Threads Of Destiny(Eastern Fantasy, Sequel to Forge of Destiny)

So, now, here is a plan that goes against what everyone hoped for. I am not the biggest fan of stealth, but with the current plan we are basically "shelving" Stealth until turn 8 or so, and I think that I want to check whether Stealth is viable before then.

First, to explain, stealth is done in such a way that we need an art like ENM to 'refresh' our unaware status to be usable in combat. ENM itself isn't the best, but it's serviceable enough that it should let us know how viable stealth is. Moreover, it also helps our hit/avoid, and is a 'cheap' art that can be spammed in low intensity conflicts.

The issue is that if we don't prepare to train ENM this turn, we aren't going to be able to do it next turn (next turn is more or less 'finish what we started this turn'), as it needs both meridians and training actions. If we don't train it next turn, it means we'll already be in foundation, and beginning an art when it finishes as a low end of the level we are currently at is a bad idea, so at that point we'd mostly want to get a archive 2 stealth art, pushing back stealth testing further.

[X]Plan: Stealth is fine too
-[X] Pay Household expenses: 6 RSS
-[X] use 8 GSS (4 free GSS + 4 paid GSS) and 12 free YSS
-[X] use high pills (35 YSS (14x25 RSS))
-[X] EPC to Spiritual Cultivation
-[X] Physical x3
-[X] Spiritual x4
-[X] Jobs x3
-[X] Meridian Openings x2 (Head, Lung) (Leg, Head)
-[X] ENM x1
-[X] PLR x1
-[X] CDE x2
-[X] TRF x1
-[X] SCS x1
-[X] Moon Quest x1
-[X] Xiao Fen tutoring x1
-[X] equip CDE and ENM
-[X] unequip AC

This plan gets us ENM1 and the meridian to equip it. It trains PLR once instead of twice, but training it once or twice has the same result unless lucky (getting us PLR3, not quite PLR4), and it gives up on exploration. Considering we are doing moon quest this turn, I think ENM might already see some work out.

[X] Skill plan: Renxiang needs Help that won't get wrecked by spiritual attacks!
-[x] Resolve x4*, Dexterity x4*
-[x] Sable Grace x3**, Fortitude x4*, Dance x4**, Fade x4*
-[x] Government x2, Speech x4

This is a skill plan to focus on stealth/fade a bit more, given what ENM gives.

[X] Skill plan: Help with more finesse
[X] Skill plan: Frost Backstab +10d6

Those aren't bad too.

Additionally on the arguments for Presence, the last time our liege updated our commands, she told us to update our diplomacy shops so she could see if we could play with the big boys.

Erebeal said:

Because, as we found in the tournament, due to how movement arts work any melee character who wants to can just instantly close 100m and punch us in the face.

Kiting isn't really possible.

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To be fair, we have all of one dedicated movement art and one dedicated dodge art, and they happen to be the same art, while we have no art since dropping FZ (and really bwfore then) that focusing on bumping our likelyhood of moving before they Falcon Punch accross the stage.

I'm sure if we worked on it we could get the Techniques to make kiting work.

I mean, I don't want to. We're a tarpit with two tarpit synegizing spirits, movement is great to keep about proportionate where its at for scouting/escape/pursuit purposed, but i don't want to outkite the "Ashfall Exclusiomary Zone"''s short stumpy legs (Newest Model 4 feet long, still stumpy) after all.

Arkeus said:

So, now, here is a plan that goes against what everyone hoped for. I am not the biggest fan of stealth, but with the current plan we are basically "shelving" Stealth until turn 8 or so, and I think that I want to check whether Stealth is viable before then.

First, to explain, stealth is done in such a way that we need an art like ENM to 'refresh' our unaware status to be usable in combat. ENM itself isn't the best, but it's serviceable enough that it should let us know how viable stealth is. Moreover, it also helps our hit/avoid, and is a 'cheap' art that can be spammed in low intensity conflicts.

The issue is that if we don't prepare to train ENM this turn, we aren't going to be able to do it next turn (next turn is more or less 'finish what we started this turn'), as it needs both meridians and training actions. If we don't train it next turn, it means we'll already be in foundation, and beginning an art when it finishes as a low end of the level we are currently at is a bad idea, so at that point we'd mostly want to get a archive 2 stealth art, pushing back stealth testing further.

[X]Plan: Stealth is fine too
-[X] Pay Household expenses: 6 RSS
-[X] use 8 GSS (4 free GSS + 4 paid GSS) and 12 free YSS
-[X] use high pills (35 YSS (14x25 RSS))
-[X] EPC to Spiritual Cultivation
-[X] Physical x3
-[X] Spiritual x4
-[X] Jobs x3
-[X] Meridian Openings x2 (Head, Lung) (Leg, Head)
-[X] ENM x1
-[X] PLR x1
-[X] CDE x2
-[X] TRF x1
-[X] SCS x1
-[X] Moon Quest x1
-[X] Xiao Fen tutoring x1
-[X] equip CDE and ENM
-[X] unequip AC

This plan gets us ENM1 and the meridian to equip it. It trains PLR once instead of twice, but training it once or twice has the same result unless lucky (getting us PLR3, not quite PLR4), and it gives up on exploration. Considering we are doing moon quest this turn, I think ENM might already see some work out.

[X] Skill plan: Help with more finesse

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I really like ENM and this plan gives it to us with very few sacrifices.

[X]Plan: Stealth is fine too
[X] Skill plan: Help with more finesse

So if we are going to do ENM might as well do it right. Needs Dex and Fade. I'll submit to the Dex hordes but I'm keeping my Presence

[X]Plan: Stealth is fine too
[X] Skill plan: Frost Backstab +10d6
-[x] Dexterity x4*, Presence x4*, Composure x1*, Sable Grace x3** (Double cost)
-[x] Fortitude x4*, Dance x4**, Fade* x4, Government x2, Academics x1**, Athletics x1** (Single cost)

This plan basically aims to give us all we need to be a good Rogue, backstabbing for high damage from stealth if need be. That needs both Dex and Presence. Dex/Presence also bot help make PLR good. Fade gets us ready for more spiritual attackers coming to the meta soon. Academics, Composure, Government, and Athletics are all on the cusp of leveling and trying to push over.

Oh, another thing I don't like about an explore this month is the narrative significance of the explore is going to be sucked away by the Moon Quest.

EDIT: Made it more correct and readable

EDIT2:

[] Skill plan: Renxiang needs Help that won't get wrecked by spiritual attacks!

This is also kind of fine but for Presence.

DeAnno said:

So if we are going to do ENM might as well do it right. Needs Dex and Fade. I'll submit to the Dex hordes but I'm keeping my Presence

[X]Plan: Stealth is fine too
[X] Skill plan: Frost Backstab +10d6
-[x] Dexterity x4**, Presence x4*, Composure x1*
-[x] Sable Grace x3**, Fortitude x4*, Dance x4**
-[x] Academics x1**, Government x2, Fade** x4, Athletics x1**

This plan basically aims to give us all we need to be a good Rogue, backstabbing for high damage from stealth if need be. That needs both Dex and Presence. Dex/Presence also bot help make PLR good. Fade gets us ready for more spiritual attackers coming to the meta soon. Academics, Composure, Government, and Athletics are all on the cusp of leveling and trying to push over.

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I'm not sure I like the idea of sacrificing Speech for Fade. How important is spiritual defense for us right now when we have Sixiang's dispels?

Also, we need Resolve to be as high as possible since successful dispels destroy our build. I'm not voting for any plan that doesn't have Resolve in it.

[X]Plan: Stealth is fine too
[X] Skill plan: Renxiang needs Help that won't get wrecked by spiritual attacks!

Huo Yuhao said:

How important is spiritual defense for us right now when we have Sixiang's dispels?

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Sixiang's dispels are great but depending on them universally to cover against Spiritual is a recipe for disaster if we leave it too long. They also don't do anything for Direct Damage Spiritual.

DeAnno said:

Sixiang's dispels are great but depending on them universally to cover against Spiritual is a recipe for disaster if we leave it too long. They also don't do anything for Direct Damage Spiritual.

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You know what also helps against that?

Resolve

[X]Plan: Stealth is fine too
[X] Skill plan: Help with more finesse

OneArmedYeti said:

To be fair, we have all of one dedicated movement art and one dedicated dodge art, and they happen to be the same art, while we have no art since dropping FZ (and really bwfore then) that focusing on bumping our likelyhood of moving before they Falcon Punch accross the stage.

I'm sure if we worked on it we could get the Techniques to make kiting work.

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Last thread we had 4 movement arts (FZ, SCS, PLR, AS), with 3 of them giving initiative, and 4 of them giving speed. We also had two breakthrough bonus to initiative. Most opponents had maybe 5 arts total, but this both meant we always lost initiative and we also couldn't make kiting work (unless we flew away).

Speed is a lie, and can't work even if you have twice as many movement arts as the opponent. Initiative is a lie if the opponent is supposed to be dangerous, because our advantage with initiative is too big.

Arkeus said:

[X] Skill plan: Renxiang needs Help that won't get wrecked by spiritual attacks!
-[x] Resolve x4*, Dexterity x4*
-[x] Sable Grace x3**, Fortitude x4*, Dance x4**, Fade x4*
-[x] Government x2, Speech x4

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Yeah, this is a good plan if we're training ENM. Would recommend.

So, now we dropping Exploration entirely.
'Tired sigh'
Good job people.

[X]Plan: Stealth is fine too
[X] Skill plan: Renxiang needs Help that won't get wrecked by spiritual attacks!

Was waiting here, not voting, till someone came up with a turn plan I was actually excited about. Stealth ho!

Erebeal said:

Yeah, this is a good plan if we're training ENM. Would recommend.

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This sacrifices Athletics, which seems to only affect Speed, in addition to Academics and Composure, neither of which seem to have combat applications, for Fade. This might hurt our social skills slightly but the tradeoff definitely seems worth it. I recommend everyone who voted for "Help with more finesse" to switch their vote to this. Remember that you can approval vote as well.

Also, as Erebeal says below, there's a good chance we pick up Athletics anyway.

[X]Plan: Stealth is fine too
[X] Skill plan: Renxiang needs Help that won't get wrecked by spiritual attacks!
[X] Skill plan: Help with more finesse

Edit: It seems like we can approval vote since Arkeus did. I prefer the original "Renxiang needs Help!" over "Frost Backstab +10d6" though.

Arkeus said:

Last thread we had 4 movement arts (FZ, SCS, PLR, AS), with 3 of them giving initiative, and 4 of them giving speed. We also had two breakthrough bonus to initiative. Most opponents had maybe 5 arts total, but this both meant we always lost initiative and we also couldn't make kiting work (unless we flew away).

Speed is a lie, and can't work even if you have twice as many movement arts as the opponent. Initiative is a lie if the opponent is supposed to be dangerous, because our advantage with initiative is too big.

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All fair points, though if I were the type to engage in nit picking I might point out that even when we had all 4 of those, 1-3 of PLR, ASt, and FZ were under leveled compared to our kit/outdated.

I more or less agree that speed is minimally important and that initiative is lacklustre.

In fact, the only initiative focused art I would consider is one hybrided with defense that allows some sort of "Yes, but I also do this" in response to an alpha strike, or even "yes, but I first do this defensive thing" if we out class the opposition.

Huo Yuhao said:

This sacrifices Athletics,

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Well, we're only one off from C there. There's good odds we'll pick up a free point from idk scout training or an event or something anyway.

[X]Plan: Stealth is fine too
[X] Skill plan: Renxiang needs Help that won't get wrecked by spiritual attacks!

[X]Plan: Moon and Snakes
[X] Skill plan: Renxiang needs Help!

stealth stealth stealth stealth

[X]Plan: Stealth is fine too
[X] Skill plan: Renxiang needs Help that won't get wrecked by spiritual attacks!

[X]Plan: Stealth is fine too
[X] Skill plan: Renxiang needs Help that won't get wrecked by spiritual attacks!

[X]Plan: Stealth is fine too
[X] Skill plan: Help with more finesse

Oh, forgot to vote.

I like the leading vote, but though I don't want to give up Exploration, I like scouting out ENM and I think it would make us more useful tutoring for LilSnek, and stay one step ahead of "bah, Honored Cousin thought you could do my job, you're barely better than I am now at it.

[X]Plan: Stealth is fine too
[X] Skill plan: Help with more finesse
[X] Skill plan: Renxiang needs Help that won't get wrecked by spiritual attacks!

tryrar said:

[X]Plan: Stealth is fine too
[X] Skill plan: Help with more finesse

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I'd recommend approval voting for "Renxiang needs Help that won't get wrecked by spiritual attacks!" as well if you would prefer it over the other skill plans.

[X]Plan: Stealth is fine too
[X] Skill plan: Help with more finesse
[X] Skill plan: Renxiang needs Help that won't get wrecked by spiritual attacks!

[X]Plan: Stealth is fine too

Anything that gets Ling Qi to avoid forgetting about stealth for 5 more months.