JenThorpe – Page 3 – Cogwheel Gaming

Diablo Immortal, Diversity, and Disability

Diablo Immortal is currently in Closed Alpha. I was fortunate enough to have been given access to this wonderful, creepy, addition to the Diablo game series. There were two things that stood out immediately. This game includes more diversity in character options than previous games. It also provided me, a person with physical disabilities, with a game that feels very accessible.

This version of the Closed Alpha focuses on the newly added Crusader class. The classes that were released in the Technical Alpha are still an option, but it appears that many players picked the Crusader this time around.

In Diablo Immortal, players pick a class and can choose to be either male or female. They then can decide what their character will look like based on three options: Black, White, or Asian. Each version of the female Crusader has scars across their faces (some more subtle than others). These are battle-hardened women who have seen some things and lived to fight another day.

This is noteworthy because it is the only video game I have played where all versions of the female character for a specific class have scars. In general, female characters in video games are designed to be pretty, and often look younger than the male version of the same class.

The other cool thing is that the default option was Black. The Diablo Twitter account featured the female Black Crusader in a video shortly before the Closed Alpha started. I chose to play as the Crusader I saw in that video because, to me, and to the Diablo team, she is the Crusader.

In Diablo III, players also have the option of playing a male or female character for whatever class they pick. There is only one race option per class. Crusaders in Diablo III are White; Wizards are Asian; Witch Doctors have dark skin, and a quick internet search reveals discussions about whether or not that class its portrayed in a racist way. Diablo Immortal provides an improvement by giving three customization options for each class.

Another great thing about Diablo Immortal is that it is very accessible. It is a mobile game, which gives players more options about how and where they play. My disabilities include chronic illnesses that often cause pain and exhaustion. It would be possible for me to play Diablo Immortal while I’m lying down and waiting for my medications to kick in. Mobile games give me the ability to play without having my hands hurt when I’m done.

I’ve noticed that Diablo Immortal has short quest lines (at least at the start) which are easier for people like me to finish in one go. There doesn’t seem to be a penalty for pausing after failing to kill a boss in a dungeon. The game lets you take a break when you need to, and starts you where you left off.

Warchief Gaming Announced Auroboros TTRPG

Warchief Gaming has announced its first TTRPG (Table Top Role Playing Game) – Auroboros: Coils of the Serpent. The game is based on the role-playing campaign that Chris Metzen (Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Warchief Gaming) created and ran with his childhood friends in the ‘80s and ‘90s. This was previous to Metzen’s work at Blizzard.

Auroborus: Coils of the Serpent is an adaptation of that roleplaying game from decades ago. It has been adapted to Dungeons & Dragons 5E, which makes it much easier for D&D players and Dungeon Managers to pick it up and start a campaign. Ryan Collins (former Hearthstone designer and Lead Product Designer of Warchief Gaming) helped update the game to 5E, along with the help of Warchief’s team of designers and artists.

The first release in the Auroborus: Coils of the Serpent campaign is Worldbook: Lawbrand. It “gives players and GMs all the tools they need to create their own adventures in this epic fantasy world”. It will be launched on Kickstarter on April 20, 2021.

The core concept of the game is the Auroborus (a snake that is devouring its own tail). The campaign takes place in the realm of Lawbrand, a collection of trade cities. The Church of Sularia keeps the order in the cities with “really stringent laws and codes. It’s kind of like Lawful Good gone crazy.”

Beneath it all is the Auroborus, the world serpent, a primordial power. “It is life and death. It is growth and degeneration. It is enlightenment and madness.” Its power can be wielded by mortal creatures – but it comes at a high cost.”. Player characters that take the Mark of the Serpent can use the Auroborus’s power directly to heal the sick or shatter mountaintops. Doing so can cause great peril to the one who uses that power.

In addition to a new world to explore, Auroborus: Coils of the Serpent includes five unique new races and four new subclasses. The Atsaad is an aquatic race. The Wildkeeper is a nature-wielding fighter subclass. There are also new magic items, spells, and “Sigils” (which is a new form of customization).

I am very interested in experiencing what this new TTRPG has to offer. The new setting, races, and subclasses, could bring a fresh energy to the 5E D&D game many of us are playing. The concept that a player character could use the power of a primordial power – while knowing the risk that comes with it – would make for a unique role-playing experience.

Warlock Spells Are Confusing

Have you ever wondered why the Warlock in your party seems unsure about which spell to use? The reason is simple. Some Warlock spells (or cantrips) are misleading. The name of the spell doesn’t necessarily mean it will do what you expect it would.

Chill Touch

What it sounds like it does: Touch an enemy with your hand and make them feel cold (or potentially freeze them in place). Either way, the enemy is slowed down for at least one turn. A red dragon might temporarily lose its ability to breathe fire due to chill touch.

What it really does: Without moving toward the enemy, the Warlock creates a ghostly, skeletal hand near an enemy. Assail the enemy with “the chill of the grave”. Target gains 1d8 necrotic damage and cannot regain hit points until the start of the Warlock’s next turn.

True Strike

What it sounds like it does: Absolutely guarantees that your spell, or an object you throw, will strike the enemy of your choosing. The amount of damage caused depends on the level of the spell, or the size and weight of the thrown object.

What it really does: Grants the Warlock a brief insight into the target’s defenses. Gives the Warlock advantage on their first attack roll against the target on the Warlock’s next turn.

Hellish Rebuke

What it sounds like it does: Allows the Warlock to insult an enemy in a way that would make even a Bard blush. Enemy will immediately start crying (unless they pass a Constitution saving throw). Their tears cause disadvantage on their next attack.

What it really does: Allows the Warlock to surround an enemy with hellish flames. The enemy must make a dexterity saving throw. It takes 2d10 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Shatter

What it sounds like it does: Instantaneously causes all glass that is within a ten-foot sphere around the Warlock to shatter. If used indoors, your party will never be allowed in that Tavern ever again!

What it really does: Causes a sudden ringing noise, that is painfully intense. It erupts from the Warlock at a point of their choice (within range). Each creature in a 10-foot-radius sphere centered on that point must make a Constitution saving throw. Creatures take 3d8 thunder damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Vampiric Touch

What it sounds like it does: Allows the Warlock to bite an enemy and cause blood to rapidly gush out of that wound. Enemy needs to make a Strength saving throw at the start of each turn. Each failed save causes them to become more anemic and have an increasing desire to just lie down for a while.

What it really does: Enables the Warlock to use their shadow-wreathed hand to siphon life force from others to heal the Warlock’s wounds. On a hit, the enemy takes 3d6 necrotic damage and the Warlock regains hit points equal to half the amount of necrotic damage dealt.

Reasons to Love the Combat Wheelchair

The Combat Wheelchair was created by Sara Thompson. They way I see it, the purpose of the Combat Wheelchair is to allow Dungeons & Dragons players who use wheelchairs to create a character that they can relate to. The person running the game can also make an NPC (non-player character) who uses the Combat Wheelchair. It makes Dungeons & Dragons more inclusive.

I am disabled. My allergies are numerous due to having a malfunctioning immune system. I also have fibromyalgia, which is a neurological disease. There are many days where trying to stand up is a gamble, and walking is an extremely slow process. There is no cure for either of my disabilities.

My husband and I went to Disneyland to celebrate our anniversary. We intended to hang out in the Star Wars section. but getting there would require more walking than I could manage. It turns out that Disneyland rents wheelchairs. The wheelchair enabled me to visit Batuu with my husband, and I am thankful for that opportunity.

The Combat Wheelchair caught my attention the first time I heard about it. The thought of playing a disabled character sounded very appealing. It’s nice to feel seen.

The Combat Wheelchair was based on the ones used in wheelchair basketball and rugby – meaning that they are durable! It comes with a set of gloves that the character can use to use the push wheel rims, and it has seatbelts. It can also be maneuvered with the use of Beacon Stones and can hover to get the character up or down stairs. A player can add two upgrades to the Combat Wheelchair. It comes with a rear backrest compartment that is the equivalent of a standard explorer’s pack.

I love that the Combat Wheelchair allows a disabled character to have the same potential that an abled character starts with. All characters can go into battle and attack enemies in their own ways (based on the character’s class and personality). Everyone can move themselves to where they need to go while adventuring.

Best of all, the Combat Wheelchair makes it very clear that there is a disabled character in the party. Doing so helps normalize disabled people in the real world who use wheelchairs. This can open up discussion around the (physical or virtual) table about disabilities.

App Games are Underrated

There are those who will only play a video game if they can do it on their computer. Their gaming world starts and ends there.

App games are seen by many as inferior. There is this perception that those who play app games are not “real gamers”. The problem here is that this concept is presented by people who don’t play app games and have a strong bias against them.

A vivid example of the strong bias some people have about app games happened at BlizzCon 2018. Diablo Immortal was announced by Wyatt Cheng, Lead Designer of the Diablo Immortal Team. It was completely unexpected. The moment it became clear that Diablo Immortal would be an app game – and would never come to PC – the crowd reacted negatively.

App games are underrated. Everyone who attended BlizzCon 2018 had the opportunity to play Diablo Immortal. I found it to be incredibly fun, and fast, and could not wait to find out what lore this game would reveal. Those who didn’t try it – because they don’t play app games – were missing out.

Pokémon GO is an app game that can only be played on a phone or tablet. It is an extremely popular game, worldwide. Nostalgia plays a role in this, as people who played previous Pokémon games when they were younger want to relive that experience. The game is fun, can be played without making any real-money purchases, and (before COVID-19) encouraged people to go outside and get some exercise.

D&D Beyond launched the D&D Beyond Player App. It enables players to view all of the characters they have on D&D Beyond. Players can manage health stats and spell slots, make skill checks and attack rolls, track conditions, and more. I can see how this app would be useful for players who are away from their computer on game night.

App games aren’t inferior to games played on a computer or console. The purpose of gaming is to be entertaining, to give the player an interesting world to explore, and to make it easy for people to play with their friends. The best app games provide all of that.

(Image credit: Ketut Subiyanto)