[LP CYOA] 傳

[kazgar]

Despite what we thought earlier, I think winning or at least getting far in the tournament is in our best interests at this point.

If, as most people seem to agree, C has a low chance of success then it would erase all these potential benefits. I urge you C voters to flop.

Its lower, but is it 'low', we're pretty awesome and making shit up and getting it to work, that's the benefit of being unorthodox.

 

[Nevill]

You are not devising a new move or creating a new technique. Get that out of your head.

I would, but I can read. And it says that the move would be a brand new one, no way around it. No one said about devising a new technique. That is what C is about.

A new move utilizing the old technique would not be immediately recognizeable, period.

Rumor has it Zhang Jue's disciple is participating, so they're probably going to look for anything that looks like Zhang Jue's moves.

And this would not be it.

Also, just because Shouwang claws is Jing's specialty does not mean it's a good idea to use a barehanded technique against one of the best sword fighters in the tournament. Not unless we are using some kind of agility boost.

It is good that our agility is our primary stat now, eh?

Not only that, but you are using Shouwang claws against Yiling. Yiling is from Emei. Emei has fought against Jing and I'm pretty sure all of Emei knows about you, since you have their sword, and lets not forget Jing has already used Shouwang claws against Yifang. It's possible that Yiling, as a fighter entering a tournament when Emei already knows you are entering, might actually have knowledge of this technique, which will make it harder to execute this.

Yiling does not suspect that we are ZJ's disciple. She never saw us personally. The move is a new one. There is absolutely no reason for why she would be ready for it.

For all you know, your flesh-ripping move is going to rip the skin off her hands.

And kill bystanders, because why not? This is ridiculous. We are the ones who determine how to utilize the technique. It is akin to saying that if we hit a man with a blunt side of an axe, we can chop off his arm, because that is what axes do to people.

Actually, in the Songfeng duel, he devised a counter based on 1 night's worth of study against the Songfeng school's first step. That won him the match. Here, he would devise a counter based on his considerably greater experience against Emei, when he has just watched Yifang fight with Cao'er to get a better grasp on Yiling's techniques, and he has just gotten a feel for Yiling's fighting style. Treave said it takes 7 Per and 7 Int to be able to come up with a counter in the middle of a fight with no prior experience or knowledge. Jing has 6 Per and 7 Int and a rather large amount of prior experience and knowledge against the Emei. Don't forget that 5 represents above average. Our guy is smart and observant enough to do this, and Yiling is hasty enough to leave an opening for us to use. There is a very good chance C will work without causing any problems.

No, that wasn't what treave said at all.

Ah, okay, so if we have a high skill at Sword or Unarmed we can start making shit up with our current level of INT.

Pretty much, yes. A prolonged and equal fight between two Great-level exponents usually ends up with one or both sides pulling a new technique out of their ass as they attempt to counter each other. In this case, they might not have raw intelligence, but their experience and technical expertise makes up for it. For a young fighter, he'd definitely need a good INT and PER to play the countering game. I'd probably consider INT 7 and PER 7 as entry-level for this sort of mental match in general, the minimum you need to be considered good at it. Of course, if you lack in perception you'll need to compensate for it in intelligence, and vice versa.

We need a high level skill of our own to devise a technique that has a chance of working. Not the knowledge of enemy technique. Our skill is average, and the minimum ability requirements are not met. Let's put two and two together.

Whether it wins or loses, we'd say Jing comes out ahead, but I'd say C has a rather good chance of winning.

I wonder why then people use "we aren't here to win the tournament" as an argument specifically in favor of C.

1. It's not even confirmed they are the same trio.
2. Stopping them from winning the tournament (if they would win - they don't seem to be the most skilled fighters here) might not even do anything to them, since I doubt they particularly need to win the tournament.

I never said they were the same trio, but they are definitely connected. And by this logic, we can never be sure. We might find them walking side by side dressed in black leather, but can we be sure that they just don't share a taste for a certain clothing style? We don't have enough evidence to connect them to WiB!
They have entered the tournament and they had displayed a level of skill that makes everyone wonder who they are. It is just unusual for a fighter not from the major sect to make it to the finals. If they left the shadows like that, there is something they need to do during the tournament. We would be able to hamper their plots more if we stay in the game.

 

[Nevill]

Despite what we thought earlier, I think winning or at least getting far in the tournament is in our best interests at this point.

If, as most people seem to agree, C has a low chance of success then it would erase all these potential benefits. I urge you C voters to flop.

Its lower, but is it 'low', we're pretty awesome and making shit up and getting it to work, that's the benefit of being unorthodox.

It is comparatively low. It isn't the lowest of the bunch only because D has zero chance of success, obviously. But out of A, B and C, the latter is the worst choice to make if we want to overcome Yiling in a fight.

Unless you argue that everything here would lead to us winning, that would at least imply it is a losing choise.

 

[treave]

Experience is relevant in devising a counter if you don't have high PER and INT. You are able to think one up here because of your experience in facing Emei techniques and the fight that has just taken place, as per the last sentence of the update. The point of devising a technique in this match is to defeat a user of the Qingcheng Stab that is perfectly skilled with it where they have no sloppy openings to exploit. You have already demonstrated your ability in the update to overcome a user with imperfect skill without using any techniques, relying on your superior physical ability. The fight would have been over once you took her sword if you didn't toy around and actually used it against her instead of playing keep-away. But then you wouldn't have had the chance to use a counter against the Qingcheng Stab, so you gave it back to her.

 

[Ganymede]

So let me get this straight, in the previous tournament Yiling comes 2nd to Bai Jiutan (considered the best pugilist of our generation). It's her final year competing, and Bai is no longer eligible. I'd say she's the favourite for taking the whole tournament. Can you imagine how devastating it will be if she loses in the 1st round? How fucking hard is she going to fight? What luck we drew this match.

Now if this were a fight to the death with Jing in full MAXIMUM FUCK mode I'd say go with the Shoulang Mad Claws no hesitation. But this isn't a fight to the death where Jing can unleash his Niegong and that makes A problematic for a couple of reasons:
1. You're holding back. It's a lethal technique designed for rending flesh from bone, and you want to use it to snatch a sword from a fighter whose school stresses finesse and guile. Maybe you're fast and strong enough to pull it off, but without the Yuanshi Hundun I seriously doubt it. And if you do use the Niegong your movements are suddenly very erratic and you're liable to rip her head off.
2. Fighting a swords(wo)man with your bare hands is just stupid. Especially a very talented one.
3. So what if she's disarmed? Say everything goes flawlessly and Yiling's sword is ripped from her hand, goes flying. Because that worked so well the first time.

B is an interesting choice because it would most likely end up with both fighters badly damaged and Jing disqualified. Which would be fun but is obviously unacceptable.

C is pulling ahead and I think it's the right choice, few reasons:
1. Drawing your sword after an inconclusive opening exchange is a great shit just got real moment, as well as a gesture of respect to your opponent. It plays well with Jing's knack for showmanship and is very narratively satisfying.
2. Using the Abbess' own words against her disciple is clever and cool, and gives Jing an opportunity to wink and repeat the proverb back to her at some unspecified future date. Or vice-versa if we lose, either way is fun.
3. Given that Jing's innermost nature is a state of total fucking chaos, I feel he's at his best when improvising. A risky and novel approach drawing on the practical experience sparring physically and verbally with the nuns feels more in character to me than going with what you're familiar with.

I don't know why D is even an option. Treave did you seriously think that Codex would back down from an exciting martial arts tournament once it got going?


And to everyone speculating on what techniques you might wrangle out of this, or whether you reveal your precious secret identity, you are seriously underestimating the quality of foe here. If you hesitate and prevaricate over this shit in the heat of battle then we will lose the fight and get nothing. Make the choice you think is most likely to win, then stick by it. Deal with the consequences once victory is assured.

VOTING C

 

[Baltika9]

Say, what is Jing planning to do to lure Yiling into his attack in C? He's a masterful troll, as the fight with Junior demonstrated, so what's the plan here? Tell her to get back in the kitchen and make us a sammich, punctuated with piggish squeals for extra chauvinism?

And if you're disoriented it should affect you in all the choices. You won't magically feel worse just because you're holding a sword. Not sure why you're asking this question.

Just curious, since there were no references to it in the update, so I figured that our Patron God Khorne Zhang decided it was unbefitting of his servant to be a giant pussy about a palm slap, and magically cured us.

 

[m4davis]

C

 

[treave]

It's not serious enough to affect your chances in this match, so nothing worth mentioning. You're not feeling it much for now.

As for C, there won't be any taunting. At least, the technique doesn't rely on a taunt.

 

[Esquilax]

Okay, I'm convinced that C can be effective here. Given what we know about the Emei, as well as our cram session with Cao'er earlier today, I think that C will work, so I'm flopping.

 

[kazgar]

I've been arguing without voting, whoops, bad habit of mine.

C

 

[Baltika9]

Fuck it, C. After sparring with their veteran squads for eighteen months on swords, sparring with their sect head on swords, getting advice from said leader and watching Yiling's superior fight on swords, if we can't make C work optimally then what the fuck are we doing as a martial artist?

 

[treave]

Uh, when I talked about devising a counter I was referring to all the choices, not just C. Just to be clear.

 

[Baltika9]

So what you're saying is, all of them will work?

 

[Azira]

I think he's saying that Jing thinks all of them might work...

 

[treave]

Yes, what Azira said.

 

[Baltika9]

I think he's saying that Jing thinks all of them might work...

Yes, what Azira said.

The Southern Maniac had plenty of techniques, and all of them were ones designed to kill. He was less of a swordsman, preferring to relish in flesh-to-flesh contact, though it did not mean he was not handy with a sword. Your training focused on your unarmed and sword skills, the ones you were already proficient in. The first technique he taught you were the Shouwang Claws, (獸王狂爪, Mad Claws of the Beast King), his signature technique. With it, Master Zhang could rend flesh from bones, dig out a man’s heart, or tear off a limb. You do not aspire to that much, but even in your inexperienced hands the technique is lethal. Besides that, you were also taught another technique:

A. Fanfeng Feixue Sword (反風飛血劍, Counter-Wind Flying Blood Sword). Developed by Zhang Jue as an unorthodox variant of the Huashan Sect’s renowned swift sword technique, it is meant to counter their rapid slashes with even wilder, more furious and brutal attacks of your own that would spill their blood across the arena. It has never been tested against Huashan in actual combat.

B. Chuzhan Fist (除斬拳, Dividing Sundering Fist). Developed by Zhang Jue as a counter to the Taiji Fist of the Wudang Sect. Zhang believes that it is possible to disrupt the gentle negation stance of Taiji, breaking their harmony by applying more force, faster than they can handle, and thus this technique focuses on ruthless, straightforward attacks that attempt to overwhelm the enemy with sheer power and speed. It has never been tested against Wudang in actual combat.

C. Wuni Fist (五逆拳,Five Deadly Sins Fist). Developed by Zhang Jue as an answer to the famed Luohan Fist of Shaolin Temple. In response to the straightforward, direct attacks of the Arhat, the Deadly Sins movements focuses on attacking the weak points in such a straightforward technique by utilizing a variety of clutches, grabs and throws in addition to quick, jabbing strikes. It has never been tested against Shaolin in actual combat.

Zhang and Jing. Truly a master-student match made in heaven.

 

[Esquilax]

2. Fighting a swords(wo)man with your bare hands is just stupid. Especially a very talented one.

I'd just to point out that the wacky wuxia here probably isn't analogous to real life. Notice that among the list of the Five Greats, neither the Huashan sword specialists nor the Sword Saint are among them. I'm not saying that there aren't advantages that one type of weapon won't have over another in this sort of setting, but I highly doubt that swords are inherently better than unarmed skills in the context of this world.

 

[Absinthe]

Esquilax, the reason they're not among the "Five Great Pugilists" might be because "pugilist" means "a fighter who uses fists."

 

[treave]

Actually... I just used pugilist as a catch-all term for martial artist or fighter. Should've checked out the etymology I suppose. >_> The Sword Saint didn't participate in the previous tournament to determine the Five Greats by the way.

Anyway, here's the bracket update for the fights from the first session:

 

[TOME]

If A isn't a step closer to ultimate sword breaking technique, I'm flopping to C.

 

[treave]

You can do it through your Yuanshi Hundun when you improve it. But you can't break it if you can't catch it, and that's what A is for.

 

[kazgar]

You can do it through your Yuanshi Hundun when you improve it. But you can't break it if you can't catch it, and that's what A is for.

FLOPWAVE INCOMING!

 

[Nevill]

treave, is the update due today or tomorrow because of your busy schedule?

I have half a mind to admit C victory and move on.

 

[treave]

Depends on when I have the time to sit down and type out the update, but it will be out by the day after tomorrow at the latest.

 

[Kipeci]

Wait, are people seriously willing to chunk this match for an Emei technique? You guys do remember that we can get a scroll of Shaolin techniques for going all the way, right?