I’m in the choice that I must decide if I want to train supernatural research or supernatural combat, can anyone guide me? My question is whether it’s an independent statistic or should I take into account what I’m more skilled at. My combat is at 62 and knowledge at 80, can I choose either one without problem or should I choose the research?
You get an independent statistic called “scombat” or “sresearch” and the boost you get is based on your combat/people score or research/science score. With your scores, you’ll get the max (16%) no matter which you pick, so you can go combat, if you like and not be punished for it (others, with skills below 45, only get a 10% bump in supernatural combat or research).
4 Likes
How to get Falk to sign the treaty?
There are a lot of variables that go into that (more than I feel like detailing, lol) but this guide gives you an idea of how to do it:
On another note, today’s ask:
I definitely think the MC will be cut off from the team, one way or another.
Can’t see F or N walking away, so it’s either the MC who does it or the Agency forces it. A would do it in a heartbeat to protect the MC. M… would do it, too, if they haven’t figured out they love the MC yet, which will likely be the case. And maybe that’s what makes M realize it.
I freaking hate the “you have to dump them to save them” trope because I’ve always thought it was bullshit (you want to protect someone? then keep them near so you can help them!). But that’s likely what we’ll get. That or the Agency forces the issue.
6 Likes
Agree, because narratively speaking it’s bound to happen - put the Detective on their own so they have to rely on their own devices instead of the back-up of the vampires.
MY vote is that it’s going to be forced by hostile circumstances: either the Detective gets kidnapped again or they get sealed away from the team - speaking of stuff that we KNOW is going to happen, we’re definitely going to get a prison break and a not!Murphy return, so maybe one of those two is responsible.
It’s certainly a more satisfying resolution to the recurring nightmares to have the Detective deal with Murphy on their own than having the Bravos stop Murphy, which would thematically link the Detective being safe from Murphy to having the Bravos around instead of just, y’know, being safe from Murphy.
When the prison break happens, it’s always possible that the Detective is the facility and the Bravos are not and security protocols seal the facility off (to prevent the inmates from escaping to the outside world), which would separate the Detective and the RO without needing to justify one of them having a big geographical move or one of them not immediately moving to help the other (nobody’s selling me on F not IMMEDIATELY breaking every rule on the book).
As a sidenote, I’ll never not absolutely love this scene:
It might be even better in the N path, where you can just break N if you want.
1 Like
Hope there won’t be kidnapping again because it’s gonna get boring!
I wouldn’t mind some blackmail "come with us Detective, or something bad will happen your town " bwahaha 
The problem with this is that it doesn’t work for Detectives that don’t give a crap.
1 Like
Considering the detective has super duper supernatural-pumping (heh heh) blood, it makes sense if they’re constantly in danger of being kidnapped or getting kidnapped.
And what I find boring is the LI being in danger all the time. FFS, they’re vampires. Put the MC in real danger. What happened with Murphy doesn’t count for me because M couldn’t have given less of a shit about the MC at the point (Sera flat out said M really was mourning their cigarette instead of worrying over the MC at that point). I want the MC to be in so much danger–or be hurt so damned bad–that M can’t help but pull their head out of their ass about their feelings.
And, maybe, if it’s a case where the LI cuts bait and runs for whatever reason, it’s because they aren’t there that the MC gets injured or taken or whatever. Since my MCs (for the most part) will never choose the job over the one they love, they’ll never get the drugged-up, injured-in-bed confessions that show A and M actually give a damn. Which just leaves the MC getting hurt badly. So I’m all for it!
I’m wondering how it’s tied to the “coming darkness” that Sanja mentioned. I’ve almost wondered if the vampires will all go nuts or something (drugged with something to make them lose control or some such shit). Especially since she made the comment about the MC possibly falling into darkness with them.
M’s was particularly interesting given the patreon scene with Sanja, where she says M better figure out what they feel for the MC quickly. Why would that matter? For the others, they already know how they feel. N was warned about their fears coming true, F was warned they may have to choose between being with the team or being with the MC, and A was warned they may be swallowed by darkness or something. So how does it tie together? So will the darkness be RO-centric? Will each one cause their own scenario of misery? And how will that work if the MC is not around them and with their human friends for the majority of b5?
Agree on this. The MC needs to handle Murphy alone next time, one way or another. Having the MC be a prisoner for most of book 5 or being kidnapped for a lengthy time (instead of hours) would be awesome (that’s the kind of angst I like because I want to see the LIs miserable over it). But if I remember, Sera said the MC would have a lot more interactions with Verda and Tina, which pretty much rules out the MC’s capture. So I really think the issue will be the LIs have some problems and are forced away from the MC or decide to stay away.
Hopefully, if that’s the case, the MC gets into really awful trouble that could’ve been avoided had the damned team been around (and I’d love it if it was Rebecca who orders this shit, so once again the MC suffers due to her shitty decisions to “protect” her grown ass “child”).
2 Likes
I don’t think it’s the vamps going out of control because:
1 - In M’s case, Sanja specifically says “If the coming darkness makes you break, then [they] may willingly break with you.” (emphasis mine), so the loss of control woud have to be willing AND something that works on humans too, and
2 - MOSTLY, all (or any of) the vamps losing control sort of steps on what I’m like 96.32% sure is N’s personal arc of “ooops, drank too much blood, Dark Phoenix time”.
I feel like, narratively speaking, the big problems have to arise naturally out of the ROs’ personal arcs and not external circumstances, and F’s personal arc doesn’t lend itself to “being away from the Detective”, unless it’s “funeral for mum” or something like that.
1 Like
@EvilChani OMG, it’s the thing we keep griping about: “We were hoping to take the Trappers by surprise. It would certainly help our chances of getting Sanja out of here.”
Agreed. Then explain to me, you absolute dimwit, why at first opportunity we absolutely BLOW THE SURPRISE by standing there and going “hey, would you guys maybe like to surrender, sort of?”.
The really annoying part is that it wouldn’t even affect the narrative at all. The unit could go in, quickly take out a few Trappers, and the EXACT same scenes could play out. It’s the idiot ball, but in this case it doesn’t even progress the plot.
“By surprise.” “Announce ourselves”. 
M doesn’t think farther ahead than five minutes, and they’re STILL the best strategist this team has. No wonder these people aren’t an A-rated team.
EDIT:Soooooo, the save system…
Apparently, the save you make at the end of B2 is visible when you import a character at the start of B2. Loading it sends you back to the start of B2 (back to the option where you can import a save from), but to avoid confusion, you might want add something to the name of your B2 saves to differentiate them from B1 saves (like a 2 at the end of the name or something).
1 Like
Hmm. If the darkness is personal to the RO, then the only thing that M’s could be is their lost memories. Either they get their memories back (and we learn exactly what went on with them) or whoever it was that had M imprisoned and experimented on them returns. I can see that driving M into a downward spiral (since those crystals and Chana’s magical mojo are the only things keeping his memories at bay) but UB would likely be enough to save them, so there must be more to it.
More and more, though, I’m convinced that whatever bad shit goes down in b5 will be the trigger for M to realize that they love the MC and it won’t happen before that. And, likely, M will push the MC away (or face a choice of being with UB or being with the MC and they choose UB), and being separated during dark times makes them get that they’re in love.
Like you said F’s personal arc doesn’t lend itself to being away from the detective. And F’s “advice” from Sanja doesn’t make much sense.
“One day, that need may trap you. When the coming darkness arrives, you may both have to choose between your heart and what you value beyond all things to keep each other near.”
So for F and the MC, it’s “heart and most valued vs each other being near.” F values family the most, so maybe it’s choosing between being with UB and being with the MC (and maybe MC choosing between Rebecca/human friends and F)? F is unlikely to leave the MC for whatever reason, but maybe to keep UB together?
Like you said, N’s personal arc is mostly likely going to be the Dark Phoenix plot. For A, who the hell knows, since it was just a “light will greet you but the darkness may swallow you both” thing.
Yeah, this makes UB look completely incompetent and stupid. In the A/F path, F is the one who has sense and tells A that they don’t think the plan will keep them or the MC safe. It seems the team “leaders” are the dumbest and most obtuse members of the team.
Playing through with three of my four MCs (the M-mancer, A-mancer, and N-mancer), they seriously would not have gone along with the “plan” due to its stupidity. So I have to head canon how those three happen. My F-mancer isn’t the sharpest tool in the drawer and just goes along, even if she thinks it’s stupid.
The drama could still have happened, which I think was the whole point of the scene, to have the “choose Sanja or LI” choice, even if it would’ve made more sense for the MC to go, “Go get Sanja, I’ll help LI!” or visa versa, plus it would’ve given the MC a chance to shine on their own. But at least it could’ve made sense that way. As it is, it just seems ridiculous and makes me question how UB can be ranked so high–unless being ranked high is dependent on the team obeying orders without question, no matter the situation. Then again, I can’t see UA following through with this plan. I think they are more likely to think on their feet than A or N, who just blindly follow “the plan” even if the plan is for them to jump off a damned cliff.
Thanks for the warning about the save system! Thankfully, my saves for b2 have an addendum on the end (a -t, -v, or -noone, so I know which path it is). Someone should probably report that issue, though.
2 Likes
Huh. That’s not how I parsed it. I read it as “heart” vs. “what you value beyond all things”. Intonation would probably dispel the doubt of which is the right read, but, hey, written word.
Honestly, I can’t really see them following any plan, unless… Leeeeda? is that her name? has a really tight hold on their leash. The kiwis appear to have zero impulse control and the Asian girl strikes me as having ADHD. I’m not sure any of those three can keep their focus on anything for very long.
To be honest, everybody in the Agency appears to be incredibly incompetent - like, it was literally the Alphas job to scour the forest for Trappers, and the Detective still gets ambushed IN THE FACILITY’S PARKING LOT!
The Bravos are ranked high not because they’re especially good, but because everyone is incredibly bad. Except the medical personnel, apparently. Of course, they DO get a lot of practice.
1 Like
It always fascinates me how people can read the same words and come out with two different conclusions. It’s like that t-shirt about commas mattering (“Let’s eat, Grandma” vs “Let’s eat Grandma”). I think I read that sentence in F’s route four or five times the first run because I wondered if there was meant to be a comma in there (like a math equation, there were three things and I couldn’t tell which two were supposed to be tied together, lol).
Lesedi. I get the feeling she has pretty good control of her team, but I also think they are the type of team to just steamroll in and deal with shit. They would’ve really used the “surprise” angle to kick the Trappers’ asses. It may have gone to hell, as it did with UB, but the initial bit would’ve been them just charging in and dealing with shit (maybe one of them grabbing Sanja and leaving, leaving the other two behind, and they would have to deal with the Trappers). If you’re on her patreon, read the UA scenarios she wrote–the one for b1 patrol pretty much sums them up for me as the types to go after the threat instead of standing around.
Agreed. I’m not sure if that’s meant to be the case, though. I think UB (and the Agency, by extension) suffers from plot-forced stupidity. If UB was more competent (and the MC was allowed more agency), then a lot of the overly dramatic “angst” would go away, and I think, overall, angst is the goal.
F’s and N’s are clearly meant to be far less angsty than the other two, but there has to be angst somewhere. Since F and N aren’t going to hurt the MC or be shitty to them, the only way to get it is plot-forced. In b1, that was the MC being tortured by Murphy and almost dying (even though M didn’t really care yet, so that scene wasn’t really angst except for the M bleeding all over the place), and in b2 it was the MC having to choose between saving Sanja and their LI (with added angst where the LI gets hurt or Sanja dies). In b3, we got a taste of the plot-forced angst with the fight against the Trappers in the forest, which was yet another case where the fight could’ve gone better had UB and the MC not been utter shit at everything, right down to the dunce MC grabbing up a box in the middle of the place when they know there are supernatural dangers everywhere–M shouldn’t’ have just slapped it out of their hand, he should’ve smacked them in the damned head for stupidity.
No doubt there will be more of that kind of thing in b3 to ratchet up the angst factor. And on M and A’s route, we’ll, without a doubt, get them repeatedly reminding the MC that they are nothing to them (and, subsequently, having A torture themself over it and M breaking their brain trying to figure out wtf is going on with them and why the thought of the MC dying actually bothers them to some extent) so the two major angst paths can be more angsty.
Whatever happens, I just want the MC to be put up for auction. I’d love to see a couple of my MCs in that scenario. Dezh, in particular, would have to be chained up like Hannibal Lector to keep her from killing all the Trappers. And would probably get the shit beaten out of her before that because she’d attack them until they beat her unconscious (and probably take a couple out on the way). Jax would snark at them until they wanted to gag her and then she’d snark through the gag (she never shuts up). That whole setup could be one of the most hilarious things ever written, if the MC is allowed a bit of agency in it.
1 Like
“The strippers, Hitler and Stalin” vs “The strippers, Hitler, and Stalin”.
And this is why the Oxford Comma’s important, kids! So you don’t end up with Hitler and Stalin stripping at your party!
EDIT: Wow, both M AND F (neither of whom is good at thinking further 5 minutes into the future) are better strategists than N (the brains) and A, who’s supposed to be both the leader AND the combat specialist. Man, this sewer sequence really is the absolute lowest point of the series so far, isn’t it?
1 Like
Cara, much like the honeybadger, don’t care, M edition:
M’s definitely the type of person that if you put a baby in their hands they hold it at arm’s length 100% of the time like they’re afraid it’ll spontaneously explode, isn’t it?
2 Likes
If I could draw anything but stick figures, I would so draw this. M, with a cigarette hanging out of their mouth and a sneer on their face, holding a baby at arm’s length like it’s a bomb about to detonate…
I’ve also been picturing M’s reaction to the MC “babysitting” a large python. And having it wrapped around them while they walk around the appointment. I can just imagine the comments M would make…
1 Like
“Why, Detective, if you wanted something to wrap around you, you only had to ask. I promise I’m much warmer and more comfortable than a snake. And I know how to squeeze just right…”
1 Like
So I had to go back and replay bk1 again for Jax because now she’s like, “no way am I letting anyone take my blood!” (mainly because she’s terrified of needles, which is new). So I get to bk2 and forget how much I love this interaction:
If Jax manages not to ruin this, it will be mind-blowing…
This character cracks me the hell up. First, she ignored Tapeesa (her POV: “If I talk to her, I’ll probably have to help, so I’m getting the hell out of here.”), then she shoots the mirror at the carnival. Then the above. Now, she DMB’d Falk and his friends at the warehouse, lol. And her skills are pretty bad. Nothing above 36%!
No tests and Sanja is dead (I didn't even know it was possible for her to die if the MC did the tests!). But it resulted in this scene, which shows again that M is the best:
Interactions with Adam and Jax are the best, too. I imagine he's going to have an aneurysm before too long.
"I can't believe this woman has a 73% charming score. Of course, she has 87% sarcastic and 70% impulsive, too. And she's not wrong, but I don't think she should be allowed to negotiate, lol.
Say what, now, Falk??
Seriously??? HAHAHAHA! Falk hates Jax, she did everything wrong, and got a treaty. I love it!
I think something is wrong with the code. Can the captain dislike the MC this much?
Well, if nothing else, I think Jax is the funniest run I’ve got. Much like @JBento said about Cara, Jax doesn’t gaf. Should be fun to watch her deal with Sin and Trappers and rogues…
1 Like
Apparently he can!
It does not. There aren’t any skill checks to influence the Captain that I can recall. It’s all in the attitu- ohhhhh, I see Jax’s problem.
2 Likes
I wonder if anyone has done a route where neither Tina nor Verda found out about the truth. Also who are your MCs allowing to find out about the truth, and which vamp are they befriending?
Eleanor (romancing Adam) would probably befriend Nate (maybe Felix on alternate playthroughs. Girl needs a bit of kindness and/or levity in her life based on what’s supposed to come), while not intervening as Verda finds out the truth (hey, if someone’s able to put two and two together by seeing a pattern themselves, then that’s not on me, that’s on the Agency, right?).
2 Likes