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Cythereal posted:I on the other hand enjoy Wrath but extremely do not like Pillars of Eternity. I looked into it, researched the game, and concluded that the story and setting do not appeal to me. If there is one thing Wrath of the Righteous does perfectly, it is providing so many flavours of power fantasy. You want to be gay heroine who saves the world with rainbow and unicorns? Done. You want to be THE LAW? Done. You want to be "I can fix not only her, but EVERYONE"? Done and done. Wanna be angel of righteous fury, wreaking havoc over evil? Say no more. Or perhaps you just want to see the world burn? Sure, why not, what kind of destruction do you prefer? edit: or perhaps you are tired of cliches and want to utterly destroy the fourth wall?. Well, do I have an option just for you! Szarrukin fucked around with this message at 20:13 on Mar 4, 2024 |
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I don’t find power fantasy narratives interesting in most circumstances outside of funny gameplay stuff, which thankfully Wrath has got in droves. Wrath also at least doles out its power fantasies in a ton of different flavors which is a lot more fun to mess around with as a narrative even if I don’t find it that interesting beyond a surface level. Oracle Angel my beloved. RevolverDivider fucked around with this message at 22:38 on Mar 4, 2024 |
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Facing the Music When you're looking for a bard, you want to look for a party. Be it the adventuring kind or otherwise.  Like most games of its ilk, Wrath features random encounters when moving between maps. Although this one isn't actually random.  A very peculiar woman and some cultists in the gloom.   (The woman turns to you and for a moment she focuses her wandering, distracted gaze on your face.) "An audience. Problematic, but not critical. You there, girl! Stay out of this! It is counterproductive to stand in the way of scientific progress. "...what?" "Who's that? I don't know her." "Greetings, boys and girls! I am your sister in sin, a devotee of Lord Baphomet's dark will, and so on and so forth." "She looks like one of us, but she talks kinda weird." (The cultist's finger points your way.) "Who's there with you?" "Who? Oh, them! Just an audience, they don't matter. Consider them a supplementary component of the coming experiment." (Shrug and remain silent)To be honest, besides recording this already, part of why I wanted to get this done so soon is to introduce y'all to Nenio.  "Let's start with something simple." (She produces a pencil and a crumpled piece of paper from her sleeve,) "So, here's my first question. What is Lord Baphomet's favored weapon?" "We will not answer to you!" "Our lord can wield any kind of weapon, he is all-powerful!" "Wrong! He wields no weapons at all, he doesn't need any — he just gores his enemies with his horns!" [Lore: Religion check passed!] "Actually, it's Aizerghaul, a glaive made of red adamantine." (The woman turns to you with a glimmer of interest in her eyes.) "That is correct. But still, girl, no prompting, please. This experiment has taken quite a surprising turn. I would never have expected the followers of the great Baphomet to be baffled by such a simple question." (The woman frowns.) "Fine, let's recalibrate the difficulty and proceed with the next question. Please name Lord Baphomet's sacred animal." "A bull, of course, everybody knows that!" "And a cow." [Lore: Religion check passed!] "It's an aurochs, as a matter of fact." This. This is who signs up for a demon cult. "It appears the experiment has yielded results which are as unexpected as they are incredible. Baphomet's cultists have not the slightest idea about who Baphomet really is, let alone any in-depth knowledge of his ideology or philosophy. I'm positive that this news will cause a sensation in widest scientific circles." "drat it. She's right. I'm a lovely excuse for a cultist! And my mother used to tell me to become a plowman..." "Hey, take it easy, we've only had two questions! You there, come on, ask another one. We'll get the next one!" (Shrug and say nothing) "Is there any sense in continuing? You cannot answer the simplest of questions. I am ashamed of all of you, as cultists and as individuals." "Please, ask again! I can answer, I'm sure I can!" (The woman sighs) "How do you spell Baphomet's name?" "B. A. F... Screw it!" (The cultist throws his weapons on the ground in a fit of anger.) "To hell with Baphomet! I thought it was gonna be fun, but instead there are all these questions! I'm done here, I'm going back to my home village, back to my mother!" "Hey, wait... You there — how dare you stir up discord in our ranks! Grab her and tie her up, and her entire entourage too!" "The experiment is complete." (The woman makes a note.) "Unable to deal with the questions, the cultists decide to deal with the examiner instead. A typical reaction for a person who has never been burdened with any intelligence." (She raises her eyes.) "Now you're going to start hitting each other, aren't you? Please, proceed. I won't interrupt."This encounter is scripted to happen the first time you leave the Market Square for another destination.  The fight is brief and one-sided.  But ends with this weirdo appearing, making a cryptic remark, and vanishing. We won't discover what's going on with them for a long time.  "What about you, girl? Are you ready to answer some questions for the good of science?" The woman turns over the crumpled piece of paper to the blank side. "Let's proceed with the experiment. My first question is simple. Which colors does the goddess Iomedae prefer?" [Lore: Religion check passed!] "Red and white." (The woman makes a note on the piece of paper.) "This answer is correct. It is comforting to meet at least one educated person in this melting pot of ignorance that is Kenabres today. Let's proceed. Did Aroden take part in any crusade before he died?" [Lore: Religion check passed!] "No, he didn't." (The woman makes a note on the piece of paper.) "Your answer is correct. Aroden's death dates to 4606, and that is precisely the year when the Worldwound was opened. The First Crusade started back in 4622. Your knowledge would make Mendev's crusaders proud. My final question is — what is the title that Areelu Vorlesh bears? Is she the Architect of the Worldwound, the Lord of the Labyrinth, or the Border Acquisitor of the Shapeless Abyss?" [Knowledge: World check passed!] "The Architect of the Worldwound." "That's correct! Most excellent! You successfully answered all of my questions! Splendid! Amazing! This is a breakthrough! This..." (The woman breaks off, looks at you, and catches her breath.) "I thank you for your cooperation."Passing the skill checks like Yua did feeds you the correct answer, but failing that you're given a series of potential answers that do include the correct answer as an option in case you the player know or guess.  "Now can you finally tell me what you were getting at with all those questions?" "It is so heartening to see you strive for knowledge! I have been conducting an experiment comparing the intellectual abilities of the average cultist with those of the average crusader. And I must admit that you passed the test with flying colors! This does offer a glimmer of hope for the future of crusade. I have always claimed that, despite the popular beliefs about the limited intellectual abilities of those in the army, at least some of them can be considered educated. It pleases me to see that I was correct." "Kenabres isn't safe right now. Shall we join forces?" "Do you wish to become my follower? To accompany me on my expeditions to the Worldwound? To assist me in my experiments? To run errands for me? Perhaps even to write down my deepest thoughts for the benefit of future generations? Oh, how splendid! Of course, I agree! Truth be told, I have no money to pay you. But you will be aiding the progress of science, and that is its own reward!" "I agree." "Excellent! You're hired! To think that I finally found someone to accompany me! Twenty-seven crusaders before you said no, not one of them saw the undeniable appeal of my offer! Your first assignment is to take me to a safe place! I have to admit that today's experiment has left me quite tired."Yup, meet our newest party member.  Sorry, Woljiff.  Character Overview: Nenio A question is always a valid answer. True Neutral Kitsune Wizard (Scroll Savant) of Nethys Romance: No Can I Fix Her: No Incompatible Paths: (spoiler) Background: Arcane Scholar (add Knowledge: Arcana and Use Magic Device as class skills, +1 bonus if already class skills, Scribe Scrolls as a bonus feat) Much like Cammy, Nenio's character sheet may say human but go poking around in the UI and it's very easy to get the game to spoil that she's actually a kitsune in her human form. Nenio's endless curiosity, towering ego, and total lack of anything remotely resembling a filter, tact, or instinct for self-preservation mark her out as the game's primary comic relief character, and how you feel about Nenio will largely depend on whether her humor works for you or not. Nenio isn't entirely without depth or pathos, but for the most part what you've seen in her introduction is what you're getting. Personally, I find Nenio funny more often than not so she's likely joining Seelah and Ember as a mainstay of the party. People who don't like Nenio, though, tend to really dislike her. Mechanically, I could say that Nenio is a wizard with a sky-high casting stat and leave it at that. No bones about it, Nenio is a god walking among mere mortals once she gets to higher levels, and her Scroll Savant kit is the definition of boring but useful, letting her get a lot more mileage out of all the random cultist spell scrolls. Nenio's feats strongly push her towards enchantment and illusion magic, per kitsune predilections, and where a properly built Ember rains destruction across the battlefield, Nenio is more into 'every enemy in sight must make a save with a minus eleventybillion penalty or instantly die' type spells.  As for our destination, yes there are both men and women in their underwear dancing on the tables.    It's a shame my weirdness compass was so badly damaged at the time, Lann was trying to say something while this was happening but was unable to finish a coherent thought. The strippers and drunkards will run for the exit, but the master of the estate and both bards on stage pitch in to help. Not that this fight would have been challenging anyway. First things first, chat with the bard in the blue dress.   (Panting a little, the young woman looks at you and smiles.) "Demons aren't the best audience, wouldn't you agree? Performing for them can be pretty unpleasant. But I guess I was at my best today!" "I detect a professional challenge in your words. The performance I gave the demons was pretty good, too. Admit it." "What should two bards do when they meet amidst the ruins, in the aftermath of a demonic attack? Of course they find out who is more talented and whose songs more inspiring! After all, why not? Let's have a challenge! Come on, join in! (She starts singing, composing verses that are simple, even slightly awkward — but as she sings, her voice imbues them with an undeniable charm.) "O day of hardship, your frigid embrace is warmed with song, and lifted from this place!" [Persuasion: 12] (Sing to the tune of a tavern song) "I've met some demons from far and near, I've fought them here and I've fought them there! And after the seventh pint of beer, I see demons bloody everywhere! [Success!] (The young woman claps her hands.) "Wonderful! That's it, you've outmatched me, I admit it! As an honest bard, I owe you some reward for winning this little contest. Hmmm... You know what — here, take my ring! I was going to order another one anyway, to match my new dresses!" "Lucky you with so many admirers. I'm up to my tail in more violent critics. I am a friend of Ilkes's. He asked me to find you and protect you." (The young woman clasps her hands together.) "Ilkes is alive! And he's made a brilliant new friend! It's a shame it had to happen now, when the city is under siege by the demons! And those pigheaded inquisitors are pursuing us instead of doing something useful..." "Do you know where the third of your group is?"If the PC has majority levels in bard or skald, you can have this bard-off with Aranka even if you're not on the quest.  "Can you get somewhere safe on your own?" "It looks like the inquisitors aren't busting down the door just yet, and they're not hiding under the bed, so I think I'm safe for now. I'll be fine on my own. I'll go to our temple, to Ilkes — the inquisitors must have searched there by now, they won't go back a second time. Good luck! May Desna be with you, stranger!"Two of the three found. Unfortunately, there's someone else here to speak to.   "Wow, bona-fide blue bloods and unparalleled aristocracy. All this makes me itch to do something really crass, like blow my nose on the curtains." "What are you waiting for, my squamous squire? The curtains in this room are velvet, but we have some excellent silk ones with gold thread elsewhere in the house. Take your pick — my soft furnishings are yours to do with as you wish. I am quite sick of the place, truly. I shall either sell it, or burn it to the ground and build a new mansion in its place. Now that we've finished with the niceties, tell me this... How did all those thrice-damned demons end up at my soirée?" "Kenabres lies in ruins, Deskari killed Terendelev, the Wardstone has been captured, and you're asking me why demons gatecrashed your party?" "Kenabres in ruins... Deskari... Well, well, well, and I was already lamenting the lack of excitement at my little banquet. Although, it must have been tolerable enough, if we didn't notice a great hulking demon attacking a dragon just outside the window... (The Count casts a look at the curtained window and the light from the city's fires flickering between the gaps in the fabric.) "...It seems as though Deskari's occasion was altogether more of a crush than mine, if you will pardon the pun." "You don't seem very concerned about the city's fate." "I have no friends here whose untimely demise I would care to mourn. The only alarming thing is how easily all this happened. I don't care for the thought that demons could come calling at my door at any moment. And just think, everyone had so much faith in the Wardstones gifted by Iomedae's herald, and in the might of our tamed dragon. As if there had been no Drezen or a dozen other routs where the demons overcame every defense..." (The count falls silent and rubs his brow, looking fatigued.)In case it isn't obvious, Daeran is another recruit for the party.  "I thank you for providing your friend with that helpful summary, my lady." (The count's voice drips with courtesy, but he somehow manages not to sound thankful at all.) "I believe I've seen you before — with that hilarious buffoon Horgus Gwerm. I sincerely hope you are not engaged in any kind of sordid... arrangement with him. The thought of something so splendid in proximity to something so grotesque makes me feel quite ill. You deserve a better fate than that, no doubt. "Your civility knows no bounds, Count. I most assuredly do not have any 'arrangement' with Master Gwerm." (As Camellia speaks, hints of carefully suppressed irritation slip into her voice.) "What should I know about you, Count? Apart from the fact that you're high-born and very rich?" "As a child, I had my very own pony. But I always dreamed of having a lamb. I was never allowed one — sheep were seen as peasant animals, utterly unsuitable for the scion of a noble line. The trauma haunts me to this day. I think of it every time I have roast lamb for dinner." "I'm sorry that happened to you. Such a sad story." "I had not even the slightest intention of upsetting such a lovely child." "I'm not lovely. Some people have even called me a scarecrow before." "That's patently absurd! Why, you can't possibly be a scarecrow with a crow following you around. I'm sorry if I failed to sate your curiosity. I loathe talking about myself to people I don't know, even more to those I do know. The only thing worth knowing — aside from the fact that I am high-born and filthy rich — is that I dislike puritans and demons in equal measure. Well, perhaps demons a tad more." "You can go to the Defender's Heart. It's under the protection of Irabeth Tirabade and the Eagle Watch."To be perfectly honest, if I weren't doing this as an LP I'd skip recruiting him. You never have to talk to Daeran at all.   (Seelah raises her sword with a flourish and uses its smooth surface as a mirror.) "What about my physiognomy? Sour enough for his lordship? Don't worry, another few minutes with the dazzling count here and it will sour like week-old milk." "What's this? An attractive paladin with a sense of humor? You're a veritable walking scandal. Either way, my mansion is now safe. I have a pair of half-decent guards. I just need to drag them out of the storeroom and bring them to their senses... I ordered them to drink a love potion, you see, for reasons which seemed extremely witty at the time and in the state of inebriation I then found myself in. They can guard the house while the valorous paladins beat back the demon assault. They will beat them back, yes? (The count is silent for a moment, thinking.) "As regards myself, I feel like stretching my legs. I know rudimentary divine spells, I am no friend to demons, and I elevate any society that I deign to grace with my presence. I shall accompany you — only for a short time, of course. I have no desire to remain at the vanguard for a protracted period. What say you, my ephemeral but highly diverting acquaintance? After all, Lord Deskari spoiled my party. I now burn with the desire to spoil his." "Deal." "Capital. Good acquaintances that begin and end at just the right moment often leave the most pleasant memories, wouldn't you say?" I know, I know. But I figured that having the gratitude of someone that rich and highly placed could be useful. I'll discuss Daeran more fully when we see him properly in the party.  Yua Level 4: +1 Bard (Bard 4) Attribute: +1 Dexterity Skills: +1 Perception, +1 Persuasion, +1 Knowledge World, +1 Knowledge Arcana, +1 Trickery Spells: Cure Moderate Wounds, Glitterdust Yua picks up her first new attribute point, which goes into Dexterity, and her first level 2 spells! I give her the next healing spell, and an area-effect anti-invisibility spell in the form of a magical glitter bomb.  Seelah Level 4: +1 Paladin (Paladin 4) Attribute: +1 Wisdom Skills: +1 Lore Religion, +1 Persuasion, +1 Trickery Class Features: Channel Positive Energy Seelah gets a point in Wisdom just in time to pick up her first spellcasting, and gets yet another ability to heal the living and damage the undead, this time in an area effect.  Camellia Level 4: +1 Spirit Slayer (Spirit Slayer 4) Attribute: +1 Dexterity Skills: +1 Mobility, +1 Trickery Class Features: Iceplant Camellia is now a bit tougher thanks to her icy hex and a bit more accurate with her rapier.  Lann Level 4: +1 Demonslayer (Zen Archer 1, Demonslayer 3) Attribute: +1 Dexterity Skills: +1 Athletics, +1 Mobility, +1 Lore Nature, +1 Stealth Class Features: Demonologist, Favored Terrain: Urban Lann is now better at fighting, especially demons, and gets bonuses in urban terrain.  Ember Level 4: +1 Stigmatized Witch (Stigmatized Witch 4) Attribute: +1 Charisma Skills: +1 Knowledge (Religion), +1 Persuasion, +1 Use Magic Device Class Features: Protective Luck Spell: Cure Moderate Wounds Camellia is now completely obsolete for her hex utility and Ember gets another point in her casting stat.  Nenio Level 4: +1 Scroll Savant (Scroll Savant 4) Attribute: +1 Dexterity Skills: +1 Knowledge: Arcana, +1 Knowledge: World, +1 Lore: Religion, +1 Lore: Nature Spells: Molten Orb, Scorching Ray Nenio does Nenio things, and gets more accurate with touch attacks. There really aren't enough different skills in the game, IMO, especially in the knowledge and lore veins.  Back in the Market Square, there's a single crusader all on his lonesome...   "Pardon me... I saw you with that shawl... Does this mean that you're a friend of Aranka's? What am I saying, of course it does! So..." (The young man's speech is interrupted by the arrival of a new cast of characters: people in the robes of Iomedae's inquisitors appear from all sides, surrounding him.) "Adept Thall of the temple of Desna, you are under arrest on suspicion of treason and aiding the demons. You have one minute to come quietly. Drag your feet, and we'll count that as an attempt to resist justice!" (Prelate Hulrun appears behind his people.) "And here's the traitor who almost corrupted the Wardstone with his magic. You didn't think that the disorder and demonic presence in the city would distract us from pursuing traitors, did you?" (The youth's eyes go wide and he says nothing, clearly not knowing what to do.) "Not all Desna's followers are harmless dreamers, inquisitor. Leave my brother in faith in peace, or I'll show you how we protect our own." "Thank you! The goddess herself must have sent you to save me. Glory to you, oh Song of the Spheres!"Yup, we're back at this again. Luckily, Yua already made inroads with Hulrun and can remind him again.  [Reveal the Light of Heaven] "Heaven knows not only righteous anger, but mercy as well."For the record, if you're a jerk here there's an Aeon option down the Lawful dialogue path that lets you get the kid off on a technicality. More surprising that Hulrun accepts it.   (The young man lets out a sigh of relief as he watches the inquisitors go.) "This is just blatantly unfair — we tried to protect the city from demons, and instead of helping us, we get hunted by the inquisitors. Prelate Hulrun will be the death of us all, and there's nothing we can do about it! Anyway, thank you. I'd have been done for without you." "The Inquisition has gone too far. I couldn't let them take you." "That's it! I don't believe I'll get a fair hearing from Hulrun — if it wasn't for you, I would have been tortured and put to death. But even so, I have my regrets... I think we went too far, trying to break into the Wardstone. And we didn't even save anyone. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go to the temple of Desna. I want to be alone with the goddess and reflect on all that has happened."This quest is now done, and this confrontation with Hulrun - and how Yua talked him down in every confrontation - lets me wrap up Ramien's quest.  "I talked to Ramien. He is not your enemy. He only wants what's good for Kenabres." (The inquisitor gives you a black look.) "I would consider those words an admission of treason from anyone else. But I don't wish to draw my weapon against she who has been given Heaven's gift. And I won't, as long as you don't do anything worse than conniving with that rabble-rouser Ramien. I won't ask you again to kill the rabble-rouser. But as soon as we liberate the city from the demons, my faithful will hunt him down!" "I've heard a saying in my travels about what happens to those who fight monsters. Farewell, Prelate."That's that quest resolved!  "I managed to calm Hulrun down a little, but he's still hellbent on driving you out of the city once the demon attack has been repelled." (Ramien's head lowers.) "I suppose I should be pleased, but the idiocy, the injustice of it all, it makes my blood boil! I will leave Kenabres, but not before we fight off the demons. No matter what happens, I thank you." "There is some good news. I found and rescued your three adepts." "The news already reached me. I am deeply grateful. Now my heart can rest easy, knowing they are safe. I also heard that you achieved the impossible — you convinced Hulrun to spare Thall. Of course, in the prelate's typical fashion, he vowed to run us out of the city once the demons have been dealt with. Stubborn old fool! But unfortunately, his word is law in this city. So we will indeed be leaving. But as long as the demons are here and the city needs our help, I won't be going anywhere." "Irabeth Tirabade of the Eagle Watch is gathering survivors in the Defender's Heart tavern. You would be very useful there." "Commander Tirabade? I do not know her personally, but her wife Anevia is a regular worshiper at our temple. I would be glad to aid them in this fight!"That's the Desnans recruited! If you make peace between Hulrun and Ramien you can pick whoever you want to join the defense, but you can't get both under any circumstances because they'll refuse to fight alongside each other directly. Now who's ready to get high?  If you rescue all three adepts and either kill Hulrun or make peace between Hulrun and Ramien, they're waiting for you in the temple.  "I'm pleased to see that you're all fine, but there is still much more work to be done in the city." (The adepts share a conspiratorial look.) "We decided to give you a gift! A special gift. One that we would never share with anyone, except for the person who risked her life for ours. Who didn't just take a stand against evil, but against injustice under the guise of the law." "Our gift..." (Aranka cuts in) "...is a song. We call it 'Starward Gaze,' and it came to us from the true servants of Desna from her domain in Elysium. This song can... gift a soul with renewed vitality. Just listen..." (She sings the melody.) (Sing the song after Aranka) (You repeat the melody, feeling it coming from somewhere within your heart. And then...)Musical Numbers in this LP: 1   (When a glint of light reflected off a piece of glass becomes a fallen star, when an oddly shaped stone can be a remarkable artifact, and when every shadow or twist in a path promises mystery or an incredible adventure... A single glance into the forest stream brings this feeling rushing back.) (...unhurriedly makes her way along the stream bed, taking in her surroundings)The Azata mythic theme song kicks in.  "Where am I? Who are you?"This sequence only triggers if you sing along with Aranka.  "How did I get here?" "We don't know how you came to be here," (says the creature with the dozen tails, smiling.) "Mortals rarely come to Elysium during their lifetime. But here you are, which means that something must have brought you. Something in your soul. If your soul did not harbor even the slightest spark of freedom, yearning, and compassion, you never would have found your way here. Now that you know the answers, tell us... what do YOU want?" "I... I have to go back. They need me there."Say what you will about how the adepts went about it, but at least they were doing something about the problem even if they didn't know what exactly was wrong or how to properly fix it.  "Yes. I really want to." And that was how I first visited Elysium and met the azatas. I've heard a lot of tall tales as a bard, but I never until that moment thought my life would become one of those tales. That is the Azata mythic path unlocked!  "I had a vision. I was in Elysium and the azatas spoke to me." (The adepts exchange looks of astonishment.) "I swear, it's a sign! A sign that Desna herself has turned her gaze on you!" "You helped us and protected Wallflower from the inquisitors, even though it wasn't your responsibility. The goddess couldn't fail to acknowledge such a noble soul..." "We might be getting ahead of ourselves here... there are many powerful entities in Elysium besides Desna... but, of course, there must be a reason for it. I am so glad we met you, friend! And not just because I'd be suffering at the inquisitors' hands right now if we hadn't. But also because you helped me overcome my doubts." "We will always remember you, no matter what!"And with that, we are finally done with the Market Square! The Crimson Path (this update) Abrikandilu 1 Cultists 4 Dretch 1 Schir 1 Cythereal fucked around with this message at 03:51 on Mar 5, 2024 |
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Mar 5, 2024 03:48
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Cythereal posted:Much like Cammy, Nenio's character sheet may say human but go poking around in the UI and it's very easy to get the game to spoil that she's actually a kitsune in her human form. If you're like me, and are a dummy, the most obvious clue is that this character has a Bite Attack when they shouldn't. (spoiler for minor mechanics in case anyone else wants to puzzle out how to figure it out.) And when I saw the way the voting was going, I was very interested in how Cyth is going to handle this character. Well, time to find out!
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Mar 5, 2024 04:44
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Nenio is the sort of character that generally annoys me. She didn't, though, and I think it's this introductory sequence that really sold me on her, from the whole "awkwardly dressing up as a cultist" thing to the actual quiz to the fact that she accidentally harries a cultist into going back to the farm. How can you not find this charming?
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Mar 5, 2024 05:05
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nenio struck me as extremely autism-coded and the actual, spoilery reason why she acts like she does is pretty compelling, I like her a lot
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Mar 5, 2024 05:11
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Yeah, Nenio definitely worked for me, to the point that I wish she were a romance option because how would that work?  And in the power level debate between her and Ember, I'd say the only reason Ember's more powerful (in my opinion) is that the little girl's a spontaneous caster; give/respec Nenio that option and I'd say the kitsune's a whole lot better.EDIT: And might I say that the Azata unlock scene here is one of Wrath's best- it's so understated if you're only reading it here reading it, yet playing through it, reading the text while the quieter portion of the theme plays in the background is just amazing! CommissarMega fucked around with this message at 05:26 on Mar 5, 2024 |
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Mar 5, 2024 05:15
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I liked Nenio until I had to complete her quest without toybox  Daeren is great in the smug, charismatic bastard sense. It's easy to love to hate him
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Mar 5, 2024 06:30
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I actually just like Daeren as a character. But my reasons for that come later.
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Mar 5, 2024 06:54
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He's basically Lord Byron, with all the bad things and... well, additional bad things that entails.
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Mar 5, 2024 07:00
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To be fair, I like most of the companions. The only ones I don't particularly like are Wenduag and Camellia. Wenduag for reasons that should be obvious, though I do find her sexy, and Camellia for spoiler reasons. I have no experience with another I may dislike, but that'll have to wait until I get him, which should be soon. I do genuinely find Daeren affable and he always provides moments of Levity. I especially like his reason for joining, Deskari wrecked his party so he's going to wreck Deskari's. it's both hilarious and something you probably wouldn't expect from an Evil Noble.
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Mar 5, 2024 08:29
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CommissarMega posted:Yeah, Nenio definitely worked for me, to the point that I wish she were a romance option because how would that work? I mean, if you're fine with being fiddly then Nenio might as well be a spontaneous caster - and one with a whole hell of a lot more spells per day than any actual spontaneous caster. To clarify for the thread, her archetype Scroll Savant eventually lets her use scrolls at both her own casting DC and caster level (at 5th and 10th, respectively). It is ridiculously powerful if you're fine with constantly reloading her item slots, and she loses practically nothing from the base class either. And Sorcerer/Wizard is just a flat out better spell list than the one Witch gets to begin with. She also gets a massive boost to Use Magic Device, and her scroll bonuses aren't limited to Wizard spells - feel free to cast Cleric spell scrolls at full power with her as well.
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Mar 5, 2024 08:33
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Lord Koth posted:She also gets a massive boost to Use Magic Device, and her scroll bonuses aren't limited to Wizard spells - feel free to cast Cleric spell scrolls at full power with her as well.  I DID NOT KNOW THIS.
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Mar 5, 2024 08:37
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Nenio is one of my favorite characters in the game, she is just so hilarious. I do wish they had written her differently in some areas, but that’s true of a lot of characters. In this case the writers have more marks in the good column than the bad. Camellia, Wendaug, and other characters I don’t want to mention right now get the opposite review. 😔 I still end up benching Nenio in favor of other caster characters at times, but when I do, I always miss her remarks. I hope our hostess will continue to show them off as we proceed through the game. Daeran is another character whom I enjoy more than detest, but I understand why some players feel differently about him. He makes a good healer, but most parties can work without him if they prefer, editing in a mercenary or someone else with a healer build. I mostly appreciate Daeran for his humor- one bit we missed already is you can ask Aranka about him and she will call him out for being a bastard. If he’s in the party he will applaud her for talking about him honestly even though he’s within earshot.  Thx for letting me know about the Aeon technicality on Hulrun. I want to do a True Aeon run at some point and it’s good to know I don’t have to side with Hulrun for that. I have to rationalize other issues with the Aeon path but am glad I won’t have to rationalize this. 
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Mar 5, 2024 09:49
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CommissarMega posted:Yeah, Nenio definitely worked for me, to the point that I wish she were a romance option because how would that work? I'm told there actually is a mod to make Nenio a romance option! But that, well, it's very blatantly written by a furry for furries, and that is very much not my cup of tea. I'm also told there's a Woljiff romance mod, which is of no interest to me for different reasons.
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Mar 5, 2024 13:15
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For all his other faults, Daeren passes the "how does this character react to Ember?" test with flying colors.achtungnight posted:Thx for letting me know about the Aeon technicality on Hulrun. I want to do a True Aeon run at some point and it’s good to know I don’t have to side with Hulrun for that. Rogue AI Goddess fucked around with this message at 13:31 on Mar 5, 2024 |
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Mar 5, 2024 13:23
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idonotlikepeas posted:He's basically Lord Byron, with all the bad things and... well, additional bad things that entails. Nenio, on the other hand, is The Best Character and I will die on that hill. It's nice to have a comic relief who isn't cartoonishly dumb for once and her quest gets really good. Well, story-wise at least.
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Mar 5, 2024 14:17
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Daeran rules, Nenio is insufferable and has the worst quest line in the game by a mile. Incredibly powerful in combat though so generally worth using.
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Mar 5, 2024 14:23
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If I ever pick up this game I'm probably going to put them both in the main party.
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Mar 5, 2024 15:14
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Cythereal posted:I'm told there actually is a mod to make Nenio a romance option! With Nenio being one of two explicitly asexual characters it feels kinda "erasure-y". Also I hope you are NOT going to do Nenio personal quest, because nobody deserves such suffering.
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Mar 5, 2024 15:14
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If I ever made a Nenio mod, its only effect would be to add a sonic screwdriver to her inventory.
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Mar 5, 2024 15:19
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Szarrukin posted:Also I hope you are NOT going to do Nenio personal quest, because nobody deserves such suffering. I'm currently undecided on this point. I have completed Nenio's personal quest in a previous playthrough of the game, and I do think it has some interesting things to say that tie very well into the game's main themes (as I see them). On the other hand, I can summarize the events of her personal quest and not have to endure what her quest actually entails. I'll make up my mind on the matter later. Until then, we're up to three of the planned five regulars for the party, and have recruited every companion available in Act 1.
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Mar 5, 2024 15:21
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Cythereal posted:I'm told there actually is a mod to make Nenio a romance option! But that, well, it's very blatantly written by a furry for furries, and that is very much not my cup of tea. I'm also told there's a Woljiff romance mod, which is of no interest to me for different reasons. I personally have never heard of the Nenio Romance Mod you mention. I also should note I’d have no issues romancing furries in general, but if the mod fetishizes it… yeah, we can skip that. As for the Woljif romance mod, I played and enjoyed it with one of my female commanders. It was fun times. I wouldn’t mind revisiting it on a gay man run, if I wasn’t pretty sure it’s not that different other than a few lines and I have other romances to check off my list. Your choice on whether to do Nenio’s personal quest. I find myself activating Toybox to get through it even on runs where I don’t want to cheat otherwise. I personally don’t see Nenio as asexual, just not attracted to the player. But others are free to indulge their own preferences, I suppose.
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Mar 5, 2024 15:50
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The introduction to the Azatas here is a fantastic moment, and frankly one of the best introductions to a mythic path in the game. I'll have more to sahy about it as we do more Azata stuff, but this is the path starting on an insanely high note. I liked both Nenio and Daeren as characters. Nenio usually has a place in my party (admittedly also because I nowadays tend to mod her into the insanely powerful brownfur transmuter - hey, it fits her character!), however, where Daeren usually...does not. Sorry bud, you're relegated to "glad I can mod companions to talk when not in my party" status. Nenio in a lot of ways is just the most wizard-rear end wizard you can get, taking the "scholar" title to the maximum degree with frankly pretty charming results. As for Daeren, "evil" D&D characters are typically so over the top in being sinister and malevolent that it's also really fun to have someone who's just a petty-rear end bitch rather then a blood gargling psychopath. And, as has been mentioned, he passes the Ember test.
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Mar 5, 2024 15:55
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Nenio is fine, I can enjoy her gimmick at least. Daeran is delightful. The only NPC I actively don't like hasn't showed up yet.
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Mar 5, 2024 16:08
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Yeah, Daeran usually ends up benched in my party because he's redundant, not because I dislike him- if anything, I like the Neutral and Evil characters in Wrath a lot more than I like the Good-aligned characters (save of course, for Ember, she's the best ). However, as a confirmed Oracle Angel main, and Daeran's curse being Powerless Prophecy (i.e. the worst oracle curse, at least for me) means he's never in the main party. Such a pity the Nenio Romance mod seems to be furry bait, though it is understandable.
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Mar 5, 2024 16:18
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Daeran is honestly one of the best companions. He's interesting enough to be worth talking to, his questlines is one of the best companion quests, and he's mechanically strong enough that you never regret dragging him along for RP, but he doesn't overshadow other options. Nenio has the world shaking power of a single classed wizard, and while I'm not in love with her bit, she has her moments. Her quest though... Well, if you use a guide it's not the worst, I guess, but man is it dull until the end.
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Mar 5, 2024 16:22
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ProfessorCirno posted:The introduction to the Azatas here is a fantastic moment, and frankly one of the best introductions to a mythic path in the game. I'll have more to sahy about it as we do more Azata stuff, but this is the path starting on an insanely high note. Totally agree. The Angel intro is fine and serviceable, but the Aeon one is a dose of WTF when you first encounter it, and Demon's introduction is 'lol what introduction' because it literally just shows up and makes you bloodthirsty with no real buildup. Azata's is the only one that made me think 'gently caress yeah, I wanna live here that sounds awesome'
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Mar 5, 2024 16:27
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ProfessorCirno posted:The introduction to the Azatas here is a fantastic moment, and frankly one of the best introductions to a mythic path in the game. I'll have more to sahy about it as we do more Azata stuff, but this is the path starting on an insanely high note. Yup. My first successful game (I abandoned my actual first serious game because I accidentally wound up in a romance with Lann because I was nice to him) was an Azata game. I'd actually intended Azata to be a placeholder until a late-game path I knew about, but I wound up enjoying the Azata story so much I couldn't bear to change course later in the game. I'm not quite as free-spirited and impulsive as the Azata sometimes are, but drat if the story doesn't hit all the right notes for me. Me liking the Azata mythic story so much and wanting to share it is a very big part of what lead me to pick this game as my current LP project.
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Mar 5, 2024 16:40
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One thing both the Desnans and Hulrun? They're but lucky the demonic deception department got budget cuts.Cythereal posted:Sorry, Woljiff. Cythereal posted:
Does the game realize what he has done here? Cythereal posted:For the record, if you're a jerk here there's an Aeon option down the Lawful dialogue path that lets you get the kid off on a technicality. More surprising that Hulrun accepts it. If our introduction to her is genuine, and not playing the fool...not sure how she got that 12 WIS score. Also, check out these noodle arms!
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Mar 5, 2024 16:42
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Gun Jam posted:Game's doesn't require you to have a sneaky fella to disarm traps and such? Yua's handling that job. Actual rogues by class (and one bard kit) just get a bonus towards dealing with traps, but anyone can put points into Trickery and cover that job. Woljiff, Cammy, and Seelah (Seelah and Cammy both get Trickery as a class skill because of their backgrounds) can all cover that job of the characters we've met so far. Gun Jam posted:... Daeran is in fact a piece of poo poo and the game makes no bones about it. Cythereal fucked around with this message at 16:51 on Mar 5, 2024 |
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Mar 5, 2024 16:46
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Daeran is "the urge to party as the world burns around you" dot character, and they do a good job with establishing that no, really, no matter the tragic backstory that produced that it's still a lovely thing to be. Nenio feels like a refugee from another, significantly more Joss Whedon-y game. they can't all be hits I suppose.
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Mar 5, 2024 18:28
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Cythereal posted:and have recruited every companion available in Act 1. Only in the base game. If you have The Last Sarkonian DLC, there is one more. Is it okay for someone to cover him when you would get him, since you don't have that DLC?
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Mar 5, 2024 20:34
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ChaosStar0 posted:Only in the base game. If you have The Last Sarkonian DLC, there is one more. Is it okay for someone to cover him when you would get him, since you don't have that DLC? I'd rather not cover any of the DLC.
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Mar 5, 2024 20:40
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Yeowch!!! My Balls!!! posted:
Yeah this is probably a big part of why I don’t like Nenio. There’s a handful of party members I find way more boring than her Sosiel, sorta Lann but he’s a weird character who is all over the place but she’s occasionally funny, but the majority of the party in this game is excellent so her being bleh stands out a lot more.
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Mar 5, 2024 20:49
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My stance on the DLC character is very simple at the end of the day: I am not going to pay money for another character for my PCs to be rude to because I don't want to accidentally start a romance with him. While I like two of the three f/f romances available in this game very much, adding yet another dude with Owlcat's unwillingness to specify what is considered merely friendly and what is considered romantic flirtation is the opposite of what I want to see added to this game.
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Mar 5, 2024 21:29
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There's a character later on that I was friendly to as a male PC and turning him down BROKE MY HEART.
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Mar 5, 2024 21:56
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Mechanically, the dlc character is cool and his quest line is interesting. But yeah, the game is fun enough without him if you find other reasons not to purchase. I haven’t tried his romance yet. I like the Azata path because it feels natural to play it various ways. Want to be a free spirited atheist Tiefling Ranger cat lady who is charmed by nature and the rogue she wants to save from himself? That works. Want to play as a Desna-devoted lesbian bard struggling with unfamiliar powers who wants to do something just to fix this gosh darn demon problem? That also works. How about a Gorum-worshipping glory hound gendarme dhampir named Don Quixote? That also could be fun. Whereas other mythic paths just don’t feel as nice if you’re not playing them with certain builds and personalities in mind. Referencing my own last Azata run, Cythreal’s, and Bringitdon’s on YouTube if anyone cares. achtungnight fucked around with this message at 22:19 on Mar 5, 2024 |
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Mar 5, 2024 22:14
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achtungnight posted:Referencing my own last Azata run, Cythreal’s, and Bringitdon’s on YouTube if anyone cares. Achtung, I told you in the Warcraft LP, stop this kind of poo poo. This thread is not 'your audience' as you put it then.
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Mar 5, 2024 22:17
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Cythereal posted:Achtung, I told you in the Warcraft LP, stop this kind of poo poo. This thread is not 'your audience' as you put it then. Ok. I was not hyping one thing over another but I understand if you got the wrong impression. Consider myself reminded and I won’t bring it up again. [salutes] Hope you don’t mind that I will keep enjoying your LP.
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Mar 5, 2024 22:21
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