Trinity Isles OOC

[Arch Lich Burns]

...the answer was in front of us the whole time. We need to get some tinfoil and make us some hats. Then we won't be affected!

[Synch]

I have NO idea where to go from here. Bjorn doesn't understand the occult, he's not into spells etc, the whole thing is way over his head. He's a pragmatic guy of simple means, he knows survival, and the outdoors.

Man, if I had known there was going to be gods and Legendaries and temples and ghosts I probably would have chosen something else like a Sage or Branded

[Dusk9]

Maybe some kind of "Hivemind" effect would make sense for the Bug core to grant? Something that allows us to communicate long distance. Or even simpler, just some way of knowing how the others are doing physically, and if they're hurt or in danger?

That does make Mort's job harder with parallel updates though

[Dlover]

just some way of knowing how the others are doing physically, and if they're hurt or in danger?

And suddenly everyone starts questioning how Alex manages to constantly be in danger, despite sitting on flat ground.

[Theis2]

I really like the hive mind idea. Could have several effects like knowing the direction of others in the hive mind and what their status is. Could also give DR or +AC when standing next to each others and bonuses to accuracy and damage when swarming a foe by having multiple people gang up on the same target.

I'm with you on that Synch, my original plan for Drake was to keep him as a self supplying hatcher that didn't deal in the occult at all but that kinda got ruined in the update when he lost the main class for that
Still he has kept the supernatural to just knowing about it, how to resist it and able to craft type plates

Branded however is a potential path for Drake given the grand overseers bad touching >.>

[M0rtimer]

The hive mind idea is an original one, and could probably work. My only question would be, how long would it need to last to be "worthwhile"..? Would it be just communication, or would it in fact provide other benefits..?

Also, I probably should give a brief "retcon" (but not really) warning. When the temple says it can't do anything against the mind altering effects that's sort of true but also not really, because things like mind-lock and such CAN slow it down. Or in the context of the game, give bonuses to resist it. When it comes to full-out immunity, however, there's nothing it can do at present... And there's likely only a couple people who are, and less who could grant it.

Whether it's worth wasting your spell on just a bonus for a temporary thing is the big question, of course.

[SuperVaderMan]

I like the hive mind idea a lot, too. It's come up before, where we're all separated and in a tense situation, and IC we have no idea what everyone's status is. I'd be fine with just that, but if we really wanted an added benefit then giving Teamwork to all affected trainers might be a good fit.

That said, even temporary protection against psychic effects would be useful for liberating the Psychic Temple in the short term, and for combating big psychic threats like the Overseer in the long term.

I think the hive mind idea is more thematically appropriate, though. And it's possible we can manage to reach the psychic temple without the extra protection, regardless. Maybe Drake and Irene can keep their wits about them long enough to do that

[Dusk9]

From what I understand, we don't really need to remember the hotel is the temple in order to raid it. We already knew it was their base anyway, right?

[SuperVaderMan]

Hm! This is a good point. We just need to know "there be bad guys" and have at it.

We'll need to see what the situation is once we teleport back to Murkoff first, of course. Hopefully the city won't be exploded or something

[SamWiser]

The hivemind idea does sound awesome. When I get a chance later I'll suggest it to the temple ic.

As for how long it should last? It's difficult to tell seeing as time can get wonky depending on circumstance, but it would need to be at least long enough to last the majority of whatever encounter we are using it for. Maybe like an hour in game?

I do think at least some other benefit is needed other than just communication. Otherwise this is just a magic version of a group phone conversation.

[Dusk9]

Well, if we wanted it to be just a straight combat buff effect, then having it be Scene would make the most sense. Something like Theis' suggestion to have +DR/AC for allies nearby.

On the opposite end, if the buff is more based around exploration, it would probably have to last a few hours, possibly even a whole day. This could be something like a teamwork buff for solving problems (i.e. gaining an extra bonus when someone assists you with an activity)?

[SuperVaderMan]

On the opposite end, if the buff is more based around exploration, it would probably have to last a few hours, possibly even a whole day. This could be something like a teamwork buff for solving problems (i.e. gaining an extra bonus when someone assists you with an activity)?

That's another good idea. Maybe something like the Instruction Edge, but party-wide and not necessarily restricted to Education skills.

For reference:

Instruction
Prerequisite: Novice General Education
Effect: Whenever you aid an ally in an Assisted Skill
Check using an Education Skill you have at Novice
Rank or higher, add your full Rank value as a bonus to
their roll instead of half.

[M0rtimer]

The original plan may, or may not, have been to have you end up in the tower, then continue give stranger and stranger descriptions of what it looks like until you're like "hold one just one second here"

[Arch Lich Burns]

Hivemind would work because if our electronics are bugged then we can communitate wothout worry.


Another idea is to make bugged bugs, basically little scouts to search the area and spy. Maybe make it so that it has a set of hp and when it dies, it dies like a normal insect, but can resummon it daily. Maybe a unique one for each person?

[Dlover]

(Oh yea, Haley still has a point for her suit. What were the options again?)

Hoozewhatzit? There are points for the suits?

[Arch Lich Burns]

The points grant abilities? I think Bjorn and alex deserve a point too. Maybe even Bruce.

[Dlover]

To be honest, I know literally nothing about the abilities the book has except that it can teleport us to the temple and back.

[SuperVaderMan]

Nah, Arch's asking about the upgrade system for the Spark Suits. It awards us points for doing tasks for it, or incidentally doing things that it likes, for use in upgrading our individual suits.

Rules
Each rank requires the previous one to take.
Rank 1 and 2 cost 1 point, Rank 3 and 4 cost 2 points.
Only one "path" can be selected per branch.
If multiple options are given for a rank, only one can be selected.
The miscelanous branch has specific listed costs.

COMBAT BRANCH
Rank 1: Grants an extra 5 damage resistance OR +5 to all damage.
Rank 2: Grants harden OR sharpen.
Path of the shuckle
Rank 3: Grants cosmic power
Rank 4: Grants the solid rock ability
Path of the golurk
Rank 3: All attacks deal an additional 5 damage.
Rank 4: Grants the no guard ability

MOVEMENT BRANCH
Rank 1: Grant +1 to all existing movement types OR +1 to high and low jump.
Rank 2: Grants 4 in an non-possessed movement type, or +2 to an existing one.
Path of the salamence
Rank 3: Grants the levitate ability
Rank 4: Grants sky 5 if not possessing it, or sky +3 otherwise.
Path of the escavalier
Rank 3: Grants the speed boost ability
Rank 4: Grants +2 to all possessed movement capabilities, and +1 to all jump capabilities

STEALTH BRANCH
Rank 1: Gives +2 to stealth checks
Rank 2: Gives the stealth capability
Path of the zoroark
Rank 3: Willing disguise: Allows the user to make the suit invisible, or take on a "generic", natural looking disguise.
Rank 4: Perfect mimicry: Allows the user to appear and sound like any person.
Path of the gengar
Rank 3: Invisibility: Grants the invisibility capability.
Rank 4: Shadow meld: Grants the shadow meld capability.

UTILITY BRANCH
Rank 1: Grants +1 to all AC rolls OR +1d6 to all non combat skill checks
Rank 2: Increase throwing range by 2 meters OR the sticky hold ability
Path of the chansey
Rank 3: Grants the move heal bell.
Rank 4: Grants the heal pulse move.
Path of the ariados
Rank 3: Grants the wallclimber capability
Rank 4: Grants the spider web move.

MISC BRANCH
respec: 1 point. Refund all points and spend them again as you wish (Minus the one you pay for this! Can be taken multiple times)
retaining: 5 points. Passive abilities gained from "leveling up" remain even when the suit spell is not active.
multipath: 3 points. Allows you to take both paths in a single branch. Can only be taken once!

Koa still has a point saved. I was planning on using it (and any other accumulated points) the next time we need our suits.

I should probably make note of Koa's Spark Suit upgrades somewhere on his sheet.

[Dlover]

Huh... Okay, so I'm going to need a grand total of... 12 points, for the long-term. Movement Branch (2 points) > Path of the Salamence (4 points) > Retaining (5 points) > Utility Branch (+1d6 to non-combat skills, 1 point)

After those first 11 points, Alex will finally be free of those damned cliffs. He will have flight at all times. Gravity will no longer be a constant threat to his life. He will be immortal. Escaping the primordial terror of being near cliffs would probably be good incentive for Alex to be less opposed to Spark's activities.
Alternately I could get to that point with 7 points by getting Retaining right after Rank 2 of the Movement Branch, with it being used for flight, it would just be slower than with the +3 from Rank 4.
Regardless, long-term plans. As far as I know, I have zero points. (Did you guys earn any points for turning getting the generator or whatever it was he wanted you to handle in the old League base? You should have if you didn't, since it was his request.)

... And this has probably been asked before, but would Rank 1 of the Movement Branch apply to the movement type gained from Rank 2? Not that it matters for my plans, it'll end up at either 7 or 8 flying speed.

[Arch Lich Burns]

Um...question, solid rock ability does nothing for trainers. I thought it used to be study?


Anyways Haley would probably pick movement 2 (+1 and +4 flying)> path of escaliver (2)> stealth branch (2)>Path of zozark 1>2 Ultility branch 2 (+1d6) and sticky hold>???


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I have some ideas too.
Combat
Hitmonchan branch
Grants 2 normal type punches or 1 elemental punch (fire, ice, electric)
Grants iron fist
Yanmega branch
Grants U-turn/Bug bite
Grants tinted lens


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Speed
None because it's pretty damn good

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Stealth
Path of the Weavile
Grants +3 to stealth attempts
Grants pickpocket

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Ultility
Path of Meowth
Learn move payday
Grants pickup
Parh of Snorlax
Grants move rest
Grants ability gluttony

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Other ideas that probsbly won't work
Path of Togekiss (combat)
Grants ancient power
Grants ability serene grace
Path of Mew (utility)
Grants 1 use of the tutoring feature (maybe more? Not sure)
Grants the ability to use the tutoring feature once on yourself

[Dlover]

Man, look at us making plans for a mechanic we'll never have the resources to use.

[Natrivv]

Actually I think the best way to thematically use hive mind is to let people use other edu skills? Like if Irene is in range people can get an addition roll or maybe just a flat bonus like +3 for an occult check and if both Irene and Izzy are in range there's two dice or + 6 since we both have decent knowledge about the occult?

[Arch Lich Burns]

or base it off thier ranking/2 round down? So Haley can give +3 to tech/surv rolls, +2 to poke edu.

[SuperVaderMan]

I think everyone's about done with what they wanted to do in the temple? There's the temple spell that's being workshop'd ooc, there's Koa's alchemized weapon he's working with Diancie on, and Haley's just exploring while we wait on those.

[Natrivv]

The only question I have is how many pokemon could Irene pass cheer brigade onto during all of this? Is it one on one training or a giant bubbly team building exercise