GM ZD Breaking the Storm Arc (Inactive)

Game Master Z...D...

Should Yellow have taken the Attack of Opportunity on Wolfie?

Yellow was hit by bottled lightning. When that hits, the creature becomes flat-footed.

Then Hopper commanded Wolfie to attack.

There is a ton to keep track of here, I think this may have slipped by.

2e, flat-footed does NOT prevent reactions. So yes, that is kosher.

Sadly, part that isn't, @pip, the trees are mindless, we know this. Soothe has the mental trait. It cannot affect the trees :(

2e, flat-footed does NOT prevent reactions. So yes, that is kosher.

Sadly, part that isn't, @pip, the trees are mindless, we know this. Soothe has the mental trait. It cannot affect the trees :(

This is mental! :P(sorry couldn't help myself)

At the same note: Inspire Defense has an emotional and mental trait which still mean that Wolfie can benefit from it (Animal trait means low intelligence but not mindless) => gets resistance 2 to physical damage

Quick tactical update. Damage we have dealt to the three salamanders, sans weakness, is as follows now:

red: 50
Yellow: 87
blue: 72

Red and Yellow have each been hit by a Cold effect once, Blue twice. As such, depending on exactly how much weak they are, the most injured is between Yellow or Blue. Since we do not know how bad the weakness is, I say we still focus down Yellow since it's Flat-footed per Hopper (90+ hp to these things... yeesh.)

That's my plan, assuming I can break free quickly.

Too many systems!

Sorry, evidently my mistake. It is annoying that flat footed means different things in the three systems: PF1, PF2 and Starfinder.

I’m also surprised that Soothe doesn’t work on the trees. :(

Hilary is at work, so I don’t know that she is going to be able to adjust her actions.

No worries. i have also mixed up what Flat-footed does in 2e, dozens of times. Having GMed Starfinder and 2e back-to-back several times recently. I started making myself a cheat-sheet of what the conditions do in each system, which was how I remembered ;)

Yeah, as a friendly spell, we often get so used to to it working on allies. I just happened to notice it had the mental trait when I was going over all the bard spells and seeing which cantrips etc. couldn't effect the trees.

As Hilary is at work, and stated she would use the three action to recall the feather "next time" because she didn't "see that answer" from the GM "before making her post". I would guess it could be well within assumption range that she would change her actions to that. Perhaps, in his infinite mercy, GM ZD would allow such a retcon if nobody else has any objections? (not trying to take agency away from Hillary. I love her posts and characterization of Pip. But I also know that this is a combat heavy scenario, per GM description, and combats can take a long time in PbP. ((Like the fact this is only round 4 of the combat <.< )))

If people would rather wait, so she has full input, I have no problems with that if ZD doesn't either.

Quick post from work: Save the Tree.

Pip is part dryad now and the tree has been a noble ally.

Will allow the retcon. Never really looked at Soothe's traits until now. I know it is great for Dhamphir's since it does not have the positive trait, that's about it.

Yeah. Bards don't get along great with mindless types. Normally not a problem, as normally it's enemies that are mindless not allies. But hey, first time for everything, right?

It will probably never happen, but I think Bards have nightmares about mindless PCs.

It will probably never happen, but I think Bards have nightmares about mindless PCs.

I have had nightmare mindless of others players.

As this encounter comes to an end. I will be issuing a hero point to Barydeth for acting as meat shield for the party. Weathering all 3 salamanders full front assault.

As this encounter comes to an end. I will be issuing a hero point to Barydeth for acting as meat shield for the party. Weathering all 3 salamanders full front assault.

Nice. Thank you. But big angry meatshield is pretty much all Bardyth is. Couldn't have done it without the help of everyone else. :)

PFS 2 GM ZD wrote:

As this encounter comes to an end. I will be issuing a hero point to Barydeth for acting as meat shield for the party. Weathering all 3 salamanders full front assault.

Nice. Thank you. But big angry meatshield is pretty much all Bardyth is. Couldn't have done it without the help of everyone else. :)

With a little help of your friends ;) Now go ahead Bardyth and ask what will we do if you sing out of tune :P

============

Nicely done! Btw. At times I put Hopper and Wolfie into the thick of it to let enemies attack more than one target. Hopper is a big goblin (a figure of speech ;)) so he can take a hit or two. The same with Wolfie, as much as I hate him getting hit ;)

Usually, when a PC is taken down it costs way more actions to get back up (picking up weapons, standing up etc.) not even saying at losing Rage or other statuses.

SNIP

Usually, when a PC is taken down it costs way more actions to get back up (picking up weapons, standing up etc.) not even saying at losing Rage or other statuses.

SNIP

Absolutely this. It is why I know there was no way I could've gone it alone. We were sent as a team afterall. :) and why, when I mentioned leaping in a way that was expected to incur AoO's, I called it a hail Mary. Cus I knew it could have easily backfired instead.

Seems I have some catching up to do…

Time to go read those 15 posts that evidently ended the current combat.

The only thing that Pip could contribute with is possibly a bardic lore as scouting lore. Would that work, GM?

Never mind, my visual perception is the same as Bardic Lore.

So should I plant my tree in a different location? We spent time trying to rescue it that we could have spent killing the enemy.

I’m thinking of placing it where the red 1 is on the map. That should still cover the Red tree with the fire ward and provide supporting fire at the bridge. Anything at the waterfall would have cover from it.

——

@GM ZD, do you want me to change the base saves and AC in my header (not the profile) to reflect the mutagen?

almost think we should, roughly, swap location of herondal and Salliss tree, since Red tree didn't get to do as much due to location, and blue can fire farther away? But maybe wait for the scouting to finish first... I suspect last time I failed, based on the description given. As such, two successes may have given a better idea of where the enemies were coming from.

The enemy clearly knew about the red trees reach. Switching the red and blue trees sounds good.

I didn’t want to move any of the other trees since moving a tree cuts down on the possibility of saving it if attacked. You can only replant once.

If Red is keeping most of them from crossing the river, sounds like it is doing the job!

Agreed! It's good keeping them from crossing the river.

Hmm

Oof, you're right. I missed the part where they can only be replanted once.

I do regret not noticing that the area next to the red tree is the waterfall. I thought the waterfall was off of the map and that bit was just some stones in the river. Otherwise I would have planted it about 15 feet up.

and here I thought you put it there specifically to cover the water-fall easy-crossing and still provide some protection to the bridge.

Does that wave hit the trees too?

Yes. And yes the trees keep healing, I see no reason for them not too. Unless you pull them immediately after combat.

Possibly I missed something but I think the flat check Herondal was supposed to make was actually for Ionic. Unless one of the attacks against Ionic was actually supposed to be against me. Moot point since we can just get any remaining healing from the Violet trees.

Yuhp. Put it behind the wrong PC. Do not worry about it though. With the tree's fire ward and the healing, it would never get too bad.

@GM ZD, do you want me to change the base saves and AC in my header (not the profile) to reflect the mutagen?

Yes. I like players to try to keep their character headers as up to date as possible. I usually try to assist in tracking HP. With all of the healing and resistances in that last encounter, I did miss some things.

Will make the scouting checks once I get settled in at work for the night.

I thought that was just another area they could cross. I think the waterfall was mentioned as being a 20ft drop. If it is less of a drop then the tree placement is a happy accident.

Alright, there are three places where I think my tree might work well.

1 is marked on the map, provides fire resist to those protecting the bridge and the Red tree. Does not have a good field of fire to those going up past Red tree.

2 is marked on the map, provides excellent support to Red tree both in terms of Fire Resist and field of fire. Doesn’t provide Fire Resist to those at the bridge. It also isn’t as good of support to the bridge but also isn’t in an exposed position.

3 is where Salliss’s avatar currently sits. Provides good Fire support to both Red Tree and the bridge, but as we found out is a little too exposed to enemy attacks.

If someone has a different placement, let me know.

I’ve given my thoughts on the good points and bad points I see with the locations and am currently in analysis paralysis as to which it should be.

I thought that was just another area they could cross. I think the waterfall was mentioned as being a 20ft drop. If it is less of a drop then the tree placement is a happy accident.

Well happy accident then. as it's listed as a 10ft drop... Which means essentially no damage because in water.

Alright, there are three places where I think my tree might work well.

1 is marked on the map, provides fire resist to those protecting the bridge and the Red tree. Does not have a good field of fire to those going up past Red tree.

2 is marked on the map, provides excellent support to Red tree both in terms of Fire Resist and field of fire. Doesn’t provide Fire Resist to those at the bridge. It also isn’t as good of support to the bridge but also isn’t in an exposed position.

3 is where Salliss’s avatar currently sits. Provides good Fire support to both Red Tree and the bridge, but as we found out is a little too exposed to enemy attacks.

If someone has a different placement, let me know.

I’ve given my thoughts on the good points and bad points I see with the locations and am currently in analysis paralysis as to which it should be.

Unless scouting says otherwise, I plan to resume Bardyth at the Bridge, and he already has 5 resist. He also pretty much takes up all useable space on the bridge due to his size. Further, Ionic tree covers bridge with resist too.

As such, I feel the support of Bridge for fire resist is less important. Having more coverage elsewhere is more important. So my vote is placement number 2.

That said, wait for decision until after scouting report... Again, quite possible the enemies come from elsewhere this time. (in fact, with how the Author seems determined to make this as tough as possible, with the one replanting... I would almost put money that enemies will come from elsewhere... like north of the river... or from the southern edge. Just because first wave will make us want to lean heavy into protecting western edge... But that might just be the cynic in me.)

If we want to go with basic psychology. This will be a tougher wave than 1, (oof). Then there will be a third wave. The Boss wave, that will really test our ability to stop them. (Cus humans like groups of three. And RPGs like bosses)

Speaking of RPG tropes... did those enemies drop any loot on their bodies, ZD?

Herondal still has a focus point but assuming there is a 3rd wave he will want to regain focus after this next one.

Speaking of RPG tropes... did those enemies drop any loot on their bodies, ZD?

The Brimoraks, no. They conjure their swords.

The salamanders each had a +1 striking ransuer.

Herondal still has a focus point but assuming there is a 3rd wave he will want to regain focus after this next one.

You did get 12 minutes in between. So you could regain 1.

Hmmm... well, not quite the pile of consumables I was expecting... I also am going to guess the Ransuers are pretty useless to our party? (Salliss and Ionic both appear to be dual wielders, I need a Large weapon, and I don't forsee the bards or Alchemist having much use in the polearms.)

Salliss is not proficienct and can’t get sneak attack with a ransuer. No interest from him.

Putting my tree in location #2.

Flyers so this will be interesting.

I’m in position.

Let's hope, as hounds, they don't have a ranged attack... otherwise this is going to be rough for Bardyth to fight I'd they choose to stay at distance. Also makes the bridge less a deal... hrmmm... deciding on starting spot...

Bleh, we have no idea where they are coming from. So sure. Whatever. Starting by the bridge anyway. Afterall, last fight had two types of enemies, there may be multiple types this time, and since I can't seem to Scout worth squat. I'll take that chance...

As they are flyers, I recommend we spread out some, in case they try to just fly around.

If I really want reach, taking a ransuer isn't the worst thing. I am built for dual wielding but I can use a two handed weapon as needed too. I'll carry one just in case.

I figure the scouting took longer then 2 minutes. Since the hounds can effectively fly we need a way to cover the well.

It was 12 minutes before the scouting check. So still time enough to refocus.

Ah. Then Herondal will work in his play Blue Dusk.

Like previously, let me know when you all are set.

To get the spear. It's on the chronicle from The Slithering... which was sooo painful. My characters got murdered left and right...

To get the spear. It's on the chronicle from The Slithering... which was sooo painful. My characters got murdered left and right... ** spoiler omitted **

Yeah...One of the PC's in my group fell to the Gluttonous Spear wielder.

Yeah...One of the PC's in my group fell to the Gluttonous Spear wielder.

yeah... that fight can be quite... fatal. (my group no-one died... But got real close.)

Downside to not knowing exactly when enemies are coming, and having an Elixir to drink. So many actions lost to my first round XD

That is a huge downside to most elixirs/mutagens. For characters like Salliss it is the best as he always performs with one hand free. So drinking cost him one action. That is why even that Hopper passes mutagens and elixirs right and left, usually other players don't use them :(

And I don't blame them, Hopper was using Quicksilver mutagen till lvl 4 when the HP penalty was simply too high for effectively +1 to range attacks (as bombs has +1 already so bonus of +2 is less exciting).

I believe I’ve applied the elixir to my header correctly other than not doing the -1 to recall knowledge.