Shout out to all of you who have better 5e rules fu than me regarding Reynwyn's post asking about mounted combat. I'll look up rules now, but if anyone has quick answers feel free to jump in :)
From the srd article:
Mounted Combat
A knight charging into battle on a warhorse, a wizard casting spells from the back of a griffon, or a cleric soaring through the sky on a pegasus all enjoy the benefits of speed and mobility that a mount can provide.
A willing creature that is at least one size larger than you and that has an appropriate anatomy can serve as a mount, using the following rules.Mounting and Dismounting
Once during your move, you can mount a creature that is within 5 feet of you or dismount. Doing so costs an amount of movement equal to half your speed. For example, if your speed is 30 feet, you must spend 15 feet of movement to mount a horse. Therefore, you can't mount it if you don't have 15 feet of movement left or if your speed is 0.
If an effect moves your mount against its will while you're on it, you must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or fall off the mount, landing prone in a space within 5 feet of it. If you're knocked prone while mounted, you must make the same saving throw.
If your mount is knocked prone, you can use your reaction to dismount it as it falls and land on your feet. Otherwise, you are dismounted and fall prone in a space within 5 feet it.Controlling a Mount
While you're mounted, you have two options. You can either control the mount or allow it to act independently. Intelligent creatures, such as dragons, act independently.
You can control a mount only if it has been trained to accept a rider. Domesticated horses, donkeys, and similar creatures are assumed to have such training. The initiative of a controlled mount changes to match yours when you mount it. It moves as you direct it, and it has only three action options: Dash, Disengage, and Dodge. A controlled mount can move and act even on the turn that you mount it.
An independent mount retains its place in the initiative order. Bearing a rider puts no restrictions on the actions the mount can take, and it moves and acts as it wishes. It might flee from combat, rush to attack and devour a badly injured foe, or otherwise act against your wishes.
In either case, if the mount provokes an opportunity attack while you're on it, the attacker can target you or the mount.
So it looks like Reynwyn is getting all that movement!
Okay, that's what I was thinking as well, but it did seem like a lot of movement. Also, I just wanted to confirm that the mount utilizes its own actions for the Dash? So if Reynwyn had something that he could do as a bonus or move action, he could still do all that in addition to casting his spell?
If we decide that is a little overpowered, I'm okay with us being required to utilize some sort of action type to control the mount.
To be fair, being mounted does tend to give certain advantages.
For Revjak, Thunder is more of a delivery method for glaive. ;)
Mounts are great in open spaces :)
Ok folks, so we've only really completed the "prologue" of this campaign so far, but I'd like to hear your feedback on how you're enjoying it, or what you're missing that you'd like to see more of. So I'd like to conduct a bit of a campaign audit. Below are some questions for you all to answer - you don't have to of course, but I'd like to know what you'd like in your game. So feel free to post your feedback here, openly or in a spoiler, or to PM me if you'd prefer. Anything from a sentence to a large paragraph for each one would be great. Please be honest, I'm pretty thick-skinned, and my main objective is providing a fun game for you all, and the best way for me to do that is to understand what you like in your game.
With all that said and done, here's the questions:
• How do you feel about the tempo of the game?
• What are some of the things (if any) that you're really enjoying about this campaign that you would like to see continue?
• What's missing, i.e. what would you like to see more of?
• What can I do to make the game more enjoyable for you?
Thanks in advance :)
I think the tempo of the game has been great. It is one of my favorites for consistent posting.
I really like the use of the static maps, instead of Roll20 due to my inability to access the latter during my peak posting times.
Nothing really...a well-balanced game...
Already enjoying it immensely...
I can appreciate wanting feedback, so since you ask, here's mine.
The tempo of this game is really good. Some slow patches but that's inevitable with pbp format. Overall, thumbs up.
The static maps are an improvement. Easier to access.
There's a nice balance of plot and action, so far so good!
It's a thoroughly fun game! You've adapted to situations really well, such as with the mask. That's a cool future plot hook.
Well, glad to hear you guys are enjoying it so far, but feel free throw some constructive criticism in there - I honestly wasn't fishing for compliments, I'd like to hear how I can make the game even better :)
Just to add, I've done a lot of loose plotting for this game; I've got some villains sorted out, some general ideas of "quests" etc (often drawn from your backstories), and a bunch of "side quest" hooks that you can pick up or not as you please. If there are plot directions you'd like to see, PM those to me. I'll do my best to incorporate them in some form or another.
Well, it's also important to emphasise what is going right with a game. Because otherwise, that can end up seeming less valuable.
For example I find your clarity in posts normally very good, and it's something I aim for in my own. Pbp is a format where confusion is very easy. Something as simple as clearly stating whose action it is, is helpful information.
It will be interesting to see how the party responses to options as so far our path has been pretty straightforward. And a good villain can inspire players to great deeds. :D
Yep once we get to Waterdeep there will be room for the party to be as self-directed as you all want. I have some cool things planned to throw in front of you, and plenty of options for you to take. I had planned for the Harpers to take a central role, but nobody seems too fond of them, so dealing with them will be an option you can take or leave. But nothing is planned too strictly, and I'm keen to see where you all want to take the story.
• How do you feel about the tempo of the game?
The tempo has been great for me. There have been a few times when my posting has been much slower than the rest of the party, for which I am sorry.
• What are some of the things (if any) that you're really enjoying about this campaign that you would like to see continue?
I like how you are throwing in little things that are customized towards our characters and that everyone feels engaged with the NPCs.
• What's missing, i.e. what would you like to see more of?
Thus far I cannot say that I find anything to really be missing. I feel that you have done a good job working everyone's character into the story quite well.
• What can I do to make the game more enjoyable for you?
At this point there is not much more that could make this more enjoyable. I have really had a wonderful time with the game. I look forward to getting into Waterdeep and being able to explore into Reynwyn's personal interests there and seeing how things play out.
In regards to the Harpers, Reynwyn really has not had interactions with them before this and does not really have a vested interest either way. Perhaps as things develop with his patron and some of the things you and I discussed regarding possible enemy factions, that could definitely change.
• How do you feel about the tempo of the game?
I think we're keeping a good pace; Ask me again in a few months though.
• What are some of the things (if any) that you're really enjoying about this campaign that you would like to see continue?
I think our group gels together really well, and I think we have the potential for some interesting character background interactions coming to the fore.
• What's missing, i.e. what would you like to see more of?
I'm actually pretty happy with where things are now; again, ask me in a few months.
• What can I do to make the game more enjoyable for you?
See my answer to the question above this one.
I think I may be the only member of the group with strong ties to the Harpers and a desire to join their ranks. Feel free to include the Harper exposure for the benefit of Carric and his character development.
Okay great - it'll definitely be there for you to explore :) And if the rest of the party isn't too keen to get too involved, I'll work out things you can do yourself.
Thanks for all the positive feedback too, folks. Let's leave those questions, particularly what you're missing or would like to see more of, as open questions. Post in here or by PM whenever you want to see more of something, or have ideas about what I can add in.
I must remember barbarian's 'danger sense' gives Revjak advantage on Dex saves from effects that he can see.
@Carric: You could be the Harper representative in the party. ;)
Oh yeah...gladly!
That could definitely work out quite well, Carric.
My backstory has a tie to the Harpers as an agent that sort of triggered my wanderlust and a mentor.
Harpers have always been aholes, in my personal experience. Hopefully, when you drink the koolaid, you do not succumb to that yourself =P
Been a Harper Agent, and been on the wrong side of them. They are certainly meddlers, but I will not overkill it...no worries.
Do you mean other PCs who have been Harpers, Piety? Harpers are meant to basically be "the good guys", so I'm not sure what the issue would be, unless they've been misplayed - or you just don't like the good guys! If you have any worries about what Harpers are going to be like in my campaign, let me know.
Piety, you will enjoy Carric as a Harper.
I haven't had issues with them in game myself, though I do know players who regard them as a manipulative organisation. Revjak just hasn't had reason to deal with them one way or another yet.
I've seen it on both sides of the screen: players who like to think being a member of a secret society gives them weight they can throw around, and on the other side, every time I've taken work from a harper they've tried to screw me over, usually with some justification about the "greater good", or they've been so secretive that their withholding of information has led to character deaths.
Mind, under no circumstances am I telling you not to play a Harper Carric; I'm just saying that in my experience over multiple GMs, editions, and with different groups have proven out the same thing over and over.
Yeah I can see how that could happen... I'll do my best not to repeat the formula! There are definitely manipulative Harpers, and Khelben Arunsun is one of those, I believe, but my intentions with the Waterdhavian Harpers are to provide a pretty different feel to that. Having said that, I can see how Piety wouldn't really be one to go for the Harpers anyhow. However, he may find opportunities to use such bumbling fools for his own ends, to gather information and power.
Just sitting here, watching Wimbledon and reading through my 2e City of Splendors books... 5e is a much nicer system, but there's a real style about the old setting material stuff that I love. Maybe it's just nostalgia. In any case, really looking forward to getting there :)
Hey all, sorry about my disappearance. My mother had surgery this week and it did not go well, so is okay and recovering, but needed some extra help from my siblings and I. I was quite beat with all the heat and the insanity that brings out in people. I took a day of R&R for myself yesterday and am back to work today. I'll work on getting caught up!
Very understandable! I hope that your mother is now recovering well.
Apologies here too everyone, had a very busy weekend, but back on deck now :)
No worries Hewy.
Hey all, I'm still around, but my creative juices are a little low today. I had to work over four hours until 3am this morning and then be up a few hours later to take care of my little man while the wife went to work until I then had to come back to work this evening. I kept trying to get in and post, but seems like every time I just couldn't get the old brain to want to work. I will be rejuvenated tomorrow after some well deserved sleep shortly.
Hey there Reyn, don't stress, it seems like you have a lot on your plate at the moment. I have too, lately, and at times I've had to resign myself to just posting up a brief sentence or two in the games I'm playing. Don't feel you need to make awesome posts all the time, bare bones posts when you're under the pump are just fine. In any case, this game seems to be rolling along nicely, so we won't fall apart if you can't post every day :)
On that note, I'm happy for you folks to chat to these (or any) NPCs as long as you like - there may be story developments that come from interacting with them, or they may be just window dressing. In some cases, they might start as window dressing, but I might dream up plot ideas with them as you're talking to them. But feel free to decide for yourselves either you've had enough and want to get things rolling again, or that you want to keep chatting. I'm happy either way, it is (and should always be) up to you.
Reynwyn, like Hewy says, you have other matters to attend to. No worries.
Hewy, I'm happy to respond so long as I can think of responses for Revjak.
I will be unlikely to be able to post this weekend.
No probs, thanks for the heads up Revjak :)
So I don't know if anyone ever looks, but our NPC roster on the campaign info page is growing considerably. Please consider revisiting any of these people if you get the chance, and rest assured you will see many of them popping up in the future as well :)
No problem. :)
I have looked over that list every so often, the last time being when we arrived in Triboar. And I look forward to seeing a few old faces crop up again.
I know one NPC that Reynwyn is looking forward to running into again! ;) Hah!
Sorry folks, just got a new pooch yesterday, so have been completely distracted from the rest of my life by that.
No worries, Hewy! Also, I just realized that Reynwyn forgot to ask about the owner of the spellbook when they got back to Melton...
That opportunity won't be lost Reynwyn...
Sorry folks, I've been quite ill. On the mend now.
No worries Hewy. I hope your recover is swift and total.
Sorry to hear that, Hewy! I second Revjak.
Our employer is a magnet for trouble! Or at least that book is. ;)
So after that battle, total party XP is 4450, which takes you all to... 890 XP! So take 10 more each for, you know, being cool, which means you can all level up :)
Hot damn! Being cool is always appreciated ;)
Book of Shadows here I come! Mwa-hahahhaahah! More Cantrips! MORE I SAY!
*EDIT*
Less than average, so I'll take the standard 5 HP + 1 from Con for a total of 6 additional HP.
*EDIT*
Pact of the Tome (Grants three cantrips)
- Guidance
- Spare the Dying
- Toll the Dead
Spells
- Suggestion (2nd level)
Back to Fighter I go!
+11 HP
Gain Action Surge
Nice roll Piety :)