Gardens of the Moon (Inactive)

Game Master Aku Warashi

O_O

... I've been doing that wrong since 3.0... Good thing I've been DM then... : /

What surprises me is how dumb I feel for having done that wrong for so long. Huh.

- - - - -

Ok, two handing still comes out ahead (thanks to the damage boost from power attack) but the gap is closed fairly significantly. It is still definitely better early on, but by level 15 it's only about 5-6% more damage.

I need to go back and recheck my calculations for, well, everything (my class too), and see where things line up. A quick glance puts you as a little low at 5, better than an inquisitor at 10, and a little low again at level 15.

I'll tweak it a bit and see how we can boost it a bit.

While we work things out here can I join in the game or not?

Also, it might be low high low because I get a second attack before the inquisitor at level 5.

Not my decision, but if your story has been approved and isn't going to change I don't see why not.

To join the game, you need to give me a written background, with some more fluffy and events.
As soon you provide it, I'll work on joining you.

:)

@Zayne

Also, due to game nature, don't forget that magic items will not be easy to find, and mostly, there'll be basically not that world of wondrous items to make you stronger. which in case, makes your class even better, since you get good without needing any outside stuff to help.

A good point.

Character so far. Added Knowledge Nobility, History, Local, and Engineering. DM mentioned they were an intelligent society. Also changed the tongues stuff to Catfall from the link above. That or just change them all to slowfall and max at 80ft.

Ok, I went back and properly adjusted everybody, gave everyone proper weapons since I couldn’t assume similar weapons anymore (and added in the damage for crits that I had left off of you) and you seem ok earlier and you fall behind pretty rapidly at the end. (That big hump at level 10 was me mistakenly leaving in your +4 attack bonus from spending ki).

(After this point, when I talk about spending ki, I mean only on the +4 to hit bonus. Spending additional ki to increase damage or add another attack drives the numbers higher).

At level 5, without spending ki, the class is ~3% under the inquisitor.
With ki it’s ~32% over.

At level 10, without spending ki, the class is ~16% under the inquisitor.
With ki, it’s ~14% over.

At level 15, without spending ki, the class is ~30% under the inquisitor.
With ki, it’s ~4% under the inquisitor.

The inquisitor jumps up at the end of its class because it gets that greater bane feature, granting it an extra +2 to hit/damage and +2d6 damage compared to before.

Overall, the flurry gives you a really high damage rating but your to hit is still pretty low.

Part of it is that, before these high levels, you’ve been able to keep a higher enchantment on your staff compared to the other classes (Ki Strike equals out to a lot of free money around level 10). But in this game, enchanted equipment is going to be harder to come by.

So let’s see how things fare if I max out pre-ability-enhanced magic weapons to +2 only.

Level 5 doesn’t change.

Level 10 leaves you at ~6% under the inquisitor without ki, and ~27.5% over with ki.

Level 15 leaves you at ~20% under the inquisitor without ki, and ~19% over with ki.

- - - - -

Interestingly enough, you only need ~+1 more to hit near the end of the class to bring you back in line.

Also interestingly, it seems like the same level in the class progression where a new ability would fit is level 12, the same level that the inquisitor gets Greater Bane.

So, how about just getting weapon focus for free at level 4, and greater weapon focus at level 12. And we’ll also say that it counts for both the bonded staff and unarmed strikes. That should put you on par again, and it frees up a given feat.

(Related, you can't take Weapon Focus at level 1 because it requires a +1 BaB).

- - - - -

For the catfall bit, how about making it 2d6 at each level you would have gotten one of the speaking abilities? That gives 8d6 less fall damage at level 16 (so a fall of 90-100 feet is basically nothing) and you'd still always land on your feet.

- - - - -

Also, just to say, you don't have to take the class I built. I was just putting together something I thought you might like.

@Melasoul, Blond

I must admit, that combat with the treant was tiring.

@Aku

Yeah, that was a long one. It didn't help any that I was pretty much tapped out in the first 5 rounds. I have a feeling that choosing to specialize in mind-effecting things is going to be a bit of a rough call for a lot of that campaign.

Still, can't beat the luck on that ending.

@Mela

Nah, don't worry; you'll be glad to have it, before it's over.

@All

Just remember that, even if you class offers some 'magic' related stuff, things outside common human, it's not available for now.

I hope this will not have too much impact in the game, and this is mostly to add flavor to the game.
This kind of ‘power’ will be ‘unlocked’ around level two, inside the game.

@Zayne

At first level, you get two more skills points, to be used in your background. They are meant to be used on the ‘social’ skills (Craft, Profession, Perform). Your background should contain what you did, before joining the army, and how you joined or at least what happened up to the point you decided to join.
You can create myths, legends, rumors, cities, villages, npcs and such, to make your backstory something deep and concise.

@Aku - Ah, did not realize that. Well, let's just call it practice.

I forgot to ask about traits. Are they a thing here?

Also I will take Mel's suggestions and end the modifications for now. Will also add the two freebee skill points and craft story later today.

No traits.

Figured me and Shea weren't actually doing magic, everything was strictly mundane. Shea has skills in heal and me in craft alchemy. Praying to a god to help with healing someone isn't exactly uncommon in real life either, where there is no magic at all.

Good lord I having way more trouble than I thought settling on a story and motivation for leaving. Why did Shea leave? I don't her backstory on the forums or the character profile.

She Pm'ed me it.

I won't reveal, since she did it that way must be because she want to explore role play possibilities.

And Remember, keeping the mask, even half is a strong thing. Even tho your mask should be all black, since you probably din't get a rank.

Screw it. Scraping the whole thing for another character background. One I have used before. The first one on the boards actually. I will keep the class because it still fits but he has no motivation to join the army. He was forced to. By his father who was tired of his lazy attitude. He hoped the malazan army would give him some discipline and drive. The character is heavily influenced by Shikamaru from Naruto, except his genius is martial not tactical. Sorry if this throws off the story a little but I have wracked my brain for two days trying to make it work and it just won't. Just can't settle on anything.

I can help, with some hooks, aligned to history, if you want.

How about this:

"One day, as you were training, darkness descended, and soon it vanished. A stranger stood where darkness had vanished. His skin was jet-black, befitting of the darkness that proceeded him, but his mane flowed silver. He stood close to seven feet tall. His features were sharp, as if cut from onyx, a slight upward tilt to the large vertical-pupiled eyes.

A two-handed sword was strapped to his broad back, its silver dragonskull pommel and archaic crosshilt jutting from a wooden scabbard fully six and a half feet long. From the weapon bled power, staining the air like black ink in a pool of water.

Intrigued by the stranger, you followed him as he walked down the city’s main thoroughfare.
Noticing local costumes, he used the strange darkness, fashioning a mask for himself.

A being of natural arrogance, he showed no deference to any who crossed his path.

And there you stood in stunned surprise, as Seguleh after Seguleh challenged the man.

Two bells. That was the full duration of man’s visit to the island and its people. During this time, he defeated scores of Seguleh, Including Seguleh Seventh, but fled entering the strange darkness, after crossing blades with Seguleh Fourth.

That happened when you were young. Up until this day, the Seventh Mask still wait the to be claimed by the stranger that once visited the island."

I'm off to sleep, I'll be back later.

Well shit. And a new idea pops into my head. Sigh. Now I am thinking he left to defeat the arrogant man and claim the seventh for himself. He no longer wears his black mask but certainly keeps it so that he may challenge the stranger should he meet him. That sounds way better. But now the question is, why is he in the Malazan army near Seven Cities. It was rumored the stranger was in Seven Cities? Maybe to first challenge Dassem, leader of the Malazan forces and prominent swordsman himself? Any input from the others?

Personality wise he would match Shea and Ti'ck I would think. That would be redundant. I feel like I should be a little bit different. hmm.

Screw it. Done. Have a look see.

To be fair, I'm willing to post my backstory. I just PMed it because I was doing it in chunks and wanted to make sure everything was ok before I said it was done.

Its a moot point now but I was hoping for some inspiration. Turns out I had way too much. I think I will have fun with what I concocted though.

Eyes narrowing, Dujek swung to another soldier, the one all covered in a strange shell-like armor. ‘And yours?’

I don't know it it was intentional, but the 'Eyes Narrowing' was before looking at you, and not after, meaning you weren't the cause. :)

The man who hadn't yet drawn Dujek's attention sat stock still and hadn't moved through the whole show. You could swear he was either dead or sleeping. He didn't look like the other recruits, mainly from the lack of armor. He instead wore simple clothes. A pair of sandals, breeches, a cotton shirt, all bound together with sashes and bandages. His face was cast downward so you couldn't see his face but he had a mop of unruly brown hair. The way he sat suggested a tall frame, near 6 feet maybe with long lanky limbs of corded muscle. His weapon of choice seemed to be the quarterstaff he rested on, another oddity in this army, as well as two javelins on his back under the backpack and dagger in leg sheath on both legs.

This post suggests that the 'discussion' just before game started slipped past you. Every recruit, at least for now, is mandatory to use standard armor and weapons, meaning you can keep your staff, but for now you aren't allowed to use it.

Standard armor: Chain shirt or Leather armor.
Standard weapon: Short or long sword, light or heavy shield, heavy or light crossbow.

Rest assured that, before it really matters, you'll be free to use your choice of weapon and armor, but for now, formalities applies.

The whole thing kinda confused me. I didn't see anything mentioning me nor a reference to Aloft so I want sure where to go with it.

Got it on the armor thing.

Yeah, I was waiting you to give me the reason you left, before making the 'introduction', but you were kinda anxious to join, so lets join! :)

@All

Hey, how are you all?

I want to introduce something to this game, that I think may be fun or at least give us a gritty feeling to all of that.
I'll be basing those changes in the Legend RPG system, to which I'll add combining with pathfinder rules.

First of all:

Body parts HP rule!
Now, before you start panic, because body party does increases mortality, what I have in mind is something similar yet different.

HP will still be counted as normal, however each body party will have his own HP (which is a fraction of the total HP), whenever that body party HP drops to negative scores, something bad will happen, mostly some sort of penalty.
If your right arm goes negative, it means you cannot use that arm anymore, but you are still capable of combat. If one of your legs goes negative, you have trouble walking (reduced speed), both legs, you can’t walk and is prone.

Things like that, I’ll suggest this weekend a table with possible penalties, to which I would like each of you give your opinion about.

Now, because targeting the head is always what someone tries, body parts will be a random roll, with each attack.

And because Body parts make things worse…. Here comes something to help!

Armor gives half of its CA as damage reduction!
Yeah, you read it well! The damage from attacks gets reduced on the armor before it hurts you.
I still need to think about the monk tho. Half of his wisdom?

Class Action Rules!
Based on your base attack bonus, you’ll get ‘Actions’ that can be used or to defend yourself, or to do something bad to your enemy!
Those actions escalate with BAB (much like extra attacks), and on certain circumstances and based on your weapon of choice, you can ‘apply’ a ‘maneuver’ alongside with the attack or with a defense.

Um. I don't get what you are trying to do. Most of those offensive and defensive actions are in the pathfinder system as maneuvers or abilities.

Bash=Reposition or Bull Rush

Grip=Grapple

Damage Weapon=Sunder

Blind=Dirty Trick

etc.

Are we forgoing the pathfinder stuff completely? Are these random? Is a CA a free action per round on one of the attacks?

@Zayne.

We are using pathfinder as base.
That does not mean it's only pathfinder. I don't plan to force those changes, but I would like you to view them with less prejudice and help me to integrate into the game, without cause too much strife in the current system.

Combat Actions(CA) is something meant to use or defend oneself from those maneuvers. Only that, they don’t allow or are used to anything else.

Think of this, they allow you to use some things, without needing to bog down with feats and such, leaving you free to concentrate in other things, and Combat actions aren’t free, they can be used only when your attack ‘is higher’ than the enemy CMD, meaning it’s not always you’ll be able to use it. I still need to think about some rules and forms of usage. I posted it here, because I’m used to discuss those things with Mela, Blond and Briccone. Help me as well. :)

Getting those the feats, would still allow you to be better at doing that, since they give you bonus and such, and feats give you defense bonus as well. Getting a feat has advantages, this, in the way I see it, will not make feats useless, since they are meant to not be that easy to be used, only to give the opportunity to use and do more things than simply attack your enemy.

@Zayne:

Since you missed the introduction:

When you joined the army, a Drill Sergeant, named Braven Tooth gave you a new name, Aloft.
And he was the one, after talking, and most likely yelling at you, said you would be in the marines, which in turn puts you under Whiskeyjack.

Since I want all the party in the same squad, you were attached to the 4th squad of marines, and you sergeant is called Dujek, the one talking with you.

There was no yelling from him until now, and probably will not have.

Oh I bet Sloade can make him yell! :)

@Aku, Can we get a quick reference to each of the other squad members (and maybe important superiors)? Either in the Campaign page or a link to a doc in the overview?

@All

Hey, how are you?
I'll set up a post, later today or tomorrow, to put you guys together, so you can chat, and get acquainted with each other.
And while you do that, I'll ask some days to change some things here.
The events I had planned, now that I take a closer look, wont do, because I need a bit more of context. So I'll need to come with new things, and I don't want to create on the fly, because it leads to poor descriptions and npc interactions.

So, I hope you'll forgive me, and give me some days, I think that by Wednesday, I'll be fine again.

Thanks. :)

@All

Body parts, Combat Actions: For now, I want to know your opinion. I’ll get later a complete example, including a combat and rules to which we can discuss if it’ll be added or not the game.
At this point, I’ll be keeping only the armor reduction thing, since there’s no ‘resurrection’ in the game, I want things to be not that deadly.

sorry abou the lack of updates from me (on both games Aku) Work is kicking my ass atm. boss is leaving for vacation tomorrow and wanted a stupid amount of work completed before her left. Life should return to normal tomorrow *Fingers crossed*

Note to self, more apathy and less anger with a little curiosity. Don't want to be completely shut off or their won't be any character development. Then again, I am starting to think I should play a ranged caster that is very outgoing. I noticed all of us are melee. All of us are quite glib. And a not one of us is a dedicated caster. Maybe wind, shadow and mental manipulation. Arcane thief. The lightning thief.

Introverted characters are hard to play, because often you forget to give other players hook to Interact with you. They have a certain charm, usually over time, but the beginning in something hard to deal with.

Edit:

Also, about no dedicated caster, you shouldn't worry about it. There’ll be no ‘challenge’ which requires a devoted caster to bypass.

@Shea

I've created a simple schematics with the entire Army structure at this point in the history. Hope it helps.

I feel like I should point out that I don't see any hooks to play off of. From anyone. Not as bad that the players are glib but without anything from the DM to talk about or act on things are going to continue to be slow. Unless you are still trying to settle on what to do with us. That's far then.

I understand you.

It's hard when the players don't talk among themselves, or when you don't guys don't talk to the npcs, or don't take any hook I drop in the game.

‘A Seti summer,’ Koryk said, offering Dujek a carnivorous smile. ‘When the grasslands are driven to dust by the herds, when the earth underfoot clicks like breaking metal.’

‘Hood take you,’ Smiles snapped. ‘This land’s full of dead things for a reason.’

‘Aye,’ the Seti half-blood replied, ‘only the tough survive. There are tribes aplenty out there—they’ve left enough sign in passing.’

‘You have seen that, have you?’ Dujek said. ‘Good. You...

Passive acceptance of tasks, without even asking what it entails.

Dujek glanced over at the other sergeant. Green Howl, Aloft, Braven Truth and Ti’ck were walking in step behind the two sergeants, close enough to hear, though none had ventured a comment or opinion. ’ ’What you think? ‘ he asked the soldiers, for their opinion.

Not bothering to talk back, and develop any kind of ‘earlier’ background before the history shoots off.

Back in the now, he hangs his head. "Right. Cause family always has your back." It wasn't loud enough for Dujek to hear but most of the other recruits could. For the ones he had trained with the last few months, it was the most emotion they had ever heard from him ever. The words were so bitter it left a bad taste in their mouth. Rafi rolls backward off his seat. He plants his hands and twists in the air to land facing away from the others and walks away. It was a flashy move but it was the fastest way to get away. As his nickname would suggest, he goes off to find a high place to get away and watch the clouds.

Walking off away, without giving any hook for me, or others to play with.

Sloade gives Smiles a sharp look, then looks back to Koryk. It was..uh...a learning experience, Sir! I'll do better in my next fight, or I won't be around to do anything! Green Howl thinks to himself.

Talking without giving any hook to start back another conversation.

"Not come off." Ti'ck replies casually, grinning at the expected question. "Part of me. Exposed without it."

Answers that make hard to continue conversation (Even tho here, it was possible to continue asking about what the armor represents, or just taunt the woman for using it.)

When the sergeant was out of earshot, Koryk started ’There will be betting.’ he said glancing over to see if any of the sergeants were hearing ’Each squad presents a competitor, winner takes all profit. What you think?’ he asks.

Not interacting with the NPC’s, which is something that for now, I’m been trying (not good enough) to make accessible and somewhat interesting.

==//==

The game feels ‘heavy’ as if the players were waiting for something other than talking; I hear you, I understand it. I will do my best to get to a point where talking is not necessary.

All valid points. Like I said, though, we have a lot of glib characters. Without forcing us I don't think we are going to converse with other people until after the first real battle.

ya the issue I see with conversation at this point is we've trained together but there is no real connection between the players, no bond of brotherhood or battle to tie them together, and we are all drastically different people from wildly different walks of life (and cultures). From my point of view: Ti'ck accepts that you are her new squad, but doesn't feel any loyalty or connection with anyone atm, she's just following orders. We need the common thread to link us together more then just a sergeant telling us we're a squad (especially seeing as we really haven't had done anything to make it so) to make us really start to bond and from that the conversation will come.

(...)wanting to see what the old Bridgeburner could do (...)

We decided to start the game a bit earlier in time, and the bridgeburners don't exists yet.

I thought he was a Bridgeburner before the coup?

-Posted with Wayfinder

Yeah.

But Kellanved is still emperor. Dassem is still alive. Lassen is just someone close to the throne.

Basically, we started the game a lot of years earlier.

@All

Rafi was traveling. I'm waiting him so we can continue. Sorry, I forgot to warn you guys.

@All

I'll do my last test at university tomorrow, and beginning next week I'll start moving this more fast paced.

I'm itching to make some things happens and put some events for you, but I've been slowing it down because I wouldn't have time to make it as I want.

Anyway, beginning next week, If you can keep with a 1/post day it's good, more would be excellent!

Message to all games. Starting tomorrow I will be on vacation for a week. Posting will be spotty, focused, or non-existent depending on what is going on. Will try and keep up. Sorry.