GM FurtiveZoog's PbP PFS First Steps - Part II: To Delve the Dungeon Deep (Inactive)

Game Master FurtiveZoog

This thread is for a Play-by-Post run of PFS First Steps - Part II: To Delve the Dungeon Deep before it is retired.

I need to really think about what I would like to play for this PFS game.

I probably will lean toward Wizard or Trapper type?

Decisions...decisions!

Huh. Whatever you would like. There are so many options I just get bewildered and it takes me even longer to make a character than it would otherwise.

We still need more people, though. I am going to give a guy I know another call. I suppose would could then, if no one else joins, pick up a pregen to make a legal 'table' of four.

I am having my PF home group over to game Sunday (today)

and I will mention it to them to see if any will be interested too.

I will post some time after work Monday and let you know.

Thanks, Walter.

So as far as posting through this I would love a range on how much RP the group is gonna do. I just don't wanna be the only one filling the columns lol

Typically, I would say people do a lot of role-playing, since this format really encourages it - much more than a simple around-the-table game, in my opinion/experience.

I can't speak for those I haven't seen yet, but Walter is a pro. ;-) And, I think the more it is done the more it is encouraged.

That said, much of it is in the 'Dungeon Crawl' category - as one would expect! - as opposed to others, such as The God's Market Gamble, which is about interviewing witnesses and the like.

I don't know about 'pro', but I do appreciate the vote of confidence Matt!

I just started PbP last month really, but I am currently involved in 4 of them and this would make 5!

I have been gaming since age 9--and let me tell you--I have seen a lot of styles and experiences.

But I absolutely enjoy new players and the freshness that they bring to the 'table'--some--most--of the time even better than the 'old guys/girls'.

I have a bug to play an Alchemist since I have never played one before.

Let me know Matt and I will draw him up tomorrow after work.

Thx!

Play anything you want, Walter. A friend played a barbarian/drunken brute 1/alchemist 1 who was a destroyer. If you're curious, here he is: http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/black-hand-man/characters/aryal

Thank Matt.

When do you want characters done?

Is tomorrow night ok?

Matt, this is Walter.

Let me know what you think, although--obviously--I am not done yet.

I think we are just waiting on one more character to arrive at the party.

cool sorry for using the chat as a way to figure out how the formatting works but now i have it.

It's no problem, really. Besides, I was hoping first and foremost that this scenario would be a good place for new people to learn PbP and PFS - including relatively new people like myself.

I was debating whether the Sense Motive in reaction to Amara Li should be made/suggested automatically, or whether it should only be made/suggested if the player or player's ask for it. Thoughts?

I was gonna ask abouy that. Am I allowed to make multiple checks per entry? I made a knowledge history check can I also make a sense motive check? I was gonna wait for everyone to ask before I did sense motive

Yes, you can make multiple checks per entry. I suppose thatthere may be exceptions in combat or other very limited timeframes.

Sometimes it does make sense on Sense Motive, I would guess, to wait to the end of someone's speech, giving you more time to 'feel them out'.

The Knowledge checks would seem to me to be more likely to be automatically suggested since you either know something about what is being talked about or you don't. On the other hand, perception rolls can be made either actively or passively, according to the rules.

I would think that a Sense Motive check would be reactionary.
I suggest that you, the GM, may want to role those in that type of situation--
as you would a perception check if we notice something without us actively looking.
I would display the vital stats as I did so GM would have an easier time of utilizing them.

Good points.

Yeah, I suggested the vital stats line on my Campaign page, adding Sense Motive ("SM") to the version I found, although I do it as a 'spoiler' for whatever reason.

ok so i have a question about character building in PFS, are we allowed to use spells from APG and ultimate magic? are we able to use alternate racial traits? currently im using neither but i meant to ask before we went into the party because id like to edit pizzmic a little if those things are permitted.

I'm gonna probably fix mine as well like Wul's, i'm still roughing out the Tetori part of my character by the way. Then I need his back story lol

Sunic do you know if we can use APG spells/alternate racial traits?

Yes, most of those things are allowed. Go to my Campaign page/tab above and click on the Additional Resources link. It will tell you which things from which books/supplements/scenarios/etc... are PFS legal.

For Gnomes, for example, it says
"Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Advanced Race Guide" ...
"Gnomes: all alternate racial traits, racial subtypes, and favored class options are legal for play; all racial archetypes except experimental gunsmith are legal for play; all gnome equipment, feats, and spells are legal for play; all gnome magic items except amazing tools of manufacture are legal for play; Ring of craft magic may be used for Day Job checks."

wonderful, is it ok if i switch some stuff around, im basically making him like the truly intended pizzmic.

sorry that was meant to be a question, is it ok if i switch somethings up then?

Yes, it is quite alright with me if you switch things up as much as you want.

Thanks! ill be updating his information momentarily.

That's fine. You can also, according to PFS rules, completely rewrite everything about your character except the Pathfinder character number itself before leveling up to 2nd level. They really want you to get the character right for you.

(Rewriting in the middle of a scenario probably isn't allowed normally, but in PbP you have a lot more time and it isn't like much of the characters' stats and choices have come into play yet.)

Good to know, i might have to make my guy a size larger since I realize i'll be needing the size to toss people

Well, rewrite within the rules, lol. Half-Ogres, unfortunately, haven't been certified yet for PFS play.

lol, what would be a good size for a tanking human monk then? Man making characters gets complicated at level 1. This is only my second character

I may be confused about what you mean by 'size', then. Humans and most creatures are Medium, while Gnomes and Halflings are Small.

Aww kk, quick noob question, all cause i don't have a rank in the skill doesn't mean i can't use it right? like i don't have a point in diplomacy but i can still do a roll for just a straight 1d20 right?

yeah your size as a human and what you can lift is based on a chart of what size category you are(small like a gnome,medium like a human or large like an ogre) and your strength modifier. if u want to be a tank though you might consider putting some points into con. just to get the extra hit points

Matt, could I make a change to my character before we get into combat? I envisioned Alia going the divine scion route at level 5, but with our party compliment it might be better to have her serve more of a standard clerical capacity (still gonna go divine scion, but maybe hold off on that until later, if she makes it that far). This would change her skills a little, and one feat (change Iron Will to Selective Channeling).

I know im posting alot in the gameplay but when combat starts ill wait for everyone to take turns, i wont be a much hated "post jumper"

If you want your Monk to focus on unarmed strike attacks,
I would consider Str your main focus and Con your second--
as Lord Pizzmic suggested for lasting power.

And Stunning fist is useful IF you have a nice Wis, which being able to add Wis to your Ac, you should have a 14 or better--
if you are unarmored that is.

Most skills are allowed to be used untrained, although there are exceptions (p.89 CRB)

Hope this helps.

Sunic, your ability score look really nice for combat and being our official 'tank'! Nice job!

ive never played a monk class but a raging barbarian with the proper feats can be a brutal thrower...like super nasty

Hi Ratchet19, Change away.

Hi Sunic, The pro's here (and probably on the advice board) are probably going to be much more knowledgeable than I about character options and optimized builds.

The PRD is really helpful, too. You'll find the Table: Skill Summary table at that link and it has a column about whether you can used it "Untrained".

Since it can be used untrained, using the Diplomacy skill without a point in it would mean a 1d20 roll plus your CHA modifier (plus other bonuses that may apply, like Circumstance bonuses, bonuses from spells, etc.).

Thanks for post Lord Pizzmic! It is also OK, in my opinion, to post 'ahead' of your turn in initiative (which is a block system here anyway) if you can't post again for awhile so that the group doesn't get 'stuck'.

If you can post a lot, it might make sense to be the leader (or a leader) who is able to make trivial decisions for the group (such as turn right or turn left at a junction) so, again, the group doesn't get stuck while everyone is polled for an opinion. That's up to you guys, though.

Yeah, I post a lot too, but he isn't the 'leader' type.

Although, he would be an interesting choice!....lol!

I've played lots of monks, and the best luck I've had seem to value strength, with wisdom and dexterity coming in next, and constitution, after that. Maybe take Toughness, because monks get beat up. A lot.

well i check and post from my phone a lot right now, Pizzmic is talkative and often wants to be public relations. i don't want to limit anyone's character arcs. Pizzmic will fight for the title through his actions and might cause for some cool banter as a result. I don't mind the responsibility and would be willing to do so if it will allow for efficient game-play and no one else's character's minded.

Sorry, Pizzmic, I had already rolled perception for you. Doesn't really matter, though.

Np,iin future pizzmic has a racial ability keen senses that give him a +2 on perception rolls

Hi Pizzmic,

Ah yes, I had trouble finding your Perception modifier in your small stat block. *wink wink* ;-) I looked at your sheet but then forgot to carry the 2 over...

My phone makes it hard to post. Gotta be less descriptive cause I make a lot of spelling earrors on it.

To aviod bogging up the gamplay feed ill comment on the stealth concern here. The wqy I have always seen it played is if the creature has noticed you then stealth is out. As a rule if we have to roll int. The time for stealthing has passed (assumming dm isnt changing the rule for this campaign) If u want stealthing to be your thing you should stay stealthed after encounters. Also remeimder most undead and incorpeal creatures don't need to see you in order to sense you.

Hi Pizzmic and all,

I definitely want to get the rules as right as possible, especially as a PFS-rules game.

Let me know if I am missing something, if I don't have your roll right, etc.

I'll be asking question of you, too.
~~ Matt

Finally home! So do any of you guy the official books? Is it worth it? They seem kind of expensive