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Welcome to my PbP game for From the Tome of Righteous Repose (#8-07), planned for tier 3-4, as part of PbP Gameday 6. Hope you would have a blast!
Before we start, I would to share some of my ground rules. (In spoiler tags to not take up space.)
PbP Matters
1. This discussion thread is open for all OOC matters, so no ooc tag needed. For OOC matters in the gameplay thread, please use the [ ooc ] tag.
2. Please post at least once a day on weekdays, and at least once weekends. If you would be away, please let me know in advance where possible, and we can work something out. Otherwise, if you go missing, where necessary, I will bot your characters for the sake of the rest of everyone else. Thus, a good idea is to leave botting instructions for combat (with dice rolls) and non-combat in your profile page beforehand.
3. If you have any disagreements over some of my GM calls or interpretation of the scenario, please take it to the discussion thread or, even better, pm me.
4. If you have played and/or GMed this scenario before, please do not metagame or spoil the plot. And please let me know. Considering how open-ended this scenario is, I’m not sure it makes a big difference though.
5. I would have thought this would go without mentioning until I encountered this, so… It is the responsibility of the player to keep track of the game, including referencing the map on google slides. I understand that there are times where it is inconvenient to do so. In that case, please be as specific as you can as to where you wish your character to move, what actions to take, etc. If you regularly have issues with accessing the google slides, you might want to reconsider playing via PbP, especially for PFS as there is always combat, and thus map dependent.
Combat
6. Once surprise (if any) and initiative is determined, for the group of characters who can take actions, I would resolve actions in posting order, NOT initiative order. I used to do the latter but it doesn’t work that well in PbP, so am going with the former instead.
Rolls and Skill Checks
7. I would do your initiative rolls, as well as perception rolls for the purpose of determining surprise (if any).
8. On knowledge checks for general information, I would usually put them in spoilers with the necessary DCs. Just go ahead to roll, and I'll trust that you would resist reading them if the roll fails (or least not to metagame). (Don’t forget that you can make knowledge checks untrained for DC10.) There might be exceptions for plot-critical information though, where I would explicitly ask for the relevant skill checks. As for knowledge checks for monster lore, I would put the most basic information in spoiler as well, i.e. identity and creature type. If your roll would reveal more, I’ll provide in the next post. If you wish, you can ask for what information you want, e.g. DR, resistances, special attacks, etc.
9. On skill checks where there could be team effort involved, e.g. finding a hidden trail with survival, influencing attitude of NPCs with diplomacy, please be explicit when making the rolls whether you are attempting the check on your own, or whether you are assisting. (And take note of the pros and cons of either.) There might be situations where only one character is allowed to attempt the check (and the rest to assist) – I’ll state so explicitly if that’s the case.
10. On skill checks in general, if I feel you have role-played well, e.g. gave a good description of what your character does to search for a trail, came up with creative ways to befriend a hostile NPC, gave a very rousing speech, I would give bonuses, or even waive the DC altogether. :)
Roleplaying Matters
11. The maps and handouts link (at the top of the page) would display all the maps, handouts, pictures, etc as the scenario progresses. The most current page would be right on top, while previous ones would be left there for your reference. (Incidentally, Android and IOS has the Google Slides app in case you regularly work off mobile devices.)
12. Please have your full character information up on your character's profile page for my vetting. Also, please have your stat block updated with the key information. Minimally please have your current hp vs max hp, AC (normal, touch and flat-footed), all three saves and movement. Feel free to include others.
13. Finally, playing by pbp provides many advantages compared to face-to-face games, the chief one being having the time and space to flesh out your thoughts and actions. So please make use of this and have posts that are more than simply dice rolls. :)
Getting Started
Ok with that out of the way, a few tasks before we kick off.
A. Go to the Gameplay page and dot.
B. Go to the maps and handouts page and fill out the table there. (Don’t worry about the 3 boxes below the table, i.e. token, initiative and perception. I’ll take care of that.)
C. In this Discussion thread, do your day job rolls (if any), and share whatever OOC information you would like the rest of the party to know about your character e.g. class, level, special abilities. We’ll leave character descriptions and introductions to the gameplay thread later when we are about to start.
This is scheduled to start on 6 Oct 2017, so mark it on your calendar!
Fantastic!
I've got a few options. I have a support shaman 3, a melee slayer 3, and a monk 4.
GM Crunch here. As discussed, I will be playing a pregen, the level and class of which will depend on party composition. Looks as if we're playing down, though. From what I can tell, it would be best for me to enter the Initiative, Perception, Level, and Alignment of the pregen I pick, as opposed to those of the character I am applying credit to. If that's correct, I'll put in the information once I make my decision.
Thanks again for offering to run!
Two options I have are
4.1 human knifemaster
4.0 blank slate (dragon Demand chronicles). Thinking of either gnome barbarian with badger mount or grippli toxic skin ninja.
Looks as if we could use some divine support. I've played Kyra a bunch of times recently, so I think I'll go with Alahazra. I'll start updating my profile now or later today.
Oops! Mea culpa, but I have a similar problem. I think I expected someone to level up who didn't.
I have three Level 2's and a Level 6 available and nothing in between. Ain't nobody gonna level up before the 6th.
I can play up, play down or bow out.
I thought it was a 3-5. I'd be happy to bring my Zen Archer 5 / Inquisitor 1.
Profile is filled in and completely formatted! That said, for reasons unknown, Alahazra doesn't seem to have armor. I have more than enough to buy a basic set, so I got her some studded leather.
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Ok, let me see if I've got it right.
- Jasmie (Gilthanis) - 4
- Roderick (GM Aarvid) - 5
- Alahazra(Crunch) - 4
- Slade (DM Amazing Red) - 3
- Manathiel (Repete) - 4
- ? (Tarondor) - 6
APL is 4.33, rounding down to 4, so still within low tier, which is what I was aiming for. Tarondor, you would be playing down as a result though. You're ok with that, e.g. OOT gold?
Don't think it'll be relevant for this campaign, but I'll likely be out most of tomorrow. Yom Kippur and such.
@Li-Shuo: I think that while merciful does do nonlethal damage (and 1d6 more of it at that!) the ability can be suppressed. That's what it says here and in my CRB, but maybe an errata has happened? I don't know.
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1. If you have not done so, please fill in your character info at the maps and handouts google slides page. To facilitate my setting up.
2. On another matter, I see that three of you (GM Aarvid, GM Crunch, Amazing Red) have played this before. Can you pm me to let me know what you encountered? If possible, would like to give you new experiences. :)
3. Would like to know what your standard marching order would be, especially since this is largely a dungeon crawl. Assuming a single file from 1-6, which position would you like to be? If space allows, then I'll do double file, i.e. 1-2, 3-4, 5-6.
4. A large portion of this is a dungeon crawl, and the actual map is huge, which does not work well in pbp if we spend a day or two clearing each individual room, most which would be empty. Taking a page from other GMs, and if you have no issue, I'll auto-move you from encounter to encounter, rather than seek your inputs on which door to go, which tunnel to take, etc. That notwithstanding, would like to know what would be your standard dungeon-clearing SOP. For example, "I will search every door for traps (i.e. roll perception to search traps), disable traps if any (roll disable device), then listen at the door (another perception roll) before I open."
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I recommend a cautious approach to any dungeon situation. I think we ought to have a rogue out front if we have one, checking for traps and clearing the various doors.
May I suggest the following marching order?
1 - Jasmine Hallowell (rogue 4)
2 - Li Shuo (zen archer 5 / inquisitor 1)
3 - Manathiel (wizard 4)
4 - Alhazra (oracle 4)
5 - Slade Wilder (slayer 3)
6 - Roderick Xim (alchemist 5)
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3) My prefered location is 3rd in marching order. I don't see anyone with 'Trapfinder' but would still hope one of my perceptive companions will check out doors and such before I do.
4) Any questionable closed doors, I would use my gloves of reconnaissance to look through. I would define "questionable closed doors" as a door we've already found a trap on (and disabled it...) or a door the scout heard something behind that he believes to be a creature. Only 10 rounds/day so not going to do it to every door we encounter. ;-)
@Li Shuo, our rogue doesn't have trapfinding (Knifemaster trades it out)
I don't really know the junctures in the scenario and where exactly it differs, given that I've played it a fair few times but never run it. I can PM you a list of things we did that I remember, though.
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I recommend a cautious approach to any dungeon situation. I think we ought to have a rogue out front if we have one, checking for traps and clearing the various doors.
May I suggest the following marching order?
1 - Jasmine Hallowell (rogue 4)
2 - Li Shuo (zen archer 5 / inquisitor 1)
3 - Manathiel (wizard 4)
4 - Alhazra (oracle 4)
5 - Slade Wilder (slayer 3)
6 - Roderick Xim (alchemist 5)
Ok, I'm going to use this marching order for now, but if there's any other changes, let me know. (Was going to ask about Li Shuo, a ranged attacker, in front, then realised you have point blank master.)
As pointed out, Jasmine is does not have trapfinding so there's no specific reason for her to be in front. (Highest perception is Li Shuo's of +13.) Also, she seems to be build more for ranged combat based on her feats?
Also, Slade seems to be built primarily as a melee fighter, so being so far back might not work for him in combat. As a dungeon crawl, quarters are often tight, so there may be times only the front few can actually be in melee range, and re-positioning may be challenging.
So was thinking of moving Slade to within first 3 at least, moving perhaps Jasmine and/or Manathiel further back. Li Shuo, with the highest perception, highest hp, decent AC, could possibly take front?
Seems good. My Clouded Vision might give me some slight troubles seeing in combat, at least at the start of it, but that could happen wherever I am in line. Overall this looks to be the best place for me.
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"An alchemist can utilize spell-trigger items if the spell appears on his formulae list, but not spell-completion items (unless he uses Use Magic Device to do so)."
Wands are spell trigger items, so alchemists can use them. Scrolls are spell completion so they can't. (Incidentally, investigators can't even use spell trigger items.)
Trouble with detect magic is that it is not on the alchemists' formulae list, so you would have to UMD. Identify is on your list though, so no UMD needed.
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It has two attacks in one round. So first one tried to maintain the grapple on Li Shuo and failed. The second attacked Slade and hit. It has the grab ability which allows it to make a grapple as a free action on an successful hit. It also has blood drain which allows it to do con damage end of its turn if it manages grapples it’s target. (On top of the nasty paralyze effect as well.)
Yes, all in all, a rather nasty creature. If it’s any consolation it is con damage and not drain, so it’s not permanent. Also, um, it is rather squishy...
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Ah, I think I understand what you're asking about.
The con dmg is not from the usual damage from maintaining grapple. It is from a special attack that this creature has - blood drain.
The creature drains blood at the end of its turn if it grapples a foe, inflicting Constitution damage.
Format: blood drain (1d2 Constitution); Location: Special Attacks.
So, yes, a rather nasty creature. But seriously, you guys are making good progress already in taking it down. Gambatte!
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I thought some of the actions allowed by maintaining a grapple was 1) pin 2) cause damage 3) special attacks like rend. You definitely can cause damage while maintaining. But if your point is it requires another successful grapple check each round, then yes (at +5). Releasing the grapple is free then another attack with grab could re-grapple. Unless the monster has special ability to override.
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No, what I mean is you only get a single standard action(like maintaining a grapple/grapple for damage) so you can't do that and attack someone unless they have something special that allows them to.
You get 3 actions or a full-round action. So if you maintain a grapple(which is a standard), it in theory only has a move and a swift action left which means in most cases it can't attack again.
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Ah, ok now I understand. You were referring to its maintaining grapple attempt on Li Shuo, while I kept thinking you were referring to its grapple attempt on Slade. My bad.
And now I've seen my mistake. I had the ooze attempt to maintain the grapple on Li Shuo, which uses a standard action. That leaves no standard action left, so the attack on Slade should not have gone through. I was under the wrong impression that since it has two attacks per round, it could use one to maintain grapple and the other to attack but no, the rules don't work like that.
On reflection, I realised I could have the ooze do what I intended by using (1) free action to release grapple on Li Shuo, then (2) full round action to make two attacks, one on Li Shuo and one on Slade, with free grab attempts for both. (Not 100% identical but close enough.) However, I'm always a firm believer of no takebacks for GMs, so would not retcon the ooze's actions. So please remove the effects of the attack on Slade, which includes the hp and con dmg, and ignore the paralyze.
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Looks like the 5' out of grease has been a running debate for years.
5'grease.
I did not find an FAQ So your call on if he can or cannot. If not, he stands and moves away and has no other action.
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Yes, seems like there's no consensus. So my interpretation would be as follows: I'll allow a 5-foot step out of a grease area, since movement is based on the space you are moving into, not out off. Since there is no impairment to the movement in moving out, 5-foot step should be allowed. However, grease spell does require an acrobatics check to move within the area, which to me, includes moving out of the area. So to attempt the 5-foot step, Roderick would need to make an DC10 acrobatics check first.