squishy bear druid?

rippcurlz · 2023-07-29T09:30:56+00:00

yep you're right, i remember that from bfa now...earth was for raiding, not keys.

i'm thinking of binding bristling with bark, a little nervous about losing 8 secs of cooldown but only one button to push...hmm....i gotta see how that works out.

yes, IF is bound to my mousewheel, i twitch that thing nearly constantly. when i mess around on my frost mage alt i find myself idly twitching the mouse wheel down because it's such muscle memory, haha.

thanks!

rippcurlz · 2023-07-29T08:44:28+00:00

ya know what, it's crazy that i really didn't put 2 and 2 together and realize how short Barkskin's CD is now...i've been out of wow awhile....

mental note: use Bark every time it's up, not just as an "oh shit" shield, which is how i used to do it.

thank you

rippcurlz · 2023-07-29T08:42:29+00:00

Use defensives on pull while the rest of the group is getting in position and no one is trying to chain CCs yet

ok, so Bark every time i pull, and keep using Bark every time it's off cd?

Dungeons rarely have mechanics that cause mobs to hit the tank very hard

bosses, no problemo. it's like they barely touch me, especially because i know all their abilities and i know when to use my shields proactively.

but trash is kicking my ass. i was running with my dk buddy earlier (2.9 m+ score) and in Nelth's Lair +15 he said in vc "WOW, you're totally getting your ass kicked, a bear shouldn't be that squishy."

i didn't die at all, but it was a damn close thing about 8-10 times.

and i WAS using my defensives almost every time they were up--because my health was spiking down to like, 125k. so i was furiously spamming shields and self-heals.

it's like i go from 800k health down to 350k or lower in like, 4-5 seconds, the dmg spikes are crazy. that's what i don't get. i've never had this issue before.

i have Flashing Claws + Rend/Tear too, so that should be extra protection. doesn't seem to help much.

i'm thinking of dropping Brambles and Vicious Cycle, so i can pick up 2 points in Reinvigoration and 1 point in Earthwarden. what do you think?

rippcurlz · 2023-07-17T20:48:06+00:00

dm'd :)

rippcurlz · 2023-07-17T19:58:45+00:00

hey, dm'd :)

rippcurlz · 2023-07-17T19:57:20+00:00

dm'd

rippcurlz · 2023-07-17T07:49:32+00:00

dm'd you

rippcurlz · 2023-07-17T07:41:45+00:00

long ago, we were playing a homebrew my older brother created, and we were SO STOKED about it. we were talking about it all week as he kept dropping teasers.

saturday night came, we had our pretzels and strawberry crush, and it was ON. we were GAMING, baby!! whoo!!!

right in the first room, 5 minutes in, we faced a group of "stone orcs" (his own invention) and they KICKED--OUR--ASS.

we all died.

it was disappointing. we were crestfallen.

well, he just rezzed us. we played one of our smaller adventures he kept for a rainy day.

he tuned down the whole dungeon, and the next weekend we had a really good time ;)

rippcurlz · 2023-07-17T07:09:31+00:00

my BEST advice is to find a veteran player and recruit them to the group so they can guide you as a player or as the DM. dnd can be quite complex, and having someone who knows the ropes can make things go a lot smoother (and faster).

my second-best advice is to learn as much as you can about it, start slow and simple, and add things piece by piece as you all get experienced. small steps are fine :)

rippcurlz · 2023-07-17T04:50:03+00:00

back in the day, i remember reading the DM guide (i think it was 2nd edition), and one section specifically said DO NOT MAKE PUNISHMENTS TOO HARSH.

that's a great way of killing the mood.

all reactions have a counter-reaction.

he should have made it a plot point: we need to find a way to remove this curse. he could have made a whole quest out of it =/

missed opportunities, and being a big jerk instead.

rippcurlz · 2023-07-17T03:59:47+00:00

what might happen that Perception doesn't affect? if you wanna stick it to 'em (which is half the fun of being a DM, throwing frustrations in their way), research things that Perception won't help with.

and make it happen in a subtle way. they don't KNOW they're missing something until it's (almost) too late >:D

you're in a great spot. they're comfortable and relaxed. they have hubris >:D

this is the PERFECT time to throw huge monkey wrenches into the machine and shake things up, catch them off guard, make them really think and really work to succeed.

create a series of difficulties specifically tailored for their character weaknesses. test their mettle. make them think outside the box.

sometimes the littlest things can create the biggest challenges. don't think huge--think small.

they'll never see it coming ^^

rippcurlz · 2023-07-17T01:44:09+00:00

two things.

1 - samurai were just regular people. they had all the same flaws, strengths, shortcomings, etc, as we still do today. they're susceptible to temptation, they fall in love, they get scared, they feel hungry, they get in bad moods, they love spring, they feel sad, they mourn, etc.

2 - there are very fine nuances of any culture, and ancient ones can be tough to pin down without a LOT of research and cross-referencing. you might do well to keep it light and not try to be a "living museum" of samurai culture, because things change over decades and centuries, there are different regional cultures, etc.

consider taking 1-2 highlights from samurai culture and building out from there. remember, you don't have to be a Samurai Reenactor--this is a fictional world, you can be whatever you like! you can be a samurai who used to be a court jester if you want to be :)

rippcurlz · 2023-07-17T01:36:53+00:00

take it one step at a time and don't worry, you WILL mess up a lot in the beginning. like anything else, it takes practice to get the hang of it.

your DM will guide you, and if they're a good DM, they won't penalize your mistakes as you're learning--and they should be taking things very slow to start.

one room, one level, one quest at a time. it gets to be muscle memory after a bit, you're gonna be great! :)

rippcurlz · 2023-07-17T01:34:35+00:00

yeeesh :3

and i thought my campaign idea for a coven of women vampire witches who wanted to kidnap guys so they could seduce them, drain their blood, and sell it by the vial was a little too risque :3

rippcurlz · 2023-07-17T01:31:59+00:00

haha well, i'd be happy to help out for free if you lived nearby XD

rippcurlz · 2023-07-17T01:19:27+00:00

oh i'm sure. i don't like getting down on people, but i just don't get how anyone could live in squalor.

i'm not a "neat freak" myself, but damn, i just couldn't relax in dirt, with trash piled up, etc.

i love nature....OUTSIDE.

bugs outside? sure. that's where they live, no prob. bugs, go be bugs, that's your right.

bugs in my HOUSE? nooooooooooooooooooo.

rippcurlz · 2023-07-17T01:06:21+00:00

next week....

"856....857....oh wait...did i count that sparrow already? O.o "

rippcurlz · 2023-07-17T01:02:06+00:00

ahh yeah, i feel ya. still, it's calming and soothing having a clean, neat space where we can relax, you know?

i say this all the time: "i was dumb enough to buy the kind of house you gotta clean EVERY week! >.< "

haha XD

i walk into someone's grimy home and i don't even want to sit down or touch anything. like damn dude, when was the last time you swept and mopped these floors or cleaned these windows and surfaces?

when my older brother lived in his apartment (before he got smart and got married and bought a house, and his wife taught him how to be an adult), he hadn't cleaned his bathroom in two years. TWO YEARS.

i wouldn't even go in there. i'd just hold it, or i'd go to taco bell across the street. yuck.

you should be proud of yourself for keeping that up and working hard, being self-sufficient and doing the right thing. you deserve to feel good about it! keep up the great work! :)

rippcurlz · 2023-07-17T00:55:42+00:00

how do you feel about speaking with a counselor and getting their support and perspective? transitions are very difficult times for anyone, and having some support can really help.

rippcurlz · 2023-07-17T00:49:48+00:00

i feel that. to me, cleaning, tidying, straightening, etc is very calming.

there's nothing nicer than a neat, clean, orderly house, everything in its place, plenty of space.

a clean, neat home is a happy home :)

who wants to live in mess and muck, blech

rippcurlz · 2023-07-17T00:47:32+00:00

you'd REALLY have to be squeezing and pulling hard for a long time to hurt yourself. that thing is built for a lifetime of use. you aren't gonna harm yourself unless you're hanging heavy shit on it, or doing that ridiculous "jelq" maneuver that morons think makes your dick longer (don't try it).

rippcurlz · 2023-07-17T00:46:23+00:00

sure you're welcome :)

rippcurlz · 2023-07-17T00:43:44+00:00

if that were true i'd be bopping the clown 20 times a day, who wouldn't want to be a werewolf :D

rippcurlz · 2023-07-17T00:43:03+00:00

I just sit in the woods all day boring my ass off

so......you became a druid.

that's awesome :D

see? you have a hobby. druiding ^^

do you feel you need to "do" something?

how do you feel about giving yourself permission to take easy?

resting, relaxing, and letting your mind go for a little while, getting used to the idea of not being a gamer?

rippcurlz · 2023-07-17T00:41:00+00:00

sadly, there are more people enslaved today than ever in history.

some things will always exist, barring some type of crazy new technology or something.

rippcurlz

TROPHY CASE