Gears War: A Dungeon Core Arena Quest

...8d1 defense is just a flat 8 defense for all intents and purposes... which isn't actually a bad thing, if it scales the way i think it is... it's 1d1 per Dragonfly, yeah? We might be able to do some silly shit with utterly ludicrous quantity of defense-focused monsters per swarm...
 
...8d1 defense is just a flat 8 defense for all intents and purposes... which isn't actually a bad thing, if it scales the way i think it is... it's 1d1 per Dragonfly, yeah? We might be able to do some silly shit with utterly ludicrous quantity of defense-focused monsters per swarm...
Someone understand the strong advantage of swarms. They are extremely consistent in attack and defense
 
Small update of the day: I did the stats for your creatures, that are the following:
Large Swarm of Tiny creatures, Noosphere
HP: 32
MP: 32
Attack: 8d4
Defense: 8d1
Traits:
- Swarm: This creature is made by two Small creatures, so each time it loses enoug HP to drop a creature (4 HP), reduce MP, Attack and Defense by consequence.
- Evasive: During the first combat round, increase the size of the Defensive Dice to a d2.
- Mind Reaper: This creature has a greater Attack Dice size.
Skills:
- Memory Munch: Roll 2D6. On a 7-9: Add another Attack Dice to your attack. On a 10+: Add two Attack dice to your attack. 4 Mana
And I wrote the initial part.
just minor nitpick, but i thought its a medium swarm of tiny creatures?
the number of them (8) is accurate but the swarm is marked as large and the creatures that make up its size as small in the swarm trait.
 
just minor nitpick, but i thought its a medium swarm of tiny creatures?
the number of them (8) is accurate but the swarm is marked as large and the creatures that make up its size as small in the swarm trait.
Ops, my mistake. The size (Large) is wrong and there's an extra trait that I need to remove.
 
Daily update:
I should have fixed the minion sheet of the Dragonflies and I worked a little bit more on the update. Hope to get more done tomorrow so to start fixing the draft and publish the update this week.
 
Update of the day: The draft has been sent to Nigerian for betareading, we'll iron out the last mistakes and I'll post the new update.
 
III - A Host of Dragonflies
[X] Plan: Scout's Honor!
-[X] Create a Minion
--[x] noosphere
--[x] medium swarm
--[x] 8 tiny dragonflies with hivemind and telepathy strong enough to use offensively.
-[X] Repair your mana tubes (tier I): Increase mana generation from +4 to +6

You have many ideas for your first minion, two related to Noosphere and one related to Holy. After some thoughts, you decide that your best opening would be offensive scout, agile enough to not be splat at the first attack yet dangerous enough to overcome the opponent.
Your long, spider like arms moved quickly toward the ethereal sphere on your back, extracting thin filaments that you start weaving into what looked like a small insect, a dragonfly. Everything starts with the small body, then the wings and, at the end, you cloned from the prototype all the creatures. After confirming your work with certain satisfaction, you complete the creation, breathing life into the husks.
After few seconds, the host of dragonflies start flying around you, moving their wing synchronized.
"Oh, finally" One of them "speaks", with a high-pitched voice and a fast pace.
"We live again" Another continue the previous phrase.
"Time to serve the Automata"
"Time to consume the minds of your enemies"
"So much time has passed"
"But we'll serve, as usual"

You look at them with curiosity, "So, you remember your past incarnations?"
"We come from the Noosphere" One answers.
"We recall what happened, what's happening, and we have glimpse of what could happen" The pitch is gleeful, before becoming sad. "Unfortunately,"
"The rule of the Arena prohibit us to talk about what we see"
"But don't worry, we'll find information that you can use"
"Or we'll consume your enemies" This one was so cheerful that was a bit unnerving.
"Which are also our enemies"

They flew around you, joyous. It was strange to talk with them, but apparently the Arena stop them from reveal to you information that you don't have access to. A pity. While the Dragonflies were talking to each other - or themselves, you don't know exactly-, you use your remaining time of the day to assembly mechanical replacement to your damage mana circuits and pipes.
More mana would be helpful in fighting your enemies and having more resource it's always a good course of action. So, you used the aspects provided to you to create replacements and the reparations look ... not great, but you could improve it later, with more mana like the extra one already flowing inside.
Some pieces were golden like the Holy mana, while the electrical sparks of the Lightning fused with the normal electrical sparks of the circuits. The Noosphere mana was not very suited for direct reparation, but it gave you glimpse to perform a better work. Not bad for the first day of activity.



"I wasn't expecting them to do the same type of creatures, of course. But completely different in numbers and shapes?" Lukas pointed at one of the monitors.
"Wouldn't be an interesting fight if they were playing the same things." Zalatar answers, before returning to his terminal.
"Yeah, but don't you think that things will be quite unbalanced? Like, do you see this monstrosity? I don't think none of them can fight against it."
"Sure, but according to the parameters, he just spent everything on that minion. It's all or nothing for him."
"As you say, Zal. Plus, what these things are supposed to be? Flying worms?"
"They are called "Dragonflies". I saw them in an old book. Maybe the Farmers have seen them in flesh?"
"Perhaps. What do you think about the others?"
"One of them decided that strength was in numbers. The other ... is kind of underwhelming? I think all the other Cores can kick his ass, so I hope he has a plan. Or maybe he's just playing weak to distract the others."
"Uhm. There will be always people betting on the underdog, so good for us" Lukas was gleeful in that moment.
"Better to not overwork them: some of them started repairing, but better to take things slowly, don't you agree?"

Lukas nods, before turning on the microphone: "Okay guys, I'll leave the rest of days so that you can charge your batteries again. We'll back tomorrow morning and the day after, our boss will be here to see you fighting. Hope you'll put on a nice show for him".
Then he closes the channel. "Zal, do you think that they sleep or what?" The blonde man shrugged, "Does it matter?"




The next day

While Zalatar and Lukas were trying to exit their room, the landlord - an old lady with unkept grey hair - intercept them.
"Listen, if it's for the payment ..." Lukas tried to justify, but the lady waved her hand, dismissively.
"Yeah, I know. Your friend already paid. No, not this one. The other friend"
Lukas and Zalar exchanged a glare: "He was a tall man, with the eyes of two different colors?"
"No, the lady with the brown ponytail. She paid two weeks and was quite clear that if I tried to charge you again, I won't own a building anymore. And she was dead serious. Scared the shit out of me"
"Yeah, she tends to do this to people" Lukas' laugh was clearly forced and, when the landlady was far enough, whispered to Zalatar,"I don't know anybody fitting the description. Do you?"
"Doesn't ring a bell" Zalatar shook his head.
"Great, so a menacing lady that we know nothing about decided to pay our room."
"Maybe she's working for Elarukh?".
Lukas stared at his friend, before exploding in a nervous laugh. "Elarukh paying two weeks? If it's true, then I have wings and I can fly away"
"It was just an idea, dude. The only thing we can do is wait for her."
"Yeah, I agree. Let's go to the Arena and see what they are doing." Lukas sighed, before checking that the door was closed.





You awake again and so does your dragonflies, which you are quite sure they wake up just a second before you, but they gleefully start buzzing around you.
"Testing, testing." Lukas was again opening the loudspeaker.
"I see that you and your creatures are awake. As we said, tomorrow our boss will be here, so today fighting is still forbidden, even with the ... how we are going to call these?"
"Neutrals? Critters?"
"I like critters. So, no fighting. You have white paper, and you can do whatever you want. Just be ready to show something to our boss, all right? Don't disappoint us".


[QM Note: Same rule: I deserve the right to ask for clarifications and other things.]
[Unfortunately Nigerian didn't answer, I think it's busy so this update is not proofreaded. If you notice some mistakes, please notify me so I can fix.]

You have 2 Actions and you CANNOT attack any creature. So only scout actions for minions.
Mana generation: +6 each turn
Mana pool: 12/12
Minion pool: 2/4

Minions are your way to directly fight and claim other rooms. You can always count on them. A Small Minion (or a Swarm of four Tiny creatures) costs 3 mana and occupy one slot, a Medium Minion costs 6 mana and occupy 2 slots, a Large Minion costs 12 mana and occupy 4 slots.
[ ] Create a Minion
-[ ] What element?
-[ ] What size?
-[ ] What is it?

You body is ruined by years and inactivity. Your mana tubes leaks. Your creature matrix is damaged. Your battery are half destroyed and some parts of your are still damaged.
You'll unlock more upgrades by unlocking all the upgrade of the same tier and, by completing a tier, you'll get one extra action.

[ ] Repair your mana tubes (tier II): Increase mana generation from +6 to +8. Costs 5 Mana
[ ] Repair your mana batteries (tieri I): Increase mana pool from 12 to 24
[ ] Repair your minion matrix (tier I): Increase your minion pool from 4 to 8
[ ] Repair your map tracker: Unlock the map of the whole Arena
[ ] Repair the message system: Unlock the option to talk with other Automata (if they pick this upgrade)
[ ] Repair your trap matrix: Unlock the option to put traps in your claimed rooms (they will cost mana).
[ ] Repair your enchantment matrix: Unlock the option to use spells (they will cost mana).
[ ] Repair your minion assembler: Unlock the possibility to have double elements on a minion (they will cost extra mana)

Yes, you cannot directly influence the arena: you'll need to rely on minions, traps and enchantments to do so. But you are still far from useless: you can scout other rooms before the fight begins.
[ ] Scout the room on your left (Room 14)
[ ] Scout the room on the left at the bottom of your room (Room 15)
[ ] Scout the room on the right at the bottom of your room (Room 19)

Your best way to act upon the Arena. Currently, you can scout, but tomorrow things will be different.
One action for each minion.

[] Scout a Room
-[] Pick a room (14, 15 or 19)
-[] Select a minion

[] Defend a Room
-[] Pick a room (17)
-[] Select a minion
[QM Note: You are clearly not going to be attacked this turn.]
[/SPOILER
 
[X] Plan: Guardian Angels
-[X] Create Minion
--[X] Holy element, Swarm of the same size/quantity as the Dragonflies. Defensive specialist fairies that can mingle with other Swarms to improve that Swarm's defenses, and add retributive damage equal to damage taken to the attack dice of themselves or a Swarm they're mingled with.
-[X] Repair Map Tracker
-[X] Scout (Dragonflies to 19)
 
Last edited:
[X] Plan: Guardian Angels
-[X] Create Minion
--[X] Holy element, Swarm of the same size/quantity as the Dragonflies. Small, defensive specialist fairies that can mingle with other Swarms to improve that Swarm's defenses, and add retributive damage equal to damage taken to the attack dice of themselves or a Swarm they're mingled with.
-[X] Repair Map Tracker
-[X] Scout (Dragonflies to 19, Fairies to 14)
Okay, hold on. A Minion can scout the turn after being created.
The minion is valid, I'll probably make the first part a trait and the second a skill, if you agree.
 
[X] Plan: Guardian Angels

Yeah, I wanted to scout out the all the rooms, this turn alas....

My other idea was to expand the minion number but that can wait.
 
@Abyssius can they create neutral minions? Like they could support or attack divers cause of either they're whim or how they do when being tested?
The closest things are the Arena Minions, the ones present in the unclaimed rooms. Basically, if you want the room, you need to take them down.
Since the Arena is built as a sort of game, they are your initial exp farm. Zalatar and Lukas refers to them in this update (they call them "Critters").
 
Vote closed
Scheduled vote count started by Abyssius on Nov 30, 2021 at 3:20 PM, finished with 14 posts and 4 votes.

  • [X] Plan: Guardian Angels
    -[X] Create Minion
    --[X] Holy element, Swarm of the same size/quantity as the Dragonflies. Defensive specialist fairies that can mingle with other Swarms to improve that Swarm's defenses, and add retributive damage equal to damage taken to the attack dice of themselves or a Swarm they're mingled with.
    -[X] Repair Map Tracker
    -[X] Scout (Dragonflies to 19)
 
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