This is where we can talk about the story, the direction it's taking, game rules, and any other out-of-character concerns.
Information about all major characters is attached to their profiles. You can access a character profile by clicking on the character's name. On each profile, you will find the information divided by your character names.
The description/background underneath your character's name is what your character knows about the character you are viewing. Reading what another player knows about a character can lead to meta-gaming, and I discourage it.
The same applies for stat blocks. Stat blocks are for my use as the Dungeon Master. Please avoid looking at the stat blocks for other characters, enemies, or players.
When formatting posts, here are a few guidelines to keep in mind:
DIALOGUE and CHARACTER NAMES
Dialogue and character names should always be in bold.
Mia turns away from Billy, shrugging. "I do not know what treasures await us in these caverns, but I'm almost certain that nothing lives down there anymore.
Additionally, it isn't necessary to respond to every question or comment that a character makes towards you, especially if the question happened several posts ago. If it was important, the character will ask again.
OOC
Out-of-character discussions should remain in the Discussion section, and do not need special formatting. If you wish to make a short out-of-character comment in the Gameplay section, use the format.
Short questions directed towards me as a DM should be contained within a spoiler, and still need to use the format within the spoiler. The title of the spoiler should be "DM". Additionally, if I post a spoiler with a character name in the title, it is for that player only. Please do not read other player's spoilers.
ACTIONS
I would like you to describe your actions in a narrative fashion. However, remember that the only thing you control is the decision to attempt the action. You do not control what effect your actions have, or whether they succeed.
Avoid this:
"I got a 22 on my attack roll and a 7 on my damage roll. I smash my axe into the goblin's face!"
This post is neither narrative nor accurate. Billy assumes his attack will hit, but even if he has checked the goblin's stat block and knows its Defense (which I strongly discourage anyway), it isn't his decision.
Aim for posts more like this:
"Mia mutters an incantation, and unearthly green light surrounds her hands. As it coalesces she flings her fingers in the goblin's direction, sending two flares of sickly green streaking towards it.
Since Mia is casting Magic Missile, the missiles will probably hit, but it isn't up to Mia whether they do or do not. Including an ooc description of your character's action is helpful. A good pov to use is Third Person Limited, and a good verb tense to use is Present.
If there are any applicable dice rolls, include them with the action description and contain the entire thing in a spoiler titled "Crunch". Mia's action description should look more like this:
If it was an actual attack roll, like Billy's attempted axe-to-face swing, it would look more like this:
Testing post from phone
Testing post from iPad 2.
Myth'rawn
Testing!!
So, Lyssia will probably be doing a lot of skill checks. Do I ask for that in a DM spoiler, a crunch with my roll, or just a narrative?
Lyssia: Use a DM spoiler.
Sorry, so in the first part of the game, You ask me where I head. I use a DM spoiler to ask for a perception, and then do I continue to put in the DM spoiler where I head, or should I use the 3rd narrative to tell you where I go?
Millaye: You don't need to ask to make a check, but I may or may not use it when you make one. I'll actually make a lot of passive Perception checks for you. In the post, include your dice roll and out-of-character action description in the ooc format ( [ ooc ]blah blah[ /ooc ] ) For instance, your post in Gameplay might look more like this:
Lyssia glances around, keeping a wary eye out for trouble, then starts cautiously down the street in the direction of blah blah.
So go ahead and make a new post in Gameplay following that format, and decide which way you'll go.
Note: I'll be referring to Knowledge checks as Lore checks, so rather than asking for a Knowledge(local) check, I'll ask for a Local Lore check. Mainly because I think it looks cleaner and cooler.
Why am I still up, lmao? At least I'm gaming. :)
Jack, my character is interested in parrying as often as possible. Your rules work well in a table setup, where you say "the hippo bites you", and grab your dice to attack, and I say "parry!". Here, though, you type I about the hungry hippo, then roll dice and damage, and as the DM even confirm that I am hit or not, and then you post the whole thing, which I read whenever. Should I parry when I get it? And then have you confirm? Or should I have you just auto-parry, using my AoO whenever necessary, and if I've already used one that round...ce la vie?
Brian, you won't be parrying much without Combat Reflexes. Allowing me to auto-parry for you would speed things up considerably. Alternately, I could shoot you a text that says, "You're being attacked in melee, would you like to use an AoO to parry? You're usually pretty good about responding to texts, so that wouldn't slow things down as much, or sound as stupid, as:
"The hippo prepares to bite you."
I'll leave it up to you, if you'd like me to auto-parry then I can, otherwise we can do the texting thing.
Note: You can preview your posts before you post them by pressing the "Preview" button to the left of the "Cancel" and "Submit Post" buttons. If you have a dice roll in your post, previewing will show you the result of your roll. This is ok. It allows you to do certain things. For instance, you can preview your roll, and decide at that point whether or not you would like to spend a Hero point on the die roll.
So picky! :-P hopefully that's more like it. :D
Yes, but by previewing, that makes all my uses of hero points prior to viewing, and worth +10...it essentially eliminates the +5...another side-effect of pbp. Thoughts?
I think we'll auto parry for now, you handling it. I plan on taking combat reflexes anyway, so that will make it so he gets better at his fighting style. :)
K, so if you want the +10, you have to do two posts.
Post 1:
Post 2:
If you only have one post,
Alternately, we could just say that Hero points add +5 no matter what. Thoughts?
Two posts.
I have finished putting my character up. Still need to do his description and background. Will work on that today. :) Good to see you two last night.
It was good to see you guys too.
Aaaand Brian's character is the first to be attacked in combat! Well done!
What can I say? :)
LoL. Can't say I'm that surprised... :P
He asked for it! Well...actually his sister did...
Oh geez. You're going to be a fun character, aren't you. LoL.
Brian, I ought to let a farmer run you through with a pitchfork. I hope you at least feel bad when you realize exactly who you pissed off lol.
Oh, I know I'll love it, lol. :)
Oh he doesn't even realize who it is he's been a jerk to? LoL Even better.
Who? :)
Exactly.
Are we waiting on me in play?
Posted. Sorry it took me so long, guys.
Oh my good golly. ;) Finally.
Lyssia's last post totally made me think of Samuel the Lamanite lol.
@ Jack: What's that? Yeah I think I may have gotten myself into trouble with that, but I really wanted to see if I could get through to them.
@ Brian: LoL yeah yeah Im a busy woman dontcha know?
lol. I know. Giving you grief.
I should be able to post just fine while in L.A., btw. :)
Samuel the Lamanite is a Book of Mormon story. He was a prophet who climbed up on top of a wall and gave a sermon about turning away from their evil ways, and they were so furious with him that they tried to shoot him and kill him, but none of their arrows or sling-bullets could hit him. Hurray, Clerics with Shield of Faith! lol
Honestly, I'd like clerics a lot more if they couldn't choose what miracle they got. Like, if they were in a fight, and they just started praying, and the DM got to flip through the spellbook and say, "You're god decides that you need . . . this." And a storm starts, or suddenly everyone has Protection from Arrows, or stuff like that. That would be pretty bomb.
*Edit: Clerics with *Protection from Arrows.
Agreed.
That'd be a neat idea. Oh look, more tests, right? :P
@ Brian: LA? Cool. Well, I bet it's hot, actually.
*wipes sweat off forehead* whew! That could have been bad...
I was considering having the angry mob chase you around Sandpoint for a while, but I decided to get on with the story. There'll be chances for things to chase you later.
Icky!
I am back.
LoL. I pictured a Terminator-esque drama sequence there. Music was playing in my head and everything.
I was rising up out of the sludge of a mossy river with a tricerotops on my shoulders. :)
100 posts! Woohoo!
:)