#''you'' is too simple. too versatile. not specific enough

[echotunes]

every time duolingo makes me translate "you" with "usted" I am filled with rage. not for any rational reason it's just incomprehensible to me that "you" would ever be formal. like I know that's just how the english language works but it feels wrong

[ambyandony]

Narancia Ghirga - Monster AU Profile

Narancia Ghirga, a mischievous shapeshifter with reckless habits, undying loyalty, and a shaky sense of belonging.

Preface about species type:

This post will be introducing many polymorph-related vocabulary terms which will be included in the Monster AU 'dictionary'; you don't need to worry about getting confused, because I'll stick with layman's terms for the most part, I'm just including the more formal terms for fun and fake education. They are all words I made up.

Narancia's a bit of a special case; his specific classification is unknown, making him fall into the special category of tochnopolymorph (TOECH-no-paw-lee-morf), also known as a non-specific shapeshifter (NS3), or 'true polymorph'. There are many, many different 'breeds' of polymorphs, but they often have defining features, a true form, set forms, and/or a different classification (such as zooanthrope, selkie, Diego Brando, etc.).

Narancia, however, is one of the types that do not fit into a known further specification. Though he has a natal form (protomorph) that is usually assumed to be his 'true form', Narancia is versatile and does not have a 'true form' (as he's never defined one for himself), only a default; his default form is the same as his protomorph. He can change any physical aspect of himself to a certain extent and can transform into anything provided it isn't too big (as accumulating significantly more matter into his being spontaneously is not generally within the extent of his capabilities, and usually transforming beyond his own mass involves fucking around with internals and is just in general kind of really horrifying).

Note that the rules that apply to Narancia do not apply to all polymorphs, or even all tochnopolymorphs, necessarily.

His clothes stay with him when he shifts, but whether this means that; 1. his clothes are actually a part of his body, 2. he internalises his clothes when he shapeshifts, and then externalises them when he returns to human/protomorph or, 3. some other bullshit; is unclear.

Details related to Polymorphism:

His tail, which is somewhat feline, leonine, or heraldic unicorn-like, is prehensile, meaning it can grab and hold things. It can also extend and shorten at will, though it gets less bushy at the end the longer it gets.

He has tapeta lucida. His eyes are reflective when light shines on them, but they also seem to glow in the dark somewhat.

Could trans his gener in any way at any time he wants to. Except legally. He presumably generally doesn't. But he could. And if he does. It's none of our business.

Many of his theriomorphs (animal forms), such as cats and dogs, have black fur since that's the colour of his hair, and purple eyes, which is a risk to give him away, as the colour is unusual. When questioned about the giveaway, he says, "I'm a shapeshifter, not a fucking chameleon!" However, his ability to imitate other humanoids to a semi-convincing degree, including the all-around-pale Pannacotta Fugo, suggests there are probably other factors involved.

If given enough time, he, like most tochopolymorphs, can regenerate any sort of piercing damage (like cuts, stabs, and bullet wounds). Polymorphic regenerative 'invulnerability' reportedly "does not extend to fall damage"; and may not recover a major pierce through the heart, as they don't have the time to heal it because they are dying right fucking now!!

It's important to note that if something is removed, it would take significantly more effort to restore it, as it would likely require him to redistribute his remaining mass to keep his shape, so if he lost an arm, he'd have to sacrifice some height to restore the arm.

This is only a temporary solution, because even though this method allows him to retain his shape, his missing mass still should be restored, particularly because if it's not, then the arm will still be missing in protomorph, which is activated by instinct.

A lehkomorph, or simple formshift, is a shift into a form that isn't too different from the protomorph, such as Narancia's human-passing form(s). A vazkomorph, or complex formshift, is a shift into a form that's significantly different from the protomorph, such as most theriomorphs and animal forms. Impersonation transformations (simulaforms) are either-or depending on the case; transforming into a small child would be considered a complex formshift due to a difference in general structure.

It's hard for Narancia to maintain both a complex formshift and Aerosmith at the same time. When he retains an animal form, it can be a challenge to summon, control, or use his Stand ability. Whether this is a focus issue, a hypothetically common trait for polymorph Stand Users, or something else, it's hard to say.

Transforming into something too big generally leaves him very sore when he changes back, and he can be quite whiny about it, but, as you'll learn in a bit, the whining... may or may not kinda be warranted. Overuse of shifting capabilities is also known to commonly cause soreness and sometimes dislocations or deformations as the body forgets how to put itself back together properly. Shapeshift responsibly.

To properly redistribute his size, when taking a much smaller form, sometimes 'mass-carriers' need to be formed to store the extra mass less conspicuously; if he were to take a child form, he might have to form with longer hair or a "backpack".

Larger forms usually require the opposite - as gross as it is, a form that is significantly larger usually requires internal mass to be redistributed, meaning that he would probably externalise and/or compress his own organs, which is generally incredibly painful and often very unhealthy; this should only be performed in dire circumstances, and even then, should generally be avoided, because it can be life-threatening.

There is some leniency; Narancia taking the form of an inconspicuous kitten but transforming into a properly-sized humanoid form breaks this restriction, and there are other exceptions, though he generally tries to keep his mass consistent. Taking a smaller form with no mass-carriers usually results from mass-shedding, which can be done voluntarily but is unpleasant. Mass restoration is the harder step of the process, but usually is aided by eating. This is likely the reason that Narancia was able to regain his humanoid form once he’d eaten.

The current only known case study of one of the most horrifying shapeshifter afflictions: form decay! (Bi: Thanks a lot, Prosciutto. Really glad I had to be a part of that)

Though able to regenerate physical damage well, things such as illness, immune issues, and infection are a different matter, as they are things he is unable to control, and they can be very severe for him. He was susceptible, and it culminated in the eye infection.

Though he is a polymorph with no technically set form, his protomorph is very distinctive and suggests something more species-specific. In particular, most of his features appear feline in some capacity, his face especially, not to mention his mannerisms and body language, which are quite catlike.

There may be some implication that the frequent morphing contributes to jaw pain or discomfort that Narancia seems to alleviate by chewing, biting, or eating things he is really not supposed to have in his mouth—like he's teething.

Details about Narancia:

Has a bad habit of slinking around in the dead of night, going into other people's rooms and then promptly fleeing upon waking them up. Cryptid behaviour.

Smug, somewhat childish, and thinks he's SO cool with his shapeshifting. Look, just... let him have this

Likes to just slightly change his appearance to mess with people and see how long it takes them to notice as a prank. Usually, he does this with Mista because he knows he can get away with it. Fugo fell for it at first but when he caught on he started to get mad about it. Just because it's annoying and distracting.

He also used to impersonate Fugo just to mess with him, but it freaked Fugo out, so he stopped doing it because it stopped being as funny when Fugo was scared rather than angry. Narancia never figured out why it scared him so much. Fugo gets twice as freaked out about it post-Pompeii arc. For some reason.

Impersonating Fugo around the others worked at first, but they could usually figure out if it was Fugo or Narancia by speech patterns and body language. Even when he tries to speak like Fugo, Narancia's tone gives him away.

But also, to save time, if they look at the face, they can tell practically right away if it's Fugo or Narancia. Narancia has some form of prosopagnosia—face blindness—so he can never mimic the face quite right (short of copying someone's face while he's staring at it), and something always looks noticeably wrong. He generally distinguishes people by their hair, scent, and voice. He's not completely unable to distinguish the way someone's features look, so he can replicate them if he's looking at them, but as soon as he's not looking, he is unable to recall what someone looks like or recognise someone's face. He doesn't recognise Bruno with his hair down and sometimes struggles to recognise Mista without his hat on.

Absolutely touchstarved (e.g. desires cuddling and petting) but he's a bit awkward about it, especially when it comes to physical affection with other men (very 'no homo' vibes), although he is sort of willing to display physical affection with Mista more openly because it's a 'bro thing' (it is not a bro thing). To remedy this oxymoronic situation, Narancia usually assumes his cat theriomorph when seeking affection, in which he feels less weird about receiving affection and the others feel less weird about petting him.

Regarding the street kids Narancia used to run with before he got arrested, it's a fair assumption to make that they knew Narancia wasn't human and (whether themselves a pack of juvenile werewolves or just a group of humans) hung out with him like he was a more-or-less normal person, and that's why he wanted to run with them. They let him feel like he fit in, which is something he'd struggled with his entire life due to a lack of exposure to any of his own kind, leading him to be unsure if he could ever belong anywhere.

Because he could be anything and transform himself in any way, he wasn't sure that any identity he gave himself was really his or if he was just conforming to what other people wanted. He didn't know how to be "himself", but running with the street kids at least gave him something, a name for himself, a place to belong, maybe a role to fill that wasn't just 'whatever they need at the moment' (though he certainly did a lot of that). But "Bro" was mostly just using him because his shapeshifting abilities were really useful and really convenient for framing him.

Fugo happened upon a sickly, injured kitten on his way to Libeccio's one day. He picked the kitten up despite better judgement, having sympathy for the tiny creature, and, despite the biting and scratching that his poor arms sustained, brought the kitten to Buccellati. They gave the kitten a little bit of food, and when they left it alone in a room for five minutes while they tried to figure out what to do about it, they came back in to find a scruffy boy halfway fallen off a chair, and no kitten to be seen. The rest of Narancia's backstory proceeds as normal, except that Fugo goes fucking ballistic at him because he, a creature with complex cognitive function, fucking bit him!!! Voluntarily!!! That's so fucked up!!! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!!!

Giorno stole his gender and that's why he's canon lesbian of the day

Likes... being pet on the head... but will punch you in the jaw if you try. Unless he wants you to do it. he's very fickle...

Has a nasty case of undiagnosed ADHD and/or something else, probably made slightly worse by the fact he's inhuman and thus already has some pretty odd tendencies. Struggles to sit still, hyperfixates yet struggles to focus (particularly in an academic environment), has some sensory issues and has a severe need to be stimming in 90% of his waking moments. His favourite style of stimming seems to be spinning things, including pocket knives, pens, and Aerosmith's propellers. The way he spins pens shows a very very impressive dexterity.

Seems to always have about 12 pocket knives on his person at any one given time. You take one knife away from him and he pulls another out of his fucking shoe and shanks you in the gut. Allegedly has 3 knives under his pillow, as he warned Limbo.

Incredibly expressive. His lack of a definite form allows his body (especially his ears, in his protomorph) to reflect his expression or mood to a much greater extent than a human's could. In the case of his ears, it's very much like cat body language.

The ORIGINAL catboy. Step aside, True Catboy Ghiaccio and Semantic Catboy Tiziano! I don't care that hes not a cat!!! shut the fuck up!!!!!

he does hiss at people

[canmom]

thinking about Deus Ex Human Revolution because I stumbled over its soundtrack in my game OST folder.

it got good reviews in its day but with hindsight it's not really remembered as a great game to endure the way the first one did. there is stuff to praise - art direction for example - but equally, you can criticise plenty: the clumsy handling of the 'augments' theme, the shallow orientalism of the China chapters, the watering down of the immersive sim elements. the clumsy outsourced boss fights and the rubbish ending.

if it's remembered today it's mainly for the "i never asked for this" meme, and the 'Icarus' trailer.

watching it again in 2024, the soundtrack is doing a lot of the work of carrying this. most of the dialogue in this trailer is really corny cyberpunk-isms, and a lot of its visuals are blatant riffs on Ghost in the Shell, Appleseed and Blade Runner (though I'll credit that it has a great sense of mechanical design in its robots and stuff). but the opening visual motif - the Renaissance dissection tableau transitioning into the flight of Icarus - is just the right level of pretentious for a game like this. that, combined with the wordless vocals rising and falling around the synth line, does so much work to sell the idea of 'this is grand and important'.

cyberpunk has a pretty specific sound associated with it - the electronic sounds are obvious, but in some of the best remembered cases it relies on contrasting the human voice and old school percussion against those synths, typically in some unusual vocal style that is likely to be unfamiliar to viewers - most notably Indonesian gamelan in the Akira soundtrack, and Bulgarian choir in Oshii's Ghost in the Shell. the other major genre touchpoint, Blade Runner, does not generally use vocals in the same way, but still plays the synth off against percussion sounds. in the simplest terms, it's a contrast of 'natural' and 'unnatural' right? what humans were and what we're becoming.

here we're not importing quite such an unfamiliar sound, but we have a lot of long, held notes by a solo singer (either Ariel Engle or Andrea Revel going off Soundcloud, but I'm having a hard time figuring out the specific credit). it's not unrelated to what Emi Evans was doing with the 'chaos language' in NieR, and indeed to the sound that J'Nique Nicole would bring in the sequel there. I really like wordless vocals, the human voice is such a versatile instrument and brings so much texture.

against that the synth here is actually keeping things really simple. it's mostly just repeating phrases, often simply arpeggios. I haven't really learned enough to keep track of the chord movements here, I'm sure someone more well-versed in music theory could easily take them apart because I doubt it's doing anything overly complex. but it's in a minor key, it's gradually rising for the first half of the track, dropping a bit every so often so it can keep climbing for the most part... and then the final third introduces a second synth line with a slower descending motif - goddamn it's literally just the Icarus metaphor again isn't it, rising and then falling? but it's not too obvious with it, like it doesn't climb all the way back down.

against that the trailer plays a montage of General Cyberpunk Stuff, notably Adam killing people in sicknasty ways, robot limbs doing robot limb stuff, newscasters with interesting fashion sense, and protesters getting gunned down by cops. the weakest parts are the ones that refer to the game's plot and aren't just pure vibes tbh.

that trailer wrote a lot of cheques that the game couldn't really pay, but it is interesting to look back at it with a more analytic eye. it makes me wonder how to really get that human voice texture in music I make. I mean the obvious answer is 'learn to sing', and I'm working on that and making progress, but my voice is pretty testosteron'd and inevitably that limits my range. vocaloids are great but mostly for a different kind of sound. ah well, I'll figure it out. the erhu at least has a sound that's pretty close to the human voice, so maybe that can be the ingredient I need to get that Atmosphere(TM).

[toghrahkunok]

Not making a post about every class because wow that'd be long (and heck apparently Swashbuckler getting extra skill boosts slipped under the radar, who knows what else's been missed), but I at least want to make a post covering the coolest parts of

The PF2E Alchemist, Remastered (which is not out yet, just leaked from early copies!)

Infused Reagents are gone.

From the ground up: You start every day with Advanced Alchemy giving you 4+Int free Alchemical Consumables of your level or lower. You need the formula for anything you make, but the fun part is that you only need the lowest-level version of that formula. Only have the recipe for a level 1 Lesser Alchemist's Fire? Who cares, that's still enough for your level 17 Alchemist to make a level 17 Major Alchemist's Fire.

Quick Alchemy (QA), then, is now fueled by Versatile Vials (VV). You get 2+Int of them every morning, and can use QA to turn them 1:1 into no-shelf-life Alchemical Consumables like you used to be able to with Infused Reagents. They still need to be immediately used then and there, and have a new restriction that anything with a duration longer than 10 minutes gets shortened to 10 minutes. The twist is that you can spend 10 minutes in exploration to recover 2 VVs (3 at level 9), repeatable as much as you want up to your max of 2+Int. You don't even need to specifically spend your time on that, you can just passively get 2/10 minutes with no imposition on whatever other Exploration task you wanna do. The final cherry on top? QA gains a secondary function: It allows you to make a temporary VV that last until the start of your next turn, although you can't QA again to turn those "Quick Vials" into other Alchemical Consumables. What's the point then?

Oh yeah, Vials can be thrown as acid bombs (d6 damage +1 splash, scaling 1/4/12/18 like normal bombs). Every subclass also gets an expansion on them! Bombers can change the damage type to Lightning/Cold/Fire, and at later levels can fill them with metal shavings to make them trigger precious material weaknesses (i.e. you can throw Cold Iron Fire Vials at a Fey). Chirurgeon can feed them to allies to heal those d6s instead of harm, or in a pinch just bean them over the head with a healing vial from 20 feet away. Mutagenists can drink them to suppress the drawbacks for a round if they're under the effects of a Mutagen, and later even get some free physical resistance from that. Finally, Toxicologists can apply them to a weapon as a poison, and I feel I should also mention that Toxicologists now get to ignore poison immunity.

There's a few other big changes: Master in Bombs, Simple Weapons, and Unarmed Attacks at level 15; permanently Quickened at 17th level to use QA (only to make a single Quick Vial, no benefit from level 9 Double Brew with this action); Powerful Alchemy at level 5 making every Alchemical Consumable you make from your class use the better of it's own DC or your class DC; Additive feats no longer increasing the level of the items you use them to make (which before often prevented you from using Additives on you more powerful items); heck basically every feat is better in at least one small but not insignificant way so it's hard to really cover. For anyone who wants to get the more specific details, check out Ronald the Rules Lawyer's video (the best and most consolidated source of all the changes), or if you just want to read about it I can send you the relevant screenshots (too many to fit into a reblog).

Overall, Alchemist now gets at-will alchemy (infinite Quick Vials), per-encounter alchemy (2+Int Versatile Vials), and daily alchemy (4+Int Advanced Alchemy). With QA limiting the duration of items you make with it, you only get to exploit the hour-long duration items with your limited supply of Advanced Alchemy, which is going to number a lot fewer than what the old Alchemist could do with their whole "doubling/tripling Infused Reagents" thing. Still - the 10 minute duration on QA combined with the 10 minute interval to restock VVs means that you basically get 2 (3 at level 9) indefinite ongoing effects of your choice.

My thoughts? This is the biggest glow-up I've ever seen! There's so much more for you to do both in and out of combat, to the point where I'm slightly concerned. With the formula convenience explained at the top letting you diversify instead of constantly needing to get more recipes just to keep up the formulas you already have, you can easily end up with basically every single Alchemical Consumable at your fingertips. Move out of the way Spell Substitution Wizard, we have a new master of having-the-perfect-tool-for-every-job.

[lionydoorin]

so talk about tara! literally anything you want!! skateboarding!tara, thoughts? what sport do you think tara would think is useless and just an utter waste of time. what's sam's favourite sport and does tara support her in that love. what's tara's most hated food enemy. does she have any skills she keeps hidden from everyone, too shy to admit to.

swinging my legs and twirling my hair thinking here . ummmmm

skateboard!tara would be SO cute!!! even cuter if it was something she got from sam. i can imagine little tara wearing a helmet and pads that are simply too big for her, balancing herself on the board while sam is in front of her, helping her by holding her hands out while tara moves (or tries to).

i don't know about one she'd dislike, but i think tara would have a certain soft spot for sports where you have to run. she can run pretty fast, but she runs out of breath just as quickly, so she'd have to sit out and watch the kids during P.E. while they ran around, laughing, with the ball.

i can also see tara trying a sport once (maybe soccer, since, well, jenna used to play soccer, or another sport which i'll get into later but it's what i think sam might've played) but maybe she had a bad asthma attack during practice or a game and had to be sent to the hospital – cut to christina prohibiting her from practicing, not for her own safety, but because she hates having to "waste her money" on hospital bills. it's not that tara's asthma was specifically bad at that point where she couldn't play, seeing she did practice for a while! but this one isolated episode was enough for her mother.

sam's a basketball girly for me. maybe i'm saying this because i'm a basketball girly (gender neutral) myself, but... sam playing basketball since she was little? it being one of her safe places, besides tara, and her dropping out as punishment for herself after her dad left (maybe because he was also a basketball player? i dunno? but i see her dropping out at 15/16 when she started to get more and more involved with drugs)? her old teammates and coach trying to reach out and help her, but she's running away from them and rejecting said help? tears.

^ more of basketball sam! i think she'd play in quick, but strong positions, maybe as a small forward or a shooting guard, where she'd be okay with an average to tall height (not being one of the tallest on the team) while also having an aggressive play style. sam was a tall kid that took a while to grow into herself, but her base was very stable, and she was quick, so she was a great and very versatile player. great shooting, amazing infiltration and layup technique. the coach loved her and saw great potential in her.

baby tara admiring how much of a good player sammy was and attending every single one of her games???? yes!!! she was too small for basketball, yeah, but sam was just so cool. sam teaching her how to shoot? sobbing sobbing sobbing

to this day, sam still watches the NBA/WNBA and knows a lot about basketball. whenever they watch together, tara loves to watch as sam gets into the game, how she's involved, standing up from her seat and watching close to the tv, hands on her hips, analyzing plays and players and all but screaming when she thinks something's wrong. it's very entertaining, and tara loves how alive her sister feels.

(not sure which teams she'd root for, though. lakers?)

tara's a very picky eater, and for a while she was super used to bland food because she cooked (or tried to cook) things for herself a lot when sam left, so i think she'd hate very strong flavours.

she loves pasta and loves noodles in general, though, so i think by the amount of instant ramen she ate when she was younger, maybe she could have a surprisingly good spice tolerance? but she only eats the same brands and doesn't explore much!

when judy and wes offered to take her out for dinner, she'd always order the most simple thing on the menu and wouldn't add much salt to it.

she eats slowly, as well, separating things on her plate and making sure what she likes is far, far away from what she absolutely would not eat.

and after scream 5, she became a vegetarian because, well, the smell of meat reminded her of some not very nice things 🫶

about secret skills!!! hmm.. i like to imagine artist tara a lot, like she draws a lot on her free time and doesn't show it to a lot of people. even sam is surprised to see how good she is when she got back, and then the guilt coming from realizing she didn't know that because as much as she was there when tara started drawing, she wasn't there, you know?

[spinningbuster98]

Let's finally talk about perhaps Super's most controversial aspect: its controls

It's become pretty common for fans, mostly newer ones, to denounce Super's controls as being clunky and outdated, especially when compared to the newer games' much more fluid and precise ones

And to be fair: they have a point

The original trilogy had very floaty physics and Samus just wasn't very nimble, sometimes feeling like a tank

Super's are certainly the best but they still feel unruly especially when platforming is involved: the game sometimes spams small platforms to jump on while there are enemies in a tight room or maybe there's lava or spikes and...it just feels awkward, the platforming in Super is just not very graceful or fun.

By contrast from Fusion onwards controls get much less floaty and way more precise and platforming actually gets much slicker and more fun! Hell in Dread the simple act of going through each room is such a joy because it all flows so well!

However....

What's peculiar about Super's controls is that they take advantage of their floatiness

This is the only game with a run button, which influences your momentum, much like in a 2D Mario game. When you combine this with the floaty, ergo higher than average, jump, you'll find that you can actually do some pretty insane stunts

A skilled enough player can do stuff like skip some platforming sections with the right timing, and it's this jump's floatiness that makes the wall jump work well in this game (as opposed to Zero Mission's, which feels far too restricted by comparison)

Indeed about 70% of this game's cool skips and techniques would not be possible without the combination of the run button and the floaty controls, both things that none of the future games have

I do criticize Super's controls as well on the occasion...but I can't say I'd take the game without them

People sometimes clamor for this game to be remade with Dread's controls, or even Zero Mission and such

No

Firstly there's no need: Super Metroid may not be perfect, like any game, but there's hardly anything here that requires a full blown remake. At most a remaster that just adds some quality of life stuff but that's it

Secondly: I love Dread's controls, their feel....for THAT game and what THAT game is going for

Giving Super Dread's controls would certainly make the game faster and easier to control....but it would take away all of the cool and creative stuff you can pull off so it would no longer be Super Metroid to me. Just like if you'd put Super's controls in Dread it would make that game really fucking awkward and the boss fights near unplayable because that game is designed for those specific controls in mind

Hell AM2R probably has the best mix of precision and floatiness you can probably get...and it still doesn't feel nearly as flexible or as "freeform" so to speak

On the topic of controls though I just wanna mention: the Shinespark

You mau have seen me abuse it every 5 second throughout this playthrough and that's because I love it. Much live the wall jump it can allow for some very cool skips and shortcuts and what I like about Super's version of it is that, being tied to the run button, you can initiate a Speedboost, and thus a Shinespark, pretty much anywhere you wish to so long as there's even a little bit of terrain to run on. By contrast in the GBA games, since there's no run button, you have to run quite a distance before you can speedboost, which limits the amount of places you can use it and your creativity with it. It's why I love Dread's version so much, because it perfectly recaptures Super's versatility and expands on it while also keeping the GBA games' ease of use

Speaking of which though...

I may like the Shinespark but controlling its direction in this game is uhhh...not the most intuitive thing ever

Shooting upwards is easy, as is doing it diagonally since you just use the shoulder buttons before jumping

But performing a horizontal shinespark? Especially while in mid air?

Yeahhh let's just say it requires a pretty unintuitive button combination that took me years to fully figure out. Future games will simplify it for the better in this regard

Ridley's lair is...actually really linear, basically just a straight line that loops around itself. And that's fine, the battle against Ridley being the best in the game pretty much by proxy...

...however getting out of this place is weirdly unintuitive

What you're supposed to do, as you can see, is to go through a fake wall in that one room which will lead you to the area's exit

Here's the problem: there's nothing indicating that that's a fake wall. Not even the X ray scanner reveals it as one, being the only exception in the game, which is very, VERY stupid

The first few times I played this I thought I could only go back the way I came, which forced me to take a long and risky lava bath but no there's the solution

I think in this one instance the game would have benefitted form a Fusion-like approach of preventing the player from backtracking the way they came from...

Nothing really to say about the Mother Brain battle that hasn't already been said a million times already, it's a fantastic storytelling moment

2 things though:

I wish it was more of an actual fight rather than a glorified interactive cutscene, even before the actual scripted part begins you can just stand in one spot and keep spamming missiles into the big, slow target

Moreover I...can't help but feel there's a bit of...tonal dissonance in the ending...?

"The mission was completed successfully!"

No...? It technically wasn't

Samus' mission was to rescue the baby and it died, she failed. Yeah she killed the Space Pirates which is a great thing of course, but that wasn't her primary objective here

Then you add the happy credits music and it...sorta feels like the game just forgot that the baby died.

Oh well! I guess Other M picked up the slack on that regard...

Also yeah of course I saved the animals. What do you take me for? A fucking psycho?

[burritosandpeppermint]

UUUUGGGGGHHHHH

uuuuggggghhhhh

I'm not 100% sure how we got back here, folks, but I'm 100% obsessing over music and guitars for the first time since I was a teenager.

Guys...it's bad.

And for those who've known me for a long time here you may be hearing about this for the first time, but I could not get enough of playing guitars, reading about guitars, and listening to as much guitar music as I could when I was a teenager.

Could I actually play? Not really. I mean, not if you're talking about any lessons at all or trying to learn from a book or anything. I just kind of picked it up and kept playing around for years, just laying down riff after riff and playing with solo after solo. Just fucking around.

And then, eventually, I needed money and didn't have space anymore and I had to sell everything. I thought that door was closed by the time I was in my early 20's, starting to really work for a living and trying to live an adult's life. I looked back on those years a bit wistfully but with a real feeling that I had left childish things behind me...

Until the last month or so. I think I can point the finger squarely at us attending the Guns N' Roses show. Even with 100° F heat and me wishing that I had brought my earplugs I got swept away with it all, specifically with Slash. He'd change guitars regularly, usually for something that I was familiar with him playing. After the show I got curious and looked up his gear online to discover the web pages devoted to his guitars and his playing in general. Then I started Googling some guitars to see if they're still around, and any variations...and how have amps changed in the last 25 years...oh, emulators sure have come a long way...and they're fairly affordable...and while Fender's lineup has changed significantly since the 90s they still have a lot of decent guitars at reasonable prices...

All the while I'm also getting back into bands and songs I haven't heard in up to decades, just gorging myself on all the 90s rock I also "put away" at some point in my 20s, like one of my favorite bands, Hum, and getting into groups I could have really dug at the time, like My Bloody Valentine, and exploring newer stuff like finally getting more into Red Fang's discography...and then new bands and sounds spiraling off of those listens and searches...

And guys...GUYS...since I was into guitars this whole internet thing exploded, so I can hear guitars and amps and pedals and interviews that simply weren't available to me when I was previously obsessed. I can get a far better sense for things than driving an hour away to the nearest Guitar Center only to keep my hands in my pockets as I look at gear and equipment, too afraid to do anything in public, eventually going home and noodling by myself for a while.

And did you know that there are a ton of free or paid online classes where you don't have to interact with a human if it makes you feel self-conscious or anxious? And did you know that the Fender Mustang Micro Amp can fit in your pocket, has some EQ and preset sound options, a headphone jack, and can plug directly into your computer? And it's only $120 for an amp that's more versatile than the one I had 30 years ago AND it can help you can basically use it as a direct-to-computer recording device? And, holy crap, but GarageBand, while simple, is still a very competent recording suite and it's just free, right there on my Mac and everything?

Okay, breathing.

Because this is how it goes for me. I get all interested in something, all wound up, and I imagine how cool things can be, what I'll do, how things will turn out, all with an overactive imagination, until I'm just done with it and I move on. Except I don't know if I move on because I never follow through or if it's because I just fixate on things in a capricious manner. If it's because I never follow through then I should change that by following through (hello, writing ideas from five months ago that turned into nothing). But if it's because I'm capricious then I should just let it be and it'll ride itself out.

Now: how can I tell the difference without a lot of time, money, and effort? That's the question.

But it's been kinda fun as a weird hobby, just looking and reading and watching and listening. Maybe the fear of disappointment will be enough to keep me away from actually doing it, which isn't great, and maybe I should pursue more things that I think will bring me joy, even if I never truly get into it or keep it going for long, because life is short and pursuing happiness should be one of life's goals.

[mooshs-crack-headcanons]

One personal critique of totk of mine is the Sage abilities

All of them - except Tulin, his is A+++++ I'm so proud of him - they all... kind of suck. They work for their respective dungeons yeah but once you finish them? 😬 The second best I'd have to say is Yunobo's his roll ability is really useful when it comes to cave exploration and depths voyages for rock breaking but then you have Mineru's who is handing for traversal in gloom and lava situations but not at all in combat, Riju's which I only use for when I need emergency extra damage in critical situations and Sidon's the actual fucking worse with his discount Wish dot com Daruks protection and the water slash ability that doesn't hit the opponent 80% of the time.

And then things get even worse when you're running around and the following you and either constantly in your way or constantly spawning and despawning and respawning every five fucking seconds it gets annoying where I only now have Tulin and one other sage to handle whatever situation I'm in and if there is none I'm only traveling with Tulin because he's the best and most reliable, important, all around useful to have and the only time I turn him off is rare situations where I specifically don't want him to kill certain enemies like the rock octarocks that can fully refurbish your weapons because he's THAT GOOD. He's like a little feathery death machine.

Honestly the Sages (except Tulin I CAN'T stress that enough) are such a downgrade game play wise in comparison to the champions in breath of the wild. The champions were all balanced, reliable, and each one important and tailored to each aspect of the overall the the entire time you played:

Revail - focused on vertical traversal, got you places quicker and convenient. Also could be such a life saver to be escape from dire combat situations like you don't know how many times this bird helped me survive guardian encounters. Tulin's ability is a lot like his in a way and serves the same purpose, only sending you horizontal instead of vertical and while I do miss the vertical wind I do get why they made it that way since we have asend now which sort of does the same thing but on a slower, situational scale but I do very much appreciate the horizontal wind and it's also just as helpful.

Daruk - focused on defense, gives you three free hits before enemies can damage you and can absolutely save you life in dire encounters there's not much left to say, it's a fairly simple ability but it's one of the most helpful that will you will use and probably never take off for the entire game the moment you get it. Sidon's is the equivalent of this. It sucks. A lot. Only has one use and you have to walk your way over to his tall lank ass to activate it instead of just pressing a button (we will come back to this point later)

Urbosa - focuses on offense, my God. This is the most overpowered combat focused ability like. Ever. No wonder its the second largest to take to charge. There's so much versatility when it comes to this move, it activates as you charge up an attack you you get that charge move you'd get anyway without it AND an enemy deleting area of effect in such a large radius???? Insane. Riju's is sort of the equivalent but you have to do it with arrows (again and the bullshit walking up to her to physical activating it which I've personally accidentally triggered her ability at least A THOUSAND times when I'm just mashing A to collect stuff) and it's a lot less powerful, which hey I get this one I'm not too mad at being less stronger than the original with just how insane stupid overpowered Urbosa's fury was.

Mipha - health/life, this is the one ability that statistically probably doesn't get used as much as the other three (depending on what kind of player you are 💀) but I'd argue it's literally the most helpful out of the four. It's quite literally you're free fairy in a bottle, your free escape death because your stubborn horse Romeo kicked you off the bridge of Hylia twelve separate times card (true story) If you're stupid plan fails and you get practically one shotted by a lynel it's Mipha whose saving your ass AND SHE EVEN GIVES YOU EXTRA YELLOW HEARTS!!! Mipha is amazing and it sucks totk didn't give an equivalent ability because it would've personally helped me during SO MANY frustrating moments in my first initial playthrough it's such a same.

My point here is the champions abilities were all as equally useful and balanced, as you unlock them you use them all playthrough and never really stop using them and they naturally become a part of the game play loop and it's nice. The Sages aren't like that besides Tulin and a occasionally Yunobo and Mineru they're just... meh. Forgettable. AND THE WAY YOU ACTIVATE THEM??? THE ACTUAL FUCKING WORST. In breath of the wild the champions abilities were so easy and each of them had a dedicated button to hold down (except Mipha's whose activates automatically the second you reach zero hearts) and it was all so convenient. There's no reason the Sages powers should work the way they do, having to run over to them mostly during battle to press a for the ability to come up only for them to run away from the the mere second you need them and just keep doing so again usually in battle when you NEED them (I'm looking directly at you Sidon) AND GOD FORBID YOU TRY AND PICK UP A GROUP OF ITEMS LYING ON THE GOUND. It's all so miserable. There's no reason Nintendo thought it'd be better than convenient dedicated button presses like the last game there was no reason!! But at least and not shockingly Tulin proves again to be the best sage and his ability has it easy to use and the prompt automatically pops up when you pull out the paraglider, when you're the most likely to use it anyway.

I hope but highly doubt in enviable story DLC that we get enhanced versions of the sage abilities like botw did and maybe, just maybe the option to toggle button use for them. I feel like that would help even just a little bit.

I don't know how to end this post but look at him. I'm proud of him:

Best Sage :)

[quirkwizard]

For people with Quirks identical or similar to each of 1A and Shinso, how would each be used for villainy and why do you think each would be a villain? You could also just use 1A for this. Ignore cases like blackmailing someone into being a villain.

I'm focusing on the Quirks for this. Not only because that would be a lot to cover, but I don't think most of 1A is fleshed out enough to come up with real motivations for villainy. Even if they were, what they would use their Quirks for what I think they would be like as villains are two very different things. If they were villains, I doubt most, if not all of the students wouldn't use their Quirks like this. I'll also be dropping Izuku in favor in Shinso for this.

Tail: Given how simple it is, the only way I see it working with most people is just as hired muscle for a job.

Tape: This works best for quick, low risk marks, like nabbing someone's wallet while swinging away on a roll of tape.

Naval Laser: Not a lot of great choices with how unsubtle it is. Maybe some kind of interference work, like taking out cameras?

Sugar Rush: I could see this being hired muscle, but it could work for get in and get out kind of crimes given the short time limit, such as robbery.

Pop Off: Another good Quirk for stalling, like using it to lock up places heroes may try to enter through or bobby trapping other places.

Invisibility: This can’t work for most burglary, as you can’t really get around or use equipment, but it may work for spy work to get blackmail on someone.

Acid: This Quirk is so dangerous that it would be great for pretty much any kind of seedy work, like clean up work or torture.

Hardening: This would work for some hired muscle, specifically ones you want to slow down or prevent heroes from interfering.

Earphone Jack: Obviously, information broker would be pretty high on the list, but could be good in certain thief roles, like lockpicking or safe cracking.

Frog: Great for burglary. Between the high mobility, the camouflage, and various slime the user could make, it could serve pretty well for some sneaky thievery.

Zero Gravity: As weird as it sounds, smuggling may be a good choice. I'm just thinking about how easily you could hide, transport, or git rid of certain objects if they didn't weight anything.

Electrification: This only have one niche, but it's certainly useful. They could overload any electronic system, basically making any kind of electric security system next to useless.

Anivoice: As much as I want to focus on animal related crimes, this is just way too good for an information broker. They have spies everywhere that nobody cares about or takes note of.

Engine: While I could see this being used for petty theft, like snatching someone's purse at super speed, I think that it'd work better for a getaway driver, someone who could escape with all their allies.

Dupli Arms: While this would make for a good information broker, I think that it would make for way better insurance fraud or extortion. Imagine you hit someone with your car and you see hands flying everywhere.

Explosion: This would be perfect for any kind of forceful robbery, like at a bank. Not only could you burst through security in the way and quickly establish yourself as a threat, but make a quick getaway to boot.

Creation: This would be amazing for any substance based crimes, like making up guns or counterfeit money with next to no production costs or real trail left behind for people to track down or middle men to worry.

Dark Shadow: “Dark Shadow” is so versatile that it’s difficult to place anywhere. I guess more aggressive robberies could be an option, whether they be day or night, but it still could do well in more combat oriented crimes.

Half Cold Half Hot: Again, the versatility makes this one hard to place. Though with the sheer range and options, I think this would work best for a fill in guy or someone to run interference for when the heroes show up.

Brainwashing: This would be a top tier villain power. It is so great for villainy work that it's hard to think about what crimes it couldn't be used for. Turns out robbing people of their free will would be useful for crime work.

[laurfilijames]

Hey mutual! no pressure to answer; but what are FIVE foods you love and hate

Hiya and thank you for sending this ask!! I love food so I am more than happy to answer this!

It's hard to narrow down just five that I love, and also five I don't because I'm not at all a picky eater, but here we go!

Pasta. 🍝 give me anything and everything when it comes to pasta. My ultimate go-to is anything with a cream sauce and if it has copious amounts of mushrooms and truffles in it? even better! It's my favourite dish by far to cook as well because it's so versatile.

Pizza. We have a theme here. I love Italian food. A fresh Napoleon style pizza with simple ingredients or the classic margherita? Molto bene!

Not necessarily a "food" but ingredient...fresh herbs. All of them. Especially cilantro. I know people either love it or hate it, but I love it enough to make up for all the haters. Fresh herbs complete any dish and give it life.

Ice cream. And more so in the colder months which is odd but.. I love a good pistachio or mint chip and I'm going to be very unpopular here but I love Tiger Tail and I hope people know what that even is...

Soup. Same as pasta, it's so versatile and so so comforting. Chicken noodle to a lovely, fragrant bowl of Pho 🍜🍲 it's good for the soul.

There's so many more, but I think I covered the basics with that. (God, tacos. 🌮 Birria tacos specifically... 🤤)

As for things I hate..

Tuna. Canned tuna. I'll do a fresh piece of tuna any day, but the stuff in the can I cannot 🤣

Ketchup. No thanks. Take your sugar tomatoes and go.

Candy. It's sticky and too sweet. I love chocolate and the closest I'm getting to candy is M&M's.

I'm trying so hard to think of five but I can't 🤣 I'll try anything once, but those are definitely my hard-no's.

So tell me, which of these answers are you agreeing with and which ones are making you shout at me?! 🤣

[inventors-fair]

Eligible Bachelors - Hit Singles Winners

Bouquets and love letters to our winners this week: @bergdg, @grornt, and @squeezyboi!

Pivlic, Restaurateur - @bergdg I think this card may just be the single most versatile entry submitted this week. With only three abilities you have successfully created a card that synergises with decks focused on flying creatures, dying creatures, artifact tokens, lifegain, and artifacts dying. Of those five, only lifegain doesn't really have an extant Partner commander that especially synergises with it (Ikra Shidiqi aside, perhaps). That you've managed to cover so much ground in so few lines while also constructing a card that just Makes Sense On Its Own impresses me to no end. Like, this very much does not look at all like you went down a checklist trying to find every possible synergy one could have with the extant partners, but you somehow managed that while constructing your impish small business owner, and I must applaud you for this. Although maybe it could cost like one more mana? I don't know, jury's still out there, honestly if anything I'm picking nits for the sake of it here. This card is delightful, and I must thank you for submitting it.

Hemir, the Earthdrover - @grornt While there are certainly a few tribal elements among the extant list of potential partners, what stands out to me about this cards specifically is not how well it might work with *those* cards, necessarily, but also with just about every other printed partner. I adore how this card opens up space for one to take any arbitrary partner and turn that card into a potential general for a tribal deck, regardless of the actual specific abilities of the card in question. Have you ever considered running Tymna for a Cleric Tribal deck? Now, suddenly, with this particular friend in the picture, that idea doesn't sound quite as outlandish. I just really appreciate how much raw design space this card opens despite being relatively simple ability-wise. Well done.

Finn McLeod, Coalition Advisor - @squeezyboi Finally, rounding things out for the week, we have this rather delightful saboteur doubler. While there aren't an astounding number of commanders with combat damage triggers to double in this particular card pool, the ones that are there are all unique enough in nature that I could easily see someone building a lot of potential decks with this guy. Your creature type selection definitely seems to acknowledge what the environment has to offer, as there are several Pirate tribal partners which all have some kind of saboteur effect, but I could easily see someone pairing this with the aforementioned Ikra for some kind of goofy high-toughness deck, or maybe even Sidar Kondo to take advantage of saboteurs with relatively low power. Plus, this is just generally a cool and unique effect that I'm honestly surprised they haven't done yet. While they've definitely gotten close with a couple of attack trigger doublers, saboteurs are a big enough staple of the game that I think they deserve a little bit of the limelight.

That'll be your winners this week. Runners will be up a bit later. There were a whole, whole lot of very strong entries this week, and honestly I can't thank you all enough for giving me so many cards to agonize over. Seriously, y'all are entirely too good at this.

-@starch255

[gladstones-corner]

Let's Talk Divination

This was originally going to be a much more specific post, but I decided to take in in a different direction. Today, I'm going to cover divination as a general topic, including how to practice it. 

Like my post on ritual magic, let's get started with a definition. What exactly is divination? Merriam-Webster nails it, I think: 

"The art or practice that seeks to foresee or foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge, usually by the interpretation of omens or by the aid of supernatural powers." 

I dig this definition a lot. It tells us that: 

Divination is both an art and a science 

It is both natural and supernatural 

It can be used to uncover information 

It can be used to tell the future 

That's all well and good, but why is divination important? Let's take a look at those last two points there: uncovering information and foretelling the future. 

Uncovering information spans a wide range of applications. Did you misplace your phone? A crude map of your home and a pendulum can help you remember where it is. Had something go worse than you were hoping? A tarot spread can help you examine why. 

Foretelling the future seems self-explanatory, but it's more complex than that. Divination can certainly tell you likely outcomes, but it won't set your fate in stone. If anything, it's part of being a proactive force in your own destiny. 

Alright, cool. We have some ways divination helps us out. But how do we practice it? The good news is, that's up to you! 

If you're new to the skill, I suggest starting with a pendulum. These are great because they're portable, versatile, discreet, and easy to make. All you need is about 8-10 inches of string and a small weight to tie onto the end. 

To use a pendulum, hold it by the non-weighted end and let it swing freely. Before divining, I tend to ask my pendulum to signal to me the following: 

Yes 

No 

Maybe 

Answer unknown 

That helps me calibrate the pendulum so I can clearly understand its responses. 

If you're less comfortable with freeform interpretation, there are plenty of divination mats to try. Some are simple, others are more complex and mimic spirit boards. I encourage you to make a couple out of paper and see if you like them before purchasing one. 

Mastered the pendulum? Try something a little more complicated, like Elder Futhark or Ogham. These are rune sets that are rich in symbolism but easy to make and learn. You can use wooden coins, index cards, or anything of regular size and shape to make your own and get started. 

Runes not really your thing? Or maybe you've mastered them too? In this case, I can't recommend Lenormand highly enough. It's a 36 card deck with beautiful, easy-to-understand art on every card. The best part? Each card has a playing card equivalent; you can purchase a set of poker cards and draw your own! 

Where do we go from here? I'd say oracle decks! These are unique in that they're non-standard. Each deck is highly personal to its creator and differs from all others. I suggest doing a lot of research to find one you like, and really taking the time to learn its methods and meanings. A good oracle deck will carry you very far. 

And now we come to the final divination method I'll discuss here: tarot. I kept this one for last because I consider it the hardest to learn. 

Despite the consistent 78-card requirement (22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana), there is considerable variation between decks. Finding one you like seems impossible at times, and trying to find resources can be a pain if you're not reading a RWS or one of its variants. 

But don't let that get to you. Finding a good tarot deck and learning at least the Major Arcana will net you a lot of experience in divination. Is it any more rewarding than the other methods? No, not really. But besides the pendulum, it's my favorite. 

Are these the only divination methods available? Absolutely not. Geomancy, augury, bone-casting...the list goes on. There are as many ways to divine as there are people divining—and I didn't even cover scrying, which is a topic all on its own. 

Give these methods a try! Let me know how they work for you. 

As always, blessed be~ 

[girluninterrupted11]

Moving onto the 1930s…

This decade is quite different from the one of the jazz age. Where 20s fashion is free and rebellious, 30s fashion is sophisticated and traditional. Don’t be fooled though, just because this decade is more conservative than the last one doesn't mean it's any less chic. Honestly I much prefer the look of the 1930s, it's more practical and more tasteful. While the flapper fashion is fun and almost frivolous, it’s not exactly ideal outside of special occasions. Maybe that’s just the type of person I am. This decade tends to be forgotten (probably because the 1920s was so iconic) but doesn’t mean it should be. 

Let’s take a look at some of the key components of 1930s fashion. Unsurprisingly, this is another decade that was heavily influenced by hollywood. The difference is that the 30s are more glamor heavy. The first big Hollywood star that changed the game is Jean Harlow. Some hate her, some love her. Personally she’ll always remain an icon in my mind. I always think of watching her old movies with my grandma. I remember watching hell’s angels with her for the first time and realizing she was the blonde bombshell of her time. I don't think I'd really known her before having watched this movie, but once I did I remembered her. Now when I think of this era, she’s the first thing that comes to mind with her striking platinum blonde hair and glamor. 

Starting with the outfit on the left here, we can see the famous look in the 1933 film "Dinner at Eight". Starting with the outfit on the left here, we can see the famous look in the 1933 film "Dinner at Eight". In classic Jean Harlow fashion, I think the dress is the perfect mix of sophistication and glitz. I have to say, I'm not normally a fan of the criss-cross necklines in dresses, and I'm not really a fan here either. I will say I dislike it less than I normally do here though, I think the rest of the dress really balances it out. This decade is really where we see longer hemlines, more fitted dresses, and higher waistlines (as you can see). I really like this though, I think these additions give a lot of room for potential. This dress is simple enough actually, but with the addition of the fur shawl/coat it’s the perfect evening gown. I’ve said it before and I'll say it again, I really do love fur coats. In this case, I think it really elevates the plain dress, which is exactly what the 1930s is about. Sophistication and elegance.

Next, on the left is a simpler evening gown. I much prefer this one to the first one. If I was living in this era, I would definitely go for the second look. It’s simple, black, but elegant. I prefer black dresses for evening gowns for sure, I really think there's no need for any crazy colours. Simplicity is elegance. I personally always tend to go for black dresses and darker colours. The neckline is simple but not plain. The hemline is long, as an evening gown should be (or at least I think so). It's sophisticated with the right amount of glamour. 

This is also the decade where fedoras and hats became especially popular. Once again, I actually really like hats. I think they're fun and add another dimension to an outfit. Fedoras are especially interesting. They’re not too crazy (not like the hat depicted in the left) but not too simple. Fedoras specifically are very versatile. On men, they can add sophistication to an outfit. On women, they can do the same, or they can be a statement piece, depending on the rest of the look, which I really appreciate. I really like versatility in fashion, it's always best to have some staple versatile pieces than a bunch of different pieces. Quality over quantity is my motto really and the 1930s really gets that.

See you next week, xx.

[l3rking]

The Wicked Implement Post

I’m gonna talk about the new exotic stasis scout, Wicked Implement, ad nauseam over the next however many paragraphs. 

I’m talkin’ stats, buildcrafting, and hard numbers. Real nerd stuff. Keep reading if you’re into that.

Wicked Implement: Exotic Stasis Scout Rifle

There’s been a lot of hearsay and unnecessary hate hitting this gun and I’m here to say that almost all of it is BS. Let’s get this out of the way: it’s not meta-defining, it’s not over powered, it’s not cuckoo crazy... 

...it’s reliable and consistent.

To really get across what I mean, let’s talk numbers:

Stats:

Impact: 62

Range: 62

Stability: 63

Handling: 44

Reload Speed: 41

Aim Assist: 65

Zoom: 20

AE: 65

RPM: 180

Mag: 15

RD: 94

Implement’s stats stand above most others in it’s archetype. Only an Adept Hung Jury or Harrowed DoC can get close. It’s our first exotic 180 in D2 so this shouldn’t be too surprising. It does mean that stat-boosting buffs feel particularly nice (On Your Mark, Hedrons, etc.). 

So it shoots like a normal 180. What makes it special? 

Remember, exotic primaries deal 40% more damage over their legendary counterparts. This means in most mid-high level content you’ll be 2-3 shotting minors with no buffs from a distance. Not bad. And it plays directly into the exotic perk. 

Creeping Attrition, Tithing Harvest, and the Catalyst:

Implement's exotic perk, Creeping Attrition, states: “Rapidly landing precision hits causes targets to become slowed.” Like I said, not flashy or crazy; simple and consistent. So how does it work? 

It takes 3 precision hits to proc Creeping Attrition. 

The buff will last 3 seconds. Every precision hit will reset the timer (timer not shown in game). 

When Creeping Attrition is active, it takes 3 precision hits to freeze on all combatants. Every precision hit within those 3 slows for 4 seconds (6 w/Durance). Note: in PVP: x20 stacks of slow per crit (5 crits to freeze with perk active), same timer.

The 2nd Exotic Perk, Tithing Harvest, will create a stasis shard for precision final blows while Creeping Attrition is active. This shard will track aggressively to the player from any distance. Picking up this shard will refill the magazine. There is a small cooldown after generating the shard (unsure on timer, ~3 seconds).

The catalyst will allow you to overflow the magazine by picking up stasis shards. These shards can be from any source and will overflow the mag 5 bullets per shard up to 30.

Buildcrafting:

Buildcrafting this gun is fairly straightforward. Mostly owing to the simplicity of its perks and how it functions. Thankfully this works to its advantage; creating a solid workhorse that is versatile as much as it is useful. Out of the box it can stun 2 champion types with no assistance (slow for Overloads and Freeze/Shatter for Unstops) but it can also freeze stun Barrier Champs (as long as you don’t miss a crit!). 

The obvious setup is going to be any aspect that generates shards (Tectonic, Grim, and Glacial Harvest on Titan, Hunter, and Warlock respectively) and Whisper of Rime and Conduction to generate overshield and pickup shards. But there are a few unique interactions you should watch out for: 

Grim Harvest on Hunters creates stasis shards when defeating Stasis debuffed enemies. This will stack with Creeping Attrition’s shard creating 2 on kill. Throw in Whisper of Refraction and now we’re regenerating dodge energy on Creeping Attrition kills too. I bring this up specifically to talk about Mask of Bakris. Bakris will give 4 stacks of Arc and Stasis weapon Surge. This equates to 25% damage buff in PvE and 6% in PvP. That is enough to 3 crit T6 and below in PvP at .67 seconds. Not that a lot of folk run less than T6 these days but the bonus damage will catch people out. Bakris buff lasts 11 seconds. Once over, you begin regenerating dodge energy. 

Warlocks also have quite a bit of interaction with Implement. Freezing with Implement will create shards with Glacial Harvest, of course, and shattering that enemy can proc Iceflare Bolts. But the slow from Creeping Attrition crits also stacks with the Bleak Watcher turret. Freezing enemies more quickly. Whisper of Rending should be a mandatory pick with running anything with coldsnaps. A bonus 42% damage to frozen enemies is huge. Especially when you’re freezing enemies from across the map with the same gun. It’s the safest weapon in the game. A soloists dream.

Stasis Titan can synergize with almost anything. Right now I’m gonna talk about the Lancecap. Constant lances, constant crystals, constant shards. Outside of that, it’s more of the same. Safe slows and freezes. You could realistically pair it with nearly any subclass without worry. Use an Incandescent Trace Rifle for 90% of a strike with solar Syntho-Hammers but break out implement to freeze or stun a troublesome enemy before getting right back into the loop. That’s what I mean by reliable. 

The Problems:      

The regard and general opinions of the Destiny Community at-large doesn’t hold much value for me. Especially when they reach a toxic low point like they have recently. Usually from hanging out in the same burnout afflicted echo chambers that they sit in day in and day out. But there can sometimes be a little bit of truth lost in the nuance. Wicked Implement is not making waves and for good reason. There are simply other tools that can do what it does. Some more effectively. Some more efficiently. It’s an unpopular frame of an unpopular archetype. Not every gun can be game breaking or Quicksilver. 

The Conclusion:

I’m a big fan of Wicked Implement. And not just because it’s our first Exotic 180. It is simple, effective, easy to understand, and easy to implement (lol) in any build. There are flashier options, sure. But it will always be a good scout and good scouts will always be useful. Pair it with your favorite fusion or wave-frame, and a god-rolled rocket, and you’re set. You don’t really need much else. AND there’s already been talks of possible buffs in the future. Get in on the ground floor. With Strand being reined back in and possible Stasis buffs, I think folk who get good with this thing now are gonna be a menace in the future. Especially if we get some good Stasis artifact perks in a coming season. 

Gun good Please use :) 

[fashionexxibition]

How to choose a sweatshirt for a workout

How to Choose a Sweatshirt for a Workout

When it comes to workout clothing, a good sweatshirt can be an essential piece of gear. Not only can it provide warmth and comfort during a workout, but it can also help to wick away sweat and keep you feeling dry and comfortable. If you want to buy Click Here . However, with so many different sweatshirts available on the market, it can be difficult to know which one is right for you. In this article, we will discuss some key factors to consider when choosing a sweatshirt for your workout.

Material

One of the most important things to consider when choosing a sweatshirt for your workout is the material it is made from. Sweatshirts can be made from a variety of materials, including cotton, polyester, and a blend of the two.

Cotton sweatshirts are a popular choice for many people, as they are comfortable and breathable. However, cotton is not as moisture-wicking as some other materials, so it may not be the best choice for a workout if you are prone to sweating a lot.

Polyester sweatshirts, on the other hand, are highly moisture-wicking, which means they can help to keep you dry and comfortable during a workout. They also tend to be more durable than cotton sweatshirts.

A blend of cotton and polyester can offer the best of both worlds. It provides the comfort and breathability of cotton with the moisture-wicking properties of polyester.

Fit

Another important factor to consider when choosing a sweatshirt for your workout is the fit. You want a sweatshirt that is not too tight, but not too loose either. A sweatshirt that is too tight can restrict your movement, while a sweatshirt that is too loose may not provide enough warmth.

When trying on a sweatshirt, make sure you can move your arms and shoulders freely. You should also be able to comfortably layer other clothing under it, if needed.

Style

When it comes to sweatshirts, there are many different styles to choose from. Some are designed for specific types of workouts, such as running or cycling, while others are more versatile and can be worn for any type of workout.

Some popular styles of sweatshirts include:

Hooded sweatshirts, which can provide extra warmth and protection from the elements.

Zip-up sweatshirts, which can make it easy to take off or put on.

Pullover sweatshirts, which are simple and easy to wear.

It's also important to think about the color, design, and branding of the sweatshirt. You may want to choose a color that you like and that matches your workout gear.

Additional Features

Some sweatshirts come with additional features that can make them more suitable for a workout. For example, some sweatshirts have thumbholes in the cuffs, which can help to keep your hands warm during a workout. Others have pockets for storing small items such as keys or a phone.

Consider what features would be most useful for your workout. If you'll be running or cycling, for example, a thumbhole in the cuff or a pocket for a phone would be useful.

If you're looking for more information, be sure to visit the official website of Gallery Dept. There, you can explore their latest collections of fashion-forward clothing and accessories, as well as learn about the brand's unique design philosophy and creative vision. Don't miss out on the chance to experience the world of Gallery Dept.

Price

Finally, it's important to consider the price of the sweatshirt when making your decision. Sweatshirts can range in price from a few dollars to several hundred dollars. While it's tempting to choose the cheapest option, it's important to remember that you get what you pay for. Cheaper sweatshirts may not be as durable or may not provide as much warmth or moisture-wicking properties as more expensive options.

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Unique Table Lamps: The Perfect Addition to Any Room

Besides being useful lights, table lamps are also beautiful pieces of decor that can improve the look and feel of any room. When you want to show off your style, the best thing to put in any room is a unique table lamp. You can use these lamps to light up your room, but they can also be talk starts and design focus points. Here are some reasons why you might want to add some unique table lamps to your home and some ways they can change the way you live. The Versatility of Unique Table Lamps

Unique table lamps can be used in a lot of different ways. They come in many styles, sizes, and, materials, so it's simple to discover one that goes with your current style or starts a new one. There is a unique table lamp that will fit in with your modern, old, country, or mixed style, or it will stand out as a statement piece. A modern glass table lamp with straight lines, and a sleek design, for example, can give a modern living room a sense of class. On the other hand, a lamp that looks old and has detailed features and an old finish can add memories and charm to a traditional room. Enhancing Room Ambiance

Lighting is a very important part of making a room feel a certain way. Depending on where they are placed, and the type of bulb they use, unique table lamps can provide both general, and specific lighting. A lamp with a dimmer switch gives you more options because you can change how bright it is for different events. Soft and warm lighting, makes the room feel cozy and welcoming, making it a great place to unwind in the evenings. For reading or working, brighter, cooler light is best because it gives off enough light without making your eyes tired. You can make your home feel better by adding pockets of light, with unique table lamps placed in strategic places. For instance, you can make a cozy reading nook by putting a stylish table lamp on a side table next to your sofa. Putting two lamps next to each other on end tables can make your bedroom look balanced and symmetrical. Adding a Personal Touch

One advantage of one-of-a-kind table lamps is that they may reflect your own style, and taste. In contrast to mass-produced lighting fixtures, unique table lamps often include one-of-a-kind designs, handcrafted embellishments, and uncommon materials. This adds intrigue and, personalization to your space by giving it the impression that it was designed by you. Take a look at a lamp that has a hand-painted clay base, an artistic metal design, or a natural fiber shade. With these little touches, you can turn a plain lamp into a work of art that shows off your style and personality. Additionally, one-of-a-kind table lamps make wonderful presents for housewarmings, weddings, and other important events, providing a thoughtful and memorable way to honor significant events. Combining Functionality with Style

Having one-of-a-kind table lamps is not only stylish, but it can also be useful. A lot of designs come with extras like built-in USB ports, for charging devices, arms that can be moved to send light where it's needed most, or touch-sensitive settings that make it easy to use. Unique table lamps are a good buy for both looks, and function because they have these useful features. Finding the Perfect Unique Table Lamp

When looking for one-of-a-kind table lamps, it's important to think about how the lamp's size will fit with your other furniture and the room's size. If the lamp is too big for the room, it might look bad, and if it's too small, it might not give off enough light or make enough of an impression. Also, think about what the lamp is for and what kind of lighting you need: general, work, or decoration. Gifting Kingdom offers a unique selection of well-made, fashionable, and functional table lamps that have been meticulously chosen. You're guaranteed to discover table lamps with extensive range that meets your demands, and looks fantastic in your house. Conclusion

Unique table lamps are great for any room, because they add style, personality, and usefulness. You can make your home feel warm, and welcoming by picking lamps that match your style and, go with your other furniture. Gifting Kingdom has a great selection of one-of-a-kind table lamps that will make your living areas brighter and more stylish.