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aros001 · 3 years

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First time read through light novel vol. 8. Random thoughts.

...So...does anyone else feel a little uncomfortable with that cover image between Reinhard and Felt? I mean, I know he's not going to do anything sexual to her and she's not as young as I originally thought she was (I think vol. 1 said she was 15, while ever since the anime I thought she was like 10 or something), but she still is underage, being forced into wearing and doing something she doesn't want to by a grown man, and I think just the way he's got his hand holding her bare thigh makes it feel more sexual than it should be.

Also, is Wilhelm floating? The heck is he sitting on?

Subaru was afraid of death. Dying constantly trashed his life with an unbearable sense of fear and loss. He thought it was like that for everyone; he assumed that was how it had to be. Subaru, who had experienced death more than anyone via Return by Death, didn’t want anyone else to know what it was like.

I'm definitely seeing more similarities between Subaru and Ferris here than I did in the anime. I like how they both have a more unique perspective on life and death than most people would; Subaru from his Return By Death and Ferris from being such a powerful healer (to the point he can even regenerate himself from near death, I guess). Again, for a series where death can be undone so easily, it really knows how to use that premise to show just how weighty and serious death is. While the two will and do kill, it sits with them more than it does for others because they know just how awful death can be.

Something I've really enjoyed when reading through various LN series after watching the anime first is that I end up liking certain characters that I didn't in the anime. I didn't hate Ferris but the cutesy way he talked really bugged me and I didn't focus on him much. Here though I'm definitely getting a better feel for his character, especially with how much he values life, cursing at the suicidal witch cult members for tossing theirs away so easily. He and Subaru's back and forth makes the ending feel that much more heartbreaking when Ferris has to mercy kill the possessed Subaru.

Also, just to clear up any confusion I have, is Ferris in drag or does he identify as a woman? I don't have any problem referring to him from now on as a "she" (I never had that problem with Magne in My Hero Academia) but I'd prefer to get my facts straight. Ferris also makes a joke about Subaru swinging over to his side of the fence but I'm not sure if that means he's gay or not. It's a little hard to tell how far his affection for Crusch runs, for example.

Similarly, there's Julius, a character I never disliked in the anime, but I can definitely see more of a path to him and Subaru becoming friends here. It is funny that a comment from Ferris got me thinking how something to two have in common is how easy it is for them to get others to immediately dislike them just by talking. For Subaru it's because he too often talks without thinking, shoving his foot into his mouth, and for Julius it's how unintentionally snobbish and "better-than-you" he can sound. It's also nice that the story is getting Subaru to try and work through his issues, acknowledging that he's being unfair towards Julius, whom really has done nothing wrong aside from unintentionally pricking at Subaru's inferiority complex.

Like Subaru, I thought demon beasts and monsters were just so common in the world that a barrier around a lord's domain was a very common thing. But from how the other characters in-story are talking, it sounds like Roswaal deliberately put his domain and the village in the center of (or at least nearby) a demon beast habitat. Even in the anime I always believed he knew more than he let on but here he feels like a straight-up mastermind with everything he's been pulling behind the scenes and all the things he's done that, as of yet, have no explanation or reason behind them. Just what is he up to?

One thing I'll say about this series in comparison to some others I've seen/read; the dark magic here, like with the Witch of Envy, Return By Death, the White Whale, and the Unseen Hands, really feels like DARK magic. I've seen series that have their own version of dark magic that'll make bad things happen or summon demons or sacrifice people, but this? Everything to do with the witch feels creepy and unnatural, like it's not or should not be part of the world. With how much suffering it's caused, the mystery behind the gospel, just how unhinged Petelgeuse is and his body jumping, it all feels like stuff you should really not be messing with. Even at the end with Subaru running off and Julius finding him, getting no response at first from Subaru, feels like something out of a horror movie.

Subaru keeps getting asked if he's Pride, to which I'm assuming they mean if he's the one to become the Archbishop of Pride. Personally, my theory is that because of how much the witch seems to "favor" him, Subaru is Envy, like, well, the Witch of Envy and the only one of the seven sins they never mention to have an archbishop, given Satella destroyed the other witches. If that's the case, I can only imagine how much that's going to piss off all the other archbishops, that after all their shows of devotion some schmuck came to their world out of nowhere and became Satella's favorite.

“Lending one’s strength does not mean merely swinging one’s sword. It means challenging the same foes, worrying over the same obstacles, sharing the wounds and the weight of the burdens. This we can do. This is the lesson I learned in the past.”

Obviously this is meant primarily for Subaru but I can't help but think it can apply to Rem and Emilia as well. With the exception of Puck, Emilia tends to go out of her way to avoid involving others in her problems or having them feel they owe her anything when she helps with theirs. Rem dedicated a good chunk of her life to live as her sister's replacement after Ram lost her horn and tried to kill all the demon dogs on her own after Subaru was cursed saving her. They both seem determined to bear the weight of their burdens solely on their own, like they're the only ones who need to suffer. Subaru goes back and forth on how much he involves others in his problems, but while he's more than willing to help ease the burdens on others, his problem for the longest time was that he was so fixated on "swinging his sword", as he thought fighting and strength was the only way to help (probably because strength would honestly solve a decent chunk of his own problems).

“Two days ago, the forest around the mansion became unnaturally calm... to the point that even my eyes could catch nothing. Thereupon, an armed group appeared bearing the crest of the House of Karsten, which had declared war with the blank letter... Surely you cannot blame my little bird’s heart for being on the verge of breaking?”

Ram, I had no idea how much I missed you until you came back.

Namely, that someone out there had swapped his letter of goodwill, aiming to turn Emilia and Crusch against each other.

I don't think a line or speculation like this was in the anime, which it probably should have been. Without it, it just seems like Subaru's an idiot and made a stupid mistake, but now it seems like someone is directly manipulating events behind the scenes. Personally, I'd say my money's on Roswaal if I didn't have terrible luck when it comes to gambling.

“Silence! Cease your prattle! Give that book back, right—”

“Hey, don’t shout. If you get too angry, you know—your brain’ll shake.”

...

“G...gah...! How dare you, dare you, dare youuuu! My disciple of love!!”

“Don’t gimme that, you’re the one who mixed us up! Tunnel vision! What, are you lazy?!”

HA!

Overlord was the first light novel series I read (the only other LN I'd read before was Death Note: Another Note - The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases and that was years ago), so naturally it's the series I tend to make the most comparisons to for the other series I've been reading. In this case, something I really like about both Ainz and Subaru is that, despite how they're presented sometimes, neither is actually stupid (though they too often suck at reading the room). They're both just in situations way over their head and they have no frame of reference for how to deal with these fantasy world situations. Subaru, like with tricking Sloth into getting attacked by demon beast or figuring out what was up with the flowers, has plenty of times where he shows he can come up with decent plans or quick thinking that can pull off a win. His flaws are based more in his own immaturity and need to grow more as a person.

Honestly, Ainz and Subaru are fun to compare because, of the LN MCs I've read so far, they both seem to get every break the other doesn't. Ainz is obvious. He's got actual power, tons of resources, and numerous people whose faith in him is absolute, while Subaru has almost nothing save for the curse and the clothes on his back and has to continuously struggle to make any difference. On the other hand, Ainz has no one in his life he can relate to or be his real self around, making him feel incredibly empty and lonely, while Subaru has attracted a surprisingly wide web of people around him whom, despite some hiccups, do genuinely believe in the real him.

I am 90% certain Emilia and Puck fighting Sloth wasn't in the anime. Well, no wonder anime-only fans have trouble liking her when you cut out nearly all of the character's best sh*t! [Edit: I was wrong. Another post pointed out it was at the end of ep 23. Like I said, it's been a bit since I saw the anime and I remembered none of this fight. Though I still stand by that LN Emilia is better than anime Emilia] Like I've said before, it's not like anime Emilia could just be replaced with a sexy lamp and nothing would be different, but compared to the LN version she really didn't get a lot to do in the anime outside of the first arc. She wants to be queen and sometimes heals people. Otherwise she was mostly off-screen or serving as Subaru's object of affection (and sometimes obsession). Just being able to fight isn't everything but Emilia here certainly feels like she has a lot more fire to her personality and does more when she appears. She's not just a nice, pretty girl for the MC to fight for.

Somehow, he’d died again. He’d probably lost it all once more.

He surrendered everything to the abyss. This was the familiar embrace of failure after he pathetically lost his life.

Look back at the world.

Look back at your failures.

Don’t forget. Don’t forget. Do not forget.

Ferris’s tear-filled voice. Wilhelm’s lament, shaking with regrets. Julius’s resolve and remorse, so great he probably gnashes his teeth over it—Don’t forget, ever. No matter how low you are, don’t ever let go.

Is this Satella saying this to Subaru? I'd assume so since it ends with the "I love you" line Subaru's been getting before he RBDs. But if so, why is she saying this to him? One theory is that she has her own regrets from her life and is giving Subaru a chance not to have the same. That assumes she is a good person and that the stories around her are wrong. Another theory, given the Witch of Envy title, is that she's insisting Subaru never let go of what's his. It's his (and hers, since he is hers) and no one else can have it. I mean, that applies more to greed than envy, I suppose, but stretching a bit you could say she'd be jealous of a world moving on without her.

Original Reddit post: https://www.reddit.com/r/Re_Zero/comments/gwjfwy/novels_first_time_read_through_light_novel_vol_8/

#re:zero #random thoughts #reddit repost

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signetofworlds · 5 years

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Under the Sign of the Dark (Antipaladin Codes)

(art by SirTiefling)

Follow the dead in the dark of damnation

Pious in head and a demon at heart Sworn to the night an evangelist nation born Under the sign of dark

-Powerwolf, “Incense and Iron”

Evil is a lot more picky about its champions than one would expect. This is not to say that evil deities will boot out those who flock to them because these individuals are insufficiently sinful (in fact, a willingness to take and train most anyone is one of the major advantages evil has over good). I’m simply saying that if you want to rise to wealth and power through the fiendish planes, you better be willing to put in the blood, sweat, and tears (both yours and others’) to get the dark lords to notice you. One of saddest sights in existence is watching a bunch of inadequately committed fools proselytize to a deity who actively rejects their prayers, and this tends to happen far more often to casual disciples of hell than to those with a passing fancy for heaven.

The way the churches of Erastil, Apsu, and less-relevant-to-me good gods tell it, you would think that evil’s greatest strength is that it’s willing to take any fool off the street and invest him with the kind of power that an angelic priest spends decades trying to master. As a person who has spent countless years observing the ascensions, machinations, and terminations of mighty beings who could be dubbed “evil” from most standard points of view (or at least from the point of view dictating how that sort of magic works), I can assure you that the strongest followers of Asmodeus, Lamashtu, and their ilk are a small and immensely dedicated collective, one whose loyalty has been tested and found valid on numerous occasions before they could even erect a Magic Circle Against Good. There are good reasons for why you hear about Paladins falling far more often than you hear about Antipaladins faltering in their destructive pursuits, and only a few of them have to do with the immensely stifling moral codes imposed upon most every “Good” faith by a certain obnoxious and inadequately nuanced goddess).

Just as a Paladin draws strength from faith in their ability to make the world a better place, an Antipaladin’s unholy might is derived from a fervent belief that existence is so completely abominable that the only course of action is to double down on the atrocities until something changes. Some absurd desire to injure animals, terrify children, or drink the blood of your enemies is not enough to make the dark gods take notice of your convictions (though from what I hear these traits don’t exactly hurt your chances). To become a true sentinel of evil that stands out from the mass of fiends and sinners, you must be willing to push yourself towards twisted ideals that transcend your simple mortal comprehension of pleasure and suffering. A paladin is expected to dedicate themself to a greater cause in order to retain their powers, and an antipaladin is expected to exceed even a paladin’s (frankly absurd) level of loyalty.

Now, although I’ve gone to numerous rather extreme lengths to avoid associating myself with agents of evil, I have nonetheless familiarized myself with the ideas, teachings, and tenets of numerous unsavory and evil faiths so that I can understand their plights and perhaps mitigate their impact on reality (or potentially support it, as not all of these ideas are terrible). I present here the chief ideologies and commitments which fuel the Smiters of Good all across the multiverse, with special focus being given to the non-demonic and non-daemonic patrons whom not enough powerful entities are concerned about.

Ahriman (from Inner Sea Gods)

Antipaladins of Ahriman are often jaded or cynical about the advancements that “civilization” has brought to the world, especially when enlightened objectives and advanced magical techniques have been utilized for the greedy pursuits of the few. They seek to humble the powerful by despoiling the edifices they stand upon. Their tenets are as follows

-Mortals are not meant to wield the forces of creation or the might of the outsiders for their own whims. I will teach them their folly.

-Wealth, beauty, and love are little more than fabrications to hide oneself from oblivion. I will tear down these facades and expose the truth to those who run from it.

-Only in oblivion can one find purity. When I destroy, I do so with the assurance target my target shall never again be rebuilt

-I will guide others on the path to ruin. A group of ruinous fools can accomplish far more than one dedicated agent of oblivion

Unique Antipaladin Spells

1st-Break

2nd-Shatter

3rd-Stinking Cloud

4th-Telekinesis

Dahak (from Inner Sea Gods)

Antipaladins of Dahak are seekers of violence and humblers of the prideful, ruinous beings who strike at the powerful and the arrogant to show them how feeble they truly are. Most are dragons, but quite a few mortal dragonslayers make up their ranks as well. Their tenets are as follows

-A silent death brings no revolution. When my enemies fall, I will make their defeats spectacular

-Weak opponents are not worthy of my concern. I will challenge those who place themselves above others.

-Never shall I descend into pride or hubris. I will let my actions speak for themselves.

-I will tolerate blind devotion in others only insofar as I cannot prevent it. Followers deserve to have their gods broken.

Unique Antipaladin Spells

1st-Ear-Piercing Scream

2nd-Scales of Deflection

3rd-Draconic Reservoir

4th-Dragon’s Breath

Fumeiyoshi (from Dragon Empires Gazetteer)

Pushing beyond Fumeiyoshi’s disregard for honor, Antipaladins of the Lord of Envy seek to tear down the foundations of honor and tradition which they believe enshrine the inhumanities of society. Their tenets are as follows

-Never shall I sacrifice myself for honor or pride. These things are the bindings of fools

-I will not judge others on matters of dishonor. Such trivial notions fail to reflect truly worthwhile qualities in an individual

-There is no nobleman or peasant, no worthy or unworthy being, merely those who are honest with themselves and those who hide behind formalities

-Silence is little better than death. I will say what needs to be spoken, politeness be damned

Unique Antipaladin Spells

1st-Chill Touch

2nd-Rage

3rd-Fly

4th-Charm Monster

Ghlaunder (from Inner Sea Gods)

Antipaladins of the Gossamer King are parasites, manipulators, and spreaders of disease, following in their gods’ example by deceiving the virtuous and exploiting all those who would fail to grasp their true intentions. Most are tyrants who pose as heroes, relishing in how their victims are turned upon all others would claim to help them. Their tenets are as follows

-I do what I wish to those who are too weak or foolish to resist me. There is no pity or relent for the incompetent

-The weak are unfit to crowd this world, and I will see these weaker individuals eliminated so that their descendants will not afflict us further

-No good deed goes unpunished, and I will see that those who offer their hands in compassion obtain their just punishment

-Charity is the path to oblivion, and I will see that I never surrender my dignity or belongings to the true service of somebody lesser than I.

Unique Antipaladin Spells

1st-Infernal Healing

2nd-Blood Armor

3rd-Glibness

4th-Caustic Blood

Gyronna (from Inner Sea Gods)

Antipaladins of Gyronna are scorned, spiteful individuals who remember the grievous personal wounds inflicted upon them by the world and seek to repay them through suffering. As with the rest of Gyronna’s faith, they are all women, with the vast majority being outcasts with violent and tendencies. Their tenets include the following affirmations

-Idle bonds such as love and friendship cannot be forged with the liars and oppressors of the world. My loyalties are to my goddess, my sisters, and myself only

-I offer aid and compassion to those who have been ruined and cast away by the world. They become my sisters in time.

-Never shall I remain silent as an innocent woman is abused by those who call themselves just. The world must know of our suffering.

-A lifetime of impotent suffering is a more worthy punishment than a quick death. When convenient, my foes are to be left alive and mutilated.

Unique Antipaladin Spells

1st-Lock Gaze

2nd-Crimson Confession

3rd-Howling Agony

4th-Curse of Disgust

Hanspur (from Inner Sea Gods)

Antipaladins of Hanspur are an order of twisted knights who claim to enforce the Six River Freedoms across the River Kingdoms and abroad. They punish those who would threaten the freedoms and maintain the balance of power amongst warring factions of the River Kingdoms, even if that means atrocious acts. Their tenets are as follows

-I keep the roads and rivers free of those who would attempt to hoard them for themselves.Those who take such territory for themselves are duly punished

-The Slaver and the Oathbreaker are a pestilence, and neither deserve mercy

-No one rule may control all. I will ensure that dissidents are always given their opportunity

-I am better than a simple thief. My foes will have the opportunity to defend themselves should I confront them.

Unique Antipaladin Spells

1st-Alarm

2nd-Hydrophobia

3rd-Hydraulic Torrent

4th-Find the Path

Lady Nanbyo (from Dragon Empires Gazetteer)

Antipaladins of Lady Nanbyo are opportunistic and brutally sadistic individuals who prey upon lands ravaged by natural disasters. They finish the works they believe their goddess to have begin, eliminating survivors and reducing what few structures still stand to dust. Their tenets are as follows

-Ruin is the will of the universe, survivors aberrations against it. I end those who dare to cheat oblivion

-Through destruction comes renewal. I shall view every defeat as an opportunity to grow stronger

-Death is the closure of all things. My opponents will not live to fester in defeat

-If I face my own death, I do so bravely and without hesitation or regret

Unique Antipaladin Spells

1st-Thunderstomp

2nd-Tremor Blast

3rd-Raging Rubble

4th-Firefall

Lao Shu Po (from Dragon Empires Gazetteer)

Antipaladins of Lao Shu Po often come from humble origins, rising to power through the guidance and teachings of their opportunistic goddess. Many are Wayangs or Ratfolk, and most take pleasure in idea of disrupting or perverting the plans of other divinities. Their tenets are as follows

-Life promises nothing. I take what I can through my own power

-The best plans of men and gods can be torn apart from within. From the shadows I dismantle the fragile world these fools have built.

-My pursuit is wealth and influence, not glory. The shadows of the world are my ally

-No dirty tactic is below me, nor any illicit pleasure

Unique Antipaladin Spells

1st-Expeditious Retreat

2nd-Urban Step

3rd-Tiny Hut

4th-Dimension Door

Ragadahn (from The First World: Realm of the Fey)

Inspired by the immense power and cast knowledge wielded by the Water Lord, Antipaladins of Ragadahn are a mixture of brutal tyrants who rule the seas and occult warrior-scholars who gather the lore of countless nations to fill Ragadahn’s archives with their secrets. Their tenets are as follows

-I will respect the wisdom of my elders, for there is no greater teacher than time

-The sea is the source of all life and the force that will one day consume it. I will respect and understand its power while showing no mercy to those who threaten it

-Many questions do not have answers, but I will seek to uncover their truths nonetheless

-So long as my foes retain secrets of value, they shall live so that I can extract them

Unique Antipaladin Spells

1st-Charm Fey

2nd-Aquatic Trail

3rd-Sepia Snake Sigil

4th-Freedom of Movement

Scal (from Pathfinder Adventure Path 123)

Antipaladins of Scal are warped mystics who seek to purify themselves through the ruin they inflict on others. Violence is their path to self-betterment and ultimately enlightenment, with universal clarity becoming ever-clearer with every release of violence from the soul. Although Scal’s followers are quite rare, they immense destruction that his mightiest disciples leave in their wake is legendary. Their tenets are as follows

-There is instability and weakness within me, which will be purged through the violence I unleash on those around me.

-So long as I exist, I shall continue to improve my craft of violence so that I may more effectively achieve purity

-I will guide others on the path to violence so that they may be freed from the shackles of impurity that bind them.

-Compassion and attachment are the sources of my fault, and ascension requires that I rid myself of such fetters

Unique Antipaladin Spells

1st-Stone Fist

2nd-Visualisation of the Mind

3rd-Force Punch

4th-Detonate

Set (from Pathfinder Adventure Path 80)

Antipaladins of Set are ruthless agents of insurrection and conquest who look to the atrocities of their god as being the tools which will reforge the world into a more perfect and virile state (which typically means that they end up at the top). Most often, they are warlords or politicians of some manner, hailing from numerous races. Their tenets include the following affirmations

-Nothing is sacred or safe from my reach. Tradition and rules exist only so long as it is convenient to abide by them and should be torn down when they fail.

-Weakness is not to be tolerated or promoted. Vulnerabilities should be exploited, fools deceived, and challengers beaten.

-As power is the ultimate determinant in nature, so too shall it be in civilization if intelligent life is to escape oblivion

-Conquest is a sacred rite, one which allows the great to improve the world through the elimination of their lessers. If a foe wishes to challenge me, I will meet them on the field

Unique Antipaladin Spells

1st-Hairline Fractures

2nd-Dust of Twilight

3rd-Aura of Cannibalism

4th-Beast Shape II

Thamir Gixx (from Inner Sea Gods)

Antipaladins of Thamir Gixx are mighty agents of their god’s subversive agenda, working to acquire wealth and bring down in those in power through whatever methods are open to them. Most all are halflings, and many also possess training in stealthy classes such as Rogue, Slayer, or Assassin. Their tenets include the following affirmations

-I allow no moral quandary to hold back my ambitions. Fear, mistrust, and doubt are valuable tools at my belt

-I will make my own way in the world, succeeding through my own effort and honing my own abilities. Myself is the only thing I can trust

-If a problem can be solved with death, there is no reason to needlessly complicate the affair.

-Never shall I forget the sins and slights committed against me. In time, I will take my revenge.

Unique Antipaladin Spells

1st-Illusion of Calm

2nd-Misdirection

3rd-Displacement

4th-Darkvault

Ulon (from Pathfinder Adventure Path 123)

Although they are all but extinct in this day in age, Antipaladins of Ulon were once cunning strategists and lethal agents of truth who unleashed strange, dark secrets upon the world while caring naught for the dangers their information may inflict. Their tenets include the following affirmations

-Never shall I accept any word or fact without scepticism. There is always some unknown factor at work which has yet to be uncovered

-I will seek the truth that lies within every shadow, discerning the true methods and motives of those around me.

-Although I pursue the truth, I will not share it with just anyone. Like my lipless master I will guide the world to realizations without exposing my own methods

-My faith in Ulon must never be disclosed to others, and I will fabricate whatever lies are necessary to keep my order and what we have learned hidden

Unique Antipaladin Spells

1st-Erase

2nd-Explosive Runes

3rd-Conversing Wind

4th-False Vision

Urazra (from Inner Sea Gods)

Antipaladins of Urazra are violent fanatics who indulge absolutely in the god’s belief that physical might and a mastery of violence are the ultimate determinants of greatness. Most are stone giants, and young stone giants at that, but the god of violence has acquired a following amongst both orc and human raiders. Their tenets are as follows.

-Strength is the ultimate virtue. The inheritors of the earth shall be those who can hold it longest

-No mission is more noble than to take from others what they cannot defend. To allow one mercy for their own inadequacies is to perpetuate their folly.

-Creation is the domain of weaker beings. I do not waste my time or strength upon building what I can take from others

-Caution, restraint, and civility are relics of a weak age. I have no need for them

Unique Antipaladin Spells

1st-Enlarge Person

2nd-Badger’s Ferocity

3rd-Mass Enlarge Person

4th-Giant Form I

Ydersius (from Pathfinder Adventure Path 42)

Antipaladins of Ydersius are most often Serpentfolk or other reptilian races who wish to restore their people to the glorious golden age of ancient times (it really wasn’t all that impressive). The Father of Serpents’ humanoid followers are typically assassins, politicians, and other schemers who turn to this alleged mastermind for guidance in their own plots. Their tenets include the following affirmations

-The old ways were what made us strong once and have enabled our people to survive in the darkest of times. I will cling fast to the teachings of those who came before me.

-Every blade needs a limb to guide it, just as every voice is powerless without a hand to execute its will. I fight alongside my people for our common return to dominance.

-Though I will work with my fellows as needed, I must never become reliant on them to survive. Every follower of Ydersius must serve to their utmost potential

-Never must I debase myself by treating a non-serpentfolk as a superior or equal. In time, these lesser races shall once again learn their proper place.

Unique Antipaladin Spells

1st-Anticipate Peril

2nd-Greater Scale Spikes

3rd-Sundered Serpent Coil

4th-Hellmouth Lash

Zyphus (from Inner Sea Gods)

Relishing in senseless and tragic death, Antipaladins of Zyphus wage war upon not only upon the edifices of stability propped up by gods and mortals but also the futile concept of destiny itself (a cause that I most certainly agree with, in spite of my opposition to some of these individuals’ methods). Existing among all races and cultures, Zyphen Antipaladins are among the most cruel and sadistic mortals imaginable due to the powerful purpose of their cruelty. Their tenets are as follows

-Chance is the arbiter of all things, the only certainty in this mad universe. I do not gripe of its inconvenience

-There is no plan or destiny which cannot be ruined by chance. I will prove this to all who challenge me.

-All those who enforce order upon creation, who proselytize on the significance of death or the machinations of some cosmic truth, face the edge of my blade (THIS is why I tend not to associate with these lunatics)

-I will sow death wherever I travel. The more unexpected and tragic, the better.

Unique Antipaladin Spells

1st-Ill Omen

2nd-Severed Fate

3rd-False Future

4th-Curse of Unexpected Death

Apep, Groetus and the Outer Gods/Great Old Ones

Antipaladins of Groetus, Yog-Sothoth, Cthulhu, and all those other cosmic entities whose concern for humanity or morality is so minimal it cannot be quantified with any metaphor intelligible to the human mind are deluded if they think that their masters are going to care about how they treat their fellows or how shiny their armor is. Antipaladins of these beings do exist, but the patrons pay no attention to them and these unholy warriors typically make up some sort of bizarre code for themselves to further delude themselves that their patrons somehow value them (a rather large number of these codes involve keeping your chest perfectly shaved, wearing bright colors all the time, and avoiding anything made with peanuts, for reasons even I cannot fathom). The deity that is effectively judging your worthiness is your own pathetic sense of grandeur and self-importance, so I’m thinking that the only way to really break your oath is to develop the self-awareness to realize that nothing you do will ever get the attention of a higher being (fallen Antipaladins of the Outer Gods, on the extremely rare occasions they do emerge, tend to spend a lot of time feeling sorry for themselves).

This is not an attack on the personal character of Outer God Antipaladins. A drinking buddy of mine once upon a time was an Antipaladin of Groetus, and they deserved a death far more dignified than being thrown into deep space without any knickers.

Antipaladin variant multiclassing

A character who chooses antipaladin as their secondary class gains the following secondary class features.

Code:

At 1st level, they must follow the antipaladin's code of conduct and gains the antipaladin's aura of evil.

Detect Good:

At 3rd level, they can detect good as a 1st-level antipaladin.

Touch of Corruption:

At 7th level, they gain the ability to use touch of corruption a number of times per day equal to 1/2 their character level, dealing as much damage as an antipaladin of their character level – 4.

Smite Good:

At 11th level, they gain the ability to smite good once per day as an antipaladin of their character level – 4.

Cruelty:

At 15th level, they select one mercy from the antipaladin's 3rd-level cruelty list.

Fiendish Boon:

At 19th level, they gain a fiendish boon of a weapon as an antipaladin of their character level – 3.

Antipaladin Creatures (CR +2 or +3)

Antipaladin creatures can battle evil using smite good and heal using lay on hands, and they possesses many enhanced defenses as well (quite troublesome to take down, if I do say so myself). An antipaladin creature’s CR increases by 3 if the creature has 10 or more HD. An antipaladin creature must be chaotic evil (or lawful evil, in the case of tyrant antipaladin creatures.

Quick Rules

+2 on all rolls based on Str and Cha; can smite good† once per day (treating its HD as its antipaladin level for the purposes of damage); can use touch of corruption once per day (dealing 1d6 damage for every 2 HD it possesses instead of using its antipaladin level); gains detect good and unholy resilience (if the creature has 10 or more HD, it also gains aura of despair).

Rebuild Rules

Defensive Abilities unholy resilience (if the creature has 10 or more HD, it also gains aura of despair); Special Attacks smite good ability once per day (treating its HD as its antipaladin level for the purposes of damage); Special Qualities detect good as the antipaladin class feature, touch of corruption once per day (dealing 1d6 damage for every 2 HD it possesses instead of using its antipaladin level); Ability Scores +4 Strength and Charisma.

NOTE:

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#pathfinder #deity #antipaladin #golarion #monsters #template #code

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mezzopurrloin · 4 years

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Chapter 4-1: Enemies at the Gate

After the death of Mannoroth and sacrifice of Grommash Hellscream, the combined human and orc force moves into Ashenvale Forest, in search of any remaining demons.

Tyrande Whisperwind of the Night Elf Sentinels isn't pleased with these invaders setting foot in her territory. She decides to teach them a lesson.

Tyrande sends out an owl to scout the area.

It finds a combined human and orc base nearby.

A new race means a new base building tutorial. Let's learn about how to make a Night Elf base.

Tree of Life: Great tree that serves as the Night Elf town hall building. Produces Wisps.

Several Night Elf buildings are Ancients, animated trees that can uproot themselves. While uprooted they can move (slowly) and attack, but can't produce units or use any other functions. Uprooting also changes an Ancient's armor type from Fortified to Heavy.

Eat Tree: An ability shared by all uprooted Ancients. The Ancient consumes a tree to slowly regain health.

Wisp: The Night Elf worker unit. A friendly spirit that can collect gold and lumber, repair, and create new buildings by growing them like plants. If the Wisp creates an Ancient, it becomes the Ancient and is lost. Unlike other workers, it has no attack capability.

Detonate: Destroys the Wisp to dispel magic effects in an area, drain mana from casting units, and deal damage to summoned units.

Priestess of the Moon: Cunning hero, disciple of the moon goddess Elune. Rides a white tiger.

Scout: Summons an owl to scout for you. The owl has True Sight. Enemies can see it, but not attack it. Additional levels summon scouts that fly faster and have a larger sight range.

Despite being a priestess, and being classed as such in future games, Tyrande's skillset in this game is much more themed around archery. Tyrande's portrait in the original actually gave way more space to the tiger than her, making it really hard to see what she actually looked like. With the Reforged version we can now see her face close up and admire her gigantic eyebrows.

Entangled Gold Mine: The Tree of Life entangles a gold mine with its roots, allowing Wisps to attach themselves to it and collect gold. If the Tree is uprooted or killed, the entanglement is lost.

Wisps harvest lumber from trees in a similar manner. By attaching themselves to a tree they can extract lumber from it. This doesn't harm the tree, but they have the slowest collection rate of all workers.

Moon Well: A well of nourishment that provides the Night Elf army with 10 food. Can also be used to restore health and mana, but has a limited supply that only replenishes during the night.

Ancient of War: Ancient that trains the Night Elves' basic units.

Archer: Basic warrior of the Sentinels. A skilled sharpshooter that can deal some high damage, but doesn't have much durability.

The Night Elves are the only race whose basic unit is a ranged attacker. Archers are also the only basic unit that costs lumber to produce, though a paltry amount at only 10 per Archer. They're the only combat unit we get for this mission, so we're gonna be using a whole lot of them.

Also yeah, her outfit looks pretty skimpy, but it was even skimpier in the original version, being just a bikini under her cape. That combination was weirdly common in classic Warcraft III. Shandris Feathermoon, who we saw in the opening cutscene, is a unique Archer with more health and attack power. She's also not wearing a cape.

Shadowmeld: An ability shared by all female Night Elf warriors. Allows them to turn invisible when standing still at night. Units with Shadowmeld can use the Hide command to stay hidden rather than auto-attacking enemies.

Altar of Elders: The Night Elf altar building. Revives fallen heroes and summons new heroes in multiplayer games, as with the others.

With the base up and running, I had Tyrande send her owl out to get a view of the enemy.

There's our target. Bringing down a level 6 Paladin with just a bunch of Archers won't be easy.

The local furbolgs are in need of assistance. This doesn't sound too hard.

I also found a good spot for a second base, and snatched it as soon as I could.

We have to deal with a few enemy attacks too. Footmen's Defend ability makes them really hard to kill.

I tried using Tyrande's owl to find the wayward furbolgs, but didn't have any luck. Once found they'll immediately return to the village.

Wandering through the forest led me to a few more enemies.

Surprisingly, the enemy has a few Gryphon and Wind Riders even though it's just the first mission. This is probably to showcase how effective Archers are against flying units.

Tyrande leveled to 2 and unlocked a new ability.

Trueshot Aura: This aura improves the attack damage of the Priestess and other ranged attacking units. It has no effect on melee units.

At its current level, this adds +2 to every Archer's damage. That doesn't seem like a lot, but considering how many I have, it adds up quickly. And I'm still producing Archers nonstop, as that move to High Upkeep shows. I'm not stopping until I hit the maximum food limit.

These Riflemen may think they're tough with their fancy guns, but they're clearly outmatched.

A few of the furbolgs have been captured by the invaders. Luckily we can come to their rescue.

Tyrande's owl was able to find the last one.

The furbolgs lend a few warriors as gratitude. They'll make good meat shields.

Let's go turn this Paladin into a pincushion.

Okay, so I might have overprepared for this.

Of course, we still have Divine Shield to deal with.

I had my Archers focus fire on him as soon as the shield wore off. He was riddled with arrows and swiftly killed.

This raid is interrupted by fire falling from the sky.

The Burning Legion has arrived.

There's no hope against a force this vast.

Tyrande and her warriors flee to safety.

Here's the new victory screen. It's very purple.

#mezzo's screenshot lps #let's play #warcraft iii #warcraft iii reforged #reign of chaos #tyrande whisperwind

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emperor-uncarnate · 6 years

Photo

5 Final Fantasy XIV Jobs I’d Like to See

Beastmaster

Cavalier

Pistolier

Pharmacist

Shaman

Thought I’d see if I could think of some cool classes to be added into the game. Kind of like a wish list, I guess. Heavensward brought the FFXIV story north, Stormblood took us east, and I feel like these five jobs would be cool to discover out west (somewhere). I also feel like there need to be more Tanking and Healing Jobs to balance things out. With the addition of these new ones, there would be five Tanks, five Healers, and ten DPS total. Anyway, check ‘em out:

Beastmaster (BST) While Summoners use pets to deal damage and Scholars use pets to heal, I thought it’d be interesting to have a Job that uses pets to tank. Beastmasters would command an animal companion (maybe it can be like World of Warcraft and a Beastmaster can tame certain animal mobs found in the wild) and wield a whip or whipblade into battle. Normally a Beastmaster and its pet would have separate health bars, but using an ability called “Spirit Bond” (or something to that effect) would merge their HP into one shared pool. It would also reduce their damage taken and damage dealt by 20%, making it something necessary to keep active when tanking. Spirit Bond would also prevent a Beastmaster’s pet from leaving their side or engaging separate targets, improving mobility while directing bosses and avoiding AOE’s. Maybe different abilities would become available based on whether the Beastmaster or its pet currently had aggro. Beastmasters would wear heavy armor and use the abilities of their ferocious animal familiars to protect their parties.

Cavalier (CVL) The swift and noble Cavaliers are heavily-armored Tanks accustomed to unique mounted combat. Though they’d still be able to fight on their own two feet while swinging their signature weapon, the flail, activating an ability called “Mount Up” would summon their Cavalry Chocobo (or other designated Cavalier mount...maybe an actual horse?). Unlike normal mounts, the Cavalry Chocobo is suited for intense battles inside any deadly dungeons. It may not grant the same speed increase a normal chocobo would, but it would offer its rider a 20% reduction to damage taken and damage dealt essential to tanking. The Cavalry Chocobo would allow its Cavalier to charge headlong into combat and would definitely be the most mobile Tank in the game. I thought another gimmick Cavaliers could use would be in the form of battle standards - colorful, billowing flags that would grant defensive buffs and increase enmity (this thought was inspired by this artwork here). And I’m sure there are a ton of fun weaponskills to be had with something like a flail. Brigitte Lindholm, the newest Overwatch hero as of this post, was also an inspiration for the Cavalier (just imagine her on a chocobo and that’s pretty much what I’m going for here).

Pistolier (PST) Four of the DPS Jobs are melee, three are magical ranged, but only two are physical ranged. I thought I’d balance that a bit by exploring the idea of a Pistolier, a new and different gunfighter Job. Pistolier might sound too similar to the Machinist, but I’ve come up with some significant differences. Firstly, they would use dual pistols instead of the single more musket or rifle-like weapon of the Machinists. Pistoliers don’t have the turrets, gadgets, or special ammunition that Machinists employ, but they would still have many of their own tricks. I picture this Job borrowing a lot from Rogues and Gamblers, mixing gunplay with charm, wits, and daring. “Lucky Shot” would ensure the next weaponskill was a critical hit, “Fan the Hammer” would do AOE damage, and “Slots” (a recurring Gambler ability) would effect the Pistolier or his party randomly based on chance. If the Machinist is a steampunk tech-head, the Pistolier is a swashbuckling gunslinger. Think Jesse McCree or Han Solo.

Pharmacist (PMC) While I can appreciate the differences between the established Healer Jobs, I got to thinking about one that was less magic-based than the other three. Pharmacists (based on Chemists and not to be confused with Alchemists) are intended to be Disciples of War and make use of both their MP and TP to heal party members with their potions and salves. They would wield weapons (sort of) new to the Final Fantasy series - slingshots - to launch beneficial concoctions at their friends and fire damaging attacks towards their enemies. Pharmacists would spend MP to cast a spell called “Mix” and combine ingredients similarly to how Ninjas sequence mudras into Ninjutsu. When the desired mixture is prepared, they would spend TP to use a slingshot weaponskill to send it speeding towards their target of choice. I’ve also noticed that not many classes make use of the water element, so I thought maybe these potions would be stored in little water bubble balloon things.

Shaman (SHM) Another similarity I’ve noticed between the current Healer Jobs is that they’re all quite bright and sparkly. I tried to imagine a Healer that wasn’t like the others, maybe one comparable to Dark Knight or Black Mage. An “edgy healer,” if you will. I pictured Shamans like a healing combination of the Warlocks and Shamans from World of Warcraft, calling on both elemental and wicked voodoo magic. They restore health by draining the life of enemies and funneling it into their teammates instead. A Shaman’s party would stay alive thanks to blood magic and a series of “Pact” abilities. Shamans can make different Pacts with party members, offering their own HP and MP to provide them with healing and a variety of buffs. “Pact of Blood” would transfer some of the Shaman’s HP to an ally while “Pact of Revenge” would cost MP and heal the party for a percentage of their total damage dealt over a short amount of time. “Pact of Binding” could function similarly to a Dark Knight’s “Living Dead,” preventing a party member’s HP from dropping to zero so long as the Shaman remains fully healed before a time limit ends. It’d be awesome if Shamans carried skulls in place of weapons, ranging from dusty, brittle bone ones to skulls made of gold and encrusted with jewels. And I could totally see their Job Quest NPC as some kind of tribal beastman, maybe one of the Mamool Ja.

#ffxiv #final fantasy #final fantasy xiv #a realm reborn #heavensward #stormblood #classes #jobs #tank #healer #dps #beastmaster #cavalier #pistolier #pharmacist #shaman

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