Wrath of the Righteous for Paladins (Inactive)

Game Master trawets71

Ian only declared his Bastion of Good after Leothar went down, so his damage would not have been halved.

If I had any idea just how dangerous a foe this commander was, I'd probably have tried combat maneuvers (like Greater Overrun). Knocking him prone and denying him full attacks would have been effective. And of course, staying very near Ian for Bastion of Good.

Will be more cautious in the future.

All true, it feels like this is the first of these 'battlefield' fights where we've felt truly threatened.

Well, those scythe crits were no joke, but this guy didn't even need crits to drop one PC per round.

Yeah, some impressive damage output there. Really should find a way to up my defenses in the future.

Along with Bastion of Good:At 1st level, a sacred shield can call upon the powers of good to defend her and her allies against evil. any attacks the target makes against allies within 10 feet of the paladin deal half damage. Attacks against the paladin deal full damage, but the paladin gains a deflection bonus to her AC equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) against attacks made by the target of the smite. This bonus increases by +1 for every four paladin levels (to a maximum of +6 at 20th level). This ability functions as smite evil.

Ian has Holy Shield At 4th level, a sacred shield can channel her faith into her shield, protecting any nearby allies. All allies adjacent to the paladin gain a shield bonus equal to the sacred shield’s own shield bonus, including any increase from the shield’s enhancement bonus. This bonus does not stack with any existing shield bonuses. The paladin herself radiates light as a light spell while the shielding is active. Using this ability consumes two uses of the sacred shield’s lay on hands ability, and the effects last for 3 rounds plus a number of rounds equal to her Charisma bonus (if any). This ability replaces channel positive energy.

It's just a matter of knowing when to use them. I think he should first use Power of Faith This causes a nimbus of light to emanate from the warrior of the holy light in a 30-foot radius. All allies in this area (including the warrior of the holy light) receive a +1 morale bonus to AC and on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws against fear as long as they remain in the area of light. This power lasts for 1 minute.

While we determine the difficulty of the target then he should use whatever is needed. Unless we know it's the BBEG, then start with holy shield or Bastion of Good.

Another thing to consider is a formation where everyone could be within 10 ft. of Ian, that sort of thing.

If Ian channels his Divine Bond into his shield to make it +2, then Holy Shield gives a +4 shield bonus to all adjacent allies. That's a lot, and it would get even better as he levels up.

Leothar, Dadna, and Anton are all shield-less (part of the reason for our generally poor AC).

But staying close to Ian can prove challenging. There have been some pretty big battle maps where the enemy is far away, and there's a lot of temptation on my part to use Fleet Strike to close the distance more quickly, which means getting separated from Ian. I guess I can just refrain from doing that.

Another thing is that we’re lvl 6 without amulets/rings, etc. I think that for most of us our WBL is at 4.5 instead of 6. That pushes our defenses down significantly

But staying close to Ian can prove challenging. There have been some pretty big battle maps where the enemy is far away, and there's a lot of temptation on my part to use Fleet Strike to close the distance more quickly, which means getting separated from Ian. I guess I can just refrain from doing that.

Right, but this is the first time we've hit anything bad enough to go "Oh no!"

I'm a firm believer that the game is built to favor offense. Ian is the first 'defensive' combat character I've made. I think we need to still hit hard and fast, focus on the minions then gang up on the BBEG. But if we get a knowledge roll that warns against that, or one of us gets crispy-fried then we regroup.

Right, but this is the first time we've hit anything bad enough to go "Oh no!"

I would disagree with that, based on how often Leothar has been negative or near death. I really should have learned by now.

I'm a firm believer that the game is built to favor offense. Ian is the first 'defensive' combat character I've made. I think we need to still hit hard and fast, focus on the minions then gang up on the BBEG. But if we get a knowledge roll that warns against that, or one of us gets crispy-fried then we regroup.

I tend to find that glass cannon builds are very popular in PFS, where the enemies' tactics are static, where the GMs pull punches, where real-world time is limited, and where healing is virtually free (okay, that last element we do have in this game). But that approach is too swingy for my tastes.

I generally prefer at least some focus on defense, such that a climatic battle takes maybe 3-4 rounds and my PC (if I have a frontliner) can actually tank 3-4 rounds of the BBEG's offense. My Strange Aeons bloodrager (level 15) usually hits that benchmark despite being a two-handed Power Attacker. Very well-rounded with great AC, saves, attacks, and damage. But he went negative a lot at lower levels, and it took some time for his defense to come online.

It just makes for a more interesting game that way in my opinion, so that the bad guys can have a few rounds to do their cool stuff. A decent (though not absolute) focus on defense lets fights be more exciting and back-and-forth, and lets the party have enough leeway to adjust tactics or regroup.

Therefore, I might take Dodge and Mythic Dodge before I take Vital Strike and Mythic Vital Strike. I think my offense is pretty solid but defense needs shoring up.

Ian Passeri wrote:

Right, but this is the first time we've hit anything bad enough to go "Oh no!"

I would disagree with that, based on how often Leothar has been negative or near death. I really should have learned by now.

Let me restate that, this is the first time Ian has been nearly dead :)

Therefore, I might take Dodge and Mythic Dodge before I take Vital Strike and Mythic Vital Strike. I think my offense is pretty solid but defense needs shoring up.

OH absolutely.

As for everything else, my experience is still sort of limited. I normally play melee characters who focus 66.6% on attack and 33.3% on defense, or a two weapon rogue, or a switch hitting ranger/slayer. This is my first time playing a character that actual buffs as much as he attacks at this high of a level. Also my first time playing an all 'melee' type party.

So I'm totally out of my element grasping at straws :)

That was a 7th level anti-paladin ghast you were facing with 4 ghouls. All with the advanced template and full hit points. He was very focused on that great axe: weapon focus and improved critical. He also had cleave and 3 smites. I think I played him rather well, not that I was trying to kill you all. I just didn't know what he was capable of I guess. Just remember some of your fights, especially boss or mini boss are going to be nasty in the near future. You haven't even faced any mythic opponents yet.

If I remember correctly some of your gear issues may be solved in the citadel. There is a ton of gear in there. As 6th level characters you should have roughly a +1 weapon, armor, resistance, deflection and +2 to one stat. While it makes sense to give the best shields to Ian it may not be a bad idea to have one yourself if you can for when his power isn't up. In a few levels AC isn't really going to matter much as at least the boss's will hit you no matter AC.

If you have any questions or comments keep them coming, I appreciate the dialog.

If you don't mind my asking - Leothar survived the greataxe charge attack, but it was the bite that took him down. How did the ghast get to do both on a charge? There are a few ways to get an extra attack as a swift action, but it seems the ghast would have used his swift to declare his Smite on Leothar.

I guess it could have been even worse if he had Pounce. (I think Pounce is terrible for the game, but some things do have it.)

Anyone mind if I take the belt? Going from Str 16 -> 18 is a pretty big deal.

Go ahead, you focus more on melee than Ian does. Are we waiting for anyone to rouse the unconscious or should we just go ahead and assume were awake?

Honestly Leothar it was a mistake. I know you only get one attack on a charge, but I got confused during that post about adding natural attacks as secondary. That was my fault. I,m sorry. Pounce can be nasty and you have some nasty fights coming up. The first mythic one is nasty and uses things you can't do.

So you were just preparing us for the inevitable :)

Ok, thanks for the belt. :)

Hey, I've been out all day (went to the USS Intrepid with the family), so I missed some discussion here.

As far as being able to layer in some defenses, I can spend LOH (as a standard action) to grant +1 sacred bonus to AC, and allies in there also auto-stabilize if they go negative. I think the key factor is going to be knowing when we need these things. I'll ask all of you, if you think we're Ina situation where I ought to fire that up, please speak up!

(Hell, you never know when a single point will make the difference, I guess.)

Ian's Bastion of Good is really a fantastic defense and worth planning tactics around.

+1 AC? There are plenty of times when that can save a life!

So what is next, and how are we healing up?
I assume we are going into the mausoleum.

Leothar is unconscious and stable at -7.

He has 4 LoH (3d6 each) which could be converted into two channels (also 3d6 each).

Dadna has a ton of healing options, including a separate pool of Channel that doesn't cost her LoH.

There are a lot of Potions of CLW on the loot sheet (and also some other great consumable items like a Feather Token Whip).

If we want to save on the heal spells we can start dumping potions down Ian, he's still -14

I don't know how many HP Leothar has, but he should start chugging potions until he's close to full. We'll save our LoH and Channels for inside the mausoleum.

I see what you are saying there...but as a point of pride Dadna is trying to live up to her name as a hierophant. ;)

Anyways, Leothar should now be 1 potion or so away from full and everyone else should be at full HP.

I lost track, did Dadna use the Channels, or was another option used? I need to adjust my HP total.

Fley does have a wand of CLW as well that hasn't been used yet. So that's another option.

Channels

Groovy, thanks for confirming.

As to countering Darkness, I don't know if Sosiel is high enough level to cast Continual Flame, but that would be great. The cleric version of that spell is 3rd-level so can even counter Deeper Darkness. But didn't Ian keep the Daylight SLA from being Aasimar? Also a 3rd-level spell.

Ians Spell-Like Ability: Aasimars can use daylight once per day as a spell-like ability (caster level equal to the aasimar’s class level). is it the same thing?

Daylight is a 3rd level spell.

Dispel magic also requires targeting a specific spell effect. There are multiple spells that could make it dark in there.

Cast it and try it - let's see if it works.

You can use the roll of 10 for your kn religion. You have to be able to see it when you can act and you don't act until your initiative, unless something is an immediate action.

got it. Will the light from the Pof work?

Might be a dumb question, but can 'smite evil' (Bastion of Good) be a readied action?

Did my readied attack go off, GM?

No, you were not able to see him from where you are.

Need a fort save from Ian. PoF is not giving it's bonus as the light is not visible. Now we see the true effect of Mythic Power attack. +9 becomes +18 in this case and is then multiplied by the critical multiplier. That attack did 91 points of damage by my math.

Sorry, I thought that he activated it meant it was working.

Does he need the fort save? if the attack did 91 points of damage, I have him at 55 that's -36 HP but I don't remember how I got that math.

I'm rechecking my math he was unconscious at - 24 HP. Dadna channeled + 10 then + 34 + then Ian drank a potion + 25 then she 'channeled self' + 17 I think I counted that as well. I'm not sure if I should have but that's the only place I can see where the points came from. Which would have put him at 62 hp not 55, but that still puts him at - 29, he dies at - 28

Does he need the fort save? if the attack did 91 points of damage, I have him at 55 that's -36 HP but I don't remember how I got that math.

I'm rechecking my math he was unconscious at - 24 HP. Dadna channeled + 10 then + 34 + then Ian drank a potion + 25 then she 'channeled self' + 17 I think I counted that as well. I'm not sure if I should have but that's the only place I can see where the points came from. Which would have put him at 62 hp not 55, but that still puts him at - 29, he dies at - 28

You need the fort save, you took 8 points of damage.

Ian Passeri wrote:

Does he need the fort save? if the attack did 91 points of damage, I have him at 55 that's -36 HP but I don't remember how I got that math.

I'm rechecking my math he was unconscious at - 24 HP. Dadna channeled + 10 then + 34 + then Ian drank a potion + 25 then she 'channeled self' + 17 I think I counted that as well. I'm not sure if I should have but that's the only place I can see where the points came from. Which would have put him at 62 hp not 55, but that still puts him at - 29, he dies at - 28

You need the fort save, you took 8 points of damage.

Ok will do, I'm confused, what was the 91 points about?

If I'm right, that's about my Crit with Mythic PA.

EDIT TO ADD: that's also why I'll eventually be looking for Mythic Improved Critical. The idea of pulling that business with a 19-20/x4 makes me giddy.

The paladins move forward and prepare for the return of the creature.

I thought we were all moving as a group.

DM Trawets wrote:

The paladins move forward and prepare for the return of the creature.

I thought we were all moving as a group.

I was refering to Fley, Anton and Ian who said they moved in their post and moved their tokens on the map. I would prefer you make your movement explicit in your posts and move your token so I know exactly where you move. If you can't move a token for some reason please at least state your movement.

Okay, I’ll do that going forward.

And thanks to Bastion of Good, Fley takes 16 damage so is at 36/52.

...Ian moves forward to provide protection to everyone but is currently only protecting Leothar and Dadna.

Ah, guess I misread that. Which would put at 19/52 hp right now.

The next fight I will be running initiative a little differently than I have been. I will be rolling and then breaking things up into blocks after the rolls have been made. The reasons will become apparent quickly in the fight I think.

On another topic, there is one more army fight left. Do you guys want to run things like we have or should I surmmerize things and move onto the citidel? You have a few more things to do before then but I want to know if you are enjoying the fights I have put in. The next army is a big one made up of 3 armies. I'll have to come up with their leaders if you want to do it. The book doesn't list their commanders like they have for the past armies.

Thanks for the heads up in the change in initiative.

As for the fights, I've enjoyed how you've been doing it, but don't give yourself extra work on our account.

Thanks for the heads up in the change in initiative.

As for the fights, I've enjoyed how you've been doing it, but don't give yourself extra work on our account.

My feelings as well. The fights have been fun, truly enjoyed them. But please don’t do it if the prep work would take too long for you

It's not the prep work. I wanted to make sure you were enjoying them, especially after I nearly killed all of you by accident. With 3 armies there will be one command unit that is bigger than any of the others you have fought. I'll try not to kill you all this time.

Some of that is on us.

I generally like encounters where you have to think and can't just charge in and count on superior DPR to win the day. (I was in Iron Gods Book 1 where after a near escape another player wanted to just keep on trying our failed strategy of "flank and shank" when that particular encounter made it near-suicidal.)

So if we need to be smarter, I can get on board with that.

We do have a great defense in the form of Ian's Bastion of Good, but we need to make sure that we stay in range of it and that we keep him alive. And Leothar has a good tactical option in Greater Overrun that I should make more use of.

Anyway, keep doing what you are doing. This is a great game.

I know I could play smarter.

And agreed with Leothar. Definitely keep what you're doing. Enjoying this game quite a lot.

Also Happy Thanksgiving to any fellow American out there!