20/11/2023
ใ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ฃ๐ ๐ง๐๐๐๐๐ฅใ
๐๐ฎ๐ข๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฆ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐
Part 2
The one thing that determines the outcome of a battle, is decision making. It is by far the most important skill, yet is the least practiced in all teaching methods. RPrs tend to struggle the most with this, so here's a practice that I encourage you to master, I call it the โDo or Dieโ method.
๐-๐ or ๐-๐-๐
Each letter represents a thought process which you should take into account, they all go in chronological order.
๐ - Determine
Right after an attack script is posted, read the script to determine the opponents objective. How they draught their script will give great insight, because the goal is not only to counter the attack, but it's to also be aware of any future attack they may be setting up for. One shots aren't always going to occur, so your opponent may try to set up for their following script, with the one they sent currently having to serve as a set up or decoy, as such, you should actively look for these acts and see if it'd be possible for your character to notice these events, allowing you to draught a counter that best suits the situation, & ultimately having you avoid falling victim to a trap.
You should then determine your objective, identify the outcome you want, then explore the different ways this can be achieved.
๐ - Orientate
In the heat of battle, people may tend to loose track of all the events of the battle and solely focus on the attack that was placed on them. Whenever a script is made (whether yours or the opponents), make sure to keep track of each action made, make actual notes that you can read, this will allow you to orientate the events in a quick summary which will give you insight on the touch points of the events.
Sometimes, people forget that as long as an attack isn't definite, it is possible to intercept the opponents move.
You don't always have to counter that deadly move, you can just prevent the event that leads to it.
Eg. If the opponent attacks you with an explosion that covers a large distance and your character can't counter that, then try to dissarm the opponent or damage the explosive device before the big bang.
By orienting the events, you'll actually get better insight on the situation far better than the opponent, and you'll also be able to find small loop holes that you can take advantage of.
๐ - Define
One of the most common errors, is that people don't take definite action, they assume and hope for the best. What I mean by this, is that godmodding and metagaming are common solely because people take action without there being a definite way of proving their actions valid, which leads to disputes and them loosing in the end.
As you're about to draught you counter, and you've successfully identified the opponents objective or actions and have orientated the events, what you should do next is:
1. Define what your character can do.
Being valid is the most crucial part of any script, and as such, make sure to identify all of the characters abilities, their skills, physical and mental ability, their weaknesses and limitations as well. People tend to get caught up in their characters strengths that they tend to forget about their limitations, which is where things go wrong.
By identifying the characters strenghts and weaknesses, you'll be able to identify the best possible way to use the character without ever being invalid.
2. Define the best move
What I mean is that make a list of all the moves you've thought of, even when it feels like you have the perfect move. Among these moves, identify the one that will get you to your objective in the quickest way, preferably the one that requires the least amount of effort from your character (relative to the options you've made). This will allow you to reserve your characters strength and energy in case something unexpected happens, and will allow you to make the best out of the little moves you make.
3. Define the chance of success
Try to figure out the likelihood of your move working. This is basically a matric of how difficult your move is to counter, and the likelihood that it'd work. The best way to determine this, is by reviewing the abilities your opponent has shown your character, and try to use those abilities to counter your own script (in your head). If you find 3 or more ways to counter, then the likelihood of your script working is low, as such, avoid typing a script that won't bring you any closer to your goal and look for another way to draught your move. The sweet spot here is that if there's 1 way to counter or no way at all (based of the opponents abilities your character knows of), then there's a high likelihood of success.
4. Define your steps
Sometimes, we know our counter well, but as we type it, we may leave out a step or 2, which often times results in a debate. To avoid this, write down simple 3 word sentences of your steps, and tick them off as your type each one in the order you desire. This way, you'll leave nothing out and your scripts will have fewer loopholes, eventually leading you to draught scripts that have no loophole whatsoever.
๐ - Important
Another thing to consider, is what you're focusing on important? The need to avoid getting hit and to land a hit may often times deter us from taking the actions that really matter.
An example of this would be of an opponent thลusting a dagger toward your abdomen, to which you can either dodge or blockโฆ or you'd try to be fancy and aim to stร b the hand the opponent uses for the thrust, or ignore all of that and lean in to get stabbรจd so that you can aim your blade for the neรงk.
Different things hold different levels of importance in a situation, and the best possible move always aligns with your objective, which means that you should adopt the ability to manage risk and take sacrifices from time to time. A calculated risk is more advantageous than avoiding being hit, at the same time, the opposite can be true, so you will have to know which is best for your scenario.
๐ - Effectiveness
Lastly, you should be able to determine the level of effectiveness your and your opponents moves.
Eg. Stร bbing someones stomach can kรฌll them, but it's not guaranteed, though it will slow them down.
Cรนtting someones hand off won't kรฌll them, but it greatly decreases their ability to launch an attack or defence.
By continuously making decisions based of your objective and what you know about the opponent, you'll be able to make moves that are best suit for your intended outcome.
Perhaps your opponent is too fast, you want to defeat them, but you must be able to catch them 1st. You could have a hundred ways of catching them, but only 1 is most effective. Don't always try to end the fight in 1 move, it won't always end the way you want.
If it happens that you're fighting an opponent of equal or greater skill, then the best way to win is to chip off their fighting ability little by little, starting with what they value most and what they need (weapons, legs, arms, spell book and etc), allowing you to leverage the most effective moves at a time, eventually allowing you to be on equal ground to finish the match.
I realize that I've covered a lot, and that not everyone will have read to the end, but those who did, save this post and get back to it each time you're in a battle. You're not going to remember everything on your 1st read or even after 5 reads, you'll have to practice each espect individually until near perfection, then move onto knowing the entire process by heart. Once this becomes second nature, you'll be able to make the best moves without having to put much thought into it as it'll be second nature.
Again, Decision Making is the most crucial skill in RP.
Master or craft your own process, and you'll undoubtedly be part of the top 1%.
