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A Simple Transaction I

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I was being a bit indecisive, but then I realised something: Sealing Protocol Level I strongly boosts all of Gisena's Graces, including True Nullity. True Nullity is the Grace that lets her mitigate our Curses. So Amazing Grace could power up Gisena, partially repair Hunger's sword, and further mitigate both Apocryphal and Decimation.

[X] Amazing Grace
[X] Gisena
 
ReaderOfFate said:
As a sidenote, for those who are voting for Aeira because of the +??? Mystery Box,

In addition to the other bonuses, Adorie's pick has a mystery box too.

Outside of that, doubled blink-dodging time for boosted Nightmare Flight really shouldn't be underestimated in its usefulness in combat, tbh.

Also, EFBs that compound on EFBs are stronger than ordinary EFBs, which combined with the fact that Companion EFBs are disproportionately strong compared to normal EFBs, and the tremendous amount of Adorie +s that we had to gather to unlock this*, it means this could be some serious stuff. Oath of Winter was already great, so this is honestly quite exciting.

*We currently have 22-23 Adorie +s, and this would bring it to 25-26. Looks like 25 is the threshold for Companion EFB #2, then.

EDIT:
Might as well sum up the effort that was required to gather these pluses to give some perspective.

(Spent 25 Arete) Tears of Winter: Adorie +++++
Picked Oblique Means: Adorie ++
Took Adorie along for the Augustine fight: Adorie +, possibly ++.
Regency: Adorie +
Consolidate Power: Adorie ++
(Spent 28 Arete on her EFB) Myth and Legend: Adorie +++
(Spent Heroic Upgrade) Heroic Upgrade: The Tears of Winter: King of Winter: Adorie: +++++++
Evening Chill Adorie Social: Adorie +

As you can see, that's a lot of prep-work in order to fulfill the requirements for this EFB, which implies good things about its potency.
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Yeah, but we're definitely going to be doing and unlocking mountains of cool stuff for Adorie given how central she is to our mission and her power and the voter bases like of her, which makes senses gives she's pretty great, whereas it's pretty rare to get the voter base to care about Aeira options and finding something neat for her here might actually help with that.
 
ReaderOfFate said:
That's a pretty high expenditure, to put it lightly, so calling it easy is simply misleading.
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Yes and no. Of the last... ~35 updates, we've had like seven vote options that grant Adorie pluses, and usually several at once. They tend to come free with King of Winter related upgrades, which are powerful enough that we want them anyway. We don't have to go out of the way to boost her social link, especially since socializing with her can grant Sign bonuses.
Adorie plusses are comparatively cheap, is what I'm saying.
 
[X] Always Forward
[X] Plowshares to Swords
[X] Adorie
[X] Armor of Midnight

As ever, I'm opposed to Gisena and Grace options primarily focused around powering her up, they just don't contribute sufficiently towards Hunger's own progression in my opinion and that Amazing Grace actually costs two options is even worse. Repairing the Blade is super important but so is making use of the Realm of Evening effectively and giving up the opportunity to either farm combat picks or develop crafting skill isn't appealing to me. That Make Whole only partially repairs the Blade is also a little concerning.

It's pretty important that we lean into Always Forward while we can, building up the experience to maximize its utility in the last week in the Realm of Evening. If we'd like to tailor a fight to drop a specific pick, that seems fairly necessary.

I'm voting for Adorie over Aeira for purely pragmatic reasons, Adorie's effects have already been shown to have great effective value due to significantly enhancing Hunger's Praxis stamina and eventually unlocking a second Adorie EFB is useful. In particular, a second companion EFB is a long-term goal and doesn't actually necessitate we spend Arete now at this crucial juncture. If we somehow unlock Aeira's EFB here and have to spend Arete for it now, we'll be jeopardizing Hunger's own progression instead.

I remember True Shadowcord being picked up purely to buff Aeira and that resulted in very little meaningful effect to her importance in the team at the cost of 7 Arete. That we have to invest further to make her a Sorceress or otherwise just doesn't really intrigue me.

My position has always been that I'm not interested in investing in companions, purely because it only opens more avenues of expense for other characters besides Hunger. I'm not even particularly keen on spending Arete on Adorie options either but hey, she offered the thread benefits much too useful to ignore.

I wouldn't be mad if Aeira wins, since I do think the Evening plotline connection is interesting and would also like to see attention equally divided amongst our companions, but we really need to maximize RoE training time and value before the Apocryphal Curse plunges us headlong into some absurd conflict. And we really need every bit of Arete we can get to do that.
 
[X] Always Forward
[X] Plowshares to Swords

[X] Aeira
[X] Nightmare Flight

-e

My reasoning for the week picks are that I'm satisfied with the idea of merely subjecting the Realm of Evening to 'infertility' for a few hours, compared to actively decimating it. My reasoninig for picking Aeira is because I genuinely do want to investigate whatever connection there is between her Element and the Realm since maybe it will lead us to Inksky. Deluge because it also helps us handle finishing off a HM target once we're out of the Realm.
 
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Kurowari said:
I remember True Shadowcord being picked up purely to buff Aeira and that resulted in very little meaningful effect to her importance in the team at the cost of 7 Arete. That we have to invest further to make her a Sorceress or otherwise just doesn't really intrigue me.
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We never got True Shadowcord. We got Shadow Mastery, which unlocked True Shadowcord/Threnody Sorceress, then didn't take many if any measures to invest in our party's capabilities afterwards as we outscaled them.
 
[X] Always Forward
[X] Plowshares to Swords
[X] Adorie
[X] Armor of Midnight

I wouldn't necessarily pick Adorie here, but taking her with Armor of Midnight is so blatantly unfair that I don't see anything else to do. We can hang around her and double pre-cast AoM at very low Rank Cost and then just strategically deploy it later for free!

Plowshares because I do think it's necessary. Always Forward because I would like Ruling Ring, and we can also finally finish Fisher King to deal with Decimation coming due.
 
[X] Always Forward
[X] Plowshares to Swords
[X] Aeira
[X] Nightmare Flight

It warms my heart, that the thread is selecting Aeira. Dread it, run from it, YA Aeira arrives all the same

EDIT: Also the +??? would pleasantly surprise you (I am tipping my hand a bit here but Rihaku won't mind)
 
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[X] Always Forward
[X] Plowshares to Swords
[X] Aeira
[X] Nightmare Flight

Aeria's the furthest behind, and this catches her up massively. And we know her power and the Evening Sky can be related, somehow, since we had the option to absorb her power into it when we first met. Also this is an interesting and not-particularly-risky mystery box. Unless the Realm of Evening is a trap, somehow, learning more about it will perhaps aid us in the future.

One of the picks we should get through always forward is the one to visit the realm every night, if possible. It's simply safer and can enable Hunger to heal even from things the Ring cannot.
 
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[X] Plowshares to Swords
[X] Sate the Hunger
[X] Aeira
[X] Armor of Midnight

Repairing the Blade is essential, full stop, if we take it into a confrontation with an armament as is, we die.

I would rather take grace development here, I want that so bad, but we need the blade, and we need to sate our Hunger, &%#@'^$* Comfy, if we hadn't taken that we could have gotten sated and the graces capable of resurrection/blade fixing....

I'm not fond of the pink menace, too much progress down her path feels like getting railroaded into pure eleven waifu again, and I'd rather save our Arete for something else then another companion EFB.

Anyway, if I cant get graces buy hook, I'll try by crook, Aeira has a possible sorceress advancement waiting in the wings, lets go for it.

As for the sign buff, for me Armor is a no brainier, it takes what is a very situational buff, and makes it one we can proc if ambushed, we need that.
 
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Sharkey_smt said:
[citation needed] about Graces repairing sword. Make Whole wont work on Blade
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Make Whole + Sealing Protocol Level I (The Grace of the Glaze) - A powerful repair/resurrection Grace paired with control over the Maiden's first-level Sealing Protocol, and thus the authority to unbind it. Strongly empowers all of Gisena's other Graces (True Nullity, True Perfecting Blade, etc), unlocks Sealing Protocol Level II (may not be as easy to develop), and the upgraded Make Whole can be used to resurrect someone, or partially repair the Forebear's Blade with a guarantee of success.
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Dark Lord Bob said:
It's hard to say how they compare without knowing the exact odds, but the Sword option offers progress in repairing the Sword based on dice rolls, whereas Graces can give a guarantee of partially repairing the sword.
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When I posted my vote I was unaware that the thread was willing to permanently diminish the realm of evening, I still think that's a possibly short sighted decision, but if two slots are available, that does change some things, I'll have to think on it.
 
[X] Always Forward
[X] Plowshares to Swords
[X] Aeira
[X] Nightmare Flight

I was resigning myself to a very sad Hunger Sated vote, but the thread surprised me!
I doubt the sated target will be as readily available and clean a kill outside as it would be in the Realm of Evening, but for twelve picks made of one-and-two picks I'm OK with that.

Edit: Corrected my nomenclature, as Garlak helpfully pointed out.
 
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Duquette7 said:
but we need the blade, and we need to sate our Hunger
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Taking Always Forward means getting Fisher King, and thus an alternative to inflicting Decimation on the world.
Duquette7 said:
When I posted my vote I was unaware that the thread was willing to permanently diminish the realm of evening, I still think that's a possibly short sighted decision, but if two slots are available, that does change some things, I'll have to think on it.
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I don't know what you mean by "if two slots are available". The Graces option takes up both slots. In exchange, one of the options of it can partially heal the sword with no roll; but it still can't do anything for Decimation.

Always Forward manages Decimator's, via Grail Keeper from Fisher King. It's painful and sucks, but nobody gets Decimated at least. We also get 10 more Picks.

Plowshares to Swords gives a roll on repairing the sword.

And also makes progress into bringing parts of the Realm's crafting stuff online. Could be repairing Versch, could be other stuff, could be we'll be lucky and can recreate the Elixir Springs here (I sure hope so!).

Graces give you Graces. But no Picks, and no Decimation management.
Fumbles said:
I doubt the sated target will be as readily available and clean a kill outside as it would be in the Realm of Evening, but for twelve two-picks I'm OK with that.
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It's just 12 picks, total. Twelve 1-picks or six 2-picks, or in whatever combination adding up to 12 total. We are, sadly, picking what we do for the rest of the 2 weeks now. And can't double up on options. :(

I don't remember if Ruling Ring requires 1 pick or zero picks, and if Super Juggernaut Undead Chimera requires 1 pick or zero. Either way, those could theoretically be on the docket, maybe, with Picks.
 
Garlak said:
I don't remember if Ruling Ring requires 1 pick or zero picks, and if Super Juggernaut Undead Chimera requires 1 pick or zero. Either way, those could theoretically be on the docket, maybe, with Picks.
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They're both 1 picks, IIRC, though I think that SJUC has the option to be panic-bought for zero in the run up to major fight?
 
Worth considering: we have 28 Arete. FK + EFB costs 37.

FK is asking for a nonzero effort from the miners, to avoid sacrificing SJUC


Aabcehmu said:
They're both 1 picks, IIRC, though I think that SJUC has the option to be panic-bought for zero in the run up to major fight?
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I don't think so. It takes a pick like most default blurbs.
 
I'll post another chapter of Tip of the Tongue before next week, which should hopefully help just a bit. I forget when the CYOA special ends.
 
Time For ANALYSIS:

So far in the Realm of Evening, we have gained...

1 Mental Stability(Bringing us back to where we were pre cursebearer's strain once the part Adorie couldn't mitigate wears off.
1 Letrezia Loyalty Point and Imperial Data
1 Adorie Loyalty Point and the Sign Augmentation vote we've got right now
2 Aobaru Loyalty Points and 2 Aobaru Power points
1 Gisena Loyalty Point.


0. Repayment of Nilfel for Platinum taken - We still have not sanctified the essence or put mundane platinum in the fonts if we need to do that still. I'm not sure anything but Uberscience Gisena unlocks new routes/alternatives.

1. Decimators Affliction management - We've got Sate the Hunger, and if we don't take it, we need to deal with the moral implications of a brief cosmic scale decimation. Fisher King from Always Forward is a form of Decimation mitigation.

2. Dealing with Aobaru's Terminator - We can vote for Training Aobaru, whether as a write-in for what to do with the Realm of Evening or as our Social pick this round(Another 2 Aobaru Loyalty letting him get more out of Undying Vanguard, combined with 3 more Aobaru power points that won't put him in Hunger's weight class but might get him more time in the event of unforseen incidents/make him a somewhat harder target). Always Forward may yield companion oriented picks if we have the willingness to take them. Make Whole may work for rezzing Aobaru in the event of his death(I don't know this is speculation).

3. Getting Letrezia out of the Voyaging Realm - The Nightmare Flight upgrade improves travel logistics. Uberscience Gisena could also perhaps make contributions.

4. Getting ourself/Aeira/Aobaru out of the Voyaging Realm - The Nightmare Flight upgrade improves travel logistics. Uberscience Gisena could also perhaps make contributions.

5. Conquering the Human Sphere - Always Forward may yield useful picks. Without fixing our Sword we're going to need a far more subtle approach to conquest then we usually use that draws more on our companions abilities(Not necessarily bad from a narrative standpoint). Like... you know how we decided to call ourselves Adorie's bodyguards for the Enemy Confusion? If we don't repair the sword we're going to need to lean into that. I wouldn't mind personally. Gisena's Graces would also have the potential to be extremely useful from a conquest standpoint. Getting Adorie Combat training has the potential to be extremely useful from a conquest standpoint. Upgrading Vershclengorge's Coordination or our ability to coordinate with Verschlengorge would be useful from a Conquest standpoint. Social Linking Aeira improves her relevance on high level battlefields by making her tankier (Loyalty 2 to Loyalty 7) and provides a Mystery Box. The Armor of Midnight upgrade may be useful from a combat standpoint.

6. Successful Odds of Vengeance/Avoiding Death by Epilogue - Another round of Evening Chill takes us to an even better headspace than we had before Cursebearer's Strain. That seems like it would count for something.

7. Ruling Well - No obvious insights.

8. Curse Mitigation - Upgrading Gisena's Graces is progress to stage 3 mitigation. Sate the Hunger is needed if we are unwilling to subject people to a brief period of Decimation. Fisher King from Always Forward is a form of Decimation Mitigation.

Edit: Word Count = 544 Words
 
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Zampano said:
Worth considering: we have 28 Arete. FK + EFB costs 37.

FK is asking for a nonzero effort from the miners, to avoid sacrificing SJUC
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Eh, "somewhat over 28.9" is basically 29 Arete. So we'd need to make 8 Arete over the next one-and-a-half or 2 updates. I say the next 1.5 to 2, because if we pick Always Forward, the next is either going to be an update proper or a quasi-update where we select our Picks. (And probably select our results from Plowshares or other things like Socials if applicable too.) So... 4 Arete per update. While benefiting from 20% CYOA-related-omakes bonus, and I think the doubled-arete-for-December bonus. That's... decently doable probably.
Conjured Blade said:
1. Decimators Affliction management - We've got Sate the Hunger, and if we don't take it, we need to deal with the moral implications of a brief cosmic scale decimation.
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Conjured Blade said:
8. Curse Mitigation - Upgrading Gisena's Graces is progress to stage 3 mitigation. Sate the Hunger is needed if we are unwilling to subject people to a brief period of Decimation.
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Hate to beat the same drum continuously but, if you're talking about hypotheticals or future possible actions, then, Fisher King is a Decimator's management/mitigation.
 
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