The SEEKERS OF THINGS (Inactive)

Game Master Johnny_Panic

"Viri, I'm going to help you grapple him. You guys, cast your spell, take your time and do this right. Viri, I'll once we get him down, I'll help pinning him. I'm not going to mess around with this guy."

A moment later, she thinks, "Ready? 3...2...1..." Then will leap upon him with a hasty lunge, holding one of his hands completely still while Viri hopefully goes for the full grapple.

Improved Grapple vs CMD: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (4) + 25 = 29 (Good assist. +2 to your roll)

"Good point, Sarlai. If you can start with Dispel Magic, I'll follow with Break Enchantment if it doesn't work."

@GM Panic, Both dispel magic and break enchantment are abjuration spells.

cool

as you grab him and cast nothing comes up or ends, but holding him you see a lump on his back, just around the shoulder blades. Something is off there, and your dispel magic seems to have has some temporary effect. He Blinks at you looking confused. Then you see his eyes glass over once more. The lump moves back down and is gone once more. To your horror you realise there is something IN him.

"I think he has a tumor...no...it's moving. Eww! Gross!!!" thinks the rogue, ironically covered in blood. There are just some things some people can take and then can't take. Growths, popping blisters, and nasty tumor familiars are ones she hates. While Viri moves to pin the aloof Mr. Duvalier as his mind clears, Sona intends to take her kukris plunge them into the beast. She essentially performs surgery while it is weakened by the spells.

He is getting a -4 dex penalty from being grappled. If Viri can pin him, Sona will get sneak attack precision damage. If not, ignore the 7d6 on each attack. If Viri can pin him, he is taking a -4 AC and is denied his dex bonus.
Melee Attack: 1d20 + 29 ⇒ (4) + 29 = 33
Damage: 1d4 + 15 + 7d6 ⇒ (1) + 15 + (5, 4, 3, 5, 1, 6, 3) = 43 2 str damage
Melee Attack: 1d20 + 29 ⇒ (3) + 29 = 32
Damage: 1d4 + 15 + 7d6 ⇒ (3) + 15 + (3, 1, 2, 3, 6, 5, 2) = 40 2 str damage
Melee Attack: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (8) + 24 = 32
Damage: 1d4 + 15 + 7d6 ⇒ (1) + 15 + (5, 4, 5, 3, 4, 6, 5) = 48 2 str damage
Melee Attack: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (16) + 24 = 40
Damage: 1d4 + 10 + 7d6 ⇒ (1) + 10 + (2, 1, 3, 4, 1, 3, 2) = 27 2 str damage
Melee Attack: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (3) + 19 = 22
Damage: 1d4 + 10 + 7d6 ⇒ (3) + 10 + (6, 3, 6, 1, 6, 6, 2) = 43 2 str damage
Melee Attack: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (2) + 19 = 21
Damage: 1d4 + 10 + 7d6 ⇒ (1) + 10 + (1, 3, 2, 3, 1, 4, 5) = 30 2 str damage

Critical Confirmation: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (15) + 24 = 39
Damage: 1d4 + 15 ⇒ (3) + 15 = 18

Each of her attacks go directly to the lump based on where she saw it heading. No doubt to some vital region. She is an expert at hitting those.

She is not going for a kill on Mr. Duvalier. If the two are tied together and he seems to be perishing from her attacks, she will restrain herself. If, on the other hand, she is connecting with the growth, can cut it out, or kill it, she will certainly leave a hole in his back that can quickly be healed a moment later if it means the creature dies.

You start to which it getting in two sold hits, then his body changes morphs into this slug like thing explodes back and out from you.

You all get 1 OoA on it its STR40 and AC33 with all that being force and force defection.

It flies up some 30' and starts to grow fast to this thing

I will take DC rolls to know what it is with skills and spells you have running. Base DC is 40 but ill take 5 off that for every power or aid other you can muster. The thing is aoooo Alien

kn planes: 1d20 + 28 ⇒ (20) + 28 = 48
I will post Tia’s reaction later today.

Viri isn't trying to understand this. She knows that staring too long into the outer void lets the outer void stare into you. She simply beings to try and kill it. as it moves out, she strikes to test its defenses.

AoO: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (9) + 25 = 34
damage: 2d6 + 12 ⇒ (3, 3) + 12 = 18 Bludgeoning, magic, cold iron, silver
If applicable, make Fort save DC 25 vs stun

"This is an eldritch horror. Something beyond time and the known plane. Be careful, it latches on your mind if it can.", she says as her staff misses its target.

AoO: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (2) + 15 = 17
damage: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

Knowledge Planes Assist: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

Sona is suddenly blown back by a force of epic proportions coming out of Mr. Duvalier's back. No doubt, in an attempt to survive her barrage. As she flies backward, her hand reaches out for one last slash as she tries to give her allies a bit more understanding concerning this beast.

AoO: 1d20 + 31 ⇒ (20) + 31 = 51
Damage: 1d4 + 15 + 7d6 ⇒ (1) + 15 + (4, 4, 4, 3, 3, 3, 5) = 42 Ignore 7d6 if he is not flat-footed.
Critical Confirmation: 1d20 + 31 ⇒ (1) + 31 = 32
Damage: 1d4 + 15 ⇒ (1) + 15 = 16 No crit

Perception: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (3) + 25 = 28

Can we know its weaknesses? Is it susceptible to mind effects? Defenses?

Viri and Tia find its flesh to hard, but Sona hits it as it moves back for a sold crack.

Spinning Calistria's symbol of the three radiating daggers out of a pocket Sarlai screams a prayer for the blessings of the Unquenchable fire then falls well back from the aberration in the air above.

Blessing of fervor, everyone likes it, then I'm moving away for a move action. More specific tactics can wait on knowing what this is or does.

The faces are its weakness

The thing from beyond from where the seed was found attacks.

All players
1st all the faces on its body scream as one as a psionic wave hits you
Mind Blast Save yes SR No
Mind Scream DC27 Will save for half DMG Mind affecting 15d6 ⇒ (6, 5, 5, 4, 1, 1, 6, 4, 4, 5, 1, 5, 2, 5, 5) = 59 NL DMG

All players
You are each attacked with Telecontic force Ref DC 30
If you fail you're picked up and thrown up in the air
5d6 ⇒ (6, 6, 1, 6, 3) = 22 [x10'] feet, and then slammed back into the ground, taking 22d6 ⇒ (5, 3, 4, 1, 5, 3, 2, 3, 2, 5, 1, 3, 4, 2, 4, 4, 2, 1, 6, 4, 2, 5) = 71 DMG (B) That is 1d6 for each 10' you were taken up.

All players [see below to RTA on each of you, then makes Fort saves as needed.
Then 2 of 8x Tentacles will come at you

2x Grapple attack CM 27
DC27 Ref/CMD to get away next round,

RTA TH+18*
*Toxin Fort saves DC25 or be positioned, No DMG but a sickened and stunned condition.

Sona
2x Grapple Atempt DC27
+ RTA1 TH1d20 + 18 ⇒ (18) + 18 = 36 Then Vs *Toxin
+ RTA2 TH1d20 + 18 ⇒ (8) + 18 = 26 Then Vs *Toxin

Sarlai
2x Grapple Atempt DC27
+ RTA1 TH1d20 + 18 ⇒ (1) + 18 = 19 Then Vs *Toxin
+ RTA2 TH1d20 + 18 ⇒ (13) + 18 = 31 Then Vs *Toxin

Madam Tia
2x Grapple Atempt DC27
+ RTA1 TH1d20 + 18 ⇒ (15) + 18 = 33 Then Vs *Toxin
+ RTA2 TH1d20 + 18 ⇒ (12) + 18 = 30 Then Vs *Toxin

Viri
2x Grapple Atempt DC27
+ RTA1 TH1d20 + 18 ⇒ (15) + 18 = 33 Then Vs *Toxin
+ RTA2 TH1d20 + 18 ⇒ (3) + 18 = 21 Then Vs *Toxin

IF you are Grappled, then get the sickened and stunned condition. It will take a full round to pull you into its body and add you to its faces.

Will Save: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (11) + 16 = 27 Evasion, no damage
Reflex Save: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (2) + 25 = 27 Fail, 71 dmg unless a ring of featherfall negates this? Will not be prone if so.

Sona is quick to do a spin-flip with such speed that whatever sonic waves would have harmed her are distorted and negated, but quickly she finds herself not landing after said flip. A moment later, she is thrust upward into the air with telekinesis(?) and slammed back down with a violent force.

She coughs up her own blood as she lays prone (Fortunately taking damage after falling it makes you prone and that gives you a +4 vs ranged attacks). Then the tentacles come.

Touch AC if Prone: 27
First misses. Second tentacle hits. How many rounds of sickened/stunned?

Touch AC if not prone: 23
Both tentacles hit.

Fortitude: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (6) + 18 = 24 Fail. Sickened/Stunned/Auto-pinned. Being swallowed in one full round.
Fortitude: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (2) + 14 = 16 Fail. -2 from sickened, +2 to the DC from previous toxin hit

The group perhaps will see the limber rogue scooped up by the tentacle with little to no resistance. As she is carried toward the massive body, she drops and leaves her weapons behind. She is not dead, but there is no response in her eyes as she flops this way and that towards its maw.

Ironically, if I die here, it will have swallowed a gem of annihilation lol

Will save DC 27: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (12) + 22 = 34 half damage = 29, NL may mean nonlethal?
Ref save DC 30: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (18) + 15 = 33 negated

Not sure what RTA is an acronym for, but I take it it does a grapple combat maneuver. If one move action wasn't enough to get out of its reach I may have taken an attack of opportunity trying. The second grapple attempt would hit my CMD, but I'm calling on Moment of Prescience to raise my AC/CMD against this attack to avoid being grappled.

One tentacle reaching for Sarlai rips one of the scarce plants here from the ground, but the other almost wraps around her - at the very last moment she somehow turns aside from its grasp. She screams a curse at the beast in response.

Moments later, running a fine golden chain between her fingers she calls on some of the more beneficient powers that answer to Calistria, and far greater chains glowing with holy power reach out to wrap around the creature that somehow concealed itself within Duvalier. Without waiting to see the effect she scuttles backwards from it.

immediate action right after the tentacles reach out: Cast liberating command at anyone grappled by the tentacles but not stunned.

standard action: Cast chains of light at the slug-thing
concentration to cast defensively, DC 27: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (11) + 23 = 34 Edit: forgot my spellguard bracers, I didn't actually need to make this check.
If it's not immune to paralysis, Reflex DC 23 or be paralyzed, with a new save allowed each round. No her save DC isn't amazing but you never know, this thing might have a low Dex.
move action: Move another 30' away on top of the 30' last round! She'll risk an AoO if necessary. Get out her rod of giant summoning while doing so.

Condition notes: +2 AC/CMD/reflex from blessing of fervor now active so AC 35, CMD 33, Reflex +17. Moment of prescience now expended, other spells used heroes' feast, blessing of fervor, liberating command, greater detect magic, chains of light.

Yes LN nonlethal, Range Touch Attack RTA, also Sona note you have Blessing of Fervor which can get help you, and your now free. You have action this round.
Reflex DC 23. 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (18) + 11 = 29.
As it fights the chains its drops its prey.

Sona finds herself free from the grasp of the monster, but more importantly, free from the psychic toxin that had paralyzed her. Somehow, inately she knows that it is because the faces are covered in the grapple.

"Your grappling arms covered its faces and unparalyzed me!"

Immediately, she stands (Swift action with the Blessing). She rapidly bends to recover her kukris (Move Action) will rush to advance on the creature from where it burst out to (Move action).

If she was near it already, then she will attack it.
Melee Attack: 1d20 + 31 ⇒ (6) + 31 = 37
Damage: 1d4 + 15 + 7d6 ⇒ (3) + 15 + (2, 1, 4, 2, 1, 5, 5) = 38 (Ignore sneak attack 7d6 if its faces covered are not blinding it. If it is hindered in this manner to take sneak attack, she will also deal 2 str damage to it and will make it disoriented giving it a -8 to all attack rolls against Sona, and a -2 on attack rolls against others)

will save: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (8) + 20 = 28 half damage
reflex save: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (3) + 20 = 23 full damage

Grapple attempts fail, touch attacks miss

From there she goes into a trance-like state, shooting for faces.

unarmed: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (6) + 25 = 31 Miss
unarmed: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (5) + 20 = 25 Miss
unarmed: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (3) + 15 = 18 Miss
revolver: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (17) + 25 = 42 Touch, Hit
revolver: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (5) + 20 = 25 Miss
revolver: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (13) + 15 = 28 Touch, Hit

Clustered shots lets me add damage defore DR
damage: 2d8 + 22 ⇒ (4, 5) + 22 = 31 Woo Hoo, 11 points of damage!

Its AC has dropped to 28

As you aim for the faces, they implore you to not hurt them, a small child's face is crying, another is a woman who begs you to stop.
Weeping crying faces yet the monstrosity itself keeps on trying to get out the chains and get at you.

as the abomination becomes Disoriented the faces start to awaken.

"Please don't kill me I was just out walking my dog"

"Mummy I want my mummy"

"Where am I, is this hell, I'm I dead."

"I can't move I can't feel my body, just my face HELP HELP ME, SOMEONE!!"

And the face you shoot, screams, and explodes showing skill and brains.

She steels herself. The abomination won't let them go. Only ending them will end their suffering.

This means that one unarmed attack would hit. If it further reduced their touch AC, it means another gunshot will hit.

damage unarmed: 2d6 + 12 ⇒ (2, 5) + 12 = 19
damage gun: 1d8 + 11 ⇒ (4) + 11 = 15 No DR, as this will stack with the other damage

Noted

As you hit the face and distance it, it moves back and seems to be trying to break into smaller parts.

Cluter brake up"

You all get OoA's as it falls back and breaks apart into 34 parts. The party goes 1st, full around of attacks please, then the parts.

6 go for each of you you all have six coming from you, take a look at the GM spoiler if you hit.]
the 10 that are left make a run for the village some 5 miles away.

"Too damned many. I need a crew here to keep these blighters busy!" mutters Sarlai. With sharp words and gestures she calls forth a tangle of huge serpentine beings from a distant corner of the primal chaos and they engage the slugs with hisses, screeches and at least one roar of their own.

Standard action: cast summon monster 8 w/sacred summons, augment summoning and rod of giant summoning for Naunets off the SM 6 list.
concentration to cast defensively, DC 31: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (5) + 25 = 30
spellguard bracers reroll: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (15) + 25 = 40
number summoned: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Swift action: cast grace to avoid AoOs
Move action: move 60' after the ten heading for the village.

Naunets have constant freedom of movement and so can't be grappled. They'll release their targets after getting constrict from the grab. They also have sonic resistance 10. With 15' reach (being huge via giant summoning) and combat reflexes they should pin down at least my six pretty well. With 130 HP and DR 5/lawful (if only AC 18) attacks from the splinter slugs are not going to take them out soon. Their attacks are magic so bypass the slugs DR.

AC 33, taking the movement bonus from Blessing this round. I hadn't rolled for the temp HP from her heroes' feast, it's 1d8 + 16 ⇒ (5) + 16 = 21 so Sarlai's taken 8 nonlethal damage so far and lost those temp HP.

Sona will see the alien explode into a variable number of foes, each one flying toward her companions and her. She deftly takes her kurkis and spins them about in her fingers as she fades from sight into invisible realms. Each blade strikes with force enough to kill just about any common citizen on most worlds, yet as delicate as if she were lifting paper. Each cut seems to slash deeply toward a face without remorse.

"I will be there in a second. Let me get these numbers dwindled here!" she answers toward their newest party member.

Viri closes in on her attackers, focusing on a single attacker to try and take it down.

Flurry #1: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (1) + 20 = 21
Flurry #2: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (19) + 20 = 39 damage: 2d6 + 22 ⇒ (2, 2) + 22 = 26
Flurry #3: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (20) + 20 = 40 damage: 2d6 + 22 ⇒ (1, 3) + 22 = 26
confirm crit: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (2) + 20 = 22
Flurry #4: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (17) + 15 = 32 damage: 2d6 + 22 ⇒ (1, 6) + 22 = 29
Flurry #5: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (2) + 15 = 17
Flurry #6: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12
Flurry #7: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

8 rolls and 5 of them are 1 or 2 ?! I'm most grievously sorry for any offense, oh great random number generator.

Total damage = 81

Greetings. Welcome :)

As long as you are working to benefit the party in some way, it should be beneficial!

Ahoy! I hear there's a need for a new mender and gener'l god-botherer?

Sarlai's made to a definitely lower level of optimization than Lilandra (despite having a couple of very big guns to pull out by way of summons), but unless the way this game's run changes you won't know the difference in combat.

welcome Sarlai, this mass combat should rap very soon, once it has I will bring you into the game if that is ok.

At the moment a battle has stopped to she who will win this titanic fight.

Sarlai you are in the tent, Please post in game play.

So players the big Demon fight is over, ROsa and co will be on this plane a short time as they ransack this Demon city,

You have a Wayfinder and coms you with which to find

Ashkren Duvalier - Who found the cosmos Seed Artifact [Current location here]

Can I have a roll call please, we seem to have slowed and I want to check who is still here.

Thanks players

Here; usually around this time of night. Sometimes earlier also but that's not guaranteed.

I'm here. Had a long Sunday and couldn't post during my day at work today. I'm in the process of posting.

good to know

I'm here.

sweet

Was there, by chance, any treasure left behind by those demons? I'm not sure I'd want to touch Baphomet's weapon.

No sorry just the healing in Rosa's tent.

Here; usually around this time of night. Sometimes earlier also but that's not guaranteed.

Ok Sarlai I sent you a PM and in it is some important info you need to pass on to the party about the items that went missing and that you believe the Tefiling has.

Hi All, I have given each of you some info, if you share you can uncover what is wrong with your suspect.

He was the one that found the seed, then he seems to have stolen some items, is in fear of the lady and is hiding something.

But is he acting of his own free will?

Yup! It's like he's possessed. Just waiting for others to post :)

Just pointing out here that there are a couple of questions in the ooc of my post that could be answered, plus one more for clarification:

Does a Ring of Featherfall (or similar effect) negate this falling damage if the reflex save is a failure, or this part of a telekinetic slam and not technically falling?

How many rounds/minutes of sickened/stunned does getting hit by these tentacles do?

You said, "Toxin Fort saves DC25 or be positioned, No DMG but a sickened and stunned condition." Did you mean poisoned? As in, there is a poison coursing through our veins? That might make a difference for some people who may or may not have resistance to poison.

Sona Tanaka-> Just pointing out here that there are a couple of questions in the ooc of my post that could be answered, plus one more for clarification:

Sorry missed that

Does a Ring of Featherfall (or similar effect) negate this falling damage if the reflex save is a failure, or this part of a telekinetic slam and not technically falling?
No sorry it's a telekinetic attack

How many rounds/minutes of sickened/stunned does getting hit by these tentacles do?
Only while it has contact with you, it's a psionic-like effect. ment to hold you while it absorbs you

You said, "Toxin Fort saves DC25 or be positioned, No DMG but a sickened and stunned condition." Did you mean poisoned? As in, there is a poison coursing through our veins? That might make a difference for some people who may or may not have resistance to poison.

No sickened and stunned condition your not poisoned, poison resistance has no effect on this.

Hope that helps

Yup, thanks! Good to know

Viri, you're under the effect of blessing of fervor, you can either get another attack or else take +2 to your attack bonus.

The buffer's lament: everyone likes buffs, no-one remembers them.

I actually took the +2 to my attack, negating the -2 for Two-weapon fighting.

Tia has come spells running and levels of Skills that would work out something key here. Once she lets you know her suspicions I think players will have a much greater grip on where this game is going.

Are we skipping Tia? Are we in another round now? I see the alien acting. Should I be posting or waiting?

Yes we are, Bot'ted her using KN Skills

She lives

I am going away on a brake for the next 5 days everyone, soon as I am back Ill sort a post out,

Hope you have a good break! See you in 5 days.

Catch you then.

Have fun storming the castle!

Tia? Still here? You haven't posted in a long time and I believe it's your action.

Panic, are you back?

yep here guys

Hi everyone, I have been trying to get to grips with this game and working out why its so hard for me, and I think at long last I have worked out what it is.

It's the rules, At 16th level is just crazy the work load just to check what power, feat, spell, effect, Immunity, and so on is affecting each and every attack and what can be done. While balancing that getting the play can challenge right.

in other words, the rules are getting in the way of gameplay for me.
There is just too darn much to look up and cross-check.

So I thought long and hard on this and I want to come up with a better plan.

I am asking you the players, is there a way this endless rules look up can be simpled, so the game can flow once more.

I was thinking of moving to a simpler rules set, but dont know what would work or if that is even doable.

I think that's the nature of 16th level PF1. My way to beat it as a GM is to play at lower levels or with a different system entirely. Savage Worlds or Fantasy AGE or PF2 can work similarly to PF1; there are much different systems out there too. Rules light games, Old School Rules variants, GURPS, a bunch which are tied closely to some setting, many more.

If you never had a cunning plan to make this high level game work you might want to restart it at a lower level or with such a system.

What is it you're looking for? Presumably a game where the PCs are among the best of the best given the 16th level start here, but one that's sane to run including with regular fights. Anything else you can think of, and how many systems are you at all familiar with anyway?

I also agree with Sarlai's statement about having a plan for the game and starting over anew. I think that would be best. A level 16 game is complex. I personally signed up for that; and for it to be a PF1 game.

I can only speak for myself, I'm not interested in doing this game at a lower level or with a different system.

I'm sorry if that ruins things. I sympathize and feel bad that it's been difficult. Running a high-level campaign can be challenging.

In my opinion and for future reference, it is easier to start lower and build up to high levels, because by the time you get that high, you've been a party and GM for a very long time. You've come to learn the player's characters over many months (or even years!), so you know what they can do already.

I guess my question then would be, knowing your player's positions and your own views on the game and the system, what do you want to do? I personally will not be offended if you feel we should quit the game because of the challenge. I'd only hope you feel confident still to run a different game again in the future. Don't let this stop you from running.

Oh yeah, changing system or dropping several levels isn't something you can do in an ongoing game. A new recruitment would be needed, and for that matter I'd recommend doing some prep beforehand for the new starting level or system. I was just offering some thoughts and maybe some recommendations.

Thank you everyone

Going to have a rethink