[PBP GameDay #4] GM..Silbeg's 6-98 Serpents Rise (Inactive)

Game Master Silbeg

I'm tempted but I know it's because my motives (cheese monkey) aren't pure. I'm running out of spells. Getting a new body sounds nice, but I'm having a debate about it.

Also. I've never been a dragon, and I'm an extremely curious sort.

What happens with regards to the lantern?

I think 322 should carry the potion. We need her to heal.
As for the dragon, sorry but I prefer elfs :D.

Potion part, no need. I have my own heals. If I can't use them, its because I'm in no condition to, and the potion is better off in your hands.

You're probably right about me not swopping. There are other considerations, like no one is going to understand me in Wolona's group, and also, how much do I trust you gang to do the job right, if I'm not keeping an eye on you.

I'll take the greatsword if only for show.

Marnarius grabbed that. Even though I'm probably swapping him out for the dragon, he should probably take it unless you really think you can find a use for it. Though, if I AM the dragon, that lance might come in useful for one of you :}

The lantern goes with 322. That goes for any of the team's gear. Each character needs their gear for where ever they are going.

At this point it is only Marnarius that has said he'd be willing to switch out, but I told you all you had time (unless you give me a definitive answer earlier). If time runs out, I would say that Marnarius switches for Gazwin.

FYI the dragon is medium sized, so if he allowed himself to be used as a mount (unlikely, because dragons are very proud creatures), only Joliryn could ride him, and the lance is medium sized.

I'd rather have my dear Vara as well... If you leave, Raj will pout.

But if you also really want to be a dragon, we can have a coin flip for it between you and Marnarius if you wish. At the moment, I think that it's only Vara and Marnarius who're interested in going dragon.

If a magic item from the loot is wanted by someone who is staying, then they should keep the item rather than the one going dragon. Just sayin'.

I'm not totally sold on going dragon, so if someone else wants to don't stay quiet for my sake. The can have it for the asking.

I had Marnarius volunteer because I figured that is what he would have done, not because I have any desire to switch. If you want him to stay, you will need to role-play something that would convince him and he will.

Here were my considerations to swop out for dragon previously:

I'm down to 1 level 1 spell, 1 level 2 spell, 2 level 3 spells. Chances are I am not going to be able to contribute much to combat.

The problem is if we do find some kind of healing wand with Aram Zey, Shihoraj will need to UMD it, and that if anyone goes down in combat, it is possible that they could bleed out, as there's no one to stabilize.

Also, Rataji is the only one who can understand me, at this point of time, so if I were to switch to Wolona's group - once in battle and I start screeching in Aklo, there'd be a problem. Since most of my spells require party coordination.

And the final point being - how much do I trust you guys to deal with Aram Zey right.

I would feel it's a pity if none played the dragon (but its the player speaking).

End of the day, it makes more sense that Manarius goes off with his gal ;)

I also better oversee the job with Aram Zey to make sure there aren't any screwups :)

Unfinished business, as it is. But glad we have a dragon! So fluffy....Oh Dear. Sorry. It happens to me quite some. Like every time I see an exotic critter.

Z rolls his eyes.

This is most likely the ONLY chance to play a dragon in PFS.

I'm not that much in to them, but I know other people are. If you want to play a dragon, this is your chance. Don't pass it by.

Profile updated with scroll, ring and amulet.

Jack, do we have a sense of how long it will likely take to reach the Sky Key?

I have a long term buff (Keen Edge, 70 minutes) that I had been avoiding casting because you said the ritual would take a long time. If Joliryn would expect it to take less than 50 minutes to finish the mission, I want to cast it.

Jack, it's the same deal with some of my spells. I'd like to prebuff the group and myself as much as possible before we reach the Sky Key and Aram. Do our characters (looking at their maps) have some idea of how far away from it?

Hmm

So Gang --

Here's a summary of what I proposed in my big wall of text:

As a side note, I could be you guy's Society hostage--voiceless of course because you've cut out my tongue to keep me from casting. I can hand you the tongue for you to make your point with (assuming I remember which is which). He might not blow us up immediately if you have a hostage. Then perhaps you could arrange a trade to get me close and well, I'm charming up close.

Just a thought.

One potential problem, Z.

The three masters supposedly approve all Pathfinder candidates before they become field agents. If the Master of Scrolls doesn't recognize you, he is likely to figure out it is a ruse.

Then it's a good thing I still look like this.

I can't glitterdust what I can't see. Someone needs to have see invis up first, to tell me where to dump it.

I can't glitterdust what I can't see. Someone needs to have see invis up first, to tell me where to dump it.

We do have a dragon dragon with blindsight.

Blindsense. Not blindsight. There's a difference. Will work for the purposes though, but still, SOMEONE needs to tell me where to throw it. Scroll glitterdust lasts only 3 rounds also, so you guys had better be quick about the business.

My bad. The link I followed (and pasted above) takes you too both for confusion sake.

Scroll glitterdust lasts only 3 rounds also, so you guys had better be quick about the business.

C'mon, It's us you're talking about. *Reassuring smile*

I highly doubt it. The last lizard fight seemed to have lasted much longer then that. I also trust you guys about as much as I could throw you, which wouldn't be more then 5 feet.

Blindsight is a very powerful ability and also quite rare. Most creaturea that have it are usually blind. Of course, there's also echolocation.

I do have a spell of see invisible.

And Gazwyr, awesome response! I love how you're playing the dragon.

Joli, maybe there'll be time for you to bring out the spurs for Mr. Z later...

I highly doubt it. The last lizard fight seemed to have lasted much longer then that. I also trust you guys about as much as I could throw you, which wouldn't be more then 5 feet.

I do not want to have any part of a halfling throwing contest!

I can throw the halfling (and the dragon) further than you!

I've heard that halflings love to try new things all the time! Including getting thrown, catapulted...

Nah, kidding. You probably don't belong to that category, thank goodness.

Advice on how to conbine this feats:

Deft Palm (Ex): Conceal a weapon while being observed.

Quick Draw: Draw weapon as a free action (or move if hidden weapon). Throw at full rate of attacks.

Underhanded (1/day) (Ex): +4 to to conceal weapons. Surprise rd sneak att with concealed weapon deals max dam.

And with this objects:

Cloak of fiery vanishing (1/day) Become invisible when done fire damage, leaving behind illusory remains.

Sap weapon

Or heavy crossbow

And one of this three:

Debilitating Injury: Bewildered -2/-4 (Ex) Foe who takes sneak attack damage takes AC pen (more vs. striker) for 1 rd.
Debilitating Injury: Disoriented -2/-4 (Ex) Foe who takes sneak attack damage takes attack pen (more vs. striker) for 1 rd.
Debilitating Injury: Hampered (Ex) Foe who takes sneak attack damage has speed halved (and can't 5 ft step) for 1 rd.

I think I can conceal one sap(don´t know if it´s possible), stealth to enter the room and shoot the crossbow, advance to get 1 point of fire damage (breath or some other attack) get near one of our lovely pathfinders, while invisible thanks to the cloak, and hit him with the sword. And if possible after that hit with the saps using inderhanded.

I don´t have enough knowledge to know if this will work (and the wand of true strike don´t know when will be the best moment to use, well it does cancel the miss chance that applies to attackers trying to strike a concealed target).

I don't think you'll be able to use underhanded. It takes a very special circumstance to put it into play.

I.e you disguise yourself as an old woman, and Aram Zey walks past you, on a street. You have your sap concealed usong deft palm. You use underhanded and give him a good smack as he passes you.

The problem about stealth is that it requires concealment to use, in which it may be a problem, once you move in the room. Pathfinder stealth rules are so screwed up, I never bothered. If you really want to get your sneak attack off, try invisibility. With luck, his see invisibility spell won't be up. I doubt we'll be that lucky, though.

I don't see how you're going to take fire damage unless you get caught by a fireball, green dragons don't have fire breath the last time I looked. Or unless you catch some alchemist fire splash.

If you get sneak attacks off, attempt to inflict hampered. The best way to gank mages is to surround them and prevent them from slinging spells ftom afar. Throwing a tanglefoot bag at him is also a plan, as it forces him to make concentration checks each time he casts.

Basic mage fighting tricks:

1) If you threaten at both 5 and 10 ft and have combat reflexes, move next to the mage in question, attack him adjacent to you. He either has to make his concentration check to cast (5ft won't help - you're still threatening him with your reach weapon). If he moves, when he's in range of your reach weapon, trip him, so he cant get out of your threatened range.

2) Grapple the mage

3) Tanglefoot bag the mage

4) Blind the mage (dirty trick or otherwise) - a lot of spells require targetting

5) Throw a thunderstone at said mage

6) Get someone to cast silence on you, willingly fail your save, then combine with 1) or 2) = One really screwed mage.

You hope that you don't need to use that wand of true strike. Because it means that you're using it to ignore concealment(he's probably invisible), and it means you don't get your sneak attack.

Shioraj, you have smokesticks. You can use those to grant yourself concealment and sneak attack. In some ways smokesticks are more reliable as concealment than invisibility.

Huh. I wonder if we can combine Lesser Globe of Invulnerability (via amulet) with the smokesticks so Aram Zey doesn't know what I cast or if some of his spells don't have effect?

This is probably too convoluted to work, but it would be great if it did.

Hmm

Ah. Thought of a way you can become invisible, Shihoraj. Get Joli to poke you a lil with that flamimg kukri of hers, then you activate your cloak. Or drop alch fire on yourself. Poof!

If you want to do smokesticks, I think you need to start with tindertwig in one hand, smokestick in the other. Standard action to use smoke stick on tindertwig, its 1 min of 10 ft smoke. You get 1 sneak attack every 2 rounds if you snipe while going in and out of the cloud.

List of standard mage defences:

1)Flight
2)Invisibility
3)Stoneskin
4)Mirror image.
5)Displacement

Also, he may have other pathfinders with him.

For item 4), its an idea to actually close your eyes while hitting him, so you suffer 50% miss chance instead of 80%, assuming he summons 4 images.

Bleh. If GM allows my item use just before battle starts, don't bother about smokesticks unless you get glitterdusted.

Check with Jack if he will allow this to work. Tie the tinder twig to the smoke stick so they are basically one object. Have the twig positioned so that when you strike it, it will light the smokestack. This saves you from needing to use two move actions to get the pieces and should allow you to light it with only one hand. Expect large amounts of table variation on this.

As for fighting the wizard, flank with Joliryn. She is going to do her best to get into melee with him. Then just keep hitting him with your sap since you get bonus damage with that.

I'm afraid that the time to use underhanded was with the group of three pathfinders, and that didn't happen. As 322 said, it is very difficult to pull off.

I thought we were on the way to the Sky Key.

We expect that we will find Aram Zey along the way, trying to defend Skyreach. I know we are supposed to avoid Aram's office -- too many traps -- and our remaining major objective was gaining a portion of the Sky Key.

To be clear, I don't think we have a door that we know Aram Zey will be behind.

I've always thought that smokesticks had their own igniter, like most alchemical devices. So, no real need for the tindertwig.

Agreed on underhanded... very situational. Most likely won't work when a foe knows you are there. As for the smokestick... remember that you still have the miss chance.

The description of smokestick doesn't say either way. It just says what happens when it is burned.

Smokestick:This alchemically treated wooden stick instantly creates thick, opaque smoke when burned. The smoke fills a 10-foot cube (treat the effect as a fog cloud spell, except that a moderate or stronger wind dissipates the smoke in 1 round). The stick is consumed after 1 round, and the smoke dissipates naturally after 1 minute.

If it has its own igniter, that would be great. If it doesn't, a tindertwig should ignite it.

The people in this group are scattered across four different time zones. Based on posting patterns, we've got 3 players in the US, one somewhere in Europe, one somewhere near Australia / New Zealand, and one in Asia. I'm guessing that both Shihoraj and 322 are still asleep.

What funky mail thingie. It might need to be fixed.

I try not to assume things. It makes an @ss of u and me.

@322 I am confused. To what are you referring?

My assumption that she was asleep. I misremembered my time zones. Put it down to my American laziness.

Hmm

With regard to whether smokesticks come with lighters or not. I would not assume they do. But that's me for you.

And I assumed wrong!

See? I told you so ;)

You did indeed. I bow to your superior wisdom...

Night all!
Hmm

Well my location is Spain. Don´t know If that is good or bad for the time on the game. My biggest problem is time to post and check the rules.

I have some tactical suggestions:

322: Even though you are short of spells you have dust of darkness (which would be awesome on the dragon or really anyone with darkvision) and a scroll of slay living. Very nice. Also the Gift of Madness is quite powerful and remember to activate your cloak of darkness.

Joli: Use Vanish and then run/fly to get to a mage and use disruptive bloodrage. You can move very far if you run. I figure you already planned on that from previous comments.

Z: Use your potion of invisibility to set up your death attack. Use it at the beginning of the fight to pare down the number of opponents if we get lucky. Also use your knockout ability ASAP. This should take precedence over blinding/tripping.

Rataji: With all the preparation we've been doing I expect them to be buffed. If so use the Dispel Magic scroll on them, particularly if they are hasted. You are also way low on spells, but you still got your big hitter, confusion. You may also want to glitterdust them BEFORE they go invisible. Note: update your spell list. I think you already cast Magic Missile and Shield. You are getting pretty low on spells too!

Shi: It doesn't matter WHAT you do with those rolls! No wonder you broke out the true strike wand. Use the Debilitating Injury: Hampered more often, particularly if they are spell casters or using a bow or something that gives an AOO if you use it. Also, with True Strike combat maneuvers rock! I like the whole smokestick strat.

I could have sworn someone had a protection from arrows that would be well used on one of the flyers.

I gave my scroll of glitterdust to 322.

I still have one magic missile (started off with 2.) I thought that I marked the shield off, but I mist have missed it. Now that is fixed on my sheet. It was my most recently cast spell. Pulling out the scroll of dispel is a good idea, however it can only dispel one spell effect.

My invisibility is just IF I receive fire damage, so I need to burn (at least one point of damage).

And yes I can take a 10 but that will only make the skill check 24, so autofail if the difficulty is 25 or more.

My invisibility is just IF I receive fire damage, so I need to burn (at least one point of damage).

And yes I can take a 10 but that will only make the skill check 24, so autofail if the difficulty is 25 or more.

28, Trapfinding gives a bonus to finding traps. If Gaz helps to find (Aid Another) that should give another +2 for a 30.

That finds it.

Then I think you alone have the ability to disable it. If you have anything that bumps Dex, now is the time to use it. If you fail that by 5, it goes off and we are no worse off than if we had failed to find it.

Pulling out the scroll of dispel is a good idea, however it can only dispel one spell effect.

Right, but if that spell is a Haste or something particularly obnoxious, it would be worth it. With your current shortage of spells, undoing one of theirs is worth as much or more as casting one of yours.

Gazwyr, let's see what's inside first. This might be the waiting room with the receptionist and all the Highlights magazines that eat up 20 minutes of buff spells before our appointment.

I've given some thought to facing big bad end mages and used my opening dowry of 15 gp to its utmost in preparation. (By the way you cannot buy any poison for that amount of gold so I was forced to live on tips earned from my stay at the restaurant.) As of right now though we don't even know if there's a floor behind the door.

Potions can be seen through by various magical means easily enough for a wizard of Aram Zey's reputation that Z doubts it would be of much use here. If he's smart he slows us down and hits us with a dispel. Disguises however are not as easy to see through with magic and in Z's opinion would work best to get him close to an edgy and prepared wizard ready to incinerate strangers bursting through his door. That's the trouble with magic-types they always seem to think with their spells.