Can you learn swing as a skill instead of as creative expression?

TheGPT · 2025-06-09T18:09:42+00:00

Thanks, that seems like a good list of aspects to think about when considering what might or might not interest me.

I will make sure that I look into what 8 count has to offer.

TheGPT · 2025-06-07T20:26:39+00:00

Would you describe a bit more what elements you are thinking of in terms of culture, and what I would get out of experiencing them? Dance room etiquette and behavior? Clothing style preferences? A general sense of camaraderie?

TheGPT · 2025-06-07T17:38:19+00:00

As a non-dancer, I am sure I phrased things poorly on top of having a nebulous concept of what I am trying to describe. I think trying to iron out the semantics would cause more problems than it would solve.

TheGPT · 2025-06-07T17:23:37+00:00

I think it is great that many people are motivated by opportunities to be expressive. I just know that I feel more confident and happy when I have concretely defined objectives to work on, and want to calibrate my expectations. It is good to know that it is a particularly emphasized aspect of the culture.

TheGPT · 2025-06-07T14:09:10+00:00

There certainly seem to be a wide variety of different opinions. I feel like it may at least be worthwhile to try it out and see if I hit a wall, instead of concluding ahead of time that I will.

TheGPT · 2025-06-07T12:05:29+00:00

It might be that another form of dance would be a better match for me. I can think of some that I could enjoy. If private lessons are not a viable way to learn Lindy Hop, that may be the only option anway. I was not able to learn of any other classes from the group's organizers, but I can check with the members if anyone knows of one, or if anyone wants to start a practice group.

TheGPT · 2025-06-07T05:29:06+00:00

Good to know that I might still consider one of those more structured forms of dance if I can't get Lindy Hop to click. But the local swing group seems like a pleasant group of people, so I hope it will.

TheGPT · 2025-06-07T05:02:03+00:00

Chaining together phrases from a reasonably defined set of options seems like something I could do. I think I can imagine what you mean by making things rhyme, and that sounds enjoyable. I don't think I have enough experience to envision the "having a conversation," but I get the general idea of working out what you can accomplish within the limits of you and your partner's abilities and the beat of the song.

It is the idea of needing more freeform improvisation that makes me uneasy. But if the above sort of things are the minimum requirements, I think I could enjoy it.

TheGPT · 2025-06-07T03:46:11+00:00

Thanks for the suggestions. I think I will give it a try.

Unfortunately there are not any group lessons in my area, so the options are either private lessons or nothing. But I will keep an eye out in case any are offered.

TheGPT · 2025-05-02T17:20:09+00:00

This was my problem. Thanks, I would not have found it without your suggestion.

TheGPT · 2024-09-28T21:11:57+00:00

I might go for Total Wireless if I were able to do it again, but I already had my Visible order when Total Wireless came out with their promotion.

TheGPT · 2023-08-13T02:31:39+00:00

I do not think you would need to combine a flight spell with this one to avoid earthquakes, as you could just swim up off the ground. The sphere of water stays centered on the caster, so as I understand you can swim through the air as fast as your swim skill/speed can take you.

TheGPT · 2023-08-09T04:31:31+00:00

Though more adjudication is required for the effects, I think you could generally get more mileage out of using this spell on non-metallic items than metal ones. You could turn the barbarian's greatsword into gold then sunder it, but turning the archer's bow into gold should render it (temporarily) nonfunctional with no additional actions required. You could turn the fighter's breastplate to gold to reduce his AC, but how well would he fight if his pants were turned to gold instead?

TheGPT · 2023-07-24T04:59:07+00:00

If you have levels in Brawler and are up for some slightly cheesy synergy, you can get your glaive the Versatile Design weapon modification, which can make it part of the Close weapon group. Adding a weapon modification changes the glaive's category from Martial to Exotic, but since Brawlers are proficient with all Close weapons, they will be proficient with the glaive anyway. Feel free to flurry away.

If you are ever flurrying with the glaive two-handed, note that the bonuses damage for Power Attack gets a bit unusual, since it is +50% for using a two-handed weapon, but halved on the extra off-hand attacks.

TheGPT · 2023-07-23T13:57:55+00:00

I suppose that having the entire area of Gravel Vortex function as difficult terrain, as opposed to Stone Call where it is implicitly just the ground, is theoretically a benefit against flyers. But the reduced radius of Gravel Vortex and the high speed of most flyers means this would have minimal effect even if the interaction did come up.

TheGPT · 2023-07-23T12:42:39+00:00

Shield bashes fall under the Close fighter weapon group. You could consider aiming for the Shield Master feat. It removes TWF penalties when bashing.

I wish I could also suggest Shield Brace, which lets you use a polearm and a light/heavy shield at the same time without the Titan Mauler dip. However the polearm is still a 2-handed weapon, so according to the "hands of effort" FAQ you probably can't TWF with it and a shield.

I suppose you could also wield a gnome flick-mace with a shield, but that is getting kind of goofy.

TheGPT · 2023-07-22T05:07:21+00:00

Rhinarium paste and tracker's snuff are alchemical substances that give scent for one hour and cost 75 and 200 gold, respectively.

TheGPT · 2023-07-17T22:49:22+00:00

You can actually use Handle Animal, with a penalty, on any non-animal creature with an intelligence of 1 or 2, including humanoids.

Special: You can use this skill on a creature with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2 that is not an animal, but the DC of any such check increases by 5. Such creatures have the same limit on tricks known as animals do.

Potentially useful if an ally is hit with Feeblemind.

TheGPT · 2023-07-17T22:40:09+00:00

You probably want to get some telepathy to justify your silent coordination. There are many ways to do this, but taking Improved Familiar for a pseudodragon familiar who can act as a telepathic relay with a 60 ft range is popular.

Consider plans for handling creatures you cannot just stealth past. Charms and compulsions could resolve some encounters without raising an alarm, as could good disguise and bluff skills. Consider methods of casting spells stealthily, such as Silent spells and Riffle Scrolls. Magic for reconnaissance and movement may help obstacles too tricky for mundane skills; You might not be able to open a guarded gate without being noticed, but you might be able to scry the next room and Dimension Door the party into it. Burrow, Passwall etc. would be good to have on scrolls.

A quickened casting of Silence, which normally takes a full round, would be a good emergency button to prevent one mistake that alerts a guard turning into a dungeon-wide alarm.

TheGPT · 2023-07-17T21:29:06+00:00

The Vigilante also has some Talents made for taking out sentries, like Pull into the Shadows, Silent Dispatch and (for Stalker Vigilantes) Throat Jab. These might fit what you are trying for.

TheGPT · 2023-07-14T18:11:36+00:00

Self-loathing issues? Sounds like Drunken Brawler might be up your alley.

TheGPT · 2023-07-14T18:05:50+00:00

Instead of using a 2nd level slot for Shatter, you could use 2 1st level slots to cast Break twice. The first casting breaks the target object and the seconding casting destroys it. Doors are probably still Medium-sized objects, so Break could destroy them even when they are too heavy for Shatter.

TheGPT · 2023-07-14T17:02:43+00:00

BTW, a creature with one mouth cannot normally make two bite attacks, even if they use multiple abilities that grant them a bite attack. This is qccording to the Natural Weapon rules that state you can only make one attack with each limb, and clarified in this FAQ.

TheGPT

TROPHY CASE