GM Jhaeman's "Sanctum of a Lost Age" (Inactive)

Game Master Jhaeman

Some general notes:

* Please make sure you have a good tagline with character stats. This saves me a lot of time while GMing and makes the game go by faster for everyone. If you're new to PbP and need help figuring out how to format things, just post here and we'll help you. Similarly, keep your tagline updated if you're casting buffs, have ongoing conditions, etc.

* If you have a really strange or complex build and want to explain anything in advance, please feel free to use this thread. f you want to earn extra GM love, posting a full character sheet in your profile is great. That way I can look stuff up and answer my own "how did they do that?" questions.

* I try to post at least once every day, and it would be good if you aim for the same thing. Real life comes up, of course, so if you need me to bot you, give me instructions or I'll play your character very conservatively (probably doing Total Defense).

* You'll need a picture of your character for the grid scenes.

Finally, role-playing is good! Please give your PC some personality and engage with the other PCs and NPCs. I'll gently move us along if we're dwelling too much in one part of the scenario.

Any questions, ask away!

If you're curious to see what Adril Hestram looks like, I've now placed a pic in the slideshow. I've also placed a map of the town--the Greenforest Inn is # 2 (though you'll need to zoom to make out numbers).

FYI, I normally roll Initiative and passive Perception checks for the PCs to speed up gameplay. If you have anything special you want me to keep in mind, please let me know here.

Quick question for each of you: how do you want me to handle saving throws for you? You've got two main options:

1. I can roll for you--this speeds up gameplay.

2. You can roll yourselves--this makes it easier to apply limited-use bonuses or rerolls to saves.

I'm perfectly happy either way, so please let me know which you would prefer for your own character.

Finally, I think we have some swashbucklers in the group. Do you plan to use parry? If so, please give me some general instructions so I can roll this for you when desired--I don't want to have to wait to resolve each attack roll.

I will roll my saves.

Thanks a lot GM, I will also roll my own saves please.

Setare's build is not very complex but the crit range and parry/riposte as well smite and Enforcer feat / blade of mercy trait as well as bodyguard feat / adopted Halfling helpful trait ... it can make things complicated when posting so I have botting instructions in my profile and use the same post format all the time to save time with spoilers. Please see below for an example post in combat.

Please note that due to the Swashbuckler Archetype Whirling Dervish the Scimitar can be used with all Swashbuckler abilities although it is not a piercing weapon.

Also note that I will always include precise strike in the normal attacks (not the crit rolls of course) and you can just ignore this damage if the opponent is immune to precision damage.

I hope that works for you.

Thanks

* *

Setare attacks with her Scimitar and only tries to do non-lethal damage but smites her enemy.

Swift action: Smite Evil on opponent so ignoring all DR of opponent and gaining +4 deflection bonus makes it AC 28 and CMD 26.
Due to ‚Blade of Mercy‘ trait: Non-lethal damage has no -4 to hit and has +1 to damage.

Scimitar +1 primary attack roll, Piranha Strike -2, Smite +4 : 1d20 + 13 - 2 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 13 - 2 + 4 = 18
Damage roll, non-lethal +1, precise strike +4, piranha strike +4, Smite +2: 1d6 + 7 + 1 + 4 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 7 + 1 + 4 + 4 + 2 = 22

Scimitar +1 secondary attack roll, Piranha Strike -2, Smite +4 : 1d20 + 8 - 2 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 8 - 2 + 4 = 30
Damage roll, non-lethal +1, precise strike+4, piranha strike +4, Smite +2: 1d6 + 7 + 1 + 4 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 7 + 1 + 4 + 4 + 2 = 22

In case Setare is attacked she uses 'Opportune Parry' and parries by using an AoO to parry and spends a panache point (so if the attack roll of the opponent is lower than Setare's parry then the opponent does not hit and Setare could potentially riposte)

Opportune Parry, Smite +4: 1d20 + 13 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 13 + 4 = 24

In case Setare successfully parries she uses 'Riposte' as an immediate action to attack the opponent that attacked her.

Scimitar +1 reposte attack roll, Piranha Strike -2, Smite +4: 1d20 + 13 - 2 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 13 - 2 + 4 = 33
Damage riposte roll, non-lethal +1, precise strike+4, piranha strike +4, Smite +2 : 1d6 + 7 + 1 + 4 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 7 + 1 + 4 + 4 + 2 = 22

*
If any attack hits: using Enforcer feat to demoralize with intimidate as a free action!

Intimidate as free action vs. DC 10 + the target’s Hit Dice + the target’s Wisdom modifier : 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (7) + 14 = 21

* *

Using Bodyguard feat to increase adjacent allies’ AC vs. melee attacks by +4 with aid another by using 3 of 7 AoOs against the next three attacks of the opponent (success on every roll that is not a natural 1) so please increase AC accordingly:

Bodyguard 1 : 1d20 ⇒ 10; Bodyguard 2 : 1d20 ⇒ 1; Bodyguard 3 : 1d20 ⇒ 9

Okay, No issue with you rolling Init and Perception (Let's be honest, Carina is neither fast nor observant), so that's not a big deal for me. As for Saves, I would much rather roll them myself.

Lastly, Carina has a full card filled out for the Dark Archives for Season 8. I bring this up because the 7 goal ability on the card is Master Librarian.

Before the start of an adventure, you can requisition up to three alchemical or magic items (except wands or scrolls with multiple spells) whose total gold piece value does not exceed 100 × your character level. You and your allies can use these items freely, but Zarta expects you to return any unused items at the end of the adventure.

Can I requisition a scroll of Haste (375 gp), a scroll of Remove Curse (375 gp) and an antiplague(50 gp)?

Sure, sounds good.

I generally post pretty quickly when it is my turn, so I'm happy to roll my own saves since that is what others are doing. If I am slowing things down just waiting on a save, please just roll it for me.

I'm fine with you rolling init and perception as is appropriate.

Everyone, I should clarify that I roll "passive" Perception checks for you (like whether you notice hidden enemies for the purpose of a Surprise Round). You can go ahead and roll "active" Perception checks (such as looking for traps or secret doors) on your own--do your best not to metagame the results :)

Is anyone else having trouble with the map & slides? The link works for me and I set it to share & edit, but I'll tinker with it if others are having problems.

Thanks GM, I can open and edit. Do you want us to enter the saves, initiative etc in a form in the slide set?

No, that's okay--I can cobble that information for my notes from your taglines.

Oh, another tip for everyone is to feel free to describe actions in the alternative during encounters. For example, you might say "I'm searching the bronze door for traps; if I find any I'll try to disable them with a +13, but if I don't find any traps I'll open the door." That saves an exchange that may take a couple of days in real-time where you say you're checking, I say there are no traps, and then you say you're opening the door. Similarly, you could say "I'm going to full-attack the one in blue, but it looks badly hurt and if someone else kills it first, I'll charge the one in red." Etc.

When I cut and paste your link in a browser it works, but when I click at the top left on your link it doesn't work. Something about those additional <br> codes I think.

Hm, I don't know. I don't see any extra <br> codes in the URL or elsewhere. It could be a cache issue, or maybe try a different browser? Or maybe just bookmark the slides separately. Sorry, computers aren't my thing.

Good job on the role-playing everyone! I'm enjoying what I'm seeing from your characters.

If you have any long-term buffs, now would be a good time to apply them. For shorter term buffs, I'll occasionally give rough estimates of how much time is passing as you explore.

The scene is on Slide # 6. I've placed your tokens there, but please feel free to rearrange. If you want to establish a standard marching order, feel free to discuss it here. If you have a mount or animal companion that is coming in with you, please add the token as well.

Thanks for the explanations GM. Just a question on precision damage: Constructs are not immune to precision damage I believe.

You're right, apologies--I'll subtract the additional precision damage.

Thanks! :-)

Guys, how about a standard procedure now that we are exploring. All check doors for traps before opening and we search rooms so the GM can just make two perception rolls for everyone.

I agree

Anyone else in favor?

This way we save time with the back and forth on searching rooms or checking for traps.

I'm all in favor of that. I'd propose:

1) Everyone check for traps on doors
2) If a trap is found Kivuli disables it (maybe wait for player input here in case we want to spread out in case of an accidental trap springing)
3) Once door is clear, Luke opens door
4) Carina and Ridley scan new room for magic
5) Everyone searches room together

Great!

I'm all in favor of that. I'd propose:

1) Everyone check for traps on doors
2) If a trap is found Kivuli disables it (maybe wait for player input here in case we want to spread out in case of an accidental trap springing)
3) Once door is clear, Luke opens door
4) Carina and Ridley scan new room for magic
5) Everyone searches room together

Yes! That is great!

Ya!

Works for me!

Is the monster's irregular shape (3x2 squares) intentional or should the monster be 2x2 or 3x3?

3x3, sorry! Should be fixed now.

Raynor, it wouldn't have mattered in the fight against the behir, but I've noticed you've been including the +1 for fighting from a mount in your attack rolls--remember that that bonus only applies if the target is smaller than the mount (unless it's a different type of bonus than the one I'm thinking of). Thanks!

Sure, it's in the Core Rulebook section on "Combat While Mounted." Here's the relevant text: "When you attack a creature smaller than your mount that is on foot, you get the +1 bonus on melee attacks for being on higher ground."

Ah! I wasn't aware this bonus was dependent on target size. Thanks for pointing this out!

No worries! I'm constantly discovering new things (despite playing for years) or getting corrected on things I thought I knew but mis-remembered. That's just Pathfinder.

And I love it.

I'm all in favor of that. I'd propose:

1) Everyone check for traps on doors
2) If a trap is found Kivuli disables it (maybe wait for player input here in case we want to spread out in case of an accidental trap springing)
3) Once door is clear, Luke opens door
4) Carina and Ridley scan new room for magic
5) Everyone searches room together

Hi guys, we should extend as 2a) between step 2 and 3 that Kivuli uses his +24 disable device to open locks with auto aid from Ridley for +26. :-)

Hey all! Been on solo parenting duties since friday - sorry for my absence. I'll try to get a gameplay post up today, and should be back to normal tomorrow.

I'm going to be away from the keyboard for the next day or so.

Have a great weekend!!

Good role-playing the reaction to Rozimus' death, Setare!

Poor guy! ;-)

Regarding carrying Rozimus' body around, I'm not sure if Raynor's mount is going to be able to carry an extra 200 pounds. Raynor, have you worked out the encumbrance for your mount? Given that it has barding, has to take into account your weight and the weight of all your equipment (especially full plate armor), I'm guessing it's well into a medium or even a heavy load. Of course, a speed reduction won't matter much in a dungeon crawl, but it's worth keeping in mind for future scenarios.

Raynor with gear is at 238 lbs. right now; giant gecko has muleback cords and light load goes up to 798 lbs. I figured Rozimus isn't heavier than a paladin in fullplate. I updated the load amounts under 'riding gecko'.

Good stuff--yeah, he's a roguish type so pretty light encumbrance. Thanks Raynor!

Hi GM, Setare is using her cold iron non magic scimitar now. But I think you are right and I made a mistake.

To hit +13: BAB+6, Dervish Finesse +6, Harrow +1

Damage +11 or +10 with crit range 18-20/×2): +6 via Dervish Dance feat, (+1 if non-lethal via Blade of Mercy trait, +4 Precise Strike)

Will use that now.

Some folks are pretty quiet here. Who wants to put the "RP" into "RPG"? :)

We promised something to another old man NPC earlier in the scenario; what what is? now we've come up to a new old man ghost: do we know anything about this one?

We were supposed to find and kill Togarin - whoever that is. Good chance is is the apparition to which we now speak.