Lord Cedric Barca |
my doggy hurt his foot and needed surgery so I'm away from the computer. Just checking in. Should be able to catch up tomorrow. Sorry.
Johan Hale |
here's wishing fido a speedy recovery!
Johan Hale |
Cedric, you should take that potion of barkskin too, Johan has an amulet of natural armor already so its less effective for him.
Also, did we get the dwarf's gear?
Aku Warashi |
Okay.
I know this novella has been going on for quite a long time now.
I’m facing some issues which I don’t really feel like burdening you guys with. For now, I’ll be taking a time away from the boards until I can settle things, couple of days, week at maximum.
I apologize for the inconvenience once again :(
Johan Hale |
In the kingdom of Talingarde, many crimes may send you to Branderscar Prison...
Aku, you are the most reliable and committed GM I have had the pleasure of playing with. Take all the time you need. Johan will be waiting here with baited (evil) breath when you return.
Aku Warashi |
Well.
It went surprisingly well, all things considered.
My father, which was already at the hospital for some months passed away yesterday.
I have mixed feelings; I’m sad because he left, but I’m also happy because he isn’t suffering anymore.
That and the accident has been taking a toll on my mental and physical health. If you guys remember it’s the second motorbike accident in the last few months.
I was anticipating some problems with the insurance company, which thankfully never happened. The ceremony is done, the man is finally resting.
Thanks for your support and patience.
-Macézar
:O yep, that’s my name.
Lord Cedric Barca |
Sorry for you loss. I find it best to not pull away and stay surrounded by friend in times like this. Though we don't sit around a table with one another feel free to talk if you need to. Happy he is at peace and not suffering.
Johan Hale |
Johan on point, following the tracks I suppose.
DM Aku |
Just to be clear, Eldred and I are taking rnd 1 actions?
Yes.
However you can't charge, it's a difficult terrain.
You may consider the following item in the future: Feather Step Handsomely Brute Boots
Lord Cedric Barca |
The cat just charged and pounced, difficult terrain effects it as well. Unless it has some crazy ability to ignore it.
ELDRED CROFTER |
Is this the surprise round I am acting on, correct?
ELDRED CROFTER |
Also is there a check, nature etc we can use? Not sure what sort of tiger this is. Dire, Were, Rahkasha etc. At this point I just know we are gonna need another raise dead spell :(
**Edit - just saw your note. I am the ranger with NO knowledge nature. I've a stack of other knowledges but never bothered with that one. Paying for it now
Johan Hale |
Okay, so confused right now. Lets see if I've got this right...
Surprise round
- Cat pounces and mauls Agrippa
- party stands around stupidly
Round 1
- Eldred takes 2 shots - Gm is unclear if both hit one seems to be a crit for 41 HP, the seems to be a hit for 17 HP
- Johan jogs through difficult terrain to reach the cat but cannot attack, eating an AoO as he goes
- Cat takes a standard action to hit Agrippa, knocking him down to -5 HP. Then Withdraws? Withdraw is a full round action. Because Johan got to make an AoO I'm guessing its just a stnd move action. Which way did he go, why can't we see him?
-Johan hits him with an AoO as he vanishes into thin air/moves faster than a speeding bullet- the cat has now taken 84 HP of dmg ( 13 non-lethal), are you sure he's still breathing??
- Cedric has still not acted for this round and missed out on his AoO because he is only now just losing the flat-footed condition.
Gotta say I think its rather unsporting to string us out that far given the circumstances. The knot has been working together for a while now and I find it unlikely that we would be spread out too far to help each other, especially given that we know we are trailing a dangerous ambush predator. We also weren't warned we were in difficult terrain when we were asked to place ourselves on the map.
Finally, please slow down just a little. I didn't get a chance to adjust my action between the time you reminded me it was difficult terrain and I couldn't charge, and when you moved on, which could have made a big difference.
I'm all for challenging encounters that make us think and maybe sweat a little, but when a PC is kakked through no fault of their own ( or even bad dice rolls) before they can even act, well that's not fun for anyone.
I fear the result of this encounter is the knot basically holing up in the ritual room, surrounded by their minions, unwilling to take risks, and only venturing out with every single resource at their disposal when absolutely necessary
Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa |
Meh, I don't mind so much. The thing is obviously smart and outthought us, we thought we were tracking it but it was leading us into a killing ground. Agrippa had a chance to get it and let it slip away earlier, and now he is paying for that with a good ol' fashioned mauling. It only reinforces Agrippa's intense dislike for traipsing through the woods.
I'm fine with this fight. I'd rather take a mauling than whiff through encounters all the time. This time it isn't Johan bleeding all over.
Also, you guys whacked it for 84 damage in one round...thats other level in my opinion. It barely did 50 to a defenseless mage.
DM Aku |
Okay, some background:
A mad druid, burned but not killed by Mitra church, tried to reincarnate as his animal companion. The ritual failed, but it gave the tiger some of the druid awareness (int 4), and special abilities.
- Woodland Stride (Ex): Tunned to the briar instead of natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain.
- Trackless Step (Ex): In the briar as well.
And some others, which he didn’t used yet.
Surprise round
- Cat pounces and mauls Agrippa
- party stands around stupidlyRound 1
- Eldred takes 2 shots - Gm is unclear if both hit one seems to be a crit for 41 HP, the seems to be a hit for 17 HP
- Johan jogs through difficult terrain to reach the cat but cannot attack, eating an AoO as he goes
- Cat takes a standard action to hit Agrippa, knocking him down to -5 HP. Then Withdraws? Withdraw is a full round action. Because Johan got to make an AoO I'm guessing its just a stnd move action. Which way did he go, why can't we see him?
About the attack and then withdraw:
Rake:
A creature with this special attack gains extra natural attacks under certain conditions, typically when it grapples its foe. In addition to the options available to all grapplers, a monster with the rake ability gains two free claw attacks that it can use only against a grappled foe. The bonus and damage caused by these attacks is included in the creature’s description. A monster with the rake ability must begin its turn already grappling to use its rake—it can’t begin a grapple and rake in the same turn.
I may be misreading it, but sounds like when it starts grappled it gains two free attacks. The question would be: Can they be only used in attack action?, when I first read, I thought not, otherwise it would have explicitly mentioned that rake could be only used when attacking.
--About Eldred attacks: Yeah, both hit, and the critical confirmed. I thought I had been clear about it, sorry
- Cat takes a standard action to hit Agrippa, knocking him down to -5 HP. Then Withdraws? Withdraw is a full round action. Because Johan got to make an AoO I'm guessing its just a stnd move action. Which way did he go, why can't we see him?
Actually, if you look at the map, I changed your position slightly since you said you wanted to give Cedric flanking bonus, I’m unsure if I put that on my post, I may have forgotten it. And because it had to move through two squares to move away from you, the second square gives you an AoO as well.
Also, he just moved south 80ft, check the map, the cat is still there.
Gotta say I think its rather unsporting to string us out that far given the circumstances. The knot has been working together for a while now and I find it unlikely that we would be spread out too far to help each other, especially given that we know we are trailing a dangerous ambush predator. We also weren't warned we were in difficult terrain when we were asked to place ourselves on the map.
Finally, please slow down just a little. I didn't get a chance to adjust my action between the time you reminded me it was difficult terrain and I couldn't charge, and when you moved on, which could have made a big difference.
About the fast moving things:
Yep, partially my fault.
I wanted to keep the game moving fast and ‘increase’ the posting and actions, which in turn lead to not allowing players make their choices as they would. My bad, I’m sorry.
--
Also, I know I’m partially not that much forthcoming with information at the start of the battle, but I surpassed myself this time. I guess it proves I wasn’t ready to get back yet. :D
Johan Hale |
<sheepishly notices that there is more map below>
No, no, no need for a redo -lets keep things moving.
Thanks for listening to my rant and walking me through things. I'm all calmed down now :>
DM Aku |
<sheepishly notices that there is more map below>
No, no, no need for a redo -lets keep things moving.
Thanks for listening to my rant and walking me through things. I'm all calmed down now :>
Don't mention it, most of the times you are right about things. Since I'm familiar with what's happening and enemy/players perspective, it's easy for me 'see the whole thing' and act accordingly based on the enemy knowledge (sometimes just a little bit more), and I keep forgetting that the player doesn’t have that same view and isn’t able to see things as I do, which can be solved if I put more information, which I always want to do, but always forget as well.
I’ll try to improve, be a bit patient with me :D
Johan Hale |
pshhht! You put up with my occasional boneheaded outbusrts - patience I can do.
That "big picture" thing is one of my pet peeves about adventures in general. There is often so much cool background material written in there that the players never really have the opportunity ( or reason - intrigued as I now am as a player, really why would our knot care one whit about the tiger's backstory. Kill it, skin it, move on with the mission ) to see. Must be a little frustrating for authors to know that two thirds of their audience miss out on a good chunk of their creativity.
ELDRED CROFTER |
So did we get the dwarf's stuff? We need to sell it for another diamond and a ressurection.
ELDRED CROFTER |
Ooookay. I think we still have money in the kitty from horn renovations.
If need be:
I can chip in a few thousand into Agrippa's ressurection - if the moeny doesn't stretch we could do a raise dead
Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa |
I'm not dead guys, I'm at -8.....
Lord Cedric Barca |
Sorry was away on SCA weekend, Everything looked right to me. Cat got surprise round, Johan and Eldred beat it in init, I did not so Cat goes, you two go, then Cat goes, Now it's my turn and it is no where to be seen. Seems right.
DM Aku |
@Eldred, Cedric
There's more map, check it, the cat is still there.
So rond 1 the Cat will not get an AoO on Johan. Large animals don't have reach, well most don't and you don't threaten when you are grappling it's in the grappled condition.
Thanks god I'm not using a standard dire tiger then, right?
And you are right about the AoO, I'll disconsider the damage on Johan.DM Aku |
So we should be able to run it to ground with some decent tracking rolls right? Yes its faster and better in this terrain, but its badly wounded, presumably leaving a blood trail and has to rest at some point.
Yep. You would be able, if I were to bring the tiger into the game again.
Not saying it only happens here, happens in the other games as well, but every time I try something new, which isn’t what in the books; a different monster, a different setting, different abilities; the games virtually stops at rules can/cannot discussion.
Anyway, the tiger isn’t coming back; he learned his lesson and will flee from the briar, seeking easier prey.
ELDRED CROFTER |
It wasn't a bad concept - I liked it.
It had a very cinematic feel to it. I was feeling like a big game hunter there for a bit and was anticipating the hunt as it too hunted us.
DM Aku |
It wasn't a bad concept - I liked it.
It had a very cinematic feel to it. I was feeling like a big game hunter there for a bit and was anticipating the hunt as it too hunted us.
Well then, I think you are going to enjoy the next challenge... :D
DM Aku |
Sending Jeebs, with some of the Followers, to buy that Scroll and look for some Diamond Dust. Agrippa want's stoneskin active 24/7 now
Two weeks has passed, the market can have new items now
Spell market for the next two weeks:
@Eldred
Lord Cedric Barca |
Everything was done right by the rules in my opinion besides for the AoO on Johan, I had no issues with the fight. I though I would be the one pounced on but I guess the thing was smart enough to go for the one it didn't need a can opener to get into its flesh :)
Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa |
Agrippa just wants the Diamond Dust, and the Scroll of Wall of Blindness/Deafness if that one isn't available anymore then he would settle for the Scroll of Remove Curse.
Edit: The rules are what the GM says they are. Aku can do whatever he wants and its fine with me.
Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa |
And the diamond dust? Is that available?
DM Aku |
@Agrippa
Diamond Dust if fine. atm, you can't buy more than 2k of it.
@Johan
- bane baldric 20%: 1d100 ⇒ 46
- saddle, horsemaster's 25%: 1d100 ⇒ 59
- saddle, skymarine's 20%: 1d100 ⇒ 14
- defiant ( good outsiders) shield 20%: 1d100 ⇒ 58
- Aku's Feather Step Handsomely Brute Boots 25%: 1d100 ⇒ 11
- lesser extend metamagic rod 30%: 1d100 ⇒ 96
- wand of chastising lash 20%: 1d100 ⇒ 60
- scroll of ghostbane dirge 25%: 1d100 ⇒ 52
- scroll of dimensional anchor 30%: 1d100 ⇒ 31
- scroll of invisibility purge 25%: 1d100 ⇒ 88
- scroll of remove curse 30%: 1d100 ⇒ 28
- scroll of remove disease 30%: 1d100 ⇒ 44
DM Aku |
Let's continue with the game.
I like the idea of you guys playing the monsters in the dungeon, it's interesting and a change of pace.
You'll be playing now wraiths!
I'll post Erza and his minions here and decide who gets to play who.
1 - Agrippa
2 - Cedric
3 - Eldred
4 - Johan
Let's see who is playing Erza:
1d4 ⇒ 3
Eldred is our new crazy undead dread wraith, and the others are his spawns.
Ezra Thrice-Damned, Dread Wraith CR6
XP 2,400
Advanced giant wraith
NE Large undead (incorporeal)
Init +8 Senses darkvision 60 ft., lifesense; Perception +12
Aura unnatural aura (30 ft.)
DEFENSE
AC 20 touch 20, flat-footed 16 (+7 deflection, +4 Dex, -1 size)
hp 57 (5d8+35)
Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +8
Defensive Abilities channel resistance +2, incorporeal
Immune undead traits
Weakness Sunlight powerlessness
OFFENSE
Speed fly 60 ft.(good)
Melee incorporeal touch +6 (1d8 negative energy plus 1d6 Con
drain)
Space 10 ft. Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks create spawn
TACTICS
During Combat The Thrice-damned prefers to leave battle to his
wraith minions. But he does relish the consumption of souls, so
if he senses weakness he will strike.
Morale The Thrice-damned is ultimately a coward. If reduced to less
than half his hit points (28 hp) he attempts to flee. If flight is
impossible, he will grovel for his life hoping eventually to create
more wraiths and seek his vengeance later.
STATISTICS
Str -, Dex 18, Con -, Int 20, Wis 18, Cha 25
Base Atk +3 CMB +8 CMD 18
Feats Blind Fight, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative
Skills Bluff +12, Diplomacy +12, Fly +14, Intimidate +15, Knowl-
edge (planes) +10, Knowledge (religion) +13, Perception +12,
Sense Motive +12, Stealth +12
Languages Common, Abyssal, Boggard, Celestial, Infernal, Sylvan
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Create Spawn (Su) A humanoid slain by a dread wraith becomes a
full ordinary wraith in 1d4 rounds. Spawn are under the com-
mand of the wraith that created them until its death, at which
point they lose their spawn penalties and become free-willed
wraiths. They do not possess any of the abilities they had in
life.
Constitution Drain (Su) Creatures hit by a dread wraith’s touch at-
tack must succeed on a DC 19 Fortitude save or take 1d6 points
of Constitution drain. On each successful attack, the wraith
gains 5 temporary hit points. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Lifesense (Su) A dread wraith notices and locates living creatures
within 60 feet, just as if it possessed the blindsight ability.
Sunlight Powerlessness (Ex) A dread wraith caught in sunlight
cannot attack and is staggered.
Unnatural Aura (Su) Animals do not willingly approach within 30
feet of a dread wraith, unless a master makes a DC 25 Handle
Animal, Ride or wild empathy check.
XP 1,600 each (4,800 XP total)
NE Medium undead (incorporeal)
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., lifesense; Perception +10
Aura unnatural aura (30 ft.)
DEFENSE
AC 18, touch 18, flat-footed 15 (+5 deflection, +3 Dex)
hp 47 (5d8+25)
Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +6
Defensive Abilities channel resistance +2, incorporeal; Immune
undead traits
Weaknesses sunlight powerlessness
OFFENSE
Speed fly 60 ft. (good)
Melee incorporeal touch +6 (1d6 negative energy plus 1d6 Con
drain)
Special Attack create spawn
TACTICS
During Combat The wraith-spawn prefer to stalk and ambush their
chosen prey. They avoid both sunlight and fair fights as much
as they can.
Morale They will retreat if they take more than 30 hit points of dam-
age. They slink back into the shadows hoping to regain their
strength and strike again.
STATISTICS
Str —, Dex 16, Con —, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 21
Base Atk +3; CMB +6; CMD 21
Feats Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative
Skills Fly +7, Intimidate +13, Knowledge (planes) +7, Perception
+10, Sense Motive +10, Stealth +11
Languages Common, Abyssal
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Constitution Drain (Su) Creatures hit by a wraith’s touch attack
must succeed on a DC 17 Fortitude save or take 1d6 points of
Constitution drain. On each successful attack, the wraith gains
5 temporary hit points. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Lifesense (Su) A wraith notices and locates living creatures within
60 feet, just as if it possessed the blindsight ability.
Sunlight Powerlessness (Ex) A wraith caught in sunlight cannot
attack and is staggered.
Unnatural Aura (Su) Animals do not willingly approach within 30
feet of a wraith, unless a master makes a DC 25 Handle Animal,
Ride, or wild empathy check.
Don't forget you add+2 for being undead in the horn: The Withering Eye when placed in the statue of Vetra-Kali descrecates (as the spell except it affects both undead and daemons) the entire Horn of Abaddon. The DC to resist negative channeled energy within this area gains a +6 profane bonus. Every undead or daemonic creature gains a +2 profane bonus on all attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws.