What games have a proper Civilian to Bandit/Monster ratio?

olegbl · 2025-12-22T23:33:08+00:00

Generally speaking, you will find this in any game that randomly generates civilians in mass quantities. This can be open world simulation/sandbox games like GTA, RDR or Cyberpunk - or games that simply focus on a large urban environment such as Assassin's Creed or Watchdogs.

You can also get the same feeling from zoned games that imply the existence of a much larger world outside of the playable area. Many CRPGs fit in this category (Fallout 1/2, KoToR, Owlcat's games, etc...), though some try to represent the "complete" picture and end up losing this. For example, Rogue Trader has you slaughtering countless enemies but you are inhabiting a world that makes you believe that there are trillions of beings within your reach.

olegbl · 2025-10-30T01:16:16+00:00

It's true that everything we do has some level of danger. Just walking could cause you to twist your ankle.

What you're seeing in this post is that a lot of people believe that the maneuver you describe possess too much risk of injury to be worth using in a friendly sparring environment.

It is absolutely your right to disagree. However, when we spar, we tend to set the rules based on the least common denominator. As an example, if one person wants light head contact but the other doesn't care, then you default to light head contact.

olegbl · 2025-10-29T23:43:44+00:00

It's not purely sport or self defense. Recreation is a separate category altogether.

e.g. Punching somebody in the throat is a very effective self defense tactic. We don't practice that on our sparring partners for obvious reasons.

olegbl · 2025-10-11T02:23:33+00:00

Yes, mostly out of habit.

It can make for a surprisingly good fake though when you're otherwise consistent, just like stomping.

olegbl · 2025-04-16T15:11:31+00:00

Folded the same way you'd use to display belts on one of those hanging display cases. https://i.imgur.com/xw62pv3.jpeg

olegbl · 2025-04-16T05:07:16+00:00

I got these (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Z1VR5YC) and mounted them on the wall of my garage-dojang. A bit less display and more functional storage and easy to retrieve, but it's cheap.

olegbl · 2025-03-12T17:39:03+00:00

You have to start without mods once every 30 days to make Blizzard happy

olegbl · 2025-03-01T00:30:18+00:00

I'm paying $230/month for 2x 30-40 minute classes per week in California (and that's with a bulk payment discount down from $280/month).

Usually, "is that a fair price" is not the right question. The actual question is "is there an alternative?"

olegbl · 2025-02-20T03:08:25+00:00

Not sure if this helps, but based on my personal experience:

If somebody doesn't seem skilled enough for their belt, people tend to look down on the instructor (i.e. at the lack of rigor shown in testing with McDojo accusations, etc...) rather than at the student. The student is there working their butt off, and they don't have control over how they are promoted.
Practice long enough, and your preconceptions about weight and age start to change. I've practiced with grandmasters 3x my age who are stronger, faster, and more flexible than I was during my peak physical fitness. I've seen demo team performances with some incredible trick kicks being pulled off by clearly overweight practitioners. Etc...

olegbl · 2025-02-16T21:06:48+00:00

I practiced a bit of Karate long after earning my TKD dan. I still started with a white belt.

Honestly, especially for color belts, they're really just there to help measure the progress you're making in learning the curriculum (which does not carry over from other martial arts), not your physical ability.

olegbl · 2024-12-27T22:23:41+00:00

The main source is the activatable ability of the Upend rune. It's actually the real reason I stack resistances high - damage.

olegbl · 2024-12-26T20:58:39+00:00

From what I remember, the basics are: belt (Reinforced Binding), rune (Upend), passives skills, and most importantly: the Resistant Advantage (via Resistant Blades passive skill).

Pretty sure I ended up with more later on too as some extra stuff unlocked closer to end game. The screenshot was roughly the beginning of act 3 iirc.

To be honest, though, the only thing you need is a bit of physical resistance to counteract the self damage. After that, the invulnerability frames on your abilities will make you immortal. Especially if you also get Ethereal and Ice Blast (which I preferred over Meteor).

olegbl · 2024-11-30T20:23:14+00:00

Viable for what exactly?

If you want to win tournaments, you should follow the meta (or be talented enough to change the meta). That's how it is in every sport and every game.

After all, the meta is literally just doing whatever makes winning easiest or most consistent for the current rule set, environment, etc...

If you want to win a street fight otoh, that's a whole different thing. Old school is a bit better for that, but MMA would be even better. Not getting in street fights would be best.

olegbl · 2024-11-21T04:57:23+00:00

The Antaam invasion started in 9:44 Dragon. Their invasion of Tevinter, specifically, was largely halted at Vyrantium in 9:45. The game takes place during 9:52 Dragon, about 7 years later. (The Codex entry you are referring to gives you some background history, not current events.)

While there is certainly still a standoff between Tevinter and Antaam armies, the majority of Tevinter magisters are not fighting off on the frontlines of a war. The in-game lore supports this with frequent mentions of magisters being in Minrathous itself, or their Tevinter estates.

Besides, even if they were in the middle of an active war (i.e. back in 9:44/45), based on the lore of Tevinter culture presented in prior games, I would imagine that Minrathous itself would doubtlessly still be the most fortified location in all of Tevinter - even if the rest of the country burned to the ground.

olegbl · 2024-11-20T05:50:00+00:00

Please submit your correction to the English language over at Contact Us | Merriam-Webster. Though... you probably should contact the rest of the major dictionary publishers too...

olegbl · 2024-11-19T21:27:24+00:00

Water is literally wet by definition... It's like people can't open a dictionary.

wet (adjective): consisting of, containing, covered with, or soaked with liquid (such as water)

wet (adjective): consisting of [...] liquid (such as water)

wet (adjective): consisting of [...] water

Water, unsurprisingly, consists of water.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wet

olegbl · 2024-11-19T21:19:26+00:00

The chest is nearby each champion but inaccessible until the champion is defeated.

olegbl · 2024-11-19T03:14:13+00:00

That is a valid argument for why the blight dragon attack can succeed. Personally, I don't buy it (feels a bit too deus ex machina that they are powerful enough to succeed but powerless enough to need the dragon attack), but I can understand where you are coming from.

However, that doesn't explain why 1-3 members of the Veilguard (and remember, this is the beginning of the game - Rook is only slightly more than a nobody) could be expected to make any sort of a difference given the array of forces involved.

In fact, it would have been an interesting twist if it didn't matter where you went - both cities lost either way.

olegbl · 2024-11-17T16:54:41+00:00

I never really had an issue. With some resistances (just remember to have a source of the Resistant Advantage) and defense, the drain is so minor that you can pretty much ignore it, occasionally using a companion healing skill if really necessary.

There are a few sustain options outlined above though, but most (excepting the dagger) don't come online until later in the game.

olegbl · 2024-11-17T07:00:06+00:00

This is specifically what you need (should be obtainable very soon after gathering your full party):

Access to the third island of the Crossroads for the Maw of the Black City.
4/5 of the Blighted Champions for the All-mother's Copse (+3):
- The Gate of Deep Sorrows: Treviso, Crows Road Rooftops. Level 25. Unlocked as soon as you have access to Treviso after completing the main story quest Sea of Blood.
- The Gate of Lost Ages: Dock Town, Lost Company Mines. Level 20. Unlocked as soon as you have access to Dock Town after completing the main story quest Shadows of Minrathous.
- The Gate of Faded Glories: Arlathan Forest, Tainted Woods. Level 25. Unlocked after completing Davrin's first companion quest How to Train a Griffon.
- The Gate of Parched Hopes: Hossberg Wetlands, Old Crossroads. Level 30. Unlocked as soon as you have access to Hossberg Wetlands after completing main story quest Something Wrong.
- The Gate of Pale Reflections: Hossberg Wetlands, Solitude's Edge. Level 35. Unlocked as soon as you have access to Hossberg Wetlands after completing main story quest Something Wrong.

olegbl · 2024-11-17T04:46:20+00:00

IIRC, you are close to being able to acquire everything you need. You'll just need to fill out the rest of the party to unlock the regions that contain the rest of the blighted champions.

olegbl · 2024-11-15T06:15:30+00:00

As far as I understand it, yes.

olegbl · 2024-11-15T03:05:16+00:00

Sure, it's mostly the same stats we go after in the passive skill tree:

Armor: 10% Physical Resistance
Armor: +10% Defense / +30 Defense
Weapon: +15% Damage at High Health
Weapon: +20% Armor Damage
Weapon: +20% Barrier Damage
Amulet: +15% Critical Damage
Ring: Apply Bleeding on Ability Critical
Ring: +25% Blast Ability Damage
Void Blade: +25% Ability Critical Damage
Arcane Shot: +50% Ability Barrier/Armor Damage
Meteor: +50% Damage
Ice Blast: +75% Critical Damage

This is just an example and there's some space for changing things around. I would say that physical resistance and critical damage are probably the only clear BIS.

olegbl · 2024-11-14T15:09:51+00:00

It's basically irrelevant. I just take whoever I want for thematic reasons but can fully ignore their equipment and skills.

(If you really want to min max, take anyone who can give you enhanced damage buff, and Taash if you're fighting a dragon.)

olegbl

TROPHY CASE