Riverlands Here We Come (Inactive)

Game Master Chainmail

GM Tribute wrote:

And, you now know Jaethal is not a dark elf.

True, but since the info was in a spoiler I didn't want to blurt it out :)

Well, maybe she's not a dark elf, but she's clearly a goth elf.

So, discover OR influence checks can be made each diplomacy round on a single target. Almost all NPCs can be influenced by diplomacy, but almost all NPCs have at least two other skills that can influence them as Brightberry has found out with a critical discovery success with Linzi.

Unless specified, discover is being used to discover the skills that most influence the NPCs.

You can feel free to switch your targets, but I am giving Lyra a bonus to continue trying to discover Amiri's motivators after an initial failure.

Success Choose one of the following: You learn which skill that can Influence the NPC has the lowest DC (skipping any skills that you already know), one of the NPC’s personal biases, one of the NPC’s resistances, or one of the NPC’s weaknesses.

I am assuming you are targeting the first bolded part of discovery.

For Linzi, she likes performance (lower DC to influence) more than society.

So if we're not using diplomacy to influence, we can use discovery to learn what other skills may influence the NPC. And Discovery is based on perception. So if we're not great at diplomacy, we can use a round or two and discovery to learn what other skills can be used for influence.

Sweet, just saw the second post in game :)

Edit: Just to clarify, the Daily Update - Diplomacy round 1 seems to be sort of a recap, then you post in response to the events, is that about right?

Daily Update - Diplomacy Round 1 was recapping the results of the first round of 4 discover and 1 influence actions.

You are moving to your next round of diplomacy actions (discover or influence)

Brightberry is using society to influence round 2 on Linzi, Lyra is trying another discover attempt on Amiri using perception, I am assuming Iradyiel is continuing with diplomacy unless otherwise stated on the pale female scythe wielder. Edoom is influencing with Elvish lore (sometimes lore skills will say specific lore skill and sometimes they will say related lore skill). For example, Desna Lore is more specific and usually has lower DCs than religion checks just as Elven lore is more specific than a society check DC.

I think Tibold will continue to discover on Tertuccio to find other things that influence him OR show him an arcane tatoo and use arcana skill to impress him.

OK, so I already described the tattoo reveal, so if it's not a Diplomacy -1 roll than it's Arcana +7.

That previous post is what Tibold is doing now if I should have waited for your post, I guess.

Lyra will wait to see if her newest advances have any impact on Amiri, and based on that, may move to another seat. Let me know what the results are!

Hero points are allowed on diplomatic exchanges. Edoom and Brightberry critically failed, which can be rerolled with a hero point. If you would like to use your hero point for diplomacy, you can reroll in gameplay. Tibold suffered a failure, but not a critical failure which also can be rerolled, but is less consequential.
Critical failures provide negative 1 influence points
Tibold arcane
Brightberry society
Edoom Elvish lore

Some amazing rolls round 1, some crappy rolls round 2

IT's hard to know when to use the hero points if we don't know what the rolls are, it will take some getting used to.

Edit: Are the rules for changes in attitude the same for PF2 as PF1? Can Iradyiel change her attitude more than once?

looking at it now

Not sure what to roll here but Deception, Intimidate and Diplomacy all have the same bonus.

Edoom is not trying to start a fight, but he's pretty haughty himself.

Friendly can move to helpful, and I think 1E had helpful as an attitude as well.

So almost all discover checks have a perception DC and almost all influence checks have a diplomacy DC.

Amiri, for example, had an athletics discover DC, so a fellow athlete could try to find out what she likes. They would, not so surprisingly, find out athletics is the best skill to influence her. The influence system is new, but it does have an underlying logic to it all. I am trying to work it into the roleplaying without turning it into a series of skill checks.

Friendly can move to helpful, and I think 1E had helpful as an attitude as well.

Both observations are correct, what I couldn't find is if PF2 limits the changes in attitude to one a day the same as PF1. Could he continue rolling and change her attitude to helpful 'today'?

Influence has no limit in one day. Friendly can go to helpful which can go to helpful with granted favors.

I will be away for the weekend, starting tomorrow, returning Monday evening. I may not be able to post or respond during that time, and if I can it will be limited.

Feel free to bot Lyra as needed. If she can get anywhere with Amiri, she will try to influence her, and get any possible information. If she fails that, she will approach a different table, and work on another NPC; any that have not been approached first, if that's applicable.

Thanks for the game so far!

We are trying to learn the new influence mechanic in 2E.

I have a set of actions ready to execute next daily update.

My simplified Discover / Influence tree
The choices are (1) pick a target individual
(2) pick discover or influence
(3) if pick discover, like knowledge checks, target what you want to discover BUT in this encounter what they are influenced by is the MOST reasonable option-- so this is assumed
(4) pick what skill to use to discover or influence but perception for discover and diplomacy for influence are ALMOST always possible. For example, for Amiri the barbarian -- athletics is the best skill to both discover what she likes and to influence her.

Am I ahead a round in my descriptions? You posted Round 2 results and then listed Round 3 actions equivalent to what I referenced in my last post, so I'm uncertain if I should be posting today, or waiting to see what happens with the Round 3 "chatting."

Also, I assume the check has to specifically target one person, but I'd like to say, Tibold would actually engage with everyone present. If he's talking at all, so as far as descriptive purposes, Tibold would be "taking part" in the conversation with both Blondie and Gray Bun.

We had Brightberry exercise an option to do a hero reroll, which delayed our actions by a single round.

Next update will be Tuesday morning as I don't want to make weekend posting a requirement.

Discover and Influence by game mechanics are pick one, pick target, pick a skill. I am trying to bend these mechanics into a narrative without making it seem like 5 rounds of d20 rolls.

There is another exploration activity that allows party members to help each other. With a ranger in the party that is expert in perception, this exploration activity could become relevant.

Follow the Expert
Auditory Concentrate Exploration Visual
Source Core Rulebook pg. 479 4.0
Choose an ally attempting a recurring skill check while exploring, such as climbing, or performing a different exploration tactic that requires a skill check (like Avoiding Notice). The ally must be at least an expert in that skill and must be willing to provide assistance. While Following the Expert, you match their tactic or attempt similar skill checks. Thanks to your ally’s assistance, you can add your level as a proficiency bonus to the associated skill check, even if you’re untrained. Additionally, you gain a circumstance bonus to your skill check based on your ally’s proficiency (+2 for expert, +3 for master, and +4 for legendary).

Although this rule is quite specific and does not explicitly apply to Brightberry, Brightberry may declare an influence check as if she was trained in performance.

I'll get a post up Sunday, I may have Iradyiel lean and speak to either the person behind him or the one to his left. I can't read the names or tell the features very well. Is the one in armor to his left speaking to anyone else?

Should I go ahead and roll for what Brightberry intends to do, or just tell you what I want him to do? I thought one, but then it seemed the other. Sorry for my confusion.

Valerie blinks her blue eyes and shrugs some of her blonde air as she asks Tibold "Many feel that skill in arms may become less important as weapons get more advanced. There is rumor of explosive balls shot with fire from Alkenstar that will change warfare forever. Do you have any knowledge of this??"

Does Tibold? I know gunpowder and stuff can be made with Craft Alchemy, but I'm unclear if this is a specialty item only allowed for those with Firearms knowledge or not. Tibold's response is entirely dictated by whether he's permitted to understand the concept of black powder even if he doesn't specifically know what a "gun" is.

Tibold as an alchemist has a fundamental understanding of explosives and its theory.

Assume Tibold fully understands combustion reactions in chemistry, which are enough to extrapolate most gunpowder knowledge.

Last round of diplomacy

There is no reason PCs can’t share information or influence the same NPCs.
Influence points from multiple PCs add.

Thanks for running Lyra while I was away, should be back on regular rhythm now.

You are in exploration mode. You can designate an exploration activity: search and avoid notice are popular. The link in campaign tab provides the most common exploration activities.
I will assume a marching order with ranger/champion first unless you have other ideas.

If you can work exploration activity in header with modifier for initiative
For example : exploration: investigate (+6 perception)
or exploration: avoid notice (+6 stealth)
Or repeat spell shield (+x perception)

Let me know if that's how you want the Exploration action posted. Also, should I move my token on the new map? I put Lyra right outside the door, until she can see what's up, feel free to move her back if that's necessary.

Lyra will get out the door first and take point for now. If we are in a different situation, Where we know where the bad guys are, she might take a different spot.

Have I mentioned I hate learning new systems. So tell me if I've got this right:

Melee attack roll result = d20 roll + Strength modifier (or optionally Dexterity modifier for a finesse weapon) + proficiency bonus + other bonuses + penalties

Proficiency Rank: Trained, Proficiency Bonus: Your level + 2

Iradyiel's str = 18/+4 so the melee modifier is + 7?

I think you are right on the attack modifier... however from the podcast I've been listing to it is an action to draw your weapon, and an action to ready your shield, unless you have a feat or ability that says otherwise. It's a bit different, but once you get the concept that almost everything is one of your three actions it goes pretty smooth. I believe you would need quick draw unless you already had your sword out, and you don't get your AC bonus with shield unless you take an action to ready it, which must be done every round.

GM correct me if I'm wrong. Still learning the system as well.

My assumption is when he picked up the sword and shield from beside his bed, he readied them there. I did ask about move actions back in the room. But he wouldn't have stepped out of the room with out them ready. Also the GM posted

Initiative

Entire party except Edoom in any order, weapons drawn
Black Tear Cutthroats -- visible
Party

I presume 'weapons drawn' meant that we were good to go.

My assumption is when he picked up the sword and shield from beside his bed, he readied them there. I did ask about move actions back in the room. But he wouldn't have stepped out of the room with out them ready. Also the GM posted

GM Tribute wrote:

Initiative

Entire party except Edoom in any order, weapons drawn
Black Tear Cutthroats -- visible
Party

I presume 'weapons drawn' meant that we were good to go.

Missed that on the GM post... which is a good thing... but I still think you have to "Ready" your shield every round in order to take advantage of it. You can carry it, but not ready it.

Still learning the system as well, and who knows if the youtube videos and podcasts I've been listening to do it right... :-)

Missed that on the GM post... which is a good thing... but I still think you have to "Ready" your shield every round in order to take advantage of it. You can carry it, but not ready it.

Really :(

I was thinking about stopping half way and readying an attack, but I knew that I could take two move actions and attack, so I did that. I play in another PF2 game with a 'Sprite witch' (yeah, I wanted to play a fairy riding a corgi) and he has to use an action for the cantrip 'shield' but I didn't think about a melee character needing to do the same thing.

FYI from the Archives of Nethys

It's a bit less effective at first due to having to ready it... but the "shield Block" ability makes it more effective.

Shield

Well that's confusing....

So when it says "This lasts until the shield is no longer raised." Does that mean if he raised the shield in the room, he can keep the shield raised without using an action every round to do it?

If were spending an action every round to raise a shield, it certainly makes two handed weapons more attractive.

Hoping Tribute chimes in soon...

I think the key sentence follows that.

This action grants the shield’s bonus to AC as a circumstance bonus until their next turn starts

So my interpretation of that is that in order to use the bonus you have to take an action every turn. That's the way they play it in the "Troubles in Otari" youtube/podcast that's sponsored by Paizo.

I think in the last round you can still double move and attack you just won't have your shield bonus this turn.

It really doesn't change things much from 5E or PF1. You could move your movement then attack with your shield always being in effect, but you only have 2 actions. In PF2 you have three actions so move, shield, attack. Same actions economy... you can just choose not to use your shield this round, and double move instead.

raise shield lasts one round and is a requirement to do the shield block reaction, which is quite good.

The defend exploration actions is a continual raise shield every round while exploring to move at reduced speed. It is useful of you lose initiative as you start combat with shield raised.

You start with shield in hand and weapons in hand, but raise shield is a one action part of the turn needed to activate it.

Wow that sucks, wish I'd known it before I took a double move.

So His AC 14.

But it does make wearing armor and carrying a glaive a better option, unless he wants to play tank and fight more defensively.

Feel free to change your first move--with a 10 dex your AC should be 13 without shield/15 with shield.
With icons your last mode can be ◆Stride ◆Stride ◆Strike

my bad, for some reason I had his dex +1 on the AC, I've fixed it.

ok, ◆Stride ◆Stride ◆Strike noted. For now his AC is 13 since he didn't 'raise' shield. Hopefully our archers can keep the cutthroats off him until he can gets his shield into play.

Had a hell of time getting to the boards yesterday. Will try to get a post in later today.

Dying
Source Core Rulebook pg. 619 4.0
You are bleeding out or otherwise at death’s door. While you have this condition, you are unconscious . Dying always includes a value, and if it ever reaches dying 4, you die. If you’re dying, you must attempt a recovery check at the start of your turn each round to determine whether you get better or worse. Your dying condition increases by 1 if you take damage while dying, or by 2 if you take damage from an enemy’s critical hit or a critical failure on your save.

If you lose the dying condition by succeeding at a recovery check and are still at 0 Hit Points, you remain unconscious, but you can wake up as described in that condition. You lose the dying condition automatically and wake up if you ever have 1 Hit Point or more. Any time you lose the dying condition, you gain the wounded 1 condition, or increase your wounded condition value by 1 if you already have that condition.

When you’re dying, at the start of each of your turns, you must attempt a flat check with a DC equal to 10 + your current dying value to see if you get better or worse. This is called a recovery check. The effects of this check are as follows.

Critical Success Your dying value is reduced by 2.
Success Your dying value is reduced by 1.
Failure Your dying value increases by 1.
Critical Failure Your dying value increases by 2.

Note: Any time your dying condition increases you may use ALL hero points to immediately stabilize

Thanks for the explanation on dying, I'll get a post up soon.

So yesterdays post said everyone except Edoom could post before the bandits. Iradyiel and Brightberry posted. Todays post had the bandits posting. Did Lyra and Tibold not get their actions because they did not get their posts up between yours?

I am curious about that also....

It seems Lyra's shot might down one of the assassins, who then wouldn't get strikes against Iradyiel, but maybe i am confused on how actions will be resolved still.

So if understand correctly shortbow is “deadly”, so if the assassins AC is 14 or less the rolled 24 is a critical, and another d10 for deadly?

Yes Edoom, you got it perfectly.

Spellstrike gives you one weapon attack roll with an arrow and a roll to hit attack spell for two actions. Gouging claw is the cantrip of choice for most magi as shocking grasp, the magi choice for 1E tops the list of preferred level 1 spells. Refreshing spellstrike is typically done with a one action concentrate or using conflux spells.

Deadly is as deadly as you described Edoom -- fatal is worse (but luckily not always fatal).

And, just as missed posts in the diplomacy round were missed diplomatic opportunities, missed posts in combat will be missed attack opportunities. If you need to be botted for absences let me know, I botted Lyra for some diplomacy with notice. The plan from the beginning was to make this a daily posting game for weekdays. If this is a problem, I think we need to resolve it now.

When we move into exploration mode, time will typically be taken in ten minute increments as that is the pace of treating wounds and refocusing. My take is that if ten minutes go by, and no one is urgently looking for you, it is highly unlikely that the next set of ten minutes will draw an encounter. This next interlude will now be the perfect time to put on armor (5 minutes for med, heavy -- one minute for light).

Typically everyone wounded is treated with a healing kit. After treat wounds is started, that patient can't be treated for another hour. Next daily update will be Wednesday morning.

I get it. Sorry to miss an update unexpectedly. Sorry also to Iradyiel who got preventably wiped as a result

The map got knocked wonky by someone, but I tried to restore it. Apologies if I have it off, or didn't get your latest moves right.

It's pretty easy to restore the map, if you do accidently move pieces either with an undo action, or restore pages using the symbol that looks like a clock on the upper margin.

Lyra grabs some of the loot, but I do intend to parcel it out during down time. If you really need something that she took, she will likely part with it after a simple request.

And, just as missed posts in the diplomacy round were missed diplomatic opportunities, missed posts in combat will be missed attack opportunities.

I get it. Sorry to miss an update unexpectedly. Sorry also to Iradyiel who got preventably wiped as a result

I was considering a less aggressive action, but it seems like everything will be good.

When we move into exploration mode, time will typically be taken in ten minute increments as that is the pace of treating wounds and refocusing. My take is that if ten minutes go by, and no one is urgently looking for you, it is highly unlikely that the next set of ten minutes will draw an encounter. This next interlude will now be the perfect time to put on armor (5 minutes for med, heavy -- one minute for light).

So during this 10 min increment, Iradyiel will heal his wound then put on armor.

The descriptor for Devotion spells says: and you regain 1 Focus Point by spending 10 minutes using the Refocus activity to pray to your deity or do service toward their causes. Can he pray while doing other stuff like putting on armor, or does it have to be strictly praying?

edit:
Can Iradyiel use the 'scout' exploration mode, as he moves with the group?

I assume he's going to be in the front with Edoom as he searches.

So if Lyra wants to track loot I would appreciate that. I will link it in the campaign tab. I was going to do it just as I bet Lyra was, except I would be doing my first 2E loot spreadsheet.

15 minutes to lay on hands, refocus, and put on armor. Then lets assume 5 minutes to search the 5 rooms before going through the door.

Wounded goes away if you rest 10 minutes or have a successful treat wounds. I count refocus as resting too for this purpose, so you are good to go after 15 minutes in better armor!!