GM Doug's Troubles in Otari (Inactive)

Game Master Doug Hahn

You can go shopping! Absalom is close too so you can get access to any level 3 or lower Common item, or uncommon items as allowed by your class.

We are about 2/3 through Part 2.

I would really like to move that striking rune over to Ol' Stabby, if you all don't mind. I'll pay the 6.5gp for it (and whatever fee on top of that).

So it doesn't look like we have enough cash for Baux to purchase a +1 Returning Starknife.
25 for Potency and 55 for Returning.

I'm not sure what else he might want at this point. I'll have to think on that.

—

I am fine with Dethor moving the rune.

I updated the sheet with Dethor's rune transfer.

So, the belt is unclaimed and the rat; you can sell them at half price for more gold or distribute them. It might help you buy more if you want.

Let me know when you're ready to move on!

I'd like to buy a striking rune, but I don't think we have the coin.

Lucius could transfer the +1 potency rune onto his sword cane, at least.

Striking is level 4, so unless you find one (like the hatchet) you can't purchase it yet.

I think Lucius transferring the rune is an excellent suggestion.

Sorry I haven't been posting in the last day or so... my vaccine took me out yesterday. Paying attention again!

Vaccine > PbP. Congrats!

I have my second on Monday. I have all-day meetings Tuesday for work. I am growing concerned that they'll be even less enjoyable than normal…

Good luck!

Hopefully you'll be fine.

Vaccine > PbP. Congrats!

I have my second on Monday. I have all-day meetings Tuesday for work. I am growing concerned that they'll be even less enjoyable than normal…

Good luck with that. The second shot certainly affected me more than the first.

Vaccine > PbP. Congrats!

I have my second on Monday. I have all-day meetings Tuesday for work. I am growing concerned that they'll be even less enjoyable than normal…

You might end up sleeping through your meeting unless they're very stimulating (and if not, you may wish you were asleep).

Make sure the macros sheet is updated, as I use that for rolls!

Just checking, we’re all healed up, including the drain, correct? It has been “a few days”

Yup! You are all at 100% capacity.

Make sure the macros sheet is updated, as I use that for rolls!

Thanks for the reminder! Updated mine.

Make sure the macros sheet is updated, as I use that for rolls!

Good reminder. Just did!

Ha ha. I looked at the map and was like, "Where'd that jaguar come from? Did Chulyin teleport his companion over here?" ;)

If you take it down the cat will not die at 0, just go to dying 1.

Just a side note in case anyone was worried.

That is a relief to Nandipha. Thank you.

Could you please update for which dwarf is actually grabbed. Looking at the map, I believe it is Biltri.

I don't know why I keep mixing you guys up. Biltri is grabbed.

That d12+8 is really swingy.

Just a random comment on scenario/game design having nothing to do with our actual game: I've been thinking about PF2, and maybe I just haven't played enough mid-level material or PFS(2) scenarios don't have the time to budget filler fights, but I feel like you don't necessarily feel like a hero very often with the way NPC AC scales.

I actually do enjoy the struggle as a 1st/2nd level character starting out in the world. I have to be careful to design my characters as aspirational because a 50%+ chance of failure does not convey the feeling of "stealthy assassin" or "wise wizard" or "swordmaster." More like "rogue at the whims of luck," "apprentice wizard," or "fresh squire." That's all cool for me. In PFS, it can stretch my disbelief when Stealthy McStealthington "slips out of the shadows like a ghost" as a 1st level character at a briefing and then fails to be hidden or hit more than 1 in 6 attacks for the rest of the scenario.

Anyhow, I was thinking it would probably feel more heroic if heroes hit 75% of the time of more with their initial attack against "mooks" and the mooks had more hit points. Since the battle would last longer, they'd also have to do less average damage per hit. Something to let the player have the power fantasy while building up to the big fight. The "chapter bosses" would then be the battles where it turns into a touch and go struggle. Then you "level/story up" (or actually level up) and the next several fights allow you to experience the power fantasy again until the next boss.

Anyhow, just a random thought for the morning. :)

In general, most people dislike it when they have lower than about 2/3 chance of success at 'normal' tasks. The characters just doesn't feel competent.

You also want to restrict how long a battle will take. Just adding more hit points to a monster generally prolongs the fight without making it feel any more exciting.

In the playtest, your chances of success were lower than they are in the released game. In addition, as you leveled the tasks would continue to grow in difficulty so there was never a feeling of accomplishment. One thing that was different is that untrained still gave you your level to the proficiency. Some very vocal people objected and it got switched to 0 proficiency bonus, no adding for level.

In the released game, you slowly grow in proficiency and actual chances of success against your own level of difficulty as you increase your proficiency. Trained is the base and stays at about the same chance of success. Expert is where you start to feel a difference. Master is supposed to be a big difference -- I haven't gotten one of my characters to that level yet.

This allows you to have a feeling of accomplishment as a few of your skills and perhaps you weapon proficiency grows. The catch is you can only improve so many skills, the others stay at about the same chance of success from low level to high level.

I am guessing this change would start to become apparent around 7-10th level.

In addition, as you leveled the tasks would continue to grow in difficulty so there was never a feeling of accomplishment.

That is what I've been mulling in my head about PF2. I think I understand the situation in D&D 5e to be similar, but I've never played 5e.

I can imagine tuning things as a GM in a home campaign to cater to my players and their character designs. In PFS, where I play the most now, it feels like I'm always struggling to accomplish tasks. What's a basilisk, wonders my Expert nature and Arcana druid/magaambyan? Sure, I *should* have a 70% chance to know, but I roll poorly and random guy with +3 in Wisdom and untrained in Nature rolls really well and is like, "Obviously, it's a basilisk and turns you to stone with its gaze."

On a tangential note to the subjective feel of power in PF2, what I would love to buy with AcP in PFS(2) is a "Seen It Once" style boon. Nothing worse than building a character designed to be knowledgeable and unable to recall a darn thing.

Oh, I'm not paying enough attention to the game board. Otherwise, I would have suggested Dethor double-step toward Biltri.

It was a conscious decision to give a flank.

I could have used mobility to Stride at half speed there...Dethor is built to prevent AOOs (which, of course, I should aphave taken advantage of the previous turn)

Also hoping Bauxite or Nandipha have a Heal they can use.

I'm interested in high-level 2e play feels. I really want to run Fists of the Ruby Phoenix!

I honestly get very little sense of accomplishment in 1e at high-level PFS play; rarely do things feel all that challenging, which is a feeling I really enjoy as a player now and again.

I have two level 8 2E PCs (Dancer swash and fighter), and the Master skills definitely feel like a big difference. Here is a quick sheet I made recently while I was building a character, trying to showing % of success vs DCs by level. As you can see there's a decent chance of failure no matter how specialized you are. I sort of like that, personally, though I can see how it can take away a feeling of growth.

A "seen that" boon is a great idea!

Re: AOOs should be a risk/reward thing for sure and I think describing what you see is part of that. The 2-handed martial weapon probably wasn't enough on its own. I think scenario writers could include those details too; in this case, the box text mentions armor but doesn't say what kind.

Highest that I have seen is the Age of Ashes game I am running where they are currently 9th. I will say that the PCs are really coming in to their shenanigans. Certain classes (such as the rogue) definitely more than others, but they are all definitely getting more effective.

However, I think that it is important to not have all encounters be with APL+2 or higher critters or NPCs. When you do this, your characters are always going to be fighting up hill battles. There have to be easier targets, especially if the PCs want to be able to incapacitation effects, and the like.

By the way, in regards to the AOO... I am glad that I didn't know he had one. Makes what Dethor did seem more like what he would do. He figured that there was the leopard, so he was probably safe. I guess he was wrong!

With Liane Merciel as my PF1 home campaign GM, everything felt challenging, and I never made it past 3rd in PFS(1) until recently (alt-itis). :)

This isn't something that can really be accomplished in PFS--so it may be a function of playing a lot of PFS--but I prefer a tempo to my challenges: work up hill, reach a milestone, bask in my new found power for a bit, then repeat.

Actually, it probably is largely a function of PFS. Each scenario has to be self-encapsulated. The challenge budget has to be balanced against a 4-hour play time. So every scenario feels like I'm working up hill. The Challenge Point system prevents me from playing down for a while to "be powerful" (and I think Challenge Point system is a reasonable system in Organized Play, even if I don't always agree with their scaling choices).

Just got to find me a GM for Strength of a Thousand...

The mwangi ap is definitely on my list. I have been looking to to run a hybrid game of pbp + once a month vtt or in person.

Baux might have shield blocked that attack too. I don't think this NPC is going to get another turn, though.

I shield block when it doesn’t hurt the shield or it prevents me from going unconscious.

I should probably get some oil of mending. With that I would consider it when it doesn’t break the shield.

Shields are meant to be damaged!

All you need is a decent crafting check, or travel with someone who does, and things get fixed fast. Fast Repair means you can do in 1 minute what would normally take 10. Plus, you could always carry an extra!

If push came to shove, Dethor could lend you his shield (or trade with you if yours is damaged but not broken) because he cannot shield block

Probably true.

So far, any character that has a shield tends to be short on trained skills and doesn't have the Craft skill to repair it. That is likely why I am hesitant to block with them. Champions and Clerics don't tend to be very skillful.

Dethor could certainly mention something about this.

Bret will try to break his established pattern.

As for healing, two lay on hands would take the same time as Baux’s two heal checks, and leave Biltri recharged as well (unless he used it in the fight?)

No, I was saving it.

Dethor, -4 HP, one lay on hands
Nandipha, -5 HP, one lay on hands
Lucius
Biltri, -24 HP +8 = 16 HP left to heal, 2 lay on hands
Baux, -18 HP +5 = 13 HP left to heal, 2 lay on hands

So in the time that Baux did the medicine checks, Biltri could finish healing himself.

In the time it takes him to refocus and heal Baux someone could do two medicine checks and have a reasonable chance of completely healing Dethor and Nandipha.

Best case total time healing is 40 minutes.

Having Biltri do it all would extend that to 60 minutes.

Hero point for "Lardbutter." How could I not?!

Oh, yay! Hero Point!

If we are only a short distance from delivery, we should absolutely deliver first. If we're further away, I don't care.

I think he was more interested in stealing the wagon than stopping the delivery, but either way I'm fine.

I, too, originally though the Sparkblade was a longsword until I went to use it against the stinkweed people and then lamented because my rage only gives me +1 on an Agile weapon without the fire bonus. :)

You're about midway. Say 4 miles to delivery.

Sounds like delivery first?

Obviously Dethor has some strong ideas on how dwarves should act. Which is funny, knowing his background. He is still dealing with some self-reflection, I think.

My vote is delivery first.

I will move you on the lumber camp in couple of hours.

Just in case anyone got in in the last 10 minutes, I dropped some significant edits to the statblock. No aura on the rats.

It is Wednesday, so it is unlikely that Nandipha will have an opportunity to post until tonight. She is usually too busy at work to post from there.

I don't think we are any particular hurry, just making people aware.

Thanks for letting us know; that's fine!

Yeah, it's not like I'm going to be able to hit anything on my turns anyhow... *grumble*dice*grumble*