617872 ((Oh, then all of my yays!

Which is only seven. ))

617880

((Approved by Twilight at Dusk))

[Reaction]
Storm was fully back in action now, the stunner wearing off and leaving him fully in charge of his faculties. The close proximity of the head was, of course, extremely tempting, but he needed this to hit. Going for the most obvious target was never a good idea, especially when his opponent was apparently smarter than he was.

No, he was going to go for something closer to center of mass.

With a blast of aeromancy and strength, Storm kicked his legs out and swirled in place, immediately building the momentum necessary to pop to his feet within a fraction of a second. As he swirled and began to pop upwards, he flicked his broadhead-tipped dart out of its holster and towards the base of True's neck at very high speed, aiming for the large, important blood vessels. The weapon's design was specifically supposed to punch through armor; a bit of cloth was nothing.
((Str: B, Agi: S ((woohoo!)))) ((Please note that the approving judge has noted that "the chances of it connecting are huge".))

((Note: This is basically like that thing in kung fu movies where they kick their legs and get back to their feet, only much much faster. Agi: S grants me that right, I say, but I do concede that there is probably enough time to fire off a quick, minor spell.))
((Note also that military broadheads are beefier versions of hunting arrow tips. IE: Designed to go in and leave a massive hole.))

[Action]
This action completed ((regardless of whether or not it is successful**)), Storm immediately flared his wings and pumped them, aiming towards the sky.

----

**((If you somehow manage to dodge this, Storm is still flying))
((Also, I like you, but I really hope this fucks up everything you were planning.))

617894 ((Just a quick point, but who approved this?))

617918
((It should be at the top.))

617894 ((I see now, though I'd argue that

Storm immediately flared his wings and pumped them, rocketing towards the sky

is godmodding, as it's what you're trying to do. You'd have to actually do the rocketing during your action phase.

617975
((Not sure I follow. I would have assumed that the kip-up type thing placed me in a position where my wings were ready for take off. That was just to emphasize "I'm going to fly now".))

((OOH. You mean that I shouldn't be able to rocket quite yet. Okay. Um.... hm. While I can see your point, I'm also still in midair by the end of the Reaction Phase. Doesn't that make it basically impossible to go anywhere else but up? Would "beginning to rocket towards the sky" be better?))

617991 ((Yes, but True was waiting for you to do something. You can't just complete the action when he was prepped and waiting for it, you have to wait for his counterattack to go off. Making it into the air is no different than saying your dart hit my neck.

And, seeing as you activated my trap card, I'd have to say your wings... *Puts on sunglasses* ,,,are boned.

YYYYEEEEEAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!))

617996
((Doubtful. We'll see how you post, but I'm kind of dubious about your reaction time. I'll edit the bit though, since I agree that this would be godmodding.))

617894
((Approved by twilight at dusk))
[Reaction]

Just according to plan. Though the move was surprising in its intensity, True had expected something like this: the maximum duration on his stun spell had been exceeded after all. As Storm leapt up, True dodged forward, not nearly enough to avoid the dart, but enough to drive it into his shoulder, the broadhead stopped dead by his shoulderblade. (Agi: D)

[Action]

As he steps forward to take the dart, his staff rockets off the ground with every ounce of telekinesis he can muster. (Int:S) This close, it's aim is perfect, and the distance negligible. The metal bar would fly straight along Storm's back, catching both his wings in the back just as they flared to fly, propelled by bone breaking force. Storm was about to be permanently grounded.

618011
((Ah-ah, nope. See, this is why I thought you'd have issues. Here's a picture of horse anatomy:

As you can see, by aiming at the base of your neck and at the main arteries, the broadhead ACTUALLY heads towards the gap between the base of your neck bone and the beginning of the breast bone. By moving forward, all you really do is close the gap between you and the dart. This allows me to score a killing blow.

This image also shows how the jugular vein passes in parallel to the carotid artery. The broadhead will cut both of them. ))

((And yes, we're talking ponies, not horses, but ponies have the same basic structure. The circulatory systems would HAVE to be almost identical.))

((There's also the possibility of you jumping so far forward that it does miss, but this would require you to have more agility than Agility D, especially compared to Storm's agility of S.))

618022 ((Alright, retcon on the basis True would know more about pony anatomy than I would, and would not make human based assumptions.))

618025
((Disagree, True also doesn't have the instinctive ability to discern where that dart is going. Storm is far to fast for that to happen.))

618027 ((He also knew the nature of the weapon and the attack that was coming at him. He knew it was a small, piercing attack likely headed for his neck. That means he knows the target and as you can't teleport, he knows the general direction.

Oh, and you know what? It's high time I called you on this: you're carrying a warhammer and armor. That incurs a penalty to agility. I was ready to concede the point until I remembered that.

And no, you did not drop the warhammer at any point. Instant retcon.))

618036
((Still disagree, he knew that the weapon was short-range and that it was coming at him. He also did not know that it was, in fact, LARGE and headed for his neck. Therefore, he does not know that it is going to be a large, heavy, military broadhead throwing dart (which are heavy precisely because they're designed to punch through armor). Therefore, he would not move enough to dodge a large weapon, but only enough to dodge a dagger or a stiletto. A military broadhead is a larger version of a hunting broadhead, which means it's going to be at least 1.5 to 2.2 inches wide. Compare this to the average dagger, which is about 0.8 inches to 1 inches wide. I argue that he may move to compensate for the smaller weapon, but NOT the larger weapon.

More importantly, foresight does not guarantee dodge. Even if your mind can predict and your eyes can see, this means nothing if I can simply move before your muscles can react. This is C vs. S level agility here, the time it takes for him to command his muscles to begin the dodge would already have my dart in my hoof. By the time he actually begins moving, the dart would be in the air. Since my target is less than 8 inches away from me, the transition time is approximately 1/5 seconds and is probably less. I judge it to be about the time it takes for a distinct snap of the fingers to be made.

EVEN IF you find a way to explain away all the above, this is still a military broadhead, kept at razor sharpness, thrown exTREMELY quickly, and designed to penetrate manticore hide and light armor. Your shoulder would be ruined because the weapon would probably crack the bone, causing you to lose concentration on the staff.))

((Long post is long.

Sources for broadheads are here and here.

Sources about darts and, specifically, what I'm thinking of, are here. ))

618036
((Still invalid. Armor and warhammer add up to only about 1/16 of my bodyweight. That's enough to only pull me down to an A, at MOST, and that is something I'm willing to contest based on the average weight of a medieval warhammer and the lightness of my armor))

((Additionally, I would appreciate if you would remessage me if you have new points of contention. I would prefer not to miss a point because I didn't see your edit.))

618044 ((How fast does he complete his kip-up action?))

618046
((Rather quickly. The kip-up with Agility S and no damage to wings would take about 1/4 of a second. This is based off of youtube videos of martial artists doing kip-ups, which require 5/8 of a second without wing assistance. I judge the wings to assist in stabilization and upward thrust, which shaves 3/8 of a second off my time when coupled with Agility S.))

((incidentally, that's 9/20 of a second to react.))

618044((Also, while I'm at it, he unsheathed his warhammer, so it's flying loose, adding significantly to his angular momentum))

618048
((Held in his hooves, actually, and he's an experienced soldier. Do you really think he wouldn't be able to hold that thing close while getting up?))

618048
((Note also: Strength B. He should be able to hold onto it pretty easily.))

618050 ((Strength B, average. While holding on to a warhammer, while completing at least 80 degrees of rotation in a quarter second.))

618052
((You're still negating skill. He's a warrant officer, who got his promotion for skill in close quarters combat, with a specialization in the Mk. 2 Combat Polearm. If nothing else, he HAS to know basic physics instinctively and thus it is a valid assumption to say that he would tuck his war hammer in while performing the kip-up maneuver.))

618054 ((Then that's another action you have to perform, further slowing your rate of movement))

618054 ((Second, With your warhammer occupied, you further telegraph the origin of your dart throw))

618056
((As I said before, this seems a silly thing to break down into bits. Isn't it natural for a soldier to immediately do things he or she has practiced hundreds of thousands, nay, millions amounts of times? Would you say that a modern soldier isn't allowed to punch you in the face instinctively if you surprise him with a knife? Does he have to take time to consider the knife, drop what he's doing, then punch you?))

618057
((As I said before, speed negates any foresight. At this point, you still haven't convinced me to drop this to anything lower than an A level agility, which is still two levels above you and not something you can dodge by prediction. You would need at least three feet of separation to dodge a dart flying at that speed.))

618059 ((I'm talking physics, you can't have physically moved that fast in the kip-up manuver to throw the dart from a completely inconcieveable angle. True knows the hoof it's coming from, and has a better grasp of pony anatomy than I do))

618056
((Additionally, tucking your limbs in moves your body's mass towards its center of gravity. The laws of centripetal motion dictate that this actually would speed me up rather than slow me down.))

618063 ((Good for you, how do you kip-up with all your limbs tucked in?))

618062
((Okay, so then what angle are we judging this to be at? Because if we're face to face, I can't see the dart having to swing in a great arc to get to you. I would estimate coming from ten degrees up from the base of your neck and 15 degrees to either the left or the right of the base of your neck.))

618064
((How does he flare upright and keep throwing the dart? After the initial kick, he has to spin himself around his bilateral axis of symmetry to be upright and facing you. The initial kip requires the extended hooves, yes, but the spin does not. Again, given his long experience in war, he should be able to smoothly transition between these two positions.))

618067 ((Okay, wait, I think we missed something. Okay, now, First, I know where the dart is coming from based on earlier telegraphing. Second, your eyes are closed, so you incur a further penalty in having to aquire the target. Third, armor and equipment are still worn.

Now, at what point in the kip-up is the dart released. Also, I should inform you that I don't actually know what a kip-up is, and my dial up sucks too hard to watch any videos))

618071
((Regards to first: True, and I have granted that since the beginning.
Regards to second: False, Storm is an experienced fighter and knows anatomy just as well as a pony with higher intelligence scores. Also, he's not going to keep his eyes shut as he's getting up.
Three: This implies nothing, as his armor and equipment are light. Hussars are scout units, so they are not equipped for direct front line combat. Speed is the key, so their armor and equipment are designed not to hinder that.

Kip-ups can be conducted in one of two manners. The first manner is the classical style. The user is lying around the ground. Raising their legs over their heads, they thrust violently upwards, propelling themselves into a standing position. This takes between 1/6 and 1/4 of a second, depending on the skill of the practitioner. The second manner is technically called a "spin up", and is a classical move from Chinese martial arts (Dituanquan, specifically). This windmills the legs to pop up using angular momentum, with a similar time of completion.

The Pegasus Variation is a combination of the two. First the legs are thrust upwards, propelling the practitioner in an upwards direction. WHILE DOING SO, the wings are opened pumped in opposite directions, generating circular motion. This is further helped along by the torso turning in mid air, the wings snapping shut and the legs tucking in while this occurs in order to increase rotational speed. Legs tuck in immediately after lift-off is achieved, with the wings closing when the torso has rotated approximately 50 degrees. Finally, the pegasus rotates enough to face the ground, whereupon wings are flared to halt circular motion and the legs are extended for landing.

For this action, Storm Blitz completes the first two steps, popping into the air and using his wings to speed his turn. He then tucks all his limbs close BUT begins to draw his dart as he begins to turn. By the time his wings have shut, the dart is already drawn and readied for throwing. As he continue rotation, his eyes would lock exactly on where he's throwing. Simultaneously his throwing hoof is cocked back and extended down towards his backhooves, parallel to his torso. As he swings past -40 degrees (320 degrees by the standard unit circle), his throwing hoof begins to travel forward. As he reaches -50 degrees, his wings begin to flare as he releases the dart. At -60 degrees, the dart would impact your neck. At -70 degrees, his wings are fully extended, slowing him down significantly. At -90 degrees he is hovering vertically and ready to fly.))

((So much physics and maths))

618077
((Aerospace Engineering major at either the best or the second best college in the US for this sort of thing. Kinda need to know this stuff off the top of my head.))

618079
((All I can talk about is the Social aspects and causality of what your doing.))

618081
((Do tell?))

618082
((I was being sarcastic. There isn't much I can analyse, only that if people keep debating posts, eventually, our almost-tight community we've created will degrade into bad feels, and eventually turn into two different sub-cultures with opposing views. Ergo, I've stopped debating to stay neutral.))

618084
((This is true, I suppose. I just did research for everything I put into my profile when I sent it to Razorbeam. He edited out a good portion of important information too.....))

((In any case, it seems that Between Lines has gone to bed. I'm going to head off now as well. See you all in about 10 hours?))

618075 ((Okay, first, I noticed something. When I approached, I lowered my head. Pony heads are huge. Their necks are small relatively, even on stallions. My head is literally obstructing my neck. Second, I realized that True would have TKed out of the way, as he has the magic and again, knew the dart was coming. (Mental speed over physical speed) Third, pony anatomy would have shaped his decisions differently than I would have. Fourth, if I really want to be an asshole, I can go back to the "Phasing shields" debate, because that retcons the entire scenario, and honestly was something I forwent just out of common decency.

But by god I will go right back to it if you're going to kill me with a surprise lesson in pony anatomy.

And a fifth point, you're strength B. That you can insta throw a dart in full gear, with a full explosives pack, is dubious.))

618086
((There is such a thing as too much description. Talk to ya later.))

618086 ((I'm sorry, my last post was in bad taste. As were the last two re-writes of this post. I am exceedingly mad right now, because I feel I am losing due to a technicality, a combination of dodgy physics and withheld anatomy. Best of all? It's a weaker technicality than my phasing shields.

Dammit, I have solid grounds for that, but I let it slide because I felt like I'd rather play with you than quibble over a solid means of defeating you.

However, seeing as I'm now losing to such overly pushed minutia BS, I feel the armistice is off. If you're going to kill me instantly on assumptions of pony physiology, I'm going to go back and beat you with solid canon grounds for the use of barriers.

That is all.))

618100
((TL;DR is at the bottom.))

((How is what I'm saying "overly pushed minutia"? Forgive me if I don't see where this is coming from. Your semi-permeable barrier I objected to on the grounds that you can't change a spell after its been cast, NOT that it wasn't permissible. You'll notice that I agreed with you on whether or not it could be implemented, the question was simply "how". This is far and away a different question.

Here, though, you're saying that usage of anatomy is somehow illegal? First, I fail to see why using this information somehow makes the role play less entertaining. By considering details like anatomy and real-life basises for the RP, you allow for more considerations of how to interact with others and what to do with what you have, promoting clever application of information rather than flash-bang-whiz-kapow. Second, the extrapolation of pony anatomy should not be something that blindsides anyone on here. We are all familiar with the characters and what they look like, a few reasonable assumptions about the anatomy should not be that shocking. Third, this is in no way a technicality. Anatomy is a very real question in combat, in real life and in this RP. Indeed, it's one of the most important questions, as it completely guides the way you go into a fight. By saying that considering the placement of veins and arteries is "minutia", then you may as well also say that unicorn horn is impervious to all damage or that changeling carapaces automatically behave like plate armor. Your duel becomes a question not of "who can be the most clever" but rather a question of "who can be the coolest looking when fighting". As both a judge and a player, I feel that such a framework of examining these roleplays is extremely silly and cannot be used as a solid basis for play.

Regarding shaky physics: Physics has always been shaky in this tournament, but what I've shown you is a sight more concrete than just about any other thread. I've given you a detailed explanation of what I think Storm is capable of, I have used reasonable estimates of speed and turn rate (given Agility:S), I have based my movements off of real life examples, and I have done research to extrapolate something that I believe is realistic. 95% of everyone else just sort of tosses things in the general direction of the RP and hopes it doesn't break conservation of momentum.))

((TL;DR: My physics is described in detail and uses reasonable estimates, my anatomy shouldn't be surprising in any way, and the clever application of both reflects a framework for the RP that is superior to "does it look cool", which the relegation of anatomy to "minutia" invites. If you want to discuss other things, that's fine, but my move is definitely plausible.))

((Would you like to bring this to the Bickering Thread?))

618100
((Please also note that my arguments have never been that you cannot dodge or attempt to dodge. My point from start to finish has always been that you cannot do it successfully.))

((And regards to the quibbling about shields: I wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth, but I was expecting you to discuss more about the issue. I DO feel that it is an important question to resolve, not just for this RP but for the purposes of judging future RPs as well. The fact that you dropped the issue surprised me, but I figured that this meant that it really wasn't that important to you and moved on.))

618305 ((

I'm tired.

I am, so very tired. I poured my heart and soul into this, and what do I have to show for it? A pathetic bicker fest over an instant kill I walked into.

I'll say this once. The staff could intercept you mid kip-up. (It was less than a foot away, lighter than your limbs are, already grasped and ready, and propelled by INT S TK.) If you feel this is fair, then retcon. If not, congratulations, you win. I don't care anymore, there's no point. True would add nothing to Razorbeam's universe. I'm not going to interact with any of my friends, because who am I kidding, I have none. I can't even pretend I'm intelligent anymore, because I walked into this idiocy. Just kill the bastard so i can be done with it, and disappear from this place like I never should have been.

If Razorbeam ever reads this, I'm sorry for taking up a slot on your roster. I added nothing and likely locked out someone with more imagination and wit. My existence has once again been a waste of space, and I apologize to all those affected.

I'm not going to bother any of you again.))

618913
((True Path was a good character and he was exceedingly powerful. It is a testament to your skill and your abilities that we have five pages of discussion, both about the rules and about mundanities. You CAN write and you CAN make a good character that deserves to be part of this roster. There is no doubt about that.

Furthermore, you do have friends, because even though we've disagreed I think that you consider things deeply and objectively and have a very good grasp of what makes a story good. These are things I admire and I hope that you can understand that I am not trying to ridicule you when I say that I want to know you as a friend.

Now, I cannot say that I will rescind my previous points. These are things I believe strongly about. But I do NOT think it was pointless and I do NOT think it was a "bicker". By calling this a "bicker", you cheapen what is really an extremely in depth debate about the nature of this role play, something that is admirable and something that you should be proud of. Very few people can consider such issues without getting confused, and the fact that you have multiple arguments that make very good points is something that speaks highly towards your skills and your character. These things only further cement my belief that I would like to know you as a friend, because I admire people who have these qualities.

In the end, what I'm trying to say is: You deserve more than walking away. I do not accept this post as a concession. I strongly believe that you can at least write your way to a good ending, rather than having this role play end on a flat note. You cannot give up and you cannot stop because of this. You are a writer who has talent; do not let it go to waste.))

618992
(( I do not 'deserve more' than walking away. I would argue that you deserve more than me walking away however. Those words were spoken out of a deep seated resentment that is hardly your fault.

True Path was a terrible character. His powers were so ill-conceived they had to be re-designed halfway through the battle. Ironically, they were re-deisgned with a power that could have ended the battle in the first round, as you slamming into a reflector shield would have recoiled your pole arm into yourself, not to mention hitting one yourself would have functionally given an impact equivalant to twice your going speed.

As for friends, that's more me speaking on my own character flaws than just you. Look at the RP, I'm terrible at involving myself and bonding with other characters. I don't even exist on the relationship chart, which says plenty. I'm nice, but in a month I'd be surprised if you remember my name in any meaningful sense.

Finally, I don't think I'm dead even if you cut the corroted. I do... have an idea, I'll have to see if it flies with the judges. I might as well at least try. Though the impact post will need to be retconned.))

619076
((I.. I don't really know much about your life, and I understand that there's a lot of things that I can't understand because you haven't told me. But I DO believe in you as a writer. Perhaps his powers were not up to what you wanted, and I wasn't around that much when you joined up in the competition, but I do know that what I DID see was very impressive. I also know that I've favorited both your stories because they are damn good.

I just don't want you to lose confidence in yourself....))

619076
((I'm just going to leave my two bits here.

Half-wing was a terrible character. I chose to give him a deficiency for Celestia-knows-why. In a tournament. I gave him no powers, and the only thought I really put into him was his backstory.

I'm not in the relationship chart in the slightest, yet a lot of the RP'ers know who my character is. I'm terrible at writing, I'm suprised a lot of the other guys here aren't shouting at me for using too much dialogue to a lack of decription.

And just because you said it, I'm never going to forget your name. Between Lines. Between Lines. Between Lines.

On my death day, I will put a footnote in my will. 'Between Lines was here.'

Also, this.))

619076
((Now hold on a minute.

You're being unreasonably negative. I stumbled upon this and read through, not only this, but also your character. He seems simple, yes, but he's a very well balanced character and one that is interresting to boot.
Don't kick yourself because you can't win an argument, that has nothing to do with what you just wrote. Just the fact that you can MAKE an entire character with a believable set of abilities, a personality and a story makes you a good writer. Period.
Look at me, for example. I consider myself a mediocre writer, and Winterjet's story absolutely sucks, but I'm still proud of her, because I like the way she is with all her faults and flaws.

My point is, your character is not what you write on the page, but how you play them. Cheer up, go do some actual RP in the Flying Scorpion or whatever. Oh, you can't you say? Well try! You won't find out how to if you don't try. Observe others and do your best. It's the only way to learn, and you'll do yourself and us a favour at the same time.

So please, cheer up. For your own sake, and for ours.))