#monk mains: my FISTS!!!!!!

[wol-questions]

Does your WoL have a favourite weapon?

[ragtimedrakes]

I hit 60 on monk today and it feels so good to play I love how the rotation feeds into itself

[probablyevilrpgideas]

How to Play: Wayne from Letterkenny

Like Popeye, this is pretty straightforward, but also I feel like there are at least a couple ways you can go with it.

5e

Race

Wayne's a human (preferably Variant), let's be honest.

That said, Half-Orc is definitely a defensible choice with it's ability bonuses, Relentless Endurance, Savage Attacks, and free Intimidate proficiency.

Class

The main way to go, I think, is with some homebrew from DnDBeyond, because when I stated thinking about this build, Barbarian seemed the key way to go. Unfortunately, the normal Barbarian paths don't quite work, and 5e made unarmed combat even more of a "Only Monks Need Apply" thing than 3.X.

HOWEVER, there are of course multiple Brawler paths on DnDBeyond. This one is the highest rated one, and looking at the others, I can see why. It's just simpler and cleaner. It gives you an unarmed strike with improving damage as you level like the monk's Martial Arts feature, your fists are treated as magical weapons (an integral thing when playing a puncher in D&D as you level up), and some other nice abilities as you level up. Wayne's a pretty straightforward brawler, but I feel like he's not above throwing a fucker or using a beer bottle in a life and death situation.

Barbarian? Yeah.

Wayne's pretty stoic and quiet, but you can tell when he's angry, and he has a standard "preparing for a fight" action:

Background

In normal core 5e, there isn't a farmer background, but again, DnDBeyond of course has multiple farmer backgrounds in the homebrew. This one feels fitting, between the Advantage on Animal Handling and the "you know enough Druidic to say hello or ask for directions" if you call Druidic "Queebeckois" and druids Degens.

"My DM doesn't like Homebrew"

Ok, that's cool. I think Homebrew is much easier to allow in 5e because everything is so formulated, but, hey, there are valid reasons to not include it even then (like "I work full time and I'm not going to go look over every custom thing everyone wants to use.")

In that case, it's a bit weirder and will ask for more handwaving/refluffing, but I think a Kensai Monk/Zealot Barbarian could work. If you just want to dip a level or two of Barbarian for the rage and not hit third for a path, I feel like that's defensible, since it's the unarmed damage of the monk you're going to want to focus on.

For a non-Homebrew Background, you probably want to go with Folk Hero. I think Wayne definitely qualifies as a Folk Hero, and it's the closest published stuff comes to a "commoner who turns adventurer" background. It gives you Animal Handling and Survival (yes, Barbarian can get those, but you can then use your class proficiencies to take Athletics and Intimidation, or Nature instead of one of those). Rustic Hospitality also feels fitting.

Feats

Your first feat (assuming your GM is allowing feats, but my impression is that that's pretty standard) should be Magic Initiate.

Yes, I know, Wayne isn't a magic user. But take Magic Initiate and choose Bard, because then you can get the cantrip Vicious Mockery, and you can hurt people just by chirping at them, which is very in-theme for Wayne. Think of the cold open with the hockey players coming up the laneway. They are definitely taking psychic damage from Wayne, Daryl and Dan just verbally handing them their asses. For your other spells, I would take Mending and Speak with Animals. They just feel appropriate for Wayne, things that would be useful on a farm.

Other options

Ok, so, I'm saying Wayne needs some Bard spells.

Why not dip Bard?

Well... because multiclassing can already be brutal to your overall effectiveness. BUT, a level of Bard would be pretty fitting instead of the Magic Initiate feat. "Pitter Patter, let's get at 'er" is just so fitting as a way of giving your allies Bardic Inspiration. In this case, your 1st level spells should probably be Animal Friendship, Healing Word, Heroism and Speak with Animals.

Pathfinder

Pathfinder actually has a Brawler class, which a Fighter/Monk hybrid, and would be perfect. Dip some Barbarian for rage, and maybe use the Exemplar archetype to get some limited Bard-ness. But you could also go pure Barbarian with Improved Unarmed Strike and such.

[grailfinders]

Grailfinders #329: Sakamoto Ryouma (Lancer)

today on Grailfinders we’re building the best argument for a completely superfluous Grailfinders episode, Sakamoto Ryouma (Lancer)! it’s Sakamoto, but again! in-game it’s a stronger version of the original, but here we take all the builds to level twenty regardless of their rarity. what I could do to differentiate this build from the first stumped me for a while, but I think I’ve hit on something.

Ryouma’s still an Echo Knight Fighter to summon his wife as a bonus action, but now instead of a monk and a rogue, he’s a Lore Bard to learn some buffing spells for oryou’s super-saiyan mode.

check out their build breakdown below the cut, or their character sheet over here!

next up: you better watch out, you better watch out, you better watch out! you better watch out!

Ancestry & Background

I won’t bore you too much here, it’s exactly the same as before (except for one thing). Variant Human, so that’s +1 Wisdom and Charisma, Stealth proficiency, and instead of that UA feat we’re getting Magic Initiate for some Druid spells. Primal Savagery is how oryou will be attacking most of the time now, using her acidic claws instead of your piddly strength score. you also embrace modern technology like weather stations with Druidcraft, and Oryou can keep you safe thanks to her Protection from Evil and Good. Ryouma’s still a Soldier though, so that’s some History and Intimidation proficiency for you.

Ability Scores

this one’s 100% the same. highest to lowest- Charisma, Dexterity, Wisdom, Intelligence, Constitution, Strength. I would love to be able to stat up oryou this time around, but sadly Ryouma’s still the main servant.

Class Levels

1. Fighter 1: this Ryouma’s a bit more martial since he’s a knight class, so he’s starting off as a Fighter. this means his starting proficiencies are completely different, getting proficiency in Strength and Constitution saves, as well as Insight to see through political bullshit and Animal Handling to stretch the definition of “animal” to its breaking point. and “handling”, for that matter.

also, starting as a fighter gets us oryou’s Fighting Style earlier, so pick up Unarmed Fighting, just in case those claws don’t work out. if you’d rather grab something for Ryouma, I’d just go with Two-weapon Fighting and reflavor a rapier as a light spear, with a shortsword in his off-hand.

you also get a Second Wind once a short rest, giving you back some HP as a bonus action thanks to the power of oryou’s healing spit. …she does really have healing spit, right? I didn’t just hallucinate that while forcing my way through the event?

2. Fighter 2: second level fighters can make an Action Surge once a short rest, adding an action to your turn so you can fight like there’s two of you. because there is.

3. Fighter 3: as a third level fighter you become an Echo Knight, letting you Manifest Echo as a bonus action. now oryou can float around in her own space without using your action to move, as long as she’s within 30’ of you whenever your turn ends. it has a good AC but only one HP, so expect to spend your bonus action bringing oryou back a lot. while she’s out you can swap places as a bonus action, and you can attack and make attacks of opportunity from her space. primal savagery doesn’t count as an attack for this, so I guess oryou’s relying on her fists when she’s not hanging around you. that’s disappointing, but we’ll find a way to make her awesome later on.

also, you can Unleash Incarnation once a day to make an extra attack from the echo’s position. if you want to let oryou use a dex weapon, I won’t tell anyone, promise.

4. Bard 1: bouncing over to bard gives you proficiency in Persuasion, as well as the ability to cast Spells using your Charisma. you can also give Bardic Inspiration to your allies Charisma Modifier times per day, letting them add a d6 to any one attack roll, save, or check they make in the minute after you hand it over.

to be more specific about spells, you have Blade Ward to be protected by oryou physically with resistance to weapon damage, and Mage Hand to have her carry random stuff around, for your cantrips. you also get spells like Distort Value to be a smooth-talking bastard that can convince a whole town to sell him their rice supply, Heroism to make everyone else more ardent supporters of restoration, Feather Fall so oryou can save your frail ass from falling, and Thunderwave so she can punch people so hard they go flying.

5. Bard 2: second level bards are Jacks of All Trades, so now you’re at least half-proficient in every skill. you also have a Song of Rest, so you can add more health to your party over short rests. your gf with one hit point will be grateful.

you can also use Unseen Servant now; in case you need to send oryou off on some errands. a vastly, vastly weaker version of oryou, but an oryou none the less.

6. Bard 3: third level bards can learn up on some Lore, giving you an extra three proficiencies, like in Deception, Arcana, and Athletics. this is still Ryouma after all, did you think I’d forget deception? this is also the level you get Expertise in two skills, doubling your proficiency bonus in Insight and Persuasion.

you also get second level spells like Gift of Gab. Ryouma’s good with words, but you probably aren’t. at least, not as good as he is. with this spell you can undo any unfortunate wordings and rewrite your last six seconds of dialogue.

when you want painful dialogue, you can use Cutting Words to spend inspiration on weakening a creature’s attack, check, or damage roll. if your wife only has 1 HP, she’ll need some protecting too. only a little.

7. Bard 4: fourth level bards finally get an Ability Score Improvement, so you can bump up your Dexterity for better spearing an better dodging.

you also learn the Friends cantrip to force your way into conversations, and the Aid spell for our first taste of healing. is giving your echo an extra 5 HP a good use of a spell? god no. could it be cool? maybe! at least you can also give that buff to a couple other friends at the same time.

8. Bard 5: at fifth level you are a Font of Inspiration, so your inspiration dice refill on short rests as well as long ones. they’re also d8s now, so they’re more effective over-all. on top of that, you get third level spells like Mass Healing Word to top off the whole party in one go.

9. Bard 6: sixth level bards get Countercharm, but that’s pretty much useless, we’re here for Additional Magical Secrets, a feat that I will never get tired of pointing out comes before the first magical secrets. basically, you get two extra spells, and they can be from any spell list. use Tidal Wave to send a little splashback at your enemies, and Primal Savagery again to use charisma instead of wisdom. it’s still tied to just you, but now we’re using your good casting modifier.

for his normal spell Sakamoto gets Motivational Speech, a slightly more offense-based heroism, because by this point Acquisitions Incorporated might as well be bankrolling this build.

10. Bard 7: seventh level bards get fourth level spells, and now oryou can finally set off completely on her own with the help of the spells Phantasmal Killer.  every turn the target has to make a wisdom save or they’ll take psychic damage. real simple, but real effective.

11. Bard 8: use this ASI to bump up your Charisma for stronger spells and more inspiration, and now you can Charm Monsters. I mean, you already charmed one!

12. Bard 9: ninth level bards have a better song of rest, and you can also use fifth level spells like Scrying. literally just. send oryou off to spy on people.

13. Bard 10: tenth level bards have d10s for inspiration, plus another round of Expertise! now you’ve got better animal handling and deception. you also get Thunderclap for a free oryou punch, and another round of Magical Secrets!

now you can Summon Draconic Spirit for a full oryou summoning with much more than 1 HP. they get a bunch of resistances, and she even shares one of them with you! on top of that even at the lowest level you can cast it at, oryou will be able to make three attacks each turn! if you just want uppies, you can use Freedom of the Winds to get a piggyback ride from oryou, giving you a flight speed, as well as advantage against being grappled, restrained, or paralyzed. oryou can also yeet you away from an incoming attack or spell, and if you land outside of its range, you take no damage. of course, this also means your ride is over.

14. Bard 11: remember how I mentioned Ryouma conned a whole town out of their food? now it’s time to use it. Heroes’ Feast gives everyone who partakes a panacea against disease and poison, immunity to poison and being frightened, advantage on wisdom saves, and increased HP, all for 24 hours. this is the benefit of being a 5 star.

15. Bard 12: use your last bardic ASI to receive the Gift of the Metallic Dragon. with this, you can cast Cure Wounds once a day for free or by spending spell slots, and oryou can shield you or your allies as a reaction, adding your proficiency bonus to their AC, and you can do that proficiency times a day.

16. Bard 13: thirteenth level bards get seventh level spells like Etherealness. for up to eight hours you can travel around the ethereal plane without having to worry about anything on the material plane, creatures or objects. this seems out of place for Ryouma, but tbf literally every servant should have this spell.

17. Bard 14: at level fourteen your Peerless Skills lets you add inspiration dice to any ability check you make. you’re two people, you should roll like two people. well, one and a half. you both have your weaknesses and it evens out.

you also get one last round of Magical Secrets, turning yourself into oryou in one of two ways! if you want raw power, Tenser’s Transformation gives you plenty of extra health and stronger attacks, but if you want a more thematic transformation, there’s always Draconic Transformation, giving you blindsight, a breath weapon, and wings.

18. Fighter 4: going back to fighter gets you yet another ASI, so bump up your Dexterity for more lancing.

19. Fighter 5: fifth level fighters get an Extra Attack each attack action, that’s two per turn, four with action surge, and up to five with unleash incarnation. sorry it took so long to get this, I just felt the dragon stuff was higher priority.

20. Fighter 6: fighters are awesome, so we get to end this build with another ASI! this time we’re getting the Gift of the Chromatic Dragon, allowing you to add elemental damage to your weapon for up to a minute, and you can react to gain resistance to one instance of elemental damage proficiency times a day. now oryou protects you from everything!

Pros & Cons

Pros:

you have a lot of Protection, so actually getting a solid hit in on you is tough. you have a pretty good AC, plus many, many ways to increase your AC or your save or reduce incoming damage.

you’re also great outside of combat, with tons of expertise in social skills, high charisma, and a way to add even more dice to your skill checks. you will definitely be the face of the party. either you or oryou, at least.

I know I bring this up every time, but flying is awesome. it nullifies most enemies, and it’s just a really cool way to get around.

Cons:

you need all that protection because you’re a politician, not a fighter. you have barely over 100 HP, so a sneeze will put you into power word kill range.

echo knight is super fun, but this time it’s hard to use in combat for us, since oryou’s in-character options for hitting anything are “attack with a -1 to hit” or “hope the DM is kind enough to bend the rules for you.” without a good way to deal damage, the echo knight stuff is just an easily popped balloon.

our biggest goals don’t happen until late game, so for most of the campaign your build will be more awkward than anything else.

[honourablejester]

While on the subject, my favourite subclasses (so far) for each D&D 5e class:

Artificer: Gonna be honest, I don’t do much with artificers, but just going on vibes, while I understand it’s not the most mechanically brilliant of the options, I still just love Alchemist. I just like me some bubbling beakers, you know?

Barbarian: Ancestral Guardian. I love Zealot, I love Wild Magic, I could be persuaded towards Beast, particularly for small characters (scuttly little beast barbarian gnome, I like the vibes), but it’s still Ancestral Guardian. I want to be a barbarian with a pack of ghosts following them around!

Bard: For the longest time, it was Lore, for similar reasons that Knowledge clerics are my joint first favourite clerics. It feels like the old Irish bards, the oral knowledge and magic, and I had a ghoulish little half-elven lore bard named Feyla Thenn who was a lot of fun. But recently … I really like Creation? It definitely does have that spellsinger vibe, singing things into being, and honestly the ability to just sing myself up 50ft of rope, or a grappling hook, or a ladder, or a key, is just … endlessly useful and fun.

Cleric: If I have to pick one, singular, then Twilight. But it is two, because every time I make a cleric, Twilight and Knowledge have a fist fight in my head, and the only reason Twilight wins is because it’s prettier. I like twinkling sparkly bits. But Knowledge is forever there, loyal and true, waiting for me to return to it. (Tempest is the runner up, because I like big booms and I cannot lie. Also ocean).

Druid: Stars. No competition. If I make a druid, they’re gonna be a Stars druid, unless there’s a compelling setting reason for them to be anything else. I like land druids, I’ll flirt with spores, but as a stars druid I get to turn into a mobile starfield and smite people, and there’s just no beating that.

Fighter: Like the artificer, I don’t do much with fighter, but both Rune Knights and Eldritch Knights have a bit of a draw to them. Particularly Rune Knights. I like the hulking, placid, but smarter and more dangerous than you think sort of vibes they have.

Monk: Again, not my class, but I do enjoy a Mercy Monk. I also weirdly have a fondness for the Sun Soul? I like shiny things and radiant damage, but also the Sun Soul gives me kind of anime vibes? Channeling your ki into a radiant aura. IDK, I’m just weirdly fond of the Sun Soul as a concept.

Paladin: As we’ve discussed, a threeway fight between Redemption, Watchers and Devotion, but my love of John Donne and the imagery of weary gothic knights in a world of darkness forever pulls me towards Devotion first. Though, you know. Cosmic horror definitely gives Watchers some points, and I like the mercy first ethos of Redemption.

Ranger: Fey Wanderer. I like skills and languages! For themes and imagery, though, Swarmkeeper. I want a warforged ‘scarecrow’ ranger with a flock of crows. I want a dhampir or changeling swarmkeeper with a swarm of moths. I like swarms. Swarms are good. I love the imagery.

Rogue: Phantom. Again, fairly big gap between this and the closest runner up. I really like ghosts? Like with the Ancestral Barbarian, I just really like ghosts, and the story potential of a character that is perpetually followed by them. Aided by them. I will also give some points to Swashbuckler, though, because I enjoy a good old fashioned daring scoundrel, and I really like swashbuckler movies.

Sorcerer: Aberrant Mind. Again, I enjoy the horror-themed subclasses? Though having played a Clockwork Soul, I also like their whole ‘return to centre’ sort of feel. And, you know. I enjoy a tempest cleric, so Storm sorcerers also get a look in. And Draconic, because ‘my grandma is a green dragon’ is always fun. I think sorcerer is the main class where I kind of like everybody and will give them all a whirl.

Warlock: Fathomless or GOOlock. Neck and neck. I do enjoy a Genielock, there’s fun to be had with Bottled Respite, and I have a fair few ideas for Celestial too, because I like the idea of being hired, on a mercenary basis, to aid the forces of good. I love the idea of some pragmatic deva somewhere just hiring, no convictions necessary, I will simply pay you in magic to fix this evil for me. It’s a great vibe. But Fathomless and GOOlock fill my cosmic horror love so well. I think the edge might go to Fathomless. Because tentacle. And also ocean. Heh.

Wizard: Illusion. Scribes and Abjuration hold joint second place, I love them both dearly. Bookish wizards and tanky wizards are excellent. But I love the diggy, trickster, seeker nature of illusionists. I love the playing with reality, the use of illusion to hide or reveal truth, the philosophical underpinning of a character that chooses, fully consciously, to pursue this school of magic. Also Phantasmal Force is an evil, evil spell, and I love it. Pick up the Metamagic Adept feat and get subtle spell, have a tonne of fun.

There are probably not surprising for most people, but I hadn’t gone through it by class before. So. Here we are?

[starlightcleric]

For the Pathfinder crpg fandom, if you have trouble keeping track of my many characters (I know I do), these are my two "main" ones for each of the games (picrew):

Baroness Adia Rih, tiefling (hellspawn) Kineticist

Knight Commander Lorraine Summerglen, halfling Monk (Scaled Fist)/Rogue/Paladin, mythic Angel

[blackjackkent]

OK, I think the time has finally arrived: The Baldur's Gate Gate.

And hey, our first glimpse of a Steel Watcher:

Pretty intense-looking thing, even from a distance.

This area is labeled as South Span Checkpoint, and there are some refugees arguing with the Flaming Fist near the gate, trying to get in. It didn't actually occur to me (or Hector either) till this moment that there's no more reason for them to let us in than the other refugees; the Fist do not know that we are the main character.

Hm.

Well, let's go up and try our luck.

"Halt! By orders of Lord Gortash, refugees are no longer allowed in the city. Turn around."

(A/N: This was a very lucky screenshot I managed to get because this woman's textures were flickering in and out of a very freaked-out state repeatedly.)

"I have urgent business in the city," Hector says firmly. It's not really a lie, right? That business just happens to be opposing Lord Gortash with every fiber of his being.

(He can feel how tense Karlach has gotten, hearing these Fist speak his name with respect, and there is a small part of him tempted to just let her loose to clear the way. But that would cause more problems than it would solve.)

She looks him up and down, raises an eyebrow. "Well. Do you have the means to support yourself?"

It's a casual request for a bribe. This is entirely lost on Hector, of course. [MONK] "I'm here on pilgrimage," he says earnestly. "The temples will support me."

Jaheira, worldly-wise as she is, smothers a laugh into a cough.

The guard narrows her eyes at him. "I'm afraid Article 30.1.7 stipulates that religious or spiritual assertions cannot count towards one's proof of self-sufficiency. I will repeat - for the last time, may I add - do you have the means to support yourself?"

He sighs, reaches into his pack, pulls out 20 platinum to show to her. (How much, he wonders, counts as a proper qualification?) "I can take care of myself," he says, trying to sound as calm as possible.

Her eyebrows lift, and then she grins, and in a single smooth motion, reaches out and plucks the coin from his palm. He's so startled that he doesn't have time to react before she has pocketed it.

"Right," she says with a somewhat nasty smirk. "Article 30.1.5 of the Council's Decree on Extraordinary Wartime Measures. I am confiscating that. The city thanks you for your contribution." The smirk fades to a glare. "Your name?"

Hector stares at her. He's so thrown by this development that he forgets to be subtle. "My name is Hector Carlisle."

"Greetings, citizen." The Steel Watcher speaks suddenly in a loud, robotic voice that makes Hector jump. As he turns automatically to look at the huge construct, his brain twists abruptly in his head.

"Your parasite stirs. From the construct, you feel connection. Resonance."

Bewilderment and discomfort mix in his mind. Does the construct somehow have a tadpole inside it? Or has it been programmed somehow to respond to True Souls of the Absolute? If the latter... could that potentially be of use to them?

Remain silent.

He's already said too much; he waits quietly to see if this guard intends to demand anything else of them - which of course she does.

"State your business!" she snaps at him.

Hector blinks rapidly, put on the spot again, but before he can come up with a suitable answer, Jaheira has cut in.

"I'm an herbalist by trade, Saer Fist," she says, lowering her voice to a soft murmur, putting just a hint of a catch into her breath. She steps forward to Hector's side, leaning forward to put a slight hunch into her back.

It's a rather remarkable transformation; without either disguise or change in accent she has lowered the threat of her appearance completely, in spite of the blades on her back. In retrospect, Hector thinks, of course a Harper would be good at deception and disguise as well as combat, but it is the first time he has seen Jaheira take such a tack.

It works, too - the Fist's expression immediately relaxes from hostility to mild disdain. "Uh huh," she says with a shrug, and gestures at the Steel Watcher. "Eyes open, body still."

Hector narrows his eyes warily. "Why?"

She smiles casually. "The Watcher will communicate with our new intelligence directorate. They'll determine if you're a threat to the city. Upstanding citizens have no reason to fear." She leans forward a little, her eyes narrowing pointedly. "And you *are* an upstanding citizen, aren't you?"

He keeps his face completely still with the ease of practice, but inwardly his mind is racing. How much does Gortash know about them? He was gone before they even fought Ketheric; he might not recognize them by face or name. He would know them by the presence of the Prism in Hector's pack; can the automaton detect that?

Too many questions. No point in buying trouble until he knows the situation.

Do as she says. Stand still.

Narrator: Behind the Watcher's gaze, a presence awakens. You are seen. You are known.

"Whoa..." Karlach mutters. "My engine. It's almost... I don't know. Buzzing. Like it's paying attention."

Hector can't respond, can't speak. His jaw feels wired shut, his attention bound by the mechanical creature bearing down on them.

Narrator: Your party's prior transgressions are reflected in its stare, as witnessed by the cult's ever-alert scrying eyes. It has heard the howls of slaughtered goblins. It has seen the deep shadows of Grymforge, and the stone floors left bloodied. The Watcher speaks directly into your mind with a voice like poisoned honey.

"You are marked for special treatment. Not simply an enemy of the people, but an enemy of the Absolute. Come quietly, or die."

The voice feels a little like the Guardian speaking to him, or like the communications that mental bond within their little group of travelers. But it is infinitely colder, mechanical and devoid of emotion or sympathy or life. It is a fist around his throat, ready to squeeze.

He could stand and fight here - but so close to the refugee camp, it's almost a certainty that innocents would be caught in the crossfire. Better to pretend to go along, and look for an opportunity somewhere less prone to collateral damage.

Consent to arrest.

He holds completely still, centering himself, conserving his energy, ready to follow and to capitalize on whatever presents itself.

"Your peaceful surrender has been noted," the Watcher intones coldly. "You will be transferred to Wyrm's Rock Prison where you will await further sentencing."

Hector takes a step forward, watching the construct warily -- but before he can be taken into custody, there's a scuffle of activity behind the gate.

"Eat this, you pile of junk!"

It's one of Wulbren's deep gnomes; she lifts one arm and hurls a small device at the Watcher with all her strength. Hector barely has time to realize what's happening and turn his eyes away before the device explodes in a blinding flash of light and lightning.

The guards stagger aside, clutching their eyes. The Watcher spasms as the electrical surge works through its circuitry. The deep gnomes vanish like shadows back into the crowd of the city.

And Hector and his companions, seeing the opening they were hoping for, barrel forward past the wall and out of sight.

[chokchokk]

Hi! Can I request for mafia/badboy/CEO domSanHwa x freader smut? I’m not sure what you’re comfortable with so just make it freaky and write what you’re comfortable with and leave out those you are not okay with!!

Was thinking about: daddy kink, mirror sex, breeding and bulge kink, choking, voyeur, exhibitionism, dirty talk, slight hair pulling??, any other freaking things you wanna add~

dearest anon, when i got this request i smashed my fist into the desk because HOW DID YOU KNOW i am trying to rewrite my mafiateez-series because i just love the concept of criminials!ateez so muchthatihavebeentryingto— *inhales*

i know you don’t know but i am making this canon now LMAO!!!

and tbfh with ya i do not have a daddy kink LMAO but you phrased it so kindly, yet you asked for freaky so i really hammered down on that one (youre welcome.) hope you get your thirst quenched!

here's the link to read "serve time" !! if you want find out more about the series, click to read more :)

to be honest, i spent my whole life making fun of the western sexy man bad boy mafia-trope ok. LMAO sue me

as a sucker for korean noir, i just appreciate/love the angsty, gritty and morally scratchy reality of kkangpae/geondal (= korean gangsters), and that world portrayed in korean media a titsy tiny bit more.... lol

inspiration for this series over all would be "nameless gangster" (yoon jongbin) and "new world" (park hoon-jong) but only for my characterisation for the teez boys

there's always been a little lack of strong female characters in these movies and while i do understand where that comes from, i wanted to explore the morality and ethics a woman could stand for in an industry like this without being too much of a femme fatale? i think i do tend to write for a more dominant, cheeky fem!reader, but yeah!!!

i had this one in my drafts since june 30, with my mafia series i had on ao3 being posted idk when i started with writing for ateez this year and i just?? idk kinda held myself back from wanting to really take myself serious because i fr just wanted to make fun of the trope lmao....... now i'm here having written 15k+ words so uh. yeah look at me now right

that being said, my main influence is having read bai, aka @/hwaightme's mafia!gangster!seonghwa fic "bang bang" AND I CAN'T STRESS THIS ENOUGH LMAO BECAUSE UH? it might actually be tattooed into my brain idk. IT'S JUST SO AMAZING? and fulfills every little dream of mine to have a woman-centred mafia noir movie. UGH.

anyhowww korean culture!

i used a bunch of proverbs which will kinda become important but ill make very clear when you can or when you don't have to pay attention so dont worry LMAO !!!!

with the help of my irl friends, i have tried to make the honorifics sound more natural and will provide you a list now to kinda guide you through it (it's not THAT complex tho tbh.)

this is only for chapter 1, i dunno exactly how it's gonna be like for chapter 2 !!!

"teacher" = "seu-nim" to refer a buddhist monk

"brother" = "hyung-nim" to refer to older male, in this context used to express that san is a mafiaboss who speeaks highly of seonghwa ("hyungnim" is also used to address mafiabosses)

"baby" is honestly a standalone? the equal would be "aga" or "jagiya" but i think mafiaboss!san means it as like baby baby, so "aga" (the cuter version of "aegi")

"daddy" (LMAO HELP) = "OPPA"???? okay this one still has me baffled but it will not be that relevant anyway. we did think of this as.... oppa tho. like it has the same implications at least LMAOOO

[ffxiiiapologist]

Since my brain has shifted back to this mode one thing I’ve been curious about for a while is like, making a playthrough as a Spirit Monk who starts out following the Closed Fist, whether due to anger at learning their past or having let their status at the school go to their head or Rejection Of The Call or what have you, at least for such a time/extent as to get Tempest and maybe Hidden Fist, only to at some point pivot toward the Open Palm for the remainder of their journey

(I would say “or try to exemplify a good-aligned Closed Fist follower to contrast the villain being an evil Open Palm follower” but unfortunately the choices the game gives you don’t really allow for that complexity which is honestly my main criticism-)

The fact the alignment change would weaken Tempest seems interesting as far as added challenge, although depending on the specific choices I might be delayed in even getting the style (on a typical playthrough I consistently get Stone Immortal before finishing Chapter 2). And from a roleplay perspective I’m not sure what story event or companion interaction or etc would prompt the change of heart. Much to think about

[overwatch-archive]

Ramattra: Reflections

Author: Gavin Jurgens Fyhrie Artist: Sylvain Decaux

Philosophical Differences

4 Years Before the Uprising

"You're a Ravager unit, right?" called a human behind me, and I froze, hands shaking beneath my robes.

The village beneath the Shambali monastery had barely changed since my last visit. A few cheery repair shops and tailors along the main road, specializing in robes for omnic travelers. In the alleyways and backstreets, shuttered shops. Mining offices. Humans drinking on doorsteps, watching the occasional omnic pass them by.

A handful of years ago, some of those same humans had knocked me to my knees and nearly killed me.

I turned instead to the human who had called me by my designation, fists clenched in my sleeves, and said nothing.

"Thought so," said the little shopkeeper happily. "Haven't seen one of you in a while. The news said you were all in hiding."

"Or dead at human hands," I said.

The human's smile faltered.

"You aren't a popular bunch. Not that I'm saying it's right," he added hastily. "But . . . what with everything you—and I don't mean you exactly—did in the Crisis, you, uh . . ."

I waited, then reluctantly came to his rescue.

"Make humans uncomfortable?"

"Exactly," he said, relieved.

Uncomfortable enough to justify violence, I thought. I should have been angry with him. Instead, I was weary. I'd had this conversation so many times.

"Can I help you?" I asked. The words were a relic of Mondatta's careful instruction.

"No," he said, "but I can help you! Thing is, I got a new shipment of actuators in for your kind. Can get you a nice discount, seeing as you're part of the Shambali and all."

He smiled. Warm gold flashed at the back of his grin.

R-7000s, unlike many other omnics, were never made by human hands. The rogue god program Anubis, the architect of the Omnic Crisis, built us in secret places and unleashed us upon the world. We were designed to lead its mindless armies, to hunt humans. We were made for murder.

There was only one way that spare parts had become available.

"I'm no longer a monk," I said. "I left the monastery today."

"Is that right?" the merchant said, glancing past me, down the street, down the mountain. I heard footsteps scraping on pavement. "Why?"

Because Mondatta places the burden of peace on the oppressed and not their oppressors.

"Philosophical differences," I said instead. "It seemed best. "

"Well, good luck to you, and safe travels!" he said. "You there! Welcome to the Shambali monastery."

I turned. A weary omnic pilgrim, stained orange by dust, scarred and dented, stumbled up the road past me. Seeing me in my robes, he lowered his head in respect.

The pain of it, the shame. The sight of me told him he was on the right path. I fought the urge to tell him that he wasn't. It wouldn't make a difference, even if I did.

I watched the shopkeeper come off his step, chattering, bundling the traveler into his shop.

Greed. Yet another of humanity’s crimes, but hardly their most terrible.

I sighed and continued down the road, down the mountain, away from the monastery.

And from my brother, Zenyatta, with whom I’d spent these last three years dreaming of peace.

Names

3 Years Before the Uprising

Two human guards blocked the windowless cell door. Both had stun batons, and a pistol hung from the hip of the larger man.

"I'll give you one chance to run," I said, hoping they wouldn't.

Some segments of humanity had decided that despite the Crisis, despite sentience, their former omnic servants were still their property. That our status as independent beings was somehow still a subject for debate. Hence facilities like this one existed, where omnics were kept until they decided that service to their former masters was the best use of their long lives.

Since leaving the Shambali monastery, I'd rooted out several identical operations, but there were always more festering. I'd come here hoping to free my people as quietly as possible. Unfortunately, after encountering the same injustice over and over again, my patience with peace was wearing thin. I'd gotten angry, thrown a man through a window, and here we were.

The first guard swung his baton. It bounced off my chest with a pop.

I took a step toward him.

Pale, he dropped the baton and went for his gun. Behind him, the other human struggled with the locked door, trying to escape. Or maybe to take a hostage.

Damn it.

I slapped the gun out of the guard's hand. As gently as I did it, something snapped. Again, I felt the ghost of guilt, the mournful weight of Mondatta's eyes on me. And following that, anger. Oppressors did not deserve the gift of our guilt.

The door flew open, and the other guard barreled through. Electrical light flared again, and someone screamed.

"Remember that I could have killed you," I told the human on the ground and plunged through the door to disarm the guard.

Oh.

The bald man already lay facedown on the tile, unmoving. His clothes were smoking in places. It wasn’t at all clear if he was breathing.

"I know who you are," came a voice from the corner of the small, bare room.

"Do you?" I asked, honestly curious. The omnic was a rarer kind, highly customized with features I thought hadn't survived the Crisis. Slightly shorter than myself, but blue-eyed and with ears rather like a slender humanoid rabbit. Made as a companion for children, if I remembered correctly, with a built-in battery for charging devices and taking pictures.

"Yeah, they said. You're the R-7000 who's been freeing omnics. Some of the others were hoping you'd make it here."

"But not you?"

"I can take care of myself."

The human made a burbling sound somewhere near my feet.

"I believe you," I said. "What did you do to him?"

"Electrical burst. Not a big deal."

"I think he'd disagree. So why haven't you escaped on your own?"

The omnic huffed. "And leave my friends behind? Waiting for a rescue that might never come?"

"I'm here now," I said, a little puzzled.

The omnic shook their head, thoughtful.

"Your model bossed us around in the Crisis. Sent us to die before we even had a thought in our heads."

My hand twitched at my side, but I nodded.

"So, is that what this is?" they said. "You still have a taste for glory? Ordering your soldiers around?"

"Do you still follow children around like an obedient pet?" I said, more sharply than I'd intended.

They half chuckled. "Fair. But the point stands. Our people are waiting for a savior when they should be saving themselves."

I agreed with this. It's why I was here. I'd seen enough in this year on walkabout to know that most of our people rested on the hope that Mondatta and the Shambali would save them. It seemed the truth—that no one was coming, that the people themselves needed to rise—was too much to bear.

But here was this omnic, saying the words that my mind had been shouting.

"And if they die?" I asked.

The omnic cocked their head.

"We're still at war," they said. "Didn't stop because the Crisis did. Difference is, humans are still organized. We aren't."

"Not yet," I said. The words felt like a promise. "Introductions, then. My name is Ramattra. Yours?"

"Don't have a name, don't want one. Call me Nameless if it gets awkward for you. What's Ramattra mean?"

"I chose it to honor the first of our kind and kept it to remember my mistakes."

"Huh," said Nameless. "If you're breaking everyone out, I'm coming with you."

"Beg pardon?"

"We should get Zera next. You'll see why. And if we're banding together, we need a name."

"Isn't that hypocritical?" I said dryly.

They snickered.

I glanced at the omnic's flank, at the scarring there, where a model number, a designation, had once been.

If I could have smiled, I would have.



Weapons of War

2 Years Before the Uprising

I led the three of them across the valley and down into the metal gateway, half-buried by thick slabs of ice and stone. We were silent as humans in a graveyard, and for much the same reason.

We reached the bottom of the gateway, a metal platform sheathed in ice. I turned to Lanet.

I could sense her mind racing ahead of mine, studying what little technology was visible of the facility at this level. I was a passable engineer, but she made me look like a human child playing with blocks.

"I know where we are," she said. "Unorthodox architecture. Lack of human safety features. Built by machines for machines. Similar to your design aesthetics."

She looked up.

"An omnium. Built by Anubis." Silence.

I laid a hand on the platform controls.

"For years we have tried nonviolence, coexistence with the humans, only fighting the worst forms of our oppression from the shadows," I said. "And we are losing. It is time to try something new."

I activated the platform, and with a jolt, we descended into the frozen darkness, through a shaft of ice.

"Of all the omnics I've brought into Null Sector," I said, "you are the ones I trust the most. And so . . . this is where I was designed and built. This is the cradle of Anubis's most dangerous secrets."

The corridor fell away, and they saw the vast underground factory.

"Humanity denies us equality because they have so successfully stripped us of our power. They made us forget that, when united—even if united against our will—we once brought them to the brink of extinction."

This was the world my maker had made, and together we would use it to forge a new future.

"It is time we inspire our people to find that unity again."



Rise Up

4 Days Before the Uprising

"Ramattra," Lanet said, using that tone again.

"There is no time," I said, pacing across the omnium's control center. Below, the assembly lines labored, building our robotic army.

"What do you mean, there's no . . . we're following your schedule!" she shouted, pursuing me, throwing her arms in the air. "You can attack any city anywhere, and you're choosing King's Row and choosing now, and I'm telling you the robots you're getting from the lower levels of the omnium aren't ready. They're old, Ramattra. They're obsolete."

"You think you can design better soldiers than Anubis?"

"I hope so, because we want to win, and your maker lost."

I gripped the edges of the table to calm my temper. She was infuriating because she was so often right, but she was wrong now.

"We can't afford to wait for better soldiers. Look." I activated the bank of screens before us. Images and footage from London appeared, gathered over the years our cells had been active there.

Omnic laborers trudging in a single-file line to their work, watched by armed human guards.

"Next feed," I commanded, and the image changed.

A hundred of our people lying in a locked basement. Their home, at the end of a thankless day.

"Next feed."

A scrapyard. And there, discarded like the trash humans thought we were—

"We know," Zera said. "She isn't saying we shouldn't fight."

I flinched. It was the same thing I'd said to Zenyatta when we'd met, and not long before I'd nearly gotten him killed.

"Give me and Nameless a week," Zera continued, taking my silence for hesitation. "My cell can take down their power grid and water supplies, and Nameless's shadows can seize the tunnels. Kill anyone stupid enough to go down there. Once they're weakened, you come in with your robots, and we'll take the borough. Maybe more."

I met Nameless's blue gaze at the corner of the room. The omnic who knew me better than anyone, save for my brother.

"You know we're right," they said. "We built the resistance there together. Let the people be a part of it. Let them be the ones to rise up, like we always dreamed they would. An invasion won't inspire them—it will scare them off."

I hesitated again.

"No," I said at last. Beside me, Lanet struck the table with her fist.

"Ramattra, these robots are mindless drones. They're outdated! They're—"

"Expendable," I finished. "And you are not. Our people are not."

Lanet's eyes flickered.

"Fine," she said. "But I'll be in the city, overseeing the deployment and watching for malfunctions, and you know I know better, so stop arguing."

"Fine," I said. "You'll stay in the Underworld, where our defenses will be strongest."

After a moment, she nodded, and I relaxed a fraction.

"During this uprising, we will show the humans we are stronger than they thought. We establish a stronghold in one of their cruelest cities, and we make a safe place for our people. We will show omnics everywhere that now is the time to join us. That is the goal."

I turned back to the footage of the scrapyard, where too many of my people lay.

"It is time for omnics to discover who Null Sector truly is."

The Greatest Crime

2 Days After the Uprising

"A small group of omnic terrorists, calling themselves Null Sector," said Mondatta sorrowfully on the screen before me. The human reporter on camera nodded with theatrical sympathy as my former master continued. "The monks of Shambali condemn this attack on London. We seek peace with humanity, not violence."

My eyes fell again to the words scrolling beneath his image.

NULL SECTOR RINGLEADER KILLED DURING POWER PLANT FIREFIGHT.

Fury descended. I remembered omnics sitting meekly in their cells, waiting for freedom. The vast rolling scrapyards of the dead.

And now, Mondatta dishonoring Lanet, who died fighting to free her people.

Someone was shouting. Someone was striking the screen with their fist.

Someone was begging me to stop.

"Ramattra! Please!"

I spun around, fist raised, and Zera stood motionless, making no move to defend herself. Nameless, far off in their usual corner of the too-empty room, looked up from their screen to stare at me, hard, and I froze at the pain of what I'd nearly done. The shame.

I looked up at the cracked screen. Bracketed by the damage stood Mondatta, flickering and still, naming us traitors to the omnic people.

The hypocrisy.

"Do you know," I muttered, "what humanity's greatest crime is?"

Zera stared down at me, shaking her head.

"I've had enough," she started, but I didn't let her finish. I flipped back around to face her, the anger surging through me again.

"Complacency!" I shouted. "They desire peace above all, and so they ignore injustice because it is more comfortable to do so. They want to believe tomorrow will be better simply because they hope it will be. Humanity will never help us. They will try to sell us a small place in their world, or at best, ignore us. And they have passed their weaknesses to him."

I pointed back at Mondatta because I couldn't bear to look at him again.

"He holds himself above us. Like Anubis, Mondatta is sending our people to their deaths. He must pay for this and—"

"Ramattra," said Nameless, speaking at last. "I'm checking reports. A lot of omnics are condemning us."

I put a hand to my forehead. My thoughts felt hot, poisonous. I had to say them aloud before they turned on me.

"If omnics are choosing death," I said carefully, "we must take that choice away."

My friends said nothing at first.

"What does that mean?" asked Nameless flatly.

"It means that I will build the army Lanet wanted," I said. "And then we will find a way to save our people, whether they want it or not. Whether they deserve it or not. If they will not willingly join us, we will find a way to make them."

"Ramattra, this isn't the way," Zera said, striving for calm and failing. More omnics will join us once the dust settles.

"They had their chance, and it cost Lanet her life."

Zera's giant hand closed into a fist at her side. "You freed us from a prison, and now you want us to put our people in one?"

"If that's what it takes to make them listen!"

Nameless uncoiled from their corner, eyes burning.

"You told me," they said, their voice low, a warning, "you told me this wasn't about control."

"Look at us," I snapped. "Fighting humans in bodies they shaped for us. Inheriting their flaws, their pointless disagreements. It doesn't have to be this way."

"It isn't your decision!" Nameless shouted back. "And I won't be part of it!"

"Then leave!" The words shot out of me, and I couldn't take them back.

Nameless straightened.

"Fine," they said quietly. "I've been away from my shadows long enough anyway. Coming, Zera?"

"Don't," I said.

"Then don't do this," Nameless said.

"You'll understand once I'm done."

Nameless came to me and patted my hand, a human gesture. It was infuriating.

"I hope you understand one day," they said, "that you didn't have to fight alone."

And then Nameless and Zera were gone.

I stood in the deepening silence a moment, feeling the absence of my companions, the impossible weight of metal and ice and stone above. A grave for our dream of peace.

And then, I got to work.

[berryzawati]

Variant Dungeon Wishlist

Ever since the introduction of Variant dungeons I’ve been thinking about which places we could visit in the future and which npcs could accompany the wol.

Personally there’s still a lot of places I wanna visit in the future and so many characters I wanna spend time with, so I made a little list of npcs with whom we could run future variant dungeons with:

Lyse (& alternatively Raubahn)

I wanna see more of Gyr Abania and Ala Mhigo. It is my favorite place in all of Eorzea and Ala Mhigo always gets shafted by the devs and fandom. Because of that I’m itching to learn more lore and this type of content would be the perfect opportunity to do just that.

Because of my wol’s lore I’ve taken a great interest in the monk job lore and the Fist of Rhalgr, so if there’s an aspect of Ala Mhigan culture I’d choose for a Variant Dungeon it’d be monk lore. Though because I feel Ala Mhigo got the shorter end of the stick I’d take anything. I’m also up for more Lyse lore and maybe M’naago makes an appearance in the notes?

Kan-E-Senna

The sole reason why I want to run a Variant Dungeon with Kan-E-Senna is because this could be another opportunity to learn more about Gelmorra. Gelmorra was a focus in FFXIV 1.0 with its various locations (including unfinished dungeons!) but has been shafted in favor for Allag since 2.0.

The only times we get to see parts of Gelmorra are during Tam-Tara (which was about the Lambs of Dalamud), Toto-Rak and the Palace of the Dead. None of these instances focus on the culture of Gelmorra and the details as to how the Duskwight Elezen and Wildwood Elezen started to live apart.

And since Duskwight Elezen are extremely underrepresented, it is only fair to at least give their home another try. Kan-E-Senna is not an Elezen and theoretically be a neutral party in this conflict. That is if the dev team ever wants to write about Gridania’s political problems…

(Besides, I like Kan-E-Senna, she needs more screentime in this game…)

Aymeric

Honestly I just want more Aymeric screentime, no matter how. I don’t mind either staying in Coerthas or Dravania but if we do, I’d want to explore new aspects of these places. I’ve personally have my fill of the thousand year war against the dragons and I’d rather see something new. And a new private side of our lord commander! Possibly a look at his cat? Who knows!

Maxima

I wanna learn more about Garlemald, especially the Garlemald before Zenos and Fandaniel destroyed everything there. Alternatively I’d love to learn more about the Garleans before the founding of the Garlean Empire. The Garlean race has lived in Goug as well as Corvus, I’d love to learn more about their lifestyles from way back then.

But personally I’m also a huge sucker for Maxima and I wanna spend more time with him…

Yugiri

I wanna see more Far Eastern place and I love Yugiri! And I wanna visit a ninja village! Yugiri is a ninja, so she’d be the perfect candidate. I want to learn more about the ninja of Doma and frankly this is just me hoping to see Oboro, Tsubame and Karasu again.

Alternatively we could learn more about Sui-no-Sato again? The lives of the people there are extremely fascinating to me and Shisui was such a stunning dungeon. Wouldn’t mind seeing something like this again.

On a last note… It seems only people who only appeared in the msq are qualified for variant dungeons but I’d also would love to see other characters too like job quest characters or characters you meet during raid content like Mikoto from the Ivalice raids and Bozja but for that she has to appear in the main story first, it seems… that makes sense but my heart is still a little broken lol

[nerendus]

Dateability/Fuckability of every Demon's Souls boss.

Because I have refined tastes, of course, and I am so bored that I have to be doing something.

Phalanx — Literally look at these guys. The sludge polycule is so guarded and paranoid, that they are all shielded and wielding spears to attack anyone coming close to trying to join them. And whilst this will contradict with what I have to say about a certain boss later on, I personally do not find sludge monsters attractive. 3/10.

Tower Knight — Okay, I like big enemies. They usually are very attractive, but I gotta be honest. The man's a little too big for my tastes. If I was 8'10, I would reconsider, but as a measly 5'3 lass, I would not be able to handle the overwhelming stress of going out on a stroll with him in public and everyone pointing and laughing at how short I am. 5/10.

Armor Spider — She is very beautiful, but insectoids usually aren't my thing (Garden of Eyes being the main exception). She's also constantly vomiting flammable blood everywhere, and that's a bit of a turnoff. However, her boss fight has a fun rhythm to it, so if she ever wants to go out dancing, I'm free Friday. 4/10.

Flamelurker — Listen, this guy is attractive. He has this weird, awesome vest jacket that's probably his rock flesh. But fuck him. Playing a melee playthrough and not having magic makes his fight so fucking miserable. At least I read on the wiki to go grab some sticky white stuff to make it not so bad. 2/10.

DRAGON GOD — HIIIIIIIIIIIMMMM!!! He's so strong, and beautiful, and muscular, and has so many eyes. He kept fisting me through the fight which just makes me love him more. I have normal thoughts and feelings about dragons. 100/10.

Fool's Idol — She is one of the first characters I ever saw related to this game, and I just instantly fell in love with her. I have a sinking feeling she'd probably call me slurs, just because Latria is either very right wing or very left wing. Can't be any other way. 10/10.

Maneaters — No. 0/10.

Old Monk — This dude was so cool for the literal five seconds he was on screen. When the boss fight ended, I just kept looking up at the throne like “Okay, c'mon! Where's phase two?” Phase two never came. I never truly got to fight the King in Yellow. 5/10.

Adjudicator — This guy's just silly. Literally, what is he doing in this room. Who's the bird. Nice tongue game, though. 8/10.

Old Hero — YES. HOT MAN. TATOOES! SCARS! PIERCINGS! MUSCLES! THAT FUCKING HAIR CUT! He'd be an amazing lover, I just know it. 10/10.

Sadly, this is the end due to Tumblr's image limit, second part will be reblogged.

[valkariel]

Dragonsbreath

» Glamour Backlog «

I just love how this top shows off the monk weapon so well. Maybe will be one of my Moonfire Faire glams :>

Head: Shishu Gozen Kanzashi - jet black Body: Moonfire Happi - default Hands: -- Legs: Diadochos Bottoms of Striking - default Feet: Eastern Lady Errant's Boots - default

Earring: Manalis Earrings of Slaying Neck: Purgatory Choker of Slaying Wrists: The Emperor's New Bracelet Right Ring: The Emperor's New Ring Left Ring: The Emperor's New Ring

Main Hand: Dragon's Beard Fists Off Hand: --

Fashion Accessory: -- Minion: -- Location: Faeberry Atelier

Shader: Faeberry Studio

[windudemon]

dnd subclasses as 16types

white with mace = cleric domains

dark grey mask and dagger = rogue subclasses

orange with fist = monk paths

yellow with fullplate helmet = paladin oaths

gray with martial weapons = fighter subclasses

purple with cosmic eye = warlock bonds

pink with lute = bard colleges

light green with sickle= druid subclasses

light blue with magically imbued gear = artificer types

red with fire in droplet = sorcerer subclasses

dark green with dual daggers and paw = ranger kinds

dark blue with hand casting magic = wizard schools

find information about these and more subclasses here

check out my main blog @ demonwindu.wordpress.com

[wyllzel]

This is my Tav, Asa, whom I beat Honor Mode 🏆 with! She's my take on the Tavern Brawler Open Hand Monk (TB OH Monk).

I didn't take a dip in Thief Rogue for the Extra Bonus Action, and I took her Strength to 20 instead of relying on potions for the whole game – so her damage could definitely be improved. However, I was already more than happy with her combat performance. 🫡

(More details below!)

Summary

Class: Level 12 Monk (Way of the Open Hand)

Ability Scores: 20 Strength, 14 Dexterity, 23 Constitution, 8 Intelligence, 16 Wisdom, 10 Charisma

Saving Throws: +9 Strength, +6 Dexterity, +6 Constitution, -1 Intelligence, +3 Wisdom, 0 Charisma

Race: Seldarine Drow

Background: Criminal

Hit Points: 135

I created Asa as a Drow for the Darkvision and to easily pass a lot of the Act 1 checks (the goblin camp). She took the Criminal Background for the proficiency in Stealth (my parties are usually designed around Stealth and Surprise rounds).

Other

Skills: Athletics (+9), Stealth (+6), Insight (+7), Perception (+7), Deception (+4)

Feats: Tavern Brawler, Alert, ASI

Tavern Brawler is one of the most broken feats in the game. 😁 Alert is pretty crucial for Honor Mode, as you can easily take the upper-hand in combat by just having high initiative.

Equipment

Headwear: Haste Helm

Smooth Start: At the start of combat, the wearer gains Momentum for 3 turns.

Monks are a very melee-dependent class, so it's important to make sure that your Monk is able to zip around the combat zone.

Cloak: Fleshmelter Cloak

Caustic Reprisal: Whenever a creature deals melee damage to the wearer, that creature takes +1d4 Acid Damage.

Monks will almost always be in melee combat.

Armor: Helldusk Armor

You are considered Proficient with this armor while wearing it. (This is the only Heavy Armor I know of that offers this passive.)

Infernal Retribution: When you succeed a Saving Throw, the caster receives Burning for 3 turns.

Prime Aegis of Fire: You have Resistance to Fire Damage and cannot be Burned. You take 3 less damage from all sources.

Fly: Grants the ability to Fly.

As of Patch #6, Hotfix #21, the extra movement speed granted to Monks by Unarmored Movement is not lost when wearing this armor.

Because Monks don't have any armor proficiency (earning them the "glass cannon" nickname), I put Asa in the best "grants proficiency" armor in the game.

Handwear: Gloves of Soul Catching

Soul Fist: Your unarmed attacks deal an additional +1d10 Force damage.

Soul Catching: Once per turn, on an unarmed hit, you regain 10 HP. Alternatively, you may forego healing to gain Advantage on Attack rolls and Saving throws until the end of your next turn.

Constitution +2, up to 20.

Footwear: Boots of Uninhibited Kushigo

Experienced And Deadly: The wearer deals additional damage equal to their Wisdom Modifier with Unarmed Strikes.

Amulet: Amulet of Greater Health

Sets the wearer's Constitution score to 23. The enchantment has no effect if their Constitution score is higher without it.

Advantage on Constitution Saving throws.

After getting this amulet, I dumped Asa's Constitution score and put those points towards Wisdom instead (for the Boots of Uninhibited Kushigo and Manifestation Passive (Way of the Open Hand)).

Ring A: Ring of Flinging

Throwing Boost: The wearer gains a +1d4 bonus to Throw Damage.

Ring B: Burnished Ring

Paralyzing Ray: Cast as a Level 3 spell (Recharge: Long Rest).

I don't think I ever used this spell, but it was nice to have just in case!

Main Hand (Melee): N/A

Unarmed Strikes all the way. 😎

Main Hand (Ranged): Bow of the Banshee

I don't think I ever used the bow (instead relying on Throwing Weapons), but like the Burnished Ring, it was nice to have just in case.

Combat Performance

Melee Damage: Unarmed Strike

Attack Roll Bonus: +14

Damage (Bludgeoning, +1d4 Radiant, +1d10 Force): 19-38

Flurry of Blows Damage: 38-76

Stunning Strike Save: 17 DC

Flurry of Blows (Condition) Save: 17 DC

Ranged Damage: Thrown Dagger

Attack Roll Bonus: +14

Damage (Piercing): 12-18

Most of the time, I would have Asa land two Unarmed Strikes (often a Stunning Strike) and a Flurry of Blows on a high HP target. Because her Attack Roll Bonus is so high, she was almost always doing 76-228 Damage per round.

[miqomonkly]

Character Inspiration: I'lyanna Zahn

Short(ish) Story to Start:

I've mentioned it before on a different post and maybe on a different site, but I wanna place it here as a foreward:

I never had an inspiration for Lyanna to start. She was my brainchild, who happens to have a lot of traits comparative to other pop culture icons.

When I first created her my idea was simple:

I wanted a catgirl who wasn't your average catgirl. I wanted one who was strong, who could take care of herself and be taken seriously by the world around her. Having her become a Monk seemed the most logical choice, as that connection to hand to hand combat seemed like a gateway to self-sufficiency.

It's been a long journey for me and her. And even now, I'm still learning about her and her story, and it continues to fill me with joy, pride, and sorrow. And I will continue to learn more as I share her with all of you wonderful people.

So... let's get into it, shall we?

Top Left: Cal Kestis

A rather spontaneous addition to this list, Cal Kestis is a tricky one to connect the dots to. The main connection comes from his life; the life of a survivor. His family - or what he considered his family - had been destroyed in one fell swoop, and those that remained were being hunted. In both of his games, Cal lost people he cared about, or worse, was betrayed by them. Sorrow was ever his companion, and itnled him ever closer to a dark and dangerous path... But through it all, he kept pushing. Fighting for a future where he and others like him no longer had to hide or love in fear, he continued to rise to the challenge.

Lyanna is no stranger to this kind of pain, and she, too, has risen to conquer it. Like Cal, she has lost much, but she will not give in to sorrow and despair. With her new family, she will fight for a world where all can finally know peace and love free from fear.

And she, at the last, my finally heal.

Middle Left: Tifa Lockhart

Tifa is an easy tie-in, and some might see it as a cop out when comparing the two. Tifa is strong, beautiful, and can kick your butt with only her fists and a prayer. To many, she's the shining example of the female companion; always by your side, honest, kind, heart full of gold.

I never made that connection until recently.

I still know so little about Tifa. I never played FFVII, and I never cared enough to look into her when I saw her around the internet. To me, she was just another sexy girl who could kick your butt; a dime a dozen in the video game world (I did have my closed-minded gamer period too, ya know!)

With the FFVII remake, however, I have had more time to see Tifa for her character than her appearance. And the more I learn about her, the more I see the connection between her and Lyanna. Kind and compassionate, fighting injustice at every turn, all while still remaining soft on the inside. Tifa is a fantastic woman, and while I don't think Lyanna will ever reach her level of fame, she is a fine example for my girl to strive to be like.

Bottom Left: Alita Battle-Angel

Once more, another spontaneous connection. What little I know of Alita comes from the movie, and even then, I've only seen bits and snippets of scenes from it. What I have seen, however, is a testament to her character; she sought out answers to her past in spite of the opposition she faced, from enemies and friends alike. And those answers pushed her further to grow and overcome all her challenges... even when she lost those she loved.

Top Right: Lyse Hext

Lyse is, once again, an easy choice. Same discipline, same world, same trials... okay, maybe not the same, but they definitely have some overlap.

In my headcanon, Lyse is as much a factor in Lyanna's story as she is in hers; they both take inspiration from each other whether they see it or not. The more I think about it, Stormblood touches on the darkest parts of Lyanna's depression and grief... so much so that she nears a rather serious breaking point. It is the stalwart faith of one Lyse Hext, as well as the many who value Lyanna as a person beyond her title as Warrior of Light, who manage to bring her back to fighting shape.

Middle Right: Kazuma's Grandfather (Fruits Basket)

This unnamed side character has had more of an impact on me and my character creation than I've realized over the years. I read the manga well over 13 years ago, and the story of this man has stuck with me ever since.

To summarize; the ancient Chinese zodiac is reincarnated over the centuries into human forms. However, there is a thirteen member that is included in this cycle: the Cat, who was deceived by the Rat into not attending the emperor's party. As such, the spirit of the Cat has always been a cursed one, and no one seems to love the Cat as they are not a true member of the zodiac family.

This man, the previous Cat before the character featured prominently in the manga, suffered much disdain and scorn from his "family" simply because he inherited the Cat's spirit. But through it all, he was a kind and gentle man, well acquainted with grief but choosing to smile all the same. Such a man who has suffered as he should have every right to be angry... but he chose kindness.

I see Lyanna in a similar light; she's known grief, pain, betrayal, and suffering... and in spite of it all, she chooses to remain kind and show love to everyone. Only those who have spurned her kindness in too great a manner (Ilbed, Laurentius, and Yuyuhase, for example) are no longer worthy of her life... but even then, she strives to show love to all people, no matter what walks of life they come from.

Bottom Right: Sora Takenouchi

Digimon will always have a special place in my heart, and Sora here has a place even deeper. Quite possibly my first animated crush, there are several connection between her and Lyanna.

First off, her selflessness; Sora was always putting her friends first, doing her best to keep them safe. This could occasionally become overbearing, as she demonstrated with Biyomon on several occasions, but her heart was always in the right place. Likewise, Lyanna does her utmost to care for others and their needs... even at the cost of her own needs.

Along that train of thought, Sora's darkness has, at least on one occasion, drowned out the rest of her emotions and even sense of the outside world. The darkness, sorrow, and despair that Lyanna holds in her own heart has more than once threatened to overcome her and drag her over the edge. But just like Sora, Lyanna has the companionship of dear, tried, and true friends who are there to pull her back from the brink. And their inspiration is enough to keep her going... even at the end of all things.

This was WAAAAY too long coming. The ever so wonderful @chadhunkler tagged me some week or so ago, and I've been trying to get it done forever. I hope it was worth the wait!

I cannot currently think of anyone specific to tag, so if you see this and want to participate, please feel free! And feel free to tag me as well, because I would love to see all of your lovely works!