Dot
Regarding the archetypes discussion we were having, Weapons Master doesn't sound appealing unless finding new and varied weapons occasionally isn't going to be part of this game. Even then, I'm not super thrilled about it. How high is the campaign likely to get? If it's above 5th level, I'm considering Martial Master.
Other than that, I'm not seeing any other archetypes that don't stray significantly from a traditional fighter that I'm interested in. I may go with just the vanilla fighter, which is fine.
If we take it all the way through, it goes pretty high level (mid-teens I'd say).
Something else that's kind of weird for the fighter: assuming your character always behaves good and honourably, he gets the option part way along to become a paladin. For our purposes, we'd just tack detect evil, lay on hands, and smite evil onto the base fighter, rather than completely change out classes.
Plus, paladins gain the ability to make their sword flaming.
assuming your character always behaves good and honourably
Oh.
Okay, here's my guy. This being a solo game, I thought that versatility was important, so I traded in some of the feats that would go to combat optimization to allow more skill use. Maybe that's a bad idea, but going from my memory of playing adventure video games from the 80s, having access to more options because I had the right skills was more fun.
I also never appreciated how Pathfinder mechanics always leads to a sword-and-board PC being a two-weapon fighter. So I probably won't go that way.
Feel free to let me know if anything I've chosen is unfeasible, too cheesy, or if I've chosen something that won't come in to play (such as when you mentioned no archery or Ride skill needed).
Here's the breakdown for how I got 7 skill points per level:
4 from houseruled fighter
1 from human
1 from Intelligence bonus
1 from favored class bonus (but with a feat, I also get the +1 hit point)
Shields were the most important defensive item in medieval warfare, even more than armour, but they’ve always been undervalued in D&D, at least ever since third edition. I personally think shields should improve along with BAB somehow to reflect one’s increasing skill with shield use. Once you get to level 9+, the first hit in a series is basically 95% guaranteed because attack bonuses so quickly outpace AC. HP becomes your skill with a shield.
The game actually has an in joke about shield use, which will come up eventually.
I’m having troubles getting the map links to work. You can look at the first two slides of maps, but for some reason it also can show a map with everything labelled which is no good. I can’t fix it from my phone. The first two naps will give you an o review of Spielberg Valley and what you can see from the high pass you just reached.
Gameplay’s up, by the way.
The links you provided take me to specific slides all within the same presentation. I can see all of the slides by moving forward or backward in the presentation.
but for some reason it also can show a map with everything labelled which is no good.
Well, with orange text on green and the fact that I can only see Google Drive files on my phone during work hours, you probably don't need to worry too much about me reading it. :)
Just so you know a bit about the style of this game: the computer game has many random encounters as you wander through the forest etc, that we won’t be using, because unnecessary combat bogs down PBP terribly. Some encounters may feel random, but I’ll use them for mood effect, etc.
If it’s a random monster in the woods, chances are pretty good you need to either fight it or run. Encounters that are obviously part of the set pieces often have other solutions, though fighting can be the solution there too.
Some encounters will be against obviously superior foes and are intended for you to use social skills around or just run from. Some monsters you’ll encounter in the beginning that you’re supposed to run from but will then fight later on. I’ll try to give warnings in game when there’s something you’re not supposed to just whack with your sword, but sometimes your meta game knowledge will help too (ie, you’re a solitary first level fighter, so if you see an Encounter Level 4 coming at you, there’s probably another option in play).
Makes sense.
Hey, Felix has a weapon cord to minimize the effect of his sword being disarmed. Can we just assume that if he draws his sword in the thick of action, he doesn't have time to secure it to his wrist, but otherwise (like just now in front of the wagon), he does secure it?
Makes sense.
Hey, Felix has a weapon cord to minimize the effect of his sword being disarmed. Can we just assume that if he draws his sword in the thick of action, he doesn't have time to secure it to his wrist, but otherwise (like just now in front of the wagon), he does secure it?
Totally fine.
Would you prefer narration on second person (“you”) or third (“Felix” or “he”)?
I just ask because you’re writing in third and I’m second and we should probably agree.
I hadn't even noticed. I'm fine with third, but if you want to switch to "you" and "I" so that it feels more like an old adventure game, I'm fine with that, too.
Okay, sorry to be a flake about this, but the “I” is really freaking me out. I guess I was never really part of the old school gaming crowd after all: it just feels so wrong. Is it okay if we switch back to third person?
Ha ha! Sure, no problem. That's what I'm more comfortable with, anyway. I've had to re-write a couple posts because I started them in 3rd person before I remembered to do 1st.
Also, in a PM you called Felix's college "the Famous Adventurer's Correspondence School." Is 'Famous' actually part of its name, or is that a typo?
Ha ha! Sure, no problem. That's what I'm more comfortable with, anyway. I've had to re-write a couple posts because I started them in 3rd person before I remembered to do 1st.
Also, in a PM you called Felix's college "the Famous Adventurer's Correspondence School." Is 'Famous' actually part of its name, or is that a typo?
Actually part of its name. “Famous Adventurer” is the moniker of a pseudo-mythical individual who decided to retire and start a correspondence school for adventurers.
In other words, Felix literally got his adventuring diploma in the mail.
Ah, I did not pick up on that.
He needs to find a frame for that diploma, right after he finds a horse!
Ah, I did not pick up on that.
He needs to find a frame for that diploma, right after he finds a horse!
Sorry I hadn’t clarified. It’s not important to the storyline.
The game world is called Gloriana. It’s basically a medieval earth parallel, with different names for places but the same cultures, except there’s also magic and monsters (and a strange abundance of “taurs”—centaurs, cheetaurs, liontaurs, etc).
Are we doing okay with pacing? I'm just trying to gather information before heading out in a random direction, but we can get Felix out there if the game is moving to slow.
Actually, I was considering making a comment that you're moving really quickly. There's more information that you can obtain by talking to folks in town (for example, the guildmaster can give you a complete rundown on all the potential bad guys you could face in the woods). You've also only explored South Street: there's Market Lane and North Street to also visit.
Feel free to gather all the information you want. Once you leave town, there are very few allies out there who can help you or give you intel.
All right, sounds good.
Unless there's something I'm missing, I don't see any other ways to gather information or quests before heading out, so Felix will probably do that in the morning.
I don't see any obvious starting point, so I'll probably just have Felix head northwest and see what happens.
Did the dry goods store sell tents? Or even water-proof tarps? I should probably have some sort of shelter in case it rains.
Tents are certainly available.
This part of the game is very sandboxy. There are encounters out in the valley where you can learn things and you’ll eventually end up in the right plot point, but how you get there is dependant on which direction you explore first.
Don’t forget that this game is based on a computer game, so the next clues aren’t always found in the obvious places, and the assumption is that the player will “do” everything, even if it doesn’t seem like it’s part of the plot.
Tents are certainly available.
This part of the game is very sandboxy. There are encounters out in the valley where you can learn things and you’ll eventually end up in the right plot point, but how you get there is dependant on which direction you explore first.
Don’t forget that this game is based on a computer game, so the next clues aren’t always found in the obvious places, and the assumption is that the player will “do” everything, even if it doesn’t seem like it’s part of the plot.
Yeah, that's the assumption that I've been working from, but I didn't know how much (if any) you had adapted for a PbP, so I wanted to let you know my intention, just in case.
Okay, possibly a change of plans. Would Felix have time to travel to the lake before nightfall? Assuming nothing happens along the way, of course.
Each hex on the valley map with hexes represents 2 hours of travel, unless you are travelling along a road, which is 1 hour per hex. That puts the lake about three hours away, so you can certainly make it there, though back may be an issue. Of course, you will have to make camp out there eventually.
Hey, it feels like you think you're waiting on me, but I have the last post in the Gameplay thread. If you're just busy, though, no worries.
Sorry. Thought I had posted but I hadn’t.
Sorry, I had a plan of action, but I've been busy and exhausted and I forgot what those plans were. The kids just started school for the year, the latest COVID surge is affecting both my job and especially my wife's, and work has been really busy the past week, which has slowed down my posting.
I'll try and re-focus and get back into this and the Articles of Faith game by Wednesday or Thursday.
I just remembered that Felix speaks the goblin language. It's the only language other than common that he knows. FYI.
I believe the goblin on the rooftop was Felix's second combat of this adventure so far, correct?
Well, there were some combats that ended through narrative means, such as the brigand ambush and the cheetaur chase. You fought goblins to rescue the fox and you fought the brigand who had killed the deer, and now the goblin on the roof. None of those things are from the actual computer game (nor were the brigand ambush or cheetaur chase). In the game, almost all of the combat is random encounters in the woods, with a few combats necessary for the story.
The danger with a solo game is one lucky shot and the campaign is over. In the computer game, you just load a saved game, but here it isn’t so easy. The combat is coming, though.
I wasn't complaining, just thinking about it. I'm enjoying the game very much.
But I forgot about brigand who killed the deer, so along with the goblins to rescue the fox and the goblin on the roof, that's three combats. None of the other encounters involved actual fighting, if I recall.
Hey, I can tell that you're busy. That's totally fine; I've been there, also. Not too long ago, in fact. I just want to see if there's something I can do or that we can do differently that will help with this game. I'm enjoying it and would like to continue.
But I also don't want you to feel obligated to work on this game if it's too much to worry about right now. So, a hiatus or just stopping are also options.
I'm just trying to see how you're feeling about this game.
Hey, I can tell that you're busy. That's totally fine; I've been there, also. Not too long ago, in fact. I just want to see if there's something I can do or that we can do differently that will help with this game. I'm enjoying it and would like to continue.
But I also don't want you to feel obligated to work on this game if it's too much to worry about right now. So, a hiatus or just stopping are also options.
I'm just trying to see how you're feeling about this game.
Hey, I absolutely want to continue but I’ve been putting it on the back burner to devote enough energy to keeping the other games going. If you don’t mind a little wait, I very much want to come back to this when things have settled down.
Hey, I absolutely want to continue but I’ve been putting it on the back burner to devote enough energy to keeping the other games going. If you don’t mind a little wait, I very much want to come back to this when things have settled down.Hey, I can tell that you're busy. That's totally fine; I've been there, also. Not too long ago, in fact. I just want to see if there's something I can do or that we can do differently that will help with this game. I'm enjoying it and would like to continue.
But I also don't want you to feel obligated to work on this game if it's too much to worry about right now. So, a hiatus or just stopping are also options.
I'm just trying to see how you're feeling about this game.
I have no problem with that at all. Thanks for letting me know.