I feel bad for the original writer of that post. He/she/it had no chance trying to fit these five words together over three short lines of text:

Problematic
Rationalize
Progressive
Authentic
Believable

It was never going to happen.

Quote from: Opaopajr on Today at 04:30:44 AMAnyway, reddit seems to be redditting, so that's enough reddit for me this year.

Indeed.

QuoteAs long as they can get free advertising from people like Pundit and other reviewers they will keep doing it.

I mean some level of outrage marketing is probably true, but I doubt if in modern very divisive internet it's real advertisement. Outrage reviewers on right side caters and get money from right wingers following them in spiral of outrage - it's like almost independent clockwork wheel - thats slightly pushed by wokes but generally at this point very much is moving on its own.

QuoteWeird since they have de-aging technology to make him look younger.

In Lynch's "Dune" time?

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Moreover, the depiction of steroid use in PC games can perpetuate unrealistic body standards and reinforce harmful stereotypes about masculinity and physical appearance. By promoting the idea that achieving a certain physique is only possible through the use of performance-enhancing drugs, these games contribute to a culture that prioritizes aesthetics over health and well-being. This can have detrimental effects on individuals' self-esteem and body image, leading to potentially harmful behaviors in pursuit of an unattainable ideal. Trenbolone acetate

Quote from: Neoplatonist1 on April 22, 2024, 11:58:38 PM

Quote from: SHARK on April 22, 2024, 03:55:16 PMGreetings!

As I recall, the saying is "Politics is downstream from Culture." I forgot who first coined the expression.

Still, this all is absolutely a total culture war. Woke must be totally crushed and destroyed. If the Culture War cannot be won, then everything under the umbrella of "Culture" will continue to be corrupted and or destroyed. The TTRPG gaming hobby will be the least of our worries. It too though, will be corrupted and destroyed, just like every other aspect of our culture.

Tolkien is not at fault for anything. The problem is with the Marxist, Woke scum. They are the filthy, diseased rats, threatening to devour everything in society.

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

Greetings SHARK,

What's our basis for opposing Wokism? Is it liberal democracy/secularism/socially contracted human rights, Christianity, fascism, Neo-platonism, or what? If we lack a firm foundation, how can we save the house from the flood?

Neoplatonist1

Greetings!

Well, my friend, I personally oppose the Woke based on two things--(1) My Christian faith; and (2) Traditional American Values.

The Woke are Marxist, evil, and traitors to our nation, our Republic, and our people.

And yes, as long as Americans are divided, distracted, and brainwashed with weakness, then the Woke Marxists will win. Americans need to unite, and become hard and fierce. Americans need to harden themselves in doing what needs to be done to heal our land, our nation, and our people.

"Voting harder" will not cleanse our great land, and make us strong. The hard times are coming, and America will need hard men to restore our nation if we are to have any kind of future. Otherwise, we will be choked in diverse rainbow jello and enslaved to a Marxist elite tyrant mommy-state.

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

Huh, well why don't they try taking Black Dog oWoD/cWoD back to a loving, self-sacrificing God like Jeebus?

I keed, I keed. The irony is far too blinding to all concerned.

Anyway, reddit seems to be redditting, so that's enough reddit for me this year.

I watched the last eppy tongight. I was satisfied with how it ended.
I haven't read the novel, but I have seen the original mini-series. That too kinda ended on a flat note. And so did this one. I mean, there's a whole scene that's just Torinaga expositioning about how his plans will play out. And then it ends with Fuji and Blackthorne saying their goodbyes.
Someone expecting a huge-ass battle is gonna be dissapointed.

A part of me wishes they'd drawn this out another few episodes and actually shown the "battle". But then, it would have been a huge let down to have these armies muster only for the whole thing to be called on account of politics. I dunno.

As a whole, the series is well worth the watch. It's really strong in the beginning, and has some really damn great moments.

What's this ? But the opening post of this wonderful thread on reddit, of course.

(quoted for posterity if this thing should disappear)

QuoteOk, I like the Greek Gods, or at least thought I did. But I'm starting to think I need a sanitized version, since they are too problematic in their original form, even for the Black Dog line.

How can I rationalize that they are morally more progressive (in that no means no, among other things) for players at the table. They don't need to be something from a Disney Cartoon, but I want them to feel authentic and believable, while not being HORRIBLE.

Now, on a scale from 0 to brain dead clam, how many neurons did you have to lose to write something like that ? I'm literally speechless.

I reject the premise. Tolkien is just one of many in the field, often from pulp, that elevated the speculative fiction genre with a mash-up of respected classic literary forms. And respected classic literary forms rarely started out so "classic" and were often an experimentation of their own (e.g. "The Tale of Genji" breaks all sorts of classical novel conventions). Thus the development of literature is not a finite, stilted, classified corpus, but a breathing corpus of many inspirations still exploring.

RPGs is just a gaming off-shoot from this bored literati playing with literary entertainment forms old and new. And it too has birthed its own corpus of ideas and molds and breaking of said molds. This latest disestablishmentarianism (triple word score!) is naught but the cycle of disenchanted creativity trying to find breathing room upon the soil by burning the flora atop in a fit of pique. Nothing new, nothing profound, no real revolution.

So who are we rebelling against? And can these new creators create without iconoclastic rebellion? What are they then truly beyond the revolution... nothing? The revolution eats all its children...

Quote from: yosemitemike on April 22, 2024, 03:15:39 AMHaste gets cast quite a bit in my 5e games.  It also gives you +2 ac and advantage on dex saves which can be very useful.  A crafty player can get a lot of use out of a free dash or disengage too.  Being able to move twice and still do your attack action can be a game-changer.

Same, caster using Haste on a Paladin is disgustingly efficient. That Adv on Dex saves and +2 AC also worked well when I was the Cleric also buffing the Paladin with Warding Bond. After that and I use proper distancing, cover, and Dodge and watch the Paladin nova the biggest bad at the table in a round or two. Rest is mop up.

It's the defenses that people overlook that really saved our asses multiple times. The extra Smite just finished off a main course into a mere appetizer. That said a Fighter offers relentless forward pressure, whereas our groups did need rest over time.

(TMI, You technically can cast twice with the Fighter using their Action Surge class fearure (lv 2 & 17), and then their casting archetype. They are pretty much the only ones who can, last I played, due to that specific feature. So yes, you can double tap fireball on a big mob battle then mop up. Makes 5 minute Short Resting with that and Second Wind a bit overwhelming for my tastes, but keeps Fighters a continuous serious long-term threat. I prefer RAW book 1 hour SR, and let players decide, which they rarely take advantage of short-resters serious throughput advantage by party splitting.)