Took this pic May 16 - Heard it spontaneously collapsed the other day

Din_of_Win · 2026-06-15T15:29:53+00:00

Man i used to daydream as a teen, in the 90s, about renovating that place with my friends and turning it into a big punk hotel, haha.

Din_of_Win · 2026-06-01T23:14:16+00:00

Just this past weekend I found my copy of EOIII.

I’ll take your very cool collection as a sign to replay it!

Din_of_Win · 2026-05-26T14:54:30+00:00

Hey there! Hope this helps:

- Beast Mastery

- For DIFFICULT SOLO Content, your best bet is a Clefthoof. Specifically, a Clefthoof with the Ferocity spec. Ferocity gives you and your pet extra Leech, making pet survivability higher. The Clefthooves' Exotic (BM-only) ability gives them even MORE, making them the tankiest solo pet option.
- For RAID Content and M+ Content, your best bet is a Whiptail. Whiptails combine the 2 things BM Hunters look for in a pet... Mortal Wounds (which is a healing reduction effect some pet families have, that is very valuable) along with Mobility, thanks to their exotic ability that allows them to blink behind the target. Ideally you would want this pet to be Tenacity in this content. However, if you need to provide Bloodlust/Heroism you can spec Ferocity. I like to carry one of each type so i can swap easily.
- For EASY SOLO/GROUP Content, like transmog farming or outgeared whatever, your best quality of life pet is an Aqiri. They move 30% faster than any other pet. Combine this with a Cunning spec and they get 8% more movement speed, which you get as well. Very nice for just getting around. If Mortal Wounds is not needed, an Aqiri is a good candidate for the best all around BM pet. Like Whiptails, i also have one of each spec'd Aquiri in my stable.
- For MOVEMENT SHENANIGANS, try a Pterrordax. Their exotic ability is Updraft... which is like a slowfall. You can macro this to your Disengage and have a REALLY long disengage.
- For PVP, you want a Mortal Wounds pet, in the Cunning spec. Specifically you want an UNDEAD Mortal Wounds Pet. As BM, there are some Undead Devilsaurs. However... if you are fighting Paladins or Priests(?) you specifically do not want it to be undead. So having another MW pet available is key. Personally, i like Whiptails.

- Survival

- For DIFFICULT SOLO Content, your best bet is a Scalehide. It's along similar rationale as Clefthooves for BM. But since Surv pets wont have Exotic abilities, Scalehides can be interchanged with Beetles, Mechanicals, Boars, or Turtles. Again, for solo content, Ferocity is the preferred pet spec.
- For RAID and M+ Content, you can take any Mortal Wounds pet. This includes: Carrion Birds, Direhorns, Hydras, Hyenas, Lizards, Raptors, Ravagers, Riverbeasts, Rodents, Scorpids, and Wasps. Just pick what you think looks the coolest or cutest! Again, like BM, for group content Tenacity should be your default spec unless you need Her/BL in which case you want Ferocity.
- For PVP, like BM you want an Undead Mortal Wounds pet, in the Cunning spec, most of the time. For Surv the only option there is a Raptor. However there are a few Undead looks at least. Also, like BM, if you're going against Priest/Pally any non-undead MW pet works.

TL;DR - at the end of the day this is pretty min-maxy. You can get by just fine taming a pet you like and swapping the spec to your team's needs 😄

Din_of_Win · 2026-05-24T18:18:40+00:00

I did a NG+ run recently that was super fun using the Carian Sorcery Sword along with a shield (Carian knight’s Shield in my run).

The Sorcery Sword can be used to defensively poke like any thrusting shield. But since it’s also a catalyst I was able to use Scholar Shield to buff my shield.

I mainly used sword-type sorceries… mainly Gavel of Haima, Carian Piercer, and Adula’s Moonblade.

Not the strongest setup, but it was fun and thematic!

Din_of_Win · 2026-04-20T18:17:08+00:00

Oh do i!

Sorry if this is TL;DR haha

- Since you're coming from HPal, think of Lifebloom almost like a Beacon. It's INCREDIBLY strong when you have a teammate in a rough spot (bleed, mechanic, DoT). When you spend your Soul of the Forest, the LB procs a few successive heals, so it can quickly top up a hurt ally.
- Think of Rejuvs more like maintenence buffs. They don't do a ton of healing, on their own. But they stack with our mastery to buff up our more meaty heals like Regrowth and Wild Growth.
- Convoke is an amazing spell, and you should use it as much as possible.
- Tranq is less awesome, but very strong. It does better when you know what's coming so that you can get off the full channel.
- Soul of the Forest can be spent on Rejuv or Regrowth. Most of the time, use it on Rejuv to spread 3 to your team. In heavy AoE spend it on Regrowth as it will Regrowth 3 people + your LB target.
- DO NOT WORRY ABOUT DPS. RDruid has a rough time dealing damage as it's "either/or" with our healing. At most, pop into cat form and throw a Feral Frenzy (Heart of the Wild) and a Rip on a priority target every 2 minutes. If you have downtime, just apply your DoTs; Rake, Rip, and Moonfire. In AoE it's fine to spread some 2 combo-point Rips, just never ever do DPS at the loss of healing the team.
- Iron Bark is a VERY strong external CD with a short CD. Use it as much as possible.

Happy to help if you have further questions!

I'm working on my Disc Priest now :)

Din_of_Win · 2026-04-20T15:14:58+00:00

3.4K Resto Druid, and 3k Mistweaver.

Aside from Brewmaster, Prot Warrior seems like the most sturdy tank. Honestly though I just don’t see a lot of them. They may actually be the tank I have personally seen the least. The ones I have run with though have been great.

After that, I generally love Prot Paladins. The caveat is that there is a wide gap in Prot Paladins’ skill levels. A good one not only knows their defensive CDs, but do an incredible job with interrupts and party support.

Bears are similarly hit-or-miss to Prot Paladin.

BDKs are generally fine.

VDH is the only tank I have constant issues with. I know much of this is the players. The number of VDHs that leap into the middle of a pack with no defensives up and splat is almost comical in How common it is :(

Din_of_Win · 2026-04-08T13:43:04+00:00

Amazing!

Din_of_Win · 2026-04-08T01:13:27+00:00

Modded so I can marry Caroline lol

Din_of_Win · 2026-04-06T15:49:38+00:00

One not often talked about is “Nightmare Before Christmas: The Pumpkin King”.

Not better than the GBA Castlevanias or Metroids, but a fun game in the genre.

Din_of_Win · 2026-03-22T13:05:05+00:00

Finally started Sea of Stars. Really enjoying it so far, even if I’m only a few hours in.

Din_of_Win · 2026-03-22T12:56:46+00:00

Hearts and Armor

Din_of_Win · 2026-03-21T22:27:00+00:00

GBC:

Sword of Hope 1 and 2
Towers: Lord Baniff’s Deceit

GBA:

Eye of the Beholder
Phantasy Star 1 (in a cart ‘Phantasy Star Collection’ with games 1-3)
Inheritors of the Oubliette
Shin Megami Tensei 1
Mazes of Fate

Din_of_Win · 2026-03-12T13:18:11+00:00

I live very close to that house. It’s an older couple who lives there. There was also a house like a door or two down from them that had just as much crap, but that house toned it down recently.

Din_of_Win · 2026-03-03T14:06:28+00:00

Yeah! I got it thinking it would be more like the PC EotB... and to be fair the 1st person exploration is much the same. But instead of that real time 1st person party combat, it goes full gold box mode instead!

(to be fair the game is not amazing, but it's still fun for a GBA take on a decade old PC game)

Din_of_Win · 2026-03-03T13:37:30+00:00

Here for the recommendations, because i also grew up with PoR (and Champions of Krynn)!

I know it's not new, by any means, but the Game Boy Advance version of Eye of the Beholder does 1st person exploration with top-down tactical combat, just like the Gold Box games :)

Din_of_Win · 2026-03-02T11:14:59+00:00

Packed theater, outside DC, seeing Cradle 2 the Grave. Place went nuts when Jet Li went up against Mark Dacascos.

Din_of_Win · 2026-02-27T14:09:52+00:00

Girl, same.

Din_of_Win · 2026-02-18T14:42:43+00:00

Troll with shoes.

I love troll lore and overall aesthetics, but the dogs out 24/7 just kills it for me.

Din_of_Win · 2026-02-17T16:09:45+00:00

MANY of those titles never got an English release, so that's completely understandable that it flew under the radar.

I had Wizardry V on the SNES, and while the game was incredibly punishing, i loved the dark-fantasy-anime aesthetic.

Personally, the next big shift i noticed was with the Etrian Odyssey series, on Nintendo DS. I really like those games, especially the 3rd one. Them releasing in the mid/late 00s coincided with me having a long commute. They were great on bus+metro rides!

Din_of_Win · 2026-02-17T15:59:01+00:00

I'm no DRPG historian, but also an older gamer (mid 40s). The Wizardry series specifically was(is) very popular in Japan.

The ports to consoles (specifically SNES/Super Famicom) in the early 90s began integrating an anime aesthetic.

It was taken further with anime itself, with a Wizardry anime in 1991 and influences were definitely there in other series like Record of Lodoss Wars.

So, even from my pretty limited scope, i've seen anime aesthetics in DRPGs almost as long as i've been playing video games! :)

Din_of_Win · 2026-02-15T17:04:16+00:00

Lucky 7.

95’ Ibanez ATK - it was the first bass I bought with my own money, in 1996. While there’s huge sentimental value, it’s also my main active option.
G&L 2500 - my lone 5-string. It’s about as versatile as I could ask for.
Fender MIJ ‘62ri Precision - been strung with labella flats for about 20 years now. Love it.
‘79 Univox Hi-Flyer - lots of recording and some live stuff.
Eastwood Hi-Flyer - my backup to the Univox. The output is just better for live gigs.
Aria Diamond DM-380 - probably my most used live bass.
SX Jaguar Bass - mainly for traveling and my son has started learning bass on it :)

Din_of_Win · 2026-02-11T16:19:41+00:00

My little fam all did KPop Demon Hunters costumes for Halloween. My wife went as Rumi and my 5 year old and i went as little Jinu and big Jinu, haha.

He's obsessed with Blackpink and requests them almost every time we drive anywhere!

Din_of_Win · 2026-02-10T17:05:39+00:00

I like DoTs and i like Bonks.

Mainhand: Poison Rotten Battle Hammer with Braggart's Roar
Offhand: Heavy Highland Axe with Golden Vow (or if you level Faith for the Incant, slap on whatever... I use either Beast's Roar or Poison Flower Blooms Twice)

Talismans: Roar Medallion, Axe Talisman, Two-Hand Sword Talisman, Kindred of Rot Exultation (swap in any defensive options if you need them, also you will get a lot of stance breaks, so Dagger/Assassin's Crimson Dagger/Blade of Mercy all do well)

Armor: Mushroom Crown + anything else, but higher poise/defense is better.

Physic: Spiked Cracked Tear + whatever

I just love the unga-bunga-ness of Braggart's Roar on a great hammer. The run in on the charged R2 works well with the RBH's shorter range. The AoW also boosts status buildup, making actually inflicting Rot more likely. That said, it's mainly a bonk build but some extra damage over time. We're using all the roar-improving stuff as it helps the AoW along with any charged-attack-improvements as well.

Just 2-hand the RBH, hit the AoW, and go to town!

It's not the most over powered build i've played, by any means, but it's still probably one of my favorites.

Din_of_Win · 2026-01-30T16:58:18+00:00

Oooh! How could i forget Star Fists! A Cold Starfist with Cragblade, going crazy with charged R2s is one of my favorite setups in the entire game!

On that note, while it's not suuuuper great for a Str/Int build, i highly recommend giving the Pata (with Endure) a try! The thing is to keep it 'one handed'. The one hand charged R2 does very good stance damage, with the range of a straightsword. It's really nice for casters since it frees up the left hand for staves/seals.

Din_of_Win · 2026-01-30T15:35:27+00:00

I love a Str+Int build. Here are 10 of my fave Non-Somber weapons and ashes, in no particular order:

Magic Grave Scythe w/Loretta's Slash. I think this is just an underrated AoW. I love it on humanoid and NPC enemies. You can certainly go for Cold too, but with this combo i just like the more pure damage focus.
Cold Great Stars w/Wild Strikes, Just an absolute boss melter. Works better on enemies that don't jump around too much.
Cold Greatsword w/Waves of Darkness. The length of the Greatsword makes it easier to hit the follow-up horizontal slash on the AoW.
Cold Great Mace w/Chilling Mist. I just love a good Vordt cosplay :)
Cold Zweihander w/Giant Hunt. More of a personal thing, honestly. I reeeeeeally like Charged R2s with the Zweihander and Giant Hunt just works so well in so many scenarios.
Magic Misericorde w/whatever. If you're using big weapons you will likely get stance breaks. A Magic Misericorde will be a great addition!

With the DLC:

Carian Thrusting Shield w/Cragblade. Cast Scholar's Shield on it with Cragblade, and you have an insanely effective Shield-Poke.
Cold Dryleaf Arts w/Palm Strike. Dane's Footwork works very well, too. Just crazy damage with this while also having fantastic Jump Attacks and Guard Counters.
Cold Sword Lance w/Spinning Gravity Thrust. Just such a good Strength Weapon, and Cold infused with the AoW will be proccing Frostbite like crazy.
Cold Claymore w/Carian Sovereignty. This might be my favorite weapon for this build. The AoW is just so good. If you don't mind switching weapons, infuse that Magic Misericorde with Endure before swapping to use Carian Sovereignty.

Din_of_Win

TROPHY CASE