GM Barlowe's Curse of Strahd (Inactive)

Game Master R0B0GEISHA

Hey, everybody! Sorry about the delay. Had a busy, busy day. Hope to get the campaign up and running soon!

Hey Barlowe! :)

Hopefully when things get up and running we'll be at a better pace!

Thanks a lot for choosing me and I'm looking forward to getting started!

I'm hoping this one will last a while. :)

Moar Dots!

Hi everyone! My character, Felix, is happy to be one of the party healers. I would like to know a group consensus on his tactics, though:

1. Would you like him to emphasize Cure Wounds, which is a stronger heal, but touch range and a full action?

Or

2. Would you prefer he emphasize Healing Word, which is longer ranged and a bonus action but a slightly weaker heal?

I prefer Option 2 personally, and nothing prevents me from choosing the other as appropriate. Just wanted to get a feel for general tactics. If it helps, Felix is built completely as ranged and not designed to get into the thick of melee. Thank you!

I'd say if your plan is staying away from melee (where usually is easier to receive more damage), then if you did stay in melee you'd end up needing to heal yourself, which would make you less effective. On the other hand, bear in mind how effective will be range healing when the level goes up a bit (if HW is the only ranged heal, then it'll probably lose effectiveness in the long run).

Thank you, Vasilios. Ranged Healing scales fairly well; Healing Word can be cast using higher level slots. Following that, the next milestones are the "Mass" Cure Spells. Although the base Cure Wounds is a touch spell, Mass Cure Wounds is 60 feet. At very high levels, Heal and Mass Heal are the best healing spells. Both are Ranged. The dilemma between Cure Wounds and Healing Word is almost exclusively at low level. I have both prepped at the same time though. :)

Greetings, comrades. May this venture be blessed by Tymora, and we find the fortune we collectively seek. While I am more of a talker than a fighter, the road has taught me a few tricks of the trade.

I would recommend healing word, master Helmont. With a lively fellow such as Alton we need not such potent restorative power readied by a man of the cloth... and bonus actions are much more usable in combat since you can deal damage and heal in the same turn.

Gameplay post will be up today! Thanks for being patient, guys!

It's OK. We've had major storms and power/internet are spotty today.

I'd say go with option 2!

It fits your concept better and we can make do with a little less power behind your healing, for an easier and more convenient way to heal. :)

Looking forward to starting. :)

I've been looking into getting Detect Thoughts as a Warlock, but it looks like the only possible way to do that is by going the route of The Old Great One, which kinda goes against my Fey theme.

I had a good look at Feats, but there aren't any that give a single level 2 spell to you from another class list. They're all limited to Cantrips and Level 1 spells.

I'm sold on the Fighter Champion Archetype though. It's just this wanting to read minds for roleplaying purposes that I'm having issues with.

Still, this doesn't seem as punishing as Pathfinder for multi-classing. Fighter/Warlock seems pretty cool.

First gameplay post is up! Go place yourselves within the scene. :)

I think my post will be a little different and thankfully I can make it work due to Vasilios' post not including me.

I was a little confused because I thought you were detailing how we got into this adventuring group, where we got into it and why we got into it, as this would have greatly helped integrate us all into the party.

As it stands, I have no idea who likes who or the relationships of our characters, because I thought you were going to type that out for us, when you said this in the recruitment: "All backgrounds will require the character to be a member of a newly formed adventuring company. The relationships of your characters will be determined after selection."

If we've been travelling for six months already, it's like "boom! we know the ins and outs of one another", so because I find it a lot easier as a player learning about characters in-game when I've only just met someone, I'm just going to work it so I'm in the same place, but have no idea who anyone is right now.

It should be easier for anyone else wanting to interact with me. :)

Well, I guess six months of travelling and sleeping together is time enough to know the hell out of someone. Not the most intense, deep inside feelings and wants, but surely the behaviour and the most common likes and dislikes. Because you know, it's not that we're seeing each other one minute a day to say good morning.

So, if you want something about me, yeah... probably you all know that Vasilios is a regular guy, usually nice and jokey, that he likes a good relax from time to time (specially a good game of cards) and that usually you can get a lot from him by being nice to him and making him feel useful. On the other hand, you've probably noticed he dislikes show offs or people who take credit for others, and that when he is angry he doesn't shout but stays silent instead.
More? Well, not even I know more :P We'll find out in following episodes ;)

Who likes who? Well, I wouldn't certainly want the GM to tell me who I like and who don't, I guess this is up to you. Probably by what you read at the PC's profile.

Oh, and I did worked myself how I got in the adventuring company (i thought that was what Barlowe asked). If that wasn't the intention, I'm sorry, I'm totally up to changes.

:)

Edit: This might be a GM thingy, but I think, with due respect, that Present Simple would be a much better suited way of describing what's happening now. Just my idea, please, take no offence - I'm a non-native after all.

Nah, it's nothing to really get bothered about anyway. It was more my line of thinking. With our relationships being determined after being picked, I saw that as the GM working that out himself and then typing up things solely for each of our characters to just be integrated into the story better if you get me?

Like I found most gm's ask for your story, type up the beginning post and then include a drop down spoiler box to each player saying what they're doing, why they're there and things like that.

It doesn't matter anymore though. I just kind of imagined what the situation would be like for my guy and how to best approach it, which hopefully I've done. :)

We're all in the same place and that's what matters. Out of character this is where Dinaeri can join your adventuring group. :p

We would at least know what each other can do in a fight, our basic vices and desires, daily habits, etc. We were likely just paired together by a company or whatever and only know as much as anyone traveling together without internet or some other something to pass the time but chit chatting.

We'd all have secrets but basically know and be cool with everyone.

Thanks guys! :)

Wellby's interaction is appreciated, as I can now "meet" this group, haha.

Fortunately, Wellby served under nobility in Waterdeep before being forced into a transient life. He enjoys lords and ladies and refinery - it's why I picked courtier and right now I am planning to go Mastermind for my roguish archetype.

Yea, it makes things nice and seamless! Dinaeri's a kind hearted person as well, so it makes things easier.

As for Rogues in 5E, the game is still very new to me so I haven't looked at the Mastermind Archetype,but it sounds interesting enough for someone of a Noble friendly background. :)

It has some really neat tricks. The bread and butter of Rogues is the Cunning Action to use their bonus action to hide or dash or something. Masterminds can use their bonus action to help people with checks - meaning giving advantage - at a range of 30ft.

They also get a lot of mostly RP related abilities.

My apologies! I had checked the thread the night before, and Gameplay wasn't up yet. When I woke up there was a lot of activity. I'm happy to see everyone! :)

Yea, it's nice to see the game's begun! :D

Should be a fun group though! Nice to play with you all by the way!

Wow. Lots of activity today. :D

Dinaeri, I changed my mind about the setup for the adventure. Sorry for throwing that at you with little notice. If you'd like to be the odd man out of the group at the beginning, that's fine. I can work you in.

And yes, Simple Present is the ideal tense to use for posting.

Hey, no problem.

If that's okay, please do. :)

It's going to be fun to see where all of this leads!

Watching Critical Role is what made me so interested in 5th Edition initially, so I'm just trying to be as descriptive as possible and so far we're all getting by just fine.

I think we may have lost Alton!

Hey GM, did we notice anything for those of us who rolled checks?

Going forward, if I have information to give you after a skill check, it will be in a spoiler for your character. If there's no spoiler, I have nothing to give.

OK, no problem and thanks for clarifying!

Those rolls! Wow, haha. I'm not too worried about being the only one left in the room at this point, if everyone else has followed Wellby. We'll see what happens!

Anybody?

Need somebody...

Sorry for the delay guys. I'm so used to the game only really being updated every few days that I forgot to check it until now.

Well, it's been over two weeks since Felix has posted. It's probably safe to say that he isn't coming back.

Should I open up recruitment for a divine character? Or do you guys want to push on?

I would press on and start looking for a replacement to fold in.

That's what I meant. :) Keep playing and recruit? Or just keep playing?

I would recruit, try asking Edelsmirge. He wanted to play in my campaign but I already had too many.

Ivite sent.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Hey thanks for the recruit suggest! It looks like first level so I will whip up the lv one cleric and post him shortly

Ok here is my noble cleric knight of Torm, background to come

Okay. Maps are updated to the best of my knowledge and can be located in my alias header.

Grym, feel free to drop yourself into the game where Felix was.

Yay! New player! Welcome to the party!

Hello?

Hey Grym. :)

Hey guys, just to let you know I won't be able to post very much for the next week. I know it won't matter too much as this is a very slow running pbp, but I just wanted to let you know beforehand.

I'm on holiday in Spain, but get back on the 9th. :)

Nice, enjoy my country while you can, you've got 2 years :P

Where are you going? I guess somewhere in the South? Full o' Brits 'ere... :P

Haha, cheers buddy. Yea, I'm sure it'll be fine. We'll all just work differently within the EU. I'm not worried, though I wish people would stop panicking. That's the only reason our currency is plummeting right now, haha!

Off to Menorca. I've been to Mallorca before and now this time it's Menorca. Staying in a Villa. It's only for a week but a week away from England is good enough. :p

Ohh, right... there. Enjoy and remember to use protection when you sunbathe! ;)

Haha, do you hate the place? XD

I'd better. I'm a pale guy. Not the palest, but it's a gamble as to whether I'll burn or tan, haha. Thanks man and chat soon!

Hey guys,

Just a heads up, I'm going to be in an internetless place between tomorrow and probably the 9th. No posts until then, unfortunately. Hopefully I can get a post up before I leave tonight, but if not, have a happy 4th (even if it doesn't mean anything to you), and I will catch you all in a week!

As a ma n who served in the United States military for twenty plus years I shall accept your kind offer of a happy fourth of July and return it heartily.

Happy 4th! :)