Flipz

Imagine Galen as an Assassin, wearing the Hide of the Bleeding and his Rubber Band while wielding Hybros' Banana Bladerang... Or heck, the Hide he's got now would work perfectly well at transforming him into a monster with that Bladerang... Even so, instakill isn't quite the same thing (in my mind) as landing a solid hit. In my headcanon, if an Assassin and a Raider (for example) were both dispatched by a gang to kill members of a rival gang, the Assassin might rack up more kills in total, but the Raider's kills would leave more of a message. Oh, yes, Assassins CAN afford to create monstrously powerful weapons, but really, they don't NEED to; that's what Assassination is for. As Zepher pointed out, in a normal situation, they can get on just fine without Power; it's only against instakill-immune enemies that Power really comes into play for them. Also, don't forget that Assassins' WP is useless on a SHIELD (though Effects are a very good thing to have in that case).

Tanks are hard to figure out placement-wise, I put them in Offensive because at times they can be the only ones who can safely attack certain enemies in a group. Besides, to me "Support" is for abilities that are further out from the base actions available to most players. Keep in mind, the subdivisions are a lot more important than the main categories. Druids are both healers AND support; some classes fit into multiple categories (see Black Knight, which is Special DPR, Tank, AND Support). (Druids are included in the blanket "clerics" statement.) Trust me, having just been in a Quest with two Assassins where the vast majority of enemies are immune to Assassination, I can definitively say that Assassins are NOT a strong Offensive class. Their basic setup makes WP far less useful to them compared to most classes, and they're VERY frail, even moreso than some Mage classes, especially if they came from Rogue instead of Ranger. While Assassination makes them very useful in (potentially) eliminating enemies quickly, they're firmly in Support territory; they don't dish out big hits, they have a chance to remove the enemy entirely. They're good candidates for Consumable Healers, though. Wardens are pure tank, but thinking about it, Aura (which changes the target of enemy attacks) also puts them squarely in Support territory.

There are a few different types of classes in Heroica, and in RPGs in general--while Offensive, Healing, and Support are decent broad categories, there are more specific subdivisions (and areas where those lines are blurred). First, within Offensive, are the "Damage Per Round" characters. Hunters, Raiders, Mystic Knights, Battle Mages, Shamans, and Evokers are the major DPS players--hunters have 4 damaging rolls, Extra Critical hits, AND 3x damage against Favored enemies, Raiders and Mystic Knights get AoE and both have built-in ways to improve weaponry (gold-earning and Enchant, respectively), Battle Mages and Shamans are both heavy-hitters with Extra Critical Hits, and Evokers have 3.5 damaging rolls AND, when a spirit is summoned, deal GUARANTEED damage EVERY Round. Not too shabby. Among basic classes, this will be Barbarians and Rogues. Next we have the DPR variant, Specialty DPR. To make a long story short, these are Mages and their Expert Classes; strong IF they have the relevant gems, but relatively weak otherwise. Black Knights also live here thanks to their SHIELD being elemental, as do Regulators and Necromancers. Also technically in the Offensive category are tanks. Knights, Knight-classes, Dragoons, Skirmishers, and certain Witches, Shamans, Druids, and Regulators (depending on build) live here, as does Nagurre. These fellows soak up hits. If they own a shield and don't own Counterstrike gloves, they are either 1.) REALLY low-level, 2.) REALLY poor (as in, consider throwing the poor Knight a bone by dropping them as loot), or 3.) REALLY REALLY crazy. Like, A LOT. The non-shield owning classes listed are second options, in case no shield-owner/Nagurre is available and/or if they've optimized their build for SP. Regulators are listed as "sometimes" because their usable equipment is, naturally, going to be rather varied. Healing is healing is healing; Clerics are clerics (Chi Monk should also be counted as a Cleric in this regard; a heavy-hitting one, but a cleric nonetheless). The only thing to remember is, IF you have a Mystic Knight with a Healing Staff, they count as a Healer; MKs are the only AoE class capable of using a Healing Staff that isn't already capable of Ether-based healing. Whoever ends up with Mediq after Q50 also falls into this capacity. Next we have Consumable Healers; these are uncommon, but you may find Assassins or other Rogues (like yourself, and De'kra) who will stock up on potions and remedies and even tonics to use on the rest of the party. When balancing around these characters, you really have to know the players/characters themselves, to know whether they'll stick to their class- and gear- based category, act as a healer, or do some hybrid of the two. In other words, don't treat them as healers unless you KNOW they'll be healing other characters regularly. Lastly, we have Support. In Heroica, this means Black Knights (Hide + Phoenix Essences make them excellent trump cards), Assassins (Assassination, obviously), Druids (Nurture), Witches (Special Mirror, Mass Illusion, and poisoning), and Sorcerers (Stun from Magnetic Mojo, and Confusion). In addition, anyone who owns scrolls (particularly multiple ones) will be a Support character. Support is basically a catch-all for characters with abilities that are radically different from those of ordinary classes, and/or those that can inflict status effects. Among Expert Classes, Minstrels, Alchemists, and Necromancers are among the Support group. Hope this helps!

Yeah, you're right, Special Mirror is just plain nasty.

I have come to the conclusion that whole-party effect specials are the most dangerous thing ever. Eeeexcellent...

Arthur sees Cronk pass him on his way out to the hill, but the two do not speak. As he climbs the grassy slope, Arthur's heart feels as if it's going to crumple in on itself, but he keeps going. At last he reaches the top, and the carved graves of the Wren Hunters. He kneels in front of them for many hours, silent. As the hours pass and afternoon fades to evening, Arthur's thoughts turn to what had been said in the Hall. "I owe it to you. I owe it to you, to shape the world, to try to make it better for all. No matter what that may cost me." He pauses. "No matter the sacrifices I have to make." Silence fell for several long minutes. "I cannot drag others down around me. Because I'm bad. And I'll never be good. But I have to try. Even though the attempt will destroy me. I can't let anyone else fall with me--or worse, for me." Arthur looks to one grave. "You all did that. I can't let it be in vain. I can't let--what--happened--" Arthur can't contain himself. He bursts into tears. "Triad. You cared. But you never judged. I wish...I wish I was more like you. That I could have learned more from you. That I could have saved you..." He sobs, and bends to press his forehead to that of the carved image of Triad. "Alexis is a lot like you, you know. I wish you could have gotten to know her. She never judges me, either. That's what I love about her. And that's why...that's why I can't risk hurting her. I can't let someone else with such a beautiful spirit leave this world." Arthur moves back, and catches the graven image of Hans staring at him. "What? I know what you'd say. 'Live life while you can.' But dammit, I can't. I can't live for me. Already I've incurred more debts than I'll ever be able to pay. I would be wrong of me to incur more. Alexis...Dyric...they belong to this world. De'kra, too, in his way. I can't let them be deformed by association with a damaged soul like me. Don't you see? I have to let them go. The path to redemption is a perilous one, one they have no need to travel." "If your path has changed, perhaps you should consider new skills as well." Arthur gave a great start; the Veteran had approached both swiftly and silently. "New skills?" he asked. "If the greed of the Rogue is too harsh for your spirit, perhaps you ought to consider the honor of the Knight, or the caring of the Ranger, or the nurture of the Cleric." Arthur thought to himself, then shook his head. Honor? Sir Cronk, Sir Hoke, even Thothwick were paragons of honor, each in their own way. He knew nothing of it. "I am an honorless traitor. I am no Knight." Caring? True he cared, deeply, even recklessly. But his soul was too torn by his actions. "My sins are too great, I am an abomination to Nature. The Ranger is not for me." And nurture...? He was of Chaos, even as he tried to redeem himself from it. "And far from nurture, all I can do is destroy. I am no Cleric, and my folly leaves me far from a Sage." "Perhaps, then, your heart is filled with the rage of the Barbarian?" Arthur thought of Nyx. "I am unworthy of that power," he says simply. "Then I'm afraid there is little I can do to help you. I'm sorry." "Don't be. I walk a dark path. I set foot on it long before I set foot in your Hall." "Our Hall. Despite what has been, you are still a Hero." "Maybe." Arthur surveys the graves. "They died in my place, saving this city. It's my duty to continue their mission." He stops, struggling for words. "Someone has to walk the dark path, the path of the outcast. Better me than someone who actually has a shot at happiness." "Hmm...I see. Well, if you change your mind, you know where to find me." Arthur nods. "Thank you." With some hesitation, he leaves the Veteran standing by the graves. Just before the Veteran was out of the Sorcerer's sight, he calls out to Arthur. "Arthur!" Arthur turns. "They won't be forgotten. Ever." Arthur smiles, more with gratitude than with happiness, then continues on his way. Unseen by the Sorcerer, the figure's appearance suddenly morphs and changes. "...I will make sure of it." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- As Arthur entered the Hall once more, he saw a new Quest, for the Town Watch. As little as he desired to tangle with the Wolfgang so soon after the affair with Wren, something caught his eye. Hero Who Is Actually Worth Something... Arthur pauses. "Surely it's what Bennetton and Gnash would want..." Arthur Signs up for Quest 66.

Yeah, that's true. Sandy, how long do you expect Q66 to run?

But...but...I wanted Boomers to play with Mercutio in May... Seriously thinking about signing up for 66...I'll have to think hard about this one.

That's a Hobson's choice, though, and its unnecessarily inflexible. And actually, that is just a calculation, not a choice. Short Article on Hobson's Choice

Fair enough. All I'm going to say to that is, how something DOES work and how it SHOULD work can be two VERY different things. That applies doubly to morality and perceptions thereof. And I'm going to stop talking about it at this point because a.) we're slowly but surely drifting further and further away from the realm of the game and game design, and b.) if we keep debating on morality, sooner or later one of us is going to step on someone's toes and make a real awkward mess, and there's no real need. I DO believe, however, that the QMs are a greater influence on the "Heroica Morality" because they control a MUCH bigger chunk of the Heroica society than any single player could. Exactly. For me, a Quest that offers a choice is stronger than a similar Quest that does not.

And I'm saying the jobs shouldn't have to be so cut-and-dried. Look at Quest 2. Were the Heroes right to be breaking and entering and spying on the Shadeaux? Would it have been wrong of them to come clean to the Shadeaux? Heck, the jobs don't even have to be a matter of "good and evil." Look at Quest 1. No real morals there whatsoever. Let's look at an example with even larger consequences: The Shadeaux weren't really villainous at all until Brickdoctor made them (or at least, the popular perception of them) so in Quest 4. The point is, we as storytellers have fallen into a rut of defining good and evil for our players, and rewarding them when they follow our definition of that. Instead, we should be creating more situations without slapping morality onto them, let the Heroes decide what to do and where the morality lies, and reward them for making interesting choices. I'm not saying that ALL Quests should be this way, but I am saying that MORE of them should be. And yes, my Quest is very much "open" morally; while there are options for specific actions that I personally believe to be "good" and "evil", the Quest as a whole is completely open to interpretation. The Heroes take actions, there are consequences, the morality in either case is undefined--at least by me. EDIT: And to make the example you gave more morally interesting with just one tiny tweak: Two soldiers walk through the woods, and one is held at gunpoint...by their commander. That's a moral obligation to not shoot the guy if I ever saw one. One little change, and it's the difference between a basic scenario and a really interesting one.

My problem is, most characters in Heroica don't 'play their own way', they seem to follow what's basically the exact same moral code. Yes, everyone is SUPPOSED to have their own set of beliefs, but in practice we tend to see only the same two or three "set" moral codes--and two of them are "lawful good generic hero morality" and "only out for me". "Moral gray" isn't JUST a way of seeing the world; it's also created when different characters with different priorities and principles come into conflict over the "right" way to do things. But that's the personal desire side of it. More of my actual problem is how, mechanically, unified morality is rewarded while diverging or alternate moralities from the majority are punished. As it stands, the majority of the party defines the standard of "good", and those who disagree with it end up seeming like the "bad guy" or the "misguided fool." I want to see more Quests where the QM makes an effort to point out that the majority's morality is not always right, and neither is the minority's. Instead of the odd Hero out always "losing", their actions and opinions should still have some kind of non-negative effect on the Quest and the game world. Or, to put it more succinctly, as it stands, players are rewarded for the "right" answer when they should be rewarded for "interesting" answers. Or, to put it OVERLY and humorously succinctly, Heroica needs to be more like QI.

This is a great show. I mean, damn this song speaks to me... We recently put the show on at CSULB. Our Moritz was brilliant. Absolutely spectacular. He really understands how to put emotion into his singing and still sound incredible. He's a truly great actor and artist, and I'm privileged to know him.

I regret forgetting to show my Disneyland pass for my 10% off my entire order at the LEGO store in Downtown Disney the other day. I could have bought another $20 set with the money I would have saved!

OH! Now I remember what I wanted to say about the end of 58, and Scuba's discussion on consequences. One of the problems I have with Heroica at times is that it's semi-mutable rather than fully mutable; that is to say, players have a LOT of freedom and ability to change the world, but at times certain characters are forced to either join a cause they don't really believe in or else miss out on interacting with a group or element entirely. For Arthur, going on Quest 53 was, in some ways, like the pacifists getting drafted into the Vietnam war, only worse because he actually wanted Wren to win. (And before anyone points out that Wren is the Designated Villain and so that makes Arthur evil: the PLAYERS are the ones who designated (and to some point, made) her so, and some (such as Tensi) would disagree with that designation; Zeph himself has pointed out how ambiguous she really was.) Yes, by the power of author fiat, I was able to make Arthur justify to himself joining the Quest, but it rang false (at the time) to him and to me as well. It's sometimes frustrating when there's no mechanical way for Heroes to support their cause WITHOUT causing problems for the rest of the party. I think Quest 58 handled it better than most Quests; the Heroes were given a choice (and there WAS both advantage and disadvantage to both sides of the choice), and Eric had the chance to try to convince his Questmates to support Reno. The problem is, he still got shafted when it came to advancing his cause--and unlike Arthur with Wren, Eric's cause is still (potentially) very much alive even without Reno. You see, we have a bunch of Heroes in one place, and despite ostensibly coming from different backgrounds and countries and genders and races, they all seem to subscribe to the same basic system of morality. Thing is, the real world isn't like that. That's one of the wonderful things about Zepher's villains, and Pie's characters as well: the characters think in different ways and have different ideas about right and wrong, and, agree or disagree with those ideas, it makes them interesting. Homogenization is boring, and to prevent that I'd to see more from both players and QMs to explore the ambiguities, the "bad" in basically good characters and the "good" in the so-called "villains", the good teams who go too far and the bad teams who actually have a point. I guess, to put it simply, I want to see more "moral gray," and I want to see more people (Heroes and NPCs both) who see the world not in black and white but in shades of gray, and more opportunities for the "little guys" or the people with unusual moralities to actually make a difference.

"In truth? I did not think she would do it. I did not think she would be able to go through with it, to truly destroy. I thought that both she and Chaos could be redeemed. And I arrogantly assumed I would be the one to do both." "Perhaps it's fitting that you can't forgive me...perhaps a truth I refuse to realize. Perhaps I'm seeking the forgiveness of others...because I can't find it in me to forgive myself." A glance at upturned hands, a quickly averted gaze, a fading rush of blue...and Arthur was no longer in the Hall.

Not for me. I mean, I'll defend myself if someone starts badmouthing me, but it's fundamentally against my nature to deliberately tear people down. Even when I'm asked specifically why I'm mad at someone, I generally either change the subject end up half-defending why they did what they did while bemoaning the misunderstanding. I honestly end up reaching out to my enemies rather than actually fighting them. I also tend to forgive absurdly quickly, even (and perhaps most) when logically I really shouldn't. Good grief, both Etzel and Pie are in serious need of new dice.

"Not rightfully. No man may judge another's motives. None are fit to judge someone else's path. All we have right to decide is what path we ourselves walk in the time we possess." Nevertheless, Arthur's tone was quieter, calmer, than it had been. "That's a step short from slavery. I can't stand for that. Free will is too important to sacrifice." "Despite my forgiveness of theirs?" he says to thin air. "Then it's true. No good deed goes unpunished. Better I had died a monster instead of trying to live a Hero. Hard to tell which one's worse." Arthur made to leave the Hall, but before he could reach the doors, Haldor interfered once more. "Hard not to overhear when you won't shut up about me, raising your voice, trying to provoke me. Restraint can only hold the temper in check so far." Arthur stops, holds up his hands, closes his eyes, and takes a deep, calming breath. His tone was one of control. He would not be the one to break the Nord's restraint. "There's no shame in seeking advice, ever. That's all the point I was trying to make. And as for my supposed hypocrisy: People earn their fate. By sharing your judgement of me, you earned repayment in kind. The point remains, you can't say you've never made mistakes, either, Nord, which leaves you no grounds to condemn anyone else for theirs." "And let's get one thing straight: what I did down in that temple was no more betrayal than what you did for those vampires in that back alley. I've read the records. You're no better than me. By no means are you worse, but you aren't any better, either. No one is better than anyone else." "Beneath this Hall, I honestly stood by my beliefs. Were they the wrong ones? Probably. But I stood by them. That makes me a misguided fool, not a traitor. Yes, I get it, I f*cking KNOW that the dead were better people than I am. I owe them a debt, a debt to learn, to become better. To make sure the sacrifice they made on my behalf was not in vain. I don't suppose that trying to do that counts for anything in your book?" "You really don't understand me, do you? All right. Let me lay it out, plain and simple. All beings are equal. Every one of them. All beings have made mistakes, and therefore are in no position to judge any other beings. All beings have a right to their opinions, but they do not have the right to use those opinions to harm others without direct and due cause. Everyone must make their own choices, walk their own path. No one has the right to interfere in that unless and until that path directly counteracts their own goals or harms someone, or unless they are invited or challenged to interfere. No one. Does that mean people will walk the 'wrong' path sometimes? Yes. But until they threaten others, they must be left to discover this on their own." Arthur took another step towards the Hall doors, half wondering if the Nord would have some grating reply or if he would just attack outright. Half wondering if he would momentarily find an arrow buried in his skull. Half wishing it would happen.

Hey, Arthur was completely content to ignore Haldor, Haldor's the one who keeps badmouthing Arthur to everyone who'll listen!

Haldor just doesn't know when to quit, does he?

Despite Arthur's best efforts to ignore him, the Nord continued railing on the Sorcerer. Even in conversation with others, the Nord seemed to deliberately raise his voice to make sure the Sorcerer heard him. Arthur had had enough. He climbs atop a table, his voice ringing through the entire Hall, too loud to ignore. "I guess you don't believe in learning from other people's wisdom, do you? And as if you've never asked for dating advice since you started seeing Jess? You hypocrite, every word you level against me is a condemnation against yourself. You have no right to judge anyone else--no one does. We've all made mistakes. Many of us, terrible ones. I know not what secrets lie in your past, but I know you are a moral, fallible man, just like any other--just like me. Maybe that's why you can't stand me--I remind you of you, don't I? Well I, at least, acknowledge my mistakes, and try to learn from them. I paid a terrible price for my sins with Wren, and I will continue to pay for it every day for the rest of my life. Do you honestly think I don't miss Hans and Felton and Gray and Bal as much as you do? That I am not torn in two by Triad's death every single night as I lie in bed, vainly seeking sleep? I am no Minstrel, the regret I felt and showed down in that temple, up on that hillside where our friends are buried, I could never fake. Seeing the price I've paid, watching me learn my lesson and fight at their side, most people would be willing to forgive my mistakes and accept my reticence. But for some reason, you do not. Hell, Atramor hates me just as much as you, maybe more than you, and I doubt Nyx or Cronk hold any regard for me. But they, at least, have the decency to keep their damn mouths shut and let me serve my penance, through the daily hell of living." "Bottom line: you said if you were a Veteran, you'd kick me out. Fine. But until then, just shut up and leave me the hell alone. You have every right to hate me as much as you want, but you have no right to cast aspersions toward me or anyone else in this Hall. No one does."

I seem to recall that being correct; a Hastened Minstrel can attack twice OR sing a battle song.

And I've been working madly to try and get the entire interior of the Cathedral of Mercutio built before Spring Break ends.

Drat, just when I thought I'd be able to avoid buying more Friends sets this year...thanks for blowing my whole budget.

I fully expect preferential treatment if Jebs ever QMs me, then. Actually, I blame Zepher, he's the one who put the idea in my head when he mentioned he likes having Boomingham owe people money.