My Little Pony LXXXIX: Ponythread Perfect! Yaks no Smash!

[Rater202]

So.

PonyTwi is attracted to HumanFlash and vice versa.

Does that mean that HumanTwi is gonna have a thing with PonyFlash?

[One Tin Soldier]

Ah, that'll do it. As much as I miss the older series, I admit Go still makes me laugh.

I'm off to a good start for being in a decent mood myself. Traffic on the commute wasn't completely butt this morning, and my D&D 5e Pony Races got some nice feedback so I tweaked some of that stuff based on the comments. I think one debate still ongoing is whether unicorns should stay with their [Mage Hand +Detect Magic +Locate Object] ability or get switched to the Telekinesis spell as a racial ability. I'm wary of the latter because it allows you to move about 1000 pounds of stuff and creatures and that might be a bit much for a racial ability.

Dunno how much you D&D to comment on that.




GASP!! O_O

Did Flash get a personality too? Cause that much effort definitely earns a Like from me.

I was reading that thread, and I'm pretty sure they meant telekinesis in the general meaning of the term, not the Telekinesis spell. And I agree; in this context, most of Twi's signature abilities are better represented by her being a wizard than innate unicorn abilities.

[DigoDragon]

5E I have't even looked at, since what I have heard suggests it doesn't do anything that 3.Aotrs or Rolemaster doesn't already do.

What 5e does in my opinion is make it easy to run a D&D PbP by way of streamlined rules. Since PbP is currently my only way of getting an RP fix these days, I take what I can get. :3

Instead, I would assign them a range (whatever you reckon is reasonably, possible the same as Mage Hand for a starter for ten, modified by what you reckon from watching the show) and say they can lift stuff at that range as if with a Str of (Int/Wis or Cha, depending how you want to do it), and manipulate it with an effective Dex of (Int/Wis or Cha but different to the previous). I might say maybe Cha for Str, Int for Dex - and maybe set a limit to the number of "hands" they can use based on Wis or something (either stat or bonus), so you can have Rarity using several things at once. (To crib an idea from the Jalyrkieons.) Whether or nor you choose to further reduce that to avoid multiple weapon spam (if that's likely to be an issue in the game in question).

This sounds kind of similar to the way I built unicorn telekinesis for Trixie in that one GURPS game I took part in.

Spoiler

Show

It was in levels that scaled like strength, and Trixie had two "hands" of Telekinesis. She herself was physically under-average as far as normal ponies would be, but her TK was strong enough to swing a bat and break someone's leg easily. She used Dexterity to control it and her Health to 'power' it. Course the knuckle-headed humans on the team thought "Hey, let's see what happens if we give Trixie a gun, but don't train her on gun safety!"

I think the worst of that idea wasn't the humans she accidentally shot-- it was the humans she purposely shot. Trixie was too clever for her own good, such as using TK to flip off the safety of a weapon and then squeezing the trigger while the weapon is in someone's holster to discharge it. Painful. If it didn't cripple the victim's leg you had bullets hitting straight down at the floor and ricocheting back up wildly.

Says something though when that is a DRATIC step up from how he usually gets treated.

Aye.

I was reading that thread, and I'm pretty sure they meant telekinesis in the general meaning of the term, not the Telekinesis spell. And I agree; in this context, most of Twi's signature abilities are better represented by her being a wizard than innate unicorn abilities.

Telekinesis in general... unfortunately all I have are spells to base such abilities on so that might be outside my scope without help. I still personally think Mage Hand works as a basic ability in D&D terms. It's not perfect, but it works given the system.

PonyTwi is attracted to HumanFlash and vice versa.
Does that mean that HumanTwi is gonna have a thing with PonyFlash?

Well, in fanart that seems to be a 'Yes'.

[McNum]

Telekinesis in general... unfortunately all I have are spells to base such abilities on so that might be outside my scope without help. I still personally think Mage Hand works as a basic ability in D&D terms. It's not perfect, but it works given the system.

It think the idea here might be to find the "Level 0" Unicorn and use that. And well, we do have one example of a unicorn just learning to use the innate Telekinesis they have: Sweetie Belle. So, the weight limit for a newbie Unicorn is somewhere around the weight of a broom.

Well, in fanart that seems to be a 'Yes'.

You say that as if there's not fanart of any pairing. The Equestria Girls humans just add another variant to the shipping matrices. I wonder what the most common human/pony shipping is. I get the feeling it might involve Rainbow Dash. Possibly either. Or both.

[One Tin Soldier]

Telekinesis in general... unfortunately all I have are spells to base such abilities on so that might be outside my scope without help. I still personally think Mage Hand works as a basic ability in D&D terms. It's not perfect, but it works given the system.

Yeah, Mage Hand should cover it nicely. Modeling the "special talent" spells for unicorns other than Twilight or Trixie is a lot trickier to accomplish with D&D, just because of the way their magic is set up. Which is why I would just leave it to class abilities.

[DigoDragon]

You say that as if there's not fanart of any pairing.

Well, I meant to mean it as outside the canon sources. Luna forbid I daresay something has not been shipped yet. :3

Which is why I would just leave it to class abilities.

Sounds reasonable.

Certainly adds fuel to the idea I should run a Pony D&D 5e adventure and test all this out.

[McNum]

Well, I meant to mean it as outside the canon sources. Luna forbid I daresay something has not been shipped yet. :3

Indeed. We are talking about a fandom here that has shipped Rainbow Dash with the concept of shipping itself and the kitchen sink, twice.

I wonder what happens first when a new character is introduced. Shipfics or plushies? There are some really fast plushie makers. Of course, then people can start to ship the plushies together.

Sounds reasonable.

Certainly adds fuel to the idea I should run a Pony D&D 5e adventure and test all this out.

Could be fun to try. Even if the last D&D I played was 3.5 and that was in meatspace. I really have no idea on 5e or how PbP works, but it could be interesting to try.

Are the basic 5e rules available anywhere online, or was that just a 3.5 thing to do that?

[b_jonas]

I wonder what happens first when a new character is introduced. Shipfics or plushies? There are some really fast plushie makers. Of course, then people can start to ship the plushies together.

Hmm. Are there already shipfics and plushies of the two yellow mares that might not even have been introduced in the show yet, and we know them from a single low quality image only?

More importantly, are there plushies and ship-fics of Star Bright yet, preferably shipping him with Cheerilee?

[One Tin Soldier]

Indeed. We are talking about a fandom here that has shipped Rainbow Dash with the concept of shipping itself and the kitchen sink, twice.

I wonder what happens first when a new character is introduced. Shipfics or plushies? There are some really fast plushie makers. Of course, then people can start to ship the plushies together.


Could be fun to try. Even if the last D&D I played was 3.5 and that was in meatspace. I really have no idea on 5e or how PbP works, but it could be interesting to try.

Are the basic 5e rules available anywhere online, or was that just a 3.5 thing to do that?

There's no SRD, but you can get the basic rules for free (including basic races and classes) right here. They're pretty easy to get your head around – the hardest part is honestly unlearning the stuff you remember from 3.5, as a lot of it is very similar.

[McNum]

There's no SRD, but you can get the basic rules for free (including basic races and classes) right here. They're pretty easy to get your head around – the hardest part is honestly unlearning the stuff you remember from 3.5, as a lot of it is very similar.

Thanks! Wow, over a hundred pages long. That's more than expected. I see the basic rule is still "Roll a d20 with modifiers towards a target number", so that's similar enough. I'll have to read this thing some more to find out how much is new.

EDIT: Okay, yeah, I can see how 5e works in broad strokes now. Big new things from 3.5 to 5e is the Advantage thing, HP is maxed out, you use HD for rest healing (clever), proficiency is just one number added to every thing you're good at, and saves are per ability score, not Will/Fort/Reflex. The basic rules only have Fighter/Rogue/Cleric/Wizard, though. But I suppose they can't give away the entire PHB for free. Well, they COULD, I mean... they won't.

[DigoDragon]

Apple Bloom demonstrates what it's like to be in Florida's humid heat.

Spoiler

Show

Edit:
I guess it's time to pay attention to the Atlantic ocean.

[Forum Explorer]

So.

PonyTwi is attracted to HumanFlash and vice versa.

Does that mean that HumanTwi is gonna have a thing with PonyFlash?

I hope not, cause I hope they actually give Flash (either really) some actual character development first. Or just drop him out of the story altogether. (Seriously, he does absolutely nothing in Rainbow Rocks. Except waste (thankfully only a little) time).

[Derjuin]

Oh my gog, I just found out tonight that Big Mac's name is spelled "Big McIntosh" instead of "Big Macintosh". That is so awkward to type out. I also just discovered that he is Applejack's older brother. I could have sworn he was her younger brother, but it wouldn't make much sense if a pony based off the "Big Brother" line of G1 ponies was actually a little brother.

[DigoDragon]

Looks like Erika is predicted to hit Florida. Guess I better check the hurricane supplies today.

EDIT: Okay, yeah, I can see how 5e works in broad strokes now. Big new things from 3.5 to 5e is the Advantage thing, HP is maxed out, you use HD for rest healing (clever), proficiency is just one number added to every thing you're good at, and saves are per ability score, not Will/Fort/Reflex. The basic rules only have Fighter/Rogue/Cleric/Wizard, though. But I suppose they can't give away the entire PHB for free. Well, they COULD, I mean... they won't.

Someone probably did that for them. It is the internet. >.>

But yeah, the 5e system is pretty easy to learn if you know your way around 3.5e. I think perhaps the challenge is unlearning certain things more often than picking up new rules. XD

I hope not, cause I hope they actually give Flash (either really) some actual character development first.

Why not both? Character Development, then love interest.

Oh my gog, I just found out tonight that Big Mac's name is spelled "Big McIntosh" instead of "Big Macintosh".

I used to remember it by associating him as the smart sibling, hence he's McIntosh.

but it wouldn't make much sense if a pony based off the "Big Brother" line of G1 ponies was actually a little brother.

I can't remember, did the stallions of G1 ever make it back from their round-the-world race?

[Dexam]

This thread needs a little revamp.

Spoiler

Show

[DigoDragon]

This thread needs a little revamp.

I see what you did there.
+100 xp

Well, that's a... nice bit of garment Rarity is almost wearing. I do have to give it to AJ though. She makes the tie sexy.

Spoiler

Show

I can't see it as anything but Kool-aid. XD

[zimmerwald1915]

Spoiler

Show

Is that an apple with peach flesh? Because it looks like an apple with peach flesh.

[DigoDragon]

One more for the collection-- Vladenza

Spoiler

Show

[One Tin Soldier]

I see what you did there.
+100 xp

Well, that's a... nice bit of garment Rarity is almost wearing. I do have to give it to AJ though. She makes the tie sexy.




I can't see it as anything but Kool-aid. XD

Yeah, those designs... certainly are sexualized. I think they're well done, don't gets wrong, but it's not exactly what I was expecting.


Also, considering that blood is opaque, I think you might be on to something.

[RCgothic]

It diffuses that way if the garment is wet.

Edit: totally missed that she was in a bath of the stuff and was only looking at her clothing!

[Rater202]

Yeah, those designs...

Cept the Pinkie one. It sounds like the rest of the girls said "We're gonna dress up as vampires for the costume party" intending for it to be the sexy vampires, but Pinkie only got the first part of the memo.

[McNum]

Someone probably did that for them. It is the internet. >.>

You think someone would do that? Go on the internet and share things they aren't allowed to share? Why the nerve of some people.

But yeah, the 5e system is pretty easy to learn if you know your way around 3.5e. I think perhaps the challenge is unlearning certain things more often than picking up new rules. XD

And that's where being really rusty at 3.5 comes in handy. I may have DM'd it once, but that's a long time ago. And I wasn't even a rules shark then, I winged it way too much. And let the players get away with too many things because they were cool. On the other hand, if players are quite willing to pay a gnomish inventor to attach a light ballista to a wagon to give the next generic highway robber encounter that I liked to use too much one nasty surprise, then why should I stop them? I of course had to give them one last highway robber encounter after that. I mean, they paid for it, they get to try it for the exact purpose they got it for.

But I can barely remember the basics of a combat round anymore. So I hope that's a strength.

[Dexam]

Well, that's a... nice bit of garment Rarity is almost wearing.

Apparently Rarity's outfit is based off the Vampirella comic character.

I can't see it as anything but Kool-aid. XD

I was thinking cranberry juice.

[One Tin Soldier]

Cept the Pinkie one. It sounds like the rest of the girls said "We're gonna dress up as vampires for the costume party" intending for it to be the sexy vampires, but Pinkie only got the first part of the memo.

Yeah, I was thinking something like that too.

Now I'm picturing a follow-up comic with them at a costume party, in varying levels of embarrassment or non-embarrassment about their costumes. I'd see Twi being the most embarrassed, despite hers being relatively tame. Rarity is a little self-conscious, but has no one to blame but herself, since she made most of the costumes. Fluttershy is actually enjoying herself with scaring people with her flutterbat growls, but then feels bad as soon as she gets away from them. Rainbow thinks hers is cool, but complains a lot about the practicality. AJ keeps insisting that her character is a half-vampire who fights other vampires. Pinkie is just enjoying the party and speaking in a terrible Transylvanian accent. And Sunset is, of course, completely rocking it.

If only I could draw...
I can write, though... Maybe I should do something with this...

[DigoDragon]

Also, considering that blood is opaque, I think you might be on to something.

Oh Yeah!

Spoiler

Show

Edit: totally missed that she was in a bath of the stuff and was only looking at her clothing!

Probably the intent of the art to draw your eyes to the clothing first?

Cept the Pinkie one. It sounds like the rest of the girls said "We're gonna dress up as vampires for the costume party" intending for it to be the sexy vampires, but Pinkie only got the first part of the memo.

I dunno, sometimes is not what you reveal, but what you leave to the imagination.

And that's where being really rusty at 3.5 comes in handy.

That can be a strength, yes. I haven't played a 3.5 adventure in some time as well and picking up 5e was pretty easy for me.

[Aotrs Commander]

Considering the inspiration came from the recent comics, I suspect in actuality...

Spoiler: MLP #33

Show

...they're about to go and fight another army of sentient evil apples.

Again Twilight, any plan that involves turning yourself into a vampire is a BAD PLAN.

I am going to assume Sunset is sitting in a bath of apple and blackcurrent squash, since it's about the right colour and refractive index and also would make most sense (since it has apples in it).

(It cannot, by even the most uncharitable interpretation, possibly be blood, since blood would be opaque, as One Tin Soldier says.)



Edit: And on second thought, we're missing the rather more obvious questions than "what is Sunset sitting in?" which is "why is Sunset sitting in a bath of apple and blackcurrent squash? And why with her with her clothers on?"

[One Tin Soldier]

Edit: And on second thought, we're missing the rather more obvious questions than "what is Sunset sitting in?" which is "why is Sunset sitting in a bath of apple and blackcurrent squash? And why with her with her clothers on?"

For the photo op, obviously.

[DigoDragon]

Edit: And on second thought, we're missing the rather more obvious questions than "what is Sunset sitting in?" which is "why is Sunset sitting in a bath of apple and blackcurrent squash? And why with her with her clothers on?"

The real question is, "How much did they pay her to sit in a bath of apple and blackcurrent squash with her clothes on?"

Everyone has a price.

[RCgothic]

The real question is, "How much did they pay her to sit in a bath of apple and blackcurrent squash with her clothes on?"

Everyone has a price.

One peachy apple.

[Aotrs Commander]

Also "how long is it going to take her get apple and blackcurrent squash out of her hair?"

Because soaking your hair in apple and blackcurrent squash sounds like a recipe for nasty, sticky hair. And Rarity having an apoplexy.