I see a lot of people complain about slumber hex. Is it just because there is no HD limit? Is it because it is reusable so many times a day?
Save or Die type spells can always ruin an encounter (for the PC's too).
Seize the initiative is effectively a free action, but it does stipulate that the ability be used on an ally, so you can't use it on yourself.
Sorry to disagree, but you -ARE- your own ally. There is a FAQ on the subject.
Well I stand corrected, though that is completely asinine. Not that you can use the ability on yourself, but that there is a need to redefine a word because people can't write what they mean.
Are you planning on grabbing misfortune Maeve? That hex has pissed me off so many times as a DM. In fights against single opponents it's very frustrating from behind the DM screen. It's like the PCs are pugwampis or something.
Yes, I plan to grab Misfortune. Likely around level 2. Flight is too good to pass up on at 5 and cackle is a must. Slumber if done right is just really really good. Its like being able to cast hold person endlessly but only once per target and it's DC scales over time.
Problem with slumber is that the creature needs to be affected by mind effecting spells. Undead, constructs, vermin all are immune to it. Misfortune works on everything.
The witch I mentioned is in my Carrion Crown game. He's got an insanely high DC slumber which he hasn't gotten to use once yet. Not that I expect this game to be all undead and constructs like that one, just saying.
I can't disagree with you on the plain English, GMF. It's just poor use of the language.
I'd have ruled the same way you did until someone showed me the FAQ, although there's no reason not to apply most such abilities to oneself. I wonder if they were trying to save space, so they didn't write "you or one of your allies"?
Mid-case. DMPC me this round.
I'm sure word-count does play into it heavily. I also think they prefer to leave some language vague to allow for GM adjudication in situations they can't predict.
Imagine if an NPC were really an antipaladin in disguise (not a terribly unlikely prospect in this AP). Is he an ally when they cast the spell? The PC's believe so, the NPC knows he's not. Should "ally only" spells be used as detect betrayal?
@ GMF: I was in meetings all day Tuesday, and my assistants were in meetings all day yesterday (which meant I was running the store all day). So, I went ahead and spoilered my combat post upthread, so you wouldn't have to wait on me. Are you looking for a new post? Or were you going to use my original?
@Rakeesh: I'll just use you're spoilered attack. Feel free to do that kind of thing the future, if needs be.
As for the ability, I think it's just a case of the designers not effectively explaining their intent. Frankly, I would just let Aglamore use it on anyone he designates.
Busy weekend folks. Expect an update tomorrow.
FWIW, although Aglamore is no great diplomat, he has two abilities to aid in diplomacy (such as with our noble traveling companion). First, he has Touch of Glory from the Heroism domain, allowing the creature touched a bonus equal his Cleric level to any Charisma-based skill. Second, he carries the enhanced diplomacy spell, which grants the creature touched a +2 competence bonus to diplomacy or intimidate. These two bonuses stack. So off the bat I can give our diplomat a +3 bonus.
Bad connection, will post when I can, sorry post is short, time limited.
Did we lose the GM?
I doubt it, Fanguar is very consistent, something may have just come up in his personal life.
GMF - Do I need to take a campaign trait? I was told by someone else that it would be important later in determining something to do with the Mythic paths.
Aglamore - from what I gather they are not required. There is some associated fluff built into the campaign for people with them, but mechanically you don't need them to be successful.
From the information I have, they don't really even come into play until the third adventure, so it'll be a couple of months before I even know how large a role they play.
I want to point out the First Official PbP Gameday.
I've signed up to run some games. There will be prizes! Hope to see you there.
@Ruarc: Your enemy does have to be intelligent to eat its sins. The ability doesn't work on mindless creatures or those with an int less than 2, such as a big snake.
@all:expect an update tomorrow.
Well there goes that reveal. I dunno how I reread that after knowing it works that way and then still got it wrong. -face palm-
I guess I could use a charge of infernal healing then.
Ok then, I'll write that up.
Abnormally smart snake?
*sighs* I wrote up a reply for the infernal healing in a mircosoft word doc that I thought I saved before the computer got turned off. It was not. Now I have to rewrite it.
Sorry folks, I somehow spaced on the save DCs. They are 10 and 12 respectively.
Great job of raising the wizards attitude to helpful. Hopefully we can close out the group and get Horgus as well! Don't get me wrong, I think he is a bit whiney, but I would rather have extra allies the someone plotting behind our back.
My guess is that Horgus is meant to be a challenge, both mechanically and personally. Lucky for him we're the good guys. Some of my other characters would have left him behind by now.
Meh... he's not so bad. Seems more pragmatic than antagonistic. Kingdom building happens at some point in the AP, as I understand. He could be quite useful.
Actually, a group of ninjas is technically known as a "murder of ninjas."
That's crows. Nobody has ever seen a group of ninjas! They're dead long before that!
I think it's "fanboy of ninjas ". Same as with wolverines.
Besides, groups of ninjas are always pushovers. But one ninja alone? Always kicks ass.
Unless it's a group of four ninjas who also happen to be amphibious!
Then they're Radical!
I can't look at the map from work, so I'm not sure where everyone has ended up. Best guess, from my last look, is that there is no spot for Rakeesh giving him the space needed for his weapon. Since he's already wounded, he'll back off and delay for the moment.
Good Afternoon my friends,
I am writing you today with some rather unfortunate news. As some of you know I am in the military. Recently a system administrator found that despite me visiting Pazio on my “personal-use” time, due to what was considered “excessive bandwidth” on a “gaming site” I was given a direct order not to access the site from a unit computer. This unfortunately limits my options. I love pbp’s and I love the groups and adventures I interact with. In a way it is a form of escapism for me. However, a direct order is something I can’t scoff at. If I violate it, I would be endangering my advancement (hence a larger paycheck for me and my family). As such I need to take a leave of absence from the pbp forums until I can gain access to a personal computer. This will take some time. Due to the sensitive nature of what I do, I am not at liberty to say when I will post again, but I assure you all I am coming back and I would request that you remain patient with me in the interim. For some campaigns I have spent months and months playing with you all and I have no intention of quitting, but at this present time, I can’t interact with this website. That said, while I would be deeply sad should you wish to remove me from the campaigns, or leave the ones that I run, I would understand. This is a hard thing to swallow, but it cannot be avoided or circumvented.
I will return as strong as ever, perhaps more so because of a need to catch up. For what it’s worth I am sorry; this is out of my hands. I’ll check back when I can, as soon as I can and pop my head in so you all know I have not simply left.
-Cel/John/Elsir/Maeve/AoW/TCS/ect..
A message from Maeve...
As a veteran, I really understand this (even though when I was in, a "computer" was a nerd with an abacus.)
Can we GMPC Maeve for now?
Good to know, he was about to get kicked from my game for inactivity.
I confess, I am growing concerned that the game may have died. Anyone else still active? Including and especially our GM?
He said that he would be freed up soon.
I'm here. I check in several times a day.
Definitely still here.
Oh ye of little faith. Life's back to normal on this end so, game on.
As for Maeve, I'm just gong to relegate her to NPC status for the moment, as I hate DMPCing if I don't have to. Once Celeandor's back from deployment, we can reactivate her and he and I can figure out some way of getting around the limitations of his situation before he heads out again.
Got a glimpse at the Mythic book. I don't know why I was worried about the "Trickster" path being not what I was looking for. They covered all of their bases with that one. Very nice.
Friends! I have cell reception back. Expect full updates later in the week. So happy I'm almost back onto the boards!
Glad to hear it! I'll just assume that up to now Maeve has been "moody". :-)
I am not a fan of either/or propositions for actions. I tend to have in my game that the characters generally act in order of posting, so long as they don't skip any NPC or enemy in Initiative. It makes it simpler to adjudicate what actually happened.
I can appreciate that, and I don't really disagree with you.
Simply put, I am working all day tomorrow, Thursday, and Friday. Our posting collectively on the weekends has not been super consistent. So, it's either post an optional action based on two likely circumstances, let the DM bot my next action, or bog combat down, possibly for nearly a week.
In the future, if you want to leave DMPCing instructions do so, and I will adjudicate the outcomes. I don't really care for cases where people roll more dice than necessary. Let just say I have trust issues when it comes to posts.
In other news, I'm looking for some rules lawyering, and the rules-fu is strong with this group.
My inclination is that Ruarc by changing into a bugbear would lose his fiendish resistances, given that the bestiary defines resistances as extraordinary abilities and the blurb on polymorph indicates that you lose all extraordinary abilities based on form when you change.
Does anyone know of an official ruling on this kind of situation?
I never even considered that, since the text of Alter Self doesn't point out anything about polymorph doing something specific. So lets look at polymorph:
A polymorph spell transforms your physical body to take on the shape of another creature. While these spells make you appear to be the creature, granting you a +10 bonus on Disguise skill checks, they do not grant you all of the abilities and powers of the creature. Each polymorph spell allows you to assume the form of a creature of a specific type, granting you a number of bonuses to your ability scores and a bonus to your natural armor. In addition, each polymorph spell can grant you a number of other benefits, including movement types, resistances, and senses. If the form you choose grants these benefits, or a greater ability of the same type, you gain the listed benefit. If the form grants a lesser ability of the same type, you gain the lesser ability instead. Your base speed changes to match that of the form you assume. If the form grants a swim or burrow speed, you maintain the ability to breathe if you are swimming or burrowing. The DC for any of these abilities equals your DC for the polymorph spell used to change you into that form.
In addition to these benefits, you gain any of the natural attacks of the base creature, including proficiency in those attacks. These attacks are based on your base attack bonus, modified by your Strength or Dexterity as appropriate, and use your Strength modifier for determining damage bonuses.
If a polymorph spell causes you to change size, apply the size modifiers appropriately (see Table: Ability Adjustments from Size Changes), changing your armor class, attack bonus, Combat Maneuver Bonus, and Stealth skill modifiers. Your ability scores are not modified by this change unless noted by the spell.
Unless otherwise noted, polymorph spells cannot be used to change into specific individuals. Although many of the fine details can be controlled, your appearance is always that of a generic member of that creature's type. Polymorph spells cannot be used to assume the form of a creature with a template or an advanced version of a creature.
When you cast a polymorph spell that changes you into a creature of the animal, dragon, elemental, magical beast, plant, or vermin type, all of your gear melds into your body. Items that provide constant bonuses and do not need to be activated continue to function while melded in this way (with the exception of armor and shield bonuses, which cease to function). Items that require activation cannot be used while you maintain that form. While in such a form, you cannot cast any spells that require material components (unless you have the Eschew Materials or Natural Spell feat), and can only cast spells with somatic or verbal components if the form you choose has the capability to make such movements or speak, such as a dragon. Other polymorph spells might be subject to this restriction as well, if they change you into a form that is unlike your original form (subject to GM discretion). If your new form does not cause your equipment to meld into your form, the equipment resizes to match your new size.
While under the effects of a polymorph spell, you lose all extraordinary and supernatural abilities that depend on your original form (such as keen senses, scent, and darkvision), as well as any natural attacks and movement types possessed by your original form. You also lose any class features that depend upon form, but those that allow you to add features (such as sorcerers that can grow claws) still function. While most of these should be obvious, the GM is the final arbiter of what abilities depend on form and are lost when a new form is assumed. Your new form might restore a number of these abilities if they are possessed by the new form.....
So the question becomes are resistances to energy a supernatural or extraordinary ability? Apparently, they are extraordinary:
Resistance (Ex)
A creature with this special quality ignores some damage of the indicated type each time it takes damage of that kind (commonly acid, cold, electricity, or fire). The entry indicates the amount and type of damage ignored.
Format: Resist acid 10; Location: Defensive Abilities.
Meaning I'm in the sort of situation I hate, where I made a choice thinking the rules were one way, when they aren't :/
That puts a serious damper on Alter Self for me, I'll have to think carefully about using it in the future. In the meantime, I guess I'm crispy. (x_x)