GM Lorenzo's #10-98: Siege of Gallowspire - OUTPOST III (Inactive)

Game Master Lawrence Smith 2

Wynnreyell and Archaememnon, have you moved your tokens since the last encounter or do you wish to remain where you are?

We're not in combat rounds at present, but we're sort of exploring the Silent Shrine, so some movement is called for.

I've moved up above the walkway to the east of the party. Arch would be flying above the ground, looking for a vantage on the rest of the room. (Low-light vision and blindsense 30' to guide her.)

You all don't have to share the whispers you're hearing, if you don't want to...

Let's say the time elapsed since the encounter with the saxra has been a minute, 10 rounds. So Dino-tigger is still with us.

You’ll note I moved your icons a little closer to the action. Make adjustments, as you see fit.

@Hendric,

The Golem was flatfooted, and could be blind from glitterdust, so I thought having my tiger charge in made sense. If you'd prefer (and its ok with Lorenzo), I could retcon my turn because I don't want to deny another PC taking a useful turn so a summon can charge in.

@Pete, no worries, I got to mostly one-shot the last encounter. And I don't need to be the center of the caster's attention, like I would be if I had done a Wheeling Charge on the golem.

Sir Hendric has very good saves but you do run into no-save-just-suck spells at this level (or save-and-still-suck spells, which Bristor can resist).

Not a bad first round for Peter and kitty!

Been one of those days and about to teach a class, so I will try to get my turn posted before I go to bed. Sorry for the delay.

At this time, players can elect to send any number of their Aid Characters of the corresponding role on the Guard mission. These missions are more dangerous than improving Aid Tokens, but the benefits they provide apply to the whole House.

The Team's Guards
Sir Hendric: Seelah, level-4
Peter: Souken, level-9
Wynnreyell: Thrugg, level-8

If you'd like that Aid Character to earn the Guard boon on the Chronicle sheet, it must make the attempt.

For each Aid Character sent on the mission, please roll 2d6 for a 4th-level NPC Pathfinder, 3d6 for a 5th- to 8th-level Aid Character, 4d6 for a 9th- to 12th-level Aid Character, 5d6 for a 13th- to 16th-level Aid Character, or 6d6 for a 17th- to 20th-level Aid Character. The results for each Aid Character depend upon the results of their roll.

20+: The Aid Character is a triumphant leader, inspiring other Pathfinders with their bravery and skill. They generate 2 successes for the mission. Even if the mission fails, they escape unscathed.
11–19: The Aid Character makes a substantial contribution to the mission, generating 1 success. If the mission fails, the Aid Character is injured. The Aid Character can recover from their injuries at the end of the scenario by spending 8 Prestige Points.
6–10: The Aid Character is trapped in a perilous situation and needs the assistance of other Pathfinders to escape. The Aid Character does not contribute to the mission’s success. If the mission fails, the Aid Character dies.
5 or less: The Aid Character’s luck runs out. Whether from an ambush, a devious trap, or a relentless onslaught of foes, the character meets their end. This Aid Character dies and does not contribute to the mission’s success.

If you'd like to embellish the pure mechanics of your roll of the dice with a little RP, go ahead and do it in the Gameplay thread.

The Overseer GM has informed Table GMs that he intends to start Part 4 early, on Friday, April 24.

So, let's try to pick up the pace of our posting and speed things up.

Souken
guard: 4d6 ⇒ (3, 3, 4, 3) = 13

Peter, the Muscle success might let you get your hands on a scroll of a spell you'd like to scribe into your spellbook, if you can't think of anything else you'd like to have.

Bristor will take a potion of fly

Thats a good suggestion, but there aren't many spells lower than 4th level Peter doesn't have at this point in his blessed book or original spellbook thanks to playing scenarios with other mages with rather impressive books.

I guess a wand of cure light wounds would probably serve the group well.

I'll take a potion of magic circle against evil.

I was debating that versus an oil of keen edge, which seems like more fun, but less communally useful.

I was debating a scroll of nap stack but somehow I doubt we'll find the 2 hours to use it. I'm wondering if we'll find 10 minutes to prepare some spells lol.

Ulin the Proud might grant you a 10-minute time-out, so he can prepare a few spells of his own.

"Mwaahahahaaaa!"

Sir Hendric will take a Scroll of Good Hope as his item from the Muscle mission. There are others in the party with high enough UMD to use it reliably, and it's a nice buff to have.

Seelah, also in over her head but willing to try to help, lends her prowess to the Guard mission.
Seelah: 2d6 ⇒ (1, 2) = 3
She charges into the wave of zombies and is never seen again.

So do those bookshelves not matter? Just wondering. I had actually intended my attack to be against the caster in back because I thought shelves were in the way, but I'm fine with how it is if those don't matter.

Wynn will take a potion of magic circle against evil.

Thrugg's Guard attempt: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 6, 2) = 14

Fixed my mistake applying Bristor's attack to the wrong target.

The bookshelves had no impact on Bristor's attack.

Ok, thanks. My question is about bookshelf between me and the golem, for future reference and his attacks. I was guessing we'd have some cover issues (more for me than him).

Cover, yes.

Still need that Reflex save vs its Prismatic Surge, though. Unless I missed something.

Do the bad guys get new saves against Glitterdust at the end of their turns?

Archaememnon and Peter, I'm not an expert on counterspelling.

Ulin the Proud's defensive spell wouldn't have helped him against fire snake, an area effect spell.

But greater dispel magic targets him specifically, so it would be turned. However, it was cast as a counterspell, so I think the net effect is that 'nothing' happened, because once turned back on its caster, the spell had no spellcasting to counter against Peter.

Let me know if there's something I missed.

Glad Ulin the Proud didn't get his spell off, though. He could have really wreaked havoc with the team over the course of a few rounds unimpeded.

Archaememnon and Peter, I'm not an expert on counterspelling.

Ulin the Proud's defensive spell wouldn't have helped him against fire snake, an area effect spell.

But greater dispel magic targets him specifically, so it would be turned. However, it was cast as a counterspell, so I think the net effect is that 'nothing' happened, because once turned back on its caster, the spell had no spellcasting to counter against Peter.

Let me know if there's something I missed.

Glad Ulin the Proud didn't get his spell off, though. He could have really wreaked havoc with the team over the course of a few rounds unimpeded.

I think we cross posted, I was researching what would happen here too! I think there is no reasonable interpretation other than 'nothing happens', which we agreed on.

I similarly agree that I'm glad time stop didn't go off... Speaking as a high level spellcaster, that would have been bad for us.

Do the bad guys get new saves against Glitterdust at the end of their turns?

Ulin is no longer blind, so I assume they did make their saves.

Made the save. Scroll up some on gameplay. Also note I have a ring of evasion.

Peter, I missed the exact wording of your trigger, so your readied action wouldn't have happened in Round 1.

I've kept the Greater Dispel Magic up, since Archaememnon's spell did disrupt Ulin's casting. (Of course, now we all know what will happen, when you cast it. That's my fault.)

If you'd like to change your actions this round, go ahead and post whatever you choose in the Gameplay thread.

Ah, was basing the breath weapon on the text, oh well, will slow it next round (if we get that far).

A gold golem is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. In addition, certain spells and effects function differently against the creature, as noted below.
• A magical attack that deals fire damage reduces the golem’s DR but also hastens it for d6 rounds as per the spell haste, with no saving throw.
• A magical attack that deals cold damage slows a gold golem for d6 rounds as per the spell slow, with no saving throw.

Right, we're reading the same thing, we just seemed to have reached different conclusions. No harm.

I could be wrong, but my understanding is that a supernatural ability (a creature's breath weapon) isn't 'magical' but a spell-like ability is. As always, if I am wrong, please point me to the correct reference, so I can learn from and correct my mistakes. There are far more rules than space available in my brain.

I think we're gonna be okay.

Unless you guys want me to breath fire on it there's not much I can do.

Supernatural abilities are magical but not spell-like.

Sir Hendric carries a scroll of AMF as a last resort and it does work against things like breath weapons.

"Supernatural abilities are magical but not spell-like." CRB p.554

Thanks, Bristor. That's good enough for me. I'll make the adjustment in the next update in the Gameplay thread.

NP - Sometimes I can't believe I don't remember more of this stuff given how long I've been playing, and then I look something up and feel the heft of the CRB and then I don't feel so bad :) I look forward to getting to high level play in PF2 to see if it indeed is less insane Mathfinder.

Paizo's a publisher. If the PF2 rules aren't complicated yet, they will be over time, each new publication adding to the rule set.

I've opted out of the transition, resigned as VC, and ceased F2F play last summer, not in protest, just not interested any more.

I still enjoy playing PF1 with my circle of PbP friends.

I bought the 2e crb and started looking and opted against making the transition for now. I’ve literally spent thousands of hours in this rules system (especially if you count 3.0 and 3.5) and I didn’t feel like changing.... I’m getting old

Reported a second Silent Shrine success and a second Clue success.

Does taking a knee give us 10 minutes?

And booya on that spellbook

At least 10 minutes. Plenty of time for role-playing. I don't want to start another encounter and waste the team's resources.

Don't overlook Ulin the Proud's scrolls, either.

Does anybody need any of the gear?

Sir Hendric currently has a Ring of Protection +2, so he could use either of Ulin's rings (Protection +4 and Major Energy Resistance-Cold).
His neck slot is a Swarmbane Clasp which isn't much use these days, so the Amulet of Natural Armor could be good. It's a +1 boost over the Barkskin scrolls he has been relying on.

Ideally, taking both the +4 Ring and the Amulet would get Sir Hendric up to 39 AC.

Woah, you weren't kidding when you said don't overlook scrolls...

Let's finish exploring the Silent Shrine, while we're waiting for the rest of the Society to deal with their own challenges.

Bristor wouldn’t mind having one of the potions of cure serious wounds handy.

He happily has Hendric don the ring and amulet, and take the point position again. :)

I'd take that headband. Any guidance on what skills it grants, GM?

The cloak is also an upgrade for me, but I already have a +3, so if others need it more, they should go for it.

Pick one, Julian, and let me know. Something other than an INT-based skill or a Wizard class skill.

That would make most sense for this necromancer.

GM, can I get a ruling to determine which potion to take from the aid mission?

I'd like to grab a potion of align weapon, communal. It might seem a little weird to use an oil to grant a communal benefit, but the CRB says as follows:

"Magic oils are similar to potions, except that oils are applied externally rather than imbibed. A potion or oil can be used only once. It can duplicate the effect of a spell of up to 3rd level that has a casting time of less than 1 minute and targets one or more creatures or objects."

That'd be Lorenzo's question to adjudicate, but I suspect that any oil like this must be used on just a single object.

The person applying an oil is the effective caster, but the object is the target.

If I could make a suggestion, why not a scroll of communal align weapon? I can use it natively, your UMD is good enough to simply use it, and others have similarly good UMDs.

That'd be Lorenzo's question to adjudicate, but I suspect that any oil like this must be used on just a single object.

rules for potions wrote:

The person applying an oil is the effective caster, but the object is the target.

If I could make a suggestion, why not a scroll of communal align weapon? I can use it natively, your UMD is good enough to simply use it, and others have similarly good UMDs.

yep, yep, that definitely checks out. way better than my idea.

As for Ulin's loot, I have only a +2 cloak, but I'd also grab the scrolls and wand of invisibility, but I suspect Peter and Julian will want some or all of that too.