Forge of Destiny(Xianxia Quest)

So basically:

damage=> physical attack

Debuff, fear, qi drain => spiritual

?

EDIT: It might not always mesh with setting descriptions, but at least it wouldn't leave us guessing with literally every new technique. Sure there are types of damages that arguably spiritual, but there are also debuts that are arguably physical.
 
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Alright. Guess a 'Spiritual' archery art is out the window then. Unless we want it to do Qi drain or something rather than damage.
 
Does this means it doesn't matter that the Gu clan focus on spiritual arts, the actual attacks are all counted as 'physical'?
For the purposes of damage yeah. They generate them with spiritual power, sure, but in the end you defend against a firebolt the same way you defend against a sword. You dodge it, you block it or you parry it.

Though they have arts that burn things in more metaphysical ways.
 
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So that means a melee attack with the flute using, say, Scalding Stream is possible and would benefit from the passive bonuses of Argent Current. What kind of nice would that have? Would it use Manipulation + Expression?
 
For the purposes of damage yeah. They generate them with spiritual power, sure, but in the end you defend against a firebolt the same way you defend against a sword. You dodge it, you block it or you parry it.

Though they have arts that burn things in more metaphysical ways.
If they generate the fireballs with spiritual power, does that mean there are spiritual arts that increase the spiritual power used to generate them, like, "+X to dice on use of spiritual arts", rather than things like AC which are are "+X to the attack itself".

Though I guess this introduce too much complexity to have bonus that influence what generate the attack rather than a bonus to the attack itself. Seems like so far every bonus are 'to the attack', rather than 'to what generate it'. Except I guess Expression.
 
Alright, I think I may have talked past people a bit. I got on a tangent about defense when it seems people are talking about offense.

Or maybe I'm just confusing myself with my own system again. Rather than +spiritual attack Gu would probably have +Power based attack or +Fire

...Gonna look forward to paring down this combat system
 
So that means a melee attack with the flute using, say, Scalding Stream is possible and would benefit from the passive bonuses of Argent Current. What kind of nice would that have? Would it use Manipulation + Expression?

Answering my own question, would it be Manipulation 5, Expression 6, FVM 2, Specialty 1, Equipment 2, Argent Current 2, Scalding Stream 6 = 24 dice?

That seems pretty solid and Ling Qi can take an attack action every turn with that I presume without interrupting FVM.
 
Answering my own question, would it be Manipulation 5, Expression 6, FVM 2, Specialty 1, Equipment 2, Argent Current 2, Scalding Stream 6 = 24 dice?

That seems pretty solid and Ling Qi can take an attack action every turn with that I presume without interrupting FVM.
Replace speciality by cultivation level, so:
Manipulation 5 + Expression 6 + FVM 2 + Flute 2 + AC 2 + SS 4 + Activation 2 = 23 dice + 1 cultivation level.
 
Replace speciality by cultivation level, so:
Manipulation 5 + Expression 6 + FVM 2 + Flute 2 + AC 2 + SS 4 + Activation 2 = 23 dice + 1 cultivation level.
Don't think that the FVM addition to expression is added to the attack. Since we are using FVM for the ability to use the flute as an attack, the expression bonus doesn't apply. So I think it is 21 dice
 
Wait, since Argent Current is a water art, I guess the Blizzard Pin would apply? That's another +2.
Dammit, I knew that. urgh, forgetting stuff :(
Don't think that the FVM addition to expression is added to the attack. Since we are using FVM for the ability to use the flute as an attack, the expression bonus doesn't apply. So I think it is 21 dice
If we are using it as an art then we get +4 from flute, and if we don't then we get FVM+2 and Flute +2, so either way it's the same.
 
If we are using it as an art then we get +4 from flute, and if we don't then we get FVM+2 and Flute +2, so either way it's the same.
Well, the flute gives +2 to all music arts being used, and then +2 expression to all expression tests.

Ebony Heartswood Flute:
A fine instrument, beyond the abilities of mortal craftsmen. Made of dark wood lacquered black and edged with silver, this flute channels qi into sound with great ease. Sturdier than any mortal steel. Contains the memory of Ling Qi's original flute. Adds two dice to all offensive clashes when used for music based arts and reduces the cost of darkness arts by 2, to a minimum of 1. +2 on all Expression tests.
-Haunting Echoes: By spending four qi, the user may cause the flute to continue playing on it's own for one turn

If I remember correctly, a test and a clash are different, and if we are using Scalding Stream then it would be a clash against the target's defense. If it is a clash, then the +2 to all expression tests wouldn't apply. We also didn't get the +2 to expression from the flute in the battle with Sun Liling when we first used our mists, only the +2 to musical arts.
 
Well, the flute gives +2 to all music arts being used, and then +2 expression to all expression tests.



If I remember correctly, a test and a clash are different, and if we are using Scalding Stream then it would be a clash against the target's defense. If it is a clash, then the +2 to all expression tests wouldn't apply. We also didn't get the +2 to expression from the flute in the battle with Sun Liling when we first used our mists, only the +2 to musical arts.
We did get it multiple times, but the sun liling fight had some weird thing where he took out the speciality and put it again:
Manipulation 5 + Expression 6 + Flute 2 + Pin 2 + tech 2+First Strike 5+specialty 1. 23 dice
2 4 10 8 10 5 6 8 3 1 3 3 8 8 7 10 9 2 1 3 1 9 3. 10 successes
Basically, we had 5 expression then, but speciality did something weird there as it might not have been applicable or I don't know, and was counted at the end when it should have simply been expression 7. If we look at previous fights:
Dark Dreams 6 said:
Ling Qi Mist + Diapason.
35/50 Qi
Manipulation 4 + Expression 8 (5+speciality+flute) + Pin 2 + Music Art (flute) 2 + tech 2+First Strike 4. 22 dice
9 7 5 4 1 6 1 3 2 9 3 4 8 8 8 3 5 6 9 6 4 2. 7 successes
Dark Dreams Fin said:
Ling Qi uses Elegy
Manipulation 4 + Expression 8 (5+speciality+flute) + Pin 2 + Music Art (flute) 2 + tech 3= 19 Dice
8 4 10 8 6 2 2 1 8 6 5 9 5 1 2 7 1 1 4. 6 successes
We get Expression from flute there.

Keep in mind that skills are tests by default, it's masteries that are clashes... but FVM let us use expression skill for clashes.
 
So I might have missed it in the information posts, but why does it matter what mix of Qi we use?
It is mostly because it is far easier to build around a set of elements in the qi we use as gear has limited slots. And the type of effects we can expect from them.

But there is also a bit of a fluff component to it. How big effect this really has have been discussed to death.

Like darkness is greed/desire, wind freedom/flighty, mountain and metal are stubbornness and determination, earth community, fire passion etc. Week 8 got some of the traits in Su's lecture at the start.
 
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Something I've been wondering for a while

Where in the world is Huang Da?

Seriously, the last time we saw him was in the council meeting on Week 23. This was the last notable thing he did:
"The dog cowers in his kennel, licking his wounds," Huang Da replied smoothly. "The actions of our wonderful ladies Gu and Ling have cost him support, and the actions I took in support of their efforts have done more still," he replied proudly.

He wasn't mentioned or seen in Growing Pains or the aftermath, and the same applies to Yan Renshu's downfall and the Fortress infiltration that happened when Sun chased us down. Even Fu Xiang, who dropped off the face of the earth to breakthrough, still had a few mentions when he helped us break into Sun's fortress.

I'm just wondering what the hell he's been doing. The narrative doesn't mention him and neither do any of the characters for like 10 weeks. Did he go into isolation, or has he been doing stuff behind the scene and Ling Qi hasn't noticed/doesn't care? Did Ling Qi block out his existence now that he's no longer bothering her? So many questions.

It would make sense for him to double down on training though. Huang Da has an inherent disadvantage against Ji Rong, and I think it's apparent to him considering the beating he took in Thunderdome Redux. Maybe he's trying to keep up with the prodigy and it's taking all his time?
 
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Alignment eventually has a noticeable effect on our personality. Also affects which arts we tend to go for.

It is mostly because it is far easier to build around a set of elements in the qi we use as gear has limited slots. And the type of effects we can expect from them.

But there is also a bit of a fluff component to it. How big effect this really has have been discussed to death.

Like darkness is greed/desire, wind freedom/flighty, mountain and metal are stubbornness and determination, earth community, fire passion etc. Week 8 got some of the traits in Su's lecture at the start.
Yeah I remember the personality stuff, aside from that it does seem suggested in the story that its better to focus on a narrower selection. However as far as I know the only way the types of Qi matters mechanically is bonus die when training (and the reduced successes for wind arts) and the talisman bonuses. And if we were trying to maximise our growth then we'd be planning a fire / wood build to synergise with our spirit beast bonii. And if we wanted the talisman bonuses then we could try and search out the talismans that affect Meridians. Since I assume this has already been considered I wanted to know what I'd missed.
 
Yeah I remember the personality stuff, aside from that it does seem suggested in the story that its better to focus on a narrower selection. However as far as I know the only way the types of Qi matters mechanically is bonus die when training (and the reduced successes for wind arts) and the talisman bonuses. And if we were trying to maximise our growth then we'd be planning a fire / wood build to synergise with our spirit beast bonii. And if we wanted the talisman bonuses then we could try and search out the talismans that affect Meridians. Since I assume this has already been considered I wanted to know what I'd missed.

It's also important to note that meridians are "attuned" to elements once you set them. So if you want to swap arts, you need to have the same meridians and same elements together to swap in event.

For example, both Fleeting Zephyr and Driving Zephyr (two alternate successors of Zephyr's Breath) are pure heart and wind. As a result they have the same meridians and elements, and if we picked up the both of them we'd be able to swap between the two in the middle of an event very easily. If the two arts had different meridians or different elements, then we won't be able to swap arts in the middle of an event.

It's why it's very convenient to be Gu Xiulan. If most of your arts are Arm/Fire, then you'd be able to swap between a bunch of different Arm/Fire arts very quickly depending on the situation. Helps in cases of limited meridian space.
 
It's also important to note that meridians are "attuned" to elements once you set them. So if you want to swap arts, you need to have the same meridians and same elements together to swap in event.

For example, both Fleeting Zephyr and Driving Zephyr (two alternate successors of Zephyr's Breath) are pure heart and wind. As a result they have the same meridians and elements, and if we picked up the both of them we'd be able to swap between the two in the middle of an event very easily. If the two arts had different meridians or different elements, then we won't be able to swap arts in the middle of an event.

It's why it's very convenient to be Gu Xiulan. If most of your arts are Arm/Fire, then you'd be able to swap between a bunch of different Arm/Fire arts very quickly depending on the situation. Helps in cases of limited meridian space.
Got it, that makes sense.
Thanks.
 
"The sect arts cover all the elements though, don't they?" Ling Qi replied, feeling a bit defensive. "The Sect Head can't be wrong, right?" The argent arts had been personally developed by him after all.

Zhong Peng inclined his head slightly. "That is a path all its own," he replied. "An inner disciple who wishes to follow in Master Yuan's footsteps would do well not to be distracted by other arts," the young man frowned, reaching up to scratch at the stubble on his chin. "What you are doing is not wrong," he said, considering his words. "Yet you lack focus. Secondary skills are an asset, but one needs a clear primary skill."

It sounds like Argent arts leave little room for other specialities, other problems are:
- we cannot get Yin dice bonus from EPC.
- It would be hard to get proper amulets for them.
- both AS and AC are melee.
- We probably would need to abandon archery and music.

If we abandon archery AC looks like good art to use with our flute.
Overall I'm not interested in looking for fourth argent art.

Ling Qi grudgingly nodded. If she had to choose… her music would be her primary skill, but her other arts didn't necessarily support that. Not the way Xiulan's skills empowered her flames, or Meizhen's all supported her utterly impregnable defense.

Ok we sort of imitate Meizhen.

Her elements are darkness, water and wood.
Our elements probably will be wind, darkness and water or wood.

Arts we will have maxed before breakthrough:
SCS - defense, stealth, movement, offensive boost in stealth
TRF - area defense, debuff dispell
AM - spiritual defense, perception, debuff dispel
FVM - debuffs(two of them reduce enemy attack), damage over time, weakens the light within mist to low light
FZ - projectile defense and attack, initiative, speed, debuffs, buffs
FSA - debuffs, damage, armor penetration
 
It sounds like Argent arts leave little room for other specialities, other problems are:
- we cannot get Yin dice bonus from EPC.
- It would be hard to get proper amulets for them.
- both AS and AC are melee.
- We probably would need to abandon archery and music.

If we abandon archery AC looks like good art to use with our flute.
Overall I'm not interested in looking for fourth argent art.

That's assuming that Ling Qi is interested in going full Argent Arts. The arts themselves are quite compatible so far with the rest of what Ling Qi can do. Note specifically that the tutor says someone "wanting to follow in Master Yuan's footsteps" should not be "distracted by other arts". But Ling Qi isn't (at least at present) interested in going full Argent.

I don't see how having a foundation of Argent Arts would force an abandonment of archery - let alone music. Do you have something that suggests that to you aside from the tutor's statement that I addressed above? I mean, so far the melee arts are explicitly compatible with the music attacks...

(As for Yin dice bonus... well, on the flip side, Argent Arts clearly can get bonus successes from special locations, along with bonus dice from pills specifically for them. I wouldn't be all that surprised if, given that, there aren't Argent Art-specific talismans out there if it comes to that. And, of course, they're affected by talismans that work based on meridians or elements)
 
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So, we are finally going to meet Cousin Tai- unless the Gu clan reassessed our value.

What are your thought on Cousin Tai? Is the famous Cousin clan a Count clan? more? Is he a buff General, or something else? Clearly he can't be a wimpy green kid, right?
Ling Qi's future subconscious thought: "What is a 'gun show' and why do I feel like Tai brought two tickets?"

Also, I'm setting the over/under on his sleeves worn to the meeting at one.
 
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