The Fall of Plaguestone (Inactive)

Game Master Eric Collins - France

That's true that spell gem and scroll in Starfinder and PF2 are far better than in PF1 as it scales with your character :)
To do that here, I will need to take Craft to create as much as possible scrolls for Tamerius and expends its list. Because, I don't think we have an infinity of scrolls of any type in town.

Cleric don't have the equivalent of Electric Arc...

Yes, Cleric's do not have much as far as attack cantrips (unless you port a Cantrip in, as a human or gnome or whatever).

As for "unlimited" spellcaster, if you're happy to spend so much that's fine.
I stopped my SFS Techno/Mystic at level 7 or 8 I think, and never used more than a few spells chips and never felt frustrated or had any problems (I did buy a lot, but just to have access to all the spells I did not know, but nearly never used them).

Are you sure it does not cost a lot?
In PFS 2E, if you just cast one day of spells via scrolls, that's close to 80/90% of the money you earn in the whole scenario, just to double one single day of spells cast.
Wiz' lvl 1 for 3 x lvl 1 spells = 12 gp for around 14 gp w. 10 TBs.
Wiz' lvl 4 for 4 x lvl 1 + 3 x lvl 2 spells = 52 gp for around 64 gp w. 10 TBs.
Seems costly to me?

Have you done the math re. wands vs. scrolls? (1 wand is worth 15 scrolls if you don't overcharge, is that valid in the long run, if you have 2 - or 3? - days per scenario on average?).

Introducing 2 dead orcs for 80 xp.

1830 XP total

Are you sure it does not cost a lot?

Not that much in fact. The biggest thing is: You will nearly never expand over your spell list. Most adventuring days are short. The thing is you don't know it beforehand. So, with a rationing caster, you will not cast spells at your fullest because you don't know there will be only one or 2 encounters during the day. With a scroll loaded caster, you cast more spells because you know you can last.

For PF2, right now, I can't tell you precisely how to handle it. I've had a lot of experience in Starfinder, but not much in PF2, so I don't know how to maintain sustainability.

Wands are extremely bad. A wand is not even worth 2 scrolls.

I stopped my SFS Techno/Mystic at level 7 or 8 I think, and never used more than a few spells chips and never felt frustrated or had any problems (I did buy a lot, but just to have access to all the spells I did not know, but nearly never used them).

I faced one CR+4 and one CR+5 encounter with my Mystic. I'm not sure you ever faced a monster your martials can only hit on a nat 20, but it's scary :)

Talismans
No time to go check right now, but I imagine that is you just hang the talisman on your weapon or armor etc.?
Anyone know?
(this is not like a Rune I imagine).

The action is called: Affixing the talisman. It requires repair kit, takes 10 minutes. No roll requored.

I imagine you duck tape the wolf fang to the handle kind of activity ;)

Little strip of leather and a needle and you can dangle that from your shoulder!

Anyway, conveniently, Natsume has a repair kit!

Thanks Farol!

So that's what my neighbor has dangling from his rear view mirror...

MARKUS KRUBER!

He's from Warhammer: Vermintide. Human soldier, generally personable, enjoys drinking and dicing. Weapon options include two-handed swords, hammers, swords and shields, or maces and shields. Somewhat famously (due to its repetition) will, when faced with a staircase, quip: "Where do these stairs go? They go up!"

All around good boy who fights to save a doomed town from a Chaos-sent apocalypse (manifesting first as Skaven, then adding Chaos Warriors from the north to the mix in the sequel).

Thinking about it, there are a few similarities between him and Natsume, as long as you don't zoom in much.

So, what is the plan here? Rush in as fast as we can? Any ideas?

I think you should-- oh, wait.
Hush!

I'd let Natsume rush first :)

Hi dear DM.

Could it be possible to split the Google Doc for the reminder of Fall of Plaguestone? It takes now a truck load of time for me to open it as it loads tons of pictures. My internet resources are quite limited these days (I'm confined in the a**hole of the world, as we say in our beautiful language).
I don't know if it would be much trouble to "archive" the parts that we don't use much, like all the maps from the first part and the beginning of the second part.

re: Opening Doors with a Shield and Flail

I'd figure this depends a bit on the type of door. A doorknob's going to be tricky, but if it's just like, one of those straight handles? She should be able to do that with a few spare fingers, I'd reckon.

Not sure how long doorknobs have existed. For all I know, King Tut was using 'em. But also for all I know, they were invented in the late 80's.

In fact, it's a bit silly to always consider that doors are closed. Most indoor doors are open. At home, I keep them open. Unless you are in an environment with lots of noise or with some restricted access, all doors should be open. People don't like to lose time opening and closing doors...

But, anyway, closed doors are an RPG trope.

In medieval times, I expect most doors to have no handles. Just a bar for the outside door. Internal doors should be opened with a foot.

I think King Tut was invented in the 80's.
But he was as dull as a doorknob...

I'll open a 2nd Google Slides then, with only the current map or whatever.
And then pass them to the first (current) one to archive.
I'll try and do it today, but probably tomorrow.

Thanks a lot!

For now I have changed the link to the Current Map up on top left of this page.

Can you please use that map from now on?

I will see later if we need to add anything there.

Keeping all the rest as is for now in the original slides.

PAUSE FOR ALL

Natsume hit a trap, I'm sure :P

GM Wayfinder wrote:

PAUSE FOR ALL

Natsume hit a trap, I'm sure :P

A time trap, that is for sure.

Did the Orc really wanted to slow me down? ME? I barely move in the first place.

Okay, I've been checking all over to make sure, but Motion Sense is a precise sense as far as I can tell.
Senses that are not precise, have "imprecise" noted.

I will not be able to post today, I will post tomorrow morning if you have any ideas on how to proceed let me know. Keep in mind that my speed is lowered to 10 ft;) So initially I was planning on spending this round throwing stuff.

So no miss chance etc..

Here is the blob.

I'll just be chillin' on the ground for a while, then! See y'all after the combat. If someone can tip a margarita in my mouth, I'm just gonna pretend I'm on the beach and all this blood is the tide coming in.

Okay, Farol... well, it is not off to a powerful start!

May the Gods be with you.

I won't be able to post before tomorrow either, I have a game starting soon.

Dear DM, could you confirm what I feel:
The bloody thing has reach?
It doesn't seem interested in eating Natsume?
It doesn't attack the orc?

It seems to have reached over to the Orc.

It did not attack the Orc when it was readying to do something.

It has not moved on Natsume after downing her.

So, I absolutely don't know what to do, and considering how things have started, I feel really really bad about this fight.
The thing is: There's a strange link between the orc and the bloody thing. Maybe killing the orc would deactivate the thing? But this is pure conjectures to take with a big grain of salt.

Maybe re-read my descriptions from when you entered.
It could answer some of your question.

Okay, I just re-checked, and Paizo does say all their scenarios are for four players (and if you do the math of the encounters the monsters come up to being made for 4 PCs).
Just wanted to make sure I was not pitting you vs. enemies made for 6 PCs.

Yeah, I think they have difficulties to adjust their encounter...

Yes.
It is just that since there are is no adjustment information in this module, I sometimes fear that it might not be made for 4 PCs (but maybe for 6, and thus a bit too strong for 4)
But I rechecked yesterday, and even when recalculating the encounters w. info' as to how to run encounters in the CRB it fits for 4.
So it is all fine! (well-- it is made for 4).

LOL, @GM a set of questions for the record ;) Did you include the 3d aspect of the attack, meaning the bloody bloob is a bit slower, and it is lashing on the diagonal. Just asking.

Well, I have been fearing this might be fatal to all four of you for some time (and have been reading the fight several times to make sure I interpret it well and not go overboard - it is already super brutal!)
But this started in a quite harsh fashion...
____________________________________________________
I have updated the original Google Slides, adding the images of the Sculptor and the Blood Ooze.

I will keep the big file, under the link 'The Fall of Plaguestone' (under my avatar bar ; and up on top left of this page).

I will put new maps & images to the Current Map link (top left).

And then move those new Maps & images to the original bigger file once we change and bring new ones out.

BASICALLY: current or new stuff on Current Map ; all the other stuff on The Fall of Plaguestone link.

Guys, sorry, but I don't see what Giggett can do in such a situation. I have no clue about the Sculptor hps, and I have hard time thinking he'll go down in a hit or 2, especially without any sneak attack bonus. The big blob looks slow (Sitril was at 5 square from it and it took it 2 move actions to go there), so I'll gonna play ranged combat, and pray for you to manage to stabilize on your own.

I'll roll as hard as I can! But... yeah, I have no idea how they expect us to be able to take this without having optimized heavily, unless this blob only has 5HP.

Gig no worries. My initial thought was:

You step out of the door, close it. Meet the ranger and pretend that nothing happened:

"Natsume and Sitril? Never heard of them." :D

Jokes aside, stay safe, maybe one of us stabilize and something will turn around. And I know that we all know this but I have to write it.

A critical hit on 16 on the dice with 1d12+8 to damage what was the author thinking? Was there a memo that we didn't find? Wear a daisy and stay safe from the blood monster?

Yep, that my though...

@DM: I've counted every steps squares as difficult terrain as I was going up. I would love to know if they are also difficult terrain to the blob, after all, it is also going up :)

It was a crit for me as well-- on a 15. I'm curious as to how low it would have to go for it not to be a crit...

The thing must be CR4 or 5

@Farol's valid questions

You do see the "living pool of blood" is slow--
and can probably guess it has a move of 10 feet
--but also that it just flows and trickles and even "climbs" over the rack.
it has a climb speed (which means that it could just climb right over the rack, which is low not even giving cover to a medium humanoid - here I had it move around the side, to pass the chains (A climb Speed allows you to move up or down inclines and vertical surfaces. Instead of needing to attempt Athletics checks to Climb, you automatically succeed and move up to your climb Speed instead of the listed distance.)
And it slithers over to not too far from you.
Double move, 20 feet, 4 squares (2 diagonals for 3 + 1)

It rises high, towering up above Sitril's height, even though a bit below--
it is Large, thus 2 squares tall, so not a problem with the 1 foot or so little indentation
--and its pseudopod crosses the space all the way to the Dwarf!
there is only 1 diagonal so that would have been 10 feet in PF1.
But, even if Sitril were one more square to the right, it would still hit, despite the 2 diagonals.
In PF2:

Unlike with measuring most distances, 10- foot reach can reach 2 squares diagonally. Reach greater than 10 feet is measured normally; 20-foot reach can reach 3 squares diagonally, 25-foot reach can reach 4, and so on.

So I sadly believe I did not mess up...

In PF1 reach was working the same way.

@DM: I've counted every steps squares as difficult terrain as I was going up.

Going up where?

They went up in the corridor before, leading to the door.

Anyhow, as you saw, the thing has a Climb speed so can just move along the wall.

But it is slow.

Yes, they are going down in the room, so up when you run away from the room.

10ft. move... I can handle that with my bow. But it's bad for our 2 companions.

Yes, correct.
Sorry, I answered before seeing you had acted.
I was afraid you had got it wrong and not moved enough before.

I can handle that with my bow

Be careful of what you say!

Seriously, I know you'll play smart, but do not think something will work like you believe it will before trying it.

Well, you know, adventuring is tough. So, I can't know what will happen, but I know one thing: I'll take the full reponsabilities for my choices :D

I only meant to test things, and not rush in sure they will work.

On another note, re. Tamerius' remark from before.
I told you guys before that the Feedmill has some things to sell:

3 minor healing potions and a potency crystal.

Otherwise, I will continue being "generous" as to what the caravan has in stock.
And I do not mind Tamli finding that they have a box of things you can pay them for, that they were supposed to deliver somewhere.

I was thinking about what we should do, and I think the strategy to increase chances of survival of most PC's is for Sitril to follow Gig and Tamerius into the big room where we fought the two orcs.

Sitril is last and he will likely fall, but due to me escaping the enemies should waste their attacks on me (the frost vial is the most dangerous one as it slows you done by a ton).

Hopefully that might give Nat possibility to recover on her own and take the big healing potion from teh ranger (2d8) consider taking barskin potion. Then pick up your stuff and try to sneak out. Or if some lucky shots will occur join the fight.

However, I think we aim at resetting the fight if we can. We could make a code word for that, as it turns out to be a popular strategy in this book.