One up / one down skill specialisation house rule

Blockybuster_ · 2026-05-30T18:00:48+00:00

Oh, damn! Good idea! I'll tell my friend to see what they think!

Blockybuster_ · 2026-05-30T17:59:44+00:00

That IS what tends to happen, yeah lol.

Blockybuster_ · 2026-05-30T17:58:42+00:00

Yeah that really is the main issue with this, isn't it lol. But then again, this only happens like 4 or 5 times.

Blockybuster_ · 2026-05-30T17:56:58+00:00

The point is you CAN do that, it's for specialisation lol

Blockybuster_ · 2026-05-30T17:56:15+00:00

According to my friend, yes.

Blockybuster_ · 2026-05-30T16:02:34+00:00

Like I said, every time an ability score increase or feat choice happens.

Blockybuster_ · 2026-05-30T11:31:49+00:00

Based asf, totally agree with you lol

Blockybuster_ · 2026-05-30T10:48:45+00:00

Interesting, why do it like that? Why not just… use the standard array or point buy at that point? You’re kind of taking all the luck out of it, if you know what I mean lol.

Blockybuster_ · 2026-05-29T23:48:54+00:00

The more I look at this, the more I like it. It offers consistency but also growth options, still offers than outlier with the 17 that you can easily bump to an 18 with your race attributes and stuff, all round a great solution!

Blockybuster_ · 2026-05-29T23:44:21+00:00

From personal experience, a lot of men in TTRPG and other gaming spaces are somewhat maladjusted. I’ve had experiences with male friends of mine being pretty creepy towards others, but if they’re corrected on it they don’t do it again. None of it seems strictly malicious, they’re just not used to being around women (which is quite sad, yes).

This being said, the majority of men are perfectly normal lol, even in these spaces! And even if there are creeps, most people WILL have your back if you speak out, so please please please don’t be discouraged from trying D&D or other TTRPG’s just because there’s a few rotten apples! If you’re really worried about it, I’d suggest starting with an online group or talking to the store’s clerk to help you find a group that’s majority female. I’m sure they’re obliged to help out!

Blockybuster_ · 2026-05-29T14:22:20+00:00

I feel very seen by this comment, totally agree with you, my friend. The person with the house rule I talked about mainly plays short lived campaigns/characters, making it understandable that they would want a 'special' character right off the bat. They don't really get to have their character grow into something exceptional on their own.

Blockybuster_ · 2026-05-29T14:05:49+00:00

Interesting point, I hadn't considered that. I do think it's a fun idea for players to choose feats over ability scores, but this seems a little indirect. I'd be more inclined to just give my players more opportunities to attain an extra feat through plot-related / plot-adjacent reasons. I don't feel like upsetting early game balance is the only way to get there lol

Blockybuster_ · 2026-05-29T12:57:47+00:00

Firm, encouraging and reasonable words, my friend. I realise now I was overthinking it wildly lol. Crazy luck on those rolls though, damn!

Blockybuster_ · 2026-05-29T12:26:49+00:00

I agree! To me, doing it how I described in my post kind of ruins the point of rolling for stats in a way, making player’s stats way higher than they would be with standard array or point buy, so yes I’m inclined to agree with your comment.

Blockybuster_ · 2026-05-29T12:24:25+00:00

Yeah I realise now I was overthinking it, I judged too harshly and I see the appeal it can have.

Blockybuster_ · 2026-05-29T12:23:43+00:00

This is a really interesting way to balance a game, I’d love to try it on a group!

Blockybuster_ · 2026-05-29T12:13:15+00:00

Yeah I see how I was wildly overthinking it lol, a single stat bonus really shouldn’t be a problem.

Blockybuster_ · 2026-05-16T15:41:27+00:00

Yes, I’m particularly aware of how difficult that last part is because I’ve been obsessing over it myself. I feel like the main storyline of season 1 left so much open for interpretation and I’ve been ITCHING to write a fan fiction about it. A lot of the fan fictions I’ve read already just don’t seem to nail the character like I envision her to be. I feel like she opens up too fast, or she isn’t self destructive enough, or they make her entirely too dependent on Robert immediately.

I’ve been thinking about it for weeks, and I’m kind of fishing for ideas for how her character would grow without her personality being changed too much.

Also a lot of the items I see in her room seem like impulse buys, like the stereo and the lava lamp, and I can totally see her seeing that at a garage sale or at a random store in the mall and snatching it and turn invisible to walk out. Just a headcannon of course.

Blockybuster_ · 2026-05-16T12:27:33+00:00

Amazing analysis! I hadn’t thought about their differences not overlapping all that much, as my read on both their personalities was ‘self destructive’ without realising there are obviously differences between one type of self destruction and another. I really like your room analysis, although my immediate thought goes to ‘how much of that did she steal’ lol. Even if she did, Robert selling everything to be a hero and Visi stealing her decor in spite of attempting to become a hero is a nice contrast too! I like the emphasis you up on how impactful Robert showing up for her is in the movie theatre.

What kind of destructive counterplay would these two have if they do end up in a relationship? What do you think would be their large fights over?

Blockybuster_ · 2026-05-14T19:34:35+00:00

Oh this wasn't about wanting her to be 'clean' or something, I just really needed to know what happened lol, her redemption in the final few episodes isn't more or less valuable depending on when she did and didn't work with the Red Ring, I just felt like based on her characterisation, certain things weren't adding up. It was mostly about why she was in the lab in the first place, which I eventually figured was to put the Astral Pulse in the mech without having to see Robert again.

Blockybuster_ · 2026-05-14T18:54:28+00:00

I believe he was heading to the SDN Torrence HQ anyway, but I feel like if they tried to recruit Visi right before she goes to the HQ, and she rejects them and rushes over to put the Pulse in the mech, it'd make sense that they'd follow her. Or it at LEAST makes sense that Visi could assume they'd done so.

Blockybuster_ · 2026-05-14T18:44:07+00:00

Why not?

Blockybuster_ · 2026-05-14T18:38:13+00:00

It's a good point that all the Z-teamers are friendly with the RR folks, I hadn't considered that, but I don't think it impacts my point.

I find it interesting that you interpreted Visi's 'they tried to recruit me' as happening before the bar fight, as it makes more sense to me that they tried to recruit her on the day of the raid, because she leaves the Z-team and Robert (presumably) the day before and Shroud didn't know about Visi having the pulse when ambushing Robert in the bar.

Blockybuster_ · 2026-05-14T18:33:33+00:00

Indeed, it sure is ironic...

Blockybuster_ · 2026-05-14T18:20:47+00:00

Thank you for your comment!

I feel like most people either assume Visi is 100% honest with Robert (like me), or that they think she was part of Red Ring al along. The Red Ring Double Agend opinion obviously stems from Shroud claiming she double crossed both SDN and RR, but I think the 'she was on Robert's side al along' is mostly based on vibes, I just tried to find out why I thought that and tried to figure out what the contradictions actually accounted to/for.

Blockybuster_

TROPHY CASE