The Mouth of Doom (Inactive)

Game Master Grimmy

For everyone to roll?
If so...1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10 Will wait to find out for sure before I read it.

Yup, all of you.

Knowledge (Local): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21

1d100 ⇒ 74

Rollin: 1d100 ⇒ 9

You make the dc 10 first?

1d100 ⇒ 13

B-but I'm a bloody chaotic good halfling archaeologist! Are you kidding me?! ;)

Well, at least now I know where I'm most likely going to die...

Alrik isn't done yet but he'll neither be very smart nor Knowledgable so I need to rely on luck alone:

1d20 - 2 ⇒ (7) - 2 = 5

1d100 ⇒ 27

It's ok Alrik, you can make up for it with charisma when gathering info once gameplay opens.

Oops. Just realized I posted on recruitment instead of in here.

For that knowledge DC:
Knowledge(Local): 1d20 ⇒ 8

and rumor
Rumor: 1d100 ⇒ 33

Bah my other roll was better. Guess I don't know anything!

I see the roll from recruitment. Which rumor roll should I use though? One of them is kind of a big deal. Hmm...

B-but I'm a bloody chaotic good halfling archaeologist! Are you kidding me?! ;)

Well, at least now I know where I'm most likely going to die...

Mwahhhahhahhah!!!!

Know(local): 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (18) - 2 = 16

1d100 ⇒ 84

Bam! Power rolls!

Higher seems to equal better rumor.

I like my rumor ;)

Quetzalcoatl Sacredwing wrote:

Since you've budged a little... how about that garuda-blooded aasimar heritage? Have you softened up a bit on that one?

Do these guys fly?

They can if you take the right feats, but its not specific to them, all aasimars can get wings eventually (but that feat cost is ugh). Sorry for the scarce posting, started a new job yesterday and my day posting will be non-existant for a while. Updated the crunch as well.

Rumor?: 1d100 ⇒ 80

Grimmy how much tactics are you planning to allow in combat? I'm debating to pick up combat reflexes and wield a reach weapon. However that working in a PbP setting requires maps and that the GM look after such things as monster movement provoking AoO.

Planning that as Well, we can be an area denying duo.

Yeah if both Meatshields use a reach weapon that's rather vicious. We go ahead take the front line and let the mooks come at us.

Done. Simplest Character I have built in a long time...

Congrats on new job Quetzal.

DC 10 Knowledge Local to unlock your rumor.

Grimmy how much tactics are you planning to allow in combat? I'm debating to pick up combat reflexes and wield a reach weapon. However that working in a PbP setting requires maps and that the GM look after such things as monster movement provoking AoO.

I have very complete maps in both pdf and D20Pro format. Still working out the best way to present them, but positioning can be as detailed or abstracted as you guys would like it to be.

I had an alternate way of handling AoO I was going to pitch in my other game, but after my proposed way of handling initiative got shot down, I decided not to bother until I am more proven as a PbP GM.

May we know what was the alternate initiative idea?

I have seen GMs handle it in many different ways - I think it only becomes more important when you have characters that are very dependant on initiative for some reason - like my own, to have a sneak attack opportunity for example :D

My PbP initiative idea was to run it like standard RAW from face to face games. But if you visit the thread ready to post and someone before you in initiative hasn't acted yet, consider it implicit that they have taken a delay action, and post away. No flexi-time combat, no re-ordering of events after the posts have been populated for a turn. Everything posted resolves in the order posted. The only one that has to strictly wait his turn is the DM with NPC's/monsters.

The idea flopped though, no one liked it :) They voted on tiers instead.

Check out the other thread if you're interested in the reasoning.

BTW guys, let me know once you have all crunch and fluff tweaked and ready to go, and I will open gameplay.

I can see the advantages in the sense that it probably accelerates the flow of PbP immensely.

But again, how would you address those characters that rely on acting on the surprise round, and going first on initiative count, for example?

*Hint, hint*

P.S. By the way, Raziel is done.

Well, that would have been the sacrifice for flow. Investments in initiative wouldn't have been fully rewarded. But monster's wouldn't be "cutting in line" so if you beat them, they would have still been flat-footed against you.

Surprise round would work normally, just like at home.

I'm not sure I see what rogue-types loose. Buffer cleric-types I can see not liking it, if they have limited posting availability.

Ready to Adventure!

Actually, I think you may be right there DM Grimmy - if the NPCs/monsters need to wait their turn, it really should not impact rogue types.

That being said, we could give it a try?

Ready

Actually, I think you may be right there DM Grimmy - if the NPCs/monsters need to wait their turn, it really should not impact rogue types.

That being said, we could give it a try?

If others are interested we can put it up to a vote.

I think it was when I made a lengthy post about posting etiquette to prevent my initiative sytem from devolving into a cluster that people tl;dr'd or got turned off.

I would be down for trying out the take on initiative, as yeah, as long as the monsters are staying true to their rolls we'll still be getting sneak attack on them in the surprise round.

As for maps, I have a roll20 account, and have been wondering about the possibilities of hosting maps there for PBP games. If you'd like to go that route consider at least one person voting for it. Obviously not everyone is going to have an account, and I don't know if they would need one to view the maps, so that might be an issue, and if so I'm all good doing whatever works the best for the most people.

Today is likely going to be crazy. I've got a five page story to write today and so far I have a half a page outline :) Ridley should be up and ready to go (I'll check her once I send this, and if she's not I'll make her so, then get back to writing my rump off). If game play starts today I should be able to get a post or two in, going to have to take breaks on the writing thing, but likely won't be posting like I have been for the last couple days. Just a heads up. Looking forward to getting started though :)

That idea works for me

Favorite this post if you understand and want to try my initiative idea.

Agreed on all accounts, as far as initiative and maps go - DM Grimmy, any chance you could link to where your system is explained?

I also have a roll20 account btw.

Sure, I'll link it, but keep in mind that explanation was quite verbose which may account for why you guys are reacting to it better then they did. I may have done a better job of explaining it in one short paragraph right here in this thread.

But I will link the discussion in case any concerns were brought up that haven't been considered here.

Let me go dig it up.

Edit: plink

I'll address the map questions as soon as the initiative thing is settled.

Ok, I read through it, and even though it sounds a tad more descriptive, I guess you nailed the gist of it - only one thing I think should not happen, which is players that have a slower initiative count than the monsters/NPCs going before the bad guys go, and in fact delaying the NPC actions.

This would not happen at the table - DM is not there, you need to stop the press ;)

Ok, I read through it, and even though it sounds a tad more descriptive, I guess you nailed the gist of it - only one thing I think should not happen, which is players that have a slower initiative count than the monsters/NPCs going before the bad guys go, and in fact delaying the NPC actions.

This would not happen at the table - DM is not there, you need to stop the press ;)

What's good for the goose...

I would say just use your judgement. If you get to the thread and monsters that beat you haven't acted, hold off if it feels right to you.

But if the DM seems to be on an 18 hour bathroom break I don't know why you shouldn't post.

But you will find my availability to post is quite high, so monster's will not be at a severe disadvantage to the point that it feels like cheat mode.

And this adventure is hard enough anyway, you need all the help you can get.

The only thing I insist is that action doesn't spill over into the next round, and that is the primary purpose of my request that you put a conspicuous header before the post with your actions for the turn, as a matter of etiquette.

I don't want anyone going twice before someone else hasn't gone once.

Done enough, let's go hit things.

Ok, we're going to start as you all arrive at Zelkor's Ferry. So what brings you there? No novels please, but do you come by river boat or by land? Do you arrive together as a party, separately as individuals, or in smaller groupings?

Having wore out her welcome in the last town back Ridley has decided to scratch that wanderlust itch. She spends her time walking between where ever and Zelkor's Ferry humming and occasionally singing dwarven alehouse ballads. At the gate she'll take a moment to take in scene, getting a feel for the kind of folk who make this place their home, as well as getting a vague lay of the land. A halfling never knows when she's going to need to beat feat out of town, and it's good to know which way to head to the closest cover.

She puts a hand to her coin purse, giving it a estimatory squeeze. More than enough for the next few nights, but not as much as I'd like.

Coming into the town proper she follows her nose to a hot meal and stiff drink, hoping to sniff out the prospect of work as well.

Perfectly content to arrive in town with a small group of the others.

Zelkor's Ferry isn't quite a town, more of a semi-fortified inn, and ferry station.

Very savage frontier region.

Take a look at the maps under campaign tab to get the lay of the land.

I connected gameplay thread, go ahead and dot there if you want.

Depending on the game, I am sometimes a fan of having people already knowing each other, simply to get the juices flowing right away, but the initial roleplaying stage can also be very rewarding - the thing that usually I find slightly askew in that initial stage is that some things can come out a tad forced, as those players know that somewhere along the line they are supposed to adventure together :D

That being said, and since I am imagining that Ridley and Raziel will be acting in tandem more often than not, I would suggest that they could perhaps already know each other, arriving at Zelkor's Ferry by boat, just for the heck of it?

Here's the deal. I have no minimum or maximum backstory. "Warrior from the north" is an ok backstory as is a novel as long as it's not set in golarion, or any other place that would be anachronistic.

I've opened gameplay but don't be hasty to post there if you want to interconnect your characters or weave them into the setting first. I'm here to answer any questions.

That being said, and since I am imagining that Ridley and Raziel will be acting in tandem more often than not, I would suggest that they could perhaps already know each other, arriving at Zelkor's Ferry by boat, just for the heck of it?

Yes, check with Ridley and get back to me, I will tell you a little about the last stop on the river you would have come from before landing in Zelkor's Ferry. This may tie in with what she said about wearing out her welcome in the last town. There is a town called Whiterush that seems to fit the bill.

Since you are coming in by boat, you two won't want to reply to my post in gameplay from the captain at the gate, so if you post there just post a dot to get your name in the roster.

Hound can be Ridley's bodyguard on her journey to the ferry. He has offered his services as a caravan guard when he tires of living off the land.

(Kind like Master Blaster here)