Yay thank you. It did seem like there was a bit too much enthusiasm in that Noxius answer, and not enough cold machine-like detachment.
I still really think that it doesn't make sense that you can't end a damage tree through any terminating node, but have to go through the longest possible path... I think it's because I think in terms of logical steps. If the rule was...
"Have you reached a damage tree result where there are no further results to progress to? If yes, then you have reached an end of the tree."
...then to me that would be simple and intuitive. Instead, the rule seems to be...
"Have you reached a damage tree result where there are no further results to progress to? If yes, then go back and trace all the other possible ways that you can get to any other possible damage tree results where there also would be no further results to progress to. Do any of those other possible paths through the tree go through more results than the path you originally tried? If so, then the original path has *not* reached an end of the tree, only one of the possible paths with the most number of results accessed counts as an end of the tree."
Which to me is much more awkward.
Plus I just like the idea, flavour-wise. Hermes is so skilled with his blade that he is much better at Flourishing than any of his ludus mates.
I of course accept the verdict... just want to express my feelings, dammit.