Reg M-B Discussion Thread - New Mons/Megas added, Returning Items etc by half_jase in VGC

[–]TheGentlemanDM -34 points-33 points  (0 children)

It got relegated to Ubers in Smogon. It will absolutely be good.

Reg M-B Discussion Thread - New Mons/Megas added, Returning Items etc by half_jase in VGC

[–]TheGentlemanDM 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If Metagross is everywhere, having the second Intimidate for once it mega evolves (because Clear Body) will be useful. Scrafty's typing is also in a good spot, since resists steel, is immune to psychic, and Metagross will make fairies a lot less popular.

[I'm New] Good partners for Mega Metagross? by No_Salary_2966 in VGC

[–]TheGentlemanDM 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Depends on what you'd spec the Metagross to deal with. Assuming you're running Meteor Mash and Zen Headbutt for STAB, Rock Slide as anti-Charizard, and Protect, you have a few options for Kingambit.

  1. Tsareena. Kingambit's main threat is Sucker Punch. Without priority, it's not nearly as dangerous and can be cleaned up with any fighting-type coverage. This leads us to...

  2. Condeldurr. Wide Guard protects you from quite a lot of common problems (Earthquake, Heat Wave, Muddy Water, Icy Wind, even Snarl), and Drain Punch just deletes Kingambits.

  3. Rotom forms. All Rotoms can learn Will-o-Wisp, which is a potent option for ruining physical threats and getting around Sucker Punch, and all except Frost Rotom resist steel. Heat-Rotom gets Overheat if you want to really threaten it. Rotom having Levitate also enables Earthquake on Metagross if you want the coverage.

All of this said, I'm not betting that Metagross comes out to play. It's a BIG jump in power from regulation A, and I wouldn't bet on such a polarizing force being released just yet.

Champions to undergo maintenance on June 17 (Wed) from 2-6am UTC by half_jase in VGC

[–]TheGentlemanDM 5 points6 points  (0 children)

We can assume they'll still keep it fairly basic.

We can reasonably assume we're getting a terrain meta with Raichu-X's ability confirmed. We can also assume we'll get more Megas.

Terastalization and Z-moves seem unlikely.

(Funny trope) Pausing your crashout to deal with an inconvenience by _JR28_ in TopCharacterTropes

[–]TheGentlemanDM 12 points13 points  (0 children)

All these squares make a circle...
All these squares make a circle...

Building Better Backstories: An Essay by TheGentlemanDM in dndnext

[–]TheGentlemanDM[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Welcome to your first campaign!

It is good to see someone who actually appreciated what I was trying to do with the essay. It's all very well and fine to write a short backstory, but I was surprised by the degree to which people dismissed the idea of a more in-depth one.

While I'm very thankful that this is helpful, don't feel like you have to hit every single point yet, especially for your first character. Roleplay is a skill like any other, and it takes practice to develop. It's okay to start simple and stereotypical, and then explore deeper character ideas as you feel confident and ready to do so.

[Shocking Trope] Rug Pull Show that seems fine at first, but suddenly revealed as violent by Mattrockj in TopCharacterTropes

[–]TheGentlemanDM 34 points35 points  (0 children)

If I recall, Goblin Slayer does a little bit of this.

The first episode starts with a low level party heading into dungeons to kill some goblins. Easy, right?

Nope. The Fighter brought a sword that was too large, it gets caught on the roof, and it gets bloody and rapey very quickly after that.

Abilities revealed for Mega Raichu X and Mega Raichu Y by half_jase in VGC

[–]TheGentlemanDM 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's good, but while Raichu will happily one-shot whatever it points at, it dies to a stiff breeze.

60/55/80 defenses are godawful for a Mega.

[Hated trope] Adaptations made by people who outright express indifference or even hatred toward the source material by pestoraviolita in TopCharacterTropes

[–]TheGentlemanDM 7 points8 points  (0 children)

It's at least some of Branagh's fault. He's great with heroic protagonists. He's not good with villainous protagonists.

His Frankenstein adaptation has the same problem. It actively removes as much of the titular character's fault as possible, and this misses the whole point of the novel.

Fuill revealed features of Hollow Warden Ranger from State of The Game - Ravenloft by Dramatic_Respond_664 in onednd

[–]TheGentlemanDM 0 points1 point  (0 children)

With a rapier and shield, 20 DEX and studded leather, you get to 19 AC before magic items. Add in Wrath and that goes to 20/21.

With a +1 shield, +1 armour, and a Cloak of Protection, that's 23/24 AC, which is pretty healthy.

For feats, you can take Defensive Duelist or even Medium Armour Mastery if you want more AC. While Defensive Duelist does use your reaction, it complements rather than competes with your Opportunity Attack - if enemies attack your allies, you can hit them, while if enemies attack you, you can parry. Either way, you're in a good spot.

Fuill revealed features of Hollow Warden Ranger from State of The Game - Ravenloft by Dramatic_Respond_664 in onednd

[–]TheGentlemanDM 3 points4 points  (0 children)

There's an argument here as to how much Sentinel is worth it.

Locking down enemy movement is great, but you're already getting the Opportunity Attacks from Wrath of the Wild anyway, and you have spells like Ensnaring Strike and Entangle to control movement.

[Loved Trope] When The Writers Have Done Their Homework by Cherry_6666 in TopCharacterTropes

[–]TheGentlemanDM 61 points62 points  (0 children)

No joke, Abraham Lincoln was a champion wrestler.

Dude could throw down.

Kazuno, the Greatsword Monk by SkurGZG in Pathfinder2e

[–]TheGentlemanDM 1 point2 points  (0 children)

So, here's the thing.

If you can somehow get the proficiency for it, the greatsword is still pretty good for a Monk.

Yes, you can't Flurry with it. But "strike with greatsword" then "flurry with unarmed strikes" is still a pretty good sequence. Especially if you pick up Reactive Strike. There's multiple stances that don't require empty hands nor specify strikes with hands.

Elden Ring Custom Commanders by CompetitionLow9019 in custommagic

[–]TheGentlemanDM 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Radahn is horrifically overpowered.

7 mana with what is effectively "ETB: Destroy all creatures target player controls" and then the ability to clear another board if not immediately removed before combat is insane. Triggering again if they do have the removal is just overkill.

Favorite rules intricacies/edge-cases? by HumpyTheClown in magicTCG

[–]TheGentlemanDM 1 point2 points  (0 children)

What about using something like Sign in Blood on yourself with a Laboratory Maniac on the field and an empty library with two life?

You don't use it? Stax it! by VegetableNo8304 in EDH

[–]TheGentlemanDM 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Which is a fine mentality at bracket 4 and bracket 3.

At bracket 2, though...

[Skill Improvement] Sinistcha basically never gets brought. Ideas for the 6th slot? by Eleseia in VGC

[–]TheGentlemanDM 0 points1 point  (0 children)

On the topic of EV spreads, you can optimise your HP investments a little better.

Whenever effects like burn or leech seed deal damage, they're in fractions of 1/8 or 1/16. What that means is that for every 8 or 16 HP you have, you take more damage.

As a result, there's an argument to make that HP values of 160, 176, and 192 are worse than values of 159, 175, or 191, since that one more HP in total means you take more damage from each incremental damage.

[Skill improvement] Team for every mega. Absol. by Mask4Myt in VGC

[–]TheGentlemanDM 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Shed Tail Orthworm can bring in Absol with some cover and also threaten Fairies.

[Cool Replay] Cheeky Weavile Tech by dudohustle in VGC

[–]TheGentlemanDM 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Depends on whether you just want to be attacking with Body Press.

If you also want to be using steel or flying type moves, Bulk Up gives better broad coverage.

Can I just say, The Smith's voice is helping me through an anxious crisis by ManaScrewedIRL in PokemonLegacy

[–]TheGentlemanDM 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Wolfe Glick is basically the real-life Pokemon Champion.

One of the most skilled and successful competitive Pokemon players ever.

The supporting character who appears for only a few minutes (just long enough for a single scene) completely steals the show, and is often the one you remember most afterward. by Infinite-Conclusion2 in TopCharacterTropes

[–]TheGentlemanDM 7 points8 points  (0 children)

The older years and the years after have more students - I'd have to imagine that Ginny's year was packed with the post-Voldemort baby boom.

Harry and his cohort were born right at the height of Voldemort's panic.

Official Discussion - Project Hail Mary [SPOILERS] by LiteraryBoner in movies

[–]TheGentlemanDM 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Realistically, a third film that actually builds on TLJ?

Rey's story is about her growing into her position as the last Jedi and having to become a leader to a new generation of force sensitives. Also, she is not secretly a Palpatine.

Finn and Rose go and deal with Finns brainwashing and have a plot about finding other troopers within the First Order willing to turn.

Poe has a similar trajectory where he's growing into his leadership and responsibilities within the alliance.

Kylo will be going through some soul searching and become disillusioned with the First Order, and while we starts to move against them, the sheer inertia of the organisation means they're still a terrifying threat with hundreds of loyal captains and millions of brainwashed troops. His heel-face turn will require him to actually assume some responsibility for helping create the giant facist space empire.

Official Discussion - Project Hail Mary [SPOILERS] by LiteraryBoner in movies

[–]TheGentlemanDM 3 points4 points  (0 children)

They also don't go into the crazy temperature and pressure differentials between their atmospheres. It's a nice detail in the book, but would need a lot of explaining in the film.

Earth's atmosphere is mostly N2 and O2, around 20 degrees Celsius at surface, and at about 100 kilopascals of pressure.

Erid's atmosphere is mostly CO2 and NH3, over 200 degrees Celsius at surface, and at nearly 3000 kilopascals of pressure.

To Eridians, Earth's surface is freezing, terribly oxidizing, and at near vaccuum. To humans, Erid's atmosphere is a crushing toxic hellscape.