JZ's Carrion Crown - COMPLETE! (Inactive)

Game Master JamZilla

Was a good read Cara good job :)

Thanks guys.

I dunno what to post now too many good ones to follow

Great song that! Much respect Cara.

Been digesting the crunch for Caradwen some more.

Apart from taking Arcane Duelist, which is uncannily good, as it adds soooo many good things by itself - Arcane Bond (Bow) and Disruptive are two examples - I guess my options boil down to:

- Taking up a level in fighter;
- Starting on the chain with Point Blank Shot
- Dropping Lingering Performance for Arcane Strike
- Taking another level in fighter at 5
- Picking up Precise Shot and Rapid Shot
- Dropping Quoth, and changing Arcane Bond to an item (Bow)
- Changing the trait Two World Magic (which I never used) into Magial Knack (I believe it allows me to inspire courage as bard two levels higher?)

OR

- Dropping both Skill Focus and Eldritch Heritage altogether
- Taking Point Blank Shot and Precise Shot
- Dropping Lingering Performance for Arcane Strike
- Picking up Rapid Shot at level 5

Both options mean changing some stats around.
First option allows me to use a better bow - longbow or composite longbow (if Jam allows me to move stats around).
First option has more damage and BAB, but delays more on the Bard progression (mitigated by Magical Knack if allowed).
If I take Weapon Master I may get tempted to go another level on fighter for +1 attack and damage, which is good in that aspect but hurts bard even more (would mean ftr3/brd3 and continuing on Bard)

Opinions?

Cara, not a huge amount of time to post now but magical knack would not affect Nordic performance. Although it describes it as a magical ability, it is not modified by caster level specifically so wouldn't interact with magical knack.

I think a level of fighter is a good idea to get two feats and catch up on archery and yes I'm fine with amending stats

More questions for you Jam [Sorry :D]

According to what we have debated about Weird Words:

- Would you allow multiple words to target the same foe?

- Also, would the weird words work with the feats Precise Shot and Point Blank Shot? What about Clustered Shots and Improved Critical? Weapon Focus?

Precise shot = yes
Pbs = yes
Clustered shots = no (since magic normally bypasses damage reduction anyway)
Weapon focus (ray) = yes
Improved critical (ray) = yes
Attack same target = yes (just as you can with scorching ray or fiery shuriken)

So basically yes to most everything :)

Didn't realise could take weapon focus ray that's handy to know

your ray of frost will be even more effective then

can you take weapon focus on touch attacks?

I think so cos its a 'weapon-like' attack so I don't see why not.

That is interesting to know for the future

I actually wasn't expecting you to allow Weapon Focus or Improved Critical since there's nothing in the power that suggests its a ray (apart from being labelled a touch attack) :D

On the other hand I was expecting Clustered Shots to be allowed ;) Since the ability specifically calls out that the Bard decides whether she wishes it to deal slashing, bludgeoning or piercing damage, thus possibly meaning weapon damage, and DR applying as normal.

What say you Jam? :D

Ok, so if no one objects , Jon will take the keen long sword and learn how to use it. I will re do one of my feats to get martial weapon proficiency.
The +1 mace will go into party wealth

Ok perhaps I've been a bit hasty in decision making on weird words.

At level 6 you could be putting out 6d8+24 damage (pretty easily) which is an average of 54 damage. Per round.

That's pretty crazy..... and way above anything a spell, deadly-aiming ranger or power-attacking barbarian could do.

Allowing all those words to target a single creature and allow feat support could mean you could easily one-shot a level appropriate encounter. Yeah I need to have a think about this if you don't mind Cara. I don't want to nerf you but equally that seems, on the face of it, game-breaking.

Cara, I've looked into it over the lat hour and found a significant thread on the messageboards addressing this issue.

See Here

The developers are looking to completely reword this ability because so many people have noted problems in games, even PFS scenarios, where mid - high level bards have just annihilated final bad guys since the wording was confusing (could you use all words on one enemy? can you use feats with it?)

This debate is ongoing but Sean K. Reynolds has posted the latest rewording and it does significantly alter the power level of the ability. It's in the thread above but posted here;

Weird Words (Su): At 6th level, a sound striker can start a performance as a standard action, lashing out with up to 1 ray of potent sound per bard level (maximum 10), each sound affecting one target within 30 feet. Note: "Up to" means you can choose to fire fewer than the maximum number.
No target can be struck more than once. Note: This makes the intent clear.
Each ray expends 1 round of bardic performance. Note: This is new, and keeps the cost from being trivial at higher levels for using the maximum number of sounds.
These are ranged touch attacks.
Each ray deals 1d8 points of damage plus the bard's Charisma bonus. At 10th, 14th, and 18th level, the damage increases by 1d8. Note: Scaling damage is new. Fort saving throw removed.
The bard chooses what type of damage each ray deals (bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing). These rays count as magical weapons.
This performance replaces suggestion

Happy to discuss further but until a further revision is posted, this is the version I am going with. It means:

-You can use weapon feats on it since they are specifically called out as rays (PBS, precise shot, clustered shots etc)
-There is no longer a fort save
-You can no longer fire all words at the same target

The more I look at it, and the way it is heading, the worse Weird Words is starting to pan out for me.

I understand if you don't want to read that entire thread but SKR clarifies that weird words was intended to supplement a bards daily performance use not become the focus of it since weird words replaces a relatively weak power in suggestion.

Personally I think it's still worth it as an archer bard since youwill already have a number of feats that will improve it such as precise shot but it's no longer a tactical nuke.

J. Could Morbar's Ma make bracers of armour? If I have enough loot after we sell stuff, I may make an investment. Are we also due a reward from the Council for saving the town? I'm going to spend the next few days re-stocking my gear. Couple of potions, some bracers(hopefully), soap and several changes of clothes.

1d100 ⇒ 41

Bracers of armor are magic so she can't make them. Alendru can in 1 week for a cost of 1000gold

Brill. Once we have sold stuff and there are funds available I'll pay him a visit.

Btw j. On the subject of gold. Didn't the council promise us 500gp for clearing the prison and saving the town?

Jon I didn't do a training montage because I thought you might want to do that yourself, and i maybe doing one with Sebastian to if he agrees to help me. btw I imagine this Song playing as we train lol

Here is the new updated loot, i hope you're all happy.

Loot!!!.

The council also pay you the promised reward of 500gp each.

So... 500 gold to add to our current share - sweeeeet.

Markus, have you already taken away the contribution for the Wand of Cure Light Wounds?

As far as Caradwen carrying it, or you, I don't know. My perspective from the game so far is that Markus is defeinitely not a combatant, so it may make sense letting him carry the wand.

Or we can try both ways - throughout most of this book, Caradwen carried it - now we can swap ;)

Can you roll to see if there is a scroll of master-work transformation in town please jam? Also I'm going to buy that master work full plate i could do with the armour class

Ok, I'll hold the wand I also wanted to ask about the hold person wand will you be using that? After the last fights I found with no spells I didn't have a lot to do so if you weren't going to use it maybe I could?

1d100 ⇒ 100

No they don't have the scroll in town sorry Morbar.

Thanks Markus. I can't see on the spreadsheet how much we each have to spend when we split up the sold loot. I think J said we could only sell 5,000 worth anyway though.

J. If that is right, I'll use my 10% and the 500 gp from the council to buy some bracers of AC.

Sebastian, I'm not sure why you can't view how much you have to spend. If you scroll across on the spreadsheet it says 1105 beneath your name

I don't get it either, because when I open the loot link on my machine, that 1105 is nowhere to be seen. Bizarre! Never mind. At least I know now. Thanks guys.

1105 plus 500 from the Council = plenty!

Really enjoyed Harrowstone J. Looking forward to book two now - and to seeing how everyone's characters develop.

Thanks mate. Harrowstone is probably the beat low level adventure I've played and one of the main reasons I wanted to rub this campaign. You guys played up to it brilliantly so now I'm looking forward to what comes next. Bear in mind this is a "horror" campaign, expect lost more dark gothic atmosphere!

Also, I will try to post at least once each day over the next week to keep our momentum going. If you can post, great, if not - no problem

How longs the trip gonna take jam gonn have to sort out rations and that, also gon have to buy a backpack bed roll and all that for my guy

A carriage moves at 4 miles per hour so it will take about 4 days assuming you travel for 8 hours per day with reasonable breaks in between.

Im gonna buy a weeks rations, warerskin bedroll and backpack if you want to put that on my wealth dan and a book on dwarven engineering no idea how much it would cost not one that gives me bonuses or anything its just for role playing because I am gonna use my powerpoints to get some skill points and put ranks in to knowledge engineering
So jam im gonna use 2pp for 3 skill points please

If you could give me the cost of stuff you want to add, i don't really want to track out all the stuff you want me to add. Also Seb how many potions are you using now sure how you came to that cost so i just took it off your money.

I will post the costs, once Jam has confirmed if the Silver arrows are available.

And yes Markus, keep the Hold Person wand - if we find it should be on someone else's hands, we'll swap. You keep it for the time being.

EDIT: So costs,

DArkwood Composite Longbow (STR +2): 630 gold
50 Silver Arrows: 100gold, 11silver, 20copper
Cloak of Resistance +1: 1000 gold
Ioun Torch: 75 gold
Alchemist fire: 20 gold

She should be sitting on around over 660 gold, with the cash she already had before.

Not sure I can remember how I worked it out myself! It was 1,000 for the bracers of armour. 300 for 6 CLW (I already had 1 CMW)the 47 gp was on spare clothes and a bar of soap - I've got 2 explorer's outfits, 4 monk's outfits and 3 spare shirts!

Are you keeping tally of all our equipment Markus? If so I'll have to give you my total inventory. Wouldn't it be easier for you if everyone kept their own inventories?

That way you only need to keep tally of the new loot we get and our current GP tally.

If you need my inventory it is:

MISC GEAR
Backpack
Blanket
M.work thieve's tools
String
Soap bar (50 uses)
Fish hooks (4)
Large sack

WEAPONS
Mthral Dagger +1
Sling (20 bullets)
Kama

ARMOUR
Ring of protection +1
Bracers of protection +1

POTIONS
CMW
CLW x6

CLOTHES
Explorers outfit (2)
Monk's outfit (4)
Coat (sleeveless long leather)
Hat (wide brimmed)
Shirt (3)

Total weight carried: 60.5lbs. I can carry a further 39.5 lbs before I am carrying my medium load.

Thank's you two, i keep track of new loot/bought items of value/magic stuff. So i'll take potions off when you use them then your wealth will go down. I wont keep track of mundane stuff.

And i will keep hold of the wand for now.

I find this situation interesting - being separated from the group. Unless the troupe prove to be false and I have to take them on single-handed, I will try to make myself useful and gather as much info from them as I can until everyone else returns.

At least I haven't got a hag-faced teleporting giant spider to deal with! lol. Good luck guys!

Secretly I think Seb wants the circus to attack him, he can fill them all in then lol

Wanted to drop a line to wish you all a Happy New Year!! Today and tomorrow posting will not come easy, and next weekend the family is going on a snow trip, but I'm still around. Posting will be sparse though, until next Sunday.

Enjoy the holiday everyone!

One additional note to our Jam GM, and to our group - I am really enjoying the game - the narrative, descriptions and NPCs are well rounded and coherent. The atmosphere is immersive, and the characters all have a distinct feel and personality. Thanks all for running, and playing this. I'm sticking around for as long as it lasts ;)

Thanks Cara. Same to you. Hope you and the family have a great New year.

In terms of the game, I've plotted out most everything in a broad way and I'm anticipating some great and hopefully memorable moments. The whole episode with Benjin, the climactic battle with the Splatterman and Lopper and then the mysterious note; those are all thing I think that make pbp great. So if people are prepared to settle in for the next 18 months or so, there's good stuff coming up!

Happy new year to you to Cara.

I'm really enjoying myself we all seem to have a good feel for our characters now I just hope we can all get some more interplay with each other i will be trying my best.

If there's rp going on between characters I won't rush on. But of its only between two or three people it might be worth putting in a spoiler perhaps. I'm tthinking of doimy that with the caravan stuff now. Everyone can read the spoilers of course but it won't clutter the page during plot advancement that wat.

happy new year to you all !
Campaign is going really well j, we all echo Cara's sentiments I think. We are all in it for the long haul :)