Fate/Stay Night (A Tale of Heroes and Magi)

[Arch-Magos Winter]

Stay in character and not use OOC knowledge?

I mean, seriously, snap of Zoukens fingers and Sakura's internal organs get 'nommed. I don't think I can find a better bargaining chip than that. Hell, having Zouken as my character in that way makes me puppeteer of four servants if you act like an idiot and try to save Sakura, Mike. Just think of that for a second.

I love being totally irredeemably evil; it means I really just get to play how I'd handle Zouken in reality - use Sakura to keep Shirou under control, use Caster to start fucking with the other Servants and GEEK THE MAGES with Assassin - and make Ilya a corpse pronto. Only obstacle is Kotomine and Rin, and if I can force Shirou into a dilemma of 'Save Sakura or not kill Rin or Ilya." I have the fucking war won, because I'm willing to spite you and just kill Sakura if that doesn't turn out right and I know I'm going to die.

Welcome to the Prisoner's Dilemma Mike.

[Cherry Lover]

In other words, you are deliberately entering the RP solely so I can't enjoy playing it?

[Arch-Magos Winter]

In other words, you are deliberately entering the RP solely so I can't enjoy playing it?

Nope - to have some god damn fun.


Whiiiich is why I'm picking Lancer/Kotomine after some deliberation, because Zouken/Assassin is such a fucking powerful combo it's not even fair in the right hands.

[Cherry Lover]

Yeah, I think that makes sense. Zouken/Assassin is too easy, and basically ruins the game for whoever is playing Shirou, Sakura etc. since they basically have no choice but to obey you. Kotomine is still interesting, but more balanced.

Defeating or outsmarting NPC Zouken is doable, defeating or outsmarting a PC Zouken is much harder due to their knowledge. Plus, Zouken is barely even sane, so I'm not sure a human player could play him sensibly.

[Arch-Magos Winter]

Yeah, I think that makes sense. Zouken/Assassin is too easy, and basically ruins the game for whoever is playing Shirou, Sakura etc. since they basically have no choice but to obey you. Kotomine is still interesting, but more balanced.

It only makes Shirou obey you if he goes HF route - which as YOU are playing him is the only thing that will happen, much to the detriment of actual story development, character development and god damn logic - if he doesn't know about Sakura's wormy little problem how the fuck is he gonna solve it, and for that matter she's not gonna let it get known about without some extreme circumstances.

Also, Zouken isn't crazy - he's just a pure monster. Loss and gain are all he cares about. He'd kill Sakura in a second if it got him the grail, or gave him revenge to spite an enemy with. He's old, he's cunning, and he's very very dangerous, and he wants the grail above all else and is willing to sacrifice any pawn to get it. He's as much of a monster as Acht is. Just with worms instead of homonculi.

[Cherry Lover]

It happened in HF, it's not difficult to make it happen here. He just has to stumble on a bit of information.

And, yes, of course I intend to follow that path, because that is why I want to play the game. Milbunk has made it quite clear that we're allowed to play our characters as we wish, that includes Shirou being a little more Sakuraphilic than in canon.

And, Zouken is genuinely crazy. He doesn't even remember why he is fighting for the Grail. He's still capable of reasoning, yes, but I don't think he's quite as competent as people make out. Certainly he tends to over-estimate how much control he has over things.

Also, I don't think Zouken would kill Sakura out of revenge, not unless he was dead anyway. His sole desire is to survive, Sakura means nothing to him.

[Arch-Magos Winter]

It happened in HF, it's not difficult to make it happen here. He just has to stumble on a bit of information.

And, yes, of course I intend to follow that path, because that is why I want to play the game. Milbunk has made it quite clear that we're allowed to play our characters as we wish, that includes Shirou being a little more Sakuraphilic than in canon.

And, Zouken is genuinely crazy. He doesn't even remember why he is fighting for the Grail. He's still capable of reasoning, yes, but I don't think he's quite as competent as people make out. Certainly he tends to over-estimate how much control he has over things.

Also, I don't think Zouken would kill Sakura out of revenge, not unless he was dead anyway. His sole desire is to survive, Sakura means nothing to him.

Exactly. As such sacrificing her to cause harm to Shirou would be something he'd do in a heartbeat.


Doesn't matter as I'm playing Team Troll anyway, but just keep that in mind and tread very, very, very, carefully.

[Cherry Lover]

Exactly. As such sacrificing her to cause harm to Shirou would be something he'd do in a heartbeat.

No, he wouldn't. She's too valuable to him for that, and it would also put him in danger.

Zouken's sole priority is his own survival. He'll happily troll people, but he won't reduce his own chances of surviving to do so. Killing Sakura to spite Shirou is a good way of getting himself killed, since Shirou and Rin would then make it their mission to kill him, so he'd not do so unless he was already dying and had no method of survival.

Doesn't matter as I'm playing Team Troll anyway, but just keep that in mind and tread very, very, very, carefully.

Well, yeah, definitely. I already intended to.

[Mordalfus Grea]

If I was to join this and take Zouken and True Assassin, keep in mind I am not that knowledgeable in this field so I will be the inexperienced and student in this. But if I did take the role of the Worm Man and True Assassin, I would have to play the villain and I would also have to play the chessmaster [as that is what Zouken/Zolgin is at heart] in a this adventure.

If I did take up the role as Zouken, I wouldn't be as extreme as Arch would but I would try to prevent changes to the master plan as much as possible but I'd have to ask for support every non and then.

I'd need help in making decision on what his next actions would be, as I would mainly resort to relying on Fanfictions and the Wikia page for information

[Cherry Lover]

Well, I ultimately have no option but to attempt to defeat Zouken, he has Sakura's life in his hands. How exactly I do that is another matter.

I do think Zouken is a difficult character to play, though, because he is in such a strong position. To give everyone else a chance of actually enjoying the RP, you basically need to act as he would act in-character and not try too hard to overcome our attempts.

[lantzblades]

Given the recent change in players I'm out, the remaining characters aren't fun in the obvious downslope that the game's plot is set to take.

[Arch-Magos Winter]

Given the recent change in players I'm out, the remaining characters aren't fun in the obvious downslope that the game's plot is set to take.

You just don't want to be the little girl with the hilariously OP servant. Pussy.

[Mordalfus Grea]

I could take up the role of Zouken but if Lantz wants it I will surrender the role

[Alice]

Magos, don't insult him. I'm not too fond of the nature of his complaints, but there's no need to insult him for it. It's his right to step out if he wants to.

[Arch-Magos Winter]

Magos, don't insult him. I'm not too fond of the nature of his complaints, but there's no need to insult him for it. It's his right to step out if he wants to.

I was being sarcastic.