Profession feedback thread [POLL]

i was talking with a friend of mine yesterday, and i found it a little odd that he wanted to go down the Journalist path, the same as me. Perhaps even jealous, that’s totally my thing.
but it seems popular

List of professions here: http://fallenlondon.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Profession

So i’m wondering about you guys.

  • Which of the profession branches have you chosen (or are planning to choose, if you’re still t0)?[/li][li]What made you choose that? [/li][li]What about the others? which other options did you consider, [/li][li]And why did you decide against them ?

As mentioned i’m on journalist. I originally started on ratcatcher though, being a monster hunter seemed like something i wanted to do. But honestly, and call me shallow if you wish, i was put off it by the artwork. The top tier item, a spear of bone, it looks shoddy and makeshift, and not-at-all suitable for someone of a high tier profession. and it certainly doesn’t look very respectable. I’d have much rather have gotten a finely crafted sword or a masterwork rifle or something.

I mean look at it. This kind of makeshift weapon might seem suitable for a low-class profession. But stepping up from a finely made gun, to that thing, is an insult. It definitely feels like a step down, in both looks and combat capability. How is someone supposed to hunt zee beasts with a weapon like that?

Edit: Removed section about glassman, it was due to a misunderstanding on my part

But aside from that, archaeology and watchfulness has always been my thing, the monster hunter fits my primary stats better (dangerous + watchful) and if the art were made into something more visually pleasing, i’d probably use that.
As is, correspondant looks nice because that pot of violant ink is just so pretty to look at, and i like that it involves Scholar of the Correspondence too.
For me it seems like a shame, this profession is the only one i can stand to use.
edited by Nanako on 1/21/2016
edited by Nanako on 1/21/2016
edited by Nanako on 1/22/2016

I enjoy being a Watcher right now because the Revolting Disguise is just one of the coolest items in the game! But eventually I’ll go down the long dark path to Monster-Hunting. And I disagree with you, Nanako: that Notched Bone Harpoon is not insulting at all - it looks terrifying and has an awesome description!
About the snake eating an apple: have you heard of the Fingerkings? ;)

Totally agree with Phryne, I love the look of that Harpoon, and its description! And of course it doesn’t look &quotrespectable&quot - why should it? Monsterhunting is not a Respectable profession but a Dreaded one.

Oh, about the reasons: my main is a Glassman because they’re totally into the whole Parabola thing. Cortez is a Licentiate because they like killing people. Actually, I don’t know whether they like it, they just happen to be extremely good at it. And you should always do what you do best. ;)

Deepdelver is a Crooked-Cross because:

&quotThe Crooked-Cross is a tempter. He invites the ignorant to knowledge, and opposes any monopoly on morality. He tests the boundaries between right and wrong. He has parted a priest and his faith, convincing the priest to deface the sign of his God.&quot

… that’s just totally me. If it was impossible to play more than one character, I’d always go for Crooked-Cross!
edited by Rupho Schartenhauer on 1/21/2016

My alts have taken different paths and my youngest one is a Ratcatcher, though they have changed profession several times to get items that were useful for when they became POSI. I look forward to the day they become a Monster Hunter as that was the path I thought I would take as my Ambition is Bag-A-Legend. But I’m a Glassman - I love the lore surrounding Parabola and want to know more about the Fingerkings and life beyond the mirrors.

I also have a Midnighter; Crooked Cross and Correspondent. I don’t know if I will ever start another character but if I do I suppose they will take the Enforcer to Licentiate path, though I haven’t worked out a reason to take that path yet.

Im a crooked cross. My style of playing is a bit different than the majority here: I do almost zero roleplay and aim for the most &quotoptimized&quot character, trying to achieve the highest possible stats.
That said: Crooked cross and correspondant give, through the profession item, a total +10 bonus not obtainable elsewhere. Glassman gives +9
Midnighter gives +5 (without fate)
I dont remember the other profession but i did the math and they all give less than +9

[quote=phryne]
About the snake eating an apple: have you heard of the Fingerkings? ;)
[/quote]
ok i guess it’s a reference, rather than a bug.
but it is still definitely not a pair of spectacles, as it’s described to be.

that picture belongs on events related to parabola, not on a specifically named item

[quote=Nanako]It’s a picture of a snake eating an apple. And it is not at all a pair of spectacles, of any colour.
Once again, art put me off. This one seems like a bug though. is it so hard to put in a pair of spectacles?
[/quote]

I just re-read your post and it seems you’re missing something: of course the Cosmogone Spectacles have their own art! Here it is:

edited by Rupho Schartenhauer on 1/21/2016

if you have alts, i’d say login and vote once with each of them, so we can get better data :3

[quote=Rupho Schartenhauer][quote=Nanako]It’s a picture of a snake eating an apple. And it is not at all a pair of spectacles, of any colour.
Once again, art put me off. This one seems like a bug though. is it so hard to put in a pair of spectacles?
[/quote]

I just re-read your post and it seems you’re missing something: of course the Cosmogone Spectacles have their own art! Here is it:
[/quote]
hmm i see, so the wiki is showing the wrong picture? I’ve not personally switched to that profession to test

the icon for the item is shown on most of these http://fallenlondon.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Profession

but glassman and stalker have different images.
edited by Nanako on 1/21/2016

I have been straight up the Watcher-Agent-Midnighter path (I do like the Agent’s item!). Midnighters have three things going for them mechanically: the best non fate home comfort (freeing up other slots), an otherwise not obtainable Dreaded point, and Favors in High Places as a weekly reward. But I also love the idea of spies as confessor and secret keepers.

CORRESPONDENTS ARE HEIRS TO LAOCOÖN

The wiki shows the icon for the profession’s quality, not the picture of the item they get.

Well that’s confusing
I’ve updated the page now, i think this arrangement is more helpful and quite visually pleasing. Thoughts? http://fallenlondon.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Profession

I’ve made one further edit in order to:

  1. Use consistent image sizes for all tables on the page (some used 40px, some 50, and some 60).
  2. Use smaller images for the items to be (a) consistent, and (b) avoid needless line breaks in item name.
  3. Align images vertically by putting the item class (hat, weapon, etc.) after the item name.
  4. Use ‘Companion’ instead of ‘Pet’.

I hope this makes things clearer and more readable.

[quote=dov]I’ve made one further edit in order to:

  1. Use consistent image sizes for all tables on the page (some used 40px, some 50, and some 60).[/quote]

i wish you wouldn’t do that. The changing of image sizes was deliberate, it looks better. The slightly smaller item images don’t overpower the slightly larger profession images. This wasn’t a mistake.[i]

In making the images slightly larger, the images became more legible, allowing an at-a-glance comparison of the visuals, for those (like myself) who care a lot about things.

Right now many of the item images are illegible, it’s difficult to see what they are, especially the cosmogone spectacles which have a lot of empty space on their image
[/i]
edited by Nanako on 1/21/2016

What’s visually appealing is, of course, subjective. Personally, I think the bigger images are less aesthetic, especially how the cause a line break for the item’s text.

Also, consistency of the image sizes used is important to be aesthetic (rather than different tables in the same page using different image sizes).

And, as I’ve noted, there are other improvements I’ve made (aligning images vertically, etc.).

However, as I said, it’s all subjective. If you want to, go ahead and undo all my changes. All it takes is two clicks of the mouse. (or add a comment on the page in the wiki about this and let one of the wiki admins make the call).

[quote=dov]
Also, consistency of the image sizes used is important to be aesthetic (rather than different tables in the same page using different image sizes).[/quote]
i definitely agree with this. how about we standardise all the tables at the sizes i had, 60 for profession icon, 50 for item icon

i find anything less than 50 for the items makes the spectacles and joshua’s shrine look like a blurry mess

Swapped to less entangled for an extra point lacre (Worth ~50 echoes to me, only immidiately useful and i didn’t have enough night-whispers this year to get enough buckets from them alone.)
Going to swap back eventually, for the extra handful of points watchful (I need 1 more to have a reliable 100% on 3-action forgotten quarter.)

[quote=Grenem]Swapped to less entangled for an extra point lacre (Worth ~50 echoes to me, only immidiately useful and i didn’t have enough night-whispers this year to get enough buckets from them alone.)
Going to swap back eventually, for the extra handful of points watchful (I need 1 more to have a reliable 100% on 3-action forgotten quarter.)[/quote]
can you explain this? what do the less entangled professions have to do with lacre?

Being a Notary or Doctor allows you to pick an option on one of the Mr Sacks cards that gives you a point of Taste of Lacre.