Kingmaker Obituaries


Kingmaker

101 to 150 of 1,050 << first < prev | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | next > last >>

Warforged Gardener wrote:
Ooh, exciting new Kingmaker campaign. The group is liberated from the mirror and has to start over in a strangely familiar yet alien version of the Stolen Lands some centuries later. Maybe the bandits have been replaced by firearm-wielding militia and/or steampunk-style ReMade from the Dragon article on China Mieville's Bas-Lag setting. Steam-powered cyborg fugitives hiding in the woods and preying on travelers!

That's a totally cool idea. Maybe plop them in a Golarion totally taken over by wilderness. The elves have left, all the gnomes have succumbed to the bleaching, demons and devils fight between the Chelaxian hellscape of the south and the Abyssal worldwound of the north, Qadira has been destroyed by the Tarrasque, all of Garund is a desert, sea levels have risen everywhere due to the Eye of Abendego. So many things could happen. Maybe I'll end Kingmaker with something like this happening to my players and write a 19-20 level campaign around rebuilding Golarion society in general.

Liberty's Edge

Jason Nelson wrote:
I'm actually running two iterations of Kingmaker. My regular gaming group is about halfway through the second adventure, and I think our first actual death happened because of an Assassination kingdom event. However, I should state that we do play with an action point system, so a few times PCs have pulled their fat out of their fire and survived where death would've been likely.

Sorry for the threadjack, Jason would there be a place where a person could look at a write up of the Action Point system you use?

Graywulfe

Sczarni

Fallout: Kingmaker.

either the AP fails, and the "Bad Thing" comes to pass, stranding our heroes in an unfamiliar and hostile land, or....

The mirror is more of a portal than a repository of souls, and they just came out on the "dark world" side.

Cue the Super Mutants, Slavers, Raiders, and Brotherhood of Steel. Also cue the Wasteland, irradiated water, ginormous radioactive cockroaches, and Deathclaws (replacing Trolls).

Now I want to run THAT game, rather than the written AP.... :(

Scarab Sages Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games

graywulfe wrote:
Jason Nelson wrote:
I'm actually running two iterations of Kingmaker. My regular gaming group is about halfway through the second adventure, and I think our first actual death happened because of an Assassination kingdom event. However, I should state that we do play with an action point system, so a few times PCs have pulled their fat out of their fire and survived where death would've been likely.

Sorry for the threadjack, Jason would there be a place where a person could look at a write up of the Action Point system you use?

Graywulfe

You could email me at tjadenjason at gmail dot com.

Or I could dig it up and post it online. It's adapted from the UA/Eberron AP system, but has a lot of differences as well.

I could also post my old "three strikes you're out" system for death and dying.

RPG Superstar 2011 Top 4

1 person marked this as a favorite.
psionichamster wrote:
The mirror is more of a portal than a repository of souls, and they just came out on the "dark world" side.

Mirror to the dark side.... hrmm...reminds me of zelda.

Liberty's Edge

Jason Nelson wrote:
graywulfe wrote:
Jason Nelson wrote:
I'm actually running two iterations of Kingmaker. My regular gaming group is about halfway through the second adventure, and I think our first actual death happened because of an Assassination kingdom event. However, I should state that we do play with an action point system, so a few times PCs have pulled their fat out of their fire and survived where death would've been likely.

Sorry for the threadjack, Jason would there be a place where a person could look at a write up of the Action Point system you use?

Graywulfe

You could email me at tjadenjason at gmail dot com.

Or I could dig it up and post it online. It's adapted from the UA/Eberron AP system, but has a lot of differences as well.

I could also post my old "three strikes you're out" system for death and dying.

The latter sounds intriguing...care to share?


Two more to add to the list:

Name: Leyana
Race: Gnome
Classes/levels: Druid 3

Name: Zeveren
Race: Human
Classes/levels: Ranger 3

Location: Stag Lord Fortress Hillside
Catalyst: Broke rule #1: Don't split the party
The Gory Details: The party decided it would be a good idea if the most charismatic people could con their way into the fortress. Then, once inside, the other two would sneak up the hillside in the dark and climb the palisade. Of course, they were attacked by four zombies on the way and made the tough call to stay and fight rather than flee and leave their allies alone in the fort. They managed to drop one and were about to give up on the fight when four more appeared and proceeded to tear them to pieces. Mmmm... brains...


Name:Rhazan the Bull

Race:Human

Classes/levels:Sorcerer 3

Adventure:Stolen Land

Location:Stag Lord's fort (just inside the palisade wall)

Catalyst:Low Wis role-player

The Gory Details: The player was role playing this sorcerer as a gung-ho "fortune favors the bold" optimist. After taking enough hp in damage from bandits firing arrows as the team charged the walls (sneaking failed due to the sudden appearance of some moldy corpses), Rhazan leaped over the palisade wall, hoping to storm the baddies and save the day. Once over, he traded shots with bandits in the towers until the others arrived. Unfortunately the owlbear got there first. One longspear attack does not a deterrent make, Rhazan took both claws and bite damage for 20hp and fell to -16 on the spot.

The rest of the team managed to pull it off, but without any resources to bring their companion to life, it was time to roll a new character...one not so determined to rush into things.

(Rhazan had previously barely survived an encounter with a whiptail centipede because he rushed headstrong over the chasm without taking time to really think things through. Sometimes they never learn.)


LeiberFan wrote:

Name:Rhazan the Bull

Race:Human

Classes/levels:Sorcerer 3

Adventure:Stolen Land

Location:Stag Lord's fort (just inside the palisade wall)

Catalyst:Low Wis role-player

The Gory Details: The player was role playing this sorcerer as a gung-ho "fortune favors the bold" optimist. After taking enough hp in damage from bandits firing arrows as the team charged the walls (sneaking failed due to the sudden appearance of some moldy corpses), Rhazan leaped over the palisade wall, hoping to storm the baddies and save the day. Once over, he traded shots with bandits in the towers until the others arrived. Unfortunately the owlbear got there first. One longspear attack does not a deterrent make, Rhazan took both claws and bite damage for 20hp and fell to -16 on the spot.

The rest of the team managed to pull it off, but without any resources to bring their companion to life, it was time to roll a new character...one not so determined to rush into things.

(Rhazan had previously barely survived an encounter with a whiptail centipede because he rushed headstrong over the chasm without taking time to really think things through. Sometimes they never learn.)

I had a player like that, lol. Rhazan the Bull for a sorcerer name is funny.


wraithstrike wrote:
I had a player like that, lol. Rhazan the Bull for a sorcerer name is funny.

Rhazan had maxed his Cha, but jacked his Str stat as high as he could and dumped his Wis. The player used Conan as a visual cue, a massive, bull-shouldered slab of bone and sinew, but he wanted to play up his bold and determined personality as a destined sorcerer. Interesting idea, but ultimately flawed. Sorcerers don't have the hp to play the way he did.

Grand Lodge

Jagyr Ebonwood wrote:
vagrant-poet wrote:
Jesus, people need to give players a break when they roll high on the random encounter chart!

Coming from a GM's perspective, I'd say the player's need to give us a break when we roll high on the encounter charts!

GM: There's a rustling in the grass to your right. As you look closer, you realize it's a werewolf ready to pounce. If you run away right now you can probably-
1st level PCs: CHARGE!!!
GM: *facepalm*

Did you not read my post about an entire party TPKing at the first encounter?


Cold Napalm wrote:
Jagyr Ebonwood wrote:
vagrant-poet wrote:
Jesus, people need to give players a break when they roll high on the random encounter chart!

Coming from a GM's perspective, I'd say the player's need to give us a break when we roll high on the encounter charts!

GM: There's a rustling in the grass to your right. As you look closer, you realize it's a werewolf ready to pounce. If you run away right now you can probably-
1st level PCs: CHARGE!!!
GM: *facepalm*

Did you not read my post about an entire party TPKing at the first encounter?

I will be warning my players about potential TPK's in the campaign guide I will hand out since most players are not used to situations when the DM really expects them to run away.


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
wraithstrike wrote:
Cold Napalm wrote:
Jagyr Ebonwood wrote:
vagrant-poet wrote:
Jesus, people need to give players a break when they roll high on the random encounter chart!

Coming from a GM's perspective, I'd say the player's need to give us a break when we roll high on the encounter charts!

GM: There's a rustling in the grass to your right. As you look closer, you realize it's a werewolf ready to pounce. If you run away right now you can probably-
1st level PCs: CHARGE!!!
GM: *facepalm*

Did you not read my post about an entire party TPKing at the first encounter?
I will be warning my players about potential TPK's in the campaign guide I will hand out since most players are not used to situations when the DM really expects them to run away.

Yeah, that'll be something new for my players as well, when the day comes that I start a Kingmaker campaign. :D


wraithstrike wrote:
Cold Napalm wrote:
Jagyr Ebonwood wrote:
vagrant-poet wrote:
Jesus, people need to give players a break when they roll high on the random encounter chart!

Coming from a GM's perspective, I'd say the player's need to give us a break when we roll high on the encounter charts!

GM: There's a rustling in the grass to your right. As you look closer, you realize it's a werewolf ready to pounce. If you run away right now you can probably-
1st level PCs: CHARGE!!!
GM: *facepalm*

Did you not read my post about an entire party TPKing at the first encounter?
I will be warning my players about potential TPK's in the campaign guide I will hand out since most players are not used to situations when the DM really expects them to run away.

The party not doing what the DM expects is an age old problem. Well, IMO, it's only a problem when it's what the DM WANTS the party to do- the other people at the table have free will and can(and will) run contrary to you. They should also have the freedom to make wrong decisions, or to simply prove the DM wrong(which happened once in a Ptolus game I was in).

But I can't wait to run Kingmaker. I really can't wait.


So my group has played three sessions thus far, and I've racked up quite the killcount. I was worried that the scripted encounters weren't quite hard enough for my group, but the Old Sycamore at level one was more than enough proof that this was not the case.

SESSION ONE
Name: Ivan
Race: Dwarf
Classes/levels: Ranger/1
Adventure: The Stolen Land
Location: The Old Sycamore
Catalyst: Being a bit too hasty when confronting Grabbles and Tickleback
The Gory Details: . Ivan had spotted the entrance to the old tree and the party had climbed into the Old Sycamore, all fresh and level one. Of course, encountering the mites first the party felt fairly confident, they cleaved through them and the centipedes from the hatchery with little trouble. Ivan had chosen fey as his favored enemies, so naturally had a distaste for the mites which only fuelled the carnage. They managed to sneak up on Grabbles in a war council with some other high ranking mites, and Ivan felt it his duty to cleanse the world of the "nasty magical beasties" he so hated. So he charged around the corner screaming, ruining the party's element of surprise. Grabbles was quickly shot off of the top of Tickleback from a crit by the rogue, but Tickleback continued fighting and soon had the ranger within his jaws, sucking him dry. The party managed to kill Tickleback, but not before Tickleback had drained poor Ivan dry, leaving a husk of the ranger.

Name: Johan Sparta
Race: Human
Classes/levels: Fighter/1
Adventure: The Stolen Land
Location: The Old Sycamore
Catalyst: Trying to cover the parties retreat.
The Gory Details: After the party killed Tickleback, mourned for the loss of Ivan and looted the room, they decided to clear the Old Sycamore of anything living, stating that they never wanted to have to come to the tree again. It was all well and good until they reached the chasm. Ashram, the parties rogue, spotted the false handholds the mites had created in the pass across. He did not notice the 25 foot long centipede. It, however, noticed him. The parties sorcerer, Rholig, tried to cast Hypnotize on the bug, not realizing that it was immune to such a spell, and the bug retaliated by making Rholig drop into negative hp. Ashram the rogue quickly retrieved the sorcerer, taking an attack of opportunity to try and retrieve Rholig. Only due to rolling minimum damage did the Rogue keep standing. Johan felt it was his duty to ensure the rogue and sorcerer escaped, so blocked the path of the centipede, ready to attack if it came at him. It did come at him, and proceeded to bite him in half. While the centipede feasted on the fighter's body the remaining members of the party quickly vacated the Sycamore and fled all the way back to Oleg's.

SESSION THREE
Name: Ashram, Nicolai, Father Buck
Race: Half-elf, Human and Human,
Classes/levels: Rogue/2, Cleric/2, Monk/1
Adventure: The Stolen Land
Location: Random encounter in the hex east of Bokken's Hut.
Catalyst: Trying to fight something they've had troubles with.
The Gory Details: When exploring the plains east of Bokken's Hut, I rolled up a random encounter. With a Giant Whiptail Centipede. Seeing as several members of the party were still reeling from their encounter with the Centipede the last time, I figured this time they'd be able to actually work together to kill it, or just all flee. The party seemed to have other ideas. While riding through a small wooded area as the rogue mapped everything out, only several seemed to realize that there was a snaking shadow coming from above. Looking up, they saw a creature they were perhaps too familiar with. Immediately Rholig the sorcerer took off on his horse, abandoning the party and choosing to watch the battle from a hill some hundred feet away. Ashram, having taken up the rear would not be able to quite ride far enough away without taking one attack from the creature, so instead chose to back up carefully. Chatros and Father Buck, the fighter and the monk, fled far enough to not be attacked but stayed close enough to regroup and assault the thing if it did manage to grab one party member. Nicolai the Cleric was the only one who noticed that Ashram was in trouble and decided to try and distract the creature by channeling negative energy. The centipede immediately took offense to this and climbed away from its perch in the tree it had been hiding in and clambered after Nicolai. It bit the horse he was riding on, knocking it down to the negatives and leaving Nicolai on foot against the huge centipede. Seeing that one member of the party would die if they did not come to assist, everyone but the sorcerer rushed to Nicolai's aid. It was in vain, as two rounds later the centipede had Nicolai at -11 hit points. Father Buck attempted to charge the creature and was eaten by an attack of opportunity. The beast then came after Ashram. Chatros the fighter attempted to aid by charging the creature, but he too went down to an attack of opportunity. What followed was a fight between Ashram, Ashram's horse and the centipede. The centipede, which at this point was heavily wounded, managed to take Ashram down, and miraculously the Heavy Warhorse that Ashram had paid for took the beast down. The only player who managed to stabilize was Chatros the fighter, and the other three died in the fields by bleeding out from their wounds.

Chatros did not live long though.

Name: Chatros
Race: Human
Classes/levels: Fighter/1
Adventure: The Stolen Land
Location: Lying unconscious next to his dead party.
Catalyst: Trusting an evil character to be his savior
The Gory Details: Rholig the sorcerer is a human from Outsea, where humans are second class citizens and looked down upon. Because of this, he had developed some distinctly opportunistic and racist ideals. Rholig, after watching the centipede drop from his hill some hundred feet in the distance, approached cautiously just in case the beast was still alive. Seeing the creature was in fact dead and the so were most of his fellow party members, Rholig managed to calm Ashram's horse and rob the rest of the party. This consisted of the loot from the hidden cache at the lightning struck tree, most everything from the Old Sycamore, The Sootscale Kobolds treasure (whom they had slaughtered in session two) and completed no less than four of the quests offered to them. The party was well-off, with every character with nearly 800 gold by this point and Rholig looted it all, loaded it up onto his and Ashram's horse and left. Before any of the looting happened though, he made sure to stab Chatros in the throat, just to tie up any loose ends.

HONORABLE MENTION
Name: Rholig
Race: Human
Classes/levels: Sorceror/2
Adventure: The Stolen Land
Location: Restov
Catalyst: Becoming filthy rich
The Gory Details: Rholig had just acquired more money than he had expected to ever see in his lifetime, and after seeing the gruesome end of quite a few people that had taken to adventuring with him, decided to retire in Restov. Rholig now operates a human-only tavern in Restov, called the Rolling Centipede Inn. The sign for this tavern is that of a giant centipede dwarfing what appears to be a half-elf, and about to eat the poor fool. With the money he has "acquired" he was able to successfully purchase several bouncers to keep the non-humans out and is now running a successful business in Restov.

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Sounds like a fun game Mr StayPuft.


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

I'm guessing your players rolled all new characters after that fun session? ^^ Or did they ask for a less lethal campaign? :D

Dark Archive

Name: Unknown(The party never asked, the Dwarf never told)
Race: Dwarf
Classes/levels: Fighter 1

Name: Bizzlebee Thistlebottom
Race: Halfling
Classes/levels: Rogue 2

Location: Kressles Camp
Catalyst: Broke rule #1 Evil turns on its self.

The group, after picking up its Replacement for the last dwarf (killed by the Shambling mound) and the NPC Fighter archer. Decide to head out to the bandit's Camp they learned about from the attack at Olegs. Once at the camp, Bizzlebee Proclaimed to the group he was stealth around and scout. Then passes me a Note saying he wants to Parlay with the bandits to get the dwarf Killed. NOTE: both the rogue and the dwarf are playings Evil Characters, Rogue: NE, Dwarf CE( his backstory involves him killing his family, and shaving his beard) The rogue sites that the dwarf is Mad, and wants him dead. So he bluffs the Bandits into helping him do this.

The party, whos Cleric has a Carriage, a horse, and a driver, setup an Ambush with the new NPC fighter/Inquisitor for the bandits, the Dwarf and rogue loop around the back side of the camp. 4 of the bandits move to the Carriage, the Cleric and the NPc jump out at attack, the Dwarf and the Rogue and supposed to come from behind and flank them.

The Dwarf does, the rogue however, betrays the dwarf, and stays in stealth in the bushes. Queue Kressle and 3 other bandits Closing on the Dwarf! Kressle gets a Crit on the Dwarf, and with some help from the Rogue (who is stealthing in the bushes) Taking the -20 to his Stealth to Fire shots at the dwarf with his hand crossbow, drops the dwarf to Negatives.

The Inquisitor/fighter, who I modeled after Guts from Berserk(not going to lie, I munchkined him, but the part needed some muscle) Kills the Bandits, and runs over to heal the Dwarf. After much healing from the Inq, and Cleric, the rogue still shooting at the dwarf from the bushes, and the party failing their perceptions to see where the arrows are comming from, the bandits are all dead.

The Dwarf Finally sees the Rogue, and chases him, catches up and get a big crit in. I believe the rogue fudged his HP here, Stating he was at 1 HP. The Inquisitor warns them to Stop the nonsense, or he would get involved (LN). the rogue and dwarf agree, and go to start looting the bodies. Bizzlebee then takes his Chance to Stab the Dwarf in the back, Criting, Finally Killing him. The Inquisitor happens to see this, then Chases the Rogue down, and with a Mighty Swing of his Large bastard Sword, Cleaves the 1hp rogue in Half. The Cleric Gets the full xp for the enounter, and almost hits lvl 3, from 2.

At this point, I've Decided that there will be no more killing each other in the group, lol.


magnuskn wrote:
I'm guessing your players rolled all new characters after that fun session? ^^ Or did they ask for a less lethal campaign? :D

Actually we all had a pretty good laugh over it. Luckily my players are old vets and used to characters dying or retiring, so laughs were had by all and we rerolled another party, who were tasked by the Swordlords to discover what happened to the old party they had sent out and why they had heard nothing from them for some weeks. They were actually threatening me with bodily harm if I didn't make an obituary post due to the crazy circumstances.


Freehold DM wrote:
wraithstrike wrote:
Cold Napalm wrote:
Jagyr Ebonwood wrote:
vagrant-poet wrote:
Jesus, people need to give players a break when they roll high on the random encounter chart!

Coming from a GM's perspective, I'd say the player's need to give us a break when we roll high on the encounter charts!

GM: There's a rustling in the grass to your right. As you look closer, you realize it's a werewolf ready to pounce. If you run away right now you can probably-
1st level PCs: CHARGE!!!
GM: *facepalm*

Did you not read my post about an entire party TPKing at the first encounter?
I will be warning my players about potential TPK's in the campaign guide I will hand out since most players are not used to situations when the DM really expects them to run away.

The party not doing what the DM expects is an age old problem. Well, IMO, it's only a problem when it's what the DM WANTS the party to do- the other people at the table have free will and can(and will) run contrary to you. They should also have the freedom to make wrong decisions, or to simply prove the DM wrong(which happened once in a Ptolus game I was in).

But I can't wait to run Kingmaker. I really can't wait.

There have been times when I thought the party was about to die, but they found ways to win.


I'm about to start running Kingmaker and I've been thinking about making my players roll two characters since the stolen lands seem pretty deadly.

It will be the first time I'll be using xp and I'm wondering how you guys are managing it? Let's say a TPK after clearing half of the Stolen Lands.. Seems a bit steep to start everyone back at first level with most of the land cleared of it's dangers.

Do you keep the same xp from character to character? Restart at 1 and adjust when you hit the second module?

Liberty's Edge

legallytired wrote:

I'm about to start running Kingmaker and I've been thinking about making my players roll two characters since the stolen lands seem pretty deadly.

It will be the first time I'll be using xp and I'm wondering how you guys are managing it? Let's say a TPK after clearing half of the Stolen Lands.. Seems a bit steep to start everyone back at first level with most of the land cleared of it's dangers.

Do you keep the same xp from character to character? Restart at 1 and adjust when you hit the second module?

I have always thought penalizing players for dying was dumb. Unless the player rolls crappy stats (if you're rolling for stats), walks into the scene and puts a crossbow bolt in their noggin, I start new characters at APL (this is damn near necessary in a scripted AP style adventure)


1 person marked this as a favorite.

Character: Zorbo, Male Human Barbarian 6, General
Location: Ciudad de Colmillos (Tusk City)
Cause: Kressle, ASSASSINATION! event

At the Thorn River camp, Kressle escaped and headed south to warn the Stag Lord. When the PCs showed up there, Kressle luckily escaped again, and hasn't been seen since. Sixteen months into owning their own kingdom, the ASSASSINATION! event occurred, targetting General of the Kingdom Zorbo. Recalling that advantages in terrain, planning, stealth, etc. can up an encounter's CR, I left Kressle as the third level ranger she'd been when first encountered (by my 6 PC party).

Carefully sneaking into the General's quarters in Stag Castle one night - an event aided by her thorough knowledge of the layout of the ruined version - after Gen. Zorbo had been drinking heavily in town (an event witnessed by Kressle, so she knew he was drunk).

Kressle awoke the General with an axe to the head (an automatic crit, though we don't use the coup-de-grace rules) costing him about a third of his hit points, then won initiative and hit the flat-footed, prone, and drunken (sickened) Zorbo twice more - despite the chain shirt 'pyjamas' his perenially paranoid player insists he sleeps in every night.

Finally able to act, Zorbo raged and leapt to his feet, suffering an attack of opportunity (hit) and lunged across the room for his greatsword. He'd have been better to wait until he had a weapon in hand before raging, but old reflexes die hard in some players.

Next round Kressle closed on the General with a 5' step, and hit him high & low. General Zorbo bellowed for the guards and took two mighty, power-attacking swings. While the first came close to hitting (close enough that had he not been power attacking, it would have landed), the second was quite wild.

There arose a commotion in the corridor where the guard responded to the General's call for aid, but not before Kressle took another pair of swings, stepping past the General to get between him and the door. She only landed a single hit, but it was enough to bring him dangerously close to death (single-digit HPs). As the guard slammed into the door, trying to dislodge the small wedge Kressle had placed beneath it before her attack, the General abandoned his power attack and swung true, hitting Kressle a vicious blow that left her well-bloodied and thinking of escape. Unfortunately, his follow up swing again missed by a mile.

Equally unfortunately, Kressle's best way out was through General Zorbo and she launched a vicious pair of blows that not only felled him, but decapitated his downed body. As the guard and his backup succeeded in breaking down the door, Kressle scooped up the general's head and made for the window. Unfortunately for the two guards (hum War 1, I let Zorbo's player control them), they caught up to her before she could climb through and escape. Kressle cut down the first guard with her axe, and demanded the other back off. When he hesitated, she gutted him too.

Despite the commotion raised Kressle succeeded in her escape over the castle walls and into the city. The following week saw the PCs (and their troops) turning the city upside down to find her, but Kressle was long gone with her trophy.

Sczarni

Bigrin da Troll wrote:

Character: Zorbo, Male Human Barbarian 6, General

Location: Ciudad de Colmillos (Tusk City)
Cause: Kressle, ASSASSINATION! event
stuff

fantastic.

well played, and sounds like a LOT of fun for your players & you.


If Zorbo's player was fine with that assassination I am going to have to say well done- that looked like the right way to run an assassination. A third level character taking out a level six barbarian. Amazing.


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

With a proper coup-de-grace it would have been over before it began, but that would have been anti-climatic. Well done. :)

Silver Crusade

A critical hit for max damage, rolled by the player whose character had just been killed by a critical hit from the same beast. The tengu was deader than dead, but it was an incredible moment, and happened right at the end of the session. Dave/Tickleback's player kept apologizing to Alonso's player, but he couldn't keep the smile from his face.

This will be one of those gaming stories that gets told many times. :)...And that's what it's all about.

Yes! Tickleback is the toughest thing in the first book until you reach the fort, outside of the random encounters according to my players. No deaths, but the 3rd level dwarf barbarian (toughness, 20 CON & raging = 44 hp) went past the mites looking for something tougher to fight. A few rounds with Tickleback and his rider, and the dwarf was bleeding out as his buddies arrived, saving him from a coup-de-grace. Second campaign in a row that this otherwise excellent player has made this mistake - and the abuse from the other players keeps the memory fresh!


Name: Korneck
Race: Human
Classes/levels: Barbarian 3

and

Name: Yandil
Race: Half-Elf
Classes/levels: Sorcerer 3 (Fey Bloodline)

Adventure: Stolen Lands
Location: Stag Lord's Fort
Catalyst: Biting off more than they can chew
The Gory Details: The Stag Lord is a terrifying foe, particularly when you don't see him coming. After successfully hiding from the *flying* barbarian, a single well placed arrow picked him out of the air and dropped him well into the negatives. The loss of hp gained from rage did the rest. On the very next round, the rest of the party, realizing his threat ganged up on him to the best of their ability. He stepped out of harm's way to deliver another magically guided arrow into the sorcerer's chest. With a very impressive damage roll, he went from full hp to pushing up the daisies.

Although the rest of the party did eke out a win (with Akiros' help) I doubt this is an opponent they'll soon forget.

Six sessions - 5 PC deaths. Keep 'em coming!

Sovereign Court

Quote:


Grabbles was quickly shot off of the top of Tickleback from a crit by the rogue, but Tickleback continued fighting and soon had the ranger within his jaws, sucking him dry. The party managed to kill Tickleback, but not before Tickleback had drained poor Ivan dry, leaving a husk of the ranger.

Backtracking a little and a bit off-topic so i apologise, but i seriously hate how the leader of the whole tribe is such a chump; an advanced mite is still likely to die if one of the PC's sneezes too hard on him.


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
Alexander Kilcoyne wrote:
Backtracking a little and a bit off-topic so i apologise, but i seriously hate how the leader of the whole tribe is such a chump; an advanced mite is still likely to die if one of the PC's sneezes too hard on him.

You should take a look at the work of that guy who expanded Kingmaker for 6 PCs, he does a good job of making Grabbles more of a unique encounter. :p

...I also hear that he (awesome, godly man that he is, whoever he is) is working on a similar expansion for Rivers Run Red ~wink wink hint hint~.

Okay, I'll get back on topic now. ^^;

Scarab Sages Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games

I continue to be tickled to hear the stories of the Stag Lord coming out and striking terror in the hearts of players. He was such an anticlimax IMC due to missed surprise shot, bad initiative, and an animal companion grapple that he never escaped from - just glad to see him bringing the pain elsewhere.

And yes, Tickleback the Tick is one of the most hardcore monsters in the whole module. :)

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Considering I had a party of 6 and Tickleback one-shotted our druid a respectable Grabbles might be overkill.

Sovereign Court

MaxAstro wrote:
Alexander Kilcoyne wrote:
Backtracking a little and a bit off-topic so i apologise, but i seriously hate how the leader of the whole tribe is such a chump; an advanced mite is still likely to die if one of the PC's sneezes too hard on him.

You should take a look at the work of that guy who expanded Kingmaker for 6 PCs, he does a good job of making Grabbles more of a unique encounter. :p

...I also hear that he (awesome, godly man that he is, whoever he is) is working on a similar expansion for Rivers Run Red ~wink wink hint hint~.

Okay, I'll get back on topic now. ^^;

Heh, I got told :P

Rivers Run Red conversion almost up.

Spoiler:

Struggling with some of the climactic encounters like the Owlbear; its not suitable to add extra combatants but increasing the Owlbear's HD too much could easily be a tpk. Decided the Owlbear will have chain shirt barding instead of studded leather, possibly magical too.


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Glad to hear it's coming along. :)

Spoiler:
I was wondering what you'd do with the Owlbear. Personally I am worried about its ability to handle the economy of action of six players; I really want to find a way to justify giving it the 3.0 Haste effect, as I think that would really play up the "this thing is BADASS" effect of that encounter - two Awesome Blows in a row, AFTER a move, is a great way to shake up your PCs.


Name: Janos Valazkov
Race: Human (Ustalavan)
Classes/levels: Cavalier 7

Adventure: Varnhold Vanishing
Location: Kiravoy Bridge
Catalyst: Random encounter played into the monsters' hands and my die-rolling
The Gory Details: Four cyclops have set up at the Kiravoy Bridge, having found that people tend to come this way. They make a "funnel" at the other side of the bridge, to take advantage of their reach, and keep riders from taking up flanking positions. Full of gusto, Marcus (The Fighter) and Janos charges in while the cyclops are flatfooted, and delivers a couple of meager blows. The cyclops use their once-a-day power to decide on a roll, and gets 20s. Now, usually, this would not be such a huge issue, since the tanks have godly AC (27+), but I confirm ALL my rolls (rolling openly) and when I get to Janos, I roll another 20, and confirm the chance for instant death. We houserule that you get a fort-save akin to massive damage, and Janos' player rolls a 2. Fighter is bopping at 2 HP, his horse is dead, Janos is dead, and his horse is at 1 HP, bleeding from a critical (we use the Critical Hit Deck to make it all random).

The fight is gruesome, but the cleric and the wizard come in to heal and debilitate, the cleric's paladin cohort (Redeemed and atoned Akiros Ismort) does a mounted charge-smite with a crit for 70(!) damage, dropping a wounded cyclops immediately (Which is kinda funny, because in the fight against the stag lord, Akiros kicked huge amounts of buttocks, and established himself as pretty bad-ass). The cleric casts holy smite, and blinds them, rogue slips behind and backstabs one to death, and the other two are easily routed as they were slowed, blinded and under a "crushing despair" spell.

First player death, not that Marcus haven't been close on several occasions. Went back to civilization, bought a scroll of raise dead with the last of their party loot, and got the cavalier back on his feet.


Jason Nelson wrote:
And yes, Tickleback the Tick is one of the most hardcore monsters in the whole module. :)

No kidding, I had him drop 2 players and do some serious damage to the others before he was taken down.

Later, those 2 players who were knocked unconcious both contracted very nasty cases of Red Ache from his bites. Since the party was only 2nd level they didn't have access to remove disease, and they also were unwilling to shell out any of their hard-earned gold pieces to get them cured, so the rogue and the wizard spent over 3 weeks, in game time, bedridden until their immune systems were able to fight off the disease. And this was even with the cleric helping their saving throws with consistant use of his heal skill.


Earwig wrote:
Jason Nelson wrote:
And yes, Tickleback the Tick is one of the most hardcore monsters in the whole module. :)

No kidding, I had him drop 2 players and do some serious damage to the others before he was taken down.

Later, those 2 players who were knocked unconcious both contracted very nasty cases of Red Ache from his bites. Since the party was only 2nd level they didn't have access to remove disease, and they also were unwilling to shell out any of their hard-earned gold pieces to get them cured, so the rogue and the wizard spent over 3 weeks, in game time, bedridden until their immune systems were able to fight off the disease. And this was even with the cleric helping their saving throws with consistant use of his heal skill.

Hmm - my players didn't have as much trouble with Tickleback. I seem to recall that my dice weren't all that hot but even still, his grab ability didn't help much since none of the PCs were small enough. He did grapple with one character, but the reduced AC made him easier to hit for the rest of the party.

Given the sandbox nature of the adventure, the first things you meet will always seem tougher than the later ones. My players started by exploring most of the forest before heading into the hills.

RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

Name: Jan One-eye (and his horse, Frost Dancer).
Race: Human
Classes/levels: Cavalier 4

AND

Name: Nathaniel "the Grinning Man" Green.
Race: Human
Classes/levels: Rogue 2

Adventure: Rivers Run Red
Location: Plains north of the Narlmarches
Catalyst: Wandering monsters on entering a hex
The Gory Details: Having decided to go explore the hexes north and west of the woods and Oleg's Outpost (now Olegrad) in the middle of winter, the gang had just pulled up their tents and set out when they caught the attention of a pack of Worgs (which they initially mistook for wolves). When the canines changed course to charge the Cavalier after he had just moved passed on his ride-by, they began to suspect the pack might be a little smarter, perhaps having an unusual leader (a werewolf perhaps), but six bites and corresponding trip-attacks later, as they watched Cavalier and mount fall over, they began to worry, especially as Jan had managed to fail his ride check and get trapped under his horse. By the time they could catch up (and after a nasty crit on top of all the biting from all the Worgs) both mount and rider were very, very dead. Nathaniel drew the short end of the stick and was too close, with too little hp, to keep up with their loving affections for long, and was thus swiftly torn into little pieces before the rest of the party managed to figure out what they were and wore them down.

Liberty's Edge RPG Superstar 2011 Top 32

Name: Lots of horses
Race: horse, of course
Classes/levels:
Adventure: Stolen lands
Location: Narlmarches
Catalyst: Random encounter
The Gory Details: At this point trolls have attacked, consumed almost all of the horses and ran off the party twice. The last time the troll fled at 2 or 3 HP, but managed to make it off.

Name: Sam
Race: Human
Classes/levels: Ranger 3
Adventure: Rivers Run Red
Location: Southern Narlmarches
Catalyst: Scythe Tree
The Gory Details: Huge creature with 15 foot reach. The ranger charged and ate an AoO and is then the only person in mellee range when the creature crits and hit on another attack. Most of the party immediately switches to ranged attacks, as summons and pets get crushed by the creatures branches.

Liberty's Edge

John Spalding wrote:

Race: Human

Classes/levels: Ranger 3
Adventure: Rivers Run Red
Location: Southern Narlmarches
Catalyst: Scythe Tree
The Gory Details: Huge creature with 15 foot reach. The ranger charged and ate an AoO and is then the only person in mellee range when the creature crits and hit on another attack. Most of the party immediately switches to ranged attacks, as summons and pets get crushed by the creatures branches.

Charge doesn't provoke an AoO does it?


Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Pathfinder Adventure, Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber

1st death in the 1st session.

Name: Hugo Alahandros
Race: Human
Classes/levels: Paladin 1
Adventure: Stolen Lands
Location: Thorn River Bandit Camp
Catalyst: A poorly thought-out attack against Kressle & the bandits
The Gory Details: After defeating the bandits at Oleg's, the PCs kept one prisoner alive, promising to release him if he led the group to the bandit camp. Once they arrived, a quick bit of scouting by the rogue and a clue as to the enemy's location, a plan is hatched. The rogue will take care of the sentry, while the rest of the group attacks the bandits hiding in the clearing. Seems like a good plan until...

a) the PCs decide to change the plan on the fly, sending one character up the trail towards the camp (splitting the party yet again).
b) realizing that some of the party was still wounded before starting the fight and still going ahead with it.

Kressle & co suffer some losses, but Kressle manages to down the paladin, cleric & barb of the group before demanding that the survivors surrender (which is where we ended the session).


Quote:

Name: Sam

Race: Human
Classes/levels: Ranger 3
Adventure: Rivers Run Red
Location: Southern Narlmarches
Catalyst: Scythe Tree
The Gory Details: Huge creature with 15 foot reach. The ranger charged and ate an AoO and is then the only person in mellee range when the creature crits and hit on another attack. Most of the party immediately switches to ranged attacks, as summons and pets get crushed by the creatures branches.

why are they doing this mod at 3rd level!!

RPG Superstar 2011 Top 4

Xpltvdeleted wrote:
Charge doesn't provoke an AoO does it?

It does if you do it through threatened squares. Scythetree has a 15ft reach.

RPG Superstar 2011 Top 4

thenovalord wrote:
why are they doing this mod at 3rd level!!

They could have skipped a bunch of encounters in Stolen Lands, had a party member replaced at a lower level, or they explored outside their charter in the first book and the GM just went with using the second book rather then "angry glare turn back!"

Liberty's Edge

Scipion del Ferro wrote:
Xpltvdeleted wrote:
Charge doesn't provoke an AoO does it?
It does if you do it through threatened squares. Scythetree has a 15ft reach.

So if you end your move and attack in a threatened square it doesn't, but if you have to move through a threatened square to make your attack it does?

The Exchange

Xpltvdeleted wrote:
Scipion del Ferro wrote:
Xpltvdeleted wrote:
Charge doesn't provoke an AoO does it?
It does if you do it through threatened squares. Scythetree has a 15ft reach.
So if you end your move and attack in a threatened square it doesn't, but if you have to move through a threatened square to make your attack it does?

If I'm remembering the rules right, basically yes, if they have reach and you move through their threatened squares, you do provoke AOO, though not for the one which you end up in. So you could run up and end in their outer threatened square of something within their reach and not provoke AOO since you didn't move through any threatened squares, BUT unless you have reach also, then you can't attack them. It's sometimes a gamble to charge an opponent/creature with reach.

Also see the Acrobatics skill in the Pathfinder SRD: "In addition, you can move through a threatened square without provoking an attack of opportunity from an enemy by using Acrobatics."

Liberty's Edge RPG Superstar 2011 Top 32

thenovalord wrote:


why are they doing this mod at 3rd level!!

There are 6 of them and they had just got to the lower half of the Greenbelt. They kept away from the really nasty fights.

The Scythe Tree isn't nearly so bad (at CR 6) as tons of things you can fight at level 1 as random encounters in the first book:

1d4 Trolls or Shambling Mount: Even one can kill a PC a turn, maybe 2 if it is lucky.

Will-o-Wisp: Probably unkillable at 1st level with its 26 AC, spell immunity and 40HP. Bonus, they are invisible and flying. The upside is you can magic missile them, the downside is that even a group of 4 sorcerers who all spend all of the spells to magic missile still probably won't kill it. Also, you cannot run away, it is faster than you, on a horse.

PRD attack of opportunity chart wrote:
"1 Regardless of the action, if you move out of a threatened square, you usually provoke an attack of opportunity. This column indicates whether the action itself, not moving, provokes an attack of opportunity."

The charge itself doesn't provoke, but the movements does.


John Spalding wrote:
thenovalord wrote:


why are they doing this mod at 3rd level!!

There are 6 of them and they had just got to the lower half of the Greenbelt. They kept away from the really nasty fights.

The Scythe Tree isn't nearly so bad (at CR 6) as tons of things you can fight at level 1 as random encounters in the first book:

1d4 Trolls or Shambling Mount: Even one can kill a PC a turn, maybe 2 if it is lucky.

Will-o-Wisp: Probably unkillable at 1st level with its 26 AC, spell immunity and 40HP. Bonus, they are invisible and flying. The upside is you can magic missile them, the downside is that even a group of 4 sorcerers who all spend all of the spells to magic missile still probably won't kill it. Also, you cannot run away, it is faster than you, on a horse.

and again at first level you shouldnt be fighting them!!...encounter doesnt mean fight

My party has 3 sorcerors and has mostly battered every wisp, though i have got a few good shots back.

Liberty's Edge RPG Superstar 2011 Top 32

thenovalord wrote:
encounter doesnt mean fight

Nope, often it means run. Or see from a distance and avoid. Or cleverly ambush or tactically outmaneuver. Or jump in and try to put a beat down on it. But that is often up to the player.

I think part of the fun of Kingmaker is that it is deadly and that SOME monsters are not calibrated to be easily defeated. Some of them are nasty, Scythe Trees included. It helps cement the idea that the outside is a dangerous place with strange creatures many of whom wish you ill. For me this is balanced by the inordinate number of helpful creatures who come to your aid and keep places safe for you.

To each their own, to be sure.

thenovalord wrote:
My party has 3 sorcerors and has mostly battered every wisp, though i have got a few good shots back.

I am guessing that this isn't the case for many groups.

Even an archery built fighter (best case scenario really) has a 25% chance of hitting him at 5th level. So really magic missile is the only good option. It is likely that he kills any sorcerer/wizard with less than 16 con. Then the will-o-wisp can tear through the group more or less with impunity. Nasty, nasty creatures.


thenovalord wrote:

why are they doing this mod at 3rd level!!

'Tis a sandbox campaign ... go far enough off of the beaten path, you can get eaten by nearly anything.

101 to 150 of 1,050 << first < prev | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | next > last >>
Community / Forums / Pathfinder / Pathfinder Adventure Path / Kingmaker / Kingmaker Obituaries All Messageboards

Want to post a reply? Sign in.