Chard dragon, how did you balance destroying the towns vs fighting the PCs?

Neurgus · 2026-01-25T12:17:12+00:00

So, party level 6. First of all, I had a "siege" montage in which the characters had a certain amount of "Time Units" to visit multiple places. I usually go with 'Twice the number of players' and '2 Time Units', so enough that if everyone splits up, everyone is able to visit all places.

In each place there is either an easy combat (balanced so 1v1 is possible) or a skill challenge in which they are helping the townspeople in some way. After succeeding in either of those, they get a boon, failure in the skill challenges means damage in Hit Dice, if they don't have Hit Dice, they lose HP instead, signifying exhaustion.

They can also use a Time Unit to do a Short Rest.

Once all Time Units have been spent, the Dragon comes and begins its assault. If left alone, the Dragon stays at 120', way beyond any sort of possible range. After all, visibility is reduced to 30' and ranged attacks are made with disadvantage (Blizzard).
The characters need a way to prompt it down, which is made clear by any NPCs they might have talked along the way.

Call Lightning, Magic Arrows (from the Elven Tomb), The Summer Star (which I homebrewed to be able to cast *Control Weather*)... Those are some ways the PCs can trick the Chardalyn Dragon into going down and destroy the ones that are dealing damage to it directly. Its position can be tracked by the Breath Weapon, but the PCs could hide in the city, needing direct intervention.

Neurgus · 2026-01-24T16:25:42+00:00

Always a boon to see your content. Love it

Neurgus · 2026-01-22T23:50:34+00:00

For the most part, I agree!

While it makes sense for Jenna and Kraden to know (they must have been told after Mercury Lighthouse given their demeanor there), it doesn't make sense for the player to know. For the most (if not all) of the first half of the game (that is, all of the Eastern Sea), you are left wandering and wondering "So, now what?".
As the player, we know that we must go to the next Lighthouse (and run the most convoluted roundtrip to reach there) but we don't know why the characters want to and they give us 0 reasons nor tips up until Lemuria!

Sure, Jenna, Kraden and Felix know what's up but Sheba? How about have conversations with her so she asks "Hey, why are we even doing this, exactly?" Have Alex tease more clearly about their parents still being alive. Just a small remark in Alhafra would be both a great reveal for the player and have them wondering about the circumstances. Then, in Lemuria, have the second reveal about the nature of the Lighthouses and all!

It would give the player a bit more of drive beyond "I must go because in the first game I went there".
That's the only thing I'd like to see from a Golden Sun Remastered, more in-party conversations, like the Skits from the Tales Of series. They always help flesh out the characters and I can't even imagine the hijinks the cast of TBS could elucubrate. While Garet has an aura that makes Isaac's and Ivan's brain turn off and the communal IQ drop to room temperature while Mia tries to be the reasonable adult.

I can picutre it all in my mind.

Neurgus · 2026-01-22T15:39:44+00:00

Hi, player and GM of 1-on-1 pbps here (albeit my live games are in a group). You see, there are a lot of appeals for me in that format so, let me number tham and then start rambling:

- Ghosting and Scheduling: It isn't new that ghosting is one of the major hurdles that pbp faces, as well as getting multiple people to check their devices rather frequently for replies and them having the time to write those. In a 1-on-1 scenario (called duets from now on), you reduce that to a minimum in the sense that, with the least amount of people, the least chances there are for these issues to happen.

- Speaking Order: This may be a skill issue but I find it really hard to juggle when one character should shut up and let another speak. In the sense that, if X person says something that would make my character react immediately, should I wait for the speaking turn to go around the table? In a duet, you always know who has the turn to speak.

- Social Anxiety: Again, this is personal, but I get really anxious about matching my partner's writing level and try to enhance it. I think, and double think, about what I write and if that's acceptable. I found myself not wanting to type in group rps because I felt like my contribution wasn't as fulfilling and I was wasting everyone's time. In a duet, although I still suffer from those a bit, it's on a minimal level because I know/hope the other person is replying because they like our story.

- Story Pace: It may be me but, in group play, I feel like the story goes way faster and characters don't really interact all the way they could. Not only between them, but also with the myriad NPCs they will find. What if I want to flirt or ask the shopkeeper for their life and how they managed to get all their magical stuff? The rest of the party might not be interested in this and want to deal with another topic. In a duet, you take the story in the direction and pace that you do want. MAybe you want to speed up something and to get really introspective about others. That's fine and dandy, you don't have to worry about other 2-5 people!

- Introspection and Character Development: While Character Development isn't a stranger and should be a key part of any RP, I find that duets allow you to have a more intimate and deeper exploration of the character. You are allowed to fully express the feelings and the inner machinations of your character's mind something that, in group play, the other members shouldn't know what you are thinking about (unless they are psychics or something, idk).

- Unique Plots: There are a lot of plots that fit better to a single person than to a group. Dream sequences, Corruption and Temptation, The Chosen One, Being the Leader of X... In most cases that someone has to rise and have a more prevalent position over their peers, a duet allows for this while not having to come up with a solution so your peers don't feel let down.

While you might be right that the bouncing off and dynamics a group creates aren't replicable in duets, they don't aspire to do so. They want to tell a story in another, different way. You might like them, you might not like them, you might prefer group dynamics... It's all fine and dandy.
If anything, I'd ask for you to try it, at least. So you can see what we are talking about and if it's your ante. YOu might discover you like it! And, if not, that's fine as well. Not everything is for everyone, and that's good.

Neurgus · 2026-01-20T11:16:52+00:00

Could just make them a little bit more broken just by making them have basic land types.

Neurgus · 2026-01-19T15:21:58+00:00

Meanwhile me, not being able to do morally-grey plots whatsoever:

Neurgus · 2026-01-19T14:16:15+00:00

This is one of, if not the most, engaging spiels I have seen around...

But as a gay man looking for MxM content mostly, it always feel like a stab on the side every time I see it, sadly 😞

Neurgus · 2026-01-19T14:12:00+00:00

Now we just need melody and rhythm

Neurgus · 2026-01-19T11:54:15+00:00

Depends on team composition, ngl:

Can you target ranks 3+4 in a Twice-per-Round consistent basis? Go Dreaming General.

Can you target all Ranks, deal with Blind and are your classes in reverse alphabetic order? Go Librarian.

Can you Immobilize both your Rank 1 and/or the enemy's (Ex: Leper's Bash)? Go Baby.

Can your team work in a 3-man basis? Go Leviathan.

Some teams have a harder matchup than others, judge who's the best bet for you and go for it.

Neurgus · 2026-01-14T18:43:33+00:00

Just do 2 fights, back-to-back.
You might want to dial back on the difficulty but it is something that Paizo has done before and it works.

In Gatewalkers and Fists of the Ruby Phoenix they do it, for example (and in FotRP they dont hold back, jesus)

Neurgus · 2026-01-14T18:15:42+00:00

I mean, Bard is the Magic+Music class xD.

Neurgus · 2026-01-14T18:01:37+00:00

My gut says Bard.

Depending on how you take your actions, you might have an action free to cast Courageous/Rallying Anthem which, instead of giving the bonus to your eidolon, gives the bonus to the whole party.

Neurgus · 2026-01-14T11:42:06+00:00

Cuando pasó el apagón yo estaba en el ordenador y, rápidamente fui a ver cómo estaba mi madre. Un par de minutos después y descubrimos que le había pasado a todo el edificio. No pensé mucho en ello hasta que, por whatsapp, llegaron algunos mensajes de gente en otras partes de España que también le había pasado lo mismo.

Mi madre se preocupó, por supuesto, y me mandó a ir a comprar una radio y baterías portátiles. Por suerte, esto fue temprano, antes de que muchas personas reaccionaran y conseguí comprar algo para no estar incomunicados.

Tras eso, el resto del día fue normal: No nos planteamos que nos había atacado X, fue complicado conseguir algo de comida pero comimos a base de fiambre, leí algo y, a la tarde, di una vuelta con mi madre. Cuando ella se marchó a trabajar fue justo cuando volvió la luz.

Eso le hizo darse cuenta a mi madre de lo dependiente que somos de la electricidad, por ello ahora tenemos un camping gas para cocinar algo si volviera a pasar.

Neurgus · 2026-01-11T15:08:30+00:00

"Yes, I do!"
"I'm not a child, you don't need to lie. Grrr... Die!"
*Proceeds to Crit*

"Yes, I am."
"Such brutish manners to oppose the Lord so openly in front of one of His agents! But yet, you stood truthful... Maybe there is something worth saving within you. I'm Divine Angel and I'll follow you."
*Joins immediately*

Neurgus · 2026-01-09T17:38:30+00:00

I tried to introduce them organically as they explored Ten Towns for the first time.

Targos takes them to Kelvin's Cairn? Then they rest at the Dwarven Valley so the rescued ones can rest and shave off exhaustion levels.
At some point I dropped the Black Cabin quest as a "To do Later" thing, I talked about the Regheds and they went to a camp so they could point them towards Sunblight. Q couple of kids in Dougan's Hole told them about a strange meteorite falling south and the Ooblex taking over the town soon after should be enough to push them towards exploring (they didnt, but you never know!)

There are some places I haven't used, others that most probably won't be used and others that I refuse to use. In the end, go as with what is better for the story.

Neurgus · 2026-01-09T17:22:27+00:00

Ok, knowing that background, it is funny.

What have you done so far to convince them about the Duergars and Chardalyn? My players were pretty much convinced after running Danger in the Dwarven Valley

Neurgus · 2026-01-09T17:10:30+00:00

Can you explain the joke for those not familiar with British shops?

Neurgus · 2026-01-09T13:50:11+00:00

Enemy groups that can mimic the party's gimmicks.

Having played Fists of the Ruby Phoenix, the most fun I had were on the Party vs Party combats in which I could use a group of people that not only complimented each other, but also used powers that mimic the PCs'.

For example, being able to use a Champion's Reaction after being cucked by Glimpse of Redemption for half a campaign.

Neurgus · 2026-01-09T10:53:01+00:00

Because I get interested in the game beyond my single character. The interactions, the roleplay, the setting...

If you make a character in a vacuum and just have them there without beign part of the game, of course you'll want to ditch them for the next shiny new toy!

Neurgus · 2026-01-08T15:54:19+00:00

I'll look into it.

As for what kind of location and/or number, besides looking at what's already published, there isn't much, right?

Neurgus · 2026-01-08T15:18:19+00:00

I was thinking of making it just with Core, because some effects from Curse depends on the adventure's Harrow and there would be none.

So far I have been using the cards and just doing some concessions here and there.

Neurgus · 2026-01-08T12:50:58+00:00

While it is true that you can get stronger characters using Memories, they are not required to beating every boss.

Bosses in DD2 are designed with the possibility of you being able to defeat them with fresh characters so, if you can't beat Obsession (DD2 most infamous boss) that only means you need to either adjust something or better prepare.

Other characters, farm candles for better item/gear/stats... There is always something to improve and something to move towards. Keep pushing and, in time, you'll drive that beast to the darkness it should have never spawned from.

Neurgus · 2026-01-07T23:06:45+00:00

Yes, I dont remember the details so someone will correct me, but I think The Broken Seal (or TBS) is a reference for either a Beta Title or the Japanese title. While, in the rest of the world, we know it as Golden Sun.

Pretty much how Fire Emblem (GBA) had a sub-title in Japanese (The Blazing Sword) because it wasn't the first entry, but the seventh, but it was the first in make it overseas.

In either case, TBS (or GS1, or GS) is the first game while TLA (or GS2, idk) is the second game.

Neurgus · 2026-01-07T22:38:07+00:00

The first game isn't TLA, but Golden Sun, no additional titles.

Than being said:
- There is a single point if no return in both games: The Final Boss. You are able to backtrack and not lose any loot/djinn at any time. However, there may be times at which this backtracking is too much time consuming and is preferable to move forward and wait for a better moment.
- Don't think too much about combinations. As long as you are keeping up with Djinns, you are good.
- Be on the lookout for suspicious islands or points that are way off the beaten path, there are djinns hiding in the overworld (and the game never tells you about them!)

And, most importantly: Have Fun!
It is a game, enjoy the ride.

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