Giantslayer: Against the Giants Redux

Game Master Branding Opportunity

Sorry about the Map access. It should be shared correctly now and everyone should be able to access it. If you are still having issues, let me know.

Hehe, no worries, everyone always forgets to set the access permissions at the beginning.

So everyone knows, my typing hasn't gotten remarkably worse, I'm trying something out. I don't want to try to do an 'accent' for Sigrun by coming up with alternate spellings that will hopefully sound like something that makes some sense.

Instead I'm going to go with limited vocabulary and grammatical mistakes like a person who's still acquiring a language makes. It will take a little while for it to gel into a system. I'll also stop if it's too annoying. :)

I could hear Sigrun's use of language in my head when I read her dialogue. I think you nailed it.

I'm trying out a Scottish "translator" because Schwertleite'll be damned if she's going to put more than the bare minimum of effort clean up her Common to be more "proper" when everyone should really be speaking Dwarven. XD Let me know if it's not understandable and I'll add a "translation" spoiler to her posts.

Ha! I honestly did understand only maybe half of what Schwertleite said, but no need to post translations just yet. My 'ear' might become tuned to it after a few more posts.

Crivens.

What Sigrun wants to do totally depends on whether or not the route up the cliffs she pointed out is actually an easy grade to the top. Is that correct Mioki?

If it's not we'll have to go with attacking the orcs down below I think.

Judging the terrain, it is feasible to get to the area above the cave using the suggested route.

That is ... if you have time.

I literally busted a gut when Sigrun thumbed at Schwertleite. That was funny.

I'd love to have a snow like that here. Never happens anymore.

I'd love to have a snow like that here. Never happens anymore.

I have a big pine tree near the window of my study. I love to sit there with a good cup of coffee and watch it collect the snow.

Shoveling that much snow is another matter altogether ...

Snow wasn't so bad on the other side of the bridge. Than again in NJ we over salt/brine like crazy. I got a day off work out of it but otherwise nothing special.

Also with the rolls I just made and the way I started the combat I don't think Sky Voice could have had a better intro for what he is all about.

Talk big, buff big and smash things with big beasts.

Also with the rolls I just made and the way I started the combat I don't think Sky Voice could have had a better intro for what he is all about.

Talk big, buff big and smash things with big beasts.

He did make quite the first impression.

Long day today. Will pick up tomorrow.

Sigrun, you and I were posting at the same time. Do you want to make the Will Save roll or should I?

Sigrun, Hero Point?

I did and failed. Attack will go to green instead.

This is shaping up nicely to be a TPK.

I did and failed. Attack will go to green instead.

This is shaping up nicely to be a TPK.

I hope not.

There was a reason I wanted to go high against the archers on the bluff first. I know what the HP, AC, Orc ferocity, and numbers meant. Plus an x factor caster on their side and a skald.

It's a bad scene and our best chance was to limit the number attacks coming in against us per round. We didn't manage that and there are even more archers than I knew there would be.

It was going to be very dicey no matter what and they're hitting well. It's a real easy TPK or near TPK.

Sorry, but I am going to Meta-Game here. Call it divine intervention if you want.

I may have over-estimated the party strength. We have invested too much time for a TPK because of an inexperienced GM. Please, all take an extra Hero Point.

Sigrun, Please use a Hero Point on that Will Save if you want.

Thanks but let's just play it out. That will save one way or another isn't going to change much anyway.

But think of it his way. "Killing" an orc only means you've limited the actions it can take in a round to one. For all practical purposes they have 18 HP, more than any of us. With a melee weapon hit only Sigrun and Gabsen aren't in danger of going down in one shot with a decent damage roll.

They outnumber us and about half of them can attack at range, so there's no way we can use movement to limit ourselves to receiving only one attack per round. Sigrun was hit twice and is below half HP by the time she even made contact with an orc.

Now it is possible to avoid orcs who are running on ferocity by attacking and moving, which keeps them from getting to you and attacking before you move again. But that's hard to pull off if you're having to fight more of them at the same time. It's especially hard when some of the orcs are like the green one Sigrun just "killed". It can hang around shooting without moving for 8 more rounds before dropping.

The math is just bad. We can't expect to kill them off before we run out of HP. I hadn't planned on raging yet because Sigrun only has 6 rounds and I expect this combat could stretch beyond 6. But the odds Sigrun won't be hit once within the next 6 rounds and taken out of combat are so low it's not even worth worrying about the fatigue if she runs out of rage rounds.

Technical environment question: are any of the caravan wagons open? Could Cetan pop just into one and snipe from relative cover? Or better, could he snipe out of the window of one of them?

I have a lot to learn if I want to get any good at this. And trust me, I want to run a good game.

But truly lesson learned. You make very valid points that I need to consider when drawing up encounters.

We'll get through this. Don't give up hope.

Oh you're a great DM, don't think otherwise.

It's easy to overestimate what characters can do at first or second level, but they're very fragile for a couple of levels. I've seen parties barely survive 3 or 4 dire rats because of unlucky rolls on their part and a good few hits from the rats.

Especially if you're comparing this party to the Azlant party to figure out what a balanced encounter would be. The Azlant party is very well armed, quite tough, and they've been fairly lucky. Brannart is an absolute brute with his reach AoO's and there are 2 reach characters in the party.

But the encounters have also been against fewer enemies so they've usually been able to to take out enemies fast by ganging up on them. Also archery is just murderous at low levels especially.

Orc Ferocity makes much more of an impact at lower levels. And I neglected to pick up any longer-ranged options, which was my error.

I still expect that this party will be very strong at mid-levels and up, with 4 melee types (fighter, bloodrager, animal companion, warpriest), two 9-level casters (wizard, oracle), and an Eldritch Archer. But low levels are challenging no matter what.

Technical environment question: are any of the caravan wagons open? Could Cetan pop just into one and snipe from relative cover? Or better, could he snipe out of the window of one of them?

Sure, you have been with this caravan long enough to see the layout of the various merchant wagons. There is at least one that you can walk into and pop open the canvas covering. This would offer Improved Cover.

Assuming he survives the round, Brogann's plan is to cast Shield and move closer to combat next round. AC 20 is pretty good.

Oh yes, once we make to 3rd or 4th level (4th is the big game changer for Sigrun) we'll be wrecking things.

Power Attack will help as well. I don't bother with it until 3rd level because (orcs aside as a special case) before that hitting is the bigger issue, not sufficient damage.

While I do think it is a bit early to doomsay, it is a tough encounter but we are far from boned.

While sure this will be a lesson of caution for GM it can also be a lesson for us as ti the harshness of Belzken. These things happen daily here, were we just normal travlers or merchants we would for sure be dead and no history boom would remember us. However we are hopeful adventurers, and while we may need to lick our wounds we now know what this land holds for us and what we need be ready to fave if we want to live here.

As far as resources go my Companion is at half but I am at full and still have 2 spells slots which can be used to heal and my horse who can fight if it is really needed. The ground troops of the orcs are either down or surrounded I am mostly worried about the archer up on the hill as it will be hard to get to them.

Regarding Horse Mounted Combat, the way I read it: if the mount is combat trained, it would get the normal amount of actions per round. To move and attack with your mount, the rider would need to make a Handle Animal Check of DC 10 for the animal to comply to tricks known.

I would say, upon a successful skill check, Nimble Companion can attack the archer.

I am open to any opposing rules to this. I could not find any, but I could be wrong.

The Orc sure hopes I'm wrong.

After taking the past 20 mins digging around it appears your right. Nothing a out being mounted changes the basic action economy for the mount.

Cetan "The Dark Wind" wrote:

Technical environment question: are any of the caravan wagons open? Could Cetan pop just into one and snipe from relative cover? Or better, could he snipe out of the window of one of them?

Sure, you have been with this caravan long enough to see the layout of the various merchant wagons. There is at least one that you can walk into and pop open the canvas covering. This would offer Improved Cover.

Okay, his next move is going to be into the nearest wagon with a clear view of the archers up on the higher ground.

Cetan will also be able to take a Standard Action on his next turn.

Well it all worked out alright in the end. I guess I was overreacting. Didn't hurt at all that the orcs hit a lousy streak with the dice. I figured Gabsen was a goner for sure.

Sky Voice's zoo added a lot of bodies on our side.

And one orc seemed to use a double axe without the requisite feats (-4/-8 on his swings).

Brogann is pretty pleased with himself. He killed two orcs so he feels totally entitled to praise Gorum.

Brogann is pretty pleased with himself. He killed two orcs so he feels totally entitled to praise Gorum.

Sigrun sez: "It's not just the what, but also the how that matters."

Yeah, the critters helped a lot too.

Yah I had forgotten hiw effective a basic horse can be at level 1. In a few levels he will be just a mount and maybe even a liability. @ 7th Towering brother becomes large and he will be my main mount. Until than I will need to use magic and ride to keep Nimble Companion up to snuff.

Yeah, and it's actually quite realistic. Warhorses were brutes, trained to trample, bite, and kick on command. They were probably around 50% of a knight's lethality.

They were extremely expensive. Early Salic law placed the reparation for killing such a horse at 12 gold coins, compared to 1 gold coin for a cow.

I am glad you all survived.

I came home to some storm damage. A roof icicle decided to go through my window. Have to deal with that tonight.

Tomorrow, after work, the wifey and I plan to head to the mountains for a Valentine's Day weekend.

I'll be back Monday to post.

I am really enjoying the characters and the role-playing. Feel free to keep it going on your way back to Trunau.

Just looked over all the party stats and see I am the only Cha character.

Kind if excited to play the face. I usually play the moral compass 2nd in command with a temper(looks at Malakar).

Huh! Fenna didn't know you were her second in command. She have to start delegating more often. :p

Maybe not in name directly but I tend to rp as someone who will make decisions and act with authority but will defer to a leader ir talker when out of depth, but will also back that person up if they are similarly in a bad position or at the end of their rope.

Although in the case of Malakar being a scary Cha 5 sharkman maybe makes him a better 3rd in command. More a Teal'c than a Captain Carter.

I joke. Clearly Fenna isn't running things, else we would have gotten a good night's sleep before going down the well.

Brannart would likely vote for Fenna over anyone else. Although he will be a nudge to do the annoying but right thing. She's an Andoran who is smarter and more charismatic than he is.

Here in Giantslayer, Brogann would vote for Schwertleite most likely. He has not nearly as much of a moral compass as Brannart so will mostly go with the flow. He's a "beer and pretzels" kind of PC at the moment, here to fight orcs and giants and look awesome doing it. May evolve in some direction or other but I don't have a story arc in mind for him.

Fenna would vote for Brannart because he tends to do the right thing, and she can tend to be lazy.

Sigrun would vote for Sigrun because Sigrun is the most awesomest.

Cetan is probably going to be on the quieter side. So while he'll fall to the back a bit, it won't be for the same reasons as Vexas (who's more on the float'y/relaxed side, flying under the radar as allowed).

Gabsen would vote for whatever option allows him to survive.

Brannart and Fenna pick each other, it's kinda cute. Almost like they're sort of a couple and Fenna doesn't know it yet.

But Gabsen, the real question is if death is certain who do you pick?

If death is certain, why should I bother to pick?

I'll stand my ground and try to kill as mnay foes as I can