Zepher

1) Opportunity Attack I really don't think it's that difficult to remember, honestly, especially if we let heroes know they can use it to their advantage as well. The reason I'm really locking into this is that, generally, our battle maps are pretty small, and even if they weren't, a "ranged" fighter still has to be 2-4 tiles away (increased to 5 if we go to the new system). Most enemies with a velocity of 2 could therefore reasonably close with almost all ranges in a turn. Since traditionally melee is a bit beefier, and ranged less beefy, this helps the melee feel like they're really protecting the ranged, who again, will almost always be close enough for enemies to rush because of the requirements of their placement for range. 2) Initiative The positive with the latter method is it lets people with high velocity really feel like a star, which I love! The downsides are that it's indeed a little convoluted, devalues if you've got an "in general" high velocity party, and means one "striker" enemy could potentially really tip the rolls in favor of the foe, which, the latter might just be something MMs have to consider. I'm more in favor of group checks, honestly, if anything. It may sometimes tip things in the enemies favor. So, okay! Against one real slow but heavy hitting enemy, the heroes would benefit!

1) The only reason I like opportunity attack is because it allows heroes to more reliably lock down enemies, which I think is the idea behind melee builds for the most part. Means they don't need as much velocity, because then once they're near an enemy, they are effectively defending others. Enemies near them need to decide: do I want to get hit and move, or stay and fight? I'm not super sold on the auto +1, that honestly seems not good enough & makes them more heavy hitters as opposed to people who can lock down and shield others. Maybe something with a velocity decrease to enemies in proximity, but that seems more complicated than opportunity attacks. I'm totally down for other solutions, but that's my thinking about WHY I'm suggesting that as opposed to making them harder hitters. As for the range question, yes, still a -1. 2) This all sounds good for me. Group check v. group check, with highest total going first, would be fine. Would make small but fast enemies a real viable threat too. But I'm also cool with heroes just always going first. But yeah set a battle order seems best for this type of 24-hour to get actions in battle style. Allows for flexibility.

OoC: Been advocating for tough battles, and damn is this a tough battle. I'm stressed! In the best way possible. Loving it. Two questions: can someone else feed me a plasma potion if I go down? And can someone else feed me an Aetherbrew, or does that have to be from me? "Varen," Merei mutters as she looks at the group's lawyer. Murder fills his eyes. "He is part of it now. Clear the sprouts as we spoke about." Merei casts healing light on Viper.

OoC: I change my action back to rallying Viper since he is now firing on the Root.

Seeing Viper go after already badly injured prey, Merei instead casts gravity sink on the Root, trying to pull it to the corner of the room (towards A1). "We need to hurt it while it isn't attached to anyone," she posits to the others. "Rounds it has one of us captured we may focus on thinning the herd instead."

When I raised my problem with meditate and spirit, I promised there would be a few more issues I'd raise eventually. I was thinking of waiting for the end of this second quest, but I'd like to raise them both now, since I think they're prevalent for the community. 1) Melee & Range This pretty easily sums up what I think the thinking on range is. But I think @karmajay is right as well, in the post this is a response to. Having three ranges is really really rough for ranged characters. I think a more elegant solution would be to make is "close-range" (2-3 tiles away) and "long-range" (4-5 tiles away). It will maintain that there are times when both are more or less optimal, and I think the two play styles will remain pretty different (close-range doesn't need to reposition as much, but are more likely to be hit, whereas the long range needs that velocity to put the distance and reposition). The problem, however, is exactly what you said: this nerfs melee, who has a VERY limited number of tiles they can hit. They'd need a boost as well, and I truly think that boost is the same as what we see in other gaming systems: some sort of opportunity attack, or some way to lock people down when in melee. It makes the melee fighting more meaningful, and makes them feel like they're really protecting the backline, even if they're not actively using the defend action. Just my two cents - as always, @Waterbrick Down, I think the problem you outline above is legitimate, so I'm hoping to at least a germ to the solution: range is too complex and challenging, but simplifying it would make it that much better than melee. So my solution is that melee needs SOME boost as well. 2) Initiative Just to be perfectly frank, I don't think it adds anything to the game, and just ends up tripping up players. The idea of having good initiative in a regular system is getting to set up before the enemies get to act, but we always act before the enemies (which I'm not advocating against, it makes sense given the asynchronous style of play!). So why is this here? People who want high initiative are people who are good at rallying (to go before attackers) but they need to spend those points on other things, in order to rally well. Heavy hitters actually want low initiative, so they can get rallied first, but that means they have to give up movement for that low velocity, which is bad, especially if they're long-ranged. It just doesn't seem to serve much of a purpose. I understand it was added because velocity needed a "second thing" like skills and smarts both have, but I don't think this is the right solution. Maybe it's good enough on it's own to not need a second thing? Or maybe we think of something else to be it's second thing?

OoC: Absolutely was running him as artillery, thanks for the catch! @Kintobor I ran Viper while you were traitor/downed, but you can take back control now! Merei gazes calmly at the tendril that tried to take her mind from under her control. She rallies Viper. Feeling out of sorts, Varen steps to B6 and drinks a Plasma Potion.

(Due to Zaria’s initiative (another rule I don’t love) that’s all our actions it - technically she acts before Kirwin stabilizes her).

OoC: Legonator, just a question about mechanics. People keep going unstable but WITH health when we fail to free them from the Hydra. If we stabilize them, do they return to combat, or do we have to do something additional? Also is that mechanic written anywhere? Rest of the team, I think this battle is gonna be tough, so allow me to share some strategic thoughts. It may, unfortunately, be safer to leave people tethered if they get taken over. Trying to free them means two of us can’t do anything that round (the tethered and the freer) and failing to free them have bad consequences (they fall unstable, the Root gets an special action: so a new enemy joins the fray, AND the tethered doesn’t get to act, AND someone has to go stabilize them). Just my two cents, seeing as we generally can only hit the Root every other round. As Viper moves to C5 and fires on the Root, Merei heals him. Varen moves to C7 and fires on the Root as well.

Gotcha. Just wanted to make sure we were on the same page! 👍

OoC: I'm not sure how this action will work? If you're trying to free her, she'll be freed at the end of the round anyway. If you're trying to hurt the Hydra Root, it will hurt her instead. Maybe Legonator can let us know? Also, remind me, do you need line of sight to fire? Merei looks around at the disaster the team is facing down, flaring angrily as Zaria's will is robbed from her. Why is this so much more of an affront than the crew? Most likely since she already knows Zaria. She should expand her compassion. But there isn't anything she can do for Zaria now but keep the rest of the team up. Merei casts healing light on Varen, who then moves to E5 and fires on the Calyx. Viper moves to E6 and fires on Hydra Sprout A.

Varen stays put and fires on the Hydra Root.

OoC: Well. Crap. I forgot that the rules allowed for someone unstable to die if they fail three rolls. Whoops! "Zaria, Varen, Viper. This is your moment to do what you do." Merei drinks an Aetherbrew and steps back to B4.

This is really superb. The caverns are so elegant, and I love the colors! Really like the clouds lower than the mountain tops too.

Varen moves to C7 and fires on Hydra Sprout C. Merei moves C2 and tries to free Greenlaw, again using spirit.

Merei moves to D4 and tries to free Simon, dropping another spirit into it. "You're about to start really hurting us," she tells the pilot. "Better to be free."

Welcome back, Scuba! Excited to see what you do with the build and the character!

OoC: Merei will try to burn the Hydra out. I'm also willing to drop a spirit into the attempt, if that will aid in any way. Hearing the other's plan, Varen with turn with a sigh and fire on Hydra Sprout D.

OoC: I was willing to burn a round on just figuring out if it was possible is the reason I didn’t try yet haha. Thanks for being generous! Also Greenlaw’s proficiencies aren’t leveled. “Kirwin, I don’t know what your heroic heart dictates you do. There are people to save and monsters to fight. But I know Zaria will do what she does best, and hope Varen and Viper will help her do it. Which means I must first try for the freedom of the others.” Merei assesses the victims, trying to determine who most deserves her sympathy, who can teach her the most, and who is most dangerous. She shakes her head at herself. She wants to save Greenlaw. The experimenter. But Zaria and the Hydra have both made clear that she is perhaps not as faultless as the others. She will attempt to free McSorley.

Merei tries to see if there is anyway to free the people tethered to the Hydra.

"I do, and as always, I will not stay your hand. Try to spare those you can." Merei nods sympathetically to the Hydra. "Is there anything else you'd like to share from your vast consciousness, or should we move forward to the conclusion you and Zaria are determined to arrive at?"

Hey, we've always said the same things here. Life is life. Would love to see more of you, but if you're busy, you're busy. Merei watches as Varen and Zaria bristle. Even her best ally Kirwin she can't imagine is comfortable in this moment. She isn't. Yet... "You must know how much relies on this. You can see a hand going for a sword and a gun. We can play this out as predator and prey, and we may all exchange roles in that. We all eat. I am not blind to that. And yes, energy comes from a star," Merei flares in demonstration, before quelling herself, "and is captured by the algae, which is captured by the fish, which is captured by the hunter. But you haven't answered my question. Do you strive to survive, or do you want to thrive at the expense of others? It is one thing to eat a fish because you are hungry and will die if you continue to be hungry. It is another to eat fish even if you can survive without one, but because crushing all the fish will mean you control the seas. Which nature are you?"

It took me a few reads tbh hahaha.

"I fear you're right, and that the Hydra is of a similar mind. It is because they both decided, before walking into the room, how this would end. The dangers of imagination." "My life has required very little death," Merei says sadly. "We boarded the Hydra's ship, not the other way around. We boarded, and attacked." Merei turns to the Hydra. "We can't offer you complaint, you're right. But those people," she points to the four hostages, "most certainly can. So help me understand. Why does your life require death and sacrifice? What are you, and what do you need to live? Can you untether them now and still survive? Not flourish, mind you, but survive. Because you've stated two things life seeks: one is to live, which I can sympathize with. The other is to grow, which I can sympathize with, but only if it's not at undue cost of others."

I think it was a diegetic command to Yelena, since we needed an action for her.