Honestly we're kind of screwed. If you heal, he can likely put you down in a round with two arrows that hit. If you attack without flankers he can take a 5' step and use the bow without penalty, same result.
If Holg does manage to get up, Birdfood is using human bane arrows. If he's out, then great, if he's not Holg may be killed outright if he uses them again. But Holg still won't have adequate HP to fight, and can only last a couple of regular arrow hits. Kaska is still tied down and doesn't have the HP to survive a hit with a human bane arrow, or two hits with regular arrows.
We need two people to box him in and prevent him from using the bow, but we can't get that in the coming round. Kaska can't risk an AoO from just leaving the orc and going for the guy. If it hits she's either down or without the HP to take a single hit from Birdfood. If someone else does kill the remaining orc and frees her up this coming round, she will need to use a potion of cure moderate wounds in order to expect to last more than one round fighting Birdfood. I expect he's still very dangerous using a melee weapon, so that having 10 HP as she does now won't cut it.
In other words, without tremendous luck in the next couple of rounds, we have lost this fight. So there isn't much for us to go with in terms of choices. It might actually be better for Fireday to finish off the last orc if nobody else is in a position to do it. That will free Kaska up a round earlier. He can't knock all of us out with the bow in a round, just one of us. The fewer rounds he gets the better. And of course he might miss a time or two.
We also need to get Birdfood off our backs long enough to regroup and go at him as a team. If Viv and Coen can do anything at all to hit him for some damage and draw his attention it would help. The hawks are an afterthought and should be ignored until Birdfood is finished.
Did I screw this up tactically? I'm sorry if I did. :(
Oh no, it's not your fault at all! Too many enemies keeping our efforts spread thin and Brainiac's dice have been hot.
So far at least the fights in Iron Gods have been more brutal than is usual for APs, at least from what I've seen.
Both orcs are very badly wounded. If Coen splits a magic missile between them, he could take out both in one go.
Fireday, remember to use fervor and heal yourself along with whatever else you decide to do. You could potentially try to sunder Birdfood's bow or disarm him if you roll high on a CMB check.
Things aren't looking good but the fight isn't over yet!
My experience has been that the newer the AP, the meaner the fights. Giantslayer has a running series of fights over three days with no rests. The Azlanti AP has a fight in water at low level with advanced grindylows that just make your entire party prone while the boss one-shots everyone.
I went for the sunder because it was more dramatic (I CARE NOT THAT WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO LOOT IT AFTER! DRAMA IS MORE IMPORTANT!).
Thank goodness for Nanite Surge basically guaranteeing the hit. I probably should have used a more damaging weapon, though that would have required me to spend time switching.
Was this a good use of my turn? My lack of healing mojo has been irritating lately.
DM, is the throne built into the floor, or is it a separate object?
It is a separate object.
@Viv: Maybe that's the thing. I'm only familiar with a couple of the newer APs. As it happens we're in those grindylow caves right now in another campaign. It's not going well. Ironfang Invasion starts with one of the long, no rest all combat slogs. It's not as bad as it seems though because of the really liberal healing provided. Otherwise it would be impossible.
@Fireday: The broken condition does make it less effective, -2 on attack and damage so it does hurt him. I've been in a dice slump this past week as well. So bad I didn't dare use power attack the last couple of rounds of this fight.
Did my crit confirm, DM Brainiac? For all my crappy healing, I think I just really hit Birdfood super-hard. Combining bull's strength with divine favor and Fate's Favored hits like a freaking truck!
A lot of the APs have brutal fights. This is not nearly as bad as some of the nonsense in the early ones. (Legacy of Fire comes to mind immediately.)
This doesn't seem like it is a problem with the scenario so much as a problem with us engaging multiple encounters at once due to our decisions.
Also, sorry about missing the ooc comment about shooting both orcs with a seperate MM. I'm trying to make best use of my persistent spell, and the major limitation is its 20 foot movement after being cast.
@Brainiac: Can Kaska get up on the platform, move to Birdffood, and attack in a single round?
@Fireday: yep, that attack of yours might have just saved our bacon.
Kaska, you can climb up move and attack in the same round, but you won't have to because...
Fireday, your crit does confirm! :)
Well, that was an impressive job my friends! Well done! :D
I really did not expect him to rapid shot, specially with such a massive bonus. I would have tried something different otherwise. Holg has burning disarm but I realized the bow was probably made of wood.
Whew! That was close!
I'm okay with spontaneously burning my other first level spells to return Holg to consciousness. I suspect we'll probably be sheltering with the Steel Hawks for the day and not engaging in more fights.
DM, I'll need to know if I had to amplify my telekinetic haul or not, as that will determine whether I currently have 2 or 3 points of burn.
Throne <= 400 lbs. = no
Throne > 400 lbs. = yes
It only took 2 points of burn. The throne was less than 400 lbs.
Woot! And as it turns out we did have some tremendous luck!
Hm, now I need to think of a name.
Still need actions from Kaska and Viv.
Sorry for the radio silence for the past two days. I was asked to switch to mid-shifts for two days because one of my co-workers got her wisdom teeth pulled, and I came down with an obnoxious cold at the same time, so I needed my rest in-between.
Wow! So many many posts stacked up so quickly!
There's a link to the map of Scrapwall at the top of the page now.
Everybody has gained enough XP to reach level 5!
Great news, thanks!
I will probably need a couple of days to set up everything for Holg.
That was fast!
Kineticist 5
+8 hit points
Infusion: Focused Blast
Class features: Infusion specialization, metakinesis (empower)
Kinetic blast damage increases by 1d6+1
Skills: +1 each of: Acrobatics, Heal, Perception, Stealth, Survival, Use Magic Device; Handle Animal, Knowledge (engineering)
Feat: Technologist
Level 5
HP +9
Feat: Power attack
Skills:
K. planes
Sense motive
K. engineering
K. history
Warpriest 5
+10 Hit Points (5 from Class, 5 from Toughness: 3+2 for each Hit Die past 3rd)
No improvements to Attack Bonus or Saves this level. :(
Class Features: Fervor 2d6, Sacred Weapon Damage 1d8
Skills: +1 each of: Diplomacy, Perception, Sense Motive, Spellcraft; Craft (mechanical), Knowledge (engineering)
Feat: Toughness, giving me a much needed boost!
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Baby might be coming soon! We are heading to the hospital now. I will check in when I can.
Wow! I hope the best!
All the best to you and yours Brainiac! Congratulations, if not for right now then very soon!
Sorry for being behind, I have a ton of reasons but ultimately...
life uhhh finds a way.
Level 5 Starsoul Sorcerer
HP: 5
Bloodline Spell: Glitterdust
New 2nd level spell: Twisted Space
Bluff, Knowledge Nature, Spellcraft, Linguistics x2
Cool thing you get Glitterdust Coen! I was starting we might find an invisible enemy.
Taking into account we are heading to a ratfolk nest, to potentially convince them of alliance, this will be Holg spell selection for the day.
SPELLS
CL 5
Orisons (4)
light
divine guidance
mending
detect magic
Level 1 (5/day + 1 pearl of power)
magic weapon - D
bless
shield of faith
remove fear
burning disarm
Level 2 (4/day)
bull's strength - D
surmount affliction
sound burst
defending bone
Level 3 (2/day)
magic vestment
resist energy communal
Kaska Level 5
HP +10
BAB +1
Feat: Dodge
2nd Favored Enemy: Constructs +4 (Doubling down on those constructs)
Skills: +1 to Disable Device, K Arcana, K Nature, Perception, Sense, Motive, Spellcraft, Stealth.
Background: +1 to Handle Animal, K Engineering
Spells: (1st) 1+1=2/day
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She's here! Natalie Skye, born at 5:46 PM. 7 lb 2 oz, 20 inches long. Both mother and baby are doing well. :D
@Kaska: When you get a new favored enemy every 5 levels, you get to assign another +2 bonus to one of your favored enemy choices. So you can have constructs at +4 and also another favored enemy at +2!
Hooray! Congratulations to you all!
Oh yeah, I misread the favored enemy stuff. I'll take aberrations as the new favored enemy. Seems like a solid pick for Numeria.
Congrats to you and the mother!
Is she your first?
Second one. Our first daughter is 2 years old.
Wow! That sounds like a lot of work ahead, but also some fun. Not yet children here, but I have seen this in my sister, 2 and 4 years now. Best wishes for the growing family :)
Congratulations! :D
Congratulations again Brainiac!
Glitterdust is one of those spells that works it's way into most sorcerer spell lists I think, it seems almost too good.
Also, I was not expecting +8 to will saves, miscalculation on my part.
+4 actually, they all just rolled really high.
You're up again Coen before I post.
Glitterdust is one of those spells that works it's way into most sorcerer spell lists I think, it seems almost too good.
Indeed. I lately sometimes choose see invisibility with my arcanes just for the sake of variation. But I am very happy you selected that one for our party.
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We are such bros, Holg! XD
:)
Let the party start again!
The map has been updated.
"Tee chuta hhat yudd!"
Goodness gracious me!
I guess we are waiting for actions from Viv and Coen, am I right?
Perhaps they do not know what to do and are just waiting too? Those kind of things happen in PbP sometimes.
Specially with doors and traps. Doors have proven to be the most terrible and energy consuming enemies in the campaigns I participate.
Yes, waiting to see if either of them wants to try to blast the gun before it shoots again.