Our men should be able to survive the golems, even if the golems can fly.
That makes it unnecessary to go for shared conundrum when we have dealt with the fairies.
I think however that there might be a surprise around the corner.
So, I propose to wait to commit to an EXP-Plan until next turn.
[X] Go get the Fairies first
-[X] Dark Star Sorcerer buffs with the battery
--[X] Hell Beasts
Okay, so... a bit of an odd topic such a short time after the last mention of it, but I made another addition to the soft mechanics after talking to Lost.
As it turns out, I somewhat underestimated the actual difficulty in using Inhuman Skill at range; even more so as a melee fighter.
Inhuman Skill
Magic reinforces Heidi's ability to "parry incoming attacks"
-additionally improves her body against blunt force trauma and kinetic energy, to ensure she can actually parry vastly stronger attacks without getting hurt by the shock even a deflected attack would lead to -Heidi's kit is focussed on melee combat; she is capable of using this Ability at range, but it is more difficult for her. All ranged negations require twice the action cost.
Just to clarify, the 'at range' part is in regards to blocking attacks that aren't aimed at herself, correct? Doesn't require anything extra to deflect a beam that's fired directly at her, but does require extra to block an attack that doesn't pass by her on the path from its origin to destination?
Uh, not to pick nits too hard, but what constitutes using Inhuman Skill at range?
If someone throws a javelin at Defiance and she negates it does that take double actions? (Negating a ranged projectile attack with a melee strike)
If someone uses a focus to zap her with a beam of magic does disrupting the beam take double actions? (Negating a ranged magical attack with a melee strike)
If Defiance dives to negate a sword swing at someone else does it take double actions? Is it possible? (Negating a melee attack that's outside immediate melee range)
If something activates a major effect would it cost double actions to dive in and negate? Is that possible?
If an Elf throws a bunch of daggers at Orux can Defiance negate the attack, even at double action cost? (Negating a ranged projectile attack that's outside immediate melee range)
Just to clarify, the 'at range' part is in regards to blocking attacks that aren't aimed at herself, correct? Doesn't require anything extra to deflect a beam that's fired directly at her, but does require extra to block an attack that doesn't pass by her on the path from its origin to destination?
Yep. Negating attacks aimed at Heidi will never need additional cost (unless she wants to stop someone from throwing a weapon for stylepoints, or somesuch) because they still come close to Heidi. Anything that is away from her takes the penalty, though.
If someone throws a javelin at Defiance and she negates it does that take double actions? (Negating a ranged projectile attack with a melee strike)
If someone uses a focus to zap her with a beam of magic does disrupting the beam take double actions? (Negating a ranged magical attack with a melee strike)
If Defiance dives to negate a sword swing at someone else does it take double actions? Is it possible? (Negating a melee attack that's outside immediate melee range)
If something activates a major effect would it cost double actions to dive in and negate? Is that possible?
If an Elf throws a bunch of daggers at Orux can Defiance negate the attack, even at double action cost? (Negating a ranged projectile attack that's outside immediate melee range)
No
If it is a spell, she can not negate it. Otherwise no.
No; it is possible if Heidi has the speed.
Depends on the kind of effect and what activates it.
Yes; that is the one exact case covered by the additional note.
I guess I need to edit that point a little further so it becomes more clear.
Inhuman Skill
Magic reinforces Heidi's ability to "parry incoming attacks"
-additionally improves her body against blunt force trauma and kinetic energy, to ensure she can actually parry vastly stronger attacks without getting hurt by the shock even a deflected attack would lead to -Heidi's kit is focussed on melee combat; she is capable of using this Ability at range to negate attacks made against other people, but it is more difficult for her. All such ranged negations require twice the action cost, but this only covers the case of Heidi not being able to close into melee range before the to-be-negated attack lands.
Speaking of sword beams, BTW, my standing guess is that Laser on our Starlight Striker would provide us with the aforementioned sword beams. As GudaGuda (start at 5:00 or so) would say, a Saber needs a sword beam to be a Saber. Makes me wonder how it would interact with Arcane Slash, too. Who knows, this may or may not greatly extend the reach of Arcane Slash, and/or make the sword beam Unblockable, depending on one's point of view.
Makes me wonder how it would interact with Arcane Slash, too. Who knows, this may or may not greatly extend the reach of Arcane Slash, and/or make the sword beam Unblockable, depending on one's point of view.
Unfortunately, the Giant Fuck You Nuke From Afar (TM) is not allowed anymore. There was a fun two weeks or so where Lost did not speak up about it, but sadly he caught that part of Heidi's soft mechanics before the Quest actually started
A pity. Though that doesn't really tell us if it's the spell-to-laser synergy or the sword beam itself that was nixed. I'd really like to know if at least Sword Beam is something we still have.
A pity. Though that doesn't really tell us if it's the spell-to-laser synergy or the sword beam itself that was nixed. I'd really like to know if at least Sword Beam is something we still have.
[X] Go get the Fairies first
-[X] Dark Star Sorcerer buffs with the battery
--[X] Hell Beasts
(Pre-battle buffs: Wrathful Strike on Hell Beasts (used battery, maxed roll) for 3000 total Wrathful Strike on Dark Stars and commander types for 1,806 total Grand Shroud on Hell Beasts for 2,895 total Grand Shroud on Dark Stars and commander types for 2,189 total)
You can feel your speed spike like it never did before, reacting to the presence of the many opponents on the field. Holy hell, focussing on that for a moment makes it seem as if everyone is moving in slow motion!
You shake it off, though. Time to give orders. You need to get those Fairies down before they can pull whatever they are after. There are too many to take them down in one swoop and no one but you can see them.
A split-second passes as you consider what to do, then begin to steer your mount forward, toward the engaging hordes; golems against Demons, one side sturdier and the other empowered.
(Wrathful Strike: +1000 Base Boost, +793 dice = 1,793 Total Boost per piece)
Just then, your Dark Star's power runs over the field again and coats a good third of the troops into a roaring mist that will empower their strikes. They already used the time on the way to apply some of it to your attack wing and the other Dark Stars, as well as the commanders.
You are moving toward the melee, but your path is supposed to create a flanking maneuver; and just 'coincidentally', it will lead right past the Fairies. You spend your time helping your ground forces; magic forms under your fingers and surges out at your will, small ripples that push large stone fists aside from their paths. Two in particular were aiming for Orux, which you can not have.
(4 attacks negated; cost: 16 actions)
It is great practice for an unfamiliar kind of combat situation, but horribly difficult. You still move faster than you ever have before, forming and sending out waves of shaped mana, but actually making sure they hit as you want, pushing them around and just at the right angle, takes a lot of your attention at this distance. Nonetheless, streamers of turquoise magic fly from your hands and impact a few fists at an angle, pushing them so they miss their mark completely. Much less than if you had been there, but it is something.
You ignore the following punches and turn your attention toward the Fairies. Now you are close enough, so you return to the tried and true method... and your only one so far. "Argent Star!"
Four spheres form and rush out against the invisible casters. They took distance from your path and see it immediately, but even scattering does not help; you can see them and so can your magic.
(Troublesome Terrain: One sphere slams into a branch and explodes early
Argent Star: +715 Base Damage, +191, x8 Purge and Anti-Air = 7,248 Total Damage per piece
Fairy Rolls: 1136, 3690, 2859
Three dead Fairies.)
Argent Star's big weakness is that anything can trigger it once fired; it just needs to be magical or big enough. One of the four spheres hits a branch and blows up before it gets to the target you marked, but the other three thankfully hit home.
The fact the Fairies scattered out of surprise is apparent, though. While three of their number are torn apart by your violent magic, the rest have not all moved in the same direction. Four of them are no longer in the invisibility field and the fireworks drew allied attention. You make to recast while the Fairy Slayers fall upon the revealed enemies like bloodhounds.
(Wisdom's End: +2000 Base Damage, no dice = 2000 Total Damage
Fairy Battle Mage x4: +50 Base Damage, dice negated, -50 Suddenly Under Fire = 0 Damage Reduction
Fairy Battle Mage x4 Health: 250 - 2,000 = -1,750
Lots of crystal confetti to go with the fireworks)
They move scarily fast even to your empowered senses, four of the bunch tearing right into the exposed Fairies. To your eyes it becomes clear how their claws swipe out on purely magical arms, reaching across a hundred metres in an instant. The sheen of dampening magic surrounding each weapon disperses whatever protective surge of mana may have happened otherwise.
It is not a contest, simple but effective brutality that sets a counterpoint to your own messy spellfire. The mana they were gathering is released explosively and strips of crystal rain to the unoccupied ground. The carnage is followed by another set of spheres lashing out toward the remaining Fairies. They have learned, though; two actually manage to hide behind a tree in the nick of time, though one of them is caught in the resulting explosion.
(Troublesome Terrain: One sphere is caught by a tree trunk and explodes harmlessly
Argent Star: +715 Base Damage, +7 dice, x8 Purge and Anti-Air = 5,776 Total Damage per piece
Fairy 1-2 rolls: 1526, 2510
Fairies 1-2 dead.
Tree Fairy: +50 Base Resilience, +3464 dice, +2000 Sturdy Cover = 5,514 Total Damage Reduction
262 Final End Damage
Tree Fairy Health: 250 - 262 = -12)
They are caught between a rock and a hard place, you realise with a heavy heart. If they stay in the air and try to flee, you will eventually shoot them down. If they go to ground to evade you, they will be easy prey to your Dark Stars.
Three Fairies remain after your second barrage takes its toll, even the man behind the tree having been brutalised by what little punched through. Their invisibility field broke entirely and now that it no longer overshadows everything, you can see that the remainder is still holding onto some kind of spell.
You can see their staves swinging as one and quickly steer your own Hell Beast higher while Paoras and Mokutuuk jump into the fray. Your friend already armoured up at some point, you did not even notice while aiding the troops. Corresponding waves of wind and ice are released a moment later.
(Warbook: Frozen Wave: +1000 Base Damage, +10000 dice = 11,000 Total Damage
Warbook: Frozen Wave: +1000 Base Damage, +10000 dice = 11,000 Total Damage
Warbook: Stormbeat: +500 Base Damage, +5000 dice, +10000 Propel the Hail = 15,500 Total Damage
37,500 Unified Damage
Dark Star Sorcerer: +150 Base Resilience, +967 dice, +2189 Grand Shroud = 3,306 Total Damage Reduction
Dead, even with Intangible
Fairy Slayer A, B,C: +100 Base Resilience, +222 dice, +2189 Grand Shroud = 2,511 Total Damage Reduction
All dead
4 Demon Foot Soldiers: Dead, no question.
Freeze applied to 55 Demon Foot Soldiers, 3 Ground Commanders, and 5 Soul Reavers in the back lines)
They were not aiming for you. You can only watch as two cojoined storms lash out against the forces below, roaring against the attackers with pure wind backing them. A Fey-made grinder, the storm's epicenter popping your remaining Sorcerer and more than half of the Fairy Slayers. A few unlucky soldiers on the ground get hit as well and shatter like glass, then the spell exlodes outward.
Wind carries the cold mana over the troops and freezes two thirds of them solid, though the Fairies' position to the flank means it hit the backlines instead of the front.
Suddenly however, the fight is no longer three on one, it is one on one at best. Some of the frontliners were thrown back by the attacks to have others take their place. Axes meet reinforced stone with grinding noises that you can even hear up high, the strange cold of the battlefield making you shudder.
Yet the empowered Demons manage to damage most of their assailants, your late Sorcerer's last gift to the battle. You consider to leave them be and focus on the remaining Fairies, but just as you consider that, one of the final two Fairy Slayer casts their spell and tears another apart.
(Wisdom's End: +2000 Base Damage, no dice = 2,000 Total Damage
Fairy Battle Mage: +50 Base Resilience, dice negated = 50 Total Damage Reduction
1,950 Final End Damage
Fairy Battle Mage Health: 250 - 1,950 = -1,700)
There are two left, as well as two Fairy Slayers. That should suffice, so you turn away and steer your Hell Beast back on the path toward the golems. Your troops need help now and not later; many were already hit and stunned by the impact, or thrown back, and one unfortunate soul even got thrown into a frozen comrade and shattered them.
You see Orux holding his own quite well, but you do not like this.
(One attack negated; cost: 4 actions)
You see his opponent raise its fist for another strike and stabilise more mana to throw out in a wave, pushing it aside in the nick of time; this is really difficult at range, but also... fun. Maybe something really is wrong with you, having fun on an active battlefield. Maybe it is the challenge of it.
Your attack wing dives and the golems appear to ignore you in favour of attacking the Demons in front of them; some look up, but they do not leave the earth to meet you. Maybe because you disrupted the Fairies who gave them orders.
At least the Hell Beasts know what to do without telling. Their maws open and swaths of hellfire rain down upon the constructs as you pass.
(Hellfire: +1200 Base Damage, +342 dice = 1,542 Total Damage
Hellfire x9: 13500 Base Damage, +238 dice, +481 dice, +408 dice, +17 dice, +288 dice, +331 dice, +372 dice, +274 dice, +225 dice = 16,134 Total Damage
17,676 Unified Damage
26 Fairy Combat Golems: +950 Base Resilience, no dice, +1000 Barrage Out of Synch, +3534 Earth Withstands Fire = 5,448 Total Damage Reduction per piece
12,228 Final End Damage per piece
26 Fairy Combat Golems Health: ~9,000 - 12.228 = ~ -3,000)
The flames band together and run over the area right behind the first line, barely not reaching your own troops. Fire melts the unprepared golems to slag in moments, halving the enemy's numbers with a single pass. The Hell Beasts make to land and join the melee, but you have none of it and steer your own mount upward again. Some of the foliage and trees caught fire, but most of it is quickly trampled out by the active combatants.
It would work to let them down and fight, but you might be able to take out most remaining enemies with another pass.
(Number of enemies reduced to 20. Bonus ApT lowered to +6)
The uncanny boost of speed grows weaker rather quickly as the golems fall, though the kick of being so fast is still there. You form more mana and flick it downward to help your own troops as the Hell Beasts fly a turn, holding onto your mount's back with your legs.
(2 attacks negated. Action cost: 8)
You can not do as much for your friends this time around, but every bit counts; the golems are pushed back again, once more outnumbered. While you are busy helping out, the Fairy Slayers finish their own work, having hounded the remaining Fairies further away.
(Wisdom's End: +2000 Base Damage, no dice = 2000 Total Damage
Wisdom's End: +2000 Base Damage, no dice = 2000 Total Damage
Fairy Battle Mage: +50 Base Resilience, dice negated = 50 Total Damage Reduction
Fairy Battle Mage: +50 Base Resilience, dice negated = 50 Total Damage Reduction
Both dead)
You see their shrouded claws lash out and turn away; those Fairies will bother you later, but you do not have time for this right now.
Something rumbles in the distance and you turn your head, finding a small fighter bouncing off the Imperial Golem. Argus, you realise. He soars through the air and lands with a grace you would not expect from a fully armoured knight. Dozens of others crash into the behemoth right after him, managing to topple it while Dark Stars and hundreds of Demons charge from further away.
You focus back on your current attack run, but are distracted again when your Fairy Slayers pop.
Two new enemies appeared just under your nose and you did not see them coming; they pulse with lyrical magic, making it rather clear they are Fairies even if you had not seen them. They hover merely a few dozen metres away after having shot the Dark Stars. You blink at them and decide to go with the tried and true method: "Argent Star!"
Four spheres fly as usual, two for each of the new arrivals. You can not let them take aim at your forces.
(Argent Star: +715 Base Damage, +183 dice = 898 Total Damage
Argent Star: +715 Base Damage, +183 dice = 898 Total Damage
1,796 Unified Damage Blink
Target is not there)
Except that these two do not play ball. Instead of trying to fly away or whatever, they simply pop out and pop in a hundred metres away. They teleported!
To your further misfortune, Argent Star's spheres do not pursue; they remain where both Fairies vanished, hovering in their previous positions.
If you hold your course, they will have enough time to shoot at you. If you follow them, you leave your troops alone... but they should be able to handle that many. Argent Star does not work, either.
What do you do?
-------------
[] Finish the golems first
[] Go after the teleporters immediately
[] Something else? (write-in)
[] EXP-Plan
-[] Write-in what to buy
-[] Save it
Of note: Heidi has 2 actions left for her current turn; one use of Argent Star's Perpetual Caster is still held. Heidi exhausted her spell limit for this turn.
Enemy Forces:
-18 Fairy Combat Golems (On the ground)
-2 Voidsteppers
Active Effects:
-The Land of Heroes: Unified Light entities do not suffer from fatigue and can not die unless killed in direct combat.
-Determined Soldier: Defiance +6 ApT
-Irony Tide: Paoras and Mokutuuk have joined their stats and act as one unit; due to Mokutuuk being non-sapient, Paoras is in charge.
-Absence of Light: All instances of Presence of Light are suppressed.
-Blood Lust: All Foot Soldiers deal 50 more damage with each attack. Orux deals 150 more damage.
-Wrathful Strike: Hell Beasts deal an additional 3,000 damage on basic attacks, Dark Stars and non-Foot Soldiers deal an additional 1,806 damage. Most not-frozen Foot Soldiers deal an additional 1,793 damage.
-Grand Shroud: Hell Beasts and Defiance gain an additional 2,895 Resilience, Dark Stars and non-Foot Soldiers gain an additional 2,189 Resilience.
-Iron Shell: Paoras and Mokutuuk gain an additional 1,750 Resilience
-Mounted: Defiance and Paoras are mounted on Hell Beasts; unless they dismount or an enemy comes close enough to engage in melee, they can merely direct and make their mount attack. Heidi can use Inhuman Skill without dismounting, but each use use costs twice the normal actions due to Heidi's focus on melee combat.
-Pack Leader: Defiance (technically Mokutuuk) is leading the pack of Hell Beasts. If Hell Beasts are to act independent of Defiance, Paoras and Mokutuuk need to lead them elsewhere. If Heidi and Paoras are to dismount, Hell Beasts fall out of Defiance's direct control.
Objectives:
-Defeat the enemy forces and wipe them out
-Defeat the Voidsteppers
-(BONUS) Find a way to kill the Imperial Golem to stick it to Argus
=====
(Unified Light / Fairy Home Realms) Voidstepper Toaru
Stats
Health: 250
Base Damage: 1,000
Base Resilience: 50
Magic Modifier: 5,000
It seems that we have lost all our dark stars.
that really makes me want to get something defensive, but something tells me that we might want something offensive to fight against the Voidsteppers.
It seems that we have lost all our dark stars.
that really makes me want to get something defensive, but something tells me that we might want something offensive to fight against the Voidsteppers.
Shared Conundrum or Guardian's Excellence would increase the survival changes of our allies.
But I don't think that it would be realistic to get it now.
@Naron this may sound like a bad question, but do lasers move at light-speed?
@Naron - how fast do Argent Star spheres move if they are anchored to Heidi? And how well does she work with Argent Stars to keep track of (and redirect) them towards specific targets? @Naron - can Heidi launch Argent Star spheres at the same target, one after the other, so as to let them teleport away before launching the next one?
I'm thinking of a plan like this:
[ ] Plan Minefield Approach
-[ ] Seed the area around you with Argent Stars anchored to your various body parts - fingers, knuckles, wrists, elbows, shoulders, knees and feet - and play whack-the-fairy with them.
Mind you, they will definitely be teleporting around and raining doom down upon the filthy heads of their doomed enemies...
Another approach is to bait their spells at us and use Arcane Slash to ruin their day... But that would have been more viable if we had the exploit for Arcane Slash leading the attack to them... If we win an Intercept (IIRC) it wouldn't quite matter, but...
Or, we could try and have Hell Beast focus staggered fire in pairs against one of them. They have limited APT, this ought to land a hit (if we're prompt at targeting) sooner rather than later.
1) how fast do Argent Star spheres move if they are anchored to Heidi? And how well does she work with Argent Stars to keep track of (and redirect) them towards specific targets?
2) can Heidi launch Argent Star spheres at the same target, one after the other, so as to let them teleport away before launching the next one?
1) I am not going to specify a speed, but you can assume that whatever movement she makes will not have a noticeable delay in the spheres adjusting. It can become noticeable if they are anchored a significant distance away from Heidi, though.
2) No, they are cast simultaneously and fly simultaneously.
Sad news, for all of us. You because you lose something, me because I need to hotfix things I thought were cleared.
This little effect:
-Layering the spell over an Intercept-weapon allows to intercept incoming spells with the right timing; they need to be within a metre of Heidi's weapon as she finishes casting, though. (If it works, Echo-triggers target the enemy that was intercepted)
Is gone again; I had Crys telling me that it works when the matter was brought up, but Lost told me earlier that it should not because Unblockable flips off Intercept-conflicts in general and does not participate in them.