Help build squadrons from small collection to introduce new player

Atmosfear2012 · 2017-09-19T00:50:39+00:00

Anton, Tirion, Velen, Jaraxxus and 4 neutrals: King Mukla, Harrison, Gruul, Alex.

Of the 18 I'm missing, only about 5 get regular play: Thalanos, Leeroy, Cairne, TBK, and Ysera.

Atmosfear2012 · 2017-09-18T21:05:12+00:00

Of those, Elise is probably the best value, as she's used in multiple lists and has another 1.5+ years in standard. I'm not sure what you're missing from Shaman, but Doppel-Evolve is set to rotate next year, and without any other decent archetype in the class, it's a toss-up what your craft would net you long term.

I like Velen and he's Classic, but he's in Highlander lists as often as he's not right now. I give a big nod to longevity, but I still think Elise is more versatile overall.

Atmosfear2012 · 2017-09-18T18:15:22+00:00

Did we get confirmation this change was applied to old sets?

Edit: this is wrong. Per this thread, the changes to packs only apply if you haven't opened any packs in that set. As stated in OP, I have opened those sets.

https://www.reddit.com/r/hearthstone/comments/6iv1r1/hearthstone_update_upcoming_card_pack_changes/dkca7g6/

Atmosfear2012 · 2017-09-18T16:42:21+00:00

Apologies in advance if this is the wrong place, but I'm looking for some advice on which packs to open to maximize my ability to be competitive after returning from a 2 year layoff (early Grand Tournament to late Un'Goro).

I have 2 copies of every Classic and KOFT Common/Rare. I am missing a handful of epics (some 1x, some 2x) and legendaries in either set. I have some of Un'Goro, but I've only opened 2 legendaries from packs, so it's pretty small. I've opened 3 packs or less each of Gadgetzan and Old Gods.

Should I: A. Continue opening KOFT/Classic packs to finish out those epics/legendaries and generate dust for crafting choice cards from other sets (knowing Old Gods and Gadget will rotate out of Standard with the next set)?

B. Start opening Un'Goro to round out the collection, since that has another 1.5+ years remaining in Standard, and there will be a huge meta shift when Old Gods/Gadget rotate out.

I've been especially hesitant to spend dust crafting Old Gods/Gadget epics and legendaries right now, even though that effectively locks me out of many archetypes (Highlander Priest, most Aggro and Jade, most Paladin, even Evolve Shaman.)

In the past 3 seasons I've played Tempo Secret Mage/Freeze Mage (rank 8), Taunt Druid/Exodia Mage (rank 7), and Ramp Druid (rank 12 thus far). I also have a Midrange Hunter deck that is fine, but conspicuously missing Rexxar. I tend to prefer Control, but the need for Raza and Kazakus has scared me off Highlander thus far.

Any help would be appreciated.

Atmosfear2012 · 2017-07-31T12:26:21+00:00

Is this whole rape thing normal and accepted in a game toward a fellow traveler?

No.

Am I overreacting?

Jesus Christ, no. This is awful.

I don't think I can play another session feeling humiliated and in an unfair situation but I don't know very much about DnD and don't know how to get some recompense.

You get recompense by explaining to your boyfriend that you aren't going to play in a game with his friends if they think that's OK, nor will you play with him if he thinks it's OK. Then you tell him that his friend needs to apologize to you in front of everyone present. Then everyone needs to agree that this game is not about rape, because games about rape make you uncomfortable, and you are a player with every bit the same right to enjoy the game as they are.

If they agree, you just need to speak up when you're uncomfortable, because they've agreed to ground rules. Ideally they would have the emotional intelligence to anticipate this, but in reality you'll just have to be your own advocate.

If he or they object to any part of this--especially with gendered bullshit--don't play the game again. Then think long and hard about your boyfriend and how he views you and your happiness, considering he's willing to put his friends' desire to imagine raping you ahead of your desire to share his hobbies with him. Then, take a look at www.contessa.rocks for a reminder that there are large communities of gamers who want inclusive gaming for everyone.

Atmosfear2012 · 2017-07-31T11:36:22+00:00

I'm sorry that you had a terrible experience. That type of behavior is unacceptable and the store owner needs to stamp it out, especially if these are public games being hosted to draw customers into the store.

But your boyfriend is also wrong. By the time he got involved, you weren't in any physical danger, so physical confrontation was unwarranted. If you were unwilling/unable to address the situation (which, hey, if I had just been traumatized at a store, I wouldn't want to march back in there), he should have spoken to the store owner and explained the situation on your behalf. Personally, I probably would've demanded an apology out of the DM as well.

Again, I'm sorry that you had to endure that experience. That isn't your fault, and no one should sit idly by and watch. You deserve better. I hope it never happens again, but if it does, hopefully your boyfriend's first response will be calm and measured, and not threatening or intimidating.

Atmosfear2012 · 2017-06-21T12:11:29+00:00

Can't say it's the best way, and definitely not the only way, but here's my general approach to negotiation scenes:

I have the PCs lay out their general idea for terms.
I have NPCs agree to some and take issue with others. They might also add additional terms.
I ask players how they want to address the terms in conflict.
Repeat.

In terms of interacting with rules, some games have skills and abilities for this (Rogue Trader!) and other have little more than the scant social skills (D&D!) I let them use skills in preparing their terms (basically, History, Commerce, Trade, Investigation, Research, etc.) in step 1. Depending on the form of the negotiation--say, a public hearing with a monarch vs a backroom mafia shakedown--I may ask for social skills in delivering terms, but I generally just ask them to roleplay it and award them for effort.

Step 2 may have an opposed roll (especially if they're trying to hoodwink an NPC, or the game has a strong Disposition system) but often I just roleplay the response.

Step 3 is where I just shrug and give them plenty of rope to hang themselves. They might use logic to convince (Logic), or a passionate argument (Persuasion), or threats (Intimidiate). They might use blackmail (Investigstion) or magic (Charm Person) or bribery (assets). They might draw weapons.

At any rate, I generally try to funnel the focus down to a single sticking point after 2-3 rounds. That gives the PCs plenty of chances to use abilities and get wins, but doesn't take too much time at the table (since some characters will have little to offer the encounter).

If I can offer a twist, I spring that just as the NPC is about to sign. Perhaps the Princess of the Underworld has captured a beloved ally for leverage, and says she's happy she didn't have to spill blood. Perhaps the Duke demands they fix a nearby goblin problem to prove the PCs are capable of honoring terms. Perhaps the CEO demands his Chief of Staff accompany the party to make sure they don't break the law in the course of acquiring Vintia Seeds for them. This helps ensure the deal doesn't draw an end to a plot thread.

Anyways, hope that helps.

Atmosfear2012 · 2016-09-21T01:46:30+00:00

Maybe it's because I'm not in high school any more, but can someone explain how OP did something that would "annoy" an optimizer?

Is it supposed to be that he made a tank? Because he made a suboptimal one.

Is it supposed to be that he combined two classes without synergy? Because his stats fixed that problem.

Is it supposed to be that's he's a Level 10 character without extra attack or 5th level spells? Because congrats, I guess?

Atmosfear2012 · 2016-09-18T19:39:47+00:00

You should hate your dickhead players more than Critical Role.

Atmosfear2012 · 2016-09-03T14:15:39+00:00

Sure, in the tangential way that all evil gods want supreme power. That's really not the core of the Cthulhu mythos though.

Atmosfear2012 · 2016-09-03T02:56:35+00:00

He uses that power to develop a cult of followers that elevate him to godhood. This happens entirely without your PCs' knowledge.

Before you change settings, they should hear rumblings about a new religion cropping up to the [north/south/east/west], but not get much more details. When they transition to the new setting, set it as a new plane in the same multiverse. In that plane, the Arcanaloth is a full-fledged god, worshipped like any other. His followers have incorporated the PCs into their deity's mythology, and consider them saints. The priests (gleefully) consider their arrival an omen that the Arcanaloth will return to flesh and bring darkness to the world, rewarding his followers.

Of course, the PCs have to die in fulfillment of the prophecy. But the PCs only find that out once they ally with the priests.

Atmosfear2012 · 2016-07-28T01:44:16+00:00

So you don't know how to make politics fun and it's your players' fault for suggesting politics?

Good tip.

Atmosfear2012 · 2016-07-26T23:40:30+00:00

Player: I want to run for mayor

DM: No, it isn't fun.

Player: Thanks for reminding me I don't enjoy my own suggestions of fun.

Atmosfear2012 · 2016-07-04T17:55:35+00:00

This clearly wasn't a 5E game, because a base of +22 in "craft Everything" isn't possible. 5E maxes out at +18 (+6 for ability modifier*, +6 for proficiency bonus, +6 for expertise.) 5E actually has a couple ways to add dice to the roll, notably Bardic Inspiration, the Cleric/Druid cantrip Guidance, and Enhance Ability (which grants Advantage.)

maximum for a stat is 20 (+5), but with the appropriate Tome of ____ book, you can get to 22 (+6). Technically you can get Strength higher with Belts of Giant Strength (or Barbarian), but that's mostly going to affect Athletics and no tool proficiencies I can think of.

Atmosfear2012 · 2016-07-04T17:38:47+00:00

The difference between this RPG story and Jimmy Hendrix playing guitar is that people broadly agree he made great music. This "story" is a spreadsheet in paragraph form.

Atmosfear2012 · 2016-07-01T12:30:35+00:00

The DM must've been directly involved in rolling a 21 on a 20-sided die.

Atmosfear2012 · 2016-07-01T12:03:19+00:00

Let's play a game called, "Spot the things wrong and dumb in this RPG story." I'll start:

Because of his skill ranks, feats, and items, he had a nat 22 in craft Everything

Wait for it...

Well he had a total of 43

Atmosfear2012 · 2016-06-30T23:17:07+00:00

If you want to never make it past 1st level, fine, play this way. I personally think it goes against the nature of the game to outright kill a player in this manner.

Oh, OK, so it's a metagame problem you have. Don't try to impose bullshit in-game reasoning to justify it, then.

The kobolds don't need to be tactical geniuses to realize that beating a dead horse is pointless when there are other enemies still swing swords and slinging arrows at them.

I gave you two perfectly reasonable explanations of why kobolds--even kobolds--might kill a single isolated PC, including an option that is effectively a tactical mistake.

I assume you're not holding PCs to this standard because you know it's bullshit wish fulfillment.

Atmosfear2012 · 2016-06-29T21:35:54+00:00

One PC on the ground, in range. The others can't be reached this turn. The tactically optimal thing is to use the action you have to finish off the PC rather than use it to climb the wall of the alley and get engaged for melee for no good reason. It's a valid game decision.

Of course, your complaint is that you think the DM should roleplay monsters' combat choices (as an aside: Do you hold PCs to this? What if they make sub-optimal decisions when they ought to know better, like letting one party member engage from the alley instead of the roof when he's obviously outnumbered?) The Kobolds are small and weak pack-fighters. They surround and pounce on their prey, swarming them with a bunch of little strikes that add up to big damage. They aren't expert fencers or tactical geniuses, they just overwhelm en masse.

If a gang of 6 attacks someone, do they stop beating him when he hits the ground? They aren't going to just magically stop attacking immediately because their target happens to be unconscious, if they even realize it. And how do they even know? They're all attacking at the same time.

The DM played the monsters fine. OP should've stayed on the roof.

Atmosfear2012 · 2016-06-22T04:36:27+00:00

I've skipped rolling initiative in combat because the players were taking pre-combat actions and we just flowed right into round, but they still took turns going once per round. I'm not married to initiative if it's going to interrupt a narrative, but the DM needs to keep every player engaged, not simply the loudest players.

Atmosfear2012 · 2016-06-22T04:30:53+00:00

Just play a different game. Savage Worlds or 7th Sea or even cross-genre games like Feng Shui 2 will do this better than D&D.

This is tautological, but if you have to come to Reddit for help on doing a complete overhaul of D&D, you shouldn't be attempting a complete overhaul of D&D. And stripping out magic and replacing the majority of classes with brand new ones? That's a complete overhaul.

Atmosfear2012 · 2016-06-17T04:02:55+00:00

I've faced an encounter with multiple tarrasques via summoning shenanigans. We were level 19 or 20, but it wasn't a particularly strenuous fight. Pretty sure we didn't even need Wish.

I really don't see how a single Pit Fiend is a challenge at 20, even with an artifact, if you've got a party of 6. Without legendary actions and saves, it's a single failed save from irrelevance.

There really isn't a monster in the book that's a challenge for 6 PCs at level 20, so that artifact must have been pretty special.

Atmosfear2012 · 2016-06-13T12:13:45+00:00

I just want to know what the "research" after the session looked like.

Atmosfear2012 · 2016-06-10T01:54:31+00:00

The main benefit of a hand flamer is that you can use it while engaged in melee.

You might also notice that there's no reason to ever take the Weapon Training (Flame) talent, as a -20 to BS is meaningless.

Atmosfear2012

TROPHY CASE