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HZD is barely an RPG and would only be improved by ripping out the RPG elements, both in the sense of leveling and incremental gear improvement and in the sense of disposing with the illusion of choice and simply treating the mean Aloy responses as canon TURN YOUR FACE TO THE SUN 
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Nov 2, 2023 23:27
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Dienes posted:Isn't the only NPC who does that to you LaCroix? Yes. But that NPC is the lynchpin of all the quests and you have to talk to them to advance the game. I just don't get some of the pearl clutching and comparisons to how BL1 was when BL1 had the same thing. There's plenty of issues to have without making ones up. In game news my Ravnos managed to escape the Black Water Horizon realm that a nephrandi sucked him and part of his cotorie through. Lost most of his clanmates to hosed up poo poo there but managed ro rescue his sire and the youngest Raven of the group (who had reached out to him in the first place). Khalil Ravana got carted off by some Wyrm thing and most of the last session was a big back and forth debate between the Ravnos with the Tremere occasionally interjecting with "can't you see that she's trying to manipulate you!?". To which all three members of the manipulator clan looked over and went "... aaaand?" with zero pearl clutching. Ended with my PC's view of the clan's future (embracing the drive that their Bane gives them, making their own legends, etc) winning out with his sire through the indoctrination and blood bond Khalil had on her thanks to a clutch messy critical. So now the cotorie's least mature member has to start stepping up to lead his clan through all the mess going around.
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Nov 2, 2023 23:54
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citybeatnik posted:I just don't get some of the pearl clutching and comparisons to how BL1 was when BL1 had the same thing. There's plenty of issues to have without making ones up.
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Nov 3, 2023 00:27
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So, what happens in Mage the Awakening if you go into your own Oneiros and destroy a Goetia that represents one of your personal beliefs or passions or things along that line? Do the associated concepts vanish or just weaken greatly?
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Nov 3, 2023 06:48
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Vanish, but eventually grow back.
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Nov 3, 2023 09:05
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Mind stuff, not even once
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Nov 3, 2023 09:27
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Disco Elysium is a tiny marginal case given at least one aspect of it DOES backfill backstory slightly iirc; in that your behaviour in the game is noted to be similar to the protagonist's behaviour during his epic bender. (If you go Apocalypse Cop I think the little girl does say you've been running around screaming the end is nigh before) Though overall it's a bit more of a 'we all contain multitudes' approach where the protagonist's behaviour is all extrapolated from some aspect of his psyche and past, just in possibly new combinations due to his current circumstances. But a big problem is when they tend to half-rear end it between pre-existing character versus blank slate, and it feels like it was better off saving the time just by having a linear story rather than what amounts to the illusion of choice. (there's always the fun approach Nintendo has of giving you choices entirely for the purpose of taking the piss)
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Nov 3, 2023 10:14
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Mage the Awakening-adjacent question: does anyone remember the name of Ashlar and Cobalt's Legacy from DaveB's Soul Cage? I'm having a hell of a time ctrl+f'ing it (the words Legacy and Attainment are in it a lot) and I'm not re-reading it (yet) just to pull out one dang proper name.
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Nov 3, 2023 13:45
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BirdieBedtime posted:Mage the Awakening-adjacent question: does anyone remember the name of Ashlar and Cobalt's Legacy from DaveB's Soul Cage? I'm having a hell of a time ctrl+f'ing it (the words Legacy and Attainment are in it a lot) and I'm not re-reading it (yet) just to pull out one dang proper name. Uncrowned Kings, IIRC.
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Nov 3, 2023 14:57
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BirdieBedtime posted:Mage the Awakening-adjacent question: does anyone remember the name of Ashlar and Cobalt's Legacy from DaveB's Soul Cage? I'm having a hell of a time ctrl+f'ing it (the words Legacy and Attainment are in it a lot) and I'm not re-reading it (yet) just to pull out one dang proper name. It's not Uncrowned Kings - that's the Awakening version of Solificati / the Alchemist Legacy. Ashlar and Cobalt's mini-Legacy-of-two-people went unnamed for the majority of Soul Cage because the pair of them couldn't agree on what to call it. Other characters just started calling them "diggers". IIRC, the attainments were about summoning the ethereal "ghost" of broken objects that the surviving pieces fit into, reconstructing things, and then making them solid. In a 2e version they'd interface with the mechanics for ghost objects in Geist. EDIT: Many things about Soul Cage I don't miss - not least that I no longer speak to one of the players. But Rufus "Two Fisted Mystagogue" Jackson / Ashlar was one of my favourite npcs. In my head, he's played by Sir Lenny Henry. With a big beard. Dave Brookshaw fucked around with this message at 15:40 on Nov 3, 2023 |
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Nov 3, 2023 15:28
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Dave Brookshaw posted:Ashlar and Cobalt's mini-Legacy-of-two-people went unnamed for the majority of Soul Cage because the pair of them couldn't agree on what to call it. Other characters just started calling them "diggers". Oh good, so I'm not going crazy - thanks! (I'm including some nods and references in my own Chronicle, mostly as an in-joke mostly for myself.)
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Nov 3, 2023 15:43
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Goa Tse-tung posted:Mind stuff, not even once ok thyrsus
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Nov 3, 2023 19:53
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Over the five years I've been running Mage, the player opinions have been: gently caress Time Magic (because time travel is hard and time assassins are scary and/or killed my mom) gently caress Mind Magic (because of sleeper agent paranoia, rampant memory modification, and also someone thought it would be hilarious to bind my vice as their Familiar) gently caress Spirit Magic (because thinking about the Spirit ecosystem is hard and I'm scared of Werewolves killing me if I mess it up)
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Nov 5, 2023 08:31
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I still find the Yakuza games very weirdly work for Changeling: The Lost, even before 7/LAD practically shows low but stable Clarity in action.
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Nov 11, 2023 13:32
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J. F. Sambrano, the native writer who detailed his struggles as part of the original W5 development team with Hunters Entertainment, wrote a patreon post that said he’s working on his own version of Werewolf, and offered up some examples of his version of Patron Spirits that can slot into W5. It's made me mad all over again at how dull W5 is. https://www.patreon.com/posts/extinction-93021373
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Nov 17, 2023 15:52
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Those are real good imo. They should have kept this guy if this is a typical sample.
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Nov 17, 2023 16:18
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Nessus posted:Those are real good imo. They should have kept this guy if this is a typical sample. Ah, but surely you see if they kept Sambrano's things they wouldn't have had room for things like
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Nov 17, 2023 18:07
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Free Gratis posted:J. F. Sambrano, the native writer who detailed his struggles as part of the original W5 development team with Hunters Entertainment, wrote a patreon post that said he’s working on his own version of Werewolf, and offered up some examples of his version of Patron Spirits that can slot into W5. It's made me mad all over again at how dull W5 is. Gonna buy his werewolf if he manages to finish it.
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Nov 17, 2023 22:29
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Changeling question: Was there a book that gave rules for court creation? I know there were alternatives to the seasonal courts, but I'm getting the urge to run another game and tossing some ideas around.
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Nov 19, 2023 02:40
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Its in the core of CtL2 but it's extremely anemic to the point I struggle to consider it any more than vague suggestions.
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Nov 20, 2023 01:37
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yeah, i was hoping there was more than just that in one of the supplements that I could grab. Okay next changeling question: How are folks handling bargains, since that (and dreamwalking) are one of the places where 2nd is worse than 1st. Just porting over the 1e version? Using demon contracts?
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Nov 20, 2023 01:43
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I would say I'm going 1e on that but thus far I've largely be handling pledges by ear. Being familiar with both 1e and Demonic Pacts is a good call though, since 1e by its rules alone can get a little absurd (in mostly funhavery ways) at times.
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Nov 20, 2023 01:49
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I think what really makes me think 1E is better than 2E for Changeling is how terribly written most powers are. It is like peak "purple prose obfuscating rules" for OPP, IMNHO.
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Nov 20, 2023 01:59
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I've honestly never been that fond of any of the changeling powers in any edition, cod or wod. They don't have the thematic consistency of vampire disciplines, the open endedness of mage arcana, or just the cool factor that werewolf gifts have.
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Nov 20, 2023 03:18
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The hsien powers in Land of 8 Million Dreams were solid, certainly made more sense than anything else in that edition …y’know, as long as you read the FAQ and Blood & Silk for the clarifications and missing parts, and have an intuitive understanding of Taoist Alchemy to make on the fly ST decisions No, mom, I am describing more people than just myself There’s probably like a dozen of us out there 
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Nov 20, 2023 04:25
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Soonmot posted:I've honestly never been that fond of any of the changeling powers in any edition, cod or wod. They don't have the thematic consistency of vampire disciplines, the open endedness of mage arcana, or just the cool factor that werewolf gifts have. Take a look at Unleashing in C20, one of the most head-scratching designs of any WoD game. It’s a vaguely written ability that basically says “name your intent, roll, effect happens on success.” You know…Sphere Magick.
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Nov 20, 2023 07:20
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I’m back with another recap from our adventures in New York. The coterie is still continuing their quest to solve a murder mystery for a friendly Nosferatu, Cockroach. Namely, who killed her and why, and who embraced her. This has turned into a much longer adventure than I originally anticipated, but I’ll try to add context and discoveries from previous sessions when necessary. As usual, our coterie consists of Augustus the Amish Banu Haqim and Thomas the Triad Tremere. First thing of the session is delving into tunnels beneath Evergreens Cemetery. Previously the coterie had discovered that a certain crypt in the cemetery was where Cockroach was shot and killed, and that there was an entrance to a tunnel network hidden in one of the tombs. Previously the tunnel entrance was blocked, but I have since learned that if I give my players a blocked entrance they don’t see it as “Don’t go here, the GM hasn’t prepared any content here” and instead see it as “What mysteries could be hidden here? It must be the most important piece of the puzzle!” And now that I’ve had time to add some content here, they find a room carved into the soil, which apparently has previously functioned as a server room. Neither of my players have any skill points in Tech, but I let them use Investigation with more difficulty to deduce that all the servers have been cleaned, hard drives have been taken out and nothing that contains any data remains. They correctly reason that this must have been an old Schrecknet server room, further cementing a link between the old vampire net and Gerard Rafin (so far the players only know that Gerard is somehow linked to Schrecknet). They continue exploring the tunnels, before a large boulder is rolled ahead of them, blocking further progress. They hear a voice informing the coterie that “You have been snooping around my domain quite enough. Time for you to leave, unless you want to know what it’s like to be immortal and stuck beneath several tons of stone.” This was a demand, not a negotiation. Thomas tried to inquire about the threat's identity and in response the tunnels started to collapse, but the players managed to escape unharmed. After this expedition, the players start considering their next move and show remarkable skill in coming up with clues to follow, especially since I’ve written it so that at this point they only have one lead. I generously fast forward them through some dead ends before they graciously investigate the only actual lead they have. There’s a tunnel that needs investigating. They have a deal with the former Prince, Calebros, who is willing to give them Gerard Rafin if they do something that helps Clan Nosferatu as a whole. The Clan is mapping the underground of NYC and there’s a section where two Sewer Rats have already gone to investigate and have not returned, so it’s time for outsider assistance. This is related to a plot going on in the background about a schism between Clan Nosferatu and Camarilla, where Nosferatu demand all of the underground city should be ruled by them and secluded themselves from Kindred society until the issue is solved. Anyways, the players have a spooky little adventure down the sewers and eventually into an abandoned subway station, finding two piles of ashes (the previously sent Nosferatu) and culminating in an ambush by a Wight. There’s an intense fight, Augustus almost gets got, but they eventually prevail and Augustus diablerizes the Wight. (I couldn’t find any rules or lore to support whether Wights can be diablerized or not, so I ruled that they can be.) After the fight they find a journal, written by the Wight, before succumbing to their beast. It was quite a long handout, but it explained most of the plot. I’ll condense it to the main plot points. There is/was a decades long ritual based on the Major Arcana of the Tarot, focusing on messing with Felicia Page, or as she is nowadays known, Cockroach. It was performed by a Tremere coterie, who don’t seem to know that their victim is now one of the Kindred. The Tremere coterie was also falling apart, since it had become quite clear that the coterie’s leader and master of the ritual didn’t actually know what they were doing. The players recognize from clues that one of the previous ritualists is now in the Maupassant Room, the local Tremere Chantry focused on diplomacy, and the Wight themselves are also a former ritualist. It was getting late, so we wrapped up and will probably check back on this handout. The players should have a pretty clear idea of what’s going on, but there are also a few unanswered questions and leads to follow. That’s it for this session! The players liked the fight against the Wight and asked for more combat encounters in the future, to which I honestly replied that I’d love to give them more combat if only they didn’t eat poo poo every time there’s a fight (my players are very bad at gearing up or picking up combat abilities). Hopefully they’ll remember this in the future, at least Augustus figured out that he can use all the points spent in Craft to make stakes, so that’s something. Also, Augustus is down to just 3 Humanity and is quite likely on the way out. I'll have to reshuffle my planned future adventures around to make sure he is around for the adventures I’ve written for him.
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Nov 21, 2023 00:14
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always a good day when we get an update from new york
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Nov 21, 2023 00:18
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Sucking up the blood brain of a guy who went crazy because of his need for blood seems like a questionable decision but I’m sure Augustus knows best.
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Nov 21, 2023 17:47
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Your Uncle Dracula posted:Sucking up the blood brain of a guy who went crazy because of his need for blood seems like a questionable decision but I’m sure Augustus knows best. 
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Nov 21, 2023 18:01
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Your Uncle Dracula posted:Sucking up the blood brain of a guy who went crazy because of his need for blood seems like a questionable decision but I’m sure Augustus knows best. Augustus actually rolled a messy critical on the strike that took the Wight out, so we decided to apply the Banu Haqim compulsion to chow down on his dying adversary. He also was feeling quite hungry and had lost a lot of health. Plus, he usually only feeds on rats and raccoons, so you can't really blame the guy for enjoying a succulent meal for once! 
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Nov 21, 2023 21:49
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Lord Hypnostache posted:Augustus actually rolled a messy critical on the strike that took the Wight out, so we decided to apply the Banu Haqim compulsion to chow down on his dying adversary. He also was feeling quite hungry and had lost a lot of health. Plus, he usually only feeds on rats and raccoons, so you can't really blame the guy for enjoying a succulent meal for once! This is Diableire made manifest!
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Nov 22, 2023 00:02
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I see you know your Do well.
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Nov 22, 2023 00:13
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TheKingslayer posted:I see you know your Do well.
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Nov 22, 2023 01:18
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In last night's game, my players ended a race riot they themselves started by unleashing angry ghosts to scare the rioters away from the warehouse of high proof liquor they were hiding in. But the best moment was one I've planned for months. One of my players is also a big Vampire guy, but he's only used to V5, so he's not used to the wild and wacky world of x20/Revised necormancy. He's playing a Forces-focused Hermetic mage so his reaction to discovering his mortal enemy is in bed with vampires was 'so what? I cast fireball or sunlight beam, the problem ends.' The specific vampires in question are the Giovanni. And some of them have the discipline ritual that lets them go corpse-mode and ignore sunlight and take only lethal, not agg, from fire damage - and even ignore wooden stakes for a few turns. The look on his face when he realized that a, he is not in fact a walking anti-vampire cannon, and b, he just made an enemy of an entire clan of vampires who can no-sell his primary responses to them? Absolutely perfect payoff.
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Nov 22, 2023 02:14
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Nov 22, 2023 02:22
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Ah, Anarch Team, how I miss thee.
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Nov 22, 2023 02:25
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Rubix Squid posted:Its in the core of CtL2 but it's extremely anemic to the point I struggle to consider it any more than vague suggestions. I vaguely recall the ST for the game I played my Big Soft Boy Ogre in talking about that when she was trying to come up with the non-seasonal court equivalents - Neon, Concrete, Glass, and... gently caress if I can recall. Which despite her efforts still mapped to four out of five stages of grief only, you know, The City. This was with the playtest rules as well which probably were even worse.
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Nov 22, 2023 03:47
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citybeatnik posted:I vaguely recall the ST for the game I played my Big Soft Boy Ogre in talking about that when she was trying to come up with the non-seasonal court equivalents - Neon, Concrete, Glass, and... gently caress if I can recall. Which despite her efforts still mapped to four out of five stages of grief only, you know, The City.
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Nov 22, 2023 03:53
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Nessus posted:Neon, Concrete, Asphalt, Glass, Chrome. I have no idea whether you're talking about that game in particular or if those were non-seasonal examples given in the books that the ST then utilized but yeah those seem about right re the names.
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Nov 22, 2023 03:56
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