GM Brunoreturns' Shattered Star (Inactive)

Game Master brunoreturns

Generally speaking, I think most magus would only go up to 16 Int or so, needing to put points into strength or Dex to be effective in combat.

If Dex is the route, I think he'd be better off going the Slashing Grace route rather than giving up three levels of Magus, personally.

Looking into slashing grace. Ty

Also Fencing Grace and Dervish Dance. They are similar feats affecting different weapons.

Naturally, simply getting an Agile weapon saves a feat.

Slashing Grace should do it. I saw the Dervish Dance. What a week I have irl. Will keep you posted. Yeah, the feat is the way to go imo. That multiclass combo just did not feel right.

Note that Slashing Grace does not make a weapon "Finesse"able. (Dervish Dance does)

Dusk Elf casts darkness. Deric loses.

Sigh. I don't suppose Deric has managed to stay within 10 feet of Barkot this whole time? Widen Spell just moved up Barkot's priority feat list.

Edit: I just checked the map - guess not!

Yeah, I think we need to alter our marching order in the future so Barkot will be in the middle of the pack...

BTW I know that losing control of your character sucks and no player likes it. I'd rather avoid it myself, but obviously it is an overarching theme in this book.

I will be overjoyed if you find a way to keep your characters prepared in such a way that it takes away the enemy's primary weapon. If we were still in 10ft corridors, like book 1, MCvE would have been that way.

BTW I know that losing control of your character sucks and no player likes it. I'd rather avoid it myself, but obviously it is an overarching theme in this book.

I will be overjoyed if you find a way to keep your characters prepared in such a way that it takes away the enemy's primary weapon. If we were still in 10ft corridors, like book 1, MCvE would have been that way.

As for movement, a wand of PvE will alleviate these issues... Inside of an initiative block, movement can be coordinated, but it needs to be simple. No charging or changing positions.

First things first: I am delighted to be back on a map with 5’ squares. If that means a skanky sex demon takes over Deric’s mind and uses the fighter to kill us all, it will still be 100% worth it for the better maps.

Second: We’re pretty well prepared to stop this from happening in the future - Kylee has PfE on her regular daily spell prep list, and Barkot has MCAE. My mistake was casting it on Barkot instead of one of the low Will save front-liners to start with. But it’s Barkot’s first day with third level spells, and he’s still figuring out how to be part of a team, and while he is managing his anxiety at being away from Magnimar as well as he can, it’s still a distraction. This time, we just weren’t positioned well to cast buffs that are touch spells when the door opened.

Third: Yup, a wand of PfE that could be passed up the line to whichever caster is closest to where it’s needed would be a very good purchase. While we're thinking about it, that goes for any low-level buff or utility spell that is on both the cleric/oracle and Un-summoner spell lists.

Fourth: Hopefully, the Pathfinders that Sheila sends to the Lady's Light to recover our corpses and continue our mission will learn from our example in time to do them some good.

BTW There is no circumstance I can think of where a charmed Deric would start attacking the rest of you and he is within his rights to stop the demons from hurting any of you (though the current grapple has been explained) - if Deric wants, we can do the contested Charisma route to see if he would attempt to stop the grapple or not.

The current grapple has been explained. Aware of the contest but now is not the time.

Deric just named his greatsword Harm.

Paeral. I can get everyone but Jasper as we now stand. If you move someone gets left out. It is 6 PCs all withing 30 feet of each oother.

Deric, I think Haste only gives you an extra attack if you do a full round attack...

You are correct. TY

You are also hasted, Paeral

Thanks, Deric, overlooked that. I was only gonna fire once since I failed the save and it’d yet be another -2…but with haste, it’s worth the full attack…

[dice=Spell Resistance(Barkot)]d20+6

The magic melts around the demon, having no effect.

This doesn't look like it includes Barkot's extra +4 to bypass SR from his Seeker archetype, does it? I just noticed that Hero Lab doesn't refer to it in the exported statblock. I'll add it at the start of his spell list with his concentration mod so it's visible going forward.

Also, from Protection from Evil: "While under the effects of this spell, the target is immune to any new attempts to possess or exercise mental control over the target." This applies to MCAE as well. Based on the text earlier in the spell description, this includes any spell in the compulsion subschool.

No, it did not include a +4, let me go back and look at that.

As for MCvE, I do not consider Crushing Despair to be "possessing or exercising mental control"

Got it, thanks.

Gm, you have me emboldened. Do I still have a turn this round?

This is the initiative block after your haste activation. So, yes.

At least I think it is...

I Think I love you
If you need to roll a save atm, that is understandable.

This doesn't look like it includes Barkot's extra +4 to bypass SR from his Seeker archetype, does it? I just noticed that Hero Lab doesn't refer to it in the exported statblock. I'll add it at the start of his spell list with his concentration mod so it's visible going forward.

The flavor text of the Seeker ability reads as if that +4 only applies to your bonus spells. The description of the mechanics is poorly worded though and if you take it by itself, the +4 certainly would apply to all spells (making it a pretty crazy powerful ability -- a combination of 4, maybe 5 feats).

I have to look into that a little more thoroughly.

A quick look at the forums shows this to be a frequent topic and the majority of commenters seem to agree that the ability should only affect bonus spells.

@Deric I think you have convinced me to no longer allow initiative blocks to span across turns (or perhaps to simply no longer do partial updates).

Maybe I am giving you an extra turn, maybe not. I don't want to try parsing it out right now. Go ahead and kill Red. He's hanging on by a thread anyways.

Yes, sir. Will do.

Seeker Lore (Ex): By 3rd level, a seeker has already learned much about his mystery or bloodline, and is more comfortable using the bonus spells gained by that mystery or bloodline. He gains a +4 bonus on all concentration checks, on caster level checks made to overcome spell resistance, and on all Knowledge (arcana) and Spellcraft checks made on topics associated with his bonus spells. For an oracle, this ability replaces the revelation gained at 3rd level. For a sorcerer, this ability replaces the bloodline power gained at 3rd level.

A quick look at the forums shows this to be a frequent topic and the majority of commenters seem to agree that the ability should only affect bonus spells.

Hero Lab disagrees (in the app, it shows Barkot’s modifier for all SR checks as +10 and concentration checks as +13; they would be +6 and +9, respectively, without the +4 bonus from Seeker), but I understand HL isn’t official. I don’t see how it could be worth 4 or 5 feats, though - elves get +2 vs SR right off the bat as a racial trait, for example, and Spell Penetration adds another +2 to get to +4 (or Spell Penetration and Greater Spell Penetration stack to +4, for non-elves). So the bump to SR checks is worth - at most - two feats, and cost me one oracle revelation (which is basically worth one “Extra Revelation” feat).

Now that I think about it, though, it would also effectively include Combat Casting (that +4 to "all concentration checks"), so that brings it up to 2-3 feats. On the other hand, the Knowledge (arcana) and Spellcraft bonus is clearly limited to "topics relating to" the bonus spells - which is the most situational bonus I can imagine.

Anyway, I don't mean to make a big deal out of it. Your ruling is fine. I may want to talk about retraining out of the archetype between books 2 and 3 if there's time, but that's ways off.

@Squint There are two magic circles up currently. One centered on Barkot, the other on Kylee.

The entire party is currently covered.

Also, please note that you cannot attack an adjacent creature with a lance.

Anyway, I don't mean to make a big deal out of it. Your ruling is fine. I may want to talk about retraining out of the archetype between books 2 and 3 if there's time, but that's ways off.

Yes, you are right, Barkot. I am letting "rules" get in the way of "fun", and fun is definitely the more important thing. This is a game, after all.

So, I'll back out my rulings. I do not want to be that type of GM who ruins the game for his players. I've played for that GM before, and I don't want to be one.

So, Red was dead from boneshaker and Paeral's arrows before Deric's attacks ever happened. Nobody is affected by Crushing Despair. And, since I've been fighting with Squint about the reach of his lance since the beginning of book 1, reach weapons can be used in adjacent squares.

I really would rather we tell the story of these books rather than enforce Paizo's poorly conceived and written mechanics.

Sorry guys, I think I broke him with the "I Think I Love You" post. LOL
Hang in there boss. We are all good and you are great. Thank you, sir, for what you do.

Backalley Barkot wrote:

Anyway, I don't mean to make a big deal out of it. Your ruling is fine. I may want to talk about retraining out of the archetype between books 2 and 3 if there's time, but that's ways off.

Yes, you are right, Barkot. I am letting "rules" get in the way of "fun", and fun is definitely the more important thing. This is a game, after all.

So, I'll back out my rulings. I do not want to be that type of GM who ruins the game for his players. I've played for that GM before, and I don't want to be one.

So, Red was dead from boneshaker and Paeral's arrows before Deric's attacks ever happened. Nobody is affected by Crushing Despair. And, since I've been fighting with Squint about the reach of his lance since the beginning of book 1, reach weapons can be used in adjacent squares.

I really would rather we tell the story of these books rather than enforce Paizo's poorly conceived and written mechanics.

Ah, heck. I was thisclose to deleting that post, I knew I sounded pissy. Sorry about that - your rulings were fine either way. I admit to being disappointed about the Seeker Lore ruling, but mainly because I was already frustrated by the archetype - which sounded fun when I took it but hasn’t turned out quite the way I expected. That's not at all on you. Whatever your final decision is, I'm good, I'm enjoying the campaign. Not to mention that Barkot being hit with Crushing Despair makes for interesting RP opportunities.

Separate issue - I'm not seeing the Discord channel when I check the app. Any idea what's going on? When you get a moment, please post another invitation or send me a DM with it.

I deleted it since it was just you, me, and Squint.

Whatever your final decision is

I am not going to slow things down anymore. The rules are whatever you think they are.

If you have questions, I'll give a ruling, otherwise, I'll expect you all (who all have much more experience at this game than I) to be able to apply standard combat rules appropriately.

We love you, GM.

And, in my defense with Squint's stupid lance, I keep on thinking about this halfling with a halfling-sized lance, and how that should work. It's a bit of a blind spot of mine. Sorry.

Can I move freely through the idiot Jasper's square? Otherwise, I will simply trample him.

He does not consider you to be an ally right now, due to his confused state. You are free to try an Overrun.

Then, Deric, you're not getting your request for me to move. I politely suggest that we get rid of Jasper.

And GM, can we please get some more map?

It's almost as if insane people are not tactically astute.

Jasper has been an unfortunate victim of my bad rolling. He only needs a 9 to not get confused, yet he is confused constantly and then rolls max to determine how long the effect lasts.

Great.....thanks for the explanation.

Deric points at the demonic thing and yells "Leave the halfling be you coward of a succubus! Come fight me now or you shall regret your impotence."

Just had to wipe the coffee off my computer screen as it went flying forth from both my nose and mouth...

While I can see your post fitting the situation, I'm afraid I read it in a totally different context...as I think this incubus was probably regretting his 'impotence' long before now...

And GM, can we please get some more map?

I did see this, I simply haven't had a chance to edit the map. The hallway extends fairly far before you have to worry about the spike pit.

Jasper has been managed.

Can you summon to a place you can't see?

I don't really have time this weekend to adjudicate Squint's actions, but my take currently is:

This round: Dismount and Dismiss Ulyi
Next round: Summon (possibly in the corridor if the door isn't opened)
Lawrence next round: Teleport into the room (if door not open) or attack.

Bad news on the teleport question. From Summon Monster: '
A summoned monster cannot summon or otherwise conjure another creature, nor can it use any teleportation or planar travel abilities. '

Summon Monster also does not specify otherwise, so it would require line of effect. Squint will need to hope that someone is able to open the door.

Can Paeral see if the door is barred from the inside? Or did Paeral see the incubus somehow lock it as he closed the door? And since the incubus looks surprised as the pit vanishes and he finds himself back at floor level, is he considered flat-footed?

According to Kylee, there is a haste spell that is affecting Squint, I think. I’m confused about it, so I would hope that someone could confirm that.

I would think that Squint could summon into the room where he previously summoned a pit. He has previously seen into that room and can imagine what it looks like over the pit that he previously summoned. It’s not like the door erases his memory of the room.

The fact that the lantern archon has teleportation as a power would make it really poorly thought through if it wasn’t able to use its own teleportation abilities. Summoning another creature I get. Regardless, I’m not arguing that the lantern archon needs to use teleportation. Yet.

Edit: I’ve checked the rules. It’s just a stupidly thought-out summoning. Oh, let’s give you an archon that can do one cool thing and then prevent you from using that cool ability! WTF.

@Paeral The door is not barred, and you didn't see the Incubus make any effort to lock the door. He is only flavor surprised, so not flat footed.

@Squint Haste does not give you a second standard action. I reread the summoning part of "Aiming a Spell" again, and it does provide enough room to accept your argument of targeting the other side of the door,