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  1. #31
    Astonishing Member Ptrvc's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shai-Hulud View Post
    I’m not sure I understand the question.

    Generally speaking, you’d be as skilled with any weapon or fighting style as the best person to ever master it, although there would be crossover aptitude. So you’d probably be able to quickly master any new weapon you came across (like retarded Klingon weapons, the Bat’legh, lol).

    This is not an “intuitive aptitude” power, like Forge or Doug Ramsey, but more of a “composite best-ever human race” power. But there’d be synergy and crossover aptitude as well going on. How long would it take a great master to learn new styles? Way less than us amateurs.

    Is that what you’re asking?
    Essentially. For me it be worth it if it gave you lost knowledge on say how this school of swordsmanship did things, or this one did that as a way to revive stuff that in HEMA we're kind of Frankensteining together from old surviving manuals and sparring.

    But I think the way your describing it there would be no way to separate things back out so you'd really lose out on the historical revival angle that interests me.

    Ah well, I'd just choose Economic and be a rich guy.

  2. #32
    Mighty Member Shai-Hulud's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ptrvc View Post
    But I think the way your describing it there would be no way to separate things back out so you'd really lose out on the historical revival angle that interests me.
    Ah, now I understand what you meant.

    Yes, I do think you'd also have "book knowledge" of the different historical schools

    You're also getting strategy, tactics, and logistics with this package. Caesar, Napoleon, Alexander, Patton... so it's not just composite reflexes but composite knowledge.

    You know what you know, and you can do what you know, both.

  3. #33
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    The money. Number one. 2 and 3 pretty useless and just hobbyist fun. #4 - being in a situation to kill folks or lead them to kill others, no for me. Also, having experience with firearms unless you are Kryptonian or a Flash, someone is just going to shoot your martial arts head eventually.

    Make the money, retire, give to good charities, buy luxuries. Much more fun that seeing ghosts, I can buy the game I like to play. NO blood for me as a life style.

  4. #34
    Incredible Member Morning's Avatar
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    The thing about Esoterica is that once you master it, you dont need anything else. You would be, in one sense, the best version of yourself you could be and perfectly content with that, regardless of the details of your life. There is no question for me that this is the wisest choice.

    However, until you are at least close to that level already, it is hard to feel that way. Enlightenment is so far from who I am now that it's as terrifying as death. I would lose so much of what makes me me. Even the loss of parts of myself I want and intend to lose one day is scary if it's so sudden. Intellectually I know that it would cease to be scary the moment I take the deal, that the me I'd become would.never miss these things and would be better off in every way that matters. And yet...

    I would choose commerce or games. With commerce I would play the market, and help out local businesses and nonprofits. I dont need to be rich, but I wouldnt need to make much through investments to live the life I want now.

  5. #35
    Mighty Member Shai-Hulud's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Captain Smith View Post
    Also, having experience with firearms unless you are Kryptonian or a Flash, someone is just going to shoot your martial arts head eventually.
    As Master of War, you would also be equal to the best shooters who ever lived.

    That includes being the fastest on the draw, and you would get not just reflexes, but knowledge, so you could recognize ambush situations. You would have the best all-around situational awareness of any human who has ever lived on our planet.

    A Master of War might feel compelled to reorder his life and surroundings to cut down on the chances of being caught flat-footed in any environment. You might start wanting to avoid crowded stadiums and being stuck in city traffic, etc.

    It would probably be quite difficult for someone to shoot you. You'd be armed, you'd see them coming, you'd be faster and have better aim, and in all likelihood, you've taken preliminary steps to avoid that kind of dangerous situation from the get-go.

    Just because you're a Master of War doesn't mean you have to live war. There's no destiny being chosen here. You wouldn't be some protagonist trying to retire to the country but for your author writing endless sequels. You can move to the country and retire just fine.

    But if trouble comes your way, nobody does it better, as they say.
    Last edited by Shai-Hulud; 01-22-2022 at 11:43 AM.

  6. #36
    E-Liter3K Scoped Headshot The MunchKING's Avatar
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    The MunchKING would claim he's already an expert at these things. But really it's a lot of abusing Save Points.

    Quote Originally Posted by Shai-Hulud View Post
    Master of Commerce - You are a master of all forms of human economic activity. This includes buy and selling, doing deals of all kinds, playing the market, running businesses, and so forth. As good as the greatest market wizards and robber baron tycoons are/were (guys like Warren Buffet, J.P. Morgan, etc.), that’s how good you are.
    Well I've already got millions of GP sitting around, but economy-boosting policies could be helpful to So Asbena.

    Quote Originally Posted by Shai-Hulud View Post
    Master of Esoterica - You are a meditation master on the level of real-life Buddha
    But then I'd be enlightened enough to think non-violence (or at least "not murdering people") is a GOOD idea!! *shudders*

    Quote Originally Posted by Shai-Hulud View Post
    Master of Games - You are a master of all games, equal to the very best humans who have ever mastered such games.
    Oh, I wonder if I get Yugi's other deals, like the super-luck?

    Quote Originally Posted by Shai-Hulud View Post
    Master of War - You are a master of all forms of battle and combat, including personal combat and large scale troop tactics and strategy.
    Eh, "Overwhelming firepower, brought to the battle fastest" has worked for me thus far.
    The MunchKING is Back! And he is AWSOME!

  7. #37
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    Master of War - unless you command the major armed forces of the world, your individual prowess will come to naught. Read the book the Allure of Battle. Masters of War get killed by attrition and logistics if they don't have the resources.

    The Master of War is a naive thought piece. On the individual level, your fast draw (and I know fast draw folks) if not superman flash level will not be fast enough against a few competent people. Also, an artillery barrage will just blow you up. Or a tank.

  8. #38
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nik Hasta View Post
    None of these seem attractive to me.

    To expand a bit on why:

    I have no interest in running a business or going into stocks or market stuff. I have been pretty open about my general distaste for capitalist structures and, while money would be nice, I don't want to do that stuff. I've worked in morally bankrupt industries in the past and I would not do it again for any amount of money.

    The enlightenment stuff sounds like basically nothing. The health benefits of being good at Yoga are about the only thing that are attractive about it but I feel like just being given spiritual one-ness kind of defeats the purpose of trying to better oneself.

    Being impossibly good at games kind of defeats the point of them to my mind. I am not very good at games, both board and video, but I enjoy throwing myself at the challenge. If I can just one and done literally every game and never lose to anyone but the best then that means I won't be able to play with my friends without sandbagging and that just removes a social outlet for me.

    I don't have any interest in war, conflict or contributing to the military-industrial complex. The fitness and being good at martial arts is attractive but I don't think it's worth changing my thought processes to be combat optimised.

    So I guess $500 for me.
    Same here, man.

  9. #39
    Incredible Member Morning's Avatar
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    Why would anyone take $500 dollars? You could take games and win that in a single poker hand. No one is saying you have to devote your life to games or commerce, just that you'll have a huge advantage at them. You could just libe your life exactly as you are now, but with the potential to make a year's salary when you feel like a weekend trip to Vegas.
    Last edited by Morning; 01-23-2022 at 10:50 AM.

  10. #40
    Legendary God of Pirates Nik Hasta's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Morning View Post
    Why would anyone take $500 dollars? You could take games and win that in a single poker hand. No one is saying you have to devote your life to games or commerce, just that you'll have a huge advantage at them. You could just libe your life exactly as you are now, but with the potential to make a year's salary when you feel like a weekend trip to Vegas.
    I mean, I gave my reasons. Generally I'm not motivated by money that much.

    I don't think that having to go to Vegas or do gambling and stuff to make additional money is worth compromising my ability to relate to my actual real world friends through games or my enjoyment of games as a whole.

  11. #41
    Mighty Member Shai-Hulud's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Captain Smith View Post
    Master of War - unless you command the major armed forces of the world, your individual prowess will come to naught. Read the book the Allure of Battle. Masters of War get killed by attrition and logistics if they don't have the resources.

    The Master of War is a naive thought piece. On the individual level, your fast draw (and I know fast draw folks) if not superman flash level will not be fast enough against a few competent people. Also, an artillery barrage will just blow you up. Or a tank.
    "I was pulling out of the Bar & Grill last night when an artillery barrage blew my legs off."

    I think you're assuming a lot of things about the scenario that aren't in the OP.

    First, just because you get the power infusion, you're in no way transported to the 'Nam, or Waterloo, or Longstreet's charge. Your normal life pertains.

    Second, why are you assuming that if you choose this package armies of assassins will come after you trying to gun you down? That's not in the OP.

    Third, if armies of assassins are involved, Master of War is the package most likely to survive. So if you're worried about attackers, this is the one to pick.

    Fourth, standing and fighting needn't be your first option. Jason Bourne is far superior to any of the soldiers that come after him, but he assesses the odds properly and concentrates on escape and evasion.

    Fifth, if a sudden shootout is unavoidable, the world record fast draw appears to be Ernie Hill, who drew and shot from a standing position in 0.208 seconds. If it's not him, but Bob Munden, then you're even faster. You'd be both the fastest and the most accurate shooter that ever lived. And you'd have the highest level of situational awareness of any human being ever.

    Doesn't mean you have to go looking for trouble though.

  12. #42
    Fantastic Member Muadib's Avatar
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    I'll take Master of War. The others have their uses, especially commerce, but i would like to know what it feels like to wake up and be Musashi, Julie Aubigny, or Simo Haya.

    Of course once i have the infusion, i will got to Hollywood and make the greatest action movies of all time, with the perfect balance between verisimilitude and magnificent cinema. Eat my dust Yuen Woo Ping, Bob Anderson and Jeff Imada!

  13. #43
    Extraordinary Member MichaelC's Avatar
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    I'm already a competent investor/options trader, so becoming the best in the world doesn't gain me much. As others have previously stated, there's a strong element of luck to this. Because of the luck factor, the difference between a competent options trader like myself, and a genius, is only a few percentage points.

    On the other hand, being the best gamer in the world means I can pour lots and lots of prize-money into my competent investing. We're talking about winning chess tournaments one day, and Starcraft tournaments the next. The money would pile up reeeeeally fast.
    Last edited by MichaelC; 01-23-2022 at 05:54 PM.

  14. #44
    The Weeping Mod Sharpandpointies's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nik Hasta View Post
    I mean, I gave my reasons. Generally I'm not motivated by money that much.

    I don't think that having to go to Vegas or do gambling and stuff to make additional money is worth compromising my ability to relate to my actual real world friends through games or my enjoyment of games as a whole.
    This.

    People seem to think 'taking it because it's $500'. Nope. It's 'taking no-choice, none of the above thank you, oh, sweet, I get $500 for free.' The $500 is an optional extra, a bonus.
    Why are we here?

    "Superboy Prime (the yelling guy if he needs clarification)..." - Postmania
    "...dropping an orca whale made of fire on your enemies is a pretty strong opening move." - Nik
    "Why throw punches when you can be making everyone around you sterile mutant corpses?" - Pendaran, regarding Dr. Fate

  15. #45
    Extraordinary Member MichaelC's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sharpandpointies View Post
    This.

    People seem to think 'taking it because it's $500'. Nope. It's 'taking no-choice, none of the above thank you, oh, sweet, I get $500 for free.' The $500 is an optional extra, a bonus.
    ....Okay....I really don't understand you people at all. I get so excited when something like, for example, my Peloton put options rocket up astronomically in value. I'd love for my trading skills to improve. It's just that realistically I could get more benefit from having a steady flow of game wins.

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