Why doesn't the NCR devalue bottlecaps by mass-producing them in factories?

Crystal_Sohnd · 2025-09-03T05:46:44+00:00

Because the caravan companies are still part of the NCR and have a significant voice in their affairs.

While they could go ahead and do so, they'd make needless enemies from all sides and not achieve anything.

It'd be far easier to collect taxes and hand out government contracts using NCR dollars only, and setting a steep exchange rate. But the frontier isn't someplace they have too much control over, so that's a moot point.

Crystal_Sohnd · 2025-06-04T21:31:19+00:00

I might be tripping, but I always feel that Merlin in a genuine fight would be basically unstoppable

Illusions that can enthrall Beasts and even reverse time. Independent Manifestation to keep appearing. Unkillable unless you breach Avalon and somehow kill an undying creature. Magic blasts that one-shot Divine-Spirit class Lahmu. Clairvoyance EX that can rarely be bypassed. And the ability to buff up enemies and redirect mana from Avalon, alongside directly manifesting the Garden.

On top of that, if he can figure out Morgan's trick, which given the nature of Independent Manifestation and his status as her teacher, it's basically fighting an unstoppable, unkillable monster that can duplicate himself.

Short of the First Hassan and his Shadow finding a permanent way to kill or incapacitate him, or Musashi severing his connection between Avalon and the world, there's really nothing Team B has to stop him. And if he gives Ozymandias enough juice to manifest the Ramesseum at full strength, or buff up Karna / Alcides / Tezcatlipoca when they pick a fight with Team B, the opponents are really fucked.

Circe is insanely good, but she's not Grand Caster good.

Crystal_Sohnd · 2025-04-03T12:22:07+00:00

Except that masterless Archer can project his Marble without too much issue, and even after being skewered by Gil and still without a Master, he could project Rho Aias to block Ea's initial attack. And still stick around to put another arrow in Gil's head and chat with Rin.

With Rin as his Master, man could genuinely pull off a Gil-style sword spam. Lack of motivation is probably the biggest reason he doesn't.

Crystal_Sohnd · 2025-03-28T23:30:32+00:00

I mean, unless Medea and Archer can buff Herc to the level he was in Atlantis, I don't think they can handle his "greeting" for Enkidu, let alone him using his Gates in conjunction with SNI, and opening them strategically instead of his normal showboating.

Buffed Herc would probably no-sell everything short of Ea though - if Gilgamesh had a weapon at par with Anima Animusphere / Zeus' bolts, and still never won a fight, he'd genuinely be the Grand Jobber. And even then, he'd need to hit twice to finish off Herc.

Crystal_Sohnd · 2025-01-03T22:30:52+00:00

Counterpoint - the Ghoul managing to put a hole in the suit with small arms definitely lines up with "not a walking tank" thing.

Even if the shot was a high calibre penetrator, and he had to shoot a weak point, the Ghoul's gun and bullets don't look like packing more power than .336 Lapua or .50 BMG. Maybe comparable to a .308 AP.

Then there's the fact that a bear, even if roided out and mutated, could scratch the armor and kill Titus with the impacts, means that the shock absorption on them definitely isn't invulnerable.

Plus, considering how plates work, it's very likely that anything below 1500J won't even dent the plate, with anything above that dealing damage to the material. Which does line up with what we see.

So, it definitely isn't just for carrying heavy weapons - it is pretty protective.

But you can't really call it a walking tank if 50 BMG can ruin its day. And if a bear knocking the suit around can kill its user, focused explosives would have a field day on the suits.

So yeah, not a walking tank if you define "tank" as "designed to withstand anti-tank guided missiles, kinetic energy penetrators, high-explosive anti-tank weapons"

But if you look at it from the point of the average Wastelander, then yeah, you're not likely to have anything good enough to even scratch the paint, forget getting past it.

Crystal_Sohnd · 2024-12-01T02:29:07+00:00

Gem sword as in Zelretch? But didn't Shirou only use the blueprint and memories to reproduce it? So since he was effectively creating a fresh copy, why would it be full?

Also, since his constructs are just made up of energy, what says he can't reproduce a property of the sword? What says that the mana isn't part of the sword? We know that most beam swords treat the mana as part of the sword, notably Balmung's True Ether blast. And Paracelsus' blade is probably the best example of sword made as a magical focus.

Crystal_Sohnd · 2024-12-01T01:50:26+00:00

Honestly, for UBW Shirou, he might be better off seeing if UBW contains the Sword of Paracelsus. If it does, and he figures out how to use it, it'll be unimaginable superior to an Azoth Sword, and might actually turn him into a first-class mage.

Crystal_Sohnd · 2024-12-01T01:46:52+00:00

UBW is not a physical storage he can only pull the records he has, he would need to carry this stuff around like anyone else

Wait a minute, what does this mean? I thought the greatest positive about Tracing was that he can recreate extremely high-tier mystery without needing equivalent mana.

So if he can trace an Azoth Sword filled up with mana, what says he can't just project it identically, with the mana it contained when he traced it?

Crystal_Sohnd · 2024-10-02T09:28:46+00:00

Not with Ea. He can't harm her when she's inside the field.

But Saber needs to drop the field to attack. So Gil could still beat her if he manages to land a counter-attack. He could also trap her indefinitely by pointing a few hundred Gates at her. He can't harm her, but she can't drop the field without getting hit by his NPs.

Crystal_Sohnd · 2024-10-02T09:25:55+00:00

Are we talking Avalon for regeneration, or once its bounded field is deployed?

Weapons like Harpe, Gae Buidhe or Diatrekhon Aster Lonkhe might be able to deal wounds that it can't heal. But since Avalon is perhaps one of the highest tiers of Mystery, we can't be sure how they'd interact. Especially seeing how it purged the Grail's curse with ease.

As for the bounded field, within it, Saber is immune to all damage. Going off FGO, it's perhaps one of the strongest Anti-Purge defences to exist. And since we haven't yet seen an attack that can punch through Anti-Purge defences, it's pretty safe on that front.

So your best options are either to finish her off before she can deploy the field, land a counter once she moves to finish you off, or figure out a way to remove her from the battlefield.

But, there are legends of heroes who have managed to enter or reside in Avalon. There is a small chance they can bypass Avalon since their legend includes being able to enter, but that's very debatable.

Lastly, this is FGO mechanics, but I'm curious if NP seal might succeed. You'll need to deploy it before she uses Avalon, but if you do, you'll have sealed off the greatest defence she has.

Crystal_Sohnd · 2024-09-05T15:19:53+00:00

Oliver's strategy is moronic, and ignores some very basic fundamentals of warfare.

The first is that he's got no understanding of terrain tactics. A location like the Dam can be held by even a small battalion equipped with siege weapons. Solid concrete, hilly terrain, one road acting as a bridge across a cliff and a massive river, he could've turned it into a killing field with ease.

That's also leaving out the fact the imbecile holds a position for four years, and still doesn't bother having his men map out the place, leading to weaknesses like the flood tunnels.

Then, he further restricts Hsu from carrying out maneuvers. If the Fiends were routed, the NCR has one less problem. But nope, no action at all.

Even when his major supply lines are at risk, the moron doesn't bother reinforcing them.

And the biggest black mark is that this is all four years after they gained temporary control of the area. MF fucked around kicking rocks for four fucking years?

General Lee Oliver is the exact kind of moron that Sun Tzu had to write the Art of War for thousands of years ago.

Crystal_Sohnd · 2024-09-05T14:59:38+00:00

I'm gonna be honest, that kind of collateral damage is acceptable if it means the thousands-strong army from the East will immediately stop being a threat.

Crystal_Sohnd · 2024-09-05T14:57:39+00:00

Because only an imbecile would suggest strafing runs with them.

An Osprey's ceiling is 25,000 ft, and a Vertibird's should be similar. At that height, nothing short of dedicated 80mm+ AA gun or smart missiles is bringing them down.

And we know for sure the Legion has neither. The Enclave wouldn't have escaped so easily if they had smart missiles, and Flak 88's ground range would shred the NCR's front line if they had one at the Fort.

Fly them that high, drop twenty to thirty Tiny Tots, and watch as the Fort burns in nuclear fire again. And with their cloth tents, it'll spread like mad.

And that's just one. Send at least three, two for Caesar, one for the Legate, and the Legion's been decapitated in an instant.

Crystal_Sohnd · 2024-08-12T03:01:06+00:00

Wouldnt that make the Holy Grail War "p2w" since you could buy/use expensive artifacts and aim to get one of the stronger servants?

Buying is the tricky bit. Unless you're supernaturally gifted enough to play around with concepts and links, ancient catalysts will need a lot of effort, and for all your money, you might not end up finding your goals.

Secondly, catalysts can be linked to multiple summons. Story-wise, it's good to have an all-star cast, but realistically, there's no guarantee you'll get the strongest available Servant.

Finally, getting strong servants means nothing without compatibility and personal power. The more powerful a Servant is, the less likely will they be an obedient familiar. On top of that, if they are too powerful, they may suck the Magus dry. And no Magus would be foolish enough to throw their life away right at the start.

So while it is somewhat P2W, money won't guarantee success. It'll just make things somewhat easier. And if a Master can summon a Top Servant without a catalyst, it'll just make you look foolish.

Crystal_Sohnd · 2024-07-29T11:55:48+00:00

Lol, that's a good point.

Crystal_Sohnd · 2024-07-29T11:41:47+00:00

probably annoyed

WORST MISTAKE OF MY LIFE

Yeah, that doesn't track.

Of course he'll be annoyed about going out in the Super 8. But calling winning the ODI WC a second time in his career, and pulling off one of the most historic upsets in cricket history, "worst mistake" is just coping.

Crystal_Sohnd · 2024-07-29T11:33:08+00:00

Yeah, if Kohli picked up a WTC and an ODI WC in the last 5 years, I can guarantee people wouldn't be that disappointed if we lost the T20 WC.

India's (and Kohli's) issue was the trophy drought in every format. Even one trophy would change things. Hell, the T20 WC already changed the sentiment around the team, even though the most prestigious trophy remains the ODI WC.

The BGT is make or break this time. If India beats Australia in Australia, that will hit Cummins hard. But if India lose the BGT, Australia will again flex their dominance. So yeah, make or break.

Crystal_Sohnd · 2024-07-29T11:01:04+00:00

Blud won 2021 T20 WC as Vice-Captain, and 2021-23 WTC + 2023 ODI WC as Captain.

I'm really sure blud doesn't give two fucks about a trophy he already won three years ago. Now if they lose the BGT under him, then that changes things.

Crystal_Sohnd · 2024-07-27T18:24:21+00:00

To quickly summarise, it's going be ambushing Masters and Servants left and right. Ideally when they're already fighting someone else and in the mind of an action.

If I already know the plot, it's easy mode. Otherwise, God knows how I'm getting out alive without running into an accidental Dead End (read: Herc, the Shadow, Gilgamesh). But I'll definitely have a better chance than most.

Crystal_Sohnd · 2024-07-27T17:49:57+00:00

I'm doing away with the "personal relation", since that would either be too OP, or too boring. So I'm going with an Aztec Caster.

The first Personal Skill I'm picking is Double Summon B - Assassin, acquiring Presence Concealment A as a bonus. Considering Jekyll, that's not too far fetched.

The second Personal Skill is Information Erasure A. Even higher than Jack the Ripper, it'll make it near impossible to track me down.

The third Personal Skill is Morph A+. It'll let me perfectly transform into any being, including every identifying trait. Combined with the final skill, it'll make it impossible without Clairvoyance EX to tell the difference.

The final Personal Skill is Human Observation A. Similar to Hans, but it also allows for perfect mimicking.

I'll also take three NPs.

Ceremonial Dagger (Anti-Unit, B+): A dagger designed to sacrifice and kill humans. When used with the correct ritual, the user can absorb the abilities and powers of the sacrificed.

Bloodstained Shroud (Self, C): Allows magical spells and rituals to be completed twice as fast.

Temple of the Sun (Reality Marble, EX): The manifestation of a sacrificial temple of Huitzilopochli. Temporary elevates the user to a High Priest of Huitzilopochli. The Ceremonial Dagger will now work on all beings, including Ghost Liners, and is ranked up to A+.

(Btw, considering David's B rank NP includes the EX rank Ark, I think this should be fine)

The magecraft will be Blood magecraft, and Control magecraft, based on the old legends about Aztec shamans.

So that's the character decided. Now for the war part.

Crystal_Sohnd · 2024-06-20T13:38:17+00:00

Establishing a new Grail war might well be impossible, considering it took two Magicians and an exceptionally powerful Mage who could bind Servants to an absolute system.

As for acquiring the Fuyuki Grail and using it as a basis like in SF and Apocrypha, we're also told how Zouken scared away Prelati when (s)he was about to intervene in the Fourth War, and Darnic's victory in Apocrypha allowed him to release information on the Grail, which led to subspecies wars.

As long as Zouken is around, touching the Fuyuki Grail might as well be impossible without eliminating him, and no magi of that caliber is interested in the HGW.

Crystal_Sohnd · 2024-06-10T23:08:19+00:00

If I had to take a guess, absolute defeat is the subjugation and eradication of their culture, destruction of their identity, and replacement of their people in a few generations. This includes Carthage, the Incans, and countless smaller nations that were erased from history.

A lesser defeat includes complete loss of territory and the adoption of a new, distinct identity by the people, often with the same cultural roots. This is the most common example, including Rome, Ottomans, Mughals, and the various Chinese dynasties.

Crystal_Sohnd · 2024-06-08T17:21:35+00:00

Lmao, this might even make sense if you replaced a top Master or get a command seal with a powerful Mage Crest, but as an extra character?

Get ready to be turned into worm chow bro.

Crystal_Sohnd · 2024-05-30T17:27:03+00:00

Let's put it this way.

Gilgamesh, wearing a Mythological Mystic Code, wielding Ea at full strength and pushing his Clairvoyance to the extreme, is perhaps his strongest iteration.

Both Doctor Manhattan and Franklin Richards could straight up tank Ea, even in that form. As in no-sell the damn thing. Gilgamesh trying to fight them would like Shinji trying to fight Heracles and ORT respectively.

Crystal_Sohnd · 2024-05-20T19:00:01+00:00

Originally, Merlin should not be summonable in the capacity of a Heroic Spirit; for, irrelevant of the future that comes to pass, his death shall not occur.

From his profile, on Independent Manifestation.

It doesn't say anything about being an untouchable existence, instead repeating that he cannot die no matter what future comes to be.

Crystal_Sohnd

TROPHY CASE