DM Doctor Evil Rise of the Runelords AP

Game Master DM DoctorEvil

As am I! I hope it was relatively painless, or at least merits you a few days off to take it easy.

In case the worst did happen I've now immortalized Aziza by naming a Fighter/Illusionist after her on Baldur's Gate II (which I've just started up) and am just getting fourth level spells, including the amazing "sequencer" one once I can find some scrolls to learn it. Holy crap am I excited for that.

Thanks folks.

...and Twigs, if you're using my name in Baldur's Gate, I demand royalties! :)

Glad to hear all is well Aziza :)

Desecrated Vault - Combat Summary

Except the skeletons, no one took any damage. Aziza launched one energy bolt and Seldon channeled twice, leaving one remaining. The Protection from Evil spell was also cast, and will expire during the post-combat investigations.

Onward and upward.

You know, I've never thought very highly of Channel Positive Energy. I'm quickly reevaluating my opinion of it.

It's not bad as an offensive weapon the first few levels, but it can't really keep up after about level 3.

Probably true; it'd rock the house if you didn't have to choose between damaging undead and healing, but rather did both.

I think that's how it was in Beta testing. Actually, that would be a very powerful and iconic power for clerics as opposed to everyone else who can channel energy. Or maybe an archetype for an undead killer, or a Pharasama domain power.

Rules question for you people:

Zaiaz, the mischievous gnome sorceror (who bears no resemblence at all to any players in my games) casts Detect Magic on an item and finds out it's magical. She then can try a Spellcraft check to determine properties but can only she try (since she detected) or can anyone else trained also try if she points it out to them?

My RL group when round and round on this issue. Persuade me and we'll use your consensus as the rule for this and future games.

Hmm... if I was GM I'd say others could only make a Spellcraft check themselves after they too had used [i]Detect magic[i], but I'd give them a bonus for having some idea of what they were looking for too.

Spellcraft is used whenever your knowledge and skill of the technical art of casting a spell or crafting a magic item comes into question. This skill is also used to identify the properties of magic items in your possession through the use of spells such as detect magic and identify. The DC of this check varies depending upon the task at hand.
I've always understood that you needed to have cast detect magic or identify to get the roll to determine magical properties. However, anyone can try to determine if an item is magical, though not the properties with Appraise.
A DC 20 Appraise check determines the value of a common item. If you succeed by 5 or more, you also determine if the item has magic properties, although this success does not grant knowledge of the magic item's abilities.

Hmm... if I was GM I'd say others could only make a Spellcraft check themselves after they too had used [i]Detect magic[i], but I'd give them a bonus for having some idea of what they were looking for too.

What insight would really give them a boost?

Though I would agree with you only if you had detect magic would you be able to do the spellcraft check. Though given a day of study with several books to reference, if not a library, someone could determine the properties with a Knowledge Arcana Check.

Yes there are many ways to determine if an item is magical, though to determine the properties, only those two ways that I know of besides identify and analyze deweamer.

My problem area was not non-magical characters identifiying, it's teh cleric who has Spellcraft skill ranked up but didn't memorize Detect magic. If wizard points out it's a magic sword, why can't my cleric help find the properties once he's told it's magical.

My feeling is that the detection gives clues to the properties so you have to get that "vibe" first before the spellcraft really helps you.

Well a Cleric can change the orison the next day, if a wizard had not put it into his spellbook would be more of a problem.

RAW - Identify the properties of a magic item using detect magic. 15 + item's caster level.

Anyone can attempt to use some magical items, while others need Use Magic Device.

Hmmmm.

3rd Round: The strength and location of each aura. If the items or creatures bearing the auras are in line of sight, you can make Knowledge (arcana) skill checks to determine the school of magic involved in each. (Make one check per aura: DC 15 + spell level, or 15 + 1/2 caster level for a nonspell effect.) If the aura eminates from a magic item, you can attempt to identify its properties (see Spellcraft).

I read that last sentence to say you can then use a Spellcraft check to identify the properties vs the items DC which is 15 + caster level or 1/2 caster level for non-spell effect.

Fine, our rule will be you must cast Detect Magic in order to make the Spellcraft check to determine properties. Thanks for playing.

Here's a question for all you experienced PbP folks; how does one gracefully tell another group that you've lost interest in their game?

I joined another PbP campaign after this one, however the GM is terrible - especially compared to Doc Evil. Of course I can make my own excuses to leave; I'm just asking if there's any particular etiquette to follow on these forums in such cases.

@ Miri; no, I'm not referring to the Reign of Winter game we are also both in. :)

My experience has been that people just start disappearing. Any old reason will do and at least telling your other players is better than just bailing completely.

YOu can also just PM the GM if you don't want to go public. I have seen some terrible DM's on the board.

In my experience, just beg your leave and tell them you're struggling to maintain your interest in so many pbps at once. Whether or not you tell them WHICH pbps you're struggling to maintain interest in... well... Feel free to keep them in the dark.

Though it could be constructive to tell the DM in the PM why. Though I can understand that some DMs would not take it constructively.

Hmmm... Maybe I need to ask my players how I am doing... :)

Hmmm, the Shattered Star game I just started crapped out because the DM had "health issues". Really? We did 50 or so posts combined and less than 2 weeks in, wonder if those issues were on the table to begin with.

That would be very annoying for you Doc. I'm sorry the other game tanked.

Myself and the GM of my longest running PbP joined a Kingmaker game for all of two weeks as late recruits (although I'm not certain he'd even made it to the first encounter). Said GM had done loot tables, rulings and frequent bookkeeping in the discussion thread while the GM would show up and post once a week if we were lucky (with plenty of activity elsewhere on the forums). That was less than awesome.

My own GMing schtick ended in my disappearance right about where we are now in Runelords. My uni work piled up to the point where, having not found such an elegant solution to the maps, just plain didnt have time for it. It was a shame to let such a fine group of players go, but I realised it just wasn't in the cards after one week of silence rather than six, so at least I can credit myself that.

In other news, my own gnome is about to take his first sorcerer level (he's shooting for a level of assassin for 2d6 sneak attack and then arcane trickster, and it's been really tough pulling my weight without that spellcasting). I'm hoping to play out his transformation with a bloody offering to the Eldest and I'm pretty excited. Between the fey bloodline +2 to compulsion DCs and the gnomish illusion bonus, along with some scary sneak attacking spells (shocking grasp and later on snowball), he'll really be a force to be reckoned with.

Wow that sucks Twigs, sorry to hear it Doc, good luck with your gnome assassin.

oh, I never got to the point with that little tangent. Said Gnome was revived from that Kingmaker game after a year of sitting dejectedly in my alias' and is much happier in his new home. So my advice is just find a game group that clicks with you and not sweating it when you dont

Game tanking is the norm for PbP games like this, unfortunately. Many times becomes an exercise in applying for games, tweaking your character idea, and/or coming up with an entirely different idea for a game that sparks your interest. There are bunch of good games going o here, but it's all about luck finding the ones that will endure.

Oh well. Please disregard the appearance by that feisty little gnome sorceress and her Varisian acrobat companion. They are both getting 50 lashes for getting loose from the basement I had them locked up in before...

"Help! Help! We're being repressed! Come and see the violence inherent in the system! Aieeee...!"

I think I may have mentioned this elsewhere, but just in case, my safety word is 'pineapples'...

Damn! A third group? That's some commitment

[shrug]

Now that a couple of my games have gone belly up, I have more time to run. Especially since I have plot developed and maps made etc for you guys, running a third group will be easy...hopefully.

I am having more fun DMing than I've had playing so far, so I don't mind the trade off (no offense to Thorn who is DM 2 of my games).

I am also prepping a Curse of the Crimson Throne game and will give current Group A/B players dibs on spots if I ever get it up. It will be first time through that path so it may not be as well developed. It's also not as well-crafted so far...

All of this to say, if you see it affecting my game, please tell me.

Twigs here. My first ever PbP was a curse of the crimson throne game. My GM killed off my family before the first dungeon was over, which said a thing or two about his plans for the longevity of his game which died soon after. Beyond that I cant remember much about it.

Foxglove gives a squeal as he sees the boar turn its dire eyes towards him. He has not readied his spear and instead looks ready to turn and run.

I've been debating whether to run the boar hunt or not, and this mental image more or less sealed the deal. Hell yes I'm going to run the boar hunt. In my head Aldern sounds exactly like Hugh Laurie

Ooo, Crimson Throne... I'd love to try that adventure path out. As to the above discussion, I have found that any game I felt like leaving it was almost a certainty that I wasn't the only one. Usually its the lack of participation from the GM, but I have been accepted to a few games where the other players were less than stellar which drew me out of it.

Hasn't been the case with most of the games I've joined on paizo though. I only had one game crap out on me, and it was the precursor to this one that Barek, Cadas (Group B) and I were in... and in fairness to the GM, he was originally a player in the game that tried to salvage it when the original GM bailed, but couldn't find the time.

I think GM'ing is a tough proposition, at least to do correctly. The best games I've been in, the GM ends up doing a lot of work, which is probably why I've been gun shy about running one myself. Having said that, depending on my summer schedule, I'm giving it some consideration starting next month.

In my head Aldern sounds exactly like Hugh Laurie

Nice, that brought a smile to my face... Hugh Laurie as the Regent George IV. I loved that series.

My safe word is rutabaga. The only problem is that it is surprisingly difficult to say when experiencing many types of physical and sensory stimuli.
As I understand it, it is easier to run a second or even third game of the same adventure because much of the prep work for one can be used for the others.
As for Curse of the Crimson Throne: yes! I have a wizard that's been warming the bench for a few years waiting for another chance to get past 2nd level in that AP.

I get it Doc, I enjoy DMing a bit more than playing, you have a lot more to do, and for some of my previous DMs they did not give me much room to play my characters.

Speaking of games crapping out, the one to which I was referring above seems to be dying of it's own accord; no-one has posted for several days now. We hadn't even properly finished the first encounter, but the GM concerned ran it very, very badly, IMAO. It's fairly obvious that I'm not the only player who was involved whom has decided that not only is that particular cart not going anywhere, the horse pulling it was already dead and decomposing...

Is there a way to clear a dead game from your campaigns tab?

On a happier note, if Doc is planning on running Crimson Throne, and is inclined to give us dibs on spots, what sort of characters would folks be likely to play? I know nothing about that AP personally, but for the record I'd likely want to play something other than an arcane caster, if only for variety. At present, I have two sorcerers in two different active campaigns (inluding this one). Possibly a rogue, or maybe a ranger...

It might be a little before I'm fully ready as I'm just reading through the first Module for the first time. I need to sketch out some details etc and read ahead a bit more to see where the traps are.

So far Twigs/Seldon has a guardsman fighter, Tunder/Dax has a caster, and Mirela has interest. You can claim one of the other spots or roles if you want.

I haven't mentioned to any of the other groups yet...

Hrm... On second thought, I'm more or less already playing a fighter with Henric's planned build. I also feel like my ability to create interesting characters has come along way (although I do like how well he tied to Korvosa so I'm a little torn). I was just reminiscing. I'll see if I can't come up with something tonight, though. I have an active fighter, wizard, cleric (two!), and a rogue/arcane trickster active at the moment... so not only am I having trouble coming up with anything I'm not already playing I'm also a little concerned that I've bitten off more than I can chew, PbP wise.

Bah! But I am interested, just torn. Give me a while to mull it over and reread the players guide and oh crap I'm totally going to join this game aren't I?

I haven't mentioned to any of the other groups yet...

Group A confirmed for the favorites! Woo!

On a happier note, if Doc is planning on running Crimson Throne, and is inclined to give us dibs on spots, what sort of characters would folks be likely to play? I know nothing about that AP personally, but for the record I'd likely want to play something other than an arcane caster, if only for variety. At present, I have two sorcerers in two different active campaigns (inluding this one). Possibly a rogue, or maybe a ranger...

I've got all the bases covered in the four games I'm playing in... so I'm easy at this point. My personal preference has always been towards Rogues and Wizards, though I also love a good ol' fighter as well. I think just so you can experiencing something out of the ordinary Aziza, maybe go with a melee character and design a Ranger if that's what tickles your fancy.

I think just so you can experiencing something out of the ordinary Aziza, maybe go with a melee character and design a Ranger if that's what tickles your fancy.

Funny you should say that Miri; here's the ranger I actually designed last night (without any gear as yet). Thought about a rogue, but after browsing through the player-material for CotCT, I realized I could play a rogue-like ranger character with the urban ranger and skirmisher archetypes instead.

arm twisting arm twisting, no fair...

I will see about opening a private (as much as possible)recruitment thread for CotCT tonight (if time permits) even though it may be days/weeks before I'm ready. I do have a vacation coming up soon (Friday thru 7/8)and the beach house's internet is suspect at best.

But, it'll give you time to review the Player's Guide, figure out your roles and make an acceptable build. Just be forewarned, my experience with that AP is non-existent, so it'll be virgin territory and may have some hiccups as a result. It's also entirely possible that I have overcommitted and the game never actually starts...

Fair enough?

Fair enough. I would likely be a healer, a redeemed something, so he has a mean streak and is always teetering, likely one of the gods of war.

is this the wrong time to mention I also got a good deal on the first 2 volumes of Second Darkness last week? I haven't cracked them open at all so far...

And I had to fight like heck to not get the entire Jade Regent AP which was also on sale...need to stay out of my FNGS no doubt.

I played through the first volume of Second Darkness. It took FOREVER. I'd really like to see it through (even if that means just playing the later modules). I played another elf, though... But a fourth Runelords game, and those two?

Sir... are you a robot?

Dax - Wizard
Twigs - Fighter
Aziza - Ranger (Rogue)
Thorn - Healer
Shaping up to be a decent group.

Not gonna take 4th RotRL group and not sure I can do the CotCT yet, so 2nd Darkness is for the future (or a home game or both). Didn't get to the new thread tonight, maybe tomorrow.

I may be interested in starting up another campaign, I don't care for second Darkness, though I could roll up another AP.

though on another note:
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, the hornets, not again Aziza, since we are not with her she sent them at the party, Noooooo! a tick may yet TPK! No ziza, noo... as I drop to the ground in shame.

Nope, this time I'm innocent! Not me, not my doing... heck, they're not even radioactive! Although they might be killers...

Boar Hunt/Tick Fight Post-Combat Summary

Only Thorn was hit. And healed back to 8/11HP.

Seldon used last spell and last channel of the day. No other resources used.

Thorn you've done Round 2; there may not be a round 3. Mirela struck with "self-absurdness" sounds funny to me, but it worked.

Haha! Auto-correct did that... the word I meant to put was self-assured. Blah. Unintentional humor, gotta love it.

Just checking: Does Seldon have the 2 potions which are now ID as cure light wounds? I think that's right...

Should do. I'll add them to my sheet.