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A dumping grounds for all my dumb thoughts and ships

[raeynbowboi]

The Jock Studio Guys As A D&D Party

Normally, it's fun to speculate and figure out what class a character might be. But fortunately for us, Jock Studio straight up tells us. When determining which love interest a route will steer you toward, the game has you fill out a questionnaire. One such question asks: What's your favorite fantasy class? Each Jock has a corresponding answer, thus informing us what each Jock likes to play. From there, I simply extrapolate which subclass best fits the Jock's personality.

DEREK KINGSFIELD OATH OF GLORY PALADIN

In his questionnaire, Derek's answer is: The Paladin. When it came time to pick his subclass, there were two top contenders: Devotion and Glory. The Oath of Devotion prioritizes truth, justice, and the greater good, which Derek definitely values. Derek is a good, kind, and honorable man who believes in the good of the many. He will break up bickering and tell people to knock it off when they're getting too rowdy. But Glory fits him even better. The Oath of Glory is focused on making a name for oneself through hard work and dedication. It values actions instead of words, honing your body through hard work and exercise, learning discipline so that others can not dim your glory, and inspiring others to strive for their own excellence. As a nutrition major that doubles as the group's gym instructor, Derek cares greatly about helping everyone in the Jock Studio Film Club reach their peak physical health, all without judgement, scorn, or ridicule. Derek is patient, understanding, and tolerant of every shortcoming of his clubmates, handling Ace's lack of confidence and Bryce's brash temper with the same ease, support, and understanding. After Jacques as the president of Jock Studio and Ace as the Director, Derek is the defacto leader of the jocks, which makes sense given he's the oldest student in the club, and has experience in the film industry. His fame as The King makes Derek the only person in the group who has achieved glory in the sort of films the Jock Studio Film Club is making. Thus, making him the ideal party member to help his clubmates navigate this experience safely. He's able to understand what his clubmates are going through as newbies experiencing this industry for the first time. Because of Derek's own experiences, he's able to help them to succeed in the same industry where he's made a name for himself.

BRYCE CALLAHAN PATH OF THE ZEALOT BARBARIAN ZEALOT OF SHAR, GODDESS OF LOSS

In his questionnaire, Byrce's answer is: Barbarian. But the rest of his answers provide further insights. Bryce is a very direct and blunt person, and would only feel comfortable showing vulnerability through an alt account. He presents himself as a very macho heterosexual man. His hobbies include drinking and partying, and his preferred media is action movies and FPS video games. While he likes country music and dogs, his ideal vacation is in a big city, and none of his answers paint him as particularly outdoorsy. His other answers point to a crippling fear of being humiliated, judged, and mocked, and a secret wish he could live authentically, but being terrified to embrace his true self. A few of his answers don't even answer the question, but come across as defensive deflections to keep people at arm's length. But when he does let himself give answers, he does reveal a little more of his true self. When asked the best way to say good-bye to someone, his answer is: Sashay... away. A clear homage to RuPaul's Drag Race, suggesting he's a fan, or at least aware of it. The game has not come out yet, so we don't know every detail about every character, but based on Bryce's behavior, I think Bryce suffers from some combination of social and/or religious guilt for his closeted queerness, and hates that part of himself. The Path of the Zealot works well for a Barbarian whose rage comes from religious anger. Since he's a wrestler, the Path of the Giant allows Bryce to make himself bigger and heavier, allowing him to throw his weight around on the battlefield. The Path of the Berserker works for your garden-variety Barbarian with no particular flavor. Ultimately, I chose the Path of the Zealot because it makes a lot of sense for religion to be a major source of Bryce's trauma, shame, and guilt. I chose the goddess Shar because she's sought out by those hurting who would rather forget. Bryce is someone who wants these urges and desires taken away, and would fall into the clutches of the Dark Lady in hopes that she would make him forget these parts of him he'd rather live without. But, Sharrans are also miserable goth kids, so it is worth highlighting a few other standout options:

Tempus, God of War, suits his macho bravado.

Talos, God of Destruction, fits Bryce's hair-trigger temper.

Waukeen, Goddess of Wealth, suits his claim to have joined the film club for the money.

Lliira, Goddess of Joy and revelry, might cater to his joy of partying.

Sharess, Goddess of Lust and Passion, comes the closest to a Faerunian god of Hedonism.

Sune, Goddess of Pleasure, is as much a goddess of Hedonism as Sharess, but also governs love and beauty.

Hanseath is the Dwarven God of beer and revelry.

Asmodeus is the evil god of sinful indulgence, which might translate to alcohol, lust, partying, and/or self-loathing.

LEO MENDEZ ABJURER WIZARD

Leo is one of only two characters who does not list a specific class. When asked what his favorite fantasy class is, Leo's answer is simply: Mage. However, through other questions in the questionnaire and Demo 2 gameplay, we can deduce that Leo loves RPGs, is very intelligent, and good with computers and technology. Which may point toward a traditional Wizard. But, Leo is also someone who overextends himself to the point of exhaustion to help others. He prefers to socialize over studying, and when asked what role he plays in his friendships, his answer in the questionnaire is: I offer support where I can. All of which supports the possibility of him being a Support casting class like Bard. All things considered, I believe the devs used Mage to mean Wizard, but Leo's urge to support others is what made me think that his Wizard Subclass should be one supportive of his party. Thus, I chose the Abjurer, as it is one of the most supportive and party-focused wizard subclasses. One could make a case for the Diviner or the Enchanter, but presently, I feel the Abjurer is the most apt choice for Leo.

AVAN GEISERFORD ORDER DOMAIN CLERIC CLERIC OF AMAUNATOR, GOD OF THE SUN

Avan is the other character who does not name a specific class, but instead lists a party role. Avan's answer is: the Healer. Cleric, Druid, and Bard are the most common examples of healers in DnD. But from what we know so far, he's not overly religious, not a fan of nature, and not much of a performer. In the Questionnaire, Avan says that if he were to learn an instrument, he would pick the Piano, and he's a fan of classical music. He enjoys fantasy movies, strategy games, and his favorite part of a party is planning and organizing the event. Avan's questions and gameplay dialogue suggests that he's an orderly, organized, and mature young man, always open to learn, adapt, and grow from his experiences. That to me tells me that Avan makes a lot of sense as a Cleric, as Clerics not only take care of others, but also value discipline, structure, and order. In many towns and cities, Clerics don't just heal people, they also donate their time and energy to support the city in whatever way they can. He is roommates with the chaotic Yuuto, whom he keeps in line and takes care of by effectively being Yuuto's scolding mother-figure, reminding him to do things, or making him be responsible. Avan is a Swimmer in Poseidon House, which could lean toward a Tempest Domain Cleric, but although Tempest includes sea gods under its umbrella, it really is not a fitting choice for a sea-themed cleric. He's an honor roll student which could suggest a Knowledge Domain Cleric. He's also the President of the Student Council, which could suggest he works best as an Order Domain Cleric. After weighing all of my options, I would label Avan as an Order Domain Cleric. He values hard work, order, discipline, structure, serves in an leadership position in campus politics, and keeps his chaotic roommate on a short leash. There are two top contenders for Avan's deity: Amaunator and Tyr. Tyr is the God of Justice, worshipped by Judges, Lawyers, and Law Enforcers. Amaunator is the God of the Sun, worshipped by Lawmakers. The difference is that Amaunator's clergy perform bureaucratic duties like overseeing contracts and the signing of wills, while Tyr's clergy enforce the laws when broken. Given this distinction, Avan leans more toward Amaunator, favoring bureaucratic governance over judicial justice.

ZAYNE ALEXANDER CONCLAVE OF THE FEY WANDERER RANGER

Zayne's answer to the questionnaire is: The Hunter, which just means a Ranger. The frustrating thing about Zayne is that he's rather tight-lipped about himself. Even by the end of Demo 2, you end the game still knowing relatively little about Zayne. His answers to the questionnaire is the strongest evidence we have to go on for his personality beyond what we can see at surface level. On the surface, Zayne is a cool, charming, and popular man. This already caused me to lean toward Fey Wanderer, as they are described as having a fey mystique and a glamourous charm. He's a fan of mystery movies, his favorite super power is mind control, he enjoys dating sims, and believes he'd most likely be arrested for a love affair. But further details reveal he's a cat person, he prefers to spend his time alone, and when asked what his dynamic is with friends, his answer is a haunting: What friendship? All of which hints that behind that cool popular guy, there's a very lonely man putting on an otherworldly glamour to hide behind.

YUUTO NAKAJIMA SOULKNIFE ROGUE

Yuuto's answer to the questionnaire is: The Rogue. Yuuto's answers in the questionnaire don't tell us a whole lot that talking to him in the Demo doesn't already tell us about him. He's a hyperactive, impulsive goofball with a dirty sense of humor and class clown energy. He's earnestly eager to prove his worth, but so forgetful that it's a hazard to his life. He is a big fan of ninjas and anime, even giving overly stylized anime-esque names to his "power moves" which is just... spiking the ball. His over-eagerness often lands him in trouble, even from the people he's trying to impress. But his impulsiveness also gets in the way, even when he's trying to be helpful. When he thinks his team has left him behind for an away game, he decides to mop the court but was going to use lubricant instead of sop and water, then abandons that to make a move on Ace. His intentions to be of service to his team by cleaning the court was good, but he immediately abandoned that act of service to act on impulse. All things considered, there are two good options for Yuuto's subclass: Arcane Trickster and Soulknife. Both have anime flavor by allowing Yuuto to do flashier semi-magical feats as a rogue, which I think suits his style. But Arcane Trickster requires Intelligence as a casting stat. Yuuto's not dumb, but he doesn't strike me as a high Intelligence character. Thus, I lean toward Soulknife. It caters to his love of anime-esque powers, it's flashy and stylized, it has a unique mechanic that impacts his playstyle on the battlefield, all without being a typical, ordinary rogue.

ACE ANDERSON COLLEGE OF VALOUR BARD

Ace is the protagonist of Jock Studio, and is the one filling out the quiz. Based on how you build him, Ace can join any of the sports teams of the other jocks, including changing his fitness and stats to reflect his playstyle. Ace is someone who can be anything or do anything you need him to. He's the director of the Jock Studio's films. As the Player Character, it is up to Ace to navigate the social dynamics of the club, get close to people, and encourage them. Thus, the Bard feels like a natural fit. It's a jack of all trades focused more on support and crowd control, lacks damage output, but in a social situation, takes over handling the dialogue. The College of Valour best reflects that Olympus University is primarily a sports college, and all of the love interests being jocks on different sports teams is key to the gameplay.

[justgottafinishthischapter]

Writing Romance: Compelling Couples

If you’ve been around the internet or fandom culture long enough, you’ve likely found that in just about every fandom, there tends to be at least one LGBTQ+ ship that is immensely popular despite there being no canon confirmation that the characters are attracted to one another. In fact, in some fandoms, these ships even manage to beat out canon straight ships in popularity and fan approval. Ships like Klance from Voltron: Legendary Defender, Kiribaku from My Hero Academia, and Merthur from BBC’s Merlin (2008) all manage to completely overshadow the main heterosexual pairings of Allurance, Izuocha, and Gwenthur. But why is this? Sure, the quick answer is that the internet is full of LGBTQ audiences looking for content they can escape into, and thus seeking out same-sex relationships in media they can identify with, but these ships are popular beyond a simple notion of belonging from their communities. So, let’s take a dive into understanding the relationships these characters have.

If I had to describe Arthur and Merlin’s relationship in a single word, I would choose: Tense. Their relationship is full of tension. Arthur is the son of Uther, who has banned the practice of magic and raised Arthur to likewise have a prejudice against magic and those who use it. As such, Merlin must hide his magic from Arthur, and thus, with Merlin having to cover his tracks and lie to Arthur, we get our first bit of tension. There is information that Arthur cannot learn without fundamentally shaking up their relationship. Merlin is keeping this secret, and it is building up to when the moment comes that Arthur learns the truth, and all that juicy tension can come to a boil. And because Merlin has to hold his breath and hope that Arthur doesn’t realize his secret, the audience holds its breath too. As such, any time Merlin lies to Arthur, or Arthur comes just a little too close to the truth, we get a jolt of tension as we worry about whether Arthur is going to discover Merlin’s secret and that tension is going to finally come to a boil. To make matters worse, it’s not as though Merlin can avoid Arthur either. He’s Arthur’s manservant. Meaning he has to be in Arthur’s presence a lot. Because Merlin can’t run and hide from Arthur, the tension between them is in constant motion, keeping the audience guessing who will push the tension to its boiling point. Will Merlin confess the truth, or will Arthur discover it for himself?

If I had to choose a word for Klance, it would be: Belonging. For both Keith and Lance, they both help each other find where they belong on Team Voltron. Keith is a loner, used to being rejected and abandoned, having exceptional talent, but viewing himself as a screw-up. He genuinely doesn’t believe he’s good enough to lead Voltron when Shiro disappears. He doesn’t believe he can earn his team’s respect enough for them to follow him. He doesn’t think he can live up to Shiro’s standard as team leader. He doesn’t view himself as worthy of this place on the team. That is until Lance, his rival, and the person he fights with constantly, reassures him of his place. Admitting that Keith is a good leader, just as long as he remembers to listen to his team from time to time. Lance, on the other hand, projects a cocky and boisterous wise-guy ladykiller persona to mask his deeply rooted insecurities about not being good enough to even be part of Voltron, let alone the fact that he doesn’t seem to have a niche talent like the rest of the paladins. He feels like the dud of the group, and constantly doubts himself, his worth, and his place in the team. And in two of the most romantically coded scenes of the show, Keith is actively reassuring Lance of his place in Voltron. Once in the bedroom scene after Shiro’s retrurned and Lance wants to step aside so the better pilots can have lions, and the other time during the sunset scene when Keith reassures Lance not only that he’s good enough to be deserving of Allura’s affections, but that he fully trusts Lance to have his back, knowing full well that they’ll be departing for war the next day. Both Keith and Lance share a character flaw: feeling like they don’t belong and wanting to find their place. Together, both men help each other answer that question.

If Kiribaku is a word, it’s: Perceptions. The biggest problem both boys have is a conflict between view of self vs opinions of others. Kirishima feels like a loser, but is adored and respected by others. Bakugou imagines himself to be the greatest thing since sliced bread, but is largely admonished by his peers. They have equal and opposite problems. Bakugou is overconfident and proud, and needs to learn to care about people. Kirishima cares a great deal about people, but is unconfident in himself, and lacks self-esteem. In Kiribaku’s case, the strength of one is the weakness of the other. Bakugou has the overconfidence to encourage Kirishima and convince him of his worth and skills, while Kirishima has the kindness and patience to help soften Bakugou’s serrated edges. Through friendship alone, Kirishima’s influence has already caused a shift in Bakugou’s behavior, as he’s slowly become nicer and more social, to a degree. And Bakugou’s brash pep talks gave Kirishima the push he needed to reach a new level and surpass himself. In the simplest terms, they make each other better, and it’s easy to see why people would view that reaffirming dynamic between them as romantic. It’s helped that Kirishima is obsessed with manliness, and Bakugou has spoken about three lines total with literally any female character that he wasn’t actively in the middle of fighting. Actually, that may also be including his fight scenes with female characters.

Now that I’ve discussed the gay ships that have exploded in popularity and the reasons behind them, let’s discuss a ship that actually utilizes these elements rather well. The best word for Fryla would be: Dance. I don’t remember who I heard this analogy from, but they described writing a relationship as two characters dancing together, shuffling from scene to scene, and/or episode to episode in a dance. And the most effective dance is led by both romantic leads. When only one of them ever leads, the result is Pining, where one dancer is the only one ever signaling to their dance partner. But in a truly great ship, each of them will take a turn to lead the dance, giving and receiving romantic cues, just as real ballroom dancing requires giving and receiving silent signals to your dance partner to let them know your intentions, or to avoid running into other couples on the dance floor. I don’t have a lot of heterosexual ships that I like more than gay ones, but Fry and Leela from Futurama are a perfect example of the dance. They take turns leading and following, and because they’re a canon couple that gets together, we can actually explore the talking points I mentioned before and how they apply to an actualized relationship.

In the pilot episode Space Pilot 3000, Fry sort of begins the dance when he sees her from behind and he makes a noise that indicates he finds her attractive. Later in the episode, Leela makes a similarly small gesture, choosing to quit her job as a cryogenic councelor over giving Fry a career chip he’s afraid of and doesn’t want implanted. However, this is pretty much the only mildly romantic moment between them in the early episodes. The first real dance between them is led not by Fry, but Leela. In the episode A Flight to Remember, Leela convinces Zap Brannigan that she has a fiancé, and she chooses Fry only because he’s nearby. Throughout the episode, Fry has small moments of leading where he makes a move on Leela, which she scolds him for, only to end up taking the lead again whenever Zap Brannigan shows up. Leela also leads the dance when she storms off from dinner, clearly mad thinking that Fry and Amy were secretly dating, and he didn’t tell her. Being upset is one thing, but getting huffy, scarfing down her food, and storming off is a subtle sign that this is upsetting her, which causes Fry to want to check on her, leading them to admire the beauty of space and ‘their nebula’ together. At this point, Fry isn’t in love with Leela yet. There’s just a woman who’s willing to kiss him, and he’s willing to take advantage of the moment to enjoy it while he can. But this is effectively their first dance in the show, and the fake relationship almost builds up to a “caught up in the moment” kiss until the ship starts to be sucked into a blackhole and ruins the mood.

The dance is led by Fry in “Xmas Story” when he hurts Leela’s feelings by complaining about being alone for the Xmas season, and puts his life in danger to buy her an Xmas gift. Later, while they’re running for their lives from Santa, Leela is the one to stop and point out that they’re under the mistletoe.

In “Put your Head on my Shoulders”, Fry starts the dance by asking Leela to be his pity Valentine, but she rejects him. Fry starts dating Amy, but he decides to break things off with her. When a car crash leaves Fry a dismembered head attached to Amy’s shoulder and Amy scares up a date for Valentine’s Day, Leela comes to Fry’s rescue and gets Amy’s date talking about his job to spare Fry of being a third wheel to their date night tomfoolery.

The famous episode “Parasites Lost” reveals that Fry is a romantic person, but for one reason or another, is utterly inept at articulating how he feels to Leela. This is a running theme that would continue in later episodes, most notably, Love and Rocket and The Devil’s Hands are Idle Play Things, both episodes where Fry’s inability to articulate his feelings takes center stage. However, Leela in this episode falls for a perfect, idealized Fry. One which is inhumanly perfect, and Fry decides he’d rather be imperfect and alone, than loved by Leela as some romanticized version of himself.

Fry and Leela don’t actually do much with each other in “The Cyber House Rules”. Leela spends the episode fawning over Adelaide, a boringly ‘normal’ person. Adelaide favors being normal and average over being unique and weird. Leela gets an operation to have two eyes, which causes Adelaide to find her attractive, and Fry objects, stating not only that he thought she was beautiful before she got the surgery, but that the entire crew is made up of beautifully imperfect freaks. By the end of the episode, Leela comes to the same conclusion as Fry. Though I do wish Leela had still chosen to adopt Sally. Leela as a single mother to another orphan could have been such a heartwarming storyline.

“Time Keeps on slipping” is one of, if not the best Fry and Leela episode. When the Planet Express crew collects Chronotrons hot off the nebula, they cause time to skip forward at random, like a needle skipping on a record. Everyone behaves normally between the time skips, but then has no memory of what happened. Throughout the episode, Fry keeps trying to win Leela’s affections, and she keeps rejecting him. That is, until time skips and Fry and Leela are at the altar, getting married. Leela gets angry and quickly divorces him, assuming he tricked her somehow during the time skip. Fry is insulted by this accusation, but ends up apologizing anyway because while he doesn’t think he would manipulate her like that, maybe he did and doesn’t remember it. As the crew gets ready to fix the time skips, Fry shows off one last surprise: that he studied how to fly the planet express ship, which actually does manage to surprise Leela. Not enough to win her heart, but even so. However, Leela does take one small moment to lead the dance in this episode. After rejecting Fry and making it clear her intentions, he’s dejected, and she decides to ask Fry to fly the ship while she goes to prepare the detonator. Fry comments on how great she is, just as he realizes what he did to win Leela’s affections. He used the gravity pump to move the stars to write her a love note in the sky. Just in time for the doomsday device to implode, turning Fry’s love message into a black hole. When Leela and Bender returns, Fry decides not to tell them, and the episode closes on his face watching the black hole.

The season 4 episode “Love and Rocket” has Fry spend the entire episode trying and failing to lead the dance, looking for the perfect candy heart message to put how he feels about Leela into words. Fry keeps getting close but missing the mark, and toward the end of the episode, Leela’s almost lost her patience with Fry. But when Fry notices her Oxygen tank is almost depleted, and she’s too focused on saving their lives to listen to him, he attaches his oxygen tank to her air tube. When Leela finally realizes what Fry did, she takes over the dance, immediately and frantically giving Fry CPR and urging him to live. Fry does cough up a chalky candy heart with the words “You Leave Me Breathless” which Leela holds onto, but the gesture of giving up his oxygen is what makes Leela swoon.

“Teenage Mutant Leela’s Hurdles” turns the entire Planet Express crew back into teenagers, and Fry and Leela go on a date. Fry even understands that Leela doesn’t want to give up being a teenager again, and doesn’t try to talk her into becoming an adult with him again. He’s putting her needs first, and Fry says good-bye to Leela in this episode, fully expecting in the moment that they’ll never be together. Leela does become an adult again, but through her own choices, not by being coerced into it by Fry.

In “The Why of Fry”, Fry wants to be important. Not just important to Leela, but in general. Meanwhile, Leela is dating Mr. Important, the mayor’s aide, Chazz. Most of the romance in this episode comes from Leela. After realizing that Chazz was a cretin, Leela asked Bender to burn Chazz out of a picture. She held it up to examine it, just in time for Fry to walk in, his face filling Chazz’ in the picture, and hand her a daffodil that Nibbler had given him for Leela.

Leela spends most of the episode leading the dance in “The Sting”, after Fry is stung by a space bee and dies, Leela starts to fall apart, dreaming again and again that Fry has come back for her from the dead, hating that Fry keeps begging her to wake up. While some of Leela’s obsession could be caused by feeling guilty, it moreso proves that Leela cares a lot more about Fry than she lets on. At the end of the episode, it’s revealed that Leela was in a coma, afflicted by the space bee’s venom. Fry never once abandoned her bedside, talking to her and begging her to wake up. Which causes her to smile and hug him, letting him know that his words got through to her.

“The Farnsworth Parabox” has the professor create a box which contains an alternate universe, where coin flips have opposite outcomes. Fry has continued to ask Leela out, and she’s running out of excuses. When Leela looks in the professor’s box, she discovers that her alternate self is married to Fry. She flipped a coin to decide whether to go out with him. Leela’s came up tails, so she didn’t, but Alternate Universe Leela’s came up heads, and she did. Alternate Leela tells herself that she really missed out, citing the date as magical. A few months of dating and one diamond scrunchy later, and they were married. When Fry and Leela return to their own world, Leela decides to give Fry one last coin toss. But before she looks at it, and Fry asks what the outcome is, she decides to just go ahead and assume that it’s heads, and the episode ends on the knowledge that Fry and Leela will go on an off-screen date.

The original finale to Futurama is “The Devil’s Hands are Idol Play Things”. Fry is still trying to play the holophoner he played for Leela in Parasites Lost, but his clumsy hands fail to capture what he feels. Fry ends up swapping hands with the Robot Devil, suddenly becoming a holophoner savant, selling tons of albums, and being commissioned by Hedonismbot to write an opera. Fry says he’ll do it, but only if he can make it about Leela. Leela hears beautiful music and goes to find Fry composing the score for the opera. When she comments how lovely it is, Fry tells her he’s just writing down what he hears in his head when she’s around him, but that his old human hands were too stupid to articulate so clearly. However, after a prank by Bender leaves Leela deafened, Leela ends up having to fake her way through the first half of the opera. Until the Robot Devil offers to give her new ears in exchange for her hand. When Leela goes back to hear the second half of the opera, the Robot Devil appears on stage and reveals his sinister plan. He has Leela’s hand in marriage, and unless Fry gives him back his hands, he’ll take Leela with him to Robot Hell to be his bride. After a brilliant musical number, Fry capitulates and agrees to the Robot Devil’s ultimatum. Fry has his human hands once more, and as he feared, cannot play the music that had won him such fame and renown. But as Fry goes to leave the now abandoned theater, Leela asks him to keep playing, eager to know how the story ends. Fry sits back down and plays a far simpler melody, accompanied by a crude hologram of them kissing and walking off into the sunset, hand-in-hand.

There are more Fryla episodes after this, but this post is getting long enough. The main thing we see over and over again with Fry and Leela is that while Fry usually takes the lead in most episodes, every time Fry and Leela’s relationship has any level of development, Leela takes the lead in the dance at least once in the episode. This is why Fry and Leela work so well as a Will-They-or-Won’t-They pairing. Leela never fails to take the lead in the dance whenever it comes up. It’s not just Fry chasing Leela. Leela takes the time to lead the dance as well. Sometimes in big ways, and sometimes in small ways. But she leads the dance regardless.

Compare that to Bean and Elfo from Disenchantment, and it’s the worst kind of pining. Elfo is the only one who ever leads, and Bean refuses to even follow, let alone take the lead in the dance. Elfo and Bean aren’t dancing with each other. Elfo keeps asking Bean to dance, and she keeps telling him ‘No.’ Luckily, Disenchantment seems to be dropping the Bean x Elfo stuff, which is already making Elfo a better and more likable character, but they’re still a good example of what it looks like when the dance of romance isn’t being performed correctly. So, if you’re writing a romance, keep these things in mind. Dancing, like romance, works better when there’s two people, and they work together to perform. The dance of love doesn’t work if only one person puts in all of the work.

[raeynbowboi]

The Jock Studio Guys As A D&D Party

Normally, it's fun to speculate and figure out what class a character might be. But fortunately for us, Jock Studio straight up tells us. When determining which love interest a route will steer you toward, the game has you fill out a questionnaire. One such question asks: What's your favorite fantasy class? Each Jock has a corresponding answer, thus informing us what each Jock likes to play. From there, I simply extrapolate which subclass best fits the Jock's personality.

DEREK KINGSFIELD OATH OF GLORY PALADIN

In his questionnaire, Derek's answer is: The Paladin. When it came time to pick his subclass, there were two top contenders: Devotion and Glory. The Oath of Devotion prioritizes truth, justice, and the greater good, which Derek definitely values. Derek is a good, kind, and honorable man who believes in the good of the many. He will break up bickering and tell people to knock it off when they're getting too rowdy. But Glory fits him even better. The Oath of Glory is focused on making a name for oneself through hard work and dedication. It values actions instead of words, honing your body through hard work and exercise, learning discipline so that others can not dim your glory, and inspiring others to strive for their own excellence. As a nutrition major that doubles as the group's gym instructor, Derek cares greatly about helping everyone in the Jock Studio Film Club reach their peak physical health, all without judgement, scorn, or ridicule. Derek is patient, understanding, and tolerant of every shortcoming of his clubmates, handling Ace's lack of confidence and Bryce's brash temper with the same ease, support, and understanding. After Jacques as the president of Jock Studio and Ace as the Director, Derek is the defacto leader of the jocks, which makes sense given he's the oldest student in the club, and has experience in the film industry. His fame as The King makes Derek the only person in the group who has achieved glory in the sort of films the Jock Studio Film Club is making. Thus, making him the ideal party member to help his clubmates navigate this experience safely. He's able to understand what his clubmates are going through as newbies experiencing this industry for the first time. Because of Derek's own experiences, he's able to help them to succeed in the same industry where he's made a name for himself.

BRYCE CALLAHAN PATH OF THE ZEALOT BARBARIAN ZEALOT OF SHAR, GODDESS OF LOSS

In his questionnaire, Byrce's answer is: Barbarian. But the rest of his answers provide further insights. Bryce is a very direct and blunt person, and would only feel comfortable showing vulnerability through an alt account. He presents himself as a very macho heterosexual man. His hobbies include drinking and partying, and his preferred media is action movies and FPS video games. While he likes country music and dogs, his ideal vacation is in a big city, and none of his answers paint him as particularly outdoorsy. His other answers point to a crippling fear of being humiliated, judged, and mocked, and a secret wish he could live authentically, but being terrified to embrace his true self. A few of his answers don't even answer the question, but come across as defensive deflections to keep people at arm's length. But when he does let himself give answers, he does reveal a little more of his true self. When asked the best way to say good-bye to someone, his answer is: Sashay... away. A clear homage to RuPaul's Drag Race, suggesting he's a fan, or at least aware of it. The game has not come out yet, so we don't know every detail about every character, but based on Bryce's behavior, I think Bryce suffers from some combination of social and/or religious guilt for his closeted queerness, and hates that part of himself. The Path of the Zealot works well for a Barbarian whose rage comes from religious anger. Since he's a wrestler, the Path of the Giant allows Bryce to make himself bigger and heavier, allowing him to throw his weight around on the battlefield. The Path of the Berserker works for your garden-variety Barbarian with no particular flavor. Ultimately, I chose the Path of the Zealot because it makes a lot of sense for religion to be a major source of Bryce's trauma, shame, and guilt. I chose the goddess Shar because she's sought out by those hurting who would rather forget. Bryce is someone who wants these urges and desires taken away, and would fall into the clutches of the Dark Lady in hopes that she would make him forget these parts of him he'd rather live without. But, Sharrans are also miserable goth kids, so it is worth highlighting a few other standout options:

Tempus, God of War, suits his macho bravado.

Talos, God of Destruction, fits Bryce's hair-trigger temper.

Waukeen, Goddess of Wealth, suits his claim to have joined the film club for the money.

Lliira, Goddess of Joy and revelry, might cater to his joy of partying.

Sharess, Goddess of Lust and Passion, comes the closest to a Faerunian god of Hedonism.

Sune, Goddess of Pleasure, is as much a goddess of Hedonism as Sharess, but also governs love and beauty.

Hanseath is the Dwarven God of beer and revelry.

Asmodeus is the evil god of sinful indulgence, which might translate to alcohol, lust, partying, and/or self-loathing.

LEO MENDEZ ABJURER WIZARD

Leo is one of only two characters who does not list a specific class. When asked what his favorite fantasy class is, Leo's answer is simply: Mage. However, through other questions in the questionnaire and Demo 2 gameplay, we can deduce that Leo loves RPGs, is very intelligent, and good with computers and technology. Which may point toward a traditional Wizard. But, Leo is also someone who overextends himself to the point of exhaustion to help others. He prefers to socialize over studying, and when asked what role he plays in his friendships, his answer in the questionnaire is: I offer support where I can. All of which supports the possibility of him being a Support casting class like Bard. All things considered, I believe the devs used Mage to mean Wizard, but Leo's urge to support others is what made me think that his Wizard Subclass should be one supportive of his party. Thus, I chose the Abjurer, as it is one of the most supportive and party-focused wizard subclasses. One could make a case for the Diviner or the Enchanter, but presently, I feel the Abjurer is the most apt choice for Leo.

AVAN GEISERFORD ORDER DOMAIN CLERIC CLERIC OF AMAUNATOR, GOD OF THE SUN

Avan is the other character who does not name a specific class, but instead lists a party role. Avan's answer is: the Healer. Cleric, Druid, and Bard are the most common examples of healers in DnD. But from what we know so far, he's not overly religious, not a fan of nature, and not much of a performer. In the Questionnaire, Avan says that if he were to learn an instrument, he would pick the Piano, and he's a fan of classical music. He enjoys fantasy movies, strategy games, and his favorite part of a party is planning and organizing the event. Avan's questions and gameplay dialogue suggests that he's an orderly, organized, and mature young man, always open to learn, adapt, and grow from his experiences. That to me tells me that Avan makes a lot of sense as a Cleric, as Clerics not only take care of others, but also value discipline, structure, and order. In many towns and cities, Clerics don't just heal people, they also donate their time and energy to support the city in whatever way they can. He is roommates with the chaotic Yuuto, whom he keeps in line and takes care of by effectively being Yuuto's scolding mother-figure, reminding him to do things, or making him be responsible. Avan is a Swimmer in Poseidon House, which could lean toward a Tempest Domain Cleric, but although Tempest includes sea gods under its umbrella, it really is not a fitting choice for a sea-themed cleric. He's an honor roll student which could suggest a Knowledge Domain Cleric. He's also the President of the Student Council, which could suggest he works best as an Order Domain Cleric. After weighing all of my options, I would label Avan as an Order Domain Cleric. He values hard work, order, discipline, structure, serves in an leadership position in campus politics, and keeps his chaotic roommate on a short leash. There are two top contenders for Avan's deity: Amaunator and Tyr. Tyr is the God of Justice, worshipped by Judges, Lawyers, and Law Enforcers. Amaunator is the God of the Sun, worshipped by Lawmakers. The difference is that Amaunator's clergy perform bureaucratic duties like overseeing contracts and the signing of wills, while Tyr's clergy enforce the laws when broken. Given this distinction, Avan leans more toward Amaunator, favoring bureaucratic governance over judicial justice.

ZAYNE ALEXANDER CONCLAVE OF THE FEY WANDERER RANGER

Zayne's answer to the questionnaire is: The Hunter, which just means a Ranger. The frustrating thing about Zayne is that he's rather tight-lipped about himself. Even by the end of Demo 2, you end the game still knowing relatively little about Zayne. His answers to the questionnaire is the strongest evidence we have to go on for his personality beyond what we can see at surface level. On the surface, Zayne is a cool, charming, and popular man. This already caused me to lean toward Fey Wanderer, as they are described as having a fey mystique and a glamourous charm. He's a fan of mystery movies, his favorite super power is mind control, he enjoys dating sims, and believes he'd most likely be arrested for a love affair. But further details reveal he's a cat person, he prefers to spend his time alone, and when asked what his dynamic is with friends, his answer is a haunting: What friendship? All of which hints that behind that cool popular guy, there's a very lonely man putting on an otherworldly glamour to hide behind.

YUUTO NAKAJIMA SOULKNIFE ROGUE

Yuuto's answer to the questionnaire is: The Rogue. Yuuto's answers in the questionnaire don't tell us a whole lot that talking to him in the Demo doesn't already tell us about him. He's a hyperactive, impulsive goofball with a dirty sense of humor and class clown energy. He's earnestly eager to prove his worth, but so forgetful that it's a hazard to his life. He is a big fan of ninjas and anime, even giving overly stylized anime-esque names to his "power moves" which is just... spiking the ball. His over-eagerness often lands him in trouble, even from the people he's trying to impress. But his impulsiveness also gets in the way, even when he's trying to be helpful. When he thinks his team has left him behind for an away game, he decides to mop the court but was going to use lubricant instead of sop and water, then abandons that to make a move on Ace. His intentions to be of service to his team by cleaning the court was good, but he immediately abandoned that act of service to act on impulse. All things considered, there are two good options for Yuuto's subclass: Arcane Trickster and Soulknife. Both have anime flavor by allowing Yuuto to do flashier semi-magical feats as a rogue, which I think suits his style. But Arcane Trickster requires Intelligence as a casting stat. Yuuto's not dumb, but he doesn't strike me as a high Intelligence character. Thus, I lean toward Soulknife. It caters to his love of anime-esque powers, it's flashy and stylized, it has a unique mechanic that impacts his playstyle on the battlefield, all without being a typical, ordinary rogue.

ACE ANDERSON COLLEGE OF VALOUR BARD

Ace is the protagonist of Jock Studio, and is the one filling out the quiz. Based on how you build him, Ace can join any of the sports teams of the other jocks, including changing his fitness and stats to reflect his playstyle. Ace is someone who can be anything or do anything you need him to. He's the director of the Jock Studio's films. As the Player Character, it is up to Ace to navigate the social dynamics of the club, get close to people, and encourage them. Thus, the Bard feels like a natural fit. It's a jack of all trades focused more on support and crowd control, lacks damage output, but in a social situation, takes over handling the dialogue. The College of Valour best reflects that Olympus University is primarily a sports college, and all of the love interests being jocks on different sports teams is key to the gameplay.

[raeynbowboi]

BnHA Characters as Salem Saberhagen GIFs

Midoriaya Izuku

Bakugou Katsuki

Kirishima Eijirou

Ashido Mina

Sero Hanta

Denki Kaminari

Jirou Kyouka

Shouta Aizawa

Mirio Togata

Tamaki Amijaki

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Hitoshi Shinsou

Minoru Mineta

Ochaco Uraraka

Fumikage Tokoyami

Momo Yaoyorozu

Yuuga Aoyama

Shouto Todoroki

Tomura Shigaraki

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Short King Ody simping for his Spartan Queen be like

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Epic: the Musical is the Best Version of Hermes

I watch and read a lot of Greek mythology material, and one thing that immediately jumped out at me after watching Epic is that this is hands down the most lore-accurate depiction of Hermes I have ever seen. A mercurial, tricksy, do-it-for-the-lolz shitlord that would smooch you just to see the look on your face. A lot of media reduces Hermes to just a prop or a plot contrivance. Need to deliver a message? Here's Hermes. If he actually has a personality, he'll be a little quirky, and some media does get it right that he should be a comedic character. But most media doesn't go far enough. It leaves most depictions of Hermes as just a mailman that his entire role as God of Thieves and Mischief just feels ignored. Even when Media does try to push the boundaries with Hermes, it's usually a skin-deep ADHD joke, or they make him talk fast because speed is his thing. And it just feels like a letdown. This Hermes throws Odysseus off a cliff knowing full well he's going to catch him. Between Jorge's writing, Troy Doherty's phenomenal portrayal, and the animatic artists, This is hands-down the best representation for Hermes' personality in any piece of media. If you're working on something Greek Mythology related and you want to know how to write Hermes, you need to examine how he's handled in Epic: the Musical. Perhaps I'll make a master list of all my favorite depictions of each god. Currently, best Aphrodite is the shared universe of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and its sister show, Xena: Warrior Princess. Aphrodite is played by the same actress in both series (Alexandra Tydings), and it's the best actualization of myth-accurate Aphrodite that I've seen in any media. In literally her first appearance, Aphrodite is the scheming mastermind villain of the episode trying to amass more worshippers by manipulating the love lives of mortals into giving her what she wants. That is what made me sit up and take notice of that portrayal of Aphrodite. That is how you write a love goddess who's also a war goddess. If anyone has any other "best representation" accolades to shout out, please reblog this with your own recommendations.

[raeynbowboi]

DnD's Class Categories

In the lead-up to 5.5e, WoTC introduced a new attempt at categorizing the classes into 4 archetypes: Warrior: Barbarian, Fighter, Monk Mage: Wizard, Sorcerer, Warlock Priest: Cleric, Druid, Paladin Expert: Bard, Ranger, Rogue Wizards of the Coast just updated dungeonsanddragons.com, and under the Discover the Thrill of Adventure section you can find an option called Create Your Hero, where it'll introduce you to the core classes. In that section, you're told danger is appearing and are given four options of how to respond. Each response introduces you to 3 classes. Magic & Knowledge: Wizard, Sorcerer, Warlock Weapons & Strength: Barbarian, Fighter, Monk Strategy & Cunning: Rogue, Ranger, Bard Belief & Insight: Cleric, Druid, Paladin

So, while the class categories did not make it into the official PHB material, it seems like WoTC isn't quite ready to let go of the class grouping system. Which, I'm fine with. This is a good concept for how to divide up and categorize the classes.

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Did anyone else notice that Madame Delacroix was not in Season 4 of Bridgerton?

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Which Kanto Starter is the Best?

The eternal question that has plagued mankind since 1996 is one still highly debated even to this day. So, I’m going to use statistics to lay the discussion to rest once and for all. I’m going to go through Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen (the latest Kanto remakes that have the player start with only one of the starters) and judge every gym, rival, elite four, and evil team battle for type effectiveness, including TMs, HMs, and Move Tutor moves. Since the daycare is not available until after defeating the Elite Four, I will not be taking Egg moves into account for these versions. I will go through each battle and talk about the advantages and disadvantages for each starter. I will also be mentioning specific TMs, Move Tutors, and level up move sets that work best to make each starter the most useful they can be for this playthrough. Every time “Recommended moves is mentioned, it’s the first battle since that move became available, and it’d be a good idea to give that Pokemon that move around such time. Their move pool won’t change again unless Recommended Moves appears again. When their best move set is formed, I will address it as their Final Move Set Recommendation. Every battle will follow the same point system. In full truth, I have done this post before, but last time I did one post for each starter. I decided this time to go through all three at the same time. +4 - the pokemon has a STAB 4x super effective move or is immune to one or more opponent attacks. This includes abilities such as Levitate or Oblivious that render moves ineffective. +2 - the pokemon has a STAB 2x super effective attack, a non-STAB 4x effective move, or double resists an enemy move. +1 - the pokemon has a non-STAB super effective move or resists 1 or more enemy moves. 0 - all damaging moves deal neutral damage leaving no advantage or disadvantage. -1 - the enemy has a non-STAB super effective move or resists 1 or more of your moves. -2 - the enemy pokemon has a STAB 2x super effective move, a non-STAB 4x effective move, or double resists one of your pokemon’s moves. -4 - the enemy pokemon has a STAB 4x super effective move or is immune to one or more of your pokemon’s attacks. This includes abilities such as Levitate or Oblivious that render moves ineffective.

Keep reading

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Since Firered and Leafgreen are coming to Switch, this is my mathematical breakdown of how all three starters fare in the major battles across the game. TL;DR don't pick Bulbasaur unless you want most of the game to bully your starter mercilessly.

[deoxysacid]

here's to 30 more years of rivalry!

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Best Team for Kanto

I’ve already talked about why Blastoise is the best Kanto Starter for FireRed and LeafGreen here, but once you have a best starter, it’s a good idea to give them the best team to go with it. Starting things off, Squirtle needs no help dealing with the first gym. But Misty is a bit of a challenge since her type comes even with Wartortle. So Raichu offers a nice advantage, and by teaching Raichu Dig, it has a super effective counter to Lt. Surge, and Raichu also resists both Lt. Surge and Erika. Raichu’s access to Iron Tail gives it a counter to Ground types since many of them are also rock types, and Iron Tail serves as an alternative to fighting Ice types that don’t take enough damage from Thunderbolt. However, Raichu doesn’t have a super effective move for Erika, thus Arcanine is brought in with Fire and Flying moves to handle not only Erika’s Grass types, but an added back-up for handling Fighting types as well. As a Ghost and Poison type, Gengar will be monstrously helpful against Bruno, Agatha, and Koga, due to resisting Poison-type damage and being immune to Fighting type damage. So Psychic offers a strong counter to other poison types, and Shadow Ball to cover Psychic and Ghost type weaknesses. Thunderbolt and Giga Drain cover the team’s need to fend off both Water and Flying types. As a Normal-type, Snorlax is a second option for handling Agatha’s Ghosts, since it resists their Ghost-type attacks and takes neutral damage from everything else. Finally, Dragonite is a great addition not only for fighting against Lance, but resists Venusaur twice while having both Flamethrower and Fly as options for taking it down. It’s also equipped with Steel Wing not only to handle difficult Rock types, but it can also be super effective on Dragonite’s only weakness, Ice types. Of course, in future releases, Clefable will probably take Snorlax’s place once Fairy is present in a proper Kanto remake, and certain Pokemon could certainly be switched for each other, but in terms of building a team to cover the types that Blastoise can’t take down on its own, the team is built to readily cover water types that Blastoise goes even with, Electric types aren’t a very present threat, but Grass types and Poison types are. Other pokemon could have been included like Nidoking or Hitmonchan, but as they opened the team up to more shared type weaknesses to Psychic moves, it makes the collective team weaker to use them, especially considering your rival’s Alakazam. Thus why 4/6 of the team has a move to counter both Psychic and Ghost types.

[raeynbowboi]

Reblogging because Firered and Leafgreen are trending.

[raeynbowboi]

IN DEFENSE OF ALEX'S 14-HEART EVENT

A lot of people seem to dislike Alex's final event, and I can understand why, as it can seem like a big waste of money. But really think about what Alex has done here: He's invested your money into creating a social outlet that caters to the most isolated members of his community. It's not just an event, it's a schedule change for not only Alex, but also George, Kent, and Shane. Arguably the three loneliest men in Pelican Town. Alex's man cave provides a support structure for disparate members of his community who otherwise struggle to connect with others. It gets George to leave his house. It gets Shane to socialize with others. It helps Kent find routine and rebuild connections after being away for so long. Alex isn't wasting your money on a stupid sports bar. He's reinvesting your money into his community by building infrastructures for those that need it.

[raeynbowboi]

The Jock Studio Guys As A D&D Party

Normally, it's fun to speculate and figure out what class a character might be. But fortunately for us, Jock Studio straight up tells us. When determining which love interest a route will steer you toward, the game has you fill out a questionnaire. One such question asks: What's your favorite fantasy class? Each Jock has a corresponding answer, thus informing us what each Jock likes to play. From there, I simply extrapolate which subclass best fits the Jock's personality.

DEREK KINGSFIELD OATH OF GLORY PALADIN

In his questionnaire, Derek's answer is: The Paladin. When it came time to pick his subclass, there were two top contenders: Devotion and Glory. The Oath of Devotion prioritizes truth, justice, and the greater good, which Derek definitely values. Derek is a good, kind, and honorable man who believes in the good of the many. He will break up bickering and tell people to knock it off when they're getting too rowdy. But Glory fits him even better. The Oath of Glory is focused on making a name for oneself through hard work and dedication. It values actions instead of words, honing your body through hard work and exercise, learning discipline so that others can not dim your glory, and inspiring others to strive for their own excellence. As a nutrition major that doubles as the group's gym instructor, Derek cares greatly about helping everyone in the Jock Studio Film Club reach their peak physical health, all without judgement, scorn, or ridicule. Derek is patient, understanding, and tolerant of every shortcoming of his clubmates, handling Ace's lack of confidence and Bryce's brash temper with the same ease, support, and understanding. After Jacques as the president of Jock Studio and Ace as the Director, Derek is the defacto leader of the jocks, which makes sense given he's the oldest student in the club, and has experience in the film industry. His fame as The King makes Derek the only person in the group who has achieved glory in the sort of films the Jock Studio Film Club is making. Thus, making him the ideal party member to help his clubmates navigate this experience safely. He's able to understand what his clubmates are going through as newbies experiencing this industry for the first time. Because of Derek's own experiences, he's able to help them to succeed in the same industry where he's made a name for himself.

BRYCE CALLAHAN PATH OF THE ZEALOT BARBARIAN ZEALOT OF SHAR, GODDESS OF LOSS

In his questionnaire, Byrce's answer is: Barbarian. But the rest of his answers provide further insights. Bryce is a very direct and blunt person, and would only feel comfortable showing vulnerability through an alt account. He presents himself as a very macho heterosexual man. His hobbies include drinking and partying, and his preferred media is action movies and FPS video games. While he likes country music and dogs, his ideal vacation is in a big city, and none of his answers paint him as particularly outdoorsy. His other answers point to a crippling fear of being humiliated, judged, and mocked, and a secret wish he could live authentically, but being terrified to embrace his true self. A few of his answers don't even answer the question, but come across as defensive deflections to keep people at arm's length. But when he does let himself give answers, he does reveal a little more of his true self. When asked the best way to say good-bye to someone, his answer is: Sashay... away. A clear homage to RuPaul's Drag Race, suggesting he's a fan, or at least aware of it. The game has not come out yet, so we don't know every detail about every character, but based on Bryce's behavior, I think Bryce suffers from some combination of social and/or religious guilt for his closeted queerness, and hates that part of himself. The Path of the Zealot works well for a Barbarian whose rage comes from religious anger. Since he's a wrestler, the Path of the Giant allows Bryce to make himself bigger and heavier, allowing him to throw his weight around on the battlefield. The Path of the Berserker works for your garden-variety Barbarian with no particular flavor. Ultimately, I chose the Path of the Zealot because it makes a lot of sense for religion to be a major source of Bryce's trauma, shame, and guilt. I chose the goddess Shar because she's sought out by those hurting who would rather forget. Bryce is someone who wants these urges and desires taken away, and would fall into the clutches of the Dark Lady in hopes that she would make him forget these parts of him he'd rather live without. But, Sharrans are also miserable goth kids, so it is worth highlighting a few other standout options:

Tempus, God of War, suits his macho bravado.

Talos, God of Destruction, fits Bryce's hair-trigger temper.

Waukeen, Goddess of Wealth, suits his claim to have joined the film club for the money.

Lliira, Goddess of Joy and revelry, might cater to his joy of partying.

Sharess, Goddess of Lust and Passion, comes the closest to a Faerunian god of Hedonism.

Sune, Goddess of Pleasure, is as much a goddess of Hedonism as Sharess, but also governs love and beauty.

Hanseath is the Dwarven God of beer and revelry.

Asmodeus is the evil god of sinful indulgence, which might translate to alcohol, lust, partying, and/or self-loathing.

LEO MENDEZ ABJURER WIZARD

Leo is one of only two characters who does not list a specific class. When asked what his favorite fantasy class is, Leo's answer is simply: Mage. However, through other questions in the questionnaire and Demo 2 gameplay, we can deduce that Leo loves RPGs, is very intelligent, and good with computers and technology. Which may point toward a traditional Wizard. But, Leo is also someone who overextends himself to the point of exhaustion to help others. He prefers to socialize over studying, and when asked what role he plays in his friendships, his answer in the questionnaire is: I offer support where I can. All of which supports the possibility of him being a Support casting class like Bard. All things considered, I believe the devs used Mage to mean Wizard, but Leo's urge to support others is what made me think that his Wizard Subclass should be one supportive of his party. Thus, I chose the Abjurer, as it is one of the most supportive and party-focused wizard subclasses. One could make a case for the Diviner or the Enchanter, but presently, I feel the Abjurer is the most apt choice for Leo.

AVAN GEISERFORD ORDER DOMAIN CLERIC CLERIC OF AMAUNATOR, GOD OF THE SUN

Avan is the other character who does not name a specific class, but instead lists a party role. Avan's answer is: the Healer. Cleric, Druid, and Bard are the most common examples of healers in DnD. But from what we know so far, he's not overly religious, not a fan of nature, and not much of a performer. In the Questionnaire, Avan says that if he were to learn an instrument, he would pick the Piano, and he's a fan of classical music. He enjoys fantasy movies, strategy games, and his favorite part of a party is planning and organizing the event. Avan's questions and gameplay dialogue suggests that he's an orderly, organized, and mature young man, always open to learn, adapt, and grow from his experiences. That to me tells me that Avan makes a lot of sense as a Cleric, as Clerics not only take care of others, but also value discipline, structure, and order. In many towns and cities, Clerics don't just heal people, they also donate their time and energy to support the city in whatever way they can. He is roommates with the chaotic Yuuto, whom he keeps in line and takes care of by effectively being Yuuto's scolding mother-figure, reminding him to do things, or making him be responsible. Avan is a Swimmer in Poseidon House, which could lean toward a Tempest Domain Cleric, but although Tempest includes sea gods under its umbrella, it really is not a fitting choice for a sea-themed cleric. He's an honor roll student which could suggest a Knowledge Domain Cleric. He's also the President of the Student Council, which could suggest he works best as an Order Domain Cleric. After weighing all of my options, I would label Avan as an Order Domain Cleric. He values hard work, order, discipline, structure, serves in an leadership position in campus politics, and keeps his chaotic roommate on a short leash. There are two top contenders for Avan's deity: Amaunator and Tyr. Tyr is the God of Justice, worshipped by Judges, Lawyers, and Law Enforcers. Amaunator is the God of the Sun, worshipped by Lawmakers. The difference is that Amaunator's clergy perform bureaucratic duties like overseeing contracts and the signing of wills, while Tyr's clergy enforce the laws when broken. Given this distinction, Avan leans more toward Amaunator, favoring bureaucratic governance over judicial justice.

ZAYNE ALEXANDER CONCLAVE OF THE FEY WANDERER RANGER

Zayne's answer to the questionnaire is: The Hunter, which just means a Ranger. The frustrating thing about Zayne is that he's rather tight-lipped about himself. Even by the end of Demo 2, you end the game still knowing relatively little about Zayne. His answers to the questionnaire is the strongest evidence we have to go on for his personality beyond what we can see at surface level. On the surface, Zayne is a cool, charming, and popular man. This already caused me to lean toward Fey Wanderer, as they are described as having a fey mystique and a glamourous charm. He's a fan of mystery movies, his favorite super power is mind control, he enjoys dating sims, and believes he'd most likely be arrested for a love affair. But further details reveal he's a cat person, he prefers to spend his time alone, and when asked what his dynamic is with friends, his answer is a haunting: What friendship? All of which hints that behind that cool popular guy, there's a very lonely man putting on an otherworldly glamour to hide behind.

YUUTO NAKAJIMA SOULKNIFE ROGUE

Yuuto's answer to the questionnaire is: The Rogue. Yuuto's answers in the questionnaire don't tell us a whole lot that talking to him in the Demo doesn't already tell us about him. He's a hyperactive, impulsive goofball with a dirty sense of humor and class clown energy. He's earnestly eager to prove his worth, but so forgetful that it's a hazard to his life. He is a big fan of ninjas and anime, even giving overly stylized anime-esque names to his "power moves" which is just... spiking the ball. His over-eagerness often lands him in trouble, even from the people he's trying to impress. But his impulsiveness also gets in the way, even when he's trying to be helpful. When he thinks his team has left him behind for an away game, he decides to mop the court but was going to use lubricant instead of sop and water, then abandons that to make a move on Ace. His intentions to be of service to his team by cleaning the court was good, but he immediately abandoned that act of service to act on impulse. All things considered, there are two good options for Yuuto's subclass: Arcane Trickster and Soulknife. Both have anime flavor by allowing Yuuto to do flashier semi-magical feats as a rogue, which I think suits his style. But Arcane Trickster requires Intelligence as a casting stat. Yuuto's not dumb, but he doesn't strike me as a high Intelligence character. Thus, I lean toward Soulknife. It caters to his love of anime-esque powers, it's flashy and stylized, it has a unique mechanic that impacts his playstyle on the battlefield, all without being a typical, ordinary rogue.

ACE ANDERSON COLLEGE OF VALOUR BARD

Ace is the protagonist of Jock Studio, and is the one filling out the quiz. Based on how you build him, Ace can join any of the sports teams of the other jocks, including changing his fitness and stats to reflect his playstyle. Ace is someone who can be anything or do anything you need him to. He's the director of the Jock Studio's films. As the Player Character, it is up to Ace to navigate the social dynamics of the club, get close to people, and encourage them. Thus, the Bard feels like a natural fit. It's a jack of all trades focused more on support and crowd control, lacks damage output, but in a social situation, takes over handling the dialogue. The College of Valour best reflects that Olympus University is primarily a sports college, and all of the love interests being jocks on different sports teams is key to the gameplay.

[raeynbowboi]

How I would Fix Stardew Valley's Pacing Issue

I've always felt that the relationship you have with your Spouse in SDV is rather shallow. Since the first 4 hearts are usually spent barely knowing them, the 6-8 heart events are just when you start to become friends with them, 10 hearts is your first and only date, and then you get 1 post-marriage heart event, it kind of leaves the romance part of the relationship on the side of the road. You don't quite get the sense that your Spouse is falling in love with the farmer slowly. One day you're friends, and the next day, you're giving them a bouquet. I feel like there needs to be a shake up to how we progress their heart events to improve the relationship you have with your partner and eventual spouse. I wish there was more than just 1 date with your partner before you marry them. It just makes the romance part feel a little rushed.

This is my solution: When you give someone a Bouquet, it resets them to 0 hearts, but changes the Hearts to Purple. You have maxed out the friendship events, but now you have to go through the romance events. The former 10 heart event becomes the new 2 heart event for the romance arc, leaving room for 3 more dating events. The new 10 heart event becomes the culmination of the romance storyline. Only once you've reached 10 hearts in the Romance Events can you get the mermaid pendant and marry them. At which point the post marriage 14 heart event can remain the same. But now, because the romance arc was allowed to grow more steadily, it doesn't feel like the entirety of the romantic relationship was condensed into a single scene. And while the 10 heart event becoming the 2 heart event is the easy option, it may not be the right call for every spouse. Elliot's 10 heart event might make more sense being the 4th or 6th heart event in his romance story, while Alex's makes more sense being his 2 Heart romance event, and Penny's feels more like it should be her 6th, 8th, or even 10th heart Romance Event. But by resetting the heart events to allow for Romance Events, there's more time to allow a relationship to blossom with your eventual spouse.

This has more benefits beyond just giving the relationship time to breathe. It also means that for completionists, you don't have to romance every Spouse to get completion. Because the hearts start over only upon getting the bouquet, every Spouse has the normal 1-8 Friendship heart events, but the 10 heart event disappears from their screen, possibly even making room for a 10 heart friendship event like the non-romance options have.

Plus, Stardew Valley is a game meant to be played for the long-haul, not to speedrun through at mach 5. By adding another entire tier of event cutscenes, it not only helps build on the relationship each Spouse has with the farmer, but it also gives more room for the Farmer to get to experience the dating period before jumping straight into proposing. It allows the player to slow down and actually take the time to get to know their spouse better.

Honestly, if I knew how to Mod, this would be the first thing I tried to do. But I wouldn't even know where to begin learning how to mod Stardew Valley.

[raeynbowboi]

Disney MOBA: Maleficent

I never understood why Disney has never tried to make a full MOBA game akin to League of Legends or Smite, so I thought it might be fun to toy with designs of my own. I started with the most deliciously wicked character of all. I doubt I’d be able to use the Chain of Memory Cards again if I do any more of these, but it seemed a cute gimmick for the first one. Who should I do next?

[raeynbowboi]

Kids in 2078: Mom, why is Grandpa Kyle unbuttoning his pants in this photo?

Mom: It's called a 'thirst trap' and it's the only photo we have of him ... With his pants on.

[raeynbowboi]

HOW TO PLAY AS THE BELCHERS IN DND 5E

Today, we're going to explore how to build the Belchers as a DnD Party. Plus Teddy. We're not really going to touch on stats. Let's be honest, the Belchers aren't really great at anything. If we were building them accurately, they'd all be super low level and/or with terrible stats. But it's your character and your campaign, so you can make them more or less optimized as you see fit. They're also all basic Humans, so we're pretty much just focusing on their classes and subclasses.

BOB BELCHER

PALADIN OATH OF DEVOTION

Bob is largely defined by his principles and values. As Tina puts it, Bob is a good business owner, but a bad businessman. He cares more about providing a quality service and succeeding his way than making money. And in Little Hard Dad, he's shown to say "It's the principle of it" way too often. This to me reads as a Paladin. Given his belief in quality service and moral principles, I label him as an Oath of Devotion Paladin.

VARIANT BUILD

FIGHTER SAMURAI ARCHETYPE

Bob is pretty boring and straightforward, which makes Fighter really fitting for his personality. If he was going to model himself after anyone, he'd choose Shinji Kojima/Hawk. Thus, the Samurai archetype. However, if we're leaning purely into the boring practicality and straightforwardness of Bob, I might suggest Champion instead. It's the most Fighter-y Fighter you can build.

Regardless of his class, make sure to pick up proficiency with Cook's Utensils or the Chef Feat.

LINDA BELCHER

BARD COLLEGE OF DANCE

Telling Linda Belcher not to sing or dance is like telling Tina not to talk about horses or telling Bob not to cook. It's just not going to happen. She loves the theater, she sings all the time, and she was once in an amateur garage band. All the makings of a classic bard. Given her love of dancing, I went with the College of Dance.

TINA BELCHER

CLERIC LIFE DOMAIN

Tina is the family member who puts the most stock in things like fate, true love, karma, and damnation. She is also one of the characters that mentions religion more than anyone else. More specifically, she strikes me as a Cleric of Sune, the Faerunian Goddess of Love and Beauty. Sune's virtues include following your heart wherever it leads, championing love and romance at all costs, taking any risk in pursuit of love, being true to your heart and your passions without shame, and trying to make the world a more beautiful place. As such, Tina is the perfect candidate for a Cleric of Sune. Sune has two domains: Life and Light. Given that Tina has at least some interest in nursing, the Life Domain seems more in-line with Tina's values as a follower of Sune.

GENE BELCHER

SORCERER WILD MAGIC ORIGIN

I know, I know. It's a sin that he's not a Bard. But Gene and Linda are very similar characters, and both work as Bards. The best thing for a party is diversity. So, I looked at Gene's personality beyond just his music. And the core of Gene is whacky nonsense. Usually, when Gene tells stories, it's an excuse for weird imagery. The Banana-fullo, Fart School, radioactive pizza sauce. Thus, the Wild Magic origin for Sorcerers spoke to me. Gene loves whacky randomness, so he would be drawn to Wild Magic. Plus, he's not really a good bard. He hates practicing, he's unfamiliar with the concept of a workbook, and kind of just expects a music career to be handed to him. Hell, when he got cast in a play and had all of two lines, he didn't memorize them, and wanted to ad lib every take. Gene's a sorcerer with the Entertainer background, but he is NOT a bard. He doesn't take his craft seriously the way Linda does.

LOUISE BELCHER

ROGUE ASSASSIN ARCHETYPE

One of Louise's main skills is her ability to pick locks. Bob is literally afraid to go into her room as he expects boobie traps to hurt him. She's a clever tactician, masterminding several heists and revenge schemes. She's good at tricking people and lying to their faces to get what she wants. As for why she's an assassin, in the episode where Louise is uncertain of her future, one vignette paints as a John Wick style Wedgie-Sassin. She's also a fan of Francine, a Special Girl doll that spied on the Russians during the Cold War. She's not typically a fan of girly things, but she does like the one that's a spy. She's definitely the family member who would be the outlaw punk of the group.

RANGER GLOOMSTALKER CONCLAVE

In more recent seasons, we've seen a newfound interest in archery, with Louise even making a zombie movie centered around her blossoming hobby. The Gloomstalker/Assassin multiclass is also a very good multiclass in combat, which is why I felt it was the most fitting for Louise. She's also pretty accurate with other ranged combat like spitballs and throwing things at people.

TEDDY THE HANDYMAN

ARTIFICER BATTLE SMITH

This one pretty much goes without saying. He's a mechanic and handyman, he's used to moving and hauling heavy objects, plus he's burly, making him a great fit for the party's tank. The Battle Smith is an artificer built for the front line, and they get to be joined by a mechanical ally. Teddy would absolutely take a hit for any of the Belchers. The guy also fell off a roof and walked it off, so he's definitely got the highest Constitution score of the group.

I think this party turned out alright. Bob and Teddy are on the frontlines, Linda and Tina are the primary support, Gene is a ball of pure chaos and uncontrolled energy, and Louise is sniping people from the shadows. Everyone's doing what they should be doing to work as a unit, and also happen to be a fairly well-balanced party as well. This is an especially good party for low stakes and silly campaigns, but probably not the kind of party you want to bring to Barovia or Avernus.