But, to answer your question, you could hold on -- but not climb -- with one hand and throw a dagger with the other. Let's say a -4 penalty for being in the water. The bat is only 20' from you at this point (you've reeled in 10' per round of 'climbing') so a range penalty would also apply.
Thanks for the reassurance - glad it's not for naught. I'm worried about that goblin cutting the rope - so he's my target. So, I'm guessing that it's -4 for the circumstance, plus -2 for the 10' range difference? I'll wait for the next action declaration, but I'm dubious I'll try that tack.
Hru frees a hand from it's grip on the pommel of his battleblade long enough to toss a mooring line towards to the beleagured elf calling out "Ho! elf! we can't be leaving you behind! There's bATTLE TO BE HAD!"
Dareg sees the changes in the battle and makes a decision. He takes the boat hook and swings it at the bat, hooking on to its harness. The bat is now being held within melee reach of the barge. The entire battle is floating downstream elf, barge, bat, and batrider.
Rellios has two ropes at his disposal -- the mooring line and one attached to the bat. He can easily reach the barge and climb up during this round or he can attempt an attack from the water with a penalty of -2 for circumstance but no range penalty.
His action will complete round 3 and bring us to round 4. I'll wait to see what he does.
Rellios grabs at the rope from the barge, hoping that someone will take a crack at the bat and his goblin rider. He'll start to make his way back to the barge in any case.
Let's hope that goblin harpoon doesn't do anymore damage in the process...
Initiative Order:
Bat and batrider ACTED
Hru
Rellios
Klyndak
Dareg
Clareg
The goblin slashes wildly at Klyndak with a small scythe but doesn't come anywhere near him. The panicky bat beats its wings but is unable to escape. The bit on the harness prevents him from biting you and he has no interest in grappling any longer. Dareg and Clareg pull on the boathook with which Dareg had hooked the bat's leather harness.
Both the bat and the goblin are within melee reach. -1 for the barge's movement (cumulative per round) +1 for Hru's bless spell.
Assume that's a miss, so no further damage. Did I do the critical attack correctly?
Rivlets of water pour from Rellios' unnaturally beautiful hair down his unnaturally beautifully cheekbones as he strikes with unnaturally beautiful grace and kills the goblin.
Rivlets of water pour from Rellios' unnaturally beautiful hair down his unnaturally beautifully cheekbones as he strikes with unnaturally beautiful grace and kills the goblin.
"Ey! What are you staring at Clareg? Keep your eyes on the bat!!" shouts Dareg.
The bat continues to thrash wildly but is unable to escape from the hooked harness. The bit in his mouth prevents it from biting you so other than ineffectually slapping you with its wings it is helpless.
New Round
Initiative Order:
Bat ACTED wounded
Hru
Rellios
Klyndak
Dareg (busy holding onto the bat)
Clareg (checking out the elf)
I'll wait on Hro to act...want to give him his chance to strike for the "Glory of Gorum". If the bat still lives, then I'll give it a shot again.
By the way, since we are testing rules here...any deliberation on whether any of his attacks would be considered sneak attacks? Am I striking from a flanking position, etc? Just wondering if a giant bat would be affected by such rules...
Hru strikes at the bat! 2 handed greatsword (1d20+2=21, 2d6+3=12) that was satisfying
realizing he's been speaking in orcish, he blurts out in common, "For Gorum!! HOO-HA!" then scans the deck for more foes. if the bat didn't survive
By the way, since we are testing rules here...any deliberation on whether any of his attacks would be considered sneak attacks? Am I striking from a flanking position, etc? Just wondering if a giant bat would be affected by such rules...
Arrgh .. disappearing post syndrome again. ... Sneak attack would apply if you were flanking, which I hadn't envisioned as the bat is just on the side of the barge and can only be attacked from one side. It would also apply if the bat were flat-footed. Being 'pinned' counts as flat-footed but the Kannonfodders haven't managed to pin him yet. He is currently 'grabbed' (p.42). With the cumulative +5 bonuses to grapple checks, the bat could be pinned next round.
“Leave some of that bat for me,” I shout as I struggle against the increasing movement of the Barge. I have reached a decision of sorts. Boats are for races other than dwarves. Give me dry land under my feet every time, I think.
Only Hru has managed to hit the bloody thing. The twins finally pull it in closer. At water level, pressed up against the side of the barge, the bat is no longer its usual dextrous self.
Spoiler:
-3 because of movement / +1 for bless ... the bat is denied its +6 to dexterity now reducing its AC to 14 instead of 18 (grappled) or 20 (normal)! Rogue will also be able to add sneak attack damage.
I haven't mentioned it but my whole backstory got 'et, I almost cried! after that anything long I've been writing into word pad and pasting into here just incase....now if there's anything left of teh bat Hru hoots as he attempts to dispatch the bloodied thing for the battle lord. "Ha! I'd attempt to steer this thing but I reckon I don't know how!" then slips into gutteral orcish.
I haven't mentioned it but my whole backstory got 'et, I almost cried! after that anything long I've been writing into word pad and pasting into here just incase....now if there's anything left of teh bat Hru hoots as he attempts to dispatch the bloodied thing for the battle lord. "Ha! I'd attempt to steer this thing but I reckon I don't know how!" then slips into gutteral orcish. ** spoiler omitted **2-handed w/greatsword (1d20=1, 2d6+3=11) oops! natural 1....this can't be good!
Hru watches as his greatsword slips out of his hands, over the bat and into the river.
Clareg and Dareg continue to hold the bat down. It hardly has the strength to resist any more.
How's the river this time of year, cold? What kind of combination of checks would I need to dive in and get my sword? Swim-probably multiple checks then what? acrobatics? perception? survival? a cmb grapple check? an undisarm check?...I knew this wasn't going to be good....it's my frackin holy symbol....what's this say about the favor of Goram. I must say this game is already turning into somewhat of a classic!!
The barge lurches violently as Hru strikes causing him to strike the barge side with a ringing blow, chattering his teeth and numbing his arms, causing the blade to to come free of his grip and sending it tumbling over the bat and into the river. Without a moment's hesitation Hru dives after the blade grasping for it and shouting " GORRRUUUUMMMM!" He goes over the side.
I know we're taking the rules to task in this one but potentially losing my holy symbol and Gorum's favor (I have been thinking about the whole predicament) has killer story driven character arcs exploding in my mind, after I find out what happens maybe I'll post em in the discussion thread as I believe they'd they'd require a little to much warping of the rules for this to be an adequate playtest. savory RP goodness at it's best!
"I know we're taking the rules to task in this one but potentially losing my holy symbol and Gorum's favor ...". What have you done to lose Gorum's favour? Feeling guilty about something?
Hru leaps into the freezing water with little concern for his own health. Once he descends beyond the blood that is darkening the water he sees his greatsword buried halfway to the hilt. As he reaches for it, he glances around for any sign of danger ... anything attracted to the blood ... and he sees an oddly unrock like shape. He's cold. Very cold. But not too far away, covered in silt is something ...
Rellios sheaths his weapons and quickly pulls some rope from his pack.
He ties one end around his waist; the other end to something sturdy within the barge. Assuming there is something.
"I'll give that bloodlusty priest a few minutes, but if he doesn't come out soon - I'll try going after him."
"Once we are stable, Master Klyndak...I made need you, Clareg, and Dareg to reel me in if it comes to it...savvie?"
swim check and fort save:swim;fort (1d20+1=8, 1d20+5=19) swim, not so good, fort, ok but not great. Bubbles burst in a foamy nexus where Hru entered the water.
swim check and fort save:swim;fort (1d20+1=8, 1d20+5=19) swim, not so good, fort, ok but not great. Bubbles burst in a foamy nexus where Hru entered the water.
Those on the barge.
Spoiler:
Reluctant to let go of the bat, the Kannonfodders haul it onto the barge before using the barge pole to slow the boat. This is not the only barge pole though so Klyndak could have already made some effort there. The barge slows about 80 ft. from where the battle took place.
Hru
Spoiler:
Hru is remarkably resisting the effects of the cold but cannot seem to kick his feet hard enough to swim to the surface while pulling up his greatsword. His eyes bulging with the strain and with surprise as he more clearly makes out the shape closer to the shore. Although covered in silt, the silhouette is that of a boat, a small cabined barge like the type halflings ply the rivers with.
"I'll give that bloodlusty priest a few minutes, but if he doesn't come out soon - I'll try going after him."
"Once we are stable, Master Klyndak...I made need you, Clareg, and Dareg to reel me in if it comes to it...savvie?"
"Yer a brave man good elf," I say as I strive to push the barge back against the tide of the river, "When ya jump, we'll be 'aulin' ya back."
Savvie?, I think to myself, What kind of heathen lingo is this?
Then I yell at the brothers in Dwarven, a proper language for truly communicating...
Spoiler:
"Alright, you bearded children of the rocks, leave off with that carcass of a flying mammilian creature and let us endeavor to get this floating vehicle of wood back towards where the misbegotten offspring of an orc and human ancestor has leaped into the swift moving waters of this river!
Then I yell at the brothers in Dwarven, a proper language for truly communicating...
Dareg answers in dwarven
Spoiler:
We will help you brother who is in command of this mission with controlling the flat bottomed barge but the meat of this flying mammilian will sustain us and put less of a strain on our prepared field rations which if I were to speak frankly to you I would say taste too much like dried b@%*!!+.
I'll wait one more turn/action from Hru to see if he surfaces...if not, then in the drink I go...let me know if there's any chance I can reach him with the rope attached...
I snort in dry amusement as I listen to Dareg and then I reply in the father tongue,
Spoiler:
I do not doubt that the eating will be better with more meat. I just wish we had some proper vinegar or beer to pickle the tongue and feet. I am truly partial to pickled flying mammilian feet. But let us butcher the carcass later. The beardless elf is going to need all the help we can provide when he leaps into the river.
Meanwhile I continue to strain as I apply my dwarven muscles towards the goal of moving back towards the spot where the orc blood jumped overboard.
So when you say "this tributary," you are suggesting that we are at the place we want to disembark? And I assume that the remains of the tributary are on the southern shore?
"I be wagerin' that those bat riders made their lair up there," I say pointing to the signs of life.
"Are ya two goin' to be shiverin' a while longer?" I ask the elf and priest, "I suppose we could be makin' a camp and buildin' a fire fer ya. Or shall we go on? I be thinkin' that there be a goblin tribe about here, perhaps in the very halls we wish ter find and we might be wantin' a better camp site."
You are currently on the tributary of the Yondabakari the tributary runs through the gorge. The priest said there would be a "stone bridge of Dwarven craft" spanning the crest of a waterfall "soaring over 100' from the river bed below". The gorge, at this point, looks to be 40' high at most. ... I'll try to get more of that kind of detail together tonight.
I can cast guidance too which'll give Rellios +1 on at least 1 swim check and (I keep forgetting my char. sheet is only a cliick away-at home I go by a traditional pencil and paper sheet) but I'm good with giving it 1 try. I checked and indeed everyone gets +1 STR for 3 rounds 1/recipient/day-thanks pathfinder! Juiced...@DM: not to be snarky or too meta, but if we're to be transporting a stone throne on this barge (that Hru knows nothing about) wouldn't we have some Dwarvish block and tackle/crane contraption?
Last call before we potentially get in another fight, anyone in need of healing?
I can cast guidance too which'll give Rellios +1 on at least 1 swim check and (I keep forgetting my char. sheet is only a cliick away-at home I go by a traditional pencil and paper sheet) but I'm good with giving it 1 try. I checked and indeed everyone gets +1 STR for 3 rounds 1/recipient/day-thanks pathfinder! Juiced...@DM: not to be snarky or too meta, but if we're to be transporting a stone throne on this barge (that Hru knows nothing about) wouldn't we have some Dwarvish block and tackle/crane contraption?
Last call before we potentially get in another fight, anyone in need of healing?