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Berrod Armstrong · **09-09-2015, 09:31 AM**

I'm just starting this thread for myself mostly, because there are certain things I like working out regarding how my character's abilities works. I've been asked by a few people to share some of the stuff I've come up with, so I figured here is the place to put it. I'm not sure how often I'll be posting here, but better to have the space or not! Likely the thread will be filled with my musings and workings and figurifications, but if anyone wants to comment or contribute, or even ask a question or two, feel free!

Sylentmana · **09-09-2015, 09:42 AM**

I misread the title and thought it said "Berrod's Monkeyfights". I got all excited for reading about how Berrod trains by punching monkeys. Laugh

Seriously though, this sounds like a good resource. I was considering creating a monk character, but the whole "chakra" thing makes little sense to me. I tried researching it, but I may as well have been trying to read a book on quantum physics in Chinese for all the good it did me.

Berrod Armstrong · **09-09-2015, 09:45 AM**

The first thing I really wanted to deal with was a little personal system of determining how effective Berrod's abilities are in the heat of combat. I kind of wanted to do a rolling system (and hope that me rolling every time he tries to do something doesn't spam the log, that makes me feel so guilty! Wtb /echo rolling...). I won't use this for free-form fights where it's just writing, or for roll fights where success or failure is already determined by an overall roll. Just in situations where I have a bit of freedom to write what I wish, yet still have that urge to cast fate onto the board with the dice.

Recently I was marveling over how much the Second Wind ability crits for at times and then I wondered...wouldn't it be neat if I could sometimes have Berrod's abilities 'crit' or 'fail'? I then started mulling over a way that I could fairly and evenly have this happen and of course the first thing that came to mind was the dice. After a bit of thought, I decided I'd give the abilities 'tiers' within the 0-999 range of FFXIV's /random command. For example, I play Berrod with an ability inspired by Fists of Earth; one that makes him rather resilient against blows and other such punishment. If I decide to throw the effectiveness of that technique to a dice roll I might have it along the lines of this:

0 - 249 = A complete fail, the ability unleash at all for a reason I would have to craft on the spot (I like doing that kind of thing sometimes).Â

250-499 = Weak effectiveness; the ability unleashes, but not as powerfully as Berrod expects it to; he ends up taking more damage and experiencing more pain than he usually would while using it.

500- 749 = Standard effectiveness; the ability unleashes to Berrod's expectations and keeps him in the fight for as long as I've crafted it to.

750-999 = Critical Effectiveness; the ability exceeds his expectations by a fair amount, perhaps enough to give him an additional visual effect (having his skin acquire a stone-like texture, or something flashy like that). Probably a lifesaver, or bloody invincibility (or close to it) for a turn. Something like that!

That was just an example, but I really wanted to map out the four tiers there. Of course I'll have to apply it to each ability differently, but I think I can manage that. I can probably even use that to write short story battles between monks...fun stuff! Just something in my head I wanted to get into writing, is all.

Berrod Armstrong · **09-09-2015, 09:49 AM**

(09-09-2015, 09:42 AM)Sylentmana Wrote: I misread the title and thought it said "Berrod's Monkeyfights". I got all excited for reading about how Berrod trains by punching monkeys. Seriously though, this sounds like a good resource. I was considering creating a monk character, but the whole "chakra" thing makes little sense to me. I tried researching it, but I may as well have been trying to read a book on quantum physics in Chinese for all the good it did me.

LOL.Â

I figured that my own brainstorming may as well be put in a public place for other people to see and perhaps work with or be inspired by -- or argued and debunked in cases where I'm wrong! Also, if you're looking for an easier way to understand the chakra thingo, Berrod himself wrote up a series of things on it that marries the lore (the scant little of it we know) and what the chakras actually are. It's IC stuff but it might help! Here's the first post, it links to the others that have been written so far.

Hammersmith · **09-09-2015, 04:36 PM**

I like having a defined toolkit for my char. Â It prevents having "an answer for everything" by always having something handy to solve everything, which is a method of thinking that permeates a lot of RP. Â (It's dangerous folks. Don't do it)

Knowing that toolkit, and knowing the effects gives you a better, more well rounded char, who thinks and reaches for something, instead of charging into a situation and relying on you, the writer, to create a coincidence to get them out of it. (Well I just so happen to.)

So I kind of approve of this sort of thing: Knowing what your char can and can not do. Â Emphasis on the Can Not. Â It's just as important as the Can in a cooperative sort of thing like RP

Nebbs · **09-09-2015, 04:42 PM**

(09-09-2015, 09:42 AM)Sylentmana Wrote: I misread the title and thought it said "Berrod's Monkeyfights". I got all excited for reading about how Berrod trains by punching monkeys. Seriously though, this sounds like a good resource. I was considering creating a monk character, but the whole "chakra" thing makes little sense to me. I tried researching it, but I may as well have been trying to read a book on quantum physics in Chinese for all the good it did me.

Me too only I had a flying monkey hope.

Jancis · **09-09-2015, 06:06 PM**

It sounds like a neat idea to me and could be fun given a specific situation where random works!

I actually keep dice on my desk or pull up a random dice program for many of the rolls I do so I don't have to bug people I'm with on what options I let Jancis deal with if that serves better than the /random in game. Or as a sideline option - it can either add or break up role play so play it by ear obviously (whatever is most fun = win anyway).

Honestly it's hard to think of Berrod as failing, no offense, and I only say that because if there's a lot of <250 rolls it's going to get frustrating. Might be part of the idea to either think of it as a miss, that he attacked something that doesn't currently impact the foe but perhaps something in the environment as a utility move, or he decided to go more defensive and gain ground. Basically it can be either a the attack failed or revert to Plan B.

Or limit how many times Berrod can fail. Maybe after a 'fail' roll he gets a default "can't fail" turn and the /random index changes to 0-332 / 333-665 / 666+ that uses the last three options on effectiveness.

Just a couple ideas to play with the system without getting downtrodden by RNG.

Berrod Armstrong · **09-09-2015, 07:01 PM**

(09-09-2015, 06:06 PM)Jancis Wrote: It sounds like a neat idea to me and could be fun given a specific situation where random works!

I actually keep dice on my desk or pull up a random dice program for many of the rolls I do so I don't have to bug people I'm with on what options I let Jancis deal with if that serves better than the /random in game. Or as a sideline option - it can either add or break up role play so play it by ear obviously (whatever is most fun = win anyway).

Honestly it's hard to think of Berrod as failing, no offense, and I only say that because if there's a lot of <250 rolls it's going to get frustrating. Might be part of the idea to either think of it as a miss, that he attacked something that doesn't currently impact the foe but perhaps something in the environment as a utility move, or he decided to go more defensive and gain ground. Basically it can be either a the attack failed or revert to Plan B.

Or limit how many times Berrod can fail. Maybe after a 'fail' roll he gets a default "can't fail" turn and the /random index changes to 0-332 / 333-665 / 666+ that uses the last three options on effectiveness.

Just a couple ideas to play with the system without getting downtrodden by RNG.

Oooh that can work! Currently I'm thinking that I'll probably just roll -sometimes-, for certain 'turns' or situations/circumstances that have me fancying a random result. If he fails I'll probably just free-form something for him afterward to make up for it. I'm cool with him failing sometimes, but I don't want him to look completely incompetent -- because he isn't (those days are over *sob*). I love this suggestion though!Â

Also I could probably pull up a dice program to avoid spamming folks in game...great ideas, thank you!

Berrod's Monkfighty (and other such punchery) Workshop

RPC has moved! These pages have been kept for historical purposes