From the Data Analysis Department: A Low-Key Audience Poll

The Show-Runner

So, I don't need to make a decision about this for a couple of weeks, but I have a question for which I just don't have a satisfactory answer. I would have put this in as a comments section poll like the last low-key one, but this one requires more explanation than would be reasonable to shove in a first comment for a chapter. Scarlet would frankly be a little torn about going back into the dungeon / jumping into the DoD class weirdness and I am not sure what her ultimate conclusion would be.

The simplest answer is to just say no. With 4 of the harem already delving or capable of doing so, Scarlet could simply conclude that they have the PP collection thing covered.

The fun answer is to say yes. It adds more complexity and gives me some more party composition options. If the answer is yes, that brings up a subsequent question: what's her build? In case the character sheets aren't making it clear, I'm taking 5th edition subclasses and then modifying them to fit into the Powered by the Apocalypse system and the Harem Hotel brand of smut. I've written the situation such that I'm not sure how she would decide to go. The two stumbling blocks: one, Scarlet was, much to her chagrin, always lumped into the healer role back in mathlete times (and despite that is kind of the most obvious hole in the party composition, probably doesn't want to be pigeon-holed into it again); and two, the whole "can't be human to do magic" thing.

I have two different ideas, but I'm not sure that Scarlet would volunteer for either of them:

Option 1, go with the plan I had pre-challenge one transformation voting round. A dance-centric bard (less evil flavored College of Whispers feels appropriate, given her psychology background?) with the enenra transformation (or a different one, seeing how few people voted for it) solving my second stumbling block. There are advantages and disadvantages here, especially since Scarlet would have to volunteer for both transformations to make this happen:

Advantages:

• Solves the healer role while not forcing her into the 5th edition equivalent of the Mystic class (some sort of Cleric)
• Both transformations fit her background. Bard is more obvious (DnD bard is basically I learned magic through art school). The enenra (from my Internet research to find a smoke monster for the whole smokeshow route) actually sounded cool; a spirit formed from rice patty bonfires that dances in the air felt her in an interesting way.
• Make Zoe happy, if you think pleasing a barely fleshed out staff member is worth it.

Disadvantages:

• Not sure she'd volunteer to give up her humanity.
• Now this may be DM'ing for parties where half of the players want to play bards every campaign (while fulfilling all of the stereotypical bard tropes), but I have a pretty severe distaste for the class. Would Scarlet act like that? No. Do I already have a character that fills the bard stereotypes when I want to play around with 'em, making bard somewhat redundant in the party? Yes.
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Option 2, a potentially weirder idea. Capoeira flavored Way of Mercy (aka Plague Mask doctor healing/hurting touch) monk. Again, advantages and disadvantages:

Advantages:

• Again, solves the healer role (though less effectively than a full caster class would).
• Ki is different enough from magic to where I wouldn't necessarily require the "must give up being human" thing (though I could be convinced otherwise).
• Fits the background (though less effectively than Bard would). Capoeira is a martial art that has heavy dance influences and the Way of Mercy monk fits the mental health concern (somewhat, again not the best fit).
• As far as the narrative is concerned, I think it is a more interesting option than "be a bard". Writing through the ki manipulation stuff would be fun and this monk subclass would end up being very different from the typical monk that shows up in the DnD influenced branches (exemplum gratium, Blue from the Dungeon Crawl Branch).

Disadvantages:

• Again, now this is definitely due to DM'ing a campaign where 3 players took at least 6 levels of Monk simultaneously, but, despite it being one of the "bad classes", I have a distaste for the class overpowered only by Bards (having to deal with every boss being permanently stun locked without setting ridiculous Con save modifiers for them [up to 12 chances to trigger Stunning Strike a round means up to 12 Con save rolls for the boss to overcome every round] is super un-fun for everyone but the one player would wanted to min-max monk as a challenge). Would Scarlet be able to regularly pull a chain of perfect Stunning Strikes every round with her being the only Monk? Absolutely not. Would I be worried about it happening regardless? Yes. I don't want to fudge rolls for this...
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Option 3, listen to one (or multiple) of y'all. I have seen through the voting that the ultimate consensus breaks my predictions more often than not. Maybe one of you has a build idea for her that strikes me as more fitting.

So, which way should I go? Say your piece in the comments here (or, summarize your piece in the comments and message me on-site with the full details if the response would be too long). When I start to write the part where Scarlet would need to make the decision, I'll do a final consultation of the comments beforehand. I'll update this chapter to state I made a decision; you'll have to wait to see what it will be.

EDIT: I'm close to needing to make a final decision, as far as my writing ahead is concerned. If you got a suggestion, you got a day or two to get it in. Thanks in advance!

EDIT again: Decision made.