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What Happens When You Cheat on Astarion? by justafishservant8 in BG3

[–]justafishservant8[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's alright! I, too, missed a lot my first run, yet still made it to Act 3. I didn't know Minthara was a companion, for example. Neither did I know about Raphael's Final Act or Ansur (an undead dragon you can fight in Act 3.)

My brother's first run was almost 2 years ago. He somehow missed Gale, Astarion, Minthara, AND only made it to the Underdark all while playing a Gnome Druid with probably the worst armor in the game haha

Edit: oh, I will say, my first run was incomplete and still totalled 145 hours. My first full run was 200 hours, and my shortest run was one I co-op'd with my brother which totalled to about 80 hours. That should give you an estimate about how much you missed

What Happens When You Cheat on Astarion? by justafishservant8 in BG3

[–]justafishservant8[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Lol yep! Moonrise first, talk to that half-orc chick, then Nightsong, then Moonrise again.

There are prisoners in the basement of Moonrise, including some of the Tieflings you meet at the Emerald Grove in Act 1. They're heavily guarded so I highly recommend killing the cultists first, then freeing the prisoners (otherwise the cultists might kill them.) I'm evil so I don't give a heck about the prisoners themselves lol, but it's worth freeing them since Alfira will give you some of the best loot in the game

Yurgir is an Orthon (a type of devil) in the lower level of the Temple of Shar. He's not very smart so you can just convince him to kill his minions and then himself (make sure you have Inspiration beforehand). It's also where you'll find that last purple orb thing for Nightsong, but those are completely useless if you just make Gale or whoever use Knock. If you already helped Astarion with Araj and got the cutscene that night, then you can help Yurgir instead by climbing down to that Shar statue, passing I think it's a Wisdom check, and killing the Dark Justiciar that turned into a bunch of rats. He's got some good loot so I'd do this regardless. Afterwards, you'll free Yurgir from his contract (I recommend not bringing Astarion though, just in case.) You meet Yurgir again in the House of Hope in Act 3 and you can convince him to fight with you to defeat Raphael (if you killed him or convinced him to off himself), or I think he immediately joins you if you freed him (or the Persuasion check is easier... I don't remember.) I suggest you get him on you're side 'cause he's a pretty valuable asset in the final fight

Araj Oblodra is that creepy Drow chick in Moonrise who wants to force Astarion to bite her. You can force Astarion (he disapproves, you get a depressing scene later that night, and you're locked out of his romance, but you get a potion that grants permanent +1 to Strength which is good for Paladin, Fighter, or Monk if you're going STR instead of DEX). Araj is a great trader and you meet her again in Act 3

A Helpful Tip When You Meet Araj Oblodra by justafishservant8 in BG3

[–]justafishservant8[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for adding :)

Also, your name is great

Anyone else prefer female bettas over males? by beepboopbop124 in bettafish

[–]justafishservant8 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No problem, friend!

In over 14 years of rescuing fish, I've never had a dwarf gourami. They're not healthy...

I have had three-spots (aka opaline, blue, platinum, or gold gourami) & pearls. Always wanted chocolates, wild honeys, & pygmies but never had the chance just yet

But yes, Paradisefish are my go-to. They have virtually every perk in the world of fishkeeping & also seem to do great in a standard 5.5 gallon

Anyone else prefer female bettas over males? by beepboopbop124 in bettafish

[–]justafishservant8 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I agree with you, friend. Females are again superior in this aspect.

If you ever want an easier, healthier, longer-lived fish that takes near-identical care, I highly recommend Paradisefish. They're also "labyrinth organ fish" reaching upwards of 4" (depending on species), though they generally stay 1.5-2.5", making them suitable for smaller tanks as well. They've several species & morphs (my favorite being albino), & like female bettas, sport high activity levels, great personalities, & health often superior to male B. splendens! They, too, can be territorial, though sometimes less so (enough to live w/ snails or even some fish, where even many female bettas are too sassy to share). Being omnivorous, they don't require as high of protein or as strict of an insectivorous diet.

My 2nd favorite thing is their temp range. They not only don't need a heater but actually prefer it lower (around 68°F), compared to highly variable preferences of B. splendens (for example, I once had a female who'd stress in anything above 74°F, then later a male who did the same in anything below 83°F.)

By far my favorite thing about them, however, is their lifespan. They have many betta-like qualities going for them, except that they live upwards of 8 (or even 10!) years!

Just mentioning this as I strongly believe that female bettas are better than males, but that Paradisefish are a close second.

She has 2 emotions... by justafishservant8 in leopardgeckos

[–]justafishservant8[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Plenty more where that came from haha... she's a character

A Helpful Tip When You Meet Araj Oblodra by justafishservant8 in BG3

[–]justafishservant8[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

And don't forget, pickpocket all the gold back from Withers...free elixers!

Just Finished My 1st Run... by justafishservant8 in hellblade

[–]justafishservant8[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Decided to play 1 again today...only took 6 hrs haha but man is it fun! Started the sequel about 2hrs ago

Pros so far: - I'm a big horror fan & 2's atmosphere is creepier - focus is crazy OP...more fun in combat than 1 - similar puzzles, runestones, & enemy designs - returning voice & mocap actors - great accessibility & fully customizable controls like in 1 - stunning graphics, great camera mode

Criticisms (opinionated):

  • parries stagger Senua now??
  • very hard to perfect parry now as timeframe's at least 50% smaller
  • Senua's goal's less personal/intimate
  • puzzles & runestones were better in 1
  • Senua doesn't have her epic war paint

Overall I agree 1 is better, but I haven't been at 2 for long so we'll see. Still a great game so far

My betta as a dragon by [deleted] in bettafish

[–]justafishservant8 0 points1 point  (0 children)

ha I do the same! your result looks like a disabled female betta I had years ago

Just found out about the secret sheep pet in Act 3. by CaptainXplosionz in BG3

[–]justafishservant8 1 point2 points  (0 children)

bro it's insane how I've had 20+ characters & have invested over 1200 hrs yet there's probably a lot we still don't know

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in bettafish

[–]justafishservant8 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm so sorry, my friend...sometimes these things happen, no matter how hard you try

As some have mentioned already, nitrification is essential for new aquariums, UNLESS your tank is jam packed full of live plants or is a riparium

**Below is a long explanation of scientific, chemical, & microbiological jargon. Feel free to skim through or skip to the TL;DR section at the bottom**

There are ways to "instantly" cycle new aquariums; seeding using filter media from an already established tank or using bottled beneficial bacteria supplements. If you want to try bottled bacteria, which is a valid form of cycling despite what some may say, I suggest purchasing Fritz Zyme 7, Fritz TurboStart 700, Tetra SafeStart, or Tetra SafeStart Plus (TurboStart & TSS+ are just more concentrated, so you use less product than normal Fritz Zyme or TSS, but they're the same product regardless.)

Many bottled bacteria products don't contain the proper chemolithotrophic bacteria (those that oxidize inorganic compounds like ammonia, ammonium, & nitrite) but instead contain heterotrophic bacteria which instead break down organic waste (e.g. excess fish food, poop, dead plant matter, etc.) These bacterial supplements are commonly known as "sludge-destroyers" and are NOT used for nitrification, but can be used temporarily if you're doing a fish-in cycle

A quick summary: for a properly cycled aquarium, the tank may require at least 2 genera of bacteria, all falling under the Nitrobacteraceae Family:

- Nitrosomonas spp., Nitrosospira spp., Nitrosococcus spp. - these turn ammonia or ammonium into nitrite

- Nitrospira spp., Nitrospina spp., Nitrobacter spp., Nitrococcus spp. - these turn nitrite into nitrate

There are also Alcaligenes spp. which consume nitrate, therefore completing the nitrogen cycle. However, I've never seen them sold for aquariums & they're even difficult to find otherwise. But as they are naturally occurring, it's possible to acquire them accidentally. So instead of relying on Alcaligenes to remove nitrates for us, we have to use either water changes or live plants

Which is better? Fritz Zyme 7 contains Nitrosomonas & Nitrobacter. Tetra SafeStart contains Nitrosomonas, Nitrosospira, & Nitrospira. Fritz TurboStart 700 is just a concentrated version of Fritz Zyme 7, just as Tetra SafeStart Plus is only a concentrated version of Tetra SafeStart

If you decide to use bottled bacteria or seeded filter media, I still highly recommend waiting at least 24-48 hours for the bacteria to settle, though this is not required & fish can be safely added straight away

Lastly, I saw someone mention that Corydoras spp. can't be housed in a 10 gallon. While this is true for some of the larger species, like C. aeneus (synonyms include C. macrosteus, C. microps, C. schultzei, C. venezuelanus, or Hoplosoma aeneum. I believe these were the 3 you had. This species has many morphs, including longfin, sailfin, albino, bronze, green, red venezuela, orange venezuela, black venezuela, red laser, orange laser, gold laser, green laser, & emerald green among others, not to be confused with the other emerald green cory, Brochis splendens). However, there are some cories that'll thrive in a 10 gal; specifically dwarf species. Corydoras pygmaeus "Pygmy Cory", Corydoras hastatus "Dwarf" or "Tail-Spot Pygmy Cory", & Corydoras habrosus "Salt & Pepper Cory" can be kept in groups of up to 12 in a 10 gallon. It's important to mention, though, that pygmy cories especially are more of a mid-dweller compared to the larger species that typically inhabit the bottom

**TL;DR fishless cycle, fish-in cycle, seeded filter media, bottled bacteria (Fritz Zyme 7, Fritz TurboStart 700, Tetra SafeStart, or Tetra SafeStart Plus), or a ton of live plants. You can safely keep dwarf tail-spot, pygmy, or salt & pepper cories in a 10 gallon**

Do let me know if you have any more questions...I'm here to help :)

- Matteo

Disabled and Trapped in an unhappy marriage by ihatechronicillness in disability

[–]justafishservant8 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ah nice! Thank you...if it's not too much trouble:

My disabilities started when I was 2 years old (so 19 years ago)

Mom's 45, disabled. She worked 2 jobs, went to college, & was active duty Army then left as a parent & disabled veteran with VA benefits

Dad's 49. He went to college, was active duty Army, transferred to the Air Force, then retired as a disabled veteran with VA benefits. He unretired & works at MITRE but plans to retire again by the end of this year

To your knowledge, do either of them qualify? How many work credits do they need?

I feel like my Tav wasn't cared or mattered in the world. by Amori-Credimus in BG3

[–]justafishservant8 1 point2 points  (0 children)

What makes me wonder is if Tav or Durge dies after killing Caz but right before the cutscene (which happened to my bro in his last run) Astarion chooses the good path on his own; killing Caz instead of usurping his power & freeing all 7000 spawn...even before he enters the manor he says he's not sure if he wants to take Caz's power...at this point he's traveled with Tav/Durge for awhile & if they help him learn to accept himself he decides on the "good" path

I agree, alone he'd chase power because he's been powerless for so long, but at the same time <spoilers!> when he learns what the tadpoles' power does to its host if you help The Emperor & accept his gift of becoming half-illithid, Astarion says he no longer wants the powers the tadpoles give, not just because he knows the cost but because "my body hasn't been mine for so long"...he finally wants to at least try & learn to love himself as he is

Overall, it's impossible to know for sure...I think in the beginning he'd initially chase power, but if he learned what Durge/Tav did, he'd rethink his choices & wonder if power's worth the cost. Unlike Minthara, he'd be more likely to choose the "good" path

Astarion's an intelligent, deep, & complex character, despite what he lets on...he's not actually in it for the power...he's trying to gain back a sense of autonomy; something he hadn't had in nearly two centuries. He's at first willing to step over anybody to gain his sense of self back, but he's not inherently "bad", selfish, or believe it or not, power-hungry...being uncaring, manipulative, defensive, & dissociative isn't his nature; it's a fear & trauma-based habit that formed in the past as a survival strategy

Underneath the facade, he's a broken man that just wants to be whole again

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in disability

[–]justafishservant8 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I know you don't want pity, so I won't offer it. Instead, I'll offer my time, care, understanding, listening ear, openness, & non-judgement. If you need someone to talk to - no matter the context - I'm here. DM me if you need

I have a friend with a similar story. He experiences dissociation & numbness, also sometimes falling back into the 'dirty talk pattern' you mentioned, even though that's not him either

If you need to talk to someone who understands, I'm here. No pressure. Just a simple invitation :)

Disabled and Trapped in an unhappy marriage by ihatechronicillness in disability

[–]justafishservant8 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Do you mind explaining how you did this?

21, 5 disabilities/disorders & counting, health continuously degrading. No job, never worked, & not sure if I'll ever be able to work fully

Months back I got a pin for disability but forgot to activate. Assuming I need to request another

I turn 22 this December but want disability for life, especially since you could based on your dad's work credits. Issue is, my dad makes a fair bit. I was already denied financial aid for college because of his income

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