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 Exanima is a gladiatorial combat game made by Bare Mettle Entertainment as the teaser portion of their upcoming RPG, Sui Generis, which won a successful kickstarter campaign in 2012 and expected to finish the game by 2014. They still haven't finished Exanima, but they've been pushing it in a slightly different direction from their original goal. However, what it is now is definitely fantastic. It features an arena mode, which is fully physics based combat, where every property of the weapon and its wielder matters. The player's control is limited solely to where they position their mouse, movement and the timing and style of attacks. Everything else is decided by the physics engine. It's like a slower, more considerate Overgrowth. The arena mode features a few types of matches at present, including Pugilism (boxing), Duels, Challenger matches against higher ranked opponents, Doubles (2v2), Skirmish (3v3), Fray (Free for all) and a single elimination tournament. It's also recently added The Beast, which is some form of ogre that is truly giant and terrifying.  Age of Gladiators is a management game, which was the original game I played for this thread but gave up on quite quickly as its limitations started to appear. It is similar to Football Manager (E: But terrible in every way), but you play as a Roman Lanista. A Lanista is an owner of gladiators. It's a game that released in February to poor reception due to many small issues that added up, such as portraits not being dynamic according to the weapons of the gladiator, combat being dull as dishwater and just numbers going down (A big deal for a gladiator game) and literally nothing to do other than wait for fights to be scheduled and hire more gladiators. Well I'm happy to report that none of that's changed. It's still just a mediocre (E: Terrible) management game. However, it is priced appropriately and should be around  at most. So I gave it a spin and fell in love with the game immediately (Was seduced by the hopes of having a good gladiator game) due to how strong the theme is and how the rather limited options actually serve the enhance the focus of the game. To spice up the game and get around a lot of its flaws though, we will of course rename gladiators and I'll write up battles more interesting than "his stamina went down to zero so the other guy attacked but then his stamina went down to zero so our guy attacked and made his HP zero". (E: they promised to do this a few months ago, they still haven't, that pissed me off)All signups from Age of Gladiators will transfer to Exanima. Your gladiators won't be trapped in that lovely game, just in this Early Access game. List of Gladiators: Wombatticus Drakenel CongoJack Tonberry Table of Contents Age of Gladiators is all on the first page. Introduction to Exanima Welcome to the Arena [01] CongoJack and Tonberry [02] Brain Surgery and Chiropractic Services [03] HerpicleOmnicron5 fucked around with this message at 18:47 on Nov 11, 2016 |
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Aug 24, 2016 19:02
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Prologue I am Corvinus, a merchant of Utica. My gladiators train daily, but there are no fights for them to kill daily. Even with my generous treatment of them, one died to his opponent, embarassing me in front of the largest crowds.  Ilatig fell to one of Habitus's men, Scipio, likely in revenge for his man that Sabina defeated.  Our expenses are high due to the staff we have. Our fighters take up the bulk of our earnings, while the scouts, trainers and doctors have a relatively similar pay. We have no blacksmiths, nor do we keep guards, as our fighters are well kept and do not desire freedom they have not yet earned.  Laevinus, our principle scout, picks out some of the best potential gladiators. The 17 year old Bibulus in particular looks good, alongside Ansila.  A gladiator is like a good horse, hence why I must keep them well fed with good shelter. An unhappy gladiator is a dangerous one, as these are men and women that my staff train explicitly for murder. If they wish to leave, I'd rather they do so stealthily than with bodies on the floor.  As there are no fights, we decide to throw a wolf into a pit the next day, and Brocchus in with it. Brocchus has slain wolves before, and is no stranger to blood. During the course of the fight, the wolf claws at him but inflicts no real damage. It leaps towards the gladiator, but Brocchus uses the chance to skewer the beast with his blade.  This pays Brocchus' salary for the following week, and teaches him several lessons on how to properly fight.  A young fighter which we'd recently hired, Cornicen, decides that he'll have a better chance than Brocchus. The man standing at 5'1 feels that he can take on a beast of greater stature.  His coach, Cicero, tries to dissuade him, but Cornicen will not listen. One good hit from Cornicen would decide the fight, but the panther is nimble, nimbler than Cornicen.  The bout is long, bloody and pointless. Cornicen had delivered a strong strike at the panther, cutting its tail. This does nothing but infuriate it, as it toys with the gladiator over a period of hours.  I call for archers to come in and destroy the beast from afar before Cornicen is killed. He may not fight again for quite a time. The man's arm is fractured, and his thumb is broken. His nose was also lost during the duel.  The next day, the coaching staff decide that we have to keep our best fighter's blade sharp and her instincts honed. Sabina had already killed a man, and should be more than capable of killing a wolf.  We were wrong, as Sabina fails to finish the beast. Sabina had never fought animals before, and had only won her previous bout due to the inexperience of her rival. Suffering from multiple lacerations to the leg, the surgeons would spend a long time with her to close those wounds.  A week later, it's finally time. Most of our skilled fighters have been defeated by animals, and we must put faith in a new unknown to have a chance at staying afloat, monetarily.  Our old foe, Habitus, stands against us at this fight. With just over 2600 people watching, the purse for this fight is relatively large. Success is necessary.  Itri is the most well suited fighter for this situation, wielding the Gladius and wearing no armour.  I share half of the purse with him, so that one day he may buy his freedom. That day while it is long in the future, will come. Placing bets on him will surely mitigate some of the loss of the main purse.  His foe is the former jester, Cossus. The man is loved by crowds, even though he's as weak as a newborn pup. He's fought many a time, and survived many a fight. Whilst he is no true gladiator, he is a true showman.  Itri begins by lunging towards the man, slicing his right arm open, forcing him to drop his weapon and pick it up with his other arm. Cossus tries his hardest, blocking and striking repeatedly. Itri parries each hit, and then strikes at Cossus's legs. His target immobilised, Itri disarms him and stands ready to execute the man.  And yet, Cossus lives. The tenacity of the young fighter along with his jovial attitude resonate with the crowd, and no further blood is spilled. Itri is welcomed back into the stable as a king, a king among livestock, fit to fight only the most important of battles.  I am Corvinus, a merchant of Utica, but one of many Lanistas, among many more fighters.  But who are you?
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Aug 24, 2016 19:03
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I was curious about this game. We are a consummate showgoon. EDIT: Name? Jumbalumpicus, or Jumbalumpicles if we are Greek. Dealer's choice. Cathode Raymond fucked around with this message at 20:57 on Aug 24, 2016 |
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Aug 24, 2016 19:41
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This looks interesting, definitely keeping an eye on this. If you are looking for gladiator names, sign me up as Wombatticus. As for a Lanista name, I'm thinking Caro, Idk why. InternetOfTwinks fucked around with this message at 20:47 on Aug 24, 2016 |
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Aug 24, 2016 20:03
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Why, we're a scout who made good. Name's Acme.
AnAnonymousIdiot fucked around with this message at 20:44 on Aug 24, 2016 |
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Aug 24, 2016 20:04
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I'd also like a name for our Lanista to be, not just their origin.
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Aug 24, 2016 20:42
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Scout looks like it's providing a benefit we wouldn't be able to get otherwise, so I'll go for that. As for the lanista... Claudia. If it can fit, Claudia Achaica Aurelia Minor
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Aug 25, 2016 01:15
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There is but ONE MAN who can lead this ludus to GLORY Quintus Lentulus Batiatus
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Aug 25, 2016 01:40
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What does the "Let the gods decide" option do?
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Aug 25, 2016 09:53
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Nuramor posted:What does the "Let the gods decide" option do? It's in the OP: Random stat increases rather than player chosen.
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Aug 25, 2016 13:57
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Asmodai_00 posted:There is but ONE MAN who can lead this ludus to GLORY I am really impressed by the show/ actor. Voting this.
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Aug 25, 2016 16:36
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Asmodai_00 posted:There is but ONE MAN who can lead this ludus to GLORY In a game about Ludus management, this is an obvious choice. Voting this.
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Aug 25, 2016 18:21
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We are Naughtius Maximus, a former centurion in the Jerusalem garrison turned scout.
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Aug 25, 2016 20:06
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1- The Rules of the Game. We are Quintus, an ex-scout, using our meager funds to become a Lanista to hopefully reach Rome itself.  We have five different letters, delivered to us today. Each of them are equally dull and tedious. They inform us of different factors, such as armor and weapons that must be bought and maintained, staff that must be hired, and that we may if we so wish execute our fighters or staff in order to seize their pay.  Staff can be rated anywhere from 0 to 500 in each stat. Scouts can Evaluate (Estimate stats) and have a Network (Brings in a number of potential fighters.) Trainers can Train (Added XP bonus each day) and Coach (Added XP bonus per battle). Doctors are specialised in either healing combat injuries or sickness, while blacksmiths are skilled in repairing weapons or armour. We hire the scouts Barba and Verres, thanks to their high network and the fact that evaluation is meaningless to us, as we have a keen eye for scouting ourselves. I also hire Figulus and Publicola for their respective abilities. I overlook Cossus, as we don't know if any of our fighters will be keepers beyond their first few fights. The doctor we hire is Libo, due to their ability to handle both injury and sickness with ease, and we hire the blacksmith Aculeo, due to their great ability at repairing weapons.  Barba's network brings out a few prospects. Celer seems good, but is 34 and will be beyond their prime. Everyone else is poorly skilled.  Verres on the other hand has a much greater selection. Agizul and Ajeddig are young and talented, so I hire the both of them and ignore Barba's group.  Wombatticus, formerly Ajeddig, is our first hire. We'll use him to describe stats. Strength: How hard a gladiator hits. Stamina: An energy bar for combat, and also resistance against fatigue in training. Agility: The ability to dodge. Reflexes: The ability to block. Dexterity: Chance to hit. Intelligence: XP gain from training. Health: Stops dying. With a high intelligence, Wombatticus will be one of our better training prospects. Due to his other stats being as low as they are, I'm loathe to send him into combat so soon.  Agizul, still unnamed, is the opposite. This is the spitting image of a good gladiator. Great skills, with little more to learn. Greedy, cocky and good with the crowds. Even if they're felled in combat, the audience is likely to let him live.  In my office, I can see that we have a week to prepare for the next two fights. The first one will likely see Wombatticus in combat, and the second will be Agizul's time to shine. Hype affects the size of the purse we stand to win, but most importantly the calibre of opponent we face. I may hire more fighters in the coming days to ensure we have good enough candidates, but we'll have no more than five for the opening months, as otherwise I'll drive myself out of business. We may sponsor next month's games in order to increase the chance for matches to be scheduled on each day, but we don't have enough money for that.  Our competitors here are far above us financially. We must manage quality to surpass the sheer quantity of cash they can put out.  Wombatticus and Agizul are #89 and #90 respectively in the Utica league tables. They're near top of their class in terms of the inexperienced, but Clodius seems to have found the cream of the crop in Celer and Eiriks, who far surpass our own men. Next time: Let the Games Begin.
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Aug 25, 2016 20:59
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Well, I bet Wombat's pleased that he's got so much potential, though I bet he'd like it more if he had a bit more current ability. I, unfortunately, can't think of a suggestion for Agizul's new name that doesn't sound completely ridiculous and/or stupid. I know, "ridiculous" is par for the course for goon names, but if you left the naming to me he'd probably end up named after eating utensils or clothing malfunctions. Of course, next Gladius user you get? I want him to be Tonberry.
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Aug 25, 2016 21:20
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I would likely not have the patience for crunching and comparing the numbers in a game with an UI like this. But it still seems interesting to watch, so thank you for LPing this. Sadly, I am not terribly good at ancient roman names, and would only contribute goon names to the roster which wouldn't fit the semi-serious tone you've got going.
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Aug 25, 2016 21:30
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Drakenel posted:I would likely not have the patience for crunching and comparing the numbers in a game with an UI like this. But it still seems interesting to watch, so thank you for LPing this. One of our names is Wombatticus. I don't think we should worry too much about a serious tone. 
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Aug 25, 2016 21:31
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HerpicleOmnicron5 posted:One of our names is Wombatticus. I don't think we should worry too much about a serious tone. Then can I sign in as a gladiator? My name is benign enough. 
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Aug 25, 2016 21:32
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Sign me up for gladiating!
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Aug 25, 2016 21:36
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Throw my name into the pot as well!
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Aug 25, 2016 21:38
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Equus Ignotus would be a fine name for a gladiator Latin grammar, don't fail me now...
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Aug 25, 2016 22:09
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2- Let the Games Begin Agizul becomes Drakenel. It'll be another three days until either fighter makes it to our stables.  There are many factors within the stables that can affect the morale of the fighters. Good food, bedding and shelter ensures the morale of our fighters along with providing an XP bonus, while securing them and imprisoning them with guards will hurt their morale and make it harder for them to train. The security approach is definitely better for quantity, though for quality one must care for their fighters as they do a fine race-horse.  Three days pass, and the fighters arrive. Spending 3,000 denarii a day, we'll be broke in ten days should we not succeed in the two upcoming fights. I've put us onto a tightrope of chance, putting all our capital into caring for Wombatticus and Drakenel. Should they fail, we too will suffer.  It's fight day, and our men have trained hard, but not hard enough to show real improvement. In fact, nowhere near hard enough. Each day they gained 100 or so XP, and they need a minimum of 2000 to level up.  The purse is small, attendance is limited. This fight will cover a day's expenses, but no more. Wombatticus will see combat this day against one of Clodius' men.  The odds are 2:1 against our man, and he demands at least 30% of the winnings. As a kind owner, we give him 35% to grant him greater confidence.  His foe, Theudefred, totally outclasses him. Only 19 years of age, yet he has still killed seven other grown men in the arena, and is better trained. He's ranked #8 in the Utica arena's overall rankings. All Wombatticus has is a better sword, as I decided to seek only the best for my fighters. Wombatticus will not win this fight without the aide of the gods...  The arena doors open. Wombatticus enters to no applause, whilst his opponent stirs the crowd and holds them in the palm of his hand. Out of the 745 here to see the match, it's clear at least 500 came for him alone. Wombatticus opens with a rush, slashing at his foe's leg and luckily connecting. The titan before him slashes, each time threatening to end Wombatticus' with every blow. He fakes a stumble, and collapses the full weight of his body onto Wombatticus' foot, breaking a toe. A full half hour later of feints and stumbling through the arena, both fighters impaired, Theudefred seeks to replicate his previous successful attack. Thankfully, Wombatticus learned that trick of his, and not only did he pull his foot away, he plunged his gladius deep into the back of Theudefred, and he collapses. The crowd jeers at Wombatticus, lamenting the defeat of their favourite, and as such Wombatticus leaves the man on the arena floor, gladius in hand.  The gods were with us, and our man lived through his first taste of arena combat. Unfortunately, due to the sharing of winnings, we do not make the day's costs back. If we'd bet in favour of Wombatticus, we'd be swimming in profit. Wombatticus is also ranked #81 in the arena now.  As feared, Wombatticus suffers a broken toe and is unable to fight for nearly two weeks. The victory should have propped up Drakenel's morale for his decidedly bigger match in two days time.  The day before the games, we're approached by brigands who wish for our aid in stealing from the public treasury. I decline, as petty theft is beneath us.  Clodius pens us a snotty letter, and I decide to write one back. Re: A lucky win posted:Ave Clodius, Next Time: A verbis, ad verbera.
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Aug 25, 2016 22:21
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Huh. So BS reversals can happen and the RNG like to play. Good to know.
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Aug 25, 2016 22:37
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...I can't believe Wombat pulled that off. Seeing how completely his opponent outclassed him, I was about to write him off as the thread's first casualty.
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Aug 25, 2016 22:39
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Sing up a fighter named Pater
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Aug 25, 2016 23:47
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It looked like the slightly beefier health pool was the entire difference there. If you're going to leave things to chance, might as well put up some bets on ya boys.
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Aug 26, 2016 01:17
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Hey, weak and frail but something kind of intelligent is pretty accurate to be honest. Also going to be wary of my toes at work now.
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Aug 26, 2016 06:56
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I'd also like a chance at glory and quite possibly a gruesome death.
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Aug 26, 2016 18:33
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Savgeir posted:I'd also like a chance at glory and quite possibly a gruesome death. More likely the latter, really. I mean, I can already tell that this is THAT kind of game...
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Aug 26, 2016 18:44
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All of the Empire shall have the name of THE DEFENESTRATOR upon their lips! Also, if there's ever a fight with high windows, he/she's hella clutch.
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Aug 26, 2016 23:55
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Sign me up for doing a stabbering(hopefully of the other guy).
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Aug 27, 2016 02:31
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I will be Kiunus Gripheus the Younger
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Aug 27, 2016 03:23
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3- From words, to blows. It's time for Drakenel's playdate with destiny. To my knowledge, Clodius has no men on par with Drakenel, so we should be safe. Then again we did see that the raw power of a fighter can be meaningless and sheer chance can win the day.  Here's a list of Clodius' best. Theudefred was his fourth best, and he fielded him during a low hype match. We're not going to get off easy for the biggest fight of the month.  Drakenel is equipped with Hide armour, which mitigates 9% of damage dealt at a 5 point expense to Stamina, Dexterity and Agility. I think that's a worthwhile price to pay for the safety of Drakenel in the upcoming fight.  Spurred on by our victory in the previous match, I decide to bet a little extra on Drakenel. The greedy bastard wanted 40% of the share, so I had to make a bit of money somehow.  Drakenel's opponent, Brutus, is far below the mastery of Theudefred. I feel insulted by Clodius' actions putting out this inferior fighter. Drakenel is sure to make quick work of him.  Both fighters keep eachother at bay for a lengthy period of time. It's Brutus who lands the first hit, sneaking past the reach of Drakenel's Lancea. Landing some sharp blows into Drakenel, Brutus retreats quickly and a lengthy bout of dodging and blocking ensues. The crowds are in awe as Brutus charges in once more, smashing Drakenel's leg and forcing him onto one knee. Brutus aims one last shot to decapitate Drakenel right there and then, but the immobilised fighter raises his arm to take the impact instead, leaving a deep wound in his arm. Drakenel takes this opportunity to thrust his spear into Brutus before collapsing unconscious with Brutus standing above him. It's left to the crowd to decide the fate of Drakenel.  So what went wrong? Drakenel just could not hit reliably. That was his downfall. The one shot he did land did considerable amounts of damage, but clearly not enough. It's a shame that our guy with great stats is bad at the one that probably matters the most: hitting.  Both of my fighters are out of commission for at least a week, while being too exhausted to do much for yet another week on top of that! The only way around this is to hire new gladiators to fight the rest of the month's battles, though our funds as they are will only last us for the next four days. Desperate times... Next Time: Desperate measures.
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Aug 27, 2016 06:39
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Ahahaha. Goddamn. This is max rng bullshittery, isn't it? This is going to be amazing. This is a great start. The match where we should have lost by all means we pull out a miracle win. The match we had dead to rights we basically fall on our sword for how ineffective we were. Drakenel fucked around with this message at 07:54 on Aug 27, 2016 |
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Aug 27, 2016 07:21
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This game is rng beauty
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Aug 27, 2016 07:44
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Ouch. Losing the fight that actually matters because your accuracy sucks? This is definitely one of THOSE games... On the bright side, though, at least nobody's dead yet. (Fate status: Tempted...) CptWedgie fucked around with this message at 14:40 on Aug 27, 2016 |
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Aug 27, 2016 14:15
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This seems like a pretty realistic start for a man barely able to afford two fighters trying to bust into a high stakes flesh trade. Can we get in deep with the proto-mafia?
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Aug 27, 2016 16:43
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Gladiate me! A lady gladiator who shall be known as Iratus Feles
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Aug 27, 2016 21:06
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Well, if the name fits... Lupus will enter the arena (and die to wolves for maximum irony).
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Aug 29, 2016 15:09
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LupusAter posted:Well, if the name fits... Lupus will enter the arena (and die to wolves for maximum irony). Or you'll never actually see action, since it's never lupus.
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Aug 29, 2016 17:58
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