DM Harpwizard’s Heroes of Elsir Vale (Inactive)

Game Master GM Harpwizard

The bracers provide an "armor" bonus, so they wont' stack with any other armor bonus. The only thing they'd really be good for is incorporeal attacks (normal armor doesn't work vs. incorporeal, but "force armor" like bracers or the Mage Armor spell does).

So, I put them in the Group Pot list, we can decide later . . .

What do you mean? Are they just to protect from ghosties or what? Doesn't quite compute...

They are normal armor, but generally two types on bonus do not stack - for instance you can have a shield bonus, an armor bonus, Enhancement Bonus, deflection bonus, natural armor, dodge bonus, size modifier, etc.

With the exception of the dodge bonus, a bonus cannot stack with itself - for instance you cannot wear a suit of full plate over a suit of banded mail (although you would look really cool) - if you did, you would just get the full plate bonus, and probably a smack up side of the head from your companions for being a knucklehead.

Thus, as the Bracers are an Armor Bonus as is your regular armor, only the better counts, in this case your regular armor. However, since regular armor is useless against incorporeal attacks, the +1 from the Bracers does have some use.

-- My current bracers are also Armor +1, so exactly the same.

I'm pretty good as far as armor right now. I have an AC of 21. It could be better, since whenever I do get it hit it seems to be by the swing of the century. I think Florence or Matthias could definitely use it.

Question for Thordak . . .

I'm looking at how I want Bofus to progress. I foudn a rogue talent that would allow me to use Perception to follow tracks as if it were the Survival skill.

I'm guessing that you were planning on keepgin yoru Survival skill clsoe to maxed out to utilize your Tracking ability; if you're not planning on doing that, let me know so I can consider taking that rogue talent!

I'm going to keep tracking up. Also, I will get progressively more bonuses as I select more favored enemies and favored terrains.

I've got a gig at the Peacham Fall Foliage Festival. Off to play harp for a while. Will post tonight.

You sure it's not Feacham? :) would make a nice alliteration^^

Beware, the Harpwizard hath caused the leaves to change color and fall from the trees - or maybe they are doing it naturally and he is just playing real slow.

I'm only at 47/51 hp, but I think it'll be alright... I hope...

Another note: did we decide who gets the bracers? and if they will do anything? If they are just for magical things, florence is the other spellcaster so she may want to take them.

Okay: Two (or more) important progression questions for the rulemongers:

1. If I have 10HD for a ranger, does that mean toughness gives me +7 hp?
2. Do I gain +1 hp from the Toughness feat every level?
3. How often do we get to take new feats?
4. Does having a high BAB do anything for how many attack you get per turn?

1. If you have 10 hd toughness results in +10 hp
2. Yes and no: You get 3hp at once for the first three levels, after that one per level.
3. That depends on your class and level. Level-wise you get a new feat on every odd-numbered level.
4. Yes. At the following stages you get a new attack +6/+11/+16.

Thordak, just be aware that for question 1, Zyren is talking about a 10th level Ranger, not a ranger that used the 10 sided dice for his hit dice (HD). With your toughness at this level and every level beyond, your bonus hitpoints equal your level.

I'm only at 47/51 hp, but I think it'll be alright... I hope...

this is why we have a wand of Cure Light Wounds . . . let's use it!!

Another note: did we decide who gets the bracers? and if they will do anything? If they are just for magical things, florence is the other spellcaster so she may want to take them.

Florence wears armor, which gives her an "armor" bonus. The bracers of armor also give an "armor" bonus, so only the best one would apply. Bracers of armor are only useful if

Right now #1 doesn't apply to anyone, and #2 is a pretty narrow niche to fill. My guess is we're going to sell the bracers and split the cash.

I just want to see how much damage Mantooth can do with all those buffs.

You guys are all very scary with all of your skills and spells!

Well I just came back from Lancaster and had a great opening night to my opening night of Scottish Country Dancing. We had a great time! Just getting home and about to go to bed. Tomorrow I have two gigs. One in the morning (11-1 pm) and one in the late afternoon (4 - 6 pm) Obviously I will post when I can.

I am leaving in 15 minutes to spend the weekend with my senators for the Inter-Residence Association at my University. I will be back sometime Sunday afternoon, so please feel free to make any posts for Mantooth while I am gone.

I also won't be able to post after 4 PM today, but I will be back in the morning. If it is necessary, people can RP Thordak, too.

Thanks for the updates! I've gotta go play my next gig. Have a nice evening.

DMHW: Don't forget the poison!

If Bofus posts, I think that either he or I can post for for Thordak and Mantooth so as to get one more round in tonight. Then all we are missing is Matthais.

Man, this battle is not complex, but it still took me about 40 minutes to type my post and sort out everything that is happening. I have tried to keep the health bars accurate on the map, but please trust to your own knowledge of your hit points to be certain. Be sure to indicate hit points each round if you are less than full. I appreciate the breakdown of bonuses on your attack rolls listed. That is helpful for me to know where your numbers are coming from. Are you all aware that the yellow halo represents stuck in the web? Red indicates they are free.

Well, Trask and Kruel are very powerful, I wish you all some luck in your battle.

we are also very powerful!...

We need Bofus to acrobat to the other side of Trask so that he and Mantooth get flanking bonuses. Also, Mantooth and everyone else should be doing full attacks as this will give them an extra attack each round. Unless Trask has a ton of HP, Mantooth and Bofus should be able to take him down in a few rounds. The worry is Matthais - Thordak needs to get in there with his axe and help.

We need Bofus to acrobat to the other side of Trask so that he and Mantooth get flanking bonuses. Also, Mantooth and everyone else should be doing full attacks as this will give them an extra attack each round. Unless Trask has a ton of HP, Mantooth and Bofus should be able to take him down in a few rounds. The worry is Matthais - Thordak needs to get in there with his axe and help.

I'll do my best . . . I'm trying ot incapacitate or at least hinder Trask before mixing it up with him directly, since I'm *not* a front-line fighter and Trask will eat me for brunch. (I'm already in surprisingly bad shape after one hit!!)

Whoever's got the molotov cocktails-- Throw em! I would say -C24!
I'm going to go help Matthias and then move on to Trask...

Thanks for the help, Tirion. I am not sure if my attack rolls are right, but I simply used whatever Tirion had initially had. There is also a -2, +4 on attack and damage rolls respectively with the power attacks.

@ Mantooth

Remember to confirm your critical hit for the natural 20 you rolled!

Rick Wakeman and Jon Anderson are coming to The Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord, NH on Tuesday, Novemeber 1st. I need to buy tickets. How many of you are interested?

Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman

OHhhhh, I would love to go to that concert but I'm pretty sure I have school that week...

To all: I think the breastplate should go to Matthias, the mail to Florence or Tirion, and the rest can probably be sold (excluding the eyes, of course). However, I would like to get my Wolf armor finished and I still don't have enough gold. Maybe I will by the end of this escapade? We'll see, but what is the deal with the group pot, and might I take my share of the loot in gold bricks?

I think we all have school or work, Thordak. It would be a quick trip up to Southern New Hampshire for you. (Its about 1.5 hours from Boston). The concert starts at 7:30 pm. We would all have to return to our homes that night. Do you have any friends with cars on campus?

That sounds awesome! can Rick Wakeman still play the keys as fast as he used to? Are you looking at getting tickets for the balcony or in the orchestra?

I think the old Wizard of the keyboards still has a lot left in him. Here he is in July 2011 playing Eleanor Rigby The video is not great, but the playing certainly is! Concord is a pretty small venue, so I would try for the floor. However, it all depends how many people are interested and where we can fit them all in. Mantooth, are you interested? Would you be able to get a ride down I-89 to Concord on a Tuesday night?

Okay. I have to check, because I have class Tuesday nights and there's usually a speaker after them, but if there's no speaker that night, I'll be done at 5:30 and I'll try to get a ride! Maybe there's a bus... I'll ask my friends and see who's interested and has a car...!

To all: I think the breastplate should go to Matthias, the mail to Florence or Tirion, and the rest can probably be sold (excluding the eyes, of course). However, I would like to get my Wolf armor finished and I still don't have enough gold. Maybe I will by the end of this escapade? We'll see, but what is the deal with the group pot, and might I take my share of the loot in gold bricks?

If you try to sell that Ring of Protection you'll be getting a nice big grundle-punch!!!

I think Mantooth should get that, and put it on immediately. He's *always* in melee and should get the best protection we can get.

we shoudl definitley keep the cloak of resistance as well. (did we get the power of that? I'm guessing +1, but hoping for +2 or even +3!!) I'm not sure who would be the best one wearing that; whomever is most likely to be the target of attacks requiring saves (maybe Tirion?) I'd like it, but already have a cloak (elvenkind). In any case, someoen should also put that on immediately--if we're fighting a creature with a breath weapon, that save + will help.

the dagger +2 is pretty damned nice--I hate to sell a weapon greater than +1, espeically something that almost anyone could use. If someone doesn't have a magical melee weapon, they should take the dagger.

I'm all for selling rapier, short sword, bracers, buckler, leather armor.

I can't disagree with Matthias getting the breastplate, if he wants it. If not, hwo about Mantooth?

Mithral chain shirt +1 is a vvvarrrry nice item; wht a 10% arcane failure cahnce, Tirion might even want a go at that (or not . . .).

Don't worry too much about money, Thordak. I think we'll be OK (I owe a pretty penny right now, but I'm reasonalby confident that we'll get enough from what we've found to cover our debts!!) Only selling what I've suggested above, and splitting gems/cash, we're at a little over 600 gp each (that doesn't count 10% to the group pot) from this current endeavor.

What is the difference between +2 deflection to AC and just +2 AC? Is there one?

Your question deals with what bonuses stack to improve your armor class. If you have multiple items that give you a deflection bonus, you can only take the higher of the two bonuses. If one bonus is a deflection bonus, what is the other one from?

What is the difference between +2 deflection to AC and just +2 AC? Is there one?

to extrapolate on DMHW's answer to yoru question, there's no such thing as "+2 AC bonus" (actually, there is--a Defending weapon's bonus is an unnamed bonus to ac that stacks with everything else, but that's the exception). It's always a "+2 something bonus to AC" so we know what stacks and what doesn't. There are all kinds of them (sacred, profane, dodge, deflection, armor, natural, shield--and Armor, Shield, and Natural can have enhancement bonues to them . . . )

it gets a little confusing, but the concept is sound. "Like bonuses" don't stack (unless they specifically say they do, like dodge). That's why you can't get +18 AC by wearing 2 suits of full plate, or a +4 AC by wearing two +2 rings of protection.

Thordak and Mantooth, I know you guys were looking to get involved in another game.

Here is one that showed up at Zyren's campfire. Please submit your application to the following.

Recruitment

So if Mantooth were to wear the ring of Protection +2 when would it serve purpose?

So if Mantooth were to wear the ring of Protection +2 when would it serve purpose?

every time you got swung/shot at, man!! deflection AC works against everything--touch, incorporeal, flat-footed, I think it even works to boost CMD but don't quote me (Im' too lazy to look at the handbook)

I *definitley* vote Mantooth gets THAT baby.

IMHO, the order of folks who should get protection rings are:
Mantooth
Matthias
Thordak
Bofus
Florence
Tirion (no offense--you should almost never get into melee!)

You, good Sir KNight, should always have the best Ring of Protection we find, because you will be in melee in just about every combat. But that's just my opinion . . .

@Everyone--I have to say, in all my gaming experience, that last combat was one of the most violent I've ever seen, considering the short number of orunds adn our relatively low level. The hits Mantooth and Trask were delivering were shocking and brutal; the spells were effective and deadly; good choices, good rolls (mostly), just plain VIOLENT. It was neat, even though I almost didn't survive!! AT least I did my job and incapacitated the wizard.

Edit: I just realized . . .Trask was AT LEAST 11th level (three attacks, each -5 from the last). Wow, that's impressive (and lucky!!) that we won that fight.

Haha! I know! He had +20 on his attacks! The only way he could have missed was with a one!

The ring is the only think I could use - but if it works better for someone else, that is fine.

I would join you all for the concert, but that would be about a 1000 mile drive - each way - and I do not think the wife would appreciate that. --> I already saw Asia from the front row earlier this year, so that would be hard to beat.

Let me think about the mithral chain -- I hate the 10% spell failure, but depending on the situation, it might be worth it.

Regarding Trask - I assumed he would be buff, which is why I had Mantooth maxed out on buffs so that he could have a good chance of hitting and would do mega damage.

The ring is the only think I could use - but if it works better for someone else, that is fine.

You could use the cloak of resistance

yeah, I have it now but feel free to take it! Did we ever find out how powerful it is?

Cloak of Resistance +2

treasure stuff!

Generality on shared/group treasure. This is my first PBP, but I've played numerous tabletop games before. the method we're currently using (folks "claim" magic items based on best need, sell teh rest and split all money equally) works great in a stable player environment, which a tabletop game typically is, and a PBP *can* be. In another PBP I'm in, it was brought forth that posting tends NOT to be a stable environment, and it could well be that a character who got a great deal of magical treasure might then stop participating altogether, which leaves the party wihtout their hard-earned treasure.

So far, we're doing great IMHO, and I don't have any desire to change our method of treasure distribution. Does anyone else feel the need to change things?

Specific treasure stuff: just a reminder, make sure you post whether you're claiming something from the unclaimed treasure, and/or group pot, so I can update my profile. I've removed the Ring of Protection since Mantooth took it. Someone sould definitely wear that cloak before we open the door!!

If you want to balance things out, the way to do it is sort of like a party bank. Everyone gets equal shares - I know we are a little behind the ball on this, but that should not be a problem going forward. Essentially, when there is loot, say we get 4k worth of stuff including a +1 bracer (1000 value) and a +1 weapon(2000 value). Generally with 6 players, the loot is split 6 ways - so we each get 667gp each. If someone takes the weapon and someone else takes the bracers, then the person with the bracers owes the party pot 333gp while the one taking the weapon owes 1333gp. Thus, the other 4 people split the remaining 1k gp 250 each, the player with the bracers owes the other 4 83 gp each and the player with the weapon owes the other 4 players 333 each. --> These two can either pay coins if they have them, or owe a debt to the other players.

While this may seem a little confusing, it should work out clean if one assumes that magic items are generally distributed evenly - thus, after the next battle the 4 who just got cash will probably get some magic to offset the debt owed them by the first two magic receivers.

I joined a PbP a while ago where two players refused to agree to split loot - I do not see this happening here. Eventually, the argument got so heated that the DM had to throw the players out of the campaign - which opened it up for me. As mentioned, I do not see this as everyone is a friend of DMHW, but if we were to establish a fixed division method, then nobody will be able to complain about splits going forward.