Flipz

Well, considering that Endgame's current title is actual code the RTE added to several of his posts...

That's called "the rich-text editor sucks and no one should ever use it".

You know, if something happens to Grimwald on 127, that would make every single character involved with 99 either dead or retired...

No, see, I've already offloaded a huge ton of Heroica knowledge from my brain, so unless it's related to one of my more favorite stories I can't remember that stuff anymore.

1x damage. Also, I used throwing weapon enemies in 118. You can ask my Questies how that went.

You did see my suggestion for Weather Mage, right? I know I'm not really that active anymore (and unlikely to play the class again either way because of that), but it'd be nice to know my idea has at least been seen. I really want to push for my change--the Mist you're proposing won't really limit the Weather Mage so much as it will just make all the other players hate them, plus it makes their Shroud job trait worthless. I really think the answer to Weather Mage lies in making the Ether costs of weather much steeper, with Mist increasing the cost again to balance out the advantage it grants. Like I said, better to nerf the class via Ether cost (which only affects the Weather Mage) rather than the Weather Mage's mere existence nerfing the entire party.

I approve of this message.

It's also a fairly major plot point that most people in the world are superstitiously distrustful of advanced technology, even more so than they are about mages.

I really want to push for my change--the Mist you're proposing won't really limit the Weather Mage so much as it will just make all the other players hate them, plus it makes their Shroud job trait worthless. I really think the answer to Weather Mage lies in making the Ether costs of weather much steeper, with Mist increasing the cost again to balance out the advantage it grants.

That's a perfectly reasonable bit of background. You have two options with it: 1.) You have Lind adhere to that bit of cultural tradition, and have no real struggle to do so. This is the boring option. 2.) You let Lind break with that bit of cultural tradition, and then let him deal with the consequences (whether they be internal or external or both). This is the interesting option that leads to legitimate character conflict and development, instead of being a perfect impossible-to-rattle being. Just a thought.

If the goal is to make Druids spend more Ether, maybe their healing should cost double since it removes negative effects as well as healing? That might be a bit much, tho, I dunno. But realistically, how often do normal attacks actually happen with them? When you have the chance to Luckify or Hasten or Encourage your entire party for round after round after round with no chance of failure, why would you ever opt instead to attack an enemy (with the chance to roll Special Damage) and only get a little damage and a 50-50 chance of Stun in return? To my mind, a Minstrel should be singing about as often as a Weather Mage forecasts weather; not something you're doing every Round, but once or twice a battle at a critical moment, changing the course of the fight in the process. Also note that Minstrels gain 5 Ether on a Miss roll, meaning that a Minstrel that's short on Ether can potentially bring themselves back into singing range within 3-4 attack rounds--again, giving them more of a reason to attack normally. Sandy put it better than me with regards to how the song Ether costs would be reworked, so I'll respond to his post directly. I don't think it should be a problem to alter the few "bonus" songs that have been dropped, particularly since most of them are variants of the same base song (Angelic Aria).

That's fine. Maybe Angelic Aria in particular could use a lower Ether cost, but to be frank, we don't want Minstrels constantly singing all the time; we want them to have to attack more. As I see it, even after Sandy's proposed change, singing is still going to be (rightly) seen as the superior option, with plenty of people going sing->tonic->sing->tonic. If we make singing a LOT more expensive by making it cost Ether per target, maybe more Minstrels are going to be likely to actually use their attack rolls, thus making the class once again be based on dice instead of just declaring their action and it happening.

*sigh* Exhibit A why I'm burnt out on the game (hint: it's not the proposed rules changes, it's what came almost immediately after). I'll only respond to the ones in which I actually have a horse to back. Minstrel: Kill Nanny's Lullaby with fire, but RE the others, I agree that an Ether cost per target affected would be the best way to go. Dragoon: I approve of this change. It was just plain too punitive. If people really want it back, though, here's what I recommend for all levels of the SHIELD past Hatchling: "The Dragon has a 3/4 chance to disobey orders and not perform their portion of Dragon's Wrath, reduced by 1/4 per Quest the hero has completed as a Dragoon." This adds a loyalty aspect to the class as originally intended, but doesn't make it a permanent punishment for things out of the player's control, and eventually lets them earn the trust completely enough that the player can freely switch classes if they aren't having fun. Alchemist: I have to agree with Scuba. Chrysopoeia needs a change, to be sure, but I'm not sure this is the right one; it's just...too simple, and doesn't provide a good reason for it happening like the current version does. The Overkill Gloves probably also need a nerfing, but then again their money isn't guaranteed; if an enemy is immune to Fragile and the available elemental damage isn't super-effective (and if the player doesn't manipulate the enemies' HP properly), it's not nearly as much gold (not to mention other characters kill-stealing), whereas the current Chrysopoeia is completely player-controlled and guaranteed for every roll of 4 (no risk of KO from an attack). For the Overkill Gloves, I'd recommend making them not work with spells; this would go a LONG way in reducing players' ability to maximize their own numbers (particularly Weather Mages' ability to make their own spells do even more damage), and make them a LOT more reliant on how the QM builds the battle (since imbued elements can't be easily switched at will to suit each enemy). Weather Mage: I'm of two minds about this. As a QM, I do think Weather Mage is somewhat crazily powerful in the right hands (i.e. mine), but as a player I detest rolls that needlessly hamper other party members. Here's what I'd change: weather should have an Ether cost per Round it's in play (which also means that a weather roll on a SHIELD will last until it's drained the Weather Mage's Ether completely), and Mist should act like it currently does (or similar to it), but should make all Ether costs doubled while it's in effect. (Thus, spells and Scrolls alike against affected targets will cost double Ether, as will the cost of the weather; if you wanted, you could then make Mist affect the entire enemy party, which would make ALL characters' Ether costs double--including healing and Minstrel songs). ...oh, all right, one more comment: That Evoker change? That's perfect. Watch the folks who are at or nearing Level 15; their reactions to the adjusted appeal of the classes will tell you everything about whether or not the changes will have the intended effects.

It's not going to do much for you, no. Unless you suddenly find yourself being showered in Grand Tonics and Ether Cores, you just don't have enough Ether to cast that Scroll and still be able to fight in battle. The shield is a little better, but it's still not much to work with.

You actually have the beginnings of a fairly decent build...for a much higher level. That Scroll is useful, but unreliable, and will drain a LOT of Ether--Ether you'll want to be saving for Enchant rolls. It's not until a rather higher level of play that that or your shield will really come into play. I'd advise you to start looking into better SP-granting Artifacts--bonus points if they also grant SP or other immunities. You have some great abilities that few others can replicate, but not a lot that will let you survive long enough to use them.

As Arthur returns from Ziegfried Manor, he finds himself face-to-face with a somewhat familiar Veteran. "Regulus!" the Dragonlord calls, looking none too pleased. Arthur has no choice but to come closer to the commanding Dragoon, who crosses his arms in consternation. "Where is your Dragon?" Arthur starts and nearly looks away, but a sudden though crosses his mind, prompting him to stare down his superior. "She left me," he says simply. The Dragonlord seems skeptical. "Left you? You may not have a lot of experience with Dragons, Mr. Regulus, but even you should know that at this stage she is barely a hatchling, unable to fully care for herself. Surely you aren't suggesting she set off to survive entirely on her own?" The Weather Mage, as he had as a Dragoon, stands his ground. "That's exactly what happened. I believe her exact words were, 'this is boring. And I have no desire to be bored.'" The Veteran pauses a moment. "You're...joking, right?" Arthur shakes his head, prompting the Veteran to massage his helmeted head. "I can't decide what's more insane--that she would decide to leave you, or that you would let her." This time, Arthur's guilt wins out over his stubbornness, the Weather Mage looking uncomfortably away. "Well--things between us...haven't been the best, lately. I even ended up retraining in magic, since I couldn't trust her in battle." "Couldn't trust...did you not even consider that trust goes both ways?" "I'm sorry, Dragonlord, that part didn't seem to be included in her trainer's manual," Arthur says pointedly. "You give me a living, breathing being, one with a personality as willful as my own, and expect things to go smoothly from day one?" The Dragonlord appears to want to respond with a biting criticism, but the Veteran holds himself back. "What we do or don't expect of you is irrelevant. Right now, you need to find her, and--" The Hero and Veteran's discussion was interrupted by the arrival of a third figure--Valentine Ziegfried. "Hello, Arthur. Dragonlord." "Ma'am...?" Arthur blinks in surprise. "Mom?" Before the woman can reply, a pair of golden leathern wings unfurl themselves from behind her back, a scaly reptilian form scaling her shoulder. Valentine smiles as Arthur's eyes widen at the sight of his Dragon companion. "Miirym!" "I thought you might want to see her once you were finished helping your cousin. How is Lilly, by the way?" "Er--fine," he says, deciding not to bring up the girl's stated intentions toward his half-brother. "Just had to deal with a bit of...family heritage." Which I don't feel like discussing openly in front of a Veteran, he adds mentally. Whether in comprehension or in concealment of a lack thereof, both Valentine and the Dragonlord nod. Valentine gently transfers Miirym to her arm, the gilded reptile surprisingly complying with the unspoken request. "That's...interesting to hear. I know it's late, but perhaps you'd be willing to discuss it more at home?" Arthur smiles with relief. "Of course, Mother." "Good. We'll both see you there, then." Hefting the still-silent Miirym, Valentine turns and heads back the way she came. The Dragonlord seems relieved, if a little confused. As Arthur starts toward Heron Street, the Veteran stops him with a hand to the chest. "I'm not sure just what happened, Regulus, but I don't think I like it. That Dragon needs you, whether or not the two of you think she does. You need to take better care of her." "I'm not a fool, Dragonlord. I just ran short on options--it was either chase her down, or complete my Quest for my cousin. I chose the latter." "If you'd stayed a Dragoon there wouldn't have been a choice to make." "Maybe. But I can think of a better way to avoid that conflict of interest in the future." Arthur takes a breath, mentally preparing himself for what was about to come. "I quit." The Dragonlord freezes, then visibly relaxes. "I--hm. That's one way to handle it. You're sure about that?" Arthur nods. "Positive." The Dragonlord smirks despite himself. "Ironic. Suddenly I'm a lot more reassured about letting you out into the field with your Dragon...except that that won't be happening anymore, will it?" "No. Those days are over, now. I mean, I need to go back to the Hall at some point--I've still got some debts to settle with my former comrades--but after that I'm gone, I promise." The Dragonlord waves a hand dismissively at the Weather Mage. "It's fine, we're not like that. Take your time, settle your scores, give your friends a proper farewell. My primary concern was with Miirym--but I'm starting to see that she's yours as well." "She is. Like I told Lilly, family comes first," Arthur confirms for him. "Well, then, don't let me stand in your way. I believe your mother and Miirym are waiting for you?" Arthur nods, and with one last look down the road towards the familiar lights Heroica Hall, Arthur heads home--to his new, true home, Number 14 Heron Street.

While it needs some alteration, I'm so stealing this for an NPC in my ideas file.

My thoughts on 125: I really enjoyed this Quest. Heroica has been missing Ziegfried exploration recently, so getting to encounter the core family again was very much needed. I loved getting to learn the history of the Ziegfried clan, reassembling the story and hearing Lilly's reaction to it being one of the highlights of the Quest. I also like that Lilly, the Ziegfried who previously had by far the least amount of characterization, got an entire Quest to herself to flesh her out and bring her up to the level of Bluto and Morgan (leaving poor Merlyn now as the Ziegfried child most in need of screen time and development). I'm also pleased to see the ongoing Abraxas storyline touched on again after so long, though I do wish that more of the Heroes previously involved in it (*cough*Nyx*cough*Sylph*cough*) were still around to feel the aftershocks. For my part, I'm also glad I got a chance to explore Arthur's Ziegfried heritage in a way that was natural and free-flowing--one of my big goals for Arthur from the early days has been to help him find a family he could belong to and truly call his own. There were times it seemed like he was going to assemble his own family unit from among the Heroes of Heroica, but between time, conflict, and lack of contact, almost all of that has seemed to wither, so I'm pleased that Sandy gave me the opportunity to develop an alternative path via the Ziegfrieds. I really, truly, deeply enjoyed the battles on this Quest, the first time I've consistently done so since probably Quest 70. It wasn't a cakewalk (despite and as evidenced by me overusing my buffs), but at the same time it wasn't the over-exaggerated slogfest of gloom/Counter-The-Tank archetypes I've grown used to recently. The loot was amazing, perhaps even a little too generous in some ways (though that was somewhat offset by the better loot coming shortly after a particularly slow patch pacing-wise); while not always obvious, there's a lot of real gems among our haul. That said, the Quest wasn't without its flaws. Firstly, I want to address something that K-Nut and I had numerous conversations/arguments about: the lack of enemies to resurrect into Althior's undead army. We quickly came to the conclusion after a couple of battles that said enemies were simply not going to show up, and that he had been provided with battle control over Lilly as a sort of replacement. Unfortunately, mechanically speaking Lilly and her Puppeteer class had a lot of issues, which ultimately made it so that having her attack was a very bad idea, which is unfortunate since it had a very interesting concept. The big problem here was the break chance on the toys; while I will agree 100% that it was needed to balance out the ability to cause guaranteed effects (and some very powerful ones at that), this ultimately led to us never using the things for fear of breaking them, and also not letting Lilly attack in case she rolled a SHIELD. Equestria fixed this significantly, but making one or two more toys that were weaker but impossible to break would have done a lot to make us more comfortable with using her. (Speaking of Equestria, though, her shop was amazing in terms of balancing ultimate item availability with limited supply and substantial price, and more opportunities like that need to show up elsewhere in Heroica. ) I also was, surprisingly, underwhelmed with the sets, something I never thought I'd say about something made by you. Granted, I didn't really notice it until just now (obviously this Quest didn't rely much on the pictures at all), but literally the only pictures that I can really, clearly recall are the image of the Manor in the beginning, the scene of us getting transported into Lilly's mind, and the scenes of the rearranged dollhouse that Fahrenheit & co. were in. Like I said, in this case it didn't affect much (and in fact probably helped the environment seem less concrete and more dreamlike), but something to be aware of. Touching back on the battles and loot, the loot was definitely weighted towards the latter half of the Quest, which was at times slightly problematic. It was a minor issue to be sure, but an issue nonetheless. The puzzles. I loved them, but they were so damn hard. Part of it, I think, was how completely non-hand-holdy you were with us on them (which is a good thing! we're just spoiled by all the teasy hinty railroders like me ), but I think more of it was just bad luck with the players you got. K-Nut's always active with these things, but he doesn't always say anything about it in-thread; Masked was basically MIA for like two-thirds of the Quest, and I was undergoing a slow and painful process of losing interest and enjoyment in Heroica. These puzzles stopped us in our tracks when they shouldn't have, so I'd really like to see you give this approach another shot with a more active and present party (say #130 perhaps? #waroftheanagrams ). There were also a few moments during the Quest in which I was worried whether or not Lilly would get enough characterization, though you answered them in spades by the end without me saying anything. Still, there were some times in which it would have been nice to just chat with Lilly while we did stuff, particularly when Althior and Alexis were being less than talkative. I think ultimately, that's where most of the dissatisfaction I had on this Quest came from: our party, mostly myself. Arthur was all over the place here, in part I think because of my desire to shelf him, and in part because of my own unstable state at present. More disappointingly, though, we all signed into this with the expectation of more banter and interactions among the three of us, but aside from a teensy bit near the beginning and end, it never really materialized. Althior and Arthur had some nice moments, but for the most part they naturally sort of just stayed away from each other to prevent a fight, with all of their interactions being a bit chilled. K-Nut, you were probably the most active member of the party, but not very much of that activity translated directly into posts--I wanted to see more of Althior's reactions to the situations, and even more windows into his inner thoughts. That said, you did carry the Quest more than once when both Masked and I slipped up. Speaking of Masked, to be blunt: Masked, your absenteeism killed big chunks of this Quest for me, and it really bums me out. Early on, Althior and Alexis sort of gravitated more toward each other than toward Arthur--which was great, actually, even though it left Arthur as the odd man out. But shortly thereafter--about the time of the bears puzzle, I'd say--Alexis just sort of faded out. When you participated, it often felt less like you were interacting with us and more like you were reacting to us, which is very much not ideal. I know you can give us more than that, which makes it all the more disappointing that we got so little out of you other than "repeat". Of course, the statement "I know you can give us more than that" applies to me, too. I was not happy with my own level of participation throughout this Quest, and I apologize for that. Hopefully a nice, long break will help me recover and maybe regain some of my interest in the game, but if not, at least I can say that Quest 125 sent me and Arthur out on a high note, and a very, very high one at that.

"Sure," Arthur says simply, tossing 140 gold Alexis' way for the Zoot's Cookie. "Should be enough to pay for an upgrade or two," he adds, nodding toward the Assassin's Adamantite. Well, he thinks, not a perfect place, but better than we left off. Another life chapter closed, I suppose. He sighs softly, slipping the Chaotic relic into his pocket before invisibly absorbing it for additional health. Arthur nods distractedly. The thought of the Veterans knowing the truth behind Barbariccia and not telling any Heroes was more disturbing to him than the idea of him having to hide a secret from the traitor among their ranks. As the Weather Mage bid his farewell to his new family, a feeling of fatigue fell upon him. I don't want to go, he thought mournfully to himself. The people in that house...that's my family. As strange and foreign as they are, as daunting the dangers they face...I can't wait to see them again. Back in the Hall, though...what exactly do I have to look forward to in that place? These thoughts consuming his mind, Arthur Regulus the Ziegfried slowly heads toward the Hall he had once called home. OOC: Thanks for the amazing Quest, Sandy! If it truly turns out to be Arthur's last, I don't think I could have asked for a better way to go out.

"Whatever. If that's how you want to play it," Arthur says, mentally adding a meeting with Atramor to his list of things to do back at the Hall. "You'd probably do well to hang on to this, then," Arthur says, offering the Tin Helmet to Althior. "I still remember what she did to the heads of the Houses at the Ball. We may have our differences, but I'd hate to see it happen to you, too."

"I like the sound of that, too. And hey, I'm family too, after all--if you ever need my help, I'm just a Z-mail away." "I think I'll take Negative Nelly," Arthur says, thinking back to his attitude upon realizing Abraxas' presence in the situation. "Maybe having her around will help me remember to be less of one." "Yeah...I have to agree with you there. But," he says, pausing meaningfully, "this means there is a way to defeat her. When you get back to the Hall, go find Atramor, tell him about Baba, and especially that card. He has something that might--might--be able to help." "Thank you Bluto. I'm certain that what you just told us is going to save a lot of lives."

It's definitely viable, if you're willing to invest in it--but again, you shot up through the levels without really taking any time to invest in your gear, so of course they'd end up not working as well. They're also, admittedly, less useful in an environment like the Fields, which is more about endurance than anything else.

And the Passionfruit Vine was dropped by me, a gift from Rosier to Germ in 104. That said, I don't think anyone would mind Enamored weapons being a "themed reward" for future Tridentia Quests.

"Reminds me a lot of how I was with Wren," Arthur remarks, "but both you and your sister are a lot stronger, a lot more selfless than I'll ever be." The Weather Mage turns his attention to Lilly once more. "Lilly Stella Primrose Ziegfried. You are by far one of the strongest people I know. Your skills are totally unmatched by anything I've ever seen, and you have an iron will to go with them. We may have helped you in battle, but ultimately it was you who rescued your cousins, you who faced your fears, you who resisted the temptations of Great Uncle Fahrenheit, Zed, and Sycamore. We Heroes have training and Artifacts and Medals of Glory--it's basically cheating. You had none of that, and still you held your own--your power, both mental and physical, comes from you and you alone." Arthur smiles at his cousin. "You're a smart girl, Lilly. I would completely trust you to lead me, whether into battle or anything else, and between you and me, that is saying something." As he stands, Arthur returns his borrowed Sapphire and Aquamarine to Alexis. "I, too, would like to learn more about the witch--the power she demonstrated at the Foundation Day Ball worries me, and I'd prefer having something up my sleeve if I encounter her again."

Before Althior gathers up the loot, Arthur walks over to the three artifacts that were the only remains of his relatives' vanquished souls. The Weather Mage aims a taunting kick at Fahrenheit's hat. "Inferior Ziegfried my megablocks," he mutters. Returning to his party, Arthur gives 435 Gold to Althior and 105 Gold to Alexis. "You're all paid off, Le--I mean, Alexis. I hope...I hope that hunk of crystal brings you happiness...or at least, more happiness than I did." Quickly turning away from yet another awkward situation of his own creation, Arthur turns his attention to Lilly, noting her less than enthusiastic response to her victory. He kneels down to her level. "What's wrong, Lilly? You seem...sad."