[SFS/Shifty] #2-24: Cornered Rat (Inactive)

Game Master Nik B.

Alright, on the map. Also forgot to mention, if we had more than 10 minutes during that last rest, Jackojare spent the next 10 minutes to make a Screamer Grenade MK II, stating that before a combat starts. Also he has his rifle out, making sure that is stated as well.

Benoit taps Gremvest on his shoulder with the nova lance he has in his hands and says, "We aren't going to find a beer garden with bearded dwarven serving wenches up there. Best be ready for some gratuitous violence. If now is our time to meet our maker its been nice knowing you laddie."

"Tell you what, Benoit - if your soul passes today, I'll owe you a space-coke in the next life when we meet there. Now - I'm going up for a better look. Stay frosty."
Rawksim flies up as discussed, 65' up and 20' forwards.

@Jack - looks like you only paused for about 10 minutes, plus a couple of minutes for Treat Deadly, so not enough additional time

Rawk finds the ceiling is 70 feet high in the room.

Climbing the sides of the rat shaped platform or the walls of the chamber would be moderately challenging.
DC 23 Athletics check

The stairs gradually move upwards.
Increasing the DC of Acrobatics checks made on them by 4 but otherwise not affecting movement.

Some unholy unlight emanates from the central rock, bathing the room in dim light.
and preventing light sources from bringing the lighting higher

***

Rawk is surprised to see four identical ysoki (the same ysoki?!) literally appear out of the darkness.

R1
ENEMY - acted
Naylor
Jack
Grem
Rawk
Benoit

The party sees Rawk fly up, but don't have a view of what is going on up there...

The creatures move around sharp and nasty blades in hand - one simply moves through the shadows momentarily causing Rawk to lose track of him - but the flash of a flying dagger sharpens his attention.

Trick attack - auto pass.
Attack 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (6) + 22 = 28 vs FF KAC
Damage 6d4 + 14 + 7d8 ⇒ (2, 1, 3, 4, 2, 4) + 14 + (4, 2, 4, 1, 7, 6, 3) = 57
+Flat footed.

The dagger vanishes - reappearing in the creature's hand in the blink of an eye.

Can Benoit and TEC-9 see the ysokis from where they are? I'm assuming the rat's tail is the stairway up.

youd need to move up as you wouldn’t have visuals due to the height, the rats tail is totally safe stairs

Benoit climbs onto the riding saddle on TEC-9's back and activates his energy shield. 22 temporary HP He takes a hand off his nova lance and grips the saddle as he prepares for TEC-9 to take off. As soon as Benoit is secure TEC-9 fires its jetpack engines and begins ascending toward the top of the platform.

TEC-9, flies 30' to position itself at the foot of the platform and facing towards the south. It then flies 15' straight up.

Benoit has darkvision, but TEC-9 relies on its spotlight in darkness so I'm assuming it will take a 20% miss chance penalty whenever it shoots.

Next round TEC-9 will double move which allows him to ascend another 30' that will put them 5' from the top. Can Benoit then attempt to climb the last 5' so he can be on the platform and take a standard action from there? He will have one hand free to climb with and then use a swift action to put it back on his nova lance.

Rawksim mentally yells out "Contact! Four bogies! Four...identical bogies?" as he slaps a hand onto the dagger wound.

Can I tell which one attacked me? Related, is there anything I can do, checks I can make, etc., to try and understand what's up with the identical rats?"

"We ain't meeting our makers today, Benoit," Gremvest says. Then he sees Rawksim jet upward, and the Vesk hears the sounds of trouble brewing up there. "I'm coming, Rawksim!"

Remembering how Rawksim has saved his life more than once during this adventure already, Gremvest springs into action! He photon attunes, jump jets 10 feet up and toward the action, then runs up the central rat-shaped column!

Using the Spider Climb ability that comes with a Solarian's Gravity Boost, he can run up the side of the column. Spider Climb gives him a climb speed of 20 feet, so I think he would be 30 feet up the column from his starting height (which wasn't entirely clear to me but I'm going to guess is 5 or 10 feet), meaning I think I'm 35 or 40 feet up so far.

His Athletics bonus to climb is currently +26 (normally +12, +6 untyped bonus from Gravity Boost, +8 racial bonus from Spider Climb) so he shouldn't have to roll if the climb DC is 23. Per how Gravity Boost works, that should let him hold himself in place on a ledge or handhold at the end of his movement this round. Next round, he should be able to climb the rest of the way and get ta fightin!

Mentally chastising themself for not following Rawksim's lead and being ready to go straight up the side, Naylor now kicks into gear to join their teammate on the platform.

Double move using Falcon Boots to go up the side. Being as stealthy as they can be.

@Ben - Yep 20% miss for TEC9 if using a light source, Ben is good to go for visuals due to Darkvision. Per mounted combat on drones, a creature mounted on a drone that uses an action that includes movement (including using abilities that allow the creature to move its speed) uses one of the drone's available move actions for the turn. This would prevent a climb check being undertaken.

@Rawk - You are pretty sure it was Red that threw the dagger, the rest all hold knives as though they are waiting for something to happen. All four look pretty identical in their hooded cowls and matching daggers, but maybe red looks a bit...bulkier?

@Grem - Yep I'm tracking that at the end of the round you'd be holding on with a 26, so hang in there :)

@Naylor - Activating Falcon Boots is a move action, so you could activate and move 50 loud or 25 stealthy, but that leaves you pretty much still climbing (or just off the edge as its 45' up and you had to cross from the stairs.

Thanks for the correction. Still climbing, stealthy, it is.

Waiting on Rawk to decide what to do, and Jack to act :)

Telepathically: "Bogey has some sort of juiced up Mirror Image effect going on; target the bulkiest one!"

Rawksim flies down amongst his allies to cast Haste. I think I can get everyone into the 30 ft emanation of Haste, except for Gremvest - sorry big buy! You can haste yourself though right?

"Naylor, lock the lead rat down! I've got a nasty bolt of necromantic whammy that had Datch's name on it, but, any port in a storm!" I'd like to drop an Enervation on the Big Bad, but I'll wait until he's flat footed to increase the chances of it landing.

Edit, nevermind, I can't see them, so I doublemove 14 squares. I tried my best to count 14 squares with difficult terrain and all, moving diagnol Plus up, if I moved too far, please move me back. I started on square 1 of the stairs

The ysokis repostion - waiting at the top of the lip - blades in hand readying for you to arrive in range so they can employ their blades.

The same one keeps tracking Rawk - bamboozling him then unleashing the flashing blade once more.

Trick attack - auto pass.
Attack 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (10) + 22 = 32 vs FF KAC
Damage 6d4 + 14 + 7d8 ⇒ (4, 2, 4, 1, 3, 2) + 14 + (8, 4, 4, 3, 7, 3, 1) = 60
+Flat footed.

The dagger vanishes - reappearing in the creature's hand in the blink of an eye.

R2
ENEMY - acted
Naylor
Jack
Grem
Rawk
Benoit

Just want to make sure, but since TEC-9 is hasted its normal fly speed is 30'. The spell would boost that to 60' and if it double moved it would be 120'. That would give it enough to reposition and land next to red and Benoit could dismount and attack since TEC-9 can take two move actions on its own because it's level 9 and has Expert AI.

Actually, I just realized, is a construct considered a creature?

Also, where is that entry on the mounted combat rules for drones you cited. I was looking for it, but I can't find it.

I don't know about the rest of the drone action economy stuff, but I am confident that drones and constructs count as creatures, and legal targets for haste.

Okay, I checked to make sure on the drone action economy and I believe TEC-9 can double move and then Benoit can take a move action to get off of it, use a swift action to put a hand back on his nova lance, and then a standard to attack.

Photon attunement 2.

Nova lance in hand, Gremvest jogs up the side of the column, then flips to the flat surface on top, where he finds the Orange Ysoki waiting for him. He lunges at the enemy!

Ghost killer opportunistic nova lance vs Orange's EAC: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (10) + 14 = 24Electricity and Fire Damage: 3d4 + 16 ⇒ (2, 4, 3) + 16 = 25

Constructs are legal targets for haste.

AA3 has the rules for Drones as mounts - there is also a discussion here from the Lead Designer. I'm tracking it gets its double move, you can demount as 'non movement' move action (which triggers AoO's) and you can take a standard action.
Further info on mounts and mounted combat Here

I forgot about that post. I actually read it when it came out.

Benoit's keen combat instincts notice the ysoki lurking at the lip of the platform. Heeding Rawksim's advice he directs TEC-9's flight path to the southeast. TEC-9's jetpack emits a roar as the drone jets up and over the lip of the platform and across it's face before landing. It will fly past Red and provoke an AOO. Benoit leaps from TEC-9's back even before it touches down with both hands back on his nova lance. Flicking some custom engineered switches on the weapon, Benoit disables it safety capacitors and the plasma jet at its end flares violently. Overcharge He then stabs it out at the closest ysoki spell caster. Red

Nova Lance (Ghost Killer) vs. Red EAC: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13
Electricity/Fire Damage: 3d4 + 1d6 + 13 ⇒ (1, 4, 2) + (3) + 13 = 23

TEC-9 did a double move. I mapped out all the turns and changes in altitude taking in to account that ascending takes double the movement costs and 45 degree turns in facing take 5' of movement each. It used all 120' of movement to get to its current position.

Benoit's Coordinated Shot feat gives everyone's attack roll against yellow, red, and green a +1 bonus.

I repositioned Jack so that he went his full 60'.

Gremvest gets over the lip and lashes out. The cloaked ysoki has incredibly quick reflexes and the lance fails to land - missing by quite a margin.

Benoit lands, perhaps a bit surprised that the ysoki didn't choose to swipe as he passed. As he lands he also finds his lance easily avoided.

R2
ENEMY - acted
Naylor
Jack
Grem - attacked
Rawk
Benoit - attacked

Another doublemove around the spiral. Left up my original position so the GM can verify 14 squares if he wants

All good - stairs are easy to work out :)

Jack keeps shifting up the stairwell.

R2
ENEMY - acted
Naylor
Jack - double.
Grem - attacked
Rawk
Benoit - attacked

With Rawk's warning and at least one rat visible on the edge above them, Naylor flies up (jetpack) and over the enemy, then takes aim on the "bulkier" rat indicated. (Red?)

In case it is needed for the flight...
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (12) + 21 = 33

Trick attack – take 10 for 32
potential trick damage + Flat-footed/Off-target: 4d8 ⇒ (1, 5, 7, 6) = 19
Flat-footed if they are not, Off-target if they are already Flat-footed

Hail Pisol vs KAC: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (10) + 12 = 22
potential Cold and Piercing damage: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (5, 6) + 4 = 15

It's been 36 hrs, so I'm gonna go for Naylor. As long as Shifty's ok with it, Naylor will keep their Falcon Boots active and run along the side of the rat-structure wall, Matrix-style. She'll trick attack Red on her way by. Up to you if that movement provokes or not - Naylor is over the lip, and has Mobility, so I'll take that chance with someone else's character, haha (heh fingers crossed - don't @ me Numbat :D :D :D) (I kid, please @ me, I'm sorry :D)

Trick attack: take 10 for 32
Naylor Hail Pitsol vs Red KAC: 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 12 + 1 = 26
Naylor potential Cold and Piercing damage: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (3, 3) + 4 = 10
Naylor potential trick damage + Flat-footed/Off-target: 4d8 ⇒ (1, 3, 8, 8) = 20

Rawksim flies up to the roof (70 ft if I understand?) and fires off Enervation at Red.
vs Red EAC, maybe Flat Footed in Naylor's Trick worked: 1d20 + 14 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 14 + 1 = 23

The Ysoki all move once more, stepping in nice and close to their likely targets.

The burlier one simply dances away from Benoit, it being too quick for him to time a strike against.

Take 10 Acrobatics, auto pass.

It then hurls its blade at Rawk once more...
Trick attack - auto pass.
Attack 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (18) + 22 = 40 vs FF KAC
Damage 6d4 + 14 + 7d8 ⇒ (2, 1, 3, 2, 2, 4) + 14 + (4, 3, 3, 5, 7, 6, 1) = 57
+Flat footed.

The dagger vanishes - reappearing in the creature's hand in the blink of an eye.

174 Damage so far Rawk

R3
ENEMY - acted
Naylor
Jack
Grem
Rawk
Benoit

Photon Attunement 3

Gremvest dashes past Orange and Yellow to full attack Red with Solar Acceleration and Flashing Strikes. That also gives anyone Haste who didn't already have it.

Ghost killer opportunistic nova lance vs Red's EAC: 1d20 + 14 - 3 ⇒ (1) + 14 - 3 = 12
Electricity and Fire Damage: 3d4 + 16 ⇒ (1, 1, 2) + 16 = 20
Ghost killer opportunistic nova lance vs Red's EAC: 1d20 + 14 - 3 ⇒ (5) + 14 - 3 = 16
Electricity and Fire Damage: 3d4 + 16 ⇒ (3, 1, 4) + 16 = 24

Gremvest causes the two to react...

Attack 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (4) + 24 = 28 vs KAC
Damage 6d4 + 14 ⇒ (3, 1, 2, 3, 3, 4) + 14 = 30

Attack 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (8) + 24 = 32 vs KAC
Damage 6d4 + 14 ⇒ (4, 4, 3, 4, 3, 4) + 14 = 36

Two blades pierce his hide as he passes.

Unfortunately neither of his blows land.

R3
ENEMY - acted
Naylor
Jack
Grem - acted
Rawk
Benoit

Benoit was in AOO distance from Red, Yellow, and Green. So if he can get an AOO on any of them he will.

As the sneaky and overweight rat man slithers past him, the sturdy dwarf turns and stolidly pursues him. Ignoring everything except his target AOO on him if Green can. Benoit's powered armor propels him after the portly ysoki.

"Let's get on with it."

His nova lance's plasma jet flares violently again Overcharge as he stabs it at the ysoki.

Nova Lance vs. Red EAC: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (8) + 12 = 20
Electricity/Fire Damage: 3d4 + 1d6 + 13 ⇒ (2, 3, 4) + (2) + 13 = 24

TEC-9, lumbers around to the other side of the ysoki in an attempt to encircle him. Provokes an AOO from yellow and green if they are able. There is a high pitched whine as the drone's disintegrator cannon powers up and fires a beam of disruptive energy at the ysoki.

Disintegrator Cannon + Coordinated Shot vs. Red EAC: 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 10 + 1 = 13
Acid Damage: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17

Coordinated Shot, everyone gets a +1 bonus to their next attack vs. Red unless Benoit is providing cover for Red from your attack.

Did Rawksim's enervation hit Red? We need someone to do a Mysticism roll to figure out what this spell is the ysoki is using.

Defensive steps from them to start locking you guys into place.
Rawksim just straight up didn't hit the EAC.
You haven't seen any Ysoki cast anything, so far they've just been stabbing or throwing knives to great effect. Only Red has been taking actual serious action - the rest seem to be perpetually standing about
with blades at the ready

The ysoki stabs at Tec-9
Attack 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (11) + 24 = 35 vs KAC
Damage 6d4 + 14 ⇒ (4, 4, 2, 3, 1, 1) + 14 = 29
Tearing a hole in the Droid.

Neither Benoit or Tec-9 manage to land any hits.

R4
ENEMY - acted
Naylor
Jack
Grem - acted
Rawk
Benoit - acted

If the AOO was from Green, Benoit moved first so unless it ignored him the AOO would be against him. The attack would set off his electrostatic field. If Green ignored Benoit and attacked TEC-9 its reductive plating reduces the damage to 27.

I guess Naylor missed also, but made Red flat footed?

Naylor did not flat foot Red, then subsequently missed a shot

AOO would go against Benoit then - basically the first to trigger would have got it :)

The electrostatic field discharges! The rat is singed!

R4
ENEMY - acted
Naylor
Jack
Grem - acted
Rawk
Benoit - acted

R
O
Y
G 7

Okay, I have a better idea of what is going on now. Most of the damage is absorbed by Benoit's energy shield, but is does take down the shield also.

Naylor is miffed at their inability to affect Red. They study the rat looking for clues before once again targeting it.

Life Science to identify: 1d20 + 10 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 10 + 3 = 15

Trick attack (identified) vs 20+CR: 1d20 + 21 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 21 + 1 + 2 = 44
potential trick damage + Flat-footed: 4d8 ⇒ (1, 6, 7, 1) = 15

Hail Pisol vs KAC: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (4) + 12 = 16
potential Cold and Piercing damage: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (6, 3) + 4 = 13

A quiet growl of frustration is released from the android as once again they fail to aim sufficiently well.

The ysoki's knife slices up something important inside Rawksim, whose eyes bulge, and then close. Like a shooting star, Rawksim's uncontrolled form crashes to the ground...
Fall dmg: 7d6 ⇒ (3, 1, 3, 3, 3, 4, 3) = 20

Rawksim's spirit is still strong! He has fought demi-gods before; no mere Laoite is going to end his tale. He spends 3 RP to stabilize.

I wasn't paying close enough attention last night; I definitely thought I still had a few SP left, whereas I was already into HP damage. Yikes. Flying up even higher and then casting a spell was not a smart decision.

Guys, as it turns out - I should not take my turns after having a few drinks at the Office Holiday Zoom Party :D

Botting for Jackojare since he wasn't taking advantage of haste during his movement. He would have been able to shoot after his 2nd round of movement.

Jackojare's enhanced speed propels him up the staircase and into the battle.

Heeding Rawk's warning he opens fire on the fat ysoki. Red

Rifle vs. Red KAC: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (11) + 15 = 26
Piercing Damage: 2d8 + 12 ⇒ (5, 5) + 12 = 22

He still has his 3rd round action to complete.

Raksim falls under the assassins blade.

Naylor knows it is a ysoki, and clearly an operative, and a really good one at that. For a brief moment Naylor manages to one-up the assassin to try get a sneaky shot in, but then the shot itself misses.

Jack cracks off a shot, but also misses.

***

The ysoki sees itself becoming surrounded and responds by placing its blade in its tail and lashing an area - managing to reach shockingly large distances...

Naylor
Attack 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (20) + 24 = 44 vs KAC
Damage 6d4 + 14 ⇒ (4, 3, 1, 2, 1, 3) + 14 = 28
Crit damage 6d4 + 14 ⇒ (2, 3, 3, 1, 1, 4) + 14 = 28
+DC21 reflex or be pushed 10' away from Red

Jack
Attack 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (14) + 24 = 38 vs KAC
Damage 6d4 + 14 ⇒ (3, 2, 1, 4, 2, 1) + 14 = 27
+DC21 reflex or be pushed 10' away from Red.

Grem
Attack 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (7) + 24 = 31 vs KAC
Damage 6d4 + 14 ⇒ (2, 4, 4, 4, 4, 2) + 14 = 34
+DC21 reflex or be pushed 10' away from Red.

Benoit
Attack 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (7) + 24 = 31 vs KAC
Damage 6d4 + 14 ⇒ (3, 3, 1, 3, 1, 4) + 14 = 29
+DC21 reflex or be pushed 10' away from Red.

Tec-9
Attack 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (6) + 24 = 30 vs KAC
Damage 6d4 + 14 ⇒ (4, 2, 4, 1, 2, 4) + 14 = 31
+DC21 reflex or be pushed 10' away from Red.

Theres a risk of Tec 9 and Jack being shoved off the platform

R5
ENEMY
Naylor
Jack
Grem
Rawk
Benoit

R
O
Y
G 7

Ref: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

Rawksim spends 1 RP to regain 1 HP and pop back to consciousness. Everyone hears a telepathic murmur, followed by a growl. "We need to finish this off - we can't keep Elsebo waiting! Come on Starfinders, we can do this!"
With this admonishing encouragement, Rawksim uses a Swift action to activate the United Society boon. Every ally gets to choose one of the following three benefits:
- gain a +2 Morale bonus on all attack & dmg rolls until the beginning of Rawksim's next turn
- Regain SP equal to your own level
- Remove a single condition as per Remove Condition
Rawksim is going to opt for the +2 to hit. He'll then fly low to the ground, still hasted, ending up still prone near taking cover behind the rat plateau's paw. His Starfinder Backpack allows him to draw a Serum of Healing as he moves. @Shifty I'm choosing this square since I think it gives me line of sight to Red, but provides cover? LMK if that's not the case.
Finally, Rawksim readies his Standard Action to cast Enervate at Red again, after Naylor attacks. Really hoping for that Flat-Footed. For simplicity I'll roll the dice now, but this will happen after Naylor's attack.
vs Red EAC; hopefully flat footed!: 1d20 + 14 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 14 + 2 + 1 = 34

Whew, finally, an attack roll above 10 :D
Ok, Jerkface McGee there gets 2 temporary negative levels. That equates to -2 to AC, attack rolls, CMBs, Saves, Ability Checks and Skills. Additionally, -10 SP, -10 HP, and counts as level -2 for level-dependent stuf; notably Weapon Specialization, so -2 dmg. May also knock Red down a tier of Sneak Attack damage, but that's sort of a grey area. Glad that one landed; if he has some kind of ninja master way of weaseling out of it Rawksim will explode :D

Benoit Reflex Save: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21
TEC-9 Reflex Save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17

TEC-9, is swept off the platform. It attempts to activate its jetpack before hitting the ground.

TEC-9, takes 2 less points of damage because of its reductive plating.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16

Going to delay and wait for Naylor to try to make the ysoki flat footed.

As the ysoki's strike hits Benoit's armor his electrostatic field emits a burst of lethal electricity back at the Laoite.

Electricity Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 5) = 7

it’s a quarter of your pool to stabilise, a further one to stay in the fight, and you can’t do both in the same round :( So 4 RP and won’t be for another round

Isn't it a new round? I spent my 3RP to stabilize last round. Then Red did the Tail Nova deal, so I figured it was a new round?

So, I just noticed Red is now on the other end of the platform. Did its attack allow it to move also?

Yep cool - a lot going on :)

The knifey mouse is jolted by Ben’s armour.

As the wash of negative energy rushes over the ysoki, you are happy it landed squarely. You are less happy to find that the rat standing in front of Benny is a different one than you expected.

red and orange swapped places a split second before the blast - you would have seen enough to note that whilst this was not a spell being cast, red appears to be able to swap places as a reaction, hence why he hasn’t been taking aoo - rawk is the biggest threat on the battlefield so far

R5
ENEMY
Naylor
Jack
Grem
Rawk - acted
Benoit

R 7
O -2 levels
Y
G 7

So let me get this straight Rawk's spell didn't hit Red it hit Orange? Also, was TEC-9 able to activate its jetpack before it hit the ground.?

Correct, Red and orange switched. The target now in front of you is orange, which just got blasted. Acrobatics seems like a dc15 passes - tec9 is at ground level with no damage