GM Giuseppe's Kingmaker (Inactive)

Game Master Giuseppe Capriati

Yes, let me pile on. Thank you Giuseppe!!

Kryolani, the spellbook seems to be the rumored one.

Ok, you guys forced me to take time from work to read those documents. :)

Very nice, thanks!

Kryolani, I fear you've messed up with the dice roller. Additionally, I need two downtime actions ;)

ahh, my apologies. I misunderstood and thought only one more. Good to know! I'll take care of doing so asap.

I've not been able to understand your intentions from your last posts: are you going to spend the next day finding and disarming all of the traps or not?

Roksana, taking 20 is not allowed because it would imply failure before obtaining a good result.

Roksana wants to disable the traps but failed the Perception DC so I assumed she was unable to find any and role played it that way.

I'd also like to to search for the traps, but also came away with a fail of a perception check to find any.

One of the things that make a PbP GM a good PbP GM is, undoubtedly, the ability to set a pace for his campaign, based on what he thinks is the best for the adventure and according to his players' preferences.

Now, Kingmaker is a sort of exception to this rule, since the entire AP is based on the idea that the PCs are to determine the pace they want for their game. Until now, I've been setting the pace for this campaign, providing you frantic days of exploration and little time to actually roleplay among yourselves or with the various NPCs you've met so far. The current situation, however, is one of those in which I need you to set the tone for the adventure.

When you'll return Oleg's trading post, you will have plenty of time available to roleplay, endeeping your character's ties and personality. The bad weather will force you to stay at Oleg's for at least 4 days. And so we need to discuss what you would like to do in this quite long amount of time.

First Option - Slow down and roleplay: If you want to take the opportunity provided by the bad weather, you can decide you want to detail your staying at Oleg a little more than usual. We can roleplay for a few (real life) days, so that your PCs can forge relationships among themselves and with the various NPCs currently present at the trading post. In this case, I would opt for a series of quick, responsive RP posts, and keep that pace for at least 3-4 (real life) days. Then, you will depart again and the setting of the pace is going to become my responsibility again.

Second Option - Hurry up and skip: If you want to keep the pace of the adventure flowing faster, you can decide to "skip" all of the days you spend at Oleg's, in order to resume your exploration as soon as possibile in real life time. In this case, I would ask you to write a long and detailed post describing how you spent your time at Oleg's during these 4 days and to roll for the appropriate downtime actions. Your post shouldn't include any roleplay, just description. Then, you will depart again and the setting of the pace is going to become my responsibility again.

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Okay, I think I've said pretty much everything I wanted to. I'll wait for your response before moving the story forward. Will update the Gameplay Thread in the evening describing your return to Oleg's trading post.

I'll wait for others to chime in as to how they want to handle this.

I just want to add that sometimes it's hard to roleplay downtime if there isn't anything happening.

It's much easier to roleplay an event (like us finding an elk) than just coming up with something.

In these 'roleplay' scenarios, I would make up an event (for example, Svetlana botches up a meal or falls down and hurts herself) and then roleplay that. However, you don't like us assuming NPC actions.

if we can't assume NPC actions then the roleplay becomes one sided, just our PCs 'relating' a scene and then waiting for the NPC to react.

I'm fine with whatever pace, and I expect it to change over time as we have things to do, or not.

If we interact, feed our role play. If we don't, don't worry about us - we're keen to move on. We'll develop a rhythm as we go I expect. Most parties do. :)

But yeah, we should not assume NPC actions. We can manage with out that I think. :)

I'd vote for the Second Option.

When I'm this new to a character, I also find it a bit easier to roleplay in response to an event as opposed to in a downtime vacuum.

That's very likely to change given time, mind you, but for now, I'm interested in hunting down the evil git to put a bear trap on me leg!

I'm here for the story, sometimes that means more roleplay, sometimes that means moving on, really I'm fine with either option.

Where to? "Hot Springs" or "Elk-Rock"? Please let me know ;)

I vote hot springs. Less back-tracking that way.

plus hot water to warm up in!

You see it there because I moved Jacobus on the map after you posted :) Jacobus was not there when you posted.

Aha! :)

Well that makes sense.

I hadn't realized that there was a map and when I checked...

Sorry about that.

GM the Roll20 map is still set in the hot springs. The above action is assuming she can reach the bear and/or has not been taken out by it already.

I'll wait until this issue is solved before posting.

I would prefer to avoid another 'Aha' moment involving maps. :)

Map issue fixed ;)

Thanks!

I've got a very hard day of work ahead of me guys, and probably I won't be able to post today. Everything should return to normal tomorrow :) Thank you for the understanding :)

I've got a very hard day of work ahead of me guys, and probably I won't be able to post today. Everything should return to normal tomorrow :) Thank you for the understanding :)

Not a problem; it happens to all of us.

Thanks for letting us know.

Yay! Rok gets to live another day! See you folks tomorrow.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to level 2!

This is the first level up for you with me as a GM, so I need to explain you how I usually manage level up in PbP. You only need to advance your character as normal; all I ask is that you post here in the Discussion Thread listing the major things your character has gained. I don't need to know if your BAB has improved or you can cast one more spell/day. Instead, I would like to know which spells did you learn, which feats did you select, which class features did you gain and so on.

Please make sure that your character's sheet is tidy and neat. Once you're ready please let me know in this thread so that I can control if everything is right.

Thank you and happy level up!

Woo hoo! :)

I'll level up later tonight.

Do we need to coordinate 'skill selection' between players or are we on our own?

Happy to discuss skill selection, but let's do it in character if at all. :) I've identified areas that I could help the group, and though I won't do it all this level, it has chanced my options.

Meetings the next few hours, but I'll level up as soon as I can. :)

GM: I know you said we didn't need a breakdown but it helps when updating my sheet.

I'm not sure how one even WOULD go about discussing with other people what they've learned, in character. I figure it makes sense for us to level up our skills and such as we will, independently. Long term training plans, of course, I agree, should probably be discussed in-character :)

I'm not sure how one even WOULD go about discussing with other people what they've learned, in character. I figure it makes sense for us to level up our skills and such as we will, independently. Long term training plans, of course, I agree, should probably be discussed in-character :)

Yeah, I agree , which is why I went ahead and leveled up without getting input from you guys.

Okay, I proposed a question to GM Giuseppe and he wanted me to see what the rest of you think.

I've been doing some consideration into the direction I want to take Roksana going forward and I decided that I think Cavalier (Order of the Dragon) suits her a little better than just pure fighter. She would remain largely unchanged, still a heavily armored melee combatant, still the same personality, but it gives her a bit more versatility as far as party buffs and skills are concerned, which I feel suit her better in regards to her backstory as a mercenary and perhaps her future in the Kingmaker Campaign.

One way or the other that will be the next level she takes, where I'd like your opinions and/or approval is my original request was just to rebuild Roksana as a cavalier so instead of becoming a Fighter 1/Cavalier 1 she would just be a Cavalier 2.

GM Guiseppe said I should get everyone's approval since a complete rebuild would be unorthodox. So on that end I'd like you guys to weigh in with your thoughts.

I've got her sheet ready to go regardless of which direction I take so this won't significantly hold up the game one way or the other.

My choices are somewhat slim this level.

+1 0th level spell - Mage Hand

+5 skill points (4+1 for favored class) - Knowledge: Arcana, Spellcraft, Ride, Diplomacy, Craft: Stonemason

I think my character has been properly updated now.

Okay, I proposed a question to GM Giuseppe and he wanted me to see what the rest of you think.

I'm fine with you rebuilding her from scratch.

My only concern is the 'mount'. At higher levels, you'll have a mount (high hitpoints, etc.) which the rest of us won't have so I don't see the group getting into mounted combat much.

Have you thought about removing that feature from the class?

From a roleplay, character interaction standpoint, I don't see as how you'd have interacted with us any differently as a cavalier at this level rather than as a fighter, so I'm a-ok with the change. Consider my approval granted.

Roksana 'Rok' Jedynak wrote:

Okay, I proposed a question to GM Giuseppe and he wanted me to see what the rest of you think.

I'm fine with you rebuilding her from scratch.

My only concern is the 'mount'. At higher levels, you'll have a mount (high hitpoints, etc.) which the rest of us won't have so I don't see the group getting into mounted combat much.

Have you thought about removing that feature from the class?

Since she's built mostly for up close melee, I'm not overly concerned with the mounted combat. The mount counts as a druid companion, it would essential be similar to Serolt's Regin so fighting from horseback isn't a necessity in my opinion.

plus, a horse packs a helluva kick. Just tell him to stomp on people.

I'm very worried about the horse joining the fight. With Regin and Roksana's horse, it may become a bit hard to handle combat for me...

I would be fine if you ruled that my horse could only join combat if I was riding it. While there's some focus on mounted charging, the cavalier class really does not require it's mount 24/7. The benefit, for me is in more skill coverage and some bonuses to provide the party. Or I could just scrap the idea and stick with fighter.

I'm fine with whatever rebuild you and Giuseppe work out. I'm a huge fan of playing the character you want, not the build you're 'stuck with'.

That said, I do worry a little about too many NPC combatants. I know I'm already bringing Regin into the mix this level, and it will make a difference in our combats (I hope). With the GM worried about a second NPC combatant, I worry that you'll be constantly yearning for your mount.

I'm fine with it either way however. Just pointing out possible friction for you and Giuseppe.

- - -

For leveling, I too am providing more information then you requested Giuseppe. It helps me track what I'm doing so I make fewer mistakes. That said, if it's too much, or if you want to see more of anything, please let me know.

For the record (and if it meets with GM approval) I was thinking of taking Leadership eventually, but intended to leave my cohort and followers at "home" to hold down the fort whilst out adventuring, if that makes any sense.

That's a looooooong time down the road, though.

If you say that you would use it only when you're riding it, I would be fine with it. If you instead plan on making him join the combat even when you're not riding it, it could be a problem for me to handle...

If you say that you would use it only when you're riding it, I would be fine with it. If you instead plan on making him join the combat even when you're not riding it, it could be a problem for me to handle...

He could just be a samurai (essentially a cavalier) with the 'sword saint' archetype which replaces the 'mount'.

You could reflavor that as a Swordlord trainee...

Okay, then when not carrying Roksana bravely into battle, Kasper, as he has now been named, will dutifully guard the rest of our horses from harm or he'll be assisting with heavy lifting back at the trading post.

I don't see much issue with me yearning for him in combat, I like the idea of the mount as an NPC story wise but I'm just fine tracking only myself in combats. And while the cavalier is flavored as a mounted soldier they really can exist just fine without their horse. It's more like a Ranger not in their favored terrain, not optimal, but certainly good to go, and I know a little bit about being a ranger not in his favored terrain. :)

Kryolani I need your horse's Swim checks!

oh snap! Well, surely they'll be better than mine :)

A few clarification on exploring a hex which includes a river.

Using a rope: Using a rope does not grant any benefits on the Swim check required to cross the river.

Aid another: You cannot use the aid another action to help your companions or mounts, since using the aid another action is a standard action, and you wouldn't be able to swim youself in the meantime.

I'll be out and about all day and won't be able to post until this evening/night. Please bot me as necessary.

A few clarification on exploring a hex which includes a river.

Using a rope: Using a rope does not grant any benefits on the Swim check required to cross the river.

Aid another: You cannot use the aid another action to help your companions or mounts, since using the aid another action is a standard action, and you wouldn't be able to swim youself in the meantime.

Yeah, river crossings are just gonna suck I think. But as long as it's delay and not drowning, I'm fine with it. We are, likely, helping each other to some extent, though the rules don't have a way to do that - it's reflected in delays as we founder. :)

We should plan our crossings so we don't have to do many of them if we can.

It's my hope that we find a dang bridge or something. The main bandits are south of here. They had to be getting up north SOMEHOW.

Kryolani, I have to ask you to edit your post while you can. This is because you cannot attempt an untrained Knowledge check when the DC is higher than 10, regardless of the result you would obtain taking 10.

Also, Kryolani, you should at least attempt a Spellcraft check to speculate that Johd Kavken could cast spells at all, and that he can cast comprehend languages in particular.