GMDQ's Skull and Shackles (Inactive)

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Realizing that facing a tiny storm on deck might sting, Sandara protects herself by first carefully stepping back towards the helm and her captain, and then with magic to protect from lightning.

Five foot step, then casts resist energy, electrical res 20 on herself.

IIRC Thren and Belina are at the helm, so I moved them to be actually at the helm (the ship's wheel). Thren if you wanted them to be up on the aftcastle by the catapult instead where they were you can move them back but it sounds like you wanted to be by the wheel so I fixed that. I also moved Cog so he wasn't floating in the water/clinging to the roof of the captain's quarters, and Tilly off the rails as well. We have both night shift and day shift crew on the map, I don't know who should be there. As for my positioning, I was hoping to have Sal charge, but I'll settle for him being right next to her.

Sal takes the 18 physical damage and her protective spell eats the electricity

Sal's rough cropped hair shoots upward as the electricity arcs through her, and as she shouts a battle cry and hefts her giant "fishing spear" she looks like a hero out of a Minkai drama. Full attack, reach

Adamantine Ranseur Attack 1, Power Attack, Furious Focus (ignore power attack penalty on first roll, inspire courage, good hope): 1d20 + 15 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 15 + 3 + 2 = 34

Adamantine Ranseur Attack 2, Power Attack, inspire courage, good hope: 1d20 + 7 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 7 + 3 + 2 = 13

Damage for Attack, Power Attack, inspire courage, good hope: 2d4 + 14 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (2, 4) + 14 + 3 + 2 = 25

Sal slams her ranseur so hard through the living storm she nearly gets the spear point stuck into the spar beyond.

I must have jiggled the map as I left last night. I thought I left Belina at the wheel and Thren adjacent to her, with Cog at the catapult.

As for shifts, this should be day shift. It doesn't matter too much who else is on deck, though.

Sal finds that her harpoon bites into the swirling substance of the strange being, but not as much as if it were a whale or similar creature.

The elemental is sort of made of air and harder bits, so it has some DR.

Lee.

I am not attacking with my harpoon, I am attacking with my +2 adamantine ranseur, which is Sal's primary weapon. That should bypass DR/magic and DR/admantine. I know some elementals have DR/- so I accept it may still be soaking damage, but I just want to be sure that you are considering the effect of the correct weapon in my possession.

Thanks for the adjustments, DQ.

I am not attacking with my harpoon, I am attacking with my +2 adamantine ranseur, which is Sal's primary weapon. That should bypass DR/magic and DR/admantine. I know some elementals have DR/- so I accept it may still be soaking damage, but I just want to be sure that you are considering the effect of the correct weapon in my possession.

Sorry, I missed that. In this case it doesn't matter, because the DR is /-. Just reminds me that I want to rebuild all of the elementals to be more interesting.

If Lee doesn't post soon, should we bot him? I'd like to give him time, but if he's absorbed in something IRL we should probably keep moving.

The following is just rambling commentary and not a suggestion as I generally would rather stick to the rules as written even when they are annoying for simplicity's sake. :) But anyway... I have various notes on homebrew rules I've wanted to try with PF1e. One was eliminating DR completely (I recall when running a high level game at a real table, it often took forever to calculate DR amid multiple iterative attacks, often possessed by PCs and foes alike). I never coded a full alternative, but one was simply giving a monster regen instead, with the special material working to stop the regen (much like fire/acid works with trolls, silver would work with lycanthropes, etc). Math would still need to be done, but it would be additive on the monster's side, so the players weren't having to subtract from each damage roll. Another option was, given "thick skin" has dual representation in the current rules, DR and Natural Armor (and it really should be one or the other), some special materials might ignore half or all of a monster's natural armor bonus. This AC could be raised, and if you don't have the special AC it could be annoyingly hard to hit, but at least if you did, you could feel satisfied about doing the damage you did.

Sorry for the delay.
I'll need some help with the map, possibly...

Lee will cast Haste. He is casting defensively.

DC for casting a 3rd Level spell defensively = 21

Casting defenisvely vs CD21: 1d20 + 9 + 5 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 9 + 5 + 4 = 36

That's 9 of us Hasted. Not sure who is in the 30' radius, though. I'm sure it covers Lee, Sal, Thren and Sandara. After that, closest ally moving outward?

Glad Lee posted, because I would have botted him with casting a fireball, which would have been a bad idea, considering the sails and whatnot. Actually, the sails could probably have taken it.

You probably also want to include Muffin? Otherwise we can just spread it around.

disarm vs Sal: 1d20 + 31 ⇒ (13) + 31 = 44

The bundle of lightning crackle-roars, electricity arcing to Sal's ranseur. The weapon hums in Sal's hand and she tosses it to the deck involuntarily as her muscles convulse.

Round 2

Applying Haste to Muffin is a good plan. Should be automatic (my bad). He is working at remaining a non-combatant in this fight.

I'm at work (& thumb typing on my phone). If we all want to move forward, please bestow Haste bonuses reasonably & proceed.

As an aside, Fireball would've been a fine play. Lee has Merciful Spell that converts whatever damage a spell gives to bludgeon. As long as nobody falls in the water & drowns he can sweep a ship's deck clean without killing the crew or torching the ship.
Also, very few targeted DRs protect from bludgeon.

attack on elemental: 1d20 + 11 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 11 + 6 = 19
attack on elemental: 1d20 + 11 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 11 + 6 = 19
attack on elemental: 1d20 + 6 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 + 6 = 27

damage: 1d6 + 2 + 2 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 2 + 2 + 5 = 13

Thren continues to sing at the top of her lungs as she nocks arrow after arrow and lets fly, each one trailing crimson magic in its wake. When one finally hits, the projectile passes through and leaves a few sparks in its wake.

attack: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (20) + 13 = 33
confirm critical hit: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (5) + 13 = 18
damage: 1d10 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

A bolt from the Besmaran's crossbow follows Thren's arrow into the lightning cloud.

Lee is a little pinned down and needs to move away.
He will take a Withdraw action.
(I can't see the map, but I think moving bow-ward is his best bet.)
Once out of melee range he'll start cranking up the spell production.

As a further aside, I misspoke earlier.
Merciful Spell isn't bludgeon. It's nonlethal damage of the same type. So things are still catching fire, I just set everything to "slow roast" instead of "flash fry".

Lee, withdraw only lets you move out of the threatened space you are in without provoking. The elemental is huge and pretty clearly has reach, so if you want to revise that action please do. You could just take the move and cast a spell after the move and corresponding aoo, or another option.

In case you want to take the attack.

Sal snorts at the creature. "Is that the best you can do, ya jumped up wool magnet?"

The upside of something being able to soak damage from her ranseur is that, having nothing tougher than that weapon, it doesn't matter too much what weapon she attacks with. So with grace nearly as lightning quick as the elemental she faces, she yanks her harpoon from the hook on her haversack and, holding it in both hands, lunges toward the creature again. Quick draw, free action, then five-foot-step toward the creature, which does not provoke

Attack 1, mwk harpoon, Power Attack, Furious Focus, Haste, Inspire Courage, Good Hope: 1d20 + 14 + 1 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 14 + 1 + 3 + 2 = 29

Attack 2, hasted bonus attack, mwk harpoon, Power Attack, Haste, Inspire Courage, Good Hope: 1d20 + 11 + 1 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 11 + 1 + 3 + 2 = 20

Attack 3, iterative attack, mwk harpoon, Power Attack, Haste, Inspire Courage, Good Hope: 1d20 + 6 + 1 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 6 + 1 + 3 + 2 = 25

Could we please have the AC and the like so we can go ahead and calculate damage and such? I'm going to guess maybe two of them hit

Damage 1, Two-Handed Power Attack, Inspire Courage, Good Hope: 1d8 + 6 + 9 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 6 + 9 + 3 + 2 = 26

Damage 2, Two-Handed Power Attack, Inspire Courage, Good Hope: 1d8 + 6 + 9 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 6 + 9 + 3 + 2 = 25

I think I had my Power Attack bonus calculated wrong on my prior turn--I forgot to add the bonus damage from wielding a two handed weapon, so she should have done 3 more points of damage the prior turn. Not much but if we're dealing with a critter with DR every bit counts.

I would also like to note for future reference that her harpoon is tied to a 100 ft spider silk rope, the other end of which is tucked inside her haversack.

Lee takes the attack to complete his Withdraw.

Seeing Sal really go at it (& assuming he survives) Lee mutters, "So much for the sassy back-talk about 'baking biscuits'..."

Your haste is really helping there, Lee!

Elemental Defenses: AC 22, touch 18, flat-footed 12 (+9 Dex, +1 dodge, +4 natural, –2 size) |hp 110 (13d10+39)| Fort +11, Ref +17, Will +6|DR 10/—; Immune electricity, elemental traits

Currently 53/107 hp

Lee, in case you didn't see in the spoiler, the attack against you missed with a 1.

Attack Sal: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (2) + 23 = 25 Damage Sal: 2d8 + 6 + 2d6 ⇒ (3, 5) + 6 + (6, 4) = 24 14 damage and 10 electricity damage.

The living lightning shudders under your continued assault, bright lightning flashing and dark clouds swirling. It lashes out with a bolt of electricity that arcs to the harpoon. Then it flies sideways off the ship, hovering over the surging waves.

Round 2

attack on elemental: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (10) + 13 = 23
damage: 1d10 + 6 - 10 ⇒ (6) + 6 - 10 = 2

Sandara's crossbow makes a loud 'thunk' as she reloads it, slams a bolt home, and fires another bolt into the elemental.

attack on elemental, hasted: 1d20 + 11 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 11 + 6 = 26
attack on elemental: 1d20 + 11 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 11 + 6 = 23
attack on elemental: 1d20 + 6 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 + 6 = 29

damage: 1d6 + 2 + 2 + 5 - 10 ⇒ (3) + 2 + 2 + 5 - 10 = 2
damage: 1d6 + 2 + 2 + 5 - 10 ⇒ (2) + 2 + 2 + 5 - 10 = 1
damage: 1d6 + 2 + 2 + 5 - 10 ⇒ (4) + 2 + 2 + 5 - 10 = 3

The bard keeps singing as she nocks another arrow and lets fly. Another arrow, lets fly. One more, lets fly. Each one is a glowing red streak that pierces the living stormcloud.

Are the ballista loaded?

Lee will launch an attack at the Elemental. He casts Scorching Ray with all three rays aimed at the hovering creature.

Ranged Touch, Scorching Ray spell, Ray #1: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18
Ranged Touch, Scorching Ray spell, Ray #2: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13
Ranged Touch, Scorching Ray spell, Ray #3: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

Hit, whiff and whiff

Damage, Scorching Ray spell, Ray #1: 4d6 ⇒ (2, 4, 5, 6) = 17

Lee, are your spell attack rolls including inspire courage, good hope, and haste? That's a total +6 bonus and while I can't remember if it should be added to damage, it definitely should be added to the ranged touch attack

If the elemental flew away from Sal after attacking her far enough to be over the water, that should provoke an AOO--even if it flies upward, it's starting near her, so she gets to swipe at it while it's just leaving--so I am rolling an AOO. If it doesn't apply for some reason, ignore it

Attack of Opportunity, Harpoon, Good Hope, Haste, Inspire Courage: 1d20 + 14 + 2 + 1 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 14 + 2 + 1 + 3 = 33

Damage: 1d8 + 4 + 2 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 2 + 3 = 12

After the monster moves over the water, Sal scoops up her ranseur and walks toward the ballista on the side of the ship where the creature has escaped. "That gall dang ballista better be loaded, and if it ain't, you swabs better be helping load it right the f&+% NOW or there's gonna be no rum ration for anybody!"

Gha. I'm terrible.
If I can go back and add the to hit bonuses, all three will hit.
It would yield:
Damage, Scorching Ray spell, Ray #2: 4d6 ⇒ (3, 1, 6, 5) = 15
Damage, Scorching Ray spell, Ray #3: 4d6 ⇒ (3, 6, 3, 1) = 13
Otherwise I'll be sure to pay better attention in the future (Can I blame "No coffee" for this?)

Also for future consideration:
Inspire Courage would yield a +2 to weapon damage.
Good Hope would yield a +2 to weapon damage, as well.
Scorching Ray kind of straddles the weapon/spell axis b/c it has to hit (& can be used for things like Sneak Attack) but is not a "weapon", right?
I'm good with either interpretation.

'No coffee' has been the ultimate reason behind more trouble than anything else in the modern era. :-)

Arrow, fiery ray, and harpoon disrupt whatever magic gives the mass of air and electricity coherence. It vanishes in a final burst of lightning into the waves beneath and clouds above.

For the moment, the only apparent threat is wind and wave.

I was thinking of Sal's attack of opportunity when I posted the move, but didn't post it, apparently. In any case, this threat was well handled, and a CR 9 at that.

From here, you should be able to turn away from the storm and make for the finish line.

Thren looks about, making sure there's no one down and no damage she hadn't spotted. "If you're injured, get patched up and back to your stations. Time for the final stretch!" The captain orders. She slips her bow back into her quiver and returns to the wheel.

"Thanks Belina. I'll take the wheel for the end run." She says with a smile. "You handled things well while we were occupied. Which you always do."

"And don't come back!" Sal shouts at the dissipating fog. "Whooeee! Good sharp shootin' there, Cap! And that fire there, Lee, look out! Everybody, speakin' as yer master-at-arms, good job stayin' cool, but we gotta be sure another monster attacks, those ballista start gettin' loaded right away... Cog you'n me later gotta talk tactics..."

She slings her larger spear over her shoulder and hangs her harpoon back onto the hook on her haversack and begins to walk back toward the bow of the ship. As she does, you can practically see the energy of the fight evaporate off of her, as her determined march slows. Wobbling a little, she looks down at herself as though not recognizing her own body. "I don't think skin's supposed to have that many scorch marks."

She sits down on a coil of rope and pulls out her healer's kit, bandaging up the worst of the bruises and burns.

I will take 10 to treat Deadly Wounds (a DC 20, so taking 10 auto-succeeds). This uses two uses of her Healer's Kit. She heals 9 HP.

Lee and Muffin will both keep a sharp eye out. Now is when some other ship will do something separate to win.

Lee will stay on deck and Muffin (who is an accomplished flier and not at any risk of just falling) will view from the rigging.

Perception - Lee: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21
Perception - Muffin: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (17) + 14 = 31

Who else needs healing? How much?

As indicated on my statblock I am still about 20+ HP down

cure serious wounds: 3d8 + 7 ⇒ (4, 8, 5) + 7 = 24

Sandara casts cure serious wounds on Sal.

Sal looks up as Sandara attends to her wounds more efficiently. "Thanks Doc." She looks around. "Any damage to the ship done by that angry little raincloud?"

The sails at the top of the main mast are lightly singed, but not enough to signify any real weakening.

1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15

Thren turns the ship away from the storm and toward the finish line. She (the ship, not Thren) leaps from the fog into, well, not sunlight but a brighter light.

The only other contender ship you can see is the Wormwood. To the west, the Kraken cruises, the Master of Gales observing the proceedings from the deck.

Perception checks, please. I'm going to let you roll because the DC is quite high and you might want to use hero points.

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

I'm out of hero points. Burned them earlier in the Regatta. So I'll roll, if the DC is too high so be it.

Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (3) + 12 = 15

Perception: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (10) + 16 = 26

I can spend a hero point but I don't actually know if I have any. What do we start off with?

Perception - Lee: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10
Perception - Muffin: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (10) + 14 = 24

The question of hero points is of interest to Lee as well, as he has just resumed his adventuring career and I assume he's restarting his hero point pool as well...

Does 2 seem reasonable? You should have gained 1 at this most recent level, and let's say you kept another one from previous levels.

Does 2 seem reasonable?

Seems reasonable. I'm fine with that if everyone else is.

No arguments!

That sounds good to me. I am going to spend one, knowing my chances of getting higher than 10 are less than the 50% they should be

Perception: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (8) + 16 = 24

Dang, after the fact I forgot I can also just spend a hero point to add +4 to the roll. I should have done that instead. Don't suppose I could retcon? If not I'll live with it, it's not like a result of 26 or 24 is bad, just hoping for higher given the GM's warning.

1d20 ⇒ 1Wow, was not expecting that to work out for you guys.

Sal Initiative: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21
Thren Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
Lee Initiative: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19
Foe Initiative: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9 Wow

Sal has a keen eye watching as the clouds and rain fall away behind you. She sees something between you and the Wormwood, like a heat shimmer or mirage, though there is no heat that could be causing such an effect. It flickers and vanishes, she loses it, perhaps wondering if she imagined it, but then she catches the scent, the tang of blood on the wind combined with the acrid smell one smells after lightning. There are two of them, some sort of invisible killers on the air. They come aboard, confident in their undetectable nature.

This works out neatly. Sal is at the top of the initiative, and so can give warning and let the other two take actions. They come aboard amidships.

I'm taking it that I have awareness in a surprise round, so therefore have one standard action

Sal inhales deeply, eyes narrowing, as though she is following something. She shouts loudly across the ship. "Cap'n! Something," she sniffs again, "No, two things are here, port side, storm-spawned." Free action to speak

With just a slight stoop and a flick of her wrist, one of the daggers sheathed on her leg flies into her hand (Free action, Quick Draw), and she tosses it in the direction of one of the creatures that she can smell. She aims the dagger low so that if it doesn't strike, or goes through the creature, it lodges itself in the deck close by, so the others have a visual on where roughly it is.

Using Scent to try to pinpoint location

Attack, Mwk Cold Iron Dagger: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (5) + 14 = 19
Well, it should be flatfooted if it hasn't acted yet, so it might hit unless it has Uncanny Dodge

Damage, if that hits[/dice: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Goal is not so much as to hurt it bad yet as to give the others an idea where they are at the moment