#47. Differentiating Hybrids

Been a while. Things happened here and there, but they're all irrelevant so I won't write the whole thing here. Let's just say that I am going through a transition here, and let's just get down to business.

So as I've been working on D&D homebrews and critiques, I had some thoughts on myself. One thing I took interest, while talking with my peers and colleagues (if I can call them that), was the matter of hybrid classes. So after almost like half a century of trials and errors, the "class" system typically divides a character into some roles: Tank, DPS, bruiser, buff/debuff, heal, and so forth. Most classes can do only a handful of things by themselves, as far as multiclassing or whatnot is not concerned. Then there's hybrid classes, whose shticks are to step on toes of more than a class would normally do.

The problem of hybrid classes, especially in JRPG, is that they are jack of all trades but master of none. Take Red Mage from Final Fantasy, for instance. It is probably the archetypical JRPG hybrid class, who can do all melee swordfight, healing spells, and damaging spells, but none of them are as good as dedicated, or "pure," classes. And as an archetypical JRPG hybrid class, its flaw is shared among many JRPG hybrid classes: It starts strong with diversity, but ends up mediocre due to its lack of specialty.

"Specialty" is the word I'm looking for here. Many hybrid class fails to acknowledge that, whatever fancy fluffs they can provide, what matters most is their specialty, as in, something that can answer the question "So what can I not do without this class?" I've been hitting 'round the bush on this part, because hell, I am a fan of hybrid claass myself, but only recently did I find a suitable answer for myself. I found that answer from, yet again, D&D: The very existence of paladin class.

Take paladin. Your typical tank/bruiser/heal hybrid. Easy peasy. But what makes a paladin different (note that it's not good or bad that counts; it's always different) from a fighter/cleric multiclass? Currently in 5th ediiton, a paladin gains access to a number of unique benefits that only it can provide: A list of exclusive spells, Divine Smite, aura features, and super saiyan 20th-level feature. Of course some classes can gain a fascimile of these stuffs, but without that, only paladin can grant these benefits and therefore has its niche.

So ironically, a hybrid class must be specialized in its own way, while providing multiple benefits that a combination of lower-tier classes would provide. The aforementioned Red Mage has Dual Cast, which is an exclusive feature that only the class could grant, but my disdain is that it is the only feature that makes it different and it comes too late.

So yeah. Maybe I can take this into consideration when I make something that at least is corporeal. End transmission.

#46. Oh Japan and Your Shoddy Novels

Before I begin, almost all links on this particular post is either in Japanese or related to Japanese materials. If you ever clicked any of them and are lost in translation, trust me, you are completely normal.

I must confess, I am not a fan of so-called Japanese light novels. I don't read them on a regular basis, I only have like four books in my bookshelf and is starting to regret ever buying those. It's just not my thing.

Now, normally I won't whine on things I don't care at all, but these days I had some curiosity on what the hell is going on all those Japanese light novel market. Of course there's another world this, another world that, a truck runs over you and you reincarnate in (take a wild guess) another world, that all just happened. I read through the very same theme when I was like fifteen, so it was actually a surprise to me. I thought that thing was all past things. (What didn't surprise me was the titles, which are now almost always one or more sentences. With ten words or more. I miss the good ol' single-to-double word titles.)

But seriously, recently things get way too much. Last summer I saw some bloke wrote what he thought was clever but was stupid was hell, something like what, 300 normal soldiers going on a siege against 5,000 demonic warriors? And he called it "a genius tactic?" Anyone with the slightest idea of Lanchester's square law will see how unrealistic and stupid this is, seriously. I took a look at what the hell was going on and had to scrub my eyeballs to get rid of what I just witnessed.

And there's this, what was the title again? Second Life in Another World or something. That thing was going to be anime'd but actually cancelled? Because the work has a protagonist who massacred thousands of Chinese in the war, and the author tweeted something chauvinistic? I know Japan is all messed up as of these days, but if a chauvinistic half-writer can be a million-selling author, I think almost all hopes are lost. (Amateur Tip, because I am not a professional writer: Perhaps it's best not to cause international controversy based on your so-called patriotism, which, as Samuel Johnson has said, is "the last refuge of a scoundrel.")

So that got my attentions at last. Recently I made an account on Syosetsuka Ni Narou, probably the biggest online novel site in Japan. I took some look at the recent hits, and had to scrub my eyeballs off to get rid of what I just witnessed. (Good thing I had some leftover bleaches from previous incident.) I mean, I'm no writer myself, just a generic weeaboo/gamer hybrid with some taste at fantasy genre, and I'm not even a native Japanese speaker/writer/reader/whatever, but hell, I can write a masterpiece if my future competitions are all... these. No, seriously. Japanese media was one of my greatest fascination when I was young, but these days, they keep disappointing me. All the wonders they showed me with Jojo's Bizarre Adventure (yes, this is a Jojo reference), Hellsing, Cowboy Bebop, Shin Megami Tensei, everything... It's not there. Not at least in this so-called Narou-kei novels. It's just sad to have this feeling that you finally get to meet your childhood idol and find him/her all fat, old, lazy, and uninteresting. That's how I feel now.

If they can do it, I can. If I actually do it, then it's the end of Japanese subculture literature. End transmission.

Weirdo Whoever Plays D&D: Racial Subclasses

Another homebrew article I failed to update. Desperate, I scratched the bottom of what I think is my font of homebrew ideas. At least I think I came up with something that at least makes sense, or is it just me? I can't be so sure.

The WWPD&D document "Racial Subclasses" can be found here (Google Docs) or here (GM Binder).

The entire WWPD&D documents can be found here.

Weirdo Whover Plays D&D: Hallowed Be Thy Name

Hello, darkness, my old friend... And this time, I'm doing it right!

I'm catching up with what I missed to update. I've been working on some cleric and paladin subclasses, and I mashed 'em up into a single WWPD&D article, with hurried spells for both classes. Yes, that's right, I'm running out of ideas.

The WWPD&D document "Hallowed Be Thy Name" can be found here (Google Docs) or here (GM Binder).

The entire WWPD&D documents can be found here.

Weirdo Whoever Plays D&D: Re-Imagining Psionics

Let's face it, I'm not the only one who is disappointed with how Mystic turned out. Which is why I've been working on almost complete overhaul of psionics for, I dunno, months? And now I think I came up with what I would enjoy.

The WWPD&D document "Re-Imagining Psionics" can be found here (Google Docs) or here (GM Binder).

The entire WWPD&D documents can be found here.

Weirdo Whoever Plays D&D: The Scion

Hello, darkness, my old friend... Oh wait, wrong way to start a blog post.

So this is my old shame, my old nemesis, and my old ambition. The very first full class homebrew I attempted, struggled on, almost given up on, and finally finished. I give you... wait for it... the Scion.

The WWPD&D document "The Scion" can be found here (Google Docs) or here (GM Binder).

The entire WWPD&D documents can be found here.

Weirdo Whoever Plays D&D: The Artificer, Revisited

I'll be frank, I didn't like how the Artificer class turned out in Unearthed Arcana. How much? So much that I made a revision out of it! (Insert obligatory Rocky Horror Picture Show audience participation joke here, haw haw.)

Actually I'm not the only one doing this, there are many like this, but this is mine. (Insert obligatory Full Metal Jacket joke here, haw haw.) So anyway, here is a new Weirdo Whoever Plays D&D article, taking some changes in the troublesome extra class we all hate and probably love.

The WWPD&D document "The Artificer, Revisited" can be found here (Google Docs) or here (GM Binder).

The entire WWPD&D documents can be found here.

Weirdo Whoever Plays D&D: I Solemnly Swear...

I made this last month, and I didn't post it here? Must have slipped off my mind, but then, I've been doing translation job and saving Tamriel every night, so I was really occupied. (Hang on, what do you mean I played Skyrim for more than 200 hours and still yet to defeat Alduin and save Tamriel?)

So yeah, I made this one a bit earlier, but it's mostly law-breaking subclasses and feats. If you want some outlaws in your party, maybe this could help you make something interesting. I hope.

The WWPD&D document "I Solemnly Swear..." can be found here (Google Docs) or here (NaturalCrit Homebrewery).

The entire WWPD&D documents can be found here.

#45. Harmless Ghost Story

Believe it or not, I am a total loser when it comes to horror stories. (But then, I am a loser by default, so that doesn't make much difference.) I mean, I don't have the right quality to enjoy all those jumpscares and goosebumps, especially jumpscares. There is masochistic joy, and there is jumpscares, which are not exactly good for my fragile heart.

But I should admit, horror stories have their niches, and some elements can be used for greater effects in other genres as well. The mystery-solving plot, the cruel twist, the charismatically hideous terrors... All of them are universal, but they shine most when the genre is set to horror.

So I've been indulging myself into recently concluded Five Nights at Freddy's franchise, as well as some other indie horror sensations, and one thought struck my mind: What's up with all these ghosts and their schadenfraude? I won't spoil much of the details (if there are still some things left to spoil at all) but all the ghosts in various games are determined, no, obsessed with tormenting mortals and driving them to suicide, if not outright killing them by themselves. If that is what happens when anyone dies, then I might have my reason not to die. Why can't the dead just leave the livings let live and rest in peace?

I know it's cheesy at best and diabetes-inducingly sweet at worst, but I do think that the ol' friendly ghost trope could be implemented for better effects. Maybe someone is dead, failed or was unwilling to move on to whatever that happens after death, but does not want to kill or worry others. Maybe they want to proceed to the afterlife but can't. (The reason could be serious like "someone else is keeping them from moving on" or "the killer is at large and thus [the ghost] cannot rest," or stupid like "they missed the upcoming Spinal Tap concert" or "[the ghost's] boss would be upset if they didn't show up at work.") Maybe you should help the ghost leave the mortal realm, because like Terminator, they cannot self-exorcise. More than often it would be living people who are more treacherous and deadly than ghosts. The list goes on. It would make a good visual novel story, at least.

So another nitwits on non-existent videogame idea ends here. When would I ever push myself into more committed lifestyle? Aw well, I'll just stick to translation job for now. End transmission.

Weirdo Whover Plays D&D: D&D Wiki Special

Some of the visitors to this squalid blog of mine (if there is any, that is) might recognize this weird handle name from a site known as D&D Wiki. Yes, I was a regular visitor to that site, I did some homebrew stuffs on that sites, and even more reworks and nitpicking. Sadly, the server status and my real life issues have barred me from visiting D&D Wiki these days, and besides, I found r/UnearthedArcana.

Still, I miss the good ol' days, and homebrew stuffs I made back in there. In memory of some of my first homebrews, this Weirdo Whoever Plays D&D article is dedicated to my old works at D&D Wiki.

The WWPD&D document "D&D Wiki Special" can be found here (Google Docs) or here (NaturalCrit Homebrewery).

The entire WWPD&D documents can be found here.