GM Zoomba's Blooming Catastrophe [Outpost VII] (Inactive)

Game Master Zoomba

Another question. Clebsch has the feat vicious swing (formerly power attack). The description says "You unleash a particularly powerful attack that clobbers your foe but leaves you a bit unsteady. Make a melee Strike. This counts as two attacks when calculating your multiple attack penalty. If this Strike hits, you deal an extra die of weapon damage."

As understand it, the reference to being unsteady is just a way of justifying the use of 2 strike actions. The other effect of counting as 2 attacks, means if he took another strike action after a vicious swing attack, it would be at -10. Or does the vicious strike take a -5 penalty as if it were the second strike of the round?

As I understand it, he can get the AC bonus from the shield if it is raised as an action during the turn. One could also gain the reaction effect of the Shield Block once during the round.

After the Shield Block is used, does the shield remain raised until the start of the next turn?

If the shield is wielded but not raised, then he could gain the AC bonus as a reaction to an attack (reactive shield), which would remain until the start of his next turn, but he could not gain the damage reduction of the shield block, since he has used his one reaction action already.

That is correct!

Reactive Shield gives you the option to, if you didnt Rasie your shield on your turn, do it quickly in response to a strike on you. This would give you the bonus to AC against it (possibly turning it into a miss) and the shield would still be Raised and boosting your AC on subsequent attacks too. But if you Raise your shield that way you are unable to also Shield Block since your Reaction has been used.

Essentially having the Reactive Shield fear gives you some more options: you can Raise Shield on your turn, which means if you’re struck you can then Shield Block (or use your reaction instead to AoO). Or you could use that action for something else and Reactive Shield if attacked - but that means you can’t Block the damage of a big hit, and it also means if you’ve already taken an AoO you can’t get the shied up too.

Another question. Clebsch has the feat vicious swing (formerly power attack). The description says "You unleash a particularly powerful attack that clobbers your foe but leaves you a bit unsteady. Make a melee Strike. This counts as two attacks when calculating your multiple attack penalty. If this Strike hits, you deal an extra die of weapon damage."

As understand it, the reference to being unsteady is just a way of justifying the use of 2 strike actions. The other effect of counting as 2 attacks, means if he took another strike action after a vicious swing attack, it would be at -10. Or does the vicious strike take a -5 penalty as if it were the second strike of the round?

The former.

This feat (and most similar ‘this counts as two attacks’ feats/abilities) affect your ‘MAP’ for subsequent strikes. So it your first Attack of the turn is a ‘Vicious Swing’ you’d make it at your full attack bonus. Then should you Strike against with your 3rd action, that attack sees you’ve ’attacked twice’ (since VS counts as two) and so your MAP would be -10 to the strike (or -8 if with an agile weapon)

If you (for whatever reason) spent your first action as a normal Strike and your 2nd and 3rd for - Viscous Swing, the first strike would be at full bonus and the Vicious Swing would be at a -5. And then any subsequent attacks (like if you were quickened) would be at the full -10 penalty.

And yeah, the ‘leaves you unsteady’ is more just flavoring describing how a big swing takes some time (2 actions vs 1) and throws your rhythm off a bit (later attacks are at a higher penalty than then they normally would be for just one ‘attack’.) The only mechanical trade offs to the ability are what is later spelled out within it.

Welby retrieves a carving knife and waves it threateningly at the scarecrow. Shards of metal fly out to strike the creature before returning to the knife.

I totally need to get Welby a cast/cold iron skillet to use for this spell.

Running total of purchases for Welby this adventure:

3 scrolls of harm and 2 scrolls of heal. His school item is another scroll of heal.

He has used one scroll of harm so far.

After the adventure-cold iron skillet 20 gold

If you have Treasure Vault, Frying Pan is a valid weapon choice. Though it would cost 40.5 gp for a cold iron version.

I appreciate the other healing options, though.

Armed with his guitar and sling, Thunderroot begins a rather depressing melody remniscient of 90s emo in some other world. "In tangled vines, where fears collide, against corrupted foes, our courage tried."

Inspired by their own song, they sling a stone at the scarecrow.

[dice=Sling, Courageous Anthem]1d20+5+1; 1d6+1

Remember your +1s
◆ Courageous Anthem ◆ Strike ◆ Reload

Their levels are a bit off, but Bláinn will definitely introduce Thunderroot to his friend Jiki after the mission. Would probably be a fun rap battle.

Hallow: Grab a Hero Point for overcharged Heroics on the front line.

My work schedule has changed. For the next five weeks, I'll be unable to post generally after 3 PM (same time zone as New York City) on Monday through Thursday. I'll check games in the morning and make what posts I can.

Also, I may be traveling on April 6-9. I should have some access to Wifi and a laptop, but if a post is needed in this period, please
'bot my character. It's possible the trip will not happen, in which case I'll let you know. (I'm hoping to see the total solar eclipse on April 8 in Ohio, USA.)

Understood (and enjoy: the eclipse should be quite cool!)

Also as you may be able to surmise this valley and how you choose to proceed with your mission is decently open-ended: there are a lot of possible ways a party can approach it.

Grr. I'm right on the edge of totality and have plans to go watch the eclipse but it looks like my area is going to be overcast and rainy. Not sure what I'm going to do.

Been watching the weather obsessively. Might be able to see it if I'm willing to drive 4 1/2 hours from home...

Some key Hero Point use there to keep the Disguises and distractions up enough to finish disabling to monolith!

And while there is some wrap-up and chatter still to do, in terms of major encounters we are a wrap for Blooming Catastrophe! If any of you have Day Jobs you'd like to roll here to get on your chronicles you can also do it yourselves later if you're uncertain of how you'd be spending your Downtime days or any other Downtime activities to note, now would be a good time to post them :)

Crafting: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24

I had a great time!! And because of this game, I'm now planning to multiclass Hallow into a wilding steward witch.

Thanks for running Zoomba, and thanks everyone else for a great game!!

@Bláinn @Clebsch I'm planning to see the eclipse too, my friends and I have train tickets for that day to somewhere with totality.

Earn Income (Perform): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

Yes, that was fun. Thank you Zoomba and fellow players. I hadn't played PbP or really any form of TTRPG in 2-3 years, and it was a nice reintroduction to PFS as well.

So as I read the PFS system for 2E, job rolls are limited to a craft check, performance check, or Lore check.

DC 14
Lore (plains), trained: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16
Success
4 sp

Let me know if I did not do that correctly or if I misinterpreted the result.

Thanks to the GM and players. I enjoyed my first scenario with a new character who is actually an old friend, a remake of my first high level DnD character from first edition run back in 1976-ish.

Arazni Lore: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19

4 silver for preaching the good word of a god who lets him be a skeleton.

crafting-earn income: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22

Success 0.4 gold

[dice=Crafting]1d20+7

...would the +1 from specialty crafting apply? That would boost me from a success to a critical success.

So as I read the PFS system for 2E, job rolls are limited to a craft check, performance check, or Lore check.

DC 14
[dice=Lore (plains), trained]1d20 + 3
Success
4 sp

Let me know if I did not do that correctly or if I misinterpreted the result.

Nope: that looks good!

...would the +1 from specialty crafting apply? That would boost me from a success to a critical success.

As the bonus is constant and not temporary/durationed, I don't see why it wouldn't apply here.

I'm glad you all enjoyed. I had a great time running for all of you and your characters as well!

Chronicles for you are up and posted HERE. Please let me know if there are any issues or anything that needs to be fixed.

Chronicle looks good.

Thanks for the great game (and putting up with my undead lack of posterior), especially Zoomba for running!

Thanks Zoomba - mine has the wrong PFS ID - should be 205498-2005.

Is it ordinary that it's missing a GM's signature?

Apologies Thunderroot. Should be corrected now if you check again.

And yeah: as of the last few years a Signature is no longer required - just a GM PFS#. As this is a scenario from Season 1 its chronicle format is slightly older-school Also why there's a 'Fame' field for example

Ah, makes sense. Thanks, it looks good now.

Now to find another game for Thunderroot...

Chronicle looks good, thanks for running!!

Hooray! Thanks for running this for us GM Zoomba.

I have made a screenshot copy of the chronicle. Thanks.