Vash the Stampede

I'm not expecting a rule change before the end of the big Baltarok quest but something to think about. Some thoughts, perhaps attaching something very powerful like hastened on an enemy to something that can be destroyed (easy or hard, maybe horses with high health, or even more hit points), maybe to make it more temporary like Flipz suggests we put it on a countdown (as in lasts for 3 rounds or some other number), or having two + heroes attacking the same enemy to cancel it out. Personally I'd go with three or four hero targets to cancel out a free hit from a hastened enemy, forcing several to target one enemy dedicates hero power on one enemy but still making it possible to avoid that free hit, possibly a reward if you get rid of all the other mooks and have a bunch of heroes attacking a hastened enemy the unavoidable free hit is no longer a problem but still not making it obsolete if you just have two heroes target the enemy (or a single hastened hero, that's too easy) thoughts?

Well 72 hours seems a tad exscessive but in order for the others to consider the plan I'm about to post (and trying to figure out a good way to get past this round the best way) I'd like to petition for another 48 hour time slot for this round. Well I can't speak for said newer heroes but I don't feel like they've been that ignored. In quest 90 they have made themselves well known and hey, even if no one really listened to Baradok most of the quest (or mostly just disagreeing with him) he went over to the enemies side for a battle. Roleplaying wise that I think had a rather large impact to the point where Dreyrugr whilst probably still disagreeing with him respects him for sticking up for his own ideals. And once again I can't speak for other people but I'm sure some other characters surely feel somewhat similar even if they don't show it. This just being one example, Purpearl has a slightly stronger voice and for most of the quest has spoken up and Matthias has also been up speaking. For the most part it seems that you're just basing this on this last battle where all the heroes are on the bridge, although with a good 20+ heroes (I'm just guessing, don't quote me on this) people are not going to be heard. Dreyrugr although not a low level hero, has himself has put forth ideas or thoughts that have been completely ignored both in and out of character, and I'm sure others have also been ignored that are also not newer characters. To add to this it seems quite obvious everyone is a tad stressed and thus not everyone quite happy in one way or another and it really is showing in more ways than one, mostly through a very chaotic mindset (I'd hate to see what would happen if we were all around a table worrying about it in real time seeing how even with several days of thinking and rest people are very stressed and going overboard in some cases) For the most part I think you only see it this way because you've really been keeping an eye on the new guys so forgive me for feeling a tad annoyed when it feels like you're pointing fingers. Except for these last buffed to infinity enemies (which are a tad excessive seeing how the back row was effectively taken out) it is enjoyable enough. I'm hoping its just everyone being a tad stressed out from these last enemies and feeling like they hold the entire high kingdoms on their shoulders due to everything leading up to this and the story going in the direction of our results. I could be wrong but after this is all over I think those involved will look back a bit brighter about feeling good about how we held back/defeated two armies vastly outnumbered. Indeed he is but comparing the damage on Dreyrugr's and Guts' shields Dreyrugr is only 68 damage behind (not an AOE but still) so for your average mook that might as well be an Assassin.

​Right I'd forgotten, apologies. This now means I can't even go suicidal when I know I will die. I also have a sneaking suspicion that the bonus power has been forgotten in a few battles.

Dreyrugr doesn't use a smelling salt and instead only attacks General B and will sacrifice 79 health in the case of a mortal hit. The free hit will kill me anyway with where I am in the battle order so wasting a smelling salt seems counter productive.

Oh good, we need the thinking space. Can Dreyrugr move to the back row instantly and throw a weapon or will that take a full round to move? If so, being hastened, would that take up one or both actions?

"Drats." Dreyrugr takes a smelling salt and uses a pheonix essence on Haldor. If Benji uses his Pheonix Incense Dreyrugr will instead attack General B with his second action. Legonator, could you maybe put in a conditional that if Dreyrugr attacks we swap my attack to General A and yours to General B seeing how Dreyrugr can KO General A if he gets a shield?

And where's Nagure when you need him? And I'm guessing that's a no to stealing horses? I propose using a mulled wine on Benji, nostrum on Hoke, hope for a lot of bloody rituals, also using Alexis to put her smelly hide on Benji and make him into a pseudo tank. Also if necessary Dreyrugr can move back row using throwing weapons but can only do that for 2 rounds if I understand how throwing weapons work for this battle. Can Radguel be targeted by Dreyrugr throwing his net? (More of a last resort than a long term solution)

I had to buy my WP:15 scythe whilst I've seen people get higher drops on their quest and get to spend their gold on something else so it really does depend on the quest your on. In a quest you're not travelling around with vastly higher leveled heroes you will feel much more useful to the party though so don't feel too upset now (Personal experience from Quest 44 to whatever quest I had after that). Given how massively buffed up these enemies are and how it wasn't stated that we have to defeat both armies in the same round I think it would probably be safer to keep the sides like this and if necessary have heroes defeat the kingdom army and then the orc one. And news from the sky says we need a bigger tank. If you're done with Hoke we'd like to borrow him. For a while. A looooong while.

I'm just wondering whether Dreyrugr is badass enough to be able to steal a horse if he gets a shield. Well if I can steal someones armor off them whilst they are wearing it them kicking them off a horse shouldn't be hard. Dreyrugr looks around to see only one last line of people attacking. "Only an army of 37? I've seen thieve groups larger. Don't tell me the big deal about the orcish war was just as small." Dreyrugr takes a moment to stretch his neck. Seems like a tough one. Dreyrugr attacks the Red Lizard General twice. If Dreyrugr takes damage he will attack David on his second attack instead. Could you perhaps swap the battle order around a tad so that in the rare case Dreyrugr rolls a special dodge it hits either a hero with no buffs or at least not Dyric as I think he needs those buffs. And also someone please tell me they forgot to say that Radguel doesn't get a free hit, cause if he does then I'm all for stalling these guys for a round whilst the other front gives up seeing how that is an instant killing unavoidable free hit (seeing as we can't target him and stats wise+specials his already the biggest pain).

Dreyrugr attacks Archer H and Skimisher L from the front row. I might not make the 24 hour limit tomorrow, I'm not sure. Can actions be suggested for Dreyrugr for next round just in case.

Well it's nice to have my equipment on but I am missing all the buffs (not that it mattered in this instance), and not to be rude but I'm not sure how many times I mentioned and re quoted this. And in the Eastern Line Archer B was both targeted and KO'd and should not have gotten a free hit. Slicing two skirmishers in half Dreyrugr lets a half smile slip as he moves onto Skimisher J and Archer H from the front row.

Random question that may or may not be inspired by current events. In a game (not Heroica) with an alignment system do you go for the law, neutral or chaos path? I myself generally end up going for the law path but depending on how extreme the representing paths are I may go for neutral and very rarely chaos.

Another thing I'd point out is that even if everyone has chosen to side with the Orcs many chose it only barely higher than siding with the kingdoms and had there been a neutral choice I'm sure many would have chosen that rather than siding with the Orcs (At least I would have and what I read from other characters leads me to believe that they would have as well). So yeah taking out both the Orcs and the Kingdoms is the closest we get to a Neutral choice, add to a role playing perspective having one side dominate in a war is likely to spell bad news later and trying to end this in a draw would probably be the most peaceful solution. (See QM Quote below)

I am supposed to be hastened so you need to put Dreyrugr in the BO twice.

I would like to be buffed up to the nines if that's ok. Dreyrugr attacks Skirmisher B and Skirmisher C from the front row.

Dreyrugr turns to Matthias, "Take this bow, it's not much sharper than yours but a quick look around shows that no one else seems to have any spares." "For those of you who have slightly less combative equipment might now be the time to swap them out for something more practical and if some of you have artifacts you aren't using maybe it would be good to lend them out." Nothing against Sticky Gloves or Medals of Glory but I think we'll need every advantage we can get offensively. Noteworthy examples of Haldor's 'Ognar's Beard' due to enraged effect on melee fighters not being a problem in this battle, Alexis' smelly hide due to guaranteed humanoids in this battle, also maybe lending her quickdraw quiver to Dyric for a beefed up Assassin along with any other spare things people have lying around.

Sorry I'm confused, when did we get to the fields of glory? Sorry I'm confused, when did we go to the fields of glory?

For note the equipment I had was the Black Knights armor, cloak of the blue assassin and gloves of the undead assassin. Dreyrugr turns to Mirona, "If you promise to give this back I'll lend you my greatsword seeing how it's a tad sharper than what you currently have." Dreyrugr then turns to the large group of Heroica, "If anyone has some spare weapons for the weaker heroes and our circus troupe it would probably be appreciated if you could lend them a sharper blade." Dreyrugr then takes the time to put three venoms on his weapon whilst moving to the east border. I'm assuming rogue throwing weapons work the same way as the other ranged weapons. What are the retrieving rules on them? Will we know how many reinforcements each side has? And does Hoke's flagpole give SP to the whole party or just the section he is in?

Anyone up for makeshift parachute crafting and then jumping off a bridge in good faith that you'll live?

Yes but I have a feeling I won't get loot or exp for that. It's still seriously tempting even against that.

Or maybe mind control magic. Seriously though we all know that by this point there is nothing we can do to stop the QM's from sending us against 2 whole armies. I can see them sadistically laughing right now. If we survive though won't that make a tale. 'What heroic exploits have you done in your life?' 'Oh nothing much, held back two armies when we were outnumbered a million to one. We won of course.'

Well no but minor details.

Well it seems my notion of getting rid of the bridge has been favored upon by the gods.

"You forget that war costs men and money which could instead be used to rebuild a bridge or would you rather a huge slaughter fest? If there's a war then nobody is going to worry about a supply route, likely they won't even be able to use it." "Mother nature seems to agree with me apparently." "I'll side with the orcs. Both sides are at fault but the orcs seem to have gotten the slightly shorter end of the stick."

"With all this going in circles I'd almost say it's better to blow this bridge up today and let both of these armies cool off their heads tomorrow. Neither side are in the wrong and at the moment it seems they are inadequately equipped for making peace. For the ones tasked with protecting this bridge at least they can always make another one. Most would rather another bridge than another war."