GM Silbeg's 5-00 Siege of the Diamond City (14-15) (Inactive)

Game Master Silbeg

Annoying question from a long-time wargamer - I'm a little unclear on C3I (command, control, communications, and intelligence) setup here. Is there a clear commander(s) of the defense of the city? If there is such a command, how are we communicating with them?

You have not yet seen the command cadre of the demons, yet...

I just added a little RP fluff to the Overseer GM announcements, Pathfinder messengers conveying the progress of the battle.

I just noticed that Herolab adds two to initiative for good hope. That's not correct, is it?

Also, what's the deal with the aid tokens? I'm not very experienced with specials, only ever having done two.

This was the first time aid tokens were used, and you seekers would have handed them out for each of your successes. I gave out five for your last success.

Cool - Candi hopes that at least one has gone to the valorous defenders of the brothels of Tumbledown. She is with them in spirit.

Initiative is a DEX check; Good hope adds a +2 morale bonus to ability checks, among other benefits.

It generally won't come up unless we're ambushing the enemy.

Fascinating, I'd never realized that about initiative. I always thought it was its own thing, distinct from ability checks generally.

It's part of some esoteric interactions that also allow a circlet of persuasion to add to Init for characters with Cha to Init. Useful stuff if you're able to employ it.

I will be busy the next four nights with events, but I will do my best to check in during the mornings.

Sorry, been GMing Below the Silver Tarn today, which is one of my favorite scenarios. This was my third time GMing. If any of you have not played or GMed it, I strongly encourage you to do so.

I played a long time ago, but haven't had the chance to GM.

Aid Tokens work a lot differently this adventure. Seeker tables give one per seeker out when they have a success.

They cannot use them, though.

So, I will post the links to where to post (choosing the tables in a round robin), and you can go for it.

Right now sounds like only Slim cares to do so? Will post in the morning.

There is at least one other person I know in the special with a character that has actually played with Candi, so it would be fun to post an Aid Token to his group. That would be the Tier 12-13, so I don't know if they could receive a token since they're also Seekers.

No, 12-13 cannot receive aid tokens. Sorry.

Slim - Please post about granting aid on GM Ewok Banshee's thread

Candi - Please post about granting aid on GM Tops's thread

Feel free to RP it up, but make sure you comment that this is an aid token from GM Silbeg's table.

If you cannot do it, just let me know so that I can do it.

An example post of mine

Aid Token granted.

Aid Token granted.

Was the last set of missions, going to the three locations in the Outer District, dealing with the marshmallow roasters, etc., considered an "encounter" for game purposes? In other words, do we get another of the "between encounter" aids mentioned in this post?.

You actually only get a single aid. One time, between encounters.

Lower tiers get more.

You actually only get a single aid. One time, between encounters.

Lower tiers get more.

OK, thanks for the explanation. I didn't fully understand this.

Seems like every special has slightly different rules as they try to figure out how to make it work without just letting the high tiers handwave low tier encounters. (Like when the 10-11 bard charmed a dragon and had it ferry the 1-2 tables over walls.)

Personally, I really like how this one worked. Really made it seem like the seekers were helping the table. There is more stuff, later, as well.

Sorry for the delayed posting, folks. Had to prep and run a session at one of my local venues this evening.

For the map:

Where are the refugees?
Which is our boat?

And I will need a pawn for the Agathion (as well as a hight indicator)

Is there a good way to use empower in a macro or do I need to multiply manually?

I always do it manually.

I think that is the only way that I have seen.

Ouch, well played with the adamantine.

Well, I didn't write the scenario... it was actually in there!

I suspect it was primarily aimed at folks who like to cast stoneskin.

I'm hoping that glitter dust is going to save me.

Glitterdust is one of Candi's favorite non-combat spells.

@Candi: The avoral should show the location of the half elf if there is nothing wierd preventing it.

And I also love the Glitterdust spell (it is the most prepared spell on Elric and he was built for Summon Monster primarily).

Have a post mostly ready to go, on my laptop.

Got distracted by my boss, and then didn’t get back to it.

Then had to deal with my ca dying on the way home.
I will get it posted as soon as I can... just getting warm, and will need to eat.

No worries, stay warm.

I think the tiger only took 12 instead of 32 damage as he has a DR 10/evil. (Or are the spiked gauntlets counting as evil?)

And stay warm.

Oh, sorry... missed that.

A couple of things:

1) I'd like to wait until I learn the effect of Elric's summoned creatures' attacks before going, though I'm pretty sure Candi is going to move to attack the half-elf. I just to make sure they're aren't any weird immediate actions from it or anything like that.

2) Question about the tiger's attack as I generally use a different process when starting grappled with an attacker who has rake attacks (I have a lion shaman druid).

a) Take the two rake attacks as these are "free" attacks which can be used against a foe that begun the attacker's turn grappled. I don't think you have maintain a grapple to get rake attacks, you just have begin your turn grappling the rake target.

b) Release the grapple as a free action.

c) Full attack with bite and two front claws, hopefully reestablishing the grapple with the bite and/or claws depending on the attacking creature's abilities

So, this is how I understand grappling and raking, and how I've been playing my lion shaman and other big cats. I'd appreciate comments or corrections if I've been doing it incorrectly.

I am not a great expert on grappling, but as I understand it, you get the 2 rakes as part of sucessfully maintaining the grapple.

If Candi is correct I will gladly take the extra attacks^^.

I generally don't used the release and full attack action unless the creature is of humanoid intelligence.

Elric, you did it right, from what I know. Also, I would agree on the "catch and release", Ayako. In fact, it was called out in tactics on the Herzou to do that. Of course, they are very intelligent, and very evil.

If you did release, without a charge (thus pounce), you would not get your rakes. So, no extra attacks, in any case.

Thanks for the thoughts on handling grapple/rake. They'll be helpful when I'm GMing.

I didn't actually mean for Candi to go formally on delay. I was just waiting to hear the effects of the attacks of those folks ahead of me in the initiative order. I apologize if my wording was unclear. I don't know if it's possible or not to retroactively put me back ahead of the dwarves in the initiative order.

You'll stay in the initiative order, that's fine... just didn't want to slow things down more than I already have.

I have been dealing with issues around my car deciding to throw a rod Thursday on the way home from work. Guess the cold can even get to a Subaru.

Oh, however... it helps to have those sort of posts in the gameplay thread... i didn't see it in discussion until after I had posted. And, I am sorry, but I am not wanting to redo another 40 minute post. ;-)

Oh, however... it helps to have those sort of posts in the gameplay thread... i didn't see it in discussion until after I had posted. And, I am sorry, but I am not wanting to redo another 40 minute post. ;-)

I will do that in the future

If it's easier for you for Candi to have gone into delay and have her after the dwarves in initiative order from here on out, that's fine with me.

As I think I've noted before, this is only my 2nd excursion into PBP play, and I'm still learning the ropes a bit. I'm willing to pay the price for mistakes. Without a little negative reinforcement, how will I ever learn?

Cool, cool. No, I typically keep the init order on forced delays, since I tend not to bot folks. This attack still happened after the dwarves, though.

I'm working the reference desk at the library in Providence, RI on the day that the Patriots on playing in the Super Bowl. As you can imagine, it's pretty slow here, and I have lots of time to keep an eye on posts here.

We're long-suffering Bears fans. But in our family, Tom Brady's like Trump or Pelosi. You either love him or hate him. Hard to have a civil conversation about the game. We'll probably watch it in separate rooms. On opposite sides of 'the Wall'.