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Real funny that both your options there have you running to a big wide open space. I guess the logic is that the arena is at least translucent and gives him nowhere to hide? Also, can't fault them for making Robin Hood an archer, but it seems like he'd be a drat fine assassin too.
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Oct 5, 2021 11:11
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Arzaac posted:Real funny that both your options there have you running to a big wide open space. I guess the logic is that the arena is at least translucent and gives him nowhere to hide? The arena entrance is a known and visible bottleneck; Robin can't follow immediately or he gets engaged in combat so he has to delay, allowing Hime and Caster time to get some distance. Since the entry point is known he can't really stealth his way back to an ambush position so Caster manages to deflect the first arrow. And he still tagged Hime with the second, even if it was only a glancing blow, forcing her to lose a day to the poison. He is an (the) expert in guerrilla tactics.
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Oct 5, 2021 11:56
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BisbyWorl posted:Honestly, from the sounds of it getting Robin was just bad timing for him. I may just be reading too much into what we've seen of Dan and Robin (or outright misinterpreting their characters), but I see them as two people with very different approaches to the same goal. Some versions of Robin Hood's story end with him being pardoned by King Richard and even made a lord. I think he and Dan do want a happy ending where justice is achieved. The problem is, Robin believes they don't have a chance at winning the Grail War without crossing the lines they need to. And well, I agree about Dan. As for where I'm going with all this, I think there's a reason why they were paired up, even with their differences. (But for all I know, the happy ending to Robin's story was made up for stuff like Disney and video games. I hope my point makes sense, regardless.)
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Oct 5, 2021 12:07
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Arzaac posted:Also, can't fault them for making Robin Hood an archer, but it seems like he'd be a drat fine assassin too. It's entirely possible that Robin COULD be summoned as an Assassin. I think nowadays it's rarer to see a Heroic Spirit who only qualifies for one class than it is to see one who qualifies for multiple.
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Oct 5, 2021 19:49
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serefin99 posted:I think nowadays it's rarer to see a Heroic Spirit who only qualifies for one class than it is to see one who qualifies for multiple. It'd be a short list. From FGO the only ones I can think of would be the Hassans and Charlotte Corday, who is solely famous for a single act of assassination.
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Oct 5, 2021 20:40
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Ratoslov posted:It'd be a short list. From FGO the only ones I can think of would be the Hassans and Charlotte Corday, who is solely famous for a single act of assassination. I think it doesn't help that the requirements seem to keep getting watered down in the interest of providing more versions of servants (and obviously FGO's summer servants don't count, or even your example of Charlotte goes out the window). Take our previous enemy -- Francis Drake. Drake uses a set of pistols, but really doesn't have any particular story that involves expert gunnery, nor owned a weapon of particular renown. Drake should, by all rights, only qualify as a Rider. Yet someone could claim Drake was a good enough fighter with said pistols (as shown by military victories in taking ships) that he's totally Archer-worthy. Or a caster, due to obviously using magecraft to locate/defeat his enemies at sea (which is why he was so much more successful at raiding compared to his peers).
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Oct 5, 2021 21:54
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DeTosh posted:(But for all I know, the happy ending to Robin's story was made up for stuff like Disney and video games. I hope my point makes sense, regardless.) Well, Robin Hood is a character from a variety of disconnected folk stories and ballads spanning at least 650 years - the first reference to Robin Hood stories is in something from the 1370s, and even then it mentions them as an established thing, so they could be substantially older. The stories were probably created and modified by hundreds or thousands of people over many years, and were primarily handed down orally for a few of those centuries. So there isn't really a Robin Hood Canon that defines how he was born, lived, and died. The most common story of his death, though, and one of the oldest stories about him in general, is that he was betrayed by the Prioress of an abbey (his cousin) who bled him improperly on purpose. Sometimes she also poisons him, and/or sneaks in enemy of his who simultaneously stabs and is stabbed by him. As he is dying, he shoots the final arrow, as noted in this game, and asks to be buried where it lands (although in the original story this is much more likely to be on the grounds of the abbey than near any yew tree he might be familiar with). He also asked that Little John not murder the Prioress and destroy the abbey in retaliation. Despite the last act of chivalry there, Robin and his Merry Men are often pretty grim figures; one of the other earliest works we have (Robin Hood and the Monk) has his men casually killing a monk who got Robin captured, and also his page (which would have been a boy between 7-14 years old) to keep him from reporting the first murder. (Both of them were beheaded, if I recall properly.) He usually racks up a pretty high body count before getting pardoned by the king, and goes back to being an outlaw afterward before getting killed. Happy endings for Robin Hood are pretty rare.
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Oct 5, 2021 21:57
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We may be an incompetent/and or amnesiac, but it seems like all our opponents are shooting themselves in the foot in their own varied ways so much that we can pull a Luigi and win by doing absolutely nothing.
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Oct 7, 2021 16:34
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Koboje posted:We may be an incompetent/and or amnesiac, but it seems like all our opponents are shooting themselves in the foot in their own varied ways so much that we can pull a Luigi and win by doing absolutely nothing. "To be a hero, you don't need to step forward. Everyone else just needs to step back."
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Oct 7, 2021 20:32
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Raitzeno posted:"To be a hero, you don't need to step forward. Everyone else just needs to step back." I thought to be a hero you just needed to kill a million people.
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Oct 7, 2021 21:10
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Koboje posted:We may be an incompetent/and or amnesiac, but it seems like all our opponents are shooting themselves in the foot in their own varied ways so much that we can pull a Luigi and win by doing absolutely nothing. It's just round 2, spoilers but later on we won't be able to Luigi our way through actually competent* opponents. *or opponents with enough raw stats that the master being incompetent doesn't really matter (looking pointedly at Leo & Gawain)
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Oct 7, 2021 21:29
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Omobono posted:*or opponents with enough raw stats that the master being incompetent doesn't really matter I mean, there is plenty of canon precedent throughout Fate of people either scrambling to be the first to claim a Saber summon, or forcing a Berserker summon on a Master completely unsuitable to sustain one, just for the raw high stats.
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Oct 8, 2021 23:00
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Omobono posted:
It's less of a concern here due to how heavily systematized this grail war is. In a grail war like the original FSN, a servant who takes out their master still has a chance to win alone or find a new master before they go poof. In fact, Medea does exactly that. In this grail war, however, there doesn't seem to be any way for a servant who kills their master to stay in the tournament. So that incentivizes a rebellious servant to suck it up and tolerate the indignity, on the off chance they end up winning anyways.
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Oct 9, 2021 02:17
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Omobono posted:*or opponents with enough raw stats that the master being incompetent doesn't really matter (looking pointedly at Leo & Gawain) Well, part of certain combos are that they're so good that revealing their name is practically irrelevant. Ilya/Heracles is another one, in that knowing who he is doesn't actually help you against him - you still need the overwhelming power necessary to win.
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Oct 9, 2021 03:01
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Thinking about it, I may have come up with a loophole - if a servant in this grail war really wants to change masters, maybe they can win the servant duel and then immediately backstab their master. One servant and one master walk out alive, no issues with the system.
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Oct 9, 2021 05:07
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Update XIX - Star in the fog Music: First Chimeric Lunar Sea - Second Floor   For once, we have a new floor with no plot scenes to hit. The only thing on the docket today is clearing the place out.  Unlike the tutorial, which was an undersea graveyard, and last week, which was covered in shipwrecks, this week has a ruined castle as the theme. If it wasn't for the little data cubes that look like air bubbles here and there and the distortion of the water, you could easily forget that we're under the sea.  The layout is rather wide, eventually doubling back into the middle of the area.   Ah, no, I'm trying to insult you; I actually find it all endearing!Wow, Caster, rude. There's also some more fish floating around.  The non-hallway paths are these stone pillars.  A better look at the fish.  Just ahead is this neat little corridor that goes right through a toppled building.  To the side, there's an Item Folder and a fountain on a different path.  Just ahead is the last new enemy of the week.  For a certain definition of 'new', at least.  The reskinned Cluster Horn is known as an Exe Horn.  The far east edge of the level has a switch.  Flipping it zooms the camera over to this gate. I bet the Folder it guards holds the second Trigger, but it can be a bit hard to tell when the glow of the walls obscure the Folder's color.  Near the switch is this helpful Folder.  And, for the first time, an actual path to walk on, instead of ruined ships or pillars!  Even Caster is getting in on checking out the sights.  Nearby is the chest and fountain we saw before.  Looking closely, you can see some form of labyrinth underneath the Arena, which all these buildings and pillars have sprouted from.  The northern edge of the Arena holds the exit portal.  While just south of it is a ramp.  And west of the ramp is a red Folder.  That's Taiga dealt with for the week. The Mystic Eye Killers are a nod to Tsukihime and Fate/Hollow Ataraxia, where they are used by Shiki Tohno and Rider to help live in normal society. Fittingly enough, both of theirs were made by Touko.  The western edge has this big area with three Fishbites patrolling.  But first, let's check out the ramp.  There's the gate we unlocked earlier.   And there's the Trigger!   Back to the west side, the Fishbites are guarding two Folders.  The first holds a basic item.  While the other holds a new Mystic Code.  The Fortune Key holds our first buff skill. The (32); set of buffs gives a small bonus, and lasts for three turns. Shame the first one we get buffs the worst stat.  Right next to the Fortune Key is a hidden path back to the start of the area.  I get a level off that Exe Horn.  This central area is really just a quick way to get to the exit portal.  I make a quick trip back to where the Trigger was to get some shots of the area.  Annoying as it is to have the first floor always take place in the Orb Zone, the second floors are really well crafted.  And that's it for today.  Music: School III  All we need to finish out the week is one more bit of info and Rani's help.     Uuuhhmn... Uhm, uhm, I think helping others is good and all, buuut... Don't you think using a Command Seal is maybe going a bit too far...? I've never seen Caster act so timid. I guess there are people in the world that'll cow even her. Fun fact: the chapel has no ceiling here, so you can just see into the skybox.  To use one of the three Command Seals given to me to help my enemy, of all things... Command Seals... Three irrefutable commands given to all the Masters in the Holy Grail War. If it's within the rules, they will guarantee that an action is performed, whatever the cost. But it was the right thing to do. Also, I'm here on behalf of her Majesty, the Queen... It has been a long time since... No, this is the first time a fight has been for personal reasons. As a mere soldier, I'd have praised Archer's actions. As a knight, I must condemn them. And as I did, I could almost feel as if the spirit of my wife approved, and was proud of me. It's the same story every old man has. It's been so long I've even forgotten the sound of her voice. ...It's an obvious truth. As a soldier, one is required to abide by military regulations. There are no allowances made for even one such as myself to go beyond what is permitted. You should take care, too. The ends don't always justify the means. Regret is an insidious thing. If you let it, it will blind you to the future and all it holds. So know this young lady: I will never condone any conduct that would stain my conscience. ...Nothing more came from what seemed to be an apology of sorts. And beyond the journey itself, the path to the Grail lies in dignity and self-respect. It's odd that I'd speak like this to you. You'd do well to laugh at the musings of this old man. With that said, the old man closes his eyes. It'd be the worst form of bad manners to disturb him while he's praying. It'd be better if I just leave. Music: School IV  This is a great chance to get an added advantage and it'd be stupid to waste it. Lucky us!  I was so not expecting that! She's so scary, always mumbling about the stars and stuff...~  I'm going to lose the whole prep period if I keep freaking out. I need to get on top of things. I haven't retrieved my Triggers. I better hurry. Your opponent got farther with you than mine did with me, but that's a good thing for you. He's got a hold on you, though. Well, none of my beeswax. He's not my opponent. Never let your guard down. I think the chivalry bug got him bad. He thinks he's a real knight.~ True or false? A Command Seal is branded on your left hand and it proves you're a Master... True! It's actually three seals. Every time a Command Seal is used, one of them disappears. When you use up the last one, your participation in the tournament is revoked. So, you can only use two. Adjusting the settings is key to your success, too.  While I'm envious that you gained the trust of such a woman, do not let lust cloud your judgment.Music: Duel of Fate   I give you my thanks. You brought it at the right time as I can read Sir Blackmore's star today. She said she wished to learn more about people and humanity in general. But still, I wonder if what I am doing now is really okay. As a Master, I feel uneasy having another Master help me, especially as we might have to fight one another... My professor's words are my guide. They told me specifically to learn about humans. So please put your mind at ease. You have nothing to worry about from me. Learning more about Sir Blackmore will help your cause as well, correct? With her mechanical reasoning, Rani examines what might be Archer's arrow. She mumbles and then nods in understanding. With this... Brushing the object softly with her fingers, Rani closes her eyes and turns her face to the sky.   The star which governs Sir Blackmore's Servant shines brightly in the heavens today. To be honest, I have no clue as to what astrology is or what it's supposed to accomplish, but— She claims that today certain portents can be read in the stars, and I believe that she can see things about his Servant.  But I really want to know more about this professor person. Maybe she'll tell us more about him... But maybe this isn't the time to indulge my curiosity. We need to focus on that Archer for now. I find myself in a...forest? It's deep, dark... Running her hand along Archer's arrow, the now entranced Rani begins speaking in a quiet tone. An incredibly...dark color. At times a harbinger of infamy... A life spent in darkness... Admiration mixed with trepidation, the color of the solitary path he walks. His green-clad form blends in with the forest. He snipes his enemies from the shadows... It seems that the Servant's way of life created a Noble Phantasm that would conceal him. A life that consisted of cowering in the darkness, shooting his enemies from afar. It seems totally at odds with Dan, who would fight with dignity and honor. ...I agree. I think that there must be some sort of longing hidden deep within his soul. A desire to live an honest life, out in the full light and warmth of the sun. I wrack my brain trying to think of a hero out of legend who'd fit such a description. I start with those who are heroes because they were named so. Although, that'll take a while...Hakuno ain't the brightest.  Well, I'm definitely not a hero. Hatefully cute, awesome wife; definitely! I feel bad for him... As I try to follow this line of thought, Rani begins to speak again in the same quiet tone.  Longing, is the reason for this fissure. This is something told by my professor, a part of humans that I understand. I can feel him deep within the second floor of the Arena. Maybe you should talk to him directly. After lowering her head in a bow and thanking me again, she once again turns her eyes to the sky. —A mismatched cog. I wonder if I'll mesh with anything. With my Servant, with all that's happening around me.Music: School IV    What's wrong with my assessment? I think it's totally fair. One more level to get that Curse skill.  He's always in the chapel, but instead of doing Alterations of the Soul, he merely prays. I wonder: Is he's praying for the souls of those he's defeated, or for the absolution of his own? If that's the case, even if you win, you lose. You'll get hit with a penalty either way.Again, we'll never get penalized. ~ Did you hear about the Master who doesn't have a Servant yet? He goes to the chapel sometimes. Is he just slow or is it due to a bug in the Grail War system? Either way, he's a goner.Hakuno didn't get her memories back, and now someone never got their Servant? I feel sorry for the kid, at least we can fight.   But she said, "Didn't I already give you medicine?" Maybe I need to break my leg or something... I had no idea a Noble Phantasm could be defensive. I wonder which Heroic Spirit it belongs to? I take it you're more of a rice ball person? Let me see what I can do with the powers that be. I wish he'd tell me what's wrong. I know I'd be able to cheer him up...at least I think I could... Coming to the chapel in remembrance of his wife? It's just so...tragic... *Sniff* He might be a good guy after all. I still have every intention of beating him to a pulp, though... Having to fight someone like him... It's so depressing. Let's go before I start crying... While I share Caster's feelings about Dan, I'm glad that it hasn't affected her will to fight. Well, I suppose we should head to the Arena now.  You know what? Let's go on the offensive for once.  It'll be a nice change of pace. Next time: Conflict, superior tactics, and near-death. BisbyWorl fucked around with this message at 08:17 on Feb 13, 2023 |
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Oct 9, 2021 09:14
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Update XX - Fighting back Music: First Chimeric Lunar Sea - Second Floor   ...Now that they've been penalized, we should at least try to attack them, right? You could barely see them in the level preview, but Dan and Robin were near the exit portal.  So let's get right to it, shall we?   With a hand on their weapon, my Servant squints their eyes upon hearing Dan's and Archer's words.  You're one to talk. Who is the one creeping around like rodent right now, huh? Even when you were a living hero, you hid in the shadows so often that you can no longer fight in the sun. Ah, I see. Maybe you're jealous of that old man and are trying to be like him, appearing openly like this. Wow, Caster's really going for the jugular today. Caster's words seem to take Archer totally by surprise, as if her words touch on the enemy's very core. For a moment, his normally calm demeanor became incredibly flustered. Archer's eyes shine with evil intent. As he reaches under his cape, I fear he may unleash his Noble Phantasm.  In case his identity wasn't obvious enough, Sherwood Forest really makes it clear.  Yeah, yeah, I know. ...Sir Bossman, your request is kind of a pain in the rear end, you know? You do realize who I am, don't you? Asking me to fight toe-to-toe... Are you drunk or something? My looks, maybe? My sweet, handsome face! Alas, its powers only work on simple village lasses! You wish to complain? Is your prowess as a hunter so dependent upon the power of the Faceless King? Ah...no...well, I mean... Even I get nervous around that, okay? I do have pride in my archery skills, though. Then fight with that in mind. A sniper such as myself would know more than anyone else about your skills. And what I know would send chills through most people. I have confidence in you, Archer. ...It's not like I have a choice. I disapprove of all of this, but I will obey. He is my Master, after all. Fortunately for me, my opponent is a mere chick. I rarely attack directly, but it shouldn't matter in this case. Master, I think there's something wrong with my ears. I just heard something that's beyond moronic. Ah. I was just struck with a thought. I will never get along with green boy. I was thinking the same about a certain overgrown fox. Your Master is a rookie. Clear enough for you? I get it now. It's not my ears that are at fault, but that diseased lump you call your brain. I thought so. Or did you intend for your pathetic mewling to be some kind of riotous joke? I was hoping for a bit more sincerity in your sarcasm... Seriously, is bird and fox the best you can do? But considering your position as a self-proclaimed pseudo-hero, maybe being imaginative is beyond you.Hakuno getting poisoned must have really got to Caster, she's downright venomous compared to her remarks against Shinji and Drake. ...Goddamned fox. But then again, I was always pretty good at hunting down foxes. Sorry, but this is where things get serious. Cry and beg all you want, I won't forgive you. Is that so? I pity weaklings like you, but if that was a joke I'd only leave you half-dead. If you were even one percent serious, I'd never forgive you. I think you need to die. Now. I'm turning you into a pincushion right now! It's been a while since I've hunted such interesting game!Music: Duel - Unauthorized Battle   Commence battle. We're near the end of the week, but we finally got a duel against Dan! You can also see how Robin has double Drake's HP, but our own damage output has skyrocketed compared to last week.  Two guards in a row means this'll be a good time to show off Spirit Taker, so I use a Curse to create an opening.  Land the stun.  Buff up.  14 MP.  And 17 MP, for a total of 31. That paid off the Curse in one round!   I'm just fooling around while I wait for the system to break us up.  It goes poorly.   He also used a skill, giving us our first taste of Poison. Poison here is a surprisingly nasty ailment. Robin's version deals around 130 damage at the end of a round, which is about as much as a full attack! And with Caster having no way to heal HP or cure the poison, it puts me in a tight spot. If I'm already injured and heal the damage, I take another 130. If I heal the poison instead, all it takes are a few losses to finish Caster off.  However, I am a tactical god, and queued up a cure(); to deal with the poison before it could ever tick! I am not a tactical god, my plan was to use a heal to patch up any hits I took in the round and messed up my input without noticing.  Dan steps in on the last turn.  But I have more than enough MP to brute force it.  Dan tosses Robin a buff. He can also give him a regen effect, but I could never get him to use it.   Wall of Thorns is Robin's other offensive skill. It lacks the poison on Poisoned Arrow, but deals more damage to compensate.  And done. Music: First Chimeric Lunar Sea - Second Floor  I will not allow vulgar and petulant language, Archer. As my Servant, I wish for you to behave as a knight. Ugh... You sure are suffocating, Mr. Boss Man. I know, I know, foul play and stuff is a no-no. ...Jeez, cut off my arms and legs already. Ever heard of these things people have called personalities? Well, if I have to, the best archers can shoot with their teeth... Ha, pretty hardcore! All right, I'll be your knight in shining armor. I'm not so hot at being a knight, but I'm not too bad with a lance. Excellent spirit. We are already en route to the next battlefield. Do not let your focus sway.  Once we're sure that Dan and Archer have left, Caster relaxes a little. A small smile forms on her lips. Did you hear, Master? He spoke of where he was from. —Sherwood Forest. That woman, Rani or whatever, her astrology reading was extraordinary. She was right on the mark. Also, Dan mentioned a fairly important keyword, the Faceless King. With this new info, I think I'm closing in on Archer's true name. I should look into this more when I return to campus.  Strangely, even though Hakuno flat out called Faceless King a keyword, it doesn't show up in the Matrix. Sherword Forest posted:In the distant past, it was the forest said to be the place where a famous chivalrous thief fought against the tyranny of John, Richard the Lionheart's younger brother and ruler in absentia while Richard was away on the Crusades. It is also a forest that, according to Druid beliefs, is where the fairies dwell. But with that, we're set for the Elimination Battle. Music: School III    Music: School IV  Caster is so perceptive. When I glance over, she looks genuinely concerned about me. It's fine. I'm not going to let that backwoods scoundrel get the best of me! See? You'll be fine because you are with me, Master! Her smile makes everything all right. I can't help believing her when she says things are fine. But, there's still something I need to ask her— Will she use her Noble Phantasm? Hmmm... If you'd like to see it... But, I don't need it to deal with this guy. Do you believe in me, Master? I believe you'll win. Yeah! I'll put in 200%, just watch me! I'll burn the enemy Servant's green into black cinders! *Giggle*... Without his trademark color, that sly fox will have an identity crisis!~ Your ears are cute. ...Huh? O-Okay? ...Er...that's not what I mean. But, I'll do my absolute best if you'll believe in me, Master!The choices converge here. Can I ask you a little favor? Um, if you win, please... praise me. After talking to Caster, I feel like all the butterflies in my stomach have disappeared. I wish I could bottle this good feeling and take it to the battle tomorrow. For now, though, I'll finish my preparations.   You... Sorry, I didn't realize you were still alive.~ So, you've got that much more information about him. That's a good thing. Predicting your enemy's moves gets easier the more you know.Music: Down to Dawn  The yellow chat for this week takes place all the way on Day 6.   Let all your cares drift away, especially the ones about that bad, bad man! Now that we're back in our room, a smile's back on Caster's face. Even though the poisoning put her in a foul mood, she seems to have put it behind her. In fact, you'd think the poisoning was ancient history. I worry that she's too ADD sometimes...  Poo. You just thought "She's an airhead," didn't you, Master? I dodge the question with a vigorous shake of the head. Harumph. My memory is as sound as any human's, you know! I just don't pay attention to things that I don't care about. Caster pouts. She's sensitive to criticism, so she doesn't like her flightiness being pointed out. More importantly, now that we're two rounds in to the Holy Grail War, do you feel more comfortable, Master? Do you need more support? Do you need anything more at all, not just in the Arena... Oh! Maybe you would prefer more intimate time with me— Oh my! I can't believe I said that out loud! How embarrassing! She's embarrassed? I'M the embarrassed one! Why Caster puts on this innocent persona, I have no clue. It's more faux than her fur. Hakuno Kishinami: Bad at puzzling out true names, great at giving an   I'm getting used to fighting. Battles are becoming second nature to me. Enemy Master interference aside, exploring the Arena is fun. That's so great, Master. You really know how to make a Servant proud. It's nice to see a former combat virgin speaking so confidently. But there's more to learn! Let's keep exploring together, my dearest Master. ♥ ...Although combat is becoming normal, Caster's personality still throws me for a loop. She's always enthusiastic about helping me, but at the same time, she disengages pretty quickly. ~ I'm getting used to you. ...I'm still not used to combat. In fact, it may not feel like second nature until tournament's end. What I AM getting used to... The person whose soothing presence I'm taking for granted...is her. Her strange take on things is often a breath of fresh air. I use this opportunity to thank her for being herself.  Master, you flatter me! I don't deserve it... Um, but, uh... Do I act that strangely? I just... It's odd to thank someone for being odd... She's right. I guess that makes me the weird one for taking such pleasure in her idiosyncrasies. I'd rather she speak what's really on her mind than obscure the truth. ...I see. Thank you so much, Master. But, I'm still a little embarrassed. Caster murmurs her words. ...There's an uncharacteristic note of melancholy to her tone. ~ You're a tricksy one.  It's the one where the man can't resist the urge to open the door, even though he was asked not to.Welp, we're dead. Thanks for following along, dear readers. Caster smiles as she traces symbols in the air with her left hand. If I remember correctly, I've seen her use those symbols in combat to place a curse on an opponent. Or the story of the The Snow Woman? The one where a man lets slip a secret he shouldn't have, even though the Snow Woman had warned the man he would die if he told anyone about her... I've been wondering... Why do men always have to push things? Do they want to die? Or do they want to be killed? I'll never understand how men think. By the way, Master, what were you saying...? I missed it earlier. Oh, good. I protect my Master as if I are a shrine maiden, and my Master's body is a temple, but... When my Master compares me to that green-clad trickster, I am reminded that I, too, am a devious fox. Note to self. Things Caster doesn't like— That enemy Servant, man-made poison, bows and arrows... At any rate... Which is she— the shrine maiden or the fox?~~ —Anyway, isn't it nice to relax like this?! Your lovely Servant would like to give you a treat. Close your eyes and open your mouth... Oops, not that kind of treat. I meant, why don't you ask anything you want about me, and I'll answer! Caster hands me something unusual. It's a calligraphy brush. She then produces paper and an inkstone— God knows where she got them. Seated in perfect posture, Caster flourishes her brush elegantly across the paper, writing— "Just one question, okay?" Wow, her handwriting is so girly she's practically using hearts in it. All right, then—  Tell me about your abilities. I write my question on the paper. "Why are you so incredibly weak?"Hakuno, that's incredibly rude.  What?! That's what you think of me?! Well, duh, that's what I think. It's obvious that Caster is weak compared to the other Servants. Since her abilities are so unique, I'd like to hear her explain how she got them and what they do. Hmph, it's not my fault! Servants can only carry out their Masters' orders, after all. My body is yours to command, so you just need to be able to move me, and I will fight... Maybe if you weren't so wishy-washy about each battle, combat wouldn't be such a chore! Oops, she got upset. Caster turns her face away, and sticks up her tail and ears. ...But she's only so upset because she knows herself that her abilities are unbalanced.  Of course I know that. How would I win against other Servants in close range combat if I didn't? What do you think my class is? I'm an alluring, mystical, weak and good-for-nothing Caster! Casters are the Holy Grail War's second-string Servants. They're the first to be eliminated! The least you could do is show some sympathy toward me for belonging to such a terrible class! If I had a choice, I'd be a Saber!Could be worse, Caster, you could have been summoned as an Assassin instead. Sounds like the whining of a beat dog— or in this case, a beat fox. ...Well, I guess there's no point in complaining. We're not even good against other Casters, since our fighting styles rely on illusion. I'm not made for close-range combat anyway. Military campaigns are more my style! But, you know, all the Japanese spirits are my clones. I like to think I'm the equivalent of eight million soldiers—or one invincible entity against humans. ...Yeah, that's why I'm so weak against the hero types. This is something of a recurring theme in the Fate series, most notably between the dragon Fafnir, the hero Siegfried, and the people he saved. I know what a deadlock is, but have only heard of it happening between snakes, frogs and slugs in fables. Snakes eat frogs, frogs eat slugs, and slugs eat snakes. It's like rock-paper-scissors. Humans can't beat monsters. Monsters can't beat heroes. And heroes can't beat humans.But, doesn't that mean Caster is a monster? ...Oops, sorry! I got off track. Anyway, a Caster like me is just not cut out for close combat. Stop being aware of game conventions, Caster. The more you grow as a Master, the more maleficium I will regain! So, hang in there, Master! Meanwhile, just think of it this way. It doesn't matter how powerful an attack is if you dodge it. ...So, she's telling me it's out of her hands. Not like I could replace my Servant, even if I wanted to. I need to accept her limitations and work harder myself to make up the difference. The scene ends here with this choice. ~ Tell me about things you like. I wonder what Caster likes to do. Does she have any hobbies? Any kind of information she can give me will shed light on her mysterious personality. Oh my! You want to know my tastes? I never expected my prudish Master to be so forward! ...Actually, it might be better to leave her a mystery. I thought Caster was just pretending to be bubbly, but now I realize her energy might be animal exuberance. Um, I like taking trips to hot springs. It's not the hot springs I like, but the trip itself. A romantic excursion for two! I like cooking, too. Not the cooking itself, but the love the wife pours into a meal for her husband! The important part of cooking for the wife is watching her husband consume her love. I like presents, too. I would be so tickled if my Master picked out a present for me. Unless my Master gave me a cheap gift— Then I would be sad. Okay, is it just me or in anime is it always the pink-haired girls who are the frisky ones? Oh no, Caster's meta knowledge is contagious, all is lost! I just had a happy thought! We're like newlyweds, Master! Because I'm so happy just to be here with you! Aren't you happy, Master? I know things are busy, but don't forget what I said. Next time we have a break, I'll make you lunch! I'd love it if you got me a present, but you don't have to... The most important thing is that we go places together. Caster's sweet smile steals my breath away. ...I'll be the first to admit that I have no idea how serious she is, but she sure has a brilliant smile.This also ends the scene. ~ ...Tell me your true name. ...If I can only ask Caster one question, then obviously I ought to ask about her true name. Her name is a key piece of strategic information...and yeah, I'm really curious to know who she was. Uuugh... I know I said I'd answer anything, but... Do you really want to know? You won't like me anymore once you hear it... How can I say before I know? I have to know what it is before I can make any sort of judgment. ...I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think I'll be as surprised as she thinks I'm going to be. Nnngh... Don't look at me like that, Master. Your gaze is making me melt... No! I can't! Oh look, a spelling mistake! I can't really blame Aksys, honestly, this is an incredibly wordy game. Some slip-ups are bound to happen. I won't tell you! I won't! My chest is all squeezy now, so this Q&A session is over! Caster vanishes from her seat. Caster flees to the back of the room, flailing her arms. ...Could it be more psychological barrier than strategy that's leading her to conceal her true name...? Although we're only in the second round, my trust in her is already unshakable at this point. ...Seriously though, what in the world makes her think that I'd be disgusted by her true identity? Caster must have one hell of a checkered past. She called herself a monster, she's convinced her true name would scare us off, and she intentionally tries to avoid thinking about the past. But despite all that, she invokes the sun, of all things, when threatening Robin. Who the hell is she? ~ If she doesn't want to tell, I won't ask. ...If the thought of revealing her true name stresses Caster out so much, I'll stop asking. I won't press the matter further. You're so understanding, Master. I promise I'll tell you my true name before you need to know. ...But, you make me a sad fox. You're not as interested in me as I thought you were...And despite all that, she still wants to be accepted by Hakuno. ...? She trails off, mumbling to where I can't hear. Then Caster rambles on, with her usual smile fixed back in place.Both choices end the scene. Music: School IV  Your luck won't hold out twice in a row. Good-bye, Hakuno. If you can win this battle, then I'll have to start worrying.~ There's an awful lot you need to learn about your enemy before you can find out their real name. You can fight without knowing, but it's so much better when you have the whole picture.   Your battles from here on out will be pretty difficult. Avoid using up your MP, so that you don't shortchange yourself for when you really need it. If you need to find your Triggers or gain more information, today is the last day to do so.  One must have resolve to accomplish anything worthwhile. I wonder how strong yours is?   As a token of my appreciation, allow me to present to you this fabulous decorative plant! ~ I'll be sure to give the glasses back to her, so don't worry about doing it yourself. We now have some trees to add a bit of green to our room.  You should know by now— No pain, no gain! Father Kotomine supposedly came up with the recipe. I heard he can put away five servings... I can't wait to test my mettle, and my tolerance for spices... I must somehow survive!~ Have you stocked up at the commissary yet? You can shop on the final day, but why wait? Getting all of your preparation done early will let you focus on more important things. Virtual or not, this is the Holy Grail War. And it's called a war for a very good reason. Here, losing just doesn't mean a hit to your pride, but the end to your very existence. Hopefully you and I will be able to speak again, Hakuno. Good luck with your battle tomorrow.~ The more I see of this place, the more I regret ever signing up for this whole ordeal. ...If I go down, promise me that you'll keep my honey company, okay? I'm serious about this.Music: First Chimeric Lunar Sea - Second Floor  Now, I could just turn around and leave, there's nothing important left to do.  But I really want that Curse skill for the fight against Dan.  So I grind out a quick level.  Music: School III  So, tell me I've done a good job when the battle is over! Next time: The Elimination Battle BisbyWorl fucked around with this message at 08:27 on Feb 13, 2023 |
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Oct 12, 2021 07:23
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I like to think that Caster knows about game conventions because the digital world is also magical in nature. She can see the code, pretty much. Speaking of Caster, a Dead End during a conversation with her would have sucked, but I'm a tiny bit disappointed there wasn't at least a fake out. Also, is mapo tofu really supposed to be that spicy, or is that just a running gag in FSN? It was fairly mild every time I've tried it. DeTosh fucked around with this message at 09:52 on Oct 12, 2021 |
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Oct 12, 2021 09:48
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Mapo tofu spiciness entirely depends on the chef. If you've gotten it in the US it's likely on the milder side to accommodate fragile white palates
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Oct 12, 2021 09:51
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it's also kinda hard to get good quality fresh sichuan peppercorns in the states so even if you're not trying to make it milder it might end up being so anyways
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Oct 12, 2021 10:13
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DeTosh posted:Also, is mapo tofu really supposed to be that spicy, or is that just a running gag in FSN? It was fairly mild every time I've tried it. Even if it's 'supposed' to be spicy, the spiciness of it still counts as a running gag, imo. Kotomine purposely makes his mapo tofu as spicy as possible because he likes watching people squirm as he eats it without any difficulty whatsoever.
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Oct 12, 2021 10:20
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To continue an earlier comment I made: Hime's matrix: he's Robin Dan's matrix: Japanese, 1-tailed kitsune (which should make no sense), sun-obsessed. It's enough to make some educated guesses but someone definitive would be a gamble.
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Oct 12, 2021 10:22
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Omobono posted:To continue an earlier comment I made: Kitsunes are pretty much localized to Japan, right? And Japan is the land of the Rising Sun, so sun-obsessed really doesn't do anything there too. At best, you can narrow it down now to a 1-tailed Kitsune who is associated with the sun. I tried to google Japanese sun myths and it's all Amaterasu, which is a Goddess and not allowed (and has no relation to Kitsune anyways). The most famous Kitsune is Tamamo-no-mae but she's 9-tailed and has 0 relation to the sun, so it's probably not her. You really need to be a local Japanese to start unravelling Caster I think, I doubt Dan even knows where to begin with this. Eeepies fucked around with this message at 11:05 on Oct 12, 2021 |
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Oct 12, 2021 11:02
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Eeepies posted:The most famous Kitsune is Tamamo-no-mae but she's 9-tailed and has 0 relation to the sun, so it's probably not her. From the information Dan has, no. However, from the information Hakuno has, there's this interesting little bit from Caster's mostly empty Information Matrix: Maleficium posted:The Witchcraft that Caster uses is all physical phenomena performed with her own body. While common Magecraft are programs that "recompose what exists around," Witchcraft are programs that "recompose the raw materials in one's own body." According to Caster's own words: "This time there is only one due to the constraints of the Moon Cell, but originally I could produce a million troops from my multiple tails!" That is really suspicious though. Bolding mine. Caster having only one tail is a limitation of the Moon Cell, and she had "multiple" (almost certainly nine, considering I can't think of a single myth of a fox with a number of tails that isn't 1 or 9) in her actual life (or myth, since Heroic Spirits don't necessarily have to be beings that genuinely existed). Of course, this doesn't mean she's Tamamo-no-mae, we genuinely know so little about Caster that it's hard to say (and I am not Japanese so I have no idea who Tamamo-no-mae even is), and she clearly doesn't want to say anything else. It's kind of neat though, in that her reasons are so different from Saber's in FSN, rather than (rightfully) distrusting her Master, Caster here seems to have some really bad self-loathing. Whatever she did, whoever she was, has left her with really bad psychological scars. At this point it feels like Caster hates herself almost as much as she hates Robin Hood. And she sure hates that Archer a lot.
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Oct 12, 2021 15:57
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On the topic of your enemies matrix- can we talk about the Red Archer and his identity? Because that would just be absolute bullshit if you were opposite of that and had to figure out who he is.
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Oct 12, 2021 17:02
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Fumbles posted:On the topic of your enemies matrix- can we talk about the Red Archer and his identity? Because that would just be absolute bullshit if you were opposite of that and had to figure out who he is. You can talk about him as he is in Stay Night, but how he plays out here is a no-go until we're actually on his route. But yes, good loving luck trying to name a guy who became a hero in the future.
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Oct 12, 2021 17:16
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The Master would have to rely on the Servant a bit more but Servant A being from later times than Servant B has never been an advantage. The Grail uploads relevant information to Servants when needed.
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Oct 12, 2021 17:27
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Omobono posted:The Master would have to rely on the Servant a bit more but Servant A being from later times than Servant B has never been an advantage. The Grail uploads relevant information to Servants when needed. The issue is more that it's kind of impossible to find information about a hero who, you know, hasn't become a hero yet. The Grail only gives enough info to deal with the War, such as modern knowledge and languages, not free info about Servants. That said the library seems to be an equalizing tool given it had info about every term we found yet, so even a non-Japanese person could make educated guesses by looking about Japanese foxgirls. Or end up swamped in hentai, most likely.
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Oct 12, 2021 17:47
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Eeepies posted:Kitsunes are pretty much localized to Japan, right? And Japan is the land of the Rising Sun, so sun-obsessed really doesn't do anything there too. Actually fox spirits are a cultural thing throughout East Asia, though kitsune are ofc the Japanese version. That said, Caster is very obviously Japanese.
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Oct 12, 2021 17:55
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DeTosh posted:Also, is mapo tofu really supposed to be that spicy, or is that just a running gag in FSN? It was fairly mild every time I've tried it. The one I make runs a triplet of doubanjiang (spicy bean paste), Sichuan peppercorns, and toasted chili oil. Easiest way to spike the spice level is to increase the amount of doubanjiang, which amps it a lot more than increasing the peppercorns (which provides more numbing). There was also one place in my area that made it so spicy that even my Jamaican-Chinese father couldn't finish it. I never got the chance to taste that one - they closed down.
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Oct 12, 2021 18:10
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BisbyWorl posted:But yes, good loving luck trying to name a guy who became a hero in the future. It's at least solvable in Fate: Stay/Night, because the guy that's going to be a hero is right there. Over here it's basically impossible.
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Oct 12, 2021 18:52
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So on the scale of guessing their identities without being told, Archer is essentially impossible, Caster is very difficult, and Saber will just tell you her true name openly?
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Oct 12, 2021 22:30
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serefin99 posted:Even if it's 'supposed' to be spicy, the spiciness of it still counts as a running gag, imo. Kotomine purposely makes his mapo tofu as spicy as possible because he likes watching people squirm as he eats it without any difficulty whatsoever. The other point of Kotomine going hellfire spicy, I always imagined, was a form of self-flagellation. Or maybe the man just loves his spice. I can relate. Crasical posted:So on the scale of guessing their identities without being told, Archer is essentially impossible, Caster is very difficult, and Saber will just tell you her true name openly? To paraphrase a long story that we're actually going to be going over much later from the sounds of things, the Red Saber of Extra does not give a singular gently caress.
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Oct 13, 2021 00:02
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serefin99 posted:Even if it's 'supposed' to be spicy, the spiciness of it still counts as a running gag, imo. Kotomine purposely makes his mapo tofu as spicy as possible because he likes watching people squirm as he eats it without any difficulty whatsoever. Now that is dedication to a bit. Though, I'd believe the self flagellation part. As for my guess at Caster's identity...this is going to be a stretch. If not outright the stuff of the Pepe Silvia meme. But I would argue Servants like Sasaki Kojiro or Benkei aren't too different in nature. At the risk of starting a lecture on Japanese myths, there was an incident in which Amaterasu hid herself away in a cave. In order to lure her out, the gods told her she had been replaced by another goddess. When she poked her head out, they showed her a mirror (the one that would become part of Japan's Imperial Regalia). Amaterasu then left the cave, thinking her own reflection was that goddess, and the other deities sealed the entrance to keep her from going back in. What I'm saying is, Caster is Amaterasu's Reflection, given life and a will of her own after being acknowledged by a goddess. She already has the mirror, and Izanagi created actual gods by doing much less. She looks like a Kitsune because they are associated with illusions. DeTosh fucked around with this message at 02:04 on Oct 13, 2021 |
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Oct 13, 2021 02:00
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BisbyWorl posted:
*chuckles in Merlin/Zhuge Liang/Lostbelt 6 Caster* But also this is hilarious given that in Fate/Stay Night, Caster pretty much made it to the Finals in Fate only to die to a cheap shot from someone who by all rights shouldn't have been there and stood an incredibly good chance of winning if her plan went off without a hitch in UBW. Now, Heaven's Feel, on the other hand...
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Oct 13, 2021 02:52
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Casters ARE supposed to lose. All the cavalry class are; the Three Founding Families are just *really bad* at even the simple concept of 'overtune the Knight Classes so that we have a strict advantage over other participants in the grail war'.
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Oct 13, 2021 03:54
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Crasical posted:Casters ARE supposed to lose. All the cavalry class are; the Three Founding Families are just *really bad* at even the simple concept of 'overtune the Knight Classes so that we have a strict advantage over other participants in the grail war'. By that token, I'd counterpoint that the Three Founding Families are also terrible at keeping the "overpowered Knight Classes" in house and tossing the Cavalry Classes to the others; since in both the 4th and 5th Wars the Berserker was summoned by a Founding Family, and the 5th War even only had one Founding Family Master summon a Knight class, and that one was even notably accidental.
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Oct 13, 2021 04:10
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Verant posted:*chuckles in Merlin/Zhuge Liang/Lostbelt 6 Caster* To be fair...this is entirely because her opponents were all idiots/didn't care. In a sane HGW no one would let a Caster set up shop on the biggest leyline in the city..that has a natural anti-servant field and is incredibly defensible..and has the holy grail under it and then give her so much time to craft/drain souls. She had pretty much every possible advantage a Caster could have. Despite all that I'm pretty sure Saber could have just blown up the entire mountain in one blast if they really needed to. Edit: Casters are generally the kind of people who could easily fight a nation and win..which is generally a pretty useless skillset for fighting a HGW. Zeron fucked around with this message at 04:26 on Oct 13, 2021 |
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Oct 13, 2021 04:16
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Crasical posted:So on the scale of guessing their identities without being told, Archer is essentially impossible, Caster is very difficult, and Saber will just tell you her true name openly? But if I also remember correctly, stronger servants are much easier to recognize because they have many more tales to them compared to a weaker servant. To use FSN examples, in the Fate route, everyone knew who Berserker was, and Saber later after she demolished Rider, but Archer, Lancer, and Caster all struggled with dealing with them even after knowing who they were. No one could actually figure out who Assassin was and it didn't matter because he was so weak. And obviously no one figured out who Archer was. He didn't win the war a single time. There are exceptions, Extra Caster is ridiculously hard to figure out and yet she's possibly one of the strongest in Extra. Eeepies fucked around with this message at 08:27 on Oct 13, 2021 |
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Oct 13, 2021 08:24
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I disagree on something though. While everyone struggles against Herakles because Herakles, knowing he's The Strongest™ skips the recognition phase and considering every engagement with him is a coinflip that's an amazing boon. In the Fate route, Rider gambles on her own NP being a top tier one and runs headfirst into what is probably the second strongest NP in the franchise because she didn't know who Saber was. Would knowledge have mattered? Probably not because of various reasons, but it couldn't hurt. Archerkins? He's nominally one of the weakest heroes but his particular brand of BS allows him to punch way above his weight class, up to and including hard-countering a particular top tier rear end in a top hat. He'd be hard to recognize because he's a Nameless* nobody, not because he's from the future. *capitalization is deliberate, but it's not his actual identity.
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Oct 13, 2021 10:03
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