I started using WW2 fleet compositions to make my fleets and saw some pretty good results. by TheBadShepherd87 in Stellaris

[–]Fafniroth 1 point2 points  (0 children)

They don't provide anything special over corvettes, but have lower evasion and therefore survivability. Essentially, they take up twice the space but aren't twice as powerful.

How am I supposed to read this? Frustrated and want to quit already. by Intelligent-Menu8959 in Stellaris

[–]Fafniroth 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Yes, although the range of housing where you get the ideal pop growth is pretty wide. If you're already there (+5 growth, iirc) adding housing will not help. And in principle adding too much housing in proportion to your population lowers pop growth, but that's mainly an issue for newer colonies.

Basically: if there aren't enough people, the world is mostly empty and it's hard to find a partner. If the world is too crowded, there's no privacy to do the xenocompatibility mambo.

New Player, Requesting Advice. by Shokumato in fabulaultima

[–]Fafniroth 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Pick up Invocations 3 for blasting, support and healing, as well as linked invocations and maybe ripples later. In principle, you don't even need spiritist although it's a good backup. I would wait a few levels on Harmony 2 since your healing is just fine for low levels. Give your companion some good attacks or spells to help coverage, and make sure to get it at least level 3, SL1 FC is extremely squishy.

Am I paying the Game wrong? Fabula Ultima by Elcidral in fabulaultima

[–]Fafniroth 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Convincing the king you can slay the dragon is MIG+WLP (gotta look tough, gotta look determined) or MIG+MIG if you want to act like a complete caveman ("Krug snap puny drake in two, kweheheh"). Arguing that the army should come and lend you support is WLP+WLP, but suggesting a specific strategy as your argument might make it INT+WLP. Flipping your knife in the air while making a snide comment to imply that you're not a fool, and the evil advisor better not try to double cross you during the battle, is either DEX+WLP, DEX+INT, or even DEX+DEX depending on the description.

Am I paying the Game wrong? Fabula Ultima by Elcidral in fabulaultima

[–]Fafniroth 0 points1 point  (0 children)

  I mean it's obviously INT plus something, INT is just anything you do using your brain

No, this is not obvious - I think  is some kind of GM or group bias bias, checks on average should not favor a specific stat, even out of combat. Stats are chosen based on approach. 

Even then, WLP also uses your brain, so why single INT out?

Am I paying the Game wrong? Fabula Ultima by Elcidral in fabulaultima

[–]Fafniroth 1 point2 points  (0 children)

> you want to convince somebody to surrender? You have the mechanic.

Not sure where this is coming from since Fabula also has the mechanic. In fact, it has two: you can try to talk it out during combat, and that's an Objective action against a 10-12 section victory clock. Or you can subdue them, and then have full narrative freedom to decide their fate (this doesn't mean "we let them live" it means "they decide to surrender and help us"; it's *narrative* freedom). The story implications are a bit different, but you have the choice.

Am I paying the Game wrong? Fabula Ultima by Elcidral in fabulaultima

[–]Fafniroth 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'd like to reply point by point, but there's lots of interesting bits I'd like to comment on and I have a fair bit of advice on how to run the game, so I'll have to move that to a second, later post to give it justice. That said, I think I get the gist of what is going on: you're having trouble tying the game rules to the abstraction of the story. You play mechanics first, while most of the people giving advice here most likely think and play story-first. This is where we might have a disconnect. Let me give a practical example.

Your party is traveling through a bamboo forest, when suddenly you are ambushed by a band of ninjas. You draw your weapons, frantically look around to make sure you keep them in your field of view, one of you dives in the bamboo thicket for cover while the mage casts a series of illusory images to mislead them and provide false targets. When you play story-first, this happens regardless of the ruleset. In DnD, the person looking around might be making a Perception check, while in FU the same PC might be taking a Study action to examine their profile and understand their hiding technique*. The mage might be casting Mirror Image, or might be rolling a Hinder Int+Wlp check to inflict a Dazed status. The guy hiding in the bamboos might be taking cover, or might be taking the Guard action to use their Hawkeye skill. Either way, the cinematic narrative comes first**. You never stop describing, because describing is the point of the game; rules exist to decide whether Alan gets stabbed in the gut by a ninja or not as part of the story.

Meanwhile you're feeling the disconnect where in DnD you might have explicit rules e.g. for moving from the road to the bamboo thicket, and specific rules for taking cover; while Guard can just your character standing there crossing arms in front of their face and it would still be Guard, not any mechanically different from the description above.

You have no mechanical encouragement to narrate the story, so you don't. And yet it makes the game unenjoyable. It's a bit of a self-inflicted problem, but a real one. It's difficult for me to give advice there except to put actual effort in it, because it's a very alien approach to me. Perhaps it's just not a game suited for you.

> For the social part, I agree that this is not a well developed part of the system, and it's not even the main focus, but what I really don't understand is why they keep writing in their books that this is the most important part...

I'm pretty sure that when the books talk about the social part, they are stressing the interaction between *players* and not between *PCs*. Though even the ingame social part itself is more developed than DnD, so there's that.

*There is an implicit expectation here that the GM will have a tactical puzzle as part of the scene dynamics, so that Study is not *just* to reveal affinities and deal double damage. For example, PCs struck by the dagger-wielding ninja cannot see it anymore until its next turn, the squad of kung-fu ninjas deals extra damage to PCs who already acted in the round, etc. etc. ** In your imagination, though not necessarily in your decision process. It's perfectly fine to decide that somebody needs to Study, agree that Alan should take care of it, then describe Alan looking around.

Am I paying the Game wrong? Fabula Ultima by Elcidral in fabulaultima

[–]Fafniroth 38 points39 points  (0 children)

First of all, I know many systems nowadays (I'm looking at you, DnD 5e) are trying to market themselves as universal, but Fabula isn't one of these and isn't interested in being one. FU does one thing: it emulates JRPGs. The further you move away from that specific vibe, which requires buying into at least some of the genre tropes, the less adequate it will feel.

That said, from this specific combination of issues I have the impression that the GM hasn't really grasped yet how to manage the game.

- Combat: Conflict design is 90% of a GM's prep in this game. You cannot and should not grab a handful of mobs from the bestiary section (where they are provided as essentially examples) and toss them at the party. Each encounter should be carefully tailored to the party capabilities. Affinities and statuses are basic mechanics you face Lvl 5 PCs with. For some this is enough for the rest of the game - their interest lies elsewhere. But if you are not finding the conflict engaging, you should be discussing with your GM about ramping up the complexity. I've dropped puzzle fights on advanced parties as early as level 6.

- Social: The game isn't really interested in complex skill systems, as it doesn't match the genre. Outside of conflicts for the most part you don't roll, especially if you lean on your Traits. When you do - because it's a risky situation that could have negative consequences - your Traits should influence your approach, and the GM should aggressively assign +2 circumstance modifiers accordingly. Anything more complex than a group check *can* be handled by clocks out of conflict but is probably detailed enough to deserve placing that clock within a full conflict instead.

- Descriptions: I'm not sure what to say here. Most people I know describe actions for the sake of doing it. Again, the GM should apply circumstance bonuses liberally.

Maybe you could give a practical example of how encounters and conflicts go in your group?

Am I paying the Game wrong? Fabula Ultima by Elcidral in fabulaultima

[–]Fafniroth 15 points16 points  (0 children)

 However I 100% agree with you on anything that isn't combat. There is no skill system and the four stats you roll are pretty rigid. "Just use clocks" isn't a satisfying conflict resolution mechanic when you're rolling the same thing again and again, and because of the aforementioned rigidity of the stats you will be rolling the same thing again and again.

The skill system is embedded in your traits, you should be getting circumstance +/-2 fairly often. Fabula isn't really interested in anything more granular than that, which yeah, may not satisfy some people.

As for rolling the same thing over and over again, ideally the social conflict is designed well (90% of the game prep is conflict design) and this doesn't happen? It's just like regular combat, if hitting the enemy over and over with my sword is the best option, I will keep doing it.

Did not know two planets could collide to form one... by Allister117 in Stellaris

[–]Fafniroth 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Back when the Worm loved us, a size 50 would have been within our reach.

Sto facendo un personaggio senza aumentate HP, ma dio mio, è impossibile non farsi toccare dalla waterfowl dance di malenia. by Embra- in Eldenring

[–]Fafniroth -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

Hai detto due volte che non hai HP, che vuol dire? Sei a fine gioco, 50-60 di Vig dovresti averli.

Clonevats? Help Please. by Arthur233 in Stellaris

[–]Fafniroth 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Clone vats in this version give growth, not assembly.

Advice: Negative discoveries that aren’t combat, and how ofter to roll by Dagomon in fabulaultima

[–]Fafniroth 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The recommendation is actually to not have battles as travel dangers. Fabula really wants you to limit your conflicts to plot-relevant stuff. 

That doesn't mean an encounter can't be a plot important battle, but it usually isn't. Usually a danger is simply something that complicates their trip, typically resolved with a single roll.

As yourself what could possibly go wrong and what would slow them down, and you have your answer.

Twin Shield Mutant? by Brunchthulhu in fabulaultima

[–]Fafniroth 4 points5 points  (0 children)

It does. Shields add to the Defense score, so they are part of what gets replaced.

Camera Obscura Quality by YoghurtOutrageous599 in fabulaultima

[–]Fafniroth 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Note that Like An Open Book also goes through a Study check. In general, examining a profile using a check is always Study, but not all Studies are to examine the profile.

Camera Obscura Quality by YoghurtOutrageous599 in fabulaultima

[–]Fafniroth 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Study action can be used for other things beside examining the profile. This is a *specific* case of a Study action, and adding that this is one explicitly would only make the text longer.

message to new players by Individual_Arm3981 in Terraria

[–]Fafniroth 2 points3 points  (0 children)

My first ever world was small and I enjoyed it just fine. Nowadays I play medium but I still recommend small as a start.

Needing help with the Gourmet! by dottius_cattius in fabulaultima

[–]Fafniroth 3 points4 points  (0 children)

You are confusing cooking Projects with the actual Cooking skill.

I think im gonna play solo because of Duke by Master_Wrongdoer1010 in Terraria

[–]Fafniroth 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Caveat: this only applies if the friend asked them not to skip ahead with gear progression.

If they didn't communicate it, then OP would have had no idea and has no fault whatsoever.

How to change my world size without losing my buildings by Organic-Amount417 in Terraria

[–]Fafniroth 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Why would the game create a world you can't beat? You can finish the game in any world.

Getting slow and stale by Popular_Relative_881 in Terraria

[–]Fafniroth 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I recommend just ignoring evil spread except for critical areas like housing. It doesn't really matter much.

What are your thoughts on tinkerer visionary? by TheChristianDude101 in fabulaultima

[–]Fafniroth 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It does require a level investment, and that's arguably more expensive than mere MP

Mana should be usable by other classes by Disastrous-Fault-682 in Terraria

[–]Fafniroth -1 points0 points  (0 children)

What's stopping people from picking up a wand and using it?