IJBMer Updates

Icalasari

Ah, alright then

lrdgck

Do you guys have it often so that you have an issue that you want to speak of, but don't know if it's worthy of starting a thread, or rather you just dump it in Updates?

Icalasari

^ Eyup

lrdgck

And, like, what do you do then?

Icalasari

End up not posting out of indecision

Kraken

He's just a really, really, really extreme activist.

Stormtroper

Do you guys have it often so that you have an issue that you want to speak of, but don't know if it's worthy of starting a thread, or rather you just dump it in Updates?

All the time. Nowadays I default to IJBMer Updates.

lrdgck

In that case I'll post it here.

 

 

So the thing with Fascism is that it's kinda elusive to define, but we can make a number of points that should generally describe the historical cases of unquestionable Fascism. If we want the word to have any actual meaning, instead of using it as a rhetorical bludgeon, or just as "bad authoritarian", it would be advisable to stick to a set of rules to check if we can legitimately call something Fascist or not.

I'm not touching the issue of whether there is difference between Fascism and fascism.

So it can be said that Fascism:

• is a mass movement, relying on its supporters among the populace (notably, as opposed to military juntas, which are in power just because they bring guns);


• is organised along the lines of a political party, led by a charismatic Leader;


• is willing to use, and using, open violence (this one is kind of easiest to check for);


• claims to be a revolutionary movement - it distances itself from the conservatives, by a rhetoric of radical change to society (I'm gonna say it does keep to the promise, as it pretty much does bring the change);


• is hostile to democracy and liberalism;


• is highly nationalist in the sense of putting the Nation and the State on the pedestal and using the rhetoric of individual's subservience to it.

 

I guess that's it for a while. By this definition Nazis and Italian Fascists count, military strongmen don't count, and I'm willing to say Francisco Franco is a borderline case as he doesn't really tick most boxes, but was notably more ideologically-minded than your typical El Presidente.

I'm basing that on the writing of historian Walter Laqueur, if you're curious.

Ironweaver

I'm just going to add that the "radical change" is usually focused on the past, with promises of returning to past greatness or evoking history forming an integral part of the ideology, which sets it apart from revolutionary leftist movements, who focus on the future, and conservatives/liberals, who focus on the present.

Malkavian

Everybody stop what you're doing and click on this. Don't worry, it's safe for work.

lrdgck

I kinda knew it's gonna lure you here. Just for the record, if we suddenly abolished the state and hanged every opponent on street lamps in favour of monarchic ultracapitalism, that would be just as radical a change as if we did it in the name of anarcho-communism. But I'm making this point just in case, because it seems there's no need for it.

But, anyway. To say it's focused on the past is actually muddling waters, it's not that simple, as even focusing on the past they wanted to (claimed to want to) remake the society into something new and revolutionary. Italian Fascists were quite modernist, Italian art from the period was banned as degenerate in Nazi Germany and Mussolini's rule set the stage for afterwar boom of Italian cinema. (BTW I added a point I forgot to above post.) The Nazis had quite a lot of past focus (which of the Nazi leaders, and in which way, is a whole another can of worms), but their plan to take over Europe was to bring a bright future to the German race, and the anthem of the NSDAP spoke of fighting reaction in the same line as of fighting socialism.

I'm out, it's late.

Ironweaver

Still, Mussolini was set out to reform the Roman Empire, and Italian art of the period was actually a mix of futurism and a somewhat bizarre version of Roman-inspired neoclassicism (also, drunken bears sporting party hats!). Sure, they did have a big focus on technological progress but, in the spirit of fascism, it was completely subordinated to the state and nation, with the ultimate goal of creating a new Roman Empire.

As for the German Nazis, they used the term "reactionaries" somewhat differently than its usual meaning - it was reserved for the center-right conservatives and liberals, who represented the strongest supporters of the Weimar order and were staunchly opposed to any radical change, from left or from right.

Eelektross

Ganondorf's Orb of Power
Evocation [Electricity]
Level: Sor/Wiz 5
Components:S
Casting Time:1 standard action
Range:200 ft + 20 ft/lvl
Target:1 creature
Duration:Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude
Spell Resistance:Yes
An orb of electricity forms at the tips of your fingers, dealing 1d8 points of damage per caster level (maximum 20d8).
This orb strikes unerringly, even if the target is in melee combat or has less than total cover or total concealment. A target struck directly is paralyzed for 1d6 rounds.
A target may make a Fortitude save when struck by the orb. If the save is successful, the target is only stunned for 1 round and takes half damage from the orb.
Alternatively, a target may attempt to hit the orb with its masterwork weapon (if it has any). The attacker gains a -4 penalty to its Attack roll. If this is attempted, the orb automatically attempts a Reflex saving throw. The orb uses the caster's Dexterity modifier to add to its saving throws. If the save is successful, the orb still strikes.
If the hit is successful and the save fails, the orb is deflected back at the caster. All effects listed above still affect the caster.

So I tried to make Ganondorf's classic magic ball attack in D&D. Tips?

Icalasari

gah stupid plastic tarp. FOUR hours and DROPS of berry dye didn't dry! The fuck!

All Nines

Hooray for productive days! I did homework ahead of time and finished a book! Now to maybe write something, since I've so far seemed to only be able to write in the early hours of the morning. On the other hand, the early hours of the morning don't get along with attempts at continuing any complicated/dull reading.

saladofstones

I return to rejoicement

Legionnaire

In other news, after about three years I finally have a bike again! Some neighbors of ours moved out and left it behind; Mum told them she'd take it out to the verge collection, but after I developed a real desire to have a bike again lately she said that I could have it if they didn't come back for it after 2 weeks. No sign of them, and hey presto I feel like I'm sporting a Freddiestache.

lrdgck

The thing to remember about Fascism is that it's noing going to neatly fit into Left-Right or Progressive-Conservative drawers, as it has elements of both. This, by the way, means people on all sides use it to bash the others. One can also make a claim that Communist dictatorships often end up as a sort of quasi-Fascism. When it comes to modern movements, it seems they tend to drop the claim of novelty and revolutionariness. I guess it was a thing of the age, born out of Fascism's beginnings in, and competition with, the Left.

Saigyouji

So I tried to make Ganondorf's classic magic ball attack in D&D. Tips?

Waitwaitwait. 20d8 damage, perfect accuracy, and a guaranteed stun, on a third level spell?

Nova

Typical 3rd-level spells, like Fireball, top out at 10d6. Even 5th-level spells like Cone of Cold top out at 15d6 damage, but 6th-level spells include Chain Lightning so I think fifth level would probably suit it better than sixth.

MadassAlex

Also, concerning LoZ damage models:

If we take the lowest damage dealt to have a value of 1, then a single heart has a value of 4 HP. No guarantees this is the case, but if Nintendo wanted to keep things simple (and why wouldn't they?), then I expect this would be the case. In continuation of this simplicity, the first sword you get probably has a damage value of 2 per hit, taking into account that there's usually a weapon that's weaker (which does about half its damage, ergo having a damage value of 1 per hit). 

Gannondorf's magic attacks, if memory serves, usually do around 4 hearts (or so?) of damage, which is 16 overall in LoZ damage terms. Even if I'm way off and it's twice that, we're not talking about more than 32 damage. How this compares to D&D power scaling is up in the air, but Zelda stuff is more whimsical with this kind of thing. Whether Gannondorf is a great wizard or a hack in D&D terms probably changes game-to-game.

Whatever the case, though, 20d8 damage, perfect accuracy and a guaranteed stun is pretty much right out for any spell, in my opinion. As I'm fond of saying, people have survived being struck by lightning, but no-one has survived having their throat slit. 

Nova

People have survived stab wounds in less serious locations, on the other hand, while lightning is often lethal.

Personally, I think 10d8 or 15d6 would be plenty, but I think we all know how much I know about this stuff so I don't even know why I'm offering this up.

(Also, I believe that you generally don't have a whole heap of health in LoZ games, so you should also try comparing the damage done by the attack to maybe 1/3rd of the typical appropriately-leveled fighter's health, or 1/5th of the same if the fighter had maxed health for their level without enchantments.)

Saigyouji

Also, I believe that you generally don't have a whole heap of health in LoZ games

Unless you're going for a challenge run, you're going to have a bunch of health by the end, if only because you gain a heart container after every boss. If you go for all ways to increase health, you generally finish with 20.

MadassAlex

Depends on the LoZ game. The maximum in some games (again, if my memory isn't failing me), is 24 hearts. That's 96 in D&D terms, which is... middling, I suppose? Depending on one's class and rolls, that's around the level 10 mark. 

Saigyouji

Nope, 20 has always been the max. LoZ, Phantom Hourglass, and Spirit Tracks had 16, The Oracle games have 14/15/16 depending on linking status, Link's Awakening has 14, Adventure of Link has 8, and the Four Swords games don't let you gain more permanent health.

MadassAlex

I was probably thinking of two stacks of 12 rather than two stacks of 10. I stand corrected. 

Although if OoT has 20 hearts, which can be doubled in efficiency, that kind of counts as 40. :V

Nova

Unless you're going for a challenge run, you're going to have a bunch of health by the end, if only because you gain a heart container after every boss. If you go for all ways to increase health, you generally finish with 20.

All the heart containers should probably bring you up around 12, if I'm remembering rightly. Which goes exactly with what I was saying about the 4-damage attack knocking off 1/3rd of the typical appropriately-leveled hero's health, or 1/5th of the maxed health if you have all 20 hearts.

Icalasari

20 * The defense enchantment from that great fairy * 4 HP per heart = 160 health for Link

InsanityAddict

Relevant to your interests: http://www.kobolds-keep.net/downloads.html

Nova

20 * The defense enchantment from that great fairy * 4 HP per heart = 160 health for Link

You can't really count defences as additional health.