That was not, because I forgot that was a thing. It has now been rectified.
You are correct. The AoO would resolve against regular (rather than flat-footed) AC, but that means that the crit would knock it prone again.
◆ Strke [Q]
Side note: You can actually choose which actions you lose from being stunned. In this instance, you can choose to lose the more restrictive actions (meaning the ones you gained from haste that you can only use for specific things) so you can do more varied stuff on your turn. Didn’t matter in this particular instance, but just a note.
Kolgradd knocks the pile of bones right back down again and swings his maul at it again! On his second hit he crushes the bones into oblivion, then turns around and swings at the remaining skeletal snake, likewise crushing it into oblivion!
Boodiddly Refocuses
This plaza is a large cave with strange stone buildings built into the walls. Cracked bones of numerous shapes and sizes cover the floor, piled into grisly, jagged dunes. A solid square building juts from the bones in the center of the plaza, surrounded by a low circular wall of gray stone.
In a strange twist of expectation, the Plaza of Bone is completely empty.
Shakur is unnerved and on edge; he was told that there should be a gug here, and yet there’s nothing!
Round 1
==============
Shakur
???
Kolgradd
Boodiddly/Jevar
==============
"Aren't gugs supposed to be, like, big and obvious? Stay close to me everyone."
Shakur casts Bane and throws up a Shield, staying on edge. "If those ghouls tricked us, I'm sending them straight to Pharasma."
[AA]Bane (5 feet)
[A]Shield
Shakur banes then protects himself.
Suddenly, dust falls from above as violent rustling echoes from overhead. As the amnesiacs look up, they see a beast crawling across the ceiling above! The massive, hairy beast is vaguely humanoid, with the only differences being its arms and its gait. Each of its two arms split into two separate forearms at the elbow. Its gait, however, is much more disturbing, as it climbs down the wall its body twists and contorts, as if its limbs had far too many joints within them.
The monster, clinging onto the ceiling almost directly overhead from the amnesiacs, climbs onto the wall and scurries down the wall like a vicious spider! Once it comes near the ground, it roars, revealing the third difference this creature has from a regular humanoid: it’s barrel-sized head splits open vertically to reveal its gaping maw that takes up most of its head! This is indeed the gug that Wilkins mentioned.
Still clinging to the wall, the gug lunges forward with its vertical maw! In the blink of an eye, the gug’s neck and two vertical “jaws” seem to puff up, enlarging these body parts to allow it to reach Kolgradd with its bite!
But Kolgradd swats the beast away from him, the monster’s neck and jaws shrinking back to their “normal” size.
Round 1 —> 2
==============
Shakur
Gug
Boodiddly
Kolgradd
Jevar
==============
Jevar panics as the creature drops to the ground near them. It really causes him to start as he halfway expected it to drop directly onto them from the ceiling.
Feeling a little more confident after it misses Kolgradd, he remarks. Leave no moves on the field, gents! Unleash the hells!
Boodiddly just starts to close his eyes and sniff the air when a frightful roar echoes through the cavern. He quickly opens his eyes, then just as quickly wishes he hadn't. "Oh boi, that's a big one!" he observes inanely before pausing to whistle. "Um... I'll be... right back here..." Small feet crunching on the bones underfoot, he ducks around the corner.
"Fascinating..."
Kolgradd was already wondering how the physiology of such a creature could arise as it fell, Jevar startles him into action. He steps cautiously forward on the bones and strikes out at it with the hammer
◆ Recall knowledge (with dubious knowledge)
◆ Step
◆ Strike
◆ Strike
Shakur quickly springs to action, throwing a bit of guidance to Kolgradd before trying to terrify the gug. "Git outta here!" Shakur shouts.
[A]Guidance on Kolgradd
[AA]Phantasmal Killer
on success
on failure
on crit failure
Boodiddly begins singing and steps over.
Jevar calls on Oreb’s latent magical storage and casts a spell on Kolgradd. As he does so, however, one of the gug’s arms lashes out, puffing up at the wrist to barely reach the wizard!
The gug’s claws into Jevar enough to completely disrupt the wizard’s spellcasting!
Kolgradd steps forward and swings at the gug clinging to the wall! One of the gug’s forearms reacts swiftly, bending in an unnatural way to intercept the head of Kolgradd’s maul and catch it! Kolgradd then follows up with freeing his hammer and slamming it into the gug’s arm!
Shakur guides Kolgradd then attempts to terrify the gug!
The gug’s eyes go wide as it screeches in terror, which instills further terror in the amnesiacs than when the gug roared in anger, for what horrific sight would cause this thing to scream like that?!
The gug Releases its grip from the wall as it falls the short 2 feet onto the ground, shattering innumerable bones when it lands with a loud
The gug briefly analyzes the situation with an apparent intellect that catches the amnesiacs off-guard for a moment. The gug then Steps over to get a clearer view of Boodiddly. The beast then roars, the joints at its shoulders and wrists puffing up momentarily as its reach increases. It then swipes quickly, each of its claws going at a different person—the claws of its left upper arm going at Kolgradd and Shakur, and the claws of its right going at Boodiddly and Jevar!
The gug’s claws hit hard, clawing into everyone, and nearly knocking Jevar unconscious if not for the deflection from cantrip. Only Shakur comes out unscathed, the gug’s claws mere inches from the Pharasmin’s face but missing due to the awkwardness of trying to hit both Kolgradd and Shakur with the claws on one arm.
Round 2 —> 3
==============
Shakur
Gug (-34) {Frightened 1}
Boodiddly (-24) {Lingering Defense: Round 1 of 4}
Jevar (-52)
Kolgradd (-21)
==============
Kolgradd watches the Gug tear into them and looks concerned.
"Get back, it's too dangerous!"
He looks up at the Gug and roars one of his spells that lend his hammer accuracy before attempting to smash it to pulp.
◆ Cast True Strike (verbal)
◆ Strike
◆ Strike
It all seems to happen very fast. First the creature somehow reaches over his companions to disrupt his spell. Then the creature lets out its own unsettling shriek of fear. Finally, the damned beast broke his arcane shield! At least he was still upright.
You don't have to tell me twice Kolgradd! Jevar remarks, attempting to show for some level of calm but his voice cracks and shakes as it comes out, almost falling into a nervous stutter.
The wizard starts inch along the back row of the party to where he'll have a clear view of the creature and incants a particularly powerful lightning bolt through it!
Boodiddly gulps and backs further away, bones crunching underfoot. “Don’t use your poison bombs Jevar!” he warns, then turns his attention back to the gug. “H-hey, you - why the long, uh, face?”
Shakur pulls out some gauze and attempts to cover the largest gash on Jevar before finishing off with some magical healing.
[A]Battle Medicine
[AA]Cast Heal
You just have to Balance to move across the bones (though you can still Step at no penalty). None of the other restrictions of uneven ground apply.
Boodiddly moves away and tells a joke to the gug.
The corners of the gug’s mouth (on the top and bottom of its head) curve to one side as it lets out a guttural noise. The amnesiacs aren’t sure whether its smiling or frowning, but based on Boodiddly’s magic it’s probably laughing.
Jevar moves over, the gug too preoccupied with its chuckling to lash out at the wizard. Jevar then unleashes a bolt of lightning right at the gug!
The gug’s chuckling may distract it for some things, but it has enough conscious ability to dodge away from Jevar’s magic, bending backwards to dodge away from the bolt of lightning! But it is still, y’know, trying to dodge lightning, so its arms still get electrocuted by the magic!
Kolgradd resorts to a more tried-and-true methodology of just smacking at this creature really hard!
Shakur uses his medicinal skills to completely undo the damage the gug inflicted upon Jevar.
The gug, confused at whatever enchantment was placed on it, glares at Boodiddly! With a surprising amount of grace, the gug repositions itself on the bones.
The gug moves over to Jevar and towers over the wizard, but rather than attack him, the gug grabs onto the nearby wall and begins scaling it. The gug climbs over Jevar’s head and to the side of him.
The gug then Releases its grip from the wall and falls 5 feet back onto the bone-covered ground.
The gug, towering over the three mages of various disciplines, glares down at Boodiddly and lashes out at the bard with its massive, vertical jaws!
Round 3 —> 4
==============
Shakur
Gug (-84) {No Reactions: Round 1 of 10}
Boodiddly (-54) {Lingering Defense: Round 2 of 4}
Jevar
Kolgradd (-21)
==============
Th-thank you Shakur. Jevar responds, with a high level of uncertainty in his voice. The wounds are healed, but the memory of the pain is still fresh.
Jevar nervously blurts out a Draconic incantation, keeping is anxious eyes fixed on the beast in front of him. After, Jevar starts to flicker in and out of existence...
You can Sustain the Spell to vanish and reappear 10 feet away in a random direction determined by the GM; the movement doesn't trigger reactions. At the end of your turn, you vanish and reappear as above.
Boodiddly cries out in pain as oversized jaws pierce his nose and his toes and everything in between. But when the gug opens its mouth, he remains standing. “G… get it?” he wheezes before clicking his heels together and teleporting to the other side of the room.
Shakur reaches his hand forward as an inky black ray pierces through the creature.
[AA] Enervation. DC 26 Fortitude save.
Shakur then throws up a shield and begins muttering under his breath.
[A]Shield
Kolgradd curses when the Gug moves away and his hammer smashes only bones. He charges at it, preparing to cast another guiding spell.
◆ Stride
◆ Cast True Strike (verbal)
◆ Strike
Boodiddly gets FAR away from the gug using his magic.
Jevar uses his magic to blink periodically to the Ethereal Plane. Which begs the question of how that works when he’s not on the Material Plane but in the Dreamlands. Questions for later. He then concentrates on his magic to vanish and reappear.
He then vanishes and reappears again.
Kolgradd hits the creature!
Shakur protects himself then unleashes a wave of negative energy.
But the energy bounces off of the gug completely.
The gug growls and moves over.
Kolgradd slams his maul into the gug’s leg and breaks it—except that it’s actually just another joint and didn’t actually break a bone. The gug continues its advance, hellbent on the mage that put some kind of enchantment on it.
The gug once more towers over Boodiddly and leans over to bite at the gnome!
Round 4 —> 5
==============
Shakur
Gug (-123) {No Reactions}
Boodiddly (-78) {Lingering Defense: Round 3 of 4}
Jevar
Kolgradd (-21)
==============
“Hey!” Boodiddly yells, “I’m allergic to teeth!” He then closes his eyes and tries to remember the room as he’d seen it moments ago. It’s like you’re looking at it from over there right now, isn’t it? Good, good… Now you just have to believe that it’s not your imagination!
And with a blink of an eye, the gnome disappears and reappears once more!
Jevar holds up his hands in front of him, fingers splayed on each, and he starts to gather more crackling electricity for another lightning bolt. Realizing that the creature is looking right at him, he pauses and concentrates on his intermittent blinking into the ethereal plane to attempt to vacate his current spot.
When I appear again at a new place, I will catch it off-guard...
Kolgradd spares time for a quick sigh at how quick the Gug is, then charges.
"AAARGH!"
◆◆ Sudden Charge
◆ Strike
Shakur quickly spawns a spectral dagger and attacks.
Boodiddly once again disappears and reappears on the other side of the room.
Kolgradd charges at the gug and swings, but misses.
Shakur conjures a spectral dagger and misses the gug.
The gug, completely tired of the gnome’s shenanigans, compromises with attacking the closest thing that moves—in this case, Kolgradd.
Round 5 —> 6
==============
Shakur
Gug (-142) {No Reactions}
Boodiddly (-78)
Jevar
Kolgradd (-63)
==============
“Oh look!” Boodiddly calls, wiggling some poor creature’s thigh bone between two fingers. “I’ve got your funny bone!” He tosses it into the air, stomps twice for a passable ba-dum, and then the “funny bone” lands with a clatter.
Boodiddly waves a hand, and from the ground rises the “funny bone” once more - but this time as a ghostly reflection of itself. With another wave of his hand, the gnome sends it flying at the gug! “Don’t hold back - give it everything you’ve got!” the gnome cheers from the rear.
I never understood the funny bone. When you slam it on something it's not very f#@%ing funny. The mage shudders at some memory and hitting a desk in enclosed spaces with his elbow.
This time he incants an acid arrow to fly by Kolgradd and hit the opposite side of the sizeable creature.
He then takes another ride on a blink into another plane.
Kolgradd grins at the Gug when he sees his friends magic strike it, and it's an ugly sight as his blood drips down his beard.
◆ Strke
◆ Strke
Not wanting to stand and get turned into mincemeat, he retreats while Boodiddly's got it laughing.
◆ Balance
Boodiddly uses the power of dreams to summon a…club? That flies at the gug and smacks it!
Jevar launches an acid arrow at the gug.
Jevar vanishes into the distance, then reappears right back where he started.
Kolgradd swings his maul and connects with the gug, sending it sprawling onto the ground!
This small, squat mausoleum is eight feet square. It sits on a raised dais in the middle of a fountain that has long since dried up and is now heaped with bones. The image of a leering ghoul’s face with a long canine snout and a haughty expression is carved on the stone door to the mausoleum.
The amnesiacs begin to open what clearly must be the tomb of Prince Scarcrim. As they finally open the mausoleum, however, a wave of necromancy pulses outward!
But despite the strange necromantic energy, the amnesiacs resist it and open the tomb to reveal the skeleton of a canine-faced ghoul seated upon a throne.
”I knew it!”
The amnesiacs turn around and find a new face at the entrance to the Plaza: a dog-faced Leng ghoul clutching a scroll with three other ghouls wielding kukris and wearing necklaces of an upside-down ankh. The ghouls slowly move away from their hiding spots.
”Damn you, Wilkins! You’d desecrate the prince’s tomb for this?!” The Leng ghoul bears their claws and fangs. ”You will pay for what you’ve done!”
Round 1
==============
Jevar
Leng Ghoul
Kolgradd
Boodiddly
Red
Blue
Green
Shakur
==============
Ooooh, they're all huddled together, I sure wish I'd prepared FIREBALL this morning! What exactly is morning in this place? Anyway, here goes nothing.
He releases the ball of flame into the middle of their "gang."
Just to be safe... he moves to the other side of Kolgradd.
Jevar uses the power of the Dreamlands to create a ball of fire right on top of the ghouls!
The Leng ghoul growls. ”Why you little—!”
The ghoul moves across the bones toward Jevar and claws at the wizard’s leg!
The ghoul’s claw proves too powerful and knocks Jevar off his feet! The ghoul then raises a clawed hand and brings it down on Jevar!
Round 1
==============
Jevar (-20) {prone}
Leng Ghoul (-12)
Kolgradd
Boodiddly
Red (-24)
Blue (-48)
Green
Shakur
==============
Boodiddly briefly considers grabbing the skull and running. The burst of flame in the distance and the sudden arrival of another ghoul gives him reason to pause. And reason for the ghoul to pause.
“Whoa, slow down there buddy.” The short man waves a hand gently at the undead creature next to him. “I know, I know, we get cranky when we haven’t had our nap - here, I know a lovely little lullaby…”
"Get away from him!"
Kolgradd bounds over the bones and swings his Maul at the ghoulish attacker
Kolgradd moves over and swings his maul at the Leng ghoul, but the ghoul dodges away from both swings.
Boodiddly sings and tries to slow down the Leng ghoul.
Now in pain from the wizard’s fireball, Red holds up its upside-down ankh and utters and incantation
A pulse of necromantic energy swells out from Red, damaging the living and healing the undead!
Success
Failure
Success
Blue crouches and leaps forward! They then utter an incantation, raising their upside-down ankh up high and pressing it against their chest.
Green likewise Swift Leaps forward. It then points its upside-down ankh at Kolgradd and incants . Kolgradd’s mind is filled with images of nightmarish beasts assaulting him!
Critical Success
But Kolgradd knows better than to trust anything these undead have planned for him!
Round 1 —> 2
==============
Jevar (-35) {prone; paralyzed}
Leng Ghoul {Slowed 1: Round 0 of 1}
Kolgradd (-7)
Boodiddly (-7) {Lingering Defense: Round 0 of 3}
Red (-9)
Blue
Green
Shakur
==============
It's just a dream, right? Right...
He tries to shed his paralyzed skin standing up from prone.
Jevar begins to molt on the floor and a fresh one stands up from within the paralyzed body.
Seeing Jevar fall, Shakur calls on the power of Pharasma to heal him.
With Jevar still paralyzed, Shakur uses Battle Medicine to make sure Jevar does go unconscious too soon.
Jevar tries to shed his paralysis, but fails to do so.
But Jevar manages to shake off the paralysis on his own!
The Leng ghoul growls in slow motion, then smirks. They unfurl the scroll they are clutching in one hand and begin reading off of it, the magic upon the scroll surrounding them!
Kolgradd hits the ghoul, but this does not stop them from completing their incantation and pointing a clawed finger at Kolgradd, the dwarf’s mind suddenly becoming foggy.
Kolgradd begins to babble and murmur incoherently as he is very clearly affected by the ghoul’s magic!
The Leng ghoul chuckles and shouts over his shoulder at the other ghouls in a language the amnesiacs do not understand.
Cast ray of frost at Shakur then spend the rest of your turn babbling incoherently
OR
Balance over to Shakur (the shortest route would be to move to the space south of Shakur), Strike Shakur, then Strike Jevar.
Round 2
==============
Jevar (-14) {prone}
Leng Ghoul (-16)
Kolgradd (-7) {Confused: Round 0 of 10}
Boodiddly (-7) {Lingering Defense: Round 1 of 3}
Red (-9)
Blue
Green
Shakur
==============
Thank you Shakur... The mage says pitifully from his sitting position.
A dark look comes over Kolgradd's face, uncharacteristic rage and suspicion. He rushes at Shakur with murder in his eyes
Apparently his anger gets the better of him though as he slips and falls!
Boodiddly desperately tries to blow away the ghoul’s spell after bouncing towards the casket where the skull sits.
"Don't you look at me like that!" Shakur shouts to Kolgradd.
Shakur conjures a bright light and aims it at the Leng ghoul.
[A]True Strike
[AA]Searing Light
Kolgradd, in a mindless rage, rushes at Shakur, but falls to the ground.
Boodiddly moves toward the skull and uses his magic to blow away the strange fog over Kolgradd’s mind!
When Shakur cast remove paralysis, the three non-Leng ghouls hiss in anger at the sight of Pharasma’s spiral! The three ghouls then Swift Leap across the battlefield. One of them lands next to the Pharasmin and sweeps at his legs with its kukri!
Shakur falls so suddenly that he hits his head on the stone surrounding the mausoleum!
Green then raises its kukri overhead and slices down at the Pharasmin!
The other two ghouls move in unison as they both Cast the same Spell. Shakur is bombarded with grief and turmoil over his faithfulness to the Lady of Graves!
Success (half damage)
Critical Success (no damage)
But Shakur’s faith in Pharasma is far greater than any magic these horrid undead could use!
Round 2 —> 3
==============
Jevar (-35) {prone}
Leng Ghoul (-16)
Kolgradd (-7) {Prone}
Boodiddly (-7) {Lingering Defense: Round 2 of 3}
Red (-9)
Blue
Green
Shakur (-17) {prone}
==============
Jevar stands up warily before the ghouls in front of him.
It worked once, maybe it will work again...
This ball of flame is sent just behind the Leng ghoul so that the explosion just catches at least two of the other ghouls.
"You abominations of the cycle, return to the river where you belong."
3 action heal. DC 26.
Jevar casts a fireball.
Shakur then lets loose a wave of positive energy.
Pharasma’s will is powerful, as the ghouls are deteriorated by the positive energy, to the point where Blue disintegrates into dust!
The Leng ghoul glares over at Shakur and Steps over to stand over him. ”Can’t have another one of those, now can we?”
Success
Success
Success
Round 3
==============
Jevar (-20)
Leng Ghoul (-31)
Kolgradd (-7) {Prone}
Boodiddly (-7)
Red (-41)
Green (-38)
Shakur (-68) {prone}
==============
Boodiddly carefully wraps himself in defensive magic, then reaches up over the edge of the coffin and tries to pull the ghoul skull free. “Come on Yorick…”
Kolgradd bounces up, shakes his head quickly "I'm sorry, I'm not sure...", then looks at Leng Ghoul with resolve. He picks his way around the bones as he moves up and strikes out at the thing.
◆ Stand
◆ Balance
"Over here ugly!"
◆ Strike
Kolgradd stands up and moves over to the Leng ghoul, smacking his maul into the ghoul!
Boodiddly protects himself as he grabs Scarcrim’s skull.
The ghouls all hiss at Boodiddly as he grabs the skull! Red holds up his upside-down ankh as it Casts a Spell.
A wave of negative energy pulses out from Red!
Success
Success
Failure
Success
Green then Swift Leaps over the two prone people , then attacks the one who dares desecrate their prince’s body!
But the monster’s bite stops short of the gnome’s head due to Boodiddly’s abjuration. Frustrated, Green swipes their kukri down at Shakur!
Round 3 —> 4
==============
Jevar (-31)
Leng Ghoul (-40) {prone}
Kolgradd (-12)
Boodiddly (-12) {Lingering Defense: Round 2 of 3; Sanctuary: Round 0 of 10}
Red (-30)
Green (-27)
Shakur (-73) {prone}
==============
Shakur prepares to go unconscious and grits his teeth as the ground around him begins to glow again. "Don't you dare let go of that!" Shakur shouts to Boodiddly before sending his final Heal spell out around him.
3 action Heal
DC 26
Hmm, there are at least a couple of them lined up. Time for Absolute Power...
Jevar steps around one of the ghouls so that he's not so much surrounded by them, but more in a position to line them up as he's thinking.
He taps the ghoul on the shoulder before stretching out his arms to release the energy.
Shakur lets loose another wave of positive energy.
Green gets electrocuted and ceases moving.
The Leng ghoul growls as they Stand . They then Step over and Strike at Boodiddly!
The ghoul attacks so violently that it shatters Boodiddly’s abjuration!
Failure
Failure
Round 4
==============
Jevar (-9)
Leng Ghoul (-51) {prone}
Kolgradd
Boodiddly {Paralyzed; Leng ghoul fever: Stage 1}
Red (-58)
Shakur (-51) {prone}
==============