How very thematically appropriate :D.
I always find it interesting when players come up with solutions I never even considered. When I thought up the crypt encounter, I built the last room mechanics without a thought of how to win and repair the font. Afterwards, I thought about it and was guessing the group would work to kill the sorcerer and workers first. Then, after combat, either try to heal or craft(alchemy). Embarrassingly, I never thought about extracting the magic in the middle of combat. Well done, Niyut. You scored the group an unexpected essence.
Now to see how the rest of the encounter resolves itself...
Now to see how the rest of the encounter resolves itself...
Truk'tosh gets up, Grymdor sends the last goblin shrieking into the afterlife with a traditional dwarven farewell (that being lethal physical trauma, of course), Malthazir is politely asked to touch those of us as need it with his creepy wand, we gather the hard-won loots, and stumble out of the crypt covered in glory and awesome!
Thanks! It was actually the goblins who gave me the idea. It seemed like they were pouring inimical essence into the dwarven spirits physical anchor, so I thought it could also be removed.
My fear was that it would extract both the goblin magic and the dwarven magic and then I would have to explain why I broke their sacred relic.
Luckily, it seems that I got a dwarven assist!
So, as I mentioned last week, on Saturday my old gaming group was together for a mega 12 hour gaming session. It was a lot of fun and we talked a lot about our old campaign world.
I talked at length over dinner with Mick, my co-GM all through college and grad school. I discussed with him the concept of essences as loot and magic item progression. He absolutely love the concept but had two issues with the mechanics. First, he thought the idea of casting a spell and beating a DC for either extracting or imbuing essences was clunky. Second, he didn't like making them randomized.
Tonight, on my way home from work, Mick gave me a call and we finished our discussion. I think he made some very valid points. He said regarding the first issue, why would I make the party fight the monsters for loot and then make them beat skill checks to see if they may lose the loot. As for the second issue, he reminded me that I could completely control the number of essence is entering the game dropping the randomized element and deciding when and how many assistan essences are found.
My premise for discovering and extracting the essences was to create some uncertainty and to force some actions in the middle of combat. As we have played several encounters now, I don't think it's adding much value and maybe detracting from the game.
I'd like to hear your thoughts before making a decision.
As to the matter of a skill check, I can offer little thought, since I'm not making any of those on behalf of Garidan. But making a check to identify and successfully draw an essence in fight is reasonable to me, as is a further check to actually use it. This isn't neat, refined magic here, all packaged up nice and pretty and ready to go. It's raw energy, and there should be a measure of risk and chance in its handling, especially in the chaos of an active fight.
On the matter of the random distribution, I'm quite satisfied actually. It adds an element of uncertainty, since unlike a shiny magic weapon or other item of power, you can't just look at someone and see a checklist of quality loot waiting to be claimed. It feels more authentic than simply winning a fight and suddenly essences pop up like little beacons over select bodies.
Or, to sum up in one sentence or less: I'm liking things as they are.
I don't mind the randomized element for random monsters. I would be sad if we defeated a mini-boss and didn't receive any treasure.
I think your friend has a valid point on the double jeopardy aspect of essences.
However, I do appreciate how extract essence let me do something really cool in the story today. That added a lot for me.
I agree with the others, I like the randomized element to it. The only warning I have is to make sure you choose a set DC that is based on your reasoning, not based on what our modifiers are. As the person who will be having the highest spellcraft check, I want to make it easy to grab essences on my part.
Essence Sweepstakes
1=Ga
2=M
3=Niyut
1=Ga
2=Niyut
HP: +5
BaB: +1
Will: +1
Feat: Extra Revelation (Dark Secrets)
Skills:
+2 Bluff
+2 Stealth
+2 Perception
+1 Spellcraft
+1 Sense Motive
+1 Kn: Religion
Spells: Blurred Movement (Mystery), Detect Poison, Shadow Trap (Dark Secrets)
Niyut, I notice you don't have any background skills in your level increase block there. You do know that Valjoen approved the use of those, right?
I am using my 1 background skill point for Kn: Religion. But thank you for bringing it up. I wouldn't want to forget anything.
Hmm, I believe you misunderstood. You get 2 background skills points at each level, in addition to a campaign bonus point to a Knowledge skill at each level.
Ahh, thanks! I did misunderstand. I will fix that.
Profession (Medium): +2
I've been reading a bit on Garidan's skills, deciding where I want to develop them, and I took a look at the Unchained skill system's skill unlocks. This is pretty interesting, and I wonder if you would be open to allowing this in the campaign.
Hurray! Lebel!
As for the essence system, I'm good either way. I'm normally not fond of adding extra randomness to my gaming but the stuff you've done in this game has been fun and harmless. I wouldn't mind keeping the system we've been using.
I'll get to the actual leveling tomorrow morning. I'm pretty tired right now.
Yay level! I'm a bit busy right now to do that but I'll get to it later.
I've been reading a bit on Garidan's skills, deciding where I want to develop them, and I took a look at the Unchained skill system's skill unlocks. This is pretty interesting, and I wonder if you would be open to allowing this in the campaign.
I'm unfamiliar how the unchained rules utilize skill unlocks for characters other than rogues. Let me read up on it today, and I'll let you know my thoughts.
I really enjoyed this last, rather extended encounter. Kudos!
Okay, leveling time.
Truk'tosh Level 3
+1 druid level
+9 hp (5 + 3 + 1)
+spell slots
+5 skill ranks (nature x1, perception x2, survival x2)
+2 background skills (handle animal x1, profession [trapper] x1)
Feat: orc weapon expertise [defender]
I'll take half for hp. Too risky not to on a wizard.
Malthazir level 3:
+1 Wizard level
+5 hp (4 + 1 favored class)
+1 0th level spell slot
+1 1st level spell slot
+1 BaB
+1 Will Save
+11 skill ranks (2 wizard, 6 INT, 2 background, 1 campaign)
Feat: Spell Specialization (currently applied to summon monster 1)
I've been reading a bit on Garidan's skills, deciding where I want to develop them, and I took a look at the Unchained skill system's skill unlocks. This is pretty interesting, and I wonder if you would be open to allowing this in the campaign.
I would be okay with anyone taking the Signature Skill feat once and unlocking a single skill.
As soon as Gruskorb checks in and has leveled up, I'll post the next update.
Gruskorb hasn't posted in any of his games since Wednesday. I sent him a DM. Hope he is okay, but he may not know that we have leveled.
Ok. Perhaps he is at GenCon.
I'm going to have a busy weekend, so I'll give him until Sunday night or Monday morning before posting.
Feel free to post any other actions you want to do in the font chamber before we move along.
Malthazir, I think you missed Garidan's question.
Or maybe, Malthazir is hold the line on his historic stance that all elves are jerks. :-p
I just heard from Gruskorb; his phone died. He says he can post on Monday.
@Garidan: The dwarven scout is "our map" after we finish here he is supposed to go with us "at least as far" as the exit to the mountain.
I only know this because I was rereading the thread. I was super busy in early July and the story with the dwarves didn't really sink in until recently.
Oh, I know he's with us long-term. I was talking about the about mission to clear the crypt specifically; does he need to tell the commander that it's secure or do we just come out whenever we come out. Kind of hate for us to clear the crypt so quickly and cleanly, only to get waxed by twitchy Ruby Guards because we surprised them. Or maybe we don't have time to screw around properly looting the goblins, because someone needs reinforcements and we're available.
On a somewhat related note, I wonder if Garidan can finagle the party a performance bonus. We turned 18 goblins into dead meat in as many rounds, which is less than 2 minutes of actual time, I believe. Not to mention saving the crypt from whatever defilement was going on, and even reversing what defilement did occur (seriously, that draining the tainted essence out of the font was freaking brilliant!).
Dice for the who gets the armor?
If Gruskorb, Truk-tosh, and Garidan all want it, I can do a sweepstakes for the armor.
But given that it is only useful to 3/5s of us maybe talking it out would be best? Maybe Garidan is the only one interested.
I don't imagine it'd fit Truk well and it's no better than his current armor.
If Garidan wants it he can have it.
I don't imagine it'd fit Truk well and it's no better than his current armor.
If Garidan wants it he can have it.
Armor resizes to suit the wearer, actually, sizes Small and Medium for certain, possibly Large. Maximum comfort, no chafing :p. Plus, it can become a bonded item and use essences.
By the numbers, it's a little better than Truk-tosh's existing armor. +1 AC, +2 max Dex, -1 penalty, and 15 pounds lighter.
As for the final distribution, should wait for Gruskorb to return and make a pitch for it. In fact, by the numbers alone, he would benefit most from it. It would double his armor AC bonus, for 5 pounds less, at a cost of 1 point of max Dex and 1 point of armor penalty.
Truk's player is very particular about his armor.
Magic armor resizes to fit the wearer. I was under the impression this was non-magic masterwork armor currently.
In any case it's the same armor bonus as Truk's current armor (+4) and the max dex is of little benefit for Truk as his dex is poor.
I believe Garidan is saying this armor does resize. Almost like a second skin . . . .
Ah, I missed that.
Here's the description Valjoen gave. Mind that the goblin was Small, and every suit of armor we recovered except this one was specifically noted as being sized for Small wearers. So how does a Small opponent provide armor that can be worn by a Medium-sized person? Make the armor Medium, but throw some fluff about the material being stretchy, which is what Valjoen did.
It doesn't resize like magic armor does. Just stretches to fit the big & tall crowd. Any implication otherwise was a brain fart on my part, for wbich I apologize.
It's spandex!
You know, I'd rather it were spandex than what Garidan suspects it might actually be. Running around in red armored fabric that leaves nothing to the imagination is somehow less horrid than the alternative.
I actually think that its sordid origins make it that much more flavorful.
Considering that the source of that leather probably spent its last moments begging futilely for its life before being eaten by the makers of that armor, I think your use of the word 'flavorful' in regards to its origins is entirely in poor taste :p.
I wonder if the crypt has a secret room? That 'I'-shaped section in the center is awfully suspicious. And one of the niches in the burial chamber is missing a statue. Could that niche be a door?
Eh, dwarves probably wouldn't appreciate us nosing about if there is, in fact, such a hidden portion. But I surely am curious.
Apologies for the delay. Indeed, I was at GenCon and though I had a great time, my phone did not. I will make a gameplay post in the morning.
I have no qualm with essences as they are currently handled. The chance to lose them while being random does seem punishing, but that fits with the harshness of the conditions present in the world.
Welcome back!
No linguistics check for Gruskorb, though I would contend knowing the alphabet/structure of one language in a group can allow one to identify the other languages (but not meanings). From what I gather, nearly any Frank can separate Spanish from Italian, though they might not know the precise meaning.
In regards to leveling, I'm assuming it is the non-spirit class which increases.
In regards to leveling, I'm assuming it is the non-spirit class which increases.
Actually, you may level up in either class.
Yep, one class level of your choice.