[PFS] 8-99B The Solstice Scar by GM Upaynao (Inactive)

Game Master Upaynao

Valoria I need you to explain something to me; I am somewhat familiar with the bodyguard feat, but the manner in which you are using it baffles me. Could you take a few minutes to break it down for me?

It's what you see with bodyguard focused bards a lot.

Bodyguard lets you aid to boost AC as an AoO when someone next to you is attacked.

Combat Reflexes gives her 3 AoO's a round. Then she likely has a couple abilities to boost her aids to AC. So as long as she doesn't roll a 1 on the aid checks, the next 3 times something attacks anyone (besides herself) near her, she'll boost their AC by 5. And that might make the attack miss.

That's not the part that has me scratching my head: Its how the bodyguard feat is being used to add AC to the character using the bodyguard feat. To the horse? Absolutely. The horse aids to give Valoria AC? Sure. Valoria aids Valoria? That confuses me.

GM, while you were gone, the backup GM made a ruling in a grey rules area that is slowing things down. We of course honored that ruling while the backup was GMing, but I wanted to see what you thought. The backup GM told us that a character could only attempt a knowledge check to identify an enemy on that characters turn, not at the start of combat. This can slow down a combat. What do you think/want us to do?

Sorry for the confusion!

Since I don't know who might be around me when the attacks happen, and I have to declare bodyguard before I know if the attack hits, it just goes on the first three qualifying attacks (i.e. attacks against another creature that I could bodyguard). I don't expect to be able to bodyguard myself (though that would be fantastic!)

So far the only creature I could bodyguard would be my horse. Unfortunately nothing has attacked Arazni... ;) I just post them on my turn in case I roll a 1 and that particular bodyguard doesn't work.

Order of the Dragon makes aid another +3, the Intercept class feature increases aid another for AC by +1, and benevolent armor increases aid another for AC by another +1.

Please let me know if that clears up the confusion!

Ok, thank you for the clarification!

Traveling back home today, so I'll be out of pocket. I think we'll be done with this one soon. If we get to another fight, Teric will again open with his Cold Flaming Sphere, DC 19 reflex negates, with the slow effect. No entangle effect this time.

So, I've played and run specials before, but I'm realizing that this is the first time I've played a special with a caster and I'm wondering how to handle the pressure that it puts on your spell slots. Aside from a few utility spells, Undy has about 10 more offensive spells, or about 10 more rounds of helpfulness for the day. This would be plenty for a normal PFS adventuring day, but I'm realizing that the dynamic of a special is very different. Any suggestions? We're a pretty lop-sided party with arcane casters, so I'm wondering if perhaps I should only cast a spell when it's needed.

Specials are a bit of resource management, but generally have a way for you to regain some over the course of the scenario. If this plays out like part A you'll get a lot more resource recovery than most specials, as well.

Ok, that's good to know. I'll stop worrying about it and let the snowballs fly!

Narika, if that was a scorching ray, don't forget that you get two rays at 7th level. You are also getting a +2 sacred bonus to attack rolls, saves, and skill checks from me.

Yep, that was a scorching ray, but cold. As a spellcaster, I was not paying attention to a bonus to attack rolls, forgetting that they apply to rays.

A strange six armed figure charges in suddenly. Looking from foe, to pathfinder, she shrieks "Lions and tigers and...OH MY!"

Lobbing a token at the group, she calls out "You look like you need this more than I do!" and sprints the opposite way as fast as her legs can carry her.

Aid Token #3 to: GM Upaynayo
Boosts: None

Let's pick a boost and pass it on! Unfortunately, Teric isn't really built to do any of the boosts.

I vote for using Timely Inspiration (+3 inspire courage) now then I'll boost Allied Offensive as we pass it along.

[dice=Allied Offensive Boost (haste, Inspired Sword)]1d20+13+1+2[/dice]

Second vote for Timely Inspiration and pass it along!

BTW I'm going to be at a convention this weekend (starting tomorrow). I'll try to keep posting as much as possible.

Teric, do you mean entangled, not slowed? I assume this is from Rime Spell.

Nope. Teric has the Freezing Spells ability:
Freezing Spells (Su): Whenever a creature fails a saving throw and takes cold damage from one of your spells, it is slowed (as the slow spell) for 1 round. Spells that do not allow a save do not slow creatures.

He can also do Rime Spell, but it's not automatic.

Do we still have the aid token? If so, this fight seems like a good occasion to use it. I'm not clear about what we can use it for, but I think we're gonna need all the help we can get.

With SR that high, it's going to be tough for the casters to do much (though Tessara's hexes should ignore his SR). Undy has one more Flurry of Snowballs that ignores SR, but otherwise he can't do much except work on the skill checks. Presumably (hopefully?) if we can manage the skill checks the black tentacles will go away and then Seren and Valoria can get in to mash on the bbeg. Anyone else have any ideas? I can drop a fireball and select out Teric's square, but with SR of 23, odds are not in my favor...

You no longer have the aid token.

Ok, Teric can't die after that roll! Let's hope you can crit this skill challenge.

Just so you know, if Valoria does not post by tomorrow morning, I am botting her to her fullest extent.

I kicked ass with Valoria and my BBEG is going to finish his career without even having killed anyone. :(

It's OK, GM, at my table, my BBG is going to get killed without even hurting anyone...

Did it hurt anyone’s feelings though?

Probably not. It only got to act once. It is fun seeing PCs squish undead, though.

Wow, I have sixty posts to catch up on.

Sorry for being gone for a week, work and my personal life were kicking my butt. I'm not sure how I feel about my character being more effective while botted than while I am playing her, though... ;)

EDIT

OK, I'm caught up and waiting for my block to come up in initiative.

I'm getting ready for Origins, which starts tomorrow. I'm not sure how much time I'll have to post, or even if I'll have the energy to post, so please bot me if I'm holding things up. I will return on Sunday if I don't post before then. GM, feel free to use spells if needed, especially low level damage spells.

I'm back, but I still have bad post-con mush brain. Can someone please bot me as using either a fireball or a cold fireball in a way that makes sense?

Slowly peaking her head into the large cavern, a pink skinned stranger shrieks. "OH! OH! Is that a Vesk? What's wrong with him though? He seems a bit pale..."

Rushing forward, she hugs each of the pathfinders before handing Seren a small coin. "Here, this is for you. The big man say you should have it."

Without another word, the strange creature vanishes into the caves beyond.

***Token #1***
Passing to Upaynao

Current Boosts:
Provide Knowledge: Spellcraft (Average) Mun of Ashava
Provide Knowledge: Arcana (Average) Kioshi Katsu

Since we have arrived at the conclusion of a fight which I was certain wasn't going to end in a timely fashion (even though you killed the dragon), now is the time for you to perhaps look back and determine if this scenario will be run in slow progression or not.

If you are trying to fill out faction cards, start asking me questions! I'm more than happy to get you to finish them!

And if you haven't rolled your day job check, go ahead!

Thanks for running, GM!

Undy is on normal track.

My day job roll was a 31 (posted upthread).

Re faction journal card: If we completed both success conditions for this scenario I'll be able to check the Grand Lodge box for "Complete six consecutive scenarios in which you completed both the primary and secondary success conditions."

Awesome run, everyone! I thought we were in for it until Valoria and Seren stepped up.

Yep, a great time was had! Thanks for running for us, as always, DM! That last fight could have gotten ugly quickly all right.

Thanks for running Upaynao, it was a lot of fun! Hope I can play with you again!

And I was pretty sure Seren was going to go down next turn, and had resigned myself to that. Color me presently surprised that none of us died!

Thank you for the fun game, Upaynao.

Yes, thanks a bunch! I'll get access to my FJCs tonight.

Day Job (caravan, Diplomacy, faction pin, masterwork tool): 1d20 + 16 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 16 + 1 + 2 = 22
reroll Day Job (caravan, Diplomacy, faction pin, masterwork tool): 1d20 + 16 + 1 + 2 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 16 + 1 + 2 + 5 = 37

Here are your chronicle sheets!

Thanks, it looks correct.

Is it OK to check the faction box for using Escape Artist to get out of a grapple? link here to what I'm talking about

Does it say if you need to be successful? The bad guy kinda... Dropped you.

It says I need to 'After being grappled or physically bound by an opponent, escape with an escape artist, strength, or combat maneuver check.' It probably does not apply then. In my quick scan for faction card boxes, I saw that I rolled a good check and then was no longer grappled, but not that he chose to let go.

It had a very impressive CMD vs Grapple.

Seren is checking off that she has 4 ranks in religion, which she does now. I don't think we explored a site over 1000 years old that the original inhabitants no longer occupy, though if we did I can check off 2 boxes per adventure due to a boon.

Looks good otherwise! Thanks again Upaynao!

Seren is checking off that she has 4 ranks in religion, which she does now.

Hey Seren, don't those faction items all require ranks = character level (with 4 as the minimum)? (Probably I shouldn't point this out to you right before you run us through Eyes of the Ten, but then I know you'll have no mercy regardless).

Oh, she has 8 ranks. It’s just she picked them up recently due to a boon.

I'm going to check a box on my Season 6 Silver Crusade faction journal card for defeating an undead creature whose CR is at least equal to my level (I'm level 8 and the bodak was CR 8).

Sounds good. Will close the thread later today.