Altair, do you know what I should have done instead of buying a Cloak of Resistance, bought a flipping Wand of Mage Armor. :( oops!
Addendum to my post in gameplay: next post will be in several hours once I've gotten home from work. It did not occur to me at the time but all my notes for this combat are on my personal laptop. Apologies for the delay.
@Tarnia
It wouldn't stack with your mithral chain shirt anyway. Armor bonus and Armor bonus.
A wand of shield perhaps.
Though as neither of those spells exist in the spheres system I suspect it would get vetoed by spooks.
As you can see from my battle with them these jerks don't seem to care about all the work I put into my AC. Pouncing tiger beastmen. A shame what I learned about them really isn't going to help, though if you guys have anything that grants bonuses VS magical beasts, animals or humanoids they count as all three apparently.
Nyet, you can have wands of normal spells and such. I'm not so cruel; the spheres system I have created does not cover everything that it should so I'm content to allow other things to make up the gap. Orntorias has a wand of CLW, for example.
Also, they're lions technically.
In any event I try to give information in-character, meaning I don't straight say "poor will save" when you ask for a weakness. However, if you feel you're being shorted information as a result please say so and we can attempt a compromise.
I was unaware of that. Good thing I was shuffling wealth anyway.
Pouncing murder beast by any other name.
As to knowledge checks I'm not saying that I'm being shorted. I give information in the same manner in my own games so no worries.
I asked for weaknesses and defenses but they don't really have any that I can capitalize on. Were I a druid or a ranger I could have all sorts of fun with them counting as animals.
They wear armor and have high-ish natural armor so weapons that hit Touch AC are going to work better.
I already have plans in future if we encounter these things as there are several alchemical tools that can mess with animals.
Secondarily I learned that while these beastmen in particular are beyond saving that they are a sapient race. There is no guarantee that all of them are evil.
Being part of the covenant that I am that is something good to know.
Well not really as I'm going to keep trying to talk to these things but who knows, something good might come of it.
And now that I've gotten my ass kicked by them (seriously what the heck is up with beastman 2 there. guy is out for blood) I know that next time I see these things standing and fighting is foolish. Even with all my damn efforts on having a decent AC for this battle.
Beastman 2 believes in the power of love and friendship
Guess I'll just have to use my powers of harmony then.
The harmony of my pointy pointy claws in his squishy squishy liver.
@Tarnia
It wouldn't stack with your mithral chain shirt anyway. Armor bonus and Armor bonus.
A wand of shield perhaps.
Though as neither of those spells exist in the spheres system I suspect it would get vetoed by spooks.As you can see from my battle with them these jerks don't seem to care about all the work I put into my AC. Pouncing tiger beastmen. A shame what I learned about them really isn't going to help, though if you guys have anything that grants bonuses VS magical beasts, animals or humanoids they count as all three apparently.
Yeah Wand of Shield would have been nice, too bad
Not that it would of helped much with the way these things roll.
Assuming those beastmen don't go after you that is one dead crocodile.
Its fortunate that animal companions are so disposable in pathfinder.
Also hopefully Tarina realizes after a round or so that trying to sprint in a mostly straight line away from a creature with pounce is going to end in tears.
If it makes anyone feel any better this has gone past my own expectations as well. Who would have thought lions were so vicious?
*glances to lack of damage to everyone else in the party*
*Fry squint*
Right...
You have to admit you sort of split yourselves weirdly for this fight, it's not all me being mean.
Tarina would have never known that they could pounce because she was never told. In fact, Tarina has not had much experience with Lycanthrope-like creatures, so if her crocodile doesn't, she definitely will or both will.
@spooks
Nah, just giving you crap. I'm impressed nobody is dead with the way this battle ended up.
Lesson learned, stick as a group next time even if bunching up leaves us as great bait for explosives.
@Tarina
Entirely fair. Even I don't know it for sure but I've used the term (pounce) for "Can make a full attack after a movement or charge" for a long enough time that I'm unlikely to change.
I'm just making an in game educated guess that they have some power that allows them to attack more than once after a charge/movement. Because in game that sort of nonsense isn't normal and they just did it.
It's pounce. They're basically CR 3 lions with Manimal and Crazed templates applied and the numbers shuffled a little bit beyond that.
Her father was a pirate and at times is a coward like him. Although in this sort of situation, if her wisdom was higher or she weighed her options more, she would have gone on the defensive using Total Defense as her standard action.
It's pounce. They're basically CR 3 lions with Manimal and Crazed templates applied and the numbers shuffled a little bit beyond that.
That means each is CR 4 (because the Maniamal Template is +1 and the Crazed template +0). In the past, I had some experience as a GM and I used the Combat Manager a lot. So just now, I calculated an encounter with six creatures of CR 4 for a total of CR 9. Our APL is 4 (4*4 /4) not counting animal companions which is a difference of 5, assuming I calculated the APL right.
On the other hand you're demi-gestalted with initiators and sphere casters, not to mention that the CR system isn't really that useful in application. I shuffled the numbers to keep things appropriate (i.e. their adjusted HD would have yielded 65 hp instead of 33 that they currently have).
Also, you're immortal for all intents and purposes. Beyond the intangibles like the beastmen rolling incredibly well so far I think this was a relatively reasonable encounter.
@ Altair
As far as why I haven't sent Sif prior to my arrival is due to the fact that Sif is not an animal companion. I have a level dip in Incantor so my ranger doesn't have a companion yet. I purchased Sif through standard wealth in order to explain why I would inexplicably have a companion on my next level more of an RP point than actually being usable.
Although Sif is combat trained it doesn't have animal companion levels or powers yet - it's literally a regular wolf that will get killed almost instantly in this fight. I wanted me to be close by so I can heal or Res. it if necessary.
I probably should have mentioned that sooner so I'm sorry for not clarifying.
Regardless, my character should have stayed behind from the start, but since she did not, it will cost her animal companion and possibly turn her into a hollow.
Don't be such a pessimist, you'll be alright. You're doing well so far, considering everything.
Looks like we're only waiting on Altair to post the remainder of his actions.
Sorry about that. Life got busy for me.
@Orntorias
I'll take that Spooks is being nice then. Non-AC pets tend to require actions to command. However wolves are arguably going to not require much of a command to attack something that their "Alpha" is attacking.
@Moira
I'm a glass half empty type of person, so take my assessment of the battlefield with a grain of salt.
Don't be such a pessimist, you'll be alright. You're doing well so far, considering everything.
Sorry, I tend to over exaggerate sometimes, and I thought my character dug a hole too deep to escape from.
Still waiting on Tarina and Karthan.
Might be easiest to continue kiting the beastman in order to prevent it from doubling back and helping beastman 5 with Moira.
Hopefully by the end of this round our little party with 1-3 will be over.
#2 made a bonehead decision and assuming Karthan doesn't inherit Altair's recent rolls the fuzzy ought to be dead quickly.
Eh, if it's tripped/grappled it'll be over quickly even with the recent spat of bad rolls.
I meant to post earlier today, but I forgot I am going to post right away.
RNG is being very naughty.
It is just me or is my character getting the worst rolls?
Depending on how you look at it Altair is getting the worst rolls between not hitting and the beastmen getting great rolls.
But this whole combat has been almost nothing "good" for any of us.
You might want to declare that you shot him point blank and then moved around a tree. Getting charged by a crazy lion guy with a big ol' axe seems like a bad deal after RNGseus just kicked you in the jimmy like that.
I'd certainly be covering behind the nearest large wall or tree after I blasted a monster with my "Always a hit" attack and then it missed anyway.
ZEH Magic Missiles! ZHEY DO NOTHZINK!
@Orntorias: Yep. life has not been the best for me this combat.
Though a big chunk of that was Altair's lack of skill at group tactics. He's never heard the adventurers favorite song.
@Spook
Does heavy soul arrow cost points to apply or is it just a static boost? Harbinger has made me reconsider my focus as a character but that had been on my list of sorcery abilities I was considering in future.
Moria is most likely going to die this round or the next. Is there anyway I would be able to prevent this?
@Spook
Does heavy soul arrow cost points to apply or is it just a static boost? Harbinger has made me reconsider my focus as a character but that had been on my list of sorcery abilities I was considering in future.
Heavy Soul Arrow does not cost a spell point to activate.
Moria is most likely going to die this round or the next. Is there anyway I would be able to prevent this?
I have somewhat of a vested interest due to the nature of my role so the advice that I can offer is limited. That being said remember that a creature can still attack using natural, light, and one-handed weapons while grappled. Killing the Beastman before he kills you seems viable.
Remember, Slayer of Demons allows you to use a sphere talent that you do not possess once per day. Something to consider.
k, I have another question does this apply even though my class Hunter is my demi-gesalt, "If a hunter releases her companion from service or her animal companion perishes, she may gain a new one by performing a ceremony requiring 24 uninterrupted hours of prayer in the environment where the new companion typically lives." (see Hunter)
And does that mean I can use my campaign feat to use the talent Ressurection from the Miracle sphere for example? Or would it be wiser at this point to let Moria die and get a new animal companion?
Your animal companion functions as the Hunter feature so yes you can get a new one feasibly.
Yes, you could get resurrection but that seems like a waste because Orntorias already has it and you'd just be reviving Moira to be immediately killed again. Also, you don't have heal excerpt or caressing prayer so you wouldn't be able to actually do anything with resurrection.
Consider your moves very carefully. If you can either 1) break the grapple or 2) kill the Beastman saving Moira is easy.
Your animal companion functions as the Hunter feature so yes you can get a new one feasibly.
Yes, you could get resurrection but that seems like a waste because Orntorias already has it and you'd just be reviving Moira to be immediately killed again. Also, you don't have heal excerpt or caressing prayer so you wouldn't be able to actually do anything with resurrection.
K, I'll use the campaign trait for something else. I am going to make a new post on the gameplay now. I will let you know later about what I may want for my new animal companion.
Hrmm.. a shame I wasn't awake earlier to suggest stuff.
Though assuming you directed your bowshot at the beastman grappling Moira it might just come to deal with you. That much damage is going to make it sit up and take notice of you after all.
Assuming you can survive their attentions for a round then the rest of the group will arrive and we can resume butchering them.
Though as a mental exercise a delaying tactic you could use would be casting pyromancy burning a point and using the "Warmth" talent this would give both Moira and the beastman 3d8 temporary hit points and let your crocodile last one turn longer.
With the amount of offense we have in this group the beastman is going to melt even with a few more HP.
Assuming your need for assistance is voiced Orntorias is in a position to run so he can maul things next round.
He was visible to you last round after all.
@Spooks:
Did my crit deal enough damage to drop the beastman? It would be good to know for the other two players so they can move forward.
@Spooks:
Did my crit deal enough damage to drop the beastman?
yes
Cool, time to move the murder train south then.
I might be able to assist Moria.
I was looking over my actions and it seems that I missed a round of combat by mistake. I posted my AoO but I didn't actually act in that round. Using a boost for extra movement I should be able to at least make it to attacking range and be able to assist Moria.
Hopefully, you are not too late because I originally was hoping to get Moria to the fourth level advancement, which would happen when Tarina reachs lv 6. When this happens Moria's size increases to Medium and will be able to use the abilities, Death Roll and Sprint (see Crocodile).
If Moria survives this combat, Tarina will need to control her croc better in future battles.
Yeah, the only concern for this round was that Moira was in danger of taking enough damage to die if the Beastman stopped messing around.
Now that Orntorias is on the scene I suspect that twerp is very much dead.
We shall likely be fine in future if we keep a better battle formation. Our group has plenty of targets much more threatening than a crocodile after all.
As to Croc companions. Yeah, they are quite cool. Though I do wish the AC list wasn't so spike-y when it comes to murderously powerful critters.
As soon as the L7 increase AC's get their turn those ones who level up at 4rth get criminally outclassed.
Never mind that they did to the Croc what they did to the Bear and made the creature in question not match up with the MM entry in size.
Waiting on an action from Karthan.
Real post coming tomorrow. Work has been nasty.
thats never any fun.
If you can get over to either of the two remaining beastmen this round I think a stiff breeze would kill them.
Moira and Orntorias output some hefty damage this round.
If not I'd suspect they are going to get one more round of attacks off and then die.
Really just killing the one Moira is fighting would be best what with the other one being busy grappling and being flanked by Orntorias and his wolf.
Moria should be okay this round because the natural feline-canine rivalry which should overpower any other bestial rivalry a Tiger-Beastmen may have. Assuming this is true, Beastmen #6 should direct its attention away from Moria towards Sif, who should still be close to full health if not at full.
Perhaps Orntorias can take out his trusty spray bottle and tell that oversize feline whatfor.
Lol. Yeah, one can hope.
Eh, Karthan's kind of slow. Thick armor will do that.