Striding Into the Gates of Hell - a Wrath of the Righteous Campaign (Inactive)

Game Master Mark Sweetman

Welcome welcome, and thanks for coming. This will be our little OOC hang-out while our electronic alter-egos battle against demonic hordes and what not. As stated in the Recruitment thread - our motley crew shall consist of:

• Meowzebub - Nessa Glenbrook - Halfling Fighter (Unbreakable) of Chaldira Zozaristan
  
• Mark Thomas 66 - Gregori - Paladin (Warrior of Light) of Ragathiel
  
• mbauers - Theodric Abernathy - Wizard (Abjurer) of Irori
  
• Bombadil - Aarol Varien - Half Elf Rogue (Rake) of Desna
  
• Harrol the Pilgrim - Halfling Cleric of Iomedae
  
• Joana - Eudocia Fairday - Human (Taldan) Bard (Archaeologist) of Soralyon

Once we've gotten everybody checked in, then we can run through a few bits and bobs with respect to the group and Kenabres (based on Player's Guide information). I won't get the first volume of the AP until Wednesday when the PDF goes on sale, and will want to read it through well and ponder before finalizing the opening tableau.

So until then, please take a seat and work up the alias for your characters :)

Checking in, Mark. :)

Hey everybody, very excited for this. Thanks VoV for picking me! I will make a profile probably tomorrow and I'll read the PG when I can.

Thanks for the selection and hello to new friends and some old.

I will finalize the profile this weekend. I kind of held off to see if I was selected as I need to purchase the Races Guidebook for my Herolab to finalize the racial traits and feats I am using for Nessa.

Hello everyone, I'm very glad to be part of this group, Thanks for the invite VoV!

Here is the first draft for Aarol, little points may change throughout this weekend as I finalize the build.

VoV, from the player's guide, the campaign trait 'chance encounter' would be perfect if that encounter could have occurred a month ago when he first arrived in Kenabres rather than in his youth?

Checking in

Hi, Meowzebub! Mark Thomas, don't know if you remember, but I've played with Gregori Shadowbane before: I was Zo the rogue in Kill Bargle four years ago. :)

mbauers, I noticed your PC was coming from Oppara as well. If it accords with the DM's plans, are you open to Eudocia and Theodric having traveled north with the same group of crusaders?

And I with Caerb! How is it we always end up with a dynamic duo of short-people? Joana, I recognise you from the other Reign of Winter group. The rest of new are new faces.

Thrilled to have made the cut against so many strong submissions. I'm glad something so simplistic on my part triumphed over all of those long and intimidating backstories. I've been preaching a "less is more" philosophy at my game table when it comes to character creation. I'm glad to see it proving true!

I've been having some thoughts about crunch. The Touch of Divinity campaign trait is awesome enough to kiss Blessed Touch goodbye (and more or less totally what I was looking for) and the free holy symbol lets me take a flask of holy water or a second scroll. The rest of Harrol's pockets still need sorting out. I've also got my last domain to decide on (probably the good domain. I'm surprised that Iomedae's selection is so small. Who gets Nobility if not her?). Alternatively I could take the Crusader archetype or Theologian archetypes and stick with just the one domain (heroism subdomain. It doesn't have a single bad spell on it!)

I'll probably do all of that this evening. Today I'll be helping a friend of mine with a radio-play for her degree. I'm pretty stoked. Goofy accents are probably my favourite part of roleplaying.

Thanks for the invite! I'll have Harrol done by Wednesday for sure.

I'm surprised that Iomedae's selection is so small. Who gets Nobility if not her?

Abadar, basically.

Joana, that's fine with me if VoV is cool with it. Theodric is the type of guy who could really benefit from knowing someone in the group before the adventure starts.

Hi, Meowzebub! Mark Thomas, don't know if you remember, but I've played with Gregori Shadowbane before: I was Zo the rogue in Kill Bargle four years ago. :)

mbauers, I noticed your PC was coming from Oppara as well. If it accords with the DM's plans, are you open to Eudocia and Theodric having traveled north with the same group of crusaders?

Wow I do remember that, small world, good to see you again.

Crunch is coming along. I think I will take an archetype over the good domain and it's assorted fiddly powers (So many touch of x standard actions, eugh.)

Harrol's going to be either a Theologian, which lets him focus on his one domain without hitting his spellcasting at all, giving a boost to his touch of glory and letting him add extend spell to his domain buff spells. OR a crusader, which hurts his spellcasting but will give him 3 bonus feats from a limited list (well, strictly speaking one every 5 levels, but I'm only likely to see two or three (and probably taking them from among weapon focus, MWP: Lance, saving shield, weapon spec and improved critical) and also lets him share his buffs at 8th level among the entire party as if it were a metamagic spell.

Also I should probably take warslinger over fleet of foot, to which I say blegh. I'll be rocking a sling and perhaps a shield later on and be a support combatant. My feats will go to grabbing precise shot and other such useful things (although depending on what we run into I might take Turn Undead or somehing), and my actions will go to spells like bless, shield of faith, prot evil, bless weapon, animal stat and eventually, heroism. So you're in good hands, as far as party buffing goes. I'll try to squeeze in a few Summons and Planar Allies as things progress, and I'll be able to cast a few epic spells as well, which is an exciting thought. Alternatively I could swap the numbers around and use some Variant Channeling, take Selective Canneling and be a total noncombatant, but... I can see that getting stale fast.

The Cliff Notes: Harrol will throw rocks at things and buff you. What do the rest of the party bring to a fight? Skimming over your "recruiter" posts now (and can I just say I love, love, love Joana's bard! ... and all of the other submissions at that. Especially the fact that Harrol will be COMPLETELY out of his depth dealing with all of them, save perhaps our friendly paladin.)

Excellent - looks like we all found our way here.

Aarol - if you'd like to take chance encounter, feel free to shape it to be in your youth or even outside of the worldwound. As I intimated before, the campaign traits are not required. Seems they tie into only one spot in the third book of the AP - so I'm sure they can be worked around.

Joana and mbauers travelling from Oppara together is perfectly fine by me.

Meowzebub / Twigs - I actually didn't consciously realise that I'd replicated the short bus duo until just now...

FYI - Where I found Harrol intriguing is the forced innocence and hope. A blank sheet ready to attempt to weather and withstand all that the Worldwound can throw.

Nobility domain is also with a few empyreal lords: Eritrice, Ragathiel, Seramaydiel, Olheon, Smiad... but none of them have Glory.

As far as ironing out the last few bits and pieces of the game start - is everyone happy to wait till Wednesday? Once I get the Gazetteer for Kenabres and the opening montage of the AP I'll be able to mould it around the party.

Works for me.

yea, I'm good with any timeframe

Also I should probably take warslinger over fleet of foot, to which I say blegh.

Be a Separatist and take Travel domain? Dip a level of barbarian? ;)

I love the fact that our front line consists of a 6'5 Aasimar and a 3'Halfling

you should take the 'throw anything' feat and chuck Nessa into combat, then charge in behind her

I believe Colossus and Wolverine call that a "Fastball Special" ;-)

Wednesday sounds good to me

The 15th is Thursday, isn't it? (Probably almost Friday for Mark when the PDF releases Seattle-time.)

Fastball special

Friday? Well, we can wait. (But we don't have to like it! :P)

Had the morning off so took my first peek at the mythic rules. According to paizo, we're supposed to start the 3rd adventure as 9th level characters with 3 mythic tiers, and to get my head around the rules, I decided to see what that meant)

The verdict: Holy crap! If the support cleric is this g%$#*&n strong, what will we be fighting? (I'm frightened)

Profile created.

Harrol, did you find that info out from the playtest or something? Will the mythic rules, feats, etc be available on the SRD, or do I have to buy a book?

I have a playtest document from a few weeks ago. Probably quite dated now, but it's free somewhere on the paizo site. I assume seeing its a hardcover it'll end up on the SRD eventually, but there tends to be a short waiting period on that. I dont think we go mythic until the end of the first adventure, but if we dont all have access to it by that point I'm sure those of us that have it can share the pdf.

you should take the 'throw anything' feat and chuck Nessa into combat, then charge in behind her

Funny thing is, I think Nessa would be game with that.

Bah - aye, got it a little wrong. It'll be Thursday at roughly 3pm in the afternoon my time when I get my gribbly little electronic hands on the first chapter of the AP.

Harrol - aye, the addition of mythic power should make things interesting :)

Theodric - by the time that we get to 4th level and engage mythicness, they'll likely be on the PRD.

What do the rest of the party bring to a fight?

I'm glad you asked this because I was doing something foolish with the build of Aarol and didn't realize it until I went to answer that question. He'll be a brute type rogue that uses two handed weapons and sneak attack to deliver as much damage as possible on a single hit. The rake's bravado ability will eventually combine with the shatter defenses feat to create his own sneak attack opportunities, but that won't be until level 8.

Nessa will be a mobile fighter/striker using Armor Training to keep her alternate racial adjusted speed at 30'. Getting underfoot or in over her head is her specialty. Big two-handed weapons will keep her damage up.

Gregori's a sword and board tank. Choc full of HP, heavy armor, can go 2 handed when needed and specializes in damaging evil.

He also works as Buffer/debuffer while battling. Special abilities like Halo and Daylight impose effects on enemies, and as of 4th, Warrior of Holy Light adds bonuses to allies AC, attack, damage and saves vs fear. Secondary healer and as of 8th can heal up to 1d4 ability damage to all allies.

Since he gets bonus uses of Lay on Hands (And will take the Extra LOH feat) will pick up feats like Channeled Smite, Charge of the Righteous and Channeled Shield wall to be a full on warmachine in the future.

hey VoV, I gave Aarol a cold iron longspear and 50 cold iron arrows, though less than an 8 gp investment for a simple weapon and arrows, I wanted to clear that with you as any unusual material that bypasses DR can be a bit weird just having at 1st level. I've no problem at all setting that back to normal material if preferred. (by 'just having', he bought them on entering Mendev with the purpose of fighting demons in the crusade)

I had no idea that was a "fastball special", but how very appropriate, and the trope link was fitting :) I have a character for a home game that was based on The Tick and starts combat by chucking "little wooden boy" at a foe, then charging into the fray. Great fun, though the call of 'medic' seems to rise often.

Aarol - I'm reasonably open to the cold iron, though I'd question having all of the arrows as the metal. Having is perfectly explainable through being part of the crusades - but I'd have thought even they would value and cherish the arrowheads for only hard targets... and have some regular steel for non-demonic targets.

All - after getting some more of the details of the campaign trait 'supercharging' during the AP, I'm proposing a simple change to take it into consideration.

The Channel Divinity freebie trait effect will be replaced with the mechanical effects of the campaign trait of your choice (which pretty much corresponds to what mythic path you'll end up taking). This will let you guys get access to the appropriate mythic upgrade to the trait when it occurs.

Given no-one has read the revised mythic rules, please consider this a fluid and flexible choice until you get your first mythic tier. As in, if in the first couple of levels you decide to change path - the mechanical effects change as well.

Does this work for everyone?

Sounds like a plan. As the Playtest rules go, Nessa was looking at the Champion Mythic Path.

But Mark, you'll be missing out on the most important part of the traits, which is the chance to play a character in someone else's prewritten novel! :P

Sorry; tired of being told a wonderful innovation it is for Paizo to build people's backgrounds for them over in the argue-y threads. Sounds like a good workaround, but I have no idea which Path I'm going to end up in. The whole reason I'm playing the "selfish" bard archetype is because I don't like playing the party's walking wondrous item, and a lot of the Marshal powers in the playtest are "stand there and give another PC a bonus." I'm hoping there are more interesting options in the final book.

yep, works for me

arrows set to 20 cold iron and 20 regular

I get your feelings about the bard Joana, it's the reason I'm loving the fact that the Holy light Paladin gets to give bonuses while whomping people.

I'm under the understanding that morale bonuses don't stack anyway, so while I don't necessarily agree with your stance on bards we don't really have a need for one by the time Harrol can cast all-day heroism. The more selfish she is, the more effective my buffs will be, I'm guessing. The archaeologist's luck ability is a LUCK bonus, which is amazing.

I like the changes, though. Given the way mythic power works there was a bit of overlap with the Channel Divinity trait. If this is the case though, Harrol still needs his mundane gear filled out and a new trait. Today's a big day for me (12 hours of class and then a date!) so I'll have to get that sorted tomorrow (and I'll try to get a RoW post in too, sorry about that!)

It's not really a stance, per se: I don't think the standard bard is "bad," and I love having one in the party; I just get bored filling the buffing role. I don't want to be the wind beneath someone else's wings; I want a chance to shine myself. I'm perfectly willing to accept that it's a character flaw. :)

Yup the Bard is the guy on the team whose only stat in the record books is assists. Will download the Players Guide when I get home.

There is a blog preview of a few mythic path abilities which is quite interesting - Champion Barbarians can get a free action enlarge at tier 3.

Playing support characters can be fun at some times (I play a Varisian Pilgrim Cleric whose sole focus is party support) but it can be a bit of a drag otherwise. The tidbits of the mythic tiers seem to suggest that things are going to get wacky pretty quick though.

Not long to wait now - another 36 hours or so and I'll be in a position with the first AP volume to get the gameplay thread cracking.

And it's all a matter of perspective, too. A bard using IC is dealing one damage per round for each ally that hits. And when someone exactly hits, all of that character's damage should really be credited to the bard. But I'm sure we've all heard that argument before ;-)

As for my role in the party--well, as I've said, I want to eventually take levels in the Riftwarden prestige class--it just looks really cool to me. It's got Spell Focus (Abjuration) as a prerequisite, which is a drag as it's pretty worthless, but I like the idea of being an abjurer (even though the spell list at certain levels is pretty lackluster). It looks like we already have some decent buffing, so I'll probably focus on some battlefield control to let the damage dealers beat on some people. Also, I want to take some of the counterspell options/feats. I assume I'll be taking Archmage for the mythic tiers.

Guardian path looks perfect for Gregori

I don't know what kind of pathfinder bards you've had at your tables, but I typically only see them buff for a round (whether plain inspire courage or level 8 move action inspire + haste or good hope. That's a round of spellcasting/performance and then they're a 3/4 BAB wrecking ball with a stack of bonuses on them, enough to hit to make sure those power attacks and rapid shots hit. The bards buffs apply to himself as well!

Theodoric, have you looked at the following focused school from the APG?

Yeah, I've thought about it. The feat is nice (as is the immediate action counterspell), but the disruption power is utterly worthless (as in, I can't see ever being in a situation to use it). At low levels the duration is too short (not to mention requires a touch attack) and at high levels concentration checks are easier to make.

I guess it's just a question of what's better, the counterspelling boosts or some minor resistances. I guess the former is a bit better, so maybe I should take counterspell.

VoV, you ok with this?

I got Nessa's profile up. Just need to finish up with the equipment.

Theodric - I'm cool with it if you are.

Ok, I'll do that then. And I'll add the archmage campaign trait too instead of Channel Divinity. Do we get those right away? So including the Channel Divinity freebie and the extra one from my drawback, I should have 4 traits, right?

Yep - sounds right Theodric.

Great, I'm all updated.

My subscription order shipped today, so I got to take a look at the final Mythic rules. Marshal path is still lackluster. There are bard-specific abilities, but they all work off performances. Apparently archaeologists can't be Mythic. Nobody tell Indy. ;P

Still working on spells and gear for Docia. She has Diplomacy/Bluff covered and can obviously make Knowledge checks. I'll try to coordinate with Theodric on Knowledge ranks, but given her interests and goals, I can't avoid duplicating his investment in Knowledge (history). She has Acrobatics to either set up flanks or get out of melee, probably the latter more than the former until she can afford decent armor. Other than that, in combat, arrows and/or possible tripping with her whip, assuming we're not stuck in 5-foot-corridors all the time.

I now have in my hands the first chapter of the AP, and it opens almost exactly as I'd hoped / thought - which ties in well with my intentions. I'll give it time to digest and hopefully have an opening post up with pertinent background information tonight.