GM Numbat PFS(2) 1-01 The Absalom Initiation - PbP Gameday VIII (Inactive)

Game Master numbat1

The way I would break it down is if I'm going to be doing a lot of downtime stuff (crafting, making scrolls, retraining) then I would go for the commissioned field agent. Otherwise, one or two consumables (that scale with level!!), a lore skill, and eventually a skill feat seems pretty great to me.

I must have missed a memo somewhere. Where are we finding this information? I would like to make an informed decision.

In the 2E play guide, in the section on character creation under player basics, there's where we are referring to.

I believe I have everything setup and ready to go. I decided to put all 3 points into Spells so I can get 2 free scrolls cuz why not.

I think I also have everything all set. I went with 1 in Scrolls and 2 in Swords.

caps here with Runt Sneak, the Goblin Ranger.

We start in one week! Is everyone excited? I'm excited :D

So excited. I'm still making my way through the Core rulebook. Really like what I'm reading. I can't wait to see how it works in play, especially PbP.

I haven't played it yet but I have GM'd it twice and seemed like everyone had fun and enjoyed it. I can't wait to play it myself.

I'm super excited! I've theory-crafted so much about 2E and poured through the CRB several times, so I can't wait to put it in practice.

In addition to the playtest I played PF2 at GenCon twice this year. I'm in a Fall of Plaguestone game on discord and a Sandstone Secret game here on Paizo. Just started GMing it for my group this weekend. It's really great

My apologies for going silent for a while. I have been learning that running games at in-person cons every two weeks (as I have done for the last few months) is not sustainable and I was dropping things.

I am excited too. I am now into double digits for GMing PFS2 and have run each of the scenarios and the quest multiple times. I also had fun playing the quest once and I am playing during Gameday too.

There will be some experimenting as we work on best practices for PbP. Some actions have options that apply depending on success criteria met. Likely we will need to post to indicate all options so the GM can select the correct one.

I will be back home late tonight. I will probably be neck-deep in laundry and recovering the house from this most recent convention jaunt for most of tomorrow but will try to at least check-in.

Looking forward to playing with all of you.

Kloink is super ready to blow things up. I almost made the mistake of making sunrods with my infused creations, but party of full goblins with darkvision... that seems like a waste.

I am sure some, if not all of you, have seen the announcements that the start of PbP Gameday VIII is being delayed by two weeks. The new dates for Gameday are 09 September 2019, to 17 November 2019.

The reason for the delay is that many of the GMs have not received their scenarios yet. Although I do have this scenario, in order to qualify for convention support we must wait until the official date before we commence. I will be able to post an introductory passage so that role-play and conversation can happen but any block text must wait.

I will also be gathering information for reporting and chronicle generation.

In case some of you are not aware, here is the PF2 Guide to Organized Play. There are some interesting things in the document, including Pathfinder Training vs Field Commissioned Agent having game mechanical effects. Basically, if you go through the training (even if field commissioned) you have additional responsibilities but can draw on the society for some resources. Skipping the training allows you to have longer downtime. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Its unfortunate that we have to wait but whats nice is that we can get the introductory roleplay out of the way before the game starts.

I can't decide on a name between
Runt Sneak
Sneak Runt
Sneaky Runt
Sneaky Lil Runt
etc

Any feedback?

The idea is that she was so small, wiry, and scrawny that the tribe didn't expect her to live. So they always just called her Runt. She learned to be really sneaky to avoid them before finally running away from the tribe. She might have killed (murdered in self defense? Pre emptively?) Some of the tribe before leaving. They were never good to her and sometimes were abusive. She likes being alone, she doesn't like being around other goblins (hahaha), and she wants to stop mean people. But she's not particularly good other than hating abusers and other kinds of mean things.

How about something like: Runt the Sneak? I've got a couple of PFS1 characters with a similar naming style (Tsamara the Luminous and Liora the Skydancer).

Runt Sneak
Runt the Sneak
Runty Sneak

I think any of those work.

Obviously, naming is not a specialty of mine, but I am partial to Runt the Sneak.

I asked a discord group about a name and went with the person with the best story to back it up. This is how Kloink came about:
"Kloink
just, Kloink.
When you're Kloink, you don't need a surname. People know who and what you are. Because you're Kloink.
But Wildfuse if you need one."
Long winded way of saying I'm terrible with naming characters. Out of the options, I like Runt the Sneak personally.

I can't imagine a tribe of goblins calling someone "Runt the Sneak" over "Runt Sneak"

But I suppose she could have claimed the name for herself.

I know I have been running a little behind in my GM duties for this game. I have taken full advantage of the delay to focus on the multiple in-person games I have been running for both conventions and local lodges. I will try to launch some preliminary material this weekend.

A reminder to please attend to your botting instructions. I really like to have the spoiler for these near the top (at least visible without scrolling) for easy access. Here is the one PFS2 character I have prepared for PbP. I may have gone a little overboard with my botting instructions but I also know that for all my usual actions I (or anyone else) can go there to copy and then paste into gameplay with minimal effort and time.

I may well modify the attack rolls to more explicitly indicate the MAP math but what I have is usable.

If you take the time to look, I would actually value any constructive feedback. We all need to develop new standards and habits for PFS2 and PbP adds another layer to that.

No worries GM; I've been a little busy myself this week so I don't mind the quiet. I start a three night stretch at work tonight but I will try and get some basic botting instructions for Pooka posted sometime this weekend.

@Runt - I wasn't imagining that 'Runt the Sneak' would be the actual name, though it certainly could be. Usually when I give characters a name formatted in an unusual manner it's meant to be more of a descriptive than what they might actually use in-game. For example, Tsamara wouldn't actually introduce herself to someone as 'Tsamara the Luminous'. She'd just go by Tsamara.

I can work on getting some preliminary botting instructions this weekend. However, I'm not really sure how I want to play him yet. Obviously, they will be a work in progress.

I fully expect that botting instructions as far as priority and flavour go may change. Having dice expressions ready to copy and paste should be useful for both players and anyone who needs to bot the character.

almost go time!

OK players, past time that I gathered all your relevant signup and chronicle sheet information.

Please complete this form.
Your email address is collected to:
1) allow the system to automatically send you a copy of your answers, this way if you notice a correction is needed it can be addressed prior to the chronicle sheets and reporting completion.
2) notify you if you win something.
3) contact you if the forums go down or you are unresponsive to a PM.

I will be making character tokens in the morning. If you have a strong preference or aversion to a colour designator then please let me know.

I am about to post in the gameplay thread so we can commence our story.

I see I dud not write botting instructions for Runt already. Here is the short version:

She'll generally strike her Hunted Prey with her crossbow to do precision damage, them use moving reload to move and sneak while she reloads for next round. She'll try to always stay concealed and away from the foe when possible. Since her tactics revolve around a single big attack and staying hidden, when her other action is not required for hunting prey or retrying a failed sneak, she will try to do something else useful, like recall knowledge or the like.

Runt - please post this, along with some dice expressions (particularly for the crossbow attack and damage) in an obvious and easy to find manner on your character sheet. Using a Bot Me! or Botting Instructions spoiler is often the easiest and most useful.

It is technically morning where I am, even if I am about to go to sleep.
I have made the tokens and posted links for the slides both in my tagline and at the top of the campaign.

I am happy to adjust the assigned colours.

The second slide has a depiction of standard marching order both single-file and double-file. Please negotiate and adjust positions accordingly.

Now is also a good time to consider Standard Operating Procedures. In PF2 this includes not only what do you do when we reach a door but what is your normal Exploration Mode activity. A list of Exploration Activities can be found on page 479 of the CRB. Please don't hesitate to ask any questions.

Also, given the time elapsed since you all signed up to play this, has anyone played PFS2, earned a chronicle sheet for this character, or have any boons other than your first Faction Champion boon?

I will ask for downtime activities (such as earn income) when we are close to the end.

I am looking forward to seeing how this all-goblin party demonstrates their talents as new Pathfinders. This should be fun!

I need to double check the amount of gold I have to start on this character so I will fill out that form later today.

I have completed the form and have not played PFS2. So I'm really excited!

As for the party order, I feel that Loohi Loohi should be towards the front. He's built to melee and sneak about. As such, his default exploration activity would be Avoid Notice. As for doors, he would Search the door for hazards.

Okay, form submitted.

Pooka has no issue with her current placement in the marching orders but is happy to move to the back if someone else would rather be in her spot.

For her default Exploration Mode, um...hmm. Let's go with Investigate for dungeon-type settings and Gather Information while in populated areas, at least for the time being. Always happy to change things up if the group needs her to be doing something else.

Since signing up for this game I have played this scenario with a different character but Pooka herself does not have any chronicle sheets or boons besides her Faction Champion boon for Horizon Hunters.

Still need to get her 'Bot Me' spoiler done but otherwise I think she's about as ready to go as she'll ever be!

I've filled out the form, and I'll have botting instructions and the other standard things taken care of shortly

I've got the basics entered in for botting instructions and will work on fleshing them out as I figure what will make sense to include.

I've moved myself away from the front of the marching order (Sure, Kloink is curious, but she isn't crazy! At least not all the time

Bot Me instructions are bare but there

I still have not played in any PFS 2E games, so I'm really looking forward to this.

As for default exploration, as in my bot me, Kloink will likely Investigate by default, but she's clever enough to adapt with the group.

As for opening a door, don't let this poor girl be the one to open the door. She'll be more focused on getting to the next thing to think about traps or peeking through a keyhole or anything like that. ;)

Hey, Runt. How did you gain access to the dogslicer in order to purchase it? It's an uncommon weapon and requires a feat to gain access to it, if I read the rules correctly.

I'm happy to see Janira's name again! Funnily enough, I'm running The Confirmation for Gameday. I love coincidences.

From what I can gather, being Goblin might give access to the Goblin uncommon weapons, but to be trained with them you need the feat? That's definitely not super clear.

The feat specifically gives access to the weapon. And the Guide to Play also mentions something similar. Just want to make sure I understand the rules.

I gained access to the dogslicer by not paying attention to how racial weapon access works. :P They made a big deal about dwarven clan daggers being available to all dwarves so I didn't think much of the other racial weapons. I'll switch it out when I get a chance; probably to a short sword.

In exploration mode, she will always choose to be stealthy given the choice. But she may put her other skills to use if the party really needs her to

Of course, you would be the first group I run through this that decides to split up and seek out different people! :-)

I should probably provide you with the mechanics for this social encounter. I'll be back in a bit.

yeah, goblin party...splitting the party right off the bat

why not, what could possibly go wrong

Hah! Kloink just said something about that before I read the discussion. But, seeing as who Goblins are... y'know, it's not terribly surprising.

Heh! In my own experiences GMing PFS1 content, my groups almost always scatter to the four winds when there's a large social gathering :)

My apologies for my absence. Wednesday was plagued with Internet outages. It seemed every time I tried to head to games to catch up, the Internet would drop again. Yesterday was catch up and life explosion.

I should be able to post shortly with the promised mechanics and to further the story. Thank you for your patience.

No worroes, life happens

Not a problem GM, thanks for letting us know :)

FYI I am attending a conference this week. There are even a few events for it the next two evenings. Please do not hesitate to bot me, though I will post when I can.

I will be leaving for SkalCon this Thursday morning so will likely be slow to respond until I return the following Tuesday.

Thanks for the advanced warning Sneak.