SR's - Great Southern Isles (PbP) (Inactive)

Game Master stormraven

Ushari nods in understanding, as she wants to exact some revenge on these wretched beasts. She draws her dagger and also readies her bow in case it is needed.

She returns the thumbs up signal, and waits for the fun to begin...

Each of the companions takes their assigned positions and Straehan steps out into the room...

Surprise ROUND

Everyone readies themselves to act. Straehan, after a bit of thought, smiles and delivers a simple sentence loudly in Goblin, sounding almost matter-of-fact.

ROUND 1

The response is immediate and explosive. The four nearest goblins draw blades and charge at the gnome, intending to carve him into tiny gnome cubes. Straehan waits until the goblins are almost on him before sending a sheet of flame to greet them. Unfortunately, it is not the inferno you've seen him release before and none of the goblins drop.

With a faceful of flames, the goblins hesitate long enough for Straehan to back up a couple of steps. Unfortunately, the goblins' momentum is unchecked and the lead flaming goblin charges the gnome nearly skewering him on its blade.

Straehan is at 0 HP.

ORDER: Straehan, Goblins, Jayse (ready), Ushari (ready), Fin (ready)

As I read the rules, since you were all readied in the surprise round, you can basically choose where you appear in the order. If you want to declare what your 'trigger' was, that may affect where you are. Fin with her sword and Jayse with a distance weapon could both attack the goblin since they both see over 50% of its square, or not - its up to you.
I'm going to bend the rules here. As I read them, technically, you both could attack the goblin and be in the same init as Straehan. I think that is unrealistic given the scene, so if you choose to attack the goblin it will have to be after the goblin init... unless you choose to 'fire' your ready action in some other way. So if Jayse doesn't want to try a ranged attack (with the -4 for firing into combat) then he could willingly put himself anywhere in the order.

Goblin Cave

Can Jayse, as a move action, grab Straehan (like picking something up or drawing a weapon) and then, as a standard action, move him back between himself and Ushari? That would keep the little guy out of the harm he might receiv if we're not careful.

You know, I kind of thought that Straehan would shout something in the surprise round then fire his spell and move away during the next round. At any rate the Actions in Combat table says moving a heavy object is a move action provoking an AoO. Do Jayse or Fin need to be in Strae's square to grab him, or can Fin just reach out an yoink him?

Justin, I just had a look at the pre-battle map again. I had figured the goblins were relaxing and lounging around their fires rather than standing. Was that not the case? The reason I ask is, charging is a full-round action in Pathfinder, not a standard action. If the goblins had to take a move action to stand back up, their only other action for the round would be to fire missile weapons or move, they wouldn't be able to melee Straehan. That was actually part of the reason I suggested the attack plan that I did.

If this isn't something that will/can be changed, then...

Eyes wide that something went wrong and now her little brother is hurt, Fin puts both hands on her hiilt and lashes out, her blade driven by fear for Straehan's life. As the blade connects with the lead goblin, she calls out to Jayse and points to Straehan.

Whoosh 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26
crit 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18 maybe?
dmg 10 + 4 = 14 threat
crit dmg 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

Not sure if you need Fin to take a 5-ft step or not, but that's as close to the spirit of what her readied action would have been as I can get: Kill goblins once Straehan pulls them within range of her sword.

Fin would not need a 5' step and her ready action would trigger as the goblin finished his attack and stopped in his square. I'll 'narrate' the action after we finish the chat in the OOC thread.

Fin hacks down with her sword, splitting the goblin from shoulder-blade to hip. Her follow-through carries the blade further chipping a chunk out of the cave's floor.

Jayse grabs the tottering Straehan and dumps him unceremoniously in a safer spot.

Ushari - it was never stated who took the potions from Isolde. Since Ushari grabbed the ones for the town and she is the 'medic' I was figuring she probably took the other ones as well.

Ushari presses a potion into Strae's hands while she keeps an eye and ear open for trouble behind them...

ROUND 2

Straehan slugs down half the potion, given how effective they are, and his wound seals entirely.

ORDER: Straehan, Goblins, Fin, Jayse, Ushari

Goblin Cave

Since I don't have delete permissions, I can't do your exact process... but if you F5 when you view the map, it should update to the latest version.

The mob surges forward. The first goblin, having seen the fate of his buddy, moves up cautiously and stabs at Fin before sliding further forward to allow his comrades to follow, hoping to overwhelm the defenders. The second goblin goes low around the corner trying to sneak a blow under Fin's guard. Fin blocks the first blow but leaves an opening in her guard that the second goblin quickly exploits, stabbing into her side.

F's HP: 10/14

The goblin at the end of the corridor, stymied by his brothers, drops his sword and pulls his bow, firing a shot at the only target he can see - Jayse. The arrow narrowly misses his face.

Despite the battle in the tight corridor, the companions can hear orders being shouted from the goblins further away in the massive cavern. Their calls echo off the walls.

ORDER: Straehan, Goblins, Fin, Jayse, Ushari

Goblin Cave

Fin takes aim at the next goblin but the jabbing pain in her side messes her up badly and the blade veers well wide if its intended target. She takes a step back to regroup and allow her allies to bring more of their numbers to bear agains the goblins. (5-ft step to Y-2)

Whoosh 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Fin - Y-2 is a solid wall.

It looks clear to me.

Jayse spins from setting Straehan down, his mind and body assuming the Calm, his breath relaxing as he snaps off a double kick, the second aimed with deadly precision at the goblin's head.

Unarmed strike 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22.
-- damage 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5.
Unarmed strike 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23.Crit?!
-- damage 6 + 4 = 10.

Crit confirm 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20.
-- total crit damage 1d6 + 4 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 4 + 10 = 18.<--Yowza!

Not for long! Jayse is gonna kick it down! :D

True enough. That was a hell of a wallop! Just so we are clear... the grey squares are walls. The 'walkable' areas are green squares.

Firing precise blows with hand and foot around the corner of the wall, Jayse sculpts the lead goblin out of existence. Every blow breaks bones and cripples muscles. The goblin breathes his last, a broken rag-doll slumped against the wall.

ORDER: Straehan, Goblins, Fin, Jayse, Ushari

Oh, I was definitely looking at the gray as just out of los... Not in the wall. That makes sense, though.

Ushari nocks an arrow and scans the corridor behind them, trying to determine if company is approaching from the rear...

Perception 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13 not sure of any additional penalties here.
Ready action to fire bow at any targets appearing south of her.
Bow 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
Damage 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Sneak Attack 1d6 ⇒ 6 if applicable.

The echoing and sounds of battle make it impossible for Ushari to detect the sounds of any enemies from the rear, but she remains vigilant nonetheless.

ROUND 3

Straehan saves his dwindling magic, drawing and throwing a dagger at the nearest goblin still standing. His small blade finds its mark but does not drop the hated creature.

ORDER: Straehan, Goblins, Fin, Jayse, Ushari (ready)

The goblins inch forward once again and attack - one striking at Jayse, the other at Fin. Both blows miss, the one on Fin - by a whisker.

ORDER: Straehan, Goblins, Fin, Jayse, Ushari (ready)

Goblin Cave

FYI - if you haven't noticed it by looking at the tokens, all of the goblins you've encountered appear wounded (before you started beating on them) to a greater or lesser extent.

Fin swings again, she's starting to suspect she fouled the edge alignment on her sword when the obliterated the first goblin and struck the floor.

Whoosh 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

Straehan listens to the goblin chatter, "They've sent one of their number to alert their... 'shaman'."

ORDER: Straehan, Goblins, Fin, Jayse, Ushari (ready)

Jayse follows up his furious kicks with a snaking arm, which grabs at the small goblin.

Maybe they'll be less likely to shoot past a hostage.

Grapple 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18.
Nothing I can really do with my move action, I guess.

Ushari holds up her right hand, one finger extended, and points down the south corridor.

Maintain readied action.

Ushari, please roll your readied attack.

Bow 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
Damage 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
Sneak attack 1d6 ⇒ 1 if applicable

Jayce scruffs the goblin, who struggles against him.

ROUND 4

Ushari signals the approaching threat to their rear at the right moment. Straehan nods and moves past her whispering, "You can fire over me. I'll burn down anyone coming into the corridor." What Ushari and Straehan thought was a single attacker, turns out to be a group of 3 or 4 coming up the passageway!

Ushari's arrow catches the first one in the throat as it rounds the corner. It clutches at the arrow and drops. Its comrades jump over it and lunge at the gnome and woman. At the last second, Straehan triggers his spell sending a fan of flame racing down the passage and licking the walls. The goblin nearest them is crisped but it manages to shield its friend from most of the blast.

The goblin grappled by Jayse just manages to stab the monk in the belly. Fin's opponent swings wide, having a crisis of faith. It says something to its compatriots and they begin to back up... looking for another way to kill these intruders. Some of the goblins in the back, sheathe their swords and draw bows.

J's HP: 7/10

ORDER: Ushari, Straehan, Goblins, Fin, Jayse

BATTLE MAP: Goblin Cave

I can't seem to find anything in the rules about attacking grappled creatures. No clue if I run a risk of hurting Jayse or not. Does Fin have line of sight to any enemies, and is the grappled goblin able to make AoOs if I move past it or use my bow (if needed)?

Stormy, correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure this is how it goes down. You can safely attack Ito a grapple without danger if hitting an ally now. So if you want to go after my little victim here, feel free. Also, the grappled condition makes one unable to make AoO's so you could also try to get past him or fire your bow without drawing one. However, since grapplers are no longer drawn into one square, you have to have a way of getting through his square. I'm not sure if this would require an acrobatics or escape artist check or anything. But I'm assuming you'd have to either tumble, jump, or squeeze past

Also, note, the grappled condition drops his dex, so he should be an easier target if you're leaning that way.

Hmm, if there's no danger of hitting an ally, then I guess we can go for the 'you hold 'em, I'll hit 'em' approach. (The -4 penalty to Dex will help at least.) Since Jayse is the next to act, that would free him up to do something else. If that's not the case then I'll rethink my action, otherwise, if that's all good then I'll make the following action to keep things rolling.

Fin takes a moment to refocus herself and notes that the goblin being restrained by Jayse has worked a dagger into its hands. Aiming carefully, she thrusts for its belly with her blade...

Whoosh 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17
dmg 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

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As I read the rules:

• You can attack a grappled creature without the possibility of hurting your ally. If you tried the attack with a ranged weapon, you'd still suffer the -4 to ATT for firing into combat.
  
• Grappled creatures cannot take AoOs... so moving past the grapplers without drawing AoOs is not an issue.
  
• Moving through an enemy occupied square is an acrobatics check... but that is to prevent an AoO - which is already prevented by their grappled status. So I think you would make an acrobatics check (with the goblin's CMD reduced since it isn't being used against the grapple) just to get past them effectively blocking the square with their scuffle. If you fail, you still do not draw an AoO.

Fin dispatches the held goblin with little effort.
Fin - do you want to use your move action in an attempt to move past?

Jayse, you are up.

Jayse turns to fill in the hallway on the other side, not wanting to leave Ushari or Straehan to get into melee fighting. As he moves to block off the hall, he taps Fin on the shoulder to make sure she knows he's stepped away from their chokepoint. He tumbles past his friends, but snags his foot on Straehan's toe, throwing him off-balance and throwing off his kick which was aimed for the little goblin on that end.

Move to AC -2.
Unarmed Strike 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
-- damage 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6.

Ushari is surprised by Jayse flitting past her, but she quickly realizes this leave Fin alone to hold the other side of the groups increasingly tenuous position. She slips over to the square that Jayse vacated and readies a shot...which since she failed to account for the outcropping of the wall, it flies wide of her intended target, impacting and shattering into several shards.

Move to Z-3
If she can see the nearest goblin (in W-4), she will fire on him. If not, she readies to fire on him when he becomes visible.
Attack, Bow 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
Damage 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

He he, I was starting to worry there...

Fin will maintain her position so that the wall provides cover against the threat of arrows. She wants the goblins to come to her, not the other way around.

ROUND 5

Straehan's thrown dagger skips off the wall, missing the goblin by feet.

Goblins next...

Arrows from the goblins in the cave streak toward their only viable target - Ushari. One arrow creases her cheek, drawing blood.

U's HP: 7/9

Seeing the numerous goblin bodies in the corridor, the goblin nearest Fin resists any desire to enter the corridor and takes a defensive stance.

Meanwhile, Jayse hears the creak of a bow and sees a second goblin in the side corridor drawing a bead on him while the goblin in front of him slashes at his legs... He kicks aside the goblin's blade away and slaps the arrow off course, sending it skittering down the corridor.

ORDER: Ushari, Straehan, Goblins, Fin, Jayse
BATTLE MAP: Goblin Cave

Fin sighs, having no real desire to have to carry Ushari if she gets peppered with arrows. Keeping her back to the wall and sword at the ready for the next goblin brave enough to test its luck, she gestures with her head for the human woman to get out of the way.

Whoosh 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18
dmg 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Justin: I was wondering about how you would rule on ducking out from behind the wall, firing, and then ducking back behind it. If this were an overturned table or the like, it would be possible to stand (move action), fire (standard action), and then drop to the ground again (free action). I'm not certain that this is much different, since it would still allow for readied actions albeit possibly with partial cover since one does not need to totally expose themselves in order to fire. What do you think?

Inhale. Feint to the head. Exhale. Knee to the gut.

Flurry of Blows
Perfect Strike 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5 or 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9.
-- damage 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8.
Unarmed 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19.
-- damage 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6.

Ushari fights a feeling of frustration and despair. Not now, child...this game is not over. She shakes her head at the unbidden thought and fires at the lead goblin, and then ducks away from her exposed position.

Fire at gobbie in W-4
Bow (20/3x) 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24
Crit? 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16 yes?
Damage 6 + 2d6 + 2 ⇒ 6 + (2, 2) + 2 = 12
5' step to Z-2. this square looks like a partial square, so Ushari would be considered cramped while occupying this square, correct?

Mike - I think you could pop out and back like so...
Move Action - pop into the open
Standard Action - FIRE!
Free Action - 5' move

Since you are restricted to moving 5' with the move action if you want to make it back behind cover... I think it is fair to use the free action 5' move when tied to a move action restricted to 5' as well.
Also, please let me know who you were targeting with Whoosh.

This square looks like a partial square, so Ushari would be considered cramped while occupying this square, correct?

The software is not really great at drawing caves (or I just suck at using it), so this spot really represents a narrowing of the corridor but not necessarily a 'cramped' spot.

Justin: Thanks for your ruling on how that would be handled. As far as Fin's action goes, in case it wasn't clear, until her next turn comes up, she's maintaining a readied action to hew any goblins that decide to come within melee range. Hopefully if their last viable target gets out of the way (Ushari), they'll have no choice but to press forward.

Doh! That was Whoosh not Twang... my mistake.

ROUND 6

The twang of Ushari's bow is followed by a squeak and the thud of a body dropping. A goblin sword, dropped from nerveless fingers, skitters into the corridor. Before she steps behind cover, Ushari sees she planted her arrow deeply into the goblin's right eye-socket. If it isn't dead, it has a hell of a headache.

Straehan throws another dagger at the staggering goblin but misses again.

ORDER: Ushari, Straehan, Goblins, Fin, Jayse

The attack that Fin and Ushari are braced for, does not come.

The bowman fires on Jayse and then retreats out of sight, not even waiting to see if his attempt to cover his staggered buddy proves fruitful. His buddy follows him, risking the monk's wrath, in an attempt to escape.

Jayse - please roll your AoO.

ORDER: Ushari, Straehan, Goblins, Fin, Jayse
BATTLE MAP: Goblin Cave

Findelgwing gives a whistle to get the attention of Ushari and Straehan. She motions over her shoulder towards the room to the north of you and makes a walking motion with her fingers. Risking a look, she drops her sword and draws her bow as she rolls her back along the wall, bringing an arrow up to fire at the strongest looking enemy in her line of sight.

After firing, she moves back behind the wall, then holds her fingers up to indicate how many goblins she saw and the general direction in which they were moving.

Twang 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24
crit? 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14
base 8 = 8 threat
crit 2d8 ⇒ (8, 6) = 14

AoO 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12.
-- damage 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9.

Jayse ducks the arrow shot which throws off his timing, enabling the wounded goblin to escape down the side passage after his colleague.

Fin takes a deep breath, pops around the corner and fires. Her arrow drops one of the fleeing goblins. The other one, the only goblin she can see in the cavern, appears to be heading towards the far side of the long cavern. It is about 80' away.

When she pops back around the corner she holds up two fingers, then reduces it to one finger and smiles.

ORDER: Ushari, Straehan, Goblins, Fin, Jayse
BATTLE MAP: Goblin Cave

When she pops back around the corner she holds up two fingers, then reduces it to one finger and smiles.

Nicely played. I like it! :)

I thought it had a Fin-ish aplomb.

Jayse slides into a wary defensive stance as the creatures flee, pulling out one of Isolde's potions to stop his slight blood loss and downing it.

"So what now?" he whispers as he shrugs (for Fin's benefit). "Head back the way we came or press on into that cavern? I say we press on, but I'm not sure what's in there."

Pull out and slug down a healing potion. 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7. Back to full hp.

Jayse, I think you only need to drink half of the potion to get the benefits of it. SR, if I am wrong, please correct me.

Ushari nods at Fin's signal, and moves to finish it off, before it can bring additional reinforcements. She moves out to site the goblin, struggling to see the creature in the shadows.

Move to Y-2.
Fire at the last gobbie.
Bow (20/x3) 1d20 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (18) + 4 - 2 = 20 range
Damage 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Since she does not have low light vision, the gobbie is treated as being concealed, correct? If so, then here is her roll:
Miss chance 20%/50%? 1d100 ⇒ 84