GM Nomadical's Great Grav-Train Robbery (Inactive)

Game Master Nomadical

Yes, but two things:

1. I moved and provoked first, so the guard probably can't make a second reaction against LNA.
2. LNA has uncanny mobility, so doesn't provoke during his trick attack movement.

Oh, failed to realize LNA has uncanny mobility. Yeah, I don't provoke from my target of trick attack, and since there is only one target, he is it. LNA will just normal move 5 feet then.

Barat Oza wrote:

Yes, but two things:

1. I moved and provoked first, so the guard probably can't make a second reaction against LNA.
2. LNA has uncanny mobility, so doesn't provoke during his trick attack movement.

Oh, failed to realize LNA has uncanny mobility. Yeah, I don't provoke from my target of trick attack, and since there is only one target, he is it. LNA will just normal move 5 feet then.

Yep, and I posted before going to bad and without looking back at the Gameplay thread. So the AO will go to Barat. Gameplay post coming shortly. Since Aaramesh didn't post in Gameplay, I'll bot him.

I got really busy. Sorry, didn't even realize it had been that long

Take that Inspiring Boost there Kevan. Didn't want to post that in gameplay.

This encounter is a social chase. Royce Flynn and you are both trying to maneuver Brom into letting down his guard so that you can lift the datapad with the key codes. Each round each PC will choose and place themselves onto a role on Slide 6: Get the Pad!. RP and roll a check for that role.

One PC must select the conversationalist role (given the skills needed, that’s likely Aaramesh.) PCs can’t duplicate roles, but they can change roles each round (except for the PC who takes the conversationalist role). If a role allows the use of multiple skills, the same skill can’t be used on two successive rounds, even if a different PC takes over the role. You can post in any order, and I’ll adjust the conversationalist’s target DC based on the number of successes of his teammates. The PCs’ skill checks represent their success in maneuvering Brom into a more advantageous position or stymieing Royce’s effort to get the datapad.

Conversationalist: The conversationalist sidles up to the bar and engages Brom in dialogue, employing jokes, anecdotes, or other conversation with the intent of leaving him vulnerable to another PC’s attempts to pick his pocket. The conversationalist uses Diplomacy for their checks.

Copilot: The copilot sets the conversationalist up for punchlines, aids in steering dialogue toward or away from specific topics, and uses nonvisual cues to help the other PCs perform their roles. The copilot uses Culture for their checks.

Distraction: The distraction creates a situation elsewhere in the car to draw the attention of Brom’s bodyguards or Royce’s cronies. The distraction can use Bluff, Intimidate, or Perform for their checks.

Interference: The interference watches for circumstances that might hinder the other PCs’ efforts and counters them before they become problems. The interference uses Perception for their checks.

Saboteur: The saboteur surreptitiously interferes with one of the car’s mechanical or computer systems; for example, the saboteur might raise the thermostat, motivating Brom to remove his coat. The saboteur uses Computers or Engineering for their checks.

Windbag: The windbag briefly derails the conversation by using their knowledge of obscure trivia to make an outrageous but accurate claim. The windbag uses Physical Science or Life Science for their checks.

Is it normal in this setting to be wearing heavy armor? If not, Kevan can activate the glamer on his armor to make it look like normal clothing.

Yes, I assume the shoulder mounted rifle and stuff don't stand out.

Alright let me get a handle on what we are doing and I will post here as soon as I get an idea of what I am going to do and who is doing what. I am assuming a couple of the roles are for faces like me.

@Kevan, Yes. No mention was made of any need to disguise. It's a frontier planet, and you're robbing a train. I think being armed and armored is okay within the trope.

@Aaramesh. I think it's expected that you will be the Conversationalist. The character that takes that role cannot switch roles once selected. Everyone else is supporting him (them) by switching roles and using different skills to give you bonuses to your Diplo. Some of the other characters have okay Bluff and Intimidate, but no one comes close to your Diplo, and that's the key skill for overall success by the Conversationalist.

I think Aramesh is supposed to be the conversationalist. Kevan can be saboteur and windbag, Barat can run interference, and LNA can do a bunch of things.

Yep, that's exactly how we split it up when I played this.

I figured. But I have many skill sets I can cover from that list, which was what I was looking at. Aramesh can do three of those roles. Lol. So what am I doing, rolling Diplomacy I believe?

Conversationalist: The conversationalist sidles up to the bar and engages Brom in dialogue, employing jokes, anecdotes, or other conversation with the intent of leaving him vulnerable to another PC’s attempts to pick his pocket. The conversationalist uses Diplomacy for their checks.

The Conversationalist role always rolls Diplomacy, it seems.

That wasn't what I was talking about lol. I meant Aramash can do multiple roles from that list.

The other was me typing out my thoughts on accident lol.

23 on the next Diplomacy Roll.

I am going to use my expertise die.

26 all together

Hmm, so about this deal. What do you all think? And it is Thanksgiving week so sorry for any gaps.

Offer to buy his crew a round of drinks if they stay out of our way.

I'll be traveling for US Thanksgiving for the next couple of days, and slow to post.

Yeah I think I am going to tell him the help is appreciated but we got this. With a subtle hint to stay out of the way or else. I just re-read my background.. Royce can rot...

Still waiting on Aramesh to post the intent expressed abonve to Gameplay.

Do I need to roll or what? And my holiday isn't over yet so there will still be gaps. But I need to know if I need to roll anything and if anyone else has an opinion on what to do with this guy. I am not even thinking of double crossing him. Just a flat no.

Sorry I wasn't specific. No roll, just a yes/no answer.

After you post an answer, we'll move back into the Skill challenge so you can finish getting the data pad from Brom.

Will post soon. Been sick this weekend. Been a great week. Bleh.

Will be posting when I get myself awake. Sorry again but I have been very ill. No COVID-19, I have other health things going on. I have not been awake much. Sorry again, I have had to cancel a lot of things this week.

So do where do I have to be to have line of sight? Or is the creature big enough for me to see over my cover?

If you just want line of sight, you can stay where you are and peek around the corner. Make a Fort save first if you do.

The two large crates are about 10' tall, so you cannot see over your current cover.

Anybody need an inspiring boost?

I am down 16 SP.

I'd like to try to speed this up a bit. Aramesh, you can see the stats in the combat post.

Inspiring boost can be used once per 10 minute rest per ally and only in the round immediately after they took damage. So this would be the perfect time to use it on Barat, and you can see he's down exactly the amount you'd restore.

Rather than wait a day (or weekend) I'll bit you based on your implied willingness to use Inspiring Boost.

When I am at work, I don’t have a lot of time to look at everyone's sheet. So that is why I asked. Easier to ask who needs it the most. But quick so first one who asked gets it, Barat.

GM: Does my boundary ability "Once per combat encounter, when an attack misses you or hits but fails to damage you, or you succeed at a saving throw that negates an effect, you can gain 1 Entropy Point without taking any additional action." trigger on that Fortitude save? If so, and if that counts as during the combat encounter, could I have gotten 1 EP from making that save?

Either way, I gain 1 EP at my first action during combat. Gain 1 EP from taking 12+ damage.

Yes, it would trigger on the failed save.

I had already posted at the same time you did.

The occupied squares still count as difficult terrain, even if the eel's flat-footed, right?

Yes, of course. The eel is not "helpless" just flat footed. Movement still costs double to thread your way around its body and coils, but you don't have to make an Acrobatics check to avoid an AO.

The scenario didn't specify a height of the crates, so I failed to include it. Let's say the big crates (now marked A & B) to either side of the grav crane are 10' tall. It's clearly tricky to maneuver across the yellow grav crane, and thus is difficult terrain. The eel totally fills its squares up to a height of 10 feet. The target crates marked with a yellow X are a stack of 3 smaller crates. Your score is at the bottom of the stack. Each of those crates is 3 feet tall, so the whole target stack stands 9 feet.

So we get everything resolved? I just remembered I can fly too. But not going to fly yet unless it makes sense.

So the package is attached to some ropes, is there any way to shoot at them or sever the cables? Also how far is the gyrocopter away from me? I am kind of at a loss on what to do I must admit. Aramesh doesn't have many skill and abilities for this unfortunately.

Right. As the Face in the heist, your big role was in getting access to the datapad. In terms of Starfinder, Envoys are typically more of a support role combat ... however you do also have 3 grenades and we have a helicopter hovering outside that we need to get rid of.

Also, if you are worried about getting hit, if you stand next to me I have about a dozen reaction options to prevent adjacent allies from taking damage, which I haven't been able to use yet. ;)

More like I really don't know what to do. Clever feint and bluff aren't going to stop a copter from getting out loot lol. I am wondering if I can shoot at the copter or cables but I have not had a good track record shooting. I was also thinking of throwing a grenade at the copter but I don't know if I can get closer.

So yeah, not worried about being hit. But it is just shoot at the remaining thug with Get'Em or do if I have some options.

If I can get to the copter cool. But I only fly 20ft. And throw range is 20ft I believe.

We're still waiting for LNA to act also.

The Copter is about 30 feet above the top of the cargo car. You could fly your 20' then throw a grenade at no penalty.

But when you do fly up, give me a Perception check before you throw the grenade. Roll both in your post, please, in case you fail to notice something.

The scenario presents three main options for how to escape from the guards and troops awaiting your arrival at Steepshore:

A) fleeing as soon as the train reaches its destination (vehicle chase),

B) blasting your way out of the station by force (Mech combat)

C) attempting to blend in with the other passengers and sneak out unrecognized (Role-play and Improv with some character appropriate skill checks.)

Mech Combat is a 4-page section of Tech Revolution. It’s not something you get to do in nearly any other scenarios, which is both good and bad. It’ll be a slow slog of figuring out who can do what when and how

Vehicle Chase is a not-uncommon CRB-based event in SF scenarios, so the 3 experienced players should be familiar and Darkeus would learn a system that’s likely to come up again. Aramesh wouldn’t be the Pilot (LNA has a +15 Piloting!), so he wouldn’t feel pressured to lead, just fall back to supporting.

I get the feeling that this group would be split about the RP option. It’s not Face-focused, but does involve a lot of improv and story telling.

Please discuss here in Discussion which one you’d prefer. Once you’ve decided, the scenario will provide you with appropriate resources for that option.

I think option C is the most straightforward.

I'd love a chance to try out Mech combat, but I'm not sure Play-by-Post is the place to do it. I was looking for a scenario/adventure that had one built in, though, so I may use this to run through it and figure out the logistics on my own time.

I'm not a huge fan of vehicle chases, but I'm not opposed to that if others are interested.

I pick option A, followed by C as a second option. I also agree that option B is kind of hard, not just for play by post but in general.

I'm with Max/LNA--we've got a decent ensemble of skills for the chase, but we also have at least one of us who's a good talker.

I think everyone agrees that mech would be cool if this was a live game.

I am also partial to A and C. A vehicle chase is pretty standard of heist stories but sneaking out could be exciting too. Although the dice roller hates me lol.

So I kind of lean towards C but A or C would be cool.

So it looks like two votes for A with C as secondary and two for C with A as secondary ... so GM's pick. :)

As long as the GM doesn't pick B, at least.

Okay, I think I'm gonna go with the vehicle chase. Since LNA will be the Pilot, and that was his first choice, that means he's fully on board with it, and I'm not foisting it on someone that's less than enthused.

Also, I started really reading through Option C, and there's some serious issues with the set up from a writing and editing perspective. It would certainly not be as straight forward as I'd initially thought.

Give me a little time to write up the intro post for this part this morning, and we'll be on our way (so to speak).

As we rapidly speed toward the finish line, I’ll start getting chronicles ready. Please let me know what character you want this applied to. This chronicle can be applied to a PC of any level, and the credits get adjusted accordingly.

Player Name:
Character Name:
SFS Number:
Faction:
Character Level:
Discord or email address:

A character can also attempt one Day Job roll to earn income, using a skill bonus from the character receiving credit. You can honor-system roll it and annotate that yourself, or roll it here and I’ll put it on your chronicle.