Honestly I never knew It had any connotation beside "call it what it is". Never heard it used that way.
Didn't figure you did, Foote - don't stress it.
It's one of those (many) topics where some folks have never heard of anything that makes the topic an issue, some folks have been told things are a certain way that isn't true, and some folks have learned the truth. We try to help folks (and ourselves) get into that latter category whenever possible. 
Did you even read that article before linking it? Toward the end, it explains how "spade" has evolved into a racial slur within the past century. It may have been innocent once, but as soon as more than a handful of people had used it insultingly, it became an insult. Just like how the swastika was once a mystical protection symbol, but will never ever be safely usable in that context again, at least not for quite a great number of years (depending on how much the future generations dwell on their troubled past).
Well, it is a racial slur when you call a person that, but it isn't when used in the context of that expression.
Not only did I read it, I comprehended it.
The antagonism is unnecessary, Envisioner.
Yes, as Katsue stated, "spade" became a racial slur, but the term "call a spade a spade", however, did not originate as a racial slur, and is usually not intended as one when used in appropriate context (as was the case, here).
And this is us trying to help move people past the perception "calling a spade a spade" is an racially-charged comment.
The post had no malicious intent - there wasn't even knowledge of the racial aspects of the statement - so it does no good for us to continue accusing. Education is beneficial, and that has happened.
Let's drop this and go back to the purpose of the thread.
It was more like incredulity. When in doubt, assume nothing I say is ever personal; after all, I don't know any of you personally.
Then please take this as feedback – it came across to me as antagonism.
It is not the readers responsibility to interperet your words correctly. Thats not how communication has ever worked. The onus should be (and it is) on you to communicate in a more effective manner.
The Sentinels take a lot of the sting out of the Matriarch if Mainstay can continually reduce damage to everyone.
Unfortunately, Block only works on the Sentinels themselves. It's still super-useful against her flip side and Carrion Fields, though.
But Human Shield helps everyone!
Unfortunately, Block only works on the Sentinels themselves. It’s still super-useful against her flip side and Carrion Fields, though.[/quote]
But Human Shield helps everyone![/quote]
It’s even funnier if he’s absorbing damage from someone who already has armor to reduce it. I suspect the rules don’t actually work that way, but I’ve been rolling it that way anyway just for the laughs.
Even with the Sentinels on the team, though, I refuse to go up against her unless Haka or the Visionary is on the team to make sure her mask is either buried or unavailable, and I prefer Visionary, since she’s more likely to get the card she needs and her method of burying it isn’t subject to destruction of ongoings.
If damage is being dealt to a target who has soak but then redirected to someone without soak, the damage goes back up again. So for example, if Legacy has Fortitude and is being hit for two points of damage but the Scholar has Alchemical Redirection out (and no Flesh-to-Iron, so no soak), the damage would be reduced against Legacy but as it is redirected it goes back up again and the Scholar is hit for both points.