Register to play FINAL FANTASY XIV. Register recruitment code via the FINAL FANTASY XIV: Mog Station. * The recruitment code cannot be entered after a subscription has been established. Please be sure that the recruitment code is entered before then. Purchase a subscription, and continue playing the game to accumulate subscription days which count toward exclusive in-game rewards. Note that the 30-day free play period does not count toward subscription length. (Purchasing subscription days using a game time card, however, will allow subscription days to be immediately accumulated). Rewards:
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The 1967 NBA Finals was the first in a while to not feature the titanic Celtics, after they fell to the 76ers in the East Division Finals in 5 games. In that series, Wilt Chamberlain sported a monstrous 21.6/32.0/10.0 statline to finally tear through Boston and plant the Sixers into the Finals against his former team, the Warriors. This series would prove to be highly unique and entertaining, raising the question of who would have won the Finals MVP.
Now, the award would not be instituted for another two years, when Jerry West begrudgingly received the inaugural achievement in 1969 after losing yet another championship to the Celtics. This would also be the only time in which a player from the losing team won the award, which will likely forever remain unique to it. But let's say the Finals MVP were a thing in 1967: Who would have won it? In most Finals prior to 1969, I think the Finals MVP would have been fairly obvious, but for 1967, I believe three different players would have a solid argument for the award.
1. Wilt Chamberlain: As the leader of the winning team, Wilt may be the easiest choice. Not only did he lead his team in rebounds (28.5 per game), but he also led in assists (6.8 per game). Wilt's distributive mentality was likely a key reason why he broke through this year, as opposed to years prior when his singular heroics weren't enough to make it to the finish line against balanced opposition. However, his point totals this series were comparatively meager, with only 17.7 per game. Although this was likely a by-product of playing more for the pass, a lot of it was also probably due to being matched up against defensive juggernaut Nate Thurmond, who himself put on an impressive showing in the series with a 14.2/26.7/3.3 statline. Wilt also only shot 30.6% from the charity stripe. So, although Wilt had a great series as the de facto leader of the winning team, perhaps his newfound playstyle opened up opportunities for other players to shine even brighter. Namely...
2. Hal Greer: Most Finals MVPs go to the top scorer of the winning team, which was Hal in this case (26.0 per game). Greer was also an aggressive rebounder for a guard, finishing with 8.0 per game, and he nearly matched Wilt in assists, with 6.2 per game. Even though fellow teammates Chet Walker, Wali Jones and Billy Cunningham also scored well this series, Greer was the only near-equal of Wilt's in minutes played (46.0 per game). Possessions often ran through Greer, whose relatively poor field goal percentage (39.9%) can be excused by his high volume. He also succeeded with an 82.6% success rate from the free throw line. Overall, Greer was definitely a high performer this series, but certainly not in a different stratosphere, unlike...
3. Rick Barry: The Miami Greyhound has a great argument for being the top performer in this series by a long shot. Barry posted a whopping 40.8 points per game, which still stands as the second-highest PPG in Finals history (only behind Jordan's 41.0 in 1993). Scoring at least 30 points in each of the six games, the small forward also put up 55 in game 3 (also tied for second all-time with '93 MJ). With 8.8 rebounds per game and 3.3 assists per game, Rick Barry's offense almost single-handedly won the Warriors the title. And he was only 22 years old at the time! But, of course, his team didn't win; the sixth and final game of the series saw him pour in 44, but the Warriors still lost by 3 thanks to a steady team effort from Philadelphia. Even though Finals MVP would only ever be awarded to a winning player from 1970 onward, we can't assume that precedent would be set in 1967, as Jerry West's case two years later would show us.
So, if the Finals MVP were awarded in 1967, who do you think would have won it? The leader of the winning team who may not have had the best stats? The top scorer on the winning team? Or the record-breaking scorer on the losing team?

so basically for the last few weeks i have been storyboarding the end of my superhero story, and i wanted to finish it with a huge "endgame" style approach, big hype and lots of action, so recently i have made a new group of villains who work with my big bad who is
Astronimus: possesses tons of abilities, much like AFO, he can steal/stock and distribute powers( very underused ability in my opinion) he seeks these Artifacts which are combined to become some reset switch for reality, its really up in the air if he wants to just reset reality because its bad or if he just feels evil, his strength level is on that of being able to level moon or capable of near continental destruction
Dante: part of a fire powered alien race whos colour of fire shows their levels of strength, blue and green are deemed the most powerful with purple and pink also existing, Dante has Black Fire, the only one of his kind in history to have so, son of the king of the planet, he felt neglected as his father feared his power and lust for battle, showing more interest in his newborn daughter, my hero, Infernus, this all comes to a halt as Dante attempts to murder his baby sister and then the king, the king supposedly kills him and he leaves off to join the villains in the quest of ending reality (yipee) in constant pain but only lives off the hatred he has for his father and sister
Wheeler: hes the kind of person that you know is going to pull an AK 47 from his bag, he developed the power of being an Armadillo, a hunch backed and durable villain, often a creepy admirer of his boss and a weird character with a weird power
Jotunn: an experiment to see just how many raw physical abilities one person could be given, right from his strength, impenetrable skin and giant size down to his organs and lifespan, a mindless brute whose only purpose is being a pet to Astronimus even if this titan could face Astronimus head on
Sun-Thief: the power to manipulate gravity on a city wide level, single handedly destroying most of Mumbai as boy when his powers awakened, he would be found after his power awakening by Astronimus who manipulated him through the years, his obnoxious showman act often makes people underlook the power he has, i would imagine him being knocked out during the final fight only for Astronimus to overload his power and cause gravity to go crazy
Zephyr: a self proclaimed god whose abilities developed as young boy in his African Tribe, the village people deemed him a god, treating him with care and love, but fearful of his might, after getting bored with his status, he decided to murder everyone in the village and fly off into society, his ability manipulate air is extremely powerful, whistles can often send opponents flying, he can shoot highly concentrated forms of air that can split through metal, easily top 10 in the verse
Infincron: sentient robot who denies his own mortality in favour of his selfish goal of human extinction, sees Astronimus's plans as a means to an end, even if he dies, he simply chooses to do what his programming says even when he knows its bad and has a choice
Khuso: the humble butler of Astronimus who has the ability to teleport and form shadow like constructs, was turned into this servant after finding Astronimus's operations after a car crash, instead of killing him, Astronimus "fixed" him, made him another puppet who has served him for 300 years
Quasar: the biological son of Astronimus, meant to be his successor or if plans go wrong, a vessel for his new body, has the ability to store up kinetic energy and bounce around with it how he likes
there are few i forgot to mention but i feel like the ideas i have are already decent, but i would like to hear your thoughts, if something doesn't sound original or lacking any depth, feel free to tell me, i'm open to criticism

In the annals of gaming history, few titles command the reverence and adoration as the legendary Doom franchise. Born from the minds of John Romero, John Carmack, Adrian Carmack, and Tom Hall, Doom would go on to lay the foundations for just about every modern video game that exists. It was a true tour de force, a success story few could scarce ever imagine.
Released in 1993, Doom was an immediate smash hit, thanks in no small part to its shareware format, which allowed users to experience the first few levels of Knee Deep In the Dead, and then order the full game via the phone number included. Players could then share the floppy disk with their friends, and so on, and so on. It was a truly revolutionary system, and within a single year, Doom had sold over 2 million copies.
The history of the Doom franchise is one of innovation, ultra violence, and controversy (1999's Columbine High School Massacre), and that reputation is one that continued with 2016's DOOM. DOOM was officially revealed at Quakecon 2014, ten years after Doom 3. Players had long resigned to Doom being considered a dead franchise. A reboot had been in the works for a number of years prior, but never got released, having been quietly cancelled by id in 2010. The future was bleak, but the 30 second long teaser ignited a spark that had been burning dimmer every passing year.
Then came E3 2015.
The hype was unreal. The trailer had everything that fans could possibly want. Gore, intense violence, insane run n gun gameplay, a rip-roaring soundtrack and the MFING CHAINSAW. But fans had been let down before. Would it really hold up its promises?
Yes. Yes, it would.
PART I: Presentation
When DOOM burst onto the scene in 2016, it did so with a visual and auditory spectacle that left players awestruck. From the moment the game boots up, players are made aware that this is not your average shooter. You are greeted with a deep, commanding voice. "Rip and tear, until it is DONE."
Immediately, players are greeted with a scene of carnage and the Doom Slayer chained to a table, which, of course, he instantly breaks free from. A zombie attempts to relieve the Slayer of his life but is beaten to the punch with a prompt skull smashing. After putting the other zombies to rest, he interacts with the panel in the corner, is greeted by one Dr. Samuel Hayden, who attempts to justify the outbreak, and decides he would rather kill shit than listen to excuses and destroys the monitor.
That is the introduction to this game. It never wastes the player's time. We aren't here to listen to long droning monologues or watch MGS style cutscenes. id Software knew their audience, and knew what that audience wanted, and they deliver in spades. This introduction sets the tone for the entire experience: relentless action, unapologetic violence, and a protagonist who is as unstoppable as he is uncompromising. The Doom Slayer's disdain for exposition and his single-minded focus on annihilating demons resonate with players who crave a pure, unadulterated gaming experience.
By eschewing lengthy cutscenes and exposition-heavy dialogue in favor of fast-paced gameplay and visceral action, id Software delivers a game that respects the player's time and delivers exactly what they came for: non-stop demon-slaying action. In an era where many games are criticized for padding their runtime with unnecessary filler, DOOM stands out as a shining example of how to create a focused and engaging experience that keeps players coming back for more.
Rather than bombarding players with lengthy exposition or intrusive cutscenes, DOOM opts for a more environmental storytelling approach. Throughout the game, players can discover audio logs, read text-based terminals, and observe environmental details that provide context and background to the events unfolding around them.
The story of DOOM revolves around the Doom Slayer's mission to stop a demonic invasion unleashed by the Union Aerospace Corporation (UAC) on their Martian facility. As players progress through the game, they uncover details about the UAC's experiments with Hell energy, the origins of the demonic invasion, and the Doom Slayer's own mysterious past.
While the story may not be front and center in DOOM, it nonetheless adds depth and richness to the game world, enhancing the overall experience for players who choose to engage with it. And for those who prefer to focus solely on the action, the story remains secondary, allowing them to enjoy the game on their own terms.
That's all well and good, but what about the actual gameplay? Simply put, it is exhilarating. From the moment you are given control of the Slayer, players are thrust into a frenzy of blood and violence, and it never lets up. At its core, DOOM is a first-person shooter that harkens back to the genre's roots while injecting it with a healthy dose of modern flair. The gameplay is fast-paced, frenetic, and utterly unapologetic in its brutality. You're not just a player – you're the Doom Slayer, a force of nature hell-bent on eradicating every last demon in your path.
Central to the gameplay experience is the game's combat loop, which revolves around a delicate balance of aggression and strategy. In DOOM, there's no hiding behind cover or waiting for your health to regenerate – you're constantly on the move, strafing, dodging, and leaping across the battlefield as you unleash a torrent of bullets, rockets, and plasma upon your enemies.
Weapons include the iconic shotgun, heavy assault rifle, plasma rifle, rocket launcher, and the devastating BFG 9000, among others. Each weapon offers different firing modes, such as single shot, burst fire, and continuous beam, providing players with tactical options in combat. A key aspect of combat is the Glory Kill system, which allows players to perform brutal finishing moves on staggered enemies. Glory Kills not only provide health and ammo but also contribute to the flow of combat by encouraging aggressive play. It is incredibly satisfying to watch the Slayer rip an imp in half or stomp their head into the pavement, and doing so rewards you with a large return of health.
The Chainsaw mechanic is another integral part of combat, allowing players to instantly kill most enemies and gain a large amount of ammo in return. However, Chainsaw fuel is limited and must be managed carefully. Like Glory Kills, watching the chainsaw tear demons apart is incredibly satisfying. Certain demons require more fuel but provide the player with more ammo in return. Balancing which demons you chainsaw and which ones you choose to Glory Kill is an important part of combat.
Exploration is key to progression and is rewarding to those players who choose to do. Hidden throughout the levels of the game are Argent Cells, Praetor Tokens, and Rune Trials. Each of these provide upgrades to your health/shield/ammo, suit, and passive abilities respectively. Also hidden throughout the game are levers that lead you to classic levels from Doom 1 and Doom 2, which then unlock the full level of its respective game, playable from the main menu. You can also find toy models of the Doom Slayer, which unlock various character models to view. On some of these models, the Doom Slayer will perform a unique action when picking it up, such as fist bumping the classic Doomguy. It's a nice and cute little touch added by the developers that does a little to add character to the Slayer, who is a silent protagonist.
id Software masterfully blends modern game design with a deep reverence for the classics, paying homage to the series' storied history while introducing new elements that propel the franchise forward. Central to this approach is the game's character design, which strikes a delicate balance between nostalgia and innovation. At its core is the iconic protagonist, the Doom Slayer, whose design pays homage to the original Doom Marine while incorporating modern updates that make him feel both familiar and fresh. With his battle-worn armor, imposing stature, and silent demeanor, the Doom Slayer is the embodiment of raw power and unrelenting rage.
The game's roster of enemies is a veritable who's who of classic Doom foes, reimagined for the modern era. From the lowly possessed soldiers to the hulking Cyberdemon, each enemy is lovingly crafted to capture the essence of its 1990s counterpart while introducing new mechanics and behaviors that keep players on their toes. Whether you're facing off against the agile Revenants, the relentless Hell Knights, or the grotesque Cacodemons, every encounter is a nostalgic trip down memory lane, punctuated by the satisfying sound of demon flesh being torn asunder.
But the main story is not where it ends. DOOM has an arcade mode, where players can run through the levels again, this time trying for high scores and medals while collecting 1 Ups. It's important to move fast and have accurate aim; the more kills you chain together, the bigger your score is. Getting hit reduces your score. At the end of the level, your score is tallied against others on a leaderboard. It's a great way to incentivize players to keep playing, in order to get a better and better score.
There is also multiplayer, where players compete in various game modes such as classic deathmatch, warpath and free for all. Players can become demons by collecting runes on the battlefield and this gives them a distinct advantage; demons are larger, stronger and more resilient. Players are bizarrely restricted to only two weapons and a loadout in multiplayer, which blew my mind. Loadouts. In a DOOM game. The demons are also massively unbalanced and if one team manages to get a particularly powerful demon such as a baron of hell, then it's a guaranteed win. All in all, the multiplayer just isn't great. You are better off replaying the story or arcade mode, or even SnapMap.
SnapMap is id Software's proprietary level editor, and it puts every other editor on the market to shame. SnapMap is an incredible, intuitive, easy to learn system allowing players to create their own multiplayer, co-op and single player maps. There is an extensive tutorial system that teaches users the basics, and goes up in depth, covering how to use AI triggers, switches, combinations, object layering, actions, recalls, audio cues, etc. Never have I ever seen such an in-depth interface on a console game before. While it is only surface level in the grand scheme of things, SnapMap is a great introduction to teaching users how game development works, and I urge everyone to try it out at least once.
Part II: The Music
In DOOM, the music isn't just a background accompaniment – it's a driving force that propels players forward, electrifying every moment of the gameplay experience. Composed by the incredibly talented Mick Gordon, the soundtrack of DOOM is a relentless onslaught of metal and electronica that perfectly complements the game's fast-paced action and visceral combat. From the moment you boot up the game, you're greeted by the iconic strains of the main theme, a haunting melody that sets the tone for the epic journey that lies ahead. As you traverse the game's environments, the music shifts seamlessly between atmospheric ambience and pulse-pounding metal.
But it's not just the composition of the music that makes it so memorable – it's also the way it's integrated into the gameplay itself. Mick Gordon's dynamic scoring system ensures that the music evolves in real-time based on the player's actions, ramping up in intensity during combat encounters and dialing back during quieter moments of exploration. This creates a sense of momentum and flow that enhances the overall pacing of the game
One of the standout features of the soundtrack is its use of unconventional instrumentation and sound design. Mick Gordon's signature sound combines distorted guitars, pounding drums, and industrial noise to create a sonic palette that is as brutal and unforgiving as the game itself. From the deep, guttural growls of the synth bass to the ear-shredding shrieks of the guitar solos, every element of the music is designed to evoke a sense of chaos and destruction, mirroring the relentless carnage unfolding onscreen.
Of course, no discussion of the music in DOOM would be complete without mentioning the iconic tracks that have become synonymous with the game. From the adrenaline-fueled "Rip & Tear" to the bone-crushing "BFG Division," each track is a masterpiece of composition and production, perfectly capturing the essence of the DOOM experience and elevating it to new heights. Mick Gordon's composition for the DOOM soundtrack is a tour de force in heavy metal and industrial electronica, meticulously crafted to evoke the essence of the game's frenetic gameplay.
The backbone of the soundtrack is the distorted guitar, which provides the driving force behind many of the tracks. Gordon's use of extended-range guitars and custom-tuned instruments gives the music its signature low-end punch, while his aggressive playing style adds a raw, visceral energy to the sound. In addition to guitars, Gordon incorporates a wide range of electronic and synthetic elements into his compositions, including synthesizers, drum machines, and sampled sounds. These elements are used to create atmospheric textures, rhythmic patterns, and dynamic effects.
One of the most innovative aspects of Gordon's sound design is his use of audio manipulation techniques, such as granular synthesis and spectral processing. These techniques allow him to deconstruct and manipulate audio in real-time, creating complex textures and effects.
Perhaps the most revolutionary aspect of Mick Gordon's composition for DOOM is his dynamic scoring system, which adjusts the music in real-time based on the player's actions. This system, known as "MIDI-controlled dynamic music," allows the music to seamlessly transition between different layers and variations depending on the intensity of the gameplay. Gordon achieves this dynamic effect by dividing each track into multiple stems or layers, each representing a different element of the music (e.g., drums, guitars, synths). These stems are then triggered and mixed in real-time using MIDI data generated by the game engine, allowing the music to adapt and evolve dynamically as the player progresses through the game.
Part III: Building a Legacy
All too often in this industry, legacy franchises are either left in the dust to be forgotten, or brought back to a limp fanfare, only to be thrust back into the shadows of the past. This happens for a myriad of reasons, and I believe the biggest one is that they don't respect their legacy, and they don't respect the players who engage with them.
At its core, DOOM is a game that understands what players want: fast-paced action, engaging gameplay, and a sense of empowerment. By focusing on these core principles, id Software created an experience that resonated with players old and new, capturing the spirit of the original games while pushing the series forward. Central to this approach is the game's unwavering commitment to respecting the player. From its minimalist storytelling and streamlined level design to its intuitive controls and dynamic difficulty system, DOOM prioritizes the player's experience above all else, ensuring that every moment of the game is engaging, immersive, and satisfying.
One of the most notable ways that DOOM respects the player is through its approach to difficulty. Rather than imposing artificial barriers or punishing players for their mistakes, the game encourages experimentation and mastery through its responsive gameplay mechanics and adaptive enemy AI. Players are given the freedom to approach encounters in their own way, whether it's through brute force, cunning strategy, or a combination of both.
Another key aspect of DOOM's player-centric design is its emphasis on accessibility. From its difficulty settings and intuitive user interface to its robust accessibility features, such as colorblind modes and customizable controls, the game ensures that players of all skill levels and abilities can enjoy the experience without feeling excluded or overwhelmed.
But perhaps the most important way that DOOM respects the player is through its commitment to fun. At its core, DOOM is a game that prioritizes the player's enjoyment above all else, delivering a seamless and exhilarating experience that keeps players coming back for more. Whether you're blasting demons with a shotgun, exploring hidden secrets, or rocking out to Mick Gordon's pulse-pounding soundtrack, DOOM is a game that never stops prioritizing YOU.
DOOM's legacy is one of respect – respect for the player, respect for the franchise, and respect for the medium of video games as a whole. By prioritizing fun, accessibility, and player agency, id Software created an experience that not only honors the legacy of the original games but also sets a new standard for what a modern first-person shooter can be. And for that, we owe them a debt of gratitude.

My Primarch GF Chronicle: Fulgrim’s Muse (F! Fulgrim’s SO)
Preamble: This is based on the Primarch GF's AU created by u/Sweet_older-sister and will mainly cover what they've been doing around and after the heresy and during 40k. Disclaimer: This current version is the "good" route so most will be somewhat happy/hopeful but will still be (mostly) canon compliant
What Happened
After Fulgrim returned from the cleansing of Laeran with a strange sword, she slowly began to change from the kindhearted person who once sought perfection for herself and encourage and support others to do the same to a more twisted , narcissistic and self absorbed version of herself that began to appear more and more often. While these changes went unnoticed by most among the legion, they were quickly noticed by The Muse who tried to stem the tide and return the Primarch to her old self. When the Laer blade’s influence grew stronger over time, the Muse realised that them alone may not be enough and planned to stage an intervention alongside several senior officers in the legion such as Vespasian , Solomon Demeter and Rylanor in the hopes of getting Fulgrim to abandon the cursed blade for good. However, the plan ultimately never came to pass, as Vespasian was killed by Fulgrim’s own hand, much the Muse’s horror and realisation that the Primarch’s presence felt different… almost inhuman and more akin to a foreign entity.
After Vespasian’s death, the Muse was always either kept by the Primarch’s side or kept in an isolated room as Fulgrim became more and more paranoid and possessive of her lover and sought to keep them all to herself while the influence of the daemon within the Laer blade grew stronger and stronger. Desperate to separate the Primarch from her muse and eliminate the greatest obstacle to the complete fall and corruption of Fulgrim, the Daemon within the Laer blade temporarily took control of her body (an act which was met with fierce resistance by Fulgrim’s soul, leaving both the daemon weakened and a small uncorrupted part of Fulgrim’s soul to be torn off while still being stuck within the Primarch’s body) and, in a strangled voice and with dull sad eyes, ordered the Muse to join the first drop onto Istvaan III.
During the virus bombing of Istvaan III, the Muse nearly died from the virus bombs but was saved by Solomon Demeter who suffered grievous injuries leading them to safety amidst the ensuing firestorm. The Muse then went on to fight at Istvaan III alongside other loyalists led by Saul Tarvitz. During the battle, the Muse informed the loyalists present of Fulgrim’s current state and the Laer blade’s corruption. Later on, the Muse was tasked with guarding the underground hangar alongside Rylanor and several other Astartes.
After the final virus bombing and the end of the battle on Istvaan III, Rylanor , the Muse and the remaining Astartes within the underground hangar discussed their next course of action. While several plans were proposed, all ultimately settled on the plan proposed by the ancient Rylanor. The dreadnought’s plan was that they would bide their time while creating a potent weapon capable of destroying the entire planet before luring as many traitors to the planet as possible. Once all the preparations are completed, all except Rylanor, who would stand guard over them, would enter into a stasis pod to wait for time to enact the plan. Then when the moment comes, all the loyalists present would be given a choice: either board the spacecraft within the hangar and depart the planet or stay to oversee Istvaan’s destruction and go out in a blaze a glory.
Unbeknownst to all however, this plan was a trick by Rylanor who didn’t want to see anymore of his comrades die if he could help it. Thus, once everyone entered into stasis the ancient of rites loaded all the stasis pods onto the spacecraft before activating the ship’s cloaking device and enter a command for the spacecraft to fly into an asteroid field in a nearby system but not before leaving a final farewell message for each and every loyalist to be opened once they wake from stasis. After the spacecraft flew away, Rylanor activated the beacon, luring Fulgrim to the planet and blew it up (this part went down pretty much like in canon). However, the physical injuries and spiritual damage from the now Daemonic Primarch’s wounded pride allowed the small uncorrupted part of Fulgrim’s soul to break free from her body and enter into a clone created by Fabius Bile.
Meanwhile, during their stasis, the Muse and other Astartes present all received a vision from the emperor himself, detailing all that had transpired on Istvaan III and guide them towards the uncorrupted clone of Fulgrim. Once the Muse and company were awaken from stasis and entered back into realspace however, they discovered that Fabius Bile had given the clone of Fulgrim to the necron lord Trazyn the Infinite. Hearing of the necron lord’s interest in old Necrontyr artifacts through stories and rumours, the Muse now seek to gather a collection of items to bargain to exchange with Trazyn in return for the uncorrupted Fulgrim.
Credits
u/Sweet_older-Sister for making the AU a reality u/NadiaFortuneFeet for the idea that Fulgrim could actually work as a female name This is the second one in this series which I will hopefully make for all of the Primarch’s SO’s in the future (in order of their legion number)
Up Next: Petra’s Anvil (F! Perturabo)
Thank you for reading comments , feedback and criticism are all very much appreciated

My Primarch GF Chronicle: Fulgrim’s Muse (F! Fulgrim’s SO)
Preamble: This is based on the Primarch GF's AU created by u/Sweet_older-sister and will mainly cover what they've been doing around and after the heresy and during 40k. Disclaimer: This current version is the "good" route so most will be somewhat happy/hopeful but will still be (mostly) canon compliant
What Happened
After Fulgrim returned from the cleansing of Laeran with a strange sword, she slowly began to change from the kindhearted person who once sought perfection for herself and encourage and support others to do the same to a more twisted , narcissistic and self absorbed version of herself that began to appear more and more often. While these changes went unnoticed by most among the legion, they were quickly noticed by The Muse who tried to stem the tide and return the Primarch to her old self. When the Laer blade’s influence grew stronger over time, the Muse realised that them alone may not be enough and planned to stage an intervention alongside several senior officers in the legion such as Vespasian , Solomon Demeter and Rylanor in the hopes of getting Fulgrim to abandon the cursed blade for good. However, the plan ultimately never came to pass, as Vespasian was killed by Fulgrim’s own hand, much the Muse’s horror and realisation that the Primarch’s presence felt different… almost inhuman and more akin to a foreign entity.
After Vespasian’s death, the Muse was always either kept by the Primarch’s side or kept in an isolated room as Fulgrim became more and more paranoid and possessive of her lover and sought to keep them all to herself while the influence of the daemon within the Laer blade grew stronger and stronger. Desperate to separate the Primarch from her muse and eliminate the greatest obstacle to the complete fall and corruption of Fulgrim, the Daemon within the Laer blade temporarily took control of her body (an act which was met with fierce resistance by Fulgrim’s soul, leaving both the daemon weakened and a small uncorrupted part of Fulgrim’s soul to be torn off while still being stuck within the Primarch’s body) and, in a strangled voice and with dull sad eyes, ordered the Muse to join the first drop onto Istvaan III.
During the virus bombing of Istvaan III, the Muse nearly died from the virus bombs but was saved by Solomon Demeter who suffered grievous injuries leading them to safety amidst the ensuing firestorm. The Muse then went on to fight at Istvaan III alongside other loyalists led by Saul Tarvitz. During the battle, the Muse informed the loyalists present of Fulgrim’s current state and the Laer blade’s corruption. Later on, the Muse was tasked with guarding the underground hangar alongside Rylanor and several other Astartes.
After the final virus bombing and the end of the battle on Istvaan III, Rylanor , the Muse and the remaining Astartes within the underground hangar discussed their next course of action. While several plans were proposed, all ultimately settled on the plan proposed by the ancient Rylanor. The dreadnought’s plan was that they would bide their time while creating a potent weapon capable of destroying the entire planet before luring as many traitors to the planet as possible. Once all the preparations are completed, all except Rylanor, who would stand guard over them, would enter into a stasis pod to wait for time to enact the plan. Then when the moment comes, all the loyalists present would be given a choice: either board the spacecraft within the hangar and depart the planet or stay to oversee Istvaan’s destruction and go out in a blaze a glory.
Unbeknownst to all however, this plan was a trick by Rylanor who didn’t want to see anymore of his comrades die if he could help it. Thus, once everyone entered into stasis the ancient of rites loaded all the stasis pods onto the spacecraft before activating the ship’s cloaking device and enter a command for the spacecraft to fly into an asteroid field in a nearby system but not before leaving a final farewell message for each and every loyalist to be opened once they wake from stasis. After the spacecraft flew away, Rylanor activated the beacon, luring Fulgrim to the planet and blew it up (this part went down pretty much like in canon). However, the physical injuries and spiritual damage from the now Daemonic Primarch’s wounded pride allowed the small uncorrupted part of Fulgrim’s soul to break free from her body and enter into a clone created by Fabius Bile.
Meanwhile, during their stasis, the Muse and other Astartes present all received a vision from the emperor himself, detailing all that had transpired on Istvaan III and guide them towards the uncorrupted clone of Fulgrim. Once the Muse and company were awaken from stasis and entered back into realspace however, they discovered that Fabius Bile had given the clone of Fulgrim to the necron lord Trazyn the Infinite. Hearing of the necron lord’s interest in old Necrontyr artifacts through stories and rumours, the Muse now seek to gather a collection of items to bargain to exchange with Trazyn in return for the uncorrupted Fulgrim.
Credits
u/Sweet_older-Sister for making the AU a reality u/NadiaFortuneFeet for the idea that Fulgrim could actually work as a female name This is the second one in this series which I will hopefully make for all of the Primarch’s SO’s in the future (in order of their legion number)
Up Next: Petra’s Anvil (F! Perturabo)
Thank you for reading comments , feedback and criticism are all very much appreciated

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This is party 2 of a discussion regarding how poly could have been handled a little better in BG3. I recommend you read through the first part here: https://new.reddit.com/BaldursGate3/comments/1crb2s7/how_the_polyamory_could_have_been_handled/ so you can get context and I sound like less of a rambling weirdo.
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Astarion:
Out of all the discussions, people were the most confused by this choice. Not only does making him poly at the last minute feel contrary to a lot of statements he himself makes throughout his romance arc, but it also runs counter to what other characters say about him and his backstory as a whole. He is one of the most insecure characters in the game, he was trained for two hundred years to lie in order to avoid punishment, and he has far more trauma and healing to do than the other characters. Astarion is the most likely to lie about the Halsin relationship in order to avoid appearing weak or demanding. Out of the poly players who expressed disappointment, Astarion was the one that bothered them the most, since many felt he wasn’t fully consenting.
Most of my reasons for why he’s not a good poly option (from a development standpoint) have already been stated in earlier sections, so most of this will be spent diving into the “Is he fine with poly or not?” debate, which had me intrigued. (This will be the longest section and won’t be as connected to the overall topic, so if you want to skip to the Halsin part, feel free.)
I’ll start with the main arguments I see defending him being poly.
Argument 1: He says he’s fine with Halsin and the twins, so we should take him at his word.
While this can definitely be argued, and it’s not good to treat an adult man like a baby, his constant lying as a defense mechanism and current issues with sex/relationships do need to be taken into account (if not by the players then at least by the developers). There were plenty of people (some of them victims of SA) who talked about their own experience of tolerating poly because they were scared of their partner leaving or finding them too demanding/narrow minded. This led to their self-esteem and views on relationships growing worse rather than better. For someone like Astarion, who outright admits he has never had a healthy relationship and doesn’t want to lose this one, it’s understandable that people view his response as a coping mechanism rather than his own genuine feelings. There were also two different mental health professionals who reminded players that although a few victims of abuse do enter poly relationships, statistically most do not and it is far more common for them to agree to poly relationships out of pressure (which often make the person’s mental issues even worse in the long run).
Argument 2: He claims to be fine with open relationships during Act 1.
This is countered by the fact that everything he says about himself in Act 1 is a lie (unless he’s specifically talking about Cazador). He lies about wanting to sleep with you, he lies about his identity until he bites you, he claims to only care about sex (then later admits it makes him feel disgust and loathing), and he brags about his former conquests (which you later find out he regrets and feels guilt over). His statements that he’s fine with open relationships are made when choosing between him and another Origin character in Act 1 or 2, but this is also said at a time when his act is still up and he isn’t in love with the player. If you choose between him and another Origin character AFTER he confesses and let’s his guard down, he insists that he is NOT fine with sharing. “You’ve decided to replace me?” If the player says they care about both him and the other person, he’ll say, “Don’t give me that. I can see what this is.” Then he promptly breaks up with them. This second reaction is not only said using his genuine voice (whereas before he was still using his fake one), but a few poly people mentioned that this isn’t a normal reaction from someone who is fine with poly.
This isn’t to shame people who want to think Astarion is fine with it, or to judge players who went through with the poly relationship. Instead, this is once again asking the developers why they chose this option, rather than someone who wouldn’t spark so much debate or remind abuse victims of their past without giving them a dialogue option to address it. (This is a similar issue with Astarion’s brothel scene. They should have either removed it by having him say he’s not comfortable again, or at the very least, let players talk to him about it after.)
I think it’s pretty clear that after reading the discussions and evidence both sides provided, I myself lean heavily to one side. However, the main defense I personally have for the opposite side is that the writers were sometimes vague about Astarion’s true preferences and wishes. I especially felt this during the origin playthrough, where his narrator would constantly flip between him liking hedonism and despising it. It gave the impression that two opposing authors were wrestling while writing him, unable to decide where he truly stood on things. It felt similar to how the devs tried to write a respectful story of overcoming abuse and the fear of being sexualized, only to turn around and repeatedly sexualize the character in both the game and promotional material. I really wish the writers and developers had picked a lane and stuck with it.
Now I’ll get into the evidence for the counter theory: That he’s not actually open to sharing, but says he’s fine with it to avoid appearing weak or losing his partner. I personally prefer this theory because it makes the writing seem more intentional, adds more nuance to an already complex character, and feels more realistic. However, even if this is what the writer or actor were trying to convey, it’s still a far worse alternative to simply keeping him out of the poly options in the first place.

1. His hedonistic playboy persona is stated to be a façade. Anything he says in act one about being poly and wanting open relationships is stated when he is both wearing his mask and before he trusts the player. Every statement about relationships here has to be taken with a grain of salt because his mask is centered around attracting victims for Cazador. Since he hated bringing “sweet innocents” to his master, it makes sense that he would initially try to attract the opposite (“criminals and brothel goers”) by sleeping around and making a show of wanting casual relationships.
   
2. Once he gets comfortable in the relationship, he makes it clear he is looking for someone who will make him feel safe and value him for his personality over his body (“I don’t want you to think of me in terms of sex. I don’t think I want anyone to.” “How do you want me to see you?” “As a person. Is that so much to ask?”). If the player chooses to sexualize him, he will go through with it, then regret it later and break up. He makes it very clear in Act two that he’s not actually looking for casual hookups because they make him feel “ashamed and alone”. So it is odd that he’s fine with Halsin (who seems to care more about the sex and the body than the emotional bonding) and the brothel (which is solely about sex). One can argue that he’s fine with the poly relationship because he’s not taking part, but Halsin DOES wish for him to take part ‘eventually’.
   
3. Jumping off of that, Astarion’s dialogue makes it clear he wants a partner who cares about more than just sex, but if you tell him you want to date Halsin solely for the sex (and because Astarion’s not doing it with you), he will say that’s fine and he doesn’t mind the player seeking sex from others. This seems to counter his previous statements and arc. It’s especially strange that even if you reinforce his greatest insecurity (that his refusal to have sex has made his partner immediately seek out other people), he will still claim to be fine with it.
   
4. In terms of dialogue, the actor for Astarion seems to be very intentional when using the fake theatrical masking voice vs. the more genuine softspoken voice he uses when he’s comfortable and being honest. The fake voice is blatantly obvious throughout the Act 1 romance, in Act 2 if you force him to obey the blood merchant (his voice goes from genuinely scared to flirtatious and over the top within seconds), and in Cazador’s mansion where he’ll speak genuinely to you, then be over the top when addressing Cazador’s servants. He’ll often use jokes and loud laughter to conceal his true feelings and insecurities. Meanwhile his laughter in the confession scene, graveyard scene, and Spawn epilogue is quiet and subdued because he’s being genuine. It feels like a strange coincidence that when addressing both the Halsin situation and the brothel situation, his voice becomes very loud and high pitched again, he immediately starts making jokes, and his laughter is over the top. This hints at him not wanting to go along with either situation, but he’s putting himself through it because this is what his partner wants and since he’s tolerated sexual stuff he hated before, he can do it again. Plus, after killing Cazador, he wants to ensure no one views him as weak. He has to prove to himself and his lover (at least in his mind) that refusing to take the Ascendant powers was good and he’s strong enough to not need it. I can understand players not picking up on the voice changes (because not everyone is going to replay the game or even care) but those who did notice it believe it’s done intentionally (either by the actor or the writer or both). If it’s not intentional, then it’s a strange decision to make from a developer’s standpoint.
   
5. Throughout the threads I read, most poly people made it clear that poly relationships require complete trust, clear communication, and general confidence. Astarion himself admits to lacking all of those traits to some degree. If you don’t romance him, he will literally not trust any of the characters right up to the epilogue (he’ll hold a knife behind his back while talking to the Dark Urge). Even though he does seem to genuinely trust his lover by Act 2, he will still lie to them several times. He lies about being fine with the drow twins (he states he’ll leave if he hates if but never does despite disassociating), feigns confidence when the player says they’ll become a mind flayer (he says he only cares about them becoming ugly but expresses his true fears only after the fight, that he’s worried they are no longer the person he fell in love with by losing their soul), he manipulates his lover when confronting Cazador despite being conflicted about it himself and wanting reassurance, and (on a more minor note) he continuously claims he’s doesn’t care about Yenna or the Gur children despite getting upset when they’re in danger. This is a character who, even after he kills his tormentor, struggles to be honest with his partner. That isn’t a good combination when addressing poly. (Again, it could be worked through in real life, but is better avoided in video games where there isn’t time to address it).
   
6. There are also plenty of situations where he agrees to do things he outright hates. In Act 1, we know he is (at least somewhat) disgusted by having sex with the player or Laezel, but he’ll do it. In Act 2, he tries to be genuine about not wanting to touch the player until he no longer feels disgust, but if the player pressures him, he will cave and obey. He does break up with the player afterwards, but it is only after he has gone through with the act. In Act 3, he will state three times that he doesn’t want to take the tadpole, but if the player pressures him by bringing up his darkest fear, he will give in. Worse, he will give in and STILL stay with the player romantically despite them clearly manipulating him to do something they know he fears. He does thankfully break up if you fail the checks, but if you succeed, he goes through with it. If he’s willing to cave to something as huge as altering his entire body, it makes sense that he would cave to something he views as more minor (like tolerating unwanted sexual acts in a brothel or sharing his partner).
   
7. I didn’t know this until I saw others mention it but there are points where he will flirt with NPCs if he is single (the girl in the sewers), but he uses neutral dialogue if he is dating the player. This reinforces the theory that he doesn’t actually plan to sleep around or be with others as he claims (though there are some dialogues that I think slipped through the cracks where he still flirts with others despite being in a committed relationship).
   
8. If Halsin propositions you after Cazador has been killed, Astarion no longer asks if you’re doing this because he hasn’t been fulfilling your sexual needs. However, he does give another response that feels out of place: “I’ve realized it doesn’t matter if anything (in our relationship) changes.” Parallel this with what he said at the graveyard, that “no matter what happens, I don’t want to lose this (relationship).” It’s very odd to have him say he doesn’t want to lose the relationship, but then the next day he is totally okay with losing it. Granted, it is nice to know that even if the characters break up, he’ll be fine, but it does feel contradictory for his character, especially with how devastated he acts if they DO end the relationship. If the Halsin statement is just an act and he’s overcompensating, however, then it feels more intentional on the writer’s part.
   
9. I’ve seen lots of people say that Ascended Astarion also shouldn’t be fine with poly, and I agree, though it’s for different reasons than Spawn Astarion. Unlike SA, I think Ascended would absolutely do the brothel scene because 1. He’s actively suppressing his trauma and playing a new character and 2. He feels in control in the brothel and is the focus. However, with Halsin, he doesn’t have any control. For someone obsessed with possessing his lover and ensuring they can never leave him, letting them sleep with Halsin doesn’t fit his writing. He isn’t participating. He doesn’t know what they’re doing behind his back. For all he knows, Halsin and the player might be discussing how to kill Astarion or escape him. In some deleted party banter, Halsin literally tells Ascended Astarion he doesn’t approve of the abusive spawn/master relationship they’ve formed. With that knowledge, not only should Halsin not be willing to join a poly relationship that he thinks is unhealthy, but he has a motivation to help the player get away from AA (and AA would know this). I could see Spawn Astarion hesitantly agreeing to the Halsin thing despite not wanting to share, but AA just wouldn’t. It feels contrary to both his and Halsin’s writing.
   
10. This is the second most convincing piece of evidence for me: The Drow twins. If you ask Astarion to join a ‘group activity’, he’ll use his fake voice and flighty laugh and agree to go through it, saying he’ll run away if he doesn’t like it and comparing the act to burning in the sun (a little concerning that he’s already comparing the two). Then during the act, he will immediately ask the player what they want “us” to do. Not only is he lumping himself in with the prostitutes, but he is also doing something that an Origin playthrough reveals is a trigger for him (he tells the drow twins that being ‘told what to do’ reminds him of his time as a slave). If the player tries to check up on him, he ignores them and says he wishes he was drunk. Then he disassociates and never brings it up again. This has been viewed two ways: either he doesn’t want to have casual sex anymore and wants to be in a one-on-one relationship, or he does want to do stuff like this but just needs to heal more before he can. I lean toward the first assumption because he is acting flighty and fake BEFORE the sexual act even begins. If he really wanted to do it but changed his mind after, it makes more sense for him to sound genuine at first, then fake halfway through.
    

But the main thing that sticks out to me is his reaction to you asking for only ONE drow twin. If you do, he will accuse you of having a thing for prostitutes and call it embarrassing, then glare at you for the rest of the conversation. This is especially sad because not only have the player’s actions made him feel like a prostitute again, but now he seems to be wondering if you started dating him BECAUSE he was a prostitute, not for who he really is.
Compare this to the Halsin situation and the drow ‘group activity’. For Halsin, he says he was expecting this for months. He’s had several months to plan his reaction and decide what he’s willing to tolerate. Hence, he has a very rehearsed reaction. With the twins, he had less time to anticipate this but probably also worried about it (especially if the player asked about them earlier and he said no. Now he expects the player to try again and has planned accordingly). Again, this response feels rehearsed and fake. The only response where he uses his real voice is when you ask for one of the twins alone. This is something he likely wouldn’t plan for, so we get to see his gut reaction for the first time: he doesn’t want you to do it.
Now some people argue that he’s fine with Halsin and not the other Origin characters because Halsin is just a fling and won’t try to take his spot. If that’s the case, he should be fine with the twins too. If anything, they are even less of a threat. Yet he doesn’t want you to do it and responds accordingly. If he truly was poly, he would respond like Karlach did and tell you to have fun, or like Shadowheart telling you to give him a heads up first. But we don’t see that.
One other thing about the twins that I felt I could point out: if you or the twins ask to do a group activity before Cazador is killed, Astarion says he’s not comfortable with this yet. The “yet” part has been pointed out to show that he’s fine with it after Cazador has been killed (even though he still disassociates later). However, another explanation of the “yet” part is that he’s trying to soften the blow because he’s scared of using a blunt NO. We see this with Araj, the blood merchant. Even though he is absolutely disgusted with her treatment of him and how she’s “defiling” him with her fantasies, his rejections of her are very soft and nervous. Even when reinforced by his friend/lover, he says “It’s still a no, I’m afraid” with a smile. Turning down sexual encounters is tough for him, even when he has people backing him up, so I can see him using words like “yet” or “I’m afraid” to soften the blow. I know several people in real life who do this, despite later admitting there was no “yet”.
There’s another part of this dialogue with the early twins that I want to point out (really overanalyzing here but if we want to believe the writers do things intentionally/with a lot of forethought, I think it’s okay to read into the words they use). When Astarion says he’s not comfortable with the twins, the player’s response is “I wouldn’t ask such a thing of you”. This will raise his approval and make him respond positively. The promise you give him is not “I’ll ask them later, after we’ve killed Cazador” or “I would have liked to but okay” (that one doesn’t trigger his positive response). He only approves of you saying you won’t ask him to do things like this (stated in a tense that implies you will NEVER ask him to do such a thing, regardless of Cazador’s stabbed or unstabbed state). This could have been the writer hinting that if you bring him back after, you’re going back on your promise and thus have to see the disassociating scene. That…or the writer wasn’t thinking too hard and we are simply thinking too much.

1. With all that out of the way, we’ll get to the final point that solidifies this theory for me personally. It’s the statements of Shadowheart and Minthara if you ask to do a three-way relationship with one of them and Astarion. Shadowheart’s response is: “I think you’re overestimating his willingness to share. He may seem like a carefree hedonist, but there’s something fragile beneath the façade.” Minthara says something nearly identical, that sharing would wound his pride and he is far too fragile to handle it. You could even add Astarion’s line from the other end, where if you ask Astarion to share with you and Karlach, he will say they shouldn’t because Karlach loves the player and relationships are fragile (implying that he either thinks open relationships don’t work if there’s love involved, or perhaps he himself can only do open relationships if he doesn’t love the other person).

The main argument I’ve seen disproving these statements by Shadowheart and Minthara is that they’re just plain wrong about him. If so, it’s a strange writing choice to not only have both of them be wrong about the exact same thing, but they’re both high wisdom characters who are proven to understand Astarion in a lot of ways other characters don’t. (All three of them have been enslaved and manipulated, Minthara comprehends the depths of his relationship with Cazador within minutes of being in the camp, and Shadowheart is one of the closest to Astarion in terms of friendship and liking him.)
If Astarion actually is fine with poly, then it means both Shadowheart and Minthara are wrong. That means the writers either made a mistake or made a very weird writing choice.
However, if Astarion is actually pretending to be fine with sharing as they say, not only is the writing consistent but these dialogues become very clever foreshadowing. I want to give the writers the benefit of the doubt and believe they did a good job with Astarion, so I prefer to lean into the theory that he’s pretending because it makes more sense for him overall.
That was quite a long tangent and somewhat unnecessary, but he’s a character whose mannerisms and statements are meant to be heavily analyzed, so it’s fun to go more in depth. Let’s move on.

1. ISSUES WITH HOW HALSIN WAS PRESENTED

We’re finally at the last point, and in a way the direct cause of this entire thread: Halsin. Now, I have no issue with Halsin being poly (again, he’s listed as one of my four ideal options for it) but I do have several issues with how he was written and presented. The Shadowheart part I will skip over because I already got into it, but there are many other problems to address and most of them could have been fixed very easily.

1. He is not presented as poly until Act 3. I was reading through a thread full of people who loved him and several of them were early access players who had requested he become a romance option. However, the reason they requested him was very important. In EA, all three of the male options seemed immature (Wyll), condescending (Gale), or straight up evil (Astarion). Meanwhile Halsin was, in their words, a mature man who seems like the type to settle down with them in a cottage and help raise their kids. This is the impression he gives and what drew many people to him. As a result, many of these players were extremely disappointed to reach Act 3 once the game was out and discover that not only was he the complete opposite of their initial impression, but he won’t even stay with the player after the game ends (in most cases). Honestly, if I was a developer and saw that they liked him for those earlier reasons, I wouldn’t make him strictly poly because that wasn’t what the players wanted. They wanted him because he was muscular and a good, stable man. It was a very odd choice to turn around and give the players the opposite of what they asked for. But if the devs were truly determined to go the poly route, they should have at least gone back to Act 1 and 2 and slipped in some hints that he was poly. I saw some newer players who recently played the game for the first time and wanted to romance him for the aforementioned reasons (stable, mature, kind, huge). They ignored all other romances until Act 3, then got hit with the “I’m only poly” discussion. Had they known he wasn’t monogamous, they wouldn’t have blown off all the other options.
   
2. But let’s ignore that. We’re focusing on the world where he IS completely poly (though some were arguing that it should at least be an option to ask if he’ll try being monogamous with the player.) The way he is presented still has a lot of issues according to poly players. For one, the way he tries to butt in on the relationship is done in a really sketchy manner (especially considering what some of the Origin characters have gone through/are currently going through). It would have been far better to do what they did with Minsc and give the PLAYER the option to hit on Halsin, rather than the other way around. Have them offer poly to him, and then he can discuss it from there. Having the proposition come from Halsin himself puts him in a negative light, and it’s pretty clear the writers didn’t actually want to portray him as a bad person so they messed up here.
   
3. The flagging for Halsin’s dialogues is awful and despite seeing people report it for eight months, that hasn’t changed. Even if you pick the most neutral option, he will still hit on you by saying “I think you feel the same way”. Not a good idea. “I HOPE you feel the same way” would have been infinitely better. Women often have to deal with people assuming their friendly, professional conversation is something more when it isn’t. It’s not a great idea to bring that into fantasy games too. It hit too close to home for some.
   
4. Even if you use the most neutral option at the Act 1 party (“Go have fun and mingle”), your main dialogue option the next day is “Sorry for coming on so strong last night”. It’s a strange thing to say. Again, I’m not sure how developers missed this and why it was never patched out. I saw people reporting it since the release.
   
5. He will also ask for a relationship at neutral approval. In most of my playthroughs, I stopped talking to him beyond the Thaniel quest and avoided asking about his personal life. He still led his proposition with “I think you feel the same way”. How does he know when we only spoke to him three times? They should have at least required you to go through all his extra dialogues before triggering this.
   
6. When Halsin says he loves you, you have two options: reject him straight away, or ask about his opinions a little more. Oddly enough, if you ask a bit more and THEN reject him, he’ll have a proper response. “That’s fine. I understand. I won’t ask again.” However, if you reject him as soon as he starts talking to you, his response is very off putting. He’ll protest and say, “but you asked me about my former lovers” or, if you didn’t even do that, he’ll claim “you looked after me with the care of a lover, not a host.” These pushy assumptions turned a lot of people off. This is entirely on the writer, in my opinion. He should have realized how weird these sounded.
   
7. Halsin is the only person you can’t dismiss from your camp at any point through dialogue. All of the origins have to be pursued and recruited intentionally. Halsin is the only exception. This makes some sense because you need him to cure the Shadowlands, but for Act 3, he literally has nothing to do. They should have given players an option after the Ketheric fight to dismiss him and tell him to take care of the Shadowlands. It makes a lot more sense narratively and would help avoid a lot of the more awkward parts later.
   
8. Halsin’s initial dialogue about monogamy vs. polyamory is mostly fine, with him comparing it to gardens and wolves vs. bears. But (and don’t quote me on this because I can’t recall the specifics), if you ask your partner to do poly and they say no, Halsin will be a little more judgmental about your partner, saying he was hoping they would be more “open minded”. Statistically, the majority of BG3’s players are going to be monogamous, so it’s strange to see nearly every character (monogamous or poly) criticize monogamy in some way. It is called selfish, narrow minded, and old fashioned by at least 3 characters to my knowledge (Halsin, Act 1 Astarion, and even Gale (who is monogamous himself)). If the developers truly wanted to be inclusive, criticizing one’s lifestyle and having no characters openly defend it in the game (even those who practice it) is a disappointing choice. In this case, it might be an unintentional mistake (maybe they feared that by defending monogamy, they were somehow demonizing polygamy or polyamory), but it would have been better to just leave the criticisms out of it entirely if that was the case.
   

And that’s it. I think that’s all the points from myself and others that I wanted to compile. I don’t think any of this will be changed in BG3 but I hope all of these points and opinions will at least improve any future games. It’s great that BG3 was able to make nuanced characters with their own opinions and preferences—I much prefer it to “everyone is poly and no one gets mad if you cheat” games where characters feel more like statues than living beings—but I do wish they thought the poly options through more carefully (trying to make poly people comfortable while leaving room for monogamous players to enjoy the romances too).
The only feasible fix the developers could make at this point to avoid all the issues mentioned is keeping Halsin poly but removing his connections to other Origin romances (or at least Karlach and Astarion). At this point, that’s the only thing that could realistically be done. I also wish they made characters break up with you if you cheat on them in the brothel, since that’s what many people including myself would do.
Again, these opinions are my own (and those that aren’t come from a variety of comments across Youtube, Reddit, and Larian’s forums). I enjoyed getting to see so many different viewpoints and appreciated how civil (most of) the people on both sides were. It’s an interesting topic and here’s hoping game studios handle it better in the future.
If anyone reads this far and wants links to the threads, forums, and youtube comment sections, let me know.

Preamble: This is based on the Primarch GF's AU created by u/Sweet_older-sister and will mainly cover what they've been doing around and after the heresy and during 40k. Disclaimer: This current version is the "good" route so most will be somewhat happy/hopeful but will still be (mostly) canon compliant
What Happened
After Fulgrim returned from the cleansing of planet Laeran with a strange sword, she slowly began to change from the kindhearted person who once sought perfection for herself and encourage and support others to do the same to a more twisted , narcissistic and self absorbed version of herself that began to appear more and more often. While these changes went unnoticed by most among the legion, these changes were quickly picked up on by The Muse who tried to stem the tide and return the Primarch to her old self. When the Laer blade’s influence grew stronger over time, the Muse realised that them alone may not be enough and planned to stage an intervention alongside several senior officers in the legion such as Vespasian , Solomon Demeter and Rylanor in the hopes of getting Fulgrim to abandon the cursed blade for good. However, the plan ultimately never came to pass, as Vespasian was killed by Fulgrim’s own hand, much the Muse’s horror and realisation that the Primarch’s presence felt different… almost inhuman and more akin to a foreign entity.
After Vespasian’s death, the Muse was always either kept by the Primarch’s side or locked in an isolated room as Fulgrim became more and more possessive of her lover and sought to keep them all to herself while the influence of the daemon within the Laer blade grew stronger and stronger. Desperate to separate the Primarch from her muse and eliminate the greatest obstacle to the complete fall and corruption of Fulgrim, the Daemon within the Laer blade temporarily took control of her body (an act which was mightily resisted by Fulgrim’s soul, leaving both the daemon weakened and a small uncorrupted part of Fulgrim’s soul to be torn away while still being stuck within the Primarch’s body) and, in a strangled voice containing and with sad eyes, ordered the Muse to join the first drop onto Istvaan III.
During the virus bombing of Istvaan III, the Muse nearly died from the virus bombs but was saved by Solomon Demeter who suffered grievous injuries leading them to safety amidst the ensuing firestorm. The Muse then went on to fight at Istvaan III alongside other loyalists led by Saul Tarvitz. During the battle, the Muse informed the loyalists present of Fulgrim’s current state and the Laer blade’s corruption. Later on, they were entrusted with guarding the underground hangar alongside Rylanor and several other Astartes.
After the final virus bombing and the end of the battle of Istvaan III, Rylanor , the remaining Astartes and the Muse discussed their next course of action. While several courses of action were discussed but all ultimately settled on a single plan proposed by the ancient Rylanor. The dreadnought’s plan was that they would bide their time while creating a potent weapon capable of destroying the entire planet before luring as many traitors to the planet as possible. Once all the preparations are completed, all except Rylanor, who would stand guard over them, would enter into a stasis pod to wait for time to enact the plan. Then when the moment comes, all the loyalists present would be given a choice: either board the spacecraft within the hangar and depart the planet or stay to oversee the Istvaan’s destruction and go out in a blaze a glory.
Unbeknownst to all however, this plan was a trick by Rylanor, as once everyone entered into stasis the ancient of rites loaded all the stasis pods onto the spacecraft before activating the ship’s cloaking device and enter a command for the spacecraft to fly into an asteroid field in a nearby system but not before leaving a final farewell message for each and every loyalist to be opened once they wake from stasis. After the spacecraft flew away, Rylanor activated the beacon, luring Fulgrim to the planet and blew it up (this part went down pretty much like in canon). However, the physical injuries and spiritual damage from the now Daemonic Primarch’s wounded pride allowed the small uncorrupted part of Fulgrim’s soul to break free from her body and enter into a clone created by Fabius Bile.
Meanwhile, during their stasis, the Muse and other Astartes present all received a vision from the emperor himself, detailing all that had transpired on Istvaan III and guide them towards the uncorrupted clone of Fulgrim. Once the Muse and company were awaken from stasis and entered back into realspace however, they discovered that Bile had traded the clone of Fulgrim to the necron lord Trazyn the Infinite. Hearing of the necron lord’s interest in old Necrontyr artifacts through stories and rumours, the Muse now seek to gather a collection of items to bargain with Trazyn to exchange in return for the uncorrupted Fulgrim.
Credits
u/Sweet_older-Sister for making the AU a reality u/NadiaFortuneFeet for the idea that Fulgrim could actually work as a female name This is the second one in this series which I will hopefully make for all of the Primarch’s SO’s in the future (in order of their legion number)
Up Next: Petra’s Anvil (F! Perturabo)
Thank you for reading comments , feedback and criticism are all very much appreciated

Round 1, Pick 23 - Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU:
NFL: After the departure of Calvin Ridley in free agency, the Jaguars were determined to find a physical, fast receiver who could give them a vertical element in the pass game. They found it in Thomas, a stud who found the end zone 17 times last season for LSU. This is a big addition for Trevor Lawrence and Co.
CBS Sports: B+. This is a heck of a move for a team that needs another young weapon. He can fly and his best football is in front of him. Watch out for their offense in 2024.
ESPN: Thomas is one of the biggest (6-foot-3, 209 pounds) and fastest receivers in the draft (4.33 40-yard dash at the combine). His production in the SEC was elite in 2023: 17.3 yards per catch, 17 TD catches. He gives the Jaguars something they haven't had since Allen Robinson II (2014-17): Someone who can go up and get 50-50 balls and provide a big red-zone target. The Jaguars threw few end-zone fade routes the past several seasons, but that should change with Thomas, who had 10 TD catches on go or fade routes last season, the second-most in FBS to Rome Odunze.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Enjoys the Browns, Texans, and Vikings and this pick had it all.
Round 2, Pick 48 - Maason Smith, DT, LSU:
NFL: When I spoke to Smith last week, he made sure to highlight his workout with the Jaguars -- his final team visit -- as clearly his best. The Jags agreed. Smith has first-round tools but has been beset by injuries and a rotating cast of defensive coaches at LSU. His production is lacking, but his potential is downright exciting. If they're patient, the Jaguars might have something here.
CBS Sports: B-. Highly touted recruit who dealt with injuries and never quite met hype in college. Tall, sleek interior player who flashes that big-recruit talent at times just not ultra consistent. Won’t be limited athletically in the NFL. Rushes get far too high, which saps his power. Nice arm over but really his only move. Fills a need.
ESPN: The Jaguars needed to bolster their run defense, which faded down the stretch in 2023, and get younger on the defensive line. The 6-foot-5, 306-pounder can play inside as well as at defensive end, which gives the Jaguars some versatility along the front with Roy Robertson-Harris and DaVon Hamilton. Hamilton had a disappointing season in 2023 because of a back infection and he never reached the level he did in 2022, which earned him a contract extension. The Jaguars also released NT Folorunso Fatukasi this spring after two disappointing seasons, so adding depth along the defensive front was a priority.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: His record in the fuzzy bunny challenge is 19.
Round 3, Pick 96 - Jarrian Jones, CB, Florida State:
NFL: Measuring nearly 6-feet and running a 4.38-second 40-yard dash helped Jones' cause quite a bit. He has inside and outside experience but likely will be a nickel corner in the NFL. I thought he was a Day 3 prospect because of his short arms and long injury history, but Jones has gone up against talented receivers and won some battles.
CBS Sports: B. Taller than most nickel CBs but has requisite twitch and possesses the vertical juice to carry deep routes. Change of direction is very good but just not consistent. Tends to get his pads high when trying to ID the play, which saps his quickness. Unreliable tackler. Good ball skills and destroys screens on regular basis.
ESPN: The 6-foot, 190-pound Jones lined up primarily in the slot in 2023, so that's where he'll start with the Jaguars. The Jaguars signed CB Ronald Darby in free agency to play on the outside opposite Tyson Campbell. Head coach Doug Pederson said at the owners meetings that Darnell Savage Jr., whom they also signed in March, would be playing nickel, so Jones joins the rotation there along with Antonio Johnson. Jones has good speed (he ran 4.38 in the 40 at the combine) and has played outside at FSU at times as well, but the team has confidence that Darby can be the starter.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Rolex? Bulova? Omega? Patek Philippe? This man is CASIO all the way.
Round 4, Pick 114 - Javon Foster, OT, Missouri:
NFL: Foster has excellent experience at left tackle, and he looked facile at right tackle at the Senior Bowl. He's not an exceptional athlete but has good length, is patient in pass protection and can quietly get the job done. He's likely a swing tackle to start out.
CBS Sports: B+. College OT who has the frame to stay there but maybe not the overall athletic profile. Power and quick-setting skills shine. Can win ugly and importantly shows recovery skill. This is a smart investment. Just gets the job done on a routine basis.
ESPN: The Jaguars have only one offensive tackle under contract beyond this season (right Anton Harrison) so this was a position the Jaguars needed to address. Foster started 39 games at left tackle and two at right tackle at Missouri but he won't be asked to play in 2024 unless there are injuries to left tackle Cam Robinson and swing tackle Walker Little -- or the Jaguars decide to trade Robinson, in which case the 24-year-old Foster could become the swing tackle as a rookie.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Spends all day writing letters to bring back Club Penguin.
Round 4, Pick 116 - Jordan Jefferson, DT, LSU:
NFL: That's the third LSU player the Jags have selected, and the fourth SEC player. Jefferson is one of three Tigers DTs in this draft class, and he is a bull-strong battler inside. However, he might have to make it as an early-down run-stopper because of his lack of pass-rush juice.
CBS Sports: D+. Classic wide-bodied DT who thrives against the run. Thick frame. Block-shedding skills are well-developed but has no pass-rush plans. Active on passing downs just rarely gets home. Length is a plus and he’s an above-average athlete for a future NT. Not a bad player just limited and this feels early.
ESPN: Jefferson is the third LSU player -- and second on defense -- the Jaguars have drafted so far. It's clear the Jaguars are mining inside linebackers coach Matt House, who spent the past two seasons as LSU's defensive coordinator. The 6-foot-4, 317-pound Jefferson -- who played three seasons at West Virginia before transferring to LSU -- showed off his upper body strength at the combine by benching 225 pounds 34 times. The Jaguars' run defense faded in the second half of the season and played a major role in a season-ending loss to Tennessee -- Derrick Henry ran for a season-high 153 yards -- and the team cut nose tackle Folorunso Fatukasi in March so an upgrade along the interior of the defensive line was a priority in the draft.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: He has suffered from Ailurophobia for as long as he can remember.
Round 5, Pick 153 - Deantre Prince, CB, Mississippi:
NFL: Prince's speed gives him a chance, either as a corner or on special teams, but his lean, shorter frame could be problematic. He was a reliable contributor for the Rebels over the past several seasons.
CBS Sports: B. Outside CB with rockets attached his cleats. Can really run. Route-recognition skills must improve. High-effort type vs. the run but blockers devour him too often. Instinctive in coverage when everything is in front of him. Plays more athletically than his workout. With coaching can be solid pro.
ESPN: The Jaguars continue to add to the secondary with Prince, who lined up almost exclusively outside in college. He had six interceptions and 21 pass breakups in four seasons for the Rebels and one interception in one season at Northeast Mississippi Community College. He worked as a gunner on punt coverage as well, and his best chance to make an impact as a rookie will likely be on special teams.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Won’t eat bugles until after he’s had them on his fingers like claws.
Round 5, Pick 167 - Keilan Robinson, RB, Texas:
NFL: Three straight backs off the board. The Jaguars probably needed more RB depth, and Robinson brings top-shelf speed to Jacksonville. In a crowded Texas backfield, Robinson had to scrap for every offensive touch (156 total in 45 career games) he received. His meal ticket likely will be as a gadget-play specialist or gunner or jammer on special teams.
CBS Sports: C-. Played behind two studs at Texas but made the most of his minimal attempts. Has breakaway speed in a smaller frame. Not a very decisive runner who can win with his vision alone. Not ultra twitchy and elusive. Has some return ability. But this is too early for a developmental type.
ESPN: Robinson started his college career at Alabama and finished at Texans. He ran for 796 yards and eight touchdowns, but he has more value as a kick returner. He averaged 23.6 yards per kickoff return on 39 returns in his career. The Jaguars signed receivereturner Devin Duvernay to replace Jamal Agnew, but the new kickoff rule makes returners more valuable and teams may opt to put two returners on the field at the same time. He also covered kicks at Texas so this is a special teams pick for the Jaguars.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: The only thing worse than being drafted here is having to know TheFencingCoach.
Round 6, Pick 212 - Cam Little, K, Arkansas:
NFL: Our third kicker in a short span here. Little arguably has the best leg talent of the three and can hit all the way out to the 60-plus-yard range. But his inconsistencies (including at the combine) could make him a bit untrustworthy if he struggles in late-game situations.
CBS Sports: B-. Three years of 80-plus percent make rate on field goals in the SEC.
ESPN: Little is the most accurate kicker in Arkansas history, making 82.8% of his attempts (53 of 64) in his three-year career. He also never missed a PAT (129 for 129). He'll be the third kicker on the roster, joining Joey Slye and Riley Patterson, who kicked the game-winning field goal in the Jaguars' 31-30 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers in a wild card playoff game following the 2022 regular season. The Jaguars had agreed to terms with Denver kicker Wil Lutz in free agency but Lutz decided to return to the Broncos, so Little would likely be the favorite to win the competition with Slye and Patterson.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: He is excited to find out where the 36th NFL team is located.
Round 7, Pick 236 - Myles Cole, DE, Texas Tech:
NFL: Finding the right technique for Cole will be key, as he lacks the bulk to handle full-time interior duty, but his unusual traits (especially his length) make him a fun Round 7 dice roll.
CBS Sports: B. Absolutely enormous, freaky long EDGE. Moves well for his size but wasn’t overly productive in college. Has hand work but too often blocks stick to him. Does not deploy his length as an advantage. Has to add that to his arsenal.
ESPN: Cole's measurables at the combine were impressive: 36 7/8-inch arms (longest of any player) and a 7-foot-3 wingspan. He also ran a 4.67-second 40-yard dash, which is impressive for a 6-foot-6, 278-pounder. But his college production wasn't as impressive, with five sacks in six seasons (four years at Louisiana-Monroe and two at Texas Tech). He's a developmental project.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Thinks Sisko was, no IS, the best Trek captain.

Today I'm discussing Master of All, which is a perk from Generic Gamer. If you've never seen this perk or heard of this jump... this perk is probably the best singular perk in the jump (though ALL of them are really good), but it's not the INTENDED reason to come here. I personally think an early jump could stand to benefit from fusing GGJ with a more mundane jump (which is what my latest story-jumper is doing though not by choice) and grabbing this perk, it's appeal is kind of amazing. Now let's see the ACTUAL perk!

Master of All: Specialists focus on depth at the expense of breadth; generalists focus on breadth at the expense of depth. But what if you could focus on a single ability and have it benefit all of them? When you train one skill, ability, or power, that training and development applies not just to it, but to all of the skills, abilities, and powers you possess.

This is, understandably, a capstone perk. It is immensely powerful, and is the best TRAINING perk I've ever seen. There are BETTER perks out there for mastering stuff, heck I'll even include the other capstone in this jump just so you can see a better perk for MASTERING something.

Hyperspecialization: There’s focusing in a few specific areas, and then there’s this. Select a single skill, ability, power, Perk, whatever, so long as it’s possible to improve. At base, two things happen. A: the chosen ability progresses as if you’re training with it all the time, even when you’re doing nothing; if you were to actively train with it, the rate of growth would be effectively doubled. B: the rate of growth and development for the chosen ability is multiplied by a hundred.
Now, keep in mind that that’s just at base — both of these boosts increase gradually but exponentially the longer you focus on a single ability. Give it a few days, and the rate of growth will be multiplied by two hundred; a month, and by a thousand. You can change what ability you’re focusing on at any time at the cost of resetting the accrued exponential boosts.

Hyperspecialization IS a better perk if you want to master singular skills (or if you need a boost in power or skill in some SPECIFIC area but don't have the time to actually sit down and hone that area), but if you want to TRAIN something, if you value working for your goals, and if you want to be a jack of all trades Master of All is the better perk. And of course you could always grab BOTH perks, you could even do so without a SINGLE drawback AND you could still get other perks WITHOUT stacking drawbacks due to the discount mechanics of this jump. But I strongly prefer Master of All, personally.
Master of All is a very creative way to reward engagement in a setting which is something I'm always a fan of. A smart jumper who is not constrained by something like the notion of a fickle benefactor who ACTUALLY punishes boring jumpers might get something like Hyperspecialization and want to turtle up, but with Master of All you need to do SOMETHING for it to benefit you. Now WHAT you do doesn't matter, so long as you do SOMETHING that serves as training.
A very fun build could be for someone to snag both Skills, which is a function of the gamer system in Generic Gamer and then grab MoA and go to something like Generic School Years and diligently study. That studying will definitely count for MoA, since studying will definitely become or involve a skill as defined by Skills. This means that while you're studying you're becoming better at gymnastics, or cooking, or painting, or... using The Force, or mana management, or whatever other skills you've gained at this point in your journey.
One small facet of Master of All that is very interesting is how it stacks with uncappers and the very neat knowledge that there is a free uncapper in Generic Gamer (it's a facet of the gamer system!). This means that Master of All will eventually give you stuff like functionally limitless stamina and potentially unlimited strength, once you get the right upgradeable stuff at least. A fun thing I like about this perk is how it affects stuff like workouts. Workouts not only make you more physically fit with this, they also strengthen your perks, strengthen facets of your physique, and can even improve your luck (assuming there is a perk for your luck, which there IS in this jump in two senses: there's The Devil's Own Luck, AND there's a gamer function called Attributes, which CAN give you a luck stat if you want, I recommend it partially to mix with this perk). The idea that going for a joydrive can strengthen your telekinesis, or actively make you smarter is very funny but also very true with this perk and the right mix of gamer things.
This perk on it's own is somewhat limited, but a smart strategist who wants their jumper to be able to stand alone has a lot of options they can use. Two of my favorites here are Jack of All Trades and Experience Booster. JoAT is a fun perk that makes it much easier for you to hone new perksyou acquire along your chain, and Experience Booster is just a POWERHOUSE of a perk that boosts how much experience you get from anything that gives you experience, whether you only get it from defeating enemies or you get it from doing minor stuff, and if you mix it with Master of All you get a powerful combination since it makes it so that your workouts buff your brain by twenty times as much as they would otherwise. The best way to cheese it has got to be to go all in on game-ifying your life and taking the skills function of the gamer system, which allows you to make a ton of stuff into a skill, which thus plugs it into the Master of All functionality. Here, look at the description of Skills so you can see what I mean.

Skills (-100/-200/-300 GP)
For 100 GP, any ability or skill you possess becomes a ‘Skill’, with a skill level, increasing in power and efficiency as it levels up, done by gaining enough experience, which is gathered by using the skill; Level 1 is maximum inefficiency, while Level 99 is the maximum efficiency you could normally get — you can go even beyond that, though, with no hard cap to how high a skill’s level can be. The higher a skill’s level, the more experience required to get it to the next level. Generally, the more powerful and useful a skill, the slower it is to level up.
Any powers, skills, or abilities you already possess are automatically converted into System Skills. You may gain new skills by performing relevant actions; for example, throwing a knife might earn you the skill ‘Knife Throwing’. Skills will not deteriorate with time or disuse.
For an additional 100 GP, once a skill has reached Level 99, it may ‘prestige’, granting you an at least vaguely similar but much more powerful skill at Level 1 without taking away this one or, occasionally, traits if you’ve purchased the option. Prestige skills may themselves prestige. Prestige skills are especially difficult to level up.
For an additional 100 GP, you may ‘combine’ certain skills into a new one — without actually losing the ingredient skills.

This is hands down the best way to cheese this. This is also just a VERY good function in general, but guaranteeing that your skills can improve AND uncapping how good the stuff you do and the stuff you make can be is INCREDIBLE. This also allows you to become holistically better at everything just by cooking, or reading, and thus rewards you for having hobbies. This perk is very nice because it frees you from the constraints of training and having to incorporate stuff that makes you a stronger jumper but is more time-consuming and is not what a native would do.
I'm gonna take a beat to talk about Hyperspecialization again because one thing that's worth mentioning is that it's a passive trainer perk. It's MORE than that, sure, and in fact if you get it you're getting something worth every bit of CP you pay for it, but at it's core it's an enormously powerful passive trainer. There are other passive trainers. There didn't USE to be, at least not a LOT of them, but they exist now (these types of perks exist in several Edrogrimshell jumps, usually they are named "Dabbler" but not all of them have that name) so this perk has lost of some what made it unique. A perk doesn't have to be unique to be valuable, but it helps. Master of All, on the other hand is part of a, as far as I've seen, rarer type of perk: a training synergizer (something which blends types of training and studying together), and it's also a COMPLETE training synergizer which I've never seen before or anywhere else (normally the training synergizers I've seen link SPECIFIC skills, such as a perk from Generic Wizard which syncs how strong you are with your skill as a wizard, or a perk from Generic Culinary Warrior that links your cooking and combat skills). What this means is that if you miss out on Hyperspecialization you can go to other jumps and snag an equivalent perk there. In fact, you can actually grab something that is a MINOR improvement over Hyperspecilization, because all of the passive trainers I've seen let you passively train more than one thing at a time. It IS true that Hyperspecilization beats out these other, baby perks in how quickly it trains what you assign, but that minor aspect of its winning out is somewhat lessened in importance when you remember that placing something new in the lone slot hyperspecialization gives you resets how fast it trains the thing in question. Master of All is both less easy to compare to other existing perks and doesn't have any internal conditions that weaken active usage of it like Hyperspecialization does.
Now that's not to put you off of Hyperspecialization, if I were in a real chain I'd want to grab BOTH Hyperspecialization and Master of All (and not just because MoA completely removes the weakness of Hyperspecialization, but that's certainly a part of it haha), these are INCREDIBLY powerful perks, but one is... one is more universally useful than the other. Master of All is just an absolute S-tier perk. I cannot imagine any build where MoA is applicable where it wouldn't be an absolute GOD-TIER of a purchase. The only possible combination I could think of that might invalidate MoA would be the Sage x Spirit Touched combination from the ATLA Redux jump, and that'd be most of your base CP in a jump that has MULTIPLE sections worth of stuff to try and grab.
To put this in perspective, with a perk like this and the right combination of gamer things you can go into a setting like Chronicle and hone your telekinesis by working on your photography skills. You can become a better chef by doing your math homework and rereading whatever chapter of MacBeth you're on in English. Once you've gained the right skills you can become better at soccer and other sports while you design a website. Become a better wizard by practicing juggling. This is an incredible QoL perk that frees you from a lot of the time-crunchiness that comes with only having a decade in a setting as opposed to a lifetime. Honestly that's kind of the biggest strength of the particular nature of the Generic Gamer Jump, it does a LOT to free up your time and really let you optimize your time in a setting.

Generic Gamer As A Time Optimizer

So depending on the setting, a decade is either a LOT of time or it's BARELY any time. In Avatar the Last Airbender, a decade can be a HUGE amount of time (the entire plot of the first show is about one calendar year according to one of the show's execs), but in Harry Potter a decade is only a bit more time than the plot takes, and truthfully is barely a blink of an eye. So perks that allow you to have a special relationship with time are always good.
One of the critical facets of Generic Gamer is how it allows you to optimize time. There's definitely some underlying logic here, since game characters have INCREDIBLE growth rates, and I love that about this jump. Generic Gamer, for the cost of 50 GP lets you lose the need to sleep, the need to eat, and the need to drink. That is an INCREDIBLE boost to the amount of functional time you have in a jump, if you started your chain off as a base human and entered this jump as a non-boosted human or as an only minorly-boosted human. Getting rid of three of the most essential bodily needs for the cost of 50 points in a thing where you start off with 1350 points makes it a steal (You get different points for perks and for gamer system customization in this jump).
A big part of how essential this is, is how much time it saves you by eliminating sleep but in all honesty removing your need to drink or eat is also critical. I don't know how many jumps could safely be taken as first jumps that completely eliminate the need for sleep, food, AND water, but this one can and that's pretty OP given the costs. Also, bv eliminating the need for stuff like food and water you make entire other jumps wholly more viable. Minecraft, for example, becomes WILDLY safer if you don't have to work about starvation, since hunger is directly linked to your ability to recover from wounds but in Generic Gamer you can completely subvert this system by spending 100 GP: purchase Gamer Body (eliminating the need for food) and also purchase the HP System (which gives you fiat-backed regen, so long as you don't take a hit for a beat, giving you a passive heal much like some FPS games).
Gamer's Body & HP System guarantee you survive any setting that isn't actively trying to kill you, and also frees you up to more safely do what you want like explore or just have a good time. If you don't have to pay for food or housing for sleep, you either don't need money or you need a LOT less of it. Stuff like this is also DRAMATICALLY powerful for vampires and other creatures that are normally driven by, or at least associated with, constant hunger. Also this just makes zombie jumps hilariously easy for you to solo since the number of risks you have to take (while solo) are SO MUCH lower. Funnily enough the right set of perks here even lower the risks you have to take when you work WITH other people, as Inventory lets you both raid places by yourself (since you can store an infinite amount of stuff on you by yourself) AND lowers how much supplies you need for your friends (since time doesn't pass for stuff in your inventory, preventing it from going bad!).
This jump is also filled with training boosters, with Jack of All Trades, Experience Booster, Hyperspecialization, and Master of All all qualifying as training boosters broadly, they all just qualify as different TYPES of training boosters. This is very interesting, since one of the big things a lot of adventure jumpers will need sooner or later are training boosts of their own. The best training boost here is Experience Booster which buffs training by 100 times, a STUNNING boost to one's training, and this stacks hilariously with every other training booster here.
I have a lot of thoughts on this jump and I think I'll keep writing them down from time to time. It's just so good.

It will be a cold day in hell when LTB treats deadbeat tenant like this. Anyone that ends up with more than 35K in arrears needs to get away from LTB trash and get their justice in proper court that will treat them with fairness and dignity to the process. Here we see all the "rights" dissolve in the light of a judge and not a LTB lackey
https://www.canlii.org/en/on/onscdc/doc/2024/2024onsc2536/2024onsc2536.html?resultIndex=4&resultId=a3deeb6dc59149f9bf60f4b71d534f5f&searchId=2024-05-13T15%3A09%3A52%3A761%2Ffc362c6027fa479aa0b42762adc39dc9&searchUrlHash=AAAAAQAcZXZpY3Rpb24gdGVuYW50IGFwcGVhbCBib2FyZAAAAAAB
[5]()] Fearing that Mr. Green might be trying to use the court’s process (particularly the stay pending appeal) just to remain in his unit for free while the appeal is heard, I set terms for him to pay his rent when due and to pay his arrears as conditions of maintaining the stay of proceedings.
~Breach of the previous order~

1. The Tenant did not dispute that he failed to meet a condition specified in the order issued by the LTB on December 19, 2023 with respect to application LTB-L-054274-23. The Tenant failed to pay the lawful rent for December 2023 on or before December 29, 2023.

[[15]()] The most telling point is that this tenant does not pay rent. Even while agreeing that he must keep his rent current during this appeal, Mr. Green has not paid April’s rent. Rent was due April 16, 2024. I directed that he pay it by April 19, 2024 at noon. He requested an extension of time to pay April rent from last Friday to Monday the 22^nd as it would be “more feasible” for him. I have yet to hold a further case conference or to amend the directions. Yet, here it is Wednesday, May 1, 2024, and Mr. Green has still not paid his April rent.
[[16]()] I note as well that the tenant’s notice of appeal raises no issue of law that can succeed in invalidating his eviction in light of his admitted arrears. He sought reconsideration based on his hope to receive money to start paying down his arrears and his view that he had nowhere else to go.
[[17]()] Mr. Green breached the payment schedule to which he agreed before the board. Under that agreement he was ordered evicted without further notice to him. He paid no rent while challenging the eviction order. He paid no rent through the reconsideration process. Now he has failed to pay on the date that I ordered and even by the extended date that he sought. His personal circumstances are unfortunate. But no amount of procedural unfairness at the hearing at which Mr. Green sought to set aside the board’s eviction order will form a basis to require the landlord to keep providing him exclusive possession of her property for free.
[[18]()] I therefore quash the appeal in accordance with the landlord’s motion. The appeal cannot possibly succeed and I am satisfied that it is not brought in good faith. With the appeal quashed, the landlord is no longer stayed form enforcing the board’s orders.

[[19]()] If the appeal continued, I would lift the stay in any event. It is utterly unfair for Mr. Green to continue to have the benefit of the court’s stay of the eviction order without keeping his rent current and paying down his admitted arrears. This is an example of a tenant gaming the system. Such inequity cannot be tolerated.

AITAH for wanting to send my Ex to prison? I made the mistake of dating someone who I worked with. Truthfully, he and I have known of each other and flirted casually on and off for 6ish years, either he was in a relationship or me. This last October we hooked up. It was great at first, but I learned he had an ankle monitor on. For context he is a 27 M and I am 25M. I know that people get on Grindr, and sometimes they lie about their ages. I though he simply got caught with the wrong person and charged as he made it sound. Everything was going well for the for two weeks, but I had a feeling nagging at me. Almost like things weren't adding up. I tried to let it go, but I really just couldn't. I found out he was cheating, and made the stupid decision to give him another shot. I thought it was just that he didn't know what it was like to have someone actually care for him as he is an orphan growing up. Fast forward to December; We started to fight everyday. I again had that feeling again, and sure enough he was. I started to dig a lil into his phone. Something just felt off and bad. I found out he had lied to me about everything nearly. How he was the victim in his past relationships, how it was just wrong person and wrong time, and about who he actually was. He tried to gaslight, manipulate, and even love bombed me. Worst of all, I found out he had been talking to multiple people people underage even though he is only out on bail. He was suppose to have his final hearing in November only to be moved to February, and now August. We work together, and none of my coworkers or the job knows about this. No matter what he will be a registered sex offender for statutory rape of a minor, kidnapping of a minor over state lines, and possession of child pornography. I really messed up with this one. Turned out he cheated in every single relationship or had the other cheating. I am not a psychiatrist, but I would put money on the fact he is a narcissist. When I kicked him out, I told him I knew everything and that this doesn't have any bearing at our work. I had told him I had proof of him talking to minors, and if he did making problems for me at work then I would push charges on it to cover myself. Of course, he went ahead and tried to talk behind my back and work and manipulate our co-workers. I am genuinely nice to everyone, so some didn't listen. I am trying to keep my cool and patiently wait for him to get sent to jail, but it is starting to get to me to think he is still out and messaging younger people and trying to well just be a gross pedophile. I have thought of even trying to push charges just so he is sent to jail, get him fired for never reporting his ankle monitor to our employer, and all sorts of stuff. I want him in jail not because he hurt me, but because he needs some serious help and a good ass beating. He has little to no redeeming qualities to his life or personality. He is just good at manipulating others. I honestly have thought of pursing other jobs, but it is just until he is convicted. I can't possibly see him going free with a mountain of evidence against him. I hate what he did, but I am not the only or worse one for him to do this to. That's ex before me he convonce into an open relationship, only for him to bring a third into it and both of his exes dumping him for cheating on them for breaking set rules he set up and agreed on. I wish I could say anything nice about him, but my opinion of him has fallen flat after all of this. Am I the asshole here?
TLDR: I work with my ex who manipulated, cheated, and used me. I found out he cheated and tried to forgive him due to him being an orphan, and not really knowing somewhere safe. It ended with me finding out he was a pedophile. I know this is my naivety, but I just don't know if me pressing charges are for my ego or actually helping

Please read the post in its entirety. The possible plots listed are merely ideas. I'd love to brainstorm and expand on the plots below or come up with different ideas for our characters.
Dismantling The Vampiric Regime:
Magic is a plague on the earth. Humans despise the unknown and often turn on the few who possess such talents. Muse A has kept her abilities a secret, living in relative isolation before she steps out into the political arena after volunteering to be the annual sacrifice to Muse B, her vampiric overlord. Muse A has no intention of being a willing lamb to the slaughter, however. She’s determined to dismantle the system that sees humans as cattle and vampires as civilized aristocrats.
The Rise of a New Creature:
Muse A, a human scientist obsessed with the supernatural, and Muse B, a vampire queen ruling over her domain with an iron fist, find themselves drawn together when a new species of supernatural creatures begins to emerge, threatening the delicate balance of power in their world. As the creatures grow increasingly aggressive and unpredictable, Muse A and Muse B reluctantly work together to investigate the source of the creatures’ origins and find a way to contain the threat before it spirals out of control.
Immortal Enemies:
Two ancient beings—an elven sorcerer and a vampire noblewoman—have been locked in a centuries-old feud. Neither remembers why they hate the other, but they simply do. Time and time again, they attempt to kill the other, and yet they never seem to succeed. As the centuries pass, they begin to look forward to the next scheme, often resorting to trickery rather than true attempts to end the other’s life for their existence would be dull without their beloved rival.
~*~
A little about me. I've been writing for nine years (give or take). My passion for fantasy and dark themes is unending—if you want me to like you, come with a fucked up plot. Magic is never required, but highly encouraged. While I have premade plots above, I’m always interested in what your thoughts are! Don’t like any of them? No worries. We’ll come up with something better. :)
If we decide we'd be good partners, I'd love to brainstorm a plot and characters with you. If you’re curious to see what my writing style is like feel free to look at my profile. I’ve recently begun a challenge where I (try) to write a short story every day, so there is quite a bit of material for you to peruse through if you’d like.
Please note, I only write on Discord.
But before we get to the fun bit, here are some things to note:

• I only play female characters. If romance is involved, I will only accept Female x Female/Nonbinary/Trans
• I only play in the third person and ask that my partner do as well. I prefer past tense but don't mind present.
• Longer responses are always encouraged. I don't expect a novel, but to keep things interesting, I enjoy 3-14 paragraphs depending on the situation.
• I am in university. My schedule is rather inconsistent, but I will always let you know ahead of time if I'll be gone for more than a couple of days. But if you feel like I've forgotten about you or our plot, please don't hesitate to reach out.
• OOC discussions are my favorite. I love squealing over our characters' interactions and brainstorming. However, that being said, I don't share personal information and I would ask the same of my partner.
• I do NOT write smut. Any steamy scenes will fade to black, but I am happy to entertain romance between characters.

Boundaries:

• Minors—all main characters must be 20+
• Fandoms, I prefer to make our own world. The two exceptions I'm willing to make is for ATLA or LOK
• Wrestling
• Self-harm (this is acceptable if it is a part of your character's back story)
• Overly anxious characters
• Mutilation (this is something I'm willing to talk about in PM)
• Controlling my character.
• Ignoring what I write. Everyone has their moments where they miss a detail here and there, but if you're outright ignoring what I put in my response all the time (especially if I bring it to your attention), our plot will be put on the "respond last" list.
• Ghosting. If there's something you don't enjoy or if you've lost interest, please tell me. I'm happy to make adjustments or wish you well. Don't be immature. I will always let you know if I feel that the plot, our writing styles, or something else isn't working for me.
• Overpowered characters. Nothing makes me lose interest faster than a character who somehow always has a solution to a problem OR a character who can't handle not having the upper hand.
• Text talk within your writing. However, I don't care if you do it OOC.

Must Read: I am in a healthy, happy relationship with my wonderful girlfriend. Do not flirt with me. Romance will only happen between our characters. I love making friends and having conversations OOC, but I have serious boundaries when it comes to flirting or being disrespectful. Compliments regarding writing are always welcomed, but let's keep things respectful. :) Please add "Chicken Noodle Soup" in your first message if you read this.
If you're interested, I’d love to hear from you. I look forward to getting to know you and developing our story together <3 Have a wonderful day.