Actually, I disagree with the second part of that (I agree a damage adder is first). Reflex Adders only substitute for Damage Reduction as long as you have dice, and Mail alone is enough for that to be honest (good Forged Iron Mail was mentioned at, like, the +10 to +14 level in terms of static bonus). The big bonus of a defensive reflex adder is when you use a lot of dice on a defense (well, and to reduce the dice you need to use on such defenses)...something we do very rarely as we can usually instead just use Halting Vortex. Meanwhile, Halla's current big weakness actually is the 'horde of mooks' that Damage Reduction solves. An offensive reflex adder is a little more tempting, but not needed, I don't think.
I... don't really agree? You have to consider who her likely fights in the future are going to be with.
- She's not all that inclined to go raiding the Christians again. That cuts out the primary default source of "mooks in large numbers".
- Viking mooks are generally going to go down fast enough that they wont' have finished burning through all their tricks.
- If we somehow do wind up in a tarpit made of mooks for some weird reason... Halla is really very maneuverable.
- We also have credible area-effect attacks now, and we'll be getting mroe and worse as we go.
Basically, mook swarms aren't her major issue. fighting back the minions of the Enemy is her major issue, and she's pretty much always going to be concerned with having to punch up. Ironbrothers and Steelfathers in particular are potential issues. Her major threats are going to be viking-based threats, and she should build accordingly.
Steelfathers are just straight up impossible for us to defeat until maybe the endgame of Halla's story, simply because they apparently have Damage Reduction: 10 (Excalibur). Ironbrothers? I think we've touched the bottom of the Ironbrother tier I think, though we've a ways to go before we can be called a True Elite however.
(Joking aside, I really do think The Weapon is a reforged Gram making use of Illmarinen's Fire to surpass its original nature, which'll be the root of what would have been Excalibur just like how the Sword in the Stone was actually based on Gram but broke in battle relatively early in Arthur's career and was replaced with Excalibur. Just that in this timeline, it might stay on the Norse side and have a different name--probably the same weapon at the end of the day though--just not with a Latin name).
I halfway expect that forging The Weapon will be Halla's Endgame Event if we handle things well, and one of the components needed to achieve a Good Ending for the NorseQuest saga as a whole. Just a straight up Super Mode for our descendants for when we face the Curse of Steel or the truest servants of the Enemy--kind of like the Lone Wolf series has the Sommerswerd which absolutely shits on most villains but if you draw it before the critical moment the Enemy gets to prepare for you, which usually makes getting a Good Ending harder or nearly impossible--but if you wait for the ending you can often trivialize the final boss using it.
**[X] Plan: Reclaim the Initiative**
-[X] 40d6 Attack
-[X] 5d6 Defense
-[X] 0d6 Intercept
-[X] Use Ember Wing Cloak (12 Orthstirr) to close back into close quarters, and damage race his arse, a mix between 2 Honed Power Chops (6d6 + 1d6 Hone) (4 Orthstirr), 2 Kindle-Spinners (3d6 + 2d6 Ignition + 2d6 Extra Orthstirr) (8 Orthstirr) , and 2 Firebomb-Strikes (5d6 + 2d6 Ignition) (8 Orthstirr). Kindle-Spinners are prioritized if he tries to open the range again after we close in to keep him busy, but keep them under our hat unless we need a ranged option. Maintain a Contingency Honed Leaping Cleave (12d6 + 1d6 Hone) (4 Orthstirr) to close the distance if he uses some kind of Trick to create a gap again (Like a repeat of that powerful wind-ball) or goes for one of his Saxes to punish. Be willing to use EWC along with the Leaping Cleave if it's required to help it land home. (16 Orthstirr if required)
-[X] Maintain 5 Reinforced Honed Defenses (1d6 + 1d6 Hone + 3d6 Reinforce) (20 Orthstirr). Use Halting Vortex (4 Orthstirr) on any powerful Tricks, but be willing to Sidestep (2 Orthstirr) if he tries to repeat something like that wind orb, do not give him an opening to safely go for one of his weapons without having a punish on hand.
-[X] Overall Tactics: Regain the initiative using Ember Winged Cloak to close back into close quarters distance--this should make it easier to prevent him from using his Hugareida on you and he's not going to be able to wrestle well with two broken wrists. Maintain a solid defense against his counterattacks, but the priority is dropping him quickly to back up the rest of our elites against the Captain. Create a 16 layer Reinforce-Shield between defeating the Brute and engaging the Captain, unless the situation looks desperate enough that we need to join in _now_
0~0~0
A mere blink of the eye passes before you spring into action again.
Blurring into motion, you touch down on the ground for but a moment as you dart into the air. The dim cavern is suddenly brightly lit as wings of fire sprout from your back. The Brute joins you in a gleeful laugh as you rocket forward at breakneck pace.
But moments before you make contact, he too joins you in the air as a burst of wind has him dashing to the side — towards his saxes.
Your lips pull down into a scowl as you free a hand from Sagaseeker. That won't do, that won't do at all!
Licks of crimson flame spin into being as he skids to a halt. He turns around just in time for the Kindle Spinner to bounce underhanded across the sandy ground.
An arm sticks out with two fingers extended, orthstirr whirling about him in a frenzy of power. The wind whips into shape as he directs it towards the ball of compact fire, the Cutting Wind sailing out in a crescent of force. (Trick Attack: 23 vs Trick Defense: 28, Defender Wins!)
Kindle Spinner meets Cutting Wind and the fire is extinguished.
Growling, you jam Sagaseeker up into the rocky ceiling. Spinning on the polearm, you change directions and hurl yourself into a Leaping-Cleave — one aimed straight at your enemy.
As crimson orthstirr sings its songs of frenzied glory, the pale red orthstirr of the Brute joins the chorus with a harmonious sonnet.
Hand forming a claw shape, the Brute swings his arm down and up and a wave of wind follows his movements. But the wind isn't the attack, no, the wind is merely a vehicle to carry the saxes up and into the air.
Eyes snapping wide, your jaw clenches as the saxes sail straight towards you — their edges gleaming in the light of your wings. It's a race against time as you twist, aiming to use your wings to dodge under the wall of blades before they nail you. (Trick Attack: 40 vs Trick Defense: 40, Defender Wins Ties!)
The saxes brush against your hair, shearing away strands as you spin down and out of the way. Your back is to the floor as you swing Sagaseeker up — the Brute trying to escape with some manner of dodge trick. (Honed Trick Attack: 44 vs Trick Defense: 33, Attacker Wins! Armor Destroyed! 5-1=4 Endurance Damage Dealt!)
The edge of your atgeir slices through the scraps of armor without a care in the world. Yanking himself back he may be, but it's not enough to escape Sagaseeker's reach.
You catch him in the stomach and carve up to the chin in a ragged line of blood. He falls back as the crimson liquid sprays out in a heavy fan.
He hits the ground, stunned, as you spin once more — your back now to the ceiling — and slam a Firebomb Strike directly into his chest. (Trick Attack: 32 vs Stunned Defense: 19, Attacker Wins! 3-1=2 Endurance Damage Dealt!)
He disappears in an explosion of smoke and fire.
You land a dozen feet away and skid to a halt as you spin around, atgeir at the ready incase he still wants more.
As the smoke clears, you're treated to the sight of the Brute groaning on the ground — his chest caved in from the attack. He's still alive and, honestly, could probably keep fighting if he so desired.
The keyword there is 'if he so desired.'
Which he doesn't.
"I give up," he wheezes through collapsed lungs. He turns his head to look at his brother, who lays face-up with a knife through the eye — dead, but not gone. "Just... please heal my brother, if you can."
For a single heartbeat, your positions are reversed. No longer is it the Brute's brother on the ground, it's Sten with a knife through the eye.
You swallow a gulp, Blackhand silently providing the instructions for how to heal the dead man. It's a recent-enough kill that Stabilizing Palm can have an effect.
What do you do?
[ ] Heal the brother (-12 Orthstirr) (???)
[ ] Don't heal the brother
You finished off that fight quick enough that Sten and Abjorn haven't started their fight with the Captain, which means that you quickly join up with them after painting on a bunch of Reinforce Shield layers. There's no change in the rest of the fight, other than that Stigmar and Gabriel will soon finish up their fights, likely at the end of the next round.
The Captain is impassively staring at you from under his helmet, his mail gently swaying. The atgeir in his hand gleams with a silvery sheen. He smells of burnt ozone and a layer of soot lingers around his cuticles.
You don't know how powerful he is, nor how much gas he has in the tank. All you do know is that he is definitely at least twice as strong as you.
Sten's lost his shield and he's got his frami active — it resembles the frantic sparking of too-hot metal. His mail's taken some damage and he's got a light cut on his arm, but other than that he's fine and ready for battle.
Abjorn is covered in mud and sand. His virthing is active — it resembles a flaming bear pelt wrapped around his shoulders. He's ready for a fight, though he's taken some damage to the ribs, if the ugly purple bruising is anything to go off of.
They nod as you join them, they'll follow your directions.
Endurance: (7/7) | Armor Health: (4/8) | Shield Health: (NA) | Layers: (16/16)
Orthstirr: (86/279) | Odr: (25)
( ) Frami: 93 | ( ) Virthing: 93 | ( ) Saemd: 93
Sagaseeker has 8 orthstirr in its reservoir.
Your combat pool is 45d6.
What do you do?
[ ] (Plan Name)
-[ ] (Dice) Attack
-[ ] (Dice) Defense
-[ ] (Dice) Intercept
-[ ] (Dice) (Trick) (Orthstirr)
-[ ] Tactics Write in
0~0~0
AN: I'm not certain I counted everything right, but you did use EWC twice in that round.
Goes without saying, we could use another strong Housecarl--or barring that, a friend who owes us their life, and he doesn't seem like a bad guy either. Tactics... Well, smell of Ozone puts to mind a Lightning based Hugareida. Soot... I'd say Forgefire, but we'd recognize that. So it's probably a different Fire Hugareida.
Actually, huh @Imperial Fister , Blackhand knows about every Fire Hugareida, has he mentioned any that revolve around soot?
I like these two and we wanted prisoners to testify anyway. I think people theorizing they swear to us are overly optimistic, but it isn't impossible and we don't need their eternal loyalty for saving them to be good.
For tactical stuff...we definitely need to Stoke something now, though only one thing is likely fine. Other than that I'm open to ideas?
Basically, mook swarms aren't her major issue. fighting back the minions of the Enemy is her major issue, and she's pretty much always going to be concerned with having to punch up. Ironbrothers and Steelfathers in particular are potential issues. Her major threats are going to be viking-based threats, and she should build accordingly.
The thing is that, for Halla, given Halting Vortex, damage reduction is still generally better than Defensive Reflex enhancement even vs. higher level foes. Like, the vast majority of the time we just won't actually be rolling very many defensive dice, which makes its bonus not very good. We'll be throwing out an occasional Hefty-Halter Chop, but it'll be pretty occasional.
Yeah though, if he does have a Soot related Hugareida... That's going to be a headache to deal with, it's produced as a byproduct of incomplete combustion of stuff like coal and other hydrocarbons, it's very bad to breathe in and given the context of him also seeming to have a Lightning Hugareida... I think we're possibly looking at a fucking Pyroclastic Ash Cloud build here.
Which would very much put us on a timer to win. Sten and Halla should be fine at the earlier stages, because it's still probably in the Fire school, but the rest of our party... Not so much. Lightning Hugareida too are likely the Gold Standard in terms of "Fuck this guy up in Particular" tricks. I'm not sure I'd count on Halting Vortex to stop a Lightning Attack either, though it depends on whether Hugareida Lightning works like actual lightning or if it's just a magical energy ray.
(God, if we could get a Lightning Hugareida from this fight we will be cash money, that is probably one of the absolute best options for long range)
...So, just spitballing here, but would this be the time to ask the captain if he just... wants to leave this land and not come back? It's been established that these aren't nin-filled Outlaws, they're just neighboring Vikings doing their raiding thing in our neighborhood. If this is all just a cost/benefit excerise (and we've just killed/incapacitated everyone else in the group), then he might be convinced to cut his losses and bail.
We don't need him dead, we just want him gone and not being Horra's back-up bodyguard.
...So, just spitballing here, but would this be the time to ask the captain if he just... wants to leave this land and not come back? It's been established that these aren't nin-filled Outlaws, they're just neighboring Vikings doing their raiding thing in our neighborhood. If this is all just a cost/benefit excerise (and we've just killed/incapacitated everyone else in the group), then he might be convinced to cut his losses and bail.
We don't need him dead, we just want him gone and not being Horra's back-up bodyguard.
That's up to him to decide. He's just stood by and let his Felag get taken down and done nothing, and he is not the defender on this ground. I'm not inclined to offer mercy to that sort of character regardless, since his presence would have been decisive before this.
Hmmmm. Both Abjorn and Sten do more damage than us, I think, so our goal here is probably to protect them (Halting Vortex can protect three people at once!) and/or disable this guy.
If we decide to defend we'll also be using some of our dice to attack him (maybe with a Knee-Groin Trick for a side order of disabling if we can pull it off) since Halting Vortex is not rolled, and may throw in a Hefty-Halter Chop as either a defense or an intercept to try and disarm the guy as well.
If the goal is instead to disable him, we probably throw out a big IAT, possibly followed by a Knee-Groin Trick if she shakes it off...that version may end things quicker but is riskier for us and our allies alike.
It's partly hypocrisy. Magic is unmanly, so clearly something lots of men do regularly can't really be magic. The other part is courage-based...magic is fine if you're casting it from where your target can stab you...less fine if you're doing it from your house 100 miles away.
Let's not blow our load right now, but focus on probing him while backing up Sten and Abjorn, I want to know how his build works before we determine how to set him up for a Wombo Combo. He's had all this time to observe our tactics, but we don't know anything about him other than what we can infer from his gear and the scent of his Hugareida. I still suspect the Soot on him is hinting at some kind of combustion based Fire Hugareida, which we'd have some resistance to by way of it being in the Fire Family, but that's why I'm trying to probe IF if Blackhand mentioned anything along those lines in the past.
"Pyroclastic Ash Cloud" is a horrifying thing to fight for anyone who isn't fire resistant after all.
...
Hmm, tell me @Imperial Fister , depending on the result--would it be too meta for us to say that Halla's already measured out the Insulation Ointment from the remaining Fronds and it being something that can be applied in combat time?
Let's not blow our load right now, but focus on probing him while backing up Sten and Abjorn, I want to know how his build works before we determine how to set him up for a Wombo Combo. He's had all this time to observe our tactics, but we don't know anything about him other than what we can infer from his gear and the scent of his Hugareida.
That sounds right, yeah. Probing attacks, maybe a Hefty-Halter Chop and using Halting Vortex on anything that looks like it's really gonna mess up either us, our husband, or our brother.
I'll write something up...how many attacks at what dice pool each, do you think?
That sounds right, yeah. Probing attacks, maybe a Hefty-Halter Chop and using Halting Vortex on anything that looks like it's really gonna mess up either us, our husband, or our brother.
I'll write something up...how many attacks at what dice pool each, do you think?
We did, it was part of the last plan. We have 16 layers.
I'd say we want to go for high die attacks and defenses, remember that we've got Punching Up that we can distribute to any spam tactics we try for. We want to see how he reacts to incoming attacks rather than try to overwhelm him in one go, but that we also want to leave a solid number of boosted Intercepts, since neither Sten or Abjorn seem to have a shield right now and unlike them, they haven't specced to not need one.
I'd honestly say we shouldn't be rolling less than 10 dice on any given action, whether we're flurrying or otherwise. This is not the time to be conservative with our Orthstirr, since the fight dragging on will favor him if he's just able to constantly make the enclosed area around us increasingly inimical to life.
Hmm, tell me @Imperial Fister , depending on the result--would it be too meta for us to say that Halla's already measured out the Insulation Ointment from the remaining Fronds and it being something that can be applied in combat time?
I'd say we want to go for high die attacks and defenses, remember that we've got Punching Up that we can distribute to any spam tactics we try for. We want to see how he reacts to incoming attacks rather than try to overwhelm him in one go, but that we also want to leave a solid number of boosted Intercepts, since neither Sten or Abjorn seem to have a shield right now and unlike them, they haven't specced to not need one.
We can use Halting Vortex as an Intercept casually, and should. It's big enough to defend 3 people at once at this point, after all, and keeping it under wraps is, I think, done with. I do think we do one Hefty Halter Chop Intercept as well, but that should probably be the only rolled one. And I agree entirely on high die attacks...I'm just wondering what we're thinking of as 'high'? 15d6? 20d6? 30d6? What are we doing here.
Great, we should give Abjorn the fire resistance--Fire Resistance still helps for Soot based stuff, right? Gabriel should get the other one since he's the only other fighter in this league who won't be a liability. Everyone else should keep their distance because this is going to get crazy real fast
Would this be something we just did in our pre-battle setup or just something that they can do for themselves in combat-time with a moment or two to set up?
