DLS PFS 4x21 - Way of the Kirin (Inactive)

Game Master Bardez

Then post and say 'will edit'. Or, just post ooc and say "I'll post by [time]" by which point I'll wait until then to finish up the round.

The alternative, of course, is for us to post everything completely in initiative order. So, 1 round every 3 days.

We have a deadline of Sept. 30 to meet the PBP finish. There are 3 more encounters past this one.

Question regarding the maps, initiative and location: would it be better for you guys if I have a start and an action marker for each person? Like, a color marker like Jon's map for bad guys and then, maybe, a lighter color for their intended destinations? The problem I see is layering movement and so on; a ghost marker on top of a full-color marker, making things hard to read.

I try to push out the actions early to get everything moving, but tracking via map doesn't necessarily work if everyone moves around but initiative hasn't solidly planted their actions yet.

Looks like I've found the "dice" tag limits: example using 10000 d 10000:

Gorgowzowa peers over the cliffs, waiting for an ambush.

Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (14) + 11 = 25
You do not notice the stealth bomber approaching.

Nuclear explosion: 100d1001 + 30 ⇒ (289, 29, 196, 795, 128, 721, 479, 496, 767, 946, 714, 810, 826, 347, 961, 328, 1001, 581, 782, 906, 328, 975, 616, 271, 938, 865, 293, 715, 814, 296, 95, 768, 664, 107, 158, 89, 779, 982, 250, 908, 554, 588, 646, 839, 815, 217, 703, 568, 930, 311, 142, 646, 959, 622, 156, 357, 191, 245, 721, 374, 528, 938, 44, 513, 387, 522, 233, 783, 425, 532, 154, 809, 259, 917, 116, 459, 486, 487, 31, 189, 576, 592, 215, 362, 797, 158, 83, 415, 41, 695, 844, 486, 275, 492, 545, 141, 807, 556, 324, 84) + 30 = 50927

Game Over.

Turns out 100d1001 is the limit.

Gorgowzowa ducks below the desk...

Reflex Save: 1d20 + 100 + 100 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 100 + 100 + 7 = 210 Evaison for negate.

"Well, that escalated quickly..."

DC is 100 to save for disintegrate, not negate. Good bonuses for the Duck & Cover, though.

Quick question. If spider climb requires the subject's hands to be free, how do they throw the bombs?

I'll have to look into it.

I'm going to say only while they move.

I was thinking about what you sent on the surprise and stealth, etc. It said DC30 if you were in the light house or next to the windows to see them at the 40 feet. It said otherwise combat starts when they smash through the windows. What it didn't cover was actually looking out the window. So that's arguable, but I think it at least goes away when it says "combat starts when they smash through", or the ilk. So, could they be stealthed if they had to break stealth since it's based on being in concealment before you start and ending in it? Could you really climb through the broken glass at the top less than five feet away from someone's head for a DC30 would be my question, assuming combat starts fiat at the entry of the windows? And, if they are moving half speed for stealth to get through the broken glass, can they really get out of AoO range for the splash weapons vs. monk on bay window seats? I just have a hard time thinking that's what was intended by the blurb about noticing them before combat by being in the lighthouse, etc. Just wanted to put it out there in case there was a chance to review it before it got too far in. Otherwise, I guess it is what it is at this point.

I just read what you wrote for their initial again. They move in, attack, then move. So, is the attack the surprise round, or is the move in the surprise round? And if they are inside above you, certainly that's not two DC30 perception rolls to see them, right? They broke cover when they stopped in the room, right? So, there'd theoretically be a normal perception to notice them 5 feet away from you when you are on alert, then, and a chance to not be surprised?

I edited the opening round of combat after reviewing it; I wrote it piecemeal while distracted due to work issues. The surprise round was them moving into the room. Two of them won initiative and acted first. They then took their turns.

The detection of them stealthily scaling the cliffs is clearly explained to be DC 30. They were not detected. They then moved up the side of the manor, stealthily, into position above the two first floor windows. They then entered. It was a surprise round, and they were undetected, so no actions by PCs, AoO, or otherwise.

It's not like they were creeping around in the room positioning themselves. They moved in during surprise, then attacked during their turn, optionally moving. You definitely noticed them after they moved in, which is why the one guy in range provoked.

Ok, don't read it the same way. Agree to disagree.

So what are Pathfinder's rules for putting out a fire?

So what are Pathfinder's rules for putting out a fire?

Well, the best way is the druid spell quench.

Other than that...

The closest analog to this is Forest Fires:

...Within the bounds of a forest fire, a character faces three dangers: heat damage, catching on fire, and smoke inhalation.

Damage: Getting caught within a forest fire is even worse than being exposed to extreme heat (see Heat Dangers on page 444). Breathing the air causes a character to take 1d6 points of fire damage per round (no save). In addition, a character must make a Fortitude save every 5 rounds (DC 15, +1 per previous check) or take 1d4 points of nonlethal damage. A character who holds his breath can avoid the lethal damage, but not the nonlethal damage. Those wearing heavy clothing or any sort of armor take a –4 penalty on their saving throws. Those wearing metal armor or who come into contact with very hot metal are affected as if by a heat metal spell.

Catching on Fire: Characters engulfed in a forest fire are at risk of catching on fire when the leading edge of the fire overtakes them, and continue to be at risk once per minute thereafter. See Catching on Fire on page 444.

Spells with an instantaneous duration don’t normally set a character on fire, since the heat and flame from these come and go in a flash.

Characters at risk of catching fire are allowed a DC 15 Reflex save to avoid this fate. If a character’s clothes or hair catch fire, he takes 1d6 points of damage immediately. In each subsequent round, the burning character must make another Reflex saving throw. Failure means he takes
another 1d6 points of damage that round. Success means that the fire has gone out—that is, once he succeeds on his saving throw, he’s no longer on fire.

A character on fire may automatically extinguish the flames by jumping into enough water to douse himself. If no body of water is at hand, rolling on the ground or smothering the fire with cloaks or the like permits the character another save with a +4 bonus.

Those whose clothes or equipment catch fire must make DC 15 Reflex saves for each item. Flammable items that fail take the same amount of damage as the character.

Forest fires naturally produce a great deal of smoke. A character who breathes heavy smoke must make a Fortitude save each round (DC 15, +1 per previous check) or spend that round choking and coughing. A character who chokes for 2 consecutive rounds takes 1d6 points of nonlethal damage. Smoke also provides concealment to characters within it.

Now, the scenario does not call out the forest fire or smoke rules or the fire's heat or catching on fire. It's there as a possible threat, but not the focal threat to the encounter. Thus, it's left up to GM ruling. Based on the text from the scenario, it should be a real threat to be dealt with, if it gets inside. There weren't many barricades, so it got inside, per the scenario.

Extinguishing the flames in an adjacent square requires a standard action.

... there is a 25% chance every round that a fire spreads to 1 nearby square, determined at random.

So, if you have 5 squares on fire, one person can put one out per round. The odds are that the other 4 will spawn that one square back, or another in another direction. If it is more than 5, it will quickly overwhelm you.

Basically, don't even try it without a source of water that can span more than 5 feet squares. The s~!$'s deadly. You can use create water on a small fire (what Dae-Lhach was able to do, barely), but when it comes to an active fire, think of putting out a queen-size bed on fire with two one-gallon jugs of water. On top of that, if you are able to put out a fire square, it just grows again (see above). Options are summoning a water elemental, maybe use cold spells, maybe an earth elemental.

Now, if you want to know how I'll run it... several scenarios use fire and it's tough. I've seen them use the forest fire rules, albeit slightly adjusted. You can catch fire. Once it hits 1/2 of the squares in a room, smoke inhalation. Heat damage will come into play once the entire fire reaches... I dunno, 20 squares.

Fire is deadly, yo.

Ahh, well, its always good to know when when your screwed.

you had to ask? lol

well, here's how the fire scenario was scripted from the one I GM'd. It may be more appropriate here than forest fire rules since it says it can spread into a structure:

At the beginning of this act, the indicated squares on
the map are already on fire. PCs who begin their turn in a
square that’s on fire, or who pass through a square that’s
on fire, take 1d6 points of fire damage per square. Any PCs
who take fire damage in a round may also catch on fire.
The fire builds throughout this act. At the beginning of
each round after the first, each square that is adjacent to a
square that’s on fire has a 50% chance of catching fire as
well. The fire does not spread outside of Falbin’s garden
because of the wide gravel lanes surrounding his property,
but Falbin’s house may eventually catch fire as well.
The PCs may use a standard action and an appropriate
tool (such as a blanket, cloak, or waterskin) to douse a
square on fire as a standard action. Water or cold spells
might also extinguish squares within their area of effect,
at the GM’s discretion.

Ah, nice. I has two water skins and a tarp.

Yeah, I've seen our Venture-Lieutenant in the area run it using half Forest Fire rules (smoke, catching fire) and the above methods of putting it out.

Note, this scenario has a 25% chance, yours had 50% chance to spread. Also, note that you can only douse one square per turn (Standard action). Thus, if there are more fires than PCs, you are probably screwed. In this scenario, the ratio is more like one PC can maybe take on 3 fire squares.

Now, if you guys had a 15 ft tarp and guys on either side of it, you could probably do more than 1 square per round ea.

Now, if you guys had a 15 ft tarp and guys on either side of it, you could probably do more than 1 square per round ea.

Ah, nice. I has two water skins and a tarp.

Hrm, may have to rethink that, then.

j/k

If it's like 10' square, then you can put out 2 or 4 adjacent squares as a standard action by yourself.

If you have, say, a 15'-20' tarp, square, two or three people will need to work it to put out the fire with it, but would cover area (so...9-16 squares).

What do you guys think about Survival skill (DC=10+2 per square putting out?), failure by 5 and tarp gets set on fire, by 10 and whole thing? That's just for using the tarp, not standard of personal putting out 1 square.

If this plan is what I think it is, I do hope it to be executed with copious levels of AWESOME.

Crap! I just realized. These guys are human right? I haven't been adding my +2 for favored enemy. I'm a terrible ranger.

Well, they look like a human, talk like a human, walk on the ceil....
um... what was I talking about?

I honestly never knew that alchemists could be so deadly. This is insane. I think I know what my next PFS character will be.

I'll throw you guys a few hints: they have 6 bomb uses each, then they move on to alchemical weapons and melee. There is also no component pouch to disarm or steal or sunder.

could I use a net to catch the bomb?

I'm beginning to hate bombs. Seriously, weapons that do damage even on a miss are not frustrating.

If you are going to blow your wad in one encounter and know exactly what you're going up against, probably any Vancian magic user is boss. It's nice that these guys knew exactly which spell and option to pick at every previous level to be tailored to this one encounter. Perhaps you'd get that lucky, too, but unlikely. :) Git to put it in perspective. Lol

Riken, what's your armor? Says you have a 12 touch AC, so that's an auto hit if not a critical miss.

If you are going to blow your wad in one encounter and know exactly what you're going up against, probably any Vancian magic user is boss. It's nice that these guys knew exactly which spell and option to pick at every previous level to be tailored to this one encounter. Perhaps you'd get that lucky, too, but unlikely. :) Git to put it in perspective. Lol

Well, alchemists get formulae books, which are spell books, basically. So having the perfect spells isn't a big deal. As for picking the right spells, and using all consumables in one go, I guess the argument could be made that they are in an army with a specific role, but yeah. The scenario is heavy with convenient as-written GM fiat.

I think you misunderstood me. I was saying playing an alch isn't like this, because of those reasons. As far as an encounter for a scn, it's different, because you have them all in first and only encounter they have. That's the only point I was making.

could I use a net to catch the bomb?

Not really; these are like flasks of chemicals, not the bombs you see on Looney Toons. They basically put volatile substances in a vial that take 3 seconds to react, throw, and if it hits, it goes off on you. Also, I'm not even sure how you would roll an interception of a thrown object like that. I think there might be a feat that lets you do that, but not sure.

There are non-Alchemist alchemical items that go off more slowly. But their class ability and discoveries are akin to stronger alchemist's fire.

The fuse bombs, however, are the Looney Toons variety, which I'd say you could catch with a net and so on, but they would go off when they go off.

cwmjr, I was more in awe of the ease of hitting they have and the damage. I wouldn't expect to use them all in one go. I suppose they do have to get close to make use of it, though.

Speaking to your all-in statement, the next encounter specifically adjusts for the 4-PC party that certain x/day abilities have been used.

Also, these guys have a low INT score for an alchemist: 14. They'd be worse, I think, at 18 since their bombs per day would go up by 2. Though, the counterpoint would be more misses since their unadjusted DEX is 18.

I'm beginning to hate bombs. Seriously, weapons that do damage even on a miss are not frustrating.

From a game play perspective it's worse when you miss. You have to roll to see where the miss' direction goes, figure the range increment to see how far away from target, then apply the minimum possible splash damage originating from that square.

Looks like I've been playing their splash damage wrong, too. Theirs has a radius of 10', not 5'. So 10' apart still get pegged.

They need to have an email alert when someone posts...

So... what armor is Riken wearing?

You can strip an invisible guy :p

Roasted Riken. Not exactly the most glamorous way to die.

Roasted Riken. Not exactly the most glamorous way to die.

Now, there's an idea. But, I want to give Dae-Lhach a chance at saving Riken first.

I was curious since OMG HEROLABZ didn't print it out. I was just curious what the gear was, mainly due to armor penalties.

well, I've been debating it and without the meta, I just don't believe Dae-Lhach would jump into the fire. I can't see you now you're invis. My perception roll was too low to even identify something is really there. And the fight's on the other side of the building. With luck, the fire won't reach you and we'll get these guys knocked out and come looking for you.

...

Quick Draw Axe, 5ft step to S6 and attack

...

So, did Riken have his bow out? Is it on the floor, perhaps? Previous posts from Riken show that he had his bow out, but nothing states that he dropped it, either. The question becomes: is Riken's bow visible in the room, or invisible on his person?

NM; unconscious does not say whether or not they drop their weapons. I gave Riken a roll to see if he dropped, which he did. So, there is at least a visible potential signal of presence.

I had not dropped the bow. It was put away properly before I came down the stairs.

Perhaps, having been on missions together before Dae-Lhach is aware of Riken's paranoia for hanging on to weapons. The great axe might seem odd.

To the previous question about armor, Riken is wearing +1 Mithral Breastplate

Paka doesn't get any sort of connection like a familiar does, right? It can't tell you are in immediate danger, etc.?

Nope, I don't think so.

Should've taken a level of wizard.

Gorgowzowa contemplates all the choices he has made in his life, disappointed he will not atone in this lifetime. The shame begins to overwhelm him, constricting his heart, pulling the air from his lungs. With a great rush of air he fills his chest and lets out a primal roar of rage, his face pulling back as if tearing away from his mouth, his eyes rolling back.

Speaking of taking a level, I really think you should have started Gorgow out as a Barbarian.