[PaizoCon 2023] SFS 6-02: Drift Scars (Inactive)

Game Master cmlobue

Welcome to my run of Drift Scars for PaizoCon 2023. Your sign in sheet is >HERE<. Please fill it out so I can determine subtier and get your chronicles to you. A small note about timing before we begin:

One thing that differs about PaizoCon: we have a hard cutoff date of July 22. If the game is not finished by then, we stop and everyone gets rewards for whatever portion of the scenario is completed. Because of this, I will be fairly aggressive with my botting. Please make sure your profile has all your stats and instructions for botting your character - >HERE< is an example. I will also be using the rule of two for decision-making: once two people have agreed to the course of action, that is what we will do.

I also reserve the right to change initiative so the sides act in blocks. If I do, I will make every effort to change in the party's favor.

This scenario has a starship combat, which could slow things down significantly. I ask you to determine your roles in advance. When starship combat begins, I would like the pilot to make at least five initiative checks so each turn can start with one side moving, and everyone take all the actions at once; I will knit them together into a turn. Feel free to post conditional actions when necessary (in any situation) to minimize the time we spend waiting for each other to act.

With all that said, I try to run a fairly laid-back game. Don't be a jerk and we'll all do fine. If we make mistakes, we'll fix them and move on (and since I am doing the majority of the posting/rolling, I will probably make the majority of mistakes).

Feel free to drop into the Gameplay tab and introduce your characters. Looking forward to playing with you all on May 29!

A few things from me - this is only my second game playing PbP on Paizo forums, I tend to play on Discord when I do PbP so in general I know the drill for how posting should work conceptually, just refreshing myself though on the specifics of PbP here....Tyranius had given me the old guide for forum play so think I'm good there, signed in, adjusted character profile with dashlines.

I do want to bring my Manticore though since it's a tier 3-6 so presumably I imagine you'd want to see it - discord would be the easiest way of sending it to you, since it doesn't seem like I can send attachments via private message.

Thanks in advance.

For the rest of the group, in terms of starship and most likely skills:

+10 Piloting
+6 Diplomacy (captain)
+9 Acrobatics (first mate)
+6 Mysticism

I don't know yet if we are playing up or down, so I know it's a risk playing L3, but my two L5s are in other games as well.

Boons slotted: Manticore (Starship), shirt with 2 novas (promotional), Hexoglin pup (other)

I do want to bring my Manticore though since it's a tier 3-6 so presumably I imagine you'd want to see it - discord would be the easiest way of sending it to you, since it doesn't seem like I can send attachments via private message.

Wow, you're bringing an actual Manticore? I've never seen one, I heard they are really dangerous. Despite the apparent danger, Zoey does not hesitate to pet the green, fluffy hexoglin pup manticore.

One way to 'attach' images is to simply link them (e.g. from onedrive or google drive) with a url tag: (your ad here)

I have been informed that the door prizes need to be reported before the game ends (June 20), so please make an unmodified d20 roll here. If you get a 19 or 20, you win a $15 paizo.com voucher.

GM Prize?: 1d20 ⇒ 15

prize: 1d20 ⇒ 13 good idea, roll it now before we all forget.

Alright so the dice roll: Price roll: 1d20 ⇒ 4

For the manticore - finally figured it out - Image of the PDF of the Manticore

I am all for using the Manticore. A player should be able to use their boons.

Prize: 1d20 ⇒ 9

Thraega is best as Captain +13 Bluff/+13 Diplomacy/+12 Intimidate. He can MO +9 Mysticism.

price roll: 1d20 ⇒ 3

Sounds like we have a bunch of captains.

We can install the extra wide captain's couch for you all. Maybe one of you has the boon that lets an NPC skittermander do the engineering?

Looks like you want Ainsley to pilot, and Zoey and Thraega can alternate who gives orders based on whether you need guns or magic more. Still need to know what Frinke and Celly can do.

Most of the time, what you need is a good pilot, and everybody else on the gunning stations (maybe with an engineering boosting/recharging shields). In all honesty, the captain is usually fairly useles :)

Zoey will just sticks to guns...

Chief mate at acrobatics +8, or diplomacy +2 captain, or gunner at +7

Celly Prize: 1d20 ⇒ 4

Horribly busy weekend, catching up on everything now.

It looks like we are about to start starship combat. It looks like we are playing low tier, so I will post Manticore Tier 4 specs (in case imgur is blocked at work for you or w/e) for ease:

Manticore Tier 4
Medium explorer
Speed: 6
Maneuverability: good/turn 1
AC: 14, TL: 15
HP: 65, DT: --
Critical Threshold(s): 13
Shields: Light 70; forward 20, port 15, starboard 15, aft 20
Attack (Forward): Railgun [8d4]
Attack (Port): Gyrolaser [1d8]
Attack (Starboard): Gyrolaser [1d8]
Attack (Turret): High explosive missile launcher [4d8]
Power Core: Pulse Red (175 PCU)
Drift Engine: Signal Basic
Systems: mk 2 duonode computer, basic short-range sensors, mk 4 armor, crew quarters (common), mk 5 defenses
Expansion Bays: Escape pods, cargo hold x2, recreation suite (gym)
Modifiers: +2 to any 2 checks per round; +2 Computers, +2 Piloting
Complement: 6

And Chris......so if I have to have a name for this thing....let's call it.....The Legion (unless someone else has something else better). It has bought legions of hobgoblins around the galaxy and has done so in furthering the Society's goals.

General piloting strategy, I'm going to go middle for now to get our first shots in but then veer off to the side and just keep one ship in between us and the other. Not going to lie this is the first SSC where I've faced two different ships also being antagonistic to each other and not necessarily everyone ganging up on us or a one on one situation.

I also noticed Zoey grabbed railgun though Frinke also wanted to be gunner, but definitely think we should have 2 gunners if at all possible. Piloting rolls were unfortunate for 3 out of 5 rounds so I plan on keeping to the side until round 5, when we actually have an advantage.

Neither of these ships is the one sending the communications. On a different map somewhere, Captain Jaws is engaging four more of these.

I also noticed Zoey grabbed railgun though Frinke also wanted to be gunner, but definitely think we should have 2 gunners if at all possible. Piloting rolls were unfortunate for 3 out of 5 rounds so I plan on keeping to the side until round 5, when we actually have an advantage.

Yes, I'm at gunnery stations now. In a lot of spaceship combats, people get hung up on filling all the roles, while the only thing you really need is a pilot and as many guns-on-target as you can muster (and the occasional engineer to keep the ship together). That's why zoey is using the railgun (which she is tempted to call 'sparkly gun'), but she'll go fix stuff as soon as that is needed. I intentionally took the second-best gun, so Frinke can use the torpedos.

Edit: Oh, I see now that Frinke called for the railgun - Sorry for that, I'll do better reading next time...

@GM: Shouldn't Frinke get to shoot this round?

Yes, Frinke should get to shoot. Botting them is okay if they do not post within 24 hours.

I'm going to be rolling evade every time we are forced to go first FYI.

I would suggest trying to intimidate blue if that is possible (can't remember if there is a distance requirement) especially if both of them are ganging up on us. Hopefully they also get debuffed for 4 rounds too.

Also Chris, I have a question. For my round 4 initiative check where I'd be forced to go first, can I substitute one of my precog rolls for this initiative or does that not apply to starship initiative?

My understanding is that you have to declare you are using a paradox before you make the roll, though my experience with the class is limited to two bounties, so I am happy to be corrected.

I will be traveling and unable to post until Saturday. We should be good on time and hopefully I've given you something to chew on.

We are nearly finished - one roll from Frinke and then one more challenge. Please check that your information on the sign in sheet is correct, and if you want your day job or other information noted on the chronicle, let me know/roll it now.

Day Job, Profession (Artist - AbadarCorp Entertainment Trainee): 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (18) + 12 = 30

No day job here for Ainsley.

Thraega is good.

Day Job Profession (smuggler): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (8) + 13 = 21

And now the GM needs to make a Computers check... for some reason that is still puzzling both me and the folks at RPG Chronicles, the sign-in sheet for this game will not advance past the first page. I've let HQ know and this game will be reported to them today somehow, but Chronicles may be delayed (unless you need it now, in which case I will do it by hand).

You do get the full rewards of 1464 (levels 3-4) or 2784 (levels 5-6) credits, 2 reputation for your faction and 1 Wayfinders reputation.

No dayjob here. Thank you very much for running this! No rush and no worries on the chronicles.

No one knows what's going on with RPG Chronicles, so the game is being reported today, and I'll get chronicles out tomorrow.

Celly, now would be a really good time to update your character number.

I would but, of course, RPG Chronicles is being a right putz and won't let me add or edit the signups.

My number is in my character profile: 124312-717.

And people wonder why I only use it when I have to.

Chronicles are >HERE< and the game has been reported (except for Celly - I have submitted you ID but it has not been updated on the site yet). Please let me know if there are any problems.

I will leave the game open a few days for any final questions or roleplay.

I would but, of course, RPG Chronicles is being a right putz and won't let me add or edit the signups.

Have you tried cursing in Abyssal?

Chronicles are >HERE< and the game has been reported (except for Celly - I have submitted you ID but it has not been updated on the site yet). Please let me know if there are any problems.

I will leave the game open a few days for any final questions or roleplay.

Chronicle looks good. Thank you very much for a very nice game!