Why Can't Fighters Have Nice Hobgoblins? Ironfang Invasion

Game Master Stalwart

I;m currently pretty sick. Not posting much as I rest this off.

Not sure I understand the spoiler - have we been following the wrong tracks?

Just that you didn't know what a "Trox" was before and now you might be fighting one.

I was under the impression that there were multiple trox that had escaped and that we had been following multiple sets of trox traps. Would it be a reasonable implication that the nagas were polymorphed as trox prior to our encounter?

@Grum, WOW! That is 152 damage, or 179 if a 20 confirms.

It certainly feels good when the dice fall right. :)

I was really hoping I didn’t squander that crit!

Knowledge (dungeoneering) is needed to ID the creature.

How much light is in the room? There was enough for William to ID the creature, so I would guess there is enough for Amakrang to attack, albeit maybe with a miss chance of some kind.

Does anybody want to bot him?

I believe with TWF, Haste, and his Twin Blades archetype ability, he is +19/+19/+19/+14/+14/+9 (1d8+9).

For those that celebrate it, wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving today. And if you are preparing the meal, find time for you, not just the guests. Of course, if you don’t celebrate American Thanksgiving, may you enjoy a great day as well.

Are you waiting on anyone, GM? We have all acted.

No, just slow in getting back into things after the holiday break.

Posted. I'll try to pick up the pace.

I didn't ID the items because you have a ticking clock with your resist fire potions. William can, but know that's going to eat into the duration.

I hope you all have had an opportunity to spend time with loved ones and know you are loved. If not, know that you are still loved. Here’s to a fantastic New Year for each of you.

Wait…why are we fighting? I feel lost on this. I though we were trying to reach these guys.

These ones are some sort of conjured spirit-warriors, and they won't let non-dwarves in to Kraggodan.

They offered to let Haela and Benedict through (since they think Benedict is a dwarf) but they won't let the rest of you in. And I can't get the rest of you to pass as dwarves.

If I do go to the elders to talk some sense into these guys, that entails splitting the party and me having a solo adventure for a while. I think that's terrible for the game.

We can try to leave them alive if that's even applicable to whatever they are.

It's a frustrating situation for me, as I don't know what to do, but I did pick up that they would be 'disappointed' to not fight us. So it seems like that is really what the AP wants us to do.

I tried to talk us past a fight and I had a really good Bluff, but it didn't work. So be it.

If OOC you all would rather we discuss it IC for a while I guess I can change my action. But I tried talking and got nowhere.

Sorry for my relative silence. I had a post thought up for the fight before, but was traveling and it was too hard on the iphone.

No worries, Grum!

XP:

19,200 for the spirit warriors
19,200 for reaching Kraggodan

Sweet! Level 12!

HP: 7 (class) + 3 (Con) = +10HP
BaB: +1 (power attack now (-4 hit +12 damage)
Saves: +1 (All)
Skills: +3 with FCB
Stats: +1 Str
Feat: Greater Weapon Specialization

HP: 6 (class) + 1 (CON) = +7hp
BAB: +1 (deadly aim -4 hit/+8 damage)
Saves: +1 (Fort/Ref/Will)
Skills: +6 with FCB (Perception, Survival, Stealth, Knowledge (Religion, Geography, Dungeoneering)
Stats: +1 Dexterity
Feat: Debating, as always

Bullseye Shot (Spend move action for +4 to next shot) (Expensive action economy)
Critical Focus (+4 to critical confirmation rolls)
Elven Accuracy (one re-roll for failed concealment miss chance rolls)
Exceptional Pull (improve use of composite longbows)
Expert Sniper (reduce Stealth penalty while sniping) (Expensive action economy, but potentially better damage)
Focused Shot (With standard action, +INT bonus for close shots) (Expensive action economy, very little gained)
Greater Weapon Focus (Longbow) (Additional +1 to attack with longbow)
Improved Critical (Double threat range for critical hits)
Improved Initiative (Bonus to initiative rolls) (Already have a very good initiative bonus, so meh)
Point Blank Master (Do not provoke AoO for ranged attacks with one weapon) (I forgot I have this as a class feature)
Relentless Shot (If successful in ranged tripping an opponent, can make AoO against that opponent until next turn) (Tempting to lean into the trick shot artist)
Shadow Strike (Deal precision damage against targets with less than total concealment) (Dark is not an issue, but fog could be)
Snap Shot (Threaten AoO to targets within 5') (I'm rarely within 5')
Trick Shooter (+2 to ranged combat maneuvers) (Again, do I lean into the trick shooter? Trip at range could be useful for front liners)

Here's a question - would Agile Maneuvers (Add Dexterity bonus to determine CMB rather than Strength bonus) apply to ranged combat maneuvers? I think it actually makes more sense. (And would make trick shots much more likely to succeed)

HP: 10
Stat: +1 Dex
No Feat. Learned fireball spell

Ftr9/Chv3

HP: +1d10+3 (+9, new total 112)
Skills (7): Diplomacy, Bluff, Sense Motive, Perception, Linguistics*2 (Aklo, Giant), Knowledge (Planes)
Str +1
+1 Ref, Will
+1 BAB
Gains SLAs from Deific Obedience

Gains Weapon Training! Finally. Now need to get some Gloves of Dueling. Let me think about what weapon group to take.

Ftr10
+1d10+3 HP (+9, new total 95)
+1 Fort
+4 skills (Heal, Knowledge-Planes, UMD*2)
Feat: Advanced Weapon Training (Warrior Spirit)
Signature Skill (Heal) improves: "10 Ranks: When you treat deadly wounds, the target recovers hit points as if it had rested for a full day with long-term care." - so that is a minimum 48 for any PC, and often will be around 60 HP at a time.

Gains Weapon Training! Finally. Now need to get some Gloves of Dueling. Let me think about what weapon group to take.

We should have a coming of age ceremony!

Benedict will take Weapon Training (Axes).

I had left him not focused on any one weapon in case something good were to come up in the AP that we'd want to use, but we are in Book 4 now and these +2 Dwarven Waraxes are among the best items we've found.

Axes also have a ton of options, including ranged and reach. The Waraxe has a good damage die and can be used one-handed if grappled (though at a -4 for nonproficiency, it's still something you can't do with a greatsword).

There are a few things in "Party Loot" that might be useful.
There's an Amulet of Natural Armor +2 and a set of Eyes of the Eagle.
There's a Ring of Evasion that I would take if nobody else wants it.

A bunch of potentially-useful potions, wands, and alchemical items, though I moved a lot to "To Sell".

A wand for William: Wand of Magic Missile (CL 7, 32 charges)
And scrolls of spells on his list: Fireball, Haste, Heroism, See Invisibility, and Beast Shape II

A surprising number of potent anti-petrification items (Amulet of Proof Against Petrification, Lidless Eye Charm, and Stone Salve) that I think we should hold on to.

If we need others to make social skill checks for the Synod, there's a Circlet of Persuasion and a Headband of Alluring Charisma +2.

Selling everything in "To Sell" gives us shares of 23,024 each. Amkarang owes Benedict 6,000 from before (here).

Benedict had a whopping 56 GP before (after trading with Novvi here), so his new total is 29,080.

@GM, what can we buy in Kraggodan?

Thanks for going through this! Nothing that Grum would normally wear, but I’m more than pleased to see anyone make use of what we have.

Gold: 2015 + 23024 = 25039

That’s a good chunk of gold! Waiting to see what’s available to us before making purchases. But I’d be interested in improving my measly +1 cloak of resistance. Doesn’t seem like a good idea waiting to find a better one.

I currently have no natural armor but I think the +2 should go to someone in melee first. I can take a hand me down if there is one, if not to biggie. Same with the ring of evasion. The Eyes might be best for Aerel.

I have added the wand and scrolls to my list. I wonder if I should put any of them in my spellbook.

I've got a bit of money to spend. Have to see what is available first.

Kraggodan is big enough of a city/marketplace that there isn't a pregenerated list of items available. You can generally find most kinds of standard magic items with the exception of things dwarves wouldn't be making often -- cloaks of elvenkind, etc.

If you'd like me to, I can roll up some big-ticket items so you can have a list of options.