Mmm ... for now, let's go with the Kestrel having some piping. Now that I think on it, I hate to cut down on the opportunity for fun, mid-combat dialog between group members. We'll say each major room has a speaking horn.
... which means within this next round someone should be able to get to the horn in cargo to warn Doc. (I realize this is a reversal from earlier ... I just like this better).
"Cal watches as his ship shrinks to a tiny speck in the clouds. 'He got there fast.' He could still barely make out the shape of the Kestrel when the hail of bullets took him."
Don't worry Cap. The second I can get Bingo out and start lighting people up, I will. We won't leave ya behind.
Sorry for not managing to post much/at all these last few days. Our local convention (which was debuting this year!) turned out to be a huge success, which was great; I had a lot of fun and got to try out the Malifaux RPG. PFS-wise, I ran two games, including being one of the GMs for Legacy of the Stonelords. I also had my first perma-death of a PFS character, a level 2 ranger who got critted when he had 2 HP left. So some highs and lows all around. Anyway, I am rather braindead right now, but I will definitely jump back into the game tomorrow, and apologies if I held anything up.
(Also, apologies if you read this msg multiple times due to being in multiple games with me.)
Hey, congrats on the convention! Sorry to hear about the character death, but I guess that's always the risk, right?
Hope you got some rest.
Sorry for going silent over the last few days. I got sick as a dog while coming back from vacation and I've been bed-ridden since then. I'll try to catch-up with the game and post within the next day or so.
No problem. Sorry to hear about the grossosity. Hope you feel better.
Unexpectedly busy day yesterday. Today should be better. I'll try to update around lunch (i'm Central time).
Okay, Point-blank Shot and aerial combat. I have a couple thoughts on this.
First, we could use the feat as-is, meaning the gunner of one ship has to be within 30ft of their target to gain the +1/+1 of the feat. This is tricky, though, as that's basically Collision range.
Second, we expand it to the range increment of the weapon being used. This, however, is very generous because most combat will likely take place at this range ... making the feat VERY useful, indeed (more because of the attack roll bonus then the damage bonus).
Or, third, we just ignore it for aerial combat. I'm leaning in this direction. I don't want Point-blank Shooters to feel like they've wasted a feat slot, but given the proliferation of ranged combat via firearms at personal combat scale, I'm not thinking it's ever really a wasted feat, even if it can't be used from the cockpit or gunner position.
Love to hear opinions on this.
I think Doc just declared open warfare on the town of Badger Lope.
They had it comin'!
Okay, Point-blank Shot and aerial combat. I have a couple thoughts on this.
First, we could use the feat as-is, meaning the gunner of one ship has to be within 30ft of their target to gain the +1/+1 of the feat. This is tricky, though, as that's basically Collision range.
Second, we expand it to the range increment of the weapon being used. This, however, is very generous because most combat will likely take place at this range ... making the feat VERY useful, indeed (more because of the attack roll bonus then the damage bonus).
Or, third, we just ignore it for aerial combat. I'm leaning in this direction. I don't want Point-blank Shooters to feel like they've wasted a feat slot, but given the proliferation of ranged combat via firearms at personal combat scale, I'm not thinking it's ever really a wasted feat, even if it can't be used from the cockpit or gunner position.
Love to hear opinions on this.
I am happy to accept whatever decision you make. For what it's worth, I certainly think it will prove useful even if only allowed with personal fire arms.
I say ignore it for aerial combat.
I agree
Heads up, I'm headed out of town this evening and my Monday and Tuesday will be crazy at work. Don't expect much from me over that time. I'll check in if I can, and if we need to move things forward, I can try to do that, but don't expect much fanciful writing. :)
Also, be watching this space, I have some questions for everyone regarding the game, rules, and characters so far. Nothing big ... I just want to get feedback as I plan the next few legs of the our misadventures.
Alright, so we’ve gotten a bit of combat and fun stuff behind us. I’d love some feedback about the narrative and mechanics of the game. Specifically the house rule stuff.
I’d love to hear from everyone, either here or through PM if that’s more convenient for some reason. I’d love to hear your opinions, whether they’re positive or negative. I don’t guarantee that i’ll be changing any or everything, but I want the rules to support the style of game we want to play in.
1) Overall, we having fun? Any specific thoughts on how I'm running the game or engaging your characters? I crave feedback, positive and negative. I’m having fun writing this game, and always want to know how folks are feeling with it so far. :)
2) Looking back at the character-scale combats so far, what rules are working well? What house rules have added something (either mechanically or thematically) that you’ve liked?
3) What house rules do you feel are getting in the way? Why?
4) Firearms: Are we happy with how they’re currently working? Anything you particularly like? Any thoughts on improvements?
5) Aerships: Are we happy with how they’re working? Anything you particularly like? Any thoughts on improvements?
—————
Secondarily, we’ve run through our first little group-mixing-encounters (and a few Paizo rule books have come out, namely ACG). Now’s the time to make any little swaps with your build or characters if you have something that’s bugging you or if there’s a change you wish you would have made up-front.
If this is the case, let me know what you’d like and we’ll go from there.
Obviously, if—along the way as we tweak houserules and stuff—if some change to the mechanics of the game undermine your character or build, we can work out the details of making sure you like what you're playing.
Also, everyone level up! That was a hard-fought opening chapter. :)
Woo hoo!
I'd like to play a little more before rendering judgement on some of your questions. I just don't know that I have enough info to give you a solid opinion yet. However, I'll put thought into the questions and try to give you some feedback.
Fair enough, Doc.
Just wanted to say that I leveled up simultaneously in two different PBPs. Since this one requires me to do 4 characters, I did the other one first. Hopefully I can do all updates this weekend.
As for your questions--I am loving the game so far. The story and setting are great, and I like the character-scale combats. Roll20 helped with the maps, and I like the fast pace and sense of danger.
I think the aership battles would be cool, but like you said our armor is too high. It eliminated the sense of urgency when I saw that we couldn't be damaged by their guns. It took away the stakes of the fight, and made the brave attempts by the enemy pilots become just a no-chance suicide mission. Easily fixed by reducing our armor or increasing their damage (I prefer the former). Alternatively, could they have targeted certain critical systems to harm our ship more instead of targeting the armored hull (kind of like a called shot)?
For my part, I really like the other crew's dialogue and personalities. I feel like I haven't quite found Ambrose's voice yet (maybe that is partially a result of me being in multiple PbPs?), but I hope I do because I'd like him to have a good place in the interactions of the others. I think it'll help once I get more exposed to the campaign world. It doesn't help that IRL I am NOT good at any sort of mechanics or understanding how machines work. My character is a pilot and would understand things a lot better than I do. Again, I think this will improve as I see how all of you talk about the ship and its systems.
Here are all of the changes for my guys. This level was tough because I had to upgrade all three dogs, but that won’t happen again (thankfully). Again, don’t worry about them bogging down combat. Hester is strictly a hunting/tracking dog. I didn’t even give her the attack command.
One weird thing that came up flavor-wise vs mechanics: at level 4 the dogs “grow” to medium size. I don’t mind Elsie being medium sized because she’s a big dog. When Hester gets there, I’m just not going to take that advancement (can take ability bonus instead). But for Rowena, I want her to get stronger, but it’s kind of weird story-wise to all of a sudden have her enlarge up a size category. Can we just say that she over time grows stronger and is mechanically “medium-sized”, but she doesn’t overnight enlarge like magic?
Question—do the dogs get the Heroic bonuses as well? I assume not.
Second question—an animal with Int 1 can learn 3 tricks, Int 2 can learn 6 tricks. Can Int 3 (Rowena, now) learn up to 9 tricks?
Ambrose
6+2 HP
+1 BAB
+1 RS
+1 WS
+1 challenge damage
6 skills plus pilot (includes favored class): Diplomacy, Handle Animal, Knowledge Local, Knowledge Nature, Perception, Sense Motive
Heroic bonus: Weapon +1, Shield (if worn): +1
Takedown (replaces Cavalier’s Charge)
Huntmaster Feat
Rowena:
+1 Heroic bonus to weapon?
+1 HD (+5 + 3 HP)
+1 BAB
+1 FS
+1 RS
+1 skill rank (acrobatics)
+2 natural armor
+1 str/dex
+1 bonus trick: Flank
Evasion
+1 to Int
Size Medium; Attack bite (1d6); Ability Scores Str +4, Dex –2, Con +2.
Elsie:
+1 Heroic bonus to weapon?
+1 HD (+4 + 2 HP)
+1 BAB
+1 WS
+1 skill rank (Swim)
+1 Defense bonus
Bodyguard Feat
Hester:
Becomes level 1
+2 HD
+1 BAB
+3 Fort
+3 Ref
2 skills: Acrobatics and Survival
Run feat
Tricks: Fetch, Flee, Get Help, Heel, Hunt, Seek, Track
Ambrose, as for Rowena's size increase, yep ... just flavor it over time. I'd suggest she's a young dog just now coming into her size. So over the course of leveling up, just narrate her as growing. Then when the actual size increase happens, we'll say she's crossed the threshold from being a largish small dog into being a smallish medium dog (and can still continue growing into her new size as you desire). That work?
Heroic bonuses: Yah, let's keep those to your hero alone for the time being. As those bonuses are supposed to be in place of standard magical gear upgrades that the system kind of expects, I'd prefer they stay on the heroes themselves.
The argument to this I would think would be that characters with animal companions often want to spend some of that expected wealth to also upgrade their AC at the expense of their character. If you're really interested in doing that, I'm sure we can come up with a tradeoff, where you sacrifice Heroic bonuses to be given to the dogs, but it won't be something you can change at whim ... more like you apply it at level up and it's there until you level again. (or something.)
Animal Tricks: I believe that's correct, but I can look into it further. Go with 9 for now.
One more question: Is your hope/expectation that on any given situation, you could be bringing along both Hester and Rowena? I assume so, but I want to know what to expect moving forward.
I haven't updated my character sheet yet but here are the highlights minus the details of my 3rd level feat.
Sorc 2
+1 BAB
+4 HP
+1 Will Save
+1 K:Navigation (free)
+1 K:Geography (free)
+1 Linguistics - Ancient Gulkish
+1 Pilot
+1 K:Engineering
+1 Perception
+1 Sense Motive
+1 Bluff
+1 K:Planes
+1 K:Religion
+1 Cantrip: Ghost Sound
Concentration +6
Feat: Expanded Arcana - 1st Sorc - ?
I have class and a test due tonight, but I will be upgrading Tiny ASAP. Probably with another level of Slayer
Yeah, I need to finish updating Callum, too.
Fair warning for all: I might abruptly be out of pocket somewhere around the 15th. My wife's level 1 Ankle-biter summoning should be complete. Mr Narrator can work around me or RP as needed, if it becomes necessary.
Congrats on the new 'familiar'!
1) Overall, we having fun? Any specific thoughts on how I'm running the game or engaging your characters? I crave feedback, positive and negative. I’m having fun writing this game, and always want to know how folks are feeling with it so far. :)
I'm having fun with it. I think your DMing style is fine: You aren't oppressive or railroading as evidenced by how open you are to our leading the game along tangents. You are also adjusting quickly to what the players throw at you. So good on ya there!
2) Looking back at the character-scale combats so far, what rules are working well? What house rules have added something (either mechanically or thematically) that you’ve liked?
I'm not sure I've seen enough of this yet to have a solid opinion. Nothing in the combat has stood out as glaringly bad or awesome yet. Injury/Strain is an interesting system but I don't think I've warmed up to it yet. That's a 'me' thing though, not a statement on the system. I think the guns are working well.
3) What house rules do you feel are getting in the way? Why?
Not sure I'd say "getting in the way" or that it is a house-rule but the need to do magic extremely covertly is certainly adding tactical challenges. I sort of feel like I've got one hand tied behind my back. That isn't necessarily a bad thing and you were quite clear that playing a caster would be a challenge. I suppose the one spot where it may become a problem vis a vis testing out your system is that I doubt I'll ever be in a position to unload so many spells at one time that we'll be able to test the 'pushing magic' rules.
4) Firearms: Are we happy with how they’re currently working? Anything you particularly like? Any thoughts on improvements?
I'm OK with the firearms but I feel like I'm speaking a bit early on that subject and I haven't unloaded on anyone with a duck-billed shotgun.
5) Aerships: Are we happy with how they’re working? Anything you particularly like? Any thoughts on improvements?
I think a map of the ship would be awesome to make it more 'real' and eliminate some of the vagaries in combat. I'm OK with the free-form "2 rounds to get from cargo to top gun" thing but if we ever get boarded, it would be great to have a map. I also think you should mull over the armor level/cannon damage. Much as I like being impervious, having bullets ripping through the ship is just too cool. Also, I'm a big fan of the communication system. It may not be 100% realistic but it adds to the fun with us being able to shout to each other and adjust tactics.
Level Up: Alchemist
HP: +6
Saves: W +1
BAB: +1
Skill points: +1 Climb, +2 Craft Alchemy, +1 Disable Device, +1 Kn Engineering, +1 Perception, +1 Profession: Mechanic
Bomb damage increases by one step
Feats: Dodge
Extracts learned: Disguise Self
I thiiiink that's everything. My skills are a minor mess because I'm too reliant on Hero Lab, but I'll try and get a proper version of her sheet up soon.
I feel your pain, Gilly. I'm so addicted to HeroLab that updating took a little more time than I would have liked. On that note, Doc is leveled up fully... and I may have solved that pesky 'burned as a heretic for making certain gestures' problem.
I took Expanded Arcana as my feat to get the spell Illusion of Calm which should let me cast relatively unseen.
One more question: Is your hope/expectation that on any given situation, you could be bringing along both Hester and Rowena? I assume so, but I want to know what to expect moving forward.
Rowena and Elsie together sometimes, yes. I see Hester remaining on the ship unless we need a bloodhound for something.
Is there any reason to believe UMD will ever come into play? Are there any magic devices in this world?
Full disclosure: I haven't thought much about it. Take that for what it's worth.
So, I probably shouldn't invest any points into the skill.
There will be magic devices, though.
Fuller answer: magic items will be relatively about as prevalent as magic is. Which is to say there is very likely a lot of magic item creation/usage in the reclusive, underground world of Daemonism. So you're about as likely to run across those items are you are those types of people.
The Church also likely makes use of the types of magic items they can create ... which would predominantly be stuff like healing tools and whatnot.
Now, if you were to somehow find your way into some missions or quests delving into other exotic or historical cultures (which might have or have had DAemonism or mysticism as a larger part of their cultural makeup) you may end up finding some items that may require UMD to utilize.
Clear as mud?
Yep. About that clear. I think I know how to move forward.
I'm prepping for the next chapter of the game. Don't post in the game thread until I open that back up, please. :)
I likely won't have it up today, but I'll see about getting us rocking again. Until then, work on leveling up. It shouldn't take me too long.
The worst of the busy season hit. I'm still here, still moving forward.
I'm like a duck ... little feet spinning frenetically below the surface. I'll kick us off when I can get past the craziness at work.
Should be in early December.
No worries. Btw, here is Zedd's level up info:
3rd level of Slayer
6 + 2 con + 1 favored = 9 hp
6 + 1 int + 1 human + 1 crew bonus = 9 skill ranks
Acrobatics +1 rank, Intimidate +1 rank, Knowledge (Local) +2 ranks, Perception +1 rank, Pilot Small Ship +1 rank, Profession (Aership Mechanic) +1 rank, Sense Motive +1 rank, Stealth +1 rank
+1 BA, +1 B Will
+1d6 Sneak Attack (can "study" a sneak attacked opponent)
Level 3 Feat: Precise Shot
Still getting over the over-workedness.
On the other hand, everyone seen the Star Wars VII trailer? :)
Shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up!
( I still haven't seen it. Worry the trailer will spoil it for me, but what are the odds I can go a year without seeing any? )
You can't, and it won't. This one's so fast and generic, there's nothing that just screams "I'm a major plot point!"
... at least that was my takeaway. ;-D
You can't, and it won't.
Says the DARK SIDE...
I haven't, and-- at the risk of being shunned-- I probably won't...
Star Wars has just never really been my stripe of nerdity, IDK. I'll certainly go see the actual film with my cadre of nerd-friends (or they'll kill me), and I enjoyed the original trilogy fine, but the Force is not with this one.
Dien... I may have to marry you... and bear you many fine children. :D
I am *ahem* not a fan of Star Wars, especially after the last three films.
What three last films?
Dien... I may have to marry you... and bear you many fine children. :D
LOL, nothin' like a fine flip of the gender roles up in here.
There was a short period in high school where I eagerly read a lot of the SW novels and actually quite liked them, but it just fizzled. I acknowledge SW has a huge cultural impact on our SF/space opera landscape, and that you can't really talk about SF without it in the same way that you can't talk about fantasy as a genre without acknowledging the shaping power of Lord of the Rings, but....
...but I like Lord of the Rings and I tear up when I read the Silmarillion and I care about it much much more than I do Star Wars. So there. Ahem.
Im a fan of star wars, and I watched the trailer, but really just trying to reserve any judgments or expectations until I just watch it. No expectations, no disappointments. :)
Dien... I may have to marry you... and bear you many fine children. :DLOL, nothin' like a fine flip of the gender roles up in here.
Hey, I'm nothing if not changeable... though I'm pretty sure my bride would be non-negotiable 'bout me giving up my boys parts for girl parts. She's kind of old fashioned that way. :)
I acknowledge SW has a huge cultural impact on our SF/space opera landscape...
Yep. I'm not dismissing it's impact or reach, just saying it's not my cup of tea... for a variety of reasons.
What I find interesting about the talk amongst the fan-dom regarding the trailer is the monstrous level of 'reading into' what are no more than two second clips and claiming the sky is falling and that JJ Abrams' treatment of the material is akin to boning Satan anally on your parents' bed in front of your Gram-Grams.
For instance, there is a shot of a Droid that looks like a WWI army helmet riding a soccer ball. In the trailer it is just uh... 'rolling' along. And yet some folks are already calling it the Jar Jar Binks of the new movie.
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I know, I'm surprised by the ridiculous level of fandom outrage, too. I mean, nerds are usually so even-tempered in their response to nearly everything ... especially when it comes to anything touching on science or one of their nerdy past times.