A Haphazard guide to play by posting with Beopere in no particular order (derived in general from many other awesome GMs on these boards, particularly stolen from GM Angry Ankheg).
General Posting
Ideally the gameplay thread should be able to be read like a novel. Try to be clear, consistent, and in character.
When posting please follow these conventions:
Bold is for some formatting, but mainly character speech. Please still use quotations when speaking in character.
Normal text is for description.
Italics is for character thought.
OOC is for out of character (obviously). This should be used for clarification and MINOR joking only. Serious out of character discussion should be held in a different thread, like the discussion thread.
For example:
Beopere viewed the character sheet with a bemused expression.
He calls that a character concept?
"Cool character, Gozrehtime." He says with a friendly smile.
End example.
This is a little different than playing in person, but I feel is the real strength of play by post. By staying in character and taking time when making a post, the level of detail can be fantastic.
You may address events up to your last post, addressing several posts that might have happened in between. To post about an event previous to your last post is only for correcting errors or retconning with GM permission.
For example:
My last post was about entering a shop and asking about the wares. An eager player and the gm have since made 5 posts discussing various things, making purchases, and even leaving the shop to visit the Inn! My next post includes interactions with both the shopkeeper and innkeeper as well as the other play character (separated clearly of course and in chronological order). However, my post could not address something before entering the shop, as that occurred before my last post.
End example.
Spoilers
Often the gm will make posts with spoilers. The description of the spoiler is the requirement to open it. It might be a particular character or a skill DC.
Examples include (yes you may peek if you fail your check. Just this once).
End examples.
Rolling Dice
When rolling dice use the preview option to see the result before posting. You can then add additional info as needed, the roll result will not change. For example if an attack critically threatens you can add the confirmation roll. Additionally you might add some character speech to attack you know hit for significant damage, or fail miserably.
Please describe each roll being used and include various modifiers separately. You need not separately explain BAB, STR, and weapon enchancement, but it is useful to mention flanking, heroism buff, etc.
Example:
Attacking the injured Gnoll, #2. Flanking, Higher ground for: damage
(because I know this is an easy hit)
Beopere's stoic face breaks into a confident smile. "Now you have tasted my strength! Run while you are still able."
End example.
Many times the GM will also roll dice for you (Perception, initiative, and saves being the biggest ones). You will need to have many stats and skills correctly calculated and available to the GM. Character tracking will follow later.
Combat
Combat can get complicated! Do your best to follow all the rules and prompt the GM for certain events. You may post slightly out of initiative, as people's posting times vary and this can greatly increase game speed. In general the GM will call for the next 3 combatants who may post at their leisure.
Always post the turn and initative! When posting out of order (or in order with possible complications) you may include if/thens in your post.
Example:
Round 2, Initiative 17
Beopere charges gnoll #2, probably provoking an AOO from gnoll#1. Assuming Beopere is still able, he attacks!
Charging for:
Beopere places his hand upon Daniel and uses Lay on Hands (4/6 remaining)
Lay on Hands, Daniel:
End example.
For spells please include the relevant DC, results, and possibly a link.
Example:
Round 43, Initiative -2
Beopere casts Flesh to Stone on gnoll #21b. DC 19 fort save or be turned to stone.
End Example.
This is where I'll stop for now. I need to work out the details for: moving on map, tracking treasure, character tracking. Let me know if you have any questions or if I'm forgetting something big!
Looks good so far. So, if I add a die roll and then use preview, the original roll remains. That's awesome.
You said character tracking comes next? I have a Google doc for my character and was putting some stats into this profile, but is there a separate way of doing this?
I am 14 offended at the implication I might not make an excellent character!
Previewing preserves the roll most of the time. If you add rolls BEFORE the roll you previewed, the values can replace each other. for example:
roll 1 returns 10
i edit and make the same roll again (roll 2) but I add it BEFORE roll 1.
roll 2 returns 10
roll 1 returns something new.
If you roll different dice this isn't the case. If you make a roll, erase it, and replace it with a similar roll it will repeat the value as well. I guess it makes some calculation once and then just reloads it?
Daniel wanders by looking quite well rested since he got a full 2 hours of sleep last night.
"Is there anything interesting for breakfast? If not I have some snea-uh I mean training to do."
He attempts to slip a flower into Thineia's hair
I was planning on putting a dropbox link to a pdf of my guy in my profile so it'll stay completely up to date and also keeping some of the most important stuff there directly for easier reference. Maybe with a seperate inventory sheet since I haven't seen a good way to manage a large inventory in hero lab
@Anast - I think there's a die rolling thread somewhere in the off-topic forum that you can use to play with the die roller. At least there was awhile ago, but I haven't looked for it recently.
For character tracking, I meant the method of posting your relevant stats, such as HP, AC, perc, saves, etc. Some people spoiler a character status with every post (I kind of like), others update the profile so it appears as a header (I'm not sure how this one refreshes).
If you guys have a preference let me know.
We'll keep track of treasure with a shared google sheet. Although I'd like a volunteer to track for the party.
Ahh. So tracking stats as your profile updates your previous posts (see above). I'd rather just spoiler every post with your relevant statistics so you can look back and it'll be accurate. So every post would start with.
Buffs:none
Debuffs:none
possibly list spells prepared, item and ability charges, etc
Sound good to you guys? Should just be one copy paste with a tad of editing occasionally.
Yeah, that makes sense. Seems like we could even do a "baseline" and "current" row--one row that indicates "normal" HP, AC, etc., and one that indicates one's current raging, inspire couraged, hasted, feebleminded, heroismed, stinking clouded status.
Want to start right after the holidays? I'm pretty much good to go except for mapping, which I'm making due. Please rely on my descriptive text rather than map images for the feel of an area lol.
I definitely like the spoiler method better. It's much easier to keep track buffs etc. Do we really need to track a baseline for every post (other than maybe total hp)? We could keep current base stats as part of a character's profile description in case they're needed for reference rather than have an extra line in the spoiler.
I'm good to start pretty much whenever you're ready.
Yep, I can start whenever!
I do think base stats should be continually available to the Gm. Whether you want to spoiler it or profile it is up to you. Remember changes to your profile affect previous posts, so looking back it wont be accurate.
Do you mind using a Google doc for your total character sheet? If I'm using my phone or iPad it'd be easier to check than downloading from drop box. Place a link in your profile that you keep up to date (level wise, not current debuff wise)
I stand vigil.
Irravin entered the bustling tavern with only a few sidelong glances thrown his way. By now, the half-drow monk's shaved head and humble garb were well-known in these parts, if not by sight, by tale and rumor.
Though one man looked a little too long before glancing back into his mug.
Irravin moved easily through the crowd to the bar, finding space next to the seated man.
"Looking for someone?" the man mumbled, taking a swig and sloshing half down the front of his shirt.
He's drunk already. This is not ideal.
"Light's blessing, friend." Irravin intoned. "Are you Theris? I represent the Divine Visage and have been sent to respond personally to your messages."
Theris slowly drew his gaze up to Irravin's face, turning over the soiled letter in his hand and revealing the familiar harsh elegance of the white wax seal of the Shattered Veil.
"It was me." He lowered his voice. "There's something you need to see."
Bodies.
Vladimir found himself surrounded by them, lying strewn across the floor in such high number that they obscured the ground below. Some were bloodied and filled with arrows and sword slashes, while others were downright mauled.
Where am I? What sorcery is this!?
Vladimir looked up. The sky was black and starless. Black sky. Black horizon. The only source of light was Incarnis, covered in greenish swirls that all converged on a deep purple circle: the eye of Incarnis. A red pentagram sat in the middle of the eye, adding a malevolent red to the pool of purple.
"Damned thing is still there..." Vladimir growled.
He averted his gaze and started scanning the bodies around him. He walked forward, stepping carefully to avoid falling over the numerous corpses. The bodies were in every direction as far as he could see. And there was something else.
Each and every one had dark hair and light blue skin that was nearly translucent. They all appeared killed through various means, and they all wore different outfits and weapons; one thing, however, stayed the same.
They all looked related to Vladimir.
The realization made Vladimir's pulse quicken. His face darted from side to side with panicked desperation.
"HELLO. IS ANYONE OUT THERE." he shouted.
His heart felt ready to beat out of his chest.
A moment of silence hung in the air.
Bad. This is very, very, bad. Where-
"AaAAAAAaAAAaaHHHHhhhHHHhhHH" Screams erupted from all around Vladimir. He clasped his hands over his ears, to no avail. It was as if the planet itself was screaming.
He looked up at Incarnis and the foul pentagram carved into its eye.
But the pentagram was no longer there; in its place was a snarling demonic face, enormous in size and malice. In a matter of seconds it grew in size, emerging from the eye until it eclipsed Incarnis itself. It was filling the sky and hurtling towards Vladimir. Gazing up into the monstrous visage, Vladimir's immediate reflex was to reach for his bow-
But his arms did not move.
Vladimir was looking up from the ground. His body was sprawled out on the floor, unable to move. He looked down in horror and saw his body, bloody and mangled as the corpses screaming around him. He was helpless.
The world began to darken as the demon descended.
Vladimir screamed with the rest of the world. "AAAAHHHHHH-
"-HH!" Vladimir sat up with a start, panting and drenched in sweat. The faint light of the morning sun streamed in through the window of his room in one of Mercia's inns.
Just a dream. Vladimir thought to himself, feeling no less unsettled. Perhaps it's time to buy a blank book and resume my recordings.
As his breathing began to slow back down, Vladimir wiped his brow and got out of bed. He took several measured, deep, breaths as he dressed himself in his ranger's garb.
Busy day ahead.
Vladimir grabbed his Oath bow and strode out the door.