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Safe travels
First measurable snow of the winter in central Ohio. Woohoo!!!
Alviss, of course, is still running towards the battle as fast as his stubby little legs will carry him...
I'm home now! My computer died on the last leg of my trip, so I'm still catching up on all my PbPs. I need Elesandira's actions to continue, If she doesn't post soon I'll roll for her to move things forward.
A quick heads up- if I don't hear from someone after 48 hours I will run the character and make any rolls necessary to keep things moving. I know stuff happens IRL and that we'll all miss a day or two now and again, just wanted to let everyone know what to expect.
Sorry my fault, I made AoO and forgot my action, I apoligize
@Lummel: Thanks for keeping the map up to date, it's incredibly helpful!...
no problem on that.
remember to download the libraries:'File->Add resource to Library' then click on the red icon and select the whole list.
I find Torstan's folders very useful.
Grid setup:
View->Grid
View->Coordinates
General use:
Select 'Background' in the 'Layer' floating toolbox
Then browse the resource library folder tree, when you get to a directory not empty you will be shown the thumbnails. Drag one on the map.
Is better if you right click it and select 'snap to grid', then ctrl-c ctrl-v to add some more, otherwise you would need to 'snap to grid' all of them
Right click 'arrange->bring in front/send to back' for correct superimposition.
Right click 'size->xxxx' to make the objects 1x1 2x2 4x4 etc...
Same things for objects and tokens (aka characters), just remember to select the right layer in the toolbox.
Labels
right click on a token 'Edit...' you can change name and write notes
then 'View->token names' and you have the labels always on
Right clik on token 'state->xxxx' you can have symbols on it for dead, wounded etc...
There is also an health bar but I don't think we need it
how high is the roof of these buildings?
These are 2-story buildings with businesses on the bottom floor and residences on the top. Approximately 20' tall, with moderately sloped roofs.
If Lummell survives this encounter he needs to do some drilling with his men on showing up during a public disturbance!
:P
It's a large town, and the disturbance has only been going on for a minute or two now. The module specifies a 2d10 minute response time, but I reserve the right to fudge that roll :)
I think Lummel's action for round 4 has already been posted above (I posted before, cause had some business and didn't want to slow down the game). I might be confused.
BTW yes I hadn't add the -4 but I guess I already miss this way so...
Maybe is better if in combat posts we put something like
to keep things clearer. I often mess up with turns.
And yep, Lummel is down to 2 HP (four rounds and I got 3 critical threats? You are way too alike my tabletop master, he had me hate rogues.)
Yep, I missed that, guess I thought it was an AoO or something.
Things are looking grim, but you still have a pulse! After the first nasty critical I thought you'd settle into fighting defensively, or even full defense, and wait for the others to catch up.
I was aiming for this encounter to be CR 8, but I think I may have overdone it... we'll see where the dice fall.
It seemed to me something was missing: 4 rounds 4 critical threats. Is not the CR that's wrong, is the statistic : )
Hey Simon,
Since Lummel is just laying there, bleeding, could you update the map for round 5?
:-)
i will wait for Elsa's actions, because ziz's will be very dependent on how her turn goes.
Thanks Simon. I thought about channelling energy. Then not so much....
As alviss hits the area, can he tell if either the rat at k6 or L7 appears wounded? He would be looking at them during his move action.
And I think he also has to wait until his turn to yell out to Elsa, right?
Thanx
Speaking is typically a free action that can be done at any time, so long as it is brief (not a conversation or bluff/intimidate/diplomacy).
the rat with the red dot (WR02) has been wounded by Elesandira's arrows, WR1 is the one that has been targeted by Lummel, i think he is missing the tail
I thought free was a bonus to current action. What you described sounded like an immediate action. Your def is better for alviss, tho....
it usually is, however....
Speak
In general, speaking is a free action that you can perform even when it isn't your turn. Speaking more than a few sentences is generally beyond the limit of a free action.
Does celestial seem like an unbalanced race to anybody else?
Yes, but all of the templates/races that don't specifically have rules from Paizo for use by PCs are "unbalanced". When I made the option available, I expected to be flooded with characters taking advantage of the reduced point buy...
Usually, when someone create an alternate race has to give them some appealing, so, in they go a lot of boons.
It would much more interesting build a race upon the concept instead of the rules, but that is more a matter of setting, not an easy path.
oi, seems my options are limited. just out of range from the big guys to bring some hurt, and i risk getting hacked to pieces if i advance. i suppose ill do what i can to shield lummel...
Thanks Simon. I thought about channelling energy. Then not so much....
Note that even though they're not on the map, there are a number of injured and dying townsfolk in the immediate area.
Does celestial seem like an unbalanced race to anybody else?
I love flying races but rarely get to play them.
With the amount of building/dungeon work that adventurers do the flight is not as awesome as it can seem and, to be honest, I'm proving fairly useless at the moment.
I'm usually rather tight-lipped when it comes to hints/advice from the GM. Since this is your first combat with the character and you didn't have the benefit of discovering her abilities organically and figuring out how to play her over the course of several adventures, I'll toss this out there...
If you had used your smite evil on the surprise round then at least one rat would be very, very dead. Your smite evil specifies that it works 'as a paladin', which means you ignore DR and get a hefty bonus to hit and damage.
I've never played a paladin.
I just read the smite rules.
They are awesome.
Considering Lummel's pedicament, it may well come into play.
Oops. Read divine bond wrong. My bad. That is 8th level.
I figured alviss would ignore the illusion because lummel is laying at his feet at the end of the move. I'll roll save
Since I don't have holy (which alviss would have known), can I attack instead?
There's a billowing, wraith-like version of Lummel hovering over his corpse. Alviss has probably seen enough necromancy to know that's a bad sign... conversely he may be knowledgeable enough to discount the figment as an illusion.
If Alviss decides to ignore it, that's fine... just make sure he's doing so because he's less concerned about the ghost-thing than he is about the wererats and Lummel's injuries.
Yep, you're fine to attack. That's what I assumed you'd do if you weren't going to activate the divine bond.
Got it. Thanks.
Will post after back from church this morning.
I'll wait end of block 2 (Lummel action to stabilize for the map)
Looking at combat rules, it appears that laying hands on Lummel to start Alviss' next turn would not provoke an AoO. Common sense tells me it should. And if not would at least leave me flatfooted and make my shield useless, as it is a one handed action and I would keep my axe.
GM ruling?
And since its a standard action, would I be able to attack after that?
I would have written the rule as a full round action, myself...
Looking at combat rules, it appears that laying hands on Lummel to start Alviss' next turn would not provoke an AoO. Common sense tells me it should. And if not would at least leave me flatfooted and make my shield useless, as it is a one handed action and I would keep my axe.
GM ruling?
And since its a standard action, would I be able to attack after that?
I would have written the rule as a full round action, myself...
I'm not the GM but, my two cents:
1) That's one of the things that makes "lay on hands" better than a heal spell.2) as a standard action you would not also be able to attack ( an attack is a standard action as well, and you only get one per turn).
3) it is a touch effect, and you have both hands full with sword n' board. In order to deliver the touch you will need to put away or drop one of those items, which could be very risky at this point.
Obviously not a ruling, so I would wait until the GM has his say until you decide on a course of action.
What Ziz said. It is a supernatural ability requiring a standard action, and it doesn't say that it provokes an AoO. Since Alviss carries a heavy shield and a battle axe, you will need to free up a hand before you can use the ability. You won't be "flatfooted", but you will lose the shield bonus to your AC (+3). You would still have a move action afterward, but it would use your opportunity to attack.
Some things to consider are that it might be difficult to recover your shield after dropping it (may provoke an AoO), and that Lummel is mostly being ignored by the rats at the moment. If he suddenly jumped and started swinging at them, they might make sure he stays down this time...
Yeah, I knew I'd have to drop the shield.
My thought is that so far this battle looks like a strip from The Order of the Stick. Our fighter has been beaten unconscious by rats. Our archer is almost out of arrows. Our spellcaster is being looked as if he were lunch. And my goal during a combat roll is to not injure myself with my own axe. Leaving the halfling rogue/cleric a lot of fun.
I was trying to figure a way to get Lummel up and swinging a weapon again. With maybe Eles healing him a bit after that.
But as I feared, it's a bit risky.
BTW, Order of the Stick
is a FANTASTIC comic strip for gamers.
Yep, I'm a tremendous fan of OotS.
One issue with jumping straight into 5th level characters, and a brand new party, is figuring out the best way to run your characters. I expected this to be a tough fight, but more-or-less a speedbump that would be over within a few rounds. The 3.0 module I was basing this off of had the wererats with DR 15/silver!
I differ stylistically from the typical D&D model of multiple encounters per day equal to CR... I prefer fewer, more difficult encounters.
We can do an OOC dissection of the combat after it ends to work out better tactics for the group, until then let's just press on and see how this goes...
Order of the Stick
is a FANTASTIC comic strip for gamers.
They are Awesome!
i think the group will work well together once the party is formed. this is a much more difficult fight than it would otherwise be because we came in one at a time with absolutely not tactical formation to speak of. once we get a chance to go on offense, all together, we will be considerably more dangerous.
If I had paid more attention to the critters' AC then I could have thrown up some buffs (and smited earlier) which would, in the long run, have made Elesandira more effective.
That's definitely a mark of needing to get to know the character.
There is also definitely scope for organisation.
Oh, and I usually have a cheetah alongside me.
are we back to the top of the lineup?
Great, just what i need H&W, now I'm hooked on the order of the stick, lol.
Alviss needs to make his round 6 attack, then Ziz and Elesandira can make their round 7 attack.
Posting here in a minute. Was home sick yesterday (which let me read Order of the Stick when I was only semi-nyquiled up). Recommendation: don't take down Christmas lights in high wind and dopey on nyquil.
Anyone within three squares of Alviss should go into the fetal now as he prepares to swing.
And I hope that didn't come across that I was complaining. PbP (as tabletop playing did before) provides opportunity for humor and fun, even when things are going poorly, As opposed to, say, NWN 2 which I'm playing. Things go badly, I get mad and re-load. I'm enjoying our game.
A drunken old hag with no discernable skills has completely stonewalled a group of first level pathfinders in another of my games. And it's funny.
So, no criticisms of anybody meant in my post.
Ziz and Elesandira can go now...
@Alviss: Nope, I didn't get a 'complaining' vibe from your post :)
I'm glad you're having fun!
I know I'm screwed when I'd be better off using a flaming torch than a magical battle axe. Wererats are a CR2 my posterior...