I had some random idea for mechanics today. Normally I'd send these along to someone more specific but they are on a bit of a break from...everything mechanical.
I always wondered what it'd be like to make a character here whose power was built around cool downs. I mean the prospect of giving people cooldowns is interesting, as is the prospect of making people's already-existing cooldowns longer. In a way it almost functions like negation but it doesn't influence your opponent's action economy--only their choices and only if they are one-trick ponies. In fact its a pretty good way to punsih one-trick ponies.
It'd also be really fun to 'advance' people's techniques by a round. Like force them to pay all upkeeps for 2 or 3 rounds in 1 round, as well as advance everything to the potential longest duration. Kinda reminds me of Solomon's Tablet/Lawbook form Yu-Gi-Oh! It'd be a double edged sword with the cooldown manipualtor, as your letting your opponent reach cooldown point. But it'd be used to deactivate the techs in the first place so the cooldowns start!
That being said I'd love to see a reduction in the cost to negate when multiple skills are being applied to a single action. Specifically you negate the action, but not the other skills/techniques influencing the action. "Did you just spend 16 stamina to hit stat cap by applying three techs from three skills to that one 4 stamina attack technique? I'mma negate the attack technique for 4+5!" Unfortunately negation says you pay for the cost of the "action", which makes things weird with buffs that last multiple rounds. Do you pay for the cost of the round? Or the cost of the buff? Does it matter if they buffed that round? What if your skill exceeds the skill on the attack but not the buff?
I mean most of these are non-questions that any judge could easily answer if the appropriate examples were given. So I'm just kind of head tripping and theorizing. But I still fervently believe that the best way to stop a 1-trick pony is to make negation easier. Its just hard to balance that in a way that doesn't fuck over *everyone*. Of course teleportation helps with this too.
And talking about 1-trick ponies and teleportation? Most of the restrictions on techniques are lifted the second you get similar effects in multiple techniques on the same character. Teleportation cooldown? Just get a number of teleportation-like effects equal to the cooldown. Of course to prevent maximum cheese and flavor-issues every effect has to be slightly different. Of course I can probably write a list of 20 ways to use the teleport action right now.
But that's why good mechanics read over every technique you have. Even if your just getting 1 technique approved and have 15 other techniques that have been previously approved before this round of approvals. Because even with the strictest stacking rules there are always going to be non-numeric abuses.
And to end this with some compliments: JESUS CHRIST I LOVE PRECISION. Like, seriously, the fact we didn't do this in 2011 is my biggest regret.
And I did some statistics: Precision is the highest stat on our site (roughly 10-16 points higher, on average). Followed by power, then speed, then defense (all within 1~3 points of one another). But its funny because precision is the easiest stat to "dump" (except that some people use it as a pseudo-will save in opposed checks). There is a dangerous build on the site of 40P;10Pr;40Def;10Spd that theoretically rocks. Just make all your attacks area-of-effect (no need for precision) and use teleports (no need for speed). Honestly I think the character would just flop-die to the non-damage dealers like Yaksha and I. Unfortunately a lot of people just use debuffs as their only non-damage effect and your still dealing with someone who had higher stats to start with (assuming you went even stats). Of course with only 10 speed you can just run the fuck away too. Unfortunately most people's objectives in fights on this site is "to win the fight [by beating my opponent up]".
...Did I mention I'm in a fight with Adimus? I'd really love to fight Garra/Umi someday. Yaksha too.
Post by Colin Arascain on Sept 16, 2014 11:31:24 GMT -5
That being said I'd love to see a reduction in the cost to negate when multiple skills are being applied to a single action. Specifically you negate the action, but not the other skills/techniques influencing the action. "Did you just spend 16 stamina to hit stat cap by applying three techs from three skills to that one 4 stamina attack technique? I'mma negate the attack technique for 4+5!" Unfortunately negation says you pay for the cost of the "action", which makes things weird with buffs that last multiple rounds. Do you pay for the cost of the round? Or the cost of the buff? Does it matter if they buffed that round? What if your skill exceeds the skill on the attack but not the buff?
I mean most of these are non-questions that any judge could easily answer if the appropriate examples were given. So I'm just kind of head tripping and theorizing. But I still fervently believe that the best way to stop a 1-trick pony is to make negation easier. Its just hard to balance that in a way that doesn't fuck over *everyone*.
Action modifiers aren't actions. Negating continuous effects is an entirely different ballgame from negating attacks; I have a technique that does it, you approved it, you should know how that works. Negating an attack does not negate a continuous effect and does not involve the cost of the continuous effect. If you negate an attack, any action modifiers fizzle.
Of course teleportation helps with this too.
And talking about 1-trick ponies and teleportation? Most of the restrictions on techniques are lifted the second you get similar effects in multiple techniques on the same character. Teleportation cooldown? Just get a number of teleportation-like effects equal to the cooldown. Of course to prevent maximum cheese and flavor-issues every effect has to be slightly different. Of course I can probably write a list of 20 ways to use the teleport action right now.
But that's why good mechanics read over every technique you have. Even if your just getting 1 technique approved and have 15 other techniques that have been previously approved before this round of approvals. Because even with the strictest stacking rules there are always going to be non-numeric abuses.
If anyone ever tries to have multiple Teleportation effects, I will personally deny you into oblivion. Cooldowns cannot and should not be gotten around with multiple techniques unless there are other ameliorating factors: Got reflection on a cooldown? I don't care if you reflect from another tech, but it had better be based on another skill. If you've got two super high skills and can flavor it properly? Odds are you've earned it. If that's unbalanced, we'll have to look at tweaking the rules there.
And to end this with some compliments: JESUS CHRIST I LOVE PRECISION. Like, seriously, the fact we didn't do this in 2011 is my biggest regret.
And I did some statistics: Precision is the highest stat on our site (roughly 10-16 points higher, on average). Followed by power, then speed, then defense (all within 1~3 points of one another). But its funny because precision is the easiest stat to "dump" (except that some people use it as a pseudo-will save in opposed checks). There is a dangerous build on the site of 40P;10Pr;40Def;10Spd that theoretically rocks. Just make all your attacks area-of-effect (no need for precision) and use teleports (no need for speed). Honestly I think the character would just flop-die to the non-damage dealers like Yaksha and I. Unfortunately a lot of people just use debuffs as their only non-damage effect and your still dealing with someone who had higher stats to start with (assuming you went even stats). Of course with only 10 speed you can just run the fuck away too. Unfortunately most people's objectives in fights on this site is "to win the fight [by beating my opponent up]".
Power/Speed is scary good. Stupidly hacky and deliberately fucking with the systems, but scary good. I only didn't do it because I don't have a character that would make sense for it. Maya could go Power, but she's not a speedster. Colin has some speed, but he's not Power-oriented.
Negation Canceling, ignoring or bypassing an action made by an opponent—simply treating it as it wasn't there for the duration of the action. Costs 5 Stamina plus the canceled, ignored or bypassed action's cost. The technique's governing skill rank must be higher than the canceled, ignored, or bypassed action's governing skill rank. Cannot cancel, ignore, or bypass the extremely simple, such as basic attacks or movement. Typically requires a combat action when used defensively. Requires a 1-round cooldown. James punctures an incoming Cero with the tip of his blade, provided his rank in Zanjutsu is higher than his opponent's rank in Cero. Costs him the Cero's price plus 5 Stamina.
Cannot cancel, ignore, or bypass the extremely simple, such as basic attacks or movement.
The confusion comes with that line which, you told me over skype, should be ignored. I'm just posting this here so I don't look incompetent.
I was so bored during one of my breaks that I wrote up the bylaws of an activity to tontine x3
Basically it's a half game and half writing motivational tool. Everyone pays in a tiny bit of gp and the last player left not having gone inactive gets the pot. But its a little more complex than that.
1. Gp spent means gp banked, never gp spent, with the applicable character. It's never base gp, only written.
2. Each player pays 10 gp for their first character and 5 from the remaining character(s). You then pay 1 gp for every month the tontine has been going before you joined (a back tax). If a character joins later but the player already had another character, they still pay the back tax but, if this amount would exceed 5, may reduce it by up to 5 (effectively reducing it by the additional character cost).
3. Every month you must pay 1 gp with each character. You may pay forward up to x gp for the year, where x is the number of months remaining that year until the next anniversary of the tontine.
4. If you do not post with a character in the tontine during a month, starting the first of that month, you lose entry rights to that character in the tontine and forfeit that characters invested gp. You may reenter the tontine as a new character (even if the t was your last characrer in the tontine) but must pay as though that character wasn't ever involved (i.e. Back taxes but not the initial 10.
5. If 60 percent of the player votes involved elect to do so, the tontine is cancelled early and all remaining gp in the pot is divided evenly, with uneven splits going in preferential order to the characters longest in the investment.
6. If 100 percent of all player votes involved decide to lottery or contest the gp under an agreed upon format, chance or otherwise, the tontine moves onto that format.
7. A player recieves 1 vote plus 1 vote every 6 months they remain in the tontine with any number of characters.
8. Players without characters in the tontine may not vote.
9. Characters who die or retire may transfer their bid in the tontine to any other character owned by the same player (and may be held for a future character).
10. Extenuating circumstances (i. E. An away thread) do not apply. Howecer all players may give up 1 vote to extend their time to post with a single character by 1 week, as long as they will still have a vote after the fact. If a player owes no posts and is not in the least number of threads of anyone in the tontine, they get a free week extension. Regardless of any extension the timer still resets at the 1st of the month.
Note: just a ramble. Not a thing. As gp transfers are very against our site rules except when using the death/reincarnation/retirement rules.
But without gp transfer there is still one way to game the system using collaborative character creation. Everyone involved in the portable writes at least 50 words TBTP for a character who is as of yet not created (or an npc related to the character) and you keep joint ownership of the character u til people afk out of it. In this case voting to end the contest early can't split up the gp but could instead lead the choice up to OTM or each player could submit an app and the highest scoring app gets the character.
My most broken D&D character and possibly the most broken soul knife ever. I ever drew some pics of her...way back in the day. She was this abomination made by a Daelkyr in our eberron campaign that was mostly part manticore...
And her sheet. She was a soulblade who used a dragon magazine feat to let her use unarmed strikes and claws as her soul knife. Then bestial strike let claws stack with...then crinti shadow marauder which lets you full round when you teleport...ok anyways here's what the other players so fondly recall as the "haxicore":
Class Features: Mind Blade: Claw, Unarmed Strike (+2 Enchancement Bonus; +1 Mind Blade Naturally), Scythe One Handed Mind Blade Mastery: Doubled Mind Focus Ability: Strategic Reassessment Throw Mind Blade: 30 ft Range Free Draw Shadow Ride: 250 feet per day; minimum 25 feet per jump Sudden Strike: +2d6 Shadow Walk: (Sp) Once per day; 5th level caster; mounted only Shadow Pounce
Powers Known: (3 Power Points) Force Screen (+4 Shield Bonus to AC 1/Minute) Expansion (+1 size category, +2 str, -2 dex, -1 attack rolls and AC)
Items: +3 Crystal Hilt (Unarmed Strike - Clouting) (Normal gives Frost) +1 Crystal Hilt (Claw - Shock & Sizing) (Normal give Fiery) Masterwork Studded Leather (Not Worn) Dimension Stride Shirt (Reslotted x1.5 Cost) (Torso) Anklet of Translocation (3) (Feet) Amulet of Swift Passage (Throat) Horizon Goggles (Face) Healing Belt (2) (Not Worn) Exotic Military Saddle (Horse; Traded in Manticore) Backpack Chain (100 Feet) Grappling Hook x2 (on chain) Lock (Average) x2 (on chain) Fanged Ring (Ring) Greatreach Bracer (Arm) Belt of Giant Strength +2 (Waist) Gloves of Fortunate Striking (2) (Hands) +1 Masterwork Chain Shirt of Speed (Body)
Unused Slots: Shoulders, Head, 1 Ring
---
Next Level: Targeteer Sniper Shot: Sacrifice X attacks in a full round to get +X to my critical threat range with the remaining attack(s) in that full round. Lets Scythe get 12-20 Threat Range (lets Great Scimitar get 8-20 threat range).
Final attack: (Excluding any new bonuses via items except an additional +2 enchancement bonus via soulblade)
Full Round Greater Two-Weapon Fighting Arrow Swarm Rapidshot Improved Rapidstrike Skirmisher Snap Kick Haste Within 30 Feet on Mount: +14/+14/+14/+14/+14/+14/+13/+13/+13/+9/+9/+9/+4/+4/+4/+4/+4/+4
Or:
+14 (1-20 threat range; if I confirm a critical I get another unarmed attack at this bonus against the same target; This would be difficult since at level 20 I'd likely be rolling for 20s to hit with an attack that was just +14.) But I'd get 3 of these attacks per round (Standard Action; Move Action; Swift Action).
Also:
Assuming I have a displacing and greater displacing claw and unarmed strike (low damage, however), I can sacrifice 12 attacks during this to get 12 more full rounds.
Total Number of Attacks: 258.
EDIT: I forgot to apply Dancing Mongoose, which gives me 2 extra attacks. That can make my sniper shot at level 20 a +19 attack (as I can use that instead of using Arrow Storm, which is giving all my attacks -5). And my total number of attacks raises to 20 per round...
Total Number of Attacks: 288.
Likely Damage: 6d6+19 (estimate; averages to 40) Average Damage is by some miracle they all hit: 10320. Damage Done to Someone with Elemental Resist 6+: 6708 Damage Done to Someone with DR 20/{ANYTHING} and ER6+: 720 Damage Done to Someone with DR 25/{ANYTHING} and ER6+: 0 Number of "1"s I'll statistically roll during that attack: 15 (round up) Price of 15 Luck Blades needed to undo that: 330900 In % Of Level 20 Character Wealth: 56% Number of Spells it Takes to Beat Her at Level 20: 1 Odds of me Will Saving against a 20th level caster: 20% If they have Spell Focus, Decent Stats and use a 9th Level Spell: 0% How Badass She is Still is Despite all This: Priceless
There's some things that roll high initiative or demand saving throws. For everything else, there's Haxicore...
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We were a bunch of stupid twinks but it made it so much more challenging for the DM...
Pic of her without her dress/robes on. Infinite blushing moe.
I found this in an art book I won from a contest on Altiel and was instantly inspired. I used her in several D&D campaigns, usually as an adventurer who needed to be rescued by the party, and she became a beloved staple of our games. Her name is Quoe the Stillborn. She's a phoenix egg who was cursed to, well, die before she was able to hatch. Whenever the egg is destroyed, she is reborn for just an instant (lots of fireworks) but always returns to her "egg form". An adventurer in the guild the PCs were in found her and made a construct for her, allowing her to communicate, move and otherwise be "alive" for the first time. She specializes in healing and fire magic but her thirst for adventure makes her more of a melee-Cleric build (think Swashbuckling Cleric). She's fairly shy when people start actually paying attention to her, so she prefers going out on adventures alone. And yet its very dangerous for her to do so in case she, well, gets knocked out of of has her construct body damaged in such a way that she can't return home. She usually keeps the egg covered up in a dress so its usually not a problem. The little crown was a gift by the tinkerer who made her, who said she was beautiful in or outside the doll, but she's very self-conscious about, well, being an egg. She's very proud of being a phoenix, however, and doesn't really keep that part of her that secret. Most people just assume she used magic to take the form of a human (or construct, if they can recognize her as such).
She was the NPC AoE needed for an adventure with a number of swarms in the Bleach-Gotei Pathfinder Game. She wasn't really requested back as often since people were more in love with the medusa healer than her.
She was the NPC Archaelogist and Healer for an adventure in an IRL campaign. She was requested back at least once or twice in future adventures.