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ERYFKRAD

Barbarian
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Strap Yourselves In Serpent in the Staglands Shadorwun: Hong Kong Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag. Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth
Not with our luck I'm not. And when I say chase after, I mean bounty on his head type. It's not like he has bad luck, he just has the worst possible good luck.
 

Nevill

Arcane
Joined
Jun 6, 2009
Messages
11,211
Shadorwun: Hong Kong
All right. I think we have a major decision to make and commit if not to a definitive plan, then to a certain set of goals.

Do we want to win the tournament or not? We didn't come here with this goal in mind, but I am starting to warm up to the idea. What was the reason we didn't want to win in the first place? We didn't want to provide our opponents with the information that would clue them in on how to counter us later. But it might turn out that the stealthy approach will net us a completely different result:
LWC1996 had a previous post on this which was rather spot on. You do not get to usually challenge the best disciples without first proving yourself. They won't let any nameless kook come and fight their prized students, even if he is ranting about being the Southern Maniac's disciple. They'll just send out weaker ones until they get a good measure of your level (and your techniques).
You wouldn't need to fight a lot at every one, just perhaps the first couple sects until word spreads of your reputation. There's little difference in the end, only whether you choose to build your rep at the tournament in one go (which doesn't necessitate victory as kazgar said) or do it gradually later.
I think that now is our chance to build reputation. We need to become famous so that nobody could turn down our challenge and hope to save face afterwards. Besides, it would also be a chance to claim victory over some of our targets then and there. And we would have no need to sneak around in an attempt to steal that sweet, sweet Shaolin scroll with an unarmed technique.

Since we went into this with our mask on, we should decide again on whether we keep our false identity a secret from other fighters (which is kind of hard at this point, as Shaolin monks have demonstrated), or do we keep playing a merchant until it is evident that we aren't. I think this part of the plan should stay the same - keep our face a secret from the public, but not the fighters.

Oh, and, Baltika9, I am glad that we didn't end up stuck with a pig mask wherever we go. Wearing the thing somewhat undermines our ability to carry out covert operations in plain sight. If sneaking around and then trolling people about it without them realizing (see: Qingcheng) is to become a second nature to Jing, we need not make it harder for us to mingle with the crowd.

I am usure as to what we do when - if - we win, though. Baltika9's plan is bold, daring and crazy enough that it might actually work:
Yes. You could, say, do that and set a date almost a year later, saying you're giving them enough time to catch up to you. You'll use that time to make your own preparations. And anyone who doesn't show up at the agreed area on that date is a pussy. You'll make this challenge in front of several major sect leaders so it can't be ignored or dismissed. But you'd need to win for your taunt to be effective.
However, I believe that this will only end in a bloodbath, as I see no other way of taking them all at once except for unleashing our Yuanshi Hundun. We'll end up a criminal, and if we return to Shun's service at a later date, it won't endear the prince to the orthodox world. Besides, making challenges on a one-on-one basis will allow us to build our strength gradually, learning from our enemies and incorporating bits and pieces of their techniques into ours. Going straight against them in a glorious all-on-one fight presumes 'preparation', but what can prepare us better than a series of battles with equally skilled opponents? I'll leave that one undecided for now.

For the current choice, it is hard to go with anything but B or D. We have already invested in Qilin, so turning her down now with C doesn't sound even remotely good, and she can be of tremendous help with her, er, medications. As for recruiting the last team member, I will not delegate that duty to the Troll Queen. She'll bring in someone useless just to hear Jing growl.

I kind of like Gou Fu and I hope that a successful performance would help him solve his employment issues, and it is not like he will find a team on his own. He might end up a disciple of Shangguan Chuji if he proves himself (is the old man here to watch his best disciple fight?), and it is always good to have an acquaintance of ours near one of the Ten Swords. Besides, with his END he will tank the damage and hold off the rest of the rivaling team while we crush the opposition in 1-on-1 fights. I am also wondering if it would be a good idea to ask Qilin to give him a boost with one of her drugs without the man knowing. Probably won't end well, though.

Murong Yandi is an unknown, but Qilin considers him to be one of the best fighters, so let's take her word for it. All in all, a solid team.

I don't see many arguments in favor of the battle royale, except that it allows you to experience more opponents first-hand, but the most dangerous ones will not end up there anyway. And if we go for the win, laying low and concealing our prowess are off the table anyway.

Current set of goals:
- Win the tournament
- Get fame
- Get the scroll
- Keep your real identity secret until the end of tournament
- Continue aquiring information on the competition
- Further your alliance with Qilin
- Get to know Gou Fu better
- Get information on Shangguan Chuji and Zhanlu Sword

On that note, B.
 
Last edited:
Joined
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I am usure as to what we do when - if - we win, though. Baltika9's plan is bold, daring and crazy enough that it might actually work:
Yes. You could, say, do that and set a date almost a year later, saying you're giving them enough time to catch up to you. You'll use that time to make your own preparations. And anyone who doesn't show up at the agreed area on that date is a pussy. You'll make this challenge in front of several major sect leaders so it can't be ignored or dismissed. But you'd need to win for your taunt to be effective.
However, I believe that this will only end in a bloodbath, as I see no other way of taking them all at once except for unleashing our Yuanshi Hundun. We'll end up a criminal, and if we return to Shun's service at a later date, it won't endear the prince to the orthodox world. Besides, making challenges on a one-on-one basis will allow us to build our strength gradually, learning from our enemies and incorporating bits and pieces of their techniques into ours. Going straight against them in a glorious all-on-one fight presumes 'preparation', but what can prepare us better than a series of battles with equally skilled opponents? I'll leave that one undecided for now.
I'm leaning towards not declaring who we are and challenging them all separately later. Yes, we would have more work taking them on that way, but to face them all at the same time later is just too risky. Could we even defeat them all then? And bear in mind that to issue such a challenge we would have to win first, which would probably mean we would have to show everything we got to them all, and then they would all have a year to prepare specifically against us. I don't like those odds.

If on the other hand we keep a low profile and take them on separately, they would have a much harder time preparing for us. Sure, they could send other fighters to test us first and our later targets would learn what is happening before we get to them, but that's still better than giving them all a whole year after a live demonstration of what we can do. Plus, we can use this tournament to determine the biggest threats and leave them for latter when we (hopefully) have something we can counter them with. I feel this is much less risky than a single do-or-die showdown with everyone at once. So, I think we should get as close to winning as possible without using our claws signature technique or our inner strength at least.
 

Nevill

Arcane
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Shadorwun: Hong Kong
Zero Credibility said:
I'm leaning towards not declaring who we are and challenging them all separately later.
That would probably deprive us of the fame. Though they themselves would know that it was Jing/Guan who won the tournament, the outside world wouldn't. They would still be free to turn down our challenges without repercussions, should they desire so. And after the first fight our the secret would be out, anyway. Why not make a PR session out of it, then?

Challenging them separately is what I am still leaning to, though.

Of course, this only refers to the consequenses of winning at the tournament. If you don't want to do that, you won't even be given a choise to take them all down in a single attempt.
 
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treave

Arcane
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11,370
Codex 2012
Bandwagons are actually a good thing. It can mean that the voters have become less paranoid and divided over every choice, creating a much more harmonious atmosphere.
 

Nevill

Arcane
Joined
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Messages
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Shadorwun: Hong Kong
If on the other hand we keep a low profile and take them on separately, they would have a much harder time preparing for us. [...] So, I think we should get as close to winning as possible without using our claws signature technique or our inner strength at least.
If you want not to win, but to get close to winning without attracting attention, D is the way to go.
treave said:
You consider her offer. If you join the team matches, you would be facing the better orthodox students, and would likely face at least one of the Eight Sects’ elites before even meeting in the finals. The battle royale would offer you better odds of sneaking through without too much of a fight. You would be able to keep your prowess relatively concealed in the melee.

I want everyone to establish their priorities here. Personally, I don't see many cons to winning, and the pros are tangible enough to make me try.
 
Joined
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Of course, this only refers to the consequenses of winning at the tournament. If you don't want to do that, you won't even be given a choise to take them all down in a single attempt.
I wouldn't mind winning the tournament, just that if the price of it is showing our signature technique or our full abilities, it is too high. Once they see the claws and with the rumours of Maniac's apprentice floating around, we might as well introduce ourselves. And I find it unlikely that we could win without showing our best combat technique.
 

ScubaV

Prophet
Joined
Feb 20, 2011
Messages
1,022
Few disciples in the past have gone for KO due to the risk of serially injuring the opponent, but this year is more competitive and may see more dangerous fights if the young ones get too excited.

images


Voting D to be contrarian.
 

Nevill

Arcane
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Jun 6, 2009
Messages
11,211
Shadorwun: Hong Kong
treave said:
Bandwagons are actually a good thing. It can mean that the voters have become less paranoid and divided over every choice, creating a much more harmonious atmosphere.
My favorite parts of this thread is where multiple viewpoints clash. The following battle brings the best of the arguments to light and allows for more informed desicion making. It also helps to know where everyone is standing when we consider the future of our protagonist. Not to mention that it requires you to put at least some thought in your plan to convince people that it's worthwhile when there are several alternatives present.

It's not like we are frothing at the mouth and making killing threats over the choices. So it's all good as it is.

And don't diss paranoia, it is an excellent tool to sabotage the choices you don't like. What would I even do if we somehow got rid of that - resort to logic? When did that ever work? :cool::D

Zero Credibility said:
Once they see the claws and with the rumours of Maniac's apprentice floating around, we might as well introduce ourselves.
That is, actually, the final part of the plan. To win the tournament and then reveal ourselves.
 

kazgar

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Apr 23, 2008
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Upside Down
Noone's voting anything but B. Interesting. Will I join the bandwagon? Time will tell. +M

I tried for D, no ones excited.
You did? You didn't colour your vote red then? I saw only red B's.

And treave might be right. We might have become more harmonious. Or gullible. Easy pickings. Complacent? :troll:

Didn't actually vote, was trying with a discuss action, my bad.
 
Joined
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Messages
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Zero Credibility said:
Once they see the claws and with the rumours of Maniac's apprentice floating around, we might as well introduce ourselves.
That is, actually, the final part of the plan. To win the tournament and then reveal ourselves.
That is one plan, yes. The other one (the one that was the reason for the fake name and all) was to not reveal ourselves and our full abilities even if it means losing, instead secretly scoping out the competition to challenge them individually later.
 

Nevill

Arcane
Joined
Jun 6, 2009
Messages
11,211
Shadorwun: Hong Kong
Yes, there are two plans. I mentioned that.

The fake name paid for itself already, because now we have a pretty comprehensive list of our marks, something that would have been hard to procure for a Maniac's apprentice. And we have a solid team, plus nobody will suspect us until we are almost at the finish line.

As for revealing our techniques, I've posted the relevant quote above.
treave said:
They won't let any nameless kook come and fight their prized students, even if he is ranting about being the Southern Maniac's disciple. They'll just send out weaker ones until they get a good measure of your level (and your techniques).

Can you confirm what is it that you plan to achieve by laying low? I do not mean to convince you otherwise, I just want to see if there are any benefits to it.
 
Joined
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Can you confirm what is it that you plan to achieve by laying low? I do not mean to convince you otherwise, I just want to see if there are any benefits to it.
Mostly I just don't want to give a full demonstration of our abilities before all of our future targets and their masters at this point.
 

Jester

Arbiter
Joined
Mar 24, 2013
Messages
1,493
Yeah, this Murong Yandi dude sounds like a prick with a superiority complex, at least. I'm not sure how Jing will handle him, but it will most likely involve trolling.
On the other hand, if we play to his whims and keep the team together for long enough by acting the mediator (and it's obvious with how everyone is delegating this shit to us, again, we will be the glue that holds it together), I'm pretty sure we can enter the exams rather easily. I have no doubt in my mind the dude knows his shit, even if he sounds like a prick. But we have a long history of changing hearts and minds in our LPs, so let's teach him the power of friendship since we're at it anyway.
He will use his ego to control him if he is smart, still expect that after team stage elimination part would be interesting.
The battle royale will split the remaining contestants into four equal groups. The last four contestants remaining in each group will qualify.
We will have to survive initial fight, would be good if we could make alliance to pass tournament looks like there in are 3 monks group or beggars who got 3 participants too so either they got one man short team or will participate in royal. Course we cant tell how will be participants split, mby one main sect member for each group to prevent most oblivious alliance.

Are we able to get any info how royal is split? Will it be random or organisers will make it?
 

Grimgravy

Arcane
Patron
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Sep 12, 2013
Messages
3,469
Codex 2016 - The Age of Grimoire
Fight with 3 interesting people against many generally good and potentially interesting people or fight alone against a bunch of scrubs and a few good and interesting people. Hmm?

B
 

treave

Arcane
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Joined
Jul 6, 2008
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11,370
Codex 2012
The battle royale groups will be randomized.

I'm trying to figure out a way to do a live tournament bracket draw on the forum, but I can't see a method to do it with the dice rolls.

Drawing your number in the elimination stage, should you make it that far, is clearly something that should be left up to chance. :lol:
 

TOME

Cuckmaster General
Joined
May 25, 2012
Messages
1,820
I guess we can decide our goals after next update.

B
 

Kipeci

Arcane
Joined
May 22, 2012
Messages
3,027
Location
Vicksburg
I've already explained my goals. If we defeat as many of the elite students as we can and reveal ourselves at the end, we won't have to do as much in tracking them back down later and we should have a better time of directly challenging the remainder. While this will result in some techniques almost certainly being leaked unless we're just that good, we have to bear in mind that this would probably happen later anyway as we challenge people at their sects and word starts to spread.
 

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