DM CH-P's CoT: The Bastards of Erebus (Inactive)

Game Master Feral

I got my hands on an APG pdf today. If you have any changes you would like to make to your PCs go ahead. If you could just let me know the page number the change is on, because I haven't got to read it thoroughly yet.

truthfully, i don't like any of the variant i read, not that i read all of them.For the most i prefer the standard core classes. The cavalier is a nice variant to the fighter, but most of his abilities relies on mounted combat and challenges. The evil paladin is a great class, but only suited to pnc's for me.

You already approved the changes I needed:

Lucky Tattoos/Birthmarks instead of Racial Ferocity
Deepsight (120' Darkvision)
The Sorcerer favored class bonus for Half Orcs.

I may take Ironhide as my 3rd level Feat instead of Dodge; it's a +1 natural armor bonus that requires Half-Orc or Dwarf heritage; I qualify for both Dodge and Ironhide, and hope to take both eventually during my career.

For some reason, Ironhide isn't on the d20pfsrd.org site.

Alright guys, it's on.

IC Thread

If you guys have any feedback for me that would be great. Being that this is my first PbP DM'ing experience.

Already put Arodio's first post, not sure what i can do yet, so it is a bit simple. Also take in account that English is my 2nd lang and i don't know many slangs, so you'll probably have to be patient sometime.Don't worry for conversion feet/meters thought, i can use both pretty well.

Yeah, there isn't a whole lot to do in the beginning other than heading to Vizio's. I'm excited about getting this thing running.

Testing the dice function:

1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

I guess you hit preview to see what you roll so you can comment based on the roll.

Will post to IC later or tomorrow morning when I get a chance.

I'll make an attempt to post to the IC thread soon. Just as a pre-note for combats and other location-relevant mapping, MapTool is a great resource. I've been putting together the maps there, taking screenshots of them, and then making those available as images through GoogleDocs. It helps to be able to see things. Probably not so immediately relevant, but throwing it out there ahead of time.

Yep, using maptool myself in my campaign, maybe not perfectly but my players are happy with it....but i'm using photobucket to share them. Google doc is better ? how to use it ?

GoogleDoc is pretty easy to use, although I've once run into trouble with people not being able to view the maps. When that happened, though, one of the players managed to dupe the image to Photobucket and it worked just fine. Other than that, I haven't had any trouble with it. I don't know if either one is intrinsically better. GoogleDocs does have the slight advantage of being able to share more than just images, but I imagine Photobucket has more storage capacity per user.

I have started using maptools and photobucket :) They work pretty good together.

Can confirm :) i would ask you if you want to follow my thread...but we play in Italian only.

My last name is Italian, but that is about as far as I go :)

i'm out of town for the weekend and don't really have the means to post. Will be able to tomorrow.

Back on everyone.

Hey Jlighter. Since you came up with E.K. in the first place, do you have any inkling about who it is, or do you want me to run with it?

I'm going to play Del as a reluctant participant to join this rebellion. If something doesn't directly pull him in (like an ambush on this meeting), then he'll ask to think about it for a day. Unless something happens that pulls him into it directly (like an ambush on the meeting with Janiven), he'll join because Semenya is so enthusiastic about it, though he expects it's only so he can help her get out of it when it all fails.

** spoiler omitted **

Cool, I can use that.

I'm going to play Del as a reluctant participant to join this rebellion. If something doesn't directly pull him in (like an ambush on this meeting), then he'll ask to think about it for a day. Unless something happens that pulls him into it directly (like an ambush on the meeting with Janiven), he'll join because Semenya is so enthusiastic about it, though he expects it's only so he can help her get out of it when it all fails.

Sounds good. I was relatively sure that's what you were aiming for.

WTF when i submitted to join this game i was on holidays...i forgot how hard was coming home after working past midnight :(

WTF when i submitted to join this game i was on holidays...i forgot how hard was coming home after working past midnight :(

I hear ya. Is everything alright though? You just tired?

I hear ya. Is everything alright though? You just tired?

Yep, sorry, just tired, only have to adjust to my going back to work. Won't leave the game don't worry.I'm even planning of buying a Samsung Galaxy S smartphone, so i'll follow the threads when i can from work :)

Yep, sorry, just tired, only have to adjust to my going back to work. Won't leave the game don't worry.I'm even planning of buying a Samsung Galaxy S smartphone, so i'll follow the threads when i can from work :)

Awesome. I have a Palm, and I can follow pretty easily over it, but posting is a little more difficult.

Wow. Eklektos is going to be just short of being a hospital now. 3 Potions of Cure Light Wounds, 3 Scrolls of Cure Light Wounds, and a prepared Cure Light Wounds.

Semenya and Del have a worked out routine; it tends to look like one of the following things:

A) Semenya casts Message between herself and Del; this gives them a 110 foot "Walkie Talkie" that requires a DC 25 Perception check to detect - and DC 35 to overhear.

B1) Del goes forward (where things need to be opened, or his expertise is required) and Semenya stays back as a lookout.

B2) Semenya goes forward to scout and keeps Del informed of what she sees.

USUALLY, it's Del going forward and Semenya keeping eyes behind.

Cleveeeer...my my, but we are doing well are we not? Plans, strategies, ultilizing our resources...bodes well for the future. Heck, After next level we might even have a part capable of sneaking all around, I'll certainly put a point in Stealth.
Good idea with the presdignation spell to temporarily hide the marks too, should buy us even more time to get away scot free.

I don't think putting a rank in Stealth will do any good to Arodio :(

Cleveeeer...my my, but we are doing well are we not? Plans, strategies, ultilizing our resources...bodes well for the future. Heck, After next level we might even have a part capable of sneaking all around, I'll certainly put a point in Stealth.

Good idea with the presdignation spell to temporarily hide the marks too, should buy us even more time to get away scot free.

At some point, I hope for Semenya to pick up the following spells:

Caster Level 2: Ghost Sound. AKA "Draw someone away from Del by making noises they have to check on."
Caster Level 3: Mage Armor (Bloodline), Magic Missile.
Feat: Ironhide or Dodge (Ironhide is APG and is a +1 Natural Armor bonus, requires Dwarven or Half-Orc race and 13 CON)
Caster Level 4: Scorching Ray, Read Magic
Stat: +1 CON or +1 CHA depending on how often she's getting hit.
Caster Level 5: Resist Energy (Bloodline), Acid Arrow, Unseen Servant
Feat: Elemental Spell [fire]
Caster Level 6: Fireball, Detect Magic

If I weren't worried about damaging incorporeal shadow beasts, I'd swap the order of Unseen Servant and Magic Missile. Unseen Servant is far too useful a spell. (We need to think of ways to allow other people to hurt them as well.)

Wands to acquire: Darkness (usually cast on herself) and Silence (usually cast on a caltrop that she throws ahead of herself so that she can cast the first round of spells from concealment without giving away her position.)

I'm providing this so that you (and jlighter) can pick complimentary abilities.

Haste is a more effective spell than Fireball; Fireball is more thematic for Semenya. I can pick up Haste at 7th level, so can you. It might better fit what you're doing.

Depending on magic items found/bought, Semenya will probably take Bull's Strength (it's not on the Bard list and is an obvious combat buff for Arodio. (Derek is our second best front line fighter...)

Semenya doesn't know that Eklektos is an Aasimar; he's just a funny looking human; she presumes he's as blind as the rest of the party without a light source.

Ah yes. Planning. I'm liking it all so far. As if right now Semenya is alone ahead correct? I will communicate with you through spoilers and then you can tell Del through spoilers with message correct?

Ah yes. Planning. I'm liking it all so far. As if right now Semenya is alone ahead correct? I will communicate with you through spoilers and then you can tell Del through spoilers with message correct?

Semenya is out in front being sneaky, by herself, assuming Arodio follows her instructions and stays behind.

She's in communication with Del. If she sees something 120' out, she'll let Del know and Del can let the rest know. This works fine for spoilers.

At 4th level, she'll be able to use Message with all four other party members. Woohoo! :)

Eklektos has some versatility as far as what he can do, so he'll be a bit of a secondary for most roles, although I'm setting him up primarily as a healer. He'll be able to do a decent amount of support, though, especially since he can craft scrolls to use. Obtaining a Handy Haversack or something for him to allow him to carry more scrolls and quickly retrieve them, but I tend to find it among the most useful magic items in the game. I'll see about preparing spells to work in conjunction with Semenya and Derek.

Wait, I'm slightly confused now. Was it 3 potions of Cure Light each, or 1?

3 each. Meant to post more last night but couldn't. I will keep track of marching order, but maps aren't necessary until an encounter.

At some point, I hope for Semenya to pick up the following spells:

Caster Level 2: Ghost Sound. AKA "Draw someone away from Del by making noises they have to check on."
Caster Level 3: Mage Armor (Bloodline), Magic Missile.
Feat: Ironhide or Dodge (Ironhide is APG and is a +1 Natural Armor bonus, requires Dwarven or Half-Orc race and 13 CON)
Caster Level 4: Scorching Ray, Read Magic
Stat: +1 CON or +1 CHA depending on how often she's getting hit.
Caster Level 5: Resist Energy (Bloodline), Acid Arrow, Unseen Servant
Feat: Elemental Spell [fire]
Caster Level 6: Fireball, Detect Magic

If I weren't worried about damaging incorporeal shadow beasts, I'd swap the order of Unseen Servant and Magic Missile. Unseen Servant is far too useful a spell. (We need to think of ways to allow other people to hurt them as well.)

Wands to acquire: Darkness (usually cast on herself) and Silence (usually cast on a caltrop that she throws ahead of herself so that she can cast the first round of spells from concealment without giving away her position.)

I'm providing this so that you (and jlighter) can pick complimentary abilities.

Haste is a more effective spell than Fireball; Fireball is more thematic for Semenya. I can pick up Haste at 7th level, so can you. It might better fit what you're doing.

Depending on magic items found/bought, Semenya will probably take Bull's Strength (it's not on the Bard list and is an obvious combat buff for Arodio. (Derek is our second best front line fighter...)

Since we are planning, Arodio is going for TWF using shield in the off hand.

If we keep this long enough obviously:
fighter lvl2 bonus feat-Cleave
char lvl3 feat-Improved shield bash
fighter lvl4 bonus feat-Two weapons fighting
Str +1

have to decide further, but the most interesting will be Weapon Specialization(flail)-Greater Weapon Focus(flail)-Shield Slam-Shield Master....I think i'll do faster by rolling the sheet already at lvl 15 :(

Added: already asked in IC thread but maybe it went unseen, which experience speed are you using C-HP ?

The AP recommends medium, so I think I'm going medium.

What a pity about that confusion, that was a sweet critical hit Derek would have scored otherwise, but since it was wrong I deleted the post. Haha, maybe it will keep til next battle.

What a pity about that confusion, that was a sweet critical hit Derek would have scored otherwise, but since it was wrong I deleted the post. Haha, maybe it will keep til next battle.

Awww, Hopefully it does.

Merisiel's Unlucky Day

This is a drawing of Merisiel far from finished, not even the inks at this stage are done.Not sure if it is worth finishing and painting or better i delete it and trash the original.Give a look if interested, i hid it in a Mature Content advice just in case, but nothing really disturbing.

I want to make sure combat is running smoothly for everyone. It can get confusing at times and wanted to see if anyone had suggestions to make it smoother and easier to follow.

Seems to be going smoothly enough. Seems like PBP combat is always going to be a stretch/bother, but no more so than any other tabletop. It's just a different kind of beast.

I have no issues with this kind of handling combat, you should see what is trying to run a fight with my players :( always speaking on PbP. At table top it is even worse

Some tricks that I've seen work:

Make the links to the maps easier to spot. I recommend this:

>>> Map Scene Name <<<

Encourage each player to post, at the bottom of their reply, "Done <Name is up next>" to help people avoid confusion on where they're going in the sequence.

Assuming we aren't climbing into a trap...apologies if Semenya and Del made the 'scurry through sewers like rats' part of this adventure a little anti-climactic.

I've been kept from going back home for nearly 2 days by the damn snow...i'm home now, but not sure tonight,since i work till late night :(

I think the sewers can get a little tedious in the first place, then put it in a PbP and it gets worse.

Don't worry Gandal, I have been trying to make time to post, but it is a busy time. We'll get back on the fast track soon.

Trivial matter anyway, i'm overwhelmed with work for Xmas (have i ever mentioned i hate Xmas ?) add the snow (incredible, just under one foot of snow on the adriatic coast in the eastern Italy....not only i'm going crazy at work,it is a pain in the a**e even moving to/from home)

What XP progression are we using? Medium or Fast?

(Trying to figure out if we're going to ding soon.) :)

What XP progression are we using? Medium or Fast?

(Trying to figure out if we're going to ding soon.) :)

I'm using medium, but have been trying to give bonuses every once in a while :)