Having home interwebs headaches folks - and not getting a chance to post at work (good news is I'm still gainfully employed in the ailing oil industry... bad news I've more responsibility (cough) workload (cough) in my new role)
Might be a tardy in posting for this week coming... please bear with I'll be back in panzer mode soon!
The oil industry is ailing?
So how do you folks want to structure the ambush?
I'd prefer to catch them while they're sleeping. They're not likely to be wearing armor then.
That could work. I can cast color spray if needed, to drop as many of them as possible.
Kaynen would go along with ambushing while sleeping.
To clarify his plan that he suggested in character, he proposed going into their camp with 1 or 2 people who can Bluff and suggesting that they needed some help... like one of our friends was chopping wood for our campfire and a branch fell and he's pinned and we need just a few to break off to help us.
Then, once we get to that location, we jump just the 1-2 who came to help.
Then, later we return and face less numbers of men.
It's potentially too complex to be ideal to run this way versus just one epic ambush while sleeping that keeps things simple in PbP. :)
I think catching them while they're sleeping is the way to go. No warning or bluffing. Just assassinating their sentries if possible, and then killing as many of them as we can before they figure out what's going on.
Albrekt is our big liability for stealth, so we could park him about 200 feet off to wait until they are roused, prepped to charge in. It will take him a round to get there, but it also means they are less likely to notice outright.
Can anyone cast Silence? It's a 2nd level Cleric spell. Ember? Vank?
If we have Silence at our disposal this whole thing gets a lot easier.
Vank has already offered in character to cast silence, although that might have been when he was speaking goblin. it will only last 24 seconds, but that should be long enough to cover the last bit of distance and hopefully kill an guards.
If I'm running with silence then medium and long range spells are probably the way to go.
If I were going to plan this out, here's how I'd do it-
We split into two teams-
1) Ember, Vank (the stealthy team)
2) Albrekt, Haruk, Kaynen, Xanos (the not so stealthy team)
Phase 1: Approach
Both groups approach to about 30 feet outside the outer light range of their camp fire. Unless the fire is really big, this will put the group about 100' away from the camp fire itself, which is far enough away that distance penalties to perception will make them unable to notice even Albrekt's lumbering.
Group 2 waits here. Xanos casts Mount. Albrekt and Haruk quietly get on their new magic horse. Kaynen gives himself Expeditious Retreat. Group 2 readies actions.
Group 1 continues to approach and attempts to assassinate the sentries. This is where the Silence spell will come in handy. If assassination is successful, group 1 moves on to killing sleeping soldiers until they get noticed (starting from the outermost tents and working around the perimeter in a circle [this is important for later]).
Once/if they get noticed-
Phase 2: Unleash Hell
Group 2's readied actions trigger.
Xanos casts Stone Call over the camp. Because Ember and Vank will be at the perimeter of the camp they can be easily excluded from the spell area.
Albrekt rides in to close distance, bringing Haruk with him and dropping him off at the camp stables.
Haruk is in charge of Color Spraying the enemy horses. (hopefully it will only take one casting) If any of the soldiers make it to horseback they will be out of range before we can catch them.
Kaynen runs the distance and starts to lob bombs into tents of rudely awakened soldiers.
At this point the fight will be underway and there's not really much point in planning further.
General advice for engaging the enemy:
Keep to the perimeter. Haruk and Xanos are at their most effective when they can freely employ AoE effects. Friendlies in the middle of the camp will seriously hamper their effectiveness. Once the fight is joined, let them come to us (Xanos is going to make them pay big time for their movement)
Bring ranged weapons. There may be times when enemy soldiers can't even move well. Don't break ranks to go get them.
Let Ember handle any runners. She's faster than they are, has Darkvision and a Bow. Unless they get a horse they're just screwed.
Anyone have any additions to make or points of contention with that general outline?
Sounds great to me. I don't know stone call I assume it limits movement and hurts those moving?
Vank (and others probably) will cast a few other prep spells when further away, just simple things like bless.
Yep. Pretty much exactly. The really good thing about it is the huge area of effect.
Sounds perfekt.
Its always fun playing with Doomed Hero, and seeing what sort of shenanigans and tomfoolery he comes up with! He never disappoints! :)
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Don't tell them that! Now they'll be expecting it!
I see no real issue with plan. I will say that it won't be possible to hit 7 horses with a single colour spray. Stone call has an 80' diameter so it's not an issue. If you sneak in and cut their tethers. most of them would bolt if you hit them with stone call.
I don't think we want them bolting. Some of them are likely to return home and alert people something happened. They'll work this out in the end anyway but more time the better.
Bombs away! :)
An interesting thought I just had.
Xanos has a couple Stubborn Nails, which can be used to silently secure things. I'd planned on using them to bar doors, but it occurred to me that our stealth team could use them to silently anchor Bear Traps in front of tents.
how's this for an addition to our plan:
We pick up 4 Bear Traps in town. When we get tot he camp Xanos uses a scroll of Invisibility on Vank, who then uses the Stubborn Nails and the Bear Traps right in front of the opening of the tents.
Then Vank and Ember start their assassinations. When/if they get caught and the alarm is sounded, the soldiers will have an unpleasant surprise waiting for them as they come out their tents.
The bear traps should work without being nailed. I suspect your spell will set them off but still probably worth it since an invisiblity scroll should work long enough to set traps and the attack.
I think I'll have the afternoon free today.
I'll post Ember's reaction to that planning. Ember will agree with most of it, but she'll also oppose to some other things.
Give-me a couple of hours.
The bear traps should work without being nailed. I suspect your spell will set them off but still probably worth it since an invisiblity scroll should work long enough to set traps and the attack.
I think the traps would go off without being nailed, but they wouldn't be anchored to anything. Locking a bunch of soldiers to the ground with Stubborn Nails is a big part of the fun.
Boards ate my in-game post last night and works eating my time today. Will try and get something up this evening, but all looks good to me.
I think the traps would go off without being nailed, but they wouldn't be anchored to anything. Locking a bunch of soldiers to the ground with Stubborn Nails is a big part of the fun.
True, are the nails one use?
Yes. They're a standard action to press them into something and they lose their magic when pulled out.
They're only 50 gold to make though, so no big deal.
Disclaimer:
I have nothing against none of the players. Ember is just a Zealot.
Ask Albrέkt!
Very true - and she's all the better for being one :)
Sorry I am insanely busy at work currently (for next 2 or 3 weeks). I will keep posting (I need it to stay sane), but posts are likely to be short and at times infrequent. Should be back on track early-mid December just in time for holiday season disruptions.
Disclaimer:
I have nothing against none of the players. Ember is just a Zealot.Ask Albrέkt!
So she has something against everyone!!
So just to be clear, the plan is:
1. Move everyone to the edge of the lighted area. Let's just say 100ft away from the camp.
2. Vank gets invisibled and brings in the bear traps, setting them up in front of any tents. (these become visible once they are put down)
3. Ember sneaks in close.
4. Everyone else buffs and prepares.
5. Ember and Vank attack any people on watch.
6a. If successful, coup-de-grace fest.
6b. If less so, all hell breaks loose.
If that is the plan, I'll fire off some rolls and get this party started.
I'm happy to go forward unless Ember quickly convinces Vank of the 'wrongness' of using traps.
In prep before going in. Vank will use wisdom of the ancestors, which acts as a augury with a 80% success rate to ask his ancestors if the bear traps are a good idea.
He'll then remove his armour and cast: Bless on everyone (lasts 4 minutes) and shield of faith (4 minutes) on himself and unseen servant (4 hours) to help carry the traps.
Lay out the traps only if its safe to do so then sneak back to ember cast divine favour and silence and before attacking.
Nah, Ember won’t.
I'll just mumble about coward, unfit, and some other excuse.
It’s more of RP material than to make you guys change tactics.
Also, I'll post in some hours.
(:
I knew, it just wouldn't take much convincing since you are in charge and Vank is very strong on command structure.
Plan is a go. What's the worst that can happen? :)
Plan is a go. What's the worst that can happen? :)
Albrέkt... ;)
As a rules note, every 10 feet adds +1 to Perception DCs. (Stealth checks set the base perception DC)
Also, candle light is used as an example of "unfavorable conditions" for sight based DCs. It's arguable that full on darkness might be "terrible conditions"
It's pretty unlikely they'll notice us at this distance.
It is also worth noting that once our two people with Darkvision sneak off, the rest of us are going to be navigating the woods in the dark, meaning we're effectively "blind" to anything outside the soldier's campfire. Moving while blind has a risk of falling prone if you try to move faster than half speed.
They can't see us so the darkness is working. With the rolls even the +10 from distance isn't enough (although the perception table give hearing some walk as DC10, I have no idea how stealth roll effects that)
Nein. Albrέkt hast der gift of nicht sight. Let him guide you with their screams...
Strongly advise that if the guards go on high alert or discover Venk/Ember they change appearance to present themselves as star crossed lovers on a midnight tryst? Horse got away from them while they were "busy"?
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Never!!!!
He is but a lowly beast, unfit and unworthy.
It weren’t for her father’s grace. Ember would have put a knife in his gut a long time ago!
P.S:
Sure, Why not? xD
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Maybe as the handsome but single captain and the wife of the other captain.
I bags being the cheating wife.
You all got +15 to you stealths. One of the guards rolled a 20, so it really didn't matter what your rolls were.
Really it illustrates the issue with simplifying skills. I'm not arguing that we should go back to having spot, listen and search, but perception does fall apart when invisibility makes it almost impossible to detect someone clanking around in full plate.
Happy Tday to the people in the states. Have some turkey for me.
I'm going to be away of the this weekend, from last year I won't have mobile phone coverage so will be totally without internet. Please bot me if required.
Back from trip but down with the flu will catchup when I can, might be a couple of days sorry.
Is Albrekt impulsive?
I'm confused why he and Kaynen seem like they don't actually want to let Vank and Ember try the stealthy approach. It worked, the sentries are dead, the rest of the guards are asleep, and Albrekt just decided to ride a horse into the camp.
I'm confused and a little frustrated.
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Albrekt's an Urgathoan anti-paladin - I'm surprised he hasn't charged in already and started scything people to bring death upon them all.
That, and I wager lack of action for 4 months (out-of-game) has a few of our players antsy for some blood, given they're evil bastards and all that.
Savor the great upcoming roleplay?
(exasperated) "Albrekt, you didn't wait far away?!?"
"Ja..."
"That's all you have to say? Ja?"
"Ja..."
Pretty much what Kaynen said.
Albrέkt's natural compunction was to spearhead the assault and usher in their transition from life to death and Urgathoa's cold embrace. He's resisted the urge and is now planning on savouring the death and murder... plus I have some plans for the corpses ;)
The logic of the stealth approach is there, but bear in mind as a group of villains and black-hearts we all have our own motivations and mechanisations surrounding the Knot. Towing the Asmodean line is a means to an end for my wannabe deadite.
Also GMFang said this in gameplay
Ja lets regroup and Ja lets collectively start the slaughter..? Maybe I've read it wrong, but confusing and frustrating you is not my objective Xanos, apologies if that's the case.
Xanos I agree that destroying a good plan would be frustrating but I think in this case the GM pretty much said the plan succeeds everyone can join in finishing off (basically giving everyone else permission to stop me from hogging the spotlight) (:
No harm no foul. I have a tendency to look at every fight from the goal of how to make it as one sided as possible. In many cases, that means some people get to sit out as back up plans while the specialists do their jobs. I recognize that tactically sound plans aren't always the most fun from a gameplay perspective.
I guess it just depends on what everyone wants out of the game. I prefer a "black ops" approach whenever possible. Other people prefer a "kick in the doors" style of play.
It will sort itself out. I'm the newcomer I need to adapt to you.
As for now, bringing that gear back to town seems like a bad idea unless we plan on framing someone for murder or trying to impersonate the captain.
Is the bugbear army close enough out there that we could ride out to them and sell horses and gear?
I'll happily run with all types of approach - with Albrέkt he's a panzer more than ninja so am playing him with such a mindset.
Regards the plan - we could assume the patrol's identity?