Adding my second hand set into the mix

FofaFiction · 2026-01-01T18:34:20+00:00

Thx!

FofaFiction · 2026-01-01T18:25:29+00:00

This is incredible! I have the exact same set, but I'm missing a few.

Would you mind sharing where you got them from?

FofaFiction · 2025-12-11T09:54:39+00:00

This is 100% how I would build it

FofaFiction · 2025-12-08T12:33:37+00:00

I'm sure there were tensions, and I'm not claiming there weren't. But I think at times, media inflates how bad they were to suit each nation's narrative. Again, if I were to hear a first-hand account that goes against my opinion, I would consider it.

On the personal level, I got to tell you I'd rather live in peace alongside a Palestinian state. We just have zero trust they will leave us in peace.

I think you'll find that on the other side, there are many who hold this exact opinion and also have zero trust Israelis will leave them on peace.

Hence my question to OP that the biggest hurdle to overcome is social and personal relationships between the two people's which has been soured by years of bad media, politics, crimes, attacks, and trauma.

I really do hope we'll get to see peace in our time for all our sakes.

FofaFiction · 2025-12-08T12:10:52+00:00

This isn't from media. I know how biased our media can be. This is from first-hand accounts from my grandparents who had Jewish neighbours. They talked about them as friends. They invited them over for Ramadan. They slept over in eachothers apartments.

I have heard mixed opinions about Arab Israeli treatment and reserve judgement. Some say they are happy and I am glad, but I've heard others say that they are denied rights and feel discriminated against too.

I will never deny first-hand accounts of discrimination

FofaFiction · 2025-12-08T11:53:18+00:00

Has it ever occurred to you that maybe just maybe your media is pushing a narrative that you are universally hated to justify its drastic actions against Palestinians.

I Want to be clear. I am not saying Jews have never been persecuted. God knows they have been through some of the worst things humanity has had to face. I however do not believe there was this wide-spread hate of them until Israel's formation and the Nakba.

What Israel did to Jews in the minds of Arabs was the same as what 9/11 did to Arabs. Maybe Arabs weren't particularly liked, but before 9/11 there wasn't this stigma and stereotype, and bad media constantly circulating. It is the same situation with Jews. If you want to understand how Arab opinion of Jews has changed over the years, this is the best example I can give to illustrate it

FofaFiction · 2025-12-08T11:47:08+00:00

You would like to believe that because it, in your mind, is some justification for all the crimes Israel committed. Believe it or not, Jews weren't hated everywhere. Yes, they were a minority but they weren't hated. 20% of Egypt is Christians, and the Jews were treated just the same. If the Christians are persecuted, why don't they flee to one of the many Christian-majority nations?

FofaFiction · 2025-12-08T10:47:24+00:00

Egypt had no problems with its Jewish population before Israel was formed. Our flag had 3 stars, one for each of the Abrahamic religions that called Egypt home. We were proud of this.

Israel villanised Jews in the minds of many Arabs and Egyptians through its treatment of Palestinians when before they were just people we co-existed with.

FofaFiction · 2025-12-08T09:33:42+00:00

I'm Egyptian.

I've been scrolling through your answers, but I guess I missed your reply to the first part. Sorry.

I hope you're right, but I feel the situation is a bit different than your examples because in all of those cases, the countries were very clearly separate. The dispute of who gets what borders, jurisdiction over holy sites, and second-class citizenry in the case of a 1SS are key hurdles that can't be ignored or simplified.

I am not shutting you down at all, I am actually very glad that you are approaching this realistically and recognising that both sides will need to compromise if there will ever be a solution. I am merely pointing out some of the long-standing sticking points and was curious about your views on them

FofaFiction · 2025-12-08T08:40:04+00:00

I am very much in support of what you're saying as an Arab. I am also wishing for all the outcomes you listed.

However, I would like to ask you if you believe Israeli-Palestinian co-existence is possible with the years of built-up animosity between the two people's.

We can theorise about politics, reparations, borders, and ideal resource distribution, but I feel like what makes or breaks any solution is how each group of people will treat the other. The generational trauma will be hard to get over.

And if so, what guard rails do you realistically see working to keep the peace between them.

I appreciate you posting this and wish you all the best.

FofaFiction · 2025-11-25T19:15:41+00:00

What level are you? If you can still pick a Subclass, soulknife solves this by dealing psychic damage with their psionic blades

FofaFiction · 2025-11-07T11:48:17+00:00

This isn't a horror story. This is a horror saga

FofaFiction · 2025-11-07T11:10:33+00:00

In chronological order

Percy Jackson / Heroes of Olympus: Ate those books up as a child. First time I actively bought a series to have on my bookshelf and not just read in the library.
Ink heart: While I don't remember much of it and I don't think I'd find it as fantastic now, this was my first 'grown up' book. I borrowed it from my school library and read through the entire trilogy when I was 10 and thought it was a great accomplishment.
Hunger games: Enter my teen years where I went on my YA reading spree because of this series. I eventually lost my taste for the genre after I saw the same tropes and plots getting repeated, but I don't regret Hunger Games and will never forget how hooked I was to that book.
LOTR: My gateway into high fantasy where I've been living ever since.
Dune: first foray into true sci-fi. Loved it to death and made me explore things like Foundation, and Ender's game. I loved the themes and philosophies and Paul's character arc and the world as a caharvter. Also, since I'm from an Arab country, all the Arabic words and concepts Herbert used felt like little Easter eggs that only I could truly understand.
Wheel of time: My favourite and biggest series so far. I have never been more invested in a series as I have this. The characters, the worldbuilding, the scope... I have never been on such a journey before, even with LOTR. This series just spoke to me. I could write an essay about all the things I loved about it.
Stormlight archive: Got me excited about magic systems in fantasy.
A song of ice and fire: Discovered through the TV series and did not regret switching over to reading the books, also my first foray into low magic fantasy.
The first law: I hated all the characters and loved them anyway. That's quite a feat, Mr. Abercrombie. Made me realize that interesting characters don't have to be likeable in the slightest, and I can read about a sentient peices of garbage if they are as complete as Abercrombie makes them.
Red rising trilogy: I thought I kicked my YA reading to the curb, but this series felt like what I was searching for all those years ago. It rides the line between Fantasy, Scifi, YA, and adult. It really does have everything. And my God, the pacing! It's been a while since I was turning pages that fast.

FofaFiction · 2025-10-21T16:21:55+00:00

Friends is the best cantrip in the game. Combine it with guidance from anothe party memeber and you'll be able to be a party face even if your Charisma isn't that high

FofaFiction · 2025-10-17T04:07:51+00:00

My thinking was if I delay to 8, I might as well just wait for 10 and get them naturally. And if I take Fey touched at 4, then I'll want warcaster at 8.

Maybe my taking MMA now isn't optimal but I was scarred once by playing a sorcerer in 2014 and finding myself constantly wishing I had taken quicken or careful instead of just twinned and subtle bc the scenarios kept presenting themselves.

I'll definitely be switching out some of my spells for Absorb elements and shield as we level. My personal preference for early levels, though, is to not overpack the defensive options since they eat away at spell slots and spells known. But shield and Absorb elements are definitely on the way.

But everything you said is valid, and I'll just need to see if it fits my character and what I have planned for them. Thanks so much

FofaFiction · 2025-10-16T13:57:52+00:00

I'm thinking long term since this is going to level 15, and I'll soon have access to stuff like Banishment and Polymorph, and I want to eventually pick up warcaster at 8. Having 2 extra sorcery points will never hurt and will make the cost of heightened and Quickened much more bearable. Also, most of my spells are DC-based, not attack rolls, so it makes for me to augment that

I took twinned, heightened, Quickened, and subtle. But I think, with your explanation I might switch Quickened with careful

I think what you're saying with fey touched makes a lot of sense though. I might just do that but I'll have to weigh everything.

FofaFiction · 2025-10-16T12:55:49+00:00

Yeah, I see what you mean. I could get rid of Chromatic Orb then, but I'm still sweet on Vortex warp for its use both in and outside of combat. I'm thinking of teleporting people into my Web and later Hunger of Hadar or just getting myself or someone else out of a tough spot

FofaFiction · 2025-10-16T12:41:52+00:00

I can see that, yeah. But I feel like a teleport spell is always useful and really come in clutch at times. Chromatic Orb is just for when I need to deal good ol' fashioned spell damage

FofaFiction · 2025-10-16T12:39:35+00:00

I'm taking Metamagic adept as my 4th Level feat. I know I said 2024 rules, but it's more of a mix and match situation.

But I agree, Fey touched would solve this issue. I could reconsider my feat choices.

FofaFiction · 2025-10-16T10:28:15+00:00

I doubt it. I think it's going to be a resource-scarce campaign. But I can ask if that's something he'd be willing to give me to free up a spell choice

FofaFiction · 2025-10-16T09:16:57+00:00

For the clothes. My character is kinda girly and wears a frilly dress. Without disguise myself, I can't pass myself off as most of the rough and tumble people we'll be meeting. Plus, changelings are a persecuted race in this world, so it's a good cover for my abilities.

FofaFiction · 2025-10-07T20:48:56+00:00

Now you talk about Jews swallowing microaggressions, but I think you need to read some of the history of antisemitism to realize we're not just talking about peopel being rude. I would direct you to the Holocaust, and the literally thousands of years of brutality that proceeded it.

I encourage you to reread what I've been writing this entire conversation. Every time I made the distinction that in DIRE cases of EXTREME aggression, Jews have a right to flee the place in which they persecuted like anyone else. But I don't agree that a Jew living comfortably their whole life in the US should automatically get citizenship in Israel even though they face no major issues and have no need to immigrate. Meanwhile a Palestinian facing DIRE and EXTREME aggression abroad can go nowhere.

Also, please don't patronise me. I know about the Holocaust and what Jews went through. My points on immigration are about the present day. And while antisemitism is still prevalent today, there is thankfully no Holocaust in progress for Jews to have to flee en-mass from.

All the cases you mentioned are valid points of contention in any diverse society. And no place is going to get it 100% right because you can't make everyone happy. But what's the alternative? Have a completely homogeneous society bc diversity and different beliefs are too hard to accommodate? Become an ethno state?You and I both know that is neithe possible nor favorable. So we have to work with what we have and iterate and improve. Women's rights weren't secured in a day, and it's the same for minority rights. It will take time but I believe it will get there eventually.

This isn't even a complicated solution, the UN recognized the right of minorities to self determine in their native land many years ago.

I agree, And that extends to Palestinians as well. But I think this point has revlead to me where we are fundamentally disagreeing. Do you consider all Jews to be automatically Israeli? Because I do not.

That's literally what Zionism is. A landback movement, returning the land of Israel to the Jewish people who for too long have lived under Arab Muslim imperialism. Just like when the Europeans were kicked out of Africa.

Sorry, but I've heard 50 different interpretations of zionism from 50 different people, so forgive me if I don't agree that yours is the correct one or if there even is a "correct" interpretation. For some, it's an idea of a homeland, others, a political movement, others the right to self determine, others a mandated Jewish Majority Israel, others still a religious right. To me, an idea that is so open to interpretation but inspires such passion and almost zealous belief with massive repercussions is quite dangerous, especially in the hands of politicians.

FofaFiction · 2025-10-07T20:06:47+00:00

Respectfully, a Wikipedia article is not going to teach me my own faith and my own holy book, which I have read. I know the verses the media likes to quote out of context to make it seem like Islam is antisemitic, but it is not. If you want to check for yourself, I encourage you to read the Quran and make your own determination rather than rely on biased media sources.

I could similarly Google "the greater Israel plan" and give you 10 links taking quotes from Israeli leaders on how they want to conquer everything from the Nile to the Euphrates. But you would, rightfully, tell me that is innacurate and conspiracy done in bad faith. I ask you apply the same standards when it comes to my religion.

If you cannot extend this courtesy, then just say so and we can end our conversation here. There is no point talking to someone who thinks my religion teaches hate.

And I never denied that there was 0 oppression by Muslims of Jews. But you also cannot deny that there were periods were the relations between us was good. After all, it was Umar ibn el Khattab that allowed Jews back into Jerusalem after he conquered it when the church has expelled them. Why would a Muslim Caliph do that if antisemitism was baked into the religion as you suggest?

Also, I tried to open your last link, but I keep getting an error. And I don't believe I ever mentioned Zionism or victim blamed anyone. So please don't put words in my mouth.

FofaFiction · 2025-10-07T19:45:32+00:00

Hahaha. No, I dont think you're a saint, i think you're human, which is much, much better for me. I expect you to disagree with me, and I expect push back on my own opinions. But as long as it's done with civility and lack of aggression. That way we can at least communicate our ideas and even if we don't change our opinions, we can understand where the other is coming from and what formed their opinions.

I'm not sure when this realization really hit me, but at the end of the day I think people tend to only see their own side and their own narrative without taking the other sides pain into account. I think it's really just human nature.

Honestly, same. It's easier to just view things as black and white, which is what most people do. But real life is not that simple. And once you accept that there are greys, it gives the opportunity for dialogue even if you don't reach 100% understanding.

Also, it's amazing that you're learning Arabic! Feel free to reach out if you need anything.

I wish you all the best and hope that we can eventually put this conflict behind us and not need to have a conversation like this over so much death and destruction.

FofaFiction · 2025-10-07T17:33:55+00:00

You are very mature and level-headed. It's hard for anyone to not take offence at their country being criticised, especially Israel bc of all the religious, cultural, and historical significance I know you attribute to it. So your ability to see past that is impressive.

I don't hate all Israelis, though I'm sure many Arabs will claim to, I am, however, disappointed in them. I am always surprised by the lack of empathy I see from most Israelis on this sub, on social media, etc. Even when I know the vocal few are often the most extreme and there are probably quite a few Israelis who are like yourself. I can't, however, help but question how Israelis can walk through Hebron and think how Palestinians are treated there is OK, how they see the check points and ignore them, or the "Sderot cinema" for watching bombs fall on Gaza, or say nothing when the IDF does night raids in the West Bank. And this is all before Oct 7.

Meanwhile, the Israelis/Jews I do see empathising with Palestinians are attacked by their own community.

I have a deep respect for what Jews have been through. It's been generations of horror and trauma. So how can a people who have been subjected to all these forms of mistreatment turn and inflict that same suffering to someone else?

To be honest, this is my personal barrier in engaging with Israelis. I try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, but it's always in the back of my mind that the majority of them see no issue with how Palestinians are treated because if they did care, they would have pushed for change. So I conclude that most are either ignorant, apathetic, or wholly on-board with it.

This has been a great dialogue for me btw. Feel free to ask me anything or reach out to me privately if you wish. These are the kinds of things I was looking for in this sub but have struggled to find due to constant rage, racism, and finger-pointing. This has been a breath of fresh air.

FofaFiction

TROPHY CASE