DM Carbide runs *! Rise of the Runelords !*

Game Master John Woodford

"Well, lets do this then. Skarn when you go invisible I will start up."

The shield and sword are stowed and the climb starts when the others are ready.

Climb: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (14) + 11 = 25
Climb: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12

Climb: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (19) + 11 = 30
Climb: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31

Oh for Fu*k sake. Why a natural 1 on this. Can you crit fail a climb check if still in range not to fall?

AC 24/14/22 without shield.

No; with your bonus, you just don't make any progress for a bit.

Ok, Skarn will:

Stow shield

Round 1:

Standard: Cast Invisibility
Move: Climb 10'

Round 2:

Move: Climb 5' get next to giant
Standard: Cast Divine Favor
Swift Start Judgements: Protection (+2 AC), Justice (+2/+0)

Round 3:

Swift: Activate Bane on Weapon
Two attacks on Giant

Let me know if you want me to roll those attacks...

It looks like you're assuming that the giant is within 20' of the edge. What will you do if it isn't?

It looks like you're assuming that the giant is within 20' of the edge. What will you do if it isn't?

Round 3

Swift: Activate Bane on Weapon
Charge for one attack on Giant

While the others are climbing, Reynard drinks his mutagen, then an Extract of Bull's Strength. While ferrying Druamin and Cordwin (since they're the oly two who need it, with Kobu climbing and Erond+Imp flying), he downs Barkskin, then Shield as he drops them off. Finally, he flies around the giant's back to set up a flank with the others.

Skarn heads up invisibly, followed by Trox. The crumbling rock comes loose in the dwarf's grip a few times, raining bits of gravel down onto the half-orc and the cave floor below.

He's just gotten a grip on the edge when the giant looms over him and shouts something in its native language before preparing to strike at Trox with one flail (it has a flail in either hand).

Skarn, you're pretty sure that if you tried to climb up at its feet it would notice you, and it's currently blocking the way up. Trox, this might be the reason you rolled a 1 on that Climb check.

Round 1:

Initiative order
Reynard
Erond
Skarn
Trox
Druamin
Enemy
Cordwin

Everyone but Cordwin can act!

Enemy: AC ? T ? FF ? HP taken: 0

How many rounds into my actions did I get?

It interrupted you at the end of the first round, so you're clinging to the cave wall ten feet off the ground.

If I have the rounds plotted out correctly in my head, I was drinking an extract of Bull's Strength this round. I'll stick to doing that. Just finished as the giant appeared.

Round 1 (ongoing):

Initiative order
Reynard-acted
Erond
Skarn
Trox
Druamin
Enemy
Cordwin

Reynard drinks a potion.

Everyone else but Cordwin, you're up!

Skarn (who is invisible) will conduct his round 2 movement actions as his round 1 combat actions...

Round 2(errr 1):

Swift Start Judgments: Protection (+2 AC), Justice (+2/+0)
Move: Climb 5' get next to giant
Standard: Cast Divine Favor (+3/+3 Luck)

Although, with the giant on the edge, I suppose Skarn can get around behind him to leave room for the other climbers.

Can I get onto the top, even if hit it is where Trox needs to be. I would assume that would be a standard action? Full round maybe?

I've updated the map with a version showing gridlines. Skarn, the giant is standing on the edge, so in order to get past it you need to move through the squares it occupies. Even though it's not aware of you, it's still possible for you to fail the attempt; in any case, the squares it occupies are Difficult terrain. Trox, the same is true for you; you can reach the top, but any move that puts you onto the ledge will require moving past the giant.

No problem.

Swift Start Judgments: Protection (+2 AC), Justice (+2/+0)
Move: Skarn reaches out and grabs Trox. He then uses his Dimensional Hop ability and transports the two of them "behind" the giant, so that a 5' step for each of them will get them to it.
Standard: Cast Divine Favor (+3/+3 Luck)

Is that 15' of movement? So it uses up 30' of my Dimensional Hop ability for the day.

Am I only partly up the wall?

If Druamin was going to let Trox go up ahead of him, then not yet. There's room for two PCs to climb up at a time, but Skarn went ahead of the rest of the party because he was invisible.

If I can hit the top with a move I would like to try a bull rush as a standard just to push him straight back.

Trox, with a mighty pull crests the cliff and, if fast enough, will lay a shoulder into the giant to try and push it back.

Bull Rush: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (17) + 16 = 33

If I can hit the top with a move I would like to try a bull rush as a standard just to push him straight back.

Trox, with a mighty pull crests the cliff and, if fast enough, will lay a shoulder into the giant to try and push it back.

[dice= Bull Rush] 1d20+16

Trox, please note, it was my intent to teleport you to the top with me on my action above. You should be at the top and have a full action available to you.

I am sorry I missed that somehow. The bull rush is my action then for sure. I should be able to draw my shield as part of it I think if it stayed stowed away.

That's interesting.

Round 1 (ongoing):

Initiative order
Reynard-acted
Erond
Skarn-acted
Trox-acted
Druamin
Giant
Cordwin

Trox appears behind the giant and shoves it hard enough that it goes over the edge, plummeting to the ground below...where Reynard and Erond are waiting to ascend.

Reynard and Erond, give me Reflex saves.

Erond will fly up and inspire the group. +4/+4 to attack and damage

Imp will get behind and change into a more battle-ready small cat form (still invisible).

Oh son of a bit@h. This is what I get for posting when the kids are bothering me. Should have taken a moment read back. Any bonus for 'death from above' on a giant next turn? (I apologize for the chaos I have just caused, in my defense at a table this stuff happens too.)

Trox blinks at what just happened and sighs. Clearly there was some confusion from moving in an instant.

Trox, you could leap down on the giant, but you'd best not miss. And I totally thought you were doing that on purpose! Erond, you still have to make a Reflex save to avoid some or all of the damage from the giant falling on you.

With all that, I think that Druamin was still climbing but right at the top. Do I need to do anything to avoid getting kicked in the head or something when the giant gets pushed off?

I didn't see the part about teleporting, I thought Trox was at the top of cliff about to crest it at the start of the turn so this would push him back. This is kind of more fun. Next turn I will jump sword ready.

Be sure and yell something heroic when you leap off!

I thought Skarn was going first, so Druamin and Trox would have been 5' from the top. One way or the other, Druamin will also have to make a Reflex save.

Reflex: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Climbing looks so easy, when he sees others do it, but Druamin struggles every time. The noise of a struggle comes from the opening above him. Druamin looks up just in time to see the hulking body of a giant. It teeters on the edge for a moment, the giant windmilling his arms, and then it falls. Druamin winces and tries to shift his body to the side to avoid getting smashed.

I'm guessing that a 12 isn't enough to avoid getting hit. I'm not sure what happens.

You're a dwarf, you should get a +4 to avoid getting hit by a giant, hahahaha!

Yeah, that's right! It doesn't matter that the giant isn't trying to hit me. I think that even a 16 will be too low though.

I mean, it IS a "dodge" bonus after all, but yeah, 16 may not get it done.

Druamin hugs the rock as the giant falls past him, barely managing to hang on even when a size-35 boot catches him upside the head for 3 HP nonlethal damage.

Druamin, is Kobu also climbing up? Also, I still need Reflex saves from Reynard and Erond.

Yes. Kobu would have been climbing. I'll do a reflex save for him.

Reflex, Kobu: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24

Kobu's animal instincts easily allow it to avoid the falling giant.

Missed that I also needed a Reflex save, sorry.

Reflex: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20

Reynard narrowly avoids the falling giant.

Ref: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28

Thanks for your patience; I had a major review at work this past week, and between that and getting ready for the attack of winter weather (clearing out half of the garage so we can put both cars into it) I didn't have a lot of time to spare.

Round 1 (ongoing):

Initiative order
Reynard-acted
Erond-acted
Skarn-acted
Trox-acted
Druamin
Giant
Cordwin

Everyone gets out of the way of the falling giant. Erond flies up to the ledge and begins to inspire courage in the party.

Druamin and Kobu can act!

I believe that Kobu is on the upper level and Druamin is halfway up the cliffside. Also, the giant is on the lower level now. Is that correct? How far of a drop is it for Kobu or Druamin if they were to jump/drop down to the giant's level?

For Kobu it's a 10' drop if he lands on the giant, and 15' otherwise. For Druamin, same less 5'.

Druamin, was that what you needed to know?

The giant flounders on the ground beneath him. Druamin releases his handhold on the cliff and falls to the ground level.

Acrobatics: 1d20 - 6 ⇒ (4) - 6 = -2

He falls flat despite his best efforts to try and stay upright. Once the dust settles he hops back onto his feet and pulls the battleaxe from the loop on his belt.

At the same time, Kobu jumps off the ledge. He aims for the giant's head.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11 Likely a miss

Kobu overshoots the giant's head and falls the full 15 feet to the floor.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17 I think this means that he stays standing up.

With a few more bruises, he turns and faces the giant with a hiss and a flick of his tail.

tail slap: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16
dmg: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

Round 1 (ongoing):

Initiative order
Reynard-acted
Erond-acted
Skarn-acted
Trox-acted
Druamin-acted
Giant-acted
Cordwin

Druamin can't keep his footing and hits the ground with a thud taking 4 HP damage. His faithful porcupine, however, manages a four-point landing (taking 3 HP nonlethal damage) and swats the giant with his tail.

The giant stands up (drawing AoOs from Druamin, Kobu, and Reynard) and swings at Druamin. The dwarf's defensive training saves him from a solid morningstar hit, though.

Cordwin is up!

Giant: AC 18 T 8 FF 18 HP taken: 21

Oh, hey. Thought I'd rolled that AoO. Mea Culpa.

As the giant rises, Reynard slashes at him with a claw. Looks like I'm flanking with Druamin.
Attack, Claw: 1d20 + 13 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 13 + 2 = 21
Damage, Magical, B/S: 1d6 + 13 + 4d6 ⇒ (6) + 13 + (4, 4, 5, 2) = 34

You're not really flanking it--Druamin and Kobu are shown where they were before they jumped down, so right now they're squeezing in the narrow passage with you.

Round 1 (ongoing):

Initiative order
Reynard-acted+AoO
Erond-acted
Skarn-acted
Trox-acted
Druamin-acted
Giant-acted
Cordwin

In the tight quarters of the passage, Reynard can't manage to get through the giant's thick hide with his claw strike. No flank, plus squeezing penalty.

Druamin and Kobu can take their AoOs, and Cordwin still has to act.

Cordwin will take shots at the Giant.

Attack 1: 1d20 + 9 - 4 ⇒ (4) + 9 - 4 = 9
Attack 2: 1d20 + 4 - 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 - 4 = 15
Damage 1: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Damage 2: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Cordwin's crossbow bolts both miss.

Druamin and Kobu still have their AoOs.

Druamin, still on the ground, swings his axe at the giant's foot.

axe@giant,prone: 1d20 + 9 - 4 ⇒ (7) + 9 - 4 = 12

Kobu slaps at it with his tail once more but misses completely.

tail slap: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10

Neither Druamin nor Kobu can take advantage of the giant's distraction.

Round 2:

Initiative order
Reynard
Erond
Skarn
Trox
Druamin
Giant
Cordwin

Everyone but Cordwin can act again!