Sorry for my absence as well, I'm down a device until I replace my Chromebook and having to use the family computer in the den to update.
Ok, I think we would see an uptick in posting if we could end this combat. In truth, I can use the 20 ft ceilings, her ability to fly, her invisibility, and her fast healing to flog you all for many rounds yet.
Or, I think it's feasible for Simflay to use her alter winds spell to pull the Quasit toward you all. The spell has a long duration, so she can make a concentration check each round to represent how well she is manipulating the wind and the Quasit will make a save against it. If she fails, she will be pulled toward the party enough that the others can reach her and attack on their turn.
You guys can also oppose her stealth rolls with perception to find her by sound or other indicators.
For my part, my posting rate has had nothing to do with this combat, specifically.
I'm certainly willing to give it a go :)
Nicely done! That's us out of combat. I'll try to get the final scene written up for you soon, but I'm a little busy with my spouse's birthday today so it could be tomorrow before I can post it.
But congratulations are in order, you have all reached level 3!
Anyone who didn't roll up at least a 20 point buy should go ahead and add the points to equal it while you level up. By my calculations, Masdok needs 1 more point and Simflay needs 2, Grulyn's stats look good. It's not going to make a big difference, I just prefer to see everyone at a more equal footing. You can also start from scratch and just use a 20 point buy to build your stats anew if you prefer.
Excellent!
Is Acharn really and truly gone? Should we find a different 4th PC?
Switching stats to
Str 18
Dex 15
Con 14
Int 10
Wis 10
Cha 8
Trying to decide on a feat. I'm leaning towards dodge+mobility, toughness, or fleet.
For the level up hit points, do you want us to do it? roll or average?
Excellent!
Is Acharn really and truly gone? Should we find a different 4th PC?
I think so. Sent a message just to double check. I think I saw another RotRL recruitment happening now. We might cherry pick from those who don't make the game easily enough. Or refresh this game's recruitment if you prefer.
Alternatively, I could mobilize an NPC for party support. Ameiko has a dip in rogue, iirc and could provide some arcane support as well as serve the usual function of a bard without swaying combat too much. Shalelu would be good ranged and skill support.
What do you guys think?
For HP, you can roll or take average, whichever is highest.
I like both of those NPCs. Masdok has a thing for Ameiko, if you couldn't tell already.
Roleplaying them constantly could be a lot of work for you, though.
I am fine with either plan. I like having another PC or two. Even with Ameiko to fill the rogue/support role I would probably feel better having an arcane caster in this AP.
guess I'm sticking with the average!
OK - I will adjust Simflay's stats to be as follows...
Str 9, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 16
Bit late here atm, I will adjust the character online in the morning :)
Up dated to level 3: +8hp, feat: cleave, skills Spell craft, know religion, BAB +1, Reflex save +1
I like both of those NPCs. Masdok has a thing for Ameiko, if you couldn't tell already.
Roleplaying them constantly could be a lot of work for you, though.
Characterization and dialogue is my strong point, so it will probably help combat feel less tedious for me since there's only so much crap-talk I can come up with for enemy combatants. XD
Ok, I expect we'll have a bit of RP with the townsfolk before we move on. I will look through recruitment and see if any of those previously passed over want to join us. Everything else looks good.
Did you guys want to try anything with the strange glowing pool before we head topside?
I'm going to say that GM hint goes right over Masdok's head
Thankfully I don't think it would be in character for Masdok to have an idea to do anything about the pool
Believing that the pool is a source of evil. Grulyn will take some time to try and figure out what the pool is and how to destroy it.
Ok guys, that's it for the Catacombs of Wrath!
I noticed another group looking for a new GM on the recruitment boards. Here is that thread. What would you guys think about offering to combine the groups? It would still leave us short of arcane support but I could help that with an NPC. They are also nearly done with book 1 so that puts them one full part and one level ahead of us. They might not want to just repeat the part they just played or wait for us.. but it looks like it could work, otherwise.
What do you guys think?
We would be
Paladin
Slayer
Swashbuckler
Rogue
Oracle
that is a lot of martials!
However, I like the idea. Maybe we could recruit one more player to fill the arcane role?
Maybe we could expedite the last part (i.e. cut the "filler" encounters) so that we catch up to them sooner / they have less to replay?
Either way, it it works for me.
There is also multi-classing if someone has the Int. or Cha. for it. Or if the GM allows I could remake Grulyn as an arcane or arcane/cleric if that would make things work?
However, I like the idea. Maybe we could recruit one more player to fill the arcane role?
Maybe we could expedite the last part (i.e. cut the "filler" encounters) so that we catch up to them sooner / they have less to replay?
Either way, it it works for me.
Cool, I will float the idea to them and see what their opinion is.
We can most definitely still recruit an arcane caster, there are two RotRL games picking teams on recruitment (I even applied to one!) and I can easily recruit someone who gets passed over. I think Grulyn should stay as he is, this is a good AP for a paladin. ^_^ Only if you really wanted to change the character should you worry about that.
I can also make an effort to move us through the next bit quickly, though it is the big nelly of book 1.
Yeah, I was thinking about the next chapter and you'd have to make some structural changes to it, I think, to do it quickly and also have it make sense. It easily could take just as long as all three of the first chapters put together.
I am happy with any of these solutions. So long as the merger/larger group thing doesn't make it too much work for you Bluedove.
I think it's going to be good, I heard back from the pair and the suggestions they made gave me an idea. There are two campaigns to work with, so we could continue on toward Thistletop here, maybe pared down to the essentials.
Concurrently, you guys could level up again and we join them on their campaign under the assumption that you have completed Thistletop and will move forward from there. I will GM in both places, probably using a more efficient, if less descriptive GMing style to offset the extra work.
How does that sound? This plan depends on you not worrying much over spoilers or continuity issues. If it's too much for you guys to sign on for what is basically a second game at this point, they are willing to wait. But I feel like I would be working harder to rush and catch up with them if we did it that way.
Let me know what you think!
Sounds good to me, and long as you don't get over worked.
I think I would almost rather skip Thistletop than play through it here *and* play through the next book there.
But I understand if Grulyn and Simflay don't want to skip Thistletop.
I have not played nor GM'ed this mod. How important to the story line is Thistletop?
It is important for explaining what has been going on in this book and for tying events in this book to the other books. Although I'm not sure if the players typically learn that when they play through it. But when I say skip I guess I mean "narratively skip." Maybe just do the boss fights and narrate the rest?
There are more encounters in Thistletop than the rest of this book combined. Maybe even twice as many.
I would be fine with "this is what you find out, bla, bla, bla. And the big boss doesn't like it so roll for initiative."
I am fine with that choice too. I have played this AP to the end of book 1 before, so while the Thistletop stuff is cool, I am aware of the bones of it (though it was a few years ago now). Book 1 is where that previous game stopped so I am more excited for Book 2 and beyond because I don't know it.
Greetings.
I am not from the other group that is being merged into yours, but instead somebody who was looking to help them fill out their group if they got restarted.
Bluedove asked me to come up with something other than the human Erastillian Archer Fighter/Cleric I had submitted, trying to focus on an arcane caster to help flesh out your group. I did that. Kinda. Close enough she told me to come over here and introduce myself!
Arcallius is a humnan Erastilian Archer, through and through. He is currently a Ranger 2/Sorcerer 1, and the plan is to alternate until he qualifies for Arcane Archer (first level will be 9th). Given how his background laid out, I almost converted him to an aasimar. Almost. Felt too far to me.
As I said when I posted this character for her initial review, I accept criticism and feedback. Arcallius is a weird combination of min/maxing and story over capability (Erastil's Blessing doesn't change feat prerequisites). Look him over, if you want.
Hi, good to see you here. Turning in soon but one thing jumps out at me. You've built with standard wealth for a level 3 character but that is not at all balanced with the party. RotRL is really light on loot early on so you'll have to cut equipment way back. Most everyone has mundane gear still. You'll have to scale back to 1000 gold for gear. Sorry about that.
Zero stress. Will comply. After work.
Arcallius: you had me at Ilsurian Archer, as the old line goes.
---
I'm in some kind of personal funk and having trouble engaging with my games right now. I apologise for the delay.
Yes other than the equipment, all should be good. Arcane Archer should be a good addition to the party. We have two front liners and support, Masdok can do some of the rouge stuff, but not dealing with traps and such being a slayer. Mine is a simple tank type, and Simflay so far has been best suited as support. Just my 2 cents of the party make up, if you guys see you characters as something else please let me know.
Gear and stats adjusted.
Bought 3 CLW potions. Something I normally not only forget to buy, but I normally forget to use the ones I have until/unless somebody reminds me!
Masdok actually *could* do traps and stuff. It is just not a part of his background at all. He's more like a sneaky, woodsy fighter.
I could have him discover that he's a bit of a gear head and start giving him ranks in disable device if the party needs that. Can't remember if any of the other new PCs have it,
Talia has Disable device and has been handling all the trap spotting and disarming for her old group. She is another one heading for a Prestige class. Arcane trickster in her case.
I'm sad our old campaign died on us. It was enjoyable for a long time, then player turnover hit us and we never really got going smoothly again.
So thanks to Blue dove for picking the survivors up. :)
One question for your party. did the Shayliss Vinder encounter happen?
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Hey folks - I'm going to be away for the weekend. My daughter had a baby yesterday so I am hopping on a plane to fly down and meet my grandson for the weekend. There is no way available to represent a big enough smile for this ... I will just have to use this... :D
Feel free to bot Simflay if you need to push things along over the weekend.
@talia: yeah, it happened here https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivkdk/gameplay&page=7#329
@simflay: congratulations!
From one grandparent to another: Welcome to the club! It both is and isn't like you probably expect.
Congrats
Do you guys want to sell off stuff for money? It would likely be prudent to upgrade some gear before facing Thistletop.
It doesn't look like you guys have spent any gold beyond Simflay buying a light crossbow. Do you need me to try and total what all you have found?
This was from the Catacombs of Wrath:
masterwork ranseur worth 400 gp
scroll of flaming sphere (CL 5th)
bottle of wine that looks oddly new
Scroll of burning hands (CL 3rd).
Book of monsters, written in Abyssal worth 100 gp
Wand of shocking grasp with 28 charges
Also congratulations to Simflay, soak up that baby love while you can!
@Talia, what was your groups experience with Shayliss like?
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Hello all
This is the player of Cade.
Thank you for having us.
Our party didn't encounter Shayliss. At the time we were all female aside from the Wizard, who was a bit too Gnomish for her it seems.
Our major party breakup was just after defeating Ripnugget. So we entered to dungeon with a mostly new group and stumbled our way through.
I am wondering if the Feat tax rule would treat Piranha Strike the same as Power Attack?
Greetings Cade
I am wondering if the Feat tax rule would treat Piranha Strike the same as Power Attack?
Indirectly. It is a completely unspecific transfer of attack bonus to damage.
Defensive Stance and Risky Strike
In place of Power Attack, Deadly Aim, Fight Defensively,
and Combat Expertise, players are granted two new
combat options: Risky Strike and Defensive Stance. Both
are usable by any character with a base attack bonus of at
least +1, and neither requires a feat to access.
Risky Strike
Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +1.
You can choose to take a –1 penalty on all attack
rolls and combat maneuver checks to gain a +2 bonus
on all damage rolls. This bonus to damage is increased
by half (+50%) if you are making an attack with a two-
handed weapon, a one handed weapon using two hands,
or a primary natural weapon that adds 1-1/2 times your
Strength modifier on damage rolls. This bonus to damage
is halved (–50%) if you are making an attack with an off-
hand weapon or secondary natural weapon.
When your base attack bonus reaches +4, and every
4 points thereafter, the penalty increases by –1 and the
bonus to damage increases by +2.
You must choose to use Risky Strike before making an
attack roll, and its effects last until your next turn. The
bonus damage does not apply to touch attacks or effects
that do not deal hit point damage.
I am wondering if the Feat tax rule would treat Piranha Strike the same as Power Attack?
Yes, without the Str requirement to use a Power Attack, Piranha Strike becomes redundant and therefore obsolete.
Link to Elephant in the Room. You can see Piranha Strike is mentioned in the comments.
Ok, in the interest of hopefully moving things forward a little faster, I inventoried all items that should have been discovered up to this point in the AP. Grulyn, Masdok and Simflay can sell all items for ~1120 gp a piece, or keep some items among the party which will require some reconfiguring to keep things balanced. I expected you would keep the potions at least, so they are not figured in to the total.
On Goblin Warchanter:
2 potion of cure light wounds;
studded leather, 15 gp
dogslicer, 5 gp
shortbow with 20 arrows, 20 gp
20 gp
On Goblin Commandos:
2 potion of cure moderate wounds;
studded leather, 15
masterwork horsechopper, 160 gp
shortbow with 20 arrows, 20 gp
On Tsuto:
composite shortbow with 20 arrows, 50 gp
ring of protection +1, (1000 gp)
masterwork thieves’ tools, 50 gp
masterwork flute, 50
silver earrings (25 gp for the pair),
journal,
6 pouches of gold dust worth 50 gp each, 300 gp
8 pouches of silver dust worth 5 gp each, 40 gp
100 gp
In Catacombs:
masterwork ranseur sells for 200 gp
scroll of flaming sphere (CL 5th) (565 gp)
bottle of wine that looks oddly new 10 gp
Scroll of burning hands (CL 3rd) (190 gp)
Book of monsters, written in Abyssal worth 100 gp
Wand of shocking grasp with 28 charges (420 gp)
Cade and Talia, you should have also seen these items unless your GM supplemented with others. If you would like to have claimed any of these items for yourself, you may add them now. I had meant for the groups to meet up on the way to Thistletop, but we seem to have stalled out a little. Feel free to come on back to town and you guys can be the kick start to get us on our way.
Arcallius, your gear looks good. Any thoughts on how you'd like to introduce yourself to the group?
Hey all, back again! That's a goodly stack of loot there. I'll put my hand up for Simflay to take one of the Cure Light Wounds potions. The Cure Moderates probably should go with the front liners. Likewise, as much as I might like her to have the Ring of Protection it should probably go to someone a bit 'tankier' So, if someone takes that ring, I think we'll each get 820 GP to go shopping with...
Feel free to check my maths on that, it's been a long day and my brain is a bit fogged :)
Since I use a shield, I think Masdok should get the ring +1 and he should get a potion of cure mod, the MW thieves' tools, if he does not have a set already.
I will take a cure light potion, and the bottle of wine. And just need gold to up grade my armor and weapons.
Not sure if anyone has the spells on their list so they can use the scrolls?
Simflay should get the last cure mod. to force down on a dying front liners throat when they fall.
The book of monsters might be nice to have if someone can read it (Grulyn is too dumb at an Int. of 9 to learn anytime soon). It might help us I.D. some monsters weakness.
Talia grabbed the MW Thieves tools when they came up. Nothing else I can see there that she took.