[LP CYOA] Epic

[Esquilax]

Second, telekinesis is way more flexible ability then B or C. It can be used offensively - either directly or by moving other objects. But unlike B or C, it can be also be used defensively - to deflect a physical attack (against us or against our men) or move air / sand to create a sandstorm to hide us, and can also be used to improve our mobility dramatically by allowing us to fly. It is can also be used much more subtly then throwing thunderbolts - for example chocking somebody or causing a heart attack. B or C, while flashy and very destructive, are just used for one purpose - smiting somebody.

Aside from the flight aspect, which would require a serious level of investment, I don't really find it attractive. If we were to try and fly in space, we'd still need to have an ability to make sure we can survive at all in a space vacuum.* But that shouldn't be our concern, our concern should be "how are we going to survive tomorrow?" Let's worry about what happens thousands of years down the road when we get there.

Also, I feel telepathy doesn't mesh with our character so well. When you're as strong as Ean, why bother lifting heavy shit with your mind when you can lift much heavier shit with your hands? It doesn't seem to be so useful in combat - pushing someone very slightly off-balance to create a perfect opening sounds really cool in a subtle way, but if our opponent is really fucking physically strong like this dude was, will it even work? And if he's not that physically strong, then we can kick his ass anyways.

I do agree with you about the subtlety, but elemental manipulation doesn't need to just be lame shit like spamming fireballs. With a great deal of proficiency, we could manipulate gravitational fields. Being that we're in Egypt, I see a bunch of other uses. If we win this battle, we could flood the Nile to establish divine favour for our potential rule of the country. Some powers lend themselves more to subtlety than others (i.e. telekinesis, mind control, telepathy) but a lot of it has to do with how creative you are in how you use them. Likewise, if we set the tower ablaze with our minds just as the fire trap hits it, nobody will suspect that we're some sort of supernatural being.

* I wonder, would our regeneration abilities (which are quite good) be enough to compensate for being in a vacuum?

Finally, I think it is a better choice because of our circumstances. We took a lot of damage and we really don't want to draw attention of the vengeful brother by throwing lightnings before we can recover.

He is a better psychic than we are, he'll know where we are regardless of how much attention we draw to ourselves. We have to fight him and 8,000 men tomorrow - I'd say we definitely have his attention. We knew coming into this battle that it was going to be either us or them.

Also, treave said we won't be able to pull anything like this for a while at least, and we don't know how effective B or C will be in our weakened state. Will they just cause less damage? Require more preparation? Be usable only from up close? Will they work at all? Where as A can be effective even now - instead of crushing the tower, just make one of its wheels fall of (preferably so that it makes the whole thing fall on the other Gieloth). Plus, its usage is also a hell of a lot easier to hide from our side if we wish to keep our powers a secret then throwing thunderbolts is.

That's not fair, I could say the same about A. We don't know whether we have to be in close proximity to rip one of the wheels off, whether our abilities will be strong enough to do it, etc.

Meanwhile look at all the stuff we'll gain by learning Electromagnetic/Light Manipulation:

* Levitation a la Magneto
* We can use electric pulses to stimulate our nerves, enhancing our physical abilities further (power synergies are fucking awesome)
* Invisibility. If we can get better at it, we can hide even a small army from someone to ambush them.
* Lasers. Fucking lasers, bro. Lasers.

Given what B and C have to offer, A just seems like the worst one for our character. I slightly prefer C, but then again perhaps I don't quite understand the nature of the power. Is this roughly what you were going for, treave?

 

[Baltika9]

I'm just wondering what we have to do to get our regen skills up.

 

[Smashing Axe]

Get beaten and dismembered a lot, I guess.

 

[Zero Credibility]

Meanwhile look at all the stuff we'll gain by learning Electromagnetic/Light Manipulation:

* Levitation a la Magneto
* We can use electric pulses to stimulate our nerves, enhancing our physical abilities further (power synergies are fucking awesome)
* Invisibility. If we can get better at it, we can hide even a small army from someone to ambush them.
* Lasers. Fucking lasers, bro. Lasers.

Given what B and C have to offer, A just seems like the worst one for our character. I slightly prefer C, but then again perhaps I don't quite understand the nature of the power. Is this roughly what you were going for, treave?

Again, where did this come from? C simply means we can summon energy bolts, probably in the form of high-energy radiation. So yeah, lasers. Nothing there about being able to manipulate said energy beyond that. Nothing about levitation (very useful even if we can't get into space, I think you'll agree), nothing abut electric pulses (B is closer to that if you want it), nothing about invisibility (unless you count blinding everybody as being invisible).

Oh, and you want to talk sheer power? While all three scenarios would be really dangerous to us in a realistic setting, the worst offender must by A. Human body is mostly water. Water is not compressible. Can you imagine the energy needed to pull something like that? That's not a ball of meat there - that's a ball of high energy plasma. Realistically, we should be dead just from the heat that thing produces, and when we stop concentrating on it it should go off like a small nuke.

Lucky this isn't a realistic setting, right?

 

[m4davis]

Get beaten and dismembered a lot, I guess.

If thats right we are well on our way

 

[m4davis]

Meanwhile look at all the stuff we'll gain by learning Electromagnetic/Light Manipulation:

* Levitation a la Magneto
* We can use electric pulses to stimulate our nerves, enhancing our physical abilities further (power synergies are fucking awesome)
* Invisibility. If we can get better at it, we can hide even a small army from someone to ambush them.
* Lasers. Fucking lasers, bro. Lasers.

Given what B and C have to offer, A just seems like the worst one for our character. I slightly prefer C, but then again perhaps I don't quite understand the nature of the power. Is this roughly what you were going for, treave?

Again, where did this come from? C simply means we can summon energy bolts, probably in the form of high-energy radiation. So yeah, lasers. Nothing there about being able to manipulate said energy beyond that. Nothing about levitation (very useful even if we can't get into space, I think you'll agree), nothing abut electric pulses (B is closer to that if you want it), nothing about invisibility (unless you count blinding everybody as being invisible).

Oh, and you want to talk sheer power? While all three scenarios would be really dangerous to us in a realistic setting, the worst offender must by A. Human body is mostly water. Water is not compressible. Can you imagine the energy needed to pull something like that? That's not a ball of meat there - that's a ball of high energy plasma. Realistically, we should be dead just from the heat that thing produces, and when we stop concentrating on it it should go off like a small nuke.

Lucky this isn't a realistic setting, right?

I'am not sure where the levitation comes in but the invisibility comes from bending light around us

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

A - Nothing says "I'm powerful" like crushing shit with your mind while flying.

And, bros, don't pick b - lighting = electricity and he's holding on to us. We'll probably get a little fried too. Plus it's only useful outdoors.

 

[Zero Credibility]

I'am not sure where the levitation comes in but the invisibility comes from bending light around us

But again, nothing in the description of the power implies that kind of control. That darkness power we passed on, that's control of light. This is freakin' laser beams.

 

[Bloodshifter]

To quote treave

Light... I suppose in a sense it is emitting light. I guess you could call it energy manipulation. You can think of this as approaching light/electromagnetic manipulation, but from another end..

right there Treave himself said it its similar to Energy Manipulation I know it might not be it exactly but still this skill is the best thing out of the three covers the largest field so to speak.

 

[Zero Credibility]

To quote treave

Light... I suppose in a sense it is emitting light. I guess you could call it energy manipulation. You can think of this as approaching light/electromagnetic manipulation, but from another end..

right there Treave himself said it its similar to Energy Manipulation I know it might not be it exactly but still this skill is the best thing out of the three covers the largest field so to speak.

Well that's... vague. All that has been shown of this power is the ability to create high energy radiation pulse. There might be other uses for this "energy manipulation" aspect of the power, but where did this somehow imply levitation, invisibility or electricity control?

 

[Stygian Lurker]

voting A

 

[Bloodshifter]

Take the principle further, add an energy source to the base of the channel, and you'll basically be able to build a light-saber. Or am I being silly here?

Quite silly your energy "source" would have to be Positively charged and somehow force and keep the area of the blade negatively charged with it "arcing" following the path of least resistance not to mention that everyone will be able to see our "light saber" seeing as it reaching into the heavens Imagine Goku's Kamehameha except it points skyward fries everything around it and generally smells like "ozone"

 

[Bloodshifter]

To quote treave

Light... I suppose in a sense it is emitting light. I guess you could call it energy manipulation. You can think of this as approaching light/electromagnetic manipulation, but from another end..

right there Treave himself said it its similar to Energy Manipulation I know it might not be it exactly but still this skill is the best thing out of the three covers the largest field so to speak.

Well that's... vague. All that has been shown of this power is the ability to create high energy radiation pulse. There might be other uses for this "energy manipulation" aspect of the power, but where did this somehow imply levitation, invisibility or electricity control?

Energy comes in a various forms whether heat, light, or even movement we produce energy someone how can control this raw power can do ANY THING he damn well pleases electricity, plasma, radiation, kinetic force, temperature, brain signals also use a form of bio-electricity, and even light are all forms of energy no matter what form they take they already lost we would be near impossible.

BUT

as you might guess this would take massive investments and there is no telling what could happen should we attempt something that is out of our league or fail to properly gauge how much power we can store and drain and at what speeds *like a cable and battery* one shot may not break a force field but 100 or 1000 might. as with all our choices there are good and bad points

 

[Zero Credibility]

Energy comes in a various forms whether heat, light, or even movement we produce energy someone how can control this raw power can do ANY THING he damn well pleases electricity, plasma, radiation, kinetic force, temperature, brain signals also use a form of bio-electricity, and even light are all forms of energy no matter what form they take they already lost we would be near impossible.

BUT

as you might guess this would take massive investments and there is no telling what could happen should we attempt something that is out of our league or fail to properly gauge how much power we can store and drain and at what speeds *like a cable and battery* one shot may not break a force field but 100 or 1000 might. as with all our choices there are good and bad points

The thing is the only thing we know of this power is creation of high energy radiation, and that it involves some form of energy manipulation. But people here are jumping on this option as if treave has meant this to be a universal power, capable of replicating all others. I very much doubt that. Maybe the "energy manipulation" is simply an explanation of the ability to create high energy laser beams, and nothing else. It certainly doesn't imply control over gravity or electricity. That would be other powers - gravity control or electricity control (choice B might be closer to that).

 

[Bloodshifter]

Zero do you understand the fundamental principal behind making and controlling lasers? its a combination of both heat and light *when enough heat is applied to an object it reacts usually by breaking molecular bonds formed in that object and elevating into a higher state [solid->liquid->gas->plasma*not yet has been discovered because plasma is almost light*] we *see* lasers because the only way we can make one is using a light that gives off an insane amount of energy as heat *microwaves lasers are a good example of energy that cannot be seen but still directed and used to lethal effects* both heat and light are direct byproducts of raw untamed "energy" electricity is simply a form of it that has been harnessed for our use without killing us. technically electricity is the result of magnetic forces creating "friction" as they pass one another.

 

[Azira]

And telekinesis is simply a question of applying your will to affect an object with mass. Anything with mass goes. Even electrons have mass. So with telekinesis we should be able to generate lightning, radiation and potentiall also lasers. What's your point?

I think treave is giving us powers that are somewhat limited in scope so far. Giving us one überpower would ruin the exercise. My take on this is that we should vote for whatever we feel is right, not for what it might become later. And arguing that this or that power lets us do everything is moot. I'm rather certain that treave will be a clever arbiter and disallow abuse in any form.

 

[Zero Credibility]

Zero do you understand the fundamental principal behind making and controlling lasers? its a combination of both heat and light *when enough heat is applied to an object it reacts usually by breaking molecular bonds formed in that object and elevating into a higher state [solid->liquid->gas->plasma*not yet has been discovered because plasma is almost light*] we *see* lasers because the only way we can make one is using a light that gives off an insane amount of energy as heat *microwaves lasers are a good example of energy that cannot be seen but still directed and used to lethal effects* both heat and light are direct byproducts of raw untamed "energy" electricity is simply a form of it that has been harnessed for our use without killing us. technically electricity is the result of magnetic forces creating "friction" as they pass one another.

Again you see something that hasn't been said. All that has been said of this power is the creation of high energy radiation pulse. Period. No control over gravity, no control over electrical fields, no bending of light, no nothing. One could just as well say that by manipulating electrons and photon with telekinesis we can shoot lightnings and turn invisible. But it doesn't work that way because treave isn't going to suddenly give as a power that is going to make others obsolete. It's a freaking laser beam, not an ultimate super power.

Edit: ninja-ed

 

[Bloodshifter]

well eventually any power we level will get god like if we focus it for now its "light bullet" *where do you get radiation from unless our skin is peeling pretty sure there is no radiation* heavy investments would need to be made in order to turn it into that ultimate superpower like I said a post earlier so sorry no ninja he had to do landscaping.

and telekinesis is not affecting objects with mass its the ability to project a physical manifestation of your will Ex. a force field or "picking" and "throwing" your enemy or squeezing him into a atom of course this requires god like willpower seeing as we would be bending the laws of physics. Azira old boy get back to reality.


now shall we leave this horse be? and agree everyone has a point and no one cares what the other thinks
well I care about what you guys think thus this page of arguing but I may as well be talking to someone who took Physics in highschool


P.S. When I mean heavy investments I mean like 1000's of years using that skill normally or a healthy Gieloth planet

 

[Zero Credibility]

Man, I know physics (or at least I knew it well at one point in my life). I suspect Azira also knows something about it. But you don't realize that this isn't about physics. Most of the powers we have seen til now couldn't care less about the laws of physics. This is about game balance.

Edit: But I agree. Enough of

 

[Bloodshifter]

actually they all fall within the borders I mean its far fetch but not entirely impossible Physics is very easy going
she only cares about keeping mass and not simply zapping things into existence without expending energy equal to the thing being created

also avoid black holes they got restraining orders against physics *she put their cat in a box*

 

[ScubaV]

C definitely.

By treave's own words (despite Zero Credibility's willful disregard of them) this is the same power-set that will unlock light manipulation: "You can think of this as approaching light/electromagnetic manipulation, but from another end." Now when we chose the Honorblade over light manipulation that choice was coming at the same power from the other side. So it's reasonable to assume that we'll eventually get access to manipulation of light, but it will take more development because it's not the initial point of investment.

Thus I encourage anyone who considered voting for light manipulation in the Sekhenun update to vote for C here. It's the same root power. Why was it so attractive back then? We're a close quarters specialist with development of telepathy and psionic powers that currently require touch for their full effect. Electromagnetic manipulation is the perfect complement. It gives us a ranged attack (lasers as in this update), stealth (with development) that can help us both in combat and out of it and eventually can be used to cover our armies for even greater effect (we're a leader of men right, so let's do even more for our soldiers), and the ability to play with magnetism (again, with development) that has numerous possible applications.

What does B offer? It's the classic elemental magic power. Sure, it can be quite useful, but my main complaint with it is that it's soooooo boring. I've played dozens, if not hundreds, of games that incorporate this classic trope. I can't think of a single one that let me play around with electromagnetism like this LP can.

Come on bros, think of the bigger picture. C is not only a great complement to our current skillset it's also something fairly unique.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Klw71WzQm50

 

[m4davis]

true enough flip flopping to C

 

[treave]

WTF went on here.

Anyway, let me explain: most of the powers are actually applications of telekinesis. It's just that if you were to do it with just telekinesis, you'd have to understand the laws, workings, location of every molecule and atom to pull a similar feat off. They're like macros that enable Ean to do certain things without needing to understand how or expend much concentration. And he can do it faster and better.

The energy thing is part of electromagnetic stuff and light thingies but it is a branch. Going down this road just gives you better control and more power. You'd have to get Magneto separately. But it does open up into the light manipulation path, giving you that choice. Eventually. But by then you might be too tempted by the other two choices that you ignore it again.

 

[ScubaV]

WTF went on here.

Anyway, let me explain: most of the powers are actually applications of telekinesis. It's just that if you were to do it with just telekinesis, you'd have to understand the laws, workings, location of every molecule and atom to pull a similar feat off. They're like macros that enable Ean to do certain things without needing to understand how or expend much concentration. And he can do it faster and better.

The energy thing is part of electromagnetic stuff and light thingies but it is a branch. Going down this road just gives you better control and more power. You'd have to get Magneto separately. But it does open up into the light manipulation path, giving you that choice. Eventually. But by then you might be too tempted by the other two choices that you ignore it again.

Ah, so the electromagnetic "tree" has related powers, but developed separately? Does learning one branch make the other branches easier to develop or more potent? And would this be similar to the elemental "tree" (in terms of lightning, fire, water, etc. manipulation)? Regardless, I stand by the arguments in my post above. Thanks for the clarifications treave.

 

[oscar]

A, yeah okay it's boring but it seems a pretty all around useful skill.