First off, For some of the NPCs there is sometimes no image given so I have to improvise using Google and my own lackluster editing skills. If there is a discrepancy between the image and what I write as a description then that is why. All credit to the original artists, etc. etc. etc.
Okay, important stuff:
(Because this is technically for the Online Support Program I need people's emails in order to properly fill that out. Some are not comfortable with having their emails out in the open on the forums, so by all means feel free to PM me your email if that would make you feel more comfortable).
Once again, I expect posts as frequently as possible, but bare minimum of once per day (with some leeway for weekends; I personally do not look at my PbPs on Sundays).
I frequently use spoilers to keep things organized and not too crowded, so for future reference, any spoilers in any of my posts contain public information that can be viewed by everyone with three significant exceptions: Any spoiler labeled with a specific check along with the DC (i.e. "Perception 30"), any spoiler specifically directed toward a particular player, or any spoiler labeled "GM Screen." Additionally, I sometimes put spoilers inside of spoilers, but I have to get creative with the labels for spoilers inside of spoilers (you can't label it normally or else the coding breaks), so I put such labels in bold and ooc; if there isn't such a label directly above such a spoiler then don't open it unless prompted to do so. Example :
A few other miscellaneous things:
With confusion I roll 1d4 and multiply it by 25 rather than roll a d%; makes things faster.
I understand that I must run the scenario/module/whatever as written, but I consider a clear mathematical error in an enemy's stat block (i.e. an attack bonus of +25 when it's written as +23 or a Con-based DC being written as 15 when it's actually 19) to be a typo of the scenario/module/whatever and I subsequently change it to be mathematically correct, whether it's to the players' benefit or detriment; if you feel that's overstepping my bounds as a PFS GM, then by all means report me to a VC and I will happily make my case.
There are two bits of "GM bending the rules" that I want to address: one is that a specific ability that's actually pretty important was in the low tier but not in the high tier despite all other abilities of the thing being present; I'm ruling that the high tier should have this omitted ability.
Second: the scenario bends the rules with regards to what qualifies as a "hostile action" in one of the encounters; I'll address this further when it comes up.
Finally, I believe that Pathfinder is a game of remembering, so if you forget an ability, a bonus, or anything of the like and don't correct yourself of said mistake soon thereafter and I as the GM don't call you out on it, then we continue onward; I'm not going to do a fleshed-out retcon to satisfy a single mistake and if you expect that of me, then I'll shrug and say "Sorry! Remember next time." Likewise, if I make a mistake and am not called out on it in time, then I will say "Welp, the players reap the rewards of my lack of remembering" and move on. There are exceptions to this, such as when a retcon would be simple ("Just heal X damage since you didn't take it because the attack missed.") or if PC death is on the line.
With all that said, good luck and happy adventuring!
Okay, with three level 7 PCs, two level 6 PCs, and one level 5 PC, our challenge points are:
4+4+4+3+3+2=20
Which puts us in the high tier. The level 5 PC will be getting a level bump (scroll up slightly to see the whole section). I will remind folks that the mentor boons exist and that the level 5 PC can benefit from two of those mentor boons, so...remember "Explore, Report, Cooperate"! Also, bear in mind that boon slots are no longer a thing, just that a PC can only benefit from a specific number of specific boons, like Mentor, Advanced, and Promotional (had to look in weird places to find that this change was intentional: go to the Guild Guide page, open the drop-down menu labeled "Version 2.0 (from 0.X)" and Ctrl+F for "slot," and you'll find where it was said that this change was intentional)
There are three other things I would like from you guys:
1: What are y'all's musical experience (if any)? This scenario (obviously) is centered fairly heavily on music and I was curious how deep I should go into musical jargon without going over people's heads.
2: What is your character's default exploration tactic during basic dungeoncrawling (unless you state otherwise)? This scenario is a pretty big (and honestly unique) dungeoncrawl, so for the sake of expediency I will be pseudo-railroading people based on the exploration tactics. That said, this dungeon is purposefully big and confusing, so I'm going to be leaving some choice of which branch to take in the PCs' hands and then just railroad down that branch until it branches again. A bit annoying to do in PbP, but it actually does matter quite a bit. That said, if you flavor your exploration as something drastically different from your default exploration tactic, then I'll go with the flavor over the default (I personally stand by the reasoning that exploration tactics are more of a GM-decided decision based on PC flavor rather than just the PC choosing the tactic itself, but I'm leading with the default exploration tactic for the sake of expediency).
3: GMs with glyphs, please choose who you are giving out your bonus Hero Point(s) to.
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Player Name: Hawthwile
Character Name: Prince Charming II
Character Number: 264524-2001
Faction: Envoy's Alliance
Day Job:
Slow Track: No
Notable Shenanigans: Charming is a summoning build, singing to bring friendly woodland creatures to help him. He'll flavor all his spells as singing to summon an animal to create the spell effect, but this shouldn't have any impact on the spell itself. And healing via Natural Medicine - most of the time people respond poorly to the squirrels and the spiders, but that hasn't stopped him yet. He's also very good at talking with people (Master proficiency with Diplomacy + Group Impression + Glad-Hand). Additionally, he has a hedgehog familiar named Sir Pricklebottom who accompanies his performances with his tiny tambourine.
Email: Sent via PM
Charming can offer both his Glyph Hero-Point and the benefits of Skillful Mentor (+2 to skill checks from level boost rather than +1) to our lvl 5 character because we want them to feel loved and supported even when they're a bit out of their depth.
Regarding musical experience, I got my degrees in Music Education and Performance. So I should be good for whatever the GM wants to throw at us. XD
As far as default exploration activity, Charming doesn't have much better than to Search if we're already moving slowly.
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Player Name: Dax Thura
Character Name: Tybalt Stonepeak
Character Number: 33973-2001
Faction: Radiant OathAlliance
Day Job:
Slow Track: No
Notable Shenanigans: None. Tybalt is your basic axe and board fighter.
Email: Sent via PM
Tybalt comes with one GM Glyph (lowest rank character- healer- front line- self)
Neither myself nor Tybalt has any musical experience beyond listening to bards.
Tybalt likes to Scout for Exploration. If there's better then he Defends.
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Player Name: Florent
Character Name: Fangor
Character Number: 754-2005
Faction: Envoy's Alliance
Day Job:
Slow Track: No
Notable Shenanigans: Fangor is a cleric of Razmir! Fangor has trap finder.
Email: Sent via PM
1) I've got musical experience, having played violin for several years and studied classical music (even if it was a long long time ago!). Fangor has no special knowledge of music, but as an expert in Perform has certainly at least basic knowledge about it!
2) Fangor uses Avoid Notice in exploration mode but have trap finder
3) Fangor comes with a Coin Award HP that I can't use for myself but can lend to another player :)
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Player Name: Watery Soup
Character Name: Quinoline Silicate
Character Number: 2358909-2001
Faction: Radiant Oath
Day Job (roll now): Quinoline will begin crafting 2 greater leaper's elixirs (-55 gp raw materials)
=> Success, +2.5 gp/day x 8 days (field commissioned) = 20 gp progress. End: 75/110 gp completed.
Slow Track?: N
Notable Shenanigans: Quinoline can make mistform elixirs for the front-liners. She also has Battle Medicine with Assurance of 21 and can provide nonmagical in-combat healing. She also has a sturdy shield and will get up front herself if needed.
Quinoline has the Protective Mentor boon that she's happy to pass to a level 5. I also have a glyph Hero Point to pass to a level 5.
I'm pretty experienced with music. I played piano and clarinet as a kid, and I took a few music theory classes in college. My current project is learning Chopin's Waltz in C# minor. (Hawthwhile - one of my new APG characters was almost named Joseph Etienne Camille Pleyel, a wealthy concert hall owner fleeing the Final Blades of Galt)
Quinoline has no experience with music, although given her glass tinkering, I'm guessing she knows the basic physics of sound and knows how to make champagne flutes sing.
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Player Name: Halgur
Character Name: Astrid Gertasdottir
PFS #: 35206 - 2002
Faction: Horizon Hunters
Slow/Normal Progression: Normal
Downtime Activity:
1.Musical experience. I was a music major for a couple of years in college. I played clarinet, saxophone, and a bit of flute and percussion. That was far too long ago and much of my music theory knowledge has vanished. I still remember a decent amount of music history however.
2. For the time being my default exploration tactic remains Avoid Notice (stealth). That will likely change next level.
3. No glyphs as yet.
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Player Name: Madscientistworking
Character Name: Lapis
Number: 59724-2003
Faction: Envoy's Alliance
Day Job: Crafting for Income
Notable Shenanigans: Ooo boy... She has That's Odd which draws her attention to odd things present in the room. It's kind of like the Trap Finder equivalent for clued. She also has Trap Spotter.
As for mechanics Battle Medicine immunity lasts only an hour because of her investigator methodology and at DC 20 she heals 2d8+level+10+5 from her methodology and medic dedication.
Her ranged weapon is the alchemical launcher from Plaguestone which reduces the range to 30 but allows you to load a bomb that causes the attacks to do 1d6 extra damage of the bomb for three attacks. This doesn't stack with critical hits. In addition she has a Polytool because of that quest.
Hero Point: I'll give my one hero point to any of the low levels that don't currently have an extra.
Boon: Someone beat me to the Envoy Alliance boon.
Music Experience: I work in a store full of people who went to college to become musicians. So I know some stuff by osmosis.
Default Activity: Searching for clued.
Also I will get my equipment list up after this post. So much equipment....
Three orders of business:
1: @Fangor, I ask that you adjust your hotbar/quick-stat-reference/whatever-you-want-to-call-it (the gray words below your name) to have the level bump (including the mentor boons from other PCs) included then make yourself a note to change it back later. If you don’t then I can guarantee you that I’ll use the non-level-bump numbers that are written there by accident.
2: @Astrid, Lapiz, and Tybalt: There has been a change with the Pathfinder schools, so instead of point allocation it’s just choosing one of five options: spells, scrolls, swords, generalist, and field commissioned. All that would really change for you guys is the addition of generalist, a slightly expanded list of bonus Lore skills/bonus 5th level skill feat, and that the field commissioned PCs also get a bonus Lore skill/skill feat. (Also, I cannot tell for the life of me what Lapiz’s Pathfinder training is…)
3: Fangor currently has 3 Hero Points, which is the maximum, so I still need to know who gets a bonus Hero Point from: Fangor, Quin, and Lapiz. Also, I keep track of Hero Points up at the top of the thread (right under the link to the maps).
I’m also guessing that marching order will be something along the lines of: Tybalt and Astrid in the front; Lapiz being in the middle-ish; and Quin, Charming, and Fangor taking up the rear. Correct me if I’m wrong.
I should probably also mention that there is some stuff in the Gameplay thread now.
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1. Fangor has 3 Hero Points without being given anyone's glyphs?! :O
2. Not everyone has signed in, but it seems like we have only one Level 5?
If both answers are affirmative, then I'll give my extra Hero Point to Astrid.
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Quinoline can literally go anywhere in the marching order. She has served as a frontliner on several occasions (when they were in short supply or hurt), and she can also hang out way in the back and lob bombs from afar / sip margaritas.
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Quinoline can offer the Protective Mentor boon.
While working with less experienced Pathfinder allies, you shield your more fragile wards from the threat of death. For any PCs benefiting from a Level Bump and whose levels are lower than yours, you increase their current and maximum Hit Points by an additional amount equal to 3 times your Radiant Oath reputation tier [currently Tier 3 = 9 HP].
The one that improves saves is Rugged Mentor, from Horizon Hunters.
1. Fangor has 3 Hero Points without being given anyone's glyphs?! :O
Charming’s and Tybalt’s glyphs went to Fangor (since they were the first ones that posted). Hence why I only mentioned Fangor, Quin, and Lapiz that still need to distribute the Hero Points from their glyphs.
2. Not everyone has signed in, but it seems like we have only one Level 5?
Every player has indeed signed in.
But yes, only a single level 5 PC. I believe you were confused because MadScientistWorking originally signed up as a “level 5 or 6.”
If both answers are affirmative, then I'll give my extra Hero Point to Astrid.
And that has been properly recorded.
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I have Rugged Mentor and can give that to Fangor.
Rugged Mentor:
While working with less experienced Pathfinder allies, you provide important insights that keep your less experienced colleagues safe from harm. For any PCs benefiting from a Level Bump and whose levels are lower than yours, you increase the Level Bump’s modifier to saving throws to 2.
Sorry, I managed to confuse myself. Just give my hero point to the main frontliner. If that's the level 5 then give it to Tybalt.
Noted.
Now I just need to know who gets Fangor's coin award Hero Point.
EDIT: And I'm currently waiting on Astrid to post something in the Gameplay thread.
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Sorry, I managed to confuse myself. Just give my hero point to the main frontliner. If that's the level 5 then give it to Tybalt.Noted.
Now I just need to know who gets Fangor's coin award Hero Point.
EDIT: And I'm currently waiting on Astrid to post something in the Gameplay thread.
Posted now finally. I've been having a devil of a time with Paizo's site lately.
Okay, fair, but I was going under the incorrect presumption and that clearer example changed the way I interpreted it. You are correct that that was the way it was intended to work, but I just didn't read it like that the first time.
Trust me, I completely understand your confusion, and I'd be saying exactly the same as you if I were in your shoes. But there is specific vagueness with this creature that the jury’s still out on when it comes to it, so I had to use my own interpretation. That said, as far as I am aware I am running this correctly. Roll with it and I’ll explain after the encounter’s over.
"hit it with a bunch of fire and let the GM sort it out". :\
I will say that if you specifically start doing that, I can almost guarantee that you're going to get REALLY confused. There is internal consistency with what's going on, it's just really hard to suss out without any idea of what's going on.
But yeah, I am doing stuff correctly, it's just that "correctly" is real weird.
Even on a crit it took the same amount of damage from the fire damage?
Again, there’s some vagueness. I’ll admit that that in particular was a GM call based on very specific wording.
No, you were correct the first time; based on the way Ward Medic is worded you do indeed only make one check and apply its results to two people. I just got confused because you rolled two checks and it didn’t click in my mind that you were Treating Wounds twice over a 20 minute period.
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Astrid plays with the theremin moving around and waving her arms.
"Ha! Look Quin! I'm a saxophone!"
I tried several versions of this line using different instruments. For some reason saxophone struck me as the funniest. I'm not entirely certain why I find it so funny but imagining Astrid claiming to be a saxophone makes me chuckle.
Tybalt would not search through the bodies.
[dice=Crafting]1d20+10
Tybalt tries pushing the colors in the order of the word Oborov.
Orange
Blue
Orange
Red
Orange
Violet
So...the reason I said "good luck" at figuring out the order is because I had no idea this was a puzzle. All the scenario says is that it opens if the PCs press the buttons in the correct order, followed by what the correct order is. There is NO explanation along the lines of "so that the first letters of the colors match with the letters in the Oborov name."
I had no idea this was supposed to be a puzzle XD
Just out of curiosity, Tybalt, is English your first language? I think the whole "ready" confusion is stemming from that.
I guess what I should be asking is this: When you said "ready axe" in your post just now, what exactly did you mean to do?
That's what I'm thinking too, but I was just double-checking.
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Tybalt would not search through the bodies.
[dice=Crafting]1d20+10
Tybalt tries pushing the colors in the order of the word Oborov.
Orange
Blue
Orange
Red
Orange
VioletSo...the reason I said "good luck" at figuring out the order is because I had no idea this was a puzzle. All the scenario says is that it opens if the PCs press the buttons in the correct order, followed by what the correct order is. There is NO explanation along the lines of "so that the first letters of the colors match with the letters in the Oborov name."
I had no idea this was supposed to be a puzzle XD
That was pretty impressive, Tybalt!
Oh sure, ignore the fact that Charming did the same thing like eight posts earlier. I see how it is. XD
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Oh sure, ignore the fact that Charming did the same thing like eight posts earlier. I see how it is. XD
LOL, your pattern didn't click in my mind at all. I thought you were pressing random buttons! I read a string of colors and just thought, "nah, he's just flapping his arms."
Tybalt specifying that he was spelling "OBOROV" made it click.
Oooo god... I just noticed your pulling a JJBA. Also has it been an hour in game time since the last encounter?
I guarantee that I have not made an intentional Jojo reference. I don't even know what you're referring to.
Considering you have had to search through all of the top floor (as well as spend 20 minutes Treating Wounds), I'd say it's been an hour.Lapiz noticing the weird behavior says," Anyone notice what freaked the mummy out?"
Someone can roll a Sense Motive (secret check; one action) to try and suss that out. I'll allow Quin to retroactively do that on her turn if she'd like (since the crawling hands are most definitely undead).
Also, Lapiz, you didn't need to drop your crossbow to Treat Condition; you only needed a single hand free.
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So your using music names for the encounters. I only just realized it because Danger High Voltage is a song I recognize. Tt reminds me of Jojo's where a lot of characters and abilities are named after musicians and songs.
Also I think I dropped my weapon because I thought changing grip is an action as opposed to dropping is free. I don't know if I'm right.
So your using music names for the encounters. I only just realized it because Danger High Voltage is a song I recognize. Tt reminds me of Jojo's where a lot of characters and abilities are named after musicians and songs.
Also I think I dropped my weapon because I thought changing grip is an action as opposed to dropping is free. I don't know if I'm right.
Hey! Someone noticed! Yes, I have been using song names for the encounter names, because this scenario is so centered around music that I thought it appropriate. Had no idea it was a thing in JJBA; I don't watch the show.
As for dropping the weapon, you're half right. It is an action to put your hand on something, but it is a free action to take it off of something. So, for example, it would be a free action for you to take one of your hands off of your crossbow, but if you wanted to shoot it again, you would have to spend an action to put your now-free hand back onto the crossbow. The Release free action specifies that you can use it to Release your grip with one or both hands.
That’s why I mentioned it.