Flipz

"Destiny perhaps? There is something weighty and elusive about that land, I foresee great and terrible events of our world taking place there. It will take all three teams of Heroes to protect Olegaia. Only in unity can we accomplish our duty to achieve our destiny."

Yes. Yes he has. EDIT: Pie, what parts do you use for Atramor's new look? I have the face and hair (obviously), but I had to fake the rest (which is why you're sitting and have a cup in front of you, blocking what's obviously the wrong torso). EDIT 2: Oh, and because this would make no sense in the Hall: This was a VERY hard shot to get, especially considering I only have one of Arthur/Althior's torso right now...

"I don't think anyone likes dying, De'kra. I think that's why people try so hard to avoid it." "And in other news...where the heck is Cinna? According to this Quest book, she's back in Eubric, but I don't see her anywhere..."

I've read Baritones 3, I'll have to double-check to see if I've accidentally created an identical-looking character... Well, not quite identical. He's got white legs and the actual Disco Dude head. I found this guy assembled at a Build-A-Mini station in the Disney World LEGO Store, and found him too hilarious to disassemble, so I took him home as-is.

Not only that, but this topic is a duplicate, there's already a topic for Ninjago show discussion here.

"I thought...you were about to go all funny again, and forget everything. You are a creature of shadow--physically, I mean, or at least you look it, so I thought if I blasted you it would help you stop...whatever that was...from taking you over again..." He looked around. "Where the heck is Cinna, anyway? She was there when you...died...on Quest 4, she'll know how to fix...whatever is happening to you."

The two in the corner are a pair of NPCs from Arthur's past, ones I haven't introduced formally (and probably won't until the Dastan Quests let out). Those are Althior and Alexis, and Atramor at the bar, and I also included Mehmet Attabar and Harriet the Slut. (Oddly enough, there is a specific reason I put them there as well, though that'll have to wait until I find my baseplates before you'll find out what it is. )

Thanks for all the feedback, guys! I'll try and read over it a bit more and make some tweaks to the guide in the morning, I stayed up WAY too late trying to get that photo in the Hall photographed and edited.

"De'kra...this is the third time you've said this exact same thing to me..." He shoots glances all over the hall, looking to see if that thing was around, and doing this to De'kra...but he saw nothing. He held up his amethyst, looked at De'kra...held up the Amethyst, looked at De'kra... "This being," he continued hesitantly, "you go all funny and then forget we've even spoken whenever I mention him. The being...he's not...you...somehow...is he?" He saw the shade's eyes flicker, and decided to take the risk; snatching his still-wrapped staff, he channeled the power of his Amethyst through it. The paper disintegrated, and the solid black staff began to glow violet. His energy built, and built, until he unleashed a bolt of pure darkness at De'kra, striking the diminuitive shade in the chest. As De'kra hit the floor, he hoped his theory was right, and that the blast had not done any lasting damage...

Heroica: The (Un)Official Strategy Guide Introduction Heroica is a deep and complex role-playing game, despite the deceptively simple appearance of the rules. Even setting aside the secrets and intrigue and labyrinthine loyalties within the world itself, the system of battle itself has hidden complexities that can trip up the unwary, and put even seasoned veterans in peril when they fail to recognize the limitations of their class. The Heroica battle system is like a child's kiddie pool connected to the Pacific Ocean; as you move further and further out into the world, the system becomes deeper and deeper. Some players will stop quickly, mastering only a few basic skills and relying on luck and their questmates to get them through, but for those who persevere and dive into the greatest depths of the system, an entirely different experience awaits. This guide, like a child's water wings, will help you stay afloat through some of the most basic--but also most game-changing--choices of your character's career: choosing a class. Of course, this guide is not only for newcomers; for those Heroes who have already picked a class and have no desire to change it, this guide will also provide tips and strategies for best utilizing the strengths and weaknesses of your class, and that of your allies, until you make the decision of your Advanced Class. For QMs, the later chapters of this Guide will provide a view of the different classes from the perspective of a quest creator, showing the challenges they will pose you and providing a starting point for tailoring challenges to fit your chosen Heroes. Now, together, let us begin our journey into the world...of Heroica! Part 1: Basic Classes (for players) The Barbarian--DPR (Damage-Per-Round) The mighty Barbarian is basically the combat strength of a whole party of NPC thugs rolled into one Hero. They generally get excellent special abilities on dropped swords, Extra Critical hit does 3x WP in damage, Frenzy gets AoE (Area of Effect), and Natural Respite means they don't need a Cleric. On the other hand, they are inflexible compared to some other classes, can easily get stonewalled at elemental rock-paper-scissors, and roleplay-wise can be difficult to play due to the "primitive, unkempt" archetype. As a Barbarian, you want three things: better swords, Meads (or sometimes Nostrum), and elemental gems. Better swords let you deal more damage, which is basically your entire job; Meads are useful for the same reason. Nostrum can be semi-helpful, but keep in mind that your Shield, while it hits more enemies, does less damage than your Critical Hit; if you're fighting an army, take a Nostrum, if you're fighting a boss, leave it in your pack. Getting at least one elemental gem to add to your weapon should be your number-one priority; without a gem, you can't even touch undead, and your QM WILL pick up on that, leading to your imminent K.O. (See Quest 24.), which means you won't gain experience and you may have to take on extra Quests to hit Level 15. (Elemental bombs are too much of a splurge, since unlike Rogues you don't have a consistent source of Gold.) With an elemental weapon, you can still be walled by some enemies, so pick up a backup blade on the cheap if/when you can. Analysis: AoE: Yes (Shield, normal damage) Damage Ratio: 3/6 Plays Well With: Rogues (a Barbarian in the front row can soak up damage for Rogues), Knights (both hit hard and have plenty of HP) Poor Partners: Cleric (Natural Respite + a heal in the last Round of battle = Ether waste), Mage (competes for gems) Weaknesses: Blind effect, elemental mis-match The Knight--Tank The armored Knight is all about defense--Snetinel defends against damage, while high HP keeps you around even when the enemy DOES hit you. More important, however, is the SP--every single point of SP is worth 5-10 times as much in HP, or more if you take a lot of hits in battle; a Level 1 Knight can take 10 hits from a Level 3 monster, while a Level 7 Barbarian can only take 5. Knights also pack a punch, as they can use many of the same (generally good WP) swords that Barbarians can. On the other hand, Diplomacy has no direct battle benefeit and can be hard to roleplay (and some Quests don't allow for it), and Knights are somewhat let down in Advanced Classes--almost all native Knights will want Paladin (or possibly Black Knight for roleplaying purposes), as the other Knight ACs seem to be there so other classes can multiclass into Knight. As a Knight, your job is to stay alive. To that end, your Gold should go primarily to Shields, potions, and Remedies. The Shield upgrades are self-explanitory, as are potions, but remedies? Aren't those for Clerics? Answer: no. Clerics have Special Guard, which, combined with the relative rareness of them even being targetted for a negative Effect (since they will usually be healing the party instead of attacking) makes Remedies a waste of money for them. On the other hand, Knights' defensive abilities mean they will be alive to use/administer Remedies when other classes won't be. For the same reason, a responsible Knight will always have at least one Phoenix Essence on hand to revive their allies who will almost always fall before they do. As one final tip: keep ONE Nostrum in your bag, and never use it unless the entire party can be taken out in one hit; Luck just locks you into a semi-permanent Sentinel, which is a waste of money against weak foes. Analysis: AoE: No Damage Ratio: 2/6 (Shield roll does no damage) Plays Well With: Clerics (clerics allow you to stay alive even longer than you can alone, and they're useful for dealing with pesky undead) Poor Partners: Other Knights (double Sentinel is annoyingly superfluous) Weaknesses: Nostrum, low damage ratio, enemies that ignore SP, Advanced Class choices, weak roleplaying The Cleric--Healer The nurturing Cleric is a healer, a support class, plain and simple. That said, the use of Scrolls can greatly aid a Cleric's flexibility, giving them multiple attack options. Clerics also get really cool Advanced Class choices, and Special Guard (a.k.a. the thing-QMs-hate-only-slightly-less-than-Sentinel) is awesome, and keeps you alive far longer than a support class has any right to. As a Cleric, you want to spend your Gold on Tonics, Grand Tonics, Elixrs, and other restorative items (not Remedies, though, as Special Guard renders them less useful for yourself and Knights are just as capable of administering them to the rest of the party as you are). Unless your name is Haldor, weapon upgrades are a secondary concern; if a Mage in your party finds a better staff for themselves, ask them if you can have their old one; problem solved. Prudent Clerics will also invest in a Phoenix Essence or two, as they can keep themselves alive long enough to use it on their friends. Don't waste money on Smelling Salts; the Hastened effect is only truly useful for offensive classes, on Clerics you will either run out of targets to heal and have to sit around doing nothing (thus wasting the Smelling Salts) or attack physically (putting yourself at risk, and, if you end the battle quickly, again wasting the Smelling Salts), or, worse yet, if you don't run out of allies to heal you'll drain yourself dry of Ether. If your allies always seem to be on the brink of death, buy a Nostrum instead to increase the odds of a Miracle. Analysis: AoE: No (attack), Yes (heal, Shield, same amount as Heal More) Damage Ratio: 2/6 attack (Shield roll does no damage), 4/6 heal (Miss becomes Heal Less) Plays Well With: Knights (Special Guard + Sentinel makes you nigh-invincible) Poor Partners: Mages (require lots of healing, tempt QMs to make enemies that can Seal), Rogues (require lots of healing), other Clerics (mostly superfluous, tempt QMs to make enemies that can Seal). Weaknesses: Low Ether, Sealed effect The Ranger--Physical Sweeper Sharp-eyed Rangers, when they're well-equipped and on a roll, can deal an immense amount of damage. Between the crushing power of Tripleshot and constant Aims draining enemies' Health faster than Venom, they rival Barbarians in terms of damage output. However, if an enemy's Special ignores the damage reduction of the Back Row and/or drags the Ranger to the Front Row, they become incredibly fragile glass cannons; Mages alone have less HP. Also, like Barbarians, they are easily walled by elemental mismatches, and unlike Barbarian swords, bows and crossbows are uncommon drops, meaning backup weapons are harder to come by. While Animal Talk can be amusing, not many Quests use it to its full potential, and their Advanced Class choices, while by no means underpowered, are somewhat low-key compared to those of other Classes; the Heroes who have chosen Ranger ACs define their Advanced Classes, rather than the Class framing the Hero as, say, Black Knight or Sage or Sorcerer does. The exception to this rule is Assassin, but it embodies the spirit of the Rogue slightly more than that of the Ranger. As a Ranger, you need to spend money on your bow. That's...pretty much it. Artifacts can be very important to Rangers, but that's up to the QM's generosity (or lack thereof). Smelling Salts are an excellent investment, as is Mead, but Nostrum is a bit of a waste with such a high attack ratio. Very few Rangers take the time or gold to put Venom on their bows. This is a mistake, as an envenomed bow is a potent force; Poisoning (or better yet, Severe Poisoning from Deadly Venom) drains an enemy's health constantly, a natural complement to the constant drain Aim is on enemy HP. (It's also a good idea to entrust the Poisoned weapon to your care because you are the only basic class that hits the enemy 4/6 of the time.) Invest in a few potions and/or a Soma (Clerics and most other Heroes have an unfortunate habit of paying undue attention to Barbarians when it comes to choosing who to heal, something this Guide will hopefully change), and you'll be ready for anything. If you get anything else, go for a Smoke Bomb in case a clever QM drags you to the front row with an enemy Special. Analysis: AoE: Yes (Shield roll, normal damage to 3 targets) Damage Ratio: 4/6 (Miss becomes Aim) Plays Well With: Knights (Sentinel mitigates some of the low HP issues), Clerics (for healing on the go) Poor Partners: Anything with Back Row capacity (tempts QMs to drag you all to the Front Row with a Special), Mages/Rogues (compete for Artifacts and other loot) Weaknesses: The Front Row, elemental mismatch, being played by someone who is NOT a minmaxer/munchkin The Rogue--Jack of All Trades The sneaky Rogue is one of the more satisfying classes to play, as it is one of the most flexible; they can attack from the Front Row or the Back Row (though retrieving thrown weapons takes valuable time), they can steal gold from the enemy (and deal obscene amounts of damage) with Mug, and, if the going gets tough, a Rogue is like an infinite-use Smoke Bomb, albeit one that can only save himself. Let's also not forget that Rogues have some of the coolest available Advanced classes; one has a 1/6 chance of an instant kill, one auto-poisons enemies, one can sacrifice Health for extra damage, one steals gold even on a Miss, and one stuns and mugs on a Shield, Confuses on a Miss, and counterattacks when Damaged. To top it off, Rogues are some of the most fun characters to role-play. To sum up: Rogues are demonic money Spider Jockeys, so be glad they're on your side--for now. As a Rogue, you need to decide your Advanced Class early on, so you have time to go after the relevant loot. Angling for Assassin? Start stockpiling Venoms, Nostrums, and Somas. Looking at Sorcerer or Witch? Buy some Scrolls, and in the case of Sorcerer, gems. Because of Mug, Rogues can generally buy things they want, the trick is to figure out what you want early and buy it while it's cheap. In terms of what to spend gold on while you're still a Rogue, you'll want several throwing weapons available to you so you can retrieve all of them at once, preferably ones with decent special effects. Don't bother imbuing a throwing weapon with a gem, it'll be a waste of time and money, grab a chain or dagger you won't throw and imbue that. Depending on your luck and your total Power, Nostrum may be a good investment; at the very least, wait until you can make back the cost of the Nostrum in one or two Mugs. Author's note: The author reserves the right to modify this section when his analysis of all the Advanced Classes is complete. Analysis: AoE: No Damage Ratio: 3/6 Plays Well With: Knights (Sentinel and Mug synergize beautifully, and from a roleplaying perspective, a Knight's Diplomacy is an way to minimize the damage caused by typical Rogue behavior), Other Rogues and Rogue-based classes (multi-Mug FTW!) Poor Partners: Rangers (back row abuse will tempt QMs to drag you both to the front row), Wardens (Wardens carry the same dangers as Rangers, but an enemy appropriate for a Warden will murder Rogues) Weaknesses: Stingy QM loot drops, authentic Rogue-like roleplaying (protip: if your own party is thinking of attacking you, you're doing it wrong too well. Unless they're all Rogues, too, in which case it's nothing personal, they're just doing it for their character development and your hard-earned stolen loot. The Mage--Mixed Sweeper With access to scrolls, gems, great artifacts, AND great weapons, mystical Mages are by far the most flexible class at basic level. Gear is expensive, so team up with a Rogue to ease the pain. Also be sure to carefully study the Elemental strangths and weaknesses and the battle rules--you'll need them. Remember, like most fictional magic-users, you are indeed quite squishy; one good hit can often take you out. Play smart, and you'll do fine. As a Mage, you are there for one reason and one reason only: to play elemental rock-paper-scissors with the QMs when they decide to throw elemental monsters at the party. However, if you have one or more Scrolls (or a staff, wand, or dagger that have a Status Effect tied to it), you can play the "annoyer" role by statusing up the enemies, allowing you to disable certain parts of the enemy strategy. Artifacts and weapons with special abilities are also quite helpful; since staves and daggers often have special abilities attached to them, you'll likely be able to find or buy something at least moderately "different", putting other options and strategies on the table. Take elemental gems whenever you can--you never know when a particular elemental matchup will come in handy--and focus on staying alive. Amethyst is going to be your number one most useful gem, but don't rely on it--your QM will bring in Demonic enemies just to thwart you. Have at least three elemental gems at your disposal, preferably four, and you should be able to handle anything. Analysis: AoE: Yes (Shield roll, normal damage with a random available Element) Damage Ratio: 3/6 Plays Well With: Rogues (bodyguard a Rogue for pay, gear shall flow freely. Rogue gets a free ride against undead.) Poor Partners: Other Mages/Barbarians (gem competition), Rangers (back row abuse will tempt QMs to drag you both to the front row) Weaknesses: Low Ether, failing at elemental rock-paper-scissors, high-level enemies that ignore Row and/or are immune to your spells. Coming soon: Part 2--Advanced Classes (for players)

"Are you referring to the 'grandfather' you spoke of a moment ago? You said some strange things..."

"You'd kill for one, eh? Be careful, my friend, those with the power of darkness are more likely to kill you than the other way around, ha ha!" "Yes, but I was the first to touch it. You have too...and you may be under the same curse. Of course, the curse could turn out to be benign, but then again, given De'kra's reaction to my story..." He returned his gaze to De'kra, who still didn't seem right... "De'kra, is something wrong? Have I unleashed some sort of Elven curse upon Eubric?" he asked worriedly.

"Thank you, now if only you could tell that to the closed-minded freaks back home. 'Course, to them, different is 'evil'." Arthur snorted derisively. "They're ones to talk, 'specially since most of their elders used to be priests of Zo--" Arthur stopped suddenly, realizing he was talking to a chicken...who had just talked back. "Uh...did someone make me a Ranger while I wasn't looking, or did..." he trailed off, staring at the gem in his hands. He turned back to McCafferey. "Did this gem...somehow...let me talk to you? Or was it...have you ever known Emeralds to be cursed?"

"De'kra? Are you ok?" Arthur asked with some concern. Before he could say anything else, though, a messenger stepped between them with a pair of wrapped packages, sent from the Marketplace to Arthur. Arthur tipped the man, then tore open the smaller of the two, the one containing the flawless Amethyst liberated from the staff. He hoped the modifications he had asked for would work, but he decided to examine that later. He turned back to De'kra, but the shade appeared to be busy staring off into the distance. He decided to let the shade talk about what had happened in his own time. Arthur noticed Atramor seemed fascinated by his own chicken. Having nothing better to do, he stared intensely at McCafferey as Atramor did, unconsiously turning his new Amethyst over and over in his hands as he did...

Aaaargh! I always miss Sandy by like one minute... Oh, well, lemme type it up and put it here. Also, Arthur was standing right next to Cronk and Skrall, shouldn't Cronk have overheard Arthur's speech?

Fix'd. I jest. Sandy, if you've got a second, should I post my class guide here in R&D, or should I start a new topic?

At this, Arthur's face fell somewhat. "This is a land with little honor. The Houses are all corrupt, the Town Watch is corrupt, even the Lady Wren herself was once a Hero of Heroica. The Lion Knights are the most honorable of all those I have met in these lands, but even they have their loose cannons, as evidenced by the Quest they have offered. Indeed, I forsee our own Heroes forced to battle one another, as the Lion Knight vigilantes cause trouble for the Empire of Dastan, which in turn seeks the Lion Knights' complete and utter destruction. Hero versus Hero...friend versus friend...there is much Chaos in this land, more than even my own. I have learned much in my time here, though, and the most valuable lesson I learned from De'kra the Shade over there, a wise and thoughtful friend, giver of sage advice. Goodness comes not just from mighty deeds or great battles. The world itself holds its own fate, beyond any of ours. Many wish, or even believe it could be otherwise, but it is not for us to decide. All we can do is to decide what to do with the time that is given us. Even in the face of greatest darkness, the people we meet, the friendships we hold, this is the true good of this world, a force neither light nor dark, but purely good. It is that we must seek to nurture, and that which will make us thrive. Only through the bonds we share may we reach our true potential." Arthur then turns to William. "Harkenshire! I see you have fashioned yourself a new lightsaber weapon. I hope it serves you as well, though I hope you do hold on to your old bow. It is most unique, and well-suited for many tasks. Oh, do remember to speak to Schezerade, I left a package with her for you containing 5 gold. You know. For the...incident." Arthur once again scans the Hall for Cinna the Dark, he hoped he could meet De'kra's friend soon.

Tomorrow, unless the fellas in Mafia try to lynch me. Right now, it's just the six basic classes, I need to familiarize myself with the other Classes (especially the ones that have been used in Quests already) to get their analysis written up.

"No, my family leads--led a province in my land, many months' sailing from here, farther than even the Aoi homelands. I am the first to leave my family's lands, and our family's profession, though I hope to reclaim the latter in service of Heroica one day." Even if I do reclaim the lost spells, I fear my home is forever lost to me, he thought to himself. "When I...left...my village, I remembered tales of Heroica brought to our land years ago by a witch named Elphaba--yes, the very same Elphaba who visits our Marketplace. I remembered the stories, even though we had not met in person, and sought my way here over the course of a couple of years. But enough about me, I've barely completed my first Quest. A friend of the legendary Cronk--" he inclined his head respectfully to the Orcish Paladin "--must surely have completed many heroic deeds. I have yet to finish reading the chronicles of Heroica, so please, tell me of the mighty deeds you have accomplished!"

This is gonna sound SO noob-ish, but I really can't decide...should I buy a Shovel and two Tonics, or a Shovel and a Magnifying Glass, or should I try to buy Cinna's shovel at a reduced cost from her and buy a Tonic and a Pickaxe from the Marketplace?

Arthur walks back into the Hall, the last Scroll in hand. He is musing over what best to spend his own 40 Gold on to prepare for the Dastan Empire's perils, when he bumps into a large, heroic-looking troll, sitting next to Cronk. "Oh! My apologies, sir, I failed to watch where I was going. Say, you appear to be a Hero, like myself. I am Arthur Justus Regulus, the Seventh, a Mage of this great organization. Who would you be?"

Using the 50 gold Bartholomew Docken loaned him, Arthur purchased a Scroll of Sleep from Elphaba. Walking past Gnomeo's and Portia's, he spots a fine shovel, a sparkly Magnifying Glass, and of course Portia's Tonics. He decides to return to the Hall for a moment to ask his fellow Heroes what he should buy.

I do believe Sleeping Beauty also placed her vote. Goldilocks also placed a vote for me, as silly as that is!

"That would be MOST appreciated, thank you! I'll be sure to get it back to you when I get back from my next Quest." Arthur accepts the deal for 50 Gold, then heads back to the Marketplace.