So I'm guessing since Drafton is on the new map and off of the old one, he's reached the top of the chute?
Correct! Sorry if that wasn't very clear, Drafton.
Speaking of rule of cool.... are any of you looking to be utilizing weapons in combat? Or primarily focusing on spells/abilities in combat? I ask, because I want to ensure that the loot you find is geared towards your specialties. If weapons are not a focus for any of the characters, I'm going to retool some of the magical items found throughout the AP. Either that, or I will allow those such items to be traded at either full value or very close to full value so you're not getting the shaft when it comes to WBL.
If any of you ARE looking to be utilizing weapons as a big focus of your PC, please let me know which type of weapon if your preference so that I can ensure you find something appropriate to your PC during your adventures!
In my mind there are few things less frustrating than getting an awesome loot drop and realizing that most of the items you find provide absolutely nothing to your party...
Carter isn't much of a fighter. I was planning on spells, alchemical weapons, and tricksy "outsmart them" stuff being his primary way of contributing in fights.
And of course, your terribly creepy eidolon... lol
I͏̮̫̯̰̤ ̨̟͕A͏̢̣̪͘M̵͔͈͉ ̩͇̲A̢̹͓͍͍͇͎̹̠͢ͅD̡͚̩̮̮͈̜͓͜O̶̩̦͙͇͇̠̠͝R̛̗̲͍̣͉͟ͅA̧̖̣̲B̶̙̪̬͎L͙͉̺͡E̛̝̖̯̳͙͡
LMAO! I just want to pet it...
For Drafton, I never saw him as a melee guy either. He is definitely going to be utilizing spells and abilities against foes and situations alike.
As for those times combat is unavoidbale, I do plan eventually increasing his Dexterity. So he could become a decent ranged support character. Crossbow would be good.
Obviously Dhamis will not be utilizing weapons much. How about you, Nova? Will you be using any specific weapons with your PC? Or do you look on planning to stick with claws?
Just a thought I think I would like to implement... critical hits on Combat Maneuvers. A natural 20 is an auto success to your maneuver regardless of whether or not the bonus matches or exceeds your target's CMD. You may also then make a critical confirmation on said maneuver, if that is also successful then there will be additional effects that shall occur depending on the circumstances.
For example, if you trip someone and it becomes a maneuver critical and you trip them with your weapon, then you can automatically add your weapon damage. If you Bullrush someone into a wall, perhaps you could damage them as their head smacks into the wall, or make a free trip attempt to knock them to the ground as well! I will likely give options regarding the successes based on the individual circumstances, but I really like that idea of giving even more bonuses to you all for trying something other than "I attack, rinse, wash, repeat". I also disliked that combat maneuvers cannot critically hit. I have a grappling-based brawler and it makes me cry whenever I get that Nat 20 on a grapple check instead of one of my attacks.
Let me know what you guys think!
Sounds like a fun addition to me. Maneuvers need as much love as they can get
Sounds good to me, though hopefully our enemies won't be so fortunate!
No specific weapons for me. I'd actually be more interested in some form of armor or protection instead. I plan to be using touch attacks in combination with a few buffs or heals.
Okay, good to know folks. I will look into replacing a good portion of the magical weapons found throughout the AP with something more akin to what you all would prefer to gear.
Are there any specific requests on magical items you were really prefer to find during this AP? If so, let me know now so I can try to find the best spot to place them! I'll make a Wish-list for your PCs and will do my best to include some or all of it.
I realize that our Houserules indicate Combat Maneuvers don't provoke, but after I started down that path I realized how much of a disadvantage you all have against this enemy currently. Especially after she very easily bypassed the high AC Nova had going. In this instance I wanted to give you all the opportunity to have a harrowing encounter, but still shine.
Given that you have no equipment and currently do not have access to many of your primary class boosts (Carter and Nova with your summons), I didn't want you to get stomped by a CL 3 creature. Once we get into the swing of things, I probably won't really pull punches unless it results in an unexpected, or dumb-luck death. I'm not a fan of dumb-luck deaths.
Well, things just got very interesting... I cannot help but cackle every time I read Drafton's latest post. Also, I spent a lot of time thinking on whether the door would open outwardly or inwardly. Normally doors open inwardly; however, given that this is an asylum and there would potentially be fear of a patient barricading a door shut, we are going to assume every door opens outwardly from here on out, unless I specifically state otherwise.
I worked in our local jail for a year and a half before going to do patrol work like I have been doing. Before that I also worked in the world's largest detention facility (Camp Bucca, Iraq) while deployed to Iraq. All doors I have ever seen in a facility like that always open outwards. That is the line of reasoning that led me to my decision. Wasn't sure if you guys cared or not, but there it is if you do!
Good reasoning. I like it when things make sense like that.
I'd thought it opened outward myself. Totally makes sense too, good call.
I'm really glad you liked what I did with Drafton. Originally I was going to have him help the guards, as he's not a fighter. Then I was just going to have him run away after calling them cowards, when they rejected him. But I quickly realized that that's what the old, polite society, Drafton would have done. This new version of Drafton, I'm realizing, is a fair bit more vindictive. Even though he realizes his decision may get him shot.
He's actually my second character to have completely lost his memory and have his personality has done something of a 180 based on the circumstances that he's in.
I have been thinking about a few more Houserules I would like to implement and see what you all think. These are in regards to ranged combat and ways to make it a little more realistic.
I am thinking of providing a bonus to ranged attacks for the Prone condition, something small like a +1 circumstance bonus.
I would also like to create a new condition:
Kneel: A character drops down to one knee as a swift action. A kneeling attacker has a -2 penalty on melee attack rolls and can use any ranged weapon, although bows take -2 penalty to attack. A kneeling defender gains a +2 bonus to Armor Class against ranged attacks, but takes a –2 penalty to AC against melee attacks. A character can kneel in front of an adjacent ally using a ranged weapon to provide Soft Cover, but not cause a penalty on ranged attacks.
Standing up is a swift action that provokes an attack of opportunity.
What do you all think? Any suggestions that could make this better? Do you think it would create an unfair advantage to ranged attackers?
Well, none of us are particularly ranged-based, so I think this would aid the enemy more than us. Also, those are a lot of if-then statements with numbers attached to them, and my head already spins when things like (rapid shot + point blank shot + deadly aim + magic/composite bows - cover - distance) get thrown in.
Also for kneeling, you might want to allow shortbows exemption from the -2 penalty to attack, so shortbows might get used by more classes than just the rogue (proficiency). Otherwise, longbow is still just strictly better.
Firing while prone is a nice little buff for low level crossbow users, but does being on the ground really help one's aim? I think it has more to do with either protection, or stealth.
Not a bad idea for a 'tanky' defender to hunker down and provide soft cover, but I would argue that a smart archer would be better off finding a tree, wall, boulder, or some other form of cover, while the defender just goes and bashes the target with holy justice. Only in the open plains would I consider kneeling to be a good plan.
With a particularly favorable DM, an archer or crossbowman could bring a tower shield with them, stick it in the ground, and call it a pavise.
I really like the idea of allowing Shortbow usage while kneeling without penalty.
Getting Prone actually helps your aim immensely because you have a hard surface to steady your aim and to create a more stable platform for your weapon. Kneeling actually does the same, just not as much as being Prone. Standing to fire is the least accurate stance for shooting when it comes to firearms at least.
The idea I had with the kneeling situation was more for numerous ranged characters stuck in a tight quarters. One could kneel in front of the other and both could continue their attack (say down a narrow corridor) without having to deal with all the penalties to attack. (This is actually a tactic taught in the US Army for building clearing. If you have a blind corner, or you know their is an enemy around a corner and you have no diversion tactics, one soldier stands up and the other kneels in front of the other. Both then simultaneously pop around the corner to provide two sets of bullets on target as opposed to just one.)
I've heard of both of those tactics before and as I go shooting occasionally I find that that being on the ground or kneeling with a hard surface is helpful to accuracy. So I agree fully with the +1 to prone ranged attack rolls. As long as it's not a Longbow.
As a proud, young, city-born, broke Canadian... I have absolutely no experience with fire arms, so I can't put any more cents in that make sense.
The only other thing I can think of is if Archer A is using Archer B as a low-cover shield, then what happens when Enemy Archer Z looses an arrow at Archer A and misses? Does Archer B get shot?
Hopefully everyone had/is having a happy holiday!
Also, I'll ponder that question a bit, Nova.
Will update either later tonight or tomorrow afternoon. I'm out and about with the family and do not have access to my stuff currently. Sorry for the delay everyone. Last week or so has been very busy.
Wow, everything is super scary right now for Drafton. Assuming he doesn't become the next pincushion for the guards, he's going to keep playing the dangerous game of running back and forth between rooms drawing every encounter he can and hoping the turret they provide will kill whatever is most threatening.
I've never played a character like this one but it's very fun to try and think of creative ways to solve problem like how to get rid of horrible tentacle faced rat monsters and giant bugs.
New Round:
If he can, Drafton is throwing the rock and then is moving back into the hallway. Hopping over the dead rat face thing and running to the side of the hall with the open door that will hopefully block any shots the guards make.
I love how he's handling these threats... just be careful! After this round you can only take 2 more damage before going unconscious due to your 2 Nonlethal damage!
A thousand apologies for my absence the past few days; my son has been sick with the Norovirus. Friday he spent much of the day throwing up and I spent it cleaning that up several times. I'm just getting back into the swing of things this morning.
Yikes! Hope he feels better soon.
Looks like it's been about a week or so since TreasureFox last posted anything. Hope everything's okay.
I'm in another game with Fox. Hasn't posted there either. :/
Yep, that would be Faelyn's Falcon Hallow game. I meant that Treasure Fox hasn't posted in any games for a week now.
I will send Treasurefox a message to check in and make sure all is okay. I'd like to put the game on hold just for a few days until I hear back, if that's okay with you all? If we lost the player and I'm not able to find someone to take over the PC, then the next area would be the perfect spot to find a replacement PC...
Fine with me. I am traveling for Spring Break with limited internet access.
Okay, I heard back from TreasureFox and they are still around, just going through a rough patch so posting might be a little slower than normal for Nova. We will go ahead and move forward. I will just do some GMPC for Nova if we get into combat and things slow too much.
Sounds good.
Drafton is not going to immediately help whoever is trapped underneath the rubble as they will probably give him away.
Instead he is going to pick up a piece of rubble and wave the others forward.
Carter, just a reminder that you are up in combat!
Thanks!
It has been a month since we last heard anything. Maybe just DMPC her for the round.
For now I'm going to just GMPC Nova until I hear more back from TreasureFox or they return. I think that if I haven't heard anything from them by the end of June, then I will likely look at replacing the player. We will see how things go forward.
Carter, how do you do that super awesome crazy font like that? I'm very interested to know! :)
It starts with google translate. I use other real languages to represent languages that most of the party doesn't know. Carter is speaking Aklo, which I represent with Bengali because it's alphabet is really irregular looking.
Then, I copy the Bengali translation and run it through a Zalgo-text engine. That's what adds all the crazy extra stuff. It's supposed to represent the fact that Aklo is an unnatural language that does uncomfortable things to the minds non-telepathic people who hear it. I have a whole extended theory about what Aklo really is as a language. I'm sure it will come up as the game progresses.
So basically I write out what I want to say, run it through google translate, then copy that into Zalgo-text, then copy that to here.
I'd never heard of the Zalgo-text before. Very cool. Thanks for sharing the secret. I agree with your understanding of Aklo.
I actually really like the idea of certain languages being "hurtful" to certain creatures or subtypes. Like Celestial being painful to the ears of evil outsiders or Infernal/Abyssal hurting good outsiders. It would be very difficult to translate that into the game without becoming overpowered and would likely cause HEAVY restrictions on access to those languages, but I think it would be a good idea.
It could just be a roleplaying thing with certain languages causing discomfort. Or a small bonus to Intimidate with a penalty to Diplomacy. Or something like an audio version of Light Sensitivity. It could be very small mechanically, or even just descriptive.
I like the idea of potentially giving a small bonus to Intimidate and/or Diplomacy depending on the target. Perhaps speaking Celestial to a good outsider would provide a +1 bonus to Diplomacy. Conversely, using Celestial to Intimidate an evil outsider would garner a +1 bonus. Whereas using Infernal/Abyssal to speak with a good outsider would net you a -1 penalty to Diplo and a +1 to Intimidate. I think I rather like that idea!
I'll do some more thinking on this and try to come up with something that is probably more fitting to this Adventure Path and see what you guys think of it.
Hi. For those who don't know, I'm okay. I've been having a very hard time with depression and anxiety and my struggles are far from over, but I'm slowly recovering.
Guess who speaks Aklo!?
Glad you are still with us. Guess I'm going to have to start adding translation spoilers.
So far, most of what Carter has ben saying is "What the hell is going on with my voice?" and "what are those things?"
You haven't missed much. :)
Rolling here to save myself some time later.
Results: Full success. I'll tell you all about what I know come my next turn.
Whoops, despite what I wrote in game, I did not have the open actions necessary to attack and start the bard song. Just starting a new one this round.
Noted, no problem Drafton. Happens to the best of us!