[OOC Thread] The Briefing Room [BioHazard]

[Gulup]

Yes, it is kickass... if one is playing a combat-focussed character.


Which I'm not.


Frankly, the MRAotED is overkill for my character's needs, and would just eat up points I need elsewhere.


As for the lore/craft/occult ratings... yes, I plan to take them fairly high, if not the actual levels you say I should, but there's also the time needed to perform such maintenance, possible resources consumed in the process, etc...


i.e. even with the boosts over normal starting characters we're getting, don't expect me to be able to do everything

 

[saganite]

I don't really see MRAotED as really for combat-focused characters. I think the Fire Dragon Armor (TMFAotFD) is really the only true combat-focused Dragon Armor. MRAotED's Battlefield Engineer Protocols are extremely useful. Don't forget the cloaking, the +2 bonus to Awareness/Essence Sight, and the +2 bonus to Resistance, as well as the massive Strength boost and the awesome soak. Even if combat is last on your list things, this armor would be supremely beneficial. You're going to be attacked and hit at some point, whether you are combat focused or not. I personally would rather have some soak to absorb that hit. This armor gives you much more than that, and with Arsenal it becomes pretty affordable. However, this is just me here. I don't know how you have spread your points, so this could all be moot (care to mention what you have at the moment? ). Though I think it is worth it.


Anyways, 1 hour of maintenance every 2 to 3 days isn't too bad. Remember we'll probably have a magitech technician or two within the troops who are coming along with us. They do happen to be in Ashigaru Armor, if I recall correctly. My guess is that they will probably also have magitech weapons like Shock Pikes and Fire Lances, so its definitely going to be required. Also, Thorn will hopefully have some if not all of those abilities. I have Lore 3, so I can repair minor stuff.


I don't expect you to be able to do everything . Just the stuff you said you were going to be focusing on. You said a Magitech-savant-type, so I would hope you would be maxing Lore, Occult, and Craft Magitech. Other than that, there's not much you probably need. I should be able to handle most combat situations. The built-in Elemental Lens makes the Flame Talons of TMFAotFD brutal, especially when you add-in Dragon-Graced Weapon and the Fire-Aspect Anima Power.

 

[Haku1]

I think part of the problem here is that there are only so many bonus points to go around. And Gulup is going for essence 3 + sorcerery. Which eats up 10 of his bonus points outright.

 

[saganite]

Ah, I see. So maintenance could be an issue, potentially. Should I just pick the 5-dot Dragon Armor then? >.>


As far as the Resources cost associated with Repair ratings goes, how do you plan on making use of that, Haku? If the squads we lead are fitted with Ashigaru /Gunzosha armor, won't that be expensive to keep everything in good working order? I assume the Resources cost covers materials and the like. Would we have a certain amount of materials with us to begin with to last X number of repairs or something like that? >.>

 

[Haku1]

....


You're thinking of resource when you're going into a magitech wonderland? They build and repair magitech equipment in lower Tanuki city. :twisted:


I think resources isn't going to be an issue. For the most part. Also, the STARS savants would have minor maintaince equipment and resources, but if you need to use THOSE... you're in trouble.


As for the +1 artifact cost for no repair dragon armour... nyet, unless you have a REALLY good reason for you to have it. :twisted:

 

[saganite]

My character is one the best of the best? And the best of the best should have the best equipment?


Nah, its cool. I'd rather pick up a cheap Hearthstone with the extra Arsenal dot left over anyways.


Oh yea, and Gulup, since I know you're getting Sorcery now... If you want to make repairing things a whole lot easier on yourself time-wise, then you should consider picking up Incantion of Effective Resotration. It halves the time necessary to peform maintenance on magitech items, as well as instantly repairing any mundane items or non-magitech artifacts.

 

[Gulup]

Already took that spell.

 

[saganite]

Excellent . Then we should be cool on Repairs for the most part.


I don't suppose you've reconsidered MRAotED? All it takes is 3 background dots in Arsenal, and you could get a 1-dot Hearthstone or Artifact as well. >.>

 

[Gulup]

No, I'm not taking it. I am taking artifact armor, but between my other artifacts, Sorcery, etc...


I haven't taken any flaws yet, and haven't submitted a history/background for possible bonus points to Haku, but I have very specific things that I plan to get if/when I do, and Dragon Armor isn't part of it.


I just don't need it. Yes, it would be good to have, but I'd prefer to take other things...


Like Bracers of Universal Crafting.

 

[saganite]

I see, that's probably the better idea now that I think about it. Are you taking magitech armor?

 

[Gulup]

Yes, but I'm currently debating what kind to get. I'm split between Yoroi and a set of FA Ashigaru armor. On the one hand the Yoroi does give +1 Str to damage and feats of strength, as well as increased speed.


On the other, the Ashigaru would have slightly better soak, a lesser attunement cost, and the Filtration Baffles to give me +2 to resist poison and disease, and an hours worth of air if I needed it.

 

[saganite]

I was about to suggest Gunzosha, but I just realized that you are picking between those two because both don't need maintenance or mobility penalties . Between those two, I would personally go with the Ashigaru, though its definitely a tough choice. If you added Gunzosha into the mix, I personally would pick that. It's by far better than the other two, and I would think that Dodge doesn't seem very Earth Aspect-like so the mobility penalty isn't too much to worry about.

 

[Gulup]

mm... yeah, Gunzosha would be good, but again there's the upkeep (and I don't want to shell out for the Artifact 4 FA variety). What really seals the deal is that the Gunzosha doesn't have that air supply stuff.


Call me paranoid, but I'm willing to bet we'll need something like that.

 

[saganite]

The maintenance shouldn't be that much of an issue, especially with Incantion of Effective Restoration. Also, Haku said we probably won't have to worry about the Resources stuff for maintenance/repair, cause we're in a magitech-producing compound .


But yea, I agree with you on the air supply bit. Better safe then sorry. >.>

 

[Gulup]

yeah...


and, hey! If needed/lucky maybe I can find something down there that's better!

 

[saganite]

We can only hope for such vast untouched stores of goodies .


EDIT: Question for you Haku: How prevalent is mass combat going to be? My thought being that combat abilities such as Melee are capped by the amount of dots you have in War for Mass Combat. Meaning someone with War 2 and Melee 5 effectively only has Melee 2 when in Mass Combat. Since we are all leading our individual squads, this could come up to be an issue for those of us who are less inclined to focus in combat strategy. While I will personally have somewhere between 3 and 5 dots in War, I'm not sure I can say the same thing for everyone else in the group. A possible fix would be to have the person with the most dots in War combine and lead all of the units if and when Mass Combat occurs. >.>


One more thing: I'm wondering as to how you are going to assemble our group together? Why were each of us picked for this mission? This may have been something you were planning on answering after you had seen our backstories, but it just popped to mind so I figured I'd ask you about it before I forgot it. >.<

 

[Haku1]

Well... mass combat won't be an issue. But if it does, you can combine all units together.


As for better gear down below... it's possible that there may even be completed artifacts about to be shipped up.

 

[saganite]

As for better gear down below... it's possible that there may even be completed artifacts about to be shipped up.

 

[Haku1]

One more thing: I'm wondering as to how you are going to assemble our group together? Why were each of us picked for this mission? This may have been something you were planning on answering after you had seen our backstories, but it just popped to mind so I figured I'd ask you about it before I forgot it. >.<

Backstories would be good... but basically, a lure of possible wiping out of any past indiscretions, getting you lot a good chance of a good reference letter if you go on to something else latter on, monetary rewards, blackmail... what have you to get you lot to sign up. Which could have been as of yesterday to months back.


As for the mission-picking, skills would play a part, magitech capable (Gulup and Thorn), some combat (fhgwdads05 and maybe Jukashi), possible spirit dealing (Jukashi and maybe Gulup and Thorn).


It also helps you're all expendable. :twisted:

 

[Jukashi]

Would the guys incharge refer to the Bulb of the Perfect Lotus as "Celestial" or "Immaculate" Martial Arts at this point?

 

[Haku1]

Would the guys incharge refer to the Bulb of the Perfect Lotus as "Celestial" or "Immaculate" Martial Arts at this point?

Still celestial... and the IO styles are just some of the many celestial arts available

 

[saganite]

Time-wise, it's 488 years into the shogunate, which started after 3 decades of war with surviving solar Anathema from the start of the Ursurpation (dinner and murder). And the year 488 is Year of the Phoenix, Iron era of the 3rd Epoch of the Dragonblooded shogunate, casual conversation would make it year of the phoenix, or year of the iron phoenix if it's mentioned in the not-so-distant future. The naming/calender sequence is up to you lot if you want to use it or we could go with "it's Shogunate year 488". ^_~
Also, note that the shogunate uses a different calender than the Realm, which start from the start of the shogunate. The calender can be found in the 1e outcaste book, I can't recall if they show up in 2e DB book or not.

Hey Haku, I was just going over the Shogunate Calendar (I'll be making good use of it with my backstory >.>) and I noticed a discrepancy. The 488th year of the Shogunate would've been the 4th Epoch (3 have finished already), Quicksilver Era, Year of the Phoenix. The 3rd Epoch, Iron Era, Year of the Phoenix would have been Shogunate year 338. >.>


And then there's also this... http://tinyurl.com/3xcdsy


:?

 

[Haku1]

Time-wise, it's 488 years into the shogunate, which started after 3 decades of war with surviving solar Anathema from the start of the Ursurpation (dinner and murder). And the year 488 is Year of the Phoenix, Iron era of the 3rd Epoch of the Dragonblooded shogunate, casual conversation would make it year of the phoenix, or year of the iron phoenix if it's mentioned in the not-so-distant future. The naming/calender sequence is up to you lot if you want to use it or we could go with "it's Shogunate year 488". ^_~
Also, note that the shogunate uses a different calender than the Realm, which start from the start of the shogunate. The calender can be found in the 1e outcaste book, I can't recall if they show up in 2e DB book or not.

Hey Haku, I was just going over the Shogunate Calendar (I'll be making good use of it with my backstory >.>) and I noticed a discrepancy. The 488th year of the Shogunate would've been the 4th Epoch (3 have finished already), Quicksilver Era, Year of the Phoenix. The 3rd Epoch, Iron Era, Year of the Phoenix would have been Shogunate year 338. >.>


And then there's also this... http://tinyurl.com/3xcdsy


:?

hmmm.... fair enough. *makes corrections*

 

[saganite]

Hey Haku, I'm interested in taking a Gem of White Heat, however the description in Oadenol's Codex is pretty vague. I checked out the description in Aspect Book: Fire, and it's not much better, but through a good amount of after thought I think I figured out what it does. Tell me what you think.


-Grants the user a power equivalent to the Anima Power of Fire Aspects, with the same mote cost, duration, effects, etc.


-If used by a Fire Aspect, simply add these effects onto his normal Anima power (effectively doubling them [Essence + Essence damage, rather than just Essence]).


-Spend twice the amount of motes (10m instead of 5m) and you double these effects (for Fire Aspects, it would end up being Essence + [Essence x 2], or Essence x 3)


The last bit I sort of insinuated from a combination of both the Fire book and Oadenol's Codex. OC mentions something about doubling the motes spent, while AB:F mentions something about Fire Aspects tripling the damage done by their Anima power. ABF presents the piece of information that OC needs to have a complete description, and vice-versa.

 

[Haku1]

Your description makes me wish it were so. But it isn't.


The texts from both book seem fairly straight forward... if a bit confused on how the anima power of fire DBs work... odd that.


I see it as if you're a fire aspect, and your anima power kicks in at full power, you get Essence x 2 damage instead of the puny Essence damage per tick.


If you're a NON-fire aspect, it allows you to do a fire-aspect anima damage as if you're a fire aspect based on how high your anima banner is. Or you could spend 10 motes to activate the fire anima power.


Also I believe in 1e, a fire aspect could spend 5 motes to do essence damage with his anima, on top of the anima flux.


Also, note that this is a house-ruling, as otherwise, you can only get the fire aspect damage from spending essence to trigger said stone. Which is stupid. ;