Annoying Game Questions You Want Answered

[Count Arioch the 28th]

>standard picture for ants response

I'm not sure, but it looks like that mini has boobs, and I am looking for a male mini.

[Prak]

Try these-

Pathfinder Catfolk Rogue


D&D Minis Catfolk

This is egyptian-themed, and possibly the wrong scale, but could work-


Apparently in-game they're called dogfaces, and they're sci-fi, but they're kilt-wearing lionmen, so if you're up for some very minor modifying, these could work-


Of course, the sculpt is so bad on some of the old D&D minis, that you could just use some of the humans-


These are paper, but for $2.90 you get a pdf of ten different minis, so not a bad option-

There's also another set of them in the "related products" section if those don't strike your fancy.

[Longes]

So, reading through various VtM books, it seems that most groups and people who were originally presented as good guys are actually bad guys, and bad guys are good guys:

-Followers of Set are evil cultists trying to resurrect their evil god. But actually Setites are good guys, trying to make the Underworld a better place and set people free. Plus Osiris was sired by [Lasombra], which casts suspicion on him.
-Salubri are friendly neighborhood vampires. But actually Salubri are fuckups thrown under the bus by Saulot, a failed attempt to embody Humanity (moral path).
-Baali are Chaotic Evil satanists. But actually Baali are Saulot's interpretation of Kuei-Jin's Devil Tigers. Some of them even succeeded and became actual demons (Azaneal)
-Sabbat are Chaotic Evil vampires who don't respect the Masquerade. But actually Sabbat are an anti-antideluvian faction that does respect the Masquerade.

And so on and so forth. So, what's up with that?

[fectin]

For catfolk mini:
http://www.amazon.com/Green-Stuff-Yello ... B002MB61RQ

Just add ears to whatever mini you already like and paint it furry.

[momothefiddler]

In nWoD, what the hell is up with Initiative?

Example: Sanders and Washington are in a fight. Sanders has an Initiative of 12 and Washington has an Initiative of 8. From turn to turn, Sanders will always act before Washington. If he wants to, however, Washington can forfeit his action in turn one. He can do nothing but move up to his Speed in that turn. In turn two, he can act at any point in the Initiative roster that he likes - say, on Initiative 13 to precede Sanders. In turn three, Washington's Initiative ranking returns to 8. If he wants to "get the jump" on Sanders again, he has to forfeit an action again.

Effect: Your character dedicates an action to altering his standing in the Initiative order in the following turn and for all subsequent turns, choosing to insert himself at a new point in the roster, even if it means going first when he went last before. For example, if your Initiative roll (see p.151) resulted in a 9, but a rival whom your character wanted to waylay got a 12, your character can forfeit an action in turn one to get a fresh start and then act before that rival at 13 in turn two and afterward.
Drawback: A character must take an action to change his Initiative ranking in subsequent turns. He can do nothing else in that action except move up to his Speed.

On the other hand, you can just Delay down to 1 at no penalty. So unless there's something about specific combat rounds that I'm missing, this rule is just nonsensical shit.

And maybe it is; if that's the answer, so be it. But... am I missing anything?

[Username17]

In nWoD combat, your initiative resets to your initial rolled value each turn. This means that refocusing to get a higher initiative count next turn is shit beyond belief - it'll just reset the turn after and everyone gets to lap you. On the flip side, delaying is actually kind of cool because your initiative springs back after you do it and you can lap other people.

Regular D&D style refocusing, where you reset your initiative value by losing an action and there's almost never a reason to it requires you to buy a merit in nWoD. No one buys that merit and the only initiative shenanigans anyone ever uses is for hidden people to delay their actions so they can act twice when breaking cover.

NWoD is a bad system all around, and this is just a small portion of why.

[momothefiddler]

Your character doesn't have to act in the order of his Initiative standing in any given turn. He could refrain from acting until something happens in his environment. Maybe he waits till an opponent shows his face, or wants to sprint across an open street during a lull in the shooting. In this case, your character delays his position in the Initiative roster, activating it when you choose. His Initiative rank resets to one that best reflects the time of his action.
Example: If Mitch's character originally had an Initiative rank of 10, but he holds his action, the Storyteller slots him into the sequence at a rank closest to when an action is taken. If Larry's character has an Initiative rank of 6 and Mitch acts immediately after him, the Storyteller slots Mitch in at 5. If Mitch had prepared an action and said, "My character hits Larry's if he attacks," then Mitch's character goes on 7, right before Larry's character.

I had read this as meaning that Delaying does actually change your initiative for the rest of the combat (much like the Merit, except that it can only go down but doesn't cost an action). But your interpretation seems equally valid, upon rereading. Ugh.

But is there anything to differentiate init 0.01 and init 9001, barring the first round? That is, if it's just the two of you and your opponent goes on 5, after his first action do you honestly give a shit in any situation whether you're on 4 or 6?

[Username17]

There are some explosives and shit that go off between rounds, which can create a difference between going last this round and first next round. If it's just some number of guys on each side using guns or swords, then there's no difference.

Although the general answer to the question "Is nWoD combat really this poorly designed? I feel like I'm taking crazy pills." is "Yes." NWoD combat is bad in most ways it is possible for a combat system to be bad. It takes a long time to generate deterministic results that are stupid and counterintuitive.

-Username17

[radthemad4]

I'll probably apply to an All Sucubus (Savage Species) Gestalt pbp game on Giantitp. Currently considering grappling sorcerer as that seems appropriate. Any recommendations? What other classes synergize well with Gestalt Savage Species Succubus?

Allowed Content: any official dnd 3.5 material, no homebrew.
Level: 1st level Gestalt
Classes: one half of your gestalt must be the succubus monster class presented in Savage species page 196. The other half can be whichever class you choose.
Stats: 32 point buy
Starting wealth: 300 gold
other character creation notes
If we actually go beyond 12th level, then you can acquire another class on that side of the equation. You’ll still be using whichever is the larger hit dice at that point. and yes you can multi-class the “class” side of the gestalt as well.
So a 3rd level [wizard][succubus] will have 3d8 hit dice instead of 3d4.
A 15th level [wizard][succubus/fighter] will have 12d8/3d10 hit dice
level dependent benefits
You get standard level dependent benefits plus whatever your entitled to because of your classes (feats and stat bonuses).

Racial traits:
+2 dex, +6 charisma
30 ft land speed
Darkvision 60ft
Poison immunity
+8 racial bonus to listen and spot checks
Abyssal, celestial, and draconic languages
Succubus class features:
1d8 hit dice (or class hit dice from other side, whichever is greater)
+1 bab
+2 fort, reflex and will saves
8+int mod x4 skill points (class skills are bluff, concentration, craft, disguise, escape artist, hide, knowledge (any 1 chosen at 1st level), hide, listen, move silently, profession, ride, search and spot), the x4 is only for 1st level,
Feat (any)
2 claw attacks 1d3 damage,
alternate form (1)
+1 natural armor bonus,
resistances (acid 5, cold 5, electricity 5, fire5 )
Tongues,
subtype( chaotic, evil)
simple and martial weapon proficiency, no armor or shield proficiencies. (you are always proficient with your claws)

This is in addition to whatever benefits your other class gains you. plus don't forget bonus feat for 1st level (level dependent benefits)

[spongeknight]

I'll probably apply to an All Sucubus (Savage Species) Gestalt pbp game on Giantitp. Currently considering grappling sorcerer as that seems appropriate. Any recommendations? What other classes synergize well with Gestalt Savage Species Succubus?

The wilder is a charisma-based psionic manifester, with basically full manifesting and some class features you probably don't care about. You could make an absolutely stupid tank with one of those and a couple Expanded Knowledge feats to get some of the best tanking spells in the game.

Or you could go with a DMM cleric since your crazy high charisma will give you some juicy extra turn attempts.

How optimized do you want to be?

[Dean]

Pick something that casts well like Sorceror, Favored Soul, or Wilder and be that. You have martial weapon proficiency, full BAB, extra feats, and flight by third level so buy a bow and be an amazing archer with full charisma based spellcasting.

[Username17]

I seriously have no idea how Gestalt is supposed to work with classes that don't gain hit dice every level.

-Username17

[Omegonthesane]

Perhaps the most expedient manner to make one's human soul stop reacting poorly to magic is to set it on fire and be done with it. A Baali is someone who did exactly that. Some sell their soul off to demons, while others burn out their souls quickly or slowly with their own dabbling in dark power.

Soul Investment The character can place a portion of their soul into another being, and subsequently take the target's body over when the investing character's current body goes unconscious or dies.

Does this mean Baali witches can't learn or use Soul Investment? Similarly is a Baali witch capable of becoming a ghost / being dicked around by necromancers after death?

Mind Root The character plants a seed in a victim that slowly roots into the unfortunate's brain and leaves them an emotionless pawn. Creating the Mind Root takes four power points and an hour in the kitchen, and it takes an hour or two for the tendrils to work their way into the victim (making it essentially worthless against a target that is not willing, bound, or sleeping). The Mind Root uses the character's Logic + Medicine or Intuition + Survival against the victim's Strength.

What's the degree of control you get over your emotionless pawns? Is this in any meaningful way weaker than Conditioning, which has a longer casting time and costs an Edge point?

[hyzmarca]

I seriously have no idea how Gestalt is supposed to work with classes that don't gain hit dice every level.

-Username17

You use the faster progression. You always use the faster progression.

[Grek]

No. Yes. None. Mind Root makes the subject stop feeling emotions. Bossing them around requires either actual mind control abilities or a successful Contention.

[erik]

No. Yes. None. Mind Root makes the subject stop feeling emotions. Bossing them around requires either actual mind control abilities or a successful Contention.

That's the emotionless part... the pawn part implies control.


Now as for Soul Investment, I take the soullessness of Baali mostly to be fluff. The soul is burned out and replaced with other viable soul-material, if a bit cajun. So they can still use their charred husk of a soul for powers.
[so yeah, I agree on No. Yes. None]

[Grek]

The whole pawn thing is one part poorly considered flavour text and one a baked in assumption that if you can use Mind Root on someone, they're probably either working for you or otherwise helpless to resist your power.

[Prak]

I seriously have no idea how Gestalt is supposed to work with classes that don't gain hit dice every level.

-Username17

You use the faster progression. You always use the faster progression.

I would imagine that any level you don't gain Monster HD you gain the HD of your other half, while levels which do give Monster HD give you the better of your monster or class. So a Succubus//Sorcerer has a handful of d4 HD it doesn't particularly care about, while a Succubus//Barbarian is just a bundle of d12s.

[radthemad4]

The wilder is a charisma-based psionic manifester, with basically full manifesting and some class features you probably don't care about. You could make an absolutely stupid tank with one of those and a couple Expanded Knowledge feats to get some of the best tanking spells in the game.

Or you could go with a DMM cleric since your crazy high charisma will give you some juicy extra turn attempts.

How optimized do you want to be?

Hmm... good question. I'll try to find out. On another game by the same GM, I found this:

I'm looking for a middle power level. I perfer a casual style to a more powergamey hardline game.

I'm guessing this game will probably be similar, but I'll ask what prcs, feats, tactics, etc. would get an autoban.

Pick something that casts well like Sorceror, Favored Soul, or Wilder and be that. You have martial weapon proficiency, full BAB, extra feats, and flight by third level so buy a bow and be an amazing archer with full charisma based spellcasting.

I'll go with one of those, though not sure yet which one. Thanks.

I seriously have no idea how Gestalt is supposed to work with classes that don't gain hit dice every level.

-Username17

You use the faster progression. You always use the faster progression.

I would imagine that any level you don't gain Monster HD you gain the HD of your other half, while levels which do give Monster HD give you the better of your monster or class. So a Succubus//Sorcerer has a handful of d4 HD it doesn't particularly care about, while a Succubus//Barbarian is just a bundle of d12s.

I'll ask how it's being handled.

[Sakuya Izayoi]

Out of curiosity about the phrase used here sometimes, "Charles Atlas powers", I did some googling, and most of the comics seem to be the "Man" simply punching a human. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flex_Mentallo however alludes to there being a more surreal quality to some of the post-workout results.

I guess my question is, does "Charles Atlas powers" refer simply to capabilities any sufficiently athletic human can attain? Or to like, OnePunch-Man antics?

[Prak]

Charles Atlas Powers is a trope which refers to gaining superpowers through the magic of P90X.

[zeruslord]

Usually it means something between those - things that you can get away with saying without an explicit power source, but still beyond what's attainable for any actual human. Generally it's stuff you might see in an action movie but not in real life, or the kind of default hyperathleticism that superheroes have even when their superpowers don't list anything like that.

[Longes]

Out of curiosity about the phrase used here sometimes, "Charles Atlas powers", I did some googling, and most of the comics seem to be the "Man" simply punching a human. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flex_Mentallo however alludes to there being a more surreal quality to some of the post-workout results.

I guess my question is, does "Charles Atlas powers" refer simply to capabilities any sufficiently athletic human can attain? Or to like, OnePunch-Man antics?

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/M ... Superpower

It's pretty much everything between sufficiently trained human with plot powers (batman) and "I trained until I got superpowers" (One-punch Man). Even magical martial arts can be categorized as Charles Atlas Superpower, so Ryu and Akuma would be included.

[Sakuya Izayoi]

Out of curiosity about the phrase used here sometimes, "Charles Atlas powers", I did some googling, and most of the comics seem to be the "Man" simply punching a human. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flex_Mentallo however alludes to there being a more surreal quality to some of the post-workout results.

I guess my question is, does "Charles Atlas powers" refer simply to capabilities any sufficiently athletic human can attain? Or to like, OnePunch-Man antics?

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/M ... Superpower

It's pretty much everything between sufficiently trained human with plot ml powers (batman) and "I trained until I got superpowers" (One-punch Man). Even magical martial arts can be categorized as Charles Atlas Superpower, so Ryu and Akuma would be included.

Should've tried TvTropes, Google seemed intent on talking about the real person. Oh well, thanks for the replies.

[coins]

Does the print copy of After Sundown become available now, because I saw it on lulu.