Hunting in California 101: What I Wish I Knew When I Started

I swear it's really not as bad as people make it out to be.

Preface:

So you're probably reading this because you're interested in hunting in California and/or you're a new hunter who is struggling to do more than take a long walk in the woods with your weapon of choice. That or you just want to find all my mistakes and point them out. Great! This is written for you (even the pedants).
Since someone will ask, no I do not work for Fish and Wildlife. No I am not some professional guide or outfitter. I've just spent a lot of time hunting here as well as other states. I'm a transplanted software engineer on the Losing Side of Twenty-Five who fell victim to the sun and salary trap of San Diego and now I'm stuck. I've posted quite a bit on this subreddit before on a different Reddit account and even met with people from here. Then I lost the password to that account and I guess I never set up a recovery email. I'm bad with computers. Thank God I can fool my employer.

Part 0: How do I actually get started hunting in California?

• Step 1: The first step is to complete your Hunter Education Safety Course. If you haven't done this yet you need to do this first. There is no circumventing this. Stop asking. This is the first step and probably 10% of the posts on the sub ask this. At the time of this writing, due to COVID-19, you can do the course entirely online. The course is worth paying attention to. There are a lot of California-specific rules and regulations that are important. I'm not going to go into specifics on how to do the course. If you can't figure it out, please don't start hunting. On the subject of hunter's education, unlike some states such as NY, California does not have a separate archery license and does not require you to complete a Bowhunter's Education Course to receive archery tags. It's still a good idea to do the course as it contains some great knowledge as well as opens up the opportunity to archery hunt in other states.
  
• Step 2: Purchase your hunting license. The cost of a license is $51.02 as of 7/23/2020. You should receive a GO ID number during the process of acquiring your Hunter Safety Card above. This GO ID number is used by Fish and Wildlife to track you. It will be linked to some kind of ID which is also used to track you. In my case, this is my California driver's license. If I go to a license retailer, I can get a license or tag showing my driver's license. You don't need to memorize the GO ID number or anything; however, it is printed on your license documents so it's easy to find (once you have those, of course). If you have a fishing license you already have a GO ID. You can either order your license online straight from CDFW, from a CDFW License Sales Office, or from a licensed agent (the search function here is poorly set up--ignore the name and put in your ZIP or do County and State). Also, remember, your license is valid 7/1 to 6/30. NOT 1/1 to 12/31 like a fishing license.
  
  • Does it matter where I buy my license? The answer here for most people is no. If you are a disabled veteran with 50% or greater service-connected disability you need to purchase your license at the CDFW office the first time and bring your VA letter showing your rating and that it's service connected with you. After that you can buy it online or at the retailer of your choice. Disabled veteran licenses are currently $7.73. You may not need to go into a CDFW office due to COVID-19 right now. You should call and ask. Do not take this as gospel. There is also the Recovering Service Member Hunting License which requires a bunch of verification. I won't go into detail since I believe CDFW sold something like 3 of these in all of 2019. If you are mobility impaired, visually disabled, or qualify for the disabled archery permit (allowing you to use a crossbow during archery season), you're required to get your permit as well from a CDFW office as well as provide documentation from a licensed physician. There is no fee for any of those three licenses.

Part 1: What do I really need for hunting?

• A hunting license. No seriously. This is a hard and fast requirement for California. If you want to hunt without a license go to Nevada and shoot coyotes (but don't actually do that--just get your damn license).
  
• The appropriate tags. We'll go over this in the next section.
  
• Patience. Temper your expectations. You are going to fail a lot at first. Hunting in California isn't easy and hunting on public land especially so. YouTube and hunting shows make it appear a lot easier than it is thanks to editing. Much like I tell the women I meet: have low expectations. This cannot be stressed enough.
  
• Lead Free Ammo. More on this in a bit. Just remember this is a statewide requirement. Also someone asked me once if this applies to broad-heads for archery. Just lol. Don't be that guy.
  
• General/Basic/Useful Starting Gear (this list is not exhaustive--just some ideas to get started):
  
  • Inexpensive pump-action 12 or 20 Gauge shotgun. If you're a new shooter, new to guns and can only afford one to start with this is the way to go. It opens up trap/skeet shooting as a hobby and will allow you to hunt small game, upland birds and waterfowl. A 12 gauge shotgun is sort of the American standard and a worthy first purchase; however, if you're a smaller framed person I would recommend a 20 gauge shotgun. I own both and use the 20 gauge more often than the 12 just because it's lighter to take for a long walk in the woods. It's not a dick/tit measuring contest. Get what you're comfortable with. My recommendation is the Winchester Super XP (SXP) as it comes with two barrels (long for hunting and short for home defense) and three chokes (Full, IC, Mod). Another good choice is the Mossberg 500 All Purpose Field, Classic, or Turkey. Otherwise a used Remington 870 is fine, but I would avoid purchasing a new one due to some serious quality issues in recent years. If you're on a budget, buy a Maverick 88 model 31010, All Purpose. Yes it's cheap. Yes it works. Yes it's reliable. Just realize you won't be flexing on anyone with one. But, again, it's not a dick/tit measuring contest anyway.
  • Inexpensive .22LR for small game and plinking. Make sure you buy copper ammo for it. If you want a semi-auto .22LR buy a Ruger 10/22 and be done with it. It's basically the Honda Civic of guns and you can't go wrong with one. If you want a bolt-action either buy a Marlin XT-22 or Savage Mark II. You should be able to source a used .22LR in good condition as well if you're short on cash.
  • Decent big-game rifle If you can't afford to invest in quality for both a gun and a scope buy a quality optic first. Yes, this might seem counter-intuitive; however, you can move the scope from one rifle to the next and it's very unlikely that a new hunteshooter is going to be able to out-shoot even a cheap factory rifle for quite a while. There are tons of options for rifles. Some great options for guns which should be under $900 out-the-door at your local gun store are (in no particular order other than the first two are my favorites): Tikka T3x, Weatherby Vanguard, Bergara B14, Howa 1500, Ruger American, Savage 10/110, and a used Remington 700 (I don't recommend buying a new one anymore). Any of these guns will do you just fine. Don't buy some tacticool shit for hunting like the Ruger Precision Rifle. Don't get me wrong. It's a great gun. It just weighs 10 pounds. You'll find most of the tacticool rifles are excessively heavy or they have shorter barrels for urban combat (which results in lower muzzle velocity and reduces range). Another option is the Mauser 18 which you can get for ~$400 on sale at the moment and is criminally underrated. If you're on a budget the Mossberg Patriot, Thompson/Center Compass II, Savage AXIS Line and the Remington 783 will all be out the door for under $450-ish. They should all get the job done which is the most important thing. Also I only listed bolt-action rifles as I don't want to deal with the what-is and what-isn't questions of legal semi-autos in California.
  • BUT WHAT CALIBER?1!!?//? Ever want to see nerds fight on the internet? Talk about calibers. If you want a gun which can take any of the big game in California I recommend the following calibers: .308 (usually the easiest to find ammo for), .30-06, 7mm Remington Magnum, 300 Win Mag, .270 and 7mm-08. If you're recoil sensitive, a new shooter, or guns still make you nervous, I recommend the last two as the first two you look at--especially the 7mm-08 as it's criminally underrated. All of those calibers have in-stock lead-free ammo right now at the closest gun store to me (I actually called and asked) and can be used to ethically harvest deer, elk, antelope, bear and sheep. There are tons of other options which people are going to happily point out which are way less common (e.g. 28 Nosler) or rounds which are great, but apparently sold out in lead-free at the moment (like 6.5 CM). While I'm sure tons of people have a ton to say about calibers, no one starting out hunting needs to know that the .30-06 can be filled with slightly more powder than the .308 so you get higher velocities from hand-loads, or that the .300WSM is technically better than a .300WM out of barrels shorter than 24 inches. It literally does not matter. Buy any of the above calibers and you're good to go. Ignore the haters. In a similar vein, anyone who tells you 300 Win Mag is "too big" or "overkill" for a mule deer either a) doesn't hunt or b) probably believes a .50 BMG can kill you with the shockwave from a near-miss. Also don't buy a caliber that you're afraid to shoot. Once again, this isn't a dick/tit measuring contest. I once owned a .300WSM and legitimately hated shooting it. That was a regretful purchase. Don't make the same mistake.
  • Quality Scope. Buy Vortex. Hell, buy used Vortex and if you get a lemon just send it back to them under the lifetime warranty (no, seriously, it's that easy). Vortex is the best value per dollar with the best customer service and also the best Reddit presence (seriously--just ping vortexoptics with questions and you'll get answers within a day). When it comes to scopes there are tons of options with dozens of different reticles and I will try and briefly give some answers. To cover the focal plane debate, please watch this video from Vortex (I swear I don't work for them). My personal preference is First Focal Plane because I know what my subtensions are and I can accurately judge holdover regardless of my magnification as a result. As for MIL/MRAD vs MOA, here's a video that explains it really doesn't matter. Just make sure your scope adjustments match your reticle. Personally, I shoot MOA because 1 inch at 100 yards is easier for me to visualize. I've shot MIL/MRAD in the past and swapped. As far as reticles go, buy one that you can understand and use with appropriate markings. Don't buy one you don't know how to use (or aren't willing to learn how to use) or that just clutters your field of view. Finally, in regards to magnification, do not overdo it. You're not shooting a deer with a 338 Lapua from 2 1/2 miles away. The low end should be 3x or 4x and the upper end should be 12 to 16x. On my deer rifle I shoot a Viper PST Gen II 3-15x44 FFP with the EBR-7C MOA reticle. With this setup I am comfortable taking shots past 500 yards which is beyond the range most new hunters should ever consider. Now to avoid being accused of being a Vortex corporate shill, I should add that when I shot F-Class my rifle scope was a Nighforce NXS and I've owned Zeiss in the past (before I swapped to FFP) and was quite pleased with the quality of both. They're also more expensive than Vortex so there's that. Oh, and my .22LR has a Nikon Prostaff Rimfire scope on it which has worked flawlessly for 7(?) years now. Seriously. I treat it like shit and it's held zero the entire time. 5/7 would recommend.
  • A shooting stick. For a large part of California, shooting from a bipod attached to a rifle isn't practical. Whether it's sage or tall grass, it just isn't happening. The Primos Trigger Stick is what you want. There is also the tripod version. I own both and use the trigger stick more often. If I had to choose one I'd go with the monopod because it's easiefaster to deploy.
  • Good binoculars. Again, I'm going to suggest Vortex. A solid pair of 10x42s or 8x42s are what you're looking for. I rock Diamondback HDs 10x50s I bought used. Keep in mind, these aren't really the binoculars you'll see people "glassing" with. These are more for the mobile hunter and general scanning. If I were to buy a single pair of binos for carrying around, I'd swap my 10x50s for Diamondback HD 8x42s and it's what I suggest you do if you're starting out (again, buy used if you can). In the past I've owned Bushnell binos and they worked for getting started, but quickly left a lot to be desired. While Bushnell quality is a lot better than it was in the past, I still recommend Vortex because I've got personal experience with using them far more recently. Also just ask around. Tons of people have good binos they don't use and will usually part with for way under the replacement value.
  • A pack. If you're backpack hunting you're going to have different requirements than someone stand hunting within drag distance of their truck. If you want a good pack which will work for most big game situations, buy the ALPS OutdoorZ Commander frame and bag. I owned one. It held up pretty well although it's not waterproof. For the price it's pretty much the best you can do. I upgraded to an Eberlestock Just One Pack J34 with the J2SD Spike Camp Duffel and it's been good so far. I'll be really testing it this fall though. If you don't need a full pack, I use a ALPS OutdoorZ Pathfinder with the Turkey call and game bag. Granted when I purchased it the two came together so they may have since modified it, but I still recommend it. Keeps all your stuff handy. I actually use it for turkey hunting. If you just want a simple day pack (or want to mix the daypack with the Pathfinder), I bought this a few years ago at Big5 for like $50 and it's held up just fine. The buckles are a PITA but at least they don't break.
  • Good knife. I actually don't know that much about knives. I use a Havalon Piranta Edge because I'm too lazy to sharpen blades. I've skinned a lot of game with it and love it. My buddy has the Buck Knives 141 and another carries a Buck 110. As long as the knife is sharp it will work. If you don't know how to sharpen a knife, get the Havalon or similar knife with replacement blades.
  • What about archery???!?1 If you want to start bow-hunting--which you absolutely should--you really need to go to an archery shop and talk to the employees. Tell them your budget (make sure they know you need a full set up for that amount and not just a bow). They'll have you test fire bows and measure your draw length. Help you figure out what draw weight you're comfortable with. You'll need to find the bow that works for you. It's not the same as buying a gun. Bows are much more individual. Don't be embarassed because you're shooting a 40lb draw. The more you practice the more it will go up. I shoot a 60lb draw and have zero intention of ever going up. It's more than enough. Once again, hunting is not a dick/tit measuring contest. Don't believe the hype that you need to have an 80lb pull bow. If you've never shot a bow before don't waste your money on a flagship. I currently shoot a Bowtech Revolt X which is basically sex in bow form. It's also overkill for someone who has never even shot a bow before. If you have a limit of $500 for bow + arrows, the Diamond SB-1 Edge is a "good enough" solution and I know two people who have taken deer with one. It's not great, but it'll do the trick to get you started. If you need the recommendation on a bow shop in the San Diego area the only shop you need to go to is the Bow N Arrow Shop in Lakeside. Make an appointment and tell Bruce your situation. He will go out of his way to help you. One other thing: crossbows are considered firearms in California in relation to hunting seasons, so basically a crossbow can't be used on an archery tag during archery season.
  • Camping equipment for backpack hunters. Check Craigslist for good deals. I've had the same REI tent and stove for years. Also, look at camping's sidebar for all the camping-related and gear-related sub-reddits. They have far more on this subject than I could ever hope to fit here.
  • Cooler. If you're going to be traveling a distance and need to keep ice cool for several days I can personally recommend RTIC because I'm too cheap for Yeti, but Yeti are very good coolers as well. Otherwise Igloo or Coleman coolers work just fine. Don't let the marketing fool you. You do not need a Yeti/RTIC if you're just starting out and not leaving the cooler in the Arizona sun for 6 days straight. Hell, if you're going to be home within an hour you don't even need a cooler. As for size, 65 quarts fits a quartered mule deer and ice.
  • Clothing. I'll be honest. If you're just getting started and on a budget just go to Walmart and buy some cheap camo. Don't overthink it because it will work just fine. This might be sacrilege to the guy wearing $800 worth of Sitka clothes, but at least your credit card isn't max'd. If you can't afford Sitka, but also don't want to walk into Walmart, just look for King's Camo or Badlands. I wear a mix of stuff personally and it's mostly First Lite and King's Camo. Of course, if you've got the money, Sitka, First Lite and KUIU are great. Buy a good pair of gaiters. Also wool is your best friend. I have a pair of Kenetrek gaiters and they're great. You should also wear gloves even in the summer months. It will save your hands from getting cut up.
  • OnX. This is a requirement for public land hunting in California. I will write more on it later. Want to know where to hunt? Well, this is the answer.
• And some nice-to-haves
  
  • Laser Range Finder This isn't a requirement to get started hunting, but if you've got the stuff above and especially if you're bowhunting it's a very nice thing to have. Personally I use a Vortex Ranger 1800 but the Impact 1000 is a great starting point. In the past I had a Leupold RX-1000i TBR that was great until it decided to die on me. Bushnell makes great rangefinders and if you're doing archery on a budget this is a good option. Also check classified ads for golf. Sometimes you'll find some deals on rangefinders there.
  • Binoculars for glassing and a tripod. This is especially true for anyone hunting SoCal where you need to glass. You want a good 15x56 or 18x56 and a solid tripod. I'm currently waiting on these Diamondback HD 15x56 to come in stock where I usually buy my optics so I can replace my less-than-great Nikon 16x50s. As for tripods, I have a Vortex Summit SS-P and it works pretty well. I use it for my spotting scope and it's admittedly a little light for that, but that can be offset pretty well by hanging weight from the balance hook.
  • Spotting scope I use a Vortex Viper HD 15-45x65 (angled). It's great and I can count points from crazy distances while also being light enough I don't mind carrying it. I love it. The only other spotting scope I've used is a Swarovski and the thing was incredible--but it also costs as much as 1.5 KLR650s.
  • Game Cameras Since I'm going to assume most people are hunting on public land I recommend you just buy some cheap Chinesium generic cams. Game cams are prone to wandering off for unknown reasons on public land. Obviously if you're hunting private property you should have a safer investment, so feel free to spend some more on actual quality cams. As for everyone else? Cheap Chinesium it is. Use lithium batteries with the cameras to maximize the cheaply-engineered battery life and a cheap 32GB class 10 SD card. It works out to something like $52 a camera between cam, batteries and SD card. You're going to lose them. Don't splurge here unless your daily driver is a Bugatti.
  • goHUNT Insider Membership. In reality, this isn't actually that useful when you're first starting out if you're only sticking to hunting inside of California. Once you decide to expand your hunting horizons it's super valuable. They also have great articles on their site.
  • 4WD Vehicle There are a lot of rough desert service roads--especially around San Diego and Imperial Counties--which open up a lot of public land for you to hunt, but they can only safely accessed with 4WD. Is this a requirement to get started hunting? Not at all. Should you buy a 4WD vehicle just to go hunting? Probably not if you ask personalfinance. Is it nice to have? Absolutely. Even better if it belongs to your friend. I can't begin to tell you how many scratches my truck has from going off-road...
  • Private Property. If you can't afford it find someone who owns property and ask for permission. You'll be surprised how many landowners will agree--especially if you bow-hunt. I've got permission in the past to hunt on private property in San Diego. How did I manage it? I asked. That simple. Tons of hunters complain about not being able to hunt on private property but have never even tried asking. Just get used to getting rejected. Thankfully my dating life prepared me well for this.
  • Hunting Buddy. More on this later. Suffice to say friends are good to have.

Part 2: Tags, Stamps, and Points. Oh my!

• Tags 101
  
  • What are tags? Tags are a permit to harvest a specific big game animal. They're sold in addition to your regular hunting license.
  • Why do I need them? You need tags to harvest deer, elk, pronhorn antelope, bighorn sheep, wild pig, or black bear.
  • How many tags can I have? You are limited to two deer tags each year and one each of elk, antelope, sheep and black bear. You can purchase an unlimited number of pig tags.
  • How do I get tags? Pig tags and black bear tags are sold "over-the-counter" (OTC) This means you can drive to your local Big 5, buy a tag, and then head straight to the woods and try and harvest an animal. Well, in theory. If 1,700 bears are harvested statewide, the bear season is closed; however, that hasn't happened since California banned bear hunting with dogs c. 2011. We haven't even come close since then. Some deer tags are OTC but most are not. Most deer tags are considered premium deer tags and allocated via lottery, then there are restricted deer tags (these are less common), and finally unrestricted deer tags. I will cover these differences in the section on deer. ALL Elk, Pronghorn, and Sheep tags are awarded through a lottery drawing. None are sold OTC in the state of California.
• Stamps/Validations 101
  
  • What are stamps? Stamps are endorsements on your license similar to endorsements on a driver's license. They entitle you to certain privileges. In California, these privileges are exclusively related to bird hunting.
  • Why do I need them? If you want to hunt upland game, waterfowl, or other migratory birds, you need the appropriate stamps. There are three stamps. If you want to hunt waterfowl (i.e. ducks) you need the "California Duck Validation" as well as the "Federal Duck Stamp." If you want to hunt upland game (i.e. turkey, dove, pheasant or quail) you need the "Upland Game Bird Validation".
  • How many stamps do I need? You just buy the stamps once per year. If you're going duck hunting, buy the two validations and you're good to go for the season. Same as the Upland Game stamp. It's valid for the same dates as your hunting license.
  • How do I get stamps/validations? Same place you got your hunting license. You can order it online or go to a licensed retailer. It's super easy. There is no limit or lottery or anything.
• Points 101
  
  • What are points? Points, or preference points as they're technically known, are awarded for each year you enter a tag lottery and don't win the tag. They exist in an attempt to award a limited number of tags in a fair manner which rewards people who have tried for the tags the longest
  • Why do I need them? It's practically impossible to draw elk, pronghorn, sheep and a large number of deer tags without them. I'll explain them more in depth later, but suffice it to say for now each point increases your likelihood of getting drawn.
  • How many points do I need? That depends on the species and the hunt. It can be as low as zero or one to as high as the current maximum of 19 points on next year's application.
  • How do I get points? Say it's your first year and you entered for a Bighorn Sheep tag and didn't win. You'll be awarded a point for this entry. The next year you'll have one point. If you don't win in your second year, you'll get another point and so on. Once you win your points zero. You can also elect to just buy a point by noting "Preference Point Only" instead of entering a specific drawing on your application. However you can not choose both "Preference Point Only" as well as entering a drawing. It's one or the other.

Part 3: Finding Public Land to Hunt On

It's not that hard. I swear. There are 38,197,000 acres of public land--38% of the entire state--open to hunting. Is it hard to find GOOD hunting land not overrun by other hunters? Yes. That's why you scout and get used to hiking quite a bit. It's not impossible, however, and that's what matters.
Use OnX. No seriously. It's worth every cent. Every single time a new hunter asks me where to go my answer is OnX. I don't want to do a write-up on every amazing feature this software has to offer because they have a YouTube channel where they do it better than I ever could. That being said, there are a few things worth mentioning for people who are too lazy to watch some YouTube videos.
First - you can use OnX from both a PC and smartphone. I'm mentioning this because quite a few people I know were surprised when I told them the website works from PC. It's way easier to plan a hunt on a 27 inch monitor than a 5.8 inch phone. The website and the phone app are synced so if you add a marker to the website, it appears on the phone (and vice versa).
Second - check out the layers library and use them. As an example, you should have the layer for recent fires turned on when you're looking for bear, deer or elk opportunities. Again, I'm not sure why people don't realize this is available.
Third - use markers and colors which make sense. When I first started using OnX, I would mark everything in the most haphazard fashion. It's not useful. I suggest keeping it simple. If I think an area might have access I drop a yellow "A", if I confirm that it has access I drop a blue"A" and if it turns out there's no getting there I set a red "A". It makes it easy to read quickly. However, do whatever is easy and works for you. Just make sure you understand what you're looking at and you're consistent with it.
What kind of land can I hunt on? Legal Disclaimer: You should verify with all respective agencies and landowners that hunting is permitted at specific locations because I'm not responsible for you going to jail etc.

• BLM Land. OnX marks BLM land in yellow. BLM land typically allows dispersed camping without permits. At least in Southern California deserts, the BLM has decently maintained dirt access roads throughout. On most BLM land throughout the state you can also target shoot however this needs to be checked with the local field office first. Also, if you see a "No Shooting" sign they're talking about target shooting. You can still discharge a firearm during the lawful pursuit of game. Just a protip.
  
• National Forest. Most National Forest property can be hunted on and if hunting is prohibited it will be clearly marked. OnX marks National Forest property in green. Roads are typically maintained pretty well through National Forest property. A large number of the roads throughout Cleveland National Forest in San Diego can be access with a front-wheel drive compact car and a sufficiently brave driver.
  
• Wilderness Areas. Most Wilderness Areas can be hunted. There are cases where there may be an endangered animal (such as a butterfly here in San Diego) which results in some acres being closed to any and all access--not just hunting; however, this is exceedingly rare and it will be clearly posted. It's important to note you can not operate a motorized/mechanical vehicle (including a bicycle) within the bounds of the wilderness area. You will be walking in and out. Don't drive your jeep down a fire road through a wilderness area. Just because the road exists doesn't make it OK. Follow the rules. There will be signs telling you not to do it. It's pretty hard to claim ignorance on this one. OnX marks Wilderness Areas with a dotted pattern. You will notice this wilderness area is part of a national forest from the color of the lower layer. See? Learning has occurred.
  
• Some State Wildlife Areas. OnX marks Wildlife Areas in light blue. Each Wildlife Area has specific regulations set by the state. Thankfully those regulations are easily available online as well as very useful write-ups about each area.
  
• In Imperial County specifically you can hunt on IID Land. I'm adding this here because the Imperial Irrigation District (IID) permits hunting on their properties. You will probably be stopped by an IID officeemployee at some point. They're friendly and usually super helpful. There's just a pretty big crime problem in El Centro right now where farming equipment (including things like full-size tractors) are getting stolen and IID actively checks their properties for suspicious people. All that being said, it is not the standard for private water to allow hunting. Vista Irrigation District in San Diego leases their land to hunters through the "My Country Club" program at $3,000 a year. However, it's still worth checking where you live. You can just call the local irrigation district office and ask.
  
• Private Property with Permission. You can use OnX for this as well. It helps you locate property owners. I don't want to doxx anyone so no screenshot, but every registered property owner is available to you. If you find a piece of land you wish to hunt you can use this information to find the owner. My house sits on an 1/8th of an acre and if I click the parcel it has my full name (including middle initial weirdly enough) as well as address. And, no, you can't hunt on my tiny slice of land I call home. The HOA would definitely frown on that.
  
• Hunting Clubs. This is particularly true for upland game bird or duck hunting. A lot of hunting clubs own or lease property they maintain specifically for hunting. If you can afford it, this is a good option and it's a great way to meet other hunters. Think of it as the Country Clubs of the hunting world.
  
• Private Property through a Guide Service. Again, this will cost you. However, most guide services have agreements with property owners to hunt private property. There is no shame in hiring a guide either. If you want to get better at a hobby it's common to pay for lessons. Why is hunting any different?
  
• SOME National Recreation Areas and National Preserves / Lands administered by NPS. In Southern California, the big one which permits hunting is Mojave National Preserve (which is a great place for quail by the way). OnX marks it in this purple (fuchsia?) color. National Recreation Area is the same color and places such as Lake Meade National Recreation Area in Nevada permit hunting. I assume there are places in California which do but I don't know any off the top of my head and I'm too lazy to do your research for you. Just check the regulations before you go. Everything is online these days. There is no excuse. The incomplete list of places you can hunt is here because the government can't be bothered to maintain it. Case in point: Mojave National Preserve isn't even listed but hunting is listed on their own website for those wondering.
  
• Military Bases. Some military bases permit hunting to the public (Fort Hunter Liggett is one). Others permit hunting only to active duty service members or retirees (Camp Pendleton). Each base has their own rules and regulations. If you're close to a base it's worth checking to see if they allow hunting and what the requirements for access are.
  
• ? Some Logging Company Properties ?. I've heard this from multiple people, but I live in Southern California where this isn't really a thing. If someone from NorCal can chime in that would be great.
  

What Kind of land CAN'T I hunt on?

• State Parks. There is no hunting on state parks in California.
  
• MOST National Parks / National Monuments. Again, research before you go. Just realize most properties are going to be a big no-no.
  
• MOST National Wildlife Refuges. There are some you can hunt on though. It's worth checking. Just understand most refuges do not permit hunting and those that do typically regulate what you can and can't hunt.
  
• Private Property without Written Permission. Seriously. Don't be that guy. Oddly enough there are exceptions to this rule in other places (dove hunting in Yuma, AZ is permitted on private non-residential farming property as long as there isn't a posted sign forbidding it). But when you're in California this is a hard and fast rule. Once again: don't be that guy (or gal).
  

Will you tell me your secret spot?
I don't have one and none of my spots are secrets. They're all on public land. If you're really lost-in-space or just generally nervous about going somewhere you scouted through a website and you happen to be local to Southern California, just message me and I'll help out. It's really not that difficult though.

Part 4: Alternatives For When You Don't Get The Tag You Want

SHARE Hunts for Elk
This is a California-specific hunting opportunity. It's another lottery but it's an agreement between the state and private landowners to permit very regulated hunting on their properties. Each hunt is different and, again, this is a lottery so it's basically a moonshot; however, the odds of getting drawn on an elk tag is actually higher here than most general draws are with zero points. The money goes back into the program. The SHARE elk drawings close 7/24 this year. Which happens to be today. You can read more about the SHARE opportunities here. Enter through the online DFW license sales.
Leaving California (Hunting out-of-state): Since you can check out, but never leave, right? It's worth looking at other states.

• OTC Elk - Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Utah and Washington all offer OTC tags. This will cost you $450-$750 for the non-resident hunting license and the tag.
  
• OTC Antelope - Wyoming has good draw odds (some are 100%). Otherwise I think Idaho is the only state with OTC antelope tags and it's archery only. New Mexico does weird OTC tags as well, but they're only valid on private property so if you pay for access this is a good option I guess.
  
• OTC Sheep - Literally does not exist. You can do a ranch hunt in Texas if you want to harvest a sheep. Otherwise sorry.
  
• OTC Deer - Arizona late season (DecembeJanuary) offers OTC archery hunts for both Mule deer and Coues deer with success rates as high as mid-30%. You will see TONS of deer. This is an excellent opportunity for archers. Otherwise, Idaho offers OTC Mule Deer and some 2nd/3rd season hunts in Colorado are OTC. Other states have leftover tags that are first-come, first-served. Montana and Arizona fit this category.
  
• DISABLED VETERANS SPECIFICALLY - You can hunt in Idaho on a non-resident disabled veterans permit for cheap. A license + OTC elk tag + OTC mule deer tag is something like $100. Plus you can punch your mule deer tag on a black bear if you really want to. If you fit the criteria this is an absolutely amazing opportunity.
  

Continued Here: Hunting In California 102: Draws, Deer, and Dove. Plus a bit on finding a hunting buddy.

I noticed a mistake!
Great! Comment below and I'll fix it. We're all human and I don't pretend to be infallible.

Hey, so I noticed that on my level 2 for OTC stocks (on the Questrade IQ Edge platform) that the "venues" aka market makers only show up as "OTC" when on my other platform (different broker) there are several different market makers on level 2 (NITE, PUMA, etc). Does anyone know why they don't show other market makers on the level 2? Is it because they have no routing options for OTC stocks? When an OTC stock is super volatile (dropping fast) it's really hard to get executed when selling, even while setting a limit order below the best bid. I have the US Advanced-Data package which includes otc level 2. I contacted their live support and after 2 hours of speaking to the person on the other end he basically told me that no other "venues" (market makers) exist for OTC stocks, besides the "OTC" venue. When trading NASDAQ stocks, there are other venues on level 2 such as NYSE, BATS, etc... Could anyone give me a definitive answer as to why the level 2 only shows one "venue" and why they offer no routing options for OTCs. Btw not trying to bash on them, just want to get a real answer as Questrade continues to be the best broker for Canadians to use when day trading especially for low priced stocks with their $4.95 flat rate.

Hey everyone! I'm new to IQ Option and trading in general. I'm still only using the practice account and would love tips from experienced traders before I start with real money!
I'm doing mostly binary options now. I've tried with stocks and commodities but I always loose those and the returns don't seem all that great even with leverage. But I'm new so maybe I'm wrong.
I use Moving Averages, Awesome Oscillator and RSI tools to help me make a decision on the Binary trades (mostly currencies). And I don't wait till the end of the option, I cash out the moment I'm in the green, even if it's only a 10% profit (unless I'm 100% certain what direction it's headed, then I cash out at 50 or 60). I know the returns are greater if I stay till the end but this seems less risky and I still make a profit even though doubling my money takes longer. So far I have close to a 3/4 win-loss ratio with this method but I'd love your input on what I should be doing and what I can do to improve!
Also I don't know if it's just me but OTC trades on weekends seem much more predictable than the normal ones on the weekdays. I got a 16-1 win-loss on that.
I don't have any background in finance or economics so I'm learning on the job sort of here

“I don’t remember everything, but I remember enough - I remember the very day you were born. Even then, I knew what we were made of, but so what? We’re more than the sum of our parts or what people make of us; we made that clear enough. We’re both what we chose to be, in the end.”
-Jaune Arc
"He began all of this as something out of Worm. Then things went into Dungeons and Dragons. They stopped by Shadowrun for a while, and now we're up Exalted creek and have ditched the boat & paddle in favor of a rocket fueled by Saiyan erections and classily presented methamphetamine."
-Krasnogvardiech, engaging in comparative literature.

Character Bio

Name: Jaune Arc
Aliases, Titles, Alternate Names: The Gamer, Jian Bing, Keter, Metatron
Affiliations: The Arc-Roma Family (as 'Jaune Arc'), the White Fang (As ‘Jian Bing’)
Allies: Adam Taurus, Raven Branwen, Autumn Rose, Tiangou, Elementals
Enemies: Malkuth, Cinder Fall, the creatures of Grimm
Jaune Arc is the youngest child and only son of Isabella and Jacques Arc, a pair of skilled Hunters - those who use Aura, the power of the soul, to defend humanity from the monstrous Grimm that would see it destroyed. As he grew up, Jaune wished to become a Huntsman like his parents, but he went untrained even until young adulthood.
Everything changed for Jaune, though, when he unlocked his Semblance, a personal power which is essentially unique from individual to individual. Jaune’s Semblance is The Gamer, which allows him to live his life as a living abstraction, as if he was the main character of an RPG video game. Becoming a strong Huntsman was suddenly a simple matter of leveling up... but unfortunately for him, the world around him is always more complicated than the world of any RPG.
Because this Respect Thread chronicles Jaune at his best - including feats revealed as of the 'end' of his story, The Games We Play - spoilers will follow. Furthermore, The Games We Play is an alternate universe fanfiction. Jaune's feats from his canon should not be considered to apply here, and vice-versa.

Strength & Destructive Ability

Physical Strength:

• Hauls multiple tons of metal behind him, with minimal exertion, for extended periods of time.
  
• Causes massive collateral damage, destroying buildings with ease.
  

Energy Projection & Ranged Combat

• Fires minor energy projectiles in large enough numbers to form semi-coherent waves of dakka.
  
• Conjures Brahmastra, a spear or energy projectile analogous to a nuclear bomb, albeit a bomb with a limited number of uses per day.
  
• Conjures Longinus, a spear or energy projectile which warps space to bypass defenses.
  
• Conjures Agneyastra, a spear or energy projectile which explodes into flames that can consume any Aura, in order to sustain their unnatural expansion.
  
• Uses the Ohr Ein Sof, a mountain-busting area-of-effect attack that can erase matter, as well as strike at identity and the soul.
  
• Attacks merely by shedding an aura of light from his body.
  
• Temporarily surrounds himself with a miniature star, complete with solar heat and gravity well.
  
• Moves multiple tons of metal with psychokinesis.
  
• Drives a Hunter through multiple layers of rock and into the water table, through psychokinesis.
  

Speed & Mobility

Speed:

• Moves quickly enough to boil water, and melt sand into glass.
  
• Under the effects of the Arcana (see below), moves quickly enough to annihilate the ground, and turn air into plasma.
  
• Accelerates his personal flow of time, multiplying his speed compared to the outside world.
  
• Temporarily 'stops' time, allowing him to move instantaneously.
  

Teleportation:

• Teleports across short distances.
  
• Able to teleport across dimensional barriers.
  

Flight:

• Uses the power of his aerokinetic Air Elemental (see below) to fly in atmosphere.
  
• Uses the power of Conquest (see below) to grow unnaturally-aerodynamic wings.
  
• Uses his Aura to generate lift, and thus true unaided flight.
  

Astral Projection:

• Projects his consciousness out of his body and into the White Tiger (see below), allowing him to fight and move even while his body is incapacitated.

Velocity Manipulation:

• Directly alters the direction of his personal velocity, without changing the magnitude.
  
• Does it multiple times in quick succession, directing his body through the multiple weak points of a large enemy.
  

Durability & Survivability

The Gamer's Body (AKA Keter Woo-Woo):

• Jaune experiences physical damage to his body as a reduction to his 'Hit Points', rather than a reduction in physical function.
  
  • His power looks like instant regeneration to the outside observer, healing him faster than even Raven (one of the most powerful Huntresses in the world) can see.
  • Experiences the removal of his right leg below the knee, and his left foot, with no loss of function.
  • Experiences the total dissolution of his body, multiple times over, and keeps fighting with no loss of function.
• Like a video game character, Jaune can recover from esoteric effects ('status effects') by sleeping. He purges himself of an otherwise-incurable infection, and reverts the total transfiguration of his body.
  

Durability:

• Imparts his personal durability onto his personal effects, through his Aura.
  
• Transmutes his skin into Adamantine, a supernaturally durable material.
  
• Transmutes his body into soul-based material, allowing him to tank an energy attack which destroys kilometers of earth.
  
• Survives mountain-busting blows in hand-to-hand.
  
• Survives the heat, shockwave, and radiation of a nuclear bomb. From within the blast radius. Without environmental shielding.
  

Survivability:

• Doesn't need food, drink, or sleep.
  
• Potential lifespan of at least 1039 years, probably ageless.
  

Mental & Cognitive Abilities

The Gamer's Mind (AKA Keter Woo-Woo):

• In the same way that the player of a video game is divorced from the game he plays, Jaune's mind is divorced from the physical world, and he shrugs off mental influences.
  
  • No-sells the mental influence of a bioweapon that physically manipulates his brain and interfaces with his Aura.
  • His mind operates normally even while his body is 'stopped' in time.
  • He still emotionallly engages with the world, and feels the full range of emotions, despite the nonstandard seat of his consciousness.

Living Across Lives (AKA Keter Woo-Woo):

• By elevating his mental attributes and parameters as a 'game character', Jaune recovers his memories of his past life.
  
• Retains his memories and consciousness across reincarnations, under normal circumstances.
  

Intelligence:

• Has an eidetic memory.
  
• Has an enhanced grasp of mathematics.
  
  • Mathematically models fifty high-speed and consecutive hand-to-hand attacks in the span of a moment.
• Figures out how to reassemble and repair an utterly-destroyed pyramid in five minutes, then completes the task in two minutes.
  
• Plans out an impersonation of Conquest on the fly, and carries it out effectively enough to stay Cinder's hand.
  
• In his past life, invented the process of forming contracts with Elementals.
  
• Working with Malkuth in his past life, developed practical applications for the esoteric and theoretical Qlippoth.
  

Skill & Learning:

• Initiates himself into new skills by physically absorbing viable 'skill books'... without even needing to directly read them.
  
  • Obtains full comprehension of absorbed books, including comprehension of hidden, allegorical, and subtextual information.
  • Even when the skill books aren't in a language that he can read.
  • Even when the skill books aren't recognizable as books at all.
  • Effortlessly reaches beginner-level competence in multiple fields of information technology.
  • Instantly learns how to pilot a specific model of aircraft.
• Initiates himself into the skilled use of objects via applied psychometry.
  
  • Learns how to use his father's war hammer (including his personal style) by touching it.
  • Learns the basics of iaido by touching the sword of a practitioner.
• Improves in knowledge and ability merely by brute-force repetition and grinding, in the manner of a game character.
  
  • Learns how to repair the structure of a ruined airship in the span of days.
  • Recovers details that even experts don't know, regarding the operations of a lost martial art.

Sensory Ability:

• Has fully-synesthetic extrasensory perception. So long as he perceives a thing with even one sense, he can use all of his senses on that thing.
  
• Able to 'Observe' the essential nature and abilities of those things he senses, within limits.
  
  • Similarly, he sees the rough purpose, use, and past of objects, as well as the souls of the people he looks at, via the Ajna chakra.
• Directly senses emotions.
  
• Has clairvoyance strong enough to reveal the entire electromagnetic spectrum.
  
  • His clairvoyance is strong enough to make out molecular phenomena.
  • And atoms.
• Views the pasts of objects, in detail, through direct psychometry.
  

Minion-Mancy

Basal Elementals:

• Binds himself to various (platonic) elemental forces, granting them a measure of personhood and human experience (if not autonomy) in exchange for their companionship and power.
  
• Binds himself to Crocea Mors, a Metal Elemental inhabiting his sword.
  
  • Reinforces an airship against a blow from within that would have otherwise destroyed it.
  • Transforms a metal sword and shield into metal gauntlets, then reinforces them to the hardness of diamonds.
  • Fuses multiple tons of metal together.
• Binds himself to Levant, an Air Elemental.
  
  • Flies by having Levant carry him aloft.
  • Uses Levant's aerokinesis to stop the spread of airborne infection.
  • Suppresses the heat emanation of Suryasta's fires.
  • Directs oxygen to feed Suryasta's fires.
• Binds himself to Suryasta, a Fire Elemental.
  
  • Uses controlled heat energy to help fuel an airship.
  • Protects Jaune from mishandled Fire Dust.
  • Generates fire hot enough to melt the body of a Hydra.
• Binds himself to Xihai, a Water Elemental.
  
  • Keeps Adam dry in the middle of the ocean, and generates a staircase of hardened water.
  • Manipulates water effectively enough to deny various aquatic Grimm their terrain advantage against bipedal, terrestrial Adam.
• Binds himself to Vulturnus, a Lightning Elemental.
  
  • Strikes hard enough to throw a person twenty feet horizontally.
  • Redirects a lightning bolt, around and away from Isabella's vital spots.
• Binds himself to Ereb, an Earth Elemental.
  
  • Sinks a Hydra into the earth, and impales its limbs on drills.
  • Creates massive walls of diamond-hard earth.

Combined Elementals:

• Combines and fuses his various basic Elementals together, creating new Elementals that are more than the sum of their parts.
  
• Combines Air and Ice Elementals to create an Ice Elemental.
  
  • Generates spikes of ice and a localized blizzard.
• Combines Air, Earth, and Fire Elementals to create a Glass Elemental.
  
  • Catches the remains of broken windows and repairs them, moments after an explosion blows them out.
• Combines Earth, Metal, and Lightning Elementals to create a 'Dimension' Elemental.
  
  • Precognitively acts on orders and/or events that have yet to happen, at the cost of disorienting Jaune & company.
  • Shifts Jaune and Adam's subjective experience of (and position within) space and time, at close combat ranges.
  • Bends space to focus the power of an energy beam.
  • Bends space, pulling earth inwards as if by gravity and liquefaction.
  • Bends space, turning a hair-thin crack into an opening that Jaune can put his hand through.
  • Uses time (?) manipulation to stop an Anata from healing.
• Creates Steam, Pressure, Inertia, Plasma, Gravity, Vibration, and further unnamed Elementals.
  

Light Elemental:

• Combines and fuses all of his Elementals to create an Elemental of Light (both physical and metaphysical).
  
  • As a reflection of Jaune's soul, remembers Jaune's past life, even when Jaune does not.
  • Thinks and moves at the speed of light.
  • Fires hundreds of lasers in an instant.
  • Fires lasers that change direction in mid-flight.
  • Fires a city-busting energy blast.

The White Tiger:

• Activates his 「STAND」, the 「NEON TIGER」. Creates a projection of a tiger-like humanoid, able to fight with him and overlap his body.

Duplication (AKA Thaumiel Woo-Woo):

• Divides himself into two quasi-discrete bodies and entities.
  
  • Uses mutually exclusive abilities simultaneously, across his two bodies.
  • Pulls his selves into the same volume of space, and combines their properties and abilities as he chooses.

Mind Control:

• Induces weak, distant emotions in a single target.

Shape-Shifting

Heir of the White Tiger:

• Transforms himself into a Tiger Faunus.

Elemental Fusions:

• Merges with various Elementals, with varying effects on his body.
  
  • Transforms himself into metal by merging with Crocea Mors.
  • Transforms himself into water by merging with Xihai.

Conquest:

• Activates a mutagenic bioweapon inside of his body, and directs the changes it creates.
  
  • Grows wings.
  • Adapts to aquatic combat.
  • Creates ultra-sharp (monomolecular?) claws and edges.
  • Rearranges his organs and vital spots.
  • Massively increases the size of his arm.
  • Creates cellulananite weapons with a limited range.

Alchemy/Transmutation:

• Creates hundreds of meters of spider-silk using his skin as base material.
  
• Creates poisons and organic super-solvents out of his bodily fluids.
  
• Secretes thousands of liters of water in the span of seconds, purified from his bodily fluids.
  

Buffs, Barriers, & Support

Healing:

• Regrows and restores multiple missing limbs.
  
• Regenerates a robot who otherwise has no natural healing factor.
  

Empowering:

• Able to awaken the Aura of other entities.
  
  • Awakens the Aura of one thousand Faunus, using Dust as a power source.
  • Awakens the Aura of a rose, 'creating' Autumn Rose.
  • Awakens thousands upon thousands of roses in order to help Autumn.
  • Awakens the Aura of a dog, 'creating' Tiangou.
• Invites people into his 'party', allowing them a measure of the benefits of his Semblance.
  
  • Invites Autumn Rose into his party.
  • Brings Adam into the party, wherein he grows astronomically.
  • Brings Raven into the party, allowing her to push past her limits.
• Expends energy to empower plants directly.
  
• Designates a 'familiar' animal who shares his power and growth rate.
  

Barriers:

• Creates an extra-dimensional barrier which contains a lifeless 'copy' of the real world, but rapidly fills with Grimm.
  
• Creates a barrier of warped space that prevents entry or exit.
  
• Creates a barrier that taps into natural energy to bolster his regeneration, power recovery, and stamina, and double the efficiency of his abilities.
  
• Creates a barrier that can both impose and negate 'status effects'.
  
• Creates a barrier where he can draw matter and territory from alternate worlds.
  
• Binds barriers to his own frame of reference, instead of the frame of reference of the earth.
  

Inventory & Loot:

• Has a nigh-bottomless 'inventory' which preserves items kept inside.
  
• Receives useful items, money, and skill books in exchange for defeating enemies.
  

Trump Cards

The Arcana:

• Uses the Arcana, a set of semi-random temporary powers that increase his abilities in one domain at the cost of decreasing them in another.
  
  • Strength - Massively increases his physical strength at the cost of his ability to use non-physical attacks.
  • The Chariot - Massively increases his speed and dexterity at the cost of his ability to use 'charged' or prepared attacks.
  • The Lovers - Allows him to share his powers with another, and to take damage in their place (and vice-versa) at the cost of being able to act independently.
  • The Magician - Triples his intelligence, at the cost of his ability to use physical attacks.
  • Judgement - Allows him to bypass all defenses, at the cost of his own ability to use active defenses.

Metatron:

• Empowered by outside energy, Jaune fuses with both his Light Elemental and his Thaumiel twin, entering an enhanced but temporary state of being.
  
  • Allows him to unleash all of his Elementals simultaneously.
  • Effortlessly teleports and moves through space and time.
  • Chooses the exact output of his skills, manifesting attacks as barriers and force fields, orbs and rays, emanations of light or altered objects.
  • Converts Longinus - a singular spear-like projectile - into an omnidirectional explosion.

Miscellaneous

• Kills a Giant Nevermore from the inside, after being swallowed whole.
  
• Able to complete 'exorbitant' amounts of paperwork in a moment or less.
  
• Crafts the world's smallest violin.
  
• Drinks enough to develop poison resistance and worry a bartender.
  
• A skilled dancer, even before awakening his powers.
  
• Sees subtitles and hears background music through his 'options' menu.
  
• Clothes resize themselves to fit him, like the equipment of a game character.
  
• Instantly changes his pants without looking down.
  
• Uses the White Tiger to help serve ice cream.
  

** So this started as I wanted to ask some questions, but turned into my life story - was focused for once. Skip to end you don’t have to read, was just good to get everything down & figured someone may relate to my experiences **
Going to tell you a little bit about myself I probs haven’t really managed to tell anyone before as I haven't been able to really find anywhere to go and chat about having ADHD, that and it feels good to be able to write some of this down, even if it may be a bit jumbled around! Will be good to see if anyone can relate / is going through similar things as me right now.
Being recently diagnosed with ADHD has been a blessing and a curse, while I have some answers it has just left me with even more questions.
I wasn’t a troubled child, I wasn’t hyperactive, I was relatively quiet, well behaved & got along with everyone. I did move here from the UK when I was 12 and found for the first 3 years of school that I had already learnt everything in the UK.
M grades were relatively good and the teachers never had any issues with me.
Once I hit grade 11 and it became time to start concentrating and learning again is when I really started to struggle, while I was smart enough to pass my way through most things. Anything that required concentration and for me to memorise something was a huge struggle.
For most of my life, that was the reason I put down for the issues with concentration / motivation as an adult, as my young brain wasn’t challenged enough and stopped developing correctly,. My report cards started to show I was having issues, going from A’s to C’s, D’s and even failing my once favourite subject, maths. With teachers notes going “Needs to concentrate harder” & “Richard can do much better if only he would apply himself”
After finishing grade 12 with a terrible OP of 19, I tried to study at TAFE, but as with school even though it was something that did interest me, I found myself very disinterested & disconnected.
I’ve always been proud of my intelligence & being able to solve complex issues with ease. Utilising tools around me in order to make my job/life easier (managed a call centre & automated all my tasks so that I didn’t have to repeatedly do them / work less) I just never quite understand why I couldn’t focus these talents into something productive.
“I choose a lazy person to do a hard job. Because a lazy person will find an easy way to do it.” ― Bill Gates – always a quote I felt I lived by and gave me an excuse/reason for how I was.
For years I have been trying to self-medicate with various OTC meds, nootropics, basically anything to try and clear that cloudy fog that was constantly over my mind – to increase my concentration and to hopefully start remembering my friends names.. but nothing seemed to work, I kept finding myself searching deep online for answers, cures, vitamins etc while keeping each option open on a new tab that I never went back too.
Not having a clear head for all my adult life, knowing that there was intelligence deep down in there but I wasn't able to access or fully utilise it has been the hardest for me as the older I was getting, the less potential I felt I had from all the failed projects attempts.
Even now, I’m constantly coming up with what I believe to be great business ideas but I feel I lack what’s required to fully put these ideas into place.
I’d been to the doctors multiple times over the years, expressing the same issues on repeat, knowing that I had the motivation/drive of someone suffering from depression, yet I was happy and content with life, able to see the best in everyone and everything, the most positive person of my friends.
My doctor tried me on anti-depressants, I barely took them – I wasn’t depressed & only suffered from what I assume is a normal amount of anxiety (being nervous for first meetings, around people I don’t know, going somewhere the first time) not enough to warrant being on medication for.
Was given a stimulant anti-depressant, can’t remember the name but was told this would give me energy, motivation and was to take 2 a day – each time I took them – shortly after I was found fast asleep.
Just kept me asking why is everything so different with me! Why do these solutions that work for other people, that work for my friends not even touch the sides when it comes to me?
Eventually my doctor said that I may have ADHD, I shrugged it off and didn’t give it much thought, went travelling for awhile and decided to do something about it again when I returned.
Never before did I think that ADHD was something that was real, was always under the impression that it was something made as an excuse for bad parenting, but after the Drs suggested that this could be the cause of my concentration/motivation issues & I started to read into it did I start to fully understand why my world felt so different compared to those around me.
I found this article which resonated with me like nothing had done before & that’s when I knew I had ADHD, but I was still going to my physiatrist, going through the motions/the testing as being diagnosed with adult ADHD seems to be very difficult in Australia
I had multiple sessions, took my school reports in, tried to explain how everything made me feel (Which is really hard when in your head you try to answer with 5 things at one time and struggle to get one out properly), even had my mum come in to give the doctor a recount of my childhood, but whose mother likes to or wants to admit that they may have missed something that could be life changing?
While all this was happening, I started to go south mentally, started with issues in thinking 'How my life could be different if I had found this out years ago?' The silly mistakes, the half-finished projects & ideas that just never eventuated into anything.
It hit me hard at the beginning & made me question everything that has happened in my life, but also found like it gave me an excuse for past, current & future actions/problems. It took me a while to start changing that outlook and to finally start pushing myself to that positive place.
I started with Strattera, as it was a none-stimulant and could be easily prescribed. That made me vomit, feel confused and couldn’t continue. I had to wait weeks for my next appointment again, over this period I had stopped making money (lost in bad trades) was financially broke and was fast approaching my personally lowest point in life.
I was then put on Concerta 18mg, was told I most likely won’t feel anything but to try it for a month and come back. So another stressed month of having something that wasn’t going to do much/anything. Seeing as the 18 did nothing, I started to experiment – doubling the dose. And wow! Was great the first time.. but then its like it never worked again.
But what I did do, was nothing much else to help myself, I made my own situation worse & pushed the ones that loved me away. Starting arguments with my partner because I no longer felt like myself or that I could be a successful person/someone she deserves to be with – not knowing what the end product of me would be.
I mean I thought I was feeling the benefits of Concerta and the desperate person inside me who wanted to see it as a fix kept trying to push and telling myself that it was working. That this is just the person that I am now, that I just need to have a higher dose or get the instant release and all will be fine and that I needed to just accept this person I had become.
It was stressful, I was trying to work shifts but they didn’t last long enough, I’d pushed my friends away because I couldn’t financially support myself and it was embarrassing & I’d never had to rely on anyone before (parents don’t count right? Ha)
My doctor put me up to 54mg, which for me was good for about 2-4hrs, I didn’t feel like me. I was emotionally distant but for that short period the brain fog was gone. My physiatrist didn’t understand why it wasn’t lasting very long or how no one she’s prescribed it has had it run out that quick? I am 6’4 / 100KG but I found it quite easy to sleep (sometimes it even sent me to sleep after taking it)
I started hating taking Concerta, the emotionless person I had become – it wasn’t working for me or my lifestyle and due to the short lasting it had become a bigger problem that it was trying to solve.
I tried to ask my doctor to switch medications, but every time I am in that office with her it’s like I completely forget everything that I’m there to talk about, the fog sets in harder & my IQ drops dramatically.
Instead I was bumped up to the highest dose allowed, 72mg which consisted on having to get 2 x 36mg scripts and cost $110 total – which for me – when I was the most broke I’d ever been wasn’t the best news. But I moved money around, I didn’t pay my rent and had stopped eating properly as I hoped having this was going to be the last answer.
After another week or two trialling 72mg and getting nowhere, I finally just emailed the doctor and asked to be changed, my GP advised of Vyvanse so was happy to start there. A script was sent out for 30mg and I picked them up the next day (So far it has cost me lots of $$ in appointments & medication as was all private ;/)
And this brings me to the last few weeks, I’ve been taking the Vyvanse daily – I have been having a solid 6hrs+ of having the fog lifted from my head but I don’t feel like it is completely there.
There are days where I can be positive, where I can see a bright/great future in front of me, but there are other days where I have these ideas, but I still lack the ability to completely push through with them (maybe broken confidence from past failings too?) and it kills me inside.
I want to make something of myself but it still feels like there is a weight tied to my ankle holding me down and I’m just unable to break free.
I accidentally took 60mg of my Vyvanse last week, I had forgot when I woke up I took one – until about 10sec after I took the second one I had a flash déjà vu, this was great that day (It’s actually when I typed most of this, I have since updated as I forgot to publish ha) but since, the 60mg doesn’t feel like it really does much, it kinda clears up the brain fog every other day, but can feel like I’m still trying to get over yesterdays comedown today by adding more. (Maybe I should try one day on, one day off)
One thing that has been great is that my friends have been very supportive of me over this period, even with me pushing them away and being distant they have always been there. I don’t think I could ask for better people in my life & I’m not sure where I would be right now if it wasn’t for them.
But the biggest thing has been the stress I have caused my partner, the feeling of inadequacy, that I was broken, losing my mind and wasn’t sure where I’d end up. She is the most beautiful soul I have ever met and someone I never meant to, or ever want to hurt – it just seemed like the best option in my head, for her – was for me to push her away.
But for some reason, she didn’t leave – she stuck around even with my arguing, mood swings and my emotionless states.
I don’t know what yet the future holds, but I’m finally feeling like I’m taking steps in the right direction (most days)
I’ve started studying web development, something I’ve always had a knack for but could never remember code – hoping to push that further with my own projects – but I’m still finding it difficult to juggle studying, working & life (I study one thing, then create a website elsewhere, then work on an app/idea – I need to focus on one, not 3 things – not sure if meds are helping me in that sense yet)
One thing I feel like I need if I stay on Vyvanse, would be Dexamphetamine, for afternoons, where the Vyvanse has worn off but I still need to fit study into my day – or to just switch to Dexies 100% of the time (I haven’t tried them, I assume seems Vyvanse converts to dex in the body that it *should* be very similar if not the same)
Think the only thing left after that would be some therapy / being taught better ways to focus my energy.
TL;DR – Got diagnosed with ADHD, sucked at life for a while, tried different meds, sucked at life some more, finally found Vyvanse & heading in the right direction
Questions:
For those who have been diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, does your memory get betteare you able to remember things that you thought you’d forgotten?
I’ve noticed that I will start using words again that I believed to have left my vocabulary but when I’m ‘down’ from the Vyvanse I can struggle to form intelligent sentences
One thing I can do, is write them down, that always allows me time to think exactly what I should say & then rewrite it 10 times before sending anywhere
Does anyone experience stomach issues as a side effect along with phlegm in the back of the throat from Vyvanse? Is there something to take with the medication that eases it without dampening the effects?
Since initially writing that I’ve noticed the stomach/phlegm has started to fade away – assume body is getting used too it!
During the ‘crash’ from both Vyvanse and Concerta my vision becomes blurry, with Vyvanse I can still semi-concentrate, just can’t see too well. I imagine its like how someone with glasses views the world when not wearing them (I do look at a computer screen a lot)
Do you tell people you have ADHD? Does it annoy you when everyone else things they do too? ha
Does anyone here come up with awesome ideas constantly but never have the chance to actually push them forward/complete them?
Or you have one idea, but then get so enriched with other ideas that have spawned from that simple idea (IE, you can see where a company should be in 5 years time before you've even got a name ha) and then everything just seems too hard?
I've lost count of the business ideas that I've have, which I've started to do but then given up on due to what I always blamed as funding ($200k+ always needed) or from the complexity on which I make the entire idea
Makes me question if I found out I had adhd when I was younger, would I have studied something sooner that would help me bring these ideas to life?
(Only just found out I have ADHD few months ago)
PS. Anyone have spare $200k they're looking to invest ha
I'm sure I'll break through one day, or at least now I'm medicated hopefully gives the push and concentration needed to better succeed

Initial Fiat Conversion Create an Online Exchange account. Preferably an Exchange in your country or State that allows the transfer of Fiat into your account wallet and allows Exchange trading in at least the two major Cryptos – Bitcoin and Ethereum. If no local Exchanges are available, try Coinbase, Kracken, Bithstamp or Coinmama, but be prepared to wait as much as 4 -12 weeks for registration processing.
Access to multiple Cyrptocurrencies Create another Online Exchange account with one or more of the top Exchanges that offers most of the cryptocurrencies like Binance, Bittrex, Coinbase, Poloniex, Huobi and GDAX. Some of these examples do not offer initial Fiat Conversion but are known to list many of the hundreds of actively traded Cryptos.
Get and Stay Updated Develop a plan to increase your awareness as well as to increase your investing or trading ability. Begin by reading the first whitepaper for Blockchain. https://bitcoin.org/bitcoin.pdf. Stay current about the state of Blockchain Technology and new and existing Companies in this space as well as existing and upcoming Initial Coin Offerings, (ICO’s). Here is a list of sources to use;

• YouTube, Google Search and Individual Project or Company websites that you are researching
• Telegram, Reddit, BitcoinTalk, Twitter, Stemmit, Linked-In, Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Conferences and Meetups
• Utilize sites like Coindesk, Cointelegraph, CoinMarketCap, ICO Drops, Icorating, etc
• Find out who are the top 20 Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Influencers and leaders in the field and subscribe to their updates on social media Select your personal Wallet Begin with MyEtherWallet and/or Metamask which you create on your PC or Desktop. Create also a Mobile Wallet using Jaxx, Mycelium, Exodus or other option. Large and significant amounts of funds should be transferred to a Hardware Wallet like Trezor or Ledger

Select your personal Wallet Begin with MyEtherWallet and/or Metamask which you create on your PC or Desktop. Create also a Mobile Wallet using Jaxx, Mycelium, Exodus or other option. Large and significant amounts of funds should be transferred to a Hardware Wallet like Trezor or Ledger
Dos and Don’ts

• After you have created your personal storage Wallet, practice moving tiny amounts between wallets or on and off an Exchange to get comfortable and avoid mistakes.
• Do not store or keep significant amounts of Crypto funds in any online Exchange wallet
• DO NOT SHARE YOUR PRIVATE KEYS!
• DO NOT STORE YOUR PRIVATE KEYS IN A FILE ON YOUR COMPUTER OR CELLPHONE Invest in a Hardware Wallet like Trezor or Ledger Nano to store your private keys as soon as possible. Some people prefer paper wallets and store them in fire resistant storage, safe deposit boxes and other centralized security options.
• Use hardware Wallets for your bulk funds.
• In cases where small amounts are stored in ‘Hot Wallets’ on your computer or cellphone, use different Crypto addresses for participating in ICO’s than those used for storage of your funds.
• Learn ‘How to Run MyEtherWallet Offline and Locally – There a some excellent YouTube videos demonstrating this in detail
• Be on the lookout for fake websites. When visiting any website to open an account or make a transaction or even subscribe for a service, always doublecheck that you are visiting the correct website
• Keep an eye out for scammers, fake Social Media accounts, fake Admins on Telegram and other Crypto Forums. Remember that 99.9% of the time NO ONE or Company is really giving away free Crypto
• Pay attention in the news for reported cases of Domain Name Server Hijacking or hacked Exchanges
• Always Do you Own Research, DYOR - Look for solid projects with experienced Teams and Advisors, a working product or prototype, good Token Metrics, a well-defined Roadmap and community awareness in Social Media
• Do not be influenced by market noise or Fear Uncertainty and Doubt, FUD Do not follow any and everyone with a YouTube channel and producing countless Crypto and ICO reviews. There are some solid sources that produce valuable and useful content that should be utilized. Again, remember to always DYOR
• Follow the Rubblechain Series at http://www.rubblestudent.com
• Keep it Simple. Stay away from sophisticated trading platforms, derivative and leveraged trading on platforms like IQ Option, eToro, Plus500 and similar brokers with higher than average fees and account restrictions
• Do not invest in off-chain stocks of traditional companies trading on one of the exchanges; NASDAQ, NYSE, or OTC that recently acquired or added some asset with the words ‘Blockchain’ or ‘Mining’ in its name and think you’re in the game
• MAKE A BACK-UP FOR EVERYTHING

“I don’t remember everything, but I remember enough—I remember the very day you were born. Even then, I knew what we were made of, but so what? We’re more than the sum of our parts or what people make of us; we made that clear enough. We’re both what we chose to be, in the end.”
-Jaune Arc
"He began all of this as something out of Worm. Then things went into Dungeons and Dragons. They stopped by Shadowrun for a while, and now we're up Exalted creek and have ditched the boat & paddle in favor of a rocket fueled by Saiyan erections and classily presented methamphetamine."
-Krasnogvardiech, engaging in comparative literature.

Character Bio

Name: Jaune Arc
Aliases, Titles, Alternate Names: The Gamer, Jian Bing, Keter, Metatron
Affiliations: The Arc-Roma Family (as 'Jaune Arc'), the White Fang (As ‘Jian Bing’)
Allies: Adam Taurus, Raven Branwen, Autumn Rose, Tiangou, Elementals
Enemies: Malkuth, Cinder Fall, the creatures of Grimm
Jaune Arc is the youngest child and only son of Isabella and Jacques Arc, a pair of skilled Hunters - those who use Aura, the power of the soul, to defend humanity from the monstrous Grimm that would see it destroyed. As he grew up, Jaune wished to become a Huntsman like his parents, but he went untrained even until young adulthood.
Everything changed for Jaune, though, when he unlocked his Semblance, a personal power which is essentially unique from individual to individual. Jaune’s Semblance is The Gamer, which allows him to live his life as a living abstraction, as if he was the main character of an RPG video game. Becoming a strong Huntsman was suddenly a simple matter of leveling up... but unfortunately for him, the world around him is always more complicated than the world of any RPG.
Because this Respect Thread chronicles Jaune at his best - including feats revealed as of the 'end' of his story, The Games We Play - spoilers will follow. Furthermore, The Games We Play is an alternate universe fanfiction. Jaune's feats from his canon should not be considered to apply here, and vice-versa.

Strength & Destructive Ability

Physical Strength:

• Hauls multiple tons of metal behind him, with minimal exertion, for extended periods of time.
  
• Causes massive collateral damage, destroying buildings with ease.
  

Energy Projection & Ranged Combat

• Fires minor energy projectiles in large enough numbers to form semi-coherent waves of dakka.
  
• Conjures Brahmastra, a spear or energy projectile analogous to a nuclear bomb, albeit a bomb with a limited number of uses per day.
  
• Conjures Longinus, a spear or energy projectile which warps space to bypass defenses.
  
• Conjures Agneyastra, a spear or energy projectile which explodes into flames that can consume any Aura, in order to sustain their unnatural expansion.
  
• Uses the Ohr Ein Sof, a mountain-busting area-of-effect attack that can erase matter, as well as strike at identity and the soul.
  
• Attacks merely by shedding an aura of light from his body.
  
• Temporarily surrounds himself with a miniature star, complete with solar heat and gravity well.
  
• Moves multiple tons of metal with psychokinesis.
  
• Drives a Hunter through multiple layers of rock and into the water table, through psychokinesis.
  

Speed & Mobility

Speed:

• Moves quickly enough to boil water, and melt sand into glass.
  
• Under the effects of the Arcana (see below), moves quickly enough to annihilate the ground, and turn air into plasma.
  
• Accelerates his personal flow of time, multiplying his speed compared to the outside world.
  
• Temporarily 'stops' time, allowing him to move instantaneously.
  

Teleportation:

• Teleports across short distances.
  
• Able to teleport across dimensional barriers.
  

Flight:

• Uses the power of his aerokinetic Air Elemental (see below) to fly in atmosphere.
  
• Uses the power of Conquest (see below) to grow unnaturally-aerodynamic wings.
  
• Uses his Aura to generate lift, and thus true unaided flight.
  

Astral Projection:

• Projects his consciousness out of his body and into the White Tiger (see below), allowing him to fight and move even while his body is incapacitated.

Velocity Manipulation:

• Directly alters the direction of his personal velocity, without changing the magnitude.
  
• Does it multiple times in quick succession, directing his body through the multiple weak points of a large enemy.
  

Durability & Survivability

The Gamer's Body (AKA Keter Woo-Woo):

• Jaune experiences physical damage to his body as a reduction to his 'Hit Points', rather than a reduction in physical function.
  
  • His power looks like instant regeneration to the outside observer, healing him faster than even Raven (one of the most powerful Huntresses in the world) can see.
  • Experiences the removal of his right leg below the knee, and his left foot, with no loss of function.
  • Experiences the total dissolution of his body, multiple times over, and keeps fighting with no loss of function.
• Like a video game character, Jaune can recover from esoteric effects ('status effects') by sleeping. He purges himself of an otherwise-incurable infection, and reverts the total transfiguration of his body.
  

Durability:

• Imparts his personal durability onto his personal effects, through his Aura.
  
• Transmutes his skin into Adamantine, a supernaturally durable material.
  
• Transmutes his body into soul-based material, allowing him to tank an energy attack which destroys kilometers of earth.
  
• Survives mountain-busting blows in hand-to-hand.
  
• Survives the heat, shockwave, and radiation of a nuclear bomb. From within the blast radius. Without environmental shielding.
  

Survivability:

• Doesn't need food, drink, or sleep.
  
• Potential lifespan of at least 1039 years, probably ageless.
  

Mental & Cognitive Abilities

The Gamer's Mind (AKA Keter Woo-Woo):

• In the same way that the player of a video game is divorced from the game he plays, Jaune's mind is divorced from the physical world, and he shrugs off mental influences.
  
  • No-sells the mental influence of a bioweapon that physically manipulates his brain and interfaces with his Aura.
  • His mind operates normally even while his body is 'stopped' in time.
  • He still emotionallly engages with the world, and feels the full range of emotions, despite the nonstandard seat of his consciousness.

Living Across Lives (AKA Keter Woo-Woo):

• By elevating his mental attributes and parameters as a 'game character', Jaune recovers his memories of his past life.
  
• Retains his memories and consciousness across reincarnations, under normal circumstances.
  

Intelligence:

• Has an eidetic memory.
  
• Has an enhanced grasp of mathematics.
  
  • Mathematically models fifty high-speed and consecutive hand-to-hand attacks in the span of a moment.
• Figures out how to reassemble and repair an utterly-destroyed pyramid in five minutes, then completes the task in two minutes.
  
• Plans out an impersonation of Conquest on the fly, and carries it out effectively enough to stay Cinder's hand.
  
• In his past life, invented the process of forming contracts with Elementals.
  
• Working with Malkuth in his past life, developed practical applications for the esoteric and theoretical Qlippoth.
  

Skill & Learning:

• Initiates himself into new skills by physically absorbing viable 'skill books'... without even needing to directly read them.
  
  • Obtains full comprehension of absorbed books, including comprehension of hidden, allegorical, and subtextual information.
  • Even when the skill books aren't in a language that he can read.
  • Even when the skill books aren't recognizable as books at all.
  • Effortlessly reaches beginner-level competence in multiple fields of information technology.
  • Instantly learns how to pilot a specific model of aircraft.
• Initiates himself into the skilled use of objects via applied psychometry.
  
  • Learns how to use his father's war hammer (including his personal style) by touching it.
  • Learns the basics of iaido by touching the sword of a practitioner.
• Improves in knowledge and ability merely by brute-force repetition and grinding, in the manner of a game character.
  
  • Learns how to repair the structure of a ruined airship in the span of days.
  • Recovers details that even experts don't know, regarding the operations of a lost martial art.

Sensory Ability:

• Has fully-synesthetic extrasensory perception. So long as he perceives a thing with even one sense, he can use all of his senses on that thing.
  
• Able to 'Observe' the essential nature and abilities of those things he senses, within limits.
  
  • Similarly, he sees the rough purpose, use, and past of objects, as well as the souls of the people he looks at, via the Ajna chakra.
• Directly senses emotions.
  
• Has clairvoyance strong enough to reveal the entire electromagnetic spectrum.
  
  • His clairvoyance is strong enough to make out molecular phenomena.
  • And atoms.
• Views the pasts of objects, in detail, through direct psychometry.
  

Minion-Mancy

Basal Elementals:

• Binds himself to various (platonic) elemental forces, granting them a measure of personhood and human experience (if not autonomy) in exchange for their companionship and power.
  
• Binds himself to Crocea Mors, a Metal Elemental inhabiting his sword.
  
  • Reinforces an airship against a blow from within that would have otherwise destroyed it.
  • Transforms a metal sword and shield into metal gauntlets, then reinforces them to the hardness of diamonds.
  • Fuses multiple tons of metal together.
• Binds himself to Levant, an Air Elemental.
  
  • Flies by having Levant carry him aloft.
  • Uses Levant's aerokinesis to stop the spread of airborne infection.
  • Suppresses the heat emanation of Suryasta's fires.
  • Directs oxygen to feed Suryasta's fires.
• Binds himself to Suryasta, a Fire Elemental.
  
  • Uses controlled heat energy to help fuel an airship.
  • Protects Jaune from mishandled Fire Dust.
  • Generates fire hot enough to melt the body of a Hydra.
• Binds himself to Xihai, a Water Elemental.
  
  • Keeps Adam dry in the middle of the ocean, and generates a staircase of hardened water.
  • Manipulates water effectively enough to deny various aquatic Grimm their terrain advantage against bipedal, terrestrial Adam.
• Binds himself to Vulturnus, a Lightning Elemental.
  
  • Strikes hard enough to throw a person twenty feet horizontally.
  • Redirects a lightning bolt, around and away from Isabella's vital spots.
• Binds himself to Ereb, an Earth Elemental.
  
  • Sinks a Hydra into the earth, and impales its limbs on drills.
  • Creates massive walls of diamond-hard earth.

Combined Elementals:

• Combines and fuses his various basic Elementals together, creating new Elementals that are more than the sum of their parts.
  
• Combines Air and Ice Elementals to create an Ice Elemental.
  
  • Generates spikes of ice and a localized blizzard.
• Combines Air, Earth, and Fire Elementals to create a Glass Elemental.
  
  • Catches the remains of broken windows and repairs them, moments after an explosion blows them out.
• Combines Earth, Metal, and Lightning Elementals to create a 'Dimension' Elemental.
  
  • Precognitively acts on orders and/or events that have yet to happen, at the cost of disorienting Jaune & company.
  • Shifts Jaune and Adam's subjective experience of (and position within) space and time, at close combat ranges.
  • Bends space to focus the power of an energy beam.
  • Bends space, pulling earth inwards as if by gravity and liquefaction.
  • Bends space, turning a hair-thin crack into an opening that Jaune can put his hand through.
  • Uses time (?) manipulation to stop an Anata from healing.
• Creates Steam, Pressure, Inertia, Plasma, Gravity, Vibration, and further unnamed Elementals.
  

Light Elemental:

• Combines and fuses all of his Elementals to create an Elemental of Light (both physical and metaphysical).
  
  • As a reflection of Jaune's soul, remembers Jaune's past life, even when Jaune does not.
  • Thinks and moves at the speed of light.
  • Fires hundreds of lasers in an instant.
  • Fires lasers that change direction in mid-flight.
  • Fires a city-busting energy blast.

The White Tiger:

• Activates his 「STAND」, the 「NEON TIGER」. Creates a projection of a tiger-like humanoid, able to fight with him and overlap his body.

Duplication (AKA Thaumiel Woo-Woo):

• Divides himself into two quasi-discrete bodies and entities.
  
  • Uses mutually exclusive abilities simultaneously, across his two bodies.
  • Pulls his selves into the same volume of space, and combines their properties and abilities as he chooses.

Mind Control:

• Induces weak, distant emotions in a single target.

Shape-Shifting

Heir of the White Tiger:

• Transforms himself into a Tiger Faunus.

Elemental Fusions:

• Merges with various Elementals, with varying effects on his body.
  
  • Transforms himself into metal by merging with Crocea Mors.
  • Transforms himself into water by merging with Xihai.

Conquest:

• Activates a mutagenic bioweapon inside of his body, and directs the changes it creates.
  
  • Grows wings.
  • Adapts to aquatic combat.
  • Creates ultra-sharp (monomolecular?) claws and edges.
  • Rearranges his organs and vital spots.
  • Massively increases the size of his arm.
  • Creates cellulananite weapons with a limited range.

Alchemy/Transmutation:

• Creates hundreds of meters of spider-silk using his skin as base material.
  
• Creates poisons and organic super-solvents out of his bodily fluids.
  
• Secretes thousands of liters of water in the span of seconds, purified from his bodily fluids.
  

Buffs, Barriers, & Support

Healing:

• Regrows and restores multiple missing limbs.
  
• Regenerates a robot who otherwise has no natural healing factor.
  

Empowering:

• Able to awaken the Aura of other entities.
  
  • Awakens the Aura of one thousand Faunus, using Dust as a power source.
  • Awakens the Aura of a rose, 'creating' Autumn Rose.
  • Awakens thousands upon thousands of roses in order to help Autumn.
  • Awakens the Aura of a dog, 'creating' Tiangou.
• Invites people into his 'party', allowing them a measure of the benefits of his Semblance.
  
  • Invites Autumn Rose into his party.
  • Brings Adam into the party, wherein he grows astronomically.
  • Brings Raven into the party, allowing her to push past her limits.
• Expends energy to empower plants directly.
  
• Designates a 'familiar' animal who shares his power and growth rate.
  

Barriers:

• Creates an extra-dimensional barrier which contains a lifeless 'copy' of the real world, but rapidly fills with Grimm.
  
• Creates a barrier of warped space that prevents entry or exit.
  
• Creates a barrier that taps into natural energy to bolster his regeneration, power recovery, and stamina, and double the efficiency of his abilities.
  
• Creates a barrier that can both impose and negate 'status effects'.
  
• Creates a barrier where he can draw matter and territory from alternate worlds.
  
• Binds barriers to his own frame of reference, instead of the frame of reference of the earth.
  

Inventory & Loot:

• Has a nigh-bottomless 'inventory' which preserves items kept inside.
  
• Receives useful items, money, and skill books in exchange for defeating enemies.
  

Trump Cards

The Arcana:

• Uses the Arcana, a set of semi-random temporary powers that increase his abilities in one domain at the cost of decreasing them in another.
  
  • Strength - Massively increases his physical strength at the cost of his ability to use non-physical attacks.
  • The Chariot - Massively increases his speed and dexterity at the cost of his ability to use 'charged' or prepared attacks.
  • The Lovers - Allows him to share his powers with another, and to take damage in their place (and vice-versa) at the cost of being able to act independently.
  • The Magician - Triples his intelligence, at the cost of his ability to use physical attacks.
  • Judgement - Allows him to bypass all defenses, at the cost of his own ability to use active defenses.

Metatron:

• Empowered by outside energy, Jaune fuses with both his Light Elemental and his Thaumiel twin, entering an enhanced but temporary state of being.
  
  • Allows him to unleash all of his Elementals simultaneously.
  • Effortlessly teleports and moves through space and time.
  • Chooses the exact output of his skills, manifesting attacks as barriers and force fields, orbs and rays, emanations of light or altered objects.
  • Converts Longinus - a singular spear-like projectile - into an omnidirectional explosion.

Miscellaneous

• Kills a Giant Nevermore from the inside, after being swallowed whole.
  
• Able to complete 'exorbitant' amounts of paperwork in a moment or less.
  
• Crafts the world's smallest violin.
  
• Drinks enough to develop poison resistance and worry a bartender.
  
• A skilled dancer, even before awakening his powers.
  
• Sees subtitles and hears background music through his 'options' menu.
  
• Clothes resize themselves to fit him, like the equipment of a game character.
  
• Instantly changes his pants without looking down.
  
• Uses the White Tiger to help serve ice cream.