Cantousent

Thanks for being considerate and using spoiler tags! Welcome to the board and enjoy your stay. After five posts, you'll no longer be moderated and posts will go through without needing approval. Hopefully you stick around and enjoy debating, describing, or otherwise discussing your experiences with PoE and other games. I'll leave the answer to your question to folks more in the know than me.

aHA! It becomes clearer. There were bomb threats in San Bernardino (high school) and in Loma Linda (who the hell knows where). That at least explains the black helicopter earlier today. I note that no one actually blew up. I'm with you. Bomb scares at the end of the fall term is not altogether unusual at a high school, eh?

Heh, there was a bomb threat at Grand Terrace High School. I have close friends there. Of course, as is usual in these cases, no real bomb or anything. I do recall seeing a black helicopter overhead, but it was more towards Loma Linda so I don't think it was out looking for terrorists who called in a bomb threat in Grand Terrace anyway. Crazy world in which we live.

Trump literally makes my blood run cold. I seriously may sit out the election if he's nominated. The only thing I can say to my gloating Democrat friends who relish the idea of him getting the nomination is this... you might want him to run because you think he can't win, but be careful of whom you root for in the primary because he or she may become President.

Yeah, we're a bunch of lazy bastards. I'll tell you what, archangel, you're still welcome. This is a great place to discuss games and, if you want to do so, feel free. When we get into calling 'people' ignorant or whatnot, then you're going to end having posts gulaged. I say this to you in this thread so other folks can see it as perhaps clarifying how this forum works. We pride ourselves and letting folks speak their minds and blow off steam. ...And I'd already let at least one report in thread slide before a bunch of people (not just you) had their posts gulaged. What I'm getting at is that it's okay to rebut someone's argument or attack their position. We just don't want folks to be the object of personal ridicule. I'll often edit out these things and leave the rest of the post, but if it gets to be too much of a chore, I'll remove the whole thing. In this case, I'm not the moderator who axed the posts, but I agree with the one who did completely. So, go to the Codex and blow off some steam, but if you want to come back later and duke it out with folks, we're here and we'll welcome you. :Cant's slapping archangel on the back icon: Meanwhile, having hopefully clarified the situation, I'll ask you to take further discussion about moderating to PMs. You can always PM one of the mods to personally argue your case. Once again, I'll keep my opinions about the topic to myself.

I used to have a religious distrust of people who wouldn't share a beer with me, but then I came to understand it meant I get more beer that way. Seriously, though, while I *do* think there is a Muslim problem in the world today, I don't think it's necessitated by its religious tenets. Islam, like every other religion practiced throughout history, is not a theology in practice. It more closely resembles politics on the macro level. Personally, people have religious convictions and they organize and interact according to these personal convictions in a way that becomes religion write large. This is true for a megalithic organization such as the Catholic Church down to hearth goddesses of ancient civilizations that were truly personal in a way that a lot of modern folks don't really understand. In all this time, there have been religions that called for varying amounts of violence or non-violence, and there have been folks in quite peaceful religions who exhibited remarkably violent attitudes as a culture and folks who have had religions tenets that not only allowed but even called for violence in certain circumstances who have been relatively peaceful compared to others. I'm loathe to name specifics just because someone always feels hurt or offended and, for the time being, I'll err on the side of not goading other folks. The upshot, however, isn't to castigate any of these organizations used in the examples anyway. It's to point out that the structure of Islam, although allowing for more violence, need not necessarily be violent in practice and there are many communities of peaceful Muslims. That's not a guestimate. That's simple observation. If 10% of the Muslim community in the United States were determined to kill and willing to die to do so, the country would literally look like a war zone. Hell, if .5% of us intlecshually challenged Chrishtuns were determined to kill heretics and willing to die to do it, we'd be screwed as a country. That's not to defend Islamic radicals. I think Islam has shown a propensity for radicalization in modern times that truly sets it ahead of other religions, although not entirely apart from some. ...But we can't solve the problem if we don't understand the causes. I'm not talking about social welfare programs or other pie in the sky foolish utopian nonsense. I'm talking about really getting to understand what options we have to fight terrorism that doesn't amount to engaging in protracted and bloody war on a scale not seen since the last world war. Once again, don't get me wrong. Some ask the question, "how can you fight someone willing to die in order to impose his religion?" The simple answer is, "by obliging and helping him to do so." Nevertheless, that drastic answer truly pits us against them in a way that is not only immoral, but also unnecessary and self destructive. I don't want to join in the mass shunning of Islam now because I have a feeling there's a big group of people who're gladly looking to do it to Catholics later. If it comes to all out war, at least let us know that we looked at every option otherwise and I can't see how it must come to outright absolute war in the largest sense. War against terrorism and specific entities? Sure. Writing off all Muslims? Insane. Sorry for the rambling response. Mea culpa.

Could it have been some sort of status effect that wore off, maybe? What I would do is just take a gander from time to time, especially when you have your inventory open for other stuff, and check to see. If, over time, it doesn't happen, it will clearly show as having been some sort of fluke. Anyhow, I'll let more erudite members find a better answer for you.

If someone truly personally attacks you or breaks the forum guidelines in some clearly offensive way, you should always feel free to report a post. However, the brevity of an answer is not proof, in and of itself, of trolling. In fact, while I haven't read every single sentence, this thread seems a pretty good example of folks having wildly different views and expressing themselves vigorously without crossing over into outright personal attacks. A member disagreeing with you, however terse or short, is simply not a reportable offense. Folks are free to make good and bad arguments on behalf of their convictions and, if you guys are like me, you probably have at least a smidge of both. /public service announcement I actually typed out a long response, but now that I've had to go all moderator, I don't want to appear to take sides. :Cant's bemused grin icon:

Not only that, my impronounceable named friend, but that one heal over time spell at second level. I personally think that's one of the most badassed spells in the game. My thinking is perhaps slightly diminished at the moment, but it gives the priest a couple of truly vital casts of buffs or some other spell without worrying about keeping another NPC on his or her feet. It's not glamorous or exciting, but I think that's one of the best spells of the game.

Damn straight, pilgrim! Although I admit that I love playing mages more than anything. If I couldn't have fun with a mage in my party (at least a joinable NPC) I would not have had as much fun with the game.

I'm going to gulag some posts in here. Please continue the discussion about the topic. EDIT: for clarity.

This is my second full run and I'm forced to play fairly slowly, but I've still only about 35% or 40% into the game as I see it. I don't know for sure. Anyhow, I just got to some sort of seige that clearly part of the xpac. lol I've managed to knock off a couple of groups of baddies, but these guys are real brutes and are tossing around spells to which I have no access. Let me tell you, I can't convince my bruises and broken bones that magic sucks in this game. I might be playing my other folks wrong (although I seem to do pretty well in the battles so far), but Aloth is probably the most effective character in my party. He certainly has the highest damage output. When he's not knocking someone prone, slowing them down, or otherwise vexing them generally, he's hurling aoe grenades at the bad guys or bringing down fire or lightning. I'm enjoying this game so much right now, I'm not even finished with my hard run and I'm already planning my Path of the Damned run. Ironically, I recently purchased eye of the beholder as part of a multi-pack and I still think they did a great job with the game. A little clunky by today's standards, but I'll get to it eventually and play it again.

...And that hits the point home, my numbered friend. I agree with Grom on this, I'll admit, but when you're the 'nosy neighbor' like me, you have to ask yourself, "What if this guy is just trying his best to get ready for some sort of med school thing? Maybe boards or something? What if I call the cops on some innocent guy and something happens to him?" The problem, as I see it, is where do we draw the line? If I hear gunfire, I should call. I'm pretty sure most folks would agree with that. The other scenarios are just too tough to call because there will always be a rational argument for either side and you have to decide. For myself, I know how I come across on the forum and I'm okay with that. It's part of the reason I was willing to be up front about my own personal experience. I've been foolish and callow and maudlin and cruel on these boards, so I might as well be genuine also. So, to that end, I would say this, I think the vast majority of my neighbors have been happy to have someone who takes at least some interest in them than wish I would bugger the hell off. I know a couple over the years who've wished I were gone, but I'd like to think they didn't hate me, just thought I was a pain in the ass. I'm not trying to apologize for being the nosy neighbor. I kind of like the phrase, actually. Reminds me of Mrs. Crabitz (sp) from Bewitched. Only, I'm not trying to dig up dirt. I'm legitimately concerned about my neighbors. Nonetheless, that works both ways. I don't want my neighbors being punished because I'm a busy body. Certainly, I don't want anyone to die for a small amount of pot any more than I want to overlook truly suspicious activity and see a bunch of people getting murdered because I was too cowardly to say something. So I'm not arguing with you, although I'm perfectly happy if you argue with my points I've made here. I'm more pointing out that these personal decisions face us every day and they're not as clear cut as either side make them seem. I don't exist in a neighborhood occupied by politics. I exist in one populated by people and that means having to sort through a bunch of nonsense in order to make a decision and not always knowing if I'm right or wrong.

Ahh didn't know that.

This made me smile. Just can't get away from the comparisons. Avellone, PS:T, and a sales pitch to ol' skool RPGers? I just hope we get another great project from him sometime down the road.. Of course, I also want more PoE. :Cant's huge grin icon: