Lucendar's Savage Tide....All aboard! (Inactive)

Game Master Lucendar

Youre whipping us pretty good now, DM! The dice roller has turned in your favor!

Round 2

"We need ta change dis fightin' ground. Shimye-Magalla, bring ya peace ta Kowaru." Baolo seems to pull something down from the ceiling and toss it toward Kowaru. Aero and Ialda feel a breeze blow past. Casts stabilize on Kowaru. Baolo moves past Aero into the room to the north. Move to U20, not sure if its possible to go any further.

Xarethi can roll her stabilization check and Chez is up.

Chez looks at Xarethi lying on the ground, and continues to feel the sting of the 2 arrows which had punctured him. Chev gives a slight shrug towards those standing in the hallway, and then leaps forward into action. He runs up to one of the men in the doorway and thrusts his rapier at him.

Move to S23, and attack rogue in S24, fighting defensively.

Rapier attack: 1d20 + 7 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (10) + 7 + 1 - 4 = 14
Rapier damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

AC currently 22

Despite fighting defensively, the rogue is unable to dodge Chez' blow and he is run through the neck by the warrior's rapier, as he collapses to the ground, holding his neck before closing his eyes for good.

The other rogue yells out "Brother!" and 5' steps to R24 over Kowaru's body and tries to stab Chez, but the warrior's defensive stance proves fruitful, as he parries the skillful blow at the last second! Good call, fighting defensively!

Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21..miss!

Updated Combat Map

Ialda and Aero to finish Round 3!

Ialda follows the rogue, moving 5' south, getting a better angle at him as she continues to stab with her Longspear.

Attack 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Damage 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Round 3

With Chesley's strike, Aeronniell once again discovers her optimism.

Still four-on-five, we can do this despite the advantage of surprise these rogues had on us!

Taking a step back (R,19), she focuses her gaze on the thug in the front standing over Kowaru (R,24).

Hey, you! Come here!" she orders, summoning up a commanding voice that echoes through the hallway.

Issue "Approach" command, DC13 Will. Plan is to give Chez and Ialda each a pair of AoOs, and Baolo a nice clean shot should the rogue make it that far.

Will save: 1d20 ⇒ 11..fails!

The Lotus Dragon's eyes glaze over as he loses control of his body and walks toward Aero!
Chez and Ialda, you each get one free AoO (not two)! Loving the party's tactics!

Ialda sees the rogue move forward opening up his flank to her spear. She almost jumps to take advantage of that mistake!

Attack 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19

Damage 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Agree with the DM, guys. Your smart moves might get dumb ole Ialda out of here in one piece after all. Maybe.

Ialda's spear perforates the rogue's spine and he collapses to the floor after a chilling scream of pain!

Round 4:

Two arrows fly at Aero from the archers, one hitting her in the shoulder.
Attack: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 3 + 1 = 20
Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Two arrows fly at Chez, but he easily avoids them!
Attack: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 3 + 1 = 13
Attack: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 3 + 1 = 5

Xarethi stabilization roll: 1d20 ⇒ 19..stable!

Party is up since the 2 rogues who delayed are dead!

HP summary:
Chez: 21/23
Kowaru: -2/17
Xarethi: -5/10
Aero: 11/14
Ialda: 21/22
Baolo: 16/16

Updated Combat Map

Ialda moves to R 23, sensing the tide was turning. She thrusts her spear at the rogue in front of her, trying to take yet another thug out of the fight.

Attack 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18

Attack 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

"Throw down your arms and surrender, and you will live! If you continue to attack, we will finish each and every one of you."

Nice speech!

Ialda's spear pierces the rogue like a hot knife through butter and he crumbles to the floor! Seeing three of their brethren get killed horrifically in less than 15 seconds and the blood of the last one sprayed in their faces, the last three archers drop their bows and raise their hands in surrender! "Please, don't kill us!"

"Smart decision, gang. There's been enough bloodshed by these two groups. What can you tell us about the rest of this area? Where has Cruncher gotten off to?". Ialda asks, trusting the others to take care of healing the monk and the mage.

Chez will sheath his blades and pick up one of the bows. He will relinquish a quiver of arrows from one of them. He notch an arrow and will stand guard over Kowaru's body.

If any of the prisoners runs, he will release an arrow at him.

Wow, a lot happened. Sorry about not posting recently. Weekends are usually not too good for me as I don't have as much access to a computer, and I work very strange hours.

Stabilization (Round 3)
1d20 - 5 ⇒ (9) - 5 = 4

Xarethi is at -6 hp and dying. Xarethi's limp form continues to bleed from the three arrows in her chest. Dying Boromir's death. Or did he have four?

Stabilization (Round 4)
1d20 - 6 ⇒ (19) - 6 = 13

Xarethi's wounds cease bleeding, as it seems her body has finally reacted to the injuries, but she remains still and silent.

The DM also rolled the check and you stabilized earlier, X. In the round 4 post.

While Chez and Ialda take care of the prisoners, Baolo borrows the wand from Aero and heals Xarethi and Kowaru. 2 charges to fully heal Xarethi. 2 charges to take Kowaru to 16/17 hp.

"Smart decision, gang. There's been enough bloodshed by these two groups. What can you tell us about the rest of this area? Where has Cruncher gotten off to?". Ialda asks, trusting the others to take care of healing the monk and the mage.

"Uh...uh...Cruncher ran that way!" Stuttering out of fear, the rogues point to the southern doorway. "He must have gone to warn Rowyna about you. He asked us to set an ambush for you and take you out." Ialda clearly sees the blood trail also leading to the southern passageway, though the door is closed right now.

"Drop all your weapons and get out of here. If I see any of you again, it'll be the spear for you...understand? Oh, is Vanthus down here still?"

If we get all their weapons, I'm fine with shooing them away. I don't want to kill them, and don't think tying them up would be necessary. If anyone disagrees, please let me know.

I'm fine with that too.

"Uh...we know he spent the night but we haven't seen him leave Mistress' quarters so I assume he is still here." The rogues drop their weapons and run out, if allowed.

Aeronniell wipes the sweat from her brow as the rogue advances at her, but then meets a grim end at Ialda's spear.

As the rest of the rogues flee, her heart's pounding subsides and she composes her calm yet again.

"That was close! But, we survived. Now, it's time for Vanthus to answer for what he's done. If there are more Dragons, we can only hope that every one of their members doesn't keep risking their lives for him."

"Is everyone ready? These Dragons are smart, so we need to be aware," the barbarian says as she starts following the directions the gang gave.

Chez straps a bow over his shoulder, draws his blades and prepares to advance.

What type of bow did Chez pick up?

You found six shortbows and six shortswords on the rogues, as well as three leather armors.

Baolo replenishes his arrows, shaking his head at the dull colors used by the Lotus Dragons. Ready, he nods toward the doors to the south.

The half-orc gasps as life flows back into him, finding his feet slowly. "Thank you, friend Baolo. In my haste, I overextended myself. This will not happen again. My apologies." He begins to give a bow, winces, and stops before his wounds reopen. "Now, where did that wolf get off to..."

Finishing her own replenishing of arrows from the fallen Dragons, Aeronniell arches an eyebrow as Chesley slings a bow over his shoulder.

"Oh, fancying yourself an archer now, Chez? It's certainly safer standing in back..."

Smiling when she sees Kowaru back on his feet, she points the wand at her own injury before holding it out to anyone else in need.

I hate only needing a partial wand charge, but Aeronniell will heal back up to full HP rather than go in light to another battle.

Down to 41/50 charges.

"Hardly a fair weapon, but should our foes have an even better tactical advantage in our next encounter, it could come in useful. Sure its been a long time since I have used one, but I'm sure I remember the basics. Now then, the pointy end of the arrow faces out right?", Chez grins.

Once you decide to go forward, Ialda takes the lead again and you open the southern door. It opens to reveal a rather large room filled with numerous warehouse crates that stand about 4' tall. Cruncher's blood trail continues into this room and ends at the closed doorway at the eastern end of the room.

Updated Map

What do you do?

Baolo takes a look around the room, seeing if he can spot any traps or ambushes from the doorway.
Perception 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

Watching where his feet step, Chez will advance to where the first rows of crates end, taking time to cautiously look around the corners of each row (Unless of course Baolo warns him of a trap).

Perception: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (2) + 0 = 2

Move to O35

Before the others can enter the room, Aeronniell holds a thin finger to her elvish lips and makes a low shhh sound as she strains to listen for signs of Cruncher within the room.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

Still not convinced that another ambush awaits her companions, she concentrates on the path forward through the crates and works a cantrip to Lady Luck

Cast Ghost Sound, emulating the sound of footsteps walking down the bloody trail between the crates, hoping to lure out ambushers prematurely this time.

Aeronniell shudders at the sounds made by her own conjuration, the noise reminding her of the spirits that sometimes haunt her both waking and in dream.

Heads up: Bless lasts for 2 minutes, it had ~17 rounds to go when the last combat ended, so my guess is that it's still active if we get into another combat quickly here.

After allowing Aero's magics to take their effect, of there is no reaction, Ialda follows as far as Chez, also checking the ground, not wanting to rush blindly in yet again.

Perception 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21

1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Aero casts her magic and Ialda and Baolo hear a faint clicking sound come from around R40 and R41. As Ialda and Chez start to move up, you see the walls around M36-38 and R36-38 start to lower.

What do you do?

Xarethi takes up a position of cover if possible (Q30?), pulling out her light crossbow.

DM, how high are those crates? Can Ialda scurry up on top of the closest one to her?

I said it above: 4' high. She can do easily if she'd like to climb them.

Sorry, I missed that.

Ialda leaps to the top of the crate, and brandishing her spear, moves to R 35.

Hopefully this will get her an attack if someone moves through that lowered wall there.

Certain of dangers of the trap, Chez calls out, "Take up defensive positions. Back to the door."

Chez backs up to the doorway, and waits to see if the rest of the party will be clearing the room.

Move to O30

Xarethi takes up a position of cover if possible (Q30?), pulling out her light crossbow.

Yes, the crates are high enough that they provide cover.

Baolo stays outside the room, scanning for any of the Lotus Dragons with a drawn arrow nocked to his bow.

Aero nocks an arrow of her own, keeping her eyes narrowed at the edges of the crates, expecting another surprise from the wily Dragons.

As the walls lower, the party now hears clearly the familiar clicking of hunger that recalls the monstrous creature you first saw upon the deck of the Blue Nixie along with Vark and the other sailors: the rhagodessa, the large vermin the size of a horse that closely resembles a spider but has immense crushing mandibles. The difference this time, however, is that there are two of them, one coming over the north wall and one from the south wall!

The one from the north draws an AoO from Ialda and directs its attention to her! The one from the south skillfully climbs over wall and the crates and makes its way toward Chez!

Finally, you hear a growl and laughter, as a black red-eyed wolf (Cruncher) comes out from behind the crates in row 41, still bleeding from its various wounds but it looks out with disgust at the party and says, "Dinner is served!"

Initiative:
Aero: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15
Baolo: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
Chez: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14
Ialda: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13
Kowaru: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16
Xarethi: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8
Cruncher: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12
Rhagodessas: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14

Initiative Order:
Ialda's AoO
Kowaru
Aero
Chez
Rhagodessas
Ialda
Cruncher
Baolo
Xarethi

Ialda's AoO, Kowaru, Aero, and Chez are up. I have distinguished the 2 rhagodessas (one is in blue box, one is in red); please refer to these when attacking.

Updated Combat Map

Btw, original mod has a room where you fight 3 rhags! Changed it a bit, per my taste. Good luck!

Round 1, Init 15

Aeronniell immediately warns her companions of the obvious, her distate for her reunion for the vermin plainly evident.

"Ugh! It's the spiders... again!"

The elf aims her arrow at the one perched upon the nearby crates. (blue border)

Longbow (bless): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15 for 1d8 ⇒ 1

Don't forget bless should still have some rounds left!

Round 1, Init 8
Xarethi moves back into the corner, (R30) crouching below the crates in the hopes that the spiders won't see her. Unless someone else moves there before she can get to it, in which case, she just crouches down where she is and attempts to press herself against the crates so that the spider can't see her.

Stealth (untrained)
1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15

She loads and ducks over to swiftly fire the crossbow at the (blue border) Rhag, hoping to not be seen in the chaos of the fight.

Attack (bless)
1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 3 + 1 = 5
1d8 ⇒ 2

Stealth (untrained)
1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Woohoo, the board's dice rollers are still broken.

Ialda takes her attack on the large spider, thrusting her spear at the creature.

Attack of Opportunity 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 1 = 10

Damage 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Chez will step forward and attack the spider looming above on the crates.

5' step forward and attack the blue spider.

Rapier attack: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 5 + 1 = 18
Rapier damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

Shortsword attack: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 1 = 7
Shortsword damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Round 1

"Enough chattah wolf." Baolo takes aim at Cruncher with one of the Lotus Dragon arrows and fires across the room.
Attack 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26
Damage 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
Confirm 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
Extra Damage if confirmed 2d8 + 2 ⇒ (8, 8) + 2 = 18
Redirect to the blue spider if Cruncher has fled.

Need to keep things moving!

Kowaru, confident with his mage armor spell still on, moves up to assist Chez and strikes at the Rhagodessa with his fist but misses poorly, almost striking Chez instead!
Attack: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 3 + 1 = 5

Rhagodessas' Turn

The large vermin on Ialda lunges at her, moving 5' closer, but its clicking mandibles find nothing but air, as the half-elf moves her leg out of the way in time.
1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10...miss!

The Rhagodessa screeches when Chez' rapier pierces its exoskeleton and tries to crush him in its death grip, but the warrior is too quick and easily evades the awkward attack, quite clearly remembering how he passed out the last time he was in a rhagodessa's clutches on the Blue Nixie!
1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11...miss!

Ialda to finish the Round, as everyone else has posted. On its turn, unless Ialda turns her back on the enemy in front of her and attacks the wolf, Cruncher moves to M36, out of line of sight of Baolo, as the crates give his 3' size complete cover.

Sorry about my lack of posting - work's been very busy, so I've not had much time to post from there, and nights haven't been much better. Kowaru's action would have been to attempt to grapple again, and it looks like he's just cursed to be the worst monk ever!

It does suck for Chez that the dice turned against us like this. While Lavinia might not be able to spring for his raising, maybe she can spring for us to speak with his departed spirit, and find out if he wants us to return him to life or not. If he doesn't, we can fulfill any loose ends he'd want us to tie up for him in his wake.

Of course, that assumes we survive the next minute!

If Chesley doesn't come back, I'd actually consider using Chesley as one of the ghosts that haunts Aeronniell due to her curse. :)

That's one thing I wish I developed more in Aero's backstory. I gave her one spirit for internal dialogue (Jerrell, her adoptive uncle), but a couple different personalities would be great.

Its a lot of fun Aero. I have a haunted ancestors oracle named Boneyard Pyke in MiniGMs Absalom campaign. Well, really he's a detective bard and the level of ancestors oracle just makes him fun. He's the result of a union between a Varisian and an elf so half of his ancestors are Sczarni thugs or Varisian fortunetellers and the other half are elves. You can check out his ghosts in this profile.

If Chesley doesn't come back, I'd actually consider using Chesley as one of the ghosts that haunts Aeronniell due to her curse. :)

That's one thing I wish I developed more in Aero's backstory. I gave her one spirit for internal dialogue (Jerrell, her adoptive uncle), but a couple different personalities would be great.

Sounds like a great idea. Who wouldn't want a ghost haunting them that keeps mispronouncing their name and commenting on how attractive they are :)

It sounds like it could be fun though. Chez enjoyed experiencing all the fun things in life. Often when Aero would want to be conservative or practical about something she might hear Chez in her head encouraging her to be more thrifty/impulsive.

I guess from now on I will roll my combat and damage rolls off camera and just inform you of the results if we're going to be doing this level of meta-gaming.

Sorry Kowaru, I was planning to shoot even if Aero hadn't attacked. Now I don't have a choice. Couldn't you have rolled just a titch better on that crit!

Oh no, that's not what I intended.

Ultimately Aero hates monkeys and doesn't really feel comfortable standing around with yet another party member missing unless Rowyna agrees to be disarmed and bound, and the ape can be secured.

RP-wise, I didn't want her to accept a sketchy stalemate of a surrender.

The meta-game thinking was because I, as Aero's player, didn't want playing Aero as I saw her reacting to be a decision taken lightly if it could cause the immediate death of Kowaru.

I only really examined the meta-game since half the party is dead, dying or disabled.

Sorry Kowaru, I was planning to shoot even if Aero hadn't attacked. Now I don't have a choice. Couldn't you have rolled just a titch better on that crit!

That is comforting. I didn't want Aero's decision to be the sole cause of a death blow to Kowaru.

Technically, without a Heal check, we didn't know whether Kowaru and Chesley both are alive or dead - right? (Outside of the obvious RP of Ches's ghost joining Aero's cadre).

Ialda was going to give in to the plan, since she couldn't bear another of her group's death right now.

I was a bit worried that the decision was entirely metagaming as to Kowaru's condotion as well, but if it wasn't, then that's fine.

I think it does take a Heal check unless of course your GM gives you all of the gory graphic details of an obvious death.

You've done a great job of making Rowyna very hate-able. Baolo and his player were figuring she was going to come back nastier than ever if we didn't finish this now.

But, I also was betting the ape was closer to death than it proves he was.

Agreed. Absolute detest this woman and her ape.

Also agreed, it felt more meta-gamey to accept the surrender because we knew Kowaru was stable in the negatives rather than stick to ending this b--tch.

I don't see it that way. Kowaru was at -2 and does not wear armor. He's on the floor unconscious but clearly breathing, and that's visible especially from Aero's adjacent square. Rowyna even told you that. Hey, I hope you guys take them out now and save Kowaru's life, more for his sake, b/c I'd hate to be the one to explain it to him how his stable character died. So maybe Baolo takes her out and Xarethi takes out the ape or vice versa.

I'm glad you dislike her, but she's not the main bad guy of the story. The ever elusive Vanthus is. Not every bad guy you kill has the "turn me into a revenant so I can get revenge" clause in his/her contract, though it's not a bad idea! :)

This is where I wish I had Rapid Shot. Would have taken a chance on the cover to get a shot at each of them.

Knew she wasn't the main bad guy, but after the way this fight went down, you'd have ruined your killer GM creds not to bring her back with a much bigger, badder ape. Maybe you still will. I forgot about the revenant angle.

OOOoooOOo ooOooOo ooooOOOOoooo ooOOoOOOoo OOOOoOOoO ooooOo

So... replacement character-wise... unless there's some priestess in the city that can't live without Chez's comfort and is willing to "loan" him a resurrection... what is the starting level of my new character? What is your rule again regarding hp's gained at level advancement?

Rapid shot!

Aeronniell still hungers for Precise Shot.

Perhaps she should use Baolo as her archery trainer, and he can teach his feats to her every other level?

Chez, all new characters will be 3rd level to match the other players (who will be 3rd at end of this fight). Just your WBL will be adjusted to match the other players in group so don't go by what's in the PRD. I'll let you know that amount later.

Max hps at 1st level, half HD+1 each level or you risk it and take my roll (that way you can't preview it).

Good to know this, since it might apply to me in the very near future...

And me too, with my dice luck. :(

Xarethi is a character designed for underwater combat, so its not really surprising.

Sorry, Kowaru, but party's actions have consequences and once the ape was dead, Rowyna's life was forfeit and there was no point to surrendering.

I'm also sorry Kowaru. I did think we could take them out, but failed. I also thought that even though she was being genuine about her love for the ape, that she had something up her sleeve with the city guard (or at a minimum was hoping Xarethi would forget about the trap and get herself killed on the way to get them). Sounds like that wasn't the case, but trusting an evil priestess of Norgorber seems like a course of action that is going to go sideways more times than not.

In the original mod, Rowyn(a) is a CR5 baddie with a CR 2 dinosaur pet. I made her CR 3 (Rogue 3/Cleric 1) with a CR 2 ape (seemed to fit Eleder more) but tailored her to be deadly, especially when flanking. Her teleportation as an immediate action was the result of the Deception domain (very cool for evil rogues to set up flanks). Also gave her and the ape Precise Strike feat (my logic was that she raised him as a baby so she trained him to fight with her), which does an extra d6 on all attacks when both parties flank same target and it stacks with sneak attack so sweet! 23 AC (+5 armor +4 dex +2 shield +2 deflection). The party figured out too late that best way to minimize her effectiveness was to take out her flanking buddy first instead of trying to hit her ridiculous AC. Well you gain xp and learn from your mistakes.

I was worried Ialda would crit her and the fight would be over in less than 2 rounds. Thankfully, it became a glorious fight with a tragic finale, lasting 7 rounds.

That deception domain ability is marvelous for a rogue type! I was going to ask you what she was doing after the fight was over. Very clever.

Thank you, I liked it too and it fit the build perfectly!

Sudden Shift (Sp): In the blink of an eye, you can appear somewhere else. As an immediate action, after you are missed by a melee attack, you can teleport up to 10 feet to a space that you can see. This space must be inside the reach of the creature that attacked you. You can use this power a number of times each day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.

Well, I'm bummed for Chez and Kowaru. I hope both of you want to continue and put together new characters.

That fight was tough, and the dice certainly weren't our friends.

I will definitely take another level of barbarian, since I need the HP's for sure, lol. I'll get it together later today.

The AC was brutal and the damage output nasty. Even though I don't think it came into play, I was also worrying about the reach of the ape in that tiny room the whole time while also trying to keep an escape route, and trying to deal with cover. Not possible to do them all.

Kor and Misroi, let me know how you want to proceed, if you're still interested in the game. No hard feelings if you're not, I would understand. I'll wait to hear from you either here on boards or via PM.

I think I'd like the chain shirt...it shouldn't interfere with any of the barbarian class abilities, should it? I know there would be a bit of a spell failure chance, but I don't plan on developing more spells for a long while.

If anyone else wants it, just let me know and we can roll off for it or something.

Good points, Baolo, but the ape's AC was 15 and though you didn't know it, her weakness (she would have surrendered much earlier if the ape's life was in danger). I'm glad the party didn't figure it out till much later in the fight (Round 4-5).

No problems with armor, Ialda, it's light armor.

I actually did go after the ape at the start, but rolled terribly. It wasn't because I thought it was her weakness, but more because I thought it was going to wreak havoc in that small room. Then Chez's death caused Baolo to switch targets out of anger.

I hope Chez and Kowaru stick with it too. I'd love to see you guys occasionally play the ghosts with Aero too.

Okay, so 3rd level?

• Swim speed 30 ft.
  
• +1d6 hp
  
• hydraulic push
  
• +1 Fort, +1 Ref
  
• +1 1st level spell per day
  
• magic missile
  
• Sense Motive 2 ranks
  
• Weapon Focus (unarmed strike? touch attack?) Not sure if that's allowed.
  

Xarethi, in your case you can take 4 hps + Favored class hp or take my 1d6 roll + FC hp. Either of those weapon focus is allowed.

DM, I will take the half plus one for my hit points=7 plus Con mod and plus one for Favored Class.

Third level is barbarian:

*+1 BAB
*+1 Fort save
*+2 rounds of Rage per day
*Uncanny Dodge
*Rage Power--Lesser Beast Totem
*Skills (4): Know. Arcana (x2), Linguistics: Draconic, Climb
*Feat: Extra Rage

Everyone gets a feat at 3rd level, don't forget.

So that's 14 rounds per day of raging, if I calculated correctly, Ialda? Wow!

Yep...that's what my updated sheet shows. This might be my last barbarian level, depending on what happens inthe future, so I had to be sure I could still get my rage on!

Confused as to the rage power. Are you going to be using claws more than weapons now? Doesn't your bloodline already give you claws?

The bloodline does give me claws that do 1D4 points of damage (right now). The rage power gives me 1d6 points of damage. I probably am going to start most fights at reach with my longspear, then I'd switch to claws after they pass into close melee.

I'll probably drop the dagger and flail, and might pick up one blunt melee weapon, and just use claws the rest of the time. She is becoming more draconic as she learns more (ergo the Linguistics Draconic language skill). She'll be more comfortable with her beastial claws, I think.

Cool, makes sense when you explain it like that.

Ugh, sorry Kowaru.

I had hoped that Rowyna and her monkey would gang up on Aeronniell.

Was the ape awakened? The part I was trying to sort out was how it was following relatively complex commands without Handle Animal checks. I kind of assumed Rowyna had some Druid levels or something.

It wasn't necessarily his damage or reach that was scary, but the fact he was employing crazy, cunning tactics without Rowyna having to expend an action to command him.

3rd Level: Oracle 3

+1 BAB
+1 Fort, +1 Reflex
+1 1st level spell per day
+6 HP (5 Oracle, 1 Favored)

New Spell: (1st) Protection from Evil
Feat: Precise Shot
Revelation: Ancestral Weapon (tentatively)

Cunning tactics? He kept attacking people she flanked. And he beat on a prone Kowaru. Under Handle animal, she just has to point to get animal to attack/flank.

Once the animal knows the trick Attack and Flank, it's only a DC 10 (12 check if wounded) to get them to perform it. She gets +10 to her check when dealing with the pet due to skills and fact that she raised him since birth. So we can say rolls were made off-camera. Original mod has pet dinosaur attacking on its own without owner having to command it, so I played it the same way. If saying it's awakened solves the issue, then we'll go with that.

Without a doubt, Rowyna and Guts are a deadly combination.

At least, my "post game analysis" is mostly from curiosity and searching for "good ideas" for future NPCs (from a GM side) or PCs (from a player side).

Hopefully you take our inquisitions as a compliment to the crafty build of our enemies. If you don't think that Rowyna + Guts were cunningly built, then you're doing yourself a disservice. The combination of everything - sudden shift, sneak attack, precise strike - is damn sexy.

Her high touch AC was definitely tasty. Notice at level 3, Aeronniell took Protection from Evil and put 3 ranks into Acrobatics. :)

Awakened for sure solves it. No doubt, Rowyna would have spent the Lotus Dragons hard-stolen gold on awakening her "baby" - yuck.

Correct me if I'm wrong (and I usually am half the time since the rules can be somewhat obscure), but without a druid level or the ape being awakened or some obscure feat (which is what I was really hoping to learn about), it would've been a move action to issue a command for him to perform a trick by using Handle Animal?

Druid's get link which lets them issue the commands/tricks as free actions instead of move actions.

For what it's worth, when I originally rolled Aeronniell, I had considered the Nature Mystery and picking up an animal (not an ape), but everything I read suggested it would be a move action for commands since she would've lacked the link ability.

Aero, you are right, Handle Animal without a druid or ranger level, is a move-action. I could have also rewound and given Rowyna a ranger level and not changed her hps and that would have solved the issue as well. I'm glad you liked the combo, as did I. The original mod has Rowyn as a bard/rogue combo, which didn't make sense to me. The evil cleric level gave her more personality and the domain power was too sweet to pass up.

I've been doing a fair amount of research into cults of Norgorber lately - particularly in his aspects of murder.

It's interesting that a lot of the doctrine is about how they are obsessed with how the murders they exact will shape history and events to unfold differently, as if they are sculpting the future with their evil actions.

I'd imagine the two murders that Rowyna just perpetuated on Chesley and Kowaru will accomplish some sort of "shaping".

I could have also rewound and given Rowyna a ranger level..

She'd need 4 ranger levels to get her hunter's bond (to effectively be a level 1 druid for link), right?

True, didn't read the part that's only a free action with the animal companion. A druid level would have been the best way to go. Wow, didn't go that in depth as to the shaping, but looking at it, yes, history will be different without Chez or Kowaru.

I'm good with ruling that it was awakened and us just getting the extra XP and all for it being a higher CR.

(Not that you're using an XP system, I'm guessing we're leveling at plot points, but it's a consolation prize nonetheless)

I don't think there's any animal trick that lets a creature ready an action to strike someone?

That's why Aeronniell was playing it with Guts being was a abomination - a cunning, evil ape.

Ok, back to leveling. A couple of questions and a bunch of plans...

Question 1
Seeing as 1 hp made a lot of difference in that last battle, I'm trying to work out a puzzle. I see I only took 4 hp on the die for 2nd level. I don't see that either you or I rolled in the recruitment thread so I think I screwed it up. Are you ok with me upping that to 5 or should we treat it like an action in combat and no going back?

Question 2
I thought I understood Determination (from the Preacher archetype), but now that I'm seeing how Hero Lab has implemented it, I am questioning my original reading. Here's how the ability reads in the PRD

Determination (Ex): At 3rd level, the preacher is a person of few words on the battlefield, but those words hold great power and authority. Once per day, the inquisitor can use this ability to create one of the following effects. Each is a free action to use.

Aggression: The preacher may reroll an attack roll that she just made before the results of the roll are revealed. She must take the result of the reroll, even if it's worse than the original roll.

Defense: When the inquisitor would be hit by a melee or ranged attack, as an immediate action she may add a +4 insight bonus to her Armor Class against that attack, and if this makes the inquisitor's AC higher than the opponent's attack roll, the attack misses.

Warning: When a preacher's ally within line of sight would be hit by a melee or ranged attack, she may call out a warning to that ally, and the attacker must reroll the attack and use the results of the second roll. The ally must be able to hear the preacher and must not be helpless for this ability to have any effect.

Whenever the preacher could select a bonus teamwork feat (at 3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th, 15th, and 18th level), she can instead choose to increase her number of uses per day of this ability by one. This ability replaces solo tactics.

So, it clearly replaces solo tactics. The way this reads to me, starting at 3rd level, I can either select a teamwork feat OR I can increase determination/day by one (so in this case, I would get 2 uses).

The way Hero Lab has implemented it, it looks like I still get the teamwork feat and that determination and the special ability of the inquisitor to swap teamwork feats in and out (which is tied to the bonus teamwork feat, not to solo tactics) are interchangeable. I can either swap the teamwork feat OR I can use an instance of determination on a daily basis.

While the Hero Lab method would clearly offer more flexibility to me, I am more inclined to go with my original interpretation. Any thoughts on that?

3rd Level
HP - I'll take the 5 on the die
Favored Class Bonus - I'll take the HP
Baolo picks up Determination (replaces Solo Tactics)
Pending question #2 above, I will replace the bonus teamwork feat with an extra use of determination so that I have 2x/day.
0-Level Spell: Read Magic
1st-Level Spell: True Strike
Skills: 7 ranks: Knowledge (Arcana), Knowledge (Nature), Knowledge (Planes), Knowledge (Religion), Perception, Sense Motive, Stealth
3rd Level Feat: Rapid Shot
Judgements: Destruction increases to +2, Healing increases to 2, Piercing increases to 2, Resistance increases to 4.

Final Question
At your convenience, can I get an advance reading on how you interpret the Target of Opportunity Teamwork Feat? How does this work for an archer? Do I just need to have bow in hand? Or do I have to have the arrow loaded? That could be a must-get feat for myself and Aero if we both stick with archer builds and live that long (9th level for us).