DM Kor's - Wizard's Duel I

Game Master Kor - Orc Scrollkeeper

With the new starting gold rules are you allowing arcane foci instead of component pouches, or is it pouches only?

Good question.

Loup Blanc's transmuter is finished over here!

I might not be able to play. My schedules lookin' real busy right now

This is Sylvanus, and Namfoodle is ready to go

This is Umbungo's enchanter, all ready to go.

My Evoker is done, just need to move it to alias

Sounds good all. Theliah, please let me know for sure when you know if you will or will not be able to play, starting July 24.

As this is just a big skirmish and not a campaign, I imagine that the whole arena battle should be done in a few weeks. The difficult part with this, may be if we are waiting on someone to post. Generally, in a pbp campaign, during combat if someone hasn't posted in 24 hours, then the DM will just NPC the character. I can't really do that in this due to the nature of the duel. Likely I will just have to implement a rule that if someone hasn't posted for 48 hours, that they character is automatically out of the duel.

This arena duel pbp concept is a new concept for me, so I will always be open to feedback -- feel free to comment along they way on things that you think will improve either the flow of the game or the player experience.

I'm very intrigued, and a little scared, about how the first match is going to go since we don't know what the task is going to be. As for preparing our spellsite for each match; will we find out what the first task is early enough to prepare spells for it or are we preparing "in the dark"? Also, our prepared spells, should we post them, message them to you to keep it secret from the other combatants, or keep it all to ourselves so no one has any idea what's about to come?

I'm very intrigued, and a little scared, about how the first match is going to go since we don't know what the task is going to be. As for preparing our spellsite for each match; will we find out what the first task is early enough to prepare spells for it or are we preparing "in the dark"? Also, our prepared spells, should we post them, message them to you to keep it secret from the other combatants, or keep it all to ourselves so no one has any idea what's about to come?

With regards to the casting of spells, for those spells with visible effects (i.e. fireball) it will be fine to just post in the forum. For those spells without obvious visible effects, a private message will be best.

I will tell the target of a spell, what spell they are being targeted with (i.e. Charm Person). I am going to assume that with most spells, where-ever or who-ever you designate as a target, you must point or motion in that direction, so the recipient will know who just targeted them, unless there is a logical reason why they would not know who the caster was.

As for the objective in the first scenario... my plan at this time is to reveal nothing about it until the match starts. In the spirit of roleplaying, an NPC host announcer will reveal what the challenge is, and what must be done to win it. (So basically your spell selection will already have been made).

Note: There will be no traps in the arena, only a few things which may cause delays.

If I have designed the challenge correctly, there should be no situation of "oh, wow that person is going to win because they got lucky and picked the right spell".

I have a quick rules question I'd like to clear up before anything starts. One of my arcane tradition features (instinctive charm) allows me to potentially use my reaction to redirect an attack against me to another player. Part of the description however, states: "You must choose to use this feature before knowing whether the attack hits or misses". How would that work in PbP where you can generally see each other's rolls?

Namfoodle Ningel Boomspell wrote:

I'm very intrigued, and a little scared, about how the first match is going to go since we don't know what the task is going to be. As for preparing our spellsite for each match; will we find out what the first task is early enough to prepare spells for it or are we preparing "in the dark"? Also, our prepared spells, should we post them, message them to you to keep it secret from the other combatants, or keep it all to ourselves so no one has any idea what's about to come?

With regards to the casting of spells, for those spells with visible effects (i.e. fireball) it will be fine to just post in the forum. For those spells without obvious visible effects, a private message will be best.

My question was less about casting and more and preparing your spells for the day. For example, in our spell books we have, including cantrips, about 33 spells, but according to the rules in the PHB "...choose a number of wizard spells from your spellbook equal to your Intelligence modifier + your wizard level (minimum of one spell)." Personally that give me 14 prepared spells per day. So once I choose my spells for the day should we post them, private message them to you, or just keep that list to ourselves and just trust that people are only using spells that they prepared ahead of time?

I have a quick rules question I'd like to clear up before anything starts. One of my arcane tradition features (instinctive charm) allows me to potentially use my reaction to redirect an attack against me to another player. Part of the description however, states: "You must choose to use this feature before knowing whether the attack hits or misses". How would that work in PbP where you can generally see each other's rolls?

Great question, and yes in PBP such a feature makes it a little difficult.

Here's my current thoughts for a character with a class feature like this:
- the attack roll is ignored.
- the target is advised that a targeted attack is incoming.
- the target decides what they wish to do.
- the attack roll is then re-rolled.

Since you can only use this once / long rest / attacker, this shouldn't affect the game flow too much.

My question was less about casting and more and preparing your spells for the day. For example, in our spell books we have, including cantrips, about 33 spells, but according to the rules in the PHB "...choose a number of wizard spells from your spellbook equal to your Intelligence modifier + your wizard level (minimum of one spell)." Personally that give me 14 prepared spells per day. So once I choose my spells for the day should we post them, private message them to you, or just keep that list to ourselves and just trust that people are only using spells that they prepared ahead of time?

For spells, I will now ask everyone to provide me via private message with a copy of their spellbook and their prepared spells.

To keep people from identifying weaknesses/vulnerabilities in your spell selection, please don't post your spell selections with your character info. (If you still want to, that is fine but you might find yourself being one of the first targets :)

Sounds good all. Theliah, please let me know for sure when you know if you will or will not be able to play, starting July 24.

As this is just a big skirmish and not a campaign, I imagine that the whole arena battle should be done in a few weeks. The difficult part with this, may be if we are waiting on someone to post. Generally, in a pbp campaign, during combat if someone hasn't posted in 24 hours, then the DM will just NPC the character. I can't really do that in this due to the nature of the duel. Likely I will just have to implement a rule that if someone hasn't posted for 48 hours, that they character is automatically out of the duel.

This arena duel pbp concept is a new concept for me, so I will always be open to feedback -- feel free to comment along they way on things that you think will improve either the flow of the game or the player experience.

I'm gonna say: I really would've liked to play, but I'm too busy.

Relatives are leaving tomorrow, then I will get back into getting this going.

Looks like we are down to 7 wizards, so our chances of making the 2nd round just got a little better.

Are you still recruiting for this?

Are you still recruiting for this?

I'm guessing since we haven't started yet you should be able to make a character. DM Kor correct me if I'm wrong.

I guess my next question would be (assuming that I am allowed to join, that is): if we are summoning creatures/stuff (as I suspect some might choose to do), are we going to be running the creatures or did you want to do that?

Hi All,

Sorry for the delay in getting some direction back to everyone. I have been putting in some overtime at work, preparing for my time off to go to GenCon. We just finished our busy season at work, so I will not be drained of energy when I get home :)

Since GenCon is next week, it would also be bad timing on my part to start this campaign now.

So my plan now is to start up after GenCon.

I realize with the long delay, we may have lost some interested parties along the way. I will do an interest check once I am back, and then recruit some extra folks if needed.

Sorry for the delays, but its important for me to keep this moving along once we have started. I've played too many PBP's that died out in the middle because the DM was not able to give the campaign the focus it needed. (Real life happens, but there are factors around my time demands which I can control though :)

I guess my next question would be (assuming that I am allowed to join, that is): if we are summoning creatures/stuff (as I suspect some might choose to do), are we going to be running the creatures or did you want to do that?

There is an opening for you.

Generally, players will be in control of the creatures -- I may provide some guidance if I believe the creature is instructed to do something that is completely against its nature/ability.

Okay, good to know. I should have a character posted by tomorrow.

I present to you Kavra, the water wizard:

Okay, back from GenCon and ready to give this scenario its due attention.

Tally of Interested Players:
1. baticeer
2. TheOrcnextdoor
3. Radavel
4. Sylvanus
5. david barker
6. Loup Blanc
7. Umbungo
8. Vrog Skyreaver

Once you have completed your character, please send me a Private Message with your spellbook.

Please also let me know if your situation has change and you are no longer available/interested in playing this Wizard's Duel scenario.

Thank you.

I'm still here.

I'm Sylvanus, I'm still here, and I sent you my spellbook and prepared spells the first time you asked.

It looks like we're down to 2 wizards.

It's looking like that -- I have only received 2 spellbooks at this time.

On the plus side, this recruitment thread helped me refine some of the rules. I may have to repost a new recruitment thread, which should go smoother since I have the rules fairly well drawn out now, and I will be able to give the campaign immediate attention.

Still here, still interested, and spells are in the profile. Don't much care if people take a gander; I'm a transmuter, so my MO is fairly obvious.

Right now we have 3 people ready to go. I'm thinking that, it may not be a bad thing to just have a quick small wizard duel, to see how everything works out, and to see if there is much else I need to tweak rules-wise.

Ideally I would like 4 people to test this out. If someone new wishes to jump on board, then great -- let me know asap. I have a friend that I am sure would like to try it out, so I will check with him if we wants to be our 4th, in the event I do not hear back from anyone.

sounds good. To keep things fair, I'll add my spell list to my character as well, since both Nam and Kearan have done so.

I'm in if everyone else is.

Here is Vrog's alt.

I'm still game.

I've created a Discussion and Gameplay thread now. I'm just waiting to hear back from my friend now.

Please go to the Discussion thread, to review my first question for the 3 of you.

Thanks, and good luck all!

I've created a Discussion and Gameplay thread now. I'm just waiting to hear back from my friend now.

Please go to the Discussion thread, to review my first question for the 3 of you.

Thanks, and good luck all!

Yep - got your email - sounds like fun, count me in. I'll throw a character together today.