GM Blazej - Pact World Warriors Gameday IX (Inactive)

Game Master Zynete

how long does our field butchering seem like it is going to take? It might be good to have everyone assist one butcher for all 3, but if it makes more than a little bit of time we should likely have our three best bonus holders each take an animal with each getting an assist attempt from one of the rest of the party. The only issue is how safe we want to play it with take 10 vs roll.

You have plenty of time to perform the butchering, but I would limit each attempt to two people aiding.

Alright there are a few things I wish to give a heads up for planning out the next part.

For the next part of cooking, one PC will get to act as your representative and make either a Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, or Profession (cook) to present your dish. This part isn't viable for conventional aid another attempts.

As part of this, I will be looking for a description of what you actually cooking right now if there are ideas among the group people would like to post.

Below is an the name of the ultimate recipe your rival team is making if you wish to use it an an example.

I think it goes without saying that Mahari will be the Face with her +10 Diplo and +13 Bluff.

I would contend that any chef knows that plating adds to the presentation, so I'd think perhaps one Aid from someone arranging the food on the plate, adjusting the garnish, adding a swirl of sauce, etc would be reasonable. Perhaps some artistic Profession?

A second case could be made for a Culture check to Aid with some advise about how a certain local cuisine would normally be served. Like knowing that bulgogi is wrapped in lettuce leaves or that sake goes with sushi and not with okonomiyaki with which you'd have a sour. Those aren't really Chef things, more Culture things.

But I'm happy to entertain suggestions of what the menu includes and how to describe it from anyone.

I am totally fine with Mahari taking the lead.

That's not me who will say no.

I just played 3-00 also, so I'm trying not to meta. But admittedly, they were warned someone was trying to smear the SFS, and as a corporate espionage agent, this is exactly the kind of thing Mahari would pull. I think a little wariness on her part isn't unreasonable.

I think it is fair to say that wariness and suspicion are not unwarranted.

ok something weird must be going on with my browser. I swear i refreshed at least 15 times since this morning and im just now seeing the new gameplay posts. I have a 5pm meeting but will post later tongiht

That is perfectly fine, I'll be holding for a moment. I don't plan to linger long though. I'll probably be moving onto the encounter tomorrow.

For this challenge you have five rounds (30 seconds) to kill as many mindless undead as group as you are able. You earn 10 points for every kill.

There are four undead on the map at the moment, but there are many more undead surrounding your position than just them.

After the five rounds are up, you will be placed within a protective shield and evacuated to safety.

=

Let me know if you have any questions on the rules, either in character to the staff in gameplay or to me here in discussion.

@Nelek: you posted that your shock grenade had a DC 5. I think the correct DC is 11. CRB, pg 183, "Grenades" says: "The DC of the save is equal to 10 + half the grenade’s item level + your Dexterity modifier."

Not that it made a difference this time, and I imagine our illustrious GM already accounted for that, but just wanted to point it out for the future.

The DC 5 was "to hit" no "to save".

Ah, yeah, I see that now. Sorry.

One thing I note about biohackers, is that they really benefit from a party that it built around them.

I can skill boost any skill, increase AC and Movement, and grant Blindsense. But most of my offensive hacks require I do damage, which is hard given how low-damage low-level darts do.

(Honestly biohackers like me are best when the team coordinates their damage type and its few targets.)

I've thought about building a Biohacker, but I agree with you that they need just the right circumstances to succeed. I think when I do, I'll plan to carry a secondary non-injection weapon. And grenades. Lots of grenades since BH do get grenade proficiency and they usually have a good Dex to boost the DC.

Ugh! For the record, I hate these skeletons and the combat is actually going well.

I do understand that. I know my background I feel obligated to second Mahari's ideas. I would also suggest weapon fusions just to make weapons magic (or change their crit effects). It is possible that some of you won't run into encounters looking for magical weapons again, but it might be worth your credits to cover that if this encounter was an issue.

So the next, and final, challenge is a game of capture the flag.

It will take place on a model starship in a zero-g environment. You will start within one of the two cargo bays and the rival team will start in the other. You will be rewarded for scoring a third neutral flag from the bridge, scoring the rival team's flag, and knocking out opponents. You will be loaned merciful versions of each of your weapons for the duration. Non-lethal damage is mandatory. Anyone who ignores this will be disqualified including lethal spells and abilities. You can score a flag by returning with it to your base. You will be given a short time to prepare and position your flag before all the ship's doors open and the challenge begins. The challenge ends after 20 rounds.

Below I'll give a more detailed breakdown of the rules.

Duration
. You will have three rounds to prepare in your base before the challenge starts.
. The challenge will last 20 rounds.

Flag Rules
. The flag is 3 bulk
. You begin in possession of one flag, it must by displayed prominently and cannot be stored in a bag, extradimensional space, or any other compartment.
. A flag can be placed in a square or carried. It takes a move action to pick up the flag and no action to drop a flag.
. You capture a flag by bringing it within your base and it remaining there for two consecutive rounds.

Points
. 30 points for capturing enemy flag
. 40 points for capturing neutral flag
. 10 points for every incapacitated enemy team member (at the end of challenge)

Non-Lethal
. You will be loaned a copy of each of your weapons including your grenades, small arms, longarms, and such will be equipped with a merciful fusion.
. Lethal damage is prohibited and will result in disqualification.
. Most spells and non-weapon abilities are banned, although some spells might be able to get around this as having no obvious effect (mind thrust).

Environment
. You will be in a starship set
. This will be a zero-g environment. I'll make another post detailing the effects of that.

Zero Gravity

Movement
You will not be able to take move actions to move your speed, crawl, or take guarded steps.

If you are adjacent or in the same square as an object (that will always be true in this situation), you can push off that object and move at half your land speed in a direction of your choosing. You continue to move that speed and direction at the beginning of your tun until stop (by grabbing onto something, push in a new direction, crash into something, or create thrust).

If you run into a solid object, you must succeed on a DC 20 Acrobatics or Athletics check to safely stop your movement. If you fail this chekc you gain the off-kilter condition (-2 to attacks and AC; removed by righting yourself as a move action). If you run into another creature, they also must make this check (they get a +4 if they were anchored to a solid object, in this case if they were not moving they are anchored with standard armor boot clamps).

If you have a climb speed you can move along the any of the walls at full speed. If you do not have a climb speed, you can attempt to do so as a move action by making a DC 20 Acrobatics or Athletics check.

If you can fly (either naturally or with gear) you will be able to move normally in this encounter with your fly speed.

Other

Thrown weapons multiply their range increment by 10.

Your carrying capacity is multiplied by 10.

...

I've omitted some portions that are not relevant in this challenge.

A few more clarifications.

If you push off something that isn't effectively immovable, it moves in the opposite direction as you at the same speed.

Unless you specifically are wishing to do so, you will not collide with allies when floating past their space.

There are gear and abilities that can help with navigating zero gravity environments. If you have something that lets you move around easier, let me know.

Shoma adjusts the straps on their ship crew jumpsuit as they proceed to the final challenge. "Home sweet home! Gravity's vastly overrated." Shoma's only clothes are zero-g enviro clothes, so +2 to ath and acro in zero-g.

As the team plans, Shoma taps their head and says "I feel like I've still got enough power in here for one more big whammy, whether that's commanding them to drop their flag or thrusting one of their minds - and I've still got one neat trick I can do to heal the whole group at once. But otherwise, looks like I'm a very perceptive laser pistol in a spacesuit."

Whoops! That was supposed to go in game play. But I guess it's all basically discussion material stated in character anyway. My bad!

If there is time i will short rest to regain stamina.
I could carry the flag around as a distraction. My mobility will make it hard for them to keep up with me.We could try taking out the vesk first so Mia has no backup. Hit the neutral flag first with most of the party while 1 or two try to find the other teams flag. I dunno I'm just spitballing. I'm good with any plan.

You have time to take a short rest.

It could be an option to take down all of them and then to pick up the flags.

Flex if you take the flag with you you have to be cautious. It would be a too easy task for the Moxie to win point to kill you and to drag the flag in their home if you go to frankly forward.

For my part I think to try to get good point of view to shoot down the adversaries.

Yeah if I do that I plan to keep with some group members and when they see me, start running away and sneaking around until some of them go down. I am all for taking them out if we can.

I wonder - if none of them are as fast and maneuverable as Flex, maybe he could jet in, grab the neutral flag, and bring it back to where our flag is. Then we're just defending one point, and it's a unified front. Sounds like they'll send some people for the neutral flag and leave some behind, so it'll be our entire party against a fraction of theirs. Divide and conquer.

That could be a good plan as well. We will perhaps earn more points.

I'll point out also that they can't actually win outright. They seem to know this, but the scores on Slide 8 confirm it. Even if they take our flag, take the neutral flag, and incapacitate all 6 of us, we still win, it's not enough points for them to overtake us.

That being said, Mahari wants to rub Mia's nose in it.

I second Shoma's plan. Send Flex & maybe a backup to guard his escape, to get the neutral flag. Then full defense.

Don't forget that one of the things I CAN do is make people faster. +10 ft a round to a movement type of my (our) choice would be a serious boost.

Also, since I am an natural flier, I could easily accompany Flex (though not as fast, even under my speed booster).

I feel like "come up with a plan" is just as bad in PBP as "there's a door." Often it means the scenario grinds to a halt. :)

@GM: you said "all the doors open" after our 3-round prep time. I presume that does not include the exterior doors such as those in the western end of our cargo bay / base.

We could also set some traps out in the hallway, maybe? Engineering check(s) to rig something with the grenades, sensors, or the adamantine cable we got earlier. Computers check(s) to hack into the ship's cameras or door sensors to give a warning when they're coming?

Assuming those exterior doors will remain closed, we place the flag in that SW corner.

Then we go Magnificent Six:

Set non-lethal traps as we're allowed.

Mec-01 sets up an ambush / guard spot in the hallway.

Nelek and/or Shoma go with Flex to grab the Neutral flag, and smoke out any opposition they can. Have them follow you into Mec's ambush and/or the traps.

Mahari and Misty guard the flag (Misty principally due to speed.)

Hold out against them with 2 flags in possession, and points for downing any enemy that comes too close. Presumably, Mia will remain guarding her flag. Tillik will try to sneak in, Rafelo will go after the Neutral flag, but Flex can beat him there. Verity and Shonvyzam will also try to get it, or they'll come for us.

Thoughts?

The external doors will remain closed.

I do not believe you have time to set up traps (without using a significant amount of the combat). I would say it would take 10 rounds to set up a trap of that nature. I'm unaware of specific trap making rules, but I'm basing my response on the "Arm Explosives" text. There it takes a minute to connect an explosive to a detonator and that is about the amount of time I would expect for a mechanical trap.

Edit:

Mahari and Misty guard the flag (Misty principally due to speed.)

I wanted to confirm that I think Misty is one of the faster characters in this encounter, but I do wanted to make special warning on this idea. While it is less an issue for Mia, given the pace of a PbP encounter I'm wary of suggestions to stay back and guard the flag (as opposed to staying further back) since that may well mean several days of inactivity in the encounter depending on how the combat goes and zero g might make it take some time to get to the combat given the movement limitations here.

Not to put words in Mahari's mouth, but I think the thought is just who hangs further back versus who gets closer in to the neutral flag.

I dropped two stars on the map - we need one fire team (Blue) to cover the common room in the aft of the ship, and another (Gold) to get down the hallway as quickly as possible to cover for Flex's escape. Both will still need to move in to be of value in the firefight. And assuming the other team tries to send anyone through the common room, Blue squad should wind up in two-way target practice at least as fast as Gold.

My one question is - since jump jets don't technically give Flex a fly speed (has to land at the end of each move), Misty's the only one with true fly. So Misty: Is it crazy to have you speedbuff yourself? With a fly 30, you might be the ideal flag capper.

Then Flex and Nelek with the high athletics rush to Gold point to cover your escape. Mahari's lower speed, and Mec and I's lower ath/acro bonuses, mean we start by covering Blue point - and if things get hairy at Gold, we move me and/or Mec deeper as necessary.

Anything I'm missing, or does that sound like the same page we've been working towards?

I'm ok with that. Sounds good.

I've tried to place ourselves on the map to execute this plan with Misty first to hurry up to the flag.

Well if i dont land, I fall. Since we are in zero g, I was hoping stopping myself with the jump jets, Ironman style would be an option. Though I could see needing an acro check since with no gravity i cant do a controlled descent to land.

My understanding is that jump jets would act like a fly speed in the zero gravity environment since landing and falling do not occur in this environment.

Awesome! If that's your ruling, then Misty should absolutely buff Flex so he has a fly 40!

Copy, no traps.

Too many M* names :)

@GM wrote: "...While it is less an issue for Mia, given the pace of a PbP encounter..." Did you mean for Mahari? I'm not sure I understand either way.

I'm going to stick with my original suggestion of Mahari guarding the flag in the back room. For several reasons: someone should always have eyes on the flag, and it shouldn't leave the dead-end, protected back room. Also, my flying schedule is about to get very busy over the next several days. I may miss a day here and there, and if her stated duty is "watch the flag" then that's easy to bot me.

Re: Shoma's Blue team: that door to the west is going to be open, so make sure we're protected from them coming thru the engine room.

I might have mistyped elsewhere but in this case that is what I meant. Mia might have declared she will protect her teams flag, but as an NPC I'm fine skipping her turns if that is her plan irregardless if that means she might do nothing for over a week.

For you or any other PC I more worried about people putting themselves in less interesting combat position where the combat might be my not be fun for several days or more. I won't stop it, but that was my concern.

Awesome! If that's your ruling, then Misty should absolutely buff Flex so he has a fly 40!

Not sure if that will work since my fly speed is not based on my land speed. That's why i move a bit slower with the jump jets. My base speed is already 40 because, operative. But i will surly take that blindsense.

Mahari, that makes sense to me - and good catch on engine room. I added a White star for that point.

If Mahari is in the doorway to our back room, she'd be able to see the flag and catch anybody who got past White or Blue - that seems valuable but also low-stress for your schedule.

Also, with Flex's fly speed 40, he'll be back between Blue and Gold with the flag before any of the rest of us get to Gold. And even if one of their team members gets jump jets in time, they'll still only be fly 30 - which means one of them gets one shot off at Flex as he escapes.

So I say we don't even bother with Gold. Blue team can cover the common room as well as the hallway towards Gold, and White covers the engine room. When Flex passes Blue with the flag, Blue team can retreat to the east side of the White room, right? Then we've just got one hallway and the engine room to cover. Easy peasy.

I think that leaves us with:

Back Room - Mahari
White - Shoma & Mec
Blue - Misty & Nelek
Gold - Flex, very briefly

How's that look to everybody?

why would they give us an armor upgrade that takes 10 minutes to install? Seriously. Just giving it as loot for the chronicle seems petty and unnecessary.

Good plan, Shoma.

I could very well be incorrect on the installation time of an armor upgrade, but you could be correct that it may be an item to establish the reward for the adventure and to be one of the items on the chronicle sheet.

In any case, even if it takes 10 minutes to attach it as an armor upgrade, it is still a propulsion source and I would say that that could be used to spend someone moving a bit more quickly through the set. Although more uncontrollable than a properly equipped armor upgrade.

I would say at the minimum, it would require a hand to operate the unattached jump jets.

No, you're right, it takes 10 minutes to add or remove an upgrade.

It's one of the two rules that a lot of mod authors don't know.

In one mod for instance, your entire party gets handed Merciful fusions before proceeding into a fight were you don't want to kill the target.

It takes 24 hours for a fusion to activate itself after it is added to a weapon.

Also Mahari , don't forget the rear cargo doors as well. It's unlikely, but it is an option.

Understood on the movement ruling! That should simplify things quite a bit. Thanks!

We are approaching the end of the scenario and I'm gathering the last bits of information I'll need for the reporting.

I need everyone to roll a d20 to determine any boon reward winners.

Boon Roll: 1d20 ⇒ 1

Boon:1d20 ⇒ 17

Boon roll:1d20 ⇒ 16