GM Chadius's Gameday VI: 8-05 Ungrounded But Unbroken (Inactive)

Game Master chadius

Sorry to roll your Diplomacy & Intimidate checks, but with the site down I just wanted to move us along to the next encounter. I'm trying to finish this up before Game Day 6 ends. As long as we keep up the pace we should make it.

I'm going to roll for boons now, so I can get your email and submit on time. If you get a 19 or 20, rejoice!

Xabala: 1d20 ⇒ 9
Annuit: 1d20 ⇒ 2
Damien: 1d20 ⇒ 3
Durandal: 1d20 ⇒ 18
Robyyn: 1d20 ⇒ 9
Herman: 1d20 ⇒ 6
GM: 1d20 ⇒ 18

D'oh! Well, I tried.

Apparently I need everyone's email, so you have a chance to win a gift certificate. Can you PM me or post your email?

Should all of our GM's be asking for our email addresses for gift cert chance, or are you special? :)

I've heard I should ask everyone, but I'm not THAT special of a GM :)

I think our only option is going to be untrained bluff checks with aids while someone slips into the room. Durandal should probably lead while Herman takes his armor off and sneaks in? The rest of us would assist Durandal in creating the diversion.

How does that sound to everyone?

Agreed, Durandal would be best at leading the Bluff. I'd like to have Robyyn part of the investigation party; he's trained in stealth, so it's not unreasonable, and then he can post Ayrii outside the office to warn if someone comes.

As much as I hate to take off the armor you are right. I will be operating at +7.

Once the distraction starts I will move in.

There is an upcoming challenge that requires party members to make Diplomacy checks. Durandal (+4) and Gili (+5) have the best bonuses, but I haven't heard from them in a while. The 4 PC adjustment changes the challenge so each member gets 2 diplomacy checks instead of one.

I'm giving you the choice to do the 4 player challenge (where you get 2 checks) or do the normal challenge (where most of you get 1 check, but Durandal and Gili have higher bonuses.)

I would favor the rules. If Durandal and Gili are being removed from the game due to their disappearance, then we should do the 4-player adjustment. If they are staying and being botted, we should do the normal challenge.

Agreed with Robyyn

I agree with both Robyyn and Herman, but it looks like it'll have to be chadius' decision if they are removed or not.
It's a tough decision to make when players disappear, but usually if it's been a week or more, I think it is warranted.

I am GMing two AP's on here at the moment. Removing players is rough. Personally I have botted players, or better had other players do it, for a week and then dropped.

Only once have I dropped someone and then felt bad because they were in the hospital. I put them back in.

4 player adjustment!

Okay, sounds like only 1 person wants the 4-player adjustment, so we'll go for the normal rules. Gili has a +5 Diplomacy and Durandal has a natural +4 bonus.

Once one of you makes a DC 20 check, it will be easier for everyone else, so choose your evidence carefully. Does Gili use the best evidence to guarantee a successful argument? Or does he use weaker evidence so one of you have a better chance?

This is going to be tough with most of us having a negative modifier. Do we want to give the strongest pieces to the weakest bonuses? That would, in a way, even out the odds for all of us. As far as I know, exceeding the DC by 1 or 20 yields the same result, so I don't think having multiple huge bonuses will necessarily be better than several moderate bonuses.

Also, what exactly is the charge against us?

Well I got us one before I read this. That should be an additional +2.

I took one of the weak pieces. I vote give Gill the +6 which now is +8. That gives him the best chance of another +2 for the others so then Durandal could have a +9 for his roll using the note. This would give a +10 for the next in line.

To be fair I am not statistician but I think this is our best chance.

All that said I burned a great roll so don't want to risk rolling lol.

I don't think you burned a great roll; you took the worst bonus and got us a success with it. Perhaps a bit hasty, but well done nonetheless.

Diplomacy Modifiers (Base)
Gili +5
Durandal +4
Damian +1
Herman +0
Xabala -1
Robyyn -2

Evidence Modifiers
Dell's Testimony +6
Slagcrusher's Note +5
Aspis Badge/Note +4
Elemental Tattoos +3
False Description +3

I'm going to present three strategies, from lowest to highest risk. All of these factor in the current +2 bonus from Herman's success, but don't assume any additional successes. All of these make their arguments in decreasing order of natural Diplomacy bonus (but maybe that order should be shuffled in the final scenario).

Strongest Start
Combine the best natural bonus with the best evidence, working down. This gives the best chance of increasing the cumulative bonus. Robyyn has no evidence to present.

Gili +5 +6 +2 = +13
Durandal +4 +5 +2 = +11
Damian +1 +4 +2 = +7
Xabala -1 +3 +2 = +4
Robyyn -2 +0 +2 = +0

Middle Strategy
Combine the best natural bonus with the weakest evidence, working down. Robyyn still has no evidence to present.

Gili +5 +3 +2 = +10
Durandal +4 +4 +2 = +10
Damian +1 +5 +2 = +8
Xabala -1 +6 +2 = +7
Robyyn -2 +0 +2 = +0

Strongest Finish
Like the medium risk option, but have Gili present no evidence instead of Robyyn. Maybe shuffle the order a little bit. This eliminates Robyyn's +0, but also leaves us with no double-digit bonuses.

Gili +5 +0 +2 = +7
Durandal +4 +3 +2 = +9
Damian +1 +4 +2 = +7
Xabala -1 +5 +2 = +6
Robyyn -2 +6 +2 = +6

I like the middle strategy or the strongest finish.

Also, what exactly is the charge against us?

General Othis considers you to be agents sent from the Pathfinder Society working with the Plane of Fire to infiltrate and subvert the Ungrounded. Also she thinks you're really bad at it.

Basically she's just making stuff up to make you look bad.

Thanks for the thorough analysis, Robyyn. I like the middle as well.

Choice 1 and 2 are the best form my point of view. Choice 2 relies on a coin flip for the first and potentially second chances and if we don't make them things get ugly fast. Choice one gives us the best shot getting the first 2 an thus an additional +4.

Choice three can get us behind to fast.

Scenario 1
Gill +13 - 65%
Durandel +11 - 55% / 65% (1 Success / 2 Success)
Damien +7 - 35% / 45% / 55% (1 Success / 2 Success / 3 Success)
Xabal +4 - 20% / 30% / 40% / 50%
Robynn +0 - 5% / 15% / 25% / 35% / 45%

Scenario 2
Gill +10 - 50%
Durandel +10 - 50% / 60% (1 Success / 2 Success)
Damien +8 - 40% / 50% / 60% (1 Success / 2 Success / 3 Success)
Xabal +7 - 35% / 45% / 55% / 65%
Robynn +0 - 5% / 15% / 25% / 35% / 45%

Scenario 2
Gill +7 - 35%
Durandel +9 - 45% / 55% (1 Success / 2 Success)
Damien +7 - 35% / 45% / 55% (1 Success / 2 Success / 3 Success)
Xabal +6 - 30% / 40% / 50% / 60%
Robynn +6 - 30% / 40% / 50% / 60% / 70%

Who wants to take the lead on botting Gili and Durandal? They are next on the docket, followed by Damien.

So it sounds like you're doing the middle strategy? I'll bot them in an hour if no one speaks up.

Good news, everyone! You have successfully completed this scenario. I have already reported you for Gameday 6. I'll start working on the chronicle sheets in a bit.

Thanks for helping us work out the ending since we were missing a few players. Good on the fly GMing.

No problem, sometimes you need to dance the line between botting PCs and forcing everyone to wait. But I wanted to finish this by the 17th, if possible.

Rolling your day job, Herman.
1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

Prof (Author): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16
Prof (Author), Reroll: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 3 + 1 = 8
3 PP, 3 XP

I have uploaded your chronicle sheets.

CLICK HERE to view and download them. Please tell me if you see any errors.

Thanks GM!

Chronicle looks just fine, thanks GM!

I'm going to mark this thread inactive. Please PM me if you have any issues.