Flipz

But then you remove the possibility of things like Weakened, Frail, Deadly Poisoned, etc. (Jebs did have a nice "2 Effects per enemy" thing going on in Quest 35, but still...) IMO, it's a lot more fun to give each enemy SPECIFIC immunities, and force players to think on their feet. That said, since you've already included Etherial Immunity on the "Boss" Proggs, I'd keep it on them (since it DEFINITELY adds to their character ), I just don't want to see it spread all across Heroica and make Scrolls semi-useless.

"No one attack Filmore, he's dead at the end of the Round anyway, and De'kra can take his Free Hit. De'kra, please don't do anything this Round. Thalion, can you please use a Potion on Captain Illdria, from the Back Row? This way the Captain can attack the Sentinel this Round." Arthur uses his Healing Staff on De'kra from the Back Row, while Barur Heals Thalion from the Back Row. Battle Order: De'kra Arthur Thalion Illdria Barur

Blinding doesn't prevent use of Specials, though; as long as the enemy is immune to Blind OR Sealed, they'll always have SOME way to retaliate against the Heroes (yes, Sleep will prevent both, but any AoE attack will wake them up, so it's still a risk to put an enemy to Sleep).

Chaos Hunter/Chaos Guardian

I'd really like a few Nostrum drops, actually, so I can actually use the Nostrum strategy a bit more often. There really is a "starter fee" to being a Rogue, and I'd like to finally build up said fee. Tonic/Grand Tonic drops are strangely rare, too, and not just when the QM is trying to encourage smart spell use (i.e. Pie)--sometimes it just seems like QMs "forget" them. I think once I finish my latest round of deals (and MAYBE buy Sticky Gloves, not entirely sure whether or not I should) I'll have Arthur built up pretty much the way I want him, game-mechanically. Things like the Hood of Sylvania that grant special abilities would be awesome to have on-hand, but not if I have to pay a lot for it. Aside from two items I'm already working on deals for for later development and the repayment of my loans, the only thing I really want is a Zoot's Plaything, and even that depends on in-character development. Agreed, though Etherial Immunity... I think Pie has a real knack for selective immunity. These battles have consistently kept me on my toes as far as effects go, forcing me to strategize rather than just removing the element of Scrolls entirely. It's a great balancing mechanism, and it's made the battles a TON of fun to play.

"Repeat, everyone?" Arthur croaks. Same Actions and Battle Order.

Battle Order: Arthur Sentinel, Back Row, physical De'kra repeat Thalion Filmore front row physical, or if Filmore down Sentinel Back Row Ice spell Illdria Filmore front row, or if Filmore down Sentinel Back Row Barur Sentinel Back Row, or if party member takes Damage, heal them from Back Row. Arthur continues his flailing assault, disturbed by Jules' death.

"Damn it! Jules!" Arthur is too distraught to bark out orders, so Barur quietly leads the way using Dwarven hand signals. Battle Order: Arthur Physical attack, Sentinel, Back Row De'kra Fillmore, Explosive Handcannon, Back Row Illdria Filmore, Front Row Barur Heal Thalion, Back Row Thalion Filmore, physical attack, Front Row I don't think anyone but me can take damage this Round, so we should be good to run.

"Belay that, Barur, keep at it, keep trying to save Jules." We're trying to use Junxed fully in this case, not Frail.

We're chugging along in Q51, and I daresay Arthur'll be bringing along a few nice items for his rematch with Wren--and maybe even a completely new perspective!

Yeah, I like the idea a lot better as protecting for the next Round. (Also, I gave a couple other notes in the post above yours. )

Chaos Guardian. For reasons related to an RPG I (sporadically, unfortunately) play on another forum (one, actually, that I think you'd REALLY enjoy, Zeph), this really ought to be the name. That or Chaos Hunter. I also think the flavor text ought to allude a little more towards the Balance and the Gray (a la quest 38) than "a character opposed to Chaos", but that's a minor thing.

So you mean you have trouble keeping the plot together, too? (I jest, though really, now all you have to do is read the start and end of Quest 38 if you want a recap. ) It's interesting, there are a few things about Arthur that I've drastically changed, mainly details about his life and homeland that, now that I've written things down in a cohesive manner, I realize I've contradicted. At the same time, there are some things that I think I can keep, even though I've not had a chance to play with them in a very, very long time (i.e. some of the elements from the end of Quest 17 with Emeralds, his mechanical expertise, etc.). It's also going to be interesting to see how the situation with Jules turns out; Arthur found a kindred spirit in Jules, to lose him so soon may have profound effects on his development.

I'm trying to heal him, I'm trying to heal him!

Dang it, forgot about that...ah, well. "Jules! Barur, Heal Jules before he dies, if nothing else you can stop the bleeding so we can use a Phoenix Essence on him later." "All right Captain, take Fillmore, and I'll follow up afterwards; Thalion, I'll leave it to you whether to join us or to try your luck with the Sentinel. De'kra, on the Sentinel, please." Arthur casts Frailty on Filmore before swinging Roderick's sword at him from the Back Row. Battle Order Illdria- Filmore, Back Row Arthur- Frailty then physical attack, Filmore, Back Row De'kra- Explosive Handcannon, Sentinel, Back Row Thalion- Filmore?, Fire, back row Barur- keep Jules from dying In-battle, I know Jules can't be brought back, but out-of-battle, perhaps...?

Confuse and/or Hex him! Never give a QM ideas...especially ones they can use against you.

"De'kra, I'd prefer you attack the Sentinel from the Back Row, so we don't risk your becoming Hexed. I'll cast a Frailty spell and then a Light spell at him from the Back Row." "Jules, wherever Filmore's employer is taking this automaton, I'm almost certain it is not storage. The Bonapartes have been stockpiling stolen Ji Pei machines for years--after that riot in the Hovels, and their response to it, what's to keep THEM from using it--on the poor, penniless peasants of Eubric? The place is a cesspit, but that means it needs to be cleaned, not cleansed. Better in the hands of one merchant who Heroica can keep an eye on and 'take care' of if it becomes necessary, rather than a formidible fighting force with such pervasive political power that even Heroica hesitates to act against them." Battle Order: Arthur- Frailty then Light against Jules, Back Row (unless Jules stops fighting) Thalion- Ice, Filmore, Back Row De'kra- Explosive Handcannon, Sentinel, Back Row Illdria- Filmore, Back Row Barur- Sentinel, Back Row Sneaky, Pie, switching that type on us! Does it change every Round, or just when a Special is used?

"Just for this Round, I'd like you to take Jules, since the rest of us are still setting up." Also, Pie, change to my stated action. To make things easier, here's with suggested actions: Battle Order Arthur- Nostrum then Scroll of Poisoning on Captain Illdria('s sword) De'kra- Jules, Explosive Handcannon, Back Row Illdria- Filmore, Back Row Thalion- Mulled wine Barur- Sentinel, back Row

De'kra seems to react less to the things around him, though that may just be him getting used to Olegaia and Eubric. Other than that, I haven't really seen too much of a change in him.

FYI, Aveal said he'll be gone until Tuesday, so I'll pick his actions until then. "Jules, technology is only as dangerous as the person using it, just as with magic. Surely you understand that?" Arthur shakes his head sadly. "Hopefully when this fight is over we will have a chance to discuss the matter." "All right, I want everyone fighting from the Back Row, even you, Captain; in fact, you will be the key to our success this fight--in Round 3, I want you available to take Jules, since his Special is the most dangerous to us. De'kra, you're our best shot at damaging the Sentinel using Chiara, but I still want you in the Back Row; you've got our only Phoenix Essences, so we cannot afford to let you fall unconscious." "Now, as to this Round, Barur, since the Sentinel may possibly be repaired, I want you to attack it from the back row so we can get it Cursed. Captain, I'd like you to keep Filmore busy while De'kra distracts Jules. Thalion, now might be a good time to take one of those Wines, and next Round you can take a Potion to guarantee you are healed." Arthur then downs a Nostrum before using his Scroll of Poisoning on Illdria's rapier. Battle Order Arthur De'kra Illdria Thalion Barur

"All right, you want the truth? Here it is:" "I'm a Hero, a Sorcerer of Heroica. I know De'kra here is as well, can't honestly speak for the others, though I daresay they are the type to belong to Heroica rather than some other group. We were hired by someone who wished to remain anonymous--you'll understand if I don't drop the name, it's bad for business to go against one's employer's orders--who claimed to be working on behalf of an Avina Truenall, a wealthy Eubrican merchant. It seems Miss Truenall ordered some sort of mechanical guard--our employer didn't say what for. Anyway, her shipment went missing, ship and all, in transit from factory to customer, so our employer hired us to investigate. We persuaded the harbormaster to give us a look at the records, and found that the Bonapartes had stolen the merchandise and bribed your crewman to ship it away." "Now, the cargo IS of Ji Pei manufacture, if the harbormaster's records are correct, but I have no other idea why your crewman is so worked up about that; if everyday alchemists and apothecaries are allowed to carry the components needed to recreate the Gray Plague, I don't see why the Ji Pei shouldn't be allowed to sell their little tinker-toys to paying customers. One thing I WILL say is this: when we examined the harbormaster's records we found numerous cases where the Bonapartes had hijacked incoming shipments and later sent their contents off to random ports as 'Operire Goods.' I find it highly likely that the Bonapartes are using Operire as a means to send away stolen goods disguised as ordinary cargo; I just don't understand why they are going to such elaborate lengths to do this, rather than just confiscating the cargo publicly and legitimately and taking it to Fort Bonaparte, or else just turning the ships away and forcing them to return back to their original port. Either way, this thing is a lot bigger than either of us, and I'd just as soon get these goods--these stolen goods--back to the customer as soon as possible, and come back to this problem with reinforcements--or even just take this problem to the Veterans; after all, issues of this scale are just the sort of things suited for them to tackle."

If you don't want that Weakening scroll I'm sure I could work out a deal for it, though I'll likely not have the funds until after the last Wren Quest. Anyway, I'm pretty sure they sell for the same price as any other Scroll, but considering how fantastically useful Frailty is, I'd at least hold on to that one. Also, sorry I've not been able to write up a response in Q51, Pie, I've been SUPER busy, and it'd take me a couple of hours EASY to write up a proper response. If De'kra or any of the others want to break the silence, they may.

Well, yeah, but I mean PCs should be immune to it for the same reason they don't gain the benefeits of the "undead" type, and for the same reason that Heroes don't take double damage from Darkness even though they're technically Humanoid.

Nah, Heroes are made of tougher stuff. It's the same reason Darkness doesn't do double damage to Heroes. ...though I wouldn't test it out while on a Jebediahs quest, he tends to keep track of that sort of thing and add benefeits and penalties accordingly.

So Cronk's angel thinks Cronk's already the way he should be? I can't tell if that's a good thing or a bad thing, honestly...