[PF2E] Otari/Abomination Vaults Adventure Path (Inactive)

Game Master Sam C.

Re money - pf2 has a default starting amount of money (step 8). Please confirm if we should ditch that and get rolling instead :)

No, the base starting amount is fine. It'll provide the essentials and a bit left over, the latter varying according to class. Just add 1d4+1 GP to that.

Free money!: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

[dice=Free money!]1d4+1

Welp, guess Hellewen isn't peddling the right kind of herbs to get paid :D

Hoping the in character rolls will turn out better, otherwise I'll have to pick up the oracle archetype to get something out of this rng curse :p

Pocket Money: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

@GM: Could you try and make a post in gameplay? Can be an OOC test post.
The "thread" is empty. So I figure you created the thread, linked it, then removed your original post with which you created the thread?
Since the posts are sequential(e.g. this is page 2#55), the "reference" point may be missing, causing both mine and other dots to have gone into the void. My post is not listed on character, but counted. I think the thread may be "broken" because deleting the first post may have removed the "anchor" to which all other posts are tethered.
I may be mistaken, but if we do need a new gameplay thread, I figure you'll want that "figured out" before you start writing a proper post, because I also don't exactly know how swapping a gameplay thread would work, or if it kicks out our registration, or if support from paizo would be needed.
As said, I may be seeing ghosts but believe trying now and finding out what's needed to fix it would be preferable over trying to start the game and finding out it's broken then.

Let's see what the Crow brought home: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

I just assumed it was some fancy cool new feature for dotting.

Just in case though might be worth to save our first post externally in case they get eaten too :p

Okay, I just tried to make a post (which I saved to a text file, just in case) and nothing happened. Let me do some digging and see what I need to unf&!# here.

Edit: Okay, there's apparently an issue where, if you make a gameplay thread, make an initial post in that thread, and then delete that initial post, it borks the gameplay thread to a "need Paizo's IT help to fix this" level of broken.

I hate it when I'm right on that kind of thing -_-
Good luck.

Paizo's forum is built much like Pathfinder itself, built on generations of wizardry perhaps few understand these days. :P

Ugh, I hope it's not too much of a drag to fix the thread.

Money: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Alright, I migrated everything to a new campaign, so hopefully this will work out better. Instead of a dot/delete post, just post a brief reaction to my starter to get registered.

I hope the opening satisfies. Had to try to remember all of the good (and bad) things I've seen from my own GMs over the years when I was putting it together.

The new way of doing skills is definitely going to take some getting used to. I think that I'm doing it right by giving Otari Lore a lower DC than Society for checks on the same subject, given that the former is intensely focused and only applicable to one area.

It kinda dropped off from my campaign screen and the old link doesn't work. So might be worth poking people about the existence of this whole thing :)

The introduction looks nice! Shiny, impressive. Well put together. Too good to properly respond to late o'clock, so I shall be back tomorrow after work :)

It kinda dropped off from my campaign screen and the old link doesn't work. So might be worth poking people about the existence of this whole thing :)

Thanks for the heads up!

Woohoo! So exciting!
Gold?: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Scouting is not as profitable as I'd hoped, but free gold is free gold!

Rik'tik, where did you get a +10 bonus for that Recall check? I mean, you obviously made it with the roll itself, but I'm not seeing anything that would grant a bonus in your sheet.

Oh man, I blame the fact that it was late and I was sleepy. There was more than one thing I wrote that seems off now that I re-read the post!

By the way, I am happy to pre-know any of the PCs, but don’t feel strongly about this. Let me know if you’re interested.

I still need to sort out Inva's possessions. I've been getting just crushed at work for a couple of weeks now, so no extra time. I'll try to get it done within another day or two.

@Rik'tik: No problem, lol, I understand.

@Inva: No rush, we'll probably be at least a few days yet before the rest of the crew can get around to chiming in, and you all go down the stairs to begin your epic investigation of the Mystery of the Missing Fish!

Re skill checks - To my understanding a skill check is [proficiency bonus] + [attribute bonus] (+ [misc/magic ect ect bonuses]). If you are untrained, proficiency bonus would be +0. So far like 1e.

But! If you are Trained (or Expert or Master or whatever the better grades are called) your Proficiency Bonus is actually [Your Level] + ["Grade Bonus"].

So for the Lore check mentioned in the gameplay channel Inva would be, assuming she is Trained; 1 from level, 2 from trained and 1 from intelligence.

Hellewens Society check is similarly 1 from level, 2 from trained and 2 from intelligence.

This is also true for a bunch of things like AC, class ability dc and so on. For example; Hellewen AC is as follows:

10 as a base (still, had to double check this was actually true in 2e :p)
+3 from Dex
+2 from Studded Leather
+3 from Trained in Light Armor (level +2)

Reference :)

Well, Inva rolled pretty badly on her trained Recall check, and even correcting her bonus to +4 instead of the +3 she used wouldn't have helped.

But she still managed the DC of the untrained Recall check, so she does get to read that spoiler.

But yes, the new way of calculating bonuses is going to be a learning thing for us all, and I foresee many "oops, forget that" edits on checks of various sorts.

Just saw Eser (or is it Esser?) had posted, and almost choked laughing at what I can only believe is the intentional "birbishness."

Gah, it is Eser. And yes, I'm intentionally playing this one a little strange. Trying to get out of my usual human perspective a bit.

got held up today, I'll try and get a post in tomorrow(both here and at my game.).

Alrighty, before we get into the first fight, I'm going need a bit of decision making from the rest of you. Specifically, should I run the various Beginner encounters with the reduced intro box opponent stats, or should I go full Bestiary with it?

On the one hand, it's a new system for pretty much all of us and the reduced complexity (and, admittedly, potential lethality) could only help in learning the ropes.

On the other hand, however, we're all pretty seasoned as players in general terms, and should be aware by now that even nominally weak enemies can pose a threat, especially starting out. Furthermore, as most of you are presumably working out of the Core rulebook, or the AoN equivalent, you're already using the full rules on your end.

I'll go with majority decision on this. Note, however, that for everything after the initial adventure, I'm going full rules for everything.

Full Bestiary! Since we're fully powered, our enemies should be too.

I think we're fine, you've been quite generous with freebie bonuses.

Agree with the fine bit. Main consideration should probably be gm conversion effort though! Don't mind fighting simplified foes if that means it is more convenient :)

Agreed, don’t feel obligated to do more work if it’s easier to just run the beginner box as is.

The only real difference between the BB and standard versions of foes is that the former have some abilities left off their stat block. Like inflicting disease on a successful attack and so on.

Consequently, there is no conversion work to speak of to swap between them. And with PbP, it's not like we're on a schedule to get the game moving along or anything, so I actually can spend time on stuff like this, if I need to.

I'm fine with full stats.

I also vote full. As said, you were quite generous. If we still find ourselves in over our heads, it would be better sooner rather than later.

I think Inya has shorted herself a point for a whole bunch of her stats and skills, because she gets to add her Level to anything that's Trained or better. So that would include Perception, all trained skills, and saving throws.

I appreciate the enthusiasm, Hellewen, but that was the wrong set of stairs on the map :D. I've relocated your token to the correct set. I have also, based on the gameplay posts, arranged Eser, Rik'tik, and Grasz accordingly.

Mhmh >.>

Okay, I've dealt with gear. I've also adjusted skills and saves by +1.

Thanks Tazo, I didn't realize I added level to those. Does AC get the same bonus? I'm guessing not, but I was wrong before...

I currently figure AC to be: 4 DEX + 1 Leather + 2 Trained + 1 Buckler = 18. Sound right?

Okay, I've dealt with gear. I've also adjusted skills and saves by +1.

Thanks Tazo, I didn't realize I added level to those. Does AC get the same bonus? I'm guessing not, but I was wrong before...

I currently figure AC to be: 4 DEX + 1 Leather + 2 Trained + 1 Buckler = 18. Sound right?

From the AoN page.

Armor Class = 10 + Dexterity modifier (up to your armor’s Dex Cap) + proficiency bonus + armor’s item bonus to AC + other bonuses + penalties

So no, no level addition to that as far as I can tell.

I think AC is included—proficiency bonus inherently includes level.

https://2e.aonprd.com/Rules.aspx?ID=35

But bucklers do not add to AC without the Raise a Shield action.

https://2e.aonprd.com/Actions.aspx?ID=98

So Inva has AC 18, and AC 19 if she raises a shield as an action.

Yeah, what Rik'tik said:
The automatic builder seems to agree that AC uses the same proficiency as everything else -
"Base 10 Item +1 Dex +3 Proficiency +3" for Pfil. (the item is her armor).

Eser, you know that you could try that Recall check, right? You have the requisite Nature skill, after all. It being listed as untrained isn't meant to prevent you (or anyone else with a trained or better proficiency) from trying, it just means that you don't need to have that skill to recall that bit of information.

Trouble is that Recall Knowledge takes an action.
https://2e.aonprd.com/Actions.aspx?ID=26
We haven't had time to think yet.

D'oh, forgot all about the fact that, yes, we are in combat mode now and free time for checks is temporarily on hold.

Man, if my head wasn't a sealed container, I'd forget my brain somewhere.

Sorry for the delay. I spent an inordinate amount of time wondering if I should give Gin Tengu or Common since I can only give him one language.

Also, a question for going forward, if my Familiar has better perception mod/vision than I do, am I allowed to have a custom Exploration action, where in place of doing something like maintaining a spell with Repeat a Spell, or giving the party +1 Initiative with Scout, I go "Okay, my familiar's on watch, I spend an action every round to have him look out", and then roll his perception for my Initiative checks?

Speaking of which, we should probably pick a scout for Exploration mode so we all get +1 on our Initiative checks.

Also, a question for going forward, if my Familiar has better perception mod/vision than I do, am I allowed to have a custom Exploration action, where in place of doing something like maintaining a spell with Repeat a Spell, or giving the party +1 Initiative with Scout, I go "Okay, my familiar's on watch, I spend an action every round to have him look out", and then roll his perception for my Initiative checks?

No. Even with my limited experience, it looks too much like something that should properly be a familiar ability. Now if it granted a bonus (say, half, rounded down, of your familiar's Perception modifier?) to your own Perception check, that would be fine.

With that said, however, I would allow it as a new familiar ability, called "Watchful" or something like that. You won't have to spend an action every round to have the ability active, it can only be used in Exploration mode, and the ability can't be flipped on and off at will like a light switch; if you choose to use it, it's in effect until you choose not to, and then it's off until you select daily familiar abilities again.

In either case, the familiar's ability to recognize and warn you of threats is restricted to what its own senses can perceive. If it can't see/hear something, even when you otherwise could--for example, you are under an effect that grants you darkvision, but it only has normal light vision--it can't grant the bonus. Oh, and the Perception bonus/check would obviously apply only to making initiative checks.

Speaking of Familiars - I wonder how you all interpret the AC bit.

"Your familiar's save modifiers and AC are equal to yours before applying circumstance or status bonuses or penalties. "

So it doesn't have my stats or circumstances. But does it have the third type; item? Aka would it help a familiar for the master to wear a full plate armor somehow?

Speaking of Familiars - I wonder how you all interpret the AC bit.

"Your familiar's save modifiers and AC are equal to yours before applying circumstance or status bonuses or penalties. "

So it doesn't have my stats or circumstances. But does it have the third type; item? Aka would it help a familiar for the master to wear a full plate armor somehow?

Lol, so the familiar is basking in and absorbing its master's eau de platemail to enhance its own protection?

"I stink of rusting metal, sweat-soaked padding, and leather, just like my master, so I should be protected the same!"

Feels like they're supposed to get a bit of a freebee on saves from whatever cloaks of resistances are called this edition and the ac just oopsed in. My guess at least :p

But familiars don't seem overly combat capable anyhow so it probably doesn't matter much.

Oh wait "It doesn't have or use its own ability modifiers and can never benefit from item bonuses." is tacked onto the end. So no item bonuses ever or at all. So that's solved :)

Which results in the funny situation that if you are wearing armor you are not trained in, your Familiar loses AC.

Anyway, thanks for the idea, I'll have to think about it when I hit level six, as personally I don't like the idea of taking away Gin's ability to talk to get +2 to my Initiative, as much as that's probably helpful. :P