1. Right now, we’re at final 8 and endgame is swiftly approaching. Who do you think needs to be sitting next to you in the final 2 or 3 in order for you to have a chance to win? Who do you think you definitely cannot be sitting next to, and who are you iffy about?
I could sit next to any player remaining and win. Perhaps the hardest fight would be against Epona and Kohga; the players I am intending to take. The jury already respects me to a huge degree, and they know that three players came back into the game with full knowledge of that. When one of those players attempted to target me for it, they found themselves running into a brick wall and then were immediately sent home unanimously. If I make it to the end, I will be given the victory simply for making it to the end.
The biggest issue to me is making it to the end, because the information about me being a jury threat is out there. My best solution to this is to not allow anyone near the end who would lock in an FTC seat - everyone there needs to believe they can win, and needs to have other people believing they can win too. The Patricia connection and the fact that I don't appear to be as well positioned as the likes of Epona and Kohga should make me look weak enough that others take me to the end as long as the likes of Oven and Mipha are not present to be dragged instead.
2. Post a tentative bootlist for the rest of the game. For each round, please include a brief description of what steps you need to take for that person to be eliminated at that time.
This is a difficult question to answer, because of the incredibly difficult to navigate idol situation. However, here is the rough draft:
F8 - Revali. I will go into this more in my next post.
F7 - Mipha. With the Revali/Oven/Urbosa block weakened, it will be time to take out the big challenge threat and cut off Sidon's other option. With the vote steal onside and Epona and Kohga with me, this can be accomplished with just the three of us.
F6 - Oven. This is as far as the goat can be dragged; if he gets any further, he likely gets to the end and potentially takes my seat. This one should be relatively easy, either by continuing to pitch Sidon/Urbosa against one another and sniping Oven off with three votes, or by attempting to make the vote unanimous. The former is more likely to work.
F5 - Urbosa. This will be a relatively easy unanimous vote because people will consider her the extremely likeable and well connected underdog at this stage. I believe idols expire at F6 in this game, so the unanimity isn't dangerous in this case.
F4 - Sidon/Epona. Preferably eliminating Sidon, but I could see the case for eliminating Epona instead. I think Sidon represents the bigger jury threat for me at the end simply because his path would differ so much from mine in comparison to Epona's/Kohga's that there's a chance if our trio is viewed as the bad guys, he could win via a vote split.
F3 - Epona/Sidon. Assuming the F3 turns into an F2, I believe my best shot at the win is by taking Kohga, and I believe Kohga would take me.
3. What alliances or deals do you think exist between the other players, and are any of these concerning to you? How will you play around them or to use them to your advantage?
Mipha/Sidon are strongly aligned. Oven/Revali/Urbosa are strongly aligned. Epona/Kohga are strongly aligned. Epona has good connections with Urbosa and Sidon, Kohga has good connections with Revali and Sidon, and Urbosa to a degree. The former two groups seem to be fairly disconnected in terms of bonds at this point and I am working to ensure that continues to be the case.
Epona and Kohga's connections are worrying, but I believe they are more strongly aligned with me than anyone else. Which means ultimately, the only thing those connections will do is lose the trust (and potentially the jury votes) of the players they backstab.
4. At this point in time, if you lose the game, why do you think that will be? What are the biggest obstacles that stand in the way of you reigning victorious, both in the short-term and the long-term? What are you going to do to overcome them?
If I lose the game, it will be due to idol play. There is some danger here that both Oven and Revali are idolled and the other side goes for me; I think this is biggest danger to me for the foreseeable future. The sheer number of idols in this game means that it is difficult to secure a solid path to victory, and if I am deposed because there were 11 idols in the game, so be it. It would be unfortunate, but it is impossible to completely work around.
5. Based on your game so far, do you think the specs are rooting for you or rooting against you? Why? What moves do you think the specs want you to make, and are these moves you actually plan on making? Why or why not? How much do you think the specs are enjoying this game relative to other games?
I would imagine I am polarising. The fact I am confessionalising likely puts me above a number of other players. But in terms of gameplay, the fact that my gameplan is rigid and will likely drive the rest of the game will be problematic for spectators, but the fact it involves the like of blindsiding Revali here will balance that out.
I do not much care what the spectators think of me as long as I win in the end. So that is my primary focus. One would hope you are enjoying my path to victory.