This is going to be a classic dungeon crawl with fun monsters and traps around every (not every) corner. Each floor will get more difficult with you leveling up after each floor.
Each floor will have a boss blocking the way to the next floor. We're using Automatic Bonus Progression as that will fit with the gameplay, as opposed to buying and enchanting equipment.
90% of the role-playing will be within the party, though you may find the occasional person or thing in the dungeon that wants to talk.
There will be a map to reference to help with exploration. It will get a battleship-style grid overlaid on it during combat to be able to say where your character moves.
When posting, use 3rd person present tense, bolding speech. Put rolls on a separate line.
Ex. John walks over to the chest and kneels down. "This lock looks fairly simple. I should have it opened in no time." He pulls out a roll of tools and begins tinkering with the lock.
Disable Device: 1d20+9 -> 2+9=11
Skill Checks: Make them when you think you should and I'll take them into account if I decide it's necessary. I'll also rollover high skill checks to help keep things moving, especially Perception or Stealth.
Detect Magic/Evil/etc.: If you have that ability, I'm going to assume you're always running it unless specified otherwise.
In combat, separate out what your Standard, Move, Move Equivalent, Swift, Immediate, and Free actions are. That way it helps clear up any confusion. Type out attack and damage at the same time. I'll roll initiative for all the PCs and monsters at the same time so we don't have to wait. Example:
Move: 20ft from C7 to B3
Standard: Fire light crossbow at Goblin 2
Attack: 1d20+3 -> 15+3=18
Damage: 1d8 -> 3
Free: Reload crossbow
Post rate: I'll be checking in multiple times a day and posting at least once a day. I want everyone to check in once a day, as well, and post within 24 hours of your character being prompted (whether it's your turn or another character addressed you). I really want to keep this moving along so we can get to the top of the tower!
I'll keep updating this as more things get worked out!
Can't wait!
Hi! GM, thanks for the picking. Rest of the people, thanks for... well, for playing along Marcos. Can't wait to see what's to come!
So we have a Cleric and a Bard for now? Superb! No one will say the party isn't properly buffed xD
Hi guys! Nice to meet you!
Sim is primarily a tank for now, but in a couple levels could be also a damage dealer... but so far, hide behind his shield!
Sim will most of the time fight defensively, which will give everyone adjacent to him +2 luck bonus to AC and CMD.
Great to be chosen, than you DM! I'm excited for this campaign!
Shiv'Raston is a melee using druid who will get Sneak Attack as I go up, but I keep my full druid spells so I can do some healing and combat spells as well, and my Caiman familiar will be hardy enough to help provide flanking.
(At 4th level I'll get a Slayer Talent and the ability to pick up Trapfinding as well if needed).
Thanks for the message and acceptance, GM NameShortage. I am looking forward to this. If any of you has any questions concerning my character, feel free to ask.
Interestingly diverse party we have here.
It looks like in terms of alignment we have NG, LG, NG, CN, and TN.
Classes we have int-based bard, negative channeling cleric, archer, druid fighter with a caiman, and a halfling tank.
Races we have a Samsaran, Halfling, Aasimar, Dhampir, and one normal human
I wanted each character to fill a niche! I hope everyone feels the party is balanced.
If everyone is ready, I'll get the gameplay thread up sometime before Saturday morning.
One question about Saving Throws: Would you rather I give you the DC and tell you what happens if you fail all at the same time? Or would you rather I just give you the DC then tell you the effects after you roll?
I would leave that up to you, but as for my opinion, I will say that if you give us the DC and tell us the effects after, that may give you more free range to describe how badly we fail. If I were to roll a 6 total and Sim rolled a 15 total and the DC was 16, while the damage or effect may be the same, the flavor of what happens to me might be a bit more severe. I know it's a neutral answer but meh :P
However you feel more comfortable, really. We'll adapt.
I'd prefer for you to give us the DC and the description of what happens, since it speeds the game A LOT. PbP is not the fastest modality and everything that speeds gameplay is always a good idea.
Regarding the description of the severity of the effects as Lash mentioned, I believe we can do it ourselves. If I critically fail a fort save against poison, for sure Sim will be screaming in pain for his mama.
I have the same opinion on every kind of DC possible that gives us some information: Knowledge, Heal, Sense Motive, Perception, etc. Just give us what we'll find in a spoiler and trust us to not peek it without passing the test. Most of the games in PbP end because of slowing down too much and players/GMs loosing interest so this is our first priority to make it run as fast and smoothly as possible.
Also, since you mentioned this is your first game as a PbP GM, if you wish I can also share many other methods that work really well in PbP to speed the game.
Regarding the description of the severity of the effects as Lash mentioned, I believe we can do it ourselves. If I critically fail a fort save against poison, for sure Sim will be screaming in pain for his mama.
That's true. I'd agree. We can always flavor it ourselves, and whatever speeds up the game, I suppose that would be grand for me. :)
I agree with all mentioned and add one more.... Sometimes you may want to post a "everyone roll a perception check", but not what it is for. Reason: There is something that we might not notice and there is no reason to tell anyone that doesn't see it, secret door for example. Once you get a reply high enough to notice it you can reply as to what was found and that no more are needed. Or, the trap wasn't noticed and it activates! It can add to the anticipation of the game without slowing things too much, especially since you have requested that we all post at least once per day!
Some GM's just roll for the players, but I've noticed that some players don't like that. {shrug}
I have the opinion that a roll is a roll no matter who rolls it. As long as there is no decision making involved, I'm all for the GM rolling as much as he can in order to keep the game going. I usually call these rolls "passive rolls".
The idea is that whenever something occurs in game that the only possible outcome is for the player to roll a particular check or save, the GM can simply roll it and tell us what happened.
There is no decision involved here, so the GM can roll for the players both Perception checks to see if they notice the trap and/or the monsters. If the players do notice either/both of them, then the players have a decision to make (disarm the trap, goad the monsters, buff, etc.) and the GM can't move forward without said decision.
However, if the players failed to notice both dangers, they still have no decision to make as their original plan to open the door is still perfectly fine in their point of view. They open the door and spring the trap. Let's say this trap requires a Reflex save. Once again the players have no decision to make (generally barring some special immediate action ability) so the GM could simply roll for them and say who was hit by the trap and then roll Initiative to start combat, and even a knowledge check to identify such monsters. The players can't simply decide they won't be hit by the trap or that they want to start a combat if the enemies do and as soon as they see the creatures, their brain will automatically recollect the information (the players can't chose not to know something).
Doing it this way, assuming the players did not notice neither the traps nor the monsters, in a single post the GM could move from "opening the door" to "fighting ghouls", while asking the players to roll for everything would take possibly 4 posts (1 to detect the dangers, 1 to save against the trap, 1 to roll initiative and 1 to roll for knowledge). Considering the rate of 1 post per day, this simple thing that would be solved in minutes in a F2F game could possibly take 4 days in PBP!
I agree and I have zero problems with the GM rolling for us, always with having reactions and immediate actions in mind (those are not very well suited for PbP, yeah).
Yeah- I'm fine on saves being done however is easiest; in my own games I use a hybrid approach were if the result makes a huge difference on the continuation of combat I as the DM roll it, but if its something like a difference of a modest amount of damage I'll have the player roll.
Ultimately whatever seems to keep the game flowing best at the time is good :)
Marcos, I was looking at your character and I think you missed the free feats of:
Power Attack
Weapon Finesse
Combat Expertise
Deadly Aim
Everyone double check and make sure you're good to go.
Oh, yes, I did miss it, thank you!
Actually, Weapon Finesse might help Marco do something other than just watch while he gives away bonuses :P
Thanks. I had forgotten Weapon Finesse.... Helpful since I'm not strong and using light weapons!
Actually, Weapon Finesse might help Marco do something other than just watch while he gives away bonuses :P
Thanks. I had forgotten Weapon Finesse.... Helpful since I'm not strong and using light weapons!
We can rebuild them. We have the technology. We can make them better than they were. Better, stronger, faster.
Marco, the Six Million Dollar Bard :p
Yay, it's started!
Our party very well may be so loud that we'll just scare all the monsters out of our pathway.
Hah, I'm glad because I'd hate to be the one butt-hole in heavy armor clanking around with a bunch of otherwise very stealthy characters.
At least with a loud party, we don't have to deal with surprise rounds!
I'm gonna let you guys find a boombox in the first room to get it over with haha
Just asking because I am not sure, but if I spotted the dog in the surprise round, I'm flat-footed because he goes before me. Because I saw it, I do get a standard/move action correct as a reaction in the surprise round? I can't really use either at the moment without getting attacked, and I have nowhere to go, but I can ready an action to move on Shiv's turn right? And I'd no longer be flat-footed if the dog attacks on round 1?
I'm trying to understand. I'm not very good at combat lol.
It rolled higher initiative than you, so it would go first in the Surprise Round, which comprises of just you and it. It does its attack, but you are correct in that you should not have been Flat Footed (it was a miss either way). You can use your Surprise Round standard action to ready a move action. So on Shiv's turn, as he moves forward, you'll step back then fire?
And your breakdown of your turn was great! Thanks!
Oh, I think I'm still supposed to be flat-footed in the surprise round, as he goes first before I've had a turn as you've said.
I was saying that in Round 1 (after the surprise round), since I saw him and I technically had a turn, I wouldn't be flatfooted anymore, even if he goes before me. Technical mumbo jumbo...anywho, cool!
Ohh! Our first combat! Alright!
That's right! Get in there and kick some butt! I sure hope eventually these passageways open up.
GM, do you prefer for all of us to post what we want to do and then you accommodate it according to what happens in combat, or do we wait and post in order of initiative? The first option requires more work from you but is really much faster.
Yeah, I was thinking about that overnight and I think option one is the way to go. Post your preferred actions, then post an OOC contingency plan, and I'll make everything fit.
For example, you want to move 10ft and attack, but if the creature is dead by the time you get there, you'll heal so-and-so.
Wow! I should have checked this thread before I went to bed last night....
Yes, it's a pain in the arse for me to go first because you people will probably be waiting till I wake up :p I'm gonna try to do a "standard opening" for combats, so you can bot if needed. For rounds 2 onward, it's not too important, I guess - as long as the bard is using performance, it's fine :P
Sim, with Lash moving back, you can step up to E3 and take her spot without provoking an AoO. If you wanna do that, you can also roll any potential attack and damage.
And don't forget your +1 to attack and damage! GM, if you could be so kind as to add mine in your totals too from Inspire Courage
I hope that kind of summary works for everyone! I kinda tweaked actions to fit initiative order and what had happened at different times. It was a little bit of work, but something like that can allow us to do a round (or more) a day depending on how fast everyone can post.
If not, I'm open to suggestions!
Cool Marcos! Immediate action to grant another chance to save.... Gotta remember that one for one of my bards!
Oh gosh...I am just realizing another mistake with my character sheet. I'll message you Gm!
Ugh, bad luck on that reroll, Shiv.
It happens haha. My luck is not always the best. Yeah, that's a pretty sweet ability, sorry I couldn't make it worth the while!
And GM- I'm fine with resolving actions like that, it works.
When the Dice Gods are angry... xD
Yep. I've seen a +20 roll fail by angry dice.... :) At least it's disease, not poison. We've got a day before the effects kick in. And maybe we'll find some way to resolve it before then!
Sim, can you break down how you get to AC:27 T:19 FF: 19? It's not that I don't believe you, I just haven't figured it out lol
Sim, can you break down how you get to AC:27 T:19 FF: 19? It's not that I don't believe you, I just haven't figured it out lol
Sure thing!
First there is the "fighting defensively" modifier that anyone can apply when attacking. It gives you +2 dodge bonus to AC (and thus to CMD as well) but imposes -4 on all attack rolls for a full round (including future AOOs).
Then, there is the Cautious Fighter feat, which increases the dodge bonus from "fighting defensively" or "total defense" by 2.
Finally, there is the trait Coutious Warrior that does the same thing as the previous feat, but increasing the bonus by only 1.
Since both feats actually increase the bonus they stack with each other, that without considering that dodge bonuses, unlike other bonus, always stack with each other.
In total, when "fighting defensively", Sim gets +5 dodge bonus and -4 to attack and when using "total defense" he gets +7 dodge bonus but can't attack at all.
At level three, when Sim gets 3 ranks in acrobatics, the bonus will further improve by 1 for "fighting defensively" and by 2 for "total defense".
Now, thanks to his Blundering Defense feat, he will able to provide half that bonus to his adjacent allies, thus making Sim a tank that actually work in Pathfinder, since he not only is hard to get but also boosts his allies. Normally a smart enemy could simply kill all the others and leave the tank for the end and be safe.
Ahhh, that is very specific wording that makes that work. Super clever!
Not that I'm "GM vs Player" per se, but that will be a fun challenge to overcome haha
Now you just need to antagonize them :P
Yeah lol
And it only works for halflings, which are generally not thought when someone thinks about tanks! I believe Sim falls in the "thinking outside of the box" characters.
While I know it is a LOT at first levels, there is no way to increase them (that I'm willing to do) further.
My plan for him is to invest in feats that will further boost his allies but also allows him to do a bit more damage so is not solely focused on his defense.
@Lash: Not sure if it would fit my idea of Sim. He is not one to openly provoke or challenge others. It could work with Diplomacy, but then it is not a class skill and I believe there is not enough skill points... also, I believe will not work on many enemies since it is a mind-affecting thing.
Maybe I'll take antagonize and stand behind Sim....
I'm having an idea for how to split up Initiative for making combat easier to smooth out:
I'll roll all your initiatives, then average them out. Then I'll roll all the enemy's initiatives, then average them out. Whichever group has the higher average initiative goes first.
For example:
Average: 50 / 5 = 10
Enemies:
Average: 62 / 3 = 20.6
So the group of Goblins go first, 3->1->2, then the PCs go Sim->Shiv->Marcos->Kahli->Lash.
What's everyone's thoughts? Or if you have another/better way, I'm all ears!