I'm thinking limit access coming up, then some annoyance or slowing 'traps' more than anything. Just simple stuff that lets us know "hey someone is coming up and moving" and that we are aware of where they are coming up from. I'm seeing it more as a security measure while we rest than a game plan for destroying those downstairs (I am unaware of how many are down there and the number of exits from below).
Which might work well up until they realize something is wrong and Nualia directs the yeth hounds to fly out the side and attack the party from the air while the others come up from below, trapping the party in a pincer attack against most of the enemies' strength all at once...
To be fair they have to know something is wrong first and decide from there. There's a couple of ways this can happen up to and including simply chancing upon the noise of goblins fighting for their lives against a 15 ft. tall half orc. It also depends on where the group sets camp.
Honestly it might just be in there interest to escape across the bridge and hide in the thorn maze with watches keeping an eye on the gate. If the opposition is dumb enough to crawl into the thornmaze with the party its dumb enough to get ripped to pieces horror movie style. That's what I would do.
Trying to manipulate terrain or set traps might be over thinking it a bit as simply closing or opening all the gates and doors may be enough of a manipulation that you can tell soemthing is amiss merely by its status when you return. Alternatively sand on the ground as you leave or other indicators that are easily disturbed but not easily spotted are really all a group needs to let them know the group below is alerted to their presence if they came up. Your resources are down though your oracle very likely remains fresh. But depending on how things go the sorcerer and wizard are nearly spent. Generally it's likely in the groups best interest to pack it in for the day and plan for the descent into the dungeon.
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Well, the prime tenet I've been striving for with Boghu is flexibility.
That's why I suggested we "re-trap" the bridge. Salis and iGo can stay on the far side (the mainland side) with Salis' newly rigged bridge-fall trap.
Boghu & uGo stay on the Thistletop side, safely tucked away in the corners of the main gate, just out of LoS from inside the fort. Optimally, any expeditionary force coming from down below will trigger our "tin cans and broken lightbulb" traps, giving us the time necessary to prepare an assault.
If it's a weak probe (more goblins, a lone archer, or someone else not obviously supported), we pounce and snatch said fellow up. Between the two of us, we should at least be able to grapple/pin.
Archer boy vs. Monk with deflect arrows? Sad Archer.
Flee scenario is if they come up in force, or manage to get the drop on us; uGo & Boghu tear ass across the bridge (60', right? So uGo can clear in one Run action?) and try to get them to chase. If they're dumb, they go swimming. If they're smart, we fade away, and try to sneak in somehow else (water approach?).
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If they didn't notice the noise from the goblins dying in the first place how will they distinguish the noise of us doing stuff from the general noise of having goblins as your upstairs neighbors in the first place?
Who said they didn't notice? The whole place is a goblin stronghold, the sleeping areas and some living areas are downstairs (including a nursery and the leaders Harem). It isn't two separate worlds.
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I'm am going to score the two judges (and any other judges if they weight in...) tonight. Once the players come to a consensus I'll post the next section, which will be the remainder of thistletop, which will take us to the end of book one.
After the next section, the players can level and should have a few weeks to craft, shop, etc...before the next part begins.
I thought I did. I must have ate my post. I'll ahve them presently.
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Loot
2 potions of cure moderate wounds
studded leather armor
heavy flail
masterwork composite longbow (+4 Strength) with 20 arrows
4 +1 elf-bane arrows
4 pp
+1 banded mail
masterwork heavy steel shield
masterwork bastard sword
composite longbow with 20 arrows
3 everburning torches
2 pp
+1 hide armor
masterwork short bow
wand of magic missile (CL 1st, 38 charges)
potion of cure light wounds
scroll of sleep
scroll of comprehend languages
scroll of minor image
scroll of see invisibility
scroll of whispering wind
dagger
cloak of resistance +1
silver comb (25 gp)
fine silk gown (60 gp)
Pearl earring worth 50 gp
3 pp
Spellbook 0—all; 1st—comprehend languages, detect secret doors, floating disc, identify, obscuring mist, sleep, 2nd— locate object, minor image, see invisibility, spider climb
+1 breastplate
+1 bastard sword
Sihedron medallion
Masterwork composite longbow with 20 arrows
gold holy symbol (100 gp)
7 pp
5 gp
3,500 sp
630 gp
40 precious stones worth 10 gp each
A jade amulet of natural armor +1
300 LB giant ancient helm worth 200 gp
surgical tools worth 100 gp
30 eternal candles 25 gp each
A silver coffer worth 100 gp
Ring of force shield.
Feel free to add if I missed anything
I swear one of these days I'm going to catch a break (unfortunately It'll probably be a limb) -- I'm still in this, but my Mother's Father just passed away so I'm booked for the next couple of days.
Thats bad news Abraham, obviously you should take as long as you need. Wish your family well from all of us.
Just waiting for Abraham to get back so we can decide exactly how we want to proceed tbh ciretose, i don't think heading into the dungeon should be a problem but we might want to go sneaky so we'll have to plan around uGo's shocking stealth ability.
Alright I'm back. Ugh, and now we enter the bloodbath -- everything is CR 3 or higher and we are lacking magical weapons for the shadows. Lyrie Akenja, Bruthazmus and Orik Vancaster will actually be the easiest for me since I can daze her with regular success, the shadows should be a fairly easy bit too (provided I can avoid being hit), but that depends entirely on me having magic missiles to hit them with once we get to them. Assuming the trap isn't an insane DC I should be able to handle that as well.
With the Yeth Hounds I'll be primarily avoiding being a target honestly.
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Update looks good. A few comments.
With regards to the shadows, you all have gotten quite a few magic weapons prior the day (+1 longsword, +1 returning dagger, and a +1 dogslicer) and the +1 Bastard sword is on Nualia, so you would have that prior to the shadows, in addition to lots of magic arrows and enough loot to buy your own. It just happens this party isn't proficient with the weapons due to the make up. Additionally the shadows only have 19 hit points, so a cleric with channel could really do a number on them fairly quickly. I think it is more a problem with the group make up for this specific encounter rather than a problem with the encounter itself.
The layout is a bit unclear from description, so I wanted to point out that the Yeth hounds flight is heavily mitigated by being underground for these combats.
*Facepalm* I forgot my force bolts!
Come on Judges!
I'm just waiting to see what the other judges say before I chew on this meaty bit of player meat.
I understand needing time! I didn't that to sound critical -- I meant it in a rally ho! kind of way.
MMmmmmmmm delicious chocolate milk. I'm still about just reluctant to chime in without input from the other judges.
Well i'm lurking and waiting, since we are just theory crafting it rather than playing it player tactics will remain the same other than on really tough encounters so my recent gameplay posts were a bit sparse but the oracle is well built and performs pretty well no matter the encounter and the wizard is pretty much support at the moment since we're still only level 3.
I've updated Salis, but I haven't taken any of the recent loot yet.
Out of the loot I'm interested in:
Ring of force shield
Cloak of resistance +1
I think the wand of magic missile should probably go to the wizard -- I have my force rays and blasting spells but he could probably use the little extra longevity it will give him and helps him whittle away at hp with the rest of us more.
I'll try and level up on sunday and I'll read over the loot list then as well, my partner just gave birth and i'm currently setting up a kingmaker pbp as well so i am a little swamped. I also kind of want to see the other judges weigh in before i level up as with just one judge its a bit of a waste.
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Added a judge recruitment thread. Feel free to go over there to herd some more judges in.
I would rather stick with the group we have, as I've been really impressed with the quality, but I know time constraints so...
I will definately be able to keep up with our current pace, it will just take me a little time to get my level up etc sorted.
You have my up until the beginning of July.
By the by people I've been working on a guide for arcane tricksters -- I know several of you like such things so here is a link to the thread for it, and let me know what you think!
Still interested -- and I got my next character concept ready already -- but you only have 33 days left before I leave for basic.
Well start up the thread for the next one and I'm ready. Going guntank/cavalier human adopted(helper)/rich parents order of the dragon -- thinking quilted under an armor coat and a tower shield taking shield wall as my tactical. Rapid reload(pistol) and point blank shot at level 1 for my feats with precise shot coming it at level 3.
However the whole thing is predicated on using a prosthetic arm as an extra reload hand, like the special holsters they have for one handed reloading.