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Fulcrum (A Pseudo-Cultivation Quest)

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[X] Plan Heaven-shaking Genius
[X] The Lost Quarter

Don't forget to vote on starting location, guys.
 
*Cricks Neck Menacingly*

Aright chums, let's do this.

[X] Plan: It's totally not Protagonist Bait
-[X] The Lost Quarter
-[X] Blessed (-7)
-[X] Friendship is Magic (-10)
-[X] Fast Learner (-5)
-[X] Justice (-2)
-[X] Prudence (-1)
-[X] Fortitude (-1)
-[X] Temperance (-1)
-[X] Nemesis (+15)
-[X] Introverted (+1)
-[X] Wrath (+1)

So, you're all asking "Why this plan Alectai, why are you scorning the ultimate power of Genius?"

I will tell you precisely why, because this story has been done before. There's all number of people who become great because of their attributes, who are utterly detached from the consequences of their actions, and so can act in a fashion that best optimizes their gains in whatever means are required, ignoring the very real consequences of doing so by way of being a stern hero who is unaffected by trauma so long as it makes them stronger in the end.

I don't actually want that?

I want a protagonist of strong virtue, dropped into a strange place where society is barbaric under a veneer of civilization. A figure who has no innate supremacy of skill, knowledge, or power going for them, and are granted merely sufficient consideration of fate to survive a harsh entry. I want them to make great friends and companions, to learn and grow despite the barbarity of their surroundings, and to have epic challenges to change the world, because if the world tells you to compromise your heart--you stand fast and tell the world to fuck off.

So yeah, Virtue heavy, vice limited, the only nod towards standard 'Genius' abilities being that he's reasonably quick to grasp new concepts and the universe is compensating for a bad starting position with impressive luck. A Boon Companion who can scale with them, and a great foe who will always be pushing the narrative. Such is how great stories are told!
 
[X] Plan: It's totally not Protagonist Bait
[X] The Lost Quarter

An angry introvert!? I approve of this plan.
 
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[X] Plan: It's totally not Protagonist Bait

Voting for Alectai's plan because I've come around and agreed that the Genius trope has been overdone to the point of underwhelming my hopes for this quest, should that plan win. Also, to help the underdog.
 
blackshadow111 said:
Guys, the 'aw shucks everyman' is fucking done to death.

Literally all of this here has been done, redone, deconstructed, reconstructed, forgotten, brought back and forgotten again. You've come up with Generic Isekai #769. It's meh.

For once, let it be a character with actual flaws. Someone lustful, someone greedy, who nonetheless has immense talent and fortitude. This is like trading Superman+Batman for Harry Potter. No, wait. This isn't 'like' that. This is exactly that.
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You can project whatever you want into a character design to reject it if what you want is "Good at Everything man the Cultivation Genius", and that's fine. But if you really think Mazrick would portray this build as a literal slow-witted cartoon character because he has actual points invested in virtues, I... Don't know what to say?
 
blackshadow111 said:
He'll work with what he gets, and I want that to be a character with his own initiative, with some genuine ability and drive, not yet another 'my power is my precious people' cutout.

And really? The guy who can't see a good treasure or beautiful woman without being tempted is the one you're declaring 'good at everything'? I want that guy over yet another gutless wonder, yes.
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One point in each of those? That's 'I'm briefly tempted but my super genius intellect tells me to wait until I can just take it without consequences' instead of "Literally gets led by the nose by pretty girls" and such.

Having virtues is as defining to a character as having vices. If you think that a character with strong virtues is a gormless isekai victim who can't do anything interesting... Well, uh.

You clearly haven't heard the story of Jesus flipping out when he saw business being done in the temple.
 
We already have Ken as a flawed genius lets try something more down to earth.

[X] Plan: It's totally not Protagonist Bait
 
blackshadow111 said:
... If your only argument is 'Mazrick will salvage something good out of my plan'... uh, make a better plan?
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...

Well, if your own argument is "Having a character's personality defined primarily by 'What I'm actually good at' instead of merely their vices 'My weaknesses' is garbage and you should feel bad for projecting that". Uh..

Well, there's no arguing with that. You're wrong, but I can't convince you that being defined by strengths of character isn't 'Being a loser' and that being an omnicompetent master of all disciplines, beloved by the heavens but possessing nothing but failings of character is 'Cool and interesting'
 
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[X] Plan Destiny
-[X] The Lost Quarter
-[X] Blessed (-7)
-[X] Friendship is Magic (-10)
-[X] Fast Learner (-5)
-[X] Justice (-2)
-[X] Prudence (-1)
-[X] Fortitude (-1)
-[X] Temperance (-1)
-[X] Nemesis (+15)
-[X] Introverted (+1)
-[X] Wrath (+1)
-[X] (+1) Pride
-[X] Athletic (-1)

Basically Alectai's plan but with Pride and Athletic. The combination of Fast Learner and Athletic should give us good foundation for asskicking ability needed for survival and combat etc. While Pride gives us an interesting flaw we would need to deal with.
 
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Alectai said:
So, you're all asking "Why this plan Alectai, why are you scorning the ultimate power of Genius?"

I will tell you precisely why, because this story has been done before. There's all number of people who become great because of their attributes, who are utterly detached from the consequences of their actions, and so can act in a fashion that best optimizes their gains in whatever means are required, ignoring the very real consequences of doing so by way of being a stern hero who is unaffected by trauma so long as it makes them stronger in the end.
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Every story has been done before at some point or another. Even your plan isn't some brand new spin on something. But how many times has a heaven-shaking genius character been done well? Oh so very few precious times. And how many times was one just a straight-up genius and not someone who considered one due to their cheats/etc? Even fewer I'd imagine. Part of why I'm excited for this quest is that I know that Maz will offer at least an interesting MC. So why not take advantage of that and have a possibly great spin on that tale?

And who says the heaven-shaking genius will be detached from the consequences of his actions? Maz isn't going to write one of those stories where the protagonist is more than happy to steal or kill for his benefit and not even bat an eyelash. I expect the first time he kills someone to impact him. The same for his tenth kill. I don't expect him to shrug off stealing some mage's precious family treasure.

I want a protagonist of strong virtue, dropped into a strange place where society is barbaric under a veneer of civilization. A figure who has no innate supremacy of skill, knowledge, or power going for them, and are granted merely sufficient consideration of fate to survive a harsh entry. I want them to make great friends and companions, to learn and grow despite the barbarity of their surroundings, and to have epic challenges to change the world, because if the world tells you to compromise your heart--you stand fast and tell the world to fuck off.
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It looks like you want to drop someone who will strongly be repulsed by Fulcrum's society right from the start. That's fine if you want it that way but I'd find it more interesting to have a character who he can tempted by Fulcrum's society as it appeals to him on some level or is tempted to gladly participate for his own gain. And then I want his character to develop from our choices into someone who can rise above this barbaric society or if we choose...fall into it. That's way more engaging for me than a story about a mc who detests the place right from the beginning. Heaven-shaking genius won't have supremacy of skill, knowledge or power going for him. He'll just have the ability to reach that point faster than the other choices. He'll learn fighting, techniques, cultivation faster but no matter what it will be a journey for him as well and to survive he'll be pushed to his limits.

What you want is exactly what will happen to heaven-shaking genius with regard to making friends and learn to grow despite the environment. Heaven-shaking genius is good at social. He is outgoing and that means he will be making friends. He just doesn't have the convenient perk that gives him a ready made convenient friend shortly in the beginning of the story. He'll have to search out and make friends like everyone else. As for growing despite the barbarity of their surroundings...that will also be the case for heaven-shaking genius if less so than your plan. The genius will have grown on Earth and be used to its culture(s). Fulcrum will be a shock for sure. But given that the genius won't be as strongly averse to Fulcrum...it will be us players shaping how he grows more than with your plan. Whether he embrace Fulcrum's culture or reject it will be a decision we'll have through our choices over the course of the story. And should we decide to...we can have epic challenges to change the world. It's just that we won't be predisposed to doing so right from the start due to build but rather through how we shape the character later.

Alectai said:
A Boon Companion who can scale with them
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This is one of the things that I don't like actually. I'd rather us make friends without it being a perk. I'm certainly tempted because it is so convenient but I'd like to bumble our way through making friends.
 
Nemesis + Friendship is magic is an pretty good combo. An strong trustworthy ally is pretty much one of the best way to counter an nemesis who is comparable to you in strength and skill.
 
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DkArthas said:
Nemesis + Friendship is magic is an pretty good combo. An strong Ally is pretty much the best way to deal with an nemesis who is comparable to you in strength and skill.
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I mean...sure but that assumes that we won't be making strong allies on our own. Heaven-shaking genius is extroverted and as such good at social. Without our genius and talents it'll give us a leg up in making friends. Some perhaps just as capable of the Friendship is magic perk but that'll be in the future instead of fairly soon and not someone that we'll hit it off on due to a perk.
 
son et lumiere said:
I mean...sure but that assumes that we won't be making strong allies on our own. Heaven-shaking genius is extroverted and as such good at social. Without our genius and talents it'll give us a leg up in making friends. Some perhaps just as capable of the Friendship is magic perk but that'll be in the future instead of fairly soon and not someone that we'll hit it off on due to a perk.
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I mean we are spending 10 fulcrum point for an friend. That points toward him/her being an step or two above the usual ally we might find anytime soon.

Jack-o'-Lantern said:
Throw the friend at the nemesis and hope for the best huh?
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More like having someone with good potential who has our back against the nemesis might be very useful in battle or out of it.
 
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