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Against the Night (Mass Effect post-cycle AU)

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Ooook, why aren't we training our biotics? It's arguably our greatest physical asset, and yet we are training with mundane weapons? That's kind of absurd.

So this plan still focuses on not fatiguing Nylaria by doing fewer actions, but concentrating on the ones that arguably have the most value for difficulty. Moreover, pairing examine biotics and examine self seems like a sensible combo.

Biotics is, indisputably our most valuable defensive and offensive ability. With it, we don't need weapons, we don't need kinetic barriers, we don't need armor. We are so powerful that we can shrug off tank rounds like it is nothing. Let's train this up, rather than the skills for guns that we can't replicate and batons that are so much less useful than our biotics it's hilarious. If that gun breaks we are fucked. If that baton breaks we are shit out of luck. We will never be without our biotics, ever.

Edit: I feel I should add that biotics is also a useful ability for heavy labor. I dunno if it could be useful for delicate tasks if we work at it enough.

[X] Plan: Basic Biotic
-[X] Examine Pod: Your pod has a large number of systems that are now active. Given your initial exploration occurred when the power was out, exploring and learning to use its systems more thoroughly may be a good idea. (Difficulty: None) (Will reveal one-three of the systems present on your pod per use. You may choose to focus on a particular system you've already encountered to guarantee learning about it.)
-[X] Analyze Samples: You took a wide variety of plant samples from the treeline. Analysing them to see if any are edible- or dangerous- will take some extra time. You really hope at least one proves edible, though, you were pretty sick of MREs by the first week. (Difficulty: Moderate)(Cost: 5 AP) (will reveal if there's any notable plants in your immediate area, edible or not.)
-[X] Examine Self: you know that your physiology has been greatly enhanced compared to a baseline Asari. Perhaps a basic examination using the medbay could give you a better idea of just how much. (Difficulty: Easy)(unlocks upgrade options for medbay)
-[X] Biotic Control: your Biotics are much more potent than the training imbued by your flash-education anticipated by several orders of magnitude. The result is that you require considerable concentration to use them without causing considerable collateral damage or even destroying something you might not want to. Worse, it will be incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to learn the more advanced techniques without getting a better handle on your powers. (Difficulty: Hard) (Cost: 40 AP) (will allow training in advanced biotic skills)
 
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pbluekan said:
Ooook, why aren't we training our biotics? It's arguably our greatest physical asset, and yet we are training with mundane weapons? That's kind of absurd.

So this plan still focuses on not fatiguing Nylaria by doing fewer actions, but concentrating on the ones that arguably have the most value for difficulty. Moreover, pairing examine biotics and examine self seems like a sensible combo.

Biotics is, indisputably our most valuable defensive and offensive ability. With it, we don't need weapons, we don't need kinetic barriers, we don't need armor. We are so powerful that we can shrug off tank rounds like it is nothing. Let's train this up, rather than the skills for guns that we can't replicate and batons that are so much less useful than our biotics it's hilarious. If that gun breaks we are fucked. If that baton breaks we are shit out of luck. We will never be without our biotics, ever.

[X] Plan: Basic Biotic
-[X] Examine Pod: Your pod has a large number of systems that are now active. Given your initial exploration occurred when the power was out, exploring and learning to use its systems more thoroughly may be a good idea. (Difficulty: None) (Will reveal one-three of the systems present on your pod per use. You may choose to focus on a particular system you've already encountered to guarantee learning about it.)
-[X] Analyze Samples: You took a wide variety of plant samples from the treeline. Analysing them to see if any are edible- or dangerous- will take some extra time. You really hope at least one proves edible, though, you were pretty sick of MREs by the first week. (Difficulty: Moderate)(Cost: 5 AP) (will reveal if there's any notable plants in your immediate area, edible or not.)
-[X] Examine Self: you know that your physiology has been greatly enhanced compared to a baseline Asari. Perhaps a basic examination using the medbay could give you a better idea of just how much. (Difficulty: Easy)(unlocks upgrade options for medbay)
-[X] Biotic Control: your Biotics are much more potent than the training imbued by your flash-education anticipated by several orders of magnitude. The result is that you require considerable concentration to use them without causing considerable collateral damage or even destroying something you might not want to. Worse, it will be incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to learn the more advanced techniques without getting a better handle on your powers. (Difficulty: Hard) (Cost: 40 AP) (will allow training in advanced biotic skills)
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You can do 2 more actions
 
LordEdric said:
[X] Plan Basics

For the battery bank, we can build a small one and upgrade it later right?
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essentially true, though it'll mostly be a matter of 'build new building, move batteries from old building into new building, fill remain space with new batteries' unless you simply build another one whole-cloth. and in all honestly, you're probably going to want to upgrade to a Fission or Fusion plant of some sort once you've got the ability to actually make one, Solar might be cheap, but panels use up quite a bit of space and only work when it's actually sunny out. and, youknow, suffer the same problem of any system who's efficiency/output is directly proportional to its surface area, namely, it's more likely to get hit by stuff, accidental or not.
Fission piles, or at least the sort that the Alliance used, are quite costly to build, mostly in the shielding, but cost basically nothing after that. Fusion plants need hydrogen to do their thing, but again, literally the most common element in the universe, if you couldn't find or make Hydrogen something has gone very, very wrong.
You could also do hydroelectric or wind or even classic combustion, though Geothermal's out due to your landing zone being pretty much dead center of the local tectonic plate, but you've got safe, reliable Fission and cost-effective Fusion power, so why would you? the only reason the Alliance bothers with Solar is because it's dead simple, cheap as hell, and work basically anywhere.

@pbluekan : The weapons you have aren't replicable, no. That's more a matter of it not being cost effective, though, rather than not being possible. both are heavily customized, hand-built pieces of equipment with nary an off-the-shelf part or standardized line of code to be found, it's simply impractical to do anything beyond maintaining them.

That doesn't mean you don't have other guns though. In fact, you have a decent selection of rather nice guns. and training Armed combat applies to things like improvised weapons, which means you'll have a lot better idea how to hit someone over the head with a broomstick if that happens to be the only thing at hand... and while you may not thing that would do much, the sheer incredulity of whoever you just hit could buy you a second or two for something a bit ore effective.

as for Biotics: yes, you're an absurdly powerful biotic, and relying on a biotic barrier would (once you've improved your general skill with it anyway) let you "shrug off tank rounds"...
...but one asshole tossing a Warp attack at you and you'll be both exposed and, if not wearing good enough armor, probably flat on your ass with moderate concussive injuries. and, youknow, you actually have to be able to keep the thing up while in the middle of a firefight, which is not as easy as it sounds.
Biotics are not necessarily an "I win" button, even if you (eventually) and your strongest descendants can throw down battlefield-scale effects.

Finally, just because you can go without armor doesn't mean you should, not only does it extend your capabilities (most armors you start with include zero-g maneuvering thrusters, for example) but it's one more thing between you and any potential magic BB, one more layer of defense that has to be defeated to actually injure you. And while some schmuck with a dinky little Predator would find their shots just bouncing off, a more substantial weapon like say a Revenant or a Widow would give even your armored skin serious problems. You might have structures that mitigate things like hydrostatic shock, but it still happens.
 
Mechanis said:
Solar might be cheap, but panels use up quite a bit of space and only work when it's actually sunny out. and, youknow, suffer the same problem of any system who's efficiency/output is directly proportional to its surface area, namely, it's more likely to get hit by stuff, accidental or not.
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This statement seems odd to me. Even with just our real life examples, we can make glass and glass-like substances incredibly durable. Everyone knows about Gorilla Glass, of course, which is still being refined and perfected even now. But if you want to get really ridiculous, look up AlON. That's AL, not Ai, but it's actually a chemical notation so the L is properly un-capitalized.

These are not trivial substances to make, but with molecular assembly like we have - even our omni-tool does this, if on a smaller scale - our solar panels should be functionally indestructible barring direct military contact.

Not that solar is nessecarily the way to go on its own. A fusion plant beside a river or lake to electrolyze for hydrogen should net us functionally infinite power, and of course other power supplies that aren't reliant on clear and sunny days would be a good idea to diversify with even if we didn't have nuclear as an option. But panels are easy and nearly zero maintenance, so they should be easy enough to spam in the interm.

Bonus: jungles are hot, and solar panels provide shade by necessity.
 
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Mechanis said:
@pbluekan : The weapons you have aren't replicable, no. That's more a matter of it not being cost effective, though, rather than not being possible. both are heavily customized, hand-built pieces of equipment with nary an off-the-shelf part or standardized line of code to be found, it's simply impractical to do anything beyond maintaining them.

That doesn't mean you don't have other guns though. In fact, you have a decent selection of rather nice guns. and training Armed combat applies to things like improvised weapons, which means you'll have a lot better idea how to hit someone over the head with a broomstick if that happens to be the only thing at hand... and while you may not thing that would do much, the sheer incredulity of whoever you just hit could buy you a second or two for something a bit ore effective.

as for Biotics: yes, you're an absurdly powerful biotic, and relying on a biotic barrier would (once you've improved your general skill with it anyway) let you "shrug off tank rounds"...
...but one asshole tossing a Warp attack at you and you'll be both exposed and, if not wearing good enough armor, probably flat on your ass with moderate concussive injuries. and, youknow, you actually have to be able to keep the thing up while in the middle of a firefight, which is not as easy as it sounds.
Biotics are not necessarily an "I win" button, even if you (eventually) and your strongest descendants can throw down battlefield-scale effects.

Finally, just because you can go without armor doesn't mean you should, not only does it extend your capabilities (most armors you start with include zero-g maneuvering thrusters, for example) but it's one more thing between you and any potential magic BB, one more layer of defense that has to be defeated to actually injure you. And while some schmuck with a dinky little Predator would find their shots just bouncing off, a more substantial weapon like say a Revenant or a Widow would give even your armored skin serious problems. You might have structures that mitigate things like hydrostatic shock, but it still happens.
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Absolutely! Not disputing any of that. But my point was more that these things require resources and training in the here and now, and for the next few decades. Biotics requires training, which is a necessity regardless, and is more versatile. So biotics and the training of it, is more useful right
 
[X] Plan: Basic Biotic

I'm in agreement with the plan but for slightly different reasons; it's a fine combat tool, but the ability to push, pull, and lift things with your mind has a simple utility to it beyond fighting.
 
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saintsboss99 said:
really? I've never heard of either
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Okay, well.

Gorilla Glass is durable as fuck. It's what goes on most modern smart phones. You may have noticed smart phones getting harder and harder to break or scratch with each new model.





AlON is a derivative of artificial sapphire glass. They use sapphire in laboratories to observe things best described as [Some Horrible Thing]. AlON is being looked at as a next gen bulletproof glass, because they can actually make it bulletproof... in as much as anything can be truly bulletproof, anyway. It's sometimes referred to as "transparent aluminum".

 
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Since we're alone, but with available technology we're slowly learning about and making functional again, I believe that upping our Omni-tool skill would be helpful along with going through the Pod's information databases and to get into the information in the corpse's omnitool.

Because our biotics are crazy-powerful, I figure that we should train them up- but we should learn to walk before we start working on the basics (and get the benefit this turn) rather than a multi-turn investment into advanced techniques.

Thus, I propose this plan:

[X] Plan First Steps
-[X]Examine Pod: Your pod has a large number of systems that are now active. Given your initial exploration occurred when the power was out, exploring and learning to use its systems more thoroughly may be a good idea. (Difficulty: None) (Will reveal one-three of the systems present on your pod per use. You may choose to focus on a particular system you've already encountered to guarantee learning about it.)
-[X]Analyze Samples: You took a wide variety of plant samples from the treeline. Analysing them to see if any are edible- or dangerous- will take some extra time. You really hope at least one proves edible, though, you were pretty sick of MREs by the first week. (Difficulty: Moderate)(Cost: 5 AP) (will reveal if there's any notable plants in your immediate area, edible or not.)
-[X]Train with your Biotics: Biotics are a weapon that nothing can take from you. Unfortunately yours appear to be rather more powerful than your flash-education assumed, making them dangerous to use on or near anything you want to avoid damaging. Taking some time to train with them is the only real way to deal with that. (Difficulty: Moderate) (increases your Combat: Biotics skill, improves general Biotics skills)​
-[X]Train with your Baton: melee combat is as much a matter of skill as power, and your skills are, well, lacking. Unless you want to continue wielding it like a club, you'll need to learn how to use your baton. (Difficulty: Easy) (Increases your Melee: Armed skill)
-[X]Train with your Omni-tool: Omni-tools can be used for a variety of combat functions. Learning to use yours for more than just pre-loaded combat programs can greatly increase your ability to handle a wide variety of threats. (Difficulty: Moderate) (increases ALL omnitool skills.)
-[X] Examine Self: you know that your physiology has been greatly enhanced compared to a baseline Asari. Perhaps a basic examination using the medbay could give you a better idea of just how much. (Difficulty: Easy)(unlocks upgrade options for medbay)​
 
[X] Plan First Steps

I wonder what the general wildlife in the area is. We go mantic creatures, will there be thresher maws as well?
 
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