PbP GameDay 2: #2-15: Shades of Ice—Part I: Written in Blood (Tier 1-5) (Inactive)

Game Master nightdeath

Here's a few heads up. I'll appreciate it if you can provide the following basic info lines like these as to make the game smoother, I'll roll saves and initative for you.

Round will be by blocks example would be 1st batch of players before monsters, followed by monsters then 2nd batch of players if applicable.

Maps will be hosted on Google Docs and if you have your own Tokens, feel free to add them onto the map. Should you not have any, I can create one for you.

I'm hoping to finish this fast enough to run part 2 of this excellent trilogy and maybe, just maybe part 3 as well.

Here's to good gaming to all of you. May we all have a good game.

Hey all. Looking forward to this. :)

Sigrun's basically a tanky frontliner. She's a TWF sword-and-shield (well, axe-and-shield to be precise) user who also does fun things with Shield Bash. She's also a rudimentary face in a pinch and good at knowing her way around places (Kn. Local, Kn. Geography) and dealing with the wilderness (Survival, Kn. Nature).

I'm hoping I can get a game in before April to get her up to 3rd, but we'll see...

Checking in.

NIghtdeath, would you be willing to run all three missions?

Also, after checking the tiers, it looks like I'll need to run my Investigator at 2 since Kujo would be level 6 after the second scenario and not be able to complete them.

@Sigrun. Welcome Abroad.

@Las Lajas. The first 2 are tier 1-5, the 3rd part is Tier 3-7 so you would still be in tier.

Checking in.

Sounds like Sigrun and Artix will get along pretty well. Artix is new but working on the sword (falcata) and board fighting style. Hopefully I'll get a couple of games in before things start to bring him up to lvl 2 when I'm planning to start him as a Skinir.

@Sigrun. Welcome Abroad.

@Las Lajas. The first 2 are tier 1-5, the 3rd part is Tier 3-7 so you would still be in tier.

Are you sure about III being Tier 3-7? When I got to the product page it says 1-5. Is that a misprint?

http://paizo.com/products/btpy8i12?Pathfinder-Society-Scenario-219-Shades-o f-Ice-Part-III-Keep-of-the-Huscarl-King

*Facepalm. I was supposed to be posting that in another forum thread for Destiny of the Sands.

Shades of Ice Trilogy is indeed 1-5. My apologies for the confusion.

Hi, nightdeath. Would you mind putting up a gameplay thread so we can do introductions and dot the game for our campaigns page?

By the way, Sig should be level 3 by the time we start. Playing in a quick-paced game at the moment to nab that last XP. :P

Noted. I'm at work right now. I'll put up the opening post when I get back.

Gameplay thread is up. Could I have the following players make their post and have their Char lines in this format.

PFS #76925-3 Male Dwarf Monk (Four Winds, Sacred Mountain, Qinggong) 2 HP: 30/30 | AC: 15/14/11 | Fort: +6 | Ref: +4 | Will: +6 | Init: +1 | Perc: +9 | CMB: +6 | CMD: 19| Unarmed: +5; 1d6+3| Sling +3;1d4+3|

or something to this effect, so that I don't have to search along each alias. Much appreciated.

To make the game go along more smoothly, I may at times roll your saves or checks for you. though usually I'll use spoilers and trust you to rp your kknowledge out.

Rurik Checking in. Let's see if my stat block is layed out correctly.

As an FYI, the game is not suppose to start until April 5th. Starting a Game thread and doing introductions would be technically giving us a head start and technically against the rules.

I don't think introducing our characters in a purely scenario-divorced way is against the rules.

Las.
The Gameplay thread is for dotting purposes. So that the players can keep track.

I have not started the game as of yet other than posting the introduction post. In fact if the players are doing anything else which I have not seen, rest assured that the game will still not start until the game starts on April 5th, in this case my time @ GMT +8.

I don't think introducing our characters in a purely scenario-divorced way is against the rules.

If it isn't part of the IC game, then you are correct.

Posting to let you know I'm still interested in this and everything and to make sure this doesn't slip off my radar.

I'm sort of hoping that we can do the higher tier game, but if not that's ok.

Still interested. Unfortunatly, unless I can find a couple of quick games, Artix will still only be lvl 1

With so many 2s in this, I doubt we'd get to higher tier. Oh well.

Well for those too high for the lower tier, it'll be OOS gold.
A full table, you may opt for a higher tier but I'll need to have everybody interested to report in so that I can calculate APL. Some may have leveled up.

I have a PFS game in early April that I intend to play Falcon in, so assuming that happens the way I intend, Falcon will hit level 3. Online his sheet shows level one, but that's incorrect - he has 5 scenarios behind him. I'll make sure that it's updated by the time the game officially starts.

Noted Falcon thanks.

Rurik won't have changed at all. Hasn't been played since last year.

Still here.

*waves*

This reminds me, need to apply one last Chronicle to Sigrun. She's level 3 now.

checking in

nightdeath, do we know if all six players have checked in? I don't want to post in the gameplay thread unless I'm promoted up from alternate.

Away at work. Will be back by Monday. AM too tired to post anything.

Rurik As far as I can see now.

It's just
Rurik
Falcon
Sigun
Las

I count enough players and I'm guessing it's high tier.
Not sure about Artix.

I count enough players and I'm guessing it's high tier.

You mean low-tier right? I don't think we have any 4-5's.

Night, per our discussion Las is going to craft the following. All of these have a DC of 20 or lower. With Crafter's Fortune I can T10 on all of these and hit a DC 20+

2 x Acid Flask 20gp
3 x Alchemist's Fire 60gp
Alchemical Grease 5gp
2x Meditation Tea 60gp
Soothe Syrup 25gp
3 x Vermin repellant 15gp
Blade guard 15gp
3 x Alkali flask 60gp
Thunderstone 50gp
3x Weapon Blanch for Silver at 15gp (will coat 10 bolts with one dose)
2x Alchemical Solvent 40gp
Alkali salt 30gp
Armor Ointment 30gp
Chill Cream 15gp
Foaming Powder 20gp
Harpy Musk 20gp
Impact Foam 25gp
2x Smokestick 40
Sun Cinder 25

Total =570 gp / 3 (crafting) = 190 gp

let me know if you have any quesitons

I thought that Society didn't allow any crafting?

only the Alchemist class, and by extension Investigator's who both have the exact same crafting language for their inherent Craft (Alchemy) class ability.

Ah. That explains why I didn't know. I've never played any alchemists.

Alchemist are kind of fun to play. Do the We Be Goblins module and you can play a goblin Alchemist, if you don't mind only getting 1 PP on a character.

Investigators are actually quite weak. No bombs, no infusions, not mutagens, no bonus to damage until 4th level. They have a lot of skills, and the ability to craft, at least allows them to hopefully have something to help in unusual circumstances. I'm running two atm. Las Lajas is my balanced build, and I've got another who I went with the 20 INT.

I'm actually doing a We Be Goblins PbP for the gameday as well. We very nearly went with an all-alchemist "table" for our group but decided not to so that we'd be more likely to succeed. So I'm playing Poog instead.

I'm still up for this gaem, unless you don't want a lvl 1. I wasn't able to get any extra games in before we started. But I'd like to do this scenario and the followup if it's still available.

Yeah, with a couple of level 2s in the mix it looks like we're playing low tier either way. So Artix will be fine, I think.

I think we might slaughter everything if we play low though. :P

Other than the difficulty in the fights, there's little incentive for between-tier characters to play up. You get the same gold whether you play up or down. Might as well play down and save yourself the resources for when you have to play up.

Las is also going to pick up the a Wafinder for free from his Confirmation scenario and use 2 PP to make it a Jade Wayfinder

Since this my first 2nd level scenario, I'll finalize all my gear purchases to the tune of 1001.6 gp (this includes my alchemic expenditures above).

I'm good either way really.

Low Tier: Checked.
Players: Checked.

Sorry for the long wait peeple. Work Slaughtered me during the weekend.

Just to take note, For some of the combat, I won't be putting up maps as;
1) Not provided
2) 4x 8 map. (Counting in squares) means small maps.
3) My mooks, I realised after reviewing everyone's char sheet have ermm a difficult time hitting most of you.

Here's to hitting all 3 parts. Happy gaming.

How to use Dizte

@night. I put together a map for you from the ditzie website where they had the map for this scenario. Someone already uploaded the map. I don't know where people are suppose to start out, but ditzie is really easy to use

I've labeled each of the PC and NPC icons. To move an icon, just click and drag. After which, hit entire and copy the URL and paste it to your post. Here's the tricky part:

You must use the MAP link from the most recent post. Once someone updates the map, you must use their map post to make changes.

MAP OF THE BATTLE

When using the map, press enter when you're done.

I'll get to google docs once I clear the other maps, I'm making now.

Ooh, I missed the "Press Enter" part. (I blame posting in between doing an assignment). That's what I couldn't figure out, how to get changes to stick. Thanks.

I don't care so much what kind of map we use, but having one at all is nice. :)

@night,

Do you honor folio rerolls? I have a pic of my folio cover, along with all my chronicles, I bought last year. I can PM you the link

Yes I do. I assume everyone has one. Including myself.

Sigrun, I played Overwatch with you as Bom, my weapon and shield ranger. I recall Sigrun was originally a Mad Dog Barbarian. Did seeing Bom give have an influence on you switching to Weapon and Shield?

It did, actually! Haha, you caught me. ;)

I was totally not satisfied with Sig after that adventure and really searched for a good, fun way to play her. The shield slam thing was very cool and it let me keep the "axe fighter" thing I wanted for an Ulfen warrior.

Now she's one of my favourites to play. Fun character, and fun combat mechanics.

Hey, that's good to hear. I'm enjoying Bom as well, though his lack of skills does feel limiting (my archery ranger is popping 10 a level). I also have a straight up barbarian. Both only have a 10 INT and I find that this is restrictive on my RP. A lot of times I want to make insightful observationS, but don't because it's really not who that character is.

I actually was intrigued by your MDB. I am surprised you didn't enjoy that more. What about the Mad Dog did you not like?

Also was curious what you liked about the Guide archetype? I have yet to use an archetype on any of my five active characters.

It wasn't so much the Mad Dog archetype I disliked (I'm not a barbarian fan, but that archetype is very cool) as much as Sigrun's characterisation herself. I didn't enjoy the Sczarni faction and wanted to make her a more "active" character. Previously she was much quieter and selfish... now she's much more outgoing and fun for me.

That, and she had 8 Int, which, it turns out, I cannot play. Basically for the reasons you state there. :P

Essentially I just played around with a number of alternate builds to fit the new concept of her character and really liked this one. I originally intended on going into the Horizon Walker PrC and Ranger is a very obvious route into it. I'm still debating on whether I will or not, but hey.

I actually picked Guide for two reasons:
1) I like the "terrain bond" 4th level replacement. It fit well with my concept of a very well-travelled character (particularly going into Horizon Walker)

2) The "ranger's focus" ability stacks with the Horizon Walker's "terrain dominance" bonuses against creatures and it is more flexible in general. Weaker at higher levels than favoured enemy, but I can always use it in a scenario, so that's a plus.

I'm actually hoping to pick up some ideas from Sigrun for Artix. The weapon and shield idea is what I am hoping to get with him, as I'm planning to go into the Skirnir class after I take Slayer a bit.

That, and she had 8 Int, which, it turns out, I cannot play. Basically for the reasons you state there. :P

I made sure not to dump stats on the Barb or my W&S Ranger. But I RP my Barb as someone who doesn't talk unless it is unavoidable. What's more, is I don't even cheat by expressing his thoughts. So the other players never get to see what Kujo's actually thinking. I will drop clues, but nothing you can pin down.

So, while I enjoy that type of RP, it makes it real hard when I'm in a party where no one is taking the lead. Right now he's doing Stolen Heir and the game is at a crawl and I can't justify taking charge.

It's funny, I had no interest in playing a melee ranger as Two-Weapon Fighting is vastly inferior damage wise, and a ranger lacks the feats to compete straight up. But when I saw the Shield Slam at level 2, I saw that as free money and came up with a concept I liked.

I like your version of the W&S. Neat trick to make the heavy shield your primary weapon and the handaxe as your light. You're getting better AC and not losing any damage with Double Slice. Hadn't even thought of going that route. Once you get Lead Blades at 4th, you'll be doing some nice damage.

I went with Power Attack mainly because I'm realizing that there are a lot of situations I don't get to use my shield to attack. I'm not sure what I'll take at 5th. I am ambivalent about taking on an Animal Companion, but I think the team bonus is pretty crappy. You give up a full attack action to give a few people +1 or +2 against one target for 2 rounds LOL. So as a melee ranger, I think I'll have to go Boon Companion or expect to replace my ACom every scenario.

I was also looking at the whole Diehard route, but I'd rather take feats that help me kill things quicker vs take more damage. I haven't looked into Prestige classes. Kind of purist when it comes to builds.

The one down side of the W&S combat style is the weak ranged fighting. Like you, I've gone with more thrown weapons, just for the change of style. But I suppose I would benefit from having a composite bow with +3 STR rating. Just kind of don't want to deal with arrows atm.

@Night, you want Las to make another K Local check and a Diplomacy...or make 5 checks? Or do you want the rest of the party to make checks?