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

[Malorius]

Then I, ahem, informally vote for Exuprosion! and Reinforcement. If you green light them both, Alf.

Yes, I understand that I'm wasting a unique opportunity to brew something great. No, I don't care. None of the superior potions can provide us with enough thrust to reach the bottom. What comes after will be taken care in the future, as shortsighted as it sounds; but we need to succeed here and now.

Because best waifu.

(I feel like I'm finally getting into Shinji's headspace. Obsession feels nice.)

[skulkidcachi90]

I go with brew something new using the best ingredients with the effect of the Felix Felicis.

[Skull Leader]

Hey people. Not to rain on your parade, but don't we need the Felix Felicis to survive to the bottom of this dungeon. Using it to make a new kind of potion is great and all but I thought we wanted to get to the bottom more.

I think we are getting bandbozealed by Alf here and getting a little crazy in our expectations for potion brewing. The point of this moment was to prepare potions to help Shinji reach the bottom with Elesa. Not invent the next great potion.

I don't mind brewing new potions here as long as it is for the goal of getting to the bottom. We need to remember our focus. The luck potion is almost certainly will need to be spent to fight whatever final challenge this place will have.

I also thought we wanted to give ingredients to Lestrange, but we seem to be in a current mindset to use them all here. I am not completely against using them all as long as we remained focused on getting to the bottom with Elesa.

And Malorius...Embrace that obsession!

As for what kind of potions to brew, that going to need some input with Elesa, since Shinji lacks the ability to really use anti-enemy direct use potions since he lacks a way to deliver the potion. I am all for making vials of explosions, or stuff that increases their stats/senses. Buff potions would be my first pick, followed by debuffs.

[alfheimwanderer]

Hey people. Not to rain on your parade, but don't we need the Felix Felicis to survive to the bottom of this dungeon. Using it to make a new kind of potion is great and all but I thought we wanted to get to the bottom more.

Well, Sokaris simply told him to do his best. How Shinji - and we - interpret that, is a whole other story.

[Daiki]

About potions

Pretty sure a couple of drops of FF inside the cauldron (or a bit more in Shinji's stomach) - or maybe both at the same time - would be acceptable if it allows a top tier potion that grants us the necessary edge to reach the bottom.

And yeah, we're not burning through the whole stash of high tier ingredients on that one brewing session. Ideally keeping enough for Rachelle to win the championship - and maybe keeping extra she doesn't need for Shinji's personal use later. (Having saved a couple or so of those for the coming war would not be wasted after all).

If Shinji finds the data Sion wants (partial or complete) and manages to secure Rachelle's victory (who is likely to be scouted by Atlas), that's a lot of Sion points to gain in one go. If we're careful and don't focus uniquely on what's happening right now. We need to start thinking about what happens and keeping a level head about the current situation.

I personally don't think we can clear the dungeon even with FF - you would need more than manipulation of odds / fate (luck) - which reminds me how close it functions to a Marble Phantasm - to clear the dungeon and that includes Perseus' involvement. After all, many heroes must have tackled the temple over the millenia and, if these guys (the ones who can overcome fate to accomplish feats of myth and legends) didn't succeed, well, you get the point.

For now, I would say we are lacking the key to success. Maybe we can make a great brew that can help out with the temple, or maybe we make something that doesn't seem useful right but will be invaluable later on.

Thus, I think we may as well gamble on that opportunity to see if we can get something truly awesome. I do not think using FF in a potion involving some of the best ingredients on the planet will come to a waste. See how useful and versatile the Fade Potion (which is still incomplete btw) is, and that was using mainly some youkai bark and blood. Think of what you could get your hands on with these mats.

I personally would go with a range of crippling / damaging potion batch (using lesser ingredients) + work on a separate superior potion involving rarer and more potent ingredients (using FF to come up with something even better).

[Malorius]

Brewing a superior potion sounds nice and well, but which one will actually help us, really?

PoAP will be in a very small dosage. Will it be enough to reach the bottom? Doubtful.

Nullification. Works on other wizards. Useless here.

Transference. The same. Next.

Fading. Actually helpful, for a change, yeah. But. We have used it... 3 times since coming to the island? More? Does the usage during the mock trials count for the cooldown? (If there even is a cooldown.) The point is, the potion provides diminishing returns. Also, addiction and possible Bad End. And we can't help but use it because we lack options - so why would we brew it again when we have an opportunity to create other, less volatile tools? Especially since we have abandoned ofuda replenishment for it.

Restoration. The only one worth the effort. Helps us move forward despite the horrible mistakes we make along the way. (Let's be realistic here, people.) But it must be paired with something to actually improve our performance, because we didn't choose to replenish ofuda. Otherwise we will get horribly mangled, restore, then get horribly mangled again, restore, ad nauseam (Well, 'till the potion is finished, of course!) - and all with no chance to overcome the challenges, empty handed as we'll be.

So if the lust for achievement is strong, the only option I'll consider reasonable will be Restoration and a variant of Reinforcement buff. Because, while Explosive/debuff/other offensive potions have a hard upper limit of output and can't compare with goode olde scythe swing, a Reinforcement - especially conceptual, if available - will be helpful for Wizard, Fusion form and, as much as it pains me, Perseus Tri-Fusion as well.

[Daiki]

Well there's that line from Alf

And of course, there may be others.

that indicates that those aren't the sole possibilities.

Also, we could simply complete the Fading Potion - likely unlocking hidden properties or mitigating some side effects. It's only missing one core ingredient to be completed after all.

The Elixir of Restoration was already completed by Ramona during the mock trial.

PoAP would be a trump card, so the fact it's limited in use makes sense. Might be just what you need for the final boss encounter. I mean, imagine Elesa taking some too?

[Malorius]

The Elixir of Restoration was already completed by Ramona during the mock trial.

So? Why do you think we can't repeat this feat? It's not for bragging rights but for practicality, you know.

I mean, imagine Elesa taking some too?

I imagine a far lesser effect then if Shinji has taken it.

It most probably turns the person into a quasi Heroic Spirit, so we don't exactly need two heroes to deal with the dungeon, methinks.

[Malgos]

I'm not really suggesting that he should go for it, but I would like to see what his full potential is. That aside I've got no real opinion on any of them, but restoration does sound nice.

[Malorius]

Another notable one is the Potion of Restoration, a somewhat weaker version of the Water of Life which does not extend life, and cannot not heal all injury / illness, but can be used to reverse the previously thought incurable (to the West) effects of Dark Magic - even of something like Lycanthropy.

???

Phrasing aside, what extent of healing are we actually talking here?

[alfheimwanderer]

???

Phrasing aside, what extent of healing are we actually talking here?

Just short of water of life. Can't heal amputated limbs, but it can cure most else.

[Malorius]

So torn flesh, stab wounds and pierced organs can be healed, right?

What about prana? Does it restore/revitalize the person?

[alfheimwanderer]

So torn flesh, stab wounds and pierced organs can be healed, right?

Yes. Even if those wounds are cursed/caused by dark magic.

What about prana? Does it restore/revitalize the person?

It stimulates faster prana regen as a part of its function, but its not an instant MP heal.

[Malorius]

Sold!

I mean, uh, that's definitely what I want. What we need, too, hmm. Does it help with mental effects? Reduce stress? Generally removes tiredness?

Because if so, we can have a semi-free action during the next stop (If we survive). Time management is pretty important for creating ofuda.

[alfheimwanderer]

I mean, uh, that's definitely what I want. What we need, too, hmm. Does it help with mental effects? Reduce stress? Generally removes tiredness?

Temporary immunity to foreign mental influence. Stress is indeed reduced for a while. Restores energy.

[Malorius]

So, does our current informal voting turn into formal at any point? I think most of the usual voters have chimed in already, enough to estimate our interest.

Or are you busy irl?

[alfheimwanderer]

I'll make a formal vote for you to choose between a few things, now that I see where the interest lies. After that, we're back to updating.

[Malorius]

As far as I remember, there are three major events remaining in this Year, after we're finished with this Dungeon - however it will be. One of them is the Third Challenge. The other ones are probably going to be locked in soon-ish. So here's the question.

Alf, do you think we will finish Broken Chains by the end of the year (2018)? Is the content of final events as extensive as the previous ones, or are we going to face a fast-paced culmination to our preparations?

[alfheimwanderer]

Third Challenge will be coming up next. And yes, we will finish this up by end of 2018. The last event ties into Civil War quite well, after all...

Well then...and since you all asked for it...

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Choice 400: Which potions will it be then? (Choose up to three)

[ ] Reinforcement Potions
[ ] Explosive Potions
[ ] [SPECIFIC] Elemental Resistance
[ ] Tonic of Preservation and Rebirth (counts for two)
[ ] Elixir of Restoration (counts for two)
[ ] Potion of all Potential (counts for three)

[Malorius]

[x] Elixir of Restoration
[x] Reinforcement Potions

I've made my reasoning known during the last few pages. It's a choice that gives us a good combination of utility, survival and offensive options. You know, now that we don't have enough ofuda.

Who's bitter, me? Pft, no, of course not.

- - - Updated - - -

Or! We can create PoAP and be forced to use it on the next floor. Sounds great, amirite?