D.E.M.O.N.S: Getting Summoned Weekly isn't so Bad-Chapter 1833 Ruling the Changes

--- Kat ---

"So what's our main strategy going to be?" asked Kat. "Oh wait before that… is there any reason at all not for me and Lily to team up at this point? I was planning to anyone even before Thyme left their… 'hint'."

Everyone let out a round of denials and dismissals. There really was no reason not for Lily to come along except for the slightest risk she could get injured. With Thyme watching everyone though it was even safer then normal adventuring. Once the denies were spread around Gareth spoke up. "I think… the big trick will be avoiding the orbs, or at least avoiding a major focus on them,"

Gareth continued to explain as he saw the confusion on his team's faces. "We've got a full two day's worth of time right at the start that's plenty of time to look around and I get the feeling that it won't be too difficult to find orbs if we're even vaguely looking. I'd suggest spending the first day ignoring all but the largest of them and even then… maybe going for the three or four hour ones would be better from a size perspective. I think it's best we look for the hidden rewards and the chests,"

"Seems fine to me," said Green with a shrug while Kress nodded along.

"I think it's a bit foolish," admitted Nixilei. "While it is likely that orbs will be common if we don't properly clean out the area around where we start that just leaves them around for others. Perhaps it's right not to go too far out of the way but it may be worth claiming them even if it's just to deny it to everyone else… or maybe as trade?"

"Trade?" asked Kress.

"Well more like a signing bonus," admitted Nixilei. Say we've got this backlog of orbs we're willing to just hand over if they sign up with us,"

"I'd argue against that part at least," said Green. "If we have to buy our teammates we'll just seem sleezy. Plus, if we make that offer too early then they're going to realise the orbs aren't worth much… and if we wait for a day or two we might need those orbs. Sure splitting the 'current stash' might not be a bad idea… but yeah I think you'd be setting up the alliance to fail if you start it off like that,"

Nixilei shrugged. "If you think that's best I won't argue against it,"

"Are there any rule changes we want to be looking for?" asked Kress

"There's no way to know," retorted Gareth.

"Right I get that… but if I find a rule that's good for me but maybe not the rest of us do we pick it? What about one that changes how quickly our time runs out. I'd bet a whole lot of money that there's going to be at least one of those. Not sure if it'll slow things or speed them up but I can see it.

"But… do we want that?" Kress asked. "I'm not saying we need to go through everything but I do think we should go over the most obvious rule changes and decide as a group if they're something we all want. It'd still suck if like… one of us activated a rule that made things harder right before the day ends and one of us gets kicked out… but if we know that's the plan then that's the plan,"

"Alright you make a fair point… should we focus on the timer first?" asked Gareth.

"I say we only take rules that give us more time," stated Green.

"Really?" asked Nixilei.

Green nodded, "I think we've got a good enough chance to win this that we don't need to force things to end early. I doubt anyone can defeat Kat and Lily so… long term we should win right? The only issue is that tablet in the centre… but everything else? I say we try to draw this out as long as possible,"

There was a round of nods from everyone at this. It made sense, even if Kat felt it was a bit of pressure on her… at this point she really was in it to win it and Green made a good point. "What about side grades then?" asked Kress. "Like… if the orbs have their time shuffled around or changes how getting knocked out works?"

Gareth shrugged. "Stick to the main plan. Nothing that makes it more likely the game ends early. Ideally we'd find a rule that completely ruins the tablet win so that it's just a matter of time. The fact Kat can fly makes finding other people a lot easier then it would be otherwise,"

"Do you think I'll be able to fly with other people?" asked Kat.

"What do you mean?" asked Gareth. "Aren't you being restricted?"

"Well… yes but maybe no?" said Kat after a moment. "See… it depends how the bands are designed. Sure I can't lift anything more than I could at Rank 2… but I can carry plenty of people at Rank 2. I just couldn't fly with them. I'm not sure how Thyme would police that really. The restrictions from before are usually just… a matter or force ensuring that I slow down. I don't know if I've ever come up against a pure strength limit and flying is very different,"

Nixilei nodded, "I'd suggest testing it as soon as possible but there's really no way to know," Kat gave Nixilei a false salute. "Now… another rule that is likely to be changeable is how easy or hard it is to work with other members of your team. Do we want to change that and if so which way? I am really not sure what would be best,"

"Neither am I," sighed Green. "There are all sorts of reason a change like that in either direction could be helpful or a massive pain. I think… hmmm… maybe don't let them group up? I'm really not sure,"

"Yeah but Kat can find us pretty easy if she flies," countered Kress. "If we make it easy to act as a team and Thyme announces things we could all make it obvious where we are, and then have Kat go around and help us all meet up,"

"But would that really increase our chances of winning?" asked Green. "Sure we'd be stronger as a group but we'd need more orbs to keep us all in the game and we'd be revealing our position to everyone… and Kat can't just teleport so someone is going to get picked up last, plenty of time for someone to find us and cause problems,"

"Assuming the island is so large… then yes," added Nixilei. "I don't think Thyme has ever made mention of how much space we have. They said it was an artificial island so I'd expect on the smaller side… but this is Thyme we're talking about. Even if the true size of the island is tiny that doesn't mean Thyme hasn't expanded things here and there or across the whole thing uniformly,"

"Think that's a rule we can change?" asked Kat for Lily.

"I… doubt it?" said Nixilei with some uncertainty in her voice. "Surely the size of the island isn't written down in the rules… though… I suppose it is possible?"

"Oh, recovery times!" said Kress.

"What?" asked Nixilei.

"Sorry, I was thinking of other rules we can likely change and I realised that recovery times would be a big one. Do we… want them longer or shorter?" asked Kress.

"Shorter means they can be attacked sooner… but also that they're more swiftly back in the action. I think… I think on the whole it's probably better to extend them," said Gareth.

"Sweet, more chance to sleep," agreed Green only to be met with a round of glares.

Gareth raised up his hands in surrender. "Hey I didn't say it just so Green could sleep more. I was thinking that every moment they spend stuck in the infirmary is a moment longer their time is ticking down without any way to refill it. I'd also suggest increasing the penalty for 'dying' if we can… though… hmm… do you think we could change how much damage someone needs to take to be sent off?"

"Probably?" said Kress slowly. "I think… we wouldn't want to change that? Maybe? If it's to like… first blood or something that would cancel out Kat's regeneration and Nixilei's healing so we probably don't want that,"

"Every team has a healer," countered Gareth.

"That still leaves Kat's regeneration and it is a powerful force," stated Kress.

"Bit odd he's arguing for me… but Kress isn't wrong. I'm quite willing to trade a major wound for a minor one because of how quickly I regenerate. Though… I suppose I could get better at swapping between my water form? That probably doesn't count as first blood? Still annoying but I could do it,"

Gareth shook his head, "No better not to take a risk on something like that if we don't have to… just be aware that we're not the only ones picking the rule changes,"