I found some mistakes in the battle description:
Page 28 says:
The crossbow deals 2d8 damage on a hit
But page 30 says:
Large heavy crossbow –3 (2d6/19–20)
I believe 2d6 is the correct value.
Page 29 says:
Four of the Hellknights ride on warhorses, while the other six ride on the carriage (one atop manning the crossbow, two on each side clinging to the running boards, and one in front with Shanwen, driving the carriage).
But page 30 says:
During Combat Shanwen clambers up to use the Large crossbow.
So who's using the crossbow?
Also regarding the hellknights clinging to the running boards. What space do they actually occupy? Can they fight while clinging to the boards? At a penalty? Can the PCs attack the one on top of the wagon from below? Does the one at top have cover against melee? What about the rider and the one next to him?
Another question is regarding the maps supplied. It's unclear which side is west and which one is east... any idea?
While I can't comment on most of this, I will say that I LOVE the idea of Shanwen climbing up to the crossbow and tossing the poor fellow who had been manning it out of the way after a missed shot or two (and him bouncing down the road in "oomphs" and "ooffs").
Sean Mahoney
While I can't comment on most of this, I will say that I LOVE the idea of Shanwen climbing up to the crossbow and tossing the poor fellow who had been manning it out of the way after a missed shot or two (and him bouncing down the road in "oomphs" and "ooffs").
Sean Mahoney
Yes, I also had that notion and found it amusing :)
I found some mistakes in the battle description:
Page 28 says:
The crossbow deals 2d8 damage on a hitBut page 30 says:
Large heavy crossbow –3 (2d6/19–20)I believe 2d6 is the correct value.
Page 29 says:
Four of the Hellknights ride on warhorses, while the other six ride on the carriage (one atop manning the crossbow, two on each side clinging to the running boards, and one in front with Shanwen, driving the carriage).
But page 30 says:
During Combat Shanwen clambers up to use the Large crossbow.
So who's using the crossbow?
Also regarding the hellknights clinging to the running boards. What space do they actually occupy? Can they fight while clinging to the boards? At a penalty? Can the PCs attack the one on top of the wagon from below? Does the one at top have cover against melee? What about the rider and the one next to him?
Another question is regarding the maps supplied. It's unclear which side is west and which one is east... any idea?
For the purposes of our combat regarding this engagement.
Archers actually picked off the Arimger on roof manning the xbow.We allowed the 2d8 of the xbow is it was more like a seige-engine/crew serve weapon (thing 50 cal on a hummer) which ultimately ended up being sort of a moot point as there were three hits made with the xbow ever in this encounter.
1 time shanwen hit the barbarian, twice the barbarian (after commandeering the the xbow after splaying shanwen open with a crit on her great axe) shot and hit armigers fleeing the battle.
My biggest complaint was the idea that we hadto NOT try and kill people with what semed to be less hit points than our weapons typically dealt.
Should we have used wet socks with potatoes in them instead?
I mean a 1st level raging barbarian with reasonably good stats is awalking meat clever at that level (it isnt so bad after a few levels, the monsters arent soeasy to kill any more...or at least not in one shot)
My biggest complaint was the idea that we hadto NOT try and kill people with what semed to be less hit points than our weapons typically dealt.
Should we have used wet socks with potatoes in them instead?
I mean a 1st level raging barbarian with reasonably good stats is awalking meat clever at that level (it isnt so bad after a few levels, the monsters arent soeasy to kill any more...or at least not in one shot)
Remember you need to go to -CON before death, so I'd think all of them could withstand a couple solid blows (barring a crit).
My biggest complaint was the idea that we hadto NOT try and kill people with what semed to be less hit points than our weapons typically dealt.
Should we have used wet socks with potatoes in them instead?
I mean a 1st level raging barbarian with reasonably good stats is awalking meat clever at that level (it isnt so bad after a few levels, the monsters arent soeasy to kill any more...or at least not in one shot)Remember you need to go to -CON before death, so I'd think all of them could withstand a couple solid blows (barring a crit).
That was my group's plan, although it would have been easier for the wizard to cast sleep twice... he cast it only once and then the armigers that were left awake awoke the others on their turns. They didn't even try to take the -4 for non-lethal damage; the cleric thought he could heal the unconscious armigers later, but then crit one of them for 27 points of damage, while the others started using coup de gras on the rest that were still sleeping...
Regarding the Large crossbow's damage, according to the rules of weapon sizes in the core rulebook, it should do 2d6 damage, not 2d8.
My biggest complaint was the idea that we hadto NOT try and kill people with what semed to be less hit points than our weapons typically dealt.
Should we have used wet socks with potatoes in them instead?
I mean a 1st level raging barbarian with reasonably good stats is awalking meat clever at that level (it isnt so bad after a few levels, the monsters arent soeasy to kill any more...or at least not in one shot)Remember you need to go to -CON before death, so I'd think all of them could withstand a couple solid blows (barring a crit).
That was my group's plan, although it would have been easier for the wizard to cast sleep twice... he cast it only once and then the armigers that were left awake awoke the others on their turns. They didn't even try to take the -4 for non-lethal damage; the cleric thought he could heal the unconscious armigers later, but then crit one of them for 27 points of damage, while the others started using coup de gras on the rest that were still sleeping...
Regarding the Large crossbow's damage, according to the rules of weapon sizes in the core rulebook, it should do 2d6 damage, not 2d8.
2d8 for monstrously huge crossbow bolts was too fun to pass up so wedidnt rules lawyer it.
Besides thoughts of the halfling impaled on a tree by a crossbow bolt the size ofa rain gutter seemed amusing (even though it didnt happen)
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The not killing the baddies got a little hairy near the end of the combat. The Signifier resisted two Reduce Person spells, and our cleric caught a nasty crit that sent him into the water, bleeding out, and drowning.
Whilst our Dwarf Fighter was swinging his sap mightily, I felt that ending the combat would be a good idea, regardless of wether or not some Hellknight lived or not, and so I promptly set the Crossbow and the Armiger manning ablaze with an Alchemist's Fire flask, Enlarge Person'd the Dwarf, and started shooting people in the posterior with my Composite Longbow to good effect, but in the end, thanks to some lucky rolls, a crit with the Sap (and an awesome critical deck draw), and expedient medical attention, everyone survived the encounter. I kind of enjoyed the challenge, but feel achieving it is really based on luck more than anything else.