Granta's Long Campaign (Core) (Inactive)

Game Master Granta

My only TPK was because of darkness, and your list does nothing to it.

Pay close attention to this chronicle sheet when you get it.

Anyway, Anastasia will get quite an impressive scroll library if she lives. I just have to take time to prioritize the buy order some day.

Scroll of lesser restoration (5) right away, and then the rest of the 2nd-level spells on your list. 3rd-level spells after that, then 4th-level.

And keep in mind, what I wrote is just an example. None of my characters have that exact list, and at least half of them have something very different. The only thing they have in common is that they spend all prestige.

I actually don't spend prestige in order to avoid death, that's just the argument I'm using to try and convince people not to save their prestige in case of death.

Gang off to GENCON on Tuesday and will be getting ready most of tomorrow. Will likely be unable to post much the next week.

So bot as needed, anyone may do it, I trust ya'll. Don't let me hold thing up!

Cheers all.

Gencon! Lucky you!

Yeah, I'm running Tier 1 at GenCon, so... yeah. Lots and lots of 9-01.

Yeah, I'm running Tier 1 at GenCon, so... yeah. Lots and lots of 9-01.

Hope it's a good one, if you have to run it multiple times!

Leaving for GenCon tomorrow. Tier 1 GMing, so I'll only have enough time to sleep. I'll do what I can by phone on intermissions, but if I slow things down, GM may bot me.

but if I slow things down, GM may bot me.

Please remember everyone, I don't bot as the GM. That is up to the other players.

Anyone can. I just cut and pasted that in all my games.

This question is probably long overdue, but what are people's expectations and hopes for this campaign? Do you picture it being different from normal society play?

I hadn't really expected different from PFS play other than (baring guest players) having a consistent cast of characters to develop a RP history and character development with.

My expectations are along the same lines as Pavo/Blake's Tiger.

I played a 6-game PFS PbP sequence with a group of players and it was one of the best PbP experiences I've ever had. Each of the scenarios was played, as best as I can tell, following the standard PFS scenario instructions.

What I loved about it was the role play, character development and interaction in the group. It took a couple scenarios to really gel but then we really gelled well. The character interactions even influenced the way that our characters leveled up.

For instance, my character, a cleric, had a big crush on another cleric in the game. But he was young and naive and she had eyes for the big, strong fighter. My guy kept trying to capture her interest. When he leveled up, he took ranks in Profession(poet) so he could write poems to her. That worked really well. By the end of the 6th scenario, the two clerics were pretty much a "couple". There were tearful goodbyes as they went separate ways but they made promises to meet again.

We all liked it so much, we're doing a reunion scenario for the second half of PbP game day.

That's a long setup for saying, that's what I am hoping for from this group. Lots of character interaction and good role playing.

Actually, Kirrote's experience is mostly what I'm looking for.

Finally getting back to the PbP world, it took me a day of recover from GENCON (well not really recovered yet, but back to the real..or um fantasy world).

What I'm looking for is much like what the others have mentioned, PFS structure but with a largely consistent cast of characters that can develop in game. While also working through some content I haven't seen yet.

May I ask a question, GM Granta what are you looking for from the experience?

May I ask a question, GM Granta what are you looking for from the experience?

How rude! No, you absolutely may not! :-Þ

We're all sacrificing some things to make this happen, in hopes that this game will be more fun than independent, one-off scenarios. For me, more fun means more role-playing and learning.

At a practical level, I want to go off the rails like we did here. I'm looking for those moments when role-playing drives the action, and the scenario can fade into the background for a bit.

I am realizing a major problem with having my weapon as my Arcane Bond item so I am planning to take advantage of the level 1 rebuild rules and change my Arcane Bond item to a ring. Its pretty minor but I just wanted to be upfront about it as we are planning to be playing these characters together through a lot of levels.

Thank you for the heads-up, and I'd actually like to pause both campaigns after the next scenario so that people can rebuild. In particular, I'm hoping to see both parties balance themselves out a little better.

balance in what way?

For example, I don't remember having a discussion of who has what skills covered.

I think that once we get through 1 or 2 of these scenarios we'll get a better sense of what's working and what's not working. I know that for me it takes at least that long to get in sync with my character.

I think that once we get through 1 or 2 of these scenarios we'll get a better sense of what's working and what's not working. I know that for me it takes at least that long to get in sync with my character.

Exactly. We're trying to sync individual players AND the party as a whole, and that takes a few play throughs to do.

Who all has played/GMed this scenario before?

Wounded Wisp?

I have played it before.

GMd when it first came out, never played before.

Both

Neither

I have kind of played it, it was fast and with GM shortcutting everything possible, so I don't remember much.

I have such random experiences with the Wounded Wisp until I ran it and found out how the clues were supposed to go together.

I agree with Pavo. I think this is the third time I've played it and I still have trouble figuring out how the clues are supposed to fit together. Someday I will GM it and maybe it will be clear then.

My very first play through, we had to say 'Wiffle' while touching the plaque on the memorial wall and then a doorway magically opened up, leading us to the shrine of the failed (though he didn't call it that, it was just a dungeon) and the doorway here was just a regular secret door... all of which I now know is terribly off book.

I never heard the term "Aspirant" until I prepared the scenario to run.

Sorry, I was travelling and thought I had posted when I had not

I had a whole post I wrote out and I swear I posted about 2 hours after Granta's post yesterday. And now its not there... AAGH! :) I know the forum sometimes eats posts and usually I double check but yesterday I did my post on my lunch break and had to rush back to work afterwards, my bad.

Overseeing the special is turning out well, and I've started prepping for #7-10: The Consortium Compact. Hopefully, the prep work will be done by the time both tables finish the current game, and we can roll right into the next one.

If Zyrethian doesn't post soon, could somebody please bot him?

OK. Will check before work.

on it

just a few minutes

...well, just remember to take your AOOs.

I hope I did not screw up your plans by stepping forward. I did not want the archer to have freedom to fire with impunity.

The archer is (or should be) disarmed. He dropped his bow by the cleric, and Pavo just disarmed his sword.

So hit him when he tries to pick it up, and the cleric when it tries to stand up.

He dropped his bow by the cleric

It's actually in his free hand. He doesn't have a shield, and was using a light melee weapon.

I missed all that. Despite rereading the recent posts twice. sigh

I didn't actually say he still had it in hand. But I would usually say if he dropped it. As a general rule though, assume that the second weapon is still in hand. It only needs to be dropped if there is a heavy shield or two-handed weapon involved.

Edit: I just reread my post, and "switches" is not the clearest word to have used.

So, we could start talking about what we have covered and how we want to fill holes as we level up.

Does anybody have traps covered? I have been considering going Arcane Trickster instead of Eldritch Knight, I just hate the idea of taking levels in Rogue that is not the Unchained Rogue. I'm also not sure at what level I would take the Rogue levels, probably 3rd at the earliest. Though I suppose I could really go hog-wild with the rebuild and completely remake him as a Rogue 1. But I don't like how that would impact continuity.

Any way, what other areas do we need covered?

Pavo has traps and locks covered in regards to skill investment. Obviously, he won't have Trapfinding and so cannot disable magical traps (and obviously won't have half his level as a bonus to spotting and disarming traps).

Kirrote is a brand new character so he's not leveling up with this scenario. He is a heavy hitter and does a lot of damage so I think that, at least for now, we have the melee combat covered.

It sounds like Pavo has traps mostly taken care of.

How are we for knowledge skills?

Between two wizards and Pavo's bardic knowledge, we should have that covered.

Zyrethian has Arcana and Planes, there may be some others I pick up a rank or two in.

Kane will grab a few ranks in Know Religion. Obviously healing, won't offer much for melee.

Anastasia has also arcana and planes. Plan was to get at least one rank to every knowledge. More ranks to wizardly skills like spellcraft, UMD & the mystical knowledges.

Anastasia is going for full wizard, mostly support and utility spells.

What we really need to know isn't what ranks people are putting ranks into, but which skills they are putting maximum ranks into.