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

[x] Train Wind Thief while wearing your Cai Dress (-0.2 multiplier. Dress Reaction)
Even if we ignore the morality of whether we should help a (probably) sapient being into this world or if we should instead focus on our skill i think the result remains the same:
From an objective point of view when deciding which of the Art or the Dress we should aim to permanently buff the most important part is how often we use each and which one are we going to outgrow the soonest.
I think it's pretty obvious that the Dress is going to last us for a good looong time, whereas the Art is probably going to be replaced in the next realm (Cyan iirc?) at the very latest.
As for how often we'll use each: we "use" the dress every single turn in combat.

[X] Train Wind Thief without your Cai Dress ( +0.2 multiplier, Art Bonus)

Inserted tally

[X] Train Wind Thief while wearing your Cai Dress (-0.2 multiplier. Dress Reaction)

[X] Train Wind Thief without your Cai Dress ( +0.2 multiplier, Art Bonus)

Well even if we train Wind Thief without the Cai Dress there is always Audacious Fairy's Lark for a possible dress reaction.

[X] Train Wind Thief while wearing your Cai Dress (-0.2 multiplier. Dress Reaction)

Probably not going to win and I can see the arguments for training without it, but I really want to see a Cai Dress arc at some point especially after it ate that hand.

Speaking of "Permanent Bonuses and How Long they'll Last" we can consider the Dress as our upcoming 4th spirit and LFWT as the SCS+ we were gifted in a ultra special protag moon dream when we weren't allowed to grab all three

I believe that LFWT is a strong candidate for Domain integration, and I suspect PLR or PLR+ will also among the first 3 integrated alongside the other two moons. Duno if the Art Bonus will be part of something integrated, but that's one way it can have a lasting impact.

Meanwhile, adding something to Dress-Chan while they are still forming is . . . probably a good thing. We can re-consult Lin Hai to see if it's a personality change, but honestly the hyper-selfish-possessive nature described by Lin Hai sounds very . . . familiar. I don't mind not placing Laughing Darkness into Dress-Chan and having to work it out later.

but also

having Dress-Chan be more Grinning Dark-Wind-Moon with Six being Dream-Wind-Moon means we only need one more starter to get all three ~pokemon~ Moon Aunties represented! That'd be awesome!



[] Train Wind Thief without your Cai Dress ( +0.2 multiplier, Art Bonus)


but it makes more IC sense to leave Dress-Chan behind for now and have to work it out with them later on. And it makes narrative sense as a sort of, similar arc playing out again?

[X] Train Wind Thief while wearing your Cai Dress (-0.2 multiplier. Dress Reaction)

but I actually want to see a different narrative arc. One where we try to be more mindful from the start and don't just do the same sort of "Best For Me Is Best. Don't rely on others."

but. Argh.
either is good. My personal preference is usually the more self-empowering non-reliant one but maybe we shouldn't do that again. And I'd love to influence our dark dress with Laughing Grinning energy <3 that's that good stuff.

Regarding Zhengui's whole issue with Ling Qi denying motherhood ... I'm not sure if this is even a good idea but ...
@yrsillar how hard would it be for Ling Qi to get permission to take Zhengui under the mountain to meet his imprisoned father?

[X] Train Wind Thief while wearing your Cai Dress (-0.2 multiplier. Dress Reaction)

The other option feels like a trap.

1) If the dress is going to react, then we want that to happen as soon as possible, and we want it to happen in a situation where we know it won't fundamentally threaten her safety. It's like a Heart Demon, except with a fundamental part of her defenses--and Heart Demons only get worse the longer you ignore them.

She's not going to use Wind Thief except when she's training or when she's in danger. I'd much rather roll the dice on danger in the former situation than the latter.

2) Even ignoring that, you should train in a situation representative of what you're training for. Ling Qi isn't going to be going into fights without her armor. Furthermore...

3) If it's difficult to use Wind Thief while wearing the dress (as the cultivation penalty implies), then that seems like it'd be good for developing basic competency. It's not going to be reflected in the numbers, no, but you grow stronger by pushing through resistance. Being actually technically skilled at Wind Thief seems really useful!

4) We don't need the cultivation bonus and we don't care about the cultivation penalty. If Yrsillar balanced this without first consulting Math Cabal spreadsheets (as I'd strongly expect), then he presumably balanced without realizing that "plans will 100% be met either way" figure--which means that with the cultivation bonuses and penalties eliminated, wearing the dress should be better, because it's intended to be better.

[X] Train Wind Thief while wearing your Cai Dress (-0.2 multiplier. Dress Reaction)

Anderein said:

3) If it's difficult to use Wind Thief while wearing the dress (as the cultivation penalty implies), then that seems like it'd be good for developing basic competency. It's not going to be reflected in the numbers, no, but you grow stronger by pushing through resistance. Being actually technically skilled at Wind Thief seems really useful!

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Uhh, the cultivation penalty is actually from the opposite: wearing a flying dress acting as a crutch while learning a flight art

mastigos said:

Uhh, the cultivation penalty is actually from the opposite: wearing a flying dress acting as a crutch while learning a flight art

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Yeah, and she's going to have to push through the instinctive urge to use the crutch, which means paying more conscious attention to managing to fly without it. That's more difficult than the alternative.

[X] Train Wind Thief while wearing your Cai Dress (-0.2 multiplier. Dress Reaction)

[X] Train Wind Thief without your Cai Dress ( +0.2 multiplier, Art Bonus)

[x] Train Wind Thief while wearing your Cai Dress (-0.2 multiplier. Dress Reaction)

[X] Train Wind Thief without your Cai Dress ( +0.2 multiplier, Art Bonus)

[X] Train Wind Thief without your Cai Dress ( +0.2 multiplier, Art Bonus)

[] Train Wind Thief without your Cai Dress ( +0.2 multiplier, Art Bonus)

Changed my mind if the dress maker didn't dare to alter her self then I'm disinclined to do so as well.
Poor girl probably wouldn't be able to help it, there'd just be more of what she is so it'd be involuntary to absorb it from us

[X] Train Wind Thief while wearing your Cai Dress (-0.2 multiplier. Dress Reaction)

Excuse me, hang on a second, now far be it from me to interrupt this lovely bit of community questing (especially since I still owe Yrs two seals), but have we gotten to the point where we saltily religitate the previous turns vote?

Because I think that everyone that voted for [choice I disagreed with] literally steal candy from children, and they should make an accounting for themselves, and justify their candy-stealing-esque choices!

You have all shown your colours and I want to hear what you have to say for yourselves.

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Edit: Serous business done, I'd like to add that I am personally more interested having a better Art to use than I am in starting our "Dress Arc" at this time, regardless of the multipliers.

Something to keep in mind is the dress was designed by a Peak Indigo to adapt to her user, then empowered by a sliver of a White realm crafter's work, and the dress's most potent effect is intrinsically linked to flight and movement.

It basically doesn't even make sense for skipping this opportunity to actually be a missed opportunity. The dress should adapt to the fact of our use of the art regardless.

This is a silly vote, imo.