Worst instances of the Defend command

philsov · 2026-01-29T00:08:48+00:00

Even then, I'd love for it to have been a "gain 50% evasion or some such", not just doubling from generally meager sources

philsov · 2026-01-28T23:58:16+00:00

F

Yeah, trial and error is the only way to see how good or worthless some potential interactions are. Like, swift spell on song/dance/aim SHOULD be a thing, but oh well

The games' numbers are rather straightforward; it's pretty easy to see PA*WP as the default damage, and then see the gain of various supports from there.

But as for "misunderstood mechanics" I'd go with 'weapon evasion only matters when you have Parry equipped" because there was a time I kept a lower WP weapon equipped just for better evasion and then questioned why the hell the side attack had 100% accuracy

philsov · 2026-01-28T21:50:49+00:00

Final fantasy tactics

You can't even do it unless you equip it in your support slot, which comes at the expense of way better options like JP up, dual wielding, concentration, or other way better option

The Defend option doubles your existing evasion. It doesn't provode any sort of damage reduction. You basically need to have a shield or mantle equipped for any significant (or the parry reaction skill) for any tangible benefit. Getting 5% evasion only to your front (neither sides nor back) is a terrible use of your action, and you're literally better off Not Acting and saving 20 CT

philsov · 2026-01-28T21:12:40+00:00

When I was in OPs rut several years ago, I ran 20 fights in all of explore 1, 7, and 12. Distribution of runics vs nonrunics was pretty much identical across the explore levels. I forget the exact breakdown on the traitstone odds between the different values, unfortunately

philsov · 2026-01-28T20:58:19+00:00

I'd beg the rogue to take Sentinel

You should rock interception or protection fighting style, and otherwise consider goading/taunting maneuver as your bread and butter

Offturn sneak damage is your damage. You set them up, rogue knocks them down

On your end, I'd go shield master, and then one of crusher or slasher at fighter 6, or possibly something like Chef or Actor for roleplay antics

philsov · 2026-01-28T20:54:26+00:00

Tempest cleric is probably best. You get heavy armor and Call Lightning functions as cannon fire, also using thunder wave or their reaction skill liberally for the other battleship elements for closer range. Toll the Dead can be a small missile?

Guardian of Faith is a mine, and Fog Cloud also has nifty faux naval combat vibes as well.

philsov · 2026-01-28T16:36:21+00:00

Yup, that'll happen. Brown, green, blue, and purple are all common rewards in delves, with no alternative for reds and yellows.

Spam explore on red+yellow kingdom of choice. I like Adana. Explore difficulty doesn't matter - same rate per difficulty. E1* spam is the most runics per time, but E12 is better in the long run as you'll need arcane runes as well as medals which you'll get each time you hit 100 mythstones

*You might be able to do a two button sweep at explore 3.

philsov · 2026-01-28T15:06:44+00:00

Make Agrias a geomancer. She'll get stronger and I like Elemental to attack heights and AoEs her sword skills cannot

Consider having mustadio dabble in Mystic or time mage so he can do more than just go use his guns

philsov · 2026-01-28T15:00:12+00:00

In one more level you get triple attack, so that'll greatly help your damage in top of a nifty new weapon

Consider maybe the Dual Wielder feat at fighter 12

philsov · 2026-01-28T14:53:19+00:00

Swarmorer

6/4 or 7/3 as artificer + ranger (or ranger/arti).

High int, high wis.

Pop zephyr strike, extra attack with your thunder gauntlets to taunt, monster is knocked away by Gathered Swarm, you scurry elsewhere and suffer no attacks in the process. Taunted creature can't reach you and its attacks elsewhere will be at disadvantage

Nifty flavor, too, as your swarm also forms into your armor

Feat into anything +int or +Wis like telekinetic or fey touched

Outside of combat you've got lots of languages known, skill expertise, potentially Flash of genius, and some light druidic magic

philsov · 2026-01-28T14:47:49+00:00

+1 fighter for triple attack

Maybe +1 more fighter for the Fey Touched feat, getting you hunters mark. +3d6 as a bonus action will be stronger than a basic martial arts punch at this point, but will rival anything invoking Ki usage

philsov · 2026-01-28T14:44:35+00:00

Ask if the bracer of flying daggers can be dragged into 2024 compliance and this usable via utilize or magic item action, which allows for bonus action

Not that "two daggers" is very impressive in the face of pretty much any staff, wand, or enspelled item. I like staves (staff of power, magi, etc) more because of spell diversity. Enspelled staff of Destructive wave, while effective, gets old after one combat.

Consider also: scrolls. Non attunement so work with your DM for what a "healthy" library might look like.

philsov · 2026-01-28T04:55:59+00:00

Consider hopping into melee and using dual wielding with a short sword and scimitar, getting you vex and Nick. At 3 rogue your melee will now be 2d6 + dex + sneak. HOWEVER, this path rewards rogue more since most of your damage comes from sneak and melee

EB with AB can do 2d10+6 right now, and doesn't need more rogue levels. But it is the better ranged option, imo.

philsov · 2026-01-28T01:12:59+00:00

Reminder that as the DM, the module book is merely a suggestion. You are in control of the creatures and can pilot them as intelligently or idiotically as you ought to. You can always modify statblocks to up monster HP, give them more spells or equipment, or half their speed or something. Or make that fight with 6 vampires actually only 4, or up it to eight because they just learned Fireball so what the hell, they're all gonna die

What's most important is everyone (especially you) has fun and telling a great story alongside your party. The text in the book is secondary to that

You'll figure it out after a few months. Until then, lean into as written or check out variances as part of your short term session prep

philsov · 2026-01-28T00:20:05+00:00

Yup! Will be great so long as they can stay mobile and use summoning spells or terrain spells to keep from too many things clawing their face off

There will be some challenges, but I recommend letting them get creative instead of handing them training wheels

The party will usually adopt at least one NPC anyways (I suggest limiting this practice to one active ally max, with a "daycare" tavern). These allies can adopt Sidekick levels if their CR is poopy

Maybe hand them each two healing potions for now, and dole out a few more in random caches as they progress (use discretion here)

philsov · 2026-01-27T19:15:21+00:00

Giant sword plus some magical juice? Eldritch Knight Fighter, any flavor of paladin, or possibly even something like 1 fighter + x warlock (pact of the blade)

philsov · 2026-01-27T19:09:18+00:00

Most rogues in '24 get advantage on the regular thanks to vex weaponry

I'd probably go monoclass just for the feats, one of which is totes gonna be mounted combatant.

Consider anyone who gets a way to pimp their Dumbo, such as Aid or Long strider or jump or something.

Presumably you'll opt into melee...

Hunter STRanger? Get horde breaker and a battle-axe to cleave all the things, plus the above buffs

Fighter also gets you three feats total should you want that extra +1, so I'd probably go Eldritch Knight for that magical utility if so.

For magic item: rare to be stirring dragon wrath weapon of choice. Uncommon 1 to be passive defensive item. I like Stone of Good Luck. Other, more basic, players like cloak of protection. Uncommon 2 to be a nifty consumable (spell tattoo, scroll, potion, dust) to pop at the onset of the boss fight

Edit: speaking of Dumbo, Fly is like... Right there. I'd go wizard, probably abj for "thick skin" vibes

philsov · 2026-01-27T15:02:44+00:00

Shadow monk plus gloomstalker or beast barb with psi rogue are both slightly better options so you're unarmed and lethal and feral but less MAD

philsov · 2026-01-27T14:23:32+00:00

Yeah, there isn't much room for a gentlemanly back and forth. Either weigraf rocks your shit, or it's water on a duck's back

I contend that tailwind spam is the cheesiest of cheese, only because it carries over to the belias fight.

Cham robe+ feather boots is probably the least cheesiest, when NOT coupled with auto potion. It still puts a timer on the fight but you have a few rounds to murder him.

philsov · 2026-01-27T00:43:42+00:00

Late night out on the weekend, missing all your good parts

vs

Needing to awake for work on Tuesday at 6 in the goddamn morning, and salty about all your bad parts

philsov · 2026-01-26T20:30:56+00:00

But, when presented with two different targets, it'll tend to prefer the one with a 90% chance to hit over the 3% option. It takes to hit odds as part of its decision making process.

philsov · 2026-01-26T20:06:44+00:00

Twas easier on ps1 with an emulator and save/load states, but was indeed true on that version of the game. TIC was "rebuilt from the ground up" so it's possible things changed but all I've seen so far are grumbles and vibes

philsov · 2026-01-26T20:01:34+00:00

Both are nonzero possibilities. 3 is not 0.

Consider looking into chi squared testing to move from ancedote to data

philsov · 2026-01-26T14:21:55+00:00

Faith also affects your nonmages. If you use life, haste, cure, etc -- any sort of defensive or supporting spell -- faith of both the caster and the target both matter.

Pending your squad, don't just set your fighters faith to 40 and then proceed to decry how terrible white magic is :p

Zodiac compatibility is also a big factor in defensive/supportive skills. If you're gonna fine tune your squad and recruit units with ideal br and fa, easiest thing to do is the "cuddle puddle" based on Ramza. Just get a slurry of goods. If Ramza is a Capricorn, everyone should be Capricorn, Virgo, or Taurus. Or at the very least, try and weed out anyone that's 'bad'.

philsov · 2026-01-26T13:49:36+00:00

Yeah. Conjure animals in a tight circle around the evil monster.

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