Boxxy trudged into its home dungeon feeling especially irate. Though the withdrawal was part of it, the main reason for its sour mood was Stain. Or more specifically, the weird memories she had put into Rowana and Doris's heads. The mother-daughter pair seemed fine mentally, but were convinced they'd spent the last week or two doing nothing but playing cards and sleeping. No eating, no drinking, no going to the toilet, just poker and naps. Needless to say, if that slime was going to do something like this again, she'd need to put a lot more effort into those fabricated visions.

Thankfully the women themselves didn't seem at all perplexed by their implanted memories, which gave Snack plenty of time to spice them up a little while they slept in the coming nights. The triplets had all met their respective tutors and had started their individual training with only minor issues. Keeping track of Lydia was going to be a bit awkward since she had left on a trip around the countryside, but Boxxy felt confident Claws could handle that task.

The biggest problem was just how much gods-damned attention Arms drew to herself whenever she walked in public. The shapeshifter had initially intended to have Fizzy escort Robin, but the dynamo golem refused to do so. Though she agreed that it was important to keep those girls safe, there was someone else that was far higher on her priority list. A certain someone named Boxxy T. Morningwood.

"Come on then, let's get busy," the radiant construct demanded. "My HERPES isn't going to test itself."

"Yeah, yeah…" the shapeshifter grumbled.

The two monsters walked over to the dungeon core platform, which was the brightest part of the cavernous tree trunk. Boxxy sat cross legged on the floor with its back to Fizzy. The metallic Artificer then proceeded to stick a series of six mithril clamps into the gray flesh covering its spinal column. She linked them together with some wiring that fed into a small half-collar, which was attached to the base of the doppelganger's skull. She then flipped a tiny switch, causing Boxxy to shudder reflexively as the machinery sprang to life.

"Alright, all set on my end," Fizzy reported. "Let's start the first trial."

The shapeshifter groaned affirmatively while the golem walked around it to face it with a sealed vial of Honeydew in her grasp. Its hand twitched as if it was about to make a grab for it, but Fizzy's arm-cannon was pointed at its head before it could even make the attempt. Keeping a vigilant eye on the greedy monster's spotty impulse control had been the main reason she had refused to help look after the girls. No mortal knew this creeper better than her, and she understood that not even twenty-four-hour supervision would be enough to keep it in check.

Which was where the Honeydew Exposure-Reactive Preventative Electrocution System came into play. The contraption's main function was to release a minor electric shock every time the thing it was attached to - in this case, Boxxy - came into contact with the narcotic substance in question. Simply dangling a vial of the stuff in front of the monster was not enough to set it off, of course. However, it started beeping quietly once Fizzy uncorked the container and let the drug's fragrancy wash over Boxxy. The closer she brought the sample to its face, the faster it beeped. She then poured a few drops of it on top of the monster's cranium.

The HERPES responded instantly by letting out the loudest and longest beep yet, followed immediately by a painful zap of electricity that was funnelled straight into Boxxy's spine. The monster shrieked and shuddered in pain before collapsing, its body paralyzed by the invasive current. Fizzy walked over and checked on the controller unit on the shapeshifter's neck, noting the values on the tiny gauges that she had built into it.

"Okay, seems I over-tuned it a bit," she reported casually. "No, Plus, that's not how that works. Null, can you please tell her? I'm busy… Yes, I know it's pointless, just do it. Thanks."

The golem continued chatting with her alter egos as she fiddled with the delicate device. The payload it was supposed to deliver was intended to bring discomfort, not outright paralysis. She had simply underestimated just how vulnerable a doppelganger's spinal column was to its Bane. This sort of thing was why the testing phase was arguably the most important part of developing a new invention.

However, the golem had forgotten about the glob of Honeydew on Boxxy's cranium. The HERPES picked up its presence the instant it had finished charging back up and went off before its creator could finish tweaking it. The repeat shock was just as powerful as the first one, incapacitating the shapeshifter mere moments after it had regained control of its body. Fizzy realized her mistake and wiped the narcotic substance from its skin to prevent any more… misfires.

"Were you trying to kill me?!" it complained a short while later.

"Relax, the HERPES monitors your vitals. It will avoid shocking you if there's a chance it might drain the last of your HP."

"Doesn't that mean I can just leave myself near death and-"

"You really don't wanna do that."

As expected of Boxxy, it had immediately figured out a way that security feature could be exploited to circumvent the device's automated disciplinary action. However, Fizzy had also thought of that.

"Honeydew takes a few days to completely work itself out of your system. What do you think the HERPES will do if you actually manage to swallow some?"

"… It will keep zapping me, won't it?"

"Exactly. And it won't ever run out of juice since it powers itself by sapping some of your MP."

Boxxy had to admit, the idea of being zapped every few seconds for days on end sounded far more unpleasant than the withdrawal symptoms. It could, of course, just rip the thing from its body, but the rational side of its mind recognized the need for it. The HERPES was there to dissuade Boxxy should it have a moment of weakness and there was nobody else around to keep it from reaching for the hylt-derived drugs. It was just thankful that Ambrosia was supposed to be napping for at least another month, otherwise it would likely never be able to clean up its act.

"Boxxy, you're drooling," Fizzy pointed out.

"Yes, and?"

"… Nevermind. So, what's on the agenda for tonight? You mentioned you had something important to do while the meatbags were asleep."

"Right. I think it's high time our little group held a more in-depth training exercise."

"What, another instant dungeon run?"

"Not exactly. Those are good for getting used to working as a group, but I noticed a certain flaw with that method when we fought Erena."

"Really? I think we did pretty good."

"Perhaps, but 'pretty good' won't cut it on the Shattered Isles. We need to be flawless, and what I saw back there was anything but."

Boxxy, being the control freak that it was, made sure to regularly take note of the strengths, weaknesses and abilities of each member of its posse. This was vital information to have if it hoped to utilize them to their fullest. However, it felt that something was missing during the encounter with the old God of Destruction. It had spent most of the next two days analyzing its perfect recollection of the fight, courtesy of the Legendary Intelligence Perk. This had allowed it to notice a lot of small things that it couldn't pay any attention to during the battle itself.

The conclusion it reached as a result of this retrospective was that Boxxy appeared to be the only one who knew everything about its allies. While the monster-demon coalition had certainly performed well considering this was their first real fight together, there were a lot of missed opportunities to deal heavy damage. Snack, for example, was not mindful of Claws's highly flammable webbing when flinging her Spells, nor did Jen give Fizzy any opportunity to imbue her with Holy Infusion.

"We, as a group, lack information about one another," the shapeshifter declared. "And by 'we' I mean 'you.' None of you seem to be aware of any Skills, Jobs, Perks, Spells or Martial Arts outside your own. You've always just sort of assumed what the others were capable of and sort of went with the flow. It's worked so far, but relying on improvisation alone will get us nowhere if we plan to challenge the scores of veterans and VIPs that will be attending the Dragon Festival."

Though the golem naturally disliked having her shortcomings dragged into the open like that, she couldn't help but see Boxxy's point. Fizzy herself was just one of many examples of how combining Skills and abilities from multiple Jobs could produce a result that was greater than the sum of its parts. However, she had never even bothered to think of achieving something like that with beings other than herself and her Parallels. But the people that would attend the Festival? They've already had decades to not only figure out which synergies worked best, but also practiced executing them to the point of it being second nature.

Therefore, not only was the meeting Boxxy proposed likely to be quite beneficial, but it was also a perfect excuse for her to strut her stuff.

"Alright, so how do you wanna do this?" she asked, eager to begin. "I mean, you still need to look after those three meatbags and one of them is out of town."

"Nrgh," it grumbled. "Will need to wait until things calm down."

It would have loved to just kidnap all the people under its protection and stuff them inside the dungeon while they slept, but the FIB security detail was going to make that tricky. Truthfully speaking it really didn't want to engage their services, but it just seemed like something Keira would do. As such it needed to postpone the meeting until all of its minions and allies could attend it in person.

It wasn't until a week later that the opportunity finally presented itself. Lydia had returned after a 'misunderstanding' with her tutor, so all the nephilim were currently in Azurvale. The FIB had also completely bought into the scapegoat Boxxy had given them, giving Keira an excuse to rescind her request regarding their guard detail. The Sandman's familiars would still stick around 'just in case,' but the elf operatives were allowed to attend to other matters.

However, it was a bit odd that they delayed informing the public about having captured the 'culprit' behind the Great Collapse. A brief bout of investigation later revealed this was due to political reasons. The government was determining the best time to publicly condemn and execute the man-puppet in order to garner the most approval from the populace. Apparently the ones in charge were concerned that revealing they had caught the mastermind too soon would make people think they were merely putting on a show to mask their incompetence.

The shapeshifter was perfectly alright with that decision since its primary Facade would only benefit from a larger and more well-received public event.

For the moment, however, it focused on its internal information exchange. Picking out a quiet evening, it had Rowana, Doris, and the triplets taken from their hotel rooms and safely deposited in the dungeon's prison block without anyone noticing. The women themselves were sedated through magical or alchemical means, leaving them blissfully unaware of the way they were treated as luggage. With them handled, Boxxy fetched Jen from its 'branch office' in Velos, summoned up all three familiars and tore Fizzy away from her projects, gathering all of them underneath the glowing dungeon core.

It briefly explained its concerns regarding their lack of cooperation and then flat out ordered them to participate wholeheartedly in the meeting, even if some of them thought it stupid or boring. That said, the shapeshifter recognized that going over everything itself and its underlings were capable of would require far too much time, effort and concentration. Its monstrous troupe possessed nearly three hundred Skills, at least seventy Spells, around thirty Martial Arts, and a few dozen Perks in total. While it personally could keep tabs on all of those, none of the others shared its mental faculties.

That was why it had spent the past week preparing concise summaries of the most important and crucial aspects of each of those things, which it gave out to everyone in attendance.

Skill, Spell and Martial Art breakdown, by Boxxy T. Morningwood

Boxxy - Doppelganger Skills

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Mirror Image

Create body doubles

Diversions, multitasking, scouting

Mindless, bad reflexes, light bodies

Pheromone Control

Influence people with pheromones

Crowd control, influence individuals

Some react stronger than others

Broken Reflection

Absorb memories of a corpse and assume their shape

Posthumous interrogation

Can't eat the body

Puppet Parasite

Hijacks the body, akin to Mind Control

Usable on targets with high MNT

Target must be physically weak

Spirit Echo

Mirror Images can use Spells and communicate telepathically

Versatility, Snychronous Chanting

Must be ordered to cast, terrible aim

Hylt Metabolism

Can eat sunlight and ambient mana to boost HP/MP recovery

Sunlight is tasty

Mana can be nasty

Mystic Camouflage

Counteract detection-type magic for a limited time

Automatic activation

Duration varies, unreliable

Corporal Stability

Severed body parts last longer, shapeshifting Skills are better

Yes

No

Boxxy - Mimic Skills

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Assassination

Sneak attack for massive damage

Can be used with some Spells

Can't be used in the middle of a fight

Storage

Storage

Storage

Storage

Cadaver Absorption

Absorb bodies for a chance to gain Skills, Attributes or Jobs

Infinite growth potential

Power creep risk, dead-end Jobs

Biomass

Increases body mass, boosts HP recovery

More material to shapeshift with

Weight is issue for Facade

Natural Armor

Passively reduces damage suffered from all sources by 10%

Universally helpful

Leveling it was painful

Metal Mimicry

Mimic nonmagic metals at the cost of MP

Create weapons/tools at will

Metal limbs are numb and stiff

Mend Flesh

Continous regeneration at the cost of MP

Keeps me alive

Doesn't scale with max HP

Adaptive Defense

Increased resistance against the last elemental damage taken

Great against specialized casters

Useless against non-magic enemies

Boxxy - Warlock Skills

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Summon Familiar

Summons a demon, long cast time and huge MP cost

Demons are powerful minions

They do stupid things sometimes

Power Overwhelming

Amplifies damage and MP cost of Ruin Spells

Can end fights instantly

Too flashy

Demonology

Knowledge of rituals and can summon extra familiars

Rituals can be very useful

Rituals can be very deadly

Crystallize Magic

Solidify area effect Spells into Spell Crystals for later use

Excellent versatility

Crystals have to be thrown

Chant Reduction

Self-explanatory

Cast Spells quicker

Greater risk of fumbling a Spell

Demonic Insight

Gives demonic Spells, boosts INT effectiveness

More utility, MP, and Spell power

Spells can be a bit unpredictable

Despair Aura

Causes everyone in range to be fearful, more likely to panic

Crowd control, especially vs fodder

Ineffective vs high-Level targets

Soul Link

Familiars share HP damage and magical buffs among them

Less likely for one familiar to die

More likely that all three die at once

Enslave Demon

Take control of unbound demons

Very useful in theory

Quite uesless in practice

Graviton Manipulation

Teaches new gravity-based Spells, boosts all gravity magic

Best used against large monsters

Adventurers usually have counters

Malefic Union

Absorb a familiar to gain its power and Skills for 3 minutes

Become stupidly powerful

Carries risk of demonic corruption

Necrotic Aptitude

Gain five Necromancer Spells

Powerful scourge-based magic

Spells increase risk of Taboo

Siphon Soul

Drain HP and MP, get bonus XP on kills

Helps gain Warlock Levels faster

Point-blank range

Summoner's Grimoire

Creates a flying book that follows minions and casts Spells

Versatile, knows all my Spells

Limited MP, can't use any Skills

Boxxy - Warlock Spells

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Shadowbolt

A straightforward damaging projectile

Surprisingly stealthy

Easily absorbed by armor

Ebonfire

Set living things on fire for several seconds

Really easy to hit

Gives target time to react

Frostbite

Fire a burst of icy projectiles

Cheap, good damage

Difficult to aim

Dark Explosion

Area Effect Spell with concussive force

Really good with Crystallize Magic

Easily absorbed by armor

Shadowbind

Create chains of ethereal steel to bind the target

Good against Casters

Can be broken with brute strength

Singularity

Pulls everything in a wide area towards the point of origin

Excellent crowd control

Easily avoided with experience

True Darkness

Create a completely lightless area

Empowers shadow magic, confuses

Doesn't do damage or limit movement

Massive Rejection

Throw enemies back with a wave of force

Creates space

Easily absorbed by armor

Reality Slash

Cuts things in a line

Very few things resist it

Surprisingly easy to dodge

Momentum Anomaly

Creates an area where weight increases proportional to speed

Really good against huge targets

Ineffective gainst brute strength

Weightless Space

Creates an area of zero gravity

Most monsters are unable to cope

Most adventurers are

Gravity Well

Creates an area of high gravity

Similar to Momentum Anomaly

Not as potentially potent

Magnetic Tilt

Creates an area where gravity works in a different direction

Can redirect falling debris

MP cost is really heavy

Mass Panic

Induces a powerful fear against all targets in range

Really good with Crystallize Magic

Range is very short without it

Delirium

Forces a state of deep confusion on one target

Can take a combatant out of the fight

Unreliable like most mind magic

Dark Infusion

A massive boost to effects of STR, AGI, DEX and INT

Explosive burst of power

Stuns living things when it expires

Mind Blast

Stuns a single target

Good against fighter-type targets

Ineffective against Casters

Hysteria

Poisons the mind with confusion, can spread to others

Can inflict group-wide confusion

Not as potent as Delirium

Mind Control

Exactly what it says

Turns enemies into allies

Difficult to pull off mid-combat

Implosion

Summon a swarm of imps

Creates cheap fodder

A mild annoyance at best

Transfamiliar

Swap places with a familiar

Bypasses many teleportation wards

Really long chant

Demonate

Detonates a familiar to deal fire damage

Damage scales with HP

Familiar does not survive

Pandomenium

Creates a dome that turns Spells into their opposites

Good for surprising adventurers

Limited charge, only works on Spells

Familiarize

Remotely control a familiar

Great for scouting or utility

User must remain stationary

Decay

Accelerate corrosion, erosion and rotting in an area

Good for breaching fortresses

No effect on living things

Shadow Plague

Spreads a disease that induces necrosis in living things

Damage inflicted rises over time

Disease resistance is common

Lethargic Mist

Spreads a disease that saps energy from living things

Can cripple even VIPs

Disease resistance is common

Corpse Explosion

Detonates a body for heavy damage

Damage scales with corpse quality

Heavy risk of Taboo

Defile

Taints an area with Blight

Great for sabotage, I guess

Heavy risk of Taboo

Boxxy - Ranger Skills

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Tracking

Highlights footprints and other recent tracks

Finding prey is easier, even in cities

Low-impact

Marksman

Teaches Bow Martial Arts

Gives plenty of options

Bows rely too much on projectiles

Whisper Wind

Long range communication

Useful alternative to telepathy

Requires line of sight

Fleet Footed

Greater speed and less stamina used while running

Very little practical application

Only used as cover for Facade

Hunter's Mark

Marked targets are tracked, take more ranged damage

Long range, discrete application

Limited use in combat

Eagle Eye

Enhances long-range vision

Great scouting tool

Entirely reliant on eyesight

Razor Volley

Imbue next 5-10 shots with wind magic

Better arrow range and damage

Only works on unenchanted ammo

Throwing Arm

Use wind magic to throw items in impossible arcs

Versatile, limited projectile guidance

Throwables move slower

Mobile Fire

Fire bow while moving with no loss in accuracy

Greater mobility

Doesn't work for Martial Arts

Masked Passage

Prevents leaving tracks when using Stealth

Leave less evidence

Doesn't enhance Stealth itself

Water Traversal

Swim faster, hold breath longer. Water-walking at high Levels

More effective than magic items

No benefits on dry land

Arrow Trap

Conjures arrow traps of various types in soft soil/sand

Can be used with trick arrows

Unusable in cities, caves, etc

Boxxy - Ranger Martial Arts

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Power Shot

Empowers an arrow with extra force

Straightforward damage boost

None

Guided Arrow

Empowers an arrow to seek out its target

Much easier to hit moving targets

Low damage

Multishot

Creates up to five copies of an arrow

Can be used with trick arrows

Less damage per shot

Blast Arrow

Empowers an arrow to expldoe on impact

Inflicts damage in an area

Low projectile velocity

Shrapnel Shot

Causes an arrow to burst when fired

Knocks melee targets back

Easily absorbed by armor

Pinning Shot

Hit a target's foot to trap it in vines

Much bigger range than Spells

Target must have feet on the ground

Snipe

Empowers an arrow to fly straight and fast

Two kilometer range

Execution is slow

Chain Shot

Each hit with Chain Shot empowers the next Chain Shot

Attack speed ramps up rapidly

Must only use Chain Shot or it resets

Tornado Shot

Empowers an arrow to create a strong gust of air on impact

Good for dispersing groups

Deals almost no damage

Thunder Arrow

Empowers an arrow with lightning that arcs to multiple targets

Long-ranged elemental damage

Cannot use with trick arrows

Boxxy - Blade Dancer Skills

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Hornet Style

Rapier fighting style based on precision and speed

Boosts thrusting damage

Doesn't affect non-rapier swords

Adagio Variation

Massive DEX boost, rapidly consumes stamina

Great for stabbing things

None (for me)

Winterlich Waltz

Deadly dance - imbue melee attacks with ice

Wide sweeps, great for crowds

Risky against skilled opponents

Evasion

Helps when dodging attacks

Basic survival Skill

Too basic

Rapid Riposte

Activate to block, instant counter on succesful parry

Counter damage is really good

Missed Ripostes leave you open

Flamenco de Fuego

Deadly dance - imbue melee attacks with fire

Fast, great for dueling

Somewhat predictable

Presto Variation

Massive AGI boost, rapidly consumes stamina

Awesome speed boost

Doesn't increase damage

Blade Finesse

DEX increases slashing damage with one-handed weapons

Makes DEX a lot more useful

Limited to specific weapons

Knife Juggler

Uses magic to throw knives hands-free

Versatile, rapid fire

Weaker than physical throws

Sanguine Spray

Wounds bleed more and heal slower

Effective against high END targets

Ineffective against armored targets

Tornado Twist

Deadly dance - imbue melee attacks with wind

Can deflect physical projectiles

Less damage than other dances

Duelist

Identifies weak points and boosts damage done to them

Works with all weapons

But only in one-on-one fights

Boxxy - Wizard Skills

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Arcane Stability

Take less backlash damage from failed magic

Helps when hiding in Storage

Very situational

Mana Shield

All-purpose defensive barrier

Scales with max MP

Flashy

Residual Feedback

Spells gain power with each consecutive cast

Perfect for magic-based fights

Have to constantly be casting

Disruptive Barrage

Magic missile barrage, deals extra damage against barriers

Instant damage on demand

Scales only with Skill Level

Glyphcraft

Weave Spells into flat surfaces to make glyph traps

Can set up nasty ambushes

Long prep time

Synchronous Chanting

Group Spell casting

Amazing synergy with Spirit Echo

Situational

Mental Alacrity

Easier to maintain Spell focus when taking damage

Works with all Spells

Only useful when actively getting hit

Expansive Mind

Increased INT gains, INT gives more Spell damage

Extremely potent at 1,000+ INT

Doesn't boost MP

Boxxy - Wizard Spells

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Firebolt

Basic fire-based projectile

Reliable source of fire damage

Not a lot of it

Icebolt

Basic ice-based projectile

Reliable source of ice damage

Not a lot of it

Water Slicer

Basic water-based projectile

Reliable source of water damage

Not a lot of it

Air Hammer

Concussive blast of air

Knocks targets back

Doesn't do damage

Lightning Bolt

Basic lightning-based projectile

Reliable source of lightning damage

Not a lot of it. Also, I hate using it.

Flame Jet

A focused burst of fire

Punches through magic barriers

Short range

Frost Mine

Lays a magical trap that turns invisible after a while

Good for ambushes

Only lasts up to fifteen minutes

Spark Blast

Does minor lightning damage in an area

Low cast time

I really hate using lightning.

Earth Spike

Skewers targets from below with a spear of stone

Reliable source of earth damage

Easily absorbed by armor

Stabbing Rain

Cause piercing ice shards to fall from the sky for a time

Good area denial

Can move out of affected area

Flight

Gives the Caster flight so long as the Spell is maintained

Lateral movement on demand

Can't do anything else while casting

Searing Blast

Does minor fire damage in an area

Low cast time

Dark Explosion is better

De-spell

Disperses magic in an area

Wide area

Indiscriminate

Disintegrate

Causes matter to disappear into dust

Unresistable damage

Easily absorbed by armor

Apport

Teleports an item from your hand to a nearby visible location

Usable with grenades, Spell Crystals

Only works on small items

Teleport

Teleports the user across large distances

Fastest known form of travel

Calculating coordinates takes time

Gate

Opens a two-way portal that anyone can use

Fastest known form of group travel

Calculating coordinates takes time

Boxxy - Absorbed Skills

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Acid Spray

Sprays acid

Can eat through most metals

Limited range, poor scaling

Divine Attunement

Boosts Holy Spell potency

Only has benefits

I don't know any Holy Spells

Ruinous Reach

Bonus range on Ruin Spells

Warlock Skill, got it for free

None

Aerial Strikes

Boosts jumping/pouncing attacks

Free damage

Situational, increases are minor

Vile Blades

Coats bladed weapons in poison

Usable with enchanted weapons

Poison is fairly weak

Monocular Rage

Cyclops Enrage Skill, activates when their eye is attacked

Potentially deadly

Unusable (wrong race)

Dustoff

Upward gust of air that can be caught by wings

Great for rapidly gaining altitutde

Unusable (too heavy)

Padded Skin

Reduces damage taken from blunt weapons

Free defense

None

Path of the Dragon

Teaches heavy-hitting Staff Martial Arts

Can use with Voidcaller

I'd have to use Voidcaller

Sense Danger

Amplifies animal instincts to avoid predators

No downsides

My instincts are stronger

Web Throw

Throws a spider web up to 30 meters

Ranged disabling move, handy

Webbing is not very strong

Disrupting Wave

Dispel magical effects in an area around the user

Instantaneous, chantless

Cooldown period between uses

Feline Mobility

Passive boosts AGI effectiveness

Free speed

None

Fire Breath

Dragon breath knockoff

Surprise factor

Poor scaling

Fire Affinity

Negates fire damage taken, increases fire damage dealt

Useful in many situations

None

Earth Affinity

Negates earth damage taken, increases earth damage dealt

Immunity to ground tremors too

Can still be buried alive

Petrifying Gaze

Immobilize the target by locking eyes with them

Can use with multiple eyes

Slow-acting

Darkness Affinity

Negates dark damage taken, increases dark damage dealt

Empowers many Ruin Spells

None

Darkflight

Silent flight, only works in the dark

Better than the Flight Spell

Environmental dependancy

Cold Snap

Instantly freeze everything within an area

Extremely potent

Painful to use without Cold Affinity

Charged Strikes

Imbue melee attacks with lightning

For fighting other shapeshifters

I hate using it

Boxxy - Other Skills

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Chaotic Disposition

Random chance for a random effect whenever MP is used

Outcomes are sometimes tasty

Outcomes are usually not tasty

Agent of Chaos

Makes the impossible happen

Has produced incredibly tasty results

Very difficult to control or predict

Essence Concealment

Creates a fake Status that can fool Appraisal-style effects

Lets me do the things I do

Doesn't work on quasi-divine beings

Vengeance

Increases damage of next attack, scales with damage taken

Potentially devastating

Requires I get badly hurt first

Eyes of the Dead God

Can see names and HP of enemies

Instant threat assessment

Not directly useful in combat

Shapeshift

Move flesh and bone freely, only spine must remain intact

Too many to list

Lightning as Bane

Phytokinesis

Specialized telekinesis for controlling plant life

Also lets me shapeshift into plants

Very environment-reliant

Stealth

Muffles sound of movement

Makes Assassination much eaiser

Not foolproof

Boxxy - Perks

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Legendary Endurance

Vastly increased stamina capacity and disease resistance

Can fight longer without getting tired

None

Legendary Intelligence

Increased Skill damage, improved short-term memmory

Works with Skills that don't scale

Only for Skills that directly do damage

Legendary Perception

Reduces likelihood of senses being overwhelmed

Eliminates drawbacks of high PER

None

Legendary Strength

Higher base strength, 1/5 of melee damage bypasses armor

Very tasty

None

Legendary Dexterity

Higher base flexibility, 1/5 of ranged damage bypasses armor

Not as tasty

Flexibility is wasted on a shapeshifter

Legendary Agility

Deal more damage and take less damage when moving fast

Bonuses scale with speed up to 25%

Only amplifies melee damage

Legendary Mentality

Mind control immunity, mind magic works on golems/undead

Superbly tasty

Don't have it yet

Arms - Fiend Skills

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Demonic Armaments

Conjure weapons and armor

Don't have to worry about gear

Performance isn't all that great

Second Wind

Heal for % of missing HP

Instant and incredibly potent

Long cooldown unless resummoned

Demonic Carapace

Temporary defense boost

Instant and incredibly potent

Manual activation required

Demonic Leap

Massively boosted leg strength when jumping

Cover long distances

Easy to hit mid-air

Violent Meditation

Gain MP when hitting things

Much-needed source of MP

Only works for melee attacks

Imbued Armaments

Demonic Armaments gain enchantments

Free enchantments

Enchantments are low tier

Combat Reflexes

Improves response time in combat

Boosts defense against rapid attacks

Body too slow to use fully

Forceful Persuasion

STR works like CHR when intimidating others

Effective both in and out of combat

A bit too effective

Embodiment of Wrath

"Soul power" improves base performance

Free power

Hard to gauge

Spiteful Echoes

Melee hits create damaging shockwaves

Cause more damage through armor

Seems lackluster for a 'final' Skill

Arms - Hoarder Skills

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Vault

Works kind of like Storage

Persists between summons

Limited usage

Hand of Avarice

Takes an item from the target at random

Instant use, good range

Unpredictable

Sense Treasure

Detect shinies within a certain range

Great for finding hidden treasure

Doesn't sense cheap shinies

Golden Touch

Petrifies thing on melee hits, only with gold instead of stone

Makes the un-shiny shiny

Shinyness is temporary

Arms - Berserker Skills

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Bloodlust

Melee kills boost damage

Great when dealing with hordes

Useless in all other situations

Brutal Fervor

Damage taken boosts Attribute effectiveness

Makes Arms deadlier

Have to take a lot of damage

Face Smasher

Teaches Brawler Martial Arts

Really effective with Arms's body

Low MP pool to use them with

Berserker Rage

Huge damage boost followed by a period of weakness

Good for ending a fight quickly

Downside is incredibly severe

Eye For An Eye

Temporary damage boost against attackers

Scales with damage taken

Ineffective against multiple attackers

Battlecry

Rallying war cry

Empowers allies

Also empowers enemies

Unchained Anger

Improves Brutal Fervor and Berserker Rage

Powerful Skills become even better

Limited scope

Rabble Rouser

Makes enemies more likely to attack the Berserker

Great for drawing attention

Results may very

Arms - Berserker Martial Arts

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Headcrack

Smashes the skull from both sides

Concussion guaranteed

Only works on things with skulls

Uppercut

Upward punch with enhanced force

Knocks targets upward

Doesn't do much damage

War Stomp

Smashes ground with foot to create tremors

Breaks most enemies' footing

Doesn't work on all surfaces

Thunderclap

Slaps hands together to produce a deafening shockwave

Arms can use all six arms

Indiscriminate

Shoulder Bump

Empowered body slam

Sends victims flying

Makes Arms vulnerable if she misses

Foot Stamp

Stomp on an opponent's foot with bone-crushing force

Really good with Arms's weight

Only works on things with feet

Dominating Blow

A straight punch that does huge damage

Arms's hardest hitting attack

Easy to read

Limb Press

Simultaneous upward knee and downward elbow strike

Perfect for breaking bones

Deals damage to own limbs on a miss

Temple Slam

Grab a target and suplex them head-first into the ground

Arms can use all six arms

Doesn't work on really big targets

Dirty Blow

Rising knee strike usually aimed at gut or crotch

Fast and strong

Arms is too tall to use this right

Arms - Other Skills

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Idiotic Strength

Better STR, worse INT

Incredibly potent for a fiend

Max MP becomes really pitiful

Trophy Case

Gain power from trophies in Vault

Lots of potential

Collecting trophies takes time

Earth Affinity

Negates earth damage taken, increases earth damage dealt

Immunity to ground tremors too

Can still be buried alive

Snack - Succubus Skills

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Energy Drain

Leech HP/MP through skin contact

Massively amplified during sex

Quite weak outside of sex

Demonic Seduction

Appear especially enticing to mortals by amplifying CHR

A succubus's main weapon

Useless in combat

Inivisibility

Temporary invisibility, breaks when inflicting or taking damage

Effective both in and out of combat

Still makes noise

Versatile Tongue

Speaks all kinds of language and dialects perfectly

Great for blending in with a culture

Useless in combat

Devilish Cunning

CHR improves thinking abilities like WIS

Makes Snack deliciously devious

She only thinks about sex

Aggressive Cuddling

Sex deprives partner of strength, easing rape

Can be used in combat

Insanely difficult to use in combat

Malicious Torment

Uses mind magic to cause illusory pain

Distraction at worst, crippling at best

Does not cause any damage

Penetration Expertise

Magic bypasses a portion of resistances

Great against enchanted gear

Can't bypass Affinities

Sins of the Flesh

Sperm intake boosts magical power

The boost lasts for several hours

Must be taken fresh from the source

Lustful Echoes

All magic inflicts demonic corruption at a rapid pace

Erodes target's will

Can't be turned off

Snack - Succubus Spells

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Sleep

Puts target into a coma-like state

Universal pacification tool

Easily disrupted by pain

Delirium

Forces a state of deep confusion on one target

Can take a combatant out of the fight

Unreliable like most mind magic

Mass Panic

Induces a powerful fear against all targets in range

Really good with Crystallize Magic

Range is very short without it

Snack - Djinn Skills

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Amplify Magic

Temporary increase to magic damage done or taken

Potentially deadly

Potentially suicidal

Guiding Light

Clairvoyance magic that can be used to find objects or people

Easy to follow, fairly accurate

Depends on the djinn's desires

Mist Form

Temporary physical immunity and spell vulnerability

Can sneak through tiny gaps

High MP cost, slow reforming

Conjure Catalyst

Creates various magic/alchemical reagents

Convenient

Lackluster

Snack - Pyromancer Skills

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Devouring Flame

Pyroclasm spells cause a lingering damage over time effect

Stackable

Higher MP cost

Mana Burn

Devouring Flames last longer and sap MP

Overall improvement in damage

Damage to MP is minor

Summon Molten Guardian

Conjure magma elemental as a pet

Semi-autonomous, good fighter

Poor scaling without extra Skills

Volcanic Burst

Detonate Pyroclasm Spells early for bonus damage

Best used with Meteor, Inferno

Friendly fire is an issue

Tempered Flame

Area Effect fire spells deal less damage to allies

Great for messy skirmishes

Designating allies takes time

Fiery Weapon

Imbues weapons with fire damage

More potent than enchantments

Damages the item

Reignition

Reignites Devouring Flames in an area, all at once

Devastating finishing move

Very situational

Flame Effigy

Conjures a living flame that seeks out a target and explodes

Nigh-impossible to dodge

Poor scaling, no Devouring Flames

Snack - Pyromancer Spells

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Fireball

Launches a fiery projectile that explodes on impact

Great all-purpose offensive magic

Indiscriminate

Purge

Removes poison, disease, and bleeding from target

Decent utility

Causes minor damage to target

Inferno

Creates a fiery tornado

Covers a wide area

Indiscriminate

Magma Missile

Lobs three projectiles of molten rock

Good single-target damage

Must be on ground to use

Blast Wave

Burns and knocks back targets around the caster

Creates space

Indiscriminate

Flamethrower

A sustained torrent of fire

Damage slowly increases with time

Can't do anything else while casting

Meteor

Drops a massive lump of fire from above

Massive damage

Unusable indoors, easy to dodge

Backdraft

Snuffs out both magical and mundane flames

Limits damage from Pyromancers

Affects user's flames as well

Scorching Ray

A sustained beam of concentrated heat

High damage, long range

Can't do anything else while casting

Volcano

Lava continually bursts from the ground in large flying globs

Good area denial

Situational use

Scalding Gust

Blast of steam

Superbly painful

Damage dealt is low

Fire Ward

Defensive Spell that reduces fire damage taken

Simple, but effective

None

Snack - Other Skills

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Shapeshift

Leftover from origin as succubus

Great for camouflage

Only skin deep

Dreamweaver

Mind manipulation through dreams

Can read and implant memories

Repetitive use is ill-advised

Conjure Mirage

Create hyper-realistic illusions

Extremely flexible

Only visual, no sound, smell or touch

Fire Affinity

Negates fire damage taken, increases fire damage dealt

Useful vs many opponents

None

Claws - Stalker Skills

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Stalk

Silent movement without causing air disturbances

Like Stealth, only better

Doesn't hide from plain eyesight

Counterspell

Can 'cut' magic to dispel it

Works on barriers, too

Some forms of magic can't be cut

Rending Claws

Damage and bleeding on natural weapons

Makes claws and scythes deadlier

Still useless against heavy armor

Blood Gorger

Drinking fresh blood gives a temporary Attribute bonus

Stackable

Not as potent at higher Levels

Detect Magic

Sense magic and enchantments

Quite accurate

Very short range as base stalker

Magic Resistance

Self explanatory

More potent than enchantments

None

Mana Leech

Rapidly drain MP from nearby targets

Good against low-MP enemies

Why not just kill them?

Spider Sense

Give spider-like hyper-awareness

Sense Danger that actually works

Easier to overload senses

Peerless Gluttony

Can eat a LOT of food, improves Blood Gorger

Translates into more Demon Silk

Stalker is harder to satisfy

Silent Echoes

Silence all targets within a short range

Prevents speaking and chanting

Affects everyone indiscriminately

Claws - Webstalker Skills

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Steel Thread

Enchanted webbing that's super strong

Can be used as a weapon

Still highly flammable

Weaver

Weave webbing into complex patterns and shapes

Great for handling Demon Silk

Limited combat applications

Impact Webbing

Fire a glob of sticky webbing that explodes on impact

Long range binding

Can be broken with brute force

Empowered Claws

Enchant claws with element based on species

Reliable source of ice damage

Cannot be used with Counterspell

Claws - Rogue Skills

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Assassination

Sneak attack for massive damage

Can kill most targets in one hit

Can't be used in the middle of a fight

Misdirection

Makes noises as distraction

Does what it says with no drawbacks

Alerts targets, prevents Assassination

Evasion

Helps when dodging attacks

Basic survival Skill

Too basic

Silent Sprint

Sprinting is faster and makes less noise

More mobility with Stalk or Stealth

Low impact

Cheap Shot

Attacking a weak point can cause stuns

Just an all-around useful Skill

Somewhat inconsistent

Deadly Acrobatics

Better air control and damage from jumping attacks

Makes a stalker even more agile

Damage boost a bit weak

Blade Finesse

DEX increases slashing damage with one-handed weapons

Claws's claws count

Her scythes don't

Adrenaline Rush

Reduce damage taken, stamina consumption and pain

Good for rushing a target head-on

Reckless, risky

Claws - Other Skills

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Venomous Sting

Can poison melee targets

Wide variety of poisons available

Ineffective against strong opponents

Webspinner

Greatly improved webbing accross the board

It's good, I guess

Messy

Clear Ice

Optical camouflage on demand

Claws can be both shiny and stealthy

Not completely invisible, MP cost

Cold Affinity

Negates cold damage taken, increases cold damage dealt

Mobility not hampered by ice

Borderline useless for offense

Jen - Monk Skills

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Disciple of Chaos

Obtain 'guidance' while meditating, a form of clairvoyance

Can be shockingly accurate

Can be shockingly inaccurate

Ki Manipulation

Replace MP with Ki, enabling special Skills

Ki recovers much quicker than MP

Can't use Spells

Flow Perception

Can sense flows of energy, air and water

Jen says it helps read an opponent

I don't see how

Empowered Strikes

Ki increases melee damage

Especially strong against undead

Consumes Ki with every hit

Parry Expertise

Helps when parrying attacks with a weapon

Good against enemies of similar size

Less good against bigger ones

Ki-Imbued Skin

Harden skin with ki for defense

Tougher than mithril plating

Can't use with armor, consumes Ki

Projectile Deflection

Helps when deflecting physical projectiles

Can completely shut down Rangers

Of little use against most other Jobs

Path of the Tiger

Teaches combination-based Martial Arts with unarmed strikes

Fast, significantly lethal as monster

Useless against heavy armor

Wholesome Being

Poison and disease resistance

Negates two common nuisances

None

Strength of Stone

Improves STR and END while grounded

Improves both defense and offense

Jen flies a lot

Purity of Thought

Better control over emotions, resists manipulation

Less likely to be mind controlled

Also limits positive emotions like joy

Healing Hand

Use Ki to restore HP and heal wounds

Mends broken bones in combat

Unsuitable for sustained healing

Diamond Soul

Surpress effects of environment, hunger, thirst and exhaustion

Function normally in harsh conditions

Still need to eat and drink as normal

Flurry of Blows

Rapidly repeats a Martial Art up to six times

Greater overall damage

Can't stop mid-Flurry

Timeless Body

Greatly reduces the degenrative effects of aging

Maintains the body's prime condition

Doesn't increase lifespan

Unleash Potential

Temporary buff to Ki and Ki-based skills

Scales with FTH

Jen's FTH is low

Perfect Physique

Amplifies STR, maintains optimal muscle mass

Don't have to do muscle training

Unimpressive for a high Level Skill

Spirit Guardian

Jen's Ultimate, automatically blocks attacks

Can stop even massive hits

Rapid strikes overwhelm it

Jen - Path of the Tiger Martial Arts

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Rending Assault

Channels Ki into claw swipes that cause heavy bleeding

Good damage overall

Doesn't always puncture skin/hide

Savage Sweep

Channels Ki into a sweeping kick that cleaves like an axe

Can catch opponents off-guard

Easy to read

Nerve Strike

Channels Ki into a pinpoint strike that disables limbs

Renders the target defenseless

Only works on humanoid targets

Solar Glare

Channels Ki into a blinding flash of light

On demand flashbang

Also blinds the user

Rising Fang

Channels Ki into a crushing strike to the throat's windpipe

Excellent exploitation of a weak spot

Only works on humanoid targets

Jen - Warrior Skills

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Toughness

Improves defense from armor

Good adventurer Skill

Jen doesn't use armor

Evasion

Helps when dodging attacks

Basic survival Skill

Too basic

Penetrating Strikes

Piercing weapons dig deeper

Works for ranged weapons too

Jen doesn't use piercing weapons

Blunt Weapon Affinity

Reduces recoil when using blunt weapons

Can hit hard targets easier

Doesn't boost damage directly

Blocking Expertise

Dulls impact when blocking attacks

Helps when parrying is impossible

Intended for shields, not staves

Dense Muscles

Boosts STR effectiveness

Makes Jen's high STR even better

Requires Toughness

Deep Reserves

Raises stamina and energy capacity

Fight for longer without feeling tired

Rarely comes into play

Armor Break

Melee attacks more effectively damage defenses

Allies benefit from this too

Requires Penetrating Strikes

Body Check

Boosts tackles, body slams, shoulder charges and so on

Great for throwing foes off-balance

Jen doesn't have much weight

Arms Race

Harder to be disarmed, easier to disarm

Very useful against adventurers

Less than useful against monsters

Jen - Griffin Skills

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Wind Assisted Flight

Uses innate wind magic to help with flight

Lets Jen fly

Jen can't fly without it

Rip and Tear

Bleeding and slashing damage boost

Synergizes with Path of the Tiger

Ineffective against armored targets

Dominant Bloodline

Easier to intimidate others, extra HP per END

Extra survivability and utility

Jen's appearance isn't intimidating

Air Raid

Activate for dive-bombing attack

Absolutely devastating if it hits

IF it hits

Echolocation

Sense targets through extreme hearing

Lets Jen fight without relying on sight

Vulnerability to sonic attacks

Jen - Harpy Skills

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Dustoff

Upward gust of air that can be caught by wings

Great for rapidly gaining altitutde

Seems unusable in midair

Snatcher's Grip

Boosts leg grip strength

Leg grapples become a viable attack

Not everything is grabbable

Piercing Plumage

Hardens feathers into throwable knives

Cheap ranged attack option

Weak damage

Dazing Screech

Sonic attack that stuns and disorients

Useful in many situations

Friendly fire is an issue

Jen - Perks

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Legendary Strength

Increased base strength, melee damage penetrates armor

It's just good

None

Fizzy - Paladin Skills

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Champion of Chaos

Catch glimpses of possible near futures

Predict an opponent's next move

Not 100% accurate

Toughness

Improves defense from armor

Works with Fizzy's mithril plating

None

Strength of Faith

FTH boosts melee attacks similar to STR

Especially strong against undead

None

Holy Scripture

Teaches Holy Spells and midly increases their effects

Provides healing and versatility

None

Divine Wrath

Temporary boost in physical damage and magic power

Extremely potent while it lasts

None

Bonecrusher War Art

Teaches Martial Arts that emply a mace and shield

Adds some much needed flexibility

None

Parallel Plot

Creates up to three independent alter egos to aid in combat

Fight, cast and use Skills at once

A tiny bit maddening

Pure Skill

Random chance for an attack to deal significant damage

Free damage

Unpredictable

Beacon of Faith

Increased FTH gains and FTH effectiveness

Empowers Spells and Skills

None

Radiant Presence

Radiate cleansing holy energy, scales with FTH

Fizzy becomes blindingly shiny

It's temporary

Condemn

Activatable to bind a target with holy shackles

Helps control the fight

None

Sanctify Item

Curse removal, imbue item with holy energy

Makes shinies even shinier

None

Instant Payback

Return portion of damage taken to attackers while active

A creative form of suicide

None

Fizzy - Martial Arts

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Grand Slam

A wide swing of the mace

Hit with extra force

Easy to read

Shield Wall

Completely blocks a melee attack

Can shrug off huge blows

Timing needs to be very precise

Heavy Gong

A horizontal mace strike

Especially effective against armor

Slow

Rebound

Deflects a projectile Spell

Can be reflected back at its source

Spells can be too powerful to deflect

Love Tap

Downward strike that makes the target bounce

Allows for better control during fights

Ineffective on heavy targets

Gag Order

Strikes the throat with the shield's rim, preventing Spell use

Can be used silently

Very short range

Nail Strike

A lunging strike with the mace

Sharp and fast

Not suitable for all maces

Arms Trap

Disarming technique that uses the shield

Especially effective against axes

Useless if target has no weapon

Hammer Toss

Hurls the mace as a magic-guided projectile

Superb ranged damage

Have to get the mace back

Shield Throw

Hurls the shield as a magic-guided projectile

None

Fizzy can't deatch her shield

Fizzy - Spells

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Holy Light

Basic single-target healing Spell

Fast chant, potent healing

None

Consecrate

Consecrates an area with holy energy

Good against undead or Blight

Relatively useless otherwise

Cleanse

Attempts to remove diseases, poisons and magical afflictions

General all-purpose support Spell

Cannot remove curses

Judgement

Smites the target with holy energy

Exerts physical force

Can be blocked or evaded

Holy Infusion

A massive boost FTH, WIS, MNT and healing recieved

Improves certain Spells and Skills

Somewhat situational

Lightning Bolt

Basic lightning-based projectile, learned outside of Job

Can be used repeatedly by Parallels

Weak due to relative low INT

Parallel Zero

Puts Fizzy in full control of her body

Normal state

Normal state

Parallel One

Allows one Parallel to control parts of Fizzy's Body

First Parallel handles Spells

Drains MP

Parallel Two

Like above, but with two Parallels

Second Parallel handles Skills

Drains MP more rapidly

Parallel Three

Like above, but with three Parallels

Third Parallel doesn't do anything

Never used since Null is not a fighter

Fizzy - Metal Golem Skills

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Heavy Metal

Heavier and more durable armor plating

Great synergy with Toughness

Extra weight is sometimes an issue

Armored Charge

High-speed rushing attack

Instant acceleration,s trong impact

Can't stop once activated

Advanced Joints

Extra mobility, flexibility, and all around agility

Allows for delicate crafting

Used to compensate for golem limbs

Magnetize

Push/pull metallic objects

Usable on most adventurer gear

None

Engine of Destruction

Build up body heat while rapidly regenrating MP

Resistances don't reduce MP gained

Constantly taking damage

Shock Absorption

Dampens physical force of sustained impacts

Less likely to be knocked down

None

Heat Exchange

Vents heat build up, dealing heat damage in an area

Great finishing move

Resets Engine of Destruction

Geomagnetic Grip

Like Magnetize, but more control and affects more materials

Can strangle people with own armor

Short range

Fizzy - War Golem Skills

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Magitech Cannon

Arm cannon that firest deadly lumps of heat

Excellent long-range option

Slow fire rate

Lightning Warp

Short-range instant teleport with electric discharges

Mobility and damage in one

None

Physical Augmentation Module

Transforms the body into one of several configurations

Vastly imrpoved versatility

Vulnerable while transforming

Animate Armor

Make a minion out of unenchanted armor

Controllable via Parallels

Reserves % of MP while active

Tactical Readout

Provides a number of vision-related features

Includes night vision and aim assist

None

Fizzy - Other Skills

Name

Effects

Benefits

Drawbacks

Metallopathy

Can 'talk to' metal objects

Invaluable when working with metals

Limited combat applications

Lightning Affinity

Like other Affinities, but with lightning

Prevents self-harm with other Skills

None

Static Field

MP-fueled electricity generator

Multiple offensive and defensive uses

Stunted movements if disrupted

Runic Feedback

Spells create runic charges that empower magic

Faster than Residual Feedback

Activating it consumes all charges

The provided reading materials were a comprehensive list of each of the group's abilities, including its own. The shapeshifter had of course omitted certain things for brevity's sake, such as Mastery Skills or those related to Artisan Jobs. While it was true some of those were potentially useful in combat, such as Boxxy's Alchemical Fortitude giving it a higher tolerance for ingesting potions, they were superbly passive and relatively low impact. It was the same reason why non-Legendary Perks were also excluded from the list.

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

"Question," Jen raised her hand.

"What?" Boxxy replied. "You're not going to complain about my spelling again, are you?"

Though the feathery Scribe most definitely wanted to point out the numerous mistakes in the shapeshifter's rushed handwriting, there was another far more important concern on her mind.

"Isn't Fizzy a superbly unfair existence?"

The harpy had almost instantly noticed that the golem could generate MP with Engine of Destruction and heal herself with Parallel Plot while in the middle of combat. Not to mention that certain Paladin Skills were ridiculously beneficial to her mechanical constitution.

"Yes, she is," the monster confirmed. "You can't overpower her with brute force, the only way she can be defeated is if she gets obliterated by magic in an instant or if her Spell-casting is silenced for long enough."

The harpy-griffin hybrid lowered her hand, her tight-lipped micro-expressions hinting at either jealousy or envy. Though she had known the golem to be a powerful entity after fighting both against and alongside her, this was the first time she'd been able to grasp just how absurd her Skill synergies were. Though her own monsterfication had given her similarly potent combinations, they were not quite at the level of 'functional immortality.'

"You sure it's a good idea to give this bird-brain so much info, boss?" Kora spoke up. "She used to be our enemy, you know."

"And now she's not," Boxxy pointed out. "She needs to understand all of our weaknesses if she is to cover for them, and vice-versa."

"… If you say so, boss."

The hoarder demon clearly had some misgivings about this whole thing. The stubborn, pig-headed attitude all fiends suffered from was no doubt going to be an issue. It wasn't as if 'be more of a team player' was an order that could realistically be forced on someone like that. Thankfully her newly awakened desires gave Boxxy an opportunity to motivate her.

"Do your best to cooperate with others and I'll give you suitably shiny things in return."

The demon's eyes lit up and she turned her attention back to the list of Skills, eager to earn her keep. The rest of Boxxy's posse were already taking this seriously enough, so ideas on how to best utilize their combined skill sets started flowing almost immediately. Jen realized that she could benefit immensely from Fizzy's Holy Infusion, which amplified the effects of the FTH, WIS and MNT Attributes. This would not only greatly improve her Ki-based Skills, but also help lessen the impact of mental attacks and stun conditions. It might even counteract the debilitating side-effects of Boxxy's Dark Infusion, though she was loathe to actually partake in that. Even if the Warlock's temporary physical boost would be immense given her Attribute scores, getting immobilized for even half a second would prove deadly in high-Level combat.

The golem herself already had a number of combination moves planned, usually involving either Kora or Boxxy. Hiding in either their Vault or Storage and leaping out for a surprise attack had been something she had already grown used to. If the hoarder wore her armor or the shapeshifter was using Metal Mimicry, then she could use her Magnetize Skill to propel either of them at high speed towards a target. Xera's fire-based Spells and Skills, on the other hand, could rapidly bring her body temperature up after a Heat Exchange had cooled her down. Doing so would allow her to keep generating MP, enabling her alter ego to keep pumping out support Spells. She could also use Drea's Steel Thread as an improvised conductor to shock people from afar with her Static Field, provided the spider silk didn't catch fire in the process.

The webstalker in question didn't have much to add to the discussion. She knew she could rely on the others to help set up her ambushes, and was certain they counted on her to 'gift-wrap' troublesome targets in her sticky thread. It was the sort of teamwork that did not rely on gimmicky Spells or Skills. Or at least that's what she thought until Xera pointed out her illusion could help mask both Drea and her webbing. Combined with Arrow Traps, Spell Crystals, Glyphcraft, and two monstrous Artificers' worth of explosive devices, she could help create death traps the likes of which she had never thought possible. That notion appealed immensely to her arachnid sensibilities, and she suddenly found herself quite excited to start exploring and experimenting.

Xera then chimed in to remind everyone yet again of her own supportive magics, limited as they were. Amplify Magic was the most potent ability among them, though it could very well be a double-edged sword if used inappropriately. Fiery Weapon could add that extra spice to nearly all of them, while Fire Ward and Backdraft would be immensely useful should they attract a dragon's ire. Which, considering where they were going, seemed quite likely.

Jen, who had felt a bit left out thus far, politely informed the djinn that she was mistaken. Apparently the idea that dragons on the Shattered Isles only breathed fire was a somewhat common misconception. Dragons could wield any of the primordial elements depending on their species, with some even using holy or necromantic energies. This also meant that the aforementioned Fiery Weapon might prove far more useful during the festival than the djinn had been led to believe.

The harpy also inquired whether Boxxy was capable of feeding Xera's Sins of the Flesh Skill, which the slutty demoness answered with a negative response accompanied by a look of infinite sadness.

Kora, on the other hand, was her usual blockhead self and was having trouble thinking of any new tactics or strategies. To begin with, she didn't like any plan that was more complex than 'hit things really hard' or 'toss the shiny gnome at people.' She was a front-line fighter whose job description was to turn herself into a target that was impossible to ignore. From then on it was a simple matter of letting Fizzy keep her as near death as possible so her Berserker Skills could exhibit their full power. She also wasn't going to complain if a certain ice-spider kept her targets from moving around as she pummeled them into a thick red sauce, but those sort of things went without saying.

That said, all three demons had a lot to think about thanks to the Warlock Skill Boxxy had gotten in the aftermath of Eren's defeat:

Summoner's Grimoire

Description: The unbreakable bond between master and servant allows the Warlock to lend a portion of their arcane might to a bound familiar.

Requirements: Level 85 Warlock, Malefic Union

Type: Active

Activation Time: 3 seconds

Cost: 30% of max MP

Range: 2 Meters

Effects: Conjures a semi-autonomous grimoire and binds it to a summoned familiar.

The grimoire will follow its bonded familiar and respond to their mental directions.

The grimoire cannot recover MP and starts with 60% of the MP used in its creation.

The grimoire can use any Spell its creator knows of at 30% of their regular effectiveness.

Increases the grimoire's Spell effectiveness ratio by 3% per Level of this Skill.

Increases the grimoire's MP by an extra 2% of the MP used in its creation per Level of this Skill.

The grimoire persists until its MP is exhausted, it is destroyed, or a new one is created.

The six-armed demon's biggest problem thus far, at least in Boxxy's opinion, was her pitifully low reserves of mana. Her new Hoarder Skills were significantly thirstier in terms of MP costs than her Fiend or Berserker abilities. Her master used this opportunity to inform her that it would be lending her one of its fifty two Artifacts. The article in question was a glowing crystal vial on a string meant to be worn as an amulet, and was aptly called a Portable Mana Battery. It could raise the hoarder's maximum MP by a staggering 500, nearly doubling her magical reservoir. It was worth noting that the Battery did so by directly affecting the MP total without going through the INT Attribute. Which was a good thing in this particular case, as it circumvented the downside of Kora's Idiotic Strength Skill. Even with the hefty MP cost and reduced magic power, these ethereal books would no doubt prove immensely powerful. For one thing, they allowed Boxxy's arcane might to be put to use while it was otherwise occupied. Xera would have an entire spellbook's worth of toys to confuse and befuddle her opponents, though Drea was far less enthusiastic. Something about having a talking book floating around her at all times just didn't sit right with her, mostly since it would give away her position. The upside was that she found the conjured grimoires to be rather flavorful. Kora's one-track mind only saw the thing as a source of Dark Infusion. It was still quite the invigorating incantation, even at a third of its normal potency. Still, she admitted it would be handy to have one of those fancy books around should she face a ranged combatant that was able to give her the run-around.

The shapeshifter also used this opportunity to declare that Arms was not the only one who would get this treatment. When the time of the Dragon Festival came, it would use its vast armory to completely gear up all of its minions and allies in as many Artifacts and Masterworks as chestily possible. It had already picked out the optimal equipment to distribute to each individual, including the demons. Snack, for instance, would have the Crust Controller staff to massively amplify her Pyroclasm magic. It had a Spectral Cowl set aside for Claws to let her phase through solid matter, though doing so would drain her HP. The Divine Decree was a ring oversaturated with holy energy that would be of huge help to both Jen and Fizzy. It even had a staff called Branching Path that Ambrosia's spriggan vessel would find most useful.

A heavy silence hung in the air the instant Boxxy mentioned the slumbering dryad.

"How do you plan to deal with the treacherous shrub, Master?" Xera was the first to speak.

"Calling her 'treacherous' is a bit harsh, don't you think?" it argued.

"No, it really isn't," Fizzy coldly rebuked it. "She led you on for years, intent on turning you into her drug-slave. And she will no doubt try to do so again once she wakes up. That is not something I will permit."

"Indeed," the djinn nodded. "If it were up to me, I would see this entire tree turned to ash and cinders. However, it is not up to me. So tell me, oh wise Master of mine, how will you deal with the whorish vegetable when the time comes?"

"… I don't know," Boxxy finally admitted. "I want to stay on her good side if at all possible, but I have no idea how she will react if I decline her invitation to drink her nectar."

"Question," Jen raised her hand once again.

"You don't need to ask permission," the shapeshifter admonished her. "Asking is free."

"Alright," the harpy nodded. "From what I can gather, the dryad in question owns this tree and is responsible for your Honeydew addiction. Is this correct?"

"… That's one way of putting it," it answered evasively.

"More like the only way," Fizzy grumbled.

"Was it her intention to cause this affliction?" Jen pressed on.

"Don't be stupid, of course it was," Xera rolled her eyes. "She practically demanded my Master partake of the stuff on a regular basis. How could it not be?"

"Well, she might not know this 'nectar' of hers is habit-forming," the Monk suggested. "Could be she's following some instinct without being consciously aware of its impact."

Jen was not actually aware of just how ancient the dryad in question was, nor did she know that it was one of Ambrosia's peers that revealed this addictive property in the first place. She was, however, intimately familiar with how insistant a monster's instincts were. The harpy had been steadily coming to terms with her own new and strange urges, so it wasn't hard for her to imagine something similar was happening to Ambrosia.

"That is… a very good question, actually."

Jen's perspective, though partially born from ignorance, had nevertheless given Boxxy something to think about. It had just assumed the dryad was doing all this on purpose because it never truly trusted her ever since she broke out of the dungeon's influence. Come to think of it, this whole thing had started well before that particular incident. It seemed odd that Ambrosia would willfully endeavor to poison Boxxy's mind under those circumstances. After all, a dungeon master was programmed to revere the core's owner and despise outsiders by default. Lavender was living proof of that.

"You can't be serious!" Fizzy exclaimed. "You're seriously buying this bird-bag's delusions!?"

The harpy in question couldn't help but take offense to the golem's words and tone, though Boxxy stepped in to deescalate before things got out of hand.

"Look, I'm not saying that's what happened," it stated firmly. "I just think it would be unwise to ignore that possibility. Stranger things have happened."

"Ugh… You know it's stupidly unfair when you use that excuse, right?" the golem complained with a groan.

"And you should know I don't play fair," it said jokingly. "In all seriousness, however, I wish to at least speak with her before making a judgement. I'll prepare everything beforehand, just in case we need to leave this place for good."

"… Alright," Fizzy conceded. "But if the first thing you do when you see her is latch onto her nipple, I'm zapping you unconscious and dragging you out by force."

"Deal."

Jen's hand shot up yet again despite Boxxy assuring her she didn't need to ask permission, though the shapeshifter was fairly certain what her query was.

"Dryad nectar comes out of their nipples," it informed her. "The only way to drink it is straight from the source, as it were."

"… Okay?" she tilted her head in confusion. "That's not what I wanted to ask about, though."

"… It wasn't?"

"I just wanted to know when this Ambrosia person is supposed to wake up."

Boxxy sighed deeply as it hid its featureless face in its palms.

"Don't have an exact date, but in a month or so," it finally answered.

"Understood."

Having been constantly accompanied by one pervert or another for the majority of its lifetime had made the creature expect vulgar questions and remarks at every turn. That realization made it feel a bit defeated and depressed, which certainly did not help its current volatile state of mind. Thankfully Jen wasn't like that. Though unexpected, her presence was something of a grounding factor that helped remind Boxxy that the company it kept was a collection of extremes and exceptions. Whether the harpy realized it or not, her peculiar sensibilities and simplistic personality made her the most normal and well-adjusted member of the group.

Which was saying something considering she was a harpy-griffin hybrid who had faced an old god in combat just a few weeks prior.

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