[Gameday VIII] Hao Jin Cataclysm - GM Thread (Inactive)

Game Master Dennis Muldoon

Which means a start date/time of 5pm, September 8 Pacific Time, right?

Operate in whatever time zone works best for you. If the timing works out for me I may launch us at Midnight GMT as you suggest. For the most part, however, my posts will be done in the mornings and evenings, US Pacific time.

OK!!

Are we a go? Should we wait for Overseer post or post Scene 1 right away?

I just posted to launch. I believe I got everyone's table, but if I missed someone speak up and give me a link to your table. You have one day to do Part 1, and I'll transition us to Part 2 in about 24 hours.

Hey, quick question about google slides. Is there a way to make sure a shared link goes directly to the desired slide? All my links seem to go back to the title page.

Hey, quick question about google slides. Is there a way to make sure a shared link goes directly to the desired slide? All my links seem to go back to the title page.

Usually I just drag the current slide to the top so that it's not a problem.

GM Brew wrote:

Hey, quick question about google slides. Is there a way to make sure a shared link goes directly to the desired slide? All my links seem to go back to the title page.

Usually I just drag the current slide to the top so that it's not a problem.

Yeah, that's what I do, too.

Thanks! I’ll give that a try.

Nothing wrong with that method. Lot of folks use it.

In Google slides, I usually just bring up the slide I want the players to look at, then copy the url at the top of the screen and format the link within my post in the Gameplay thread.

I did that today to let the players see a glimpse of Sorrina Westyr.

Speaking of slides...does anyone have a deck I can ste...copy?

I stole mine. Click on the link in my profile header.

I stole mine. Click on the link in my profile header.

Thank you!

Questions about smaller table: are there guidelines to modify encounters if we only have 4 players out of 6, or should we top up recruitment to 6 players with alternates?

Absolutely top up, there are no adjustments.

Ok thanks. Will wait another hour for PCs to materialize, after that I'll go on Flaxseed to recruit.

Nothing wrong with that method. Lot of folks use it.

In Google slides, I usually just bring up the slide I want the players to look at, then copy the url at the top of the screen and format the link within my post in the Gameplay thread.

I did that today to let the players see a glimpse of Sorrina Westyr.

So copy url from browser wheil you have slide up?

Exactly. Once formatted, the link will take to the exact slide you want the players to see.

Thanks.

Hey all. I've posted the starting locations for the Aid Tokens, and created the Recruitment thread of this campaign, which we will use to track them. If your table is starting with an Aid Token you should have a post from me in your Discussion thread.

You should all have a post from me launching Part 2. I'll get the success reporting system online tomorrow.

Hey all. I've posted the starting locations for the Aid Tokens, and created the Recruitment thread of this campaign, which we will use to track them. If your table is starting with an Aid Token you should have a post from me in your Discussion thread.

We boosted token 1 with Kn.Arcana (Hard) and passed it to Grandmaster TOZ.

Acknowledged.

Do we just decide where the token goes if the party boosts it? Is there a rotation or anything?

Common practice is to spread it around as many tables as possible. It's a little easier online than in person.

Online makes it easy: you look upthread who had it and pass it to whoever has not had it yet... :P

...although... a quick and dirty Google sheet would perhaps help, with column 1, 2, 3, etc. associated to each token and the rows represented by GMs... anyone has something like this? (I can make one; just let me know)

I plan to add and remove boosts as they get passed alone, striking out the used ones. Maybe convert to spoiler to minimize disruption.

Common practice is to spread it around as many tables as possible. It's a little easier online than in person.

Ok...but how do I know if a table has one? Just check the Discussion thread for the table?

If you check the Recruitment page of this thread, you should be able to see where each of the tokens has been passed; so then you just pick someone who doesn't have one :-)

PDK, if you have passed your token to TOZ, please post in the Recruitment thread. The easiest way is to reply to the most recent post for your token, remove the 'quote' tabs, edit the info, and submit.

Every time a token gets passed, the GM doing the passing should post in two places: (1) The discussion thread of the table they are passing it to, and (2) the recruitment thread of this campaign. That way. as Cwethan said, other GMs can just look at the recruitment thread to see where each token currently is.

D'oh! Of course. That only makes sense.

ok thanks - do I write the name of the player who boosted or the name of the GM?

I like to write the name of the Character. A little extra info can be nice too (Class, Race), just to give the recipient GM a little extra info to describe that hero's aid.

Yeah, name of the player is best.

Alright folks, HERE is the reporting form. Every time your table achieves a success, please use this form to report it. I will link it at the top of this page, along with the sheet that will show you the current status, and I'll add them to my tagline as well. Big thanks to BR Redeux for putting most of this together.

To head off questions, go ahead and report a success every time you get one, no need to wait and consolidate your reporting. It's fine to have multiple submissions over the course of the scenario.

I have made a sheet to help track who has had Aid Tokens. I will try to keep it up to date based on postings on the Recruitment page. GMs are listed in the order they were placed on the Gameplay page. If I have missed anyone, please let me know.

I am also open to suggestions for improvement. I found this method useful last time I GMed a special.

What are people doing for knowledge checks about the template on these critters? On my ghouls for instance, it seems like the template should be a planes check rather than religion, but I'm not sure what the DC ought to be.

How to handle monster identification of templated creatures is not obvious to me.

I am mostly ignoring it as an option for useful facts. At least for this first encounter. I figure in later encounters they can theorize the logic behind the abilities.

I've been leaving the infromation about the template more to how I describe the unraveling creature's appearances and what happens to their bodies when they die. In this cast I decided not to modify the identification process for the creatures.

I do have a question myself. On Mission 1, at the Broken Ziggurat, what is the mechanical difference to the party between disabling one ward and disabling all three? Both results seem to give the same reward (although causing injury to the lizardfolk if the party didn't disable all the runes). Am I reading that right?

Question re Special Boost Option(s).
Is that something the table can do for their own benefit with an Aid Token the players receive?
Or is it just a special boost they can place on an Aid Token they choose to pass to another table?
Thanks.

I've been leaving the infromation about the template more to how I describe the unraveling creature's appearances and what happens to their bodies when they die. In this cast I decided not to modify the identification process for the creatures.

I've been doing the same.

What are people doing for knowledge checks about the template on these critters? On my ghouls for instance, it seems like the template should be a planes check rather than religion, but I'm not sure what the DC ought to be.

How to handle monster identification of templated creatures is not obvious to me.

The template has already upped their CR, therefore, any knowledge check also reveals the template. For example, giant and advanced template: I described it as 'the creature is abnormally large, perhaps cross-bred with some kind of giant, and additional dark rites have been performed to strengthen the creature and harden its flesh'

I thought the template was +0 CR?

Well then, I guess the PCs get a freebie! :P

PS: advanced and giant templates are not +0 CR as far as I can remember, but haven't looked in a while...

I do have a question myself. On Mission 1, at the Broken Ziggurat, what is the mechanical difference to the party between disabling one ward and disabling all three? Both results seem to give the same reward (although causing injury to the lizardfolk if the party didn't disable all the runes). Am I reading that right?

I agree that there doesn't seem to be any mechanical difference. Your players might feel bad if they inflict a curse on some poor lizardfolk, though, and you could play up the story cost.

Question re Special Boost Option(s).

Is that something the table can do for their own benefit with an Aid Token the players receive?
Or is it just a special boost they can place on an Aid Token they choose to pass to another table?
Thanks.

I was all set to say it's only for passing, but I think the existence of Handout 4 pretty strongly implies that the special boosts are for them to use.

GM Lorenzo wrote:

Question re Special Boost Option(s).

Is that something the table can do for their own benefit with an Aid Token the players receive?
Or is it just a special boost they can place on an Aid Token they choose to pass to another table?
Thanks.

I was all set to say it's only for passing, but I think the existence of Handout 4 pretty strongly implies that the special boosts are for them to use.

I was under the assumption that Handout 4 meant "used" as in "which boosts they have applied to aid tokens" since it can be a long time between unlocking the special boost and being able to apply it.

GM Lorenzo wrote:

Question re Special Boost Option(s).

Is that something the table can do for their own benefit with an Aid Token the players receive?
Or is it just a special boost they can place on an Aid Token they choose to pass to another table?
Thanks.

I was all set to say it's only for passing, but I think the existence of Handout 4 pretty strongly implies that the special boosts are for them to use.

Can we get a quick Overseer GM ruling one way or the other?

I usually lean in players favor when it's not clear, so let's say your tables can use it on themselves or for other tables, whichever they'd like. If you've already told them something else, though, feel free to stick with your own ruling.