The-Magic-Sword
@the-magic-sword.bsky.social
They/Them, Bisexual, Polyamorous, Librarian.
Yclept 'Magic.'
Follow Nothing but your Heart.
Yclept 'Magic.'
Follow Nothing but your Heart.
there was a mentality that avoiding encounters doesn't really achieve anything, since the encounters are the bones of the adventure and progression. Which tbf, i didn't see go away at my table until i embraced treasure-leveling.
October 22, 2025 at 12:59 AM
there was a mentality that avoiding encounters doesn't really achieve anything, since the encounters are the bones of the adventure and progression. Which tbf, i didn't see go away at my table until i embraced treasure-leveling.
I think part of the conceit was a vibe that "it doesn't matter what happens next, itll be content" like, if you do something cool that avoids a dungeon, the GM will simply replace it with something equivalent. Perhaps because 4e presents itself as encounter centric, and the GM will want you to level
October 22, 2025 at 12:59 AM
I think part of the conceit was a vibe that "it doesn't matter what happens next, itll be content" like, if you do something cool that avoids a dungeon, the GM will simply replace it with something equivalent. Perhaps because 4e presents itself as encounter centric, and the GM will want you to level
It's also why I like sandboxes, optional treasure, etc. so much, it becomes very easy to create dungeons that play different depending on what things you have/don't and work around this by including treasure that rewards the party's use of picked up options they can't get otherwise.
October 21, 2025 at 1:45 PM
It's also why I like sandboxes, optional treasure, etc. so much, it becomes very easy to create dungeons that play different depending on what things you have/don't and work around this by including treasure that rewards the party's use of picked up options they can't get otherwise.
forward, so it was always better to avoid taking it to optimize resource use. For some reason, that kibd of thinking has always stuck out in my mind as a "this is why we can't have nice things" in game design. It's a big driver of why I find posts like the one you responded to so frustrating.
October 21, 2025 at 1:41 PM
forward, so it was always better to avoid taking it to optimize resource use. For some reason, that kibd of thinking has always stuck out in my mind as a "this is why we can't have nice things" in game design. It's a big driver of why I find posts like the one you responded to so frustrating.
To build on what you're saying, there was actually something interesting I remember from a 4e optimization guide, where the writer was talking about a power or feat about language translation and asserted that if you don't take it, but the GM needs you to have the info theyll just give you a way (1)
October 21, 2025 at 1:38 PM
To build on what you're saying, there was actually something interesting I remember from a 4e optimization guide, where the writer was talking about a power or feat about language translation and asserted that if you don't take it, but the GM needs you to have the info theyll just give you a way (1)
Yeah seeing it as a fix is weird, its a fun build though!
September 24, 2025 at 5:16 AM
Yeah seeing it as a fix is weird, its a fun build though!
As per wikipedia, the 1984 anniversary box set included the kidnapping of princess arelin: archive.org/details/tsr0... im noticing bricked up windows in the description.
Tsr 09121 AC 3 The Kidnapping Of Princess Arelina ( Dragon Tiles I) : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
23p
archive.org
August 18, 2025 at 4:32 PM
As per wikipedia, the 1984 anniversary box set included the kidnapping of princess arelin: archive.org/details/tsr0... im noticing bricked up windows in the description.
PVP is still a big portion of live service, and in those games, players lose half the time or more.
August 12, 2025 at 4:50 PM
PVP is still a big portion of live service, and in those games, players lose half the time or more.
I do know someone like that. But overall, I'd love to know what live service data you're looking at. Tank/Healer games still dominate the MMO market over games like GW2 that tried to do that. Maybe something like Monster Hunter falls into that?
August 12, 2025 at 4:49 PM
I do know someone like that. But overall, I'd love to know what live service data you're looking at. Tank/Healer games still dominate the MMO market over games like GW2 that tried to do that. Maybe something like Monster Hunter falls into that?
I think your instincts are right, and I think the game's underlying popularity is based on a desire for instrumental play in an rpg context that supports expression. I think it's a very vocal minority who are specifically in it for the "no tactics, only power" stuff. I always see the same names.
August 12, 2025 at 7:49 AM
I think your instincts are right, and I think the game's underlying popularity is based on a desire for instrumental play in an rpg context that supports expression. I think it's a very vocal minority who are specifically in it for the "no tactics, only power" stuff. I always see the same names.
I think pf2e gets more flack because it's a more credible threat in many ways, its the "sega does what nintendon't" of DND.
August 12, 2025 at 7:42 AM
I think pf2e gets more flack because it's a more credible threat in many ways, its the "sega does what nintendon't" of DND.
Lancer is similar. You hit the gas, and your combo build just rips-- the optimization has a puzzle element to it. Haven't tried Draw Steel yet, but it's shiny and new, and the meta hasn't settled yet.
August 12, 2025 at 7:39 AM
Lancer is similar. You hit the gas, and your combo build just rips-- the optimization has a puzzle element to it. Haven't tried Draw Steel yet, but it's shiny and new, and the meta hasn't settled yet.
From experience, 4e has the potential to do it well, but largely, it's a build game. The "actually good" layer of 4e is twin strike multi attack abuse, rebreather, radiant mafia, and cheesy powers that happen to outpace everything at their level.
August 12, 2025 at 7:37 AM
From experience, 4e has the potential to do it well, but largely, it's a build game. The "actually good" layer of 4e is twin strike multi attack abuse, rebreather, radiant mafia, and cheesy powers that happen to outpace everything at their level.
At the end of the day, pf2e is still the #2 game, above all the rules lite stuff (a lot of which is great in its own right). There's a definite demand out there for strong challenge and gamist elements, buildcraft, and combat-as-sport skilled play.
August 12, 2025 at 6:52 AM
At the end of the day, pf2e is still the #2 game, above all the rules lite stuff (a lot of which is great in its own right). There's a definite demand out there for strong challenge and gamist elements, buildcraft, and combat-as-sport skilled play.
I think it's very common, but it's discussed in the discourse less for essentially the reason you self-identified... vibes.
Remember Souls is wildly popular, Magic the Gathering is super popular, competitive pokemon is currently exploding, MMOs continue to raise their skill, mobas were beloved.
Remember Souls is wildly popular, Magic the Gathering is super popular, competitive pokemon is currently exploding, MMOs continue to raise their skill, mobas were beloved.
August 12, 2025 at 6:49 AM
I think it's very common, but it's discussed in the discourse less for essentially the reason you self-identified... vibes.
Remember Souls is wildly popular, Magic the Gathering is super popular, competitive pokemon is currently exploding, MMOs continue to raise their skill, mobas were beloved.
Remember Souls is wildly popular, Magic the Gathering is super popular, competitive pokemon is currently exploding, MMOs continue to raise their skill, mobas were beloved.
Why, Magnolia and the rest of House Reinhart, of course! The most cuddly of the five families.
April 4, 2025 at 7:11 AM
Why, Magnolia and the rest of House Reinhart, of course! The most cuddly of the five families.
Its funny how often i stop and look at your commentary like "wait wasn't I in this argument?"
March 4, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Its funny how often i stop and look at your commentary like "wait wasn't I in this argument?"
I mean, in that instance you can just go be a cover band - you won't get 'big' as a cover band, but there's a lot of success to be had before the lack of original music is a meaningful barrier and an album can be written later in that process. Youtubers are their content.
February 24, 2025 at 4:01 AM
I mean, in that instance you can just go be a cover band - you won't get 'big' as a cover band, but there's a lot of success to be had before the lack of original music is a meaningful barrier and an album can be written later in that process. Youtubers are their content.
But if I don't make -10 MAP attacks, can I really claim to be roleplaying as a stormtrooper?
February 11, 2025 at 8:22 AM
But if I don't make -10 MAP attacks, can I really claim to be roleplaying as a stormtrooper?
This is why no one trusts my math. I'm clean-shaven.
February 11, 2025 at 3:04 AM
This is why no one trusts my math. I'm clean-shaven.
That's the face of a koromon who's aboutta shit on the bed.
February 11, 2025 at 2:58 AM
That's the face of a koromon who's aboutta shit on the bed.
My take is generally that the psychological element of the topic is too wrapped up in social media spin.
The only off ramps to the self-referential pessimism are math or play experience, depending on your tolerance for paratext.
The spin about caster balance functionally predates the game itself.
The only off ramps to the self-referential pessimism are math or play experience, depending on your tolerance for paratext.
The spin about caster balance functionally predates the game itself.
February 7, 2025 at 8:11 AM
My take is generally that the psychological element of the topic is too wrapped up in social media spin.
The only off ramps to the self-referential pessimism are math or play experience, depending on your tolerance for paratext.
The spin about caster balance functionally predates the game itself.
The only off ramps to the self-referential pessimism are math or play experience, depending on your tolerance for paratext.
The spin about caster balance functionally predates the game itself.