GM Erich's Salvation Of The Sages (Subtier 10-11) (Inactive)

Game Master Thereus, Silver Crusader

A preemptive reminder, re: Vladek's objects and Tahonikepsu's breath weapon. Though, I don't remember whether animated objects are still technically "objects".

Energy Attacks: Energy attacks deal half damage to most objects. Divide the damage by 2 before applying the object's hardness. Some energy types might be particularly effective against certain objects, subject to GM discretion. For example, fire might do full damage against parchment, cloth, and other objects that burn easily. Sonic might do full damage against glass and crystal objects.

@Vladek; Thanks, I've removed ward hex from my buffs.

@Magor; I've always played that animated objects are creatures, and lose the object specific protections. Just a players 2c.

They switch to construct type upon being animated. They aren't objects anymore and thus take full damage from energy attacks (minus hardness), like a robot if you have ever played in any of those scenarios.

Surprise Round - Drink a potion Protection from Evil

btw - Also have up Barkskin

Soooo....do you all think we need to head into the sage jewels "mindscapes" and try to free them, while the battle rages?

Soooo....do you all think we need to head into the sage jewels "mindscapes" and try to free them, while the battle rages?

Somebody probably needs to. With death ward up though, you should really be the one to handle the ghost. And if you do go that route, I can cast silence on you. Between those two spells, she probably won't have much offense left to hit you with.

Rok punches far below his weight class against ghosts, so once he is out of grappleable targets he will check out the mindscapes.

I'm assuming someone spellcrafts the spell the lich cast and informs Rok? It is something he needs to know.

Q. ref. mindscapes: is it a free action just to enter, or is it a free action to enter/do stuff/get out? basically, do we have a free attempt each round on top of our characters' battle actions?

Are there more deathwards kicking around and does anyone have ghostbane dirge or a way to make us hit vs. incorporeal?

Yes, Evad will attack the ghost on his turn. My unarmed strikes do count as magicial; but yeah a nice ghostbane dirge would be helpful, if available.

@Evad: How are your unarmed strikes not magical? I didn't think there were any archetypes for unchained classes, which means your strikes should be magic, cold iron, silver, and lawful at level 10.

No more death ward or ghostbane dirge here.

@Theo It is a free action to enter or leave. But time does pass inside.

From your experiences before, from the outside they were in the mindscape about a minute. Those who went in and saw the many visions felt it lasted fifteen to twenty.

From the the rules: While a creature's consciousness is within a mindscape, that creature's body in the real world can take no actions and loses its Dexterity bonus to AC, but it isn't considered helpless, as the unconscious parts of the creature's mind still provide resistance to the creature's destruction. While in an immersive mindscape, the mind gets no information about what the body sees, hears, smells, or touches. Thus, if the body takes damage from an attack in the real world, the mind remains unaware of it.

That's about all I can say until someone jumps in.

They ARE magical! See what I wrote above.

@GM: Ok... I did it... Theo stepped into the Topaz Sage mindscape... please be gentle! :P

@GM Erich: I tried putting the disarmed weapon on the map, but saw you removed it. I was under the impression that a natural 20 on a combat maneuver meant it is successful, same way it works with attack rolls. Apologies if I misunderstood. Please note that due to action reshuffling Theodric's pro vs. evil buff went off in surprise round and the disarming went on in round 1 before spells and breath weapons went off (I believe Ermias was still flat-footed as well, something I did not mention in my post above). Sorry for all the back and forth: I believe initiative order will resume to normal in Round 2+. Thank you for running this incredibly complex scenario!

It's all good just the random direction changed. Now it's under the dragon.

I thought '1' was always towards the enemy? no matter...

I'll roll my Will save here so not as to clutter the Gameplay thread:

Will Save Theodric, Sickened: 1d20 + 3 - 2 ⇒ (13) + 3 - 2 = 14

Splash Weapons

RAW, it is for splash weapons, but it's a good de facto standard.

Thanks! I had it 180 degrees backwards! :)

Dazing flame sphere? This scenario is not pulling punches.

Surprise Round: hp84/84
>_>
<_<
..shrugs... meh... don't know

Round 1: hp31/84
O_O
O_O
...huh... yep... not pulling punches alright!

My turn is coming up; will someone please spellcraft what the lich cast on himself here?

Rok, I think it's safe to say with a spellcraft of 30, Vladek will be able to pinpoint all the spells cast if he can see them. I would assume he keeps a running commentary for everyone's benefit.

Thanks GM Erich.

I heard this fight was tough lol it's TOUGH

Did Evad miss, or did he do no damage?

Rok, I think it's safe to say with a spellcraft of 30, Vladek will be able to pinpoint all the spells cast if he can see them. I would assume he keeps a running commentary for everyone's benefit.

Deal.

@Rok just a miss.

I hope that mindscape is going well!

As much as I want to grapple a dragon (on my player bucket list), I'm guesses the div might be a bigger threat. At least until the dragon is ready to breath electricity again.

Just checking here -- is 22 sufficient for Casting Defensively, that would allow a 3rd level spell to be successful?

@Vladek; Check out the special combat rules for the sages. They auto-pass saving throws...

@Vladek; Combat maneuvers are attack rolls and are affected by anything that will affect an attack roll.

@GM Erich; If the sages auto-hit on attacks. How are we going to rule for combat maneuvers? If I grapple one will they auto-pass the check to escape?

@Vladek; Check out the special combat rules for the sages. They auto-pass saving throws...

Does that still apply once one has done a heel-turn?

If so, then yes, I'll need to reconsider my action - but let's give the DM a window to verify.

Just checking here -- is 22 sufficient for Casting Defensively, that would allow a 3rd level spell to be successful?

AFAIK: DC is 15 + (spell level x 2), so 3rd level would be: 15 + (3x2) = 21

@Vladek, yes, not that you'd know that really, but I am ok with redoing your action

@Rok I can calculate CMBs from the info given if needed.

@Evad, Theo It was trying for something a bit higher

Some people don't like all the generalizations made for the sages to expedite play, but I don't think you'd really want to actually be fighting a fully fleshed out lich psychic and time dragon!

Some people don't like all the generalizations made for the sages to expedite play, but I don't think you'd really want to actually be fighting a fully fleshed out lich psychic and time dragon!

I'm sure you're right about that, but anything that automatically makes all its saving throws is serious trouble in its own right - especially if you're a Witch!

I hope their being perpetually staggered precludes attacks of opportunity as well, because I'm trying a full withdrawal!

I definitely have mixed feelings on the rules for the sages. It is cool and removes moving parts to make an epic fight easier to run and play. But the rules also invalidate entire tactical options.

If you want to, there is a scenario where you can fight Sinuhotep in all his glory...

Well, that sounds interesting. Does it spoil the scenario to ask which scenario it is?

If Theo survives this, he'd gladly sign up for a revenge mission against Sinuhotep with this party! if GM Erich runs it of course! interested? :P

Edit: if yes, perhaps make it part of Outpost for the boons...

(although at this point, I'm not sure if Sinuhotep or Time Dragon Lady are really in control of themselves... unless I missed something...)

Kind of. It's probably better that it is a surprise...although there are not a whole lot of high level Osirion style scenarios, so you could probably figure it out. it is a direct precursor to this one. And you don't have to battle him, I'm just saying he is stat-ed somewhere. His story is actually pretty sad. For a lich.

edit: It is being run on Outpost...and has space available!

GM Erich: do you have the link for the Outpost game list? thanks!

Note: this current battle appears to be incredibly complex and probably requires some major heavy lifting by the GM... know that we appreciate your efforts and time commitment!

Here it is, Theo.

Sorry for the annoying questions, but which scenario are we talking about again?

It's 7-11: Ancient's Anguish

oh sweet... joined up with my elf psychic! :)

Do you have any questions about grappling? Rok can grapple three targets in the short duration, but will only be able to maintain two of these targets next round.

Do you need a save against the flaming sphere?

I'm ok with the grappling rules, so far. I have a lore master/maneuver master monk with greater grapple so I do some of the same things.

I run flaming sphere very RAW, so it only does damage when moved and directed.

The Flurry of Maneuvers always confused me.

@DM: Going forward, DM, could you please also bold things like "[need saving throw]" even when it isn't the pertinent character's go, otherwise? That would have allowed us to make those saves you wound up making for us earlier (which would've been nice, given how your rolls turned out).

Speaking of that roll (which I believe was against cloudkill, or something like that?), would you allow a retroactive Autumn Ward use?

@Vladek: I forgot what Theo's magic number 12 does. Can you refresh my memory? thx!