TheAntiElite's page

My apologies for the vagueness of subject, as the idea is fairly specific and I'm trying to do this in a relatively balanced and reasonable manner.

I'm using both Pathfinder and Starfinder to revive an old DragonStar campaign, and previously had used the mecha pilot class from BESM d20 to cover the neutral faction of shock/specialty troops for the gem dragons. I'm finding it would work better and make more sense to base the rework on the Aegis class, but what I want is to find a way to allow for an artifact or moderate to greatly powerful token/device that powers the transformation and temporarily trades a wielder's class levels for equal levels in the Aegis class. I'm wanting to set a fairly hard time limit for the effect, in addition to thematically building the effects and abilities around the respective gem dragon abilities.

The core idea, more or less, is an Aegis inspired by TekkaMan Blade, where the powers are fueled by shards of a gem dragon's molt-gems. Normally the troops serving a specific dragon have abilities based on the ones of their draconian liege and corresponding training. The players gained access to the crystals of a few troops who met unfortunate ends, and I had made them deliberately overpowered, but I am trying to bring things back in line.

First of all, the show tends to be fairly informative and legitimately interesting, from the fully in depth look at the bureaucratic hurdles to the difference between producing medical grade versus recreational grade Marijuana to the edibles industry and the use of what is essentially the 'trim' to support the edible industry to the partnership between growers and retailers. All of this is both fascinating and educational.

But I am getting mighty dammed tired of the sheer, unadulterated whiteness of the show, and the inherent level of first world problems that come up, especially when you consider that it's wedged up against Lockup, which is where all the black people end up, and Colorado has been featured there, and I am more than willing to bet there's a substantial number of people of several ethnicities who would be great potential 'ganjapreneaurs' were it not for the inequalities in enforcement prior to legalization.

Sorry, I had to get that out of my system. Great show, oozes privilege, and is utterly unaware of it. My roommate ranted about it, and I calmed her down, but that stuck with me.

Once upon a time ago I was running a DragonStar campaign involving the Dark Zone and the emergence of the Gem Dragons as would be arbiters and allies in the growing fight against the psionic menaces that were beginning to crop up with greater frequency. As I was also using a bit of BESM d20 for extra thematic flavor, one part of the conceit was that the Dragon Empire had a good amount of magitech, but the psionic tech equivalents were both sleeker and...well the aesthetic comparison would definitely be magitech looking decidedly more emphasizing the 'tech' part, all industrial and whatnot, while psitech was futuristic looking even by in-universe standards. This was especially noted in regards to the Gem Dragon elite mecha pilots, shameless cribbed from and inspired by the Tekkaman Blade (Teknoman for those who only saw the dub) series.

With the recent acquisition of Ultimate Psionics and the read over of two particular classes, I had an idea that requires a more adept eye for balance and mechanics in order to revamp the concept for a new campaign that also ties to the Draconomicon for part of the explanation for why and how it works.

Essentially - the different Gem Dragons use the gems that result from their age category molt to create the 'seeds' of new recruits, with some variations for type-based methodology. The process of creating a bind-crystal can result in an artifact that effectively converts existing character levels, when in use, to an equal number of temporary Aegis levels, for one approach where the dragon favors small numbers of elite shock troops, whereas a more prudent and patient dragon could use said molt-gem to make a larger number of aforementioned 'seeds' crystals that would let someone become a level 1 Aegis, with powers growing with the character's development instead of starting off with a higher level individual being rerouted into the class.

I envisioned the more powerful versions having a good chance of causing insanity over time in addition to letting the dragon creator treat the user as a thrall, while the basic version would have the likelihood of subtly influencing attitude and outlook as the aegis grew in power. I also figured, with either method, the powers that the suits possessed would be themed around the respective dragon powers.

Any suggestions/refinements?

So, Spelunky has gone on to be featured on XBLA, but it started off as a lovely freeware indie PC game. An old-school platformer meets Rogue-alike, the stages are randomized, the monsters dangerous, the health limited, and the deaths many and varied. It's also likely old hat to everyone here, but if you missed it, check it out.

Under the Garden came to my attention sometime between fits of Canabalt and Robot Unicorn attack, and turned into the most surreally depressing fit of 'I MUST KEEP PLAYING' I've experienced in some time. It starts with you surveying the damage after a storm that devestated your home, and having to gather things together for survival, as well as begin rebuilding for your house and future encampments. You don't have lives, but you do have a life/stamina meter. Each 'fall' might cost you some permanent maximum stamina, or mobility reflecting a permanent injury...or you might not survive, and have to restart. It always fascinated me how the simple mechanics worked as well as they did, as well as the similarly simple graphics. And now, there's a sequel in the works - Under the Ocean takes the same premise, and takes it further, starting with surviving a shipwreck, and having to procure water and food and shelter once more, in the face of heat, thirst, wild beasts, diseases, parasites, and exposure.

Anyone else find any rare gems out there? How about that Guacamelee?

This game is everything I've wanted in over the top action beyond high level monk play. The storytelling was well done, the action was intense and enjoyable, and the fact that Hindu Mythology blended perfectly with science fiction made my heart BURST! with joy like a full meter preparing to take on a Gohma of immense size.

The sequel hook is awesome.

Anyone else played it? Anyone not as thrilled as I am with it?

'GrumpyMel' wrote:

...our "Tank" is about as stealthy as a Rhino in heat.

You have just inspired my next half-orc cavalier. Thank you.

And so it shall come to pass that I will make a half-orc cavalier of most Sadie Hawkins nature, with no tact whatsoever, who may or may not be capable of reproduction but is not in any way dissuaded from the attempts to do so...with a steed to match. The statement was too good to pass up.

Anyone else had this sort of out-of-the-blue inspiration spawned by a turn of phrase that tickled the funny bone?

So the Mother of Monsters, being a demon and a god, tends to fill her niche fairly well; monsters, madness, kill kill etc. On the sliding scale of Evil she's certainly dangerous and corrupting, but there are others who seem to draw more direct hatred and opposition. She is neither innocuous or ignorable. Her modus operandi is clear, and her servitors follow it to their utmost.

I'm trying to imagine if she was less about the sheer joy of wanton violence and death and corruption by direct (i.e. by her hands) means, and more of a Very Dark and Dangerous Quiverful Movement™ pastiche, with her violence being incidental to her being a nightmare variation on the Mother Bear archetype. Would this be plausible? Or would that be more fitting for those of her clergy, instead of the Mother of Monsters herself?

I know everyone has their respective grievances about the workings of the Gunslinger, Ninja, and Samurai, I'm less concerned about those (emphasis less, not 'not at all') and more interested in getting a book that will more aptly make for fun and awesome action with the martial set.

Originally, my first sort of implied hope was for things that would give a certain level of Sangoku Musou/Dynasty Warriors over-the-top goodness for the 'hands on' sorts; this I saw as likely leading to people who are not fans of the beat-'em-up genre kvetching endlessly, perhaps louder than people who derided the Tome of Battle as the 'Book of Weeaboo Fightan Magic'.

Then I thought maybe something closer to GodHand - however, that would likely not get the same results as the infamous GodHand Edit and most people would probably not be nearly as excited about new and improved ways to inflict pain and suffering that were not simply 'fluff ur atax lol'.

Honestly, given that I do have a fondness for anime and over-the-top action, and can fluff the majority of the details on my own, what I'd like is a way to run Golarion-ized Sengoku Basara. I do acknowledge, of course, that not everyone likes what I like, so I figure we can have a generic 'here is the reference that embodies what I want in Ultimate Combat' thread, less in specifics and more in general tone.

Every so often, my group has the obligatory attack of the 90s anti-hero, wanting to get their metaphorical Kratos (God of War, not Tales of X series) on and basically not be the 'good guys' in the traditional sense. While not always on the scope of Magnificent Bastard-ry, there's been lots of fodder for future villains, unscrupulous ally NPCs, and plot twists/hooks a-plenty. Unfortunately, every so often there's an idea that, no matter how compelling it might be, I don't allow it in game for any number of reasons, though I find myself wanting to write the scenarios up regardless for sake of the mental challenge.

Certainly, there's a regular theme of 'bad game wat do' on certain other sites, but usually it's due to certain levels of awkward typecasting of player behaviors, or as an excuse to poke shamelessly at other flaws held by player/GM, codified as 'That Guy' threads. In this case this thread is for ideas that in the right hands might be awesome/silly/entertaining, but that your group just would not be able to handle in any plausible way.

In my case, the most recent version was due to wanting to spork one player's love of the Dragonriders series, leading me to want to give them what they had been more or less pleading for - deeper 'mental bonds' between characters and their steeds/companions/whatever. This almost, and I repeat, ALMOST led to the spawning of a sort of side-campaign where the Gods are as much crazy as they are to be placated rather than worshiped. The conceit was that the deities would be incarnations of the Forum Warz archetypes, converted to Fantasy tropes, and the paladins would be of a sorority equal measures Blue Rose cliché meets the Dragonriders of porn, with all the glee that accompanies the most horrid of slash-y fanfic writers. Effectively, the Goddess of All Things Paladin-y was a overenthusiastic confused Pernfangirl.

To most of my players it would have been a horrible punishment - for the player in question it would have been a dream come true. Including the smuttier aspects. While it pained me to put the kibosh on the idea, I know it would have been a group-breaker. Especially if my SO had heard, as she'd have rolled a Cleric or Oracle of the 'Trolling' God, with the curse being manifested as an equivalent of the GURPS Odious Personal Habit - Practical Joker with a side order of Compulsive Liar.

...so. General Remorseful Veto Discussion?

Random theory 2 as posited elsewhere and revamped over here: by most accounts and traditions, all seven of the primary PC races are marked and typified by the Seven Deadly Sins.

Humans - Lust (note the last two in the list)
Elves - Pride/Hubris
Dwarves - Greed/Avarice
Halflings - Gluttony (particularly when they're hobbit-alikes)
Gnomes - Sloth (by means of their inventions)
Half-elves - Envy (of their elven parents)
Half-orcs - Wrath (often at the world and especially their human parents)

The problem I run into is setting up races for the proper counterbalance of the Seven Heavenly Virtues.

Humans - Charity, possibly? (in the classic, rather than the modern sense)
Elves - Patience (with the ability to outlive one's foes as a prime cause)
Dwarves - Diligence (obviously)
Halflings - Kindness
Gnomes - ???
Half-elves - Chastity (again, in the classical sense, rather than modern)
Half-orcs - ???

Specifically, as the two remaining out of the seven are Humility and Temperance, which the latter I could in some regards see as being swapped around for Chastity in the case of the Half-Elves, and giving Chastity to the Gnomes instead, but Half-Orcs throw a wrench in my mental workings. Sturgeon's Law, naturally, applies, though in execution of this concept his Revelation is also particularly apt.