC: After all, it’s really challenging to arrange delicious and nutritious work meals for everyone when we’re filming on location.

Victor: You probably can’t afford this person.

MC: Even though you’re Victor, you cannot underestimate others casually!

MC: Our company’s financial report for the past quarter is really impressive~

Victor: Since you’re talking so big, have you made up your mind about poaching the chef with a high salary?

MC: I’m considering it. If we can have this level of braised pork on the filming set, I think everyone would be ecstatic to the point of fainting~

Victor: I think the only one who would be ecstatic to the point of fainting is you, the dummy boss.

Victor: So, how high of a salary are you planning to offer to lure him away?

MC: Hmm… we definitely need to offer a salary higher than LFG.

MC: Can you give me an approximate idea of his monthly salary? Just a rough estimate is fine. I still must respect LFG’s business confidentiality.

Victor: He receives an annual salary, and the amount varies each year. But you already know that.

MC: …!

MC: Victor, did you personally cook that braised pork yourself?!

Victor: Could your uptake be any slower?

MC: Sob, sob, sob, how I just knew that taste was so familiar!

MC: But who would’ve guessed that besides French cuisine, your home-style dishes are so-freaking-delicious too!

Victor: …you really do excel in sweet-talking. Apart from braised pork, what else would you like for dinner tonight?

MC: Do you know how to cook dishes like hot and sour fish soup, sweet and sour pork, Pecking duck, shrimp stir-fried with Dragon Well tea, Laziji, and hot dry noodles?

–

[Tidbits]: Laziji is a dish of Sichuan cuisine, a variety of spicy chicken, to be more specific. The dishes MC mentions here are actually part of different provincial cuisines in China, which is why MC asks if Victor knows how to cook them 😂🫠

–

Victor: ...I asked you to decide on tonight’s dinner, not quiz me on dish names.

MC: Hehe, I’m just really curious to know where your culinary skill reaches its zenith~

MC: But now that I think about it, these dishes can be quite troublesome. Let me think of some simpler options…

Victor: The person who is eagerly waiting to eat doesn’t need to fuss about the trouble.

Victor: It’s just that a certain dummy with big eyes but a small stomach always gets enthusiastic when ordering, but never manages to finish her food, leaving a pile for someone else to help with.

MC: Since we shouldn’t let food go to waste, why not borrow CEO Victor’s stomach for that purpose?

Victor: My stomach capacity is also limited, so out of the dishes you mentioned, choose three for tonight’s menu.

MC: Then I really need to ponder over it carefully...!

Victor: Sure, you can think it over while getting ready to come downstairs, and then we can go together to buy the ingredients.

─────

[studentbyday]

don't ask me to analyze poetry but sometimes i get the last lines stuck in my head bc it's a long road to get to where i wanna be in life...

D-37 & D-36 DAYS TO FREEDOM

yesterday i studied for 3h and 36 mins. i was supposed to study for 6+ hours. today i will try to make up for it bc yesterday was just not enough time to finish everything i was supposed to. i wonder how long it will take me to figure out (and be okay with) a reasonable to-do list. i really feel like i keep overwhelming myself with things to do that i just keep feeling defeated and demotivated every day bc it's impossible to finish it all in 1 day...

learning:

finish 2nd biochem discussion reply (took 2h 😑) ✅ (why is it *so* *hard* to read and understand biochem papers without reading at a snail's pace?? 😩)

finish 1.5 psyc ch for this week ✅ (OMG THE NEUROSCIENCE OF CONSCIOUSNESS IS SO COOL and also really freaky bc many different brain regions are so dependent on each other so damage may mean you don't actually perceive smth??? unfortunately to allow my brain to osmose the info, i need to slow down 🥺 i wish i could go faster.)

finish biochem sec 1, start sec 2 ✅

self-care:

physio exercises x2 ✅

journal x2 ✅

laundry ✅

update: i could not stick to pomodoro for more than 3h today and i didn't study anymore after that. i could not focus very well after the first hour and a half. i think it's because i didn't sleep well last night. so i'm gonna finally try to be consistent for a week and go to bed between 9-10 even if i don't feel like it and even if i can't fall asleep right away for the first couple of days. also, i think i'll try to reduce the amount of stuff i write on a day's to-do list. i'll still be aiming for 6-8h of studying per day, but we're gonna go with 4 or 5 tasks a day if 2 or 3 of them are small (takes an hour or less) and 3 if all the tasks are big (i.e. takes 2 hours or more) and if i finish early, then everything else i do will be a happy bonus, and if not, that's fine as well bc i'm still gonna get it done within the week, just not this instant. maybe tmr's update will feature a new bujo spread? (i changed it from the 2-page weekly to a super basic 6 column thing that would allow me to timeblock my days but...ofc that didn't help for very long bc all that space allowed me to overwhelm myself every day!)

🎶 liebesleid/love's sorrow - kreisler/rachmaninoff (yes the same set of songs keep getting stuck in my head. it seems to stay like that until i'm able to play them myself. so we're gonna be with this set for a while 😅 as a sidenote, this was a great song to listen to as i journalled about imposter syndrome 😂 it really fit the vibes 😎)

[cerastes]

How would you rate current is3 boss fights?

Highmore is fun, she has plenty of requirements for her map but no real demands for specific teams, making her a really good boss that can be tackled in several ways. You need to hold three lanes, one of which is a ticking time bomb, while juggling ASPD decreases and multitarget attacks. Extra long range, such as Artilleryman Snipers (like W), Fortress Defenders (like Horn) and other means of long range (like Platinum S2, Schwarz S3, Ifrit, etc), is very effective due to being able to hit her from outside her debuff ring range, while having good Stuns, elemental healing, and self-sustain is very helpful. It’s a fun fight in general.

I don't like Last Knight, I sincerely, personally heavily dislike fights in which even attacking is a huge pain in the ass. The whole "freezes you for 2/4 seconds every two attacks you land on him" just makes it so irksome and annoying that I really just don't care for the fight, even if it's properly constructed (Don Quijote only ever moves in a straight line, perfectly in character with what we know of him forever charging the ocean single-mindedly). The fight follows in the steps of Big Sad Lock in that the fight is really about the preparation, not the map in itself: If you have what you need to win, you win easily, and if you don't, you're in for a bad time. Extremely static. I personally eventually grew to like BSL, I don't think I'll ever like this fight.

Skadi, I need more time to properly construct an opinion, but I have enjoyed it the times I've done it. It's a pretty dynamic fight that follows in the steps of Mouthpiece, in which you have to take some key positions in order to prevent the boss from just getting away with their main gimmick unimpeded. The main gimmick, the boss' transformation, is pretty well done and threatening, I quite like it. I'll have more to say when I've done it more times. That third challenge is quite difficult, too.

Something I appreciate from the three bosses is their collective design centered around alternative bulk:

Highmore isn't particularly resilient (45000 x2 base HP, a mere 700 Defense baseline), but the fact that she has a wide area around her that she constantly blasts with heavy Physical+Elemental damage, and a very heavy ASPD Down aura around her makes her WAY more durable than her numbers suggest.

Last Knight has stupid bulk if you don't debuff him (Four Fucking Thousand Defense, yes, 4000, on top of 100k + 25% baseline HP), but if you do, he's left at a pretty whatever 800 Defense, BUT he's got that goofy autofreeze, so actually emptying his HP way harder than the numbers suggest.

These two are, as a trade-off, susceptible to status effects and crowd control (every single effect except Float for Highmore and Silence for both)

Finally, Skadi is predictably very sturdy even by traditional standards, boasting 90000 HP and 1200 Defense baseline. On top of that, every time she gets 120 SP (Skadi gets 1 SP per second and 25 SP every 3 seconds for each Ishar'mla's Tears without an Operator on them), Skadi transforms into Ishar'mla, switching from healing mode to attacking mode. Besides getting an absolutely massive attack range (4 tiles, 3 targets at once, True Damage), Ishar'mla switches to a different HP bar (45000 HP base, 360 DEF, 35 RES) that needs to be emptied in order to revert her back to Skadi, and be able to continue damaging her true HP bar.

I appreciate that burst is not really weakened in the slightest and is still a very important part of the strat, but you also need to be able to survive and going full glass cannon is ill advised, as these bosses have means to hang in there. I think they strike a perfect balance between needing to assemble bulk and damage in order to defeat them.