Ruins of Pathfinder: Reign of Winter (Inactive)

Game Master Robert Brookes

so just to clarify, the weather is 'heavy snow', correct?

so it takes 4 squares of movement to enter a square, so that's 20 feet right? so if you take a standard move you could only move one square?

can you move 60 feet and still use total defense?

also, the srd on heavy snow states that it restricts visibility as fog does, meaning it obscures all sight beyond 5 feet, including darkvision. Creatures 5 feet away have concealment (attacks by or against them have a 20% miss chance).

Is that in effect? Can we even see the enemies(the ones not 5 feet away from us)?

Its 20ft, so if your movespeed is 20 ft, you can't even take a 5-foot into the snow - you use all of one move action to move 5 feet. So by taking a full round to move (Two move actions) you can move 10 feet in it. You cannot move 60ft and use total defense.

Also, you can't run or charge in this terrain, either. Which is why we really need to let them come to us lol.

Dunno about the concealment, but I'm assuming as much - which sucks - but would make sense, as we could barely see these guys except with good perception checks. I'm assuming that we have at least a general knowledge of where the ones are that are further away from us - they're not trying to stealth, so we can spot their general location easy enough, even if they still have total concealment (50% miss o.O).

Which I did not include for my musket shot, honestly.. though it misfired anyways so it didn't matter.

Lucent may say that the concealment isn't in effect, though.

It's part of heavy snow, it is in effect. 20% miss chance. You can't 5' step at all in difficult terrain like this, even if your movement speed is 500'. Moving even five feet could potentially provoke AOOs. So I reiterate, let them come to us.

@Lucent: I wanted to move to K19, not I19.

Edit: Nevermind, just realized that Ar'Zarrcal got moved into that square. I'll work it from where I am now.

Lucent specified the snow on the ground is heavy here. You brought snowshoes, skis, and ranged weapons, right?

He also said that it was dark but not snowing diminishing any visibility. Honestly, if Lucent wanted concealment, he would have caught it at the Round 1 summary.

cheers

Sorry for the lack of clarity there, guys. I'll specify:

I meant to imply only the movement penalties for heavy snow, not the visibility ones. The descriptive text and the mechanics I quoted probably didn't line up entirely. The implication is that the snow has stopped falling except for flurries and strong wind, but the ground still has heavy snow in it restricting movement.

Hey is it just me or are all of our little icons gone from the map?

Hey is it just me or are all of our little icons gone from the map?

It's you. Use the right link on the campaign info tab Lucent posts the blank map, too.

cheers

Righteo, thanks!

How come Teladon's arrow's do 1d10 damage? Aren't longbow arrows 1d8?

With my limited movement, not really anything I can do at this point.

Indeed they only do 1d8's.. I didn't notice this when he posted that. Even though he's using Blunt arrows, they don't increase his damage..

Shoot. I thought they did 1d10 for some reason. My bad. I'll adjust the rolls!

1d8 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
Possible Crit 2d8 + 8 ⇒ (2, 6) + 8 = 16

Probably thinking of crossbows.

Bow's are also X3 on a crit Teladon! (But that isn't a successful crit anyway so it's neither here nor there)

Wait, I thought the undead near the doors where the ones that weren't commanded and the others that were farther out were the ones that stopped when the command succeeded.

That was what I originally thought, but when I looked earlier today that turned out not to be the case.

Hmm... Keeping her animal companion's attack on the undead. She's not sure at all what happened.

Fenyx, your new friends:

Frostfallen Ulfen      CR 1
NE Medium undead (cold)
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., lifesense; Perception +0

DEFENSE

AC 20, touch 10, flat-footed 20 (+6 Armor, +4 Natural)
hp 10 (1d8+6)
Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +2
DR 5/bludgeoning; Immune cold, undead traits
Weaknesses vulnerable to fire

OFFENSE

Speed 30ft. (20 ft in armor)
Melee Slam +1 melee (1d6+1 plus 1d6 cold)
Special Attacks cold

STATISTICS

Str 12, Dex 10, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 16
Base Atk +0; CMB +1; CMD 11
Feats Toughness
SQ lifesense 60'
Combat Gear breastplate armor

I am liking those defensive stats - these guys would make relatively poor packmules (Though, without a dex mod, we could hit them with heavy load and not worry too much), but 20 AC? Thats pretty nice. Not to mention the Lifesense 60'.. Fenyx could put that to good use I'd reckon.

Rubs hands together evilly

Good, good!

Or this.

Looks like we have this one wrapped up. I'm not going to waste any arrows since the frostfallen are now in melee with Ar'Zarrcal and I would have a tough time hitting that AC with my bow. I'll write up a post tomorrow morning. Good night all, and enjoy your new minons Fenyx.

Yeah I'm not going to use the Alchemist's fire I've pulled out either - they're even more valuable than your arrows. :P

Not to mention I'll hit friendlies..

Y'know... I'm tempted to start memorizing mage hand so we can try a neat trick with your alchemist fire and musket.

What trick is that?

I just might enjoy the thought of shooting someone through an alchemist fire that is hovering inches from their face.

I'm heading to the hospital. Good luck with this. I'll contact you in a week or so.

Cheers

Be well! I hope everything goes smoothly.

Good luck Ordrud, hope everything goes well and that you'll be feeling better soon! Rest up, we'll be here when you get back :)

In relation to the game, the chances of my character hitting AC 20 are fairly slim. I'll need some help in this regard. Flanking bonuses would work, someone knocking the undead prone would also be useful.

This encounter is sort of the inverse of the typical "sack of hit points" style of encounter, where it's a high ac/low hp set of creatures. It kind of forces a different strategy than what was used against the zombies, while also throwing in difficult terrain.

I'm actually really pleased with how well you guys strategized (and remained in character while doing so) in this encounter. I was really worried you'd all try and rush them and get ganged up on outside of Fenyx's AOE control.

Also, I forgot to do something during the "control undead" phase of actions, so that's on me and I won't ask for it to be retroactively rolled. But, Fenyx would've felt a tug-of-war with another force that is (well, was) actively controlling the frostfallen. Since I forgot to ask for the check, we can just assume he succeeded. But keep that point of information in mind when you discuss things with the team afterward.

This encounter is sort of the inverse of the typical "sack of hit points" style of encounter, where it's a high ac/low hp set of creatures. It kind of forces a different strategy than what was used against the zombies, while also throwing in difficult terrain.

I'm actually really pleased with how well you guys strategized (and remained in character while doing so) in this encounter. I was really worried you'd all try and rush them and get ganged up on outside of Fenyx's AOE control.

Yeah this is the kind of fight where Touch Attacks shine - Fenyx's Disrupt Undead, Alchemical weapons, Firearms that don't misfire on their first shot, etc.

Groups without such means are in trouble if they come up against such a situation.

In hindsight I would have cast my cure light wounds, for a touch attack, instead of using lead blades, but I don't really wish to use it now that i've already expended my lead blades spell.

Since we're between combat encounters and likely to be traveling soon, could you guys come up with your party's traveling formation you'll typically be in? This will be helpful in the event of ambushes and other encounters where you're moving over open terrain.

If you want, feel free to arrange the formation on the google docs gameplay map.

Also to clarify something as it looks like it may be uncertain in the gameplay window: There are, in total, 4 suits of breastplate armor though 2 are presently worn by Frostfallen dead. The other 2 are from the ones that were destroyed, so I don't think Styv took his from an animate one (though dressing one up as Zombie Captain Andoran is kind of hilarious as a decoy, I admit).

I am fine with placing the dwarf at any location in the order. He is not exactly fast and lacka snow shoes however, so it might make sense not to put Ar'Zarrcal in the back.

I am primarly melee so it makes sense to be closer to the middle / front, but I could hold to the middle if nessary.

Fenyx would prefer a spot in the mid-back, if possible. Currently, he'll be flanked by two ice-encrusted monstrosities.

I can do well in either melee or range, so I'm fine whereever you want me.

Yeah i was actually taking the one that I dropped with my shield throw And man oh man I'm so happy I hit with my first use of that maneuver! Thank's again for accepting my Cap homage for the game, it's a blast.

Anyway,
Styvanus seems the type to take point.

I've arranged the icons on the map( I moved it accidentally oops! on the map ) but I did my best to at least line it up with the grid, feel free to move it back to where it should be.

Now using this formation, Styvanus is at point(north) , with fellow melee specialists Rasso(with reach!) and big man Ordrud. Teladon is right behind, and sort of a frontline for our spellcasters, Fenyx is flanked by his minions, Talavuc is guarded by her companion, and Marcello is sort of guarding the rear flank, comfortable in using his ranged capabilities, or closing to melee if needed. Also he'll be able to pull the attention of at least one enemy if they ambush from behind.

That's just a basic thing though and really i just thought I'd put the idea out there, and I'm not commanding that in character or anything like that, I encourage the rest of you to move your characters around as you see fit.

Also I don't suppose Styvanus will actually be doing the tracking, unless his +5 is the best option we have, so whoever is doing the tracking will have to be at point or at least beside the captain, whatever works.

EDIT: Also I'm off tomorrow (woo!) so I'll get up another in character post then.

I should be in the front, or close to it. No snowshoes, and I'm useless out of melee.

My position sounds good, Styv.

I didn't see the cap'ns post when I made mine. Right behind Styvanus is fine for me.

Unless anyone has any direct objections, I'm going to go with the traveling formation Styv' has suggested.

For those who do not have snowshoes, according to the first Reign of Winter book you can make a craft (shoes) check DC 15 to jury-rig a serviceable pair from available supplies. Now it still operates on the typical craft rules of Check x DC with a function against the item's overall cost (5gp). So it might take a day or two to make a pair, but I figured I'd make it available that you have the option of making them, even if not right now.

That was a good suggestion Styvanus, I approve of my place in line.

the only thing is I believe Talavuc has our best shot at tracking, so she should be at the front following the trail, with her companion at her side and the rest of us close behind.

Can I wear them? I guess technically I have legs, so yes, it just feels weird to me since Rasso's feet are supposed to be all pointy like a crab.

*Nod* she has a very high survival score. I say that she tracks while Ordrud attempts aid another's for a +2.

*Nod* she has a very high survival score. I say that she tracks while Ordrud attempts aid another's for a +2.

agreed. If need be for that, Ordrud can be in the front (so essentially switching places with Styvanus)

but if he can actually make the roll from being behind her, that works too I guess.

Editing my ic post to reflect a few things.

EDIT: Styv and Ordrud both have survival +5, the aid another text says something to the effect of only a limited number of characters can help at once in many cases.

I could conceivably see both of them being able to help her track, the two of them giving the aid another +2 bonus +4 total as long as we roll 5 or above. That would give her +16 to survival in the best case scenario. That's pretty good!

but ultimately it's up to you Lucent if only one or two can help her on that.