GMDQ's Skull and Shackles (Inactive)

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A small band of mariners find themselves press-ganged into service on the Wormwood, led by the fearsome Barnabas Harrigan. Will they turn their misfortune to glory on the high seas, or will folly lead them to an ignominious watery death?


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Forces of Nature Battlemap

I forgot to make Kroop's drunk check beforehand last time and I will do that now when I make your daily task checks (if you want to look at the spoiler, the don't mind me post above is an example).

I will also tailor that format to specific activities based on events (for example, there is an upcoming event which will preclude the possibility of certain activities and I will state that upfront). Putting it in the pre-set format will in fact help remind me to do that.

You will be aware when weather changes. Funny you should mention that..... but it is still fair, for now. I can also add a "daily forecast" to the template if you like.

Thanks for the feedback, it helps me be more consistent too.


I think little prefaces for day are a good idea. It'll make it easier for me to keep track of where we are - especially when I'm making a quick post without reviewing first.


A great explanation for most things:
https://youtu.be/WQeh132J7gE


"I borrowed it until I did know" is Lark's new motto.


Forces of Nature Battlemap

Just wanted to note if Thren had acted alone, she probably would have been whipped by Scourge, but the three of you all chiming in--with pretty decent rolls--prevented that from happening. Especially as Lark turned it around to make it about Plugg--Scourge couldn't whip people for toasting Plugg.

This doesn't mean they won't try to get their own back later... but it actually all fits right into the narrative perfectly.


Google App Status indicated a service disruption earlier today. They claim it's resolved, but I'm still having trouble with it. That's where all my character notes are in addition to our battle map. I'll try and post again later. Either way Lark's action will probably be stepping forward and punching someone.

https://www.google.com/appsstatus#hl=en&v=status


Forces of Nature Battlemap

Looks like it's working better now. By all means if it doesn't load, please post regardless.

This won't display right, but it's basically, where SFJ are the pirates, G is "Greenwood," and "O" O'Neld.
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____O
S____
F__G_
JT__


Forces of Nature Battlemap

Just FYI, this is where you are disposition-wise with the crew. This is according to attitude levels as described under the Diplomacy skill and doesn't describe personality per se -- an "indifferent" character may behave amicably, especially if you've positively influenced them, but you just haven't quite yet pushed up their loyalty level. Likewise, "hostile" doesn't mean necessarily hates you and wants you dead (although for certain individuals it might), but they are loyal to the officers to the point they will happily hurt you to keep Plugg and Scourge happy.

I figure this would be helpful, but obviously please do not abuse this information.

This is in order of liking you most to least:

Sandara - Helpful
Rosie - Helpful
Owlbear - Helpful
Grok - Friendly
Kroop - Indifferent
Cog - Indifferent
Tilly - Indifferent
Samms - Indifferent
Tibbs - Indifferent
Jack - Indifferent
Conchobar - Indifferent (he actually starts at unfriendly as he wants to be a pirate badly and wants to thus impress the officers, but you brought him up to this.)
Ratline - Indifferent (night crew, you really haven't had a chance to talk)
Badger - Unfriendly (night crew, you really haven't had a chance to talk)
Shivikah - Unfriendly (night crew, you really haven't had a chance to talk)
Maheem - Hostile
Aretta Bansion - Hostile (night crew, you really haven't had a chance to talk)
Nam Tate - Hostile (night crew, you really haven't had a chance to talk)
Jaundiced Jape - Hostile (night crew, you really haven't had a chance to talk)
Fipps - Hostile
Slippery Syl - Hostile.

The other officers are not tracked for these purposes (although you can try to talk to them if you wish and see what happens.)


Forces of Nature Battlemap

I see the die roller is in one of its moods.


Forces of Nature Battlemap

Just a reminder, you ALL have hero points, which renew when you level and can also be regained by doing amazing stunts/descriptions/risks/roleplay, reaching ends of story arcs, etc.

You're probably not far from leveling, so "saving them for best" forever isn't going to do you any good.

Thermopyle, not saying you SHOULD have used your point for the reroll the other day--I understand your reasoning. But as all of you go into upcoming events, please remember this resource is available to you.

I've been running this as your pool increases to a max of 2 HP when you reach level 2 and then 3 when you reach level 3. Rereading the rules here this morning, I see you have a max pool of 3 regardless of level. So I will start rewarding points up to your maximum, should you engage in feats worthy of reward.

You will regain 1 point automatically when leveling.


Forces of Nature Battlemap

Your replies have slowed, and I am about to get busy over the next couple days, so I am going to post the start of the next day's events.

As always you can backtag, especially of course if you want to continue the chatter between yourselves. I might be slow for the next few days, till about Sunday.


So right now we have one HP to spend?
I'm asking b/c I'm about to do something that could, in a land-based campaign, be described as 'dirt stupid'.


My notes say we have we have one Hero Point.

"Salt stupid?"
"Seaweed stupid?"


Forces of Nature Battlemap

Yes, you have one hero point to spend. I haven't rewarded you with any yet beyond the initial one.

If you'll look at the Campaign page, you'll note you have 934 XP, so I wouldn't worry about the re-earning of one being too far off. :)

And if it's dirt stupid but amazing enough you might earn a hero point for that as well. ;)


Forces of Nature Battlemap

We're waiting on you, Thermopyle. Since you posted last night I assume you can get online --- in case the gameplay thread is not showing new messages to it (the message board does that sometimes) there HAVE been new messages. It occurred to me they did site maintenance lately so that might have happened.


Sorry - I've just not been able to post from work the past few days.


Forces of Nature Battlemap

As you guys work on leveling, something to think about:

Not to spoil anything major, but this first "arc" of the first book can go on in-game for many many days longer. However, "special events" become slightly rarer, so there are a lot of ordinary days where there need not be a lot of "cutscenes" as it were.

Now that you have a feel for life on the Wormwood, I feel like continuing to play through each and every day, as the AP advises/assumes for this part of the adventure, may drag. As fun as it is to keep making work checks and risk getting whipped and rope bashed for failing them, etc. there is more to the adventure, believe it or not, than endless bilge pumping and rope hauling. I am of half a mind to skip some of these checks and "fast forward" a bit as needed to keep the pace up.

That said, I still want you to have time to explore, buy, steal, influence, etc. etc. Some of these do require focus/attention/die rolls so I don't just want to always assume success. I also don't want to lose opportunities for roleplay, etc.

I am thinking this: for days and nights where there are no notable events, if you choose NOT to take any day/night actions, you do not need to make task rolls and we can just move forward. If you do want to take a day action, you roll your DC 10 skill check as usual, with penalties if your day/night action inflicts one. If there is a chunk of "free" days ahead I'll say so, so you can say if you want to do stuff or just move forward.

How does that sound? How does the pace feel to you? Too fast? Too slow? Thoughts on other methods?

I ask now because "Day/Night 10" is eventless so am thinking with the first week of life aboard the ship past, and ended with the storm where checks were crucial, it's a good time to shift gears if desirable.

Thanks.


Female Elf Bard (scholar of legends) 20

I don't see a particular problem with this methodology. If it makes things easier, you could even assume we take 10 on the boring days, and thereby pass time more quickly.

Now, a question about leveling up in PbP: do we take average hp rolls (so, 4.5 for a bard, round down to 4) plus Con bonus, or roll it?


Forces of Nature Battlemap

Good question. Take your max die (plus Con of course). In a 3 person party I'd rather you have a little more of a damage buffer.


Female Elf Bard (scholar of legends) 20

Summary of advancements:

Hp gain: +9 (max 18)
BAB:+1 gained (+1 base, +2 total) CMB and CMD increase: +1 each (+2, 14 respectively)
Hero points gained: +1 (1 total)
Skill points gained: 6 base +1 favored class bonus +2 Intelligence=9
New skill modifiers: Acrobatics +7, Stealth+9, Profession (sailor)+5, Perform (singing)+8, Climb +6, Swim+6, Perception +5, Intimidate +8. Disable Device remains +3, and Sleight of Hand remains +7.
Feat gain: Combat Casting (bonus feat, from archetype)
Spells per day increase: +1 first
Spells known increase: +1 cantrip, +1 1st
New spells known: 0-mending, 1st-hideous laughter
Bardic performance rounds: +2 rounds (9 total per day)
I do not gain versatile performance or well-versed due to my archetype.

I think that sums it up. If I missed something, please feel free to make fun of me for it as I read through the 'Gaining a Level' section of the CRB again :)

Edit: Reflex and Will saves increased by one each, to Ref +5, Will +3.


I think a quicker pace can be achieved via some glossing over of mundane activities.

If we do that, though, maybe we should have some written goals. Things that would occur over the course of days and weeks. Like, for Lee, an interesting goal could be:
Help Kroop kick the sauce.
It would be a day-to-day, maybe week-to-week, incremental kind of process.


Forces of Nature Battlemap

I highly encourage setting some longerish term plans/goals -- understanding of course the nature of RPGs is that eventually unexpected things may happen that get in the way of them. The general idea of "befriend X" or "explore Y" and such works very well however.

With Kroop in particular--Lee has worked with him for over a week, and can observe that the main issue with Kroop is this: Kroop has called the Wormwood poison. Faced with a choice between "consume paint thinner and turn one's liver into a paperweight," and "soberly face the realities of life in service of Captain Harrigan," Kroop has firmly decided that the former is the least toxic option.

Before addressing Kroop's addiction--which he would have to decide for himself to kick--first goals would be to provide Kroop with healthy relationships and a reason to not slowly kill himself, such as get him into better living conditions than what the Wormwood provides. In other words, this would probably take a very, very, very long time. (Getting started is not an ignoble goal, however).


Forces of Nature Battlemap

Level-up looks good, Thren.


I think the pacing has been good overall. The ‘fast forwarding’ method described above sounds like it would add some flexibility so I’m in favour as well.


Here is a quick preview of Lark's next level. I still need to review the Rogue Talent list and pick one. Hopefully I'll have a chance to update the character sheet tomorrow.

HP +10 (d8+CON+favored), BAB +1, Ref save +1 (others +0)
Evasion and Rogue Talent
Skill Points 8+2+1(8+INT+human)=11
skills to increase: acrobatics, appraise, bluff, diplomacy, disable device, perception, perception-traps, prof sailor, sense motive, sleight of hand, stealth
Hero Points +1


Forces of Nature Battlemap

Not that this makes it easier for you, but just a reminder you can also choose from Rogue Talents in the Advanced Player's Guide and Ultimate Combat.


Female Elf Bard (scholar of legends) 20

I forgot to mention to everyone till I remembered last night that I won't be able to post for a few days ranging from Thursday (I might manage it during the day) till sometime Sunday. I'm gonna be going off-grid while visiting friends. Please feel free to bot me at need.


Forces of Nature Battlemap

Alrighty, thanks for letting me know.


Here's Lee's advancement to 2nd level.
I went with Sorcerer, even though I was seething with envy at all the skills Lee could have been using if he'd gone with Rogue.
Ah, well...

2nd level isn't super-compelling for Sorcerers.

HP = +7
BAB = +1

Fort = +0
Ref = +0
Will = +1

skills
spellcraft = +1
knowledge (arcana) = +1
profession (cook) = +1
perception = +1 (Favored Class Bonus)

Added Spells
Ray of Frost (0)

Hero Point Adjustment = +1
Hero Point Total = 1


At long last...

Lark's level 2 Rogue Talent is Resiliency (some temporary HP once a day). The character sheet should be fully up to date now.


Forces of Nature Battlemap

Looks good, guys. KeefX please update the stat line that shows by your character portrait so we see your current HP/saves etc.


Question about Ray of Frost in the water:
The difficulties with the V & S components are obvious and understood.
My question has to do with the 'ray' effect. I suspect that the water would leach the effectiveness right out of the ray. But if Lee were to make a touch attack with RoF, would that keep the RoF effective?

RPG Superstar 2015 Top 8

Lee is currently standing in a shallow part of the reef and is mechanically considered "on land". This means he doesn't need to make concentration checks to cast.

Ray of frost will not fail due to hitting or moving through water, but I would apply the -2 penalty to attacks per every 5 feet the attack has to travel through water.

Reefclaw 1 grappled Threnody in the shallows. So for mechanical purposes, I am not considering him to be under water. Since he is in melee you take a -4 penalty to hit, but his touch AC is also 2 lower because he's grappling, so that should more or less balance out.

Reefclaw 2 is in the water. In addition to reefclaw 1s advantages and disadvantages, he gets a +8 cover bonus because he is in water and you are on land.

Reefclaw 3 is in the water and not grappling. He gets his +8 cover bonus and you are at a -2 for shooting 5 ft into the water.

Yes, in all cases you are hitting touch AC, which helps a little.

I will note magic missile has none of these problems as it auto-hits with no attack roll, and deals force damage.


Forces of Nature Battlemap

Rules check:

Grab grants a bonus to grapple. Reefclaw grab bonus is +8.

Does this bonus also apply to CMD? Usually does I believe but....

Because it occurs to me, I should post their CMD, which is base 11. I THOUGHT this would mean their CMD vs grapple is 19. The statblock does not list a separate grapple CMD. As this is relevant to your possibilities to break free of grapples, I'm just gonna run this by you and see what you think --- I realize for your own interests you WANT it to be 11 rather than 19 but I trust you to judge fairly. :)

I know I should just make a call but I'm also cognizant of making sure the challenge is presented right, given the water already causes mitigating factors of difficulty.


That's a brutal bonus, but yes, it does seem like it would apply to their CMD.


Female Elf Bard (scholar of legends) 20

It should add to their CMD in this case, yes. And water monsters are notoriously difficult for their CRs regardless, as water adds all sorts of fun environmental factors (see discussion above about the ray of frost).


Forces of Nature Battlemap

In spite of your fair and reasonable assessments, I am going to use their statblock as written. Since the statblock gives no separate CMD for grapple, their CMD is 11 period.

Especially as the die roller is being an asshat.


FYI I find myself in the midst of a surprise (in a good way) visit from out-of-town family. So I won't be checking in very much the next couple of days.


Forces of Nature Battlemap

Hope your visit's gone well, Thermopyle.

F+!@ing-A these reefclaws are bastards. They had some lucky rolls, but still. I've never run them before, saw they had a low-ish AC and to-hit, and thought "oh, this won't be too bad." But the way their abilities synergize.... these are NOT CR 1 -- water maneuvers even removed from the equation. Ferocity alone could technically give them as much as twice the HP they have, and their grab and constrict abilities work even when they're staggered. I'm opting to end ferocity after 1 round because this is just too long a fight to maintain in a play-by-post environment -- we can only get through a combat round in about a day, and this should not be taking so long to finish. If this were a major climactic battle I'd deal with it, but this is supposed to be a side trip, not a heroic venture. I don't like fudging things, but I'm not having a whole lot of fun seeing a botched fishing trip go lethal. When I kill you horribly, it will be during an awesome plot-related moment. I mean, I want to reserve the best challenges for the plot-related moments. :)

Confession: the fight was supposed to be with 2 reefclaws----but, the party would more likely still be 1st level. I figured at 2nd level and with Rosie's help, I thought I should add a 3rd to maintain the challenge. Now that I've experienced how they work seeing them in action, I can see the encounter as written vs. a 1st level party ending easily in a TPK with just a few moderately unlucky die rolls. Hell, the death throes alone could kill a 1st level character. It's just sort of a "I hate PCs" sort of monster I'm not terribly keen on using.

Hence the intervention killing the third -- because I realized my mistake. It was not a mere deus ex machina; the source of the fire beams is an entity in the story and has his/her/its own reasons for doing this, which may or may not be benevolent.

I know I shouldn't be admitting any of this and just mysteriously making it all part of the story but I feel the need to rant, if nothing else. :)

I'll bear this in mind for future encounters (but don't expect me to kill off excess monsters all the time :) ).


Female Elf Bard (scholar of legends) 20

Being honest, water environment and grapple are things that work in favor of monsters quite often. So this being tough is to be expected; we knew we didn't have a dedicated martial type when we built the party, which would've helped. Among other things *cough*stupid dice roller*cough* ahem.


The visit did go well, thanks. It was a quick but very pleasant surprise to have my brother and mother drop in for the weekend.

I agree with Lathiira. It seems like several things synergized to make this fight extra tough for us. As always, that includes our self-inflicted lack of a front-line fighter.

GMDQ, I appreciate your openness about your thought process, and an I look forward to dying at some suitably climactic moment ;).


Forces of Nature Battlemap

Thanks for your thoughts.

The grapple is nasty but what actually gets me is the ferocity+death throes. These monsters would be CR 1 without them.

These really should be higher HD monsters at a higher CR. Their traits would make for an awesome fight against, say, a 5-8th level character. They'd be great spellcaster shredders right at a time when a spellcaster is starting to feel confident. A "mythic reefclaw" would be badass. This is not appropriate for a 1st level monster, unless you're running a Gygaxian campaign and actually actively trying to kill the PCs every moment. And that style of game is just no fun for me.

The encounter DOES dictate an NPC goes with you to help. I picked Rosie precisely because she is a frontliner. But her size penalty to CMB doesn't help her. At least she has lots of Strength to lose!


Forces of Nature Battlemap

Waiting on Lee.

I blame any slowness this week on my part on Fallout 4.


Female Elf Bard (scholar of legends) 20

I do not accept excuses. However, I do accept reasons. Fallout 4 is an excellent reason. Carry on! LOL


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Forces of Nature Battlemap

:) I told John and Deb I was visiting them this weekend EVEN THOUGH Fallout was out. LOOK AT MY DEDICATION.


I see your dedication. It is most impressive.


Forces of Nature Battlemap

Gonna give you a little more time for RP then move us forward on Saturday. And of course backtagging is always possible.


Forces of Nature Battlemap

Guys, I'm noticing a significant slowdown in post rate, which suggests boredom/frustration (understandable under the circumstances). Do you want me to fast forward to the end here, as it were? I am happy to play this through---and things will end after round 8 one way or the other.


Fast forwarding is fine with me. At this point Lark doesn't expect to succeed so he's kind of bracing for the price of failure.

I do like this kind of skill based activity. Of course it's easy for anything done per-round to run slow and having Thanksgiving fall in the middle didn't help.


Female Elf Bard (scholar of legends) 20

Fast forward or not, I'm good either way. Admittedly, I've completed the task and am now tormenting my friends :)

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