GM Granta's War for the Crown (Inactive)

Game Master Granta

Just clarifying since Tiber fights with a shield: GM, you said to assume unidentified magic weapons are +1, does that mean the shield is a +1 weapon or a +1 shield?

Just clarifying since Tiber fights with a shield: GM, you said to assume unidentified magic weapons are +1, does that mean the shield is a +1 weapon or a +1 shield?

It has an armor enhancement, not weapon. Speaking of which, are you planning to take shield master?

I am! At level 11 since I'm using the TWF combat style. I get the shield feats later, but I don't have another way of qualifying for the fun twf feats without the style.

EDIT: Welcome Mr. Hebeme!

Thanks Gummy! Hello all, I’m happy to be here. Looking forward to spending some time with you all.

TLDR, I’m an okay guy when I’m not hangry.

I can't remember whether I spelled out the details yet, and don't feel like searching, so this may be the second time for some of this info.

You may attempt to influence Malphene once after each combat. Allowed skills are Bluff, Diplomacy, and Knowledge (history, nobility). Perhaps most importantly, you know that a DC 21 Bluff failed, but a DC 26 Diplomacy succeeded. This is a tough check!

Yeesh. She better be worth it! :P

Very. Just make some rolls ;)

@Delena & Thalasou: I moved you into the room. Identifying the item requires you to get close up.

@Pavo: Don't worry about botting Ayalina.

If you haven't already, please check the Hangouts chat.

When I cut and paste the maps after each room, does it help? It's a pain in the butt (especially this hallway), so I want to make sure it's having the desired effect.

My hope is to keep the dungeon more surprising, by limiting player knowledge to character knowledge. Is it helping, is it worth the effort?

I'm not sure what your desired effect is that is different than a Fog of War overlay.

The map size is helpful.

Could use some numbering/labeling on the doors, especially with so many now.

P.S. Tiber and I, at least, are taking the teamwork feat "Shake It Off?"

I'm not sure what your desired effect is that is different than a Fog of War overlay.

That I know how to do this effect. No clue on the overlay.

Could use some numbering/labeling on the doors, especially with so many now.

Will add when I get to a computer.

Team shake it off over here!

Not seeing the whole map definitely contributes to me having no idea how much longer this will be (just like Tiber!). I like it!

The way that you're doing the map is fine with me. The overlays can be done by drawing large rectangles over areas. Of course you have to trust that the players don't move them.

Tiber makes a good point about not knowing how much is left. An overlay would still give away overall dimensions.

I'm fine with the way you put the map.

The amount of doors is just a bit overwhelming.

I would expect that things made of gold, silver, fine craftsmanship, gemstones and such would speak for themselves if not to their specific value without requiring a DC20 Appraise check to know if they might possess value vs. a stick broom.

Everything is valuable enough to be on display behind locked glass; this is nothing like choosing between a gemstone and a broomstick. And even if it was, that still wouldn't be a Perception check. It would be a really low DC Appraise, such that anybody could take 10 and succeed. A DC 20 Appraise check is to know the exact value; it's far easier just to identify that something is valuable.

Also, Perception is already one of the most powerful skills in the game. I don't want to let it annex territory from a neglected skill like Appraise.

One of the most common admonitions in writing is to Show, Don't Tell, and it's the advice I find most helpful in my role-playing. If you haven't already been taught about it in a writing class, please watch the first 4 minutes of that video.

Once everyone is ready, we'll talk about it some.

I appear to have been unclear in my intent, and we have headed down a tangent.

All I wanted was for Pavo to know what things were in the "dozens of objects" so I would know if there was anything he wanted to take (regardless of its objective value). Since he was visually inspecting the things, I rolled a preemptive Perception to speed things along in case it was needed--rather than "I look at the things," next day "Roll Perception," next day I roll).

If the scenario does not define them, fine. A note in discussion would have sufficed.

I did indeed misunderstand what you were attempting, and you are correct in guessing that these items are not specific. The treasure block just gives total value and weight, no actual objects.

Do you want us to just say if we've watched the video? If so, I've watched it.

Watched the video or is otherwise familiar with the concept. For example, anybody who majored in English (raises hand) has probably seen it written in red ink a hundred times.

I could say:

I watched the video. I have some opinions.

Or I could say:

Only the two desk lamps illuminated my office in the early morning hours. The rest of the house still lay in slumber, except for one of the cats who was making a half-hearted attempt to play with a small stack of cardboard boxes that had not yet been moved to the recycling bin since Christmas morning. Putting on my headphones, and selecting the dark blue colored text "Show, Don't Tell", through the magic of technology I was transported to a different world. Suddenly there in my West Coast office, an accent from the other side of the world came to me. A cheerful voice full of pep and vigor. Without hestitation, she jumped right into her topic. Her clear voice transmitting to me, across time and space, one of the sacred nuts held by all druids of the mystical art of writing. With each prosodic rise and fall of her voice, sychronized withthe tilt of her head, I felt that time-tested wisdom being poured into my own fledging vessel. Yet, as she finished I was still left with questions. Was not the statement "she slammed the coffee mug down" simply "telling" me something as well? Isn't it true that in dialog a person would naturally say "I am angry."? What at first seemed like a clear and refreshing vision of the path into the mystical circle of menhirs, the sacred inner circle of writers, quickly became obscured with the all too familiar swirly thick mist and fog. The ellusive path lost once again. I sighed.

Game is on hold while I sort out some stuff on my end.

I watched the video and I was aware of the concept beforehand.

Unfortunately, I didn't major in writing. I didn't even study English after high school, I did my compulsory foreign language with Russian. Only writing course I did was technical writing and that is not very helpful in creative writing.

I do try to write as well as I can, within the limits of time and my ability.

Lady Delena, you do better than many native English speakers with your postings. In fact, I don't think anyone would suspect you of being a non-native English speaker.

Does participating in a game like this help your English?

I am familiar with the concept.

I apologize in advance if this post comes off rude, but I am quite upset and struggling to keep that out of my voice.

I started this campaign with a lot of expectations beyond just Gameplay. Unfortunately, we have reached a point where at least half of the table doesn't share those goals.

I took a few days to think about the options and get several viewpoints from other people, and in the end, I just don't see a path where I will enjoy GMing this game long term, so I am officially cancelling it.

I have enjoyed playing with all of you, and wish you only the best.

Sorry to hear that but I understand. Personally, I was enjoying the game quite a bit. However, I understand that everyone might have a different perspective.

Now that I've had a chance to vent the negativity and cool down a bit, I want to clarify something. You are all still some of my favorite people to play Pathfinder with, and would be my first choices if (probably when) spots open up in my other WftC table, as that one is just a standard game.

I had also been enjoying the game, save for the fiasco with Jowuan Zubari. My frustration was with Discussion, not Gameplay--and primarily with what was NOT being said and done, rather than with what was.

The actual game was great, but was supposed to be just half of this campaign. That other half is at least as important to me as the game itself, and its absence was frustrating me more and more.

I enjoyed the game, as well. I liked playing with everyone involved this far, including the few post Malphene had time to write.

One thing I would like you to answer is the play of Delena. I told at the beginning that she's "Chaotic neutral, but not in a disrupting way'. I would like your comments how that worked out.

I still haven't completed a campaign, so if anyone of you needs a player who is determined to see one through, I'm in.

I'll close the campaign tomorrow, if no more posts.

Not trying to fan any flames, but I will say that I was interested in what we were going to discuss about "show, don't tell". I've been hearing that since I was in High School (in the 80s!) and it still doesn't make a lot of sense to me. However, in the last year or so, I've had a bit of a break through in what I think that phrase is supposed to mean. I was interested to see where I discussion lead so I could learn more.