Fabula Gear! Ultima Rewards!

[insomn14 (Mike)]

Howdy, folks. Want to talk through some of my plans on rewards going forward and figuring out things.

Weapons

Obviously Saraid is going to be the main benefactor of these, so we’ll get to them in a moment. The Trimaldis seem fairly tied to their Magitech Cannon, so anything that is Trimaldi-focused would either need to do something that the Cannon cannot do (like the Poison damage from the Microwave Longarm) or is just a useful Quality that they can incorporate into the Cannon viable Sublimation.

As for Mizzle, I expect him to primarily want Arcane-type weapons and won’t care about the damage too much, focusing more on the Qualities the weapon grants (like that +1 to Magic checks). That said, once Prisma is available, I’m going to be taking a peak at the rare weapon modules for them, but I want Bill to have a few sessions to work out how that looks at a baseline before we start throwing additional stuff into the mix.

Going back to Saraid, Margie has kind of collected all the excess weapons so far, which is fitting for a Weaponmaster. I’ve kind of played around with the variety of weapons handed out so far (spear, heavy, brawling, etc) but I kind of want to keep things a bit constrained to what Margie want to focus on with Saraid. I imagine them as a bit of a brawler, which makes me want to stick primarily to the overlap of weapons called out in the Fury and Dancer classes (brawling, dagger, flail, and thrown) but don’t know if that completely lines up with what Margie’s picturing.

Armor

I find this situation a little funny: the two characters who could best benefit from martial armor can’t use them, while the one person who can use them doesn’t really benefit from them (the Trimaldis and their d10 DEX, any DEX + 1 armor puts them on par with all but Steel Plate), which means if I continue handing out non-martial armors, everyone can freely trade between them. That’s a perfectly fine outcome as far as I’m concerned.

Adding the Desperado Coat to the Gachapon machine (along with a couple other options) was my attempt at seeing how folks would appreciate Skill-specific armor qualities, but then that quickly got overshadowed by the resistances. We’ll see how that continues to shake out as more armors become available.

Accessories

Another highly interchangeable piece of gear, I’m waiting to see how things shake out as more of them become available. Do folks enjoy the basic ones like immunity and resistance-granting accessories, or do things like Saraid’s accessory that combos with their Counterattack skill appeal to folks?

Spells

This one is for Margie alone at the moment, but now that she’s had time to see some of the options available to Saraid, I’m interested to hear what kind of spells she’s interested in Saraid being able to pick up using Spell Mimic? Currently, a lot of the spells focus on self-buffing, but are you interested in branching out into other options? Healing? Team buffs? Pure damage? Damage bonuses? What sounds good?

Arcanum

We’ve already talked about this a bit while working on the Great Arcanist Migration, so I don’t really think there’s much more to go over at the moment but if there’s anything Bill wants to bring up, I want to hear it. One or two per region was the expectation from the book and I think we’re hitting that well enough so far.

Other Stuff

I’ve been having fun with things outside the norm, like the Vehicle (which is going to become a bit less useful as soon as Prisma becomes a team-wide movement option) and the Gachapon prizes.

One thing I’ve been a little concerned about is “am I letting the team rest for free too often” has been assuaged by the creator of the game saying that their own games turn out the same way, with their party often being the beneficiaries of the hospitality of NPCs and only very rarely needing to pay to rest as inns.

(They also mentioned that Mizzle’s use of Resourceful to always have a Magic Tent on hand in the field is super common for Wayfarers and an expected use of the skill, so no concerns that I’m not making things “tough enough” to challenge the party. The game expects you to go into most combats at full HP/MP and with maybe only a smattering of status effects.)

Speaking of resting, I’ve been looking at the Camp Activities in the Natural Fantasy Atlas and pondering whether folks would be interested in using that optional system? In brief, in addition to adjusting Bonds when you rest, each character would have two camp activities (chosen from a list of 15 options) that they could perform one of, ranging from making basic gear, to regaining IP, to even being able to perform an additional action during your turn once between rests. It’s on pages 130-133 of the Atlas and curious to hear if folks are interested in engaging with that system.

[garrett (Bill Garrett)]

@insomn14

As for Mizzle, I expect him to primarily want Arcane-type weapons and won’t care about the damage too much, focusing more on the Qualities the weapon grants (like that +1 to Magic checks).

I don’t have anything that keys off Arcane weapons right now, but I might in the future? And tome-type weapons are on brand for Miz, absolutely. I definitely care about qualities. So the best weapons for me have these features, in order:

1. Useful/interesting qualities or special features
2. 1H, because if I give up the tome I have now, I need a shield to make up for the missing defense benefit
3. [INS+INS] or [(any)+INS] Accuracy check
4. High damage, I’m less worried about affinity (because arcana can cover that)
5. Arcane type (just in case)

The qualities are the main reason I’d stockpile weapons. I do want something that gives +1 to Magic Checks, but I wouldn’t wield it as my primary weapon for example - it’d come out when I’m doing rituals outside of a conflict. And there’s a difference between useful and interesting qualities.

I’m very eager to see what kind of rare modules (weapon or otherwise) you cook up. It’d also be neat to see more weird or whimsical things appear here, not just HR+999 limit breaks.

@insomn14

my attempt at seeing how folks would appreciate Skill-specific armor qualities

I’d love to see what you come up with for Arcanist/Wayfarer/Pilot/Loremaster skill-specific armor.

@insomn14

Do folks enjoy the basic ones like immunity and resistance-granting accessories, or do things like Saraid’s accessory that combos with their Counterattack skill appeal to folks?

Accessories are the #1 place where I’ll stockpile whatever I can get and that’s useful. Status and damage resistances will always be useful, but those will always be situational. Like armor, I’m definitely interested in seeing what unique stuff is on offer.

@insomn14

if there’s anything Bill wants to bring up, I want to hear it

I’m doing my level best to not just give you a shopping list of Arcana, because discovering them in play is central to the class. At the same time, if you come to me and say “write me an Arcanum around this theme”, I can do that!

@insomn14

Camp Activities in the Natural Fantasy Atlas

I feel like we had fun with this back in MEGALOS and I’m down for it here as well. The Skits and Comedy posts are alive and well, but I’d like to push more of those interactions and activities into the game proper. I feel like the biggest challenge there is the typically short runtime of our sessions, if that makes sense - the more we spend noodling around the campfire, the less we get done on the overworld or in a dungeon.

[Dave (***Dave Hill)]

First off, nice revision to the game page banner.

@insomn14

The Trimaldis seem fairly tied to their Magitech Cannon, so anything that is Trimaldi-focused would either need to do something that the Cannon cannot do (like the Poison damage from the Microwave Longarm) or is just a useful Quality that they can incorporate into the Cannon viable Sublimation.

That makes sense. I mean, there’s nothing that says that I can’t use something besides the MC, but there’s nothing that makes doing so of any advantage, unless a non-rules tactical consideration is narrated into a particular combat (which then just makes it a challenge).

@insomn14

I find this situation a little funny: the two characters who could best benefit from martial armor can’t use them, while the one person who can use them doesn’t really benefit from them (the Trimaldis and their d10 DEX, any DEX + 1 armor puts them on par with all but Steel Plate), which means if I continue handing out non-martial armors, everyone can freely trade between them. That’s a perfectly fine outcome as far as I’m concerned.

It’s kind of funny, because my concept was for the clank to be strong/tough, but instead I’m quick/tough (because DEX benefits ranged weapons).

I mean, I guess there’s nothing wrong with Steel Plate as a goal, though it would actually reduce my Magic Defense, which is probably not good.

It’s interesting that I’m so close to the cap already; I guess the places to branch from there are with Resistances and the like.

@insomn14

Adding the Desperado Coat to the Gachapon machine (along with a couple other options) was my attempt at seeing how folks would appreciate Skill-specific armor qualities, but then that quickly got overshadowed by the resistances. We’ll see how that continues to shake out as more armors become available.

That was cool, but the bonus it gives (reduced MP on Barrage) isn’t worth the drop in Defense, esp. since there’s now no Initiative improvement with it. A shame, because it’s a Colorful Thing to Wear. (Also a shame that it’s not a Weapon, so I can’t Magitech that Quality out of it.)

@insomn14

Do folks enjoy the basic ones like immunity and resistance-granting accessories, or do things like Saraid’s accessory that combos with their Counterattack skill appeal to folks?

Yes. While things should, generally, always improve stuff, trade-offs between various items keep things interesting.

@insomn14

I’ve been having fun with things outside the norm, like the Vehicle (which is going to become a bit less useful as soon as Prisma becomes a team-wide movement option) …

Eh, no problem. It was already going to be replaced with a War Dirigible or something, as I recall.

@insomn14

I’ve been looking at the Camp Activities in the Natural Fantasy Atlas and pondering whether folks would be interested in using that optional system?

Oh, those look fun. I can see a number of them that might fit with the TBs (which, of course, means I have to narrow it down).

[insomn14 (Mike)]

@garrett

I feel like the biggest challenge there is the typically short runtime of our sessions, if that makes sense - the more we spend noodling around the campfire, the less we get done on the overworld or in a dungeon.

Completely understandable. On the topic of our session length, I was curious if folks would be open to discussing starting a half hour earlier at 6:30 (Mountain time) and targeting wrapping up the session at around 9:30 for a three hour long session instead of the two hour sessions we have now.

Benefits: Longer sessions, with more game each week.

Downsides: The game recommends awarding XP every 4 hours of play and a three hour session kind of breaks our “every other session” model.

Obviously, we can figure out some way to work around that (perhaps reducing the amount of base XP to 3-4 and just awarding it every session, maybe something else) but that can be part of the larger discussion.

[garrett (Bill Garrett)]

I’m always down to play a little longer, and those times work for me.

[garrett (Bill Garrett)]

Camp Activities rundown:

• Camp Forge: make basic equipment, or break equipment for materials. The latter is a gold mine for Miz, as high MP costs are a big factor in Rituals.
• Cartography: reroll a travel roll. I can see Miz doing this on long treks, using Magic Tents along the way.
• Combat Lesson: a single +4 to an attack? Situational, but if we know we’re heading for a combat, sure.
• Daydream: probably Miz’s go-to action. Take half damage once.
• Double Portion: not too useful for us, because we typically don’t go low enough for a 40 HP heal being doubled to have an impact. If people are tossing around smaller heals from Encourage etc., then maybe.
• Exploration: free restock on IP. Probably mainly useful for the Trimaldis.
• Gathering: N/A for us, but yet another reason I’d love to play a Gourmet some time.
• Magic Lesson: N/A for us. Edit: as mentioned by @insomn14 Saraid can use this.
• Martial Practice: situationally useful for both fighters.
• Massage: halve MP costs once, not applicable to Rituals. A nice 15 MP savings for Miz, but still a marginal benefit.
• Midnight Oil: really depends on whether the Trimaldis actually start doing Projects or not
• Pep Talk: combined with Side by Side, this can be impactful for Miz.
• Planning: feels like it’d be huge for Miz if he’s gonna do rituals or Study.
• Sleep Soundly: the Equipment and Inventory benefits would both be valuable for the Trimaldis and Saraid, to swap weapons around.
• Training: very situational.

[insomn14 (Mike)]

@garrett

Magic Lesson: N/A for us.

Not 100%. Saraid can use it to give Mizzle and the Trimaldis one of their Spell Mimic spells.

[Dave (***Dave Hill)]

@insomn14

I was curious if folks would be open to discussing starting a half hour earlier at 6:30 (Mountain time) and targeting wrapping up the session at around 9:30 for a three hour long session instead of the two hour sessions we have now.

As both Margie and I are now Retired, in theory this should be workable (previously it wasn’t unsuual for M to have a time-zone-shifted meeting that went to 6 or later). Let’s discuss this week.