I lasted longer than I thought I would!
This has to have been the most grueling and near TPK battle I've ever fought in online. If the kobold boss had been just a little better at melee I'm pretty sure we'd have been done for!
Good work, everybody ;)
Grueling is definitely a good word for it.
*nods*
Definitely one of the most brutal pbp fights. I will get a post up Sunday evening when I have my laptop again
Also that you for healing me!
Yes, thank you for keeping everyone alive ^w^
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Not dying is awesome. Almost dying is good story elements and dying is also good for a story but horrible for the morale of the party. I like living :D
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Phew! Again, my apologies for how long it took to get through that encounter. I certainly didn't intend for such a gruelling experience. This has been a rather rough learning experience for me, as well, but I think I have a pretty good handle on what went wrong...
For one, based on how easily you dealt with the first dungeon, I decided to buff some of the encounters—or rather, use the same buffed encounters I built when I ran the module for my IRL group. We had the same amount of players, same character creation parameters, and everything. Never had any issues like this during that playthrough—I think the amount of downed characters in this latest encounter came down to some very unfortunate rolls, rather than due to any major power imbalance. Not having your healer in position when sh*it starts going down can be especially rough.
However, I think the main issue was the fact that harder encounters also tend to be longer, which is not quite ideal for play-by-post campaigns. Obvious in hindsight, but nevertheless something I failed to take into account at the time. Roaghaz's stalling tactics—the web especially—excarberated this even further. If it had been just one or the other, I think we would've been fine, but both of them at the same time was overkill. That's completely on me.
As a result of these difficulties, from here on I'll probably run closer to the module for the combat encounters—even if some of them are a bit too easy, for my tastes. I'm here for the characters and the plot, in any case, as I think we all are. As requested, I'll also keep doing group initiative to speed up combat in general.
Please let me know if there's anything else I should take into account. This is the first game I've ran through play-by-post, and obviously I've still a lot to learn.
I'm also a second-rate healer. My number of available spells is small and I can't channel - I'll have to exhaust the wand to get through any other tough encounters.
Yeah our grit level is definitely amplified by not having a primary healer. Makes Bernard's AC going up even more important since we're likely to exhaust our healing options early otherwise.
Yes, that's certainly a factor. Going into this dungeon, we had three characters capable of healing, and now we're down to two. I've already given Nisany's player permission to rebuild her character to be a more dedicated healer, and I'm willing to extend that same offer to everyone (the rebuild part, not necessarily the healer part). Just let me know if you want to make any changes! You'll also be leveling up (yay!), so feel free to start working on that as well.
I have never played a Chirugeon before. They are not a terribly powerful healer. I could do a different class and be a much better healer in that case. I do love alchemists but frankly we need a healer and I have gotten really I could have fun with it either way
If I go with a different class I would probably be picking a Cleric as they are great healers, this is assuming the lovely GM Neirikr is ok with a full rebuild. Pretty sure that would come from making a bargain or some kind of oath.
Could have had a divine epiphany while unconscious. "If we make it out of this...."
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I'll be good as soon as I can encase Bernard in seven inches of iron on all sides ;)
So are dungeon crawls gonna be common? I get favored terrain at 3 so wanted to know if it's worth the investment to take "underground". The one thing about the Ranger class, your leveling is very campaign dependent and requires a bit of metagame to be properly useful.
@Nisany: The main benefit of the Chirurgeon seems to be that you can prepare a lot of cure extracts, and the use a minute to exchange them for other formulae as needed—sort of the reverse of a cleric's spontaneous cure spells. Everything after that seems kind of underwhelming. You might be able to combine it with healing bombs or similar healing-focused discoveries to squeeze more out of the alchemist's existing class abilities.
A switch to cleric would be acceptable, though it would of course necessitate some sort of an in-character conversion—perhaps stemming from her frustration with being unable to save Lukas, and seeing her friends get hurt. Shelyn would be the most obvious answer, if Nisany wants to go chat with the high priest that cured Bernard earlier, for example. That wouldn't seem too out of character to me. An oracle might be more fitting for an involuntary transformation.
@Vibenia: Of course, I wouldn't want you to pick blindly. There is at least one more dungeon that is entirely underground, and possibly a couple other instances where it might be relevant. Urban terrain might get more use, but I'm not sure if that really fits into Vibenia's idiom. Forest and swamp are a distant third.
Here's some loot for your troubles!
First, the kobold minions:
- 6 Small javelins
- 2 Small masterwork bone breastplates
- 2 Small masterwork bone heavy shields
- 2 Small masterwork light crossbow
- 2 Small masterwork spears
- 2 Small studded leather armors
- 2 Small short swords
- 143 gp worth of various trinkets
...and then Roaghaz's stuff:
- a Small dagger
- a bone wand (magical)*
- 3 identical scrolls (magical)**
- a hooded purple cloak with a spiky red trim (magical)***
He also has keys to the armory (which you have already looted) and his personal chests, which contain the following:
- six large green scales
- one larger black scale
- 1,895 gp in various coinage
Considering Skirmisher archetype. No change until level 5 but gives up spellcasting for Extraordinary abilities.
Level 3
+1BAB
+1 Fort/Reflex
Endurance
Favored Terrain: Underground (caves and dungeons)
Feat (Precise Shot)
7 skill points (Knowledge Local, Knowledge Nature, Knowledge Dungeoneering, Perception, Stealth, Survival, Sense Motive)
2 Background skills (Craft:Bowyer, Knowledge Geography)
Rangers have CLW on their spell list so you could use wands of it if you keep spellcasting.
I may still keep spell casting. 3:2 in favor of casters vs noncasters is better than the other way around.
+1 BAB and Ref saves
+7 hit points
+1 mental focus
Skills: +1 each of: Diplomacy, Disable Device, Heal, Knowledge (religion), Perception, Spellcraft, Use Magic Device; Appraise, Knowledge (engineering)
Focus Power: Flesh Mend (yay more healing!)
Feat: TBD. I might retrain my 1st-level feat as it's not actually something that has come up. Trying to decide if I want better fighting, more skills, or something magic.
Level 3
+1 BAB
+1 REF
+1 WILL
+10 HP
+1 Arcana, Intimidate, Nature
Feat: ???
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The healing bombs are kind of lack luster. But I do love Oracles. I have played so many of them :D if I were to go with the life mystery I would be a good healer.
Life mystery is pretty awesome.
Ye.
Life is the mystery I have taken the most. Nisany will make my third current healer. Though she is really different than my other oracle so it is all good so long as the GM is ok with it.
Level 3
+1 BAB
+2 Reflex/Will
+8 HP
+1 Survival, Perception, Knowledge Dungeoneering
+1 Perform (Flute, Knowledge History (Background skills)
Feat: Endurance (working my way toward Diehard!)
Would Bernard know off the top of his head what the best armor in town would be for purchase?
In the case of an oracle can I shift my stats a little so that the 16 is in my Charisma and the 14 is in my intelligence? And is there an issue with me altering my feats, maybe? Along with the one alchemist specific trait I took.
@Loot: Oh yeah, I totally forgot: disarming the trap in the oiled-up hallway nets you 12 vials of alchemist's fire.
Would Bernard know off the top of his head what the best armor in town would be for purchase?
Basically anything you can afford, since the local smiths are used to providing for both local watchmen and visiting River Guards. You would have to pay some extra (2d4 × 100 gp) and wait a week or so for a suit of full plate, since they'd have to cobble it together from whatever they have laying around.
There's one snag, though: after your last run-in with one Marcus Chance, he is now hostile towards you, and as such won't provide any services. The other smith in town, Baccus, is currently out of business. You would either have to reconcile with the former, or convince the latter to fire up his forge.
I can give you some more info on that whole situation, if you'd like.
In the case of an oracle can I shift my stats a little so that the 16 is in my Charisma and the 14 is in my intelligence? And is there an issue with me altering my feats, maybe? Along with the one alchemist specific trait I took.
Go nuts! Just let me know what you're changing. As for your abilities: I'd run them through the whole point-buy process again, just to make sure things add up—gnomes get a racial bonus to Charisma, which might cause you to have more points to spend elsewhere.
Also, please let me know if you have any ideas about how you're going deal with the rebuild in character, and if you need any prompts from me to make it happen.
Time to talk to Baccus, looks like.
Heh at least we don't also have a negative with the witch in town as well now.
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I hope everyone's midwinter celebrations have been going well! I'll be out of town for a few days before New Year, but I'll try to get in a post before then, and move us back to Belhaim.
It was an exceptable midwinter. I have slept enough to be called human but not enough to be civilized. I have missed my computer. But I have a long weekend coming around the New Year so I will actually be able to get stuff done. Have fun on your trip!
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Also Nisany now ships Vibenia and Syksy :D
\o/
I have returned! There's still some New Year's celebrations to take care of, but I'm more-or-less back in business.
@Syksy: Would you please put up your character sheet somewhere I can read it? Feel free to use whatever format you deem the most convenient, as long it's in your profile, either directly or easily accessible through a link. I don't mean to nag, but I believe this is the third time I've had to ask.
That was a close one!
Oops, terribly sorry. I swear I think I do it and then I get distracted >_<
Will have it up when I get into work later.
Sorry, NYE/NE's has been surprisingly busy here, people starting off their resolutions I guess.
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Of course, this is a busy time. No pressure.
...well, maybe a little pressure. ;P
Almost done with my new class thing!
Apparently there is some nasty weather coming and my state tends to shut down when that happens. If I do not post at some point in the next few days it means I probably lost power.
Good to know. Stay safe out there!
Bernard's thirst for new armor can only be slaked by cold iron. DM, what must Bernard do to acquire himself a net set? Want to run a quick side quest where he convinces the retired armorer to fire up his forge?
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I mean it is a fair assumption on my part. Keep a monster hunter who is interested in hunting a dragon and eventually you will have to hunt a dragon ;)
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Lol. I don't think the Law of Attraction applies to Dragons
:(
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The quest list has been updated!
@Bernard: I'm certainly open to side quests, especially at this part of the module! Things will be pretty slow up until the auction.
Here's some relevant info for the locals, if you want to start planning:
Bernard recalls having to keep an eye on the newcomer during his first weeks in town, with many locals being suspicious of the large, tattooed half-orc's motives. Proving himself to be friendly and even-tempered, Baccus eventually won the villagers' trust, working hard to make his smithy just as popular as his main competitor, Marcus Chance—if not more so. Vibenia knows the man mainly through their shared faith, as Baccus was more than eager to embrace nature and be at peace with his surroundings. Azmur Kell, the recently disappeared druid, took special care in counselling the half-orc and guiding him through his initiation into the Green Faith.
As his popularity grew, Baccus' business started facing more and more difficulties, mostly accidents of dubious provenance. These eventually culminated in the disappearance of an expensive shipment of ore from Maheto, forcing him to close his smithy due to a lack of funds. On principle, he refused any charity. No one has dared to make such an accusation out loud—especially without hard evidence—but persistent rumours name Chance as the mastermind behind Baccus' fall. Certainly, he is rumoured to have criminal connections, and has benefitted immensely from the fall of his only competitor. Many of Baccus' apprentices have since gone on to work for Chance as well, further benefitting his business. Not only does he have a monopoly on iron and steel, Chance is also rumoured to mistreat these employees on a regular basis, exploiting their labour and paying little in wages. No one really likes him outside his cadre of cronies, but there is little anyone can do about it.
Whatever the cause of his misfortune, Baccus never chose to pursue legal action against Chance, leaving the case unresolved. He has been living with Ol' Prake Abrassus on his sheep farm on the northern edge of town, doing whichever menial tasks he can to earn his keep.
@Everyone: Also, I want all of you to know that stuff like this—side quests you come up with on your own, and extra stuff like Arnholde's request—will definitely forward for your level progression. So, if you do this as a team, I'll count it as one of the quests required to reach the maximum level before the end of the adventure, even though it's not on the quest list included in the module. That way, you don't precisely have to do every single thing on the quest list to get there.
I'm here but I wanna give Khardir a chance to chime in
Same