Welcome!
Some house rules for this game:
Please make yourselves first level pcs. Restrict yourselves to material for PHB1 - i.e. core races and classes.
Note that there are errata in this book and I will check as far as possible to make sure you know about any changes.
You have 100gp to spend.
This is a one-shot adventure. If it goes well and you enjoy it and wish to go on, we'll discuss that too.
Gameplay
Post your pc as an alias with all the numbers in place. If I ever need to run your character, I need all the figures in front of me.
Thus, if a power says it uses Strength v AC and does 1W+Strength mod on a hit, I need to see the following:
1d20+x
damage: 1dx+x, with "x" being the number concerned.
Please also note any effects that occur regardless, or what happens on a missed attack (if anything. This mainly applies to daily powers).
Dice - it's up to you. You can home-roll, use the in-house dice roller or link to Invisible Castle. I tend to home roll my DM dice and am happy to trust you all.
I prefer games to move along at a fair pace. If we are in combat, I post an initiative list. When your turn comes up, you have roughly 24 hours to act before I panic and either delay you or take a turn on your behalf. If I do take a turn on your behalf, I will normally restrict myself to at-will powers unless there is a compelling reason not to.
During down times, it's up to you how often you post, but you will get more out of the game if you show up at least once a day and contribute something, however minor.
I usually roll initiative on behalf of the whole group to keep things moving, but if you prefer to do this yourselves, you are welcome to do so.
XP and treasure. I typically award more XP than normal so you have a chance of levelling on a regular basis. If you have any particular passionate wants re treasure, add a wish list to your profile. I don't guarantee you'll get it, but it will at least enable me to pick stuff you might actually use. In this case, items up to level 5.
Any questions or worries - ask :)
Dotting as one of my other 4E characters to show the format I use (which I believe I based off Rev Rosey's preferences in the first place).
Also, a reminder that I will pick a class after all else have. Rosey, just let me know if Chado doesn't reply by the time you're ready to start and I will have a PC done in no time.
Ah, thank you for that Aardvark. Arakan's profile is a great example.
Kip84 dotting. I've copy pasted Arakans format and I'm slowly changing the details in for Anastria, Eladrin Fey Pact Warlock.
Excellent stuff.
IMPORTANT UPDATE:
As Aubrey pointed out on the recruitment thread, he can't build the pc he wants to play if he's confined to PHB1. As he also points out, those choices won't impact play, so if you do want to pick from the later material, go ahead.
As themes and backgrounds are inaccessible to those without the online tools for the most part, don't use them.
To compensate slightly, you may all take a level 3 magic item to start.
Sorry for not posting sooner this is Raventhorn's brother. My landline and laptop are suffering serious problems and school is the only oppertunity I have to get on a computer. I am looking at playing either a Human or Dragonborn Fighter or Paladin.
Pretty Much for Rolling stats on here, I just do 6 rolls of 4d6 and subtract the lowest. I do not know if you will allow the usual setting I use when rolling that one's may be rerolled once. I'll post the two charts, one with rerolls, one without if that's ok.
Stat Sheet 1
12, 18, 12, 16, 15, 15
1.
Stat Sheet 2
9, 18, 12, 16, 15, 15
Either Spread is fine.
If I may ask DM :) what level do we start at? Also very rough copy of character sheet up now, I will attempt to finish it when I get home from college :)
I am having trouble deciding which to be for race. Dragonborn or Human. what would you personally suggest DM?
Hiya and welcome :)
I'd prefer you to use point buy for character builds - it levels the field a little more.
You are all building level 1 PCs, but you are likely to go up fairly fast. Don't forget you have a level 3 magic item of your choice as a starting bonus.
Re human v dragonborn - for a fighter, either is good. Dragonborn gives you the funky breath weapon and human gives you the extra feat. I've seen both play very effectively.
What kind of chap is your fighter? Dragonborn tend to the honourable on the whole, with a great deal of respect for home, clan and history - so with some characteristics in common with dwarves. Humans are ... well ... human.
I'll sort out some background for you all later this evening.
I'm in the UK by the way (as is Aubrey). Seems like the rest of you are a few hours behind me. That's fine, I'll just try and make sure I leave things in a good place for you all to update overnight.
Ah ok no problem at all what point buy? Im used to pathfinder style with 20, 25 etc but 4.0 is weird with 22 24 and 28. which one would u prefer me to use?
Chapter 2 of the PHB takes you through the process. You're looking at Method 2 on page 17.
Start with scores at 10,10,10,10,10,8 allocated as you like. You then have 22 points to spend on improving them. You can't take anything lower than 8. Once you've allocated your points, you add on any racial bonuses.
There's a table there which should help you out, but if you get into difficulties, just ask.
In the PHB it has the point-buy system on p17.
Dragonborn have a +2 bonus to STR and CHA in the PHB. They have subsequently altered (after the PHB) that to be +2 bonus to STR and either CON or CHA, so you could consider that if Rosey allows. Clearly CON and STR are the primary prerequisites for a fighter. And the breath-weapon is a nice area effect, which fighters don't get much of, though it doesn't do overwhelming damage. But a human gets an extra At-Will power and feat, which can come in very handy too. So it's really a toss-up.
You might also consider which weapon you want to use, because your stats other than STR will have an impact - CON is best for axes, DEX for swords. Also, a fighter needs to consider how high he wants his WIS, since he gets a bonus to opportunity attacks equal to his WIS modifier.
I'm quite happy to allow the second bonus to go to either CON or CHA - although I'd imagine if you go dragonborn, CON would be a lot more useful to you. Basis of hp after all.
All right thanks everyone I always have LOVED the Dragonborn theyre what got me into 4.0 in the first place but my first experiance with 4e was horrible.
Yeah I'll take the +2 to Con and Str because those are my main stats and I'm going Guardian Build with a Battleaxe so Con would be best as there are several powers in Martial Power that add Con to my Power Damage as well as Strenth. Thanks again everybody.
Aurix Rhogar reporting for duty. Once I have access to the books I have at home i will have no problem updating all of my details, powers, encumberance and such.
@Ragathiel - just curioust to know what made your first experience with 4e so bad? Partly so I can avoid doing the same thing.
ROFL you'll have a hard time doing worse than this DM I promise you that
I was 16, and lived in Cheyenne Wyoming. IN that town there is very little to do even though its the state capital, and so when my friend Jeremy and I found a local DM that ran DnD we were eager to jump in and play for the first time.
Things were going really well, the guy wasn't the greatest but he was the only guy who was willing to run as a DM in the area of 100 miles where we live, so we ran with it. I ended up making a Dragonborn Great Weapon Fighter, with a greataxe, power attacking, cleaving, the works.
Our first game day, we all sit down, crack open some drinks and we go around the table introducing our characters. Then we get our first quest, to go kill some orcs in a mountain, classic. I made a J.R. Tolkein joke and we all ahd a good alugh about it. Anyways we were going into this cave and the GM turns finally to me and says "Drageric, what do you do?"
I respond with, "I step forwards and keep my axe handy in case we are attacked."
the DM looks at his chart, then table, his chart again and then just laughs and says "You fall down a chasm five feet across and die." then he turns to the next person, our Wizard and says "Oh and you Blah Blah you find in the next crack over a skeleton with a note, ruined armor and a magical sword."
The End.
*shudders*
Yes. Yes. I think I can avoid those particular pitfalls. If you'll pardon the expression.
Hey guys sorry for being so long in the posting just got out of college here so anyways
@ Aubrey about the extra content pardon my french but how the hell would I know about any of that lol
Anyways as I said before im going human resourceful warlord mostly cause brother says thats best class for me so here goes lol
So far I'm seeing DB Ftr, Dw Wiz, Ela Lock, and Hu Lord. I'm looking at either a ranger or rogue for the extra striker so far. Otherwise, a cleric if Chado wants to add to play striker, so the warlord doesn't have to worry about keeping 5 people alive all by himself, and can focus on other aspects if he wants.
Warlords are great. They're decent frontliners, heal like demons and get everyone shifted around into useful places. Nearly all GMs hate them for good reasons. Nothing messes up a sweet tactical plan like a warlord.
No sign of Chado yet, but it's early days.
Dragonborn fighter
Human warlord
Dwarf wizard
Eladrin warlock
Undecided gap filler
@Raventhorn, at first I was thinking we should all be PHB1 only for the sake of fairness, but Aubrey is right. Even with more books, the powers maintain balance, so even though you may not have access to as many choices, the ones you have with your current materials are still plenty effective. They did well to avoid power creep from stuff at the same level.
Also, this allows you to see through the other characters, though, the other options out there as we play, and whether you find them worth further purchase or not. It lets you preview the material in action, before you decide to put money on it. If you do, the best purchase you could make would be the DDI account. It gets you access to the game mechanics for EVERY resource they have produced (via Character Builder, Moster Builder, and Compendium mainly).
Looks like we have two alternates as well.
Re timing: I'm looking at the end of next week to get going. I have a slightly hairy schedule until then, but I will be feeding you bits of information to chew over. Aubrey may well be away at the outset, but you won't be plunging straight into combat.
I also need to rustle up some maps for you all.
Aurix fully ready for Duty. Please look over my profile to look for any concerns :) I am super psyched about this game
Hello everyone!
Couple of questions for you all.
Do you know each other already?
If so, how?
Your base is a small town called Downholme. It lies at the end of a long valley and picks up any traffic coming up or down the dale. One result of that is that the town is more prosperous than you'd think for its size.
This is what Downholme looks like. (Please let me know if the link doesn't work for you).
For the most part the population is human and halfling, but there are dwarven and elven enclaves here as well. Dragonborn are slightly unusual, but there are a few. Eladrin are definitely uncommon and tieflings rarer still.
Apart from trade, Downholme's economy is based on a mixture of mining, sheep farming and knitting. While that may sound dull, Downholme knitters are famous. They are said to make garments that can protect against fierce cold and maybe other things as well.
Note that I've got classes all day today, but I'll be back this evening to answer any questions and provide a bit more background.
You don't need to be elaborate (unless you want to be), but some idea of who you are and why you're there will help me.
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@ Aubrey about the extra content pardon my french but how the hell would I know about any of that lol
I wouldn't, since this would be your first proper game in 4e. However, I do and so does our glorious DM. While I appreciate that you made the original suggestion for a game, you aren't the DM and it is unusual for a player to be deciding on what books are or aren't acceptable for play, especially without discussing it first. While I also appreciate that in 3e there was an element of power-creep with some non-PHB options, this isn't really the case for 4e as the power levels are relatively explicit and easy to benchmark. So you can create a perfectly viable character using the PHB only, but I fancied creating a summoner wizard which is something not in the basic book, hence my query.
I suspect I'll miss the opening of the scenario as I'm on holiday after today. Back next Monday.
Well Aurix's backstory is that he used to be a gladiator in a vicious arena called "The Red Pit", obviously if the GM would prefer creating her own name for the place as well as providing the location of the facility, or at least where it USED to be. He was rather infamous in his own way there, and earned quite a reputation by being called, the "BattleAxe". One day however his captors got a little too comfortable and left the keys to his cell where he could get them. He broke out, slew his guards and ran.
As far as anyone knowing Aurix, he worked in a Mercenary Company and so is comfortable working with just about anyone, providing they don't mind his grim persona. :) He could very well be familiar with Tiberious, or anyone from the party.
The Red Pit is infamous indeed. It's in Jarvich, which is a major city on the eastern border. Jarvich is a much larger place than Downholme, with a respectably sized underworld. The Red Pit is notorious for its unethical practices and as the final home of debt-avoiders, runaways and petty criminals. Most of them don't get out alive. That's the point.
Aurix is not the first escapee by any means, nor will he be the last. There is, however, a price on his head. Guards don't come cheap. He's not important enough to waste a lot of energy tracking down, but if he ever happens across anyone who recognises him, he could be in a spot of bother.
Aurix is currently working in the Downholme militia - which is far from incompetent and can certainly use his services.
Vondal the dwarven wizard, reporting for duty.
How super. A dretch summoning good guy :)
What's he doing in Downholme? There are wizards around. Is he likely to be wanting to study anything in particular or is it all grist to his mill?
He looks good at first pass, but I'll apply fine toothcomb to him, Aurix and Tiberious over the weekend.
I assumed he was interested in the Chaos Scar. I don't now how much information is actually available on it (I haven't read any of the adventures) - like, whether it's actually called the Chaos Scar by anyone - but I assume the story of the comet-strike is relatively common knowledge if one chooses to look it up.
As for the dretch, I thought I might go for a slightly more tormented backstory (dark whispers from his tome). I can do that if you want - it would still work with his backstory.
It's absolutely fine as is. I was just amused at a nice dwarven wizard picking a dretch as his first summoned critter. "Well, Vondel, what's it going to be? Great Dane, pit pony, capybara? The choice is yours... oh, a dretch. Interesting choice."
It is called the Chaos Scar, but isn't considered nearly as interesting as sheep and mining by the locals. Adventurers, on the other hand, think differently.
Tiberius Attica served in the (insert name) Legions for 5 years earning a place in the ranks of command, gaining the title Captain. His rising star and popularity earned the scorn of a bitter General and was ordered into multiple unsavory skirmishes but miraculously Tiberius came out every time, unscathed and victorious. Flustered the General set up a ploy to disgrace the young Captain and was successful. Disgraced and stripped of command Tiberius tracked down the General and slew him in an alley and fled the city. Since then Tiberius has watched his back in case of pursuers but looks forward following the ways of his chosen god Erathis. He pictures creating a new city in the wilds of civilization free of the corruption of the late General where valor and reward is given through grace of arms and competency.
Tiberious looks good to me. I can easily see him teaming up with Aurix and Vondel. With his background and training, Tiberious is likely to rise fairly rapidly in the militia and is quite possibly being looked at as a future Seneschal. Whether he wants that much responsibility (and publicity) is up to you. Either way, you'd be considered someone to go to if there was a spot of trouble.
Speaking of religion, there are temples to Erathis and Melora in Downholme. The dwarf enclave maintains a small shrine to Moradin.
I think Tiberius would have no problem gaining that much prestige but would want the support of the people once he believes he has earned it. Will just let the rp decide it. So who else do we got? Im eager to meet the others :)
Perfect. I'm a big fan of seeing how things work on via rp and have played a number of characters who took a quite different turn to the one I expected.
As for others, Anastria (Kip84's warlock) is a work in progress and Aardvark is holding to choose a role.
We don't know if Chado is still interested (no post for a couple of days). I'll poke the recruitment thread.
@Kip84 - Anastria looks good. Any thoughts on what she's doing in Downholme?
Spoilered for length...
As the sun reached its hight at noon she heard the sound of men in the forest not knowing whether to call out or hide she stumbled and half crawled till she saw the men. Humans and an Elf, a group of adventurers. They took her to a human city and gave her into an orphanage. Anastria's time there was grim. Let out as little more than slaves around the city the lives of the children were horrible indeed. All they had to look forward to was gruel in their dishes and a beating before bed. This life dragged on for four long years till on the full moon 2 months before her 14th Birthday after a shop owner had complained about her daydreaming and refused to pay Haidy the orphan master the daily fee. Anastria was beaten till blood poured from wounds to her arm she was pretty sure was broken and sent to bed without any food.
That night she awoke her body miraculously healed the orphanage burning with a green fire that did not harm her. She looked around in fear realising that it was the screams of the orphans that had woken her from sleep. Had she somehow caused this she wondered as looked around the room relieved to see that the fire didn't burn them either. She heard shouting from downstairs as she ran to leave the building bursting out the front door to see a figure running down the street wreathed in the flames the orphan master ran till she collapsed. Then the city guardsmen yelling Anastria looked down at the flames inher hands, she hadn't noticed before. The guards gave chase as she pelted through the streets, darting around a corner she ran headlong into a man running the other way. They looked at each other and the man smiled, the first smile she remembered seeing since the day her father died. "follow me!" he yelled and ran down an alley the sound of the guards close behind the man slid open a wood panel in the side of a house and beckoned Anastria to follow she ducked through the secret door and the man slid it closed again. "Samdrin" he introduced himself. The beginning of a wonderful friendship, Samdrin a master of lore and storytelling as well as the lute. He taught her history as they sat in the taverns of different towns, he taught her nature lore as they wandered the roads he taught her to accompany him on the Pan pipes. They fenced and he helped her hone her magical talent. Most importantly he taught her to love again. When Samdrin grew to old to travel anymore they set up as a regular act in a small human town Anastria stayed with him a year and half playing most every night at the small farmers tavern. He settled but she didn't and he finally convinced her that he would be fine. "Your tale is just beginning" he said with a wry smile "Mine is drawing to a close, go and find your adventure Anastria!"
Bright green orbs peer out from beneath a long pale gold fringe. Anastria wears a hardened leather breastplate cotton breeches and knee high leather boots. Her Pipes hang on a string over her shoulder, a longsword hangs from her belt on her left hip, a wand tucked in the belt on her right her head is held high, proud of her abilities and her wanderers life she does not let her fear off her old home, the Feywild, show in her step.
Anastria is a wanderer and would just be passing through Downholme perhaps telling stories at the Inn while she waits for an adventure to find her feet. Due to her adolescent sojourn through the world she is a lot more connected with the mortal world than people of her race normally are.
Sorry it's been a busy weekend...
Very cool backstory. It sounds to me as though Anastria is looking for kindred spirits. Easy enough for her to strike up an acquaintance with any of the others as with her background she'd find her way around a small town extremely fast.
No worries on the timing. I won't be ready to get you started until the end of the week. Wish it could be sooner, but I've got a ton of costumes to finish making.
Thanks. I'm unfamiliar with the setting which is why I didn't mention any city/town names. I have a bunch of Chaos scar adventures on my computer but I've never had the time to look through them. Can't wait to start :)
The setting is fairly standard, although I've tampered with it to the extent of changing names. The nice thing about the Chaos Scar series is that they can slot in anywhere and can be melded into a longer arc if desired.
Right now, I'm looking at either a ranger with multiclass rogue, or a rogue with multiclass ranger.
This is Aardvark with my Elven rogue. The profile isn't done just yet.
Rosey, what about backgrounds? They didn't come out until PHB2, should we skip them like themes?