PFS1e 1-47 - The Darkest Vengeance [Gameday XI] (KS) (Inactive)

Game Master phaeton_nz

Discussion Thread

It is so quiet in here (looking around). It should be fun playing with you all. :)

Well, I still have some last preparations to do... *shrugs*

I'm looking forward to playing with you! :-D

While we wait, could you please dot and delete in Gameplay, if you haven't already, to add yourselves to the campaign, and also put a token on the Slides as well as filling in the Initiative and Perception macros please.

sure thing boss

I added my familiar's perception and icon as well. He will be taking very limited actions (mainly casting Guidance on Roagach) in combat. :)

We are playing high tier as it seems as this scenario was designed for 4 players.

Sorry I'm late! Kolris' profile is currently a mess; I was copy-pasting an edit I wanted to make to all of my PC's sheets, and accidentally copied a different PC's profile over much of Kolris' profile.

I'm going to add the default Statblock from HeroLab at the top so that I have all the essentials that I can play from; I'll slowly correct the rest throughout the game. I also have a chronicle to apply, but it doesn't level him up, so should have no meaningful impact that would prevent me playing him.

Also, Kolris has a boon Whispers of Evil that he'll be checking a box for to gain a +1 circumstance bonus on Perception and Sense Motive checks for the duration of this scenario:

Whispers of Evil: Chasing the ghoul witch Zaashakar throughout the city of Azir has left you with more questions than answers. A previously hidden evil has begun to stir, but now you’re aware of its movements. You can check a box next to this boon at the beginning of an adventure to gain a +1 circumstance bonus on all Perception and Sense Motive checks during that adventure.

@phaeton_nz- These opponents are going down pretty easily. Are you sure that you are looking at the 4-5 sub tier?

Just to be sure, can you 'take 20' on trapfinding when there is a chance of failure, or does it just mean you're being very meticulous?

Yes; it's even used as one of the examples in the rules:

Taking 10: When your character is not in immediate danger or distracted, you may choose to take 10. Instead of rolling 1d20 for the skill check, calculate your result as if you had rolled a 10. For many routine tasks, taking 10 makes them automatically successful. Distractions or threats (such as combat) make it impossible for a character to take 10. In most cases, taking 10 is purely a safety measure—you know (or expect) that an average roll will succeed but fear that a poor roll might fail, so you elect to settle for the average roll (a 10). Taking 10 is especially useful in situations where a particularly high roll wouldn’t help.

Taking 20: When you have plenty of time, you are faced with no threats or distractions, and the skill being attempted carries no penalties for failure, you can take 20. In other words, if you roll a d20 enough times, eventually you will get a 20. Instead of rolling 1d20 for the skill check, just calculate your result as if you had rolled a 20.

Taking 20 means you are trying until you get it right, and it assumes that you fail many times before succeeding. Taking 20 takes 20 times as long as making a single check would take (usually 2 minutes for a skill that takes 1 round or less to perform).

Since taking 20 assumes that your character will fail many times before succeeding, your character would automatically incur any penalties for failure before he or she could complete the task (hence why it is generally not allowed with skills that carry such penalties). Common “take 20” skills include Disable Device (when used to open locks), Escape Artist, and Perception (when attempting to find traps).

emphasis added

PCs can use Take 10 and Take 20 way more often than we do. In fact, Kolris would be allowed to Take 10 on that Disable Device check (just 10, because there's a penalty for failure), but the allure of a higher result on the dice gets me every time.

A lot of GMs would disallow a Take 10 to disable (not find) traps so that is a bit of a grey area although technically I agree with you.

You can certainly take 20 on Perception rolls to find traps and to open a lock with Disable Device outside of combat.

A lot of GMs would disallow a Take 10 to disable (not find) traps so that is a bit of a grey area although technically I agree with you.

I don't think that interpretation is supported by the rules. There are skills that specifically prohibit using Take 10 (Use Magic Device is one, see Special in the entry). Disable Device has no such restriction, nor does any appear elsewhere in the rules, at least not that I've ever found.

You can find a lot of discussion about it, and there are a lot of GMs that don't allow Take 10 or 20 with Disable Device, Perception, any of the social skills, or even with any opposed checks. That's all fine in a home game, but in PFS the rules are set and supposed to be consistent; there's no support for any of those restrictions in the rules.

I am not saying that they are right however GMs have a lot of discretion with implementing Take 10 rules and this discretionary ability has even been codified with a PF blog post so table variation is just something you will have to live with. Skill mastery or the equivalent is a gold pass around this sort of madness. :)

As a GM I allow take 20 to find traps and disable a lock as there is no risk of failure. But I never allow take 20 to disable a trap because of course there is a risk of rolling to low.

Having a professional door opener is a good thing in this dungeon. :)

Baldrum bows and whispers a short prayer, then he casts guidance and detect magic and checks the crate of sunrods for any magic.

@GM: Did Baldrum find anything?

Asking also here because some crossposting happened in gameplay, it seems...

Nothing that wasn't already stated.

Very creepy doll!!

Okay, I definitely need some scrolls … including comprehend languages.

"What a weird carving..."

The dwarf casts guidance on himself again, then scans the relief carving with detect magic.

If nothing comes of it, Baldrum moves on to the southeast room.

@GM: I am going to assume that the carving is not magical as there was not more information posted about it. Please tell me if that is correct. Thanks!

It isn't

Yeeeeeeeeeees! :-D

It's the first time that Baldrum's carefully selected racial traits are useful in a pinch like this - and they worked together with the dice bot like a well oiled machine. :-) Thank you, dice bot!

I just needed to get this out of my system.
So please keep moving, there's nothing to see here... ;-)

Second, I forgot the Death Throes ability that Dark Creepers have when they die. When a dark creeper is slain, its body combusts in a flash of bright white light, leaving its gear in a heap on the ground. All creatures within a 10-foot burst must make a Fortitude save or be blinded for 1d6 rounds. So Rogarch needs to make a save.

If that's an ability that triggers always, then I am curious:

It's either that or I misread something,

Havoc of the Society [Link]
Source Shattered Star Player's Guide pg. 5, Faction Guide pg. 63
Requirement(s) Sorcerer, Pathfinder Society
Through countless hours studying vast libraries of arcane power, you have learned how to cause greater damage to your foes. Whenever you cast a spell that deals damage, you gain a +1 trait bonus to the total damage dealt. This damage is considered force damage regardless of the type of damage dealt by the spell.

from Archives of Nethys...

I love the Scabbard of Vigor. Such a good value for such a low price even if it is only 1/day. +3 or +4 weapons are expensive. :)

Carlin/Anastasia - Both of your character's icons are missing from the map. Carlin at least should be in the room with the Dark Creeper as you spoke to him.

Both of you know the Burning Hands spell. You know where he is and you know where my character is so feel free to blast him as the darkness should not protect him.

We're very close to the end now, so you may as well post your Downtime Rolls and your Boon roll. To quote the instructions:

Have your players roll a D20, if a player is unavailable you may roll for them. Remember to roll for yourself at the same time. A 19 or 20 wins a player boon. If you or a player win, do another roll for each winner. (You will need to collect the winners email address to send the boon to them.)

Roll a d3 to determine which boon you or the player has won. The boons are listed out on the reporting tool as Player Boon 1, Player Boon 2, and Player Boons 3.

Player Boon #1: Season Explorer 4-5
Player Boon #2: Aeon Investigator
Player Boon #3: Season Explorer 8-9

So, for me boon?: 1d20 ⇒ 5

No Daytime roll.

Boon?: 1d20 ⇒ 4

boondoggle?: 1d20 ⇒ 4

Alright then.

Season 10 Reward card roll to establish a new trade route.

Initimidate, DC 19: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Boon roll: 1d20 ⇒ 9

I guess it is no to both rolls then. :(

Rogarch has no Day Job either.

Thanks for deciding to be the GM! :)

No day job roll.

boon? : 1d20 ⇒ 201d3 ⇒ 3

No day job.

To boon or not to boon: 1d20 ⇒ 7 No.

Craft (alchemy), day job: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (11) + 15 = 26
boon?: 1d20 ⇒ 10

Game reported.

Chronicle looks good; thanks for the game!

Thanks again! I just sent you a PM with my mail address for the boon. :-)

got it..ty! gg guys!

Thanks for running!

I had a great time, everyone! :-D

Chronicle looks good.