Ironfang Invasion

Game Master Rostam

So what do you think. A level four gunslinger dressed in ragged skins comes out shooting? You all disturbed his peaceful life with all this hub-a-ba-lou.

*edit*
Just looked at character creation rules. No Gunslingers.

Alezandu probably has the speed to escape, but at this point I think it would be quite difficult to convince him to flee.

Sorry to delay the climax for a bit, but I'm unable to post today and maybe tomorrow. I'll get something up Wednesday at the latest.

I'm also not too sure what to say about the situation in game either. I've found that silence on my part generally works best in situations like this to let the part talk it out amongst themselves.

Thank you all for the great game. Sorry my role seems to be ending like this, but I’ve been looking to cut my pbp load and this seems like a good opportunity to bow out and make room for another player.

All the best and I hope the new refugees give this guy a thorough ass-kicking.

Elyas isn't the type for a meaningless last stand. seeing one more person die on the blades of the camp commander is enough for him. hopefully the others can get out, but my cleric is not going to be able to save the day by trying to stand and bang with 3 enemies plus the boss coming in.

maybe at least one of us will make it out to lead the backup party

I completely understand Falcon, and its been a great couple years. Have fun with your other endeavours.

Is it time for us to start thinking about new characters?

I think it likely is. I've been deliberating over starting gold mainly as I don't want Elyas to be too far behind since the AP is pretty stingy thus far. I do want to finish up the current combat though as if you can take a few more with you or even manage to kill Scarvinious it will greatly change what I do next.

Here's some character creation rules that are basically the recruitment rules updated:

Level - 4th
Races – Core Only
Classes – No gunslingers, must use unchained Rogue, must use unchained Summoner.
Ability Scores – 20 point buy
Skills – All 2 + int classes get 4 + int, we will be using background skills
Hit Point – Using the Wounds and Vigor system with tweaks. Roll in the thread for level 2-3 vigor points.
Alignment – Any
Archetypes – Go nuts, but make sure its legal
Traits – 1 campaign, 1 non-campaign, you can take a third with a meaningful drawback. I will also allow you to propose your own drawback.
Gold – 4000 gold. I know this is lower than normal for a new 4th level character, but I think it's inline with what your characters had/will have at death. I'd rather not inflate item power level too much especially considering that Elyas does not have much magic gear.

Background – I'm a little more lose here. You can be tightly ties to Phaendar as before, travelling in the area for some reason and willing to fight, or some other fitting background. I'd prefer if the characters were part of the fall out of the invasion still, and you can't be part of the Chernasardo Rangers.

NPCs – Not necessary this time, but if you want to make a small group you can throw something together.

Gear – Buy what you want.

I think that's all the info you need. Feel free to ask any questions or request anything you think would be cool. All that being said, I am going on vacation from February 29 to March 8. I want to finish up the current fight and get Elyas back to the refugees before the 29 and then introduce the new characters when I come back, so you've got a few weeks to create a character and weave a backstory together.

Sounds good. I'm thinking some variety of arcane caster (or potentially a kineticist) from outside Nirmathas who happened to visit right before the Legion's invasion and runs into the Phaendar group while trying to hide from the hobgoblins.

I'm probably not making another Paladin but other than that I'm fine with any class. Think I'll wait for everyone to pick their classes then make something to round out the team.

Let me think on it. Honestly I have to get Herolab running on the new computer too. Not sure on class but one element will probably be that they have lived in the woods and has been attacked by the commotion or forced to move their area.

Elyas I will have something for you tomorrow.

@Everyone - I would like your opinion on party size. If you would like to continue as a foursome that is fine with me but a fifth player may help with some versatility. I have time to recruit right now and then intro them with the new characters if you want to do that. I'd also include you all in the process asking opinions and giving a vote via PMs. And of course we can advertise for a desired party roll.

Let me know your thoughts.

I'm inclined towards recruiting a replacement, but I could certainly be convinced otherwise.

I don't have strong feelings either way.

The books are written for four but I find that five tends to keep the game going as there are more options.

Still have not come to a clear idea in my mind for a new character.

I like 5 for PbP, but i am fine with keeping it at 4 for balance if you prefer it that way, GM.

Posting this in all my games (GM and player):

My wife just had our third baby, a little bit ahead of schedule. my posting will be off and on for the next few weeks as i stay home and help my wife. i will still post when able, but posting consistently in multiple games takes a chunk of time, which i will not have for a little bit.

thank you for your patience! if this is a game where i am a PC please feel free to bot me. if this is one of the games i am running, thank you for your patience. feel free to fill the dead space with RP or discussion or just wait for my posts to return!

thanks all

GM I have a question. How strict are you on a ranged character for ammunition? I am looking at classes I have never played before and keep looking at Zen Archer Unchained Monk as an option as I have never played a monk and it looks fun.

I have always been a little unclear on crafting things like arrows. A bow, I get the rules. But arrows have been muddled by other peoples input I think. What do you think?

If I go this rout I am going to forgo a +1 bow in favor of the Efficient Quiver which is just a piece of equipment I love.

Right now my alternate class is Swashbuckler I think but this could change.

@Claustipher

Arrows are a DC 12 craft(bows) check per the normal rules, but you can use craft(weapons) in its place if you want to.

20 arrows cost 10 sp.

So to craft 20 arrows you can pay 3 sp 4 cp for materials, make a craft(bows/weapons) check and multiple the result by 12 if you meet the DC. Since the minimum check results is 144 and 144/7=20.stuff then you can craft 20 arrows per day fairly easily.

I prefer to micro manage time generally with stuff like this as it almost always benefits players. Since you need to get 10 or more of the Skill Check x Craft DC and you will always get at least a 144 per week or 20 per day, you can craft 20 arrows in 4 hours.

Since craft is always a class skill, if you throw 1 rank into it you get the +3 class bonus +int mod, so you will always beat DC 12 if you take a 10.

As for tracking ammunition, I am fairly strict on it. Especially in a game like this where both gear and time are in limited supply because if forces choices.

@Elyas

Congratulations! Take what time you need to make sure everything is going well at home, we will be here when you get back.

@Everyone

At home from work due to a power outage, so I made a recruitment thread here: Recruitment Thread

When you know what your character is going to be, please post it in the thread for the others information. If any of you want to engage in the recruitment, please feel free to! If you have any thoughts on different players/characters in the recruitment thread please PM me what they are.

Also, I've reevaluated the start date and I think that March 16 will be best at the moment given my vacation and the recruitment. I'd rather not rush things.

Hopefully this opens up more opportunities than it annoys everyone. But please feel free to use anything on Archives of Nethys other than the things I've outlined as not allowed above. Over the couple years since the initial recruitment I've come to love that site and it offers much more than just using the legacy PRD.

Elyas, if you'd like to make a few tweaks based on the new rules source then go ahead, just let me know what they are. You can pass them off as a transcendent moment after the battle where Iomedae has seen fit to enhance you.

Gone back and forth but I think I want to go human Swashbuckler wielding a longsword.

The rough back story is that he and a traveling companion, a ranger I would think, were caught up in the invasion. They have tried fighting gorilla style fight but it went poorly and his companion has been killed before he joins the fun.

2: 1d10 ⇒ 7
3: 1d10 ⇒ 8
4: 1d10 ⇒ 1 well poop

So:

Claustipher -> Longsword Swashbuckler.
Alezandu -> Arcane caster or Kineticist.
Elyas -> Still alive, Cleric
New Player -> All submissions so far look like martial or martial-caster hybrids.

I think I can get a character ready fairly quickly so I think I'll wait bit more before deciding.

Sounds good. I'm away after about noon today but I'll address any issue you guys are having (if any) when I get back.

Have fun making characters!

My current ideas are a summon-focused arcanist, a druid, a exemplar brawler, a bomb alchemist, and a switch hitter slayer. Still waiting to see what others do before committing a character.

Paizo is not letting me set up a new Alias at the moment but here is the crunch for Charles McQueen, my new swashbuckler.

Charles McQueen had been in his share of scrapes but was mostly discounted by more armed and armored warriors as 'all style'. 'All style' they said but he knew... HE KNEW. He just had to show people to be taken seriously with his unconventional style. Speed and skill was better then armor and Charles knew it.

When he heard of the recent trouble he knew his time was here. Putting on his flashiest outfit he and got his best friend, a hunter named James and left. They traveled though the woods, Charles learning the ways of the woods as they went. All went well until first contact with the enemy. James.... dead. His flashiest outfit... bloody and ripped. Charles ran, hid, ran and hid.

That should get us to stumbling on refugees in anyway the GM would like.

Looks like a fun character Claustipher! Unless you'd like to pair him up with any of the others, I can start giving him an introduction sometime this week just to get things moving along.

Olivia, thanks for letting us know your thoughts on characters.

Alezandu, hows making the arcane caster/kineticist coming along?

I have two potential builds I'm trying to decide between, a pyrokineticist and a psychic with the formless adept archetype. I'll settle on one tonight and finish the character within the next few days.

Happy to pair him up with another arriving at the camp. I will work on an alias today.

Ok alias started. Feel free to change the backstory in any way to introduce. The core is he is pissed that the armored warriors never took him seriously, which may well be in his head. Will take a risk to prove his worth ever since a young age.

Also I made some easy copy and past stuff for attack rolls in the profile. There is a notation for AC change when using Combat Expertise, will that work for you GM?

Charles, looks good and thanks for the copy/paste items, hopefully I remember they're there if I need them!

Also, now that its a bit relevant, what's your preference for being referred to? Current character or main alias?

I'm going with a human formless adept psychic with the blight-burned trait, who I'm now working on.

Vigor: 3d6 ⇒ (5, 6, 2) = 13

Personally I'd prefer current character.

Here's an alias with crunch for my psychic, Nyakala. I'll add her backstory soon once it's finished.

Hey guys, I've selected

Carthas Brambleroad - Phntm888
Ingir - Mr. Hebeme

as our replacement characters.

I can't remember if I told everyone, but I reread some of part 2 and I'd previously commented that I was going to keep the party at 6 until level 5 and I decided to keep to that. The game needs versatility to get through and a surprising number of encounters can escalate rather quickly.

Hello all! Thanks for the invite I’m looking forward to helping you all get revenge and put down the Iron Fang Legion.

Here's the fully party so far, just trying to wrap my head around what I've got as a team here.

Ingir - Shaman
Carthas - Alchemist
Charles - Swashbuckler
Elyas - Cleric
Nyakala - Psychic

Olivia - lots of options

Greetings, Ingir. Hopefully with your help our second try at revenge will go better than our first.

I've added Nyakala's backstory and swapped Lightning Reflexes for Favored Enemy Spellcasting (fey).

With this party comp I think I'm going with Arcanist, I already have most of the crunch done so I'll get it ready ASAP.

Rolling Vigor:

VP: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 2, 6) = 14

Lucky again!

Olivia here, crunch is done!

I've spent some of my starting wealth on scrolls which I plan to study during the game in order to learn more spells, please tell me if that's ok.

I hope to have my backstory ready on monday morning.

I'm okay with that, Lyndis. Could you explain how potent magic interacts with the occultist summon monster ability if it does at all?

And backstory looks good Nyakala.
Now figure out how to get everyone together in an interesting fashion...

Hey everyone, thanks for the invite! Carthas found Phaendar a great place to stay, so he’s looking forward to sending the Ironfang Legion packing.

Mechanically, Carthas makes a good secondary healer. Briar bombs provide a little battlefield control, and his mutagen allows him to help out in melee, although he’s built to be a ranged combatant.

Potent magic would increase the caster level of summon monster, which would affect its duration. I believe that's all.

DM, to answer early question, current alias or I will get confused. Claustipher lives on in my head so I don;t need more confusion.

Welcome aboard everyone! Now lets get the whole Ironfang nonsense sorted out shall we?

@Lyndis, thanks that's what the logical part of my brain said would happen. For some reason the other part of it was going 'The summon monster level is going to be higher! Holy crap!' and I have no idea why I thought that.

Other than that, I'm going to start an intro post or two tonight. I'm going to make a couple presumptions here or there to speed things up, but will try to keep everything in line with your given back stories.

I just realized Elyas was the GM for the Reign of Winter game I'm in. That's pretty cool.

I'll work on a post now. Thanks again for the invite!

Hey Lyndis, I'm waiting on backstory to add you in so I can trying tying some stuff together.

Sorry for not doing it when I said I would, woke up sick (nothing serious) and spent the day in in bed. I'll get to it right away.

The backstory is done and in my alias:

TL;DR: A young elven girl wants to be an adventurer just like her dead parents, makes a bunch of mistakes, gets her adoptive father killed and now blames the hobgoblins and wants revenge.

@ Lyndis- I think your Wound Points should be 28 not 24. It looks like you forgot to add your 4 levels of con bonus.