Ooo. Pearl of power for me!
Now if only I could explain why I took "hold person" as one of my free 2nd level spells on level up. We haven't fought a single thing that it would work on.
It's a good spell (usually).
Feel free to swap the spell if you wish, I'm fine with it.
Hey, I wanted to drop in and give all my games an update. I'm still alive, obviously, but I did have COVID. I've managed to stay out of the hospital and off a ventilator. However, I'm still not fully recovered. Even though I'm outside my two week symptomatic/infectious period by over a week there are some lingering issues that are still weighing on me (continued shortness of breath, getting light headed, overall fatigue). I doing my best to push through it but it is barely just enough to get me through work everyday and doesn't leave a lot of time for anything else. I would like to give a hard and fast "I'll be back and up to playing again by this time", but sadly at this point I can't. It could be a couple weeks or it could be a couple months for me to get used to this new (hopefully temporary) norm on top of a few other things going on.
All this to say, I'm ok, I'm trying my best to manage, but I can't give you a hard "this is when I will be back". I understand it has been awhile as it is, between this most recent struggle with COVID and my past slowness with finishing up my graduate stuff so if you need to move on without me I completely understand and I'm just sorry that right as I was getting back into things again this whole virus thing came along and knocked me back down again. I'll check in again once I feel I'm up to playing with everything else I am balancing.
That sounds really rough GM. It sounds like you caught a really bad viral load, hope you make a full recovery.
Highly appreciate you updating us. I cannot speak for the others, but personally I am content to hold your spot until you are feeling better, and don't feel rushed because your health should take priority.
Wishing you and your family the best.
Oh no! I am so sorry to hear you suffered through that, but glad to hear that you are on the up and up. Take as much time as you need to take care of yourself. We will still be here when you are good and ready!
Thras will delay to give the spellcasters a chance to blast/buff as needed before going into melee.
Sam is waiting a sec to see if anyone gets injured. She's pretty reactive when her buffs are already up.
Alright I'll throw my post up than.
Soon, Sam will have many more spell options available to her and be a little bit more willing to fight against certain enemies. In the meantime, there's often not a lot she has to contribute when everyone is healthy.
Don't sweat it. Aira's in a similar position. I have few offensive choices right now without blowing all my L1 spells on burning hands. My cantrips are pretty lackluster. Hopefully soon Aira will learn some new tricks as well.
Was chatting with Shadowlord the other day and he suggested I bring this up to the group: Are others enjoying this adventure? I love the idea of battling our way through the Boneyard back to life, but I have to admit this all feels like it's missing the mark to me. TBH, I've really disliked this book so far (which has NOTHING to do with you guys or Shadowlord).
SL mentioned he could perhaps move us along a bit, and just hit the highlights and I know I'd personally be for that. Just wanted to see what everyone else thinks.
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So far I have been fairly disappointed by this AP. Not the GM, not the players, the actual AP itself. It's just...so bizarre.
I would be down with fast forwarding through some of this part.
I am late to the party, and definitely flexible for whatever brings enjoyment to everyone. Additionally I am spoiled by the pf2 casters, so the underwhelming feeling of low level casters in 1e is not helping for me either :D
Yeah. I think that's why I never played full casters in 1e. Then my first (maybe second) 2e character was a caster, and he's been great. (Granted, he's also PFS, so number of spells is less of an issue than in an AP.)
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Alright then. I think what I’ll do is I will fast forward through the remainder of the Scriptorium and take you to Pedipalp. After that we’ll jump into one or two more encounters then we will go to the end. We can wrap up book one and then get started on the real story of the AP.
I’ll get started on this tomorrow.
I do think the book throws some rather funky challenges/enemies at us that do more to annoy than scare. So I'm fine with continuing or skipping some parts. Either way for me.
Also, Dak was tracking loot? Idk if anyone else has been doing it since then.
Honestly, I have to agree. This adventure has been annoying overall. The "challenges" seem to revolve entirely around the author going, "Ha, ha! Now face this creature with DR you can't overcome because you don't have the right item! Here is this creature that can overwhelm you with status effects every round that you don't get immunity to by saving, making it impossible to coordinate!"
I thought the Yeth Hound encounter actually fulfilled its purpose (Yeth Hounds are great for scaring low-level players, especially if people fail the save). It felt like it had actual stakes as we had to rush and try to save Aira. A lot of other ones were just annoying. Like, why are there tooth fairies in the Boneyard, and why do they have control of a waystation along the Dead Roads? Why haven't the psychopomps re-taken the waystation, since we were told there were tooth fairies in it? Are they happy letting tooth fairies hang out there? I know fey in Golarion don't technically have souls and just get reborn when they're killed, but shouldn't the psychopomps view living fey as being just as unwelcome as we apparently are, what with a psychopomp hunting us and all?
While the plot of Nine Eaves at least made sense (a Sakhil has taken control and the master must be rescued), the fact that we had to go through the puzzles to get what we needed so we could advance to that point felt a bit shoe-horned in as a way to make sure the party got the necessary XP to level up to 3 so they were ready for the boss fight. Dak made one Disable Device attempt, and I'll bet that either the DC was so high he couldn't hit it, or the adventure is written to say that Disable Device checks automatically fail - just like how the wood regenerated when any damage was done to it so that you can't break through it. It seems...lazy. Like "I can't be bothered to come up with a 'what if the players bypass my puzzles', so I'll just make it so they can't" kind of lazy.
The plot to the Scriptorium just seems to be a similar plot to Nine Eaves, but without the puzzles or sakhil. That seems even lazier, somehow. Like, I honestly wish that the Scriptorium was just "nothing's wrong here, just roll one of these three checks to copy some manuscripts, and the party needs to get 5 successes total in order to get the stamp" or something like that, with maybe some bonus XP if they manage to get the successes before X number of failures.
I wholeheartedly support the plot advancement.
I mean, I can kind of see tooth/bone and some thematic fits there, but I definitely think your other criticisms are fair. Puzzles can be fun, but they're hard to get right in gaming, and I think even harder in PBP.
--
Also, thank you, SL!
Off we go!
Wow I'm glad we skipped all that. That sounds like more bizarre and time consuming and frustrating nonsense. Like, these are mid/high level problems and environments and enemies, but we have the limited tools of low level characters. Ugh.
Sorry for the long silence a lot been going on and after getting pinged on Discord I wanted to drop a note in all my games. I'm actually doing a lot better now, pretty much fully recovered. However, my wife has been really sick, last month she was in the hospital for a week and I'm sitting in the surgery center now waiting to see how things turn out on a few hour procedure she is currently in. Depending on how invasive the surgery is I may be dealing with a lot for at least a month or so taking care of her and the kids and working. On top of that with the holidays coming and the normal delays that revolve around that I am going to say that it's going to be at least January before I look at picking things up again. Maybe if things get better sooner I will try jumping back in before that but I feel like early January is going to be more realistic.
If you need to move on without me I understand feel free to set my character aside or find a replacement if needed and when I check back we can go from there. Sorry for all the absent time, these last few months have just really kicked my butt first physically, then mentally and emotionally. Hope you all are keeping safe and have a good Thanksgiving and Christmas for those who celebrate.
That sounds really hard to bear all of that Dak. I wish you and your family the best and hope your wife makes a full recovery.
We highly appreciate the update. Don't feel obligated or rushed, you and your family's well being absolutely takes priority.
I would prefer to keep a slot open for Dak when they return, but would not have an issue recruiting somebody else.
That does indeed sound like a lot, Dak. I'm glad you're feeling better, and hope you're wife has a similar recovery.
I'm also fine keeping Dak's spot open (here and in Ironfang Invasion, for what that's worth).
Glad to hear you are feeling better. Hoping for your wife to make a full recovery as well. I absolutely would agree on keeping your spot here for when you are ready to return.
Get well soon, Dak! Come back if/when you are ready.
I will be traveling this weekend and completely unavailable until Monday. Please DMPC me as needed.
I doubt Thras will be needed anytime soon due to the nature of that spell cast on him, but in case he does he will go full on crazy attacking, and will pass out the silver naginata to anybody else that thinks they can make good use of it.
Thras Level 4
HP: 6 (base) +2 (con) +1 (favored class) = +9
BaB: +1
Saves: Fort +1
Class Features: Spells (woot), Bestial Aspect, Blood Casting, Eschew Materials, Draconic Resistance
Skills: Pick up knowledge (arcana), a few point into currently trained skills
Feats: Eschew Materials as a bonus feat from class feature
Ability Scores: Strength +1
Spells: Learn 2 1st level spells (TBD), cast them 2/day
Wow. This is a big BIG level for Thras.
Hmm, so that belt of con. It would be equally good on both myself and Mith. However I do have rage which helps bump my maximum HP. IMO I think Mith should take the belt.
Level 4
HP: 4+1=5
BAB: +2
Saves: Will +1
FCB: +1 spell added to familiar
Ability Boost: +1 Wisdom
Skills: 2 + 4 Int = 6
Diplomacy +1
Heal +1
Knowledge (arcana) +1
Knowledge (planes) +1
Perception +1
Spellcraft +1
Background Skills:
Appraise +1
Knowledge (history) +1
Class Features:
Spontaneous Healing (a.k.a. "I'm a good-aligned cleric now!")
New Spells per day:
+1 1st level
+1 2nd level
New Spells (tentative):
Level 1 - enlarge person
Level 2 - Qualm, lipstitch
Patron Spell: lesser restoration
How does Thras feel about being Large-sized?
Thras would love to be large. Reach and strength and increased weapon die damage, yes please.
Then enlarge person is the level 1 spell I'm choosing. Long as I have someone to cast it on.
So, I have an interesting question.
I'm looking at spells for Thras. Some of the more obvious good choices I won't need to take because others have them, such as enlarge person and protection from evil. There's also shield which is a pretty solid staple for raising AC, and longarm for more reach and easier full attacks. I already took Cheetah's Sprint as it will help with mobility a great deal.
I'm softly considering sense fear. I feel like it would help deal with invisible or otherwise stealthy creatures, but that's based on the assumption that Thras would be able to intimidate a creature he can't see. So I have a question in 2 parts:
1) To the GM: Could I intimidate creatures I can't see, as long as I know they exist and are somewhere around me?
2) To the players: Does this seem worthwhile to take?
If the GM says you can intimidate creatures you can't see, yes. If nothing else, once I can copy glitterdust from the spellbook we found into my bonded item, to tell me where to target with it.
I'll allow it under two conditions.
1) Thras is within 30' of the creature.
2) Thras must make a DC20 perception check to notice the presence of an invisible creature.
Oh you found a spellbook with glitterdust? Never mind than. It will be circumstantial at best.
I'll grab shield, should help keep my AC when we're going into a tougher fight. I think I'll just flavor it as his scales growing out, if that's alright.
How very 2e, dragon blooded sorcerer. :)
That all works for me. I'll presumably have time to level up tomorrow.
I have a 2e Aberrant Sorcerer which is tons of fun.
Major Changes:
L2 Spell: Flaming Sphere (4x a day) Finally some proper ranged damage from this sorc.
New L0 Spell: (because i guess so?) Mending
Level 1 spells are up to 7 a day
Bonded Staff will probably keep a charge of Flaming Sphere now (why not get an extra L2 spell per day amirite?)
+1 cha
I will update Aira's profile with the full statblock. She does not get much else at 4.
+1 level cavalier
+1 Str
+9 hp (inc. favored class bonus)
+1 BAB, +1 Fort saves
Challenge 2/day
Monster Hunter (Ex): At 4th level, a disciple of the pike has an uncanny ability to identify monsters. He can attempt Knowledge checks untrained to identify monsters and their weaknesses, and gains a bonus equal to half of his cavalier level on Knowledge checks to identify monsters.
Skills: +6 ranks +2 background skills: +1 Climb, Craft (weapons) (B), Diplomacy, Intimidate, Know (history) (B), Perception, Sense Motive, Survival
4 is a good level for Sam. She gains 2nd level spells (lesser restoration and burst of radiance but she doesn't know about BoR yet), a nice ability to switch up some spells every day (spirit magic), 4 level 2 slots a day, +1 bab, +1 will saves, +9 hp, +4 skills. Will officially update my sheet ASAP.
Yup knowing its DR is over adamantium Thras would definitely use the bardiche, since he doesn't think he can non-lethally damage or intimidate a statue.
Okay, make whatever changes necessary to your attack. Aira is still up!
The attack that's posted is good.
Just noting, since I don't think I'd previously responded that I'm adding the belt of mighty constitution to my sheet. Thanks, Thras!
FYI, if Sarela makes a Knowledge check and I don't post right away, she will always share whatever information she learns with the party.
Gotcha, thanks Sarela!
Don't the crows still provoke as they move from 10 ft away to 5 ft away from our buddies with reach weapons?
Since the crows used their vanish SLA, if they were invisible, then those with reach weapons wouldn't know they were there until they performed an aggressive action (stealing the weapons). I'd have given the players a Perception check to notice the witchcrows before it happened, but even then the AoO would be subject to total concealment in the (unlikely) event they succeeded.
However, the text of the Steal combat maneuver does say:
Items held in the hands (such as wielded weapons or wands) also cannot be taken with the steal maneuver—you must use the disarm combat maneuver instead.
So, the Witchcrows can't use Steal to take the weapons if the players are wielding them - they have to make Disarm checks, instead. This does nothing for Aira's spell component pouch, and possibly Thras's bardiche if it wasn't in his hands, but since Mithralline was wielding her hooked lance, they'd have to steal a different weapon from her.
Thanks for the clarification, I'll change the action against Mithralline to an attack then since it can't take her weapon.
Great. Thanks, Sarela. :/
They can take my lance; I was done using it anyway.
Also, I realized I hadn't updated Power Attack in my macros (but have now). If it matters, that last attack would have been -1 to hit, +2 damage, but I'm fine leaving it as it was.
Ah yeah well if they were invisible, then no aoo anyway. I missed that.
"You can’t execute an attack of opportunity against an opponent with total concealment, even if you know what square or squares the opponent occupies."