Boston Theoretical PbP

Game Master Tarren Dei

Survival (identify slime)=13

It's green.

Charles should make a Perception check.

No one has entered the cave yet. You've already been warned--telepathically--that something is in there. Perception checks if anyone enters.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

As Valerie was unable to include Nissa in the telepathic message, she signals to her with a "stop" motion to discourage her from entering the cave just yet. She taps her ear and points at the cave to indicate she heard something.

She waits to see how the others respond before proceeding further.

"Well.." Theo ponders out loud. "Anybody have any idea what at green $#|+ is?" The Olympian indicates the green slime.

Well, so much for trying to be quiet. "It's a genetically modified hallucinogenic fungus. Do not touch it. Well, really, don't eat it, but I would avoid contact to remain safe."

Charles feels the prickling of fur when he sees the DNA stasis jars, but from this distance And with that Perception check it's nothing more than a bad feeling.

Verve will use her power to pick up a rock and fling it at the slime.

"Wait. Why are those jars here?" Charles growls.

The slime doesn't react to the rock or do anything a slime wouldn't do when hit by a rock. The rock falls to the floor, now with one side covered in glowing green goop.

Some more noise--a low startled growl--comes from inside the cave. The noise is close, but no one is within sight to those outside the cavern in the entry tunnel.

Though she of course just wants to kill Grendel to be sure, Nissa does her best to support the give-peace-a-chance that three of her peers voted for. She remains silent for a minute or s as her peers search and call into the slime and throw rocks and such. Then, she speaks:

Bluff: Sound Sincere + Sidereal: 1d20 + 11 + 1d6 ⇒ (17) + 11 + (1) = 29

"We came here to talk. If there's a way to make peace and end this misery, no point hiding in the dark. Let's hear your story, and like, go forward from there."

"Hear Grendel's story?" a confused voice asks. The misshapen giant drops down from the ledge above the entrance.

The entrance tunnel is just barely wide enough for two of you to be standing side by side. That would be Verve and, I think, the Olympian, based on who said they were where. Or would that be Verve and Charles?

"Hall of men is Grendel's. Gold of men is Grendel's. Men and their women are Grendel's. Is good story?" asks Grendel.

In another game, a player suggested the GM roll for monster and player initiative. What do people prefer here? ... I'm not calling for a roll yet, but I suspect one is coming, so I thought I'd ask.

"Why do you say it's yours?' asked Verve.

"Grendel is Halfdane's blood. Grendel eats Halfdane's brood."

"What about the other people who you have taken. They are not of your or Halfdane's brood. Did you eat them too?"

It's all Charles can do to keep himself from growling. Eating people as a sign of legitimacy? Yeah, he knew about what he thought of that. If it weren't for the fact that he couldn't fit past the others he'd be considering just charging in and getting started.

"What difference does it make which people are eaten? And he's like, sorry, not sorry?"
Pass Secret Message (DC20): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21

"Do you think you gain something from eating your family?" Valerie calls from the back.

"Grendel get Grendel's inheriddance!" yells Grendel, rolling for initiative as he does.

Grendel's init: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22
PC's base init: 1d20 ⇒ 4

Apparently Grendel's faster than he looks ...

The troll concentrates his attacks on the Olympian this time, perhaps remembering the harmless blade from before and thinking this fight should be easy. He slashes out with two claws.

claw 1 attack; damage: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 221d4 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11
claw 2 attack; damage: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 241d4 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11

The claws find the space they need to slip under armor and pierce the Olympian's sides, not fatally, but enough to allow the troll to pull him towards his massive fangs.

troll maul: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 111d6 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10

Grendel succeeds at his claw attacks against Theo, but misses with the bite attack. Everyone has a turn now. Note that only Theo and Verve are in melee range, the rest of you are crowding up from behind in the tunnel.

Is Theo grappled?

Is Theo grappled?

No. The maul attack is just a one round thing. If he hits with both claws, he gets a bite attack.

Hammer: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
The Olympian unhooks the short hammer from his waist and swings at the aberration, missing.

☀️
Nissa scurries up to the end of the tunnel and shoots, if she can safely…
Shoot: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
…but if she does squeeze the trigger, her fumbling fingers throw off her aim.

"So, you wish to attack those who would talk to you?" said Verve as her gloves began to vibrate, and all of the loose debris within 10' of her began to float into the air. hovering for the briefest of moments.

Attack Roll vs. KAC: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
Damage Roll: 1d6 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

As she swung at Grendel, the floating debris came crashing back to the ground, as if such things remembered that gravity existed.

Valerie draws and fires her static arc pistol.

Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
Electricity Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

"Let me through!" Charles growls. Assuming the way is clear enough for him to do so, he squeezes into the cave and tries to get in a position he can snap at Grendel with his teeth.

Bite: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27
Damage: 1d3 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13

Charles could squeeze by one of the combatants and into the cave, but he would provoke an AoO from Grendel as he does. If you get into the cave, next round you could make a full attack and three combatants could engage in melee. Provoke the AoO?

Charles could squeeze by one of the combatants and into the cave, but he would provoke an AoO from Grendel as he does. If you get into the cave, next round you could make a full attack and three combatants could engage in melee. Provoke the AoO?

This is how I see it. Enjoy my mapping skills.

Rereading Charles' post, I think he understands the AoO is coming so I will let Grendel take it.

Grendel AoO: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (1) + 14 = 151d4 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10

Charles slips by, avoiding a giant troll claw, and sinks his fangs into Grendel. Now, he gets to taste troll.

Grendel and the cave reek of rotten flesh. At the very least, Charles is smelling something awful. No need to make any kind of saving throw though.

Round 2

Grendel turns on this new furry threat and focuses his attack on Charles. claw 1 attack; damage: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 231d4 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12
claw 2 attack; damage: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 241d4 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12
bite if both attacks hit; attack; damage: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 231d6 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10

Grendel's fury is significant. Charles pays for his ounce of flesh.
That's all of Charles' SP and some of his HP, right? He's still standing, of course.

Make your Round 2 attacks; I didn't miss anyone in Round 1, did I?

☀️☀️

Nissa shoots again!

Shoot: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

And is way off!

Clearly not a threat at all, she zips around the melee (as three friends keep the fiend busy), looking for a safe place to explode.

Verve takes advantage of the creature turning it's attention to slips into the cave and out of range of the creature's claws. She then opened one of the pouches on her belt and pointed at Grendel; as he gestured, a small diamond-shaped piece of crystal flung itself out of the pouch and towards Grendel.

Attack Roll: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
Damage Roll: 1d6 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

Round 2
The Olympian swings the hammer again, this time directing the blow at Grendel's turned jawbone.
Hammer: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
Dmg.: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Grendel really likes hitting Charles. XD I believe since he's taking an AoO anyway he could maneuver into flanking with Theo?

Charles snarls in pain at Grendel's attacks, but keeps fighting, determined to kill the child-eater.

Claw: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 8 + 2 = 15
Damage: 1d3 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12

Grendel really likes hitting Charles. XD I believe since he's taking an AoO anyway he could maneuver into flanking with Theo?

Charles snarls in pain at Grendel's attacks, but keeps fighting, determined to kill the child-eater.

[dice=Claw]1d20+8+2
[dice=Damage]1d3+11

Yes, to the flanking. Theo and Charles can get flanking bonuses. Grendel can be pretty deadly when he hits, but I feel like he's going to fold up pretty fast once you start scoring on him. The challenge rating for this fight vs. APL would make this a 'hard' fight, not an epic one.

Yeah, we just need to roll some better attacks and it'll all be over. XD Starfinder combat feels a bit 'swingier' to me--the math doesn't favor huge attack bonuses as heavily as it did in Pathfinder, so missing due to low rolls seems to happen more often even at higher levels. Not that we're high level yet, anyway.

The more I play d20-based games, the more I realize the d20 is too random. Extreme failure is as likely as critical success and both are as likely as an average result, when in reality, averages should have a higher chance to occur. It's always why PF1 was a game of bonuses, because you could never rely on the die. Unfortunately, in an attempt for balance, they've reduced the ways you can get bonuses (understandable, given PF1 was nicknamed "Mathfinder" for a reason), but it is revealing the swingy nature of the core engine a lot more, and in PF2 in my limited experience of it, this problem is even worse. I like how these games are structured a lot, but the reliance on the d20 itself oddly enough has become the biggest problem for me.

Valerie tries her command spell once again, telling the creature to "FALL."

Will Save DC 15 or fall prone.

Grendel's Will save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21

Grendel is used to people running after he cuts them and tends to slash, slash, and move on to anyone not running before he cleans up the bits and pieces of the fight. He's going to learn soon that you are not his usual victims, but for now he turns his full attack to a third combatant, Verve.

Claw 1 Attack; damage: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 131d4 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13
Claw 2 Attack; damage: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 171d4 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10
Bite Attack, if both claws hit; damage: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 271d6 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12

Looks like only the 2nd claw hit. He doesn't get to make his bite attack.

Round 3 attacks for all. If he doesn't go down soon, I predict someone is going to need a lot of healing energy.

It'd be nice to know which attacks, if any, were actually connecting. I assume the 12 missed, but I don't know if Theo or Charles hit this round.

Charles rears up and frantically slashes at Grendel with both paws, trying to get the troll to go down already.

Claw: 1d20 + 8 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (8) + 8 + 2 - 4 = 14
Damage: 1d3 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13
Claw: 1d20 + 8 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (20) + 8 + 2 - 4 = 26
Damage: 1d3 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13
Critical damage: 1d3 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13

Well, that crit should help things

Nissa's eyes are an unstable roaring flame. She makes a careful step (move wide berth + 5' step) to get writhin 10 feet of Grendel—

—where she becomes a spark, seemingly winks from exisistence, and—
Super Nova: 4d6 + 1 ⇒ (5, 6, 5, 4) + 1 = 21
11 holy / 10 fire
(DC16 reflex save to halve damages to 5&5)
—bursts into a mini-sun that engulfs Grendel up to his armpits in holy hell!

The burst nearly singes Charles' fur and Theo's armor is quite warm, but both allies are just at the edge of the burst!

It'd be nice to know which attacks, if any, were actually connecting. I assume the 12 missed, but I don't know if Theo or Charles hit this round.

Sorry. Until this round, only Valerie and Charles had hit. I mentioned Charles tasting troll flesh, but I will tell you when you hit or miss from now on.

Grendel's reflex save: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24

Charles notices that his previous attack on Grendel is almost healed. Grendel notices Charles noticing and smiles. Charles takes advantage of Grendel's moment of gloating to open up some new wounds.

Just as he does, Nissa burst into flames and Grendel leaps back partially out of the way. He howls when he does.

Oh well, at least I rolled high. 10 damage isn’t too shabby.

Dang, all my temp hps again!

Verve backed away from the creature and fired another of her crystal darts at it.

Telekinetic Blast: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
Damage Roll: 1d6 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10