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We should have a standard marching order for different scenarios
A) when combat is expected
B) when moving through unknown areas where Stealth and Trapspotting are desired
C)other?
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You all know your characters better than I do, but based on Stealth bonuses, AC, and character classes, then would a good marching order for scouting dungeons/cave (scenario B) or setting up for an ambush, be something like:
(Front) Lizzie -> Saélihn/Ghost -> Grymwold/Gronilda -> Zarena
For scenario A, where you're not trying to be stealthy, then I would think melee characters should be closer to the front, and given Lizzie, Saélihn and Zarena are mainly ranged characters:
(Front) Grymwold -> Gronilda -> Ghost -> Saélihn -> Lizzie -> Zarena
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Works for me. Most of the time I just move ahead by the sole reason to help move the thread. PbP is a hard think and it is good to have proactive posts that push the action in one direction, whatever it is. But it does not mean I have any intention to be the scout, just I want the game to keep a healthy pace :)
Also works for me. I move to the front sometimes, but as Gronilda says, it is usually just to get things moving, not because I want to expose my character to imminent death (or get in anyone's way).
How smart tactically does this group want to play?
Some groups just charge and smash 95% of the time
For instance, in this scenario, the smart thing to do is to retreat and lure the likely unintelligent frogs back into room K3 where all our ranged combatants can have clear shots
but if we just want to charge/smash I'll do that
Up to you. I think we can get clear shots if the front people rush in and engage as well, leaving us some space... but since you are in front and a lot of us can't even see what is going on, we have no idea if you mean retreat like run away or retreat like form up an ambush in the next room either, so it's likely to be a madhouse.
The frogs might be unintelligent, but they're following the commands of a handler so not so sure that luring them is likely to work.
If we retreat and they advance, they can set a logjam that forces us to come through at them individually which would definitely be to their advantage.
IC given Grymwold yelling out Retreat, we're all likely to retreat since most of us have no idea what he's reacting to, so kind of too late to consider tactical action now.
looks like I made this more complicated than necessary. Sorry guys/gals
No worries good man, the intention was good :D
And I am sure we will get to manage this, even if it means some patching required :)
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With all the discussion I am not sure who is on right now to move the action. Do we need to adjust our posts or are we ready for the next round? :D
Sorry been out of town this past week. Just got back last night!
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I know it's probably not the most fun combat with 3/5 players can't hit the foes, but on the other hand, if the threat level was truly high, I would guess Grym and Gronilda would have added some distance to allow ranged attacks to better get in.
IC, the party's familiarity with fighting so many troglodytes up to this point helps them better assess how dangerous they are or aren't.
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I think we are doing good, we are forcing them to attack our character with the highest AC. While attacking with cover and melee penalties is difficult, we are very low in healing resources, so it is good we are being conservative here :)
Yeah we got loggjammed up. Original thought was retreat into the other room to let ranged attacks flow. I should have followed through on that initial idea by using the withdraw action.
But this is certainly is a tactic we can use in the future.
Grym in front, possibly fighting defensively, while Gron is large, attacking with reach
Fine with resting ... either way really, but I'm not on the front lines, so they should decide.
I'm fine with going forward, but will go with the consensus. I know we're a bit low on healing (though we have potions and scrolls) but otherwise we seem good on resources.
I'm good either way.
There's merit in both options.
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If we continue and check the pit, it is likely we spend our few scrolls and pots, but if the group prefers to continue, I am fine with giving it a try.
By the way, I will be on a trip for the next week and my ability to post will be spotty, if any.
I'm out till Monday.
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I'm hoping to breathe some life into the game as I get the sense it's slowed down a bit. Anything I can do to make it more interesting?
From the feedback I've read from other GMs running this AP, this particular part of the adventure (the troglodyte caves) is one of its weaker points, where the party usually doesn't feel strongly about clearing out the caves, or they wonder why they should kill all these troglodytes. It's not like troglodytes invaded Phaendar, after all. Regardless, if you can stick through this next floor, it does get more "on track" with what you had been doing earlier in this book later on.
For the current situation with the cube, it looks like we want to get it with ranged attacks until it's down, so I'll post an update based on that. Happy to hear any other input otherwise.
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Looks like consensus is a ranged bombardment of the cube.
As far as life into the game. I think you're doing a great job. PBP is a tricky beast. Each game does or does not develop it's own rhythm. All I can say for my part is I'll try to do a better job of posting. I typically only participate in one or two PBPs at a time, and currently only this one. I'd like for this to survive and thrive
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It probably has not helped I have been out this couple of weeks. You are doing great GM Red, and I share the feeling the reasoning to go against the trogs is not clear, but I am always to bite the hook of the adventure. GMing is hardy enough without players getting picky with the offered plot :)
By the way, I am back home and will resume my usual posting soon.
Go ahead with the ranged attacks solution. Gronilda will add her arrows if possible.
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Agree on there being a flaw in the reasoning,m with only the occasional indication of the trogs being evil to inspire players who aren't murderhobos to feel good about clearing out the caverns of the original inhabitants for their own sake.
Feels almost like ruthless colonization. But that's a design issue, nothing to do with your GM-ing.
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Sorry for missing stuff while I was out of town. Agree with the group that the story has flaws, but definitely not the GM's fault. :) You rock for running the game for us. :)
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You're good at GMing, GM.
The Red Arm proves this. :)
Thanks I did get eaten. Will post again now.
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Thanks for the heads up GM Red, have a nice trip!
And thanks for the hint, it would had been difficult to remember with so many days away from that later room :D
lvl 4
fighter (siegebreaker) bonus feat= Disruptive
Hunter 4
HP:5+2=7
+1 BAB
+1 Fort
+1 Ref
+1 Dex
Improved Empathic link (Su)
At 4th level, the hunter gains an empathic link with her animal companion. This functions like an empathic link with a familiar, except the hunter can also see through a companion’s eyes as a swift action, maintaining this connection as long as she likes (as long as the companion is within 1 mile) and ending it as a free action. The hunter is blinded while maintaining this connection.
+6 adventuring skill points: Climb, Heal, Knowledge Nature, Perception, Stealth, Survival
+2 background skill points: Handle Animal, Knowledge Dungeoneering
+1 to Wild Empathy
+1 min/day Animal focus
Ghost:
+1 HD
+1 BAB
+1 Fort
+1 Ref
+1 Skill (Perception* (Wis))
Ability score increase (+1 Con)
Sorry... it might take me till the weekend before I have time to level up. Work is crazy. I'll just play with my current stats until then, if that is okay.
Unchained bandit lvl 4
+1 Con.
HP +7
FCB +1 HP
+1 BaB
+1 Ref
At 4th level, whenever a rogue deals sneak attack damage to a foe, she can also debilitate the target of her attack, causing it to take a penalty for 1 round (this is in addition to any penalty caused by a rogue talent or other special ability). The rogue can choose to apply any one of the following penalties when the damage is dealt.
Bewildered: The target becomes bewildered, taking a –2 penalty to AC. The target takes an additional –2 penalty to AC against all attacks made by the rogue. At 10th level and 16th level, the penalty to AC against attacks made by the rogue increases by –2 (to a total maximum of –8).
Disoriented: The target takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls. In addition, the target takes an additional –2 penalty on all attack rolls it makes against the rogue. At 10th level and 16th level, the penalty on attack rolls made against the rogue increases by –2 (to a total maximum of –8).
Hampered: All of the target’s speeds are reduced by half (to a minimum of 5 feet). In addition, the target cannot take a 5-foot step.
These penalties do not stack with themselves, but additional attacks that deal sneak attack damage extend the duration by 1 round. A creature cannot suffer from more than one penalty from this ability at a time. If a new penalty is applied, the old penalty immediately ends. Any form of healing applied to a target suffering from one of these penalties also removes the penalty.
Ambush:
At 4th level, a bandit becomes fully practiced in the art of ambushing. When she acts in the surprise round, she can take a move action, standard action, and swift action during the surprise round, not just a move or standard action.
This ability replaces uncanny dodge.
+1 Acrobatics
+1 Bluff
+1 Climb
+1 Disable Device
+1 Kn. Planes
+1 Perception
+1 Sense Motive
+1 Stealth
+1 UMD
Background skills
+1 Craft (wooden figurines) Tribute to her grandpa. **
+1 Sleight of hand
Serpentine Sorcerer 4
BAB +1
Will Save +1
HP = 3 (half) + 1 (con) = 4
Second Level Spell: Summon Swarm
Skills: +8 -- Bluff, Diplomacy, Knowledge Arcana, Perception, Spellcraft, Handle animal, Knowledge History, Knowledge Local
Verity:
Up to 10 hit points
I was thinking that they were there, but hopefully saw that we were handling it. Either way though, if he follows the group (just us), we have to still get the refugees there. Will one of them be okay following behind? But if they haven't seen Fahrak, then that could freak them out. Not sure we should just leave them out here though.
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Odds are between him and the wolf he didn't travel with an entourage just to deliver a message. They'd be safe for a little bit....long enough for us to kill him.
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I was pretty sure we got rid of the bodies before leaving but...
Yeah, doesn't matter that much. We're going to have to kill him at some point, but it would be cool if we could get some information first.
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Something strange happened with the dice rolls that might make it confusing when looking at Initiative order. Since Saélihn opened with a spell, I had rolled Ghost's init separately this time, and had that roll in the Init spoiler. I wrote up my post and now that roll seems to be missing. Adding it back it affects all rolls after it which basically changes everything that happened. Wanted to share ahead of time in case it seems odd.
Level 4
HP +7
Domain feature: Animal companion! (as a level 1 druid)
Skills
Diplomacy
K. arcana
K. planes
Handle Animal
Appraise
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So I guess for now it would be just fine to take Pawnies as my animal companion, but I would be interested to know what else might make sense to be my companion in the area.
Also, I would be interested to give the feytouched archetype to my companion :)
If you want another wolf, there is also Sitka, the wolf pup we saved. I think it was brought into the story to be my familiar, but my build requires a serpent familiar. Might make more sense for the feytouched archetype, and also that Pawnies has been watching over it a bit.
Definitely not needed, but just an option, if you want.
Also, since I can talk to almost any animal with my bloodline arcana (Whenever you cast a mind-affecting or language-dependent spell, it affects animals, magical beasts, and monstrous humanoids as if they were humanoids who understood your language) using Message, and can use Speak with Animals at will, with reptiles only, makes sense that we could negotiate with almost any animal, at least on some level, if we come across them fleeing from the Legion.