Alright, I've been considering a martial dip for a while now, and having been useless beyond even the reasonable expectations of a bard in this last fight, it's time.
Bard 6/Fighter (Archer) 1
HP +8 (6 HD, 2 Con)
Skills:
+1 Perception,
+1 Perform (Act)
+1 Perform (Oratory)
Feats:
Deadly Aim
Iron Will
Well to be fair it's not unexpected when you have an archetype that trades the one ability that makes Bards good in combat (Inspire Courage).
If you had that you'd be giving Weapon Training 2 (all weapon groups) and Bravery 2+ to everybody in the party. =)
You've been doing pretty decently, I think. 50% miss chance screws everybody over.
What you REALLY need is a way to add a lot of static damage without dropping your to-hit. Deadly Aim helps, but not much (it raises your average DPR by about 1.5-2 points against CR appropriate creatures), it'd help a lot more if you could figure a way to get that +4 damage without the -2 to-hit, but I don't think there's one you can effectively get without quite a few more levels. I think sticking it out until Fighter 4 (for Weapon Specialization) may be your best bet if you ever want to be an effective combatant, or give up on it entirely and focus on spells.
DPR vs AC 20 (Deadly Aim): .45(9.5)+.1*2*.55*9.5 = 5.32 DPR
Rapid Shot (No Deadly Aim): .45(5.5)+.1*2*.45*5.5*2 = 5.94 DPR
Rapid Shot (Deadly Aim): .35(9.5)+.1*2*.45*9.5*2 = 7.98 DPR
If you can snag Manyshot next level, you'll see a significant jump.
The sad part about Fighter is, though, you kinda lose out on a lot of "Bard-ness". Low skills and all.
Slayer may actually be better for you. Same skills as Bard, same BaB jump as Fighter, but from level 1 you can spend Move action to snag +1/+1 in addition to Deadly Aim, which is pretty solid for you.
Farrukh can teach you. =)
Anyhow, Farrukh's changes:
+1 Slayer level
Endurance (ewwww)
Skills:
-1 Survival
-4 Acrobatics
+1 Kn. Geography
+1 Perception
+1 Stealth
+1 Disable Device
+1 Kn. Local
+1 Kn. Dungeoneering
+9 HP (6 HD, 2 Con, 1 FCB)
Stalker: Add my Favored Target bonus to Stealth, Disguise, and Intimidate checks against studied opponent.
Favored Target Swift action get!
+1 BaB
Tragically, the one guy around to pester, Gark, is the guy who dumped his Perception.
Also, all level-ups so far look fine. Gark can feel free to level up Astraden, too, though there's not much hurry there.
Off to get dinner; be back in a few hours.
I'm sorry for ruining the mood . . .
I think we need you to tip us off.
Oh. Totally misread that.
Will have to post later. I've only got my phone right now.
I've decided to take Extra Discovery as my feat.
Extra Discovery: Frost Bomb
--Frost Bomb: When the alchemist creates a bomb, he can choose to have it inflict cold damage. Creatures that take a direct hit from a frost bomb are staggered on their next turn unless they succeed on a Fortitude save.
I've decided to take Extra Discovery as my feat.
Extra Discovery: Frost Bomb
--Frost Bomb: When the alchemist creates a bomb, he can choose to have it inflict cold damage. Creatures that take a direct hit from a frost bomb are staggered on their next turn unless they succeed on a Fortitude save.
Oh, hey, if we ever go back to Diamond Lake, we can finally find out what's in the brown mold room of the whispering cairn!
...I'm starting to regret not taking Underwater Demolition for my bombs...
Anyway, how effective would my crossbow be underwater?
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Ranged Attacks Underwater: Thrown weapons are ineffective underwater, even when launched from land. Attacks with other ranged weapons take a –2 penalty on attack rolls for every 5 feet of water they pass through, in addition to the normal penalties for range.
Alright then...
Two reminders for everyone:
First, make sure to update your Action Points. Everyone should now have 8/8.
Second, try to mark your routes on the map. Takes about two seconds, and it makes it much easier both to track things like AoOs and to make sure nobody miscalculated their speed.
I did miss elevation.
What did I miss the dex penalty for?
Yeah, Tanith uses his muscles for reflex saves so that should have been one higher.
FYI, you might have noticed that the maps are being copied a little bit less "pretty" than usual. Sadly, the maps I get reveal all the secret doors and traps and such, so I pretty much have to just avoid showing any walls. It also means I constantly have to have two MS Paint windows open. :P
That moment where an only somewhat deadly monster grapples a low-HP character in the surprise round, wins initiative, and then kills them.
That moment where you say, "Okay, listen, I have never fudged a single goddamn roll in this whole campaign, but I'm going to do it now because they've already had a death just two combats ago and an instant kill now is just too f@+%ing harsh."
That moment where, after fudging, you realize you forgot about shield other again and Carina would have been more-or-less fine.
Uuuugh. Where'd I put my Dmunce Cap?
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I'm sure the Carina of a parallel universe (The universe where she never got over Tanith trying to f#@* whatsername the elf) is thankful for your consideration, though.
Clearly I've been going too easy on you guys. Where's that encounter list?! Time to step things up a notch...
In seriousness, I don't like fudging, but it felt like another death at this point would have done nothing but majorly slow things down. Even then, I might have sadly let it stand had it at least given Carina a chance to react before crushing her. One-hit kill? Fine. I already basically let that happen to Erip. Poorly-timed death? Carina (Tiefling Carina) is pretty evident of my willingness to let that slide. But both together felt way, way too nasty.
Yep.
Can Tanith squeeze through the door and get into the room where we're in?
The door doesn't even require squeezing. It's ten feet wide. :P
EDIT: It's the space between the door and the table that gets him. But yes, he can squeeze.
I'm honestly starting to think that whoever wrote this adventure had a seething hatred of players and wanted to see them die in the most hideous/hilarious ways possible.
Then again, judging from what I've seen so far, that could apply to the entire Adventure Path as well...
Just imagine the obituary entries I get to read.
"Surprised by the chimera breaking loose."
"Eaten by a box."
"Pummeled by the air."
"Caught in a hentai."
"Was completely floored by the fifth encounter."
Just imagine the obituary entries I get to read.
"Surprised by the chimera breaking loose."
I have to imagine this one can only belong to someone who has never played an RPG or video game, doesn't read, and doesn't watch TV.
The dangerous creature ALWAYS breaks loose in a crowd.
Yeah, I never actually read that one. I was lying. :/
Weirdly, two of the three PC deaths that have taken place during the chimera fight were actually player kills.
PC: Morgan, human warmage
Adventure: Hall of Harsh Reflections
Location: Streets of Sharn
Death: Half the party was distracted by the thieves. Morgan concentrated on the chimera that was killing the parade crowd. Flying to the top of a nearby building, Morgan badly injured the beast with a scorching ray. The chimera then flew up to grapple Morgan and start tearing him apart. The rest of the party scrambled to help, with the pegasus (paladin mount) and summoned dire wolf getting there first. The cleric archer yells out "Do you want me to try to shoot it off of you?"
Last Words: "Go for it!"
PC Name: Mordrick Mordunn (H Wiz7)
Adventure: Hall of Harsh Reflections
Location of Death: The streets of Greyhawk
Catalyst: Hiding behind an oxcart will not stop a flying creature (even one wing-clipped)
Short Description: A fireball is one way to get the attention of a Chimera. Raised later at the Temple of Boccob.
The third contains spoilers due to the GM running encounters in a different order, but the basics: Frenzied Berserker (a barbarian that has to make Will saves to resist raging when injured, and must constantly be attacking while doing so). Chimera pisses him off, he kills it, then goes and kills the cleric.
I'll have to figure out what I'm going to do in the morning...
If they had a frenzied berzerker in the party, I'm sure that wasn't the only time a PC died at his hands...
Yeesh. And I thought the Wild Rager was bad.
Remember: There is no "friend" in "frenzied berserker".
That said, if Cuetzpalli wants to play one, I'd be happy to accomodate it. ;D
I'm not sure it's the conversion that's overpowered; without looking it up in a 3.5 splat, my basic memory of that PrC was 'insane cosmic power at the expense of your puny friends lives'.
>+10 Str at 8th level.
>+6 Power Attack damage (with a 2H weapon) per -1.
That's terrible. And I mean that's legitimately bad.
Why? Because you'll kill the enemies REALLY fast and then almost constantly be forced to attack your allies.
I won't lie, I think if somebody showed up with a Frenzied Berserker I'd be slitting their throat in their sleep. =)
The berserker that's blinded by his rage is a legitimate trope but this is definitely a case where the gameplay needs to take priority in the design.
I think the only way it could be playable would be to max your Will save. And I mean, max it. Good Wisdom, Iron Will/Improved Iron Will, maybe level dip now and again. A DC 20 to end your frenzy as a free action isn't the worst target in the world if your save is decent. Assuming you have 6 levels in barbarian and 1 in frenzied berserker, you'll end up with around a +8 Will save during rage.
Just make sure your comrades know not to retaliate with damaging effects! You'll almost definitely be able to avoid killing more than one ally, and that's assuming some pretty sucky rolling. Perfectly safe! ;)
EDIT: Oh, and wait until you're 8th level before multiclassing into the FB and you can nab Clear Mind. Every reroll counts!
I used to play frenzied berserkers sometimes, but I never killed anyone. Then again, there were times when the party had to run from my character. The exact details of those days are lost to the mist of memory though.
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Can't sleep. Floor will eat me. Can't sleep. Floor will eat me. Can't sleep. Floor will eat me. Can't sleep. Floor will eat me. Can't sleep. Floor will eat me. Can't sleep. Floor will eat me.
Thanks a lot.
Blame whoever this 'Warren' is for his evil level design.
I'm just waiting on the results of the sheer beatdown you guys have handed out on the evil floor.
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Carina's thought process:
Carina: "Excuse me while I check out this room"
KC: MUAHAHAHAHAHA! EVIL FLOOR!
Carina: I just came to play this game and have fun and honestly I'm feeling so attacked right now.
And you know why it happened?
Because I strayed away from Tanith again.
Seriously--every single sodding time I get separated from him, the universe conspires to make me regret it. Damn 6 Strength...
Enlarge person as a doppelgänger detector is really clever.
Agreed. Though given it was involuntary and he didn't know what it was, I think it would have been funny if he'd made his saving throw.
So, what is it about my extracts that you're waiting on? I have 2 level 1 slots available and 1 2nd-level slot left, and 2 extracts of See Invisibility, if that's what you're wondering...
I think people were waiting for you to assign the last three.