I have internet access... so I should be able to post daily.

Rolf, where are you?

I'm thinking of playing a fire Genasi in a new 3.5ed F2F game where we are all agents of Pelor. Anyone know of a firebased 3.5ed PCrace that isn't completely crippled like Genasi in FRCS?

Have you checked the bloodlines from Unearthed Arcana? Also their might be desert themed subraces in Sandstorm that could be adjusted flavor wise to be closer to fire-based. I can check both books if you don't have them.

I've got pretty much everything ever put out so it's hard to remember where everything is :)
Didn't see anything in Sandstorm (just Asheratis and Bhukas)
I'll try Unearthed Arcana thanks for the tip :)

Larcifer

Hi, guys. I'm going to be stepping in to take over Rulf Unterhein (slight name change) and this will be my 2nd pbp so thanks for inviting me.

I'm just in the process of getting up to speed with my character and will be with you shortly.

And here he is to start with. His background at the moment is a simple cut and paste for now but will be looked at once I get the rest of the stats done properly.

Also, is there any other details that the previous Rolf had such as daily and encounter powers that have already been used, magic items and money owned that I should know about?

Here are the 50 rolls of each die you asked for

50 x 1d20 rolls 1d20=15, 1d20=16, 1d20=19, 1d20=5, 1d20=12, 1d20=11, 1d20=9, 1d20=16, 1d20=12, 1d20=3, 1d20=17, 1d20=11, 1d20=13, 1d20=20, 1d20=11, 1d20=16, 1d20=9, 1d20=4, 1d20=11, 1d20=12, 1d20=4, 1d20=1, 1d20=11, 1d20=13, 1d20=17, 1d20=19, 1d20=14, 1d20=14, 1d20=2, 1d20=12, 1d20=11, 1d20=8, 1d20=11, 1d20=17, 1d20=13, 1d20=10, 1d20=19, 1d20=15, 1d20=5, 1d20=6, 1d20=2, 1d20=18, 1d20=10, 1d20=2, 1d20=2, 1d20=19, 1d20=4, 1d20=10, 1d20=7, 1d20=20

50 x 1d12 rolls (1d12=11, 1d12=6, 1d12=11, 1d12=12, 1d12=8, 1d12=7, 1d12=7, 1d12=3, 1d12=2, 1d12=8, 1d12=12, 1d12=5, 1d12=11, 1d12=6, 1d12=3, 1d12=8, 1d12=7, 1d12=10, 1d12=11, 1d12=11, 1d12=10, 1d12=6, 1d12=5, 1d12=11, 1d12=3, 1d12=3, 1d12=8, 1d12=11, 1d12=3, 1d12=7, 1d12=10, 1d12=5, 1d12=4, 1d12=4, 1d12=5, 1d12=1, 1d12=11, 1d12=8, 1d12=12, 1d12=5, 1d12=10, 1d12=5, 1d12=2, 1d12=12, 1d12=12, 1d12=11, 1d12=11, 1d12=2, 1d12=10, 1d12=12)

50 x 1d10 rolls (1d10=1, 1d10=5, 1d10=6, 1d10=10, 1d10=10, 1d10=5, 1d10=4, 1d10=2, 1d10=1, 1d10=2, 1d10=9, 1d10=6, 1d10=1, 1d10=8, 1d10=5, 1d10=5, 1d10=8, 1d10=8, 1d10=10, 1d10=1, 1d10=1, 1d10=4, 1d10=9, 1d10=6, 1d10=7, 1d10=4, 1d10=4, 1d10=8, 1d10=2, 1d10=4, 1d10=9, 1d10=3, 1d10=3, 1d10=8, 1d10=10, 1d10=4, 1d10=2, 1d10=3, 1d10=9, 1d10=7, 1d10=9, 1d10=1, 1d10=4, 1d10=1, 1d10=5, 1d10=1, 1d10=7, 1d10=9, 1d10=10, 1d10=3)

50 x 1d8 rolls (1d8=1, 1d8=6, 1d8=1, 1d8=8, 1d8=6, 1d8=2, 1d8=8, 1d8=3, 1d8=5, 1d8=3, 1d8=5, 1d8=2, 1d8=6, 1d8=5, 1d8=5, 1d8=5, 1d8=3, 1d8=3, 1d8=1, 1d8=1, 1d8=1, 1d8=8, 1d8=3, 1d8=8, 1d8=5, 1d8=6, 1d8=5, 1d8=6, 1d8=1, 1d8=3, 1d8=1, 1d8=3, 1d8=7, 1d8=4, 1d8=2, 1d8=4, 1d8=7, 1d8=4, 1d8=6, 1d8=4, 1d8=1, 1d8=1, 1d8=7, 1d8=8, 1d8=2, 1d8=7, 1d8=1, 1d8=3, 1d8=1, 1d8=7)

50 x 1d6 rolls (1d6=4, 1d6=4, 1d6=4, 1d6=4, 1d6=2, 1d6=5, 1d6=5, 1d6=6, 1d6=5, 1d6=4, 1d6=3, 1d6=2, 1d6=6, 1d6=5, 1d6=5, 1d6=5, 1d6=4, 1d6=1, 1d6=2, 1d6=4, 1d6=6, 1d6=6, 1d6=6, 1d6=2, 1d6=3, 1d6=3, 1d6=2, 1d6=1, 1d6=5, 1d6=2, 1d6=3, 1d6=3, 1d6=3, 1d6=2, 1d6=4, 1d6=3, 1d6=1, 1d6=6, 1d6=1, 1d6=1, 1d6=6, 1d6=5, 1d6=1, 1d6=1, 1d6=4, 1d6=3, 1d6=3, 1d6=4, 1d6=5, 1d6=6)

50 x 1d4 rolls (1d4=2, 1d4=1, 1d4=4, 1d4=3, 1d4=1, 1d4=2, 1d4=1, 1d4=1, 1d4=3, 1d4=2, 1d4=4, 1d4=2, 1d4=1, 1d4=4, 1d4=2, 1d4=4, 1d4=3, 1d4=4, 1d4=3, 1d4=3, 1d4=4, 1d4=1, 1d4=4, 1d4=1, 1d4=2, 1d4=4, 1d4=4, 1d4=1, 1d4=1, 1d4=4, 1d4=3, 1d4=2, 1d4=3, 1d4=1, 1d4=3, 1d4=3, 1d4=4, 1d4=3, 1d4=3, 1d4=4, 1d4=4, 1d4=1, 1d4=2, 1d4=1, 1d4=2, 1d4=4, 1d4=4, 1d4=3, 1d4=1, 1d4=1)

only that he was devoted to giving me all his gold and magic stuff for some reason. I didn't want to disappoint him so ... It's become a solid tradition ;^)

Ok, new Rulf, you own:
+1 Exalted Armor (Level 5)
Clerics and warlords often seek out exalted armor because of its properties that improve their healing powers.
Power (Daily - Healing): Minor Action. Until the end of
your turn, each character healed by one of your encounter
powers or daily powers regains additional hit points equal
to 1d10 + your Charisma modifier.

Also, you have used 3 surges so far today.

The party set out from Fallcrest a couple days ago. They were heading north to Winterhaven to investigate a note they had found insuating bad stuff up that way. On the way, they were attacked by a hippogriff carrying the remains of a hobgoblin. It seemed a precursor of worse to come, as the next day, the party was chased across the countryside by a goblinoid warband (some even riding hippogriffs). After hours of evading the horde, a mysterious stranger appeared and told the party to speak the name of the Platinum Dragon.

Apparently the word "Bahamut" had some power, and Kava saying it destroyed every single goblin. The stranger introduced himself as the dragonborn, Owyk, a monk of Bahamut. He offered to lead the group to the Guardmore Abbey, but instead led them to a hilltop with only a tree and three corpses hanging from it. Owyk dissappeared, and the corpses were in fact undead, attacked the party, along with a murder of crows. Once those were defeated, the party headed to a nearby building that, from this distance could in fact be the abbey.

The party arrived before sunset, but as they attempted to enter they were set upon by a spectre and suits of infernal armor guarding the gate. Putting those down, the party went inside as night fell. There was a minor run-in with some stirges, and then a horde of zombies. They also met the warlock, Canas. He was at the monastary searching for a friend, who also was a friend of A'loran's. And then things got weird.

The party's archer, Anmuspi, dissappeared, leaving only a giant pool of blood. An extensive search of the area uncovered some exploring gear, tracks, and signs of violence. The only way left seemed to be stairs leading below the monastary. There the party encountered some goblins and a hobgoblin standing around another giant pool of blood. Unable to converse with the goblins, the party resorted to violence. And now they stand over more dead bodies.

Map of the Nentir Vale

Current Battle Map This is always in my DM profile.

Current party roster:
Kava - dragonborn paladin that has taken the mantle of party leader
A'loran - skittish eladrin wizard
Latro - halfling rogue the party met on the road outside of Fallcrest
Canas - human warlock the party met in the Guardmore Abbey

Thanks for the details Ghettowedge.

I just need a bit of clarification on the dungeon map and the symbols/colours your using.

st =
at =
u =
e =

grey tile =
red tile =
yellow tile =

-/ + \\\ = stairs ?

* = statue ?

For one thing, the st-at-u-e just means it's a statue that is 10ft-by-10ft.

For one thing, the st-at-u-e just means it's a statue that is 10ft-by-10ft.

well, now i feel like a dope especially when I look at my post and read vertically. I at first thought they were the goblins you were fighting.

Oh, the * on this map are statues, the / are stairs, and I have no idea what the red and yellow mean.

Oh, the * on this map are statues, the / are stairs, and I have no idea what the red and yellow mean.

Sometimes it takes so long for me to figure out how to do what I want with the document program, that I forget to explain it to you guys.

The gray square is in fact a statue of a dragon.
Each * is a statues of heavily armored human holding a shield carved with a dragon emblem.
The red square is the pool of blood.
Yellow squares are light sources, two torches by the stairs, and Canas and Kava each have a sunrod.
Slashes are stairs. On my screen, the stairs going north to south look like (note the brackets below are only space holders):
[\----/
[ \--/
[[ \/
East to west:
///
\\\
and west to east:
\\\
///
If I don't maximize the window though, It just looks like a mess.

welcome Bacchreus.
:)
Kava = Leader of the group!? [/blush]
I think she's too modest for that (but being one of ony 2 surviving orig members)

1d20=13, 1d20=6, 1d20=18, 1d20=17, 1d20=12, 1d20=13, 1d20=1, 1d20=18, 1d20=14, 1d20=6, 1d20=9, 1d20=1, 1d20=3, 1d20=8, 1d20=12, 1d20=18, 1d20=4, 1d20=2, 1d20=13, 1d20=17, 1d20=6, 1d20=15, 1d20=4, 1d20=8, 1d20=7, 1d20=18, 1d20=17, 1d20=20, 1d20=18, 1d20=10, 1d20=6, 1d20=10, 1d20=6, 1d20=17, 1d20=19, 1d20=2, 1d20=16, 1d20=11, 1d20=5, 1d20=6, 1d20=16, 1d20=4, 1d20=1, 1d20=18, 1d20=15, 1d20=20, 1d20=1, 1d20=18, 1d20=5, 1d20=14

What in the name of god is happening?!?
I hope that the latest monsters have had a high AC ... otherwise I need to trade in my electronic dice.

What in the name of god is happening?!?

I hope that the latest monsters have had a high AC ... otherwise I need to trade in my electronic dice.

Yeah, it's getting brutal, I'm out of healing word but thankfully our hps are still quite high but I think we need to get out now while we're still up. I've just laid down my daily hoping to occupy it a little.

Well, I'm pretty sure I'm just in the middle of one of my strings of bad rolls. At least, I hope I'm not using any of my good rolls on this thing.

Everybody ended up in a string of low rolls around the same time, and as a solo, the monster has an AC of 19.

If you guys would be more comfortable, we can switch to you posting your rolls at any time. The only reason I had started with this method was because it was how the 1 pbp I was in at the time was run. I'm comfortable with you posting rolls as we go now, though.

Thanks for the offer ghetto, but I'm quite comfortable with the way your running it.

The contrast is quite interesting compared to the other pbp I'm in where you do your own rolls. In that one you tend to be more precise knowing exactly what your result will be while your posting whereas this one adds a cool element of mystery where your hoping what you do will come off properly so you have to couch your actions with this in mind while thinking of some kind of backup plan. Both styles are still good though, just different.

What I like best with all the PBPs especially is the freedom it gives you to get more in character with the roleplay side of things, which I find very different to FTF games particularly the non aspiring actors amongst us.

Regarding the low rolls I'd assumed we were just in a dry patch, and with this sort of creature my line of thinking is that its probably tied to an area its guarding and we would do just as well to bypass it as kill it.

I'm tempted to switch to rolling my attacks myself, but that's mainly because my rolls trend depressingly low. Now, I'd probably have the same amount of luck rolling individually, but it just feels less soul-crushing when it isn't in a fifty-roll chunk.

I'm with Bacc'
You're doing a great job GW :)
Just expressing some light frustration at the gaming table - wouldn't be D&D other wise; gotta take some downs with the ups :)
Cheers
Heath

While we're half in and out of the door. Whats our plan? Are we going to all get through and slam the door shut or do we stay and fight. Just asking cause this may require more co-ordination to get us all safely out.

If we're leaving my thoughts are that the guardian of faith holds it up and we shut the door behind both of them. This is of course assuming the shadow creature doesn't just follow us under the door

Kava is all for beating the thing into paste (intruder in her tample and all)

But as it's a solo we aren't likely to see it bloodied till it's lost about 100hp. This could be a big fight that will tax our resources unless something special happens. AND it's got another action point

I also don't think that closing the door on it is going to help.

If we fight ...
We need to start using the environment to our advantage. It's big and we have pillars that mess with it's movement more than ours. We need range attacks from 2 squares away while guardian and Kava hold it down.

sounds like a plan, I'll try and stay at range in this hall and keep peppering it with my gaze.

I wish I had a reason to do something else.

I'll happily listen to suggestions for increaded enjoyment out of this game. Even as vague as "I don't know if solo fights are that fun." This is my first homebrew for 4e, so I haven't exactly pinned down what makes a great encounter.

However, It may also be a trait of the system. I have yet to see a player of a ranged striker get as much enjoyment as melee striker seem to. The ranger picks a quarry and uses Twin Strike; the warlock picks a curse, moves 2 and eldritch blasts, etc.. The sorcerer seems a little more involved, but I haven't seen too much of them.

Either way, I'm all for this being fun, so criticisms are encouraged, and character reworking is definately allowed.

Eh, it's mainly because I don't have many options at this point. I could use Hellish Rebuke, which I didn't use because it would need to move 8 squares just to get to me, I could use Eyes of The Vestige, which doesn't work because there's nothing else to curse and I used the vestige with the most useful pact boon last fight, or I can use Eldritch Blast, which is dull but deals more damage. It's not your fault, the same option just keeps being the best. Otherwise, I'm having a ball with the vestige-pact warlock.

Oh, and sorcerers really are a lot of fun to play. There's nothing like using one at-will to attack four different enemies that are all over the map. EDIT: Chaos Sorcerers do have the same problem of using the same power over and over, but it's alright, because Chaos Bolt is fun. No idea about Dragon Sorcerers, though.

Melee is a bit of a rinse repeat too but i get your point that there is always charging, flanking and bull rush. Higher levels will bring about more options.
The WotC MM2 podcast talks about some solo's being just slog for eg. the MM1's Hydras. I still like it though - especially this one as it's doing loads of stuff to us. I just can't wait till I can do loads of stuff back with items and more higher level powers.
I love your turn list too esp the map link - that's great. Thanks for all your work.

on a unrelated note if you want to see some of my new work on you tube

Paladins were built for soloing. It's the mark 1 guy thing so I think that that's good for me. I still don't understand the defender concept though. They don't have much better AC or HP than other classes so how can/why they draw agro?

I think it's only got another 30hp guys - wail away :D

Paladins were built for soloing. It's the mark 1 guy thing so I think that that's good for me. I still don't understand the defender concept though. They don't have much better AC or HP than other classes so how can/why they draw agro?

I've seen all the defenders in action (and played 3 different ones for a limited time) and the paladin seems the hardest to get right. The whole str based vs. cha based stuff is tough because most players seem to split the difference, and neither is helping defense. The defender seems to work though, at least for having one guy soak it up. The trick is making the best use of your mark by forcing the enemy to choose between attacking somebody else or taking damage. Your allies should try to find ideal moments to provoke OA's, and similar tactics.

I take your point that DivCh is good to corral OA's - Latro and I should chat about that

I think that defenders in general need something to make them able to defend - more hp or more ac or ... something. Drawing agro is fine but I just don't think that they can deal with it much better than say a striker or a leader esp. when comapred to the differenc in the damage output of the striker or the buffing benifits of the leader. Hence the sword and board will be seen with Kava at least till we get another melee-er ;D

The upcoming Divine Sanction for the Paladin looks ace for marking multiple opponents. Great combo with Valiant Strike for crowds.

I don't know, the paladin in our 9th level game (I'm a warlord) currently has the highest AC, a 25. I know it's not striker damage high, but he does get missed a bit more than the rest of us. And as a melee based warlord, I'd appreciate a higher AC.

I'd have thought you were all up around there with AC boost items etal. Honestly I think that Plate just doesn't cut it, and Scale is the new Chainshirt. And to be an effective defender you need a shield. Big weapon defender is just inviting hurt.

25AC is something to look forward too though. I know in later game the distinction between classes seems more obvious and they really seem to take on their archetypes. In the early game I have always thought that Defenders have a risky time of it. I do remember a WotC story of a fighter standing up against a BBEG or whatnot and more or less soloing it while the warlord and cleric healed him his entirety of hps x3.
Enough rambling from me

I'd have thought you were all up around there with AC boost items etal. Honestly I think that Plate just doesn't cut it, and Scale is the new Chainshirt. And to be an effective defender you need a shield. Big weapon defender is just inviting hurt.

Last night I npc'd a goliath fighter with a great sword that my friend built as support for a small party of 6th level characters. He hit all the time and was pretty solid at keeping the others safe, but he ate every single attack that came at him. His AC was 22, but his Reflex and Will were only 13 each. I was calling out that he was bloodied constantly, and the cleric used all of his healing powers on the goliath in every fight.

To be honest though, it was a really fun character to play. I'm hitting a LFR event this weekend and I think I might rebuild the character at 1st level, instead of using my deva swordmage.

I've also been playing LFR a bit of late. Which mod did you play Ghetto?

I run a Palli in LFR, though he's only 3rd, I have a lot of fun with him. I also find that after you unload your encounter powers theres a lot of rinse and repeat manuevers in the games i've been in.

One of the things in particular that I liked about the fight we just finished is when the door was opened I got the sense that we could finish the battle by bypassing it and leaving the area. Now whether that was just my wishfull thinking I don't know. The creature could have been tied to the area or it may not have been able to get through the door. This may not have been as silly as it sounds with 4th ed as creatures usually cannot use powers without line of effect so with the RAW a shadow monster may not have been able to move under a crack in the door as silly as that sounds, similar to the way you can knock prone a swarm of spiders for example. Just a limitation of the simpler rule set.

Just as an interesting point of discussion and not singling out our last battle in any way (ps I also like the way you have the initiative order sorted especially with all the relevent details). In the FTF games it seems that the combats take just as long as 3.5 but you get way more rounds in, so maybe as has been suggested all over the net that monsters seem to have too many hps and the 2/3 hp thing may be the way to go.

Although this becomes a fine balance between having a combat drag into a grind or be over too quickly and be unfullfilling. Seems to me to be a tough tight rope to walk with the new edition and even though encounter design is much simpler thanks to the plug and play aspects, balance and playability is another beast altogether.

I've also been playing LFR a bit of late. Which mod did you play Ghetto?

I run a Palli in LFR, though he's only 3rd, I have a lot of fun with him. I also find that after you unload your encounter powers theres a lot of rinse and repeat manuevers in the games i've been in.

Actually, I didn't get to play in the LFR game. One of the regulars had asked the DM if he could run a 10th level delve beforehand. I didn't have the time to stay for two games and I didn't want to be a jerk to guys I hadn't gamed with before, so I just played that. Gaming is gaming, so yeah I missed an event, but I got to play.

My character was a level 10 version of the goliath fighter and that character was fun. My character in our regular game is a warlord that hardly hits, but this character couldn't be stopped. Even power attacking he was hitting on a 3! And his at-wills (knockdown and footwork lure) were so tactically inclined, that even when I was left with only those I still felt like my actions mattered.

Sorry for the delay in game and thanks for sticking around. Wedding preparation is uber stressful and time consuming. This weekend should be more productive.

Just checking, the two most recent map links go to the most recent page of the game thread for everyone else too, right? It just seems like an odd mistake to make...

my moneys is on H1 being a hobgoblin archer.
Damn those guys using there little goblin mates as trap detectors

Just checking, the two most recent map links go to the most recent page of the game thread for everyone else too, right? It just seems like an odd mistake to make...

I left the url box links blank so I could copy/paste in the first one and then forgot. And then on the second one I hit reply to my own post so that the initiative chart would already be there...

So, oops.

Love beholders & love Kenku
YAY

And I love MM2! Yay!

So jealous ... I want MM2 - love the new Eberron book :)

Don't worry Aloran - I can double move and get in front of you :)
I'll slap a LayOnHands on you ASAP

I'm running a 4e ftf game and the gang went into a goblin lair "Savage Caves" style. Was wondering how'd you get the Goblin Hexer to do damage with the Stinging Hex (or is it from the MM2). My players were frustrating the hell out of me avoiding DMG. Don't answer till after the fight esp if there are spoilers involved :D Just was after a little coaching as a Beginner at 4e DMing

I'm running a 4e ftf game and the gang went into a goblin lair "Savage Caves" style. Was wondering how'd you get the Goblin Hexer to do damage with the Stinging Hex (or is it from the MM2). My players were frustrating the hell out of me avoiding DMG. Don't answer till after the fight esp if there are spoilers involved :D Just was after a little coaching as a Beginner at 4e DMing

It was an error in the DDI compendium. I copy/paste my stats straight from there and never compared them to the book. Go ahead and check, since the goblin hexer is level 3 you shouldn't even need a subscription. It also looks like I forgot to make the stinging a save ends effect. So, that combined with deleting a 1 from A'loran's d20 list and let's say we're even. ;)

thanks GW. Darn ... wanted to foil my PCs maybe I'll throw the Gauth at them ... I saw the new beholder mini and it looks Goooooooooood!

This fight is going to be close. I guess I can take solace that Kava will be buried in her temple.
What idiot insisted that we try 1 more fight? [/blush]

I'm thinking maybe an extended rest after this encounter SHEESH! :D

You guys are doing better than I expected. You're doing a great job of eliminating one threat at a time, which seems to be key in 4e.

Until the freaking Goblin but that was resolved with team work. Taking out enemies 1 by 1 to reduce #attack iterations is always a good gaming tactic.

Good thing no one told that to stupid Hitler. "Al1!ez 4tha win"