Mass Monkeyshines

Game Master Patrick Curtin

OK, Gruumash and DA. I am starting this thread to discuss our rendezvous in nine days. Gruumash is looking into our table arrangements.

I am thinking of setting up a merc situation. You folks will be a recovery team, set on a dangerous mission to recover a MacGuffin in a Bad Place. I love Planescape's flexibility, so we will be using Sigil as a base city.

I would like to see you make a 7th level character. Heroic stats and starting cash. Keep in mind you will likely be running into extreme environments. Plan accordingly. Questions, post them here. We can work on characters here as well if you need them vetted

Okay so my theme is a 5th barbarian with 2 levels of rogue.
Half-orc of course ;) Actually I have not played a half-orc for a while and I want to play one again so here goes.
He wears a kilt and has a badger headed sporan. I am thinking the badger headed sporan has some sort of magical power. Here is my first run at this tell me what you think. Not sure if I should go 2 levels rogue or 1 level rogue 6th barb to get the extra attack.

Kravok The Mad Badger: AL: NG (chaotic tendancies)
Str: 18 (used +2 racial bonus to str) Int:12 Wis:12 Dex:16 Con:15 Chr:11
BAB: +6
Feats: Two-Weapon Fighting, Power Attack, Improved Sunder?, Double Slice?
Skills: Acrobatics:+13 Climb:+10 Intimidate:+12 Perception:+7 Stealth:+10 Survival:+5
Fort:+6 Ref:+7 Will:+2
Weapons: Morning Star/flail (I am leaning towards morning star here to allow for piercing and bludgeon weapon, longsword or scimitar (not sure if you can dual weild with a longsword).
Armor: chain shirt,
Items:

here is my start I am needing to go to bed. I will work on it more tell me what you think see if I am far off on anything here.

Hello, CC! Gruumash. had been mentioning this in all of the Private Messaging traffic, but this is the first I've heard from you on it!

What is a sporan, Gruumash.?

I'm thinking 7th-level human bard, named The Crimson Masque, with Skill Focus: Perform Seduction. I like to stick with the classics.

DA, a sporran is that man purse fanny pack thing Scotsmen wear when in drag

I see the Crimson Masque returns. I should make Fingers for an NPC

I figure since we have limited time I will try and have a quick and dirty scenario ready.

A sporran is a place a Scotsman keeps his stuff when he wears his manly kilt. Now the Mad Badger's Sporran is made from a Badger's Head. He keeps all his valuabls like coin and the like in the head.

So Doodlebug do you think extra Rage is valuable? Or should I stick with Improved Sunder? I was thinking the Mad Bagder likes to break things especially other opponents weapons and the like.

The Double Slice to allow him to get the full str bonus for damage on his second attack.

So can you dual weild with a longsword and flail/morning star?

If you're asking me, I think Extra Rage is cooler than Improved Sunder.

I don't think I've ever seen Double Slice before, where's that at?

I think you can dual wield a longsword and either of those other ones, but you'll take negatives that won't be off-set by TWF.

All these are, of course, I thinks.

I should go make my own guy.

Badger headed sporran.]

If you're asking me, I think Extra Rage is cooler than Improved Sunder.

I don't think I've ever seen Double Slice before, where's that at?

I think you can dual wield a longsword and either of those other ones, but you'll take negatives that won't be off-set by TWF.

All these are, of course, I thinks.

I should go make my own guy.

PRD is where I found the Double slice. Without it I don't get to use my full STR damage bonus with my off handed weapon.

What is the neagative for the dual -2 for each weapon? Or is it higher? I suppose if it is much higher than that my BAB will take a huge hit and maybe I should just weild a huge Morningstar and have a claymore as well? Then I can take Improved Sunder and Extra Rage.

It looks to me that you would be at -4/-4 before adding in BAB and Str and whatnot because you're not using a light weapon in your second hand.

Double slice--huh, never seen it before.

So if my math is correct I am looking at +6/+6 instead of +10. That is not that bad is it?

Hmm if I don't dual weild then I may want to be 6th barbarian 1st rogue to allow for another attack per turn.

The math looks right to me. I don't think it's terrible, but you might want to consider not using both attacks against an opponent with a high AC.

Uh, hey, Patrick, what does Heroic stats mean? Epic fantasy? High fantasy? I'm getting these terms from the PRD--I assume you mean some kind of point-buy, right?

Also, Mad Badger, did you remember your stat from 4th level?

Re: stat question--never mind! I went running to the DM too soon.

OK- I am working feverishly on this. I have an idea I'd like to play out.

Anything you'd like me to try and work into the game-cool mount, sexy sidekick, intereting item, let me know

I am not familiar with Planescape or Sigil.

Should we have items that allow us to planejump, or are we going through portals and stuff.

I have rarely played in other planes. So much to think about...

Portals are fairly ubiquitous so you wont need any extraneous portaling stuff. I would advise you spend some time thinking about survival in hostile environments. I find that basing a game in Sigil is a great way of doing quick missions in exotic locales. I'll walk you through the Cage. I think you would actually find the setting most interesting. The Factions of Sigil have been described as 'philosophers with clubs" and there is a lot of opportunity for adventure, and high political intrigue.

So with survival the skill if I have 5 ranks is that enough to be able to know survival on different planes or will I need to take survival: plane of fire?

So what do you think Doodlebug 6th Barbarian and 1st Rogue? Or should I go with 5/2 that way I can get evasion but lose the extra attack?

Gruumash: I will assume that 'Survival' will cover everything without you having to spend points in every category.

Okay I will beef up my survival skill then.

So am I correct in thinking we have full rights to buy what ever magic and equipment we want as long as we keep to the 24K level allowance?

Can I make up a magic based on a previous item but just make it my badger sporran?

So I still need to call about the table I should have an answer later today. Hey Anklebiter how is your character going?

Okay I will beef up my survival skill then.

So am I correct in thinking we have full rights to buy what ever magic and equipment we want as long as we keep to the 24K level allowance?

Can I make up a magic based on a previous item but just make it my badger sporran?

Yes and yes. Reskin any magic item to be your sporran.

I have the rough outline of your scenario hammerEd out. I just need to do some math and we should be square. You both will be working for a mercenary company called the Crossroads Travellers. Your boss is a dwarf named Tug Stonecutter. Your base of operations is in the Swordhold district, a part of the Lower Ward known for mercenaries.

Hey Anklebiter how is your character going?

I rolled my stats but have since lost the paper I wrote them on.

I then looked at what a 7th-level bard gets and then I thought, "Oh, wow, bards suck."

I will now stop trolling and make my character.

2d6 + 6 ⇒ (2, 4) + 6 = 12
2d6 + 6 ⇒ (1, 3) + 6 = 10
2d6 + 6 ⇒ (5, 1) + 6 = 12
2d6 + 6 ⇒ (4, 2) + 6 = 12
2d6 + 6 ⇒ (3, 4) + 6 = 13
2d6 + 6 ⇒ (5, 6) + 6 = 17

Man, that's lame.

The Crimson Masque: S 12 D 13 C 12 I 14 W 8 C 18.

I took 2 away from my wisdom because The Crimson Masque has a low wisdom.

Lemme write down my skills before I lose them:

Bluff 6
Diplomacy 6
Disguise 3
Knowledge Arcana 2
Knowledge Dungeoneering 1
Knowledge Geography 1
Knowledge History 1
Knowledge Local 1
Knowledge Nature 1
Knowledge Nobility 1
Knowledge Planes 5
Knowledge Religion 1
Perform Dance 6
Perform String Instruments 6
Perform Percussion 6
Perform Seduction 7
Linguistics 3
Use Magic Device 6

Hopefully, that adds up to 63.

Kravok The Mad Badger: AL: NG (chaotic tendancies)
Str: 20 (used +2 racial bonus to str) Int:12 Wis:12 Dex:16 Con:18(+1 used his ability bonus here) Chr:11
BAB: +11/+6, Move: 40 Int: + Perception: +8
HP: 6d12 + 24 + 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (5, 8, 6, 8, 10, 5) + 24 + (7) + 4 = 77
AT: Morning Star: +13/+8,(1d8+7) Scimitar: +12/+7, Both: +9/+4,+8
Raging: +15/+10; +14/+9, Both raging: +11/+6,+10;
AC:19 (FF:16, TA:13)
Feats: Two-Weapon Fighting, Power Attack, Double Slice, Raging Brutality: While raging and using Power Attack, you can spend 3 additional rounds of your rage as a swift action to add your Constitution bonus on damage rolls for melee attacks or thrown weapon attacks you make on your turn. If you are using the weapon two-handed, instead add 1-1/2 times your Constitution bonus. This bonus damage is not multiplied on a critical hit.
Skills: Acrobatics:+10 Climb:+5 Intimidate:+10 Perception:+8 Stealth:+10 Survival:+10
Fort:+8 Ref:+7 Will:+2
Special: Fast Movement: +10 to move, Rage: 7rds; +4 str, +4 Con, +2 will -2 AC, Rage Powers: Animal Fury; can bite while in a rage for 1d4dm +5 to hit only with full attack). Powerful Blow: +1 dm once per rage, Knockback: acts like improved bullrush while in rage. Trap sense +2, Sneak attack +1d6,
Weapons: +2 Morning Star, +1 Scimitar,
Armor: +2 chain shirt,
Items: Badger Sporran: Acts as belt of physical Might +2 to Str and Con.
(Patrick can the eyes of the Badger move on their own and when he rages can they get a fiery look? sort of mimic his own mood?)

Dear Dungeon Master,

May I have a griffon for a mount? I'd even take a hippogriff, but a griffon has twice as many hit points.

I'll happily "spend" up to 7,000 gp to have befriended a griffon in the recent past.

EDIT: Hmm, now I'm not sure I want a griffon OR a hippogriff, but I still would like to know whether I can have one.

Lemme write down my skills before I lose them:

Bluff 6
Diplomacy 6
Disguise 3
Knowledge Arcana 2
Knowledge Dungeoneering 1
Knowledge Geography 1
Knowledge History 1
Knowledge Local 1
Knowledge Nature 1
Knowledge Nobility 1
Knowledge Planes 5
Knowledge Religion 1
Perform Dance 6
Perform String Instruments 6
Perform Percussion 6
Perform Seduction 7
Linguistics 3
Use Magic Device 6

Hopefully, that adds up to 63.

Don't forget stealth

I added up 62 I think you have one more point. One question do you think you need that many Instruments if say you want to know Stealth? I migh get rid of percussion or string? Just a thought.

Tell me what you think of Kravok.

Yeah, you're right, I forgot Stealth. I'll swap Disguise for Stealth.

I get Versatile Performance (Dance) which becomes my Acrobatics and Fly skill--I'm hoping to get a magical item that will allow me to fly so I can take advantage of this--and Versatile Performance (Percussion) which becomes Handle Animal (which is why I wanted a griffon, but maybe I should get something else) and Intimidate, so, for two skills I get 6 skills.

But dancing and playing castanets seems kind of lame, so I also took Perform String Instrument, but maybe I don't need to dump so many skill points in it.

Kravok seems pretty bad-ass to me. Half-orc barbarians kick much ass!

DA: You can have a griffon. Or a Hippogriff. I would suggest perhaps a figurine of wondrous power instead of a 'live' one, for convenience sakes

I am concerned about this whole "beware of harsh environments" thing.

What does that make you think of, Gruumash.?

If you want a griffon to fly on I suppose you may want to take ride skill?

I have a pretty good intimidate skill, you may want to keep the disguise skill and perhaps lower liguistics? Or perhaps you put alot of knowledge skills into things which can be covered by your bardic knowledge

Bardic Knowledge (Ex): A bard adds half his class level (minimum 1) to all Knowledge skill checks and may make all Knowledge skill checks untrained.

So it is sort of waste to put skills points into knowledge skills as you get them all untrained anyways. Just a thought can free up your skill points to other stuff if you want.

Makes me think we may go to like Hell or something. I was thinking of getting potions to help protect me but I spent all my money already.

8K for the +2 morningstar, 10K for my badger sporran, 2K for my scimitar and 4K for my armor ... wow it went quick.

Patrick would you suggest I rethink the +2 morningstar to have some disposable items like potions and the like? Or something to up my AC?

DA: You can have a griffon. Or a Hippogriff. I would suggest perhaps a figurine of wondrous power instead of a 'live' one, for convenience sakes

Oh, I didn't even see this post! Thanks.

Makes me think we may go to like Hell or something.

This is an excellent sentence both in and out of context.

;) Is that quoteable?

So I am beginning to think we may need to purchase some other stuff ... just not sure what. Maybe we will have that oppertunity once the adventure begins ... Sigil is a rather large city and we should have options.

What sort of weapons are you thinking of taking? I did not go for anything ranged ...might be a little bit of liability.

So it is sort of waste to put skills points into knowledge skills as you get them all untrained anyways. Just a thought can free up your skill points to other stuff if you want.

Yes, but at 5th level I get Lore Master which allows me to take 20 on ANY GOD DAMN THING I WANT TO KNOW!!! as long as I have one rank in it. There shall be no secrets from the all-knowing Crimson Masque.

As for the Versatile Performances, man, they're pretty lame already and I chose the best ones! Anyway, I re-did my skills to get my Stealth up to +9 which isn't as good as yours, Sneaky, but it's okay.

As far as magic items go, I'm taking a wand of cure something spells (Use Magic Device), but if I go down your shiznit out of luck.

"Harsh environments" scares the bejeesus out of me. There's no way we can prepare for that. What if I think it means Elemental Plane of Fire and you think it's Hell and Patrick sends us to the Negative Energy Plane? We're screwed!!

Anyway, I'm going to have to re-do my magic items with this whole figurine of wondrous power in mind.

;) Is that quoteable?

Indeed!

So I am beginning to think we may need to purchase some other stuff ... just not sure what. Maybe we will have that oppertunity once the adventure begins ... Sigil is a rather large city and we should have options.

Indeed. See above post. It's a good idea, but I don't know if I can stop myself from blowing all my cash. Worst comes to worst, I guess we can hock in extraneous magic items for a ring of energy resistance, or whatever.

What sort of weapons are you thinking of taking? I did not go for anything ranged ...might be a little bit of liability.

The Crimson Masque is armed with a rapier and a shortbow.

Kravok and the Crimson Masque.

CC, what does that make you think of?

I demand wizard mentors with seven eyes!!!

Nehwon here we come Fafhrd and Grey Mouser have got nothing on us.

Did you take a magic bow? or rapier? I think the resistance stuff best we wait and see where we are headed.

I will be interested to see how you stat the Crimson Masque out.

Funny Masque was a character in the X-men a Moorlock who could change people's faces ... did you ever read it? Not sure why that struck me.

I was going to take a magic bow, but then I realized I might as well just take a masterwork bow and POCKET THE CHANGE, YO!

I was also thinking that I'd drive a hard bargain for the magic wand and get one with only HALF THE CHARGES. 'Cuz we're not (hopefully) gonna need 50 cure critical wounds, right? Pocket the change, yo.

The stats are still in a malleable state.

I've still got to go look at my spells, too...

[Purposefully not addressing Masque and the X-Men]

[Purposefully not addressing Masque and the X-Men]

Not a fan? Or don't like me comparing your roguishly charming Crimson Masque to a nasty bitter and ugly Masque?

Kravok and the Crimson Masque.

CC, what does that make you think of?

I demand wizard mentors with seven eyes!!!

Did I forget to mention Bingobble of the eleven eyes? =P

Excellent, so who is my wizard mentor Bheelba the Faceless?

Why not?

So I spoke to Medieval Starship last night on the way home. They are running a Pathfinder Society session that day ... but they said they should have room at another table for us to play seperately. But they don't take reservations for tables.