[PFS1e] GM Deussu's #2-03 The Rebel's Ransom CORE (Tier 5-9) (Inactive)

Game Master Deussu

Out of character discussion here. This includes queries, rules questions, and so forth.

[u]Here is the link to the Google Slides document[/u]. I will use it heavily, so be sure to check it from time to time. I will inform you all whenever I make an update or reveal a new slide. The link to the same document will be in the campaign's short description

I wish for all participants to include the following information, preferably to the Slides document's second slide. Posting them here is fine as well. The perception, initiative, and day job fields can include just the bonus.

[code]
Player name:
Character name:
Chronicle #:
PFS #:
Faction:
Perception:
Initiative:
Day Job:
Character sheet link:
[/code]
Additionally, on the Google Slides document there's another line of text "Insert token here", which is to say you may import a custom image of your character on the document. If the field is empty by the time we start, I'll just take your user profile's image and use it.

[code]
Player name: Gerald
Character name: Doodlevain ‘Doodle’ Montafescue
Chronicle #: 25
PFS #: 12445-15
Faction: Sovreign Court
Perception: +11
Initiative: +6
Day Job: Craft Alchemy 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
Character sheet link: https://paizo.com/people/DoodlevainDoodleMontafescue
[/code]

I adjusted the Google Slides document so all the tactical maps are backgrounds, so phone users (Doodle, namely) can't accidentally move the tactical map.

I also included Doodle's information to the document.

Player name: B Viggers
Character name: Khellek the historian
Chronicle #: 43 (Khellek is slow advancement)
PFS #: 100387-16
Faction: Dark Archive
Perception: -2
Initiative: +1
Day Job: perform(oratory): 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (3) + 12 = 15 (academic) If I have a reroll left at the end, I'll likely use it with T10 for 10+12+4=26
Character sheet link: sheet

As mentioned in the recruitment discussion, with four PCs at level 7 and 9, the tier is higher with 4 player adjustments.

And better to say now instead of later, that this scenario has a reputation for having tough combats.

Player name: Edward McGee
Character name: Irizati Grunyar
Chronicle #: 21
PFS #: 145373-13
Faction: The Exchange
Perception: +15
Initiative: +7
Day Job: profession merchant: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (5) + 27 = 32
Character sheet link: No online sheet but this is my profile.

Note: Irizati grants everyone at the table a +3 circumstantial bonus to their Day Job rolls and a result of 45+ earns you 200 gold.

Can't do much extra about tough combats beyond us picking up extra CLW wands. The party should probably have at least 1 remove blindness potion. Learned that one the hard way.

If it wasn't clear, Liminy is my alt and won't be coming.

Oh. Baloo is Perception +6 with Scent. Initiative +4 though he normally goes on my initiative. He is also large though I can memorize Reduce Animal.

Yeah I sent the PM to Liminy before I noticed it was your character as well. Sorry about that!

Regarding preparations, I'll give you a tip: You are going to an ancient tomb in Egypt Osirion.

Well we are in a desert but I always memorize Create Water and have a wand of Endure Elements.

If it is a dungeon crawl it sounds like my Reduce Animal will get some use. Tomb suggests undead. I usually memorize a Remove Disease but unless someone else has the Daylight spell I'll just have the 1.

Tere is good with traps.

Baloo and Irizati are pretty good in a fight.

Khellek has the knowledges covered.

Doodle has some damage spells.

A cleric is always a welcomed addition to any party but we should be okay as long as the cure wands hold out.

Unfortunately, we can't buy antiplague. We should get a bunch of alchemist's fire, though, and maybe a wand of lesser restoration. If any of us blows a save vs. mummy rot, though, we'll need cure disease and some good rolls.

I have a scroll with 5 lesser restorations but it would require a UMD check to use them.

Remove Curse is Core but it's an arcane spell and the casters don't know it. It can be bought as a scroll but that effects the caster level.

I'll often be in animal form in dungeons and while I can cast in it I can't use wands or scrolls. I can loan out what I have.

We may as well discuss what form Irizati will take most of the time.
I can reduce Baloo and he retains all of his abilities. He just does less damage.

Irizati is a bit more limited. Most forms I take don't speak but some simple gestures can handle basics such as follow or danger.

Size is the main choice. Medium forms of note include

Deinonychus Talon x2 1d8, Bite 1d6, Foreclaws 1d4 and a secondary attack. (-5 to hit and 1/2 str bonus) Has a good speed.

Cheetah Bite 1d6 + Trip, Claws x2 1d3, Good speed.

Leopard Bite 1d6 + Grab Claws x2 1d3, Has pounce and rake. Slow speed but can climb.

Things get a lot better if I go large.

Ape Dire Bite 1d6, Claws x2 1d4 + Reach, Climb speed.

Tiger Dire Bite 2d6 +Grab, Claws x2 2d4 + Grab, Pounce and Rake.

Needless to say the Dire Tiger is a true beast of a combat form.

Most of my spells are buffs but on rare occasions I summon.

I thought lesser restoration was a druid spell.

Oops you are correct. Restoration isn't but lesser is.

For combat, Khellek is not much direct use. To be precise he is useless. But when it comes to buffing you he is okay (haste, heroism, IC etc) and knowledge checks he can generally waltz though.

I may spend some cash to up his protections though as he is a little squishy.

In Core only Clerics can cast find traps. And it only lasts 1 minute per level.

As far as food goes I can cast Goodberry but it has to be cast on freshly picked berries. A rarity in the dessert I'm sure.

The cantrip Purify Food and Drink combined with a good Survival skill may help.

For food, I have a sustaining spoon (5400gp) on a chronicle if required.

For heat, Khellek has permanent endure elements for both heat and cold from chronicles.

Shopping list:
Antiplaque (x3) - 15gp (available from chronicle)
Belt of mighty constitution +2 (4000gp)
upgrade of armour to +2 (3000gp)
Ring of protection +1 (2000gp)
+1 buckler (1155gp)

Total $10170gp

I can still get a ring of sustenance as well if it looks like being necessary. Actually he would love one of those, more time up late studying old books without getting tired.

Ring of sustenance 2500
Total 12,670

Guess upgrading that headband of intellect to +4 is going to have to wait.

Probably time for me to buy a handy haversack. 2,000 gold. I thought I had a wand of Endure Elements but I don't.
Locally what we do is just roll off and the low roll spends the 2 PP for one. In this case I'll be covering me, Baloo, and 1 other person. Khellek has permanent Endure Heat. So if Doodle or Tere buy a wand it will be just for them and last 50 days.

I'm not sure what to do about Baloo's supplies. I figure he hunts his own food.

There is mention of Feed but while the 5CP per day isn't an issue the 10 pounds per day is.

I mean, Technically I could summon an animal for him to eat each day but that is probably unethical.

Here are my thoughts on what spells I'll take normally.

0. Guidance, Create Water, Read Magic, Purify Food and Drink
1. Longstrider, Faerie Fire, Endure Elements x3
2. Reduce Animal, Spider Climb, Barkskin x3
3. Magic Fang Greater x2, Remove Disease, Daylight
4. Spike Stones, Freedom of Movement
5. Wall of Thorns or Commune with Nature

Daylight only lasts 90 minutes so if we can find better options for light it can be swapped out for another remove Disease or a Neutralize Poison.

Doodle has the very versatile Grease spell so I think I can get by with just 1 Freedom of Movement.
Doodle has See Invisibility but no one has Glitterdust so I'm keeping Faerie Fire just in case.
Spider Climb is for if Baloo has to climb up things.
Khellek has Feather Fall so getting down is covered.

Commune With Nature works for 9 miles in every direction and can tell me what plants, animals, and the presence of powerful unnatural beasts. So Food x3. If GM Deussu thinks that will help us with finding food then it is a good choice. If not then Wall of Thorns can give us a lot of breathing room vs corporeal enemies.

Both Khellek and Doodle have Heroism. I don't know if either of you have Lesser Extend rods. I actually suggest we try to keep it going on Tere. It sounds like we want to be as prepped for traps as possible.

A desert tomb screams mummy which if so will suck Animals and druids don't do so well vs touch attacks. But vs any enemies who don't have debilitating touch attacks my money is on me and Baloo.

What do we want to do about light sources? No one has the Darkvision spell so that is out. Daylight doesn't last long enough.
If someone plans to have a hand free we can bring a lantern and lots of oil.

We will probably want extra waterskins just in case.

Khellek you should look at the Tiny Hut spell some day. At first glance it looks like a RP/flavor spell but the sphere it creates around the party is clear on the inside but opaque on the outside. In other words it breaks enemy line of sight. If they want to shoot at you or cast targeted spells they have to come to you.

Tere already has a wand of endure elements.

Commune with Nature surely will tell of any oasis within the radius.

I have a lesser extend rod - which I normally use for three people. Well, for Khellek (my saves are terrible) and two others. For us I'm thinking Tere and Baloo. I should probably get a second so all my heroisms can be extended.

I can cover some light issues with light and dancing lights. And a wayfinder.

I've been wondering about tiny hut for a while, but there are so many other good spells. If only there were more pages of spell knowledge on chronicle sheets. I have one for first level spells I think, but not second.

The light spell is not very bright but Irizati and Baloo usually have low light vision and scent so should be okay.

I'll definitely take Commune while on the caravan.
Spike Stones vs Commune is a tough choice. The Commune is only once per day but maybe we can use it late each day to help find both food and a good resting spot.

The day before we reach the Tomb I'll switch it for Spike Stones.

I'm trying to imagine a group of bandits seeing a party of adventurer's with 2 massive cats and deciding that attacking them is a good idea.

I'll buy the Haversack. Spend 4 silver to buy 8 days worth of meat for Baloo. An extra canteen. And I'll be trying to find extra food on the way.

I'll usually be in Dire Tiger form and leave my wands/potions/scrolls with Khellek.

Since Baloo can't ride a horse I think we are traveling at an overland speed of 30.

Doodle will burn 2 PP for a wand of Endure Elements for herself and anyone who needs it.

Are the ring of sustenance or sustaining spoons available in core (if you don’t have them listed on a chronicle sheet)? I don’t think I have a sheet allowing either of them.

Note that the current plan was Irizati would cover Doodle for Endure Elements. Maybe another CLW wand? We were told the combats would be difficult.

The ring and spoon are both Core magic items.

Okay, I’ll grab another clw wand then. For the same 2 PP.

And spend 2500 for a ring of sustenance. And spend 3000 for a lesser rod of extend metamagic.

I have some money to spend on upgrading my curve blade from +1, and while the utility move would be to make it keen I'm tempted to make it ghost touch instead--there are no other Core options for effectively fighting incorporeal enemies, and Tere relies on sneak attack and crits for a chunk of his damage--he can't do that against incorporeal foes without ghost touch. Opinions?

Ring of Sustenance is core. Not sure why the SRD lists it as UE.

How about that, so it the spoon. So why did they put it on a chronicle? Who knows.

As for ghost touch... going into a tomb is the right time to be thinking about that sort of enchantment. Still, +2 is also very nice, bonus to hit, damage. Doesn't quite give you the silver/cold iron effect though.

I forget, Does the crit double your sneak damage? If not then I would go for Ghost Touch.

My Core Monk has a ghost touch AoMF.

That reminds me, I'm not sure if I should save up for a Swarmbane Clasp or just depend on big fire elementals.

Remember, I can convert any of my spells into summon nature's ally and have Augment Summons.

An augmented Cyclops can pop up and use Power Attack + Flash of Insight to hit for 9d6 +45 damage and then soak up 85 damage.

Crits don't multiply sneak attack damage. Creatures with the incorporeal subtype are also immune to crits unless it's with a ghost touch weapon.

(And can I once again complain about the organization of the Bestiary? The description of the incorporeal Universal Monster Rule (Bestiary, p. 301) doesn't mention immunity to crits, but the incorporeal subtype (ibid., p. 312) does. Rather like how the Undead monster type mentions that they're immune to bleed damage, but the Undead Traits entry in the Universal Monster Rules does not. Feh.)

And lets not get started in incorporeal vs ethereal.

SF (and I think PFS2) seems to have fixed up a number of these things.

Agreed, although in this case it's not so much what the rules are as it is how they're presented.

I think the designers of SF and PF2e clearly had a more coherent design philosophy than their counterparts in PF1e, where the design philosophy sort of boiled down to "fix the glaring issues with 3.5."

Actually the SFS core rulebook was a group project where they wanted pretty much every staff member to contribute somehow. Then right before the book went to print they did a full overhaul of the combat system.

So for example one person did the dense Computers section. And Operative was written by a different person then the Solarian.

Pathfinder 1st edition had the groundwork done by Wizards of the Coast, obviously, but there was a ridiculous amount of small details left out. For instance in D&D 3.5 a character's clothes do not count to encumbrance, but this little piece of text is missing from PFRPG, effectively making clothes a severe hindrance to low strength characters. And torches used to deal damage to swarms, but this little piece of text is missing as well.

On another note, even though the adventure hasn't even started properly, I have to say how impressed I am with how invested you are in the preparing, planning, and playing already! I can only hope to reach the bar you set so high! This is truly enjoying to just spectate let alone run the scenario.

You keep this up and I'm ready to run Eyes of the Ten for you. When the time comes, of course.

Paizo's boards are really bad right now. I can't get anything to work properly. I'll write the next scene and post it tomorrow.

I suspect the author of this scenario decided that there wasn't enough pointless minutia in PF1 so decided to make all of the stuff that gets handwaved normally matter this time. Watches, Food, Water, I wouldn't be surprised if one or more of the traps involve encumbrance or drowning rules.

As for keeping watch, Two options present themselves.

1. We do a rotation that makes sure the casters get enough sleep. Khellek only needs 2 hours with his new ring but he is not perceptive.

2. The non casters switch off each night staying up and Irizati takes Lesser Restoration over one of the Barkskins to remove the fatigue.

The scenario does speak of dehydration and starvation rules! (This is a scenario by Jason Bulmahn, so he ought to know something about the rules) They, however, are absolute moot since magic is introduced. Create Water, a cantrip, makes dehydration a problem for full fighter teams. Same goes with weather effects, where endure elements shines.

It's kind of sad they are handwaved with magic, but at the same time I'm happy there are no "roll 10 fortitude saves" type of shenanigans. I can think of only one retired scenario (Intro 3) which did that.

Doodle has a shiny new ring of sustenance too, so she is good to help on watches whenever.

I recently remembered a possible issue but Doodle has it covered. Protection From Evil if you suspect possession effects.

I had a level 8 Slayer with a T-Rex companion that got possessed. TPK including my Slayer.

Oh, go on. Put the short sighted scholar without darkvision on sentry duty!

He's likely to get distracted by a good book.

I recently remembered a possible issue but Doodle has it covered. Protection From Evil if you suspect possession effects.

I had a level 8 Slayer with a T-Rex companion that got possessed. TPK including my Slayer.

Oh, that’s bad!

Oh, go on. Put the short sighted scholar without darkvision on sentry duty!

He's likely to get distracted by a good book.

I've got a potion of darkvision that Tere bought before he learned how to see in the dark.

Tere will get his curve blade enchanted with ghost touch for 6000 gp, and will buy five flasks of alchemist's fire for another 100 gp.

I currently have a cold (first it was a sore throat, now my nose is gooey) and so does my younger daughter. Updating will be slow.

The description suggests there are 4 alters and 6 scepters. 'three are occupied by scepters at the moment.'It resided on the northeast altar' So a central alter with 3 scepters and at least 3 other alters with scepters. Is that correct?

Also does anyone have any extend charges left? I have Daylight memorized.

Khellek will extend heroism on himself and the main fighter (either Irizati or Bolo I guess?)

I'm happy to either do an extended heroism with my third use of the rod on someone else, or let Irizati use it for daylight.

Mechanically Baloo is disposable while PCs are not. So I second casting it on Tere for the skill boosts mostly. Irizati would be second for the attack rolls and saves. He is also good at perception.

Right, Irizati and Tere it is.

And lets face it, its hard to get a worse perception bonus than mine.

My level 15 wizard (not Core) has a perception of +32 and all of that is from core options.
Observant trait, Eyes of the Eagle, Familiar, and at later levels the Additional Traits feat for Fate's Favored with a Luckstone.

It's just a matter of what you prioritize.

There are five altars in total in this entry chamber. The center altar and four at the sides. There are only three scepters present, all of which are currently on the center altar.

So the "side altars" are empty.

There's no trace of the fourth altar.

Sorry for being a bit unclear. It's a challenge to work with the scenarios ready made texts.

GM D, you mean that there's no trace of the fourth scepter?