GM Alex |
Hey all!
I'm running a little behind! This coronavirus thing has been a real kick in the pants in all sorts of interesting ways, even though we've been lucky and nobody we know seems to have caught it. I am in the process of catching up and we should start on time or thereabouts.
Also: I would ask for at least a small measure of patience, as this will be (in conjunction with another game) my first time GMing a play-by-post!
GM Alex |
Welcome to PFS1 10-16 What the Helms Hide, an Outpost III adventure!
I am going to steal the PbP rules from a friend of mine who is more experienced in the ways of Playing and Posting than I am:
Posting Schedule
Please post at least once per weekday and once per weekend. Real life has a way of intruding (especially nowadays!) but if you know in advance that you'll be indisposed, a warning would be appreciated.
GM Rolls and Skill Checks
I will generally be rolling initiative, saves, and group Perception checks as necessary to keep things moving. It'd be nice to get through a round of combat every 24 hours.
If a single skill check has been called for, I will accept the PC with the highest skill bonus as the "primary" and all other attempts by PCs for the same check as aiding another.
Botting Policy
When in combat, if you don't post for 24 hours (48 over a weekend), I'll put you on delay.
If you don't post for 48 hours (72 over a weekend), I will bot you to the best of my ability. I don't like botting PCs in a way that expends resources (except for ammunition) or spells of the highest level a PC can cast. I will use expendable resources in "high leverage" moments, for example I would have a botted PC use a potion of cure light wounds to prevent a fellow PC for dying, but not to restore HP to a PC not in mortal danger.
If you set a botting policy or make other arrangements, then in situations where I would delay or bot your character, I will do my best to follow your policy instead.
Use of the Discussion Thread
I'm a sucker for a little bit of OOC in the Gameplay thread, I'm almost embarrassed to admit, but if it's more than a line or two let's move it to Discussion, eh?
Character Sheets
If you could keep the basics in the Gender (etc.) fields that would be helpful! I don't otherwise have a strong preference as to what character sheet(s) you use.
Can you provide some basic information?
Please provide the following for your PC:
Name (You'd like on your chronicle sheet)
Character Name
Organized Play ID and character number
Faction
Day job Roll
Thank you!
I'm looking forward to playing with you all.
Dexter and Salazar |
Thanks for running this scenario and best of luck on your first GM PbP!
Name: Pete H.
Character Name: Dexter and Salazar
Organized Play ID and character number: 123584-3
Faction: Silver Crusade
Day job Roll: Profession: Sustainability Consultant + MW Tool: 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 12 + 2 = 34
Ooooh, that's a good start!
Manathiel |
Player: RePete
Character Name: Manathiel and Tuvna, The Playful
PFS #: 126566-03
Faction: Scarab Sage
Day Job: Profession (Scribe): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25
Just realized my character is actually level 5 and not level 4 as I had stated in the signup sheet. Character updated.
If it's an issue, let me know and I can switch to another character.
GM Alex |
Hey everyone! Thanks for dotting in! (etc.) I'm looking forward to playing with all of you!
@Dexter et Salazar: nice roll!
@Manathiel: it's fine with me, for whatever that's worth.
@Idrill: No worries. I'm just starting to get caught up to where I should be, and I'm not going to hold that sort of thing against anyone.
@Everyone: if it's all right with you, I'd like to plan on starting in earnest later tomorrow, in the evening (eastern time, United States / GMT -4). In the meantime, drop by gameplay and introduce your alter egos?
Manathiel |
For clarity, I don't have disable device or any skill at unlocking/disabling things. I have the ability to teleport myself and my familiar short distances to places I can see.
My gloves allow me to look through doors/walls/etc a number of times per day...then I teleport through them if needed.
GM Alex |
@Manathiel: watch out, the gloves of reconnaissance took a pretty good beating from a nerf bat in the Ultimate Equipment Massacre of 2016. So while everything you said is still technically true, the number of times per day you can actually look through those walls is one, not ten. Still useful, but maybe not worth the price of admission at level 5.
(In a quest arc, once per day is probably still more than enough! Just watch out in future adventures.)
Manathiel |
@Manathiel: watch out, the gloves of reconnaissance took a pretty good beating from a nerf bat in the Ultimate Equipment Massacre of 2016. So while everything you said is still technically true, the number of times per day you can actually look through those walls is one, not ten. Still useful, but maybe not worth the price of admission at level 5.
(In a quest arc, once per day is probably still more than enough! Just watch out in future adventures.)
Well that's unfortunate. Thanks for the headsup GM!
GM Alex |
No worries. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news there. :(
Since this is probably the first you've heard of it, it's fine with me if you utilize your free rebuild option with 'em now if that's something you're interested in.
Manathiel |
I thought the free rebuild in PFS 1e was only allowed prior to playing at level 2. Did they change that?
Regardless, the build thankfully wasn't picked based off the gloves aspect. It was later I discovered the gloves and the usefulness of the combination.
I suppose if I wish to keep up this gimmick, I'll have to look into something like a one-way window.
I suspect I'll eventually replace the gloves, but even once per day is useful for now. Most of my self teleport stuff is used to get in position and away from enemies anyway.
GM Alex |
I thought the free rebuild in PFS 1e was only allowed prior to playing at level 2. Did they change that?
Nope! They didn't change it, but we're talking about a different rebuild here. It's not always clear how to deal with errata'd equipment, but in this case the rules were clearly spelled out and you have the ability to sell the gloves back at full price if you want. You certainly don't have to, but it seems reasonable to extend the offer here, just in case.
Mercutio Menschjaeger |
Just received word about this; hmm, let me know if this is too low-level a character (I have alternatives)...you don't need to be level 1 for this to be evergreen, right? I've already played this once with a level 3-4 character.
Player: "Thoth"
Character Name: Viscount Mercutio Byron Menschjaeger
PFS#: 40025-16
Faction: Sovereign Court
Day Job: Perform (Stringed), masterwork violin, Faction pin: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (12) + 13 = 25
GM Alex |
There you are! Welcome!
This is, regrettably, one of those "replayable at level 1 only" things that Pathfinder 1 is suffused with. You could, I suppose, burn one of your replays if you wanted--or, alternately, you can try to risk it with a level 1? These 1-5 quest arcs don't tend to be the highest-risk scenarios ever.
I'm Hiding In Your Closet |
This is, regrettably, one of those "replayable at level 1 only" things that Pathfinder 1 is suffused with. You could, I suppose, burn one of your replays if you wanted...
I...didn't realize I had a replay. Don't I need a GM star for those?
Could a freshly-2nd-level character skate by?
The Pale Butcher |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
You get replays from GM stars, but might also have them from things like some past surveys, and probably have some from when they added replays to accounts after PF2 launched. You should be able to see if you have them in your Organized Play tab.
Mercutio Menschjaeger |
20 replays! Shoot!!!
Well, I guess I'll just do that, shall I?!?
Manathiel |
Manathiel wrote:I thought the free rebuild in PFS 1e was only allowed prior to playing at level 2. Did they change that?Nope! They didn't change it, but we're talking about a different rebuild here. It's not always clear how to deal with errata'd equipment, but in this case the rules were clearly spelled out and you have the ability to sell the gloves back at full price if you want. You certainly don't have to, but it seems reasonable to extend the offer here, just in case.
Ah! Fair enough.
Think I'll drop them and pickup my Spellsight Bracers then. Thanks!
GM Alex |
20 replays! Shoot!!!
Well, I guess I'll just do that, shall I?!?
If you're happy, I'm happy!
@Everyone: can you please go and fill out your perception and initiative on the first page of the slides, please?
I think there will also be a question of telling the twins apart! I've got a proposed distinction on the slides. Feel free to mix things up if you like.
And... away we go!
Mercutio Menschjaeger |
Well, I should think Madame Butcher's assets are...oh.
These twins.
Not bad. Which is supposed to be whom?
GM Alex |
I'm not picky. Figured you two can duke it out, evil-twin-returns-to-take-the-original's-place style OOC and the winner chooses. Alternately, I can flip a coin?
GM Alex |
Seeing as nobody has expressed a preference, let alone attempted fisticuffs over the rights to their likeness, I'm gonna flip a coin. Idris was first into the room so we'll roll for him, not that it makes a bit of functional difference. Mercutio earns the unclaimed portrait.
1 => Dark Seltyiel
2 => Brash Seltyiel
random assignment: 1d2 ⇒ 2
Idris, you're brash and orange-ish as befitting your magus-ian tendency to make people explode. Mercutio, you're sinister and dark as befits your self-styled role as "dark lord." Feel free to restyle yourselves so long as I can tell you apart!
GM Alex |
Sorry, I missed this discussion earlier. Just so I am clear, you want me to change my portrait to a different Selty? No problem if so, just want to make sure on same page.
That was not actually what I was aiming for, Idril! I can keep you two apart here, but in Sheets I used the recolor feature to make two copies of the same token that we could tell apart. You won the Orange Seltyiel token.
(You can change back if you like!)
GM Alex |
2 people marked this as a favorite. |
That's a trick Vin taught me, actually. If you navigate through slides in your browser and watch the address bar, the link changes--each slide has a slightly different URL! So I just make sure I navigate to the right side and copy the address in the URL bar.
GM Alex |
Apologies, but I might be missing a couple of days of posting in a row here. I've got a couple of big projects due today (April 13th) that I'm crunching for. I'll post as soon as I'm able, hopefully today or early tomorrow.
Dexter and Salazar |
Completely understand. IRL > Gaming. We’ll see you on the other side of the busy!
GM Alex |
Thanks for your understanding! I'm not planning to slow things down long term, just until I get this deadline out of the way. Of course, things being what they are, the deadline got pushed back. So things might be a little sporadic for the next couple of days, but nothing dire.
Mercutio Menschjaeger |
Question: Does anyone here already possess any enchanted weapons (Vin's TK doesn't count)?
Dexter and Salazar |
Question: Does anyone here already possess any enchanted weapons (Vin's TK doesn't count)?
No, but Dexter uses magic fang on Sal regularly.
Mercutio Menschjaeger |
Question is, can my power affect natural attacks?
Mercutio Menschjaeger |
Nota Bene: I get a Noble Stipend, in case that should come in handy.
Dexter and Salazar |
Question: Does anyone here already possess any enchanted weapons (Vin's TK doesn't count)?
Ugh, this sent me down a long trail of research.
Animal Companions attacks can be treated like weapons since they get access to Weapon Focus as a feat applied to their natural attacks. But there is also a difference between a manufactured weapon and everything else. Inspire Courage just grants a bonus to Attacks and Weapon Damage, so it should probably apply to Sal (and I haven't seen an argument against it yet). But your ability grants the bonus to the weapon itself, which makes me feel strongly that it was intended for manufactured weapons only.
So I'll just not stress over it and not take the bonus!
GM Alex |
I've been absorbed by work and other things--sorry for the delay! I'll post later tonight or early tomorrow morning.
GM Alex |
Your good humor and patience is appreciated!
Mercutio Menschjaeger |
FYI, I've got a LONG plane trip tomorrow, so please pardon my absence for the next ~48 hours.
GM Alex |
Sounds good. Fly safely!
Mercutio Menschjaeger |
Manathiel begins chanting to himself as he watches the fight going promisingly their way.
"Keep it up guys. I'll have some helpers for you in a moment."
Casting Mad Monkeys
I'm not normally one to kibitz, but are you sure this is worth that?
Mercutio Menschjaeger |
@Pale Butcher: Don't forget your lost soul attack (admittedly, it's not 100% clear how that works with readied attacks, but it is 1/round)!
Mercutio Menschjaeger |
Sooo...what happen, somebody set us up the bomb???
GM Alex |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
As it turns out, running games all weekend (or, rarely, getting to play games...) has not left me very much time on those aforementioned weekends for anything else! D: It has been a learning experience. Far easier to keep up as a player I must say.
I suspect this is news to absolutely zero of you, but it was news to me. Apologies, and thank you for your continued patience!
I've been asked to report, and I will be doing so tonight! We are very close to wrapping up.