GM Mioki Presents: Wrath of the Righteous (Inactive)

Game Master Mioki

Hey Guys:

Sorry, I need a few days. Just feeling burned out. Need some time away from the screen. Between long work days and Zoom calls I am screened out. I need to re-energize with some solar power.

Hope you all understand!

That's cool GM. Do your thing.

Totally understand, GM!

Ditto. We'll be here when you get back!

I want to revisit the discussion regarding GM vs Player rolling.

I will always roll Initiative and Perception Check involving a surprise round. And, time permitting, I will post most evenings to move the story forward. (even if a skill roll is pending. at this point, I might make the skill roll)

That being said, I get a lot of enjoyment from this PbP medium when I can create a tiered DC check and then see how the PC's roll and react to it. I believe this is a great opportunity for greater player involvement and character development.

I get it that this can slow a game down, but it can also make it richer in my opinion.

There is the saying that 'The Journey is the Destination'. To rush through something just to get to the end leaves a lot missing in the middle. I consider character development a very important element in telling a story. We are always excited to get to the climatic finish, but I would also like to see how we got there and how the characters may have changed along the way.

I don't know ... Do you, as players, want me to make every non-attack and damage roll? It seems, to me, that I would be taking the game away from you.

Open to thoughts as I attempt to improve the game.

Also, thanks for hanging in. Just needed a break. Feeling great and ready to go.

I would bow to whatever method's Junior uses in his games. Seems to work really well, as those games run smoothly.

I believe that he allows us to roll most of our own rolls; excepting the ones you mentioned, of course. I agree that allowing us to roll our Initiatives and Perceptions (for surprise rounds) would delay the game.

I wasn't suggesting you roll every non-combat roll for us. That would rob us of our agency and you'd be just playing by yourself with characters we made for you half the time.

There are passive checks like knowledges, sometimes perception, saving throws, sometimes other skills that our characters don't have to declare to use. Then there are active checks that a character has to initiate, acrobatics, climb, use magic device. Passive skill checks you can roll for us, it won't hurt our character development. Or not, your choice, its a style difference.

As far as rushing to the end of the AP, a fast group that posts daily will finish an AP in about 6 years. I'd say we're on track to finish in about 20 years, either time frame is ok. But my point is no one is in a huge rush to get to the end, we have a ton of time.

Thanks for the clarification Junior. My apologies for the misunderstanding. Will work on integrating these recommendations.

Thanks again. Appreciate the feedback.

Cheers!

I think it’s one of those balancing acts that we all run into in PbP. Every GM finds their balance point in a slightly different place, and as players we (hopefully) all trust you to find a balance that leaves room for character development and also keeps the game moving. And, I can’t speak for anyone else but I’m cool with whatever you decide on.

FWIW, I think tiered spoilers are a pretty solid option in PbP. Usually someone can/will make the low DC fairly quickly and that can provide some good RP fodder if/when we’re waiting on someone for higher DC information. I tend to combine that with something like Junior mentioned when I GM (so, I’ll often automatically divulge what the most knowledgeable character would know by taking 10 and then use tiered spoilers for additional information).

But, at the end of the day, run the game how it’s fun for you- if you’re not having fun then it won’t be too long before we’re not having fun either.

Ditto Greta! Keep it fun, and sometimes just enjoy the rule of cool! :)

I like the tiered checks. I also like when GM rolls reactive rolls, but not active ones.

I don't mind the GM rolling for me, especially when it's something that adds to immersion (like a Perception roll) by not telling me when I don't make the DC. That said, I am enjoying the tiered results a great deal.

12 new posts?!? You guys were busy yesterday, lol.

Thanks for the input everyone. I will work on these recommendations and try to keep the game moving while still using the tiered spoilers I like so much.

Cheers!

Hey Everyone,

I am struggling maintaining this game and keep coming back to this:

I think I have bitten off more than I can chew. Work is busy, and as it turns out, my hard work has finally turned into a promotion that will take effect June 29th. So it is busy, but good busy.

That being said, I am having issues with spending too much time on the computer when I should be outside hiking and kayaking.

I am really enjoying this game and all of you as players, but I am moving the game along way too slow with intermittent posts. With long work days, I need to get outside and enjoy the longer summer days. After work, I hit the trail for a few hours and feel great, but this leaves little time for the game and then sleep. Lately, I have literally been falling asleep with my hands on the keyboard only to eventually give up and turn in for 3-4 hours of sleep. I just cannot keep this pace, and I have to choose hiking over RPG as my preferred activity. It really helps my physical and mental health.

I do not want to see this game die. This AP is cool and you folks are an awesome group. With that being said, this is my proposal. Since this game started with a 'Request for GM', I suggest putting this request out there again. I will continue to run this game the best I can and at a pace I can maintain. When a new GM shows interest, I can hand over the reigns and you can continue with, most likely, a much better and more satisfying game for you all as players.

I am sorry. I did not want this to happen, and I do not want to see the game end.

I hope you all understand, and I will do my best to post when I can until a new GM can join.

Cheers!

:( I understand. Did you want to put up the recruitment or should I?

I also get it. I've had to step away from good games in the past too. Its always a bummer but I can't fault anyone for taking care of their physical and mental health.

@Junior- I don't want to speak for him, but if he's that worn out when it comes time to post it might be better for you to do it (if you're actually willing/able).

That is completely understandable. I believe you are making the right decision. I hope you don't feel bad about this, as your mental/physical health is by far the most important choice.

I totally understand, you've been doing a great job, but RL has to come first over this. Be well!

We all understand, and RL trumps any game, any time.

I hope the game can continue and will keep watching the thread.

Thanks for the understanding and support everyone. I put a post in this game's Recruitment thread. Hopefully, we'll get some bites.

I am wiped tonight, but I have off tomorrow. There will be a post to move this along.

Take care of yourself, my friend! Your life comes first.

Best of luck to you, thank you for taking on this challenge and realizing your own limitations and i wish you the best.

Hope all turns out well! I appreciate the inclusion!

So... we got zero interest in that shot at finding a new GM.

If anyone wants to try again, I've enjoyed this game and wouldn't mind sticking with it. I did see a recruitment for a different AP that looks interesting, though, and I think I'm going to apply for it. It closes on Friday. If we can find someone to take this over by then, great, I'm in; I'll withdraw from the other recruitment. If we don't have anyone lined up by then, though, I think that's gonna be it for me.

Sorry all.

Just from past experience it could be a couple of weeks before we get a bite from a new GM. It would be helpful to bump the thread every couple of days.

I'll be sorry to see you go Greta but I can understand about going to greener pastures with your character.

Sorry, I know the pace is not ideal. I am doing what I can, but I understand if you want to move on.

I did just add a post, and I do intend to move things along until a new GM is found.

Yeah, but don't feel any pressure to.

I'll keep watch on this thread for a while. Someone might take over.

But don't feel struggle keeping this one moving if it causes any issues for you. RL is much more important than any game!

Agreed!

Also, I don't want to be disruptive of the effort to keep things moving somewhat but I'm emptying out my profile (and possibly changing my pic) for the recruitment I'm submitting to. I've saved all her info so that if a GM shows up here (or if I'm not picked and return to waiting) I can copy and paste everything right back in.

Hey all, this feels awkward, but the recruitment I joined ended early and after all that I didn't really even get considered... so (if its alright) I'll switch Greta back to her old stats and resume waiting and hoping with the rest of you (but not until tomorrow, because I need some sleep right now).

Hey there! For the past few days, I've been really considering stepping in to help you all out. With how hard it is getting into any AP, I hate to see one fade out like this.

That said, before any of us get too invested in the idea, there are caveats I want to bring up, just so that we're all going into this with both eyes open:

1) I am fairly new to GMing.
2) While I have run some scenarios and modules for PF, the only AP I've run any part of is Age of Ashes for 2e. There will likely be growing pains, particularly if I'm taking over a campaign that is in progress.

I have run a PFS scenario on the Paizo boards, which you can check out here if you'd like to get an idea of whether you think my style would fit you. That link is to the first page and will let you avoid major spoilers for The Horn of Aroden (which, coincidentally, is about building support for the 5th Mendevian Crusade!).

As far as posting, I will do my best to get at least one post out a day, as life allows. Saturdays tend to be trickiest for me but I can usually at least get a round of combat in to keep things moving.

If you're all right with all that and can give me a few days for the handover/orientation, and don't mind being stuck with me for the duration, then I think we can make this work!

Hi Losonti! That's super awesome you're thinking of helping us out, and none of your caveats cause me any concerns at all. Playing Pathfinder together sounds like fun no matter what, and I'm incredibly grateful for your efforts.

I had just noticed you earlier today in that War for the Crown recruitment thread, in fact, when I saw that there seemed to be a group of friends who were Favoriting each others' applications. It's always nice to see people here on the boards who support each other and enjoy playing together. How cool that you were thinking about taking over our game all the while!

GM Losonti,

Great to hear you are considering this game. This is an awesome group of players! My priorities changed recently, but this game and these players deserve some new life.

Have fun with the game everybody. I wish you all the best in your demon slaying and in RL.

Cheers!

Losonti,
Thanks! That’s awesome, and I have no problems with your caveats either. In fact, I’ve been GMing on and off for two or three decades now (F2F in the beginning and PbP for the last 5 or so), so if you have any questions feel free to ask and I might be able to help.

@GM Losonti we appreciate your willingness to join and lead our crusade! There are some good players in this game and we do wish to continue.
It is difficult to get into these games (looking at you Jade Regent...lol), so when in one you really hope to see it through. But life does happen.
Any questions, or concerns that you have please feel free to do so. We have plenty of experienced players here.
Thank you again for considering our Quest!

Good luck all in War recruitment...lol.

Nobody protested, so Greta has been restored to her former glory. Looking forward to getting moving here again!

Fantastic! Welcome GM Losonti. I have no problems with your caveats. As far as transferring the game over we're here to help and Mioki is here to ease the transfer which I'm super grateful for.

The one bit of advice I'd like to volunteer is that you make a new separate campaign and that you link the gameplay and discussion threads in this game as the first posts in that campaign. The reason I suggest this rather than requesting that Paizo transfer the campaign to you is that it will likely take several months for them to do the transfer. If you make a new campaign you'll have control right away to edit the campaign tabs.

@Greta, no worries, I'm glad you're still with us.

How dare you leave us without our smallish hammer wielding individual, nah kidding...

GM Losonti, thanks for picking up the mantle for our crusade!

All sounds good, and glad you're still with us Greta!

The one bit of advice I'd like to volunteer is that you make a new separate campaign and that you link the gameplay and discussion threads in this game as the first posts in that campaign. The reason I suggest this rather than requesting that Paizo transfer the campaign to you is that it will likely take several months for them to do the transfer. If you make a new campaign you'll have control right away to edit the campaign tabs.

That's good advice, I didn't realize it would take them so long, but it makes sense.

Thanks for trusting me to keep y'all going. Like I said, Saturdays are usually trickier for me but I'm going to get caught up on your game, familiarize myself with the AP itself, and then I'll get a new thread started up in the next few days.

Thank you very much Losonti. That's very kind and thoughtful of you. I think we, as a group, will try our best to make things easy for you. We like answering questions and communicating. Also, my character is completely focused on healing, which is by far not the most effective (read powerful) way to build a character. I just feel the character makes sense. The other players here have expressed similar philosophies. In short we're not trying to power play this game, but to have fun instead. As long as this is our modus operandi, I think we'll spend some great time together.

That said, I've heard this AP tends to make players more powerful than usual. On top of that, we have 7 (!!!!) players if I counted correctly. That will probably mean you'll need bigger demons. In that sense, I don't mind you using us as guinea pigs for your experiments. We'll take it (and then I'll heal every back up).

I'm really excited you appeared. Even though you didn't officially decide to take us up, I admit I am hoping you will. And if you decide this is too much for you, that's cool too, of course.

Mythic results in ridiculously powerful characters when built right. I ran a mythic game once and one of my players reliably got to 150 damage on his first attack each turn. He could also move something like 100ft.

Lol- maybe don't scare the not yet official new GM off just yet... Like Masielo said, I don't think any of us are building towards that kind of craziness.

Lol yeah, and I've certainly heard of the level 1/mythic 10 commoner able to piledrive ancient wyrm dragons. Mythic will take some getting used to, but this is one of the areas where the slower pace of PbP has an advantage.

There is a mythic monster ability that makes the monster immune to all the damage for the first attack against them each turn. I got him with that. He won init, moved, attacked, saw that he did no damage, and then the entire party fled.

But yeah I don't think that any of us are going in that direction. I plan on being a swiss army knife of low level spells and combat abilities. Which means while I'll always have something to bring to the table it won't be particularly optimized.

Well, I've yet to play a game that reached the Mythic rules. And as an AT, I'm certainly not going to be any super-power thing. I've heard of people power building characters to do hundreds of damage per round with weird stacked rules.... To me, that's not playing the game, but just abusing the rules.

I'm hoping that we can continue this game because I'm enjoying the way the characters have already started to meld together. This is a good group!

Yeah, I'm not planning on heading in that direction to make a glass cannon or anything like that. I think the story is fun so far, (although I have played further in this story on another table but it was a while ago), and the characters are interacting well!

Hey everyone, just letting you know that I am still working through the AP. I want to skim through the whole thing at least once first.

All right! The new campaign is live!