@Guy0fV4lor Honestly no idea, as my charts only go so far right now and are only loose guidelines. Because illithids are usually magical, Wisps and Pixies might work. Because they're slimy squid faced abominations, maybe slimes could work. Because they're weird magical mutant things in some settings, maybe even a Goblin could eventually turn into one.
Finding out what you turn into is part of the fun! Like I said, don't worry about an optimal path or the most effective stat builds or whatever.
A former chemist turned into Fanged Lizard. Will likely go down some potion maker/witch/shaman/alchemist of questionable potions route, if such a thing is ever possible for them. If not, well, tough life for her, heh xD
I'll have a CS up shortly, or once the IC/OOC goes up.
@Gobby Yep, that'd certainly be one way to go about it!
@Rune_Alchemist Sure. Doing alchemy might be a bit difficult without actual hands to hold ingredients, but just about every creature can get those at some point. As already mentioned, the Kobold is one of the early options for the lizards and there will be others also capable of using tools/equipment/etc.
@Knox I had considered insectoid monsters during my original design phase, and like you suggested thought about making them some kind of "trap master" type of character. But the most common abilities for most insects involving paralyzing or poisonous stings, fangs, etc. which the Fanged Lizard already does. Building traps out of webbing, or digging out pitfalls in the ground, could be an interesting form of combat but it seemed like it would force the players to be too passive--they build the trap, then sit and wait for something to fall into it, and I didn't think players would enjoy waiting around like that. Being speedster types, using guerrilla tactics, could work but then they would be another form of DPS like the Dire Rat, and I tried to avoid having the starter monster roles overlap as much as possible.
Not to mention most "mook level" insects would be things like giant ants, or *Projared voice* BEES, and these creatures are hive-minds controlled by a Queen. Players already have to stand out among their monstrous peers to survive, but when doing so goes against the nature of the monster itself it just seemed like it wouldn't work out.
By all means though let's hear some more thoughts on the subject, maybe someone can help fix the issues I've pointed out.
Two ideas I had were that they could act as pseudo tanks by using their speed, reflexes, and range of movement to avoid attacks and attract the attention of the enemy. When they deal damage they don't take as much HP as Dire Rats, given that they're smaller and don't have their strong jaws, instead, they would have to rely on a death of a thousand cuts strategy if they wanted to kill a monster by themselves. The problem with this idea is that it kinda overlaps with slimes.
The other idea was to have them specialize in giving debuffs and buffs to their allies, making them akin to a support version of the fanged lizard, but I’m not sure if insects would be the right monster for that, maybe that would be more fitting for an Awakened Shrub monster or something like that.
@Knox Buffs and debuffs right now are kind of split between Pixies and Fanged Lizards, although the status effects aren't debuffs in the sense of the word that I tend to use. Pixies have the Shield spell that buffs an ally's defense. But debuffs like slowing down an enemy, or making them weaker, or causing their magic to be less effective, don't really seem like the kind of things you'd expect from an insectoid monster.
The biggest problem I feel insect monsters would have, though, is that right now it's hard to see a niche for them. We have a Tank, a Healer, a DPS, a Status Effecter, a Magic Attacker, and a Jack of All Trades. Not really sure what insects could do that would really give them a strong, purposeful presence when under the control of a Player.
@Zeroth Here's my cs, lemme know if I need to change anything -
Jason
Theme:
-
Gender:
Even with the current lack of genitalia (which will hopefully change in the future) due to being a SLIME, Jason still happens to be a Male.
Species:
Jason is a slippery slimeboi
Appearance:
Jason is a SLIME; basically a big ol' wad o' green goo. What the fuck did you expect? A unique well-described appearance? Fuck you, he's goddamn slime for christ sake.
Goals:
Jason just wants to kick ass and take names, he also wants to become a super cool psychicboi.
Past Life:
In his past life, Jason was a star college student studying mechanical engineering. Beyond that, Jason was captain of his school's martial arts club, as well as a comic book and anime enthusiast. His untimely death was caused by a drunk driver who crashed into Jason's car late at night.
@Knox The biggest problem I feel insect monsters would have, though, is that right now it's hard to see a niche for them. We have a Tank, a Healer, a DPS, a Status Effecter, a Magic Attacker, and a Jack of All Trades. Not really sure what insects could do that would really give them a strong, purposeful presence when under the control of a Player.
Agreed, so unless I get another idea, I'll probably go choose the Goblins and have a CS by tomorrow.
Gender: Male? I'm a slime...no genitals. I think...
Species: Slime
Appearance: A fluctuating red and orange colored slime that would probably fill a five gallon bucket. It's genuinely difficult to tell where he's looking unless he "generates" a head with limited facial features.
Goals: The world is vast and new. I want to see it and hopefully not get killed by some idiot newbie with a stick sword.
Past Life: Asura's past life he only had a few things that stood out. He worked for the city he lived in. Doing things like mending roads, removing trees, cleaning up debris from storms, fixing waterlines and sewage, installing signs and various lights. He's sort of a jack of all trades when it comes to work. Thankfully he wasn't high enough in the chain to be forced to do loathsome paperwork. While not at work he was doing one of three things. Playing video games, namely western styled rpg's with the occasional slice of life genre. Busting his ass at the gym to keep a general strong body. The gym led to the third aspect of his life, boxing. He loved boxing even if he never went pro. His naturally high pain tolerance stacked with building it up higher through training let him dominate local challenges. Despite being a healthy guy and working hard he still died fairly young. He honestly doesn't remember how it happened but he figured it's most likely work related.
Abilities:
Physical Damage Resistance I. (A bundle skill applying to all three types, Blunt, Slash, and Pierce)
@Zeroth Heyo, here ya go. Tell how she looks and if there are problems~
Name:
Ashlyn Irving
Theme:
Gender:
Female
Species:
Fanged Lizard
Appearance:
Small, not too threatening looking, and overall not very impressive. Ash is a fairly typical Fanged Lizard, with a small about as big and long as an average human arm. She does however, have a few easily identifiable markings from other Fanged Lizards, carrying a few outstanding physical identifiers. Most notable would be the thin, vibrant but dark purple stripes she has running from the end of her nose, to the tip of her tail. Her lizard like eyes, are a vibrant green.
Has a tendency to watch things instead of engaging in fights or otherwise exert physical activity, preferring to boss others around or talk her way out of problems.
Goals:
-Research new chemicals and such in this world, and use that knowledge to better her own position. -Too little information to work on. Perhaps she'll take it easy and not overwork herself to near-death like last time? She has little interest in helping people.
Past Life:
Ashlyn, is a product of a wealthy upbringing and near perfect education. A typical story of a perfect kid burning themselves out and going a bit off the deep end.
Born in a large city in the United States, she had one of the best damn lives anyone could have hoped for growing up. She was born into a family of doctors, scientists, and other such people who had been such for generations and were quite proud of their lineage. Intellectuals, philosophers - the Elite of the elite, some might say. A little pompous, haughty, and self-serving as well, but such is the nature of human beings if one would ask her.
Ash was expected to be no exception. From the moment she was born she was made to study, go to the best schools, eat healthily, etc. Things such as that. Her parents were fairly controlling of how she was supposed to be, affording her very little leisure time. A lonely existence, that perhaps jaded her a little growing up since the word 'friend' was something fairly foreign to her. Even so, she worked tirelessly to better her academic studies in all fields. For most of her early life, she didn't question this. She pursued knowledge simply for the sake of knowledge, even if she ended up almost shunning everyone but her parents and immediate family. She worked hard, winning several awards in her school district in a number of academic areas. Maths, sciences, and literature areas. It was during a party her parents planned for this little victory of hers, did she realize something.
She was exhausted.
Not Physically - mentally. Almost as if her brain had decided to take a vacation without warning, and she began to question a few things. Most notably - why she was trying so hard. She had never given it a thought before - why she was doing anything. She just did as she was told by her parents without a care, question, or heed to what she herself wanted. Typical things any kids asked themselves, really - but it perhaps affected her harder than others.
Depression is a nasty thing.
She became mildly obsessed with her appearance, preferring to spend days excessively applying, removing, and then reapplying make-up, visiting beauty salons and almost neurotically trying to find something anything that made her feel something other than complete and utter apathy towards everything. She never got into drugs or stuff like that of course - she was smarter than that and valued her intellect above anything else. Drugs would only hurt that. Of course, she tried not to let this this lack of interest to affect her grades.
The rest of her life wasn't any better. She spent most of it just coasting through, taking each day as they came, not really doing much else from her work at a pharmaceutical companies research division. She spent most of her time playing with deadly chemicals and seeing exactly how the interacted with living, organic tissue - not that no one ever found out about that little morbid curiosity of hers. Never married, or really had any personal relationships.
In the end, she died alone at the age of fifty seven from work related stress, never really living a very exciting or what one would call a 'fulfilling' life.
When she was offered a second chance of life, she was skeptical at first. Demon lord? Living again? What sort of ridiculous statement was that? That said...she had never really been one to change the course of her own life. Perhaps she could change that here? She had an extensive knowledge of chemicals, how they reacted with others...perhaps that could be put to use here?
Well, why not? No need to start arguing with people just yet, heh. She accepted the deal without hesitation.
Abilities:
Stun fang I
- injects poison when biting an enemy that will cause their bodies to seize up. They become unable to move until they are cured or it wears off. (Fanged Lizard starting skill)
Poison Spit I
- lobs a ball of liquid poison over a short distance. Even if it doesn’t inflict status, it has an acidic burn. (Fanged Lizard starting skill)
@Guy0fV4lor@Kazemitsu Aside from adding a bit more detail or fleshing things out here and there, both of these are fine so far. There's just one suggestion I'd make, though it's not unique to the two of you.
Just remember, everyone, I'd prefer the Past Lives not be a bunch of Modern Renaissance Men/Women. Having hobbies is one thing but no normal human being could be a genius chemist AND a pro athlete AND a skilled mechanic AND an expert fencer or marksman all at once.
@Rune_Alchemist Excellent work! It won't change how you've chosen to describe her, but for those who want a more specific picture of a Fanged Lizard, imagine a Gila Monster in various differing colors, maybe a frill or two, and then two big sabertooth style fangs. Unless you think whatever you had in mind was cooler, so long as it's a lizard that would be considered unusually big by our standards and has fangs.
Went ahead and got the thread up and ready to go. Still working tomorrow but it should be less hectic so I'll try to check in when I can and hopefully get people's characters approved in a timely manner.
Just a bump to announce we've had a couple of players withdraw, and this RP IS still open for applications. We're at a good point in the beginning for people to keep joining, there's not a lot of "plot" and no one's gotten very far ahead of each other in terms of ability growth.
