[PBP RetroCon] [PACG] Cosmic Captive by Yewstance [Tier 2] (Inactive)

Game Master Yewstance

Guess who's back?

Back again?

Everyone, apparently.

~Yewstance's Bad Haiku of the day

Strongly considering starting a new character. Mazner.

Druid so wisdom based divine caster with the Survival skill.
I'll be including Ultimate Wilderness so he will have a couple of weapons that use his Survival skill in combat as backup to his spellcasting.

Priority upgrades will be Weapon 1 then ally 1.

Mazner's main bonus is that he reveals an animal ally to add 1d4 to any check by a character at his location.

His main drawback is no favored card type. So a bad opening hand can be painful.

Maznar # 145373-1009 (Druid CD + UW)

1. Hatchet (Use Survival for combat)
2. Terbutje (Use Survival for combat but often breaks)
3. Cure
4. Fireblade
5. Frigid Blast
6. Erutaki Coat (Reveal to add 1 to my Survival or Fortitude non-combat)
7. Cloud Puff (Recharge? to prevent a bane's BYA and AYA effects)
8. Dwarf Caiman (Reveal to add 1d6 to my Stealth or Fortitude check)
9. Frilled Lizard
10. Crow
11. Vulture
12. Blessing of the Green Faith (Recharge to add 1 die to any check not made by me)
13. Blessing of the Green Faith
14. Blessing of the Elements
15. Blessing of the Gods

The weapon 1 I'm looking for is Stone Axe +1 which uses my Survival for combat but doesn't break.
And the ally 1 is Fire Gecko which reveals to add 1d4 and the fire trait to my combat checks.

Other upgrades I'm looking for

Milani as blessing 1 x2
Mastiff ally B
Raven ally 1

Alternate option would be Korundo.

Korundo can pick ally as his favored card and can reveal an animal ally to use his Survival +1d6 for his combat check. He also adds the animal and melee traits.

And he has a feat he can take that adds 1d4 to his checks that invoke the animal trait.

In practice he plays out similarly to Maznar with 2 big differences.
1. Unlike Maznar Korundo will always have a combat option in his opening hand.
2. Korundo has a hand size of 4. Sure he can pick an unchecked feat at the start of his turn but that will often be the adding 1d4 to his combat checks when using his reveal power.

Deck list will be pretty similar. First desired upgrade would be one of the best weapon Bs in the game.

Wendifisa Spear

The weapon is so good that when I draw it I stop using his reveal an animal power and just pick increased hand size as my feat.

Korundo it is.

# 145373-1007 Korundo Hunter CD + UW

1. Hatchet
2. Cure
3. Call Animal
4. Enchanted Fang
5. Crocodile Skin Armor
6. Amulet of Mighty Fists
7. Cloud Puff
8. Compass
9. Crow
10. Fox
11. Frilled Lizard
12. Vulture
13. Blessing of the Green Faith
14. Blessing of the Green Faith
15. Blessing of the Elements

Priority upgrades: Weapon B, Ally 1
Other upgrades: Spell 1, Blessing 1, Item 1, Ally 1, Armor 1

I'm worried about us playing with so little healing but I'll stick to Korundo. I do get access to a healing spell at tier 2 so we will have slightly more healing after the 4th scenario. I'm also debating Compass vs Desna's Star.

Compass
Recharge this card to move, then you may examine the top card of your location deck. You may not use this power during an encounter.

Discard this card to explore your location.

Desna's Star
At the end of your turn, recharge this card to recharge a random card from your discard pile.

Also I switched out Vulture for Shock Lizard. I want to focus on easily recharged cards to get to my good cards asap.

Good To be back with Wind and Fury!

Seoni will be playing for tier advancement.

Raheli is in it to Tier it.

Aric is up for tier advancement and so is the Red Raven!

Raheli quarterbacks our win.

First the thought process:

1st to hit the Villain someone needs to do a Con Fort 7 then and Arcane or Combat. The Con/Fort is the trick here. Raheli has a base 1d6 + 2 thanks to Cohort. Korundo has a d10 base. But I think Seoni can do her thing to pull in Fire Snake which gives her a d12 +3

So perhaps Seoni is our Villain killer.

Canyon requires a check to acquire a blessing. So having a good divine is key here. So maybe that's a Korundo spot.

Stone Bridge is rough with a Range/Dex 10. Raheli has the best base Dex at d10+2. So she's probably best there.

And anyone can close Windswept Chasm. So by process of elimination. The Red Raven.

So if we go with this plan.
Canyon: Korundo
Bridge: Raheli
Chasm: Red Raven
Trenches: Seoni.
Which means for our turns...
1. Raheli. Goes Wherever
2. Seoni. Goes Wherever
3. Red Raven. Goes to Chasm
4. Korundo. Goes to Canyon. NOTE: If Henchman defeated, do not close!
5. Seoni. Goes to Trenches.

I will be travelling for about 4 days, starting tomorrow, but I should be getting occasional chances to post (at least once every 24 hours) and this game is my priority when doing so. There won't be any script usage for the next few updates, however, and updates will be fewer and further between.

I'll do everything I can to mitigate slowdown of the game.

Acquired cards afaik.

Half-Plate (armor B)
Wooden Shield (armor B)
Magic Leather Armor (armor B)

Light Crossbow +1 (weapon 2)
Scythe +1 (weapon 2)
Short Sword (weapon B)
Light Crossbow (weapon B)
Quarterstaff (weapon B)

Haste (spell 2)

Blessing of Abadar (blessing 2)
Blessing of the Gods (blessing B)
Blessing of Calistria (blessing B)

Troubadour (ally B)

Plus a spell 1 and 3 spell Bs

To help expedite things while Stuart is traveling:

Reward:
Report one Earth success to the Overseer GM.
Each character chooses weapon or spell and adds a card of that type from the game box to the cards acquired during this scenario. Adventure Card Guild characters may choose a bonus deck upgrade.

Spell/Weapon Choice: Given our Weapon options we collectively choose 4 spell from the Random part of the last gameplay post. Which as Korundo mentioned above, nets us and additional Spell 1 and 3 Spell Bs.

Additionally we have a collective choice...
...which will be posted in the Development. It boils down to, go somewhere hot or somewhere cold. If we can have a vote ready before Stuart comes on again, he can just focus on getting the Scenario set up.

Blessing 2: 1d1000 ⇒ 333
Spell 2: 1d1 ⇒ 1
Blessing B: 1d1 ⇒ 1

Votes Cold

Desired upgrades.

Weapon B auto

spell 1: 1d1000 ⇒ 304
spell 2: 1d1000 ⇒ 817
spell B: 1d1 ⇒ 1

Since I have no clue what the difference between the two is I'll also vote cold.

Skill feat: +1 to Wisdom

I’m really only interested in the Spell 2. Since Aric/The Red Raven can’t take spells, Korundo would get the Spell 1, and Raheli deprioritized, I’m assuming Seoni gets it?

Want to think more on the skill feat. Probably going to take CHA+2, but want to check whether WIS+1 (or conceivably even INT+1) would make any sense.

In-character, Seoni’s interested in fire; out-of-character I’m assuming Seoni’s Fire spells would be more useful vs Cold. I believe we play the other branch if we have extra time. So assuming no further information, I’ll abstain.

That works for me for the spells.
Replacing Enchanted Fang with Charm Animal.
Replacing Hatchet with Wendifisa Spear.

Tier
As it's my second game at Tier 2, I will take...
Power Feat: On your check to defeat ([X] or your check to acquire an item or a spell) you may recharge any number of items to add 1d4 for each item recharged ([ ] plus the items' highest adventure deck number) to your check.

Upgrades

Replacing Blessing of the Quartermaster with Blessing 2: Blessing of Sivanah.

Replacing Blessing of the Quartermaster with Blessing B: Blessing of Wadjet

To save our BR time this is our next intro.

During This Scenario: 8-00B1: Frozen City

When setting up the scenario, divide the blessings deck into 5 stacks of 6 cards each. Shuffle the henchman Oracle of Iovo into each stack, then put the stacks on top of each other to create the blessings deck.

When Oracle of Iovo is discarded from the blessings deck, summon and encounter it.

When you defeat the henchman Oracular Pool, display it next to the scenario. Add 2 to your check to defeat Oracle of Iovo for each Oracular Pool displayed.

To win the scenario, close all locations.

And these are our locations.

Location #1: Citadel
At This Location: At the end of your turn, you may search your deck for an ally or cohort and add it to your hand.
When Closing: Succeed at a Combat check with a difficulty of 9 plus twice the scenario's adventure deck number.
When Permanently Closed: On closing, end your turn.
M: 2 Ba: 0 W: 1 Sp: 0 Ar: 3 I: 0 Al: 3 Bl: 0 ?: 1
Located/Displayed Here: None

Location #2: Collapsing Bridge
At This Location: At the end of your turn, roll 1d10; if you roll higher than the number of cards in this deck, search it for boons and then banish them all.
When Closing: You are dealt 4 Combat damage.
When Permanently Closed: Before closing, add the boons in this location to your hand.
M: 2 Ba: 2 W: 0 Sp: 0 Ar: 0 I: 0 Al: 5 Bl: 0 ?: 1
Located/Displayed Here: None

Location #3: Mill
At This Location: Add 2 to your checks with the Slashing trait.
When Closing: Succeed at a Dexterity or Acrobatics 8 check.
When Permanently Closed: No effect.
M: 2 Ba: 2 W: 1 Sp: 0 Ar: 1 I: 1 Al: 1 Bl: 1 ?: 1
Located/Displayed Here: None

Location #4: Town Square
At This Location: You may discard a card from your hand to explore during your turn. This card may not be recharged.
When Closing: Banish a card from your hand.
When Permanently Closed: On closing, each character at this location recharges a card and may then draw a card.
M: 2 Ba: 1 W: 1 Sp: 2 Ar: 0 I: 1 Al: 2 Bl: 0 ?: 1
Located/Displayed Here: None

Location #5: Cell
At This Location: Succeed at a Strength or Disable 7 check to move or be moved.
When Closing: Bury an ally.
When Permanently Closed: On closing, move to another location and end your turn.
M: 2 Ba: 1 W: 1 Sp: 0 Ar: 1 I: 1 Al: 3 Bl: 0 ?: 1
Located/Displayed Here: None

Location #6: Cemetery
At This Location: All non-villain monsters gain the Undead trait and are immune to the Mental and Poison traits.
When Closing: Draw a card then bury a card.
When Permanently Closed: No effect.
M: 3 Ba: 1 W: 2 Sp: 0 Ar: 1 I: 1 Al: 0 Bl: 1 ?: 1
Located/Displayed Here: None

Let's do our starting locations and hand ahead of time.

Skill feats:

Aric +1 Cha
RR +1 Dex

Upgrades: two weapon 2 upgrades (both used for weapon 1), to trade Kama 1 and Kama 2 for Captain's Cutlass 1 and Captain's Cutlass 2.

Question: Clockwork Spy was banished. What are my options for replacing it?

Skill feats:

Aric +1 Cha
RR +1 Dex

Upgrades: two weapon 2 upgrades (both used for weapon 1), to trade Kama 1 and Kama 2 for Captain's Cutlass 1 and Captain's Cutlass 2.

Question: Clockwork Spy was banished. What are my options for replacing it?

You now have an empty ally slot. After doing your deck upgrades (which you've used for new weapons), you still have an empty ally slot, and so you refill it with any basic ally from either of your class decks.

I also find it amusing you can have two Captain's Cutlasses - there's also a Pathfinder Tales ally that references the card, I think.

Just looked for it. Unfortunately it's an Ally 6 (!) so have to wait awhile!

When I replace it, it has to be another basic, not any B, correct? In which case I'll most likely just replace it with itself.

Correct. Has to be a basic.

Boons acquired so far... (Scenario 8-00B1)

======================

Acolyte (Ally B)
Soldier (Ally B)
Crow (Ally B)
Shalelu Andosana (Ally B)
Archer (Ally B)
Acolyte (Ally B)
Guide (Ally B)
Burglar (Ally B)
Toad (Ally 1)
Brodert Quink (Ally 2)

Magic Shield (Armor B)
Arrow Catching Studded Leather (Armor 2)

Blessing of Lamashtu (Blessing 1)
Blessing of Lamashtu (Blessing 1)

Wand of Force Missile (Item 1)
Chime of Unlocking (Item 2)

Haste (Spell 2)

Short Sword (Weapon B)
Dogslicer +1 (Weapon 1)
Dogslicer (Weapon 1)
Short Sword +1 (Weapon 1)
Longbow +1 (Weapon 1)
Heavy Pick +1 (Weapon 2)
Scythe +1 (Weapon 2)

Item 2: 1d1000 ⇒ 554
Ally 2: 1d1000 ⇒ 180
Spell 2: 1d1000 ⇒ 276

I'll be out of town Friday to late Monday. Please bot as needed. Thanks.

Question for the box runner about spell timing, in light of the issue in the Runelords game. (Although probably not an issue for upgrades in the current scenario.)

For your combat check, discard this card to use your Arcane or Divine skill + 2d4.

After playing this card, if you do not have either the Arcane or Divine skill, banish it; otherwise, you may succeed at an Arcane 9 or Divine 11 check to recharge this card instead of discarding it. Then shuffle a random card from your discard pile into your deck.

I had been avoiding this spell because of the worry of it recharging itself from Seoni's discard pile, when I'm trying to keep an attack spell there. But is that actually a worry, with "set aside"?

ally 1: 1d1000 ⇒ 281
ally 2: 1d1000 ⇒ 633
blessing 1: 1d1000 ⇒ 476
item 1: 1d1000 ⇒ 79

Item 1: 1d1000 ⇒ 802
Item 2 (using to take an item 1): 1d1000 ⇒ 731
Ally 1: 1d1000 ⇒ 752

I believe I get a power feat now, yes? (Completion of 2nd scenario).

In which case:
Aric: At the start of your turn ([X] or when you examine a card in a location deck), you may replace your character and token with the Red Raven's. Then you may exchange a card in your hand with a card in your kit.

Red Raven: At the start of your turn ([X] or when you examine a card in a location deck), you may replace your character and token with Aric's. Then you may exchange a card in your hand with a card in your kit.

These powers are going to make Aric/RR so much more interesting to play!

Assuming that I get an Item 1 as an upgrade, I'll retire Flawless Monocle and add Quick Change Mask.

Since I'll be going offline tomorrow, I'm making these changes now but will change them if need be (for example if I don't get an Item 1 as an upgrade).

So in theory we would be fine with

Korundo - Ally 1
Raheli - item 2
Aric/RR - Item 1
Seoni - Spell 2 or Ally 2

The reward for this seems to be we pick an upgrade of the adventure tier or lower and get it as a bonus upgrade after the next scenario.

So for example while I want to upgrade to Fire Gecko (ally 1) this time, Next time I want to add Wintervine to my deck so I pick Wintervine.
That is in addition to an upgrade from the pool of boons we find. (Also hoping for ally 1 or blessing 1 for the record.)

And since this is my second scenario I will take +1 hand size for my power feat.

8-00A/8-00B1 reward: 1d20 ⇒ 13
Nope

Reward
Item 2 Dreamcatcher bonus upgrade for next scenario.

To Give to Seoni for some bonkers turns

Upgrades Now
Replacing Embalming Fluid with Gem of Physical Prowess

Boon?: 1d20 ⇒ 11

boon?: 1d20 ⇒ 14

Question for the box runner about spell timing, in light of the issue in the Runelords game. (Although probably not an issue for upgrades in the current scenario.)

Life Drain wrote:

For your combat check, discard this card to use your Arcane or Divine skill + 2d4.

After playing this card, if you do not have either the Arcane or Divine skill, banish it; otherwise, you may succeed at an Arcane 9 or Divine 11 check to recharge this card instead of discarding it. Then shuffle a random card from your discard pile into your deck.

I had been avoiding this spell because of the worry of it recharging itself from Seoni's discard pile, when I'm trying to keep an attack spell there. But is that actually a worry, with "set aside"?

Note that the original Life Drain was worded differently, and was FAQed to change it to behave how the current printing (which you quotes) acts. (Bizarrely, they didn't update Life Leech, which means it now functions differently...)

Anyway, the wording uses the phrase "Then" at the end of the recharge statement to make clear that you get the heal after you're finished with the recharge check; which means if you choose not to recharge it then it goes into your discard pile and it might randomly heal itself. The specific steps are as follows.

1. During the "Determine your skill" phase of an encounter (that includes a Combat check), you decide you're going to play Life Drain.
2a. If you decide that you will not attempt a recharge check, then immediately discard it, then progress to combat. (This is part of the reason why the card was reworded/FAQed, so that it didn't matter whether you decided to try to recharge it or not.)
2b. If you decide that you will attempt a recharge check, set it aside and progress to combat.
3. Combat occurs.
3a. After the first check, attempt to recharge Life Drain (if it's set aside).
4. Life drain shuffles a random card from your discard pile into your deck, assuming there is at least one card in your discard pile. It might hit itself, if it was not recharged.

As mentioned, Life Leech - as written and printed in the Wizard Class Deck and Hell's Vengeance 2 - functions subtly differently, and will heal you before its recharged check (which means it can heal itself, but only if you choose not to attempt to recharge it, so it would never be set aside).

Upgrade to save for the end of the next (i.e. current) scenario: Ally 1 (Sharper).

8-00A/8-00B1 boon?: 1d20 ⇒ 3

3rd scenario so no feat for Korundo. He replaces Compass with Wintervine.

For regular upgrades I'm looking for Ally 1 or Blessing 1.

Aric adds Sharper taking out ??? and upgrade preference is ???
He wanted item 1 which he got and ally 1 which he got.

rolling for unspecified reward: 1d1000 ⇒ 74

Saved upgrade from last scenario: add Sharper, replacing Masque.

Regular upgrade, in order of preference:
Ally 1, replacing Lookout with Eando Kline. roll: 1d1000 ⇒ 885
Item 1, replacing Thieves Tools with Cockroach Coat roll: 1d1000 ⇒ 150
Armor 1, replacing Stalking Armor with Shark Skin Armor roll: 1d1000 ⇒ 319
Weapon 1, replacing rapier with Spring Blade +1 roll: 1d1000 ⇒ 373
Ally B, replacing Lookout with Zae. roll: 1d1000 ⇒ 215

Don’t think there are any 2s of interest for Upgrading.

Card Feat
Item 6 [X]7 [X]8 [X]9

That will be filled by the bonus Upgrade from last time:

The extra awesome reward we will soon see: 1d1000 ⇒ 926

extra reward?: 1d1000 ⇒ 401

Aric adds Sharper taking out ??? and upgrade preference is ???

He wanted item 1 which he got and ally 1 which he got.

I'm really sorry for missing some boons, somehow, but please link me the posts where the Ally 1 and Item 1 were attained, because I can't find them at a glance. The only Item 1 I have listed as acquired was a potion that was banished anyway.

EDIT: Nathan suggested that I misinterpreted "which he got", and the intent was that Aric had already received his desired card upgrades previously, rather than he had acquired the ones he needed.

===============================

So, the party has a choice to take one of two rewards here. I must request that players vote on which.

If the first reward (Loot Ally: Zhaleh) is taken, then I would like agreement with the party if all four party members can come to a unilateral agreement on who will get the ally. By default, however, if no agreement between all four players can be made, then the dice rolls as suggested by Nathan will take priority; which is to say, Raheli gets it.

I'm not a fan of the mechanics of this reward, but it's certainly the most powerful reward given out in a scenario in any Special that I've seen.

(Also, to clarify; yes, once Zhaleh is removed from the game she can no longer be taken as loot from any player, despite normal Loot rules.)

Obviously, I'm voting for the first reward. I don't automatically win it, because Seoni has not rolled for it.

If I do get it, I will replace Old Salt with Zhaleh.

One nice thing about this group generally staying together through specials is that we'll all gain the benefit from someone getting the skill feat.

If Zhaleh returned to the game box after each scenario, wouldn’t that mean it could be reused?
If not, and the card can only be used once ever, then my vote is for the second reward, that all players can use. (Honestly, I hate effects like this when they come up in offline play, that unequally reward players. I’ll choose to apply the OP “redraw the boon” rule even in non-OP games.)

I might take an Ally B to “downgrade” Menagerie Keeper to Apprentice, now that my power works on spells and allows, but going to sleep on it before I decide for certain. No interest in any other upgrades.

Pretty sure Seoni is okay with Aric taking the weapon 1. Korundo takes nothing.

If Zhaleh returned to the game box after each scenario, wouldn’t that mean it could be reused?

If not, and the card can only be used once ever, then my vote is for the second reward, that all players can use. (Honestly, I hate effects like this when they come up in offline play, that unequally reward players. I’ll choose to apply the OP “redraw the boon” rule even in non-OP games.)

I might take an Ally B to “downgrade” Menagerie Keeper to Apprentice, now that my power works on spells and allows, but going to sleep on it before I decide for certain. No interest in any other upgrades.

Posting outside of my (already loosely-held) BR demeanor.

First, to clarify, it can only be used once ever. Remove from the Game is the equivalent of taking it out of the box.

Even if the Card Guild Guide is not precisely clear as to what to do with "Remove from the game" boons (because they're not supposed to exist in Organized Play anyway) it's pretty clear that it's the intent. Otherwise, all 4 party members could repeatedly forfeit and start new scenarios, repeatedly taking her, and max out every skill feat on all of their characters for the rest of that character's lifetime.

(Side note; the Card Guild Guide prevents you from ENCOUNTERING 'remove from the game' boons, not from drawing, summoning or otherwise acquiring them; there's quite a few ways that you can, RAW, get ahold of them in official play, but it's clearly a loophole that they haven't closed as opposed to intended behavior.)

In the morning, I'm going to hang on to Menagerie Keeper a little longer, so no upgrade for Seoni.

As for the reward- I was worried that it wouldn't fair to settle it by vote at this point, after 3 players have rolled. But I'm not sure of any fair way to fix that. So:
Zhaleh: 1d1000 ⇒ 862

I would strongly prefer that Abraham share his thoughts and preferences on the scenario reward before moving on, as it's a high-impact, team-affecting decision. Make whichever decision with whatever justification you would like; I want to make the party as happy as possible with whatever happens.

Reposting from Hangouts:

I definitely vote for the free skill feat. Reasons: a) I would definitely have voted for that one when there would have been a 25% chance that I would be the one to get it (even though we already know who will get it, that seems like unfair metagame knowledge); b) as noted, even if someone else gets that reward, it still helps all of us since we are playing together; c) the alternative reward doesn't seem that good to me.

Boon?: 1d20 ⇒ 7

I'll take Spell 2 to if there is literally no one else that wants it (we got two Spell 2s in this scenario).