Token Female Gamer

Real life has been busy of late, which of course means I dont write as much. Well not online anyway.

Lots of writing on paper, that ancient style of keeping records, which is quite appropriate since I have vaulted myself in the nebulous world of Game Mistressing. I am quite privileged to have my first GM experience include introducing six young ladies to this fabulous past time. Its a huge responsibility, but I am taking the fact that non of them wanted to stop playing after two and half hours as a sign that I did something right.

When the husband and I first conceived of this idea, we debated which system to use. We finally settled on Pathfinder (aka Dungeons and Dragons 3.75 and not WoTC). Having now played it, also for the first time (lots of firsts today), I have to say that its a really great system that keeps the core of what made D&D 3.5 great, but enhances is just enough to heighten playability. Its really well done.

Since we were all so new to the system, we took advantage of their beginners set. But I wasn’t going to stop there, when in doubt, buy more books. Did I mention I’ve been reading a lot of late? The Patherfinder Players Book is quite impressively hefty.

The great thing about the beginners box is that it made creating my own little story quite easy. Everything I needed to know in one small book.

For anyone wanting to get into pen and paper RPGs, I highly recommend the Pathfinder system. Its satisfyingly meaty, while still maintaining ease of play.

With the recent new computer purchase I spent a bunch of time going through my old picture files. Turns out that I had a hidden stash of old EverQuest pictures. As per request I am downloading the best here to share. Funny enough, most of my pictures turned out to be me casting illusions on everyone. Lot more trolls and dwarves running around then usual. =D

I will note here that though I played on two different servers, these are all from the Inner Loop Guild that played on the Rodcet Nife server. Can do Fourth Wall next if there is demand. =P

Images are after the jump since there are quite a few of them.
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I think I might have just used up all my Puzzles and Dragons luck on my last magic stone machine pull. Not that I knew it at the time and was rather disappointing to see that I had gotten Siren the Enchanter.

Turns out that she is one of the best healers in the game and I somehow managed to get the fully evolved version. Behold how I was lucky enough to twink myself.

Having her as my leader is amazing. I literally can not die. Its Puzzles and Dragons easy mode! Just don’t hate me because I’m lucky, friend me instead. =D

 I swore I wouldn’t play this game. All the months that my husband and friends have been obsessively playing and urging me to hop on the bandwagon, I have held strong. No, I said, I’m already collecting battle pets in World of Warcraft, I said, I didn’t want another distraction on my phone, I said.

But curiosity has this way of creeping in and making me pliable. My husband, sensing weakness, pounced! He pushed the iPad in front of me, game installed and ready for me to register a new account. Just try it, he said, and smiled his most winsome smile, its not on your phone, he said. How could I refuse?

I’ve been playing ever since (I cant stop!!) Come play the crack with us, they said, you will really really like it, they said. Damn them for being right. (I had to take various P&D interludes while writing this blurb, for research, purely research!)

Thankfully, limiting the game to the iPad was really quite brilliant, as it certainly has managed to curtail my tendency to overindulge.

For those of you who will heed my warning, for this is certainly a cautionary tale, be strong! Puzzles and Dragons will eat your soul!

To the rest, here is my friend ID (tfgamer is the account name). Friend me up and send me a note to let me know your account name so I can be sure to add you! =D

Oh and here are some really good websites to get great information.
http://ggftw.com/forum/game-discussion/118764-iphone-android-puzzle-dragons.html#post1783761
http://zh.pad.wikia.com/wiki/Category:%E5%AE%A0%E7%89%A9 (in Chinese!)
http://www.puzzledragonx.com/
http://puzzleanddragonsforum.com/index.php
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/puzzle-dragons-english/id563474464?mt=8 (official itunes page)

Come build super dungeon squashing power teams with me! =D

Violet Hold Bosses

I’m sticking with MMORPGs again on this topic because its what I remember the most. There must be something about the endless repetition of playing the same dungeons over and over that makes them a bit more memorable. Shocking, I know. =P

Favorite World of Warcraft dungeon is by far Violet Hold. I love how the entire dungeon is contained in a single room, gladiator style. While there are still quite a few trash mobs, the entire experience seems a bit more fresh as they spawn in random locations around the room. The boss selection is also random.

Lower Guk Dead Side

Favorite EverQuest dungeon is hands down Lower Guk. It was a make or break for Enchanters in that place, with tight quarters and lots of mobs and endless trains. There was no better dungeon to learn how to truly crowd control, except maybe the original Cazic Thule. That’s some of the most fun I have had in an MMORPG, probably ever.

(Side note: still posted on the 8th!! Been so busy and I haven’t managed to pre post any yet. Ah well. I’m not late!!!)

I have a few criteria that I prioritize when picking a new class for a game. Usually my first pick will be whatever the female option is. Thankfully more and more games provide gender options for all classes.

My second pick is usually any class with pets or skeletons, really bonus bodies of any kind. There is nothing more satisfying then running through the Diablo 2 world with an army of skeletons. My first official World of Warcraft character was a hunter and then later I moved onto a Warlock, both pet classes.

The third pick is usually ranged dps, most often magic based. I almost always pick ranged over melee. This includes healing classes putting melee firmly in last place. Pet classes > ranged dps > healing > melee.

I will say though that in games that allow me to pick multiple characters and form my own party, I rarely pick pet classes. Basically I like having buddies and when I have an entire group, pets aren’t necessary. Which is why I will usually go for the mage or wizard.

Mass Effect 3 is the final installment in the critically acclaimed third person role-playing game series. BioWare, creators of the franchise and no stranger to controversy, had fans in fits about the overall ending of the game.

I must admit to being wildly curious about what had created all the fuss and though I studiously avoided spoilers, it was impossible not to anticipate something about the ending being different.

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Most gaming television shows are rather trashy, but I have recently discovered a new low, the gaming competition reality show. I realize that I’m a bit late to the party as these shows have been around for a while, but realty TV is something I usually avoid like the plague, so bear with me.

I learned about them when I was looking up information on pro female gamers and these shows have quite a few lady gamers participating each season. Since I’m always interested in seeing more ladies gaming, I couldn’t help checking them out.

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Hey Munchkin husbands everywhere, you are in luck. Play Prime World with your wife and get bonus stats!

The developers are trying to support mixed gender groups, yet are relying on Facebook account information to determine actual gender. Laughable and unreliable. Susana Polo of the Mary Sue summed it up best:

…the potential to incentivize seeing the players of the opposite gender as a statistic that needs to be maintained, rather than a basic fact of life (not to mention insensitivity to a spectrum of trans players). While that wouldn’t necessarily create an unequal situation in a population with equal gender ratios, in one with an admitted majority of men it has the potential to lead to players treating female players as a numerical advantage rather than fellow players, if the game’s balance favors these gender-based talents.

Read the entire article here.

Here’s an idea, instead of resorting to bribes, make a game that the ladies will want to play.

The single iPad in our house really belongs to my husband. This has never posed a problem, as I haven’t found much use for it. Then he shared Battleheart with me. This addictive little game is almost good enough to cause iPad fights.

Although Battleheart is a very accomplished game, the few items of great annoyance have tempered my addiction enough to save us from having to purchase iPad #2. =)

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