Matou Shinji and the Broken Chains (HP/FSN CYOA)

[alfheimwanderer]

So when the group picks Ayaka, we get Ramona...

Mostly due to balance reasons, and no one listing Shinji as their preferred person to work with, except perhaps Parambir. Kaiduka also did comment to Ayaka that having two Japanese Champions on one team might seem a bit insular. And besides, since she hadn't actually shown off what she was capable of, and Shinji hadn't made a terribly strong showing, it might encourage others to target them.

You might have gotten Lestrange if you'd asked to work with her, but Ayaka wasn't really an option.

And at least this way, you can kill Mischa or something.

I admit to that same thinking but Luna has done this before. She used this blood source for her offering to gain her familiar, not that Shinji at the time understood that fact. Should have guess that the character that does things her own way and is named after the moon would use her monthly blood supply.

It was practical, and that particular blood source has magical implications that standard blood does not, being associated with cycles, life, and such.

Question: Would the idea of having the team seek out an area that would better suit their overall abilities, say a water location such as a water fall or a island in a lake, to set up a better base camp to defend, fall under the defensive option choice or is that more of a write in at that point? I am not sure if one is free to where their camp will be or if its more like Snape's challenges that had a required area that was team's brewing area/base camp.

There is no set up base camp. You can set up where you want, and can spend time looking around for a good fortifiable spot if you want. Or just wander in a wolfpack and try to hunt down other scouts or something. Having three does allow for a bit more flexibility than having two on a team...

[skulkidcachi90]

Now I have a chance I want to try to explain some details that a lot of people in the forum are missing in the making of potions.

The conceptual value of the ingredients of a Potion.

I gonna use some of the examples than Alf give us to explain how this work.

Think about the ingredientes of the elixir of transference:
Period Blood
Shinji's Blood
Felix Felicis

Now try to give all those ingredients a conceptual value based in what could they represent and how you get them.

Period Blood: Is blood from another person who Shinji asked to share with him, than also come from a intense pain from the menstrual cycle.

The Possible conceptual value could be: The desire to share something and a Immense Pain

Shinji's blood: Shinji's own blood than he choose to use in a Potion.
The conceptual value could be: Shinji's identity and his own desires.

And the last ingredient we could use was the Felix Felicis.

The desire to share something and a Immense Pain + Shinji's identity and his own desires. + Felix Felicis = Elixir of Transference.

Now if we add the Mapo Tofu too, we can brew the Elixir of Pain.

Conceptual value of the Mapo Tofu could be: Something created with the desire to share your feelings to others..

So Something created with the desire to share your feelings to others. + The desire to share something and a Immense Pain + Shinji's identity and his own desires. + Felix Felicis = Elexir of Pain.

Hope that this explaining could help in the future.

[neophyte]

Choice 202:
[x] Have an open mind - they may have secrets as well

Choice 203:
[x] (write-in) Be sneaky harvesting ingredients and searching for a base, then defensive while brewing. Not mentioning vigilance, since it's constantly on, credits to second year Defence professor.

[skulkidcachi90]

[x] Have an open mind - they may have secrets as well

Choice 203:
[x] (write-in) Be sneaky harvesting ingredients and searching for a base, then defensive while brewing. Not mentioning vigilance, since it's constantly on, credits to second year Defence professor.

[Skull Leader]

[x] (write-in) Be sneaky harvesting ingredients and searching for a base, then defensive while brewing. Not mentioning vigilance, since it's constantly on, credits to second year Defense professor.

What is up with write in? It seems to be trying to have three options rolled into one. You can not have your cake and eat it. It goes poorly. Combining two into a sound strategy might be fine but three is asking a bit much. It is also silly to have the part where we are mentioning something but totally saying that we are not mentioning something. It can be left off completely. Shinji is not going to walk around like he taking a Sunday stroll if we saying nothing about staying alert. We are setting up our basic strategy here, not reminding Shinji to not be stupid. Also notice that the choices given are not asking the 'how' the plan will be done but the general nature of the plan will be.

Let me attempt to clean this write in up. This should boil the write in down to its important parts

Propose revision: [X] Write in: Go searching for a suitable spot to set up a defensible base at, while collecting ingredients.

Honestly we can boil down our options, and any write in, to just five basic commands.
Attack
Defend
Scout
Collect
Brew
The write in seems to be wanting a Scout-Collect mission for the start of this event. Once a base is found/made, then the strategy will likely changed to a Defend-Collect. And finally a Defend-Brew.

Consider my revised write in as my vote for now unless someone can come up with a better general plan.

[Daiki]

[x] Be defensive - fortify a base camp before going out to forage.

It's better to establish a solid fortification first before gathering materials, so that you have a place to retreat to in case the team must split in a hurry.

If you do the opposite, you're likely to be ambushed while you are setting up your defenses by teams who have already completed their potions. If you are to be targeted, better to have layers of traps and protections between you and your opponent. It's even more important since you have to brew a potion (and preserve it), as well as go through the night.

[Skull Leader]

It's better to establish a solid fortification first before gathering materials, so that you have a place to retreat to in case the team must split in a hurry.

That might be true but the area that you start at will not be as good to defend as the one that they could find unless one is magically lucky.

If you do the opposite, you're likely to be ambushed while you are setting up your defenses by teams who have already completed their potions. If you are to be targeted, better to have layers of traps and protections between you and your opponent. It's even more important since you have to brew a potion (and preserve it), as well as go through the night.

They have to find you first and even then another team is guaranteed to be out numbered by Team Druid. And no one is going to complete their potions in the beginning hours of this event. Everyone will need ingredients.

But I would like to point out that Shinji is not a master trap maker. He has never made a trap before. He could use his ofuda as traps sure but that only works against some of threats. I find that its unlikely that this team will tank anywhere with a ton of traps around them. Maybe a couple at best. Its better to find a good area while looking for ingredients then wasting time making traps to defend a semi-ok area.

Ultimately defense is not going to solely let us win this round. There are better brewers on the other teams. We do have to collect ingredients.

[neophyte]

Combining two into a sound strategy might be fine but three is asking a bit much.

I agree that 3 in one is pure greed. Constant vigilance was referenced for the gag - yet I probably failed it.
So yeah, sneak then defence, one in time.
Hmmm... Come to think of, it sums up as defence option with somewhat covert first stage.

(write-in) Don't even thinking of vigilance - naively believing that everyone abide Constant Vigilance rule - we suggest defensive tactic, preceded by stealthy harvesting and searching for camp spot. As for the stealth part - being teamed with older practicioners, we suggest using Protean Charm to create a makeshift means of silent communication.

[Daiki]

That might be true but the area that you start at will not be as good to defend as the one that they could find unless one is magically lucky.

I never said to build a camp at the starting point. I want to prioritize the camp, so looking for a good spot should be done before gathering. Once you have a place which is somewhat secure, you can start scouting and gathering by using whatever method you see fit.

They have to find you first and even then another team is guaranteed to be out numbered by Team Druid.

Yeah, that doesn't mean that the team of three will be in a favorable position when it happens either. If you're found out by Sondrol, you may as well throw the towel since she can get to us undetected. Don't forget that we are working with these guys for the first time, our teamwork may not be up to par in case of confrontation. It may become necessary to fall back.

And no one is going to complete their potions in the beginning hours of this event. Everyone will need ingredients.

Not everyone is going to sit on their asses for hours once they are done. It's a full night, lots of stuff will happen.

But I would like to point out that Shinji is not a master trap maker. He has never made a trap before. He could use his ofuda as traps sure but that only works against some of threats.

You mean to claim that the guy who's specialty and affinity lay in energy embedding cannot come up with barriers, seals, mines and other creative ways to hamper intruders? What did he even train for all these years then? Shinji has dual elements, his ofuda can generate crippling effects. There's no way he is bad at traps because it's the first time he uses them.

He uses them already, all he has to do is deploy them beforehand instead of throwing them at people.

I find that its unlikely that this team will tank anywhere with a ton of traps around them. Maybe a couple at best.

Yes, the girl who channels the landscape and a guy who can manipulate nearby animals will have trouble tanking. You realize that we have two persons with us who benefits greatly from having homecourt advantage? Picking the right spot will go a long way if we are to fight.

Building a defensive position isn't just about laying traps and hiding behind cover. Who would be stupid enough to do that? But once you have detected, and possibly crippled, the enemy you can fight more appropriately and create a situation that grants maximum chances for you.

And in case the situations gets too hot, you can always split up and regroup later.

Ultimately defense is not going to solely let us win this round. There are better brewers on the other teams. We do have to collect ingredients.

I'm really starting to get tired of arguing about stuff I never implied.

If all you got from my two precedent posts is "let's outcamp people like in Call of Duty," then I don't know what to say to you.

[alfheimwanderer]

But I would like to point out that Shinji is not a master trap maker. He has never made a trap before. He could use his ofuda as traps sure but that only works against some of threats. I find that its unlikely that this team will tank anywhere with a ton of traps around them. Maybe a couple at best. Its better to find a good area while looking for ingredients then wasting time making traps to defend a semi-ok area.

Shinji used ofuda as mines back in 3rd year, after the whole tanuki almost ripping his head off incident. He's not exactly a stranger to them.

There are a number of strategies one may take - not all of which are mutually exclusive.

Some examples...

- Look for a good, defensible spot, possibly leaving someone behind to fortify the spot or having all three use their talents to fortify before several leave
- Wander about as a wolfpack and deal with possibly troublesome enemies moving on their own (i.e. Mischa), not settling down to brew until the last possible moment
- Gather first, keeping an eye out for any defensible positions as you move
- Split up to cover more ground, giving ofuda to your allies, so you can port to them as needed - or bring them with you to another location
- Going into fusion and solo scouting for materials while others look for a spot, and more!

[skulkidcachi90]

Well change my vote to:
[x] Be defensive - fortify a base camp before going out to forage.

Hope we get another chapter soon.

[alfheimwanderer]

Hope we get another chapter soon.

I apologize for the delay. Submissions for the Game Developer Conference are due this week, so I've been scrambling to make sure everything is in order. Please have all votes in by midnight, August 18, Pacific Time.

[alfheimwanderer]

202: [x] Have an open mind - they may have secrets as well
203: [x] Be defensive - fortify a base camp before going out to forage

---

Choice 204: Since you've chosen to fortify a position, the party will need to be split, since it does no good to simply leave a fortified area unmanned - in case someone should subvert it. Under normal circumstances, Ramona would prefer to play a more defensive role, with Ka'aukai preferring to go out and forage, but since there are three people on the team, it does mean that things can be changed up a bit.

What would Shinji like to suggest for his role? (choose one)

[ ] Solo Defense - allowing the one two to go and forage
[ ] Defense - alongside one of the others
[ ] Forage - alongside one of the others
[ ] Hunter-Killer - Seek (and incapacitate) enemy foragers
[ ] Scout - Try to find out enemy base locations
[ ] (write-in)

[skulkidcachi90]

[X] Hunter-Killer - Seek (and incapacitate) enemy foragers

I guess than this could end with Misha encounter Shinji.
Better fight him and defeat/kill him now, if we have the chance.

[Daiki]

[x] Split between Defense and Forage.

Give them ofuda so that Shinji can flow-walk between them. Start by helping out with additional layers of traps and protections.
When he is done, he can warp to the one who is gathering materials and back to camp with ingredients.

Any mean to communicate over long distance would be nice, since Shinji could flow-walk back to base in case it's under attack.

[Malgos]

Forage.

[Skull Leader]

[X] Forage - alongside one of the others

Hunter-Killer might work but there is a limited amount of good targets since no team will be able to take out Ayaka in the field, and its very risky to take out Lestrange-Sondrol if they are together.

Scout - Not against this one. It might be useful for Shinji to know where more friendly people's bases were such as Ayaka or Lestrange as well as the hostile teams bases. But collecting ingredients seems to me to be a higher priorty than scouting. Scouting or HK mission just seems like a luxury to me not a necessary mission, especially after we went defensive.

Defense - Shinji might be rather good at this game but it defending the base by himself would defeat this opportunity to work with his teammates if done solo and having two defenders is just asking for trouble on the one teammate that goes out into the wilderness.

Honesty I like Daiki's ideas, and I think that they would be the best plan for how a forging mission should work with him acting as a reley between his two teammates. On a serious issue he could always grab the defender to help the forging party or vice versa. I do not think this requires the combo vote but who knows. We just have to keep in mind to not spend all of Shinji's Ofuda on this round, as we will need them for the main solely event. Yet we need Shinji to use his abilities to their fullest like flow jumping to showcase to the others that he is not the weakest link. Time to impress people.

[neophyte]

I'll second Daiki's write-in. Given our versatile fusion form, focusing on either homesitting or wandering in the forest seems to be waste.

[x] Split between Defense and Forage.

Some sort of Potioneer Response Team, heh.

[Haunter]

I'll second Daiki's write-in. Given our versatile fusion form, focusing on either homesitting or wandering in the forest seems to be waste.

[x] Split between Defense and Forage.

Some sort of Potioneer Response Team, heh.

[X] Split between Defense and Forage

So are we finally showing off fusion now?

[alfheimwanderer]

Joke option: [ ] Stay at base and cook a nutritious meal for his comrades, so they won't have to fight and brew on an empty stomach.