The Fall of Plaguestone (Inactive)

Game Master Eric Collins - France

Sense Direction.

Doing Init' one by one for now.

A bit slower, I know, but best to keep things in order.

Giggett is now behind Natsume.

And her rapier is back where she was behind Tamerius?

I update my hand's content.

Doing Init' one by one for now.

A bit slower, I know, but best to keep things in order.

It's slow, but for important fights, I think it's better. We got a little bit of messy situations with Natsume in the past, and it's better to avoid them :)

Just don't forget your rapier if you need it to fight.

We're a pretty quick-responding group overall, one-by-one isn't debilitating :P

Just don't forget your rapier if you need it to fight.

Don't worry about that. Giggett loves to put her little fists in painful places :D

In fact, I just came to realize that my rapier isn't much usefull as long as it's not magical.

I so much wanted to use my hero points, which I have 3 of, and the dices do not let me :( Life is tough for PCs that roll high ;)

I think we should have used your strategy right away: Stay away from the enemy (and his traps) and shoot him to death. Going to melee range was a suicide...

I figured my AC would be high enough to tank some of the worst of it, but those spears keep rolling crits!

PF2 is more lethal
+14 to hit for the spears for example
Hallod is not great w. ranged, only +10 to hit

Ho, only +10... wait, what? :D

Look at Hallod ‘s biceps!
He’s buff

And Hallod started with more HPs than the sum of ours :D

What I like in PF2 is that you can find a lonely opponent and still have the chills.

I find combats to be quite balanced, if we except the CR-1 enemies who just die too fast to be a challenge (even if they bite hard).

The smaller ones here are there for attrition I guess
To use up some spells and HP

Hallod has had 44 hp

PAAAOOOWWWWNCH

Hey, curiosity here:
Are these, like, actual spears, mechanically? Or javelins? Is this guy just passing out free piercing weapons?

There are like really big javelins (2d6 damage, and then +6 from the size of the XBow propelling it hard I imagine).
No metal, just small trees carved to be pointed and propelled by a mini-ballista, extra-large XBow.

mini-ballista, extra-large XBow.

Hidden in the wall...

You have passive searching for all, but most DCs are Trained, thus one must actively look for them.

You missed the first spear.
Then you found the two next ones (beam & chest).

Then the last two were a bit more difficult since they were trip wires and you can notice them only when closer.

w. +6 you have less than 50% for the easier ones and more than 25% for the harder ones.
So that's not bad.

Especially w. no Wisdom bonus at all, so not built to be a scout.

You have passive searching for all, but most DCs are Trained, thus one must actively look for them.

You missed the first spear.
Then you found the two next ones (beam & chest).

Then the last two were a bit more difficult since they were trip wires and you can notice them only when closer.

w. +6 you have less than 50% for the easier ones and more than 25% for the harder ones.
So that's not bad.

Especially w. no Wisdom bonus at all, so not built to be a scout.

+6 is the maximum half of the classes can achieve, so it's a high Perception bonus.

High DCs to spot, massive to-hit bonus, and high damage is ROUGH! At least we’re not at risk of insta-death when they crit... which at +14 is gonna be pretty often.

The massive to-hit and damage is perfectly normal. It's the Perception DC which is way out of line.

The whole concept of secret checks works on trust. If you ask the DM if a chest is trapped and the DM answers no, what everyone wants is you to open the chest. But that happens only if you trust the DM, ie if you know you have reliable chances to find traps. If the DM is lying more than half of the time, then you won't open the chest. You'll use familiars, summons, ask a peasant and other strategies to circumvent the issue. Secret checks must be easy ones. So players won't start questionning what the DM says and critical failures will be unexpected and as such hilarious.

Right now, this whole trap system is no fun. We have 2 players with high perception looking for traps and we still took 3 of them. It feels just punishing.

Rock falls, you die

At least we’re not at risk of insta-death when they crit

Well... you are.

As for the DCs, I do not feel they are in any way absurdly high.
There was one high one, the first one in the door, at DC20 (35% of spotting it, more than 1/3rd chance).

If you want me to spoil more things: to spot the trip-wires was DC15.
Some succeeded, some didn't.
The ones who moved first happened to be those who didn't spot the particular one they were moving into.

I do not feel that 60% chance of spotting a trap is a stupidly high DC.
If you do, so be it.

As for:

If you ask the DM if a chest is trapped and the DM answers no

For me that is not a relevant question.

If the DM is lying more than half of the time

Lying how?

So, are you saying you have no trust in me, and you do not want secret rolls?

As far as Rock Falls, that's your feeling, that I am trying to kill you off?

You take it for you, that's not what I said. I know you are following the module.
When I speak about secret rolls, I mean that if I fail my perception check, the DM is "lying", as he's saying the chest is not trapped while it is.

Anyway, I just give you my current feeling. Right now, we don't manage to find many trap. Not that you are doing anything bad, just that it feels punishing. As I don't have the module at hand, I can't know if we are especially unlucky or if they are designed in a too punishing way. But when you speak of 25-50% chance to find a trap, it feels really high.

Hey, we've found plenty of traps!

Mostly with our torsos, but

As I said, I do not think the DM says the chest is not trapped.
He says you do not find a trap.

The same for Sense Motive.

And Lying etc.

Can I ask to search for traps again then?

With the 200 xp for Hallod and the two traps, you are at 1030 XP.

Thus you will have what it takes, what is needed, to pass to level 2.

Start thinking of what you wish to do when comes time to level up, and where/how to find some things/tutors etc. if you go w. Archetypes etc..

@Giggett: you can alway ask to search for traps.

XP Award: Bringing Hallod to justice is a significant milestone, worth an 80 XP story award (in addition to the normal XP for defeating the brute).

Excited for the level up :D I’ve got mine more or less charted out already. Should we update the stats as we’re able or wait for you to let us know?

Let us wait for a moment where you can rest or train or whatever.
You can post here or spoiler if you have any special needs to find RP for (Druid Archetype etc.).
We will be soon coming to the end of part 1 ( of 3).

We will implement the stats of level up then.

Giggett's manacles require two successful DC 17 Thievery checks (probably not able to be carried out by Hallod himself - though not sure about that).

In this case it fit easily, since you were slipping out of Encounter mode, but just be advised that the rules state that putting manacles on takes place in Exploration mode (using up time that is equivalent to up to a 1/2 dozen rounds).
Thus, unless there is some other rule somewhere I did not see, there is no fast slapping of cuffs on.

HAPPY WINTER SOLSTICE for all of you Druidic, Persian, or others who celebrate the return of the light in the northern hemisphere... (bye bye sun for those Down Under)!

I have added a link (both on top of the page, and under my avatar) named Loot & spoils of war.

Can you put a X in your column, facing the row of whatever item you are taking?
That way we know who will be taking what.

(and just make sure that it does not impact your carrying capacity ; the Heavy XBow is 2 Bulk for example)

I will later use the right side to track your HP, Focus spells and normal spells etc. used/remaining.
For when people are away for some time and we need to bot them a bit (for example Dragh will be out adventuring in RL in January, I think).

Can we sell part of it and buy stuff with the gold? There are a few things I'd like to have in my inventory.

Hey Folks, I am considering taking (assuming that the GM will allow it), alchemical crafting as the skill feat. That would allow us to use the 50gp worth of alchemical reagents for some potions. What do you think?

I am not sold on how useful alchemy is on PFS scenarios due to how short scenarios are and the help that each PC get from training (getting any 2 potions if they want to). But in here, we could use some healing potions or other ones to help us in what we do. Tell me what you think.

Could be a good idea.

I dig it!

I’ll be angling for Quick Repair to maximize my shield usage.

You can try and see who might want to buy things, and for how much.
The Inn serves a General Store.
Maybe Tamli will be taking over running the caravan?

Alchemical crafting is fine if you want that.
I’ll read up more on crafting and see how to make it work.
For example by giving you some time to etc..
We can see re. what you need (alchemical tool lit, lab?).
RP-wise simply find a reason (you were training in alchemy to make the additives for the family beer!).

Well,'tis Christmas Eve over here in France, where three of us gamers are right now, I believe, so I will start with a "Joyeux Noël" for all.
But also Merry Christmas, Wesołych Świąt, and Hanukkah Sameach if anyone follows the Jewish festivities!

Enjoy, have fun, and may we all get cool presents!

Same !

Merry christmas folks!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Erastilmas!

Also I got my cool presents early this year. The skies of Strangereal will never know what hit them!

XP Award: If the PCs discover the map in the chest, award the party 30 XP.
40 XP for the trap in the lockbox.

1170 XP

So endeth part 1!

Up to level 2 as we do the transition to part 2.

Hey Folks, I am considering taking (assuming that the GM will allow it), alchemical crafting as the skill feat. That would allow us to use the 50gp worth of alchemical reagents for some potions. What do you think?

I am not sold on how useful alchemy is on PFS scenarios due to how short scenarios are and the help that each PC get from training (getting any 2 potions if they want to). But in here, we could use some healing potions or other ones to help us in what we do. Tell me what you think.

I find that hyper thematic and cool, personally. And it could prove itself very useful (especially elixirs of life). And also studying all of our enemy's mutagens and such.

Finally, someone in the party who can make a decent mixed drink ;)

Over the next days, if you update your character sheets with your moving to level 2, and/or send me your new sheets.

My feeling is that we will cover the wrap up of Part 1, with questions and information; and the downtime; and the introduction that leads to Part 2 over the next week or so, and get back into the flow after the New Year, entering Part 2 for good.

Start thinking of what you want to sell and try to purchase etc..

re. the loot and such:
@Natsume
You are taking the Heavy Crossbow w. 8 bolts, the Kukri, and 1 Everburning Torch w. you?
You add them to your sheet? (and I can remove them from the list)
What are you doing w. the filthy leather armor?
And the Shadow Rune?

@Dragh
You are taking the Minor Healing Potion & the 2 x vials of Juggernaut Mutagens w. you?
You add them to your sheet? (and I can remove them from the list)
And you will be Crafting, right, using the 50 gp of alchemical reagents?

@Tamerius
You are taking 1 Everburning Torch w. you?
You add it to your sheet? (and I can remove it from the list)

The Key & Scrap of parchment are accounted for (I am removing them).

And then there is a whole list of things to look into.
Try to see who takes what in the next few days, before you get going.

Also, a kindly reminder: Tamerius has not cast his detection spell on many things... he has time to use this cantrip more, now.

Finally: I added a "Caravan" list, for things you might want to leave behind w. the caravan and not carry.