Hey guys. I'm heading to DC for a conference on Tuesday. I fly back the following Sunday. I'll have internet, but i expect to be pretty busy thursday through Saturday. Bot me if needed.
Hey gang! I'm heading to the big island for three days of fun starting tomorow morning. I won't have reliable internet so, please DMPC as necessary.
New person!
So hi. Group consensus seems to be that another warm body is welcome, particularly one that's been following the game for a while and gets what we're going for. Rather than keep up with a couple of separate chains of PMs, figured it was best to relocate here for any concept talk and so forth.
This is where we are at present:
Chotka, orc bloodrager (spelleater) / oracle (spirit guide)
Groomahk, orc barbarian (invulnerable rager)/ druid (goliath)
Karek, human alchemist (beastmorph)/ brawler
Rikal, human skald/slayer
???, ??? ???/???
Everyone's second level.
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Hello fellows. I've been bugging Samnell about this game recently and apparently it's working, as here I am.
You may not recall, but I barely missed the submission deadline on this when it was first recruiting. I still love the concept, so if you'll have me, I'd love to join.
As for what I'd like to play, my original concept was a human hermit wildman with a greatclub and a nigh-religious need to "cleanse" the unnatural. Aberrations and robots, but not orcs apparently (#racist). But it seems like you have a lot of characters that do that schtick, so I could also go with a halfling nature guide archer concept, focusing on stealth, disguise, arrows, and animal companions. See below for more.
Classes: Barbarian (true primitive)/Druid (menhir savant, fur domain)
Focuses: Melee combat, healing magic, buffing magic
Classes: Ranger (hooded champion)/Summoner (naturalist)
Focuses: archery, nature-esque magic (primarily Summon Nature's Ally)
Thoughts?
i like the summoning angle. Battlefield control and/or buffitery could be quite handy. Groo's getting larger, so he'll have reach, and, eventually, combat reflexes. Some expendable flank-bots would make that even MORE handy.
I agree with Groo, we've plenty of big bruisers, a scout/summoner would add some different skills to our gang.
I also agree. Rikal is primarily switch hitting and buffing, plus face skills. We could use the ranged support.
I'm fine with either concept. I think the naturalist archetype is fully compatible with the unchained summoner, but if it's not we can adjust so it is.
Hey guys, here's my new profile. So far so good, but I've spent days struggling to make an eidolon I like. The unchained rules are crazy restrictive.
Finally got Karek updated properly, which is a pain.
He now has a tendency to grow fur, fangs and claws, while ripping enemies into bloody shreds. This is completely normal and no cause for concern.
It's the fur that has me most concerned. That sounds unhygienic.
Check your header too btw.
I think Spidre is updated.
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Rikal is almost updated. Just have to choose a rage power to impart with my raging song. He's a little better shot, though, and maybe we can do something about some of Groomahk's poor saving throws now with my new spell.
EDIT: Never mind, not taking Point Blank Shot this level. Taking Extra Rage Power so I can grab both Smasher and Gearbreaker. Also, I speak Orc now.
And I forgot about this until very very late last night, so it'll have to wait until either tonight or tomorrow. Short version is I'm picking up power attack, get a new spell, and can start channeling a spirit each day, but the type doesn't matter much since all I get is a hex. Long term will be Life pretty much every day.
I'll update Groo tonight totally forgot about it until now.
Ok, all set. I have the heavens spirit for now, but I'll be switching to Life by level 7 to pick up channel and a host of good spells.
still udpating.
How're we doing, folks?
Does anyone want to IC me into the party?
And did we actually get a reward for returning this guy?
How're we doing, folks?
Does anyone want to IC me into the party?
And did we actually get a reward for returning this guy?
A reward? The satisfaction of a job well done is reward en-
Ok, ok! No more broken bones, please!
For rescuing Khonnir and returning him safely to Torch, the Sworn Band receives 4,000gp (total) and 1 scroll of resurrection.
There's another 4,000gp in it for them if they reignite the torch.
I think the others basically consider Spidre introduced, but you can always chat them up some more. Joram, Sanvil, and Khonnir aren't really in the mood to ask questions right now. Too many happy reunions. :)
I IC introduced everything for a background.
How're we doing, folks?
Does anyone want to IC me into the party?
And did we actually get a reward for returning this guy?
Best if you speak up and suggest joining us. The party is totally socially challenged. Karek is the nearest thing they have to a diplomat I believe. :)
Nope. Versatile Performance has given me Diplomacy, so we can both be diplomats.
Nope. Versatile Performance has given me Diplomacy, so we can both be diplomats.
Rikal bursts out his violin and Karek introduces the party to its notes, in the form of interpretive dance. Works for me.
Technically, Chotka has a +7 diplomacy, but he's also an orc. He can broker alliances and mediate disputes, but he's not about to win Most Popular Barbarian. Maybe Most Popular Orc though.
do you want to kill things? Groomahk likes killing things. Will you kill things with him?
Groo's a simple creature. If you don't fall under "fight, strength, or eat" he really doesn't care
Groomahk's spending adventures
Unless i can craft it,
1200gp: large composite (+5) longbow
675gp left.
Gonna save up for a suit of rhino hide (i think), helm of fearsome mien, and a few other things.
Sell existing composite longbow (+0 Str) for 50 gp, purchase:
masterwork composite longbow (+2 Str) for 600
20 blunt arrows for 2
20 normal arrows for 1
masterwork chain shirt for 250 gp
masterwork battleaxe for 310 gp
763 gp left
Should we maybe grab a second wand of cure light wounds, just in case we run out of our existing one? We're going through charges pretty quick.
I'd recommend a wand of infernal healing instead. Better out-of-combat healing for the price.
Suspicious glare. "You use the magic of Demons?"
True, but given the necessary material component required to make it, I never assume one is available. Some GMs may not be down for using that spell in their campaigns, depending on theme.
I've never been a fan of infernal healing just because it's so slow. Spending many minutes waiting to heal is often asking to get attacked, and with impatient barbarians, we're likely to just run off before the healing finishes anyways.
True, but there's usually a few minutes of gloating anyway. And 3 minutes is 3 charges and 30 HP, vs 5+ charges on a CLW wand over half a minute.
And if infernal healing makes you squeamish, they have celestial healing now...
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It's more a time savings problem for this character, not a problem with demon blood.
Chotka is CG mostly because he is more open-minded and inclusive in gaining allies to fight the robots than most orcs would be. In the end he still worships Gorum and is willing to use whatever tools are necessary to defend his tribe from what he views as strange magical invaders.
True, but given the necessary material component required to make it, I never assume one is available. Some GMs may not be down for using that spell in their campaigns, depending on theme.
I don't mind personally, but drops of devil blood and unholy water aren't the kind of thing Khonnir or the temple of Brigh keep in stock. Someone may have one if you beat the bushes or put in a special order, though.
..how is healing with ANGEL BLOOD good?
like you go find an angel and bleed it dry to heal yourself. and, somehow, that's moral?
..sorry, old rant.
Anywho, I'm down with whatever keeps Groomahk alive
..how is healing with ANGEL BLOOD good?
like you go find an angel and bleed it dry to heal yourself. and, somehow, that's moral?..sorry, old rant.
Anywho, I'm down with whatever keeps Groomahk alive
I think the presumption is that it's freely given. But, you know, if you have a juicer big enough...
Let's go with the Wand of Cure Light Wounds. I can cover the whole cost, but if anyone wants to chip in, I won't say no.
I'll go in for it with you.
I'd offer, but...
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I'll help split it, just tell me how much the final is and I'll mark it off.
I'll go In, too
Okay, that'll be 187 gp and 5 sp per person. Everyone good with that?
No problem. Karek is preparing a list of Alchemical weirdness, but otherwise not spending that much of his coin.
Sounds good, I'm all up to date. Going to save the money for now to save up for an adamantine greataxe in a while.
Karek has changed his armor to a mithril shirt.
Put in his share for the Wand.
Has bought a pile of alchemical goodies to deal with the things in the caves.
Defoliant 2x
Alchemists fire 4x
Alkali flask 4x
Holy water 2x
Liquid ice 4x - To use on the brown mold and get that corpse out.
Hey, GM is there any way to make the mutations permanent
So stuff. It goes ping when there's stuff.
I hoped that this would turn out to be a "yeah, whatever and wahoo" sort of game and we seem to be proceeding well on that front. :) Most of my other parties are relatively cautious, which is also fine and I love them for it, but reckless disregard for one's own safety is also a great way to game and I like the variety.
Space Goo is part of the fun of that, with its random craziness. There's a chance that someone could get a neat power, temporarily or for good, but also a lot of risk and the effects of addiction which I forgot to police this last game day but haven't gone away. The chances of something permanent and substantive (like the bonus level) are small enough that I don't worry about one PC getting a hair or two ahead.
It's in fitting with the spirit of how things have developed that some of you might take an interest in transhumanism via space goo. The corruption/augmentation of the flesh angle fits well with the AP's themes and flavor. I'm inclined to think up a system or two which may facilitate some fun there.
But if I make it a system then it's less luck of the draw and more X PC gets extra toys, which isn't really fair. Using the mutant template (which doesn't quite have all the fun that the table itself does) may bring some costs along with the gains, we've all been around the block often enough to know that it's pretty easy to game the deficits to things your PC doesn't need and the benefits to core functions. On the other hand, it would be counterproductive and probably unfun for everyone if a PC had to take a hit to what they're supposed to be good at in order to get otherwise good at it. Also hard to accomplish. Which means that the most sensible way to do things would be a straight power-up and that gets us back to balancing.
If everyone wants to get cracked-out on space goo, then that's not a problem anymore. I suspect not all of your characters are such goo fiends, but maybe I'm wrong. Either way, I want to be fair.
So here's a vague sketch of what I'm thinking.
1) There are already rules in place that let you get a decent chance to guess what a particular drink will do to you. It's a Craft (Alchemy) DC 25 for 75% accuracy. So there's an option to pre-load if you like. That call is only good for an hour before the fluid changes and you'd have to check again, so you can't really use them as potion equivalents.
2) It's reasonable to me that fluid from the same source may have similar effects, which is also a rule already written. I'd go with the variant where the first dose from a given source sets the baseline and then subsequents have 2d20 rolled, one added and one subtracted from that. So you'd be in the ballpark on the table but might not get precisely as previous.
3) Permanent gains. Where the balance problem is. I'm inclined to simulate this with the mutant template. let's say that if a player is interested I can make that happen and will further let the template "grow" with you every 4 HD rather than remain static, but taking the template is worth a level. Next time the party levels up, the PC would not. I was going to make it only a level in one class, but it's a pretty chunky template and having the levels uneven may do weird things to the gestalt logic. In the event everyone wants to mutate, this doesn't apply and you just all get it as a freebie.
4) The Non-Mutant option. Say you just want a specific effect to become permanent, like Groo's new armor plates. I think what I would do there is either count it against your ABP (so if you get nat armor from goo, then it doesn't stack with the nat armor from ABP) or (for other stuff) price it as an item and count it against your wealth by level. We can work out an IC explanation when we get there.
5) I was asked separately about doing multiple doses of goo in one sitting. I could go either way on that, but I think this is fair: You don't get the Wis bonus but your risk for addiction (if you're not already addicted) goes up by +2. The next dose is +4, then it goes to +8, +16, etc. If you are already addicted, your addiction increases in severity one step every time you fail a save with extra goo in you. Each extra shot gets a separate roll on the side effects table, but if you roll the same side effect as already present they don't stack. You get a reroll instead or, if you get something that applies to a particular ability score or the like, it applies to a different randomly-assigned one.
I think all of this is fair and not game-breaking...but I just came up with it off the top of my head. I want to hear if you have any concerns, think this is a terrible idea, that it's good but I've overlooked something, etc.
I've been having lots of fun with this game and the sometimes off the wall zaniness that is natural when you pack a party full of barbarians.
I can't speak for everyone, but I don't really mind a little bit of inequity (like Groo becoming a mutant) as long as it doesn't get out of hand. My experience in the "out of hand" realm is really more along the lines of one person is clearly the favorite and everything the do works and everyone else fails largely due to GM fiat, which is obviously not an issue here.
One of the things that works well for the games I GM is I like to get creative at spreading cool unique things out, but this does put more work on the GM, so obviously it's not something I'd ever expect.
For our zen archer/sorcerer who is based on Hanzo, of Overwatch fame, I gave him a crystalline bow shaped like twin dragons, that conjures arrows automatically and has a ruby scale. It has 2 uses of legendary power per day, that can only be used to create a 60 ft. line of fire as per dragon's breath. As the game progresses, he'll find additional precious gem scales that will upgrade the item and expand the abilities.
For our Desnan cleric/cavalier who has a corgi mount, her corgi underwent a transformation and gained 2 extra legs. Eventually,
it will gain antennae to communicate with her telepathically,
some stat boosts, and eventually form a cocoon and come out with butterfly wings, gaining the full fledged Vahana template.
Obviously, these things are for a high powered game that I'm fully expecting to have to tweak the difficulty on, but it's fun to do and I like how it makes the player's feel they're getting unique stuff.
I did something like that for my Giantslayer game.
It's been pretty nifty, actually/
So stuff. It goes ping when there's stuff.
I hoped that this would turn out to be a "yeah, whatever and wahoo" sort of game and we seem to be proceeding well on that front. :) Most of my other parties are relatively cautious, which is also fine and I love them for it, but reckless disregard for one's own safety is also a great way to game and I like the variety.
Space Goo is part of the fun of that, with its random craziness. There's a chance that someone could get a neat power, temporarily or for good, but also a lot of risk and the effects of addiction which I forgot to police this last game day but haven't gone away. The chances of something permanent and substantive (like the bonus level) are small enough that I don't worry about one PC getting a hair or two ahead.
It's in fitting with the spirit of how things have developed that some of you might take an interest in transhumanism via space goo. The corruption/augmentation of the flesh angle fits well with the AP's themes and flavor. I'm inclined to think up a system or two which may facilitate some fun there.
But if I make it a system then it's less luck of the draw and more X PC gets extra toys, which isn't really fair. Using the mutant template (which doesn't quite have all the fun that the table itself does) may bring some costs along with the gains, we've all been around the block often enough to know that it's pretty easy to game the deficits to things your PC doesn't need and the benefits to core functions. On the other hand, it would be counterproductive and probably unfun for everyone if a PC had to take a hit to what they're supposed to be good at in order to get otherwise good at it. Also hard to accomplish. Which means that the most sensible way to do things would be a straight power-up and that gets us back to balancing.
If everyone wants to get cracked-out on space goo, then that's not a problem anymore. I suspect not all of your characters are such goo fiends, but maybe I'm wrong. Either way, I want...
I'm cool with any of these options.