All's Well that Ends in a Well

Game Master Choon

Is the paladin you are building gestalted with bard?

No but that's tempting... Hmm

I'm going Oradin. There's a few very tasty Oracle of Life with Life Link and Pally builds out there that go 4 Pally / 2 Oracle anyway. This Gestalt 1.5 seems purpose built for that. Its not the most suggested, but I'm going with Sacred Shield archetype for Pally which will allow me to push my Shield Bonus (+4 total, +1 Heavy Shield with Shield Focus) to anyone within 10ft of me during any severe combat, and turns my Smite Evil into straight defense that I can push onto others as well. This all should help keep the squishes safer and allow our Simon and Emily beefier on the front line. Your the only person with a shield that I've seen, and the +4 Shield bonus would replace not stack with yours (unless your shield is stronger) which means you might be able to go full 2h too?

I'm open to suggestions if there's anything else people think we're missing. His offensive capabilities will be a little light, but I'm looking at STR 14, DEX 12, CON 18, INT 10, WIS 8, CHA 20. Cycling life link with Lay on Hands with an AC of 23 should keep everyone on their feet longer and really soak up the damage, even if I'm not the one getting hit.

That's useful
I would like to occasionally go 2h, and that would increase my to hit by one
but eventually my shield will have its own scaling enchantment but for now that's exactly my shield bonus
If we level up though, bard is useful to have for area buffs, or the flag bearer feat (especially if the DM lets you count your shield image as a flag)

I don't know enough about Psionics to tell which goes faster, but the Sacred Shield's divine bond flows into the Shield to scale as well. Between Paladins half casting and Oracles full casting at half speed with Gestalt I'm hoping to do similar things a bard can. It would be nice to get to a point where I could look at taking on a couple charisma arcane levels too. 3 levels of Fighter (Viking) would suit me quite well with too for their Shield bonus. Technically less AC for me, but more AC for everyone else.

@Oradin: Sounds fun I guess.

@GM: The last ghoul from the south is blocking our back. Is it possible for, say Emily, to squeze through (with acrobatic it should be possible, but otherwise?), or has Cain to kill that thing off before we can go back in?

I'm going to bed now, posted already since healing is a must at the moment. Let's see how many posts will be there when I wake up tomorrow xD

You can push through it with an acrobatics DC 19

To be honest, Simon, I don't think you need to heal. You're almost dead, but you're also not in melee combat. And if you did close, you'd still be pretty likely to get disabled by paralysis, making it a bad idea for you to try to close even at full health. I think it'd be better to cast summon nature's ally, since warm expendable bodies are really good right now. Do you have any ranged capacity? Also, can you please move back up the tunnel a bit?

Can someone take a look and see if any of us still have the undead bane oil which Dalkk gave us for Thulian?

I'm thinking about how to escape this round. We're not all out of the woods yet. I've got one more haymaker AoE spell in glitterdust, but these creatures have a decent will save and I'd love to make it out with more resources left for the day if possible.

Maybe like this: Maglin and ghoul east of Dalkk take out the ghoul in the doorway. Thulian moves towards the ghast still in the corner and grapples it. Regardless of his sucess, this draws the AoO so that Vuzi can drag Dalkk out. Once we're all in the hallway this should go fine.

I was thinking about how this is basically sacrificing Thulian, who is a named character and therefore has sentimental value. And then I realized that all the other Ghasts and Ghouls are fundamentally the same as him, with personality and history and all.

Edit: checking out oil thing myself.

Here is the post where Dalkk gave out the holy weapon balm.

We luckily got through that combat without having to fire any bolts.

Here's where the next combat starts.

I fired a bolt at a rat here.

And another one here. Though I don't suppose it makes sense for Maglin to have loaded his holy weapon balm coated bolt when they were fighting rats, I didn't specifically say that at the time. So I'm thinking Maglin's bolts are plain old steel.

Simon's got three arrows coated in holy weapon balm, though. So you'll do fine at range for a bit, I think.

Unfortunately holy weapon balm lasts only 1 minute if not used, which is why I didn't put it on more things. I should still have some in inventory if you can recovery my body, or if my body comes after you

However.... A quick look shows Simon has holy weapon balm as well... Simon actually has a couple ranged options. Longbow, longbow with Balm, and offensively using cure light wounds wand. Applying weapon balm is a Standard Action, as is drawing a weapon unless I missed quick draw. Arguably though Maglin could use his move action to reach into Simons bag and pull it out at least?

With squeezing rules and moving through allied squares I'm not sure I would recommend backing up just yet.

Yeah I have ranged, but in this situation my chances of hitting are simply bad.
Partial cover from allies: -4
Shoot into melee: -4
That's my total attack modifier, so I look at a plain d20 vs AC 15(?)
That's a 1/5 chance for a hit to do d8 damage.
It looks a bit better with holy balm (damage wise).
I would do so if I have a more or less free target, but with cover&melee going on ...

Summon would be my next action. But what to summon. Three weak meat shields, or rather a semi competent meat shield like a wolf?
And I fear it will be late anyway.
Maybe it would be more helpful to give maglin all the buffs we can, so you can try to pull them out with the help of Cain and maybe Emily?

Well this just got very interesting. The Ghast is one step closer and has to be dealt with. Very interesting bit about Drag and Bull Rush. As I understand it forcing an enemy past allies do *not* give AoO unless certain feats are taken. Thulian Vance goes on the same turn as the baddies, which as I understand it are up now. If Thulian attempts to drag his Green Mistress out of there he would most certainly be successful vs the CMD (per Choon paralysis makes it dirt low). If the friendly ghoul to Dalkk's East attempts to Bull Rush forward the ghoul in the doorway he could take that ones place.

Suddenly we've drawn out most if not all relevant AoO's, and have a friendly in the doorway which can squeeze allies through. If Thulian survives the 3 Ghoul AoO and the 1 Ghast AoO on the way to the door then Vuzi could be in the hallway this very round. At worst, friendly undead die and we've drawn AoOs out.

If Thulian fails I would summon something bigger like a horse. 1 in 3 chance that summoning 1d3 from the Lvl 1 list will only result in 1 creature anyway, and you'll want something with some HP to soak up any hits we missed. Preferably with a solid Fort Save too.

Ahh, I know what to summon *grin*
Earth Elemental (Small) stands around with a decent AC 17, mediocre hp 13 but most importantly: elemental resistances which makes them (together with other things) immune to paralysis...
And with earth glide it is highly mobile as well.
Offensive-wise it looks at a +6 slam (d6+4) which is okay.

That's perfect! If possible maybe have Maglin use his? On the offchance that some damage gets through you could heal him via wand? You could ready your action accordingly.

Actually ... the case of my wand is a bit undetermined.
I recall that we have discussed giving the wand to Vuzi so she could heal us if things get worse. At the very start of our trip if I am right.
But I do not actually recall if we did so or not ...

So quite possibly my wand was just paralyzed ...

That's awesome lol. If your given the chance because Thulian got Vuzi out, Dalk would really really really appreciate you sending in a fire elemental instead. I'll post accordingly when there is time, and I don't want you to waste the spell if you don't want to, but if you don't mind and there's opportunity to set the place ablaze once everyone else is out...

Dulkk wants a fire burial, I take it then ...?
But really, the small ones aren't that cool. Their attack is fairly weak and the reflex-safe is 11 which is really low.
Do you carry enough volatile things to blow up the chamber if I let it burn you? ^^

Actually... I might...

But more to the point that 50ish sq ft of webs are flammable, plus all the dry wood coffins.

Dalkk surrounded by undead with no other food = dead dwarf...

A yeah, I forgot about the flammable net part.
May work.
We'll see what is left of you two after the next baddy-round-to-come -.-

Another question: You can start a full round action in one round ending it with the second part at the stat of your next ... Does this work for summoning too?
I have a move action left from this round. Would be nice if I could summon a monster in such a way that it can act before the next-next baddy-turn ...

Spells must be cast with a standard, but may be completed in the next round with a move. Unfortunately they can't be initiated with a move action.

Monster actions to come soon. *Dun dun DUNNN!*

Actually ... the case of my wand is a bit undetermined.

I recall that we have discussed giving the wand to Vuzi so she could heal us if things get worse. At the very start of our trip if I am right.
But I do not actually recall if we did so or not ...

So quite possibly my wand was just paralyzed ...

I don't have it on my inventory. I don't think I actually have the wand.

@Maglin: No I think it is your and my turn now (while I posted already of course). That last post was just to allow the final resolutions of the last turn. Baddies-turn after you if I'm not wrong.

Hmm...looks like we should be able to get to a point where it's just Cain engaging with one of them in melee, and the rest of us are back in the tunnel.

In that case, I'm thinking about protection from evil. It's +2 AC and saves, which is pretty significant. I'm trying to decide if we're safe enough to not have to burn the spell, and I think the answer is definitely not. Unfortunately, it's a touch range spell, which makes it a bit awkward with spacing.

Let's see...that shouldn't be too much of a problem unless the ghoul dragging Dalkk gets a ridiculous low roll on their CMB.

Will post in two hours because I'm not 100% confident in this action and I want to give some chance for someone to recommend something else.

You can always leave Dalkk behind as a distraction?

Cain can take a hit, its the paralysis. Thankfully the +2 applies to touch, which is what the attacks seem to be. If you don't use that, I would go with anything that prevents him being touched or blocking the paralysis. I can't imagine the survivors here not breaking for camp after this.

You could try a bomb too? Try to wipe the ghoul

General consensus seems to be that the rout ...?
Or simply regroup, heal, buff and engage in earnest?
Between summons, turn-coat ghouls and the remaining resources of the day we should be able to get rid of this nest of lingering dead, don't you think?
I'd hate to leave them roaming around, never knowing if they follow us around all the time ....

Oh yeah, these zombies are going down one way or another, especially if we can get unfrozen and claim this hallway. To be clear does anyone have a means to barricade this hallway?

Well that's not two hours...

I think a small earth elemental is a pretty solid way to barracade the hallway. It probably can't get killed or paralyzed by the standard action of a ghast. We can also close the door if need be, which benefits us since if gives us time to use buffs and healing.

We can potentially close the door behind us and try to rest in here. I don't know how well that'll work.

If, however, we don't plan on continuing for the day after we get out of this (which I think we will), then I have no reservations about using protection from evil.

Well that's not two hours...

I think a small earth elemental is a pretty solid way to barracade the hallway. It probably can't get killed or paralyzed by the standard action of a ghast. We can also close the door if need be, which benefits us since if gives us time to use buffs and healing.

We can potentially close the door behind us and try to rest in here. I don't know how well that'll work.

If, however, we don't plan on continuing for the day after we get out of this (which I think we will), then I have no reservations about using protection from evil.

1) How confident are you in a closed door stopping this horde?

2) your parenthetical threw me off. Are you for camping after this encounter or continuing?

Hmm...as it turns out, the door never had a locking mechanism, correct?

And we've not got a lot of strength in the party...

Where's L'nshpahd? It can probably stand in the hallway outside the door and be very difficult to move, since it's the size of the hallway.

Regarding camping, it depends, but I'd prefer not to if possible. We'd not lose a lot to wait around here, though.

L'nshpad is sitting in the corner without a token, in the GM and my collective intentional blindspot eating cheese. So long as he remains a good faithful pack mule and keeps his fragile barely double digit HP tail away from combat he seems to remain a non target. I don't intend to jeopardize that status by pulling him out of a magical hat every time he could be useful. Rest assured I've thought about how he may help us in this combat but the thing about giant lizards and hats is that once they've been let out their a lot harder to put back in.

Also, where did you get your 2nd casting of web from? I only ask because I didn't see it on your prepped spells, and if you have a way to access your spells then Hold Portal might come in handy right about now

This has been an uncharacteristically busy weekend for me. Apologies. I will update as soon as I can tomorrow, likely in the afternoon EST.

The only way I have to cast spells non-prepared is my arcane bond. Which I used casting web a second time.

That's why there was some descriptive bits about Maglin using his left hand and the wedding ring he has on it glowing. He said, in elvish, "I can't see your face", because despite his great memory for lots of things, he can't see his now dead wife's face.

I totally forgot that your familiar was tumor based from Gestalt alchemist. Got anything from that side to stick the door shut? I actually feel pretty good about our odds of beating them if we can funnel them into the hallway, even in our current condition. I do strongly urge camping after this though. If we run into another encounter of this kind I'm not sure we'll be equipped to handle it.

Thoughts on camping in the zombie room once its cleared?

I guess Simon would hate it.
Anyone with a nose would hate it.
As well as anyone with a healthy wish to remain as far away from a pile of rotting (un-)deads as possible...

Jus saying, I for once would try to get away from that room asap after it is dealt with, let alone camp and sleep in it...
I have tripwire, bells and trapmaking skill, to create a makeshift sound-trap to save any approach to our camp. Then I think someone (probably Maglin) has the lvl 1 alarm spell as well, witch could be used to secure an arbitrary position as well.

Don't get me wrong, from a metagame, tactical view, I would be happy to take a nap here, but IC ... Not.

You've provided a strong IC reason why you wouldn't want to sleep here, but people do things contrary to strong reasons all the time, because they have other reasons that are even stronger. Your character, for example, probably doesn't want to die. In fact, Simon probably doesn't want to die much more than he doesn't want to sleep in a room that used to be full of undead.

That's obviously a false dichotomy, but the point it illustrates is that Simon's probably willing to increase his own chances of survival by doing something he doesn't want to.

Are you certain he wouldn't sleep here? Where would he want to sleep, if we told him that had to happen now?

Also...thanks for playing your character. Don't want this to come across as unappreciative of that.

ROFL, IC I'm picturing Dalkk using a bloated ghoul stomach as a kind of air pillow and telling Simon to just rub up against them, their paralysis will put you to sleep faster then warm milk

As I recall though the smell didn't come up til after the hallway. We could remove/burn the bodies. You could set traps on the secret door and sleep in the hallway along with whoever is keeping watch?

Hmmm both seem legit ideas. The point is, would we set up guards out outside the door at all? Wouldn't that prove our position to anyone stalking?

I can imagine sleeping right behind the secret door, so as far away from the actual creepy-stinky-room-of-undead as possible, while still well hidden behind the secret door.

Re: Simon...

Also...thanks for playing your character. Don't want this to come across as unappreciative of that.

I feel so bad for Simon at times but I do love him. Depending on interpretation we haven't lied directly to his face, but I feel like I'm misleading an innocent each and every time we convince him to go along with something he's uncomfortable with

I pictured the guards in the hallway. Emily, Simon, Watch Shift in the hallway, both doors shut. Alarms and wire on the outermost door. I would put L'nshpad and goats/chickens inside zombie room to keep the noise down.

I was imagining some iron spikes to keep the door shut as well. Did it open inwards or outwards?

Unspecified door direction I thought. Even if it opened in a different way then is beneficial I can't imagine our DM would ding us for it. Probably reasonable that we could find a plank of wood amidst the floor or supplies. The zombies were hidden amongst wood debris so it seems reasonable that wood would be laying about.

What do we do with the wood? Bar the door or somesuch?

Incidentally, I just had a nightmare which caused me to wake up by reaching my arm out to check if my door was barred...which it wasn't, because I'm a normal human, and it's across the room anyway.

GM Choon I think Maglin should be in that spot right behind Dalkk, able to touch Cain, correct?

Fixed. :)

What do we do with the wood? Bar the door or somesuch?

Incidentally, I just had a nightmare which caused me to wake up by reaching my arm out to check if my door was barred...which it wasn't, because I'm a normal human, and it's across the room anyway.

Wood: Bracing with the Iron Spike on the off chance that the door didn't open in a desirable direction. I'm glad you have them, there is so much little stuff I wanted to buy.

RL Door: Love the immersion but you don't keep your doors barred? It's a good safety practice.

Unrelated: is Paizo kicking everyone off their sign on? Seems I'm having to sign in if it goes just an hour without activity

Re: site
Yup. And you can't be logged into more than one device now too. I think they're still tweaking a security update or something.

IRL my door locking habits depend on where I am. I don't generally lock my door at college, where I am now. In fact, there's only one person on my whole floor who I know of locking their door.

Also: super irritating that the site keeps signing me off. If I want to check and see if other people have posted, I have to either first sign in or click the discussion tab and scroll down on all my games. That's like...-30 seconds however many times a day I check, which probably adds up to like, -1 hour a month or something. Oh well.

Unrelated: is Paizo kicking everyone off their sign on? Seems I'm having to sign in if it goes just an hour without activity

Jup that is very annoying...

Meanwhile on the other side of the spectrum I'm looking to install a medieval wood beam to go across my front door.

I'm laughing at Simon confidently going to move Dalkk, and then questioning how someone so dense can even exist, let alone move, everyone should be nimble like me-meow.

Anyway, Choon is having us make CMB checks to drag people. Unless I've been down so long I get to count as an object?

Not an object. Sorry. His CMD is 5 at the moment, but still.

No way could I fail this with a bab of 3 and a (AF powered) strength bonus of one, even a 1 on the roll will result in a 5. And the elemental even has a cmb of 6, so he should be able to move vuzi as well - if he understands what I want it to do...

@Dulkk: Jup, that's just the thought. ;-)

Yes, but your degree of success determines how far they may be moved, thus the required roll.

Maglin speaks Terran, so he can communicate with earth elementals. They're still pretty dumb though.