No love for poor Ralfie. :o(
Hmm...annoying.
Why, yes. Yes, he is. Thank you for noticing. :op
The follow-up link worked; thanks.
My post has a little love for almost everyone! Couldn't think of much to say to Shane or Kostya though, sorry.
Apologies for briefly conscripting Kostya, but it just felt like he'd've interceded at that point.
And Anthony, nothing personal. (From the player. Ralf on the other hand pretty much takes everything personally...)
It was a great relief that all the members of the unit appeared to have their heads screwed on right.
Have you not met Ralf? :op
Aziel,
I've been applying the Background bonuses where they seem to apply.
I'm pretty sure Skill Checks are D20+Attribute Bonus+Level+(applicable) Background Bonus.
For example, all of Jaelynn's Knowledge checks have been +4(Int) +1(level) +4(Knowledge Background) = +9
Ive been forgetting to add level! XD
Apologies for briefly conscripting Kostya, but it just felt like he'd've interceded at that point.
And Anthony, nothing personal. (From the player. Ralf on the other hand pretty much takes everything personally...)
I noticed! No worries, I figured his reaction might be like that. XD
Edit: Sorry, got a little carried away with my reply. XD If no one noticed yet, I'm a bit of a rambler.
Apologies for briefly conscripting Kostya, but it just felt like he'd've interceded at that point.
No you're totally right, that's great, good call. I'll have a post up for myself shortly. Apologies for the delays, weekends aren't good for me.
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Sorry, got a little carried away with my reply. XD If no one noticed yet, I'm a bit of a rambler.
I've said it before and I'll keep on saying it:
Never apologize for good writing. Never.
Apologies for the delays, weekends aren't good for me.
I don't get online much on weekends, either. The past couple of days was probably the most I'll ever post on a weekend. So no worries.
In my head the Simulacrum looks something like this, only with the additions I talked about and minus the keychain. I thought about using an image from Girl Genius, like one of her mini clanks, but I don't think Anthony is quite there yet! XD
Shane's "Docker Janks" feat provides the following:
Benefit: You may select up to four allies to be affected by this feat. Once per combat, each ally may, as swift action, attempt the aid another action, granting another ally (or yourself) either a +1 bonus on his next attack roll or a +1 bonus to his AC. You can switch your four chosen allies if you spend a few hours training with them.
Since Shane has 5 allies, he'll have to leave one out. My sense is that Ralf is the least martial member of the group, so I'll leave him out.
If you need a reminder of the "Aid Another" action, click the link or read this summary:
In melee combat, you can help a friend attack or defend by distracting or interfering with an opponent. If you're in position to make a melee attack on an opponent that is engaging a friend in melee combat, you can attempt to aid your friend as a standard action. You make an attack roll against AC 10. If you succeed, your friend gains either a +2 bonus on his next attack roll against that opponent or a +2 bonus to AC against that opponent's next attack (your choice), as long as that attack comes before the beginning of your next turn. Multiple characters can aid the same friend, and similar bonuses stack.
So the Docker's Jank gives each designated ally one "free" use of the aid another that does not use a standard action; this is less effective, however, granting only a +1 bonus instead of +2.
I can guarantee you that there isn't a less-martial member of this group than Jaelynn.
AC 11, 5 hit points, +0 to melee attacks.
Ralf seems to have some martial arts background in there. So he's probably a better fit for an ability that seems to assume some physical training being involved.
That said, Jae is, perhaps, the one person who would most need the protection of her big, tough, manly Elevens. ;-)
... Jae is, perhaps, the one person who would most need the protection of her big, tough, manly Elevens. ;-)
Ralf's Vitalist powers aren't sufficiently developed to cover everyone yet, so to determine who would most need protection, I sorted our team both by HP and AC early on. I think the numbers speak for themselves. :op
SORTED BY HP
Jaelynn Vance-Saerpheni HP 5 AC 11
Shane Sangster HP 9 AC 16
Aziel Charbonneau HP 10 AC 17
Ralfael Tergsvor HP 11 AC 12
Kostya Tarasov HP 11 AC 15
Anthony Dawson Zeitlin HP 17 AC 20
SORTED BY AC
Jaelynn Vance-Saerpheni HP 5 AC 11
Ralfael Tergsvor HP 11 AC 12
Kostya Tarasov HP 11 AC 15
Shane Sangster HP 9 AC 16
Aziel Charbonneau HP 10 AC 17
Anthony Dawson Zeitlin HP 17 AC 20
When the time comes, Jaelyn, if you're comfortable with Ralf's methods (and who he is) you should definitely be first on his "watch over" list.
As far as "martiality" goes though, Jae and Ralf are about evenly matched. His attacks will be predominantly mental (but he's not there yet), so all the katas and such are meditative rather than martial in intent: He's trying to learn how to center, to quiet his mind, to focus. Physical fighting, not so much.
Shane, Ralf is also a Docker, so between the two of us we can cover everyone. That said, Ralf'd be a good choice to exclude if someone has to be excluded.
It's worth noting that I can raise my AC by one a couple of times a day, which puts me on the same ground as Shane, and I'm also capable of healing (which will improve dramatically at level 2).
It's also Kostya's way for others to be protected before him, so definitely concern yourself with Jae first.
The thing about Docker's Janks, is that it requires people to actually...you know... work together. Like, practice. (Thus the "You can switch your four chosen allies if you spend a few hours training with them" thing.).
a) I'm not sure whether we've done that at all, and if we have, Kostya would be the one who hasn't been around long enough to get the practice in.
b) I'm not entirely sure Jaelynn could be convinced to participate in such tomfoolery. It takes her away from her books and strange experiments.
But that said, from a purely metagame standpoint, yeah, any extra protection Jae can get will be good. She ain't a fighter. Which is why most of her spells are the kind that make big, brave fighter-types (with low Will saves) stand up and protect the cute, innocent, defenseless elf-girl (who just happens to stand 6' in her heels...). If that fails, she can use Mage Armor, though right now, she'll be using scrolls, because 50% of her level-1 spell list being devoted to temporarily upping her AC seems like a waste.
Also speaking meta (on the other side), at her AC, a mere +1 (to AC 12) isn't going to be terribly helpful. Probably better to boost those who are already hard to hit, so that they can jump in front of her when things get ugly. In which case, her being part of the group, so that she can actually be useful by Aiding you guys, is a good plan.
"Only one criminal here, play like that."
Golden. :o)
Good point on the practice, Jae.
And if you're not thrilled about a +1 AC sundae, how does topping it with DR 2/- syrup sound? ;o)
I think it might depend on a couple things, but I definitely intend for Anthony to be taking the brunt of enemy attacks if I can manage. I'm not going for anything crazy with him (trip master or the like). I'm just going to give him a high AC, some DR/- everything at higher levels, and decent damage with power attack and weapon spec to grab the attention of enemies. I do think Anthony should be in the healing group thing eventually, but there are some squishier members and if that's what you'd prefer I can't quite argue with it.
The aid another as a swift will be awesome for Anthony though. Having a 21 AC at level 1 is pretty awesome, and it makes him very hard to hit. XD It's almost unfair... almost.
As a side note, more meta stuff. I plan on using Scrapper as a sort of 'reach without moving Tony' thing. Usually Anthony will set him up on one end while he's at the other, or behind the group while he's in the front. Because they share AC, Scrapper will be able to take a hit too, and better yet Tony can repair him with an hours worth of work and get him back up and running. He'll never replace Tony on the field but Scrapper will be pretty good for running interception when Anthony's hands are tied.
Unlike Kostya, Anthony will never be capable of healing. He'll just get better at not getting hit or hurt... eventually. XD I made Anthony for the cool concept over optimization so he's probably not as strong as he could have been.
Yay for coolness factor. I don't think I've ever created a PC that didn't have some sub-optimal aspect for the sake of coolness or backstory.
Just to be clear on it, Ralf can remove damage from random people. Being part of the group just confers additional benefits. So you won't be totally out in the cold if you're not initially in the collective. Especially if Kostya's slinging heals as well.
And as for the "what I prefer" bit... that's a group decision, and is part of the strategic stuff I was talking about us discussing earlier. We'll just have to see how it shakes out.
Okay, so Kostya won't have the Docker's Janks benefit from either Ralf of Shane, at least for this scene. Jaelynn may opt out if she chooses but the training was available over the past week. The aid action is probably most effective from those who don't normally excel in combat, since the target number for the roll is just 10. So those who find themselves adjacent to opponents may want to take advantage of the aid another (whether as a swift or standard action) if they are not likely to succeed at attack and damage actions. The actual action need not involve a weapon, I don't think, so it might be things like creating a distraction or the like.
It's probably obvious if you're familiar with the Monk class, but just in case: Shane will be very good in this situation as he can deal non-lethal damage as easily as lethal. He also has improved grapple, so he has a decent chance of pinning someone and if necessary, dragging him away or chokeholding him into (non-lethal) unconsciousness.
Yay for coolness factor. I don't think I've ever created a PC that didn't have some sub-optimal aspect for the sake of coolness or backstory.
Character flaws like to spring up in my mechanical aspects too. XD Not to mention my goal is to create a character who kicks butt while using a shield and heavy armor. And not even a shield for bashing! Just a good ole 'I can block anything' shield. XD
He isn't partaking in the festivities and is pushing firmly through the crowd to get close enough to the checkpoint to be assured of making it through when the police open up the bridge.
I was about to post to the gameplay thread but the above quote has me needing clarification on what is scheduled to happen at the bridge. I had the impression that the bridge led to a special seating area, close to the king when he speaks, and that those allowed into the area were invited dignitaries and celebrities, etc. I thought we were there to keep everyone else in line and off the bridge.
The quote above suggests that the plan is to let some of the public enter, sort of like festival seating at a concert. If that is the case, then I presume our task is to try to spot and remove potential trouble-makers without inciting a riot.
Which is it? Or is it something different from either of the above? If my lack of understanding is going to be projected onto Shane, then I'd at least like an Intelligence roll or something to see if Shane would have had a better grasp on things than me. Thanks.
I'll make a post that doesn't commit to either understanding to keep things moving, but eventually it's going to be important to what Shane does.
Delft said: "Dignitaries will be arriving by carriage. Let the carriages cross the bridge. Screen the crowd for troublemakers, let a few hundred onto the bridge and into the square to hear the speech about an hour before the speech starts."
He meant to let a few hundred of the crowd members onto the bridge and into the square on the far side an hour before the speech starts, after they've been screened. I can sort of see how it could have been confusing (maybe Shane could have thought Delft was talking about dignitaries across the bridge), but I don't think Shane needs an Int check to understand.
Thanks.
Holy poops! Why have I not been getting notifications on this thread in FD?! Sorry to everyone who spoke to me and didn't get an answer.
I feel like I may have cursed the Scorched Lands game by pointing out how great it was going.
I'm SORRY! *cries*
Sorry for the delay if there was any! Getting over a fever I got from a storm, so I didn't quite catch the angle I went with until my head started to clear a short while ago.
Map of current scene, also linked on the Campaign tab.
The blue strip is a 10 foot wide lane marked off by ropes with a few FPD patrolmen keeping people out of it. Each blue dot is 4 FPD patrolmen. The black lines are metal barricades set up to restrict the crowd's movement through the checkpoints.
Looking at the map raises a number of questions in my mind about the events to come. Is the ship pictured the one being christened? Is the king going to be on the ship or on the island or somewhere off the map? Are there other security forces protecting the king? What is the normal function of the island and the buildings on it? Who is already on the island? Where will the people who arrive in carriages sit/stand? Where will the people we let through be?
If Unit 11 does not already know the answers to these questions, what would they have been able to pick up from the FPD and just from looking? Thanks.
To address the probable question:
At this level and under the circumstances I'm anticipating, forcing the suspect into Ralf's collective has no game effect except:
1) Ralf will be aware if the Docker nears or exceeds 110' distance from him; and,
2) the target might be aware that something... odd... just happened.
Shane was the GM for the game Ralf 1.0 was in and he may want to correct me, but I believe we handled it the way we handled magical mental effects (illusions, command, attitude nudging, etc): If the target succeeded in the save, they were aware they'd rebuffed something; if they failed, they were blissfully unaware.
On the other hand, if you have to use strength of will to oppose something, it seems reasonable you might be aware of it at a conscious level. Or it could happen completely at a subconscious level either way. So I'm fine with however you want to run it. (I've never come across an official stance.)
I have no idea how that's going to play over. I'm horrible with public speaking, when I try and do it, but I tend to be a bit better when I'm writing it.
Also, Ralf, if I might ask, what are the benefits of forcing someone into the collective? Is that something that will be a later game awesome move, or did I miss something cool right off the bat when I did what little research I did into the psionic classes?
Excellent strategy, Anthony. Very well done.
Ralf will of course have to kill you later for that flute remark, but them's the breaks...
(Seriously: Great move.)
Map of current scene, also linked on the Campaign tab.
The blue strip is a 10 foot wide lane marked off by ropes with a few FPD patrolmen keeping people out of it. Each blue dot is 4 FPD patrolmen. The black lines are metal barricades set up to restrict the crowd's movement through the checkpoints.
Looking at the map raises a number of questions in my mind about the events to come. Is the ship pictured the one being christened? Is the king going to be on the ship or on the island or somewhere off the map? Are there other security forces protecting the king? What is the normal function of the island and the buildings on it? Who is already on the island? Where will the people who arrive in carriages sit/stand? Where will the people we let through be?
If Unit 11 does not already know the answers to these questions, what would they have been able to pick up from the FPD and just from looking? Thanks.
To try and help out here, from how I read the Player's Guide and what the GM has given us:
1) Yes, that's the ship.
2) On the island - probably near the ship (Christenings/Launchings usually involve some sort of ritual involving the ship)
3) I'd assume he has bodyguards - but this is probably a GM answer
4) I believe this is a shipyards area, but could be a park.
5) Judging by the map, I'd suspect the king and dignitaries will be in the blue areas on the island, and/or near the ship. Observers (a few hundred) will likely be in the non-blue areas.
I'd suggest that we needn't get too wrapped up about some of those details. Our LEVEL 1 PC's have been tasked solely with making sure no trouble-makers get through the checkpoint and across the bridge. Anything beyond that is probably above our pay-grade (and abilities to significantly affect). Remember, if we're operating on the island, we've failed at our assigned task, and are probably disturbing the celebration, and that's a Very Bad Thing. :-)
I actually hope Raff has something to say about the flute thing! XD
Also, Ralf, if I might ask...
Dude, of course you can ask. We're a team.
... what are the benefits of forcing someone into the collective? Is that something that will be a later game awesome move...
"Awesome" is a stretch but yeah, it's more useful later on. Mostly it's an offensive tool (which you'd probably expect), though it can be a positive thing situationally (e.g. for healing someone you can't physically reach or who doesn't want to be healed ("Just let me die...").
Since everybody in a collective is interlinked and the Vitalist is the hub, if a collective member dies a massive pulse of "awful" whacks the psion. If s/he fails a Fortitude save s/he temporarily loses some psionic power plus is sickened for a while.
But Ralf is a Sadist (archetype), making him an "arbiter of pain": He can control it and use it to his advantage the same way a regular Vitalist can use healing energy. A collective member dying is a plus for a Sadist; they gain psychic power temporarily. (I'm not expecting the Docker to die.)
If a baddie's in the collective, Ralf can also do things like intercept their healing. Evil cleric channels energy mid-melee and the enemy fighter conscripted into the collective would've gotten some healing? Ralf can redirect those HP to our team! (There's a chance for a save, so it's not as juicy as it might sound.)
You get the idea.
Ralf pulled this guy in A) so he'd know if the guy's still in the area if he totally loses sight of him, B) to potentially unnerve him if he thinks somebody's doing something magical/psionic with/to him, C) to practice (he doesn't go around mentally overpowering people no matter how much -- and how often -- he'd like to, and Cat's a pushover), D) to know if the guy dies during all this (NOT expected), and E) for game flavor. :o)
Huh, that is pretty cool! Sounds like a very interesting form of battlefield control, mixing healing, debuffing and life stealing...
As for the asking part, some people like keeping that to themselves. I've always been interested in crunch. The more I know, the more likely I can weave a characters personality and flaws into it. Not to mention I've only ever seen psionics in literature or games I've read up, so I'm doubly curious about them.
How does a perpetual power work? Does that mean its on all the time or am I misinterpreting it?
Huh, that is pretty cool! Sounds like a very interesting form of battlefield control, mixing healing, debuffing and life stealing...
And the Soulthief method is actually geared for that. For example:
A soulthief vitalist of 2nd level who utilizes transfer wounds can choose to instead deal the amount of damage that transfer wounds would normally heal plus the soulthief's class level to the target, healing himself a number of hit points equal to the damage dealt.
Ralf's build uses the Mender method (basically, the healer platform) with a splash of nasty added (via Sadist) so he can dabble in the damage/control side of things. Not as effective as either pure Vitalist form would be, but more flexible.
As for the asking part, some people like keeping that to themselves.
Okay, that didn't occur to me; thanks. I tend to withhold fluffy/background stuff because I think it's more enjoyable (for all) if that sort of thing comes out organically in-game (and it's less player/PC knowledge separation to deal with). I rarely feel that way about crunch, though.
How does a perpetual power work? Does that mean its on all the time or am I misinterpreting it?
Sorry, that's my made-up term. Psions are spontaneous manifesters ("casters") and they have access to the entire power ("spell") list, but they have to select which powers they're going to work with on any given day. By "perpetual" I just mean it's one that's always available. It doesn't have to be selected/prepared, nor does it count against the available limit; it's "just there." Those are generally the powers that are part of the Vitalist's method or learned from a different list via Expanded Knowledge or a similar feat.
I see! Admittedly for a moment I thought you could constantly heal 3 damage whenever you wanted. XD It made me think of something in 3.5 I almost got to play once, a dragon shaman with the healing Aura.
When I first made Anthony, I very nearly planned on making him a Soul Knife going with the Shielded Blade archetype, a slightly crippled version (mechanically he'd have the ability to make a soul blade, but he never would have, just a shield. It was supposed to be symbolic of part of his personality.) For background reasons you'll have to find out (I agree about holding those back, because its fun to discover), I decided to go a purely physical route instead. Its part of why I have a curiosity of psionics. I've never heard anything good about the soul knife actually, which is kind of funny because mechanically it seems pretty interesting.
I see! Admittedly for a moment I thought you could constantly heal 3 damage whenever you wanted. XD
Heh... that'd be pretty handy, but no. He can draw others' injuries to himself -- converting them to non-lethal damage in the process -- and healing an average of 3.5 HP (more later) each iteration. That's the closest he has to "free" healing right now, but he can only do that seven times per day.
The "perpetual" Natural Healing relies on his power pool so unless he gets an infusion from, say, the death of an Unwilling Participant :o) or has an external reservoir (e.g. a psi crystal), at present that's limited to five a day.
For background reasons you'll have to find out...
Looking forward to it. :o)
I've never heard anything good about the soul knife actually, which is kind of funny because mechanically it seems pretty interesting.
They could write a couple books full of stuff I don't know about psionics.
Oh wait, they have. :op
I bet! I think the major complaint I recall reading about was the fact that their entire class focused around getting a magic weapon... like that isn't awesome and cost effective or something. XD But the pathfinder version really ups the ante. That said, I did just figure out, mechanically, which path Anthony will eventually be taking. I already had an idea (several levels of fighter mixed with steamsuit pilot) but beyond that I was sort of at a loss (what feats to focus on, any sort of cool twists I might want to take, etc). Now I think I know, and it should turn out pretty interesting.
Have you had a chance to look at the Steamsuit Pilot class? It's pretty awesome, and weirdly quite balanced. It doesn't give you much beyond a very flavorful suit with several limitations and benefits (you can get a large one, but it gives you an ACP, which the medium one does not give), but for story alone that suit is bloody worth it. XD
Nope. I still consider myself new to Pathfinder, so other than Dreamscarred Psionics I've not ventured into 3PP. (Or other current systems, save two Savage Worlds games I'm in.)
I just have to say, Jaelynn's act is totally cracking me up. Remind Aziel to high-five her. XD
I'd suggest that we needn't get too wrapped up about some of those details. Our LEVEL 1 PC's have been tasked solely with making sure no trouble-makers get through the checkpoint and across the bridge. Anything beyond that is probably above our pay-grade (and abilities to significantly affect). Remember, if we're operating on the island, we've failed at our assigned task, and are probably disturbing the celebration, and that's a Very Bad Thing. :-)
We were also told to let in the 1st 100, while the crowd is being told the first 700 will get in. I'm trying to get a sense what the impact will be on the proceedings if 600 more people arrive on the island. I'd like to know the resources that might be available for contingencies. If it just means a bigger crowd than their expecting and they've got the security forces and the room to deal with it, that's one thing. If it means the crowd may overwhelm the available security and threaten the safety of the king, we need to find a way to keep the number down and perhaps send a message to those in charge alerting them what to expect.
Edit: I just re-read the instructions from Delft and it was not 100 but the first few hundred. I'm not sure if 700 is a "few hundred" but I'm just worried a miscommunication somewhere may produce a situation. If so, we will need to act accordingly. While it may not be our fault, we might help prevent a bad outcome if we're clever and quick.
I saw that too, Shane, and I chalked it up to Delft's lack of info. He really didn't seem to have gotten much about our jobs at this thing and the flexibility we were given with it suggests the FPD don't know what to do with us either. I could be wrong though and their could be someone screwing up the numbers, and I can think of a few reasons why too.
... the flexibility we were given with it suggests the FPD don't know what to do with us either.
I thought this'd been mentioned, but I didn't spot it in a quick scan: What's the attitude between the FPD and the RHC? Many shows depict rivalries between e.g. the FBI and local authorities. Are the two groups all buddy-buddy, grudgingly accepting, or...?
I'm wondering if any misinformation or lack of information might've been either from apathy (they neither want nor feel they need us there) or intentional to cause (inconsequential) failure and make the RHC look bad.
[Paranoia mode]Or consequential, if someone in the FPD is in on the evil plot.[/Paranoia mode]
Apropos of nothing, I was (re)watching Bulletproof Monk this morning, and Mr. Kojima (the theater owner) started sounding very familiar. So I hit IMDB and, sure enough, he was being played by Mako -- Uncle Iroh's original voice actor.
Looking at the map raises a number of questions in my mind about the events to come. Is the ship pictured the one being christened?
Yes, it is.
Is the king going to be on the ship or on the island or somewhere off the map?
You don't know the answer to that question.
Are there other security forces protecting the king?
You don't know the answer to that question.
What is the normal function of the island and the buildings on it?
It is a shipyard.
Who is already on the island?
You don't know the answer to that question.
Where will the people who arrive in carriages sit/stand? Where will the people we let through be?
You don't know the answer to that question.
If Unit 11 does not already know the answers to these questions, what would they have been able to pick up from the FPD and just from looking? Thanks.
No one in the unit has indicated they attempted to ask/get answers to those questions IC. Somebody would have to climb up on something high to see over the crowd and the bridge to scope out the far side.
I thought this'd been mentioned, but I didn't spot it in a quick scan: What's the attitude between the FPD and the RHC? Many shows depict rivalries between e.g. the FBI and local authorities. Are the two groups all buddy-buddy, grudgingly accepting, or...?
That's a fair question. I'll say that in Flint, it's a generally cordial relationship. FPD cops wouldn't be expected to be antagonistic to RHC constables. Their duties are more complementary than competitive- the RHC is more specialized than the FPD, FPD has more manpower than the RHC. FPD deals with most low level crime- street crime, robberies, mundane burglaries, one-off murders and sexual assaults- while RHC gets better training (or better trained people coming in) to deal with more complex cases.
Do bullhorns exist in this world? If not, Anthony may have to invent one in case we get crowd duty again... XD
Re:
"When the officers you sent get back, I'm going to call one of my fellow agents back, then make my way through the crowd with Scrapper. It'll take a while but we need this information to get out there."
Shane is standing about 20 feet away. They're both at the barricades.
I know! But Anthony hasn't noticed. He's a bit wrapped up in his thoughts. Thanks for reminding me though!
Ack, sorry for the delays on my part. Had a very bad week / weekend. Will have a post up tonight or in the morning for sure.
Forgot to put in my post that I updated the map to give everyone a more concrete idea of what's going on. Link is on the campaign tab.