GM Endless Forms' PFS The Ruby Phoenix Tournament (Inactive)

Game Master Mike Tuholski

Hello all! If you have not read it yet, check out Painlord's PbP advice.

Also, please post your PFS number, Day Job roll, and initiative modifier.

Thanks!

Good day everyone.

Hello.

Ok, Feast of Sigils is in the final combat so Desmond should be free later this week or weekend at the latest and I think we're in the final (maybe penultimate) combat of No Plunder, No Pay which means Faldoc should be available soon too.

Looking forward to getting this started!

Head's up, I will be on holiday with the family from Wednesday 10/8 through Sunday 10/12. Taking the family to Disneyland, the beach and horseback riding amongst other activities. I'll likely still be able to check in and post in the evenings.

Hey everyone! Desmond and Shin know what's going on but I just wanted to make sure everyone was in the loop about the unexpected delay in starting this one:

Desmond is currently in my Feast of Sigils game, which I expected to wrap up a few weeks. To make a long story short, the final fight was going so well (BBEG is behind a wind wall and blade barrier, hasn't been touched yet, and went invisible for a while) and then it hit a standstill since last week because one of the players had a personal matter come up that has prevented him from posting since then. I'm trying to get the final fight moving again but under the circumstances it may take a while before Desmond is freed from that game and we can start this one.

Thanks for being patient everyone!

No problem. I still need to finalize purchases and such for Faldoc.

It's just a really long boat ride to the tournament. Gregor packed plenty of snacks.

I will probably have time to update Des later today.

-Posted with Wayfinder

Sorry guys. I actually did update Des on paper last week in preparation for this. But, I didn't bring them on my vacation (go figure). He'll be updated no later than Monday.

Okay. Des and Sahrek are updated. Endless, will supplies be available for purchase at the the tournament, or do I need to buy what I can before heading out?

Probably best to buy things before hand; the island is small and has a purchase limit of 3750 gp with only a few magic items available and a spellcasting service limit of 3rd.

Okay then.

Desmond has paid to have +2 Wis added to his headband of intelligence +2 to make it a headband of mental prowess +2. He has also purchased another 10 +1 Bane (Monstrous Humanoid) arrows, thanks to the Custom Order boon. He has also purchased 40 cold iron arrows. These are all detailed on the character profile page. Total spent is 7664.2 gp.

PFS #: 64554-1
Day Job: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (10) + 12 = 22 Handle Animal: Farmstead Purchase

Initiative Modifier: +6 plus an additional 4 if the arena is considered urban terrain.

Also, I need some ideas for potions to pick up. What are some good general things to have. I have a potion of darkvision and a potion of fly.

Since potions are only available up to 3rd level, I suppose I'll be able to pick up what I need in the town hosting the tournament.

One last thing. Endless, Desmond will be taking the slow XP track for his 10th level.

@Des: that's fine. This module will give you 1.5 XP and 2 PP instead of 3 XP and 4 PP if that's what you want for being on slow track.

Also: oils of daylight and bless weapon, cure potions are always nice to have, gaseous form is a decent escape option.

Yep, that's what I want Endless. I suddenly feel a little melancholy that my first ever Pathfinder character is growing up. I'm not as eager as I once was for him to graduate out of standard PFS fare.

Sorry, wasn't seeing updates. Shin is ready, just agonizing over how to spend 20K. (Trying to decide if AoMF is better, since Shin's unarmed damage is now one die higher than his sword.)

Some people will argue that a weapon is almost always better than unarmed strikes because they are cheaper to enchant and it leaves your neck slot free for other things but as you mentioned, for higher-level monks the damage die is greater and you really just can't beat the image of a monk with magical limbs kicking and punching his way around the battlefield.

Sidenote: this module has a few opportunities for single combat which is a cool experience to see if your character can hold their own in such a situation but over PbP (and over the table) it can be a bit boring for the other players. So if/when you enter a single combat, try your best to post frequently and I will do my best to update as much as I can so we can make it as quick as possible. I understand that some days that just won't be possible but I just wanted to warn you that things like that might occur in this module more than any other.

When we wind up in a single combat situation would you prefer those on the sidelines to not post so much in an effort to keep the combat tidy or are we allowed to be cheerleaders? ;-)

No, go ahead and cheerlead all you want!

Yeah, Shin's AC is high enough, I sold the AoNA +2 and went with an AoMF +1 and the Monk's Robes. Took his damage die up to 2d6, and gave him back a point of AC, then got the Jinghasa to put his AC back to where it was.

Okay, one last purchase - purchasing an Amulet of Natural Armor +2. I just realized I haven't done much to boost my AC in a while - and it feels pretty low, especially compared to Shin.

[rastafarian voice]But Shin be a monk, mon....[/rastafarian voice]

[bad white-man attempt at Rastafarian voice]True dat - but ev'ry little bit helps.[/bad white-man attempt at Rastafarian voice]

I just want a little extra protection for when I have to mix it up with folks up close and personal.

And I'm really hedging my bets on there being some monstrous humanoids in this tourney.

Well, after upgrading your Ring of Prot for 4000gp, the next two cheapest ways that I know of are the Jingasa of the Fortunate Soldier and a Dusty Rose Prism ioun stone (fitted in a wayfinder grants +2 to CMD and CMB)

Upgrading ring of protection would be 6000. So, the AoNA +2 is (I think) the most cost efficient way for +2 AC (a shield is not an option). Does the Luck Bonus apply to both flat footed and touch AC?

I believe Rings of Protection and AoNA have the same cost progression but Rings are better because deflection bonuses apply to all types of AC and CMD. Luck bonuses apply to all types of AC and CMD as well. Most 'other' types of bonuses (luck, profane, sacred, etc) apply to all types of AC. Armor, shields, and natural armor and kind of the exceptions.

They do have the same progression. My thought was that spending 8000 to add +2 to my AC is cheaper per "+" than upgrading my ring of protection to add +1 to my AC for 6000, even though deflection is better.

-Posted with Wayfinder

Yeah, I don't know why I was thinking the first +1 was 4000 instead of 2000. Too late last night, I guess.

I suppose you could upgrade the ring for 6000 and get +1 amulet for 2000. You spend the same money for +2 to AC, but get an extra +1 deflection to the other ACs/CMD.

Dang! Didn't think of that. Oh, and I need to check my calculations on my CMD - I don't know if I figured in the deflection bonus to it. In fact, I didn't. I also didn't figure in Dodge - I think I read somewhere that Dodge applies to CMD as well, right?

Yep, dodge bonuses apply to CMD as well.

Yeah

A creature can also add any circumstance, deflection, dodge, insight, luck, morale, profane, and sacred bonuses to AC to its CMD.

Changed one of my runners to keep track of arrows instead of favored enemies and terrain.

So, I made my Dragon's Demand credit character into a Tetori Monk - based on Desmond's little encounter with Chung Po. I think he'll be pretty fun to play.

Tetoris are a lot of fun. I've got a tetori/paladin/Champion of Irori. Take the Snapping Turtle Style feats, Stunning Pin, and Pinning Knockout (and greater grapple of course). You'll be hurting for swift actions somewhat (that's the main dilemma with my character) but it's a lot of fun.

So, reading up on ability score damage - it doesn't actually lower the ability score, it just effects all stats that are based on those scores.

So, does that mean I can still use my Composite Longbow (+4 STR) with just the -1 penalty to Dexterity affecting the attack roll, or do I also suffer a -4 to the roll because I'm no longer proficient.

Alternately, if there is time, I'll pay the 1000 gp just to add the 'adaptive' quality to the bow.

I think you would still take the penalty for being "non-proficient" with the higher strength rating.

However, if you get adaptive on your bow (well worth it imo), that's a moot point I guess.

Yeah, since we've got Faldoc, who's a better archer anyway, I'll suggest he take on this challenge.

Man, I think this is the first fight to make it through to the second round, lol! Makes a difference when you're fighting a balanced party with tricks of their own rather than just a bunch of monks or a single NPC/monster.

Tell me about it...two rounds and I haven't even tried to hit anything yet. Maybe Gregor is becoming a pacifistic?

I may have missed a few things...but there is a fair bit to choose from on the list. I excluded some of the more mundane gear (masterwork weapons, lower level magic items.)

10 slaying arrows (undead x2, fire outsiders x2, giant x2, construct, fey, evil outsider, animal)
Lesser Bracers of Archery
Ring of Feather Falling
+2 Temple Sword
Ring of Animal Friendship
5x Potion of Bear’s Endurance
6x Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds
5x Ring of Protection +1
+1 Blinding Heavy Steel Shield
2x Elixir of Vision
Gray Bag of Tricks
Incandescent Blue Sphere Ioun Stone (Blind Fight Resonant Power)
Lesser Silent Metamagic Rod
Periapt of Wound Closure
2x Potion of Protection from Energy: Cold
2x Potion of Neutralize Poison
Potion of Water Breathing
3x Potion of Cure Serious Wounds
Wand of Ray of Enfeeblement (CL 6; 14 charges)

Those potions of Cure Serious Wounds - are those the ones we got from after our fight on the docks? Because I used them on Sahrek already.

Also, don't forget we got a rock after our first fight (or was it after our first test). I'm not sure that we ever figured out if the rock is anything special.

Lol! I forgot about the rock:

a stone of luck under the effects of a magic aura spell, making it appear as a mundane stone

Yep…forgot we used those potions of Cure Serious Wounds. Yes there was a rock and I believe we never found out about our rewards for beating our heads against steel during one of our first tests. I'm not all that worried about those though…I think we have some good stuff already.

In that first test you have to break all the items to get to reward. I don't think anyone was able to break the metal bar so you didn't get anything. You would have gotten a CL 15 potion of stoneskin if you had made it though. Nice haul but that's the hardest task.

I thought we all got a ring of feather falling.