Trying to clear my backlog of unredeemed stuff and make some money for an upcoming trip, so looking to hopefully clear this list down some, and honestly for most titles on the list I'd be willing to take $1-3 dollars for.
Here is my SteamRep page
And links to Previous Posts I've made since I'm not sure how to update my flair to correctly show the number of trades I've completed.
ΔV: Rings of Saturn
112 Operator
112 Operator
112 Operator
60 Parsecs!
8Doors: Arum's Afterlife Adventure
911 Operator
911 Operator
911 Operator
A Plague Tale: Innocence
A Short Hike
A Juggler's Tale
Acceleration of SUGURI 2
Aces & Adventures
Ace of Seafood
ADOM (Ancient Domains Of Mystery)
Ai War 2 Alchemist's Castle Aliens: Fireteam Elite Almost There: The Platformer Alien Spidy Agent in Depth Age of Wonders: Planetfall Deluxe Edition Agents of Mayhem Amanda the Adventurer American Fugitive Amnesia: Rebirth Amnesia: Rebirth Amnesia: The Dark Descent + Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs Arcade Paradise Arcade Spirits Armello Atomicrops ATOM RPG Trudograd Automachef Autonauts Autonauts vs Piratebots Aven Colony Backbone Banners of Ruin Basement Battlestar Galactica Deadlock Beat Hazard 2 Beacon Pines Bee Simulator Before We Leave Bendy and the Dark Revival Beyond the Wire Black Future ’88 Blazing Beaks Blue Fire Book of Demons Boomerang Fu Boreal Blade BPM: BULLETS PER MINUTE Bravery and Greed Break Arts 2 Broken Age Broken Age Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Calico Cattails: Wildwood Story Catherine: Classic Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 Children of Morta Chivalry 2 - Epic Edition Chess Ultra Colt Canyon Conan Chop Chop Construction Simulator (2015) Deluxe Edition Control Standard Edition Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3?! Coromon Cosmic Express Crown Trick Crusader Kings III Crying Suns Cursed Castilla (Maldita Castilla EX) Curse of the Dead Gods Cyber Hook Dear Esther: Landmark Edition Dandara Dagon: by H. P. Lovecraft - The Eldritch Box DLC Dark Deity Darksburg Darksiders Genesis Deadly Days Death Squared Deleveled Descenders Detached: Non-VR Edition Deep Rock Galactic Demon Turf Destroyer: The U-Boat Hunter Deus Ex: Mankind Divided Diaries of a Spaceport Janitor Dirt 5 Disco Elysium - The Final Cut Disjunction (GOG Key) Doughlings Arcade Doughlings Invasion Draw Slasher Drawful 2 Driftland: The Magic Revival DUCATI - 90th Anniversary Due Process Duskers Earthlock Edge of Eternity Edge of Eternity Effie Eldest Souls ELDERBORN ELEX Encased: A Sci-Fi Post-Apocalyptic RPG ENCODYA (GOG key) Endless Space 2 Endless Space 2 Digital Deluxe Edition Endzone - A World Apart Europa Universalis IV Euro Truck Simulator 2 Everhood Evoland Legendary Edition Exapunks Expeditions: Rome Expeditions: Viking F1® 2019 Anniversary Edition Fable Anniversary Fahrenheit: Indigo Prophecy Remastered Farmer's Dynasty Farming Simulator 17 Farming Simulator '17 - Platinum Edition Fantasy Blacksmith Felix The Reaper Fight'N Rage First Class Trouble Fling to the Finish Friends vs Friends Frick, Inc. Frog Detective 1: The Haunted Island Frog Detective 2: The Case of the Invisible Wizard Forgive Me Father Fort Triumph Fury Unleashed Fury Unleashed GameGuru Gamedec - Definitive Edition GARAGE: Bad Trip Generation Zero Ghostrunner Go Home Dinosaurs Goat of Duty Golf Gang Golf With Your Friends + Caddy Pack + OST Going Under Gravel GRIME Grow: Song of the Evertree Guns & Fishes Guilty Gear X2 #Reload
Guts and Glory Hacknet Hack 'n' Slash Heave Ho Hell Let Loose Hello Neighbor + Hello Neighbor Hide & Seek Hell Pie Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice Hero Siege Complete Hero Siege - Cyberpunk Samurai (Class + Skin) Hero Siege - Avenger Paladin (Class + Skin) Hero Siege - Class - Amazon Hero Siege - Demon Slayer Bundle + Spawn Skin (Class) Hero Siege - Class - Shaman Hero Siege - Class - Marauder Hero Siege - Class - Plague Doctor Hero Siege - Extra slots & stash space Hero Siege - ClassShield Lancer Hero's Hour Heroes of Hammerwatch Hexologic HIVESWAP: Act 1 Hollow Knight Hokko Life Horizon Chase Turbo HUMANKIND: Definitive Edition Hyper Gunsport I Am Fish Immortal Redneck Imperator: Rome Deluxe Edition Into the Pit Into the Breach In Other Waters
Iris and the Giant Iron Danger Izmir: An Independence Simulator John Wick Hex Juno: New Origins Just Cause 4 Complete Edition Just Die Already Katana ZERO Kerbal Space Program Kero Blaster Killsquad Kingdom Two Crowns Lacuna – A Sci-Fi Noir Adventure Laser League Last Call BBS Lawn Mowing Simulator Legion TD 2 - Multiplayer Tower Defense LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham Lethal League Blaze Levelhead LiEat Life Is Strange 2: Complete Season Life is Strange: True Colors Lightmatter Littlewood Little Orpheus Lust from Beyond: M Edition Lust from Beyond - M Edition Magicka Main Assembly Men of War: Assault Squad 2 - War Chest Edition Mega Man Legacy Collection
Metro Exodus Metro Exodus Merchant of the Skies Midnight Protocol Minoria MirrorMoon EP Mitsurugi Kamui Hikae Möbius Front ‘83 MOLEK-SYNTEZ Moon Hunters Momodora: Reverie Under The Moonlight Monaco Morbid: The Seven Acolytes MORDHAU Morkredd Motorcycle Mechanic Simulator 2021 Mount & Blade: Warband My Friend Pedro Narita Boy NARUTO TO BORUTO: SHINOBI STRIKER NBA Playgrounds Nebuchadnezzar NecroWorm Necromunda: Hired Gun Neoverse Neverout NeuroVoider Nex Machina Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl Niffelheim Nimbatus - The Space Drone Constructor Non-Stop Raiders
Oaken OlliOlli World Rad Edition Operation: Tango Opus Magnum Orbital Racer Orbital Racer Orwell: Ignorance is Strength Othercide OTXO Overload Overcooked! 2 + Too Many Cooks! + Surf n' Turf Pack Out of Reach: Treasure Royale PAC-MAN™ CHAMPIONSHIP EDITION 2 Panzer Paladin Patch Quest Pathfinder: Kingmaker - Enhanced Plus Edition Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous Pathologic 2 Partisans 1941 Party Hard Party Hard Path of Giants Pawnbarian Paw Paw Paw PAYDAY 2 PGA Tour 2K21 PGA Tour 2K21 Planet TD Planet Zoo Pill Baby Pikuniku Pixplode
Pool Panic Popup Dungeon Post Void Prodeus Project Chemistry Project Wingman Project Winter Psychonauts Pumpkin Jack Puss! Purrfect Date - Visual Novel/Dating Simulator Quadrata Quantum Break Radio Commander Raiden V: Director's Cut Railway Empire Rebuild 3: Gangs of Deadsville Rebel Inc: Escalation Red Faction Guerrilla Re-Mars-tered Relicta Remnants of Naezith Remnants of Naezith Remothered: Broken Porcelain Regular Human Basketball Regions of Ruin Retimed Retrowave Revolver 360 Re:Actor Ring of Pain Ring of Pain Road 96 Roadwarden
Roarr! Jurassic Edition Roguebook Rollerdrome Rover Mechanic Simulator Rustler Rym 9000 Say No! More ScourgeBringer Secret Neighbor Seven: The Days Long Gone Shadows: Awakening Shady Part of Me shapez + puzzle DLC Shenmue III Shing! Shining Resonance Refrain Shoppe Keep 2 Shotgun King: The Final Checkmate Skullgirls 2nd Encore Sid Meier's Civilization VI : Platinum Edition Sigma Theory: Global Cold War SIMULACRA + SIMULACRA 2 Size Matters Slay the Spire Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition Slinger VR Slipstream Smile For Me Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts Space Crew: Legendary Edition Speed Brawl Spirit of the Island
SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated Spyro Reignited Trilogy Soulblight Soulblight Soul Searching Soulstice Starbound Stick Fight stikir Strange Brigade Struggling Stygian: Reign of the Old Ones Sunset Overdrive Sunless Bundle (Sunless Sea + Sunless Skies) Supraland Super Daryl Deluxe SUPERHOT Super Magbot SUPERHOT: MIND CONTROL DELETE Superliminal Surviving Mars Surviving the Aftermath Suzerain Swag and Sorcery S.W.I.N.E. HD Remaster Swords and Soldiers 2 Shawarmageddon Sword Legacy Omen Syberia 3 SYNTHETIK: Legion Rising Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga System Shock Enhanced Edition System Shock Enhanced Edition
System Shock 2 Tabletop Playground Telefrag VR Temtem Terraformers The Amazing American Circus The Ambassador: Fractured Timelines The Final Station The Forgotten City The King's Bird The Inner World The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante The Long Dark The Red Lantern The Occupation The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition The Serpent Rogue The Shapeshifting Detective The Stillness of the Wind The Suicide of Rachel Foster The Textorcist: The Story of Ray Bibbia The Quarry Deluxe Edition The Uncertain: Last Quiet Day The USB Stick Found in the Grass This is the Police This is the Police 2 This War of Mine Through the Darkest of Times Tilt Brush TOHU Tools Up! Total Tank Simulator
Tooth and Tail Toejam & Earl: Back in the Groove Train Station Renovation Treasure Hunter Simulator Tropico 4 Tropico 6 - El Prez Edition TSIOQUE Turbo Golf Racing Turok Turok 2: Seeds of Evil VVVVVV Vagante Valfaris Valkyria Chronicles 4 Complete Edition Verlet Swing Victoria 3 Voidigo
Wandersong
Wandersong
Wargroove
Wargroove Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate - Daemonhunters
Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin – Ultimate Edition
Warhammer: Chaosbane
WARSAW RISING: City of Heroes
Wasteland 3
We Are Alright
We Need To Go Deeper
West of Dead
West of Dead
Where the Water Tastes Like Wine
Who Pressed Mute on Uncle Marcus?
Windjammers 2 Wingspan
Wizard of Legend
Wizard of Legend
World of Goo
Worms Revolution
Worms Rumble
Worms Rumble + Legends Pack
WRATH: Aeon of Ruin
Wrench
WWE 2K23
WWE 2K Battlegrounds
XCOM 2
XCOM 2 + XCOM 2: Reinforcement Pack and XCOM 2: Resistance Warrior Pack XCOM: Chimera Squad
X-Morph: Defense Complete Pack
X-Morph: Defense + European Assault, Survival of the Fittest, and Last Bastion DLC
Yakuza Kiwami 2
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair
Yoku's Island Express
Zombie Driver HD
Zombie Night Terror

Hey Guys, I made a video on Katsuyu and hope you guys could give it a watch to probably shed some light on Katsuyu as she is severely underestimated and downplayed to the point that she gets ruled out from versus battles even though she can always do something because she is so versatile! This is just a discussion about things Katsuyu can do and we can discussion anything else that she's capable of doing - I'm working on a slug sage mode video next
You can give the video a watch here as I went into more detail here - I tried to support my points with video evidence as best as I could but I couldn't find footage for everything - https://youtu.be/h6baI67D5A8
​
Facts About Katsuyu

• Katsuyu is one gigantic slug that resides in the shikkotsu forest also known as the damp bone forest which is just as legendary as mt Myoboku for toads and the Ryuchi cave for snakes.
• Katsuyu is completely immune to any sort of physical attacks, regardless of how strong the attack is. She is immune to stabs, slashes anything sharp or that pierces due to her genetic makeup.
• Katsuyu has elemental resistance to all of the elements including fire/heat, light/dark, water, wind, earth, lightning/electricity – She survived naruto’s burning/corrosive chakra back in pain arc all the way up to almost 9 tails transformation. She stated that she can survive being cut at light speed with no problems. So if Tsunade summoned katsuyu to fight against madara’s perfect Susanoo, she’d just tank his fireball style attacks just fine or put it out with her acid. She would also negate madara’s sword slashes as swords can’t hurt her.
• Katsuyu is directly linked to the 100 healing mark/byakugou seal. Since the seal existed since the era of the sage of the six paths according to the boruto manga, this means katsuyu was around since the beginning of the Naruto verse.
• In order to summon katsuyu, the byakugou seal is a direct requirement to summon her as she herself said she is directly linked to the seal and scales proportionally to the condition of the seal. Which is why Shizune, despite being under Tsunade’s tutelage for so longis unable to summon her. Ino could also be used as an example as she was also student under Tsunade and could not summon Katsuyu. Another great example is Kabuto, he looks up to Tsunade so much due what she has done for the medical field, chose to form a pact with the snakes instead as the byakugou seal is not an easy feat to require.
• Katsuyu’s summoning time does not seem to have a limit as katsuyu can stay out as long as the summoner wants until katsuyu is no longer needed.
• Whenever katsuyu is summoned, its only just a small segment of katsuyu that is summoned. The largest size of her we have seen is just 10% of her and that took the combined effort of tsunade and kyuubi chakra amped sakura simultaneously summoning her with the byakugou seal’s chakra. 10% of her was able to fill the space between the roots of the god tree and she was towering over mountain ranges, avatar mode Naruto and Susanoo sasuke. She’s so large that we can only imagine how large she is.
• Katsuyu shares an unbreakable telepathic link to the byakugou seal no matter the distance as she can still communicate with the user regardless of how far is she. So, she could be in a whole other dimension or universe and still be able to communicate instantly.
• Katsuyu can split apart into millions of different clones of herself that can function independently and as a whole simultaneously, have shared vision, instantaneous communication regardless of the distance, can always regroup if needed, she can also communicate with another katsuyu that was summoned by a different summoner and still has access to all these traits. i.e. Tsunade summoned katsuyu to heal kage and sakura summoned katsuyu to heal the alliance
• Katsuyu’s acid is one of the most damaging attacks in the verse as it vaporizes stone upon immediate contact something that amateratsu cannot do but overtime it can. Katsuyu’s acid is a wide spread acidic attack that covers a wide range that’s really hard to dodge due to how much range it covers and how fast she spews it out. Her acid is natural/sage energy thus it cannot be absorbed, sealed or nullified by any means. Even orochimaru said it could one shot him just to testify how effective it is (Manda was able to dodge due to his size and because he is aware of katsuyu’s abilities as they have been on the battlefield with each other a lot so he was on guard. Katsuyu can also spew an almost unlimited amount of acid without any wind up. Amateratsu was not able to damage Jigen/Kaguya as they tanked it without any damage and just absorbed it but had Katsuyu's acid hit them, they'd be in a world of hurt as we know that senjutsu is one of the few ways you can hurt otsutsukis.
• Katsuyu is an excellent sensor she’s able to sense minute changes in chakra she sensed Naruto’s control over the kyuubi chakra and also was able to sense that kurama’s chakra merely shrunk when she healed everyone in the war arc.
• Katsuyu can be summoned at any size the summoner wants and can then be summoned in the full boss size summon if needed. Eg, Pebble size, stone size, large rock, boulder size human size, boss summon size…. You get the idea.
• Katsuyu can liquefy herself into bodily fluids and become a wide spread healing area where persons can recover by simply standing on her. This liquification technique could be how Tsunade used katsuyu’s body as a catalyst to create antidote on the battlefield for chioy’s poisons almost immediately. After making the antidote, I’m assuming she would then reform and then split into her mini sized human clones and disperse the antidotes throughout the battlefield to her allies.
• Seeing that katsuyu can liquefy herself, she can take the shape of anything as she can be molded into it. For example, a chair, a bat, or a really comfy bed to sleep on like she isn’t soft and cute as she is already.
• Katsuyu is able to absorb persons or things directly into her body (kind of like a white blood cell attacking bacteria/germs) to protect them from dmg, suffocate foes, trap foes inside her, restrict movement, she can become a cage for their body by encasing herself around someone or something. She can also become a body amour for her summoner just the same by encasing them with her body.
• The byakugou user is able to share their chakra, medical ninjutsu, offensive medical ninjutsu and possibly attacks like chakra enhanced strikes through katsuyu thanks to the connection to the byakugou seal.
• There are only two current users who are able to summon Katsuyu and they are Sakura and Tsunade. Tsunade’s grandmother, Mito Uzumaki, seemed to have a byakugou seal /100 healing mark as she had a mark similar to Tsunade and Sakura. It is safe to assume that she could summon katsuyu as well. Its possible that she had the most chakra in the Naruto verse outside of otsutsuki’s as she had the byakugou seal, full kurama and being a full blooded Uzumaki. It becomes more apparent that she had the byakugou seal as the seal itself is a sealing technique and the Uzumaki were infamously known and feared for their sealing jutsus.
• Katsuyu despite being a slug, is actually quite fast. She was able to scale the leaf village within seconds after tsunade’s order and protect allies last second from attacks.
• Even though the legendary summons are supposed to depict rock, paper scissors (slug, snake, toad/frog) katsuyu cheats the system by being all three at once and can interchange between them at will, that’s just how versatile she is. She can switch among offense, defense and support immediately – She can spew her acid, crush foes, absorb foes, tank attacks, provide widespread and instant communication and heal all at the same time.
• Katsuyu’s personality is very respectful, subservient, loyal, obedient, friendly, serious, understanding and playful as shown throughout the many times she makes an appearance. (You can watch Naruto episode 161 for a cute and funny episode with her)
• Katsuyu is able to break her summoner or allies outside of genjutsu due to the perfect connection between the byakugou seal and herself that cannot be broken. Katsuyu is resistant to genjutsu as slugs don’t see like we do, nor do they have ears to hear like we do. Additionally, thanks to the byakugou seal’s connection both the summoner and the katsuyu always have a perfect flow of chakra that links them together regardless of the distance so if they should be in a genjutsu they can easily break each other out – Likewise the same with katsuyu whenever she splits up, if one clone somehow gets caught in a genjutsu the others can easily break them out of it.
• Katsuyu seems to be only be killable by chakra drain as she has never been shown to get hurt or “die” to anything else. Particle style is very plausible because if katsuyu can survive being shredded at light speed, which in should atomize her and we know katsuyu can survive in the smallest of forms. She could also just mold her body around the shape of whatever shape the particle style takes.
• Katsuyu is able to cause earthquakes due to her large size by just simply “sneezing” or by just simply moving around, crush foes, have human sized clones fall from great heights to squash people etc
• Katsuyu’s body is able to function as a selectively permeable membrane in a sense that she can block whatever she doesn’t want to come into her body and allow whatever she wants to come in. I.e when healing the five kage, she engulfed them into her body to protect and heal them while still allowing air supply.
• Katsuyu maybe the only great sage that can work with other sage energy without disrupting their control over their respective sage energy. She assisted Naruto in sage mode while she’s directly touching him despite her being able to draw in sage energy as well without disrupting Naruto’s.

What Is Flexafen?

Flexafen is a revolutionary new-found formulation that supports joint health. Flexafen is a powerful mix of natural ingredients that can support occasional joint discomfort and cartilage health naturally.
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How Does Flexafen Works?

Each capsule of Flexafen contains a combination of active substances. However, the “peacemaker protein,” a form of collagen linked to joint health, is the most significant active component of Flexafen.
The most prevalent connective protein in the human body is collagen. It helps to support the region around your joints. It provides your skin with organic elasticity and support.
However, as you age, your collagen levels fall, which causes joint pain. Some individuals use collagen supplements as a defence. As a result, the immune system in your body is continually attacking your joints.
Causing tissue damage to the bones, surrounding organs, and all of your cartilage. As long as these assaults continue, you will be in continual discomfort and, very frequently, in excruciating pain.
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The unusual ingredients in this remedy help you restore control of your body without producing any unfavorable side effects.
This supplement’s contribution to joint flexibility improvement makes possible more fluid and unrestricted mobility. Minimizing wear and tear problems keeps your body overall functioning at a healthier rate.
This supplement’s main goal is to prevent Leaky Joint Syndrome and to improve motion. It preserves the collagen strands that make up the cartilage tissue in your body.
Your body instantly absorbs the nutrients in this supplement, which strengthens your immune system and helps control the production of free radicals. You can stop your body from deteriorating its joints in just 7 seconds by taking Flexafen daily.

Flexafen Ingredients

Flexafen contains the highest-quality, REAL research-backed ingredients, from some of the most trustworthy suppliers on the planet. Flexafen contains the highest-quality, REAL research-backed ingredients, from some of the most trustworthy suppliers on the planet.
Inside each capsule of Flexafen™, you’ll find:
1 Collavant n2® Undenatured Type II Collagen

Collavant n2, which was previously called b-2Cool, is a type 2 collagen that is sourced from chicken sternum. It is undenatured, which means that it is a protein that hasn’t gone through structural deformation. It comes from the cartilage of the chicken, and it hasn’t been overly processed. However, it helps consumers to strengthen their own cartilage, which offers support and flexibility in the joints. Since collagen and cartilage both diminish with constant movement and exposure to toxins, restoring it is an important step to improving pain.

2 Boswellia Serrata Extract

A patented synergistic blend of proprietary extracts that come from the sacred Boswellia plant, AprèsFlex® has been shown in THREE separate, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical studies...

To reduce pain, stiffness, and inflammation and provide life-altering results in as quickly as 5 days.
3 MSM

The most potent ingredient that consumers will get from the Flexafen formula is MSM, or Methylsulfonylmethane. MSM is used for a multitude of concerns, but it is especially helpful for anyone with arthritis, joint pain, or post-exercise muscle soreness. The main reason that it has such a positive effect is because of the organic sulfur that it uses. This ingredient is crucial for the building of healthy bones and joints, and it even supports the immune system with its increased production of immunoglobulins. These effects can lead to relief from allergies for some consumers.

4 Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium Hyaluronate is one of the most common ingredients to find in anti-aging remedies because of the profound moisture support that it provides. When the body loses its ability to effectively maintain collagen in the joints, it is almost certain that it is also seen in the skin at the same time. Collagen makes it possible for the skin to hold onto moisture as well, so introducing an ingredient that can restore what it has lost instantly improves the youthful appearance of users.

5 White Willow Bark Extract 4:1

The white willow is a type of European willow that is also found in many parts of Asia. The name comes from the underside of the leaves, which are a stark white contrast to the vibrant green topside. In Flexafen, consumers get the support of an extract that is sourced from the bark, which contains salicin.

6 Boron

Boron is the last ingredient of this compilation, but it is quite important to healing the joints. This chemical is only needed in small amounts, helping users to reduce their risk of joint pain and bone injuries. However, when the body doesn’t get enough of it, the growth and regeneration of bone tissue can be detrimentally impacted.

Benefits of Flexafen Supplement

Flexafen has been designed to increase your body's natural synovial fluid production in so that it can cushion your joints and significantly reduce pain in ONLY 5-7 days.1 Regular use of Flexafen and resulting a healthy lifestyle also:

• Target the root cause of joint pain, leaky joint syndrome, and enjoy long-lasting relief
• Avoid the side effects of dangerous, over-the-counter drugs and prescription opioids
• Avoid having joint pain dominate your life
• Restore mobility and normal movement
• Avoid joint pain, stiffness, and other symptoms
• Enjoy natural, science-backed ingredients – like the peacemaker protein – free of side effects
• Targets The Root Cause of Your Pain For FAST and Lasting Relief

Maxed out most social links except justice, fool and magician. Which I think are automatic. Only ones I need are tower rank 5, and chariot rank 7. Should I just do a new game plus or do I still have time? I don’t mind spoilers

Demon Gate: Dreamcatcher

1. Setting: Demon Gate: (a dark/ high fantasy campaign)
2. System: Chaos System by Arcanum Syndicate
3. Time/ Day: Saturday 10pm EST till 1 am EST
4. Platforms: Roll20 & Discord
5. Character Classes: Create your own or choose a premade

About the Campaign: It is the Year of the Crow in the 11th Era. You have watched the twin suns set outside the arched window many times ever since you arrived here. The great city known as The Nine Towers. It is a place of powerful and esoteric knowledge, filled with some of the greatest libraries in the north. The city sits on the borderlands of Thead and Kauldane, two northern kingdoms that were once at war long ago. Yet, now, these two countries are united for the sake of power and peace. For not far away are the countries Varagoth, the land of the goblinoids, and Vasgar to the south, where the vatagi dwell... a race of mutants that many call half demons.
Magic is untrusted in this world. Many blame magic and those who use it on the arrival of the Pale Plague. Necromancers, once hired by the empire during the Black Arbitration, were meant to quell this pandemic. Yet, they could not stop it. For the sick were not undead, they were something else entirely. They were not able to be controlled by black magic. Now, the Arbiters have been disbanded, blamed for the disease by the Aticraulian Empire, the very ones that gave them power to stop it. Now, they are hunted down to be burned at the stake. It is true that magic is dangerous, but the elves believe they can control it. They believe that great things lay hidden within its mysterious secrets.
You have come here to some of the finest schools of magic in the northern lands. All manner of species dwell here, living in harmony in their quest for knowledge. You have come to the Academy of Thaumaturgical Investigation to advance your career, gain power, reputation, coin... well, the rest is for you to decide. Not all of you need to be spell casters. We have plenty of jobs for you to do. For we need all the heroes we can get.
Setting and System: We are playing Demon Gate, and the system is the Chaos System. This particular campaign is a mix of dark fantasy and high fantasy. Some of you can play as new students to a school of magic. Where you are learning your skills for the first time. Even those who are not playing caster classes will be training in combat or other skills they will be learning. During the course of the stay, it will become apparent that there is something amiss.
Platform: Roll20 and Discord: If accepted, I will send you a link to my Discord for the game to be set up in a private room. We are using it as a home base and the link to the Roll20 game is there.
Game Time: 10pm EST Bi-weekly every other Saturday until the campaign is complete. The game runs about 2 and a half to 3 hours where we have a hard stop.
GM: I am a GM with many years of experience, but I am fine with beginning players to this system and I am happy to help out. There are character sheets available or you may choose a premade. All rules are in the handouts as we are designers for Arcanum Syndicate and are creating a new module to playtest so we will not be handing out the books for free. This is a module I am writing and would love to run you through it as a playtester. If you are okay with it I will use your name or alias in the publication as a playtester. There will be a questionnaire to fill out so I can get to know what style of play you like and a bit about yourself. Please feel free to message me if you have any questions.

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Figmin XR Mixed Reality https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/6849182851823457/
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Eleven Table Tennis https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/1995434190525828/
I Expect You To Die https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/1987283631365460/
Moss https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/1654565391314903/
Puzzling Places https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/3931148300302917/
Red Matter 2 https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/3682089508520212/
Synth Riders https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/2436558143118760/
Tetris Effect: Connected https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/3386618894743567/
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Glider Sim https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/5035807803211287/
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Gesture VR https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/5552836748069534/
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Synth Riders https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/2436558143118760/
Death Lap https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/1954488057986071
Tower Tag https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/3812563858803226
Asgard's Wrath 2 https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/2603836099654226
Flight 74 https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/4939588089476517
Asgard's Wrath (RIFT ONLY) https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/1180401875303371
30 € if you buy a meta quest headset https://www.meta.com/referrals/link/lemenestrel/

Linelight https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/5153665764710661/
Figmin XR Mixed Reality https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/6849182851823457/
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Tower Tag https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/3812563858803226
Asgard's Wrath 2 https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/2603836099654226
Flight 74 https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/4939588089476517
Asgard's Wrath (RIFT ONLY) https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/1180401875303371
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Link for all the chapters available here: Engines of Arachnea on Royal Road
Deep in the groaning halls of sinew and bone he awaited his audience with the god. At a wave of his hand the ribs which held up the ceiling contracted, tendons shifting within the pink walls of the chamber as the jagged, calcareous spurs that composed the doorway sank back into the spongy masses of tissue, revealing a passage curving down and out of sight.
Menash stood before the yawning portal and considered eternity. This was no an idle thought: here in the Dawning Chamber, the concept was very real. His father, Yulan, had stood in this exact spot times beyond count. When he was struck down in his prime by the Night Weaver and her Leaper offspring, torn limb from limb as he fought to defend Chthonis from a raiding party, Menash’s uncle, Aqavarr, had carried his broken remains over that grinning threshold to join the hosts of the dead, never to return.
A hot and heavy exhalation rattled up out of the depths, wafting in the acrid scent of the bonding pools and the wet slithering sound of the rebirthing canals. Menash felt a crackle of static in the corners of his mind before the signal sharpened and he heard It whisper distinctly:
“Enter…”
The familiar dread crept its way up the small of his back, and he gave a little shiver. No matter how many times he had communed with the Vitalus, he’d never been able to shake the feeling of his utter insignificance. But he persevered, walking bravely down the slurping passage, past the rows of broad antechambers lining either side of the hallway. Each one held a slumbering shape immersed in a cryogenic bath, towering hulks of muscle encased in ribbed and riveted plates of chitin. No two were alike in size or physiology, but all seemed to emanate the same primeval aura of dread that tickled Menash’s fight-or-flight-instinct, skewing it very much towards the latter response. These were the Hollowores, soulless avatars of the Vitalus, each one a tool capable of eradicating an entire species. As Menash approached, one of the living weapons stirred to life. A pronged, anvil-shaped head emerged from the bath, umbilical feeder tubes detaching from its armored flanks as the rest of its bulk followed, its mauve exoskeleton as sleek and shiny as amethyst. The Hollowore extended legs as thick as grown pine trees and lifted itself above him, its pairs of crushing pincers dripping amniotic fluids as it herded him towards the central room.
Bundles of white gossamer filaments spread all across the floor, encircling steaming pools of pus and acid. He saw arms and legs, sensory organs and entire exoskeletons being knitted before his very eyes, the amino acid chains being stitched on a layer at a time, the weeping pus evidence of microphages fighting off possible infections as the Vitalus did Its work.
These were the next generation of exomorphs, yet to be assigned to their hosts. It was here that Vitalus constantly improved the only thing that could ensure the continued survival of Menash’s subspecies. Exomorphs were bonded to Gallivants at birth, the organisms supplying their hosts with the means to breathe an atmosphere they was never meant to endure, and the strength to fight in a world that was red in tooth and claw. They were as swift as the summer wind and could multiply their host’s muscular power by up to twelve times their natural output.
But for all their God-given might, Gallivants were still mortal. They could and often did perish in the endless struggle for existence that the Vitalus called the Great Game. But even in death they could still commit their essence to posterity, passing down their defining traits through the malleable genetic code of the gilt helix. It was the Vitalus’ greatest boon; through the gilt helix a single individual could become a progenitor of an entire generation, becoming at one stroke the father of whole nations and peoples.
One day he too would prove worthy of the honor that Yulan had earned with his life. But he was not alone in that ambition. Menash was annoyed to find the crimson-clad Vezda and the cowardly Racek waiting for him inside, standing next to a large ball of filaments that hung from a tonsil-like growth hanging from the walls.
This node pulsed, emitting a small storm of bioelectric activity, networks of fungi conveying commands in the form of oscillating voltages to their communities of symbiotic bacteria, the latter containing greigite mineral crystals aligned in the shape of electromagnetic coils. Other networks hidden in the walls modulated and amplified the signals, and the three Gallivants steeled themselves for the onrushing flood of information as the Vitalus tapped into their minds.
He was a candle before the raging heart of the thunderstorm. For an instant Menash touched a fraction of Its intelligence, the divisions of time and space rolling back as they joined the ocean of shared consciousness, becoming one with the living systems of Arachnea. From the tiniest aeroplankton floating above the waves of the golden coastlines, to the herds of ultrapods munching their way through swathes of trees in the savannahs. Menash felt himself pushing up out of the soil, longing and lusting and reaching for the sunlight with a trillion green fingers uncurling, alive with the furious movement of life.
But what was that flicker of orange to the east? That searing heat, that prickling pain spreading like a cancer down his side?
The Vitalus scooped them up and hurled them headlong into hell itself. A roaring wildfire was sweeping into the heart of the eastern rainforests. Menash tasted ash and ruin, felt pieces of himself wither and burn, his branches tongues of fire, wood cracking from the intense blaze, sap boiling instantaneously upon contact and rupturing, splitting him right down the grain. He fled in terror, running, slithering, digging, swimming, flying away in crazed panic from the walls of red death closing in on him. As his skin flaked off in clumps of charcoal he looked back and saw it towering over the treetops, the epicenter of this howling vortex of destruction: the grey behemoth. Its burnished metal hide gleamed like copper, reflecting the fury of the conflagration burning well into the night.
Menash pulled his mind away before it was lost forever in the storm of electric potentials. He saw Racek and Vezda swaying on their feet, breathing hard and fast.
“Heart of the World,” he managed to gasp, “What is your bidding?”
The Hollowore maneuvered itself until it was facing him directly. Tiny beady eyes fixed him in their blank gaze. The node emitted a blue pulse and the creature shuddered as it received the signal. It opened a maw powerful enough to chew boulders into gravel and rumbled:
“This one is the alpha which survived first contact with anomalous variable. It will tell Us what occurred, and from whence this threat emerged.”
“It came from the karst mountain range, where the yellowjacket Amit live,” Menash replied, “It was destroying the largest mound in that area, massacring its inhabitants. It brought the mountain down on them—we’ve never seen anything like it. Zildiz was the first on the scene. She warned us not to approach, and that it was dangerous, but some of us,” here he cast an angry look at Vezda, “Some of us went ahead and tried to scavenge from the bodies of the dying. Then the behemoth ignited the air and burned scores of us to cinders.”
“Irrational. Why did you do this?”
“W-we thought that you had spawned the grey behemoth,” Menash stammered, embarrassed to say the least, “That it was the newest addition to the Great Game, another species of ultrafauna that would help perfect Arachnea.”
“Not so. It was made by an evil far older than the All-In-One,” replied the Vitalus, “It is called a Divine Engine. In cycles past, this evil sought to undo this world and all that inhabit it. In that, it almost succeeded.”
Menash felt his blood run cold at those words.
“Is it the only one of its kind?” Racek piped up. Menash and Vezda both bristled at his interruption; subordinates were only supposed to speak when spoken to.
“There were several deployed here in Our infancy. We had thought them all destroyed in the War of Creation.”
“Your Munificence,” Racek went on, heedless of the venomous looks he was getting from the other two, “Most of us survived because Zildiz persuaded us to dive into the river. She saved all our lives! But as I washed up on the riverbank, I saw the behemoth casting a seedpod into the skies. I did not see where it landed, but it was travelling in a high arc due east. Is this the behemoth’s method of reproducing? If so, then how many offspring can it generate from this one seed?”
The Vitalus met his questions with a minute of silence. Menash had never known It to take so long to respond to a query, and felt another stab of unease in his gut. Unless he was imagining things, the Vitalus seemed genuinely disturbed by the scenario that Racek has raised, enough to convince Menash that the danger was far from hypothetical.
“That is a distant possibility,” It said somewhat cryptically, “Regardless, We cannot allow the Engine’s continued existence.”
“Then it must be destroyed,” Vezda said, her barbed tail eagerly perking up.
“We are not certain that it can be,” the Vitalus said, and Menash heard Racek audibly gulp at the admission.
“But Your Omniscience, you alone are the arbiter of growth and decay,” Vezda said in disbelief, “Surely you can unmake this monster as well?”
“Perhaps. The Divine Engines were built to withstand the extremes of temperature, gravity, atmospheric pressure, acidity and irradiation found on semi-inhabitable exoplanets. Worlds of bareness and desolation, glassed by thermonuclear bombardment or infested with alien microorganisms. In the wars of Our youth, the Betrayers used tungsten-alloy warheads fired from space platforms to crack their bulkheads. Not even Our vessels, the Hollowores, could damage them in any significant way. We will need time to gather the raw materials and fabricate the weapons needed to end this threat.”
“What must we do?” Menash asked.
“If this variable is not dealt with, it could upset the delicate balance We have sacrificed so much to achieve. Already the wildfire it has caused will release close to 400 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and destroy 2.3 million acres of forest before Our countermeasures can stop it. Time is our limiting factor. If the Engine cannot be destroyed now, it must be restrained.”
“It hasn’t moved an inch since we last saw it,” Vezda said brightly, “Maybe it has already died?”
“Yes, and maybe your mother was a horka toad,” Racek said snidely. Vezda scowled and took a step towards him, then stopped as she remembered that she trod on hallowed ground.
“Not so. It has merely gone dormant. Having expended its fuel, it is now running on the bare minimum of its reserves. My children, you must ensure that it does not wake again. Establish a quarantine zone around the Engine and let none approach, on pain of death. The Leaper kindreds will secure the ground while the Gallivants patrol the skies.”
Vezda and Menash exchanged troubled looks. Nobody wanted Leapers establishing a foothold in what was essentially a buffer zone between their subspecies. Once allowed to settle in a habitat, it would not take long for them to adapt and become masters of their new territory. Ousting them would become a battle of attrition, and given the lower birthrates of Gallivants, it was not one they could long afford.
“Respectfully, we do not require assistance from our brother kindred,” Menash ventured, “We are more than capable of safeguarding the area ourselves.”
The node throbbed again, the bioelectric flashes taking on an angry purple hue. With a sound like the grinding of a millstone the Hollowore clashed its claws together impatiently. All three of the mortals took a hasty step back.
“The alpha will obey, or another will be found that can,” the Vitalus growled at them, “All subspecies will observe a general truce during this period. This is a temporary addition to the Great Game. Those that serve Us well shall be rewarded. We shall also enlist the aid of your terrestrial cousins, as well as the Cataphract clans to replenish the soil, and lone Saints who shall rove beyond the quarantine zone.”
Menash’s unease deepened. The Vitalus was bringing together four different kindreds, some of which killed each other on sight, in a move that reeked of desperation. The kindreds had worked together before, of course, on complex projects such as altering rainfall patterns and husbanding struggling species, but never so many at once. This was bound to end in bloodshed.
“Those that break the truce shall be chemically neutered, and their gilt helix purged from the existing gene pool,” the Vitalus continued, “You will maintain this quarantine until We have dealt with the Engine.”
“It is understood!” Menash and Vezda said at once.
“But what about Zildiz?” Racek blurted out, again risking his entire lineage by speaking out of turn, “She might still be alive out there!”
“He’s right,” Menash found himself agreeing despite his dislike for Racek, “She’s our alpha, after all. It would be a shame to lose her helix. Do we have your leave to send out a party to recover her?”
The Vitalus pondered the request for a moment, then crushed his hopes when it said:
“Regrettable, the loss of the female. Valuable stock for the breeding program. But it has not responded to Our signals—it is unlikely to have survived. The female Vezda shall take up its duties as alpha.”
“But Your Benevolence—” both men cried out in unison.
“It is decided. She has risked the Great Game, and must abide by its outcome. To speak more on this would risk Our displeasure,” the god warned.
“We can’t spare the manpower anyway,” Vezda pointed out, trying not to look too pleased at Its decision. She darted a quick look at Menash, long enough for him to see the selfish desire festering in her heart. He turned away from her in disgust, baring his blades by the slightest of margins to let her know what he thought of her, then asked the Vitalus:
“But what of the Engine’s seedpod? Should we search for it?”
“Negative!” the Vitalus boomed, its node reinforcing the word with a spike of activity that sent needles of pain spearing into their heads, “We shall complete this task. It is dangerous and can be entrusted to no other.”
The Hollowore angled its massive head towards the cavernous ceiling, armored flaps on its back sliding aside as it unfurled sets of rigid sixty-meter wings. A wide sphincter on the roof gaped open and Menash saw the evening sky awash with the stars in their milky multitudes. The Hollowore took a deep breath through the spiracles lining its thorax and abdomen, pumping air through a pair of hollow tube-like protuberances under either of its wings. Menash and the others quickly scampered to a safe distance. Seconds later there was a scream of chemical combustion and the Hollowore rose into the evening skies, leaving behind a long trail of superheated gases, the backwash almost knocking Menash off his feet. They watched as the Hollowore gained altitude, making straight for the columns of billowing smoke on the horizon, a sweeping shadow blotting out the light of the heavens.
The Vitalus’ mental presence receded with it. When it did not return, they took it to mean that they were dismissed and likewise took flight and headed for Chthonis. They were hardly out of the Dawning Chamber when Vezda seized the scrawny Racek by his wings and anchored her feet right up against his back.
“Funny little man, are you? Crack jokes at my expense again, and I’ll see to it that you’ll never fly again!” she snarled, yanking hard. Racek yelled as his wings threatened to pop out of their sockets.
“Stop!” Menash said, ramming his shoulder into her and knocking the smaller male out of her grip. Vezda rounded on him, blades out and her tail aquiver with rage.
“As for you! No one should speak to the Vitalus like that!” she shrieked, “Much less gainsay It! Are you trying to get us all killed? It is the source and continuance of life itself—”
“But the Vitalus doesn’t always consider the individual scale of things,” Menash reasoned, controlling his rising anger as he tried to defuse the situation, “Its scope of thought is beyond ours. Therefore it is up to us to look after each other. None of us can win the Great Game alone. We need people like Zildiz for the species to prosper.”
“Your logic is flawed,” Vezda spat, “Empathy is a sham devised by the selfish action of the gene, which seeks only to preserve itself. At least I am honest enough to look after my own interests. Your obsession with that whore is misplaced. Heed my words, Menash. What happened today marks a change in the Great Game. Only the ruthless will reap the rewards of this era. Think on that, and act accordingly.”
The female darted off in another direction, leaving the two behind.
“Thanks,” Racek said, rubbing at his sore shoulders, “My, my. She’s really taking her promotion very seriously, isn’t she?”
“This doesn’t make us friends,” Menash said shortly, “We share a common interest, that’s all.”
The two flew together in silence for a time, the dark canopy unrolling below their feet. Racek had always been a bitter rival for Zildiz’s affections. In the mating seasons he and Menash had flown the damsel-dance against each other countless times, racing and dogfighting at top speed through the dense bamboo thickets in an effort to impress her.
But each time she had always chosen Menash. Naturally. He was the stronger, the braver, the son of the Scourge who had slain hundreds on his lightning raids into Leaper territory. Their pairings had been brief and passionate, yet she had always laughed at the end and gone on her merry way, a rose petal borne on a scented breeze, the dalliance as meaningless to her as other concerns like eating or breathing.
But not to him. Right now, all that mattered was her. And Racek was the only one in the whole wide world who knew exactly how he felt. Did that mean he could be trusted? Menash considered the enormity of what he was about to do, and wavered. Then he saw her face in the darkness of his home, the face she wore when they were all alone together, and he took a deep breath before breaking the silence, saying:
“I’ll be in charge of the quarantine. I can arrange for you to disappear for a few days. I can have one of the younglings mimic your magnetosynaptic signal, make it seem like you’re with the rest of us.”
“You’d do that? For me?” Racek said in astonishment.
“Hah. Not for you,” Menash laughed softly. He looked Racek straight in the eyes and continued: “What’ll it be, then?”
If he so much as hesitates, I’ll have to kill him here and now, Menash told himself.
“Why, yes. Yes, of course!” the little brown male said vigorously.
“Good,” Menash sighed with relief, “She’ll be very grateful to whoever brings her home. I’d do it myself, but as an alpha I can’t risk being seen as disobedient.”
“Then why give me this chance? After all that’s passed between us?”
“I should have thought that was obvious,” Menash replied. Racek digested that for a bit, then out of nowhere said:
“If I find her—when I find her—I’ll tell her exactly who it was that sent me.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
“Bah! Just so we’re even, that’s all,” Racek grinned, his mouthparts slanting askew.
“Thanks, I guess. I’d…I’d appreciate that. You do understand what we’re risking here, right?”
“Sure. We’ll be total genetic write-offs if we’re caught. But it’s not like I wanted to see tiny ugly Raceks running around the house anyway. What about you, though? Why are you putting your neck on the chopping block?”
“You know why,” Menash said quietly, his thoughts still lingering on her face.
“Yes,” Racek agreed with a wistful air, “Yes, I suppose I do.”
And the pair spoke no more until they reached Chthonis.
Link for all the chapters available here: Engines of Arachnea on Royal Road

ASUS - TUF Gaming NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER Overclock 16GB GDDR6X PCI Express 4.0 Graphics Card - Black -$1099.99
CORSAIR - LL Series RGB 120mm Computer Case Fan – Black - $39.99
CORSAIR - iCUE H100i ELITE CAPELLIX XT 120mm Fans + 240mm Radiator Liquid Cooling System with ultra-bright CAPELLIX RGB LEDs – Black - $144.99

Intel - Core i9-14900K 14th Gen 24-Core 32-Thread - 4.4GHz (6.0GHz Turbo) Socket LGA 1700 Unlocked Desktop Processor - Multi - $540.99

CORSAIR - VENGEANCE RGB 32GB (2x16GB) 5600MHz DDR5 C40 DIMM Desktop Memory - Black - $113.99

MSI - Z790 GAMING PLUS WIFI (Socket LGA 1700) Intel Z790 ATX DDR5 Wi-Fi 6E Motherboard - Black - $19.99

MSI MPG A1000G PCIE 5 - Full Modular - 80 Plus Gold 1000W - 100% Japanese 105°C Capacitors - ATX 3.0 Gaming Power Supply - Black - $159.99

Samsung - 990 PRO 2TB Internal SSD PCIe Gen 4x4 NVMe with Heatsink for PS5- $219.99 (made a mistake here ??)

CORSAIR - iCUE LINK QX120 RGB 120mm PWM Computer Case Fan with iCUE LINK System Hub Kit (3-pack) - Black - $139.99

CORSAIR - XTM70 Extreme Performance Thermal Paste - $24.99
CORSAIR - 4000D AIRFLOW ATX MidTower Case - Black- $89.99

Approx - 2600 in total.
My opinion so far on what i built -
1) Intel CPU is a baking oven. Had to undervolt it
2) The icue software is kinda fucked up , multiple crashes.

Is this a brand new build, or an upgrade to an existing build?

New

Please list any existing parts or monitor(s) you have that you would like to re-use with this build. For upgrades, a PCPartPicker list of your full build is extremely helpful. Be as specific as you can be here, including links or exact model numbers of each component whenever possible.

This is the recommended build so far

What will this PC be used for? Examples include things like gaming, general/multimedia use, photo/video editing, coding, AI/ML, etc. Include specific games and applications you intend to run, and any particular performance goals you have, as each may have different specific hardware needs.

Gaming-Valorant, Sims, GW2, Destiny, cozy games, BG3

What country will you be purchasing in? If you are in the US, do you live near a Micro Center? For other countries, please check if your country is supported by PCPartPicker by using the country selector dropdown on the top right - if not, please provide some links to reliable local vendors you are comfortable ordering from.

USA near a micro center

Do you need one or more monitors included in the budget? Please list how many and any size/resolution/refresh rate preferences if needed.

current monitor

What is your preferred and maximum budget range for this build, in local currency? Parts lists may sometimes have additional shipping costs. Please note whether prices in your country include sales tax or not, and adjust your budget accordingly. Typically VAT countries will have it included in the part list prices, whereas regular sales tax countries like the US and Canada will not.

Around $1000 USD but no more than $1200

Do you need WiFi, or do you have a wired ethernet connection available?

Need Wi-Fi

Do you have any specific size or noise requirements for the build?

no

Do you have any aesthetic preferences for color or lighting? Describe what you're looking for, or feel free to provide some links to examples that may help. Some people prefer an inobtrusive stealth build, while others may prefer a case full of rainbow RGB.

Love the look of an all white build and a more squared rather than rectangular tower case. If I can get a significantly better build using black parts and case, then that's fine as well and not a dealbreaker.

Any other specific requests or requirements? Examples might include a specific minimum amount of storage, or a particular CPU socket for a future upgrade path, etc.

Would like to be able to upgrade this build in the future. Need decent storage, but other than that, I don't think I have any specific requirements.

Is this a brand new build, or an upgrade to an existing build?

1. new

Please list any existing parts or monitor(s) you have that you would like to re-use with this build. For upgrades, a [PCPartPicker](https://pcpartpicker.com/) list of your full build is extremely helpful. Be as specific as you can be here, including links or exact model numbers of each component whenever possible.

1. no re-use parts except for my monitors; Acer XB240H and Samsung Odyssey G3

What will this PC be used for? Examples include things like gaming, general/multimedia use, photo/video editing, coding, AI/ML, etc. Include specific games and applications you intend to run, and any particular performance goals you have, as each may have different specific hardware needs.

1. mainly videogames and editing. CS2, Vegas Pro and After Effects.

What country will you be purchasing in? If you are in the US, do you live near a [Micro Center?](https://www.microcenter.com/) For other countries, please check if your country is supported by [PCPartPicker](https://pcpartpicker.com/) by using the country selector dropdown on the top right - if not, please provide some links to reliable local vendors you are comfortable ordering from.

1. Sweden, it is supported by [PCPartPicker](https://pcpartpicker.com/)

Do you need one or more monitors included in the budget? Please list how many and any size/resolution/refresh rate preferences if needed.

1. no.

What is your preferred and maximum budget range for this build, in local currency? Parts lists may sometimes have additional shipping costs. Please note whether prices in your country include sales tax or not, and adjust your budget accordingly. Typically VAT countries will have it included in the part list prices, whereas regular sales tax countries like the US and Canada will not.

1. 10,000 SEK or about $930 USD. Sweden has VAT.

Do you need WiFi, or do you have a wired ethernet connection available?

1. I have ethernet

Do you have any specific size or noise requirements for the build?

1. mid tower

Do you have any aesthetic preferences for color or lighting? Describe what you're looking for, or feel free to provide some links to examples that may help. Some people prefer an inobtrusive stealth build, while others may prefer a case full of rainbow RGB.

1. black case

Any other specific requests or requirements? Examples might include a specific minimum amount of storage, or a particular CPU socket for a future upgrade path, etc.

1. 3 storage drives. I would also like it to be as power efficient as possible.

Photos ~ https://imgur.com/a/4otrgZq
Vouches ~1 https://www.reddit.comLord_bst/s/GdLzLWPTDe
Vouches ~2 https://www.reddit.comLord_bst/s/iMJ6XsXoik
Vouches ~3https://www.reddit.comLord_bst/s/0qnKHf4J2j
Message me for more info. Discord Shop link in bio

Hi!
I'm selecting parts for ~3000€ PC+Case+Monitor for a specific scientific software. I'd appreciate your help in maximizing the performances I can get from the budget.
Here's the recommended software specs:

• Intel Core CPU with 8+ cores and AVX support (I know it to be AVX-512)
• 32 or more GB RAM
• *some generic HDD for large data*
• 1TB or more SSD

Here's the enterprise solution listed in software specs pdf. I have no idea how good the proposed enterprise machine is as I have no idea how old the software specs are:

• 2x Intel Xeon-Silver 4110
• 256GB DDR4 2666 ECC REG
• 5x 4TB HDD (not specified but I'd bet in RAID5)
• 2x 2TB SSD (not specified but I'd bet RAID1)

Monitor is 21:9 ~ 27/29". No gaming stuff, it just need to contain a lot of windows and plots. I selected the cheapest decent monitor in range.
Not required but nice to have:

• fast copy from external USB disk. USB4/Thunderbolt could be very interesting.
• some minimal CUDA required. No large models, just running specific kernels for image analysis. 4060 with 8GB should be more than sufficient as the task is largely CPU bound.
• analysis might be days long without interruption. Not interested in overclock, just best compromise of performance and stability for the available budget.
• not interested in case window and/or RGB/LED. Silent boring monolith is my preferred way. But if colorful ends up cheaper is ok, too.

My 3 different pcpartpicker.com ideas:

1. strong desktop AMD CPU with AVX-512 (Ryzen 9 7950X3D)
2. strong desktop Intel CPU with AVX-512 (Core i9-10980XE)
3. last generation strong desktop CPU (Core i9-14900K, that has no AVX-512)

Long time since my last build, and first time user of pcpartpicker.com, so I might be doing some errors here, please be patient. I've also enabled the comments there so please feel free to roast by builds there.
I tried to select RAM memory according to QVL list for each selected motherboard, but I don't know how strict those are. Please fine the link to QVL list in the description of each build.
I selected only the items available on italian Amazon
PCPartPicker Part List

Type	Item	Price
CPU	AMD Ryzen 9 7950X 4.5 GHz 16-Core Processor	€550.55 @ Amazon Italia
CPU Cooler	Noctua NH-D15 82.5 CFM CPU Cooler	€101.80 @ Amazon Italia
Motherboard	Asus ProArt X670E-CREATOR WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard	€473.03 @ Amazon Italia
Memory	Corsair Vengeance 64 GB (2 x 32 GB) DDR5-6400 CL32 Memory	€254.67 @ Amazon Italia
Storage	SK Hynix Platinum P41 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive	€154.99 @ Amazon Italia
Storage	Toshiba MG09 512e 18 TB 3.5" 7200 RPM Internal Hard Drive	€289.62 @ Amazon Italia
Storage	Toshiba MG09 512e 18 TB 3.5" 7200 RPM Internal Hard Drive	€289.62 @ Amazon Italia
Video Card	Gigabyte WINDFORCE OC GeForce RTX 4060 8 GB Video Card	€334.65 @ Amazon Italia
Case	Antec P10C ATX Mid Tower Case	€94.00 @ Amazon Italia
Power Supply	Corsair RM850e (2023) 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply	€128.63 @ Amazon Italia
Monitor	LG 29WP60G-B 29.0" 2560 x 1080 75 Hz Monitor	€221.70 @ Amazon Italia
Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts
Total	€2893.26
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-05-16 20:24 CEST+0200

PCPartPicker Part List

Type	Item	Price
CPU	Intel Core i9-10980XE 3 GHz 18-Core Processor	€1242.95 @ Amazon Italia
CPU Cooler	Noctua NH-D15 82.5 CFM CPU Cooler	€101.80 @ Amazon Italia
Motherboard	Asus Prime X299-A II ATX LGA2066 Motherboard	€260.79 @ Amazon Italia
Memory	Corsair Vengeance LPX 32 GB (4 x 8 GB) DDR4-4000 CL19 Memory	€159.00 @ Amazon Italia
Storage	SK Hynix Platinum P41 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive	€154.99 @ Amazon Italia
Storage	Toshiba P300 6 TB 3.5" 5400 RPM Internal Hard Drive	€153.32 @ Amazon Italia
Storage	Toshiba P300 6 TB 3.5" 5400 RPM Internal Hard Drive	€153.32 @ Amazon Italia
Video Card	Gigabyte WINDFORCE OC GeForce RTX 4060 8 GB Video Card	€334.65 @ Amazon Italia
Case	Antec P10C ATX Mid Tower Case	€94.00 @ Amazon Italia
Power Supply	Corsair RM850e (2023) 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply	€128.63 @ Amazon Italia
Wireless Network Adapter	TP-Link Archer TX50E 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax PCIe x1 Wi-Fi Adapter	€39.99 @ Amazon Italia
Monitor	LG 29WP60G-B 29.0" 2560 x 1080 75 Hz Monitor	€221.70 @ Amazon Italia
Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts
Total	€3045.14
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-05-16 20:24 CEST+0200

PCPartPicker Part List

Type	Item	Price
CPU	Intel Core i9-14900K 3.2 GHz 24-Core Processor	€588.00 @ Amazon Italia
CPU Cooler	Noctua NH-D15 82.5 CFM CPU Cooler	€101.80 @ Amazon Italia
Motherboard	Asus ProArt Z790-CREATOR WIFI ATX LGA1700 Motherboard	€501.33 @ Amazon Italia
Memory	G.Skill Ripjaws S5 64 GB (2 x 32 GB) DDR5-6400 CL32 Memory	€283.87 @ Amazon Italia
Storage	SK Hynix Platinum P41 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive	€154.99 @ Amazon Italia
Storage	Toshiba MG09 512e 18 TB 3.5" 7200 RPM Internal Hard Drive	€289.62 @ Amazon Italia
Storage	Toshiba MG09 512e 18 TB 3.5" 7200 RPM Internal Hard Drive	€289.62 @ Amazon Italia
Video Card	Gigabyte WINDFORCE OC GeForce RTX 4060 8 GB Video Card	€334.65 @ Amazon Italia
Case	Antec P10C ATX Mid Tower Case	€94.00 @ Amazon Italia
Power Supply	Corsair RM850e (2023) 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply	€128.63 @ Amazon Italia
Wireless Network Adapter	TP-Link Archer TX50E 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax PCIe x1 Wi-Fi Adapter	€39.99 @ Amazon Italia
Monitor	LG 29WP60G-B 29.0" 2560 x 1080 75 Hz Monitor	€221.70 @ Amazon Italia
Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts
Total	€3028.20
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-05-16 20:24 CEST+0200

Thanks a lot!

Linelight https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/5153665764710661/
Figmin XR Mixed Reality https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/6849182851823457/
Resident Evil 4 https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/2637179839719680/
Dungeons Of Eternity https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/6341779295861881/
Vermillion https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/4900967296622279/
Eleven Table Tennis https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/1995434190525828/
I Expect You To Die https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/1987283631365460/
Moss https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/1654565391314903/
Puzzling Places https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/3931148300302917/
Red Matter 2 https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/3682089508520212/
Synth Riders https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/2436558143118760/
Tetris Effect: Connected https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/3386618894743567/
The Climb 2 https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/2617233878395214/
Accounting+ https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/2481987975166999/
Death: Unchained https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/2334376869949242/
Glider Sim https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/5035807803211287/
Galactic Catch https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/8633589726666264/
Gesture VR https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/5552836748069534/
MOTHERGUNSHIP: FORGE https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/4188843481174389/
SUPERHOT VR https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/1921533091289407/
COMPOUND https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/5472934942761937/
RUNNER https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/6501835653220720/
Synth Riders https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/2436558143118760/
Death Lap https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/1954488057986071
Tower Tag https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/3812563858803226
Asgard's Wrath 2 https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/2603836099654226
Flight 74 https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/4939588089476517
Asgard's Wrath (RIFT ONLY) https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/1180401875303371
30 € if you buy a meta quest headset https://www.meta.com/referrals/link/lemenestrel/

Linelight https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/5153665764710661/
Figmin XR Mixed Reality https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/6849182851823457/
Resident Evil 4 https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/2637179839719680/
Dungeons Of Eternity https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/6341779295861881/
Vermillion https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/4900967296622279/
Eleven Table Tennis https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/1995434190525828/
I Expect You To Die https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/1987283631365460/
Moss https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/1654565391314903/
Puzzling Places https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/3931148300302917/
Red Matter 2 https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/3682089508520212/
Synth Riders https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/2436558143118760/
Tetris Effect: Connected https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/3386618894743567/
The Climb 2 https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/lemenestrel/2617233878395214/
Accounting+ https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/2481987975166999/
Death: Unchained https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/2334376869949242/
Glider Sim https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/5035807803211287/
Galactic Catch https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/8633589726666264/
Gesture VR https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/5552836748069534/
MOTHERGUNSHIP: FORGE https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/4188843481174389/
SUPERHOT VR https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/1921533091289407/
COMPOUND https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/5472934942761937/
RUNNER https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/6501835653220720/
Synth Riders https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/2436558143118760/
Death Lap https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/1954488057986071
Tower Tag https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/3812563858803226
Asgard's Wrath 2 https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/2603836099654226
Flight 74 https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/4939588089476517
Asgard's Wrath (RIFT ONLY) https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/tserof/1180401875303371
30 € if you buy a meta quest headset https://www.meta.com/referrals/link/lemenestrel/

1. What will you be doing with this PC? Be as specific as possible, and include specific games (ex: resolution, FPS, settings) or programs you will be using.**

Not very intensive games, usually things like Minecraft, Phasmophobia, lethal company, and the odd game like Sons of the forest.

1. What is your maximum PRE-TAX budget before rebates and shipping?

~$1000 tops, will be price checking different options on parts to hopefully find places to just pick up the items

1. When do you plan on building/buying the PC? Note: beyond a week or two from today means any build you receive will be out of date when you want to buy.

Throughout this summer where the money allows it, just startes full time out of school so hopefully get a part or 2 a paycheck

1. What, exactly, do you need included in the budget? (ex: toweOS/monitokeyboard/mouse/etc)

Tower, OS, monitor (Will look into and edit if my school has a window program)

1. If reusing any parts (including monitor(s)/keyboard/mouse/etc), what parts will you be reusing? How old are they? Brands and models are appreciated.

I have an old (8? Years) gtx 1050 or 1040, and a single DDR4 8gb i dont remember the brand, came in a prebuild from cyberpower

1. Will you be overclocking (ex: CPU/GPU/RAM)? If yes, are you interested in overclocking right away, or down the line

Will not be overclocking

1. Are there any specific features or items you want/need in the build? (ex: SSDs, mass HDDs, Wi-Fi / Bluetooth, VR, VirtualLink, tensor cores, large amount of storage or a RAID setup, CUDA or OpenCL support, etc.)

Nothing too fancy, enough storage for a nursing student + a few games. Needs wifi

1. Do you have any specific case preferences (ex: mITX/mATX/mid-towefull-tower sizes, styles, colours, window or not, LED lighting, etc.), or a particular color theme preference for the components?

White, window (tinted or clear doesnt matter), LED lighting

1. Do you need a copy of Windows included in the budget? Note: some post-secondary students can get Windows 10 for free at OnTheHub or through their school's IT software distribution department.**

Ill have to check if the link above works with school, will edit this in a little bit with info

1. Will you be upgrading this PC in the future (ie: will you swap out better parts later on or will you build an entirely new tower later)? If so, when?

Maybe upgrade way down the line

1. Do you have a brand preference? (ex: AMD/Intel for CPUs, AMD/NVIDIA for video cards, etc.)**

No brand preference, just whatever will work in the budget lmao

1. Extra info or particulars:

Any help is appreciated i built my own PC awhile back and spent way too much on things that i shouldnt got something else lmao trying to build something that'll work good for my gf who games semi often but mostly for light gaming and school.

First/Previous
"Watch out!" Jack yelled out to the crowd as the now-glowing overhead turrets, long dormant and forgotten, suddenly whirred to life with a mechanical hum, tracking his movements as he ran, shoving past a group of unsuspecting Xarak to the side as he moved to dodge the torrent of rapid fire aimed right at him, kicking up smoke as the superheated plasma churned the ground underneath him, before the sound of gunfire abruptly stopped.
"Fucking overheating shittubes!" the voice on the speakers cursed. "The Outsider is by the two broken pillars!"
"I see him!" a voice replied from out of the crowd as Jack got his bearings, spotting a group of three uniformed soldiers rushing towards him. As the leader moved to stab him with a nasty-looking barbed shortspear, Jack quickly juked the direction he intended to dodge, dipping to the right as he smashed the avian in the stomach with a vicious kick, shuffling back as he caught the blade of the second soldier with his bracer before throwing them off balance, lashing back at the first with his elbow as he did.
He moved to check the third that was moving to take a swing at him with a bat, but before Jack could do so the soldier was suddenly yanked back as a long, coiled leather whip snapped around them. Following along, Jack spotted an older grey-skinned ganger in black leathers with a coarse, black beard to match his scraggly hair sat down with his back to a wall, casually drinking a beer as he observed the chaos with a mischievous smirk.
As the soldier pulled back his bat to strike the interloper, the ganger grinned and looked down where his legs were already spread wide, revealing a strange metal crotch plate. Suddenly making a jerking motion with one of his legs, the plate flipped up to reveal the barrel of a huge codpiece gun that flipped up to point directly at the soldier, before it fired once, catching the solder completely by surprise as the top of their body was utterly obliterated by a bolt of powerful plasma energy. Smirking, the ganger gave Jack a wink, chugging down the rest of his drink, before charging into the brawl.
Hearing an almighty roar, Jack turned around only to be knocked back yet again as a broken, avian body was roughly lobbed at him, staggering him backwards as the Redeemer turned to the last of the bird-like gangsters, picking him up with immense strength and smashing them to the ground before advancing towards the human more cautiously this time, shoving drunken brawlers out of the way.
“I have long waited for this moment, Outsider. With your death, my King shall grant you redemption!” The Redeemer snarled. Now having a good look at him, Jack couldn’t see any visible weapons on him, which was strange. Last time, he’d brought a gunship and was taking potshots at him with some kind of high-powered rifle. Then again, considering what happened last time, maybe The Redeemer wanted the satisfaction of using his bare hands to beat him to death.
It wouldn’t be a terrible plan considering everything the Ogar had pulled off so far…
While sports on Earth were often separated by gender, despite some resistance from the more liberal-minded, due to biological differences between men and women, combat sports were a whole different game, with mixed martial arts organisations having very specific weight classes for fair competition between athletes, with two fighters of similar size and weight less likely to cause serious injury to each other.
But if you placed an experienced lightweight against even a novice heavyweight? That would introduce major problems for the smaller fighter, who would need to contend with the extra size, reach and power of their larger opponent. Not an impossible fight, but a tough one.
And Jack very much felt like a lightweight here.
Though of course, he had faced larger opponents before. Even an Ogar, though they had defeated the Laird with a cunning trap. However, he didn’t know how well matched he and The Redeemer were in a fair close-range fight outside of the opening moments of the ambush.
Still, he had little choice but to find out. He didn’t have an easy way to escape, and he didn’t know what the status of the others was. If he ran while they were still here then The Redeemer and the Regulators would simply go after them instead to get to him…
No. He couldn’t allow those thoughts to shake him. His friends knew what the hell they were doing, and they could handle themselves just fine. He had to worry about himself right now.
He couldn’t run, so he had to fight.
With a speed he didn’t expect from The Redeemer, they grabbed a nearby chair and lobbed it right at Jack in one smooth motion before following through with another charge.
‘Aegis!’ Jack yelled as he brought his forearm up, as his new and improved shield eagerly sprung up to take the hit from the chair, before a fist smacked into the side of his head as The Redeemer used the chair as a distraction to change his angle of attack.
Spinning with the blow, Jack fought in his mind to stay in the fight as his vision blurred, with the powerful strike threatening to knock him out then and there, before another fist caught him in the stomach, with his battleskin dispersing a hit that would have otherwise easily taken the air out of his lungs.
Retracting his shield, Jack ducked another punch that threatened to decapitate him as he skidded under the blow, parrying a backfist with his forearm that tingled painfully as he ate the blow, before clocking the Redeemer with a punch to the jaw, his gauntlet extending to cover his knuckles with a well-forged plate of metal to add their power to the strike, before the Redeemer threw out a punch that caught him on the shoulder, sending the deathworlder reeling back.
Jack grit his teeth as he fought through the pain, adrenaline rushing through him. He wasn’t out of the fight yet, but he knew he’d gotten the worst of that engagement.
The Redeemer clearly understood this as well, as the zealot strode towards the human with a confident, wicked grin.
But this time, Jack was ready.
‘Caltrops’ Jack whispered the command word, as his gauntlets gave him a good handful of them, subtly tossing them in front of him with an underhand throw, which had gone unnoticed by the Redeemer as they stared at the human with hatred.
Suddenly dashing forward to quickly close the remaining distance between them, the Redeemer roared as he charged Jack again, suddenly grunting in pain and stumbling as his full, heavy mass sent a sharp, painful spike straight through his armoured boot, causing him to lose focus as he looked down at his foot for just a moment to see what had happened.
A moment of distraction that Jack used to its fullest, as he quickly swung his axe down right at The Redeemer’s head.
However, the Ogar reacted with surprising dexterity as he used his forward momentum to avoid the full force of the axeblade, his metal helmet taking a glancing blow as he shoved Jack off balance, causing him to stumble. Quickly predicting what would come next, Jack dropped his axe on purpose as he prepared for a takedown attempt, dropping low and widening his stance as the Redeemer tackled him around the waist to try and bring him to the ground for a quick finish.
“There will be no salvation for you, human!” The Ogar growled through his pain as Jack was forced back by the Redeemer’s superior strength.
“Aww, did you miss me?” Jack taunted, holding on and walking back with the ever increasing momentum The Redeemer was building as he was pushed back along the dancefloor. “I saw your tantrum on the TV afterwards, didn’t know you were a bitch too!”
‘That’s it, asshole.’ Jack thought to himself as he felt his axe clip back onto his back. ‘Get mad. You showed me last time that you like to talk too much. I need to time this right…'
“Your blasphemy ends here Outsider! I shall smite you in the name of my King!” The insane zealot roared out in an enraged challenge.
With a roar the Redeemer pushed with much greater strength, forcing Jack to change his slow backpedalling into a full on sprint as he scrambled to stay on his feet, fighting to keep his grip above that of the Redeemer’s to maintain his control of the grapple for as long as he could as he was gradually being put off-balance, almost being lifted upwards.
‘I’ve got to hold on until the last possible moment…’ Jack thought to himself, as tables, chairs and people alike were battered to the side.
‘Now!’
As the wooden pillar supporting the balcony passed them in a blur, Jack shifted his weight to the left and relinquished the grapple, using the Redeemer’s momentum against him as he shoved the Redeemer off balance, as they smashed into the crumbling brick wall head first with an almighty crash.
As they stumbled back, yanking their head back out through the newly formed hole, Jack growled as grabbed the Redeemer around the top of one of his legs, yelling with effort as he was only just able to lift the Redeemer up and over him, slamming the Ogar down on the top of his head as hard as he could in a vicious suplex that gave a satisfying crack.
Growling with effort, the Redeemer pushed himself back into a crouch and looked up just in time as Jack’s foot smacked into the side of his head in a savage kick that cracked his metal helmet and dislodged one of his fangs. Roaring in rage and pain, the Redeemer got to his feet only to meet a flying knee that shattered his nose as his helmet cracked and dented with the heavy impacts.
“Redeem that you ugly cunt!” Jack growled, moving in for another strike as the Redeemer shoved him away, showing no signs of faltering as he slowly got to his feet, even after the devastating blows he just took. The Redeemer simply gave Jack a wicked grin of satisfaction, before it fell slightly upon seeing something to Jack’s side.
As Jack’s Ring of the Berserker vibrated again, he spun around to spot a large, lanky Vivren with several piercings in overt heavy armour grinning at him with malicious intent as she pointed a wand at him and cast a word of power.
Before he had any time to react, Jack’s entire body erupted in a wave of agony unlike anything he had ever felt before…
*****
“Fuck! Alora! Sephy? Chiyo? Dante?” Nika coughed as she got up from where the balcony had collapsed from under them.
Looking around, she could see even more patrons fighting around them, revelling in the chaos of the brawl, but she couldn’t spot any of her friends in the immediate aftermath, as thick dust plumed out from the wreckage below her.
‘At least the crew of the ship we’re meant to be travelling on are probably out by now.’ The Kizun thought to herself. ‘Can’t go back, the CorvMart crew will have moved on by now, so sticking to the original plan is probably the best move, unless we can steal a vehicle one of us knows how to pilot.’
Assessing the situation before her, Nika went for her bo staff, though made sure that her shotgun was well within easy reach. Though many of the people fighting around her looked rough, they weren’t attacking her or her friends, and until that changed they could make good allies of convenience, or for a smokescreen to give their enemies the slip if they had to run.
Though slaying as many of their attackers as they could would be preferable.
‘Best way to do that is link up with the others, we’re better as a unit.’ She reasoned, hearing an almighty crash. ‘Well, that’s probably Jack.’
Dodging a thrown bottle as a Squarri ganger missed their intended target - a pissed-off looking quadrupedal furry species that Nika didn’t recognise - before dodging a swing of a bat from a Xarak that saw her as an easy target. Quickly raising her staff she parried the backswing before cracking the other end of the staff across the reptilian’s face, knocking the rough-looking thug out as he collapsed to the ground.
Yet before Nika could think to move on from the conflict, she had to dodge out of the way using her tail as a large Balnath with some kind of cleaver-like sword took a swing at her. Recognising the sigil of the Regulator group Chiyo had told them to watch out for - a stern-looking demonic rune surrounded by a neon-red triangle - Nika parried the next sword swipe from the figure.
“Let me guesth, you want to get to the Outthider?” The Balnath sneered at the Kizun with a lisp so thick that in any other situation she’d have to stop herself from laughing. “I’m stho thorry, but we can’t let you have sthilly ideas like that!”
“Are you for fucking real?” Nika asked as she dodged to the side and put some space between them before quickly switching to her shotgun, letting loose a powerful blast that the Balnath was able to raise his shield up to block.
‘Skill like that? Probably the leader or an officer of some kind.’ The Kizun noted to herself. ‘No choice. I’ve got to kill him.’
“Yeah, I know that you’re finking! You fink my teef make me sound sthupid?” The Balnath growled, with a few experimental chomps. “Well these teef like to gnaw and gnasth on Kizun flesth!”
“Come and try it!” Nika snarled as she twirled her staff around her in a well-practised flourish, eagerly accepting the challenge.
The Balnath charged forward with lightning speed as it came at Nika with a series of feints, before swiping at her with a brutal overhand chop, using both hands. The Kizun was able to deftly parry with her staff, the kinetic modules battering her opponent’s grip to the side, though she felt the strength behind the blow and knew that the Balnath was stronger.
Still, she knew she could take him.
Ever since she was little she had roughhoused with her brothers and the local boys in fights around their ranch, and had learned the hard way from an early age that her gender and short build worked against her when facing her peers, so she had trained to be the strongest she could be, and learned to be quick and tactical to make the best use of that.
She had eventually kept up with the neighbourhood boys, using holds and precise strikes until her elders found out what she was doing when she was meant to be working on the ranch to help the family scrape by, and quickly put a stop to the shenanigans.
When she moved to the city, she only got better from there.
The tip of her staff thundered against the Balnath’s shield like the striking of a gong, forcing the larger being back as Nika could tell he was already tiring. Though she wanted to finish this fight quickly and get to her friends, she knew she couldn’t allow herself to give her opponent an opening, even as she sought to exploit an opening of her own. She had to be patient.
Her staff rattled against the shield again and again, as she felt her opponent’s defence get weaker and weaker, with the powerful force of her kinetic module focusing the strength of her strikes into a single point. Eventually something would break, his shield of his arm. Once his defences were finally down, she would go in swiftly for the kill.
Her opponent’s frustration won out as his shield shattered and fell to the floor, forcing him to attack Nika with a vicious two handed swipe. She blocked the strike handily, before the Balnath grabbed her staff, locking them in a clinch.
“Giff me sthome help over ‘ere!” The Balnath called out, as Nika reached for a knife, forcing the Balnath to adjust his stance as she stabbed blindly, glancing off armoured plates before finding purchase somewhere, causing her attacker to grunt with pain as he shoved her back, holding her up against a wall.
‘Shit.’ She cursed in her mind. ‘He’s stronger than me, but all I need is a moment to take him by surprise and I can break away and kill him!’
She held strong with her arms, holding the Balnath back as his jaws snapped shut barely an inch away from her neck. He tried again, and she pushed back harder, the jaws snapping shut around nothing, but much closer this time.
He tried again, bringing his vicious maw even closer still…
‘Gotcha!’ Nika thought to herself, as she jerked her head forward in a headbutt, catching the Balnath by surprise and giving the Kizun the space she needed to bring her knees up to her chin, before kicking out as hard as she could into the face of the Balnath, knocking him back with a roar of pain, before he leapt forward with a side swipe that Nika used her tail to quickly dodge, before in the same motion she brought the tip of her staff round and smacked the Balnath as hard as she could, right in the face, the powerful strike shattering its lower jaw completely.
“My fathce!” the attacker got out, clutching what little remained of his lower jaw, before looking up in the next moment as they stared down the barrel of Nika’s shotgun.
“Plea-” They got out, before their head was obliterated in an explosion of dark, blackish blood as their body clattered uselessly to the ground.
“Fuck you.” The Kizun retorted. Using her tail to quickly clip the sword to the magnets of her armour, Nika could see more Regulators in the crowd heading towards the DJ booth. Quickly checking her weapons, she headed right into the brawl!
*****
“You don’t belong here, girlie!” the thug cackled as their cybernetic arm crackled with electric discharge.
“Replacto!” Alora snarled as she swiped her wand out, blasting her attacker with a sudden flash of light that sent him stumbling back, clutching at his eyes.
“Anyone else?” Alora asked, trying her best to channel Nika’s cool, calm demeanour, crossed with Jack’s intimidating presence as the cluster of gangers and mercenaries all looked around at each other for just a moment, before deciding that the Eladrie wasn’t actually that intimidating, as one tried to rush her with a broken chair.
‘Oh by the Mother Tree! How do those two do it?’ Alora cursed in her mind as she summoned her spiritual weapon - a spear of light - that she quickly stabbed at the fish-like Osi, gutting them in the stomach which quickly made them drop the chair, while Alora wisely moved to the side to get out of the vicious melee happening all around her. Where were the others?
‘I have to make sure they’re all right.’ the Eladrie determinedly told herself as she began casting another, more complicated spell…
“Attention all idiots!” The voice over the speakers sneered out over the ever-changing music that the DJ didn’t seem to have any control over. “We discussed this. Though the Outsider is a priority, you target the spellcasters first if you can! Must I do everything myself?”
Thrumming with sudden power, the turrets above them finally opened fire, shooting almost indiscriminately at the crowd below, cutting several of the brawling patrons down before they even knew what hit them.
Chanting and waving her hands around as quickly as she dared, Alora maintained her concentration of her spell, completing it just in time as the turrets finally tracked her as she summoned a great holy aura of light to cover herself that would give her the protection she needed, the Armour of Faith deflecting the lights of the laser turrets harmlessly aside.
A loud bark sounded out, and knowing Dante’s warning for what it was, Alora spun around to see two Regulators, who were both Vulstas fighting through the brawl to get to her. Unlike Rena, these two were males, both carrying plasma shotguns but unable to get effective shots off through the crowd. Not that something like that stopped them from trying…
“Stevarin!” she yelled out, pointing her wand at one of the two who was about to open fire on a downed ganger, as with a flash of yellow light their movements slowed, quickly freezing stiff as a board as they failed to resist the Holding spell, their eyes widening in sheer terror as the gang-mates of their would-be-victim set upon them in a fury with fists and clubs, before a spell cast from the rafters sent all of them clattering to the ground clutching at their minds.
‘One of the enemy mages providing overwatch.’ Alora noted as she quickly looked up for any sign of them, but not seeing them. ‘Under a veil of invisibility no doubt.’
Feeling the dull impact of a shotgun blast dissipate harmlessly against her magical armour, Alora spun round to the other Regulator, cursing her moment of hesitation as the Vulsta drew a long knife with which to get in close with.
Remembering her fight with Izadora all those weeks ago, Alora waved her arms around quickly to summon a bubble of light to engulf her, before quickly following it up with an explosive flash that thundered all around her like a flashbang grenade, while leaving her unharmed.
As the light dissipated, she deftly avoided the blind lunge from the temporarily blinded Regulator, before jamming her spear into his stomach, using her reach advantage to dodge the desperate swipes he sent her way.
“Garrash!” Alora spoke a quick cantrip, using her affinity with life magic to channel poison through the top of her spear. Her already-weakened attacker quickly slumped to the ground as the debilitating effects took hold, but before Alora could pull her spear back, she was hit by a spell that came from above, disrupting her magic and causing her magical spear and armour to disappear.
‘Damn! It’s that mage above me!’ Alora cursed to herself as she quickly ran underneath one of the balconies, as the turrets chased after her with gunfire. ‘You want to hide in the shadows like a coward? I’ve got something to fix that!’
Quickly making sure there weren’t any immediate threats around, Alora quickly rummaged through her pockets for a wand of white crystal she had prepared about a year ago that still had a few charges. Casting quickly, she levelled it towards the ceiling and prayed to all the gods that she was aiming it at where the enemy mage was hiding,
“Glitasha!”
A spray of shining, sparkling particles of light shot out of her wand, puffing out to cover a good half of the ceiling, and as they began to fall to the floor and latch on to the people below, Alora spotted a huddled form by one of the rafters.
‘Got you!’ She thought with satisfaction.
“Ilthax! Get out of there!” The voice over the speakers warned, presumably the name of her target, but it was too late…
“Solaris!” Alora yelled, throwing her palms out in a thrust as a great javelin of light shot out of her palms. The enemy mage had barely moved before it impaled their centre of mass, sending what must have been a fireball spell way off target which blasted apart a huge, gaping hole in the back wall.
The invisible form of the glitterdust-covered mage slowly began to materialise as the blue-furred, ape-like Regulator clutched at their chest in pain, with wide eyes of disbelief at the spear of hard light that had gone right through their torso. As their flight spell dissipated, their lifeless body fell three stories from the rafters to slam down on the ground floor below.
“Nice one Alora!” the Eladrie heard the voice call from behind her as Nika came up next to her, the Kizun bleeding from a cut on her face. “Where are the others?”
“I don’t know. But we need to find them now!” Alora frantically told them as she took in the sheer state of chaos around them. Many broken bodies lay amongst the carnage, and though the Eladrie knew some would likely be still alive at the end of the night, she knew that many would not.
“You don’t need to tell me twice!” Nika agreed with a grim expression.
*****
First/Previous
Looks like Jack, Nika and Alora are holding on for now! But how long can they keep it up?
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One of the PCs has a link to shadowfell. And after being bitten by a werewolf, the shadowfell BBEG has an exact pin on his location. This acts as a direct window into the material plane, be it small.
Sidebar his mother signed a deal with a shadowfell demon in order to save her son when he was a baby. (his own backstory) but recently, she broke her pact. And the demon is after both him, and his mother.
The wretched will be drawn to the pc (who is unconscious in the initial stages of dealing with the bite)
So the rest of the party need to protect his body, while he of course battles internally with his own demons (probably alongside the mother he never met) and, I guess the wolf within.
I think three phases of very story driven and narrative combat, that will consist of essentially, at least 2 waves of wretched horses/minions/grouped togethesimplified/ pack tactics/ cleavable enemies.
In-between rounds the party can fortify defences etc.
And then I guess round 3 will be a final shadow creature that the wretched have paved the way for. I'm kinda doctoring the situation for the PC in question to wake up for round three and be the hero of the day. He hasn't really had his "moment" yet and this will be so cool.
But... There is alot of moving parts here and I think it can be done. Does anyone have any experience with something like this, or things to avoid (someone will likely say the whole session is a bad idea but I really want to stress how I wanna do it equal parts combat and story RP).
I'm open to all critiques so let's go.

BoxOfficeTheory Presale Tracking
USA Showtimes As of May 10
Presales Data (Google Sheets Link)
BoxOfficeReport Previews
DOMESTIC PRESALES
Back to Black Thursday Comps/Predictions: $0.35M/$0.37M

• abracadabra1998 ($0.35M Thursday comp. Probably looking at EA around $100k from these numbers, it's limited to Dolby only though so it's quite tiny (May 15). Yikes bikes (May 12).)
  
• crazymoviekid ($0.39M Thursday and $1.21M Friday comp. We're back up to $.3M-$.5M Thursday while Friday is pretty consistent, still around $1.15M-$1.4M. Estimated OW: $4.5M-$5.5M (May 16). Knocking this down to $.25M Thursday. Despite relatively strong sales, comps are low around $1.25M for Friday (May 15). Not great. Let's say $.3M (May 14).)
  
• el sid ($0.38M Thursday comp. Average tomorrow will probably be around 400k (May 15).)
  
• filmlover (Looking at the sales even for the early shows on Wednesday it's on the anemic side (and nothing that's likely to boost it over the next days). Feels like we're about to see how low a biopic about a famous musician can go (May 10).)
  
• katnisscinnaplex ($0.38M Thursday comp.)
  
• Relevation ($0.26M Thursday comp. And for how shitty IF did, Back to Black cratered even harder, and likely would've been the worst selling movie I've ever tracked had I not run numbers a little late. Sub-$300K THU and a $2.5-4M OW (May 15).)
  
• Rorschach (Zero tickets sold on Thursday and only four on Friday. I don't think I'll be missing much (May 13).)
  

IF Thursday Comps/Predictions: $1.72M/$1.80M

• abracadabra1998 ($1.5M Thursday comp. Really good update here, FINALLY! Been waiting for this. This is encouraging for sure. With this growth now maybe shooting for a finish near 1.75 or maybe even approach 2. Eek. Zero sales day only a few days before previews, when you're dealing with a very low baseline. I'm not sure what's happening here (May 15). Most comps did move the right direction. If it keeps trending up perhaps I can see a finish around $1.5M Thursday. One thing to peep at: the MTC1 ratio (59%) is unusually large compared to other family releases. At T-2, other releases' MTC1 % was at: KFP4: 51%, Migration: 34%, Wonka: 59%, Wish: 35%, Trolls: 24%. So much more comparable to Wonka and KFP4; maybe something to think about when looking at keyser's numbers and thinking of the ratio there (May 14). My model has been pretty good for animated/family releases in the past, hence why every comp is so eerily similar. Still, looking at others' numbers and how much lower mine are, I am wondering if summer break might be something to consider here; from what I am aware, here in Minnesota most school districts don't start break until June (May 13). Hoping for some real acceleration this last week but not looking good (May 12). One week out, not impressed in the slightest (May 9). Rising against comps as expected, due to the short release window, but I am still failing to see anything that suggests the numbers given by some other outlets (May 5).)
  
• AniNate (All I can say is if you look at Tinseltown Canton presales the IF projections ($30M+) seem pretty reasonable. I will grant they might've booked more screens than necessary for it (May 16). I'm gonna guess that Nick IP spot for IF this morning ratcheted up interest, Fri-Sun sales at Canton now close to 200. Also of those 200 about 50 were for XD. Not the usual overwhelming presale split but not insignificant for a kids movie also playing on two standard screens (May 13). 45 sold at the five nearest Cinemarks for Thursday previews so far, so yeah there's evidently some kind of regional variation (May 13). I definitely haven't seen as much of a rush here with Garfield as with IF (May 11). I dunno, I have no comps but I feel like local presales is a pretty sizable haul a week in advance for an original non-Disney kids movie (May 9).)
  
• crazymoviekid ($2.43M Thursday and $8.49M Friday comp. Not a great day. Back down to $1.75M-$2M Thursday but pretty good day for Friday, bumping up to $7M-$7.5M. Estimate OW: $27M-$29M (May 16). Comps mostly are up. Adjusting up to around $2M-$2.25M Thursday. Unless this plays like Elemental, we're aiming around $6.5M-$7M Friday. Estimated OW: $25M-$27M (May 15). Definitely looking around $1.75M Thursday for now (May 14).
  
• DAJK (Selling pretty well so far here (May 4).)
  
• el sid ($2.4M Thursday comp. Friday up so-so 116% since last Monday. I chose Jungle Cruise, Dolittle, Elemental, Minions 2 and Sonic 2 as comps (always counted on Monday of the release week for Friday) and the true Friday number for IF would be 6.6M at the moment. In this case the comparison numbers were very similar, around 6-7M. Overall it was a boring counting today which lasted too long for so few action. And judging from some random samples Garfield also saw no significant jumps (I also didn't expect much, it's still too early IMO). Thursday up 92% since last Monday. I hoped for a bit better jump till today :( but it's also not too bad. So for Friday no big numbers but up 75% since last Monday (and the jump must have happened pretty recently) (May 13). Up 73.5% since Monday (where it had 143 sold tickets). Best sales in California, not doing too bad between the coasts. The number today is ok to me (May 12). Not really signs for a breakout for Friday so far, but very solid. It will not really get 4-6M Thursday e.g. compared to Migration but from most comps the number could be pretty decent (May 7). Looked good for the film, both on Thursday and on Friday (May 6).)
  
• jeffthehat ($1.90M Thursday comp. Slipped a little vs. comps. Sub-20% growth seems bad at this stage and opening size for a family film. But maybe walkups are better than presales suggest. Thinking $1.8m +/- $0.2m tomorrow (May 15).)
  
• katnisscinnaplex ($1.62M Combined SizeAdjusted+GrowthModel Thursday comp. $1.50M Santikos Thursday comp. Sticking to the 1.5m - 1.75m range. I'm looking for a +40% final day that would finish at 1.8m avg comps and 1.62m growth forecast. I'm not ruling out 2m, but it would need to have a very good day (May 16). Raising my expectations to 1.5 - 1.75m range. I don't really have a good feel for what age this is playing to (May 15). Thinking somewhere in the 1.2m-1.5m Thursday range despite a couple of higher comps (May 14).)
  
• keysersoze123 (Friday pace is promising (May 16). Dont think even if it doubles the gross, 2m is locked. But even if it does, it would barely do that much. Let us see how walkups go tomorrow. Pace is really meh for T-2. $1.75m ish for previews. OW should be similar to what I saw yesterday for now (May 15). I would say it should hit 2m previews or even more if walkups are strong. OW probably in mid to high 20s for now. Its Friday sales are not that much higher than thursday for crazy IM like say Panda 4 (May 14).)
  
• Relevation ($1.18M Thursday comp. IF completely tanked here, brutal comp average with no good comparisons at all. $1.2-1.5M THU and something in the ballpark of an $18-24M OW? (May 15).)
  
• RichWS (15 screen theater near me is giving IF peak Marvel number of showings. I know it's short and the market is quiet, but damn (May 14).)
  
• Rorschach (Good growth for IF, especially after Tuesday's abysmal sales (May 15). Even with no comps to go off, this growth seems pretty weaksauce. I guess we'll see how it goes tomorrow (May 14).)
  
• Shawn Robbins (The pre-sales I'm seeing in multiple markets are little better than I think some expect here. I wouldn't be shocked with a number between 2 and 2.5 for Thursday, as well as big jumps on Friday and Saturday. The flip side of that coin is the reviews... although kids won't care. Could see 40 happening if this plays super strong in family markets and outside coastal cities like I suspect it could, but I'm surprised the studio didn't low ball it a little more to be safe... especially since we had been very publicly keeping our range in the high 20s/low 30s from the bottom end (May 15).)
  
• TheFlatLannister ($2.39M Thursday comp. Really not much going on. Don't think walkups will be super strong either (May 13). Not much growth (May 10). Pace is collapsing a bit. Continues its downward trend (May 7). After a strong start, this has cooled off quite a bit (May 4).)
  
• Tinalera (Pretty quiet Vancouver and Calgary area (May 13).)
  
• vafrow ($0.6M Thursday comp. Well, we finally got something. It still lags behind comps, and if I could be bothered to track walk ups, I'm guessing this will do okay. But it's still lagging some very reasonable comps by a large margin here (May 16). It's going up, but slowly. The thing that hit me looking at the numbers is that the most popular format so far is the VIP theatres, which are 19+. With such low sales, you can't read too much into anything, but it kind of speaks to how this isn't grabbing the family crowd (May 14). Some marginal movement, but we're running out of time for this. At this stage, I expect my market is an anomaly, but I still hope and expect it will close the gap in the final few days (May 13). Still nothing (May 12). Still nothing happening. I did check Friday sales, and it was a lot stronger with 51 tickets sold. That's better, but still not tremendous. I also checked the wider radius, where it's pretty much exactly where Haunted Mansion was, which hit $3.1M opening (May 11). Still nothing really happening here (May 10). Since the last update, they released full showtime sets, and it actually lost two showtimes rather than gain. From the sound of it, it might be doing better in other Canadian markets, particularly BC (May 8). Numbers are still really low, making the standard track fairly useless. I did do a larger 100km radius track, encompassing the broader southern Ontaro market (~8M population, MTC4 being about 70-80% of the market). Even against Haunted Mansion, which underindexed here, it's not doing well (May 4).)
  
• YM! (So far in the four Wisconsin theaters I’ve tracked, IF is at about 45% of where Wish was at in the two theaters I’ve tracked 30 minutes before previews. Think it could get to something similar before preview time (May 16).)
  

The Strangers: Chapter 1 Thursday Comps/Predictions: $1.49M/$1.37M

• abracadabra1998 ($1M Thursday comp. Perhaps this will follow the Nun and the Exorcist comps, but I am not fully convinced. I'll just go with the average here and call it a day with my prediction: $1 Million, +/- 0.2. Not much movement here (May 15). Not a good update at all but I am wondering about the summer break deal here as well. For Back to Black it shouldn't affect it much I would think (May 13).)
  
• crazymoviekid ($1.24M Thursday and $4.35M Friday comp. Decent day. Feeling an inch past $1.25M Thursday but much better comps for Friday, aiming now between $4M-$5M. Estimated OW: $14M-$17M (May 16). Comps leveling off. Adjusting up to $1M Thursday and wouldn't trust Friday comp ($10.05M) (May 15). Weird comps. Let's go for $.5M-$.75M Thursday comp.)
  
• el sid ($1.9M Thursday comp. Nice surprise. Up very nice 67.5% since Monday (May 15). From what I saw, it had an ok jump till today but the jump till Wednesday will be way more important. But so far, decent presales (May 14).)
  
• katnisscinnaplex ($1.54M Combined SizeAdjusted+GrowthModel Thursday comp. $1.82M Santikos Thursday comp. Keeping on track to match IF tonight (May 16). We could have a preview battle on our hands! (May 14).)
  
• Relevation ($1.85M Thursday comp. The Strangers: Chapter One sold surprisingly well here, even somehow knocking IF for best selling movie of the weekend. Comps are hovering in the $1.5-2.2M range and I don't have a clue how walkups play here, but I suppose the $1.85M THU average my comps spit out sounds pretty right, combined with a $15Mish OW (May 15).)
  
• Rorschach ($1.09M/$4.68M/$5.23M Thursday/Friday/Thursday+Friday comp. Decent day for Strangers. Didn't quite continue off yesterday's big bump, but still holding well against the Tarot comp (May 15). More than double from yesterday's count. Curious to see if it keeps up the momentum going forward (May 14). Tarot had more tickets sold for Thursday compared to its Friday showings when I checked the Monday before it came out; hence, why the comps are so all over the place at the moment. The Thurs + Fri comp does appear to be a reasonable middle ground (May 13).)
  
• TwoMisfits (TMobile deal for May - $5 ticket to The Strangers Chapter 1 next Tuesday (May 9).)
  

Furiosa Thursday Comp: $4.31M

• abracadabra1998 ($5.46M Thursday comp. GxK obviously really propping the average up but for now I could see that settling at around $5 Million, still good pace! (May 12). Really good stuff in this market (May 9). Reallyyyyyy good day 1 here. I want to note that: NO I do NOT think preview numbers will be that high; it's just highlighting the fact that this is likely a movie that will be running hot in my market, as cinephile blockbusters usually do. Next update I will have T-14 comps, which will be a lot lower due to the short release window (May 8).)
  
• AniNate (Encouraging to see the weekend fill out a bit. Been seeing a lot of promotion during the basketball playoffs so general awareness has to be getting there now. (May 15). Skimmed through ThuFri and Valley View (Cleveland vicinity) has sold roughly 60 Furiosa tix so far while Tinseltown (Canton) has sold 40. I'm guessing the upfront audience does lean more toward the urban/cosmopolitan sensibilities (May 9). Presales show there's definitely some hype for this. Regal gonna irritate trackers again, offering no upcharge IMAX for Furiosa (May 8).)
  
• Charlie Jatinder ($3.05M Thursday comp.)
  
• el sid ($5.8M average Thursday comp (without Exorcist 2) (May 12). Furiosa continues its strong performance in "my" theaters. The movie yesterday had already 1.310 sold tickets (for Thursday, May 23). Up 15% in ca. 24 hours which isn't bad at all after the first rush. Already comfortably in front of The Fall Guy's final sales (it had 1.071 counted on Thursday for Thursday) and almost on par with Civil War's final sales (1.357) and also the Apes finally had not more than 1.657 sold tickets in my theaters (May 11). I also can't complain about Furiosa's presales in my theaters, not at all. Already 1,138 sold tickets (in all of "my" 7 theaters) for May 23. 14 days left. Promising start. Civil War on Thursday of the release week for Thursday had 1,357 sold tickets and The Fall Guy finally had 1,071 sold tickets (May 9).)
  
• katnisscinnaplex ($3.51M Thursday comp.)
  
• keysersoze123 (Definitely chugging along. I am feeling good about 5m+ previews (May 15). It has way stronger sales than Garfield and that is expected. I am thinking of 5m previews for now (May 14). I think this is a solid OD presales. With a short PS window its probably looking at 5m+ previews (May 9).)
  
• TheFlatLannister ($4.44M Thursday comp. Keeps climbing at a strong pace (May 11). This continues to grow at an excellent rate (May 10). Really strong day 2. The short presales is for sure a factor (May 9). Not seeing much of a breakout. Still pretty solid start to presales (May 8).)
  
• vafrow ($2.9M Thursday comp. Comps are showing as steady since the last update, but it actually dipped quite a bit this week before rebounding today. Advance ticket buying has been so off in this market recently for some reason. Holding pace with Apes is a good sign (May 16). It had a good day (May 12). Mediocre day 2 (May 10). Not the hottest start. IMAX is the format of choice though, so, ATP will be high (May 9).)
  

Hit Man

• vafrow (Getting a theatrical release up here in Canada, and early signs are that it might get a pretty decent screen count. Not super wide or anything, but a pretty decent amount for a weekend that has a lot of other releases (May 14).)

The Garfield Movie EA+Thursday Comp: $2.24M

• abracadabra1998 ($0.76M EA comp and $1.19M Thursday comp. Still not really accelerating, and the EA is falling against comps (May 12). Good EA numbers, but many of these comps were PLF-only EA, which this is not, so I think the ATP will be quite lower and that should be adjusted for (May 9).)
  
• AniNate (EA sales look decent now, but this does feel rather weak compared to the IF presales. Not 100% certain what's going on here but based on this I buy the trades' opening estimates over the forum vibes (May 15). I definitely haven't seen as much of a rush here with Garfield as with IF (May 11).)
  
• el sid (The very even sales are a good sign (May 7). For Sunday, May 19, I can already report that also in my theaters it looks very good for Garfield. They will for sure add shows soon. It has so far only 1 show/theater and the shows are almost sold out, between 1 and 4 seats are still available. So my guess still is that this movie if it's not totally bad (and first reviews here were quite positive) will become a (big) hit. Seems not much on Thursday but it's a step in the right direction (May 6).)
  
• katnisscinnaplex ($2.52M EA+Thursday comp.)
  
• keysersoze123 (Its definitely weaker than even Elemental. That said these movies tend to finish strong and so I am not writing it off so early. Just that the long PS window is irrelevant for them. They could rather start presales like a week before release and it would be all the same. Meh. We have to wait until next week to gauge where its going to finish. It has very low ATP as well and actual would be even lower as its going to see tons of kids tickets (May 14). Early shows are regular digital shows at 1PM this sunday. So ATP will be very low. I think 500k ish at best. Preview let us see how things go in the final week. Presales at this point are almost non existent (May 13).)
  
• TheFlatLannister ($2.14M Thursday comp.)
  
• vafrow ($0.4M Thursday comp. Comps don't paint a pretty picture though. EA shows are doing okay (May 11). Still no sales for my core sample for previews. But I did the larger sweep, which shows the interest right now is the Sunday early access shows. Looking at sales patterns, it's mainly blocks of 3/4 tickets, so likely families grabbing some. It's worth noting that the May holiday in Canada is the weekend of May 17-20th, not the weekend after with Memorial Day. I can see families prioritizing getting out the holiday weekend when they have more time (May 4).)
  

The Lord of the Rings Extended Edition Re-Releases (June 8-10)

• BoxOfficePro (Fathom Events has also announced that select Regal Cinemas will present the films in 4DX on June 22/23/24 for Fellowship/Towers/Return respectively (May 14).)
  
• katnisscinnaplex (Up to ~1,400 shows now with new locations picking it up and others adding a second showing. LotR1 has sold 831 seats OD, LotR2 sold 715 seats OD, and LotR3 sold 735 seats OD. For comparison, Phantom Menace didn't break 800 tickets until T-3 and we're still over a month out. JW3 comp is currently around 9m (it was at 1,670 tickets sold at this point!) (May 6).)
  

Inside Out 2 Average Thursday Comp: $8.14M

• abracadabra1998 ($3.67M Thursday comp. Holy numbers of shows and seats! Multiplexes are really expecting a lot here. Sales off the bat not amazing here sadly, but we shall see where it goes (May 15).)
  
• AniNate (It is encouraging that Canton is already giving me something to work with with 12 Thursday preview sales. Same number for Fri-Sun. I do see nine sales for first Thursday at Canton now and I think that's a pretty solid start (May 15). I do see a few 1-2 spots for Inside Out on Saturday. Think some M-F workweek adult fans might be putting down money for that (May 14).)
  
• charlie Jatinder ($11.84M Thursday comp at MTC2. $16M Thursday comp for Kung Fu Panda 4 (May 15).)
  
• katnisscinnaplex (Already at 180 shows for previews in my areas and still has a few theaters left to post. For comparison, Godzilla x Kong finished with 197, Kingdom of Apes 190, and Kung Fu Panda 205 (May 14).)
  
• keysersoze123 (At least the show counts show Plexes are expecting a big OW. I dont remember when we last had a animation movie start with so many shows. I wont count Mario as that was a fan driven movie. Definitely not great presales but this is not a fan driven movie. Let us see where things are in the final week (May 15). Too early to judge presales as ticket sales just started early this morning. Families dont book tickets on weekday mornings. Wait until evening today to judge it. From a release perspective its way bigger than all animation movies seen recently including Panda 4. Easily the biggest I have seen in a long time. Only movie which is not comparable is Mario but that was not just a family flick (May 14).)
  
• Porthos (VERY BAD COMPS: $8.83M Thursday comp. I really do not have good comps for this movie. Like, at all. Especially for D1. With that in mind, I did some digging and did manage to get the Elemental D1 numbers out of the old Tracking thread: IO2 = 5.45946x Elemental on D1 [13.10m]. Now will Inside Out 2 be as backloaded as Elemental? Well it's tough to literally sell 5.5x times the amount of tickets on the final couple of days that Elemental did, so perhaps not. But it does show how fracking backloaded purely kids animation is. Anyway, this is 30 days out and it isn't a CBM film (like AtSV) or CBM-adjacent film (like Incredibles 2). The Sonic 2 comp is perhaps a little concerning. On the other hand, nearly a weeks more of pre-sales so not exactly a great comp. 3.5% of presales are 3D and 40.1% are PLF (May 15). On the Saturday of release weekend (ie NOT EA) there is a special event screening for IO2: INSIDE OUT 2: FUNKO FAMILY EVENT! (2024) Sat June 15th. Might boost the OW slightly, depending on how wide this event is and how much more these tickets will presumably cost (May 11).)
  
• TheFlatLannister ($8.20M Thursday comp. This is a super super strong day 2. Probably just Orlando overindexing, but yeah starting to lean towards something big brewing. Florida presales are somehow even crazier. Sold 2357 seats and is getting a blockbuster rollout in terms of showing allocations. Kung Fu panda comp day 2: gives me $8.50M (May 15). Well, I can't really tell if this is a breakout or not yet. Looks very good especially in the first few hours. These are probably terrible comps, but might as well try something (May 14).)
  
• TwoMisfits (I'm kinda shocked at the opening set from my Cinemarks... 2 screens (1 PLF, 1 not) and 6 showings at my PLF 14 for Thursday (and 11 showings on the same screens once it runs full day - 7 PLF b/c 1 is 3d on the reg screen, 4 not)... 3 screens (.75 3d, 2.25 not) and 9 showings at the non-PLF 12 for Thursday (and 12 showings on 2.25 screens once it runs full day)... So, 2 and 2.25 screens for the weekend presale sets... Disney must be charging a huge % for themselves b/c this is an Elemental opening set at my PLF...a little more generous for Thursday at my non-PLF, but then they too drop to an Elemental opening set after the adult Disney base Thursday rush... (May 14).)
  
• vafrow (No new sales. Whatever glitches in the system on day 1 didn't push sales to day 2. I still think the lack of base ticket options will push families to wait. Cineplex has jacked up the cost of premium formats, plus they're throwing in an increase for opening weekend of major releases. It adds up quickly for families (May 16). With the site glitching yesterday, it might account for the slow start. But, what's interesting is the format breakdown. Nothing is being made available in anything close to a regular showtime. The one non 3D showing in Dolby is a matinee showing. Everything else is carrying a hefty premium. They'll likely release regular showtimes closer to release, but right now, it's priced to get eager fans to pay the premium formats (May 15).)
  
• YM! (In fairness it's only been an hour but yeah sales are softer than I expected. However, it is a month out and will largely skew more towards kids than say TLM/Across so wasn't expecting a blitz like them. Here at Marcus theaters are going all out for IO2 with it having the lion share of PLFs with it getting both screens when there is two PLFs with tentpole like levels of screens (May 14). Was taking a look at Marcus Cinemas to see that they have preloaded Inside Out 2 showtimes which seem to start at 3:00 pm on a Thursday. It seems like Marcus is going all out on it as judging from showtimes it's taking away all of Bad Boys’ PLFs in that theaters that have two+ PLFs are giving all to IO2 (May 11).)
  

Domestic Calendar Dates (last updated May 3):
MAY

• (May 16) Presales Start [Bad Boys Ride or Die]
  
• (May 16) Thursday Previews [Babes + Back to Black + If + The Strangers: Chapter 1 + The Blue Angels IMAX]
  
• (May 17) Presales Start [Ezra]
  
• (May 19) Review Embargo Lifts [Garfield 9 PM EST]
  
• (May 20) Opening Day [Monday: Spider-Man Homecoming Re-Release]
  
• (May 22) Presales Start [The Watchers]
  
• (May 23) Thursday Previews [Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga + Hit Man + The Garfield Movie + Sight]
  
• (May 26) Presales Start [Bikeriders]
  
• (May 27) Opening Day [Monday: Spider-Man Far From Home Re-Release]
  
• (May 30) Thursday Previews [Ezra + Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle + Robot Dreams + The Young Woman and the Sea]
  

JUNE

• (June 3) Opening Day [Monday: Spider-Man No Way Home Re-Release]
  
• (June 5) Presales Start [Despicable Me 4]
  
• (June 6) Thursday Previews [Bad Boys: Ride or Die + The Watchers]
  
• (June 8) 1-Saturday Re-Release (1st day) [The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Extended Edition]
  
• (June 9) 1-Sunday Re-Release (1st day) [The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Extended Edition]
  
• (June 10) 1-Monday Re-Release (1st day) [The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King Extended Edition]
  
• (June 13) Thursday Previews [Inside Out 2]
  
• (June 15) 1-Saturday Re-Release (2nd day) [The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Extended Edition]
  
• (June 16) 1-Sunday Re-Release (2nd day) [The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Extended Edition]
  
• (June 17) 1-Monday Re-Release (2nd day) [The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King Extended Edition]
  
• (June 20) Thursday Previews [The Bikeriders + Janet Planet]
  
• (June 27) Thursday Previews [Blue Lock The Movie -Episode Nagi- + Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1 + A Quiet Place: Day One]
  

JULY

• (July 2) Opening Day [Wednesday: Despicable Me 4]
  
• (July 4) Opening Day [Thursday: Possum Trot]
  
• (July 4) Thursday Previews [MaXXXine]
  
• (July 11) Thursday Previews [Fly Me to the Moon + Untitled New Line Horror movie]
  
• (July 18) Thursday Previews [Twisters]
  
• (July 25) Thursday Previews [Deadpool and Wolverine + Didi + Fabulous Four]
  

AUGUST

• (August 1) Thursday Previews [Harold and the Purple Crayon]
  
• (August 8) Thursday Previews [Borderlands + Colleen Hoover’s It Ends With Us + Cuckoo + The Fire Inside + Trap]
  
• (August 15) Thursday Previews [Alien: Romulus + Horizon An American Saga Chapter 2 + Ryan’s World the Movie: Titan Universe Adventure]
  
• (August 22) Thursday Previews [Blink Twice + The Crow + The Forge + Slingshot]
  
• (August 29) Thursday Previews [City of Dreams + Reagan + They Listen]
  

Presale Tracking Posts:
April 23
April 25
April 27
April 30
May 2
May 4
May 7
May 9
May 11
May 14
Note: I have removed most tracking data that has not been updated for 2 weeks. I think there is value in keeping data for a week or two but at a certain point they start to lose their value and should not be treated the same as more recent tracking data.

Hi,
I am looking for some critique on my build. Ideally this will be used for video editing (up to 4k30fps), streaming, music production and playing games at 1440p. I want to go with the Intel/Nvidia combo for video editing and better optimization for 3D rendering as well since that is something I'm interested in. I am looking to stay around $1,600 for the tower, not including any OS or peripherals.
What would you change?
Should I put more money into the cooler, case, or power supply?
Is the motherboard overkill, good enough, or is there a better option for the price?
Should I use a separate SSD for the OS, or just get a better SSD entirely?
Thanks!
Questions

Is this a brand new build, or an upgrade to an existing build?

A: New Build

Please list any existing parts or monitor(s) you have that you would like to re-use with this build. For upgrades, a PCPartPicker list of your full build is extremely helpful. Be as specific as you can be here, including links or exact model numbers of each component whenever possible.

A: Acer Nitro XV272U Vbmiiprx

What will this PC be used for? Examples include things like gaming, general/multimedia use, photo/video editing, coding, AI/ML, etc. Include specific games and applications you intend to run, and any particular performance goals you have, as each may have different specific hardware needs.

A: Gaming, streaming, video editing, 3D rendering

What country will you be purchasing in? If you are in the US, do you live near a Micro Center? For other countries, please check if your country is supported by PCPartPicker by using the country selector dropdown on the top right - if not, please provide some links to reliable local vendors you are comfortable ordering from.

A: US, have microcenters nearby

Do you need one or more monitors included in the budget? Please list how many and any size/resolution/refresh rate preferences if needed.

A: No, see above monitor for what I currently have.

What is your preferred and maximum budget range for this build, in local currency? Parts lists may sometimes have additional shipping costs. Please note whether prices in your country include sales tax or not, and adjust your budget accordingly. Typically VAT countries will have it included in the part list prices, whereas regular sales tax countries like the US and Canada will not.

A: $1,600, but can go up to $1,800 for significantly better performance/value.

Do you need WiFi, or do you have a wired ethernet connection available?

A: Need WiFi, would like both options available.

Do you have any specific size or noise requirements for the build?

A: The quieter the better. I prefer a full or mid tower ATX case.

Do you have any aesthetic preferences for color or lighting? Describe what you're looking for, or feel free to provide some links to examples that may help. Some people prefer an inobtrusive stealth build, while others may prefer a case full of rainbow RGB.

A: This doesn't matter much. If I can add it without substantially increasing the cost then okay. I would prefer just to have a clean/organized build inside the case. It would be nice if every single LED light can be shut off as this will be where I am sleeping. (Surge protector and status LEDs that are super bright are the most annoying thing on the planet besides mosquitoes.)

Any other specific requests or requirements? Examples might include a specific minimum amount of storage, or a particular CPU socket for a future upgrade path, etc.

A: I would like to have 2-4TB of storage, and I want to stick to Intel/Nvidia for video editing and rendering. I would also like to have 64GB of DDR5 ram.
PCPartPicker Part List

Type	Item	Price
CPU	Intel Core i7-14700K 3.4 GHz 20-Core Processor	$399.98 @ Newegg
CPU Cooler	Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE ARGB 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler	-
Motherboard	MSI MAG Z790 TOMAHAWK WIFI ATX LGA1700 Motherboard	$221.75 @ B&H
Memory	G.Skill Ripjaws S5 64 GB (2 x 32 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory	$197.99 @ Newegg
Storage	TEAMGROUP MP44 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive	$123.99 @ Amazon
Video Card	MSI VENTUS 3X OC GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 16 GB Video Card	$479.99 @ B&H
Case	Zalman S2 ATX Mid Tower Case	$49.99 @ Amazon
Power Supply	Enermax Revolution D.F. 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply	$79.99 @ Newegg
	Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts
	Total	$1553.68
	Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-05-16 16:25 EDT-0400

Yello!
I don't want to clog this subreddit too much, but it's a slow day at work today and this just came to mind, so I hope you don't mind a third post from me today. I'll back off after this, I swear XD. I'm just having a lot of fun.
Crystal grids are an array of crystals that are linked together energetically and then programmed to complete a specific task. I think they are incredibly powerful if you know what you're doing, especially if you're doing them in a space where you are planning to be often.
My key point is this: The more connections you make in your grid, the better. Do not place 12 crystals in a circle and connect them all together, break up the goal of your grid into four different, smaller goals, activate those smaller grids separately, and then connect them together.
I was in school when I was really doing into this, so I will illustrate how I built a "do well in school" grid.
I would use:
-A master crystal, any kind of quartz will do. (I ended up constructing a little rig I can get to later)
-3 Lapis Lazuli
-3 Malachite
-3 Tiger's Eye
-3 Black Tourmaline
-As much quartz as you want.

1. I have two pieces or orgonite, a selenite charging stone, and a little tin, that's filled with thing I'm sentimental about, a piece of moldavite, and usually some sigils in relation to what the grid is about. I plonk a quartz crystal tower on top of all that and this serves and the "hub" of the grid. Most of the energy is centered around here.
   
2. I decide my smaller grids' purposes; Lapis is to help me study and retain knowledge, malachite is to help me maintain my focus without losing control of my emotion, tiger's eye is for confidence in social situation, and black tourmaline is for protection, both safety wise and from bad vibes.
   
3. I found a structure that made sense; two layers of six crystals, alternating between two crystals in each layer. Think four triangles that connect to make a hexagon and a Star of David. Tiger's and Tourmaline would mech together in a protective sense, so they provide structure on the outside, and lapis and malachite would shine once that protection is established, so they go on the inside.
   
4. Using another crystal, or a wand, or your finger, connect the lapis crystals together and to the master crystal, making sure each one is connected to the master. Then, put your energy into the master while saying that this grid is programmed to help you study. Do this with the other three grids.
   
5. Then, do the same with the two layers separately. Connect the lapis and malachite together into one grid in the same way, and imbue that grid with bringing mental and emotional clarity to you. Do the same with the outer grid.
   
6. Then, do the same with every crystal, and imbue that grid with the intention to do well in school.
   
7. Quartz takes on the energy of the crystals it interacts with, so that center quartz is now functionally an amalgam of lapis lazuli, malachite, tiger's eye, and black tourmaline. I like to take all the quartz I have and just place it around the grid, maybe connect it to the master directly. That way, they're giving their energy to the grid as well.
   

If you count, that's seven energetic grids working for you, with some energy boosters in the mix as well!
Alright, now it's time to take a break XD