Rater's Ridiculously Rambunctious Random Ranter #229

[SZbNAhL]

It is not just superpowers though.

It's things like "If I enhance myself with nanomachines, replace my heart with this cybernetic one, and transfuse myself with the cells of this guy, this guy, and this guy then I should've able to evolve myself beyond what is definitely human" or "if I meditate under this specific waterfall day in and day out for ten years I will gain mystical powers over the elements, become eternally youthful, and slowly transform into a dragon as I practice my skills and cultivate my power" or "can I be Venom and Ghost Rider at the same time*?"

It's the transformation, transhuman, or gestalting myself with other beings.

*For the record, the answer is "yes." General ross was a Ghost Rider and Venom for a bit during his time as Red Hulk, Venomverse has a version of Roberto Reyes with Venom called "Host Rider," and Carnage was temporal imbued with the powers of a Rider in Absolute Carnage: Spirits of Vengence.

Ah, I'd slightly misunderstood. Still, as Peelee says, that's also fairly common. On second thoughts, I'm deleting the rest of this post because it was dancing the fine line between "sharing some interesting things I've read about transformation fantasies" and "unlicensed practice of psychiatry on the forums".

[Rater202]

Ah, I'd slightly misunderstood. Still, as Peelee says, that's also fairly common. On second thoughts, I'm deleting the rest of this post because it was dancing the fine line between "sharing some interesting things I've read about transformation fantasies" and "unlicensed practice of psychiatry on the forums".

If it has something to do with being uncomfortable with your body, then full disclosure that's something I'm already aware of: I'm a morbidly obese caffeine addict suffering from what, based on symptoms and family history, is early-onset arthritis.

"My current body sucks can I have a new one?" is most definitely a factor, I'm just wondering if fantasizing about hunting down and devouring a dozen dangerous animals to gain their power culminating into a transformation into a shapeshifting Godbeast is a bit on the weird side.

I mean, that's part of the reason why I don't think I can be trusted with superpowers: My preferences lean toward the "overpowered, eldritch, or just terrifying" side of the spectrum.

You ever played [Prototype]?

[Sermil]

For some reason, if I fantasize about superpowers, it's always fast travel of some sort (flight or teleportation)--not sure what that says about me!

Well, for me, it says I have a super-lousy commute and I would often fantasize about building a teleportation / wormhole machine so that I could get to my office in under a minute.

Well, technically, I had a super-lousy commute, until the pandemic is over. I really need to stop wishing in rooms where that monkey paw can hear me.

[Rater202]

Unrelated, I now know how much cayenne pepper is the right amount to use in my barbecue sauce.

I don't have exact measures, but eyeballing it it looked like about two teaspoons? Or maybe tablespoons, sometimes it can be hard to tell when everything is all spread out in a bowl.

Can just barely taste the pepper's unique flavors int eh cacophony of sweetness, spice, sourness, and savoriness from the other ingredients and enough capsaicin to make the tongue and lips tingle without being painful.

[sundernaught]

Unrelated, I now know how much cayenne pepper is the right amount to use in my barbecue sauce.

I don't have exact measures, but eyeballing it it looked like about two teaspoons? Or maybe tablespoons, sometimes it can be hard to tell when everything is all spread out in a bowl.

Can just barely taste the pepper's unique flavors int eh cacophony of sweetness, spice, sourness, and savoriness from the other ingredients and enough capsaicin to make the tongue and lips tingle without being painful.

Respectfully, if it is not painful, it is not spicy enough :p

[BisectedBrioche]

I've got my capture card up and running, and I'm so deliriously happy I can stream Metroid Prime at last, I can't even!

[Anonymouswizard]

I has a working phone! And now a working FitBit!

All I need now is regular time off so I can actually join a D&D game. Oh sure, I was playing, until suddenly all my Saturdays disappeared.

[BisectedBrioche]

I managed to use my capture card to cosplay stream Metroid Prime without a hitch, my D&D game (which had a good session 0) begins this Friday, and I have tomorrow and Thursday off work.

Everything seems to be coming up me this week! ^_^

[Anonymouswizard]

You know what annoys me an unnecessary amount? The tendency for RPG characters to only practice their religion if Clerics.

Yeah, I'm treading lightly.

I guess it starts from game designers not giving any details about religions, but there seems to be this idea that 'god stuff' is for Clerics. Which is disappointing considering that fantasy literature can get a lot of mileage out of a character's faith and the tenets they try to uphold. Plus the wonderful possibilities for character clash and development as people if different faiths, or even differing sects of the same religion, have to work together. Why is religion so often booked down to 'pick your chosen god and forget about it'.

It just feels like a missed opportunity in so many games. I enjoyed the one game I was in where a debate on the minutia of religion and converts came up, because while I was playing a Cleric it was the only time I've of my characters felt like a priest. Quoting fictional scripture to make my point, helping another through a crisis of faith, and feeling like more than a source of healing spells. Like my temple mattered to the world.

I like playing religious characters, but I feel like they're just unfashionable. It's a Shane, coming up with the rules you have to follow and religious festivals can be fun.

[Fyraltari]

You know what annoys me an unnecessary amount? The tendency for RPG characters to only practice their religion if Clerics.

Yeah, I'm treading lightly.

I guess it starts from game designers not giving any details about religions, but there seems to be this idea that 'god stuff' is for Clerics. Which is disappointing considering that fantasy literature can get a lot of mileage out of a character's faith and the tenets they try to uphold. Plus the wonderful possibilities for character clash and development as people if different faiths, or even differing sects of the same religion, have to work together. Why is religion so often booked down to 'pick your chosen god and forget about it'.

It just feels like a missed opportunity in so many games. I enjoyed the one game I was in where a debate on the minutia of religion and converts came up, because while I was playing a Cleric it was the only time I've of my characters felt like a priest. Quoting fictional scripture to make my point, helping another through a crisis of faith, and feeling like more than a source of healing spells. Like my temple mattered to the world.

I like playing religious characters, but I feel like they're just unfashionable. It's a Shane, coming up with the rules you have to follow and religious festivals can be fun.

I'm of the same mind. I fell it'd be easy to push players in that direction. AHve a bunch of religions each with perks and downsides like you have several tings you are required/barred to do but in exchange you can request help from your temples more easily/if you're good you can get a free minor miracle (like a low-level Cleric spell) a week or something. Plus some religions might be longstanding ennemies/allies or something.

[LaZodiac]

You know what annoys me an unnecessary amount? The tendency for RPG characters to only practice their religion if Clerics.

Yeah, I'm treading lightly.

I guess it starts from game designers not giving any details about religions, but there seems to be this idea that 'god stuff' is for Clerics. Which is disappointing considering that fantasy literature can get a lot of mileage out of a character's faith and the tenets they try to uphold. Plus the wonderful possibilities for character clash and development as people if different faiths, or even differing sects of the same religion, have to work together. Why is religion so often booked down to 'pick your chosen god and forget about it'.

It just feels like a missed opportunity in so many games. I enjoyed the one game I was in where a debate on the minutia of religion and converts came up, because while I was playing a Cleric it was the only time I've of my characters felt like a priest. Quoting fictional scripture to make my point, helping another through a crisis of faith, and feeling like more than a source of healing spells. Like my temple mattered to the world.

I like playing religious characters, but I feel like they're just unfashionable. It's a Shane, coming up with the rules you have to follow and religious festivals can be fun.

This is really funny to me because the DND game I'm playing in, we're all religious focused even if we aren't classes that benefit from it. Our monk is a solar soul aasamer devotee of his god, our warlock is the soul bound servant of his infernally divine demon queen, our paladin is a succubus who worships... mom, and I'm just straight up a cleric so I don't count but still.

[Mystic Muse]

So, I like my new job. I'm learning stuff, and it lets me afford nice or fun things.

But god does it suck working in a place where you're on the opposite end of the political alignment than everyone else.

[Rater202]

In religion in RPGs: I think I'm quite the opposite.

I prefer it that Gods stay in their heavens and hells and let Mortals do what they were created to do unless a mortal is deliberately invoking them.

Though, granted, that's becuase every game I've been in that had fantasy religion as a focus has followed the Ancient Greek model of divinity.

First-ever D&D game I was in I had my build ruined becuase I rolled a natural 20 on a prayer roll so my character's God showed up in person and cured his lycanthropy, meaning I was no longer qualified for the prestige class I'd spent the last five levels on.

[LaZodiac]

In religion in RPGs: I think I'm quite the opposite.

I prefer it that Gods stay in their heavens and hells and let Mortals do what they were created to do unless a mortal is deliberately invoking them.

Though, granted, that's becuase every game I've been in that had fantasy religion as a focus has followed the Ancient Greek model of divinity.

First-ever D&D game I was in I had my build ruined becuase I rolled a natural 20 on a prayer roll so my character's God showed up in person and cured his lycanthropy, meaning I was no longer qualified for the prestige class I'd spent the last five levels on.

That's not the fault of the system or the way gods are handled, that's the fault of the DM for not recognizing what it is you as a player wanted and just being bad.

I think it's cool when characters who aren't divinely oriented magic wise are religious, because it adds texture. I also think it is fun when a character who IS divinely oriented is not religious, or has some faults that pop up (to use the game I'm in as an example again, my character until very recently has never received visions or messages from her god, while others who she hung out with did, frequently. That's interesting!)

[Anonymouswizard]

I'm of the same mind. I fell it'd be easy to push players in that direction. AHve a bunch of religions each with perks and downsides like you have several tings you are required/barred to do but in exchange you can request help from your temples more easily/if you're good you can get a free minor miracle (like a low-level Cleric spell) a week or something. Plus some religions might be longstanding ennemies/allies or something.

Even without mechanical benefits there should be !I]social[/I] benefits to bring a member of a religion and upholding it's tenants. Easier integration into communities, trusted more (for most religions), possible favourable treatment by law enforcement, a lot of the benefits of maintaining a lawful good alignment.

But yes, several religions with perks and drawbacks would be nice, although I'd prefer it to be more along the lines of 'as a follower of the god of the dead you cannot walk barefoot on soil, but you do know the mayor's son'.

This is really funny to me because the DND game I'm playing in, we're all religious focused even if we aren't classes that benefit from it. Our monk is a solar soul aasamer devotee of his god, our warlock is the soul bound servant of his infernally divine demon queen, our paladin is a succubus who worships... mom, and I'm just straight up a cleric so I don't count but still.

Sure, but it's not my experience. I've played devout Fighters and Mages, but I've not seen anybody else who does.

Going beyond that, religion rarely seems to matter to the world. People don't attend weekly services, religion is only for special occasions or when you're begging the gods for something. Even if I'm a priest I'm rarely asked to bless the crops or give a sermon.

Maybe the certainty of god's plays a part in it? I'm not sure.

[Rater202]

I also think it is fun when a character who IS divinely oriented is not religious, or has some faults that pop up (to use the game I'm in as an example again, my character until very recently has never received visions or messages from her god, while others who she hung out with did, frequently. That's interesting!)

I like characters who are like "screw worshiping the Gods, I'll make myself into a God" but not like... Not the arrogant jackass way but the "putting in the effort to gain the knowledge and power to back up those claims."

"I could go on a long, epic question to gain the favor of the gods in exchange for advice on how to bring fertility back to this land... Or I could spend the same amount of time researching how to cast the "Wish" spell and used that to make the fields fertile again."

[Anonymouswizard]

Eh, antitheists are fun, but boring. Plus I'm not talking about god's, those should only ever appear in visions, I'm talking about religion, the beliefs and practices people have related to the supernatural (not the dictionary definition, but it serves here).

Less 'Osris assisted to fix my limp' and more 'I pray to Pelor at dusk so that he may bring the sun again tomorrow'.

[Rater202]

The certanty of the Gods existance might play a part.

If you know for a fact that there is a powerful being that has the power to make sure your crops grow but demands worship in return, it stops being religion and starts being an exchange of goods and services.

You're not worshiping Leafy, God of the Trees becuase you believe he will bless your orchard with a bountiful harvest. You're doing t becuase Leafy is giving out blessings in exchange prayers. Clearly, your prayers are of value to Leafy and Leafy's blessing is of value to you.

It's not any different from giving your extra eggs to Bob in exchange for his extra milk.

And now I'm thinking of X-men:

Storm was in her teens when she returned to her mother's tribe in Kenya, after having spent much of her childhood in America, Europe, and Egypt. She is technically a divine being, but "worship me for I am a Goddess who controls the weather, watch as I run around naked and blast the crap out of bandits" was basically just a teenager going on an egotrip from a combination of her powers kicking in and finding out the matrilineal gifting of divinity.

At one point the tribe is visited and the people there are just "yeah, we know she's not actually a God but we had a really bad problem with bandits stealing shipments of supplies and there was a drought at the time. If the crazy girl fixing both of those things wants to be a God then we don't lose anything by playing along."

I imagine a world where the Gods are known to exist would be similar: Pelor isn't a mysterious ethereal being who may or may not exist. Pelor is a person, and exceptionally powerful person, who has vast mystical powers and can influence the giant ball of plasma and flaming gas that keeps the planet from freezing. He stops being a figure of worship and it becomes "he'll stop bad things from happening to the sun, or the sun from doing bad things to us, if we give him what he wants... and what he wants isn't that big a deal."

Or... I imagine that nobody would worship Lolth if they weren't scared crapless of Lolth. She prefers her own worshipers as sacrifices and actively encourages people to betray and murder each other. Her clergy and attendant flocks consist entirely of psychopaths who'd do that anyway, and people who are afraid of what she'll do to them if they don't praise her constantly and kill others in her name.

[enderlord99]

The difference between clerics and warlocks is that one has an employer and the other has a sugar-daddy.

[Anonymouswizard]

The difference between clerics and warlocks is that one has an employer and the other has a sugar-daddy.

One is bound to a cruel and uncaring being who only sees them as a tool to bring their will into the world.

The other made a pact with a fiend.


Honestly I have a problem with the Warlock class, because thematically it shares a lot of ground with the Cleric (I don't like Druids for a similar reason).

[enderlord99]

Honestly I have a problem with the Warlock class, because thematically it shares a lot of ground with the Cleric

That was basically, my point, yeah.

[Fyraltari]

The certanty of the Gods existance might play a part.

If you know for a fact that there is a powerful being that has the power to make sure your crops grow but demands worship in return, it stops being religion and starts being an exchange of goods and services.

You're not worshiping Leafy, God of the Trees becuase you believe he will bless your orchard with a bountiful harvest. You're doing t becuase Leafy is giving out blessings in exchange prayers. Clearly, your prayers are of value to Leafy and Leafy's blessing is of value to you.

Treading very lightly here but that is a perfectly valid way to approach religion.

[Rater202]

In D&D rules, a Warlock is under no obligation to obey their patron, and the patron can't take the powers back.

If Glasya is stupid enough to give me magical powers before I slaughter that town as a sacrifice it's her own fault for being stupid if I blast her representative's head off and run off with the "down payment."

Considering that Warlock literally means "liar" or "Oathbreaker, " you could argue that you aren't a "real" WArlock unless you tricked a divine or infernal being into giving your power without you having to do anything meaningful on your end to get it.

*Offer the souls of everyone you kill to the Devils of the Nine Hells*

*only kill Evil People, meaning either they are only getting souls that they'd have gotten anyway or they have to deal with other races of fiends fighting for what is rightful there's.*

[Lord Raziere]

Paladin: Gains power by swearing oath.

Warlock: Gains power by breaking oath.

Hmmm.......so no matter what is done.....power is gained.

[Rater202]

Paladin: Gains power by swearing oath.

Warlock: Gains power by breaking oath.

Hmmm.......so no matter what is done.....power is gained.

It depends on who you're swearing the Oath too, Methinks.

With Paladins, you're God or Concept is continuous bestoriwng you with power, while with a Warlock it's more of a one-time imbuement or at least a bunch of one-off gifts.

Think of it like Ghost Rider: Once Mephisto puts the Spirit of Vengence into someone, he can't just take it out again unless the person agrees to it or he manages to get an overruling factor. Johnny, Danny, Alejandra, Robbie? They can't fight Mephisto, they're not strong enough but are under no obligation to serve him or act in his interests and they can and do act against him whenever possible.

Contrast with Mjolnir: If you do not act as a noble warrior-prince of the Asgardian Ideal, you cannot wield the powers of one.

[Anonymouswizard]

Oh, you're not fulfilling the spirit of your bargain?

Even if you don't lose your peers, guess who's not giving you any more of them? Yeah, you okay oathbreaker all you want, the power to carry more spells still comes from me.


Also, who's worship the gods when Warlocks make significantly better preachers?

[Rater202]

Oh, you're not fulfilling the spirit of your bargain?

Even if you don't lose your peers, guess who's not giving you any more of them? Yeah, you okay oathbreaker all you want, the power to carry more spells still comes from me.

Actually, that would be a House Rule.

the Lore for Warlocks seems to be that you're greater number of spells/invocations and perks is the result of you cultivating the power you've already got rather than be given more. The power is yours outright once the deal is made.

Warlocks are basically the middle ground between Clerics and Sorcerers.

[Anonymouswizard]

Actually, that would be a House Rule.

the Lore for Warlocks seems to be that you're greater number of spells/invocations and perks is the result of you cultivating the power you've already got rather than be given more. The power is yours outright once the deal is made.

Warlocks are basically the middle ground between Clerics and Sorcerers.

And I believe that I'm 5e Clerics listing their parts is technically a house rule.

But eh, fine. You've been a deal with a being that not only has high mental stats but a lot of power. You're likely dead as soon as they can arrange it (if they didn't plan on you breaking your oath).

Side note, are Oathbreaker Paladins warlocks?

[LaZodiac]

Sure, but it's not my experience. I've played devout Fighters and Mages, but I've not seen anybody else who does.

Going beyond that, religion rarely seems to matter to the world. People don't attend weekly services, religion is only for special occasions or when you're begging the gods for something. Even if I'm a priest I'm rarely asked to bless the crops or give a sermon.

Maybe the certainty of god's plays a part in it? I'm not sure.

For what it's worth, I agree that it'd be super cool to see more of this!

I like characters who are like "screw worshiping the Gods, I'll make myself into a God" but not like... Not the arrogant jackass way but the "putting in the effort to gain the knowledge and power to back up those claims."

"I could go on a long, epic question to gain the favor of the gods in exchange for advice on how to bring fertility back to this land... Or I could spend the same amount of time researching how to cast the "Wish" spell and used that to make the fields fertile again."

Totally valid!

In D&D rules, a Warlock is under no obligation to obey their patron, and the patron can't take the powers back.

If Glasya is stupid enough to give me magical powers before I slaughter that town as a sacrifice it's her own fault for being stupid if I blast her representative's head off and run off with the "down payment."

Considering that Warlock literally means "liar" or "Oathbreaker, " you could argue that you aren't a "real" WArlock unless you tricked a divine or infernal being into giving your power without you having to do anything meaningful on your end to get it.

*Offer the souls of everyone you kill to the Devils of the Nine Hells*

*only kill Evil People, meaning either they are only getting souls that they'd have gotten anyway or they have to deal with other races of fiends fighting for what is rightful there's.*

That is not what warlock means. It comes from a permutation of old englis, Waerloga, and receives nuance from the Scots language. At most it means someone in league with the {scrubbed}.

Also you best believe that if you're playing a warlock in MY campaign, mechanically speaking if your patron asks you to do something and you don't do it Something Will Happen. And you probably won't like it.

THAT being said, "I'm a warlock who offers all I kill to my lord, but only kill evil people in an attempt to be a hero" is actually really clever I like that. It reminds me of my own character, who is uh... I won't go into it unless people are interested, but Maria Trobelle is a fun cleric, I'll just say.

[Rater202]

That is not what warlock means. It comes from a permutation of old englis, Waerloga, and receives nuance from the Scots language. At most it means someone in league with the {scrub the post, scrub the quote}, not about them being nasty men who betray everyone in general.

Actually, no, there's an older meaning than that.

The earliest traces for waerloga suggest that it is a combination of wǣr, "covenant" and lēogan, "to deny." Thus, "denier of the covenant" but this wasn't referring to {scrubbed}, it was just a generic term for traitors, liars, and scoundrels.

However, it was also used euphemistically to refer to {scrubbed}.

{scrubbed}, but the oldest use and literal meaning of the word boil down to "breaker of oaths and pacts."