Thu Oct 28 13:28:54 2021

At 6 o'clock PM, Day of the Bull, 22nd of the Month of the Long Shadows
on the Theran calendar Nighel perished, never to return.

Race:	half-drow
Class:	shapeshifter
Level:	51
Alignment:	Evil
Ethos:	Chaotic
Cabal:	None, None
Age:	51
Hours:	49

I haven't really tried in earnest for Halloween forms below. the new and unknown batch got me in to play during the middle of a house move.

While I didn't get them, I have to say that from fighting, fighting alongside, or just seeing the new October forms was TOO AWESOME. Imms did a bang up job of creating some unique, spooky, and fun forms. I love it and love that you guys did Halloween forms again. It's one of the best months out of the year for CF.

I wound up with the dreaded blue-ring octopus. Crummiest form I have ever had. Trying to do anything with it from 30-42 was the worst experience. Even at level 40 it couldn't tank level 25-30 mobs. Delete that form please.

I also Orca and re-rolled to Manta Ray. Manta Ray is NOT what it used to be. It is same stats as Lemur/Mongoose yet none of the tanking. Superior evasion and Superior dodge was pretty ####ty. Also, finding out that Outlander insects prevents waterscatter is so stupid. I got manhandled on the water by a few classes that realistically should have no business even trying to go toe to toe with a water apex predator.

in the end, I was basically an offense only form who used water great enlivens to do underwater stuff with my snake and wolverine. Wolverine was a very good and reasonable form. Copperhead was saving grace to anything about this character for it's basic Regen skill.

I like the risk of the unknown with shifters, but, some forms just absolutely do not stack up. I don't care about whatever metric Zulgh put together to 'measure' shifters within some appreciable balancing matrix, some forms just blow chunks and I got 2 of them.

I did write a role for this char too! I was serious about it. Scion pledge. But I was kinda weak.

Blue ringed octopus is really good, so no.
Orca is also really good, so again no.

that will play 11 shifters in a month just to get an electric eel

orca is a poor man's ram. octopus is ####

It is, as you said, a * very* slightly upgraded ram that can only be used in water. Given the scarcity of water and how are the plplayerbase in being aware of that and adjusting their tactics, totally get the frustration.

That being said, never had the octopus form but I'm assuming their ability to poison people in otherwise unavailable ways is supposed to be the prize? Like...no one wants that as a top ingredient but as a backup thing...I dunno. Maybe like having camel as a utility form? Incurable blind, that type of thing?

If the guy's been aiming for something, he certainly wasn't the only one.

Two glossy black eyes jut out from the large teardrop shaped head of
the blue-ringed octopus. The majority of its thin skin is a mottled
color ranging from vibrant yellow to light tan. Striking blue rings
randomly cover the animal's entire body. The rings stand out upon
its skin so prominently, they appear raised. Eight arms, each with
two rows of suction cups, fan out from the creature's body around its
tough beaked mouth. Its tentacles fluidly curl and uncurl in the
water.

Str : 17(17) Int : 18(18) Wis : 18(18)
Dex : 18(18) Con : 17(17) Chr : 18(18)
Wimpy : 0 % Morale : Moderate Position : Standing
Hitroll : 38(38 ) Damroll : 19(19 )
AC pierce : -230 Divinely armored AC bash : -230 Divinely armored
AC slash : -230 Divinely armored AC magic : -230 Divinely armored
AC element: -230 Divinely armored
vs Spell : -10 Barely protected vs Paralysis: -12 Somewhat protected
vs Breath : -18 Somewhat protected vs Mental : 0 Not protected

Skills
Bite : Bite your opponent with a chance to inflict neurotoxic venom
Swimto : Swim to a person in the same area who isn't indoors
Siltblend : Camouflage in the silty bottom underwater
Lash : Attempt to lash out and knock your opponent down
Strip : Attempt to strip your opponents weapon away

Automatic Abilities
Second Attack
Third Attack
Fourth Attack
Invertebrate : Does not have a bone structure
Dodge : Excellent Dodge Ability

Okay, yeah, looks like this isn't so great on first glance. Excellent dodge, but the 18 Dex...?

Lots of attacks but they're all given with a malus to damage.

As a first defender type of form this is absolutely ####, no doubt, what I'm trying to do here is incorporate it into a bigger message. There *has* to be a bigger badder form that will erase these people. But...I dunno? The neurotoxic thing? Perhaps they can land that and then you shift to something worthwhile? Is that what water shifters have to be about, Ishuli?, Begging to the heavens that people will be stupid enough to fight them in their chosen environment (worse then Rangers lol,)