Mummy's Mask

Game Master Whack-a-Rogue

Okay, I'm done with work, so after looking over Discussion, I'll give a few thoughts of my own. ;-)

@Tribim: To answer the question about casting, the feat Basic Magical Training gives you a single sphere, one spell point, and caster level 1. The follow-up feat Advanced Magical Training makes you a low-caster (like an Armorist). I know you've moved on to considering other options, but I thought I'd give you an official answer. :-)

Party Composition: Epperson's plan is heavy armor melee. Malefactors have several class features that encourage staying in the thick of things, and the raven will eventually be flying around inflicting debuffs. Combine with Swift-action curses and you have an effective tank - even with a d8 hit die. Robert Henry knows how effective a Fast Feint/Flowing Feint Rogue can be in regards to both damage and mobility. Tribim will end up being able to dance around the battlefield inflicting heavy damage. Mahmoud has a d10 hit die and is building toward making large numbers of powerful ranged attacks - including from melee range. Aerith has a flying blade that can eventually threaten squares around it and provide flanking.

I'm seeing a lot of potential for a debuff/battlefield control-based party that utilizes mobility and the map to take down foes. 3/4 of the party can also survive at least a couple hits in melee, and Aerith can eventually use both Telekinesis and Warp to move people to better locations. The only things lacking are condition removal and emergency in-combat healing. This is easily handled through a dip into the Life sphere.

In other words, extensive character changes aren't necessary in my opinion. Low levels are always dangerous, but the pieces are already coming together. Aside from the sand elemental (damage reduction) and the animated sarcophagus (hardness), I don't remember the party having much difficulty from any of the opponents you've faced thus far. The giant whiptail centipede should be considered an outlier, as the party drastically underestimated its attack range. ;-)

That being said, I'm agreeable to any changes. As has been noted, this is an ideal time for it if that's what people want to do. I'm going to skip the rest of this encounter area as there's only 2-3 enemies left, and you've already found the majority of the treasure. I'll write up a quick summary in my next Gameplay post. After that, there's some more tavern RP if you want to chat with other adventuring parties, you'll hit Level Three, and then the temple will pass out your next exploration site. Sound like a plan?

Sounds great to me, YBD. I really appreciate the thought you've put into everything.

Indeed! Puts my heart at ease. Should we level up now or wait?

...This is easily handled through a dip into the Life sphere.

Aerith, any opinions about this?

I could take a dip into life sphere. Actually…I’ll do one better. I’m delaying unarmored training, and will take extra sphere talent. So I will have both parry (block enemy attacks) and healing. Will take limited restoration for Restore Health. Healing becomes 1d8+2x level. Between restore and restore health most conditions can be cured.

That should make Aerith into a good enough support character. Telekinesis for damage, parry to stop damage, teleport to get party members out of trouble and cure for healing damage.

I could take a dip into life sphere. Actually…I’ll do one better. I’m delaying unarmored training, and will take extra sphere talent. So I will have both parry (block enemy attacks) and healing. Will take limited restoration for Restore Health. Healing becomes 1d8+2x level. Between restore and restore health most conditions can be cured.

That should make Aerith into a good enough support character. Telekinesis for damage, parry to stop damage, teleport to get party members out of trouble and cure for healing damage.

You have a better grasp of this than I do, I'll keep Tribim straight rogue for now. If it needs to change later we can do that.

Epperson, you can use the adamantium flail Right?

Level 3!

HP: 4 (class) + 0 (con) + 1 (FCB) = 5 (19 total)
BaB: +1 (2)
Saves: +1 Fort/Ref +1 resistance
Skills: +9
Feat: Extra Sphere Talent
* Life Sphere Limited Restoration (only cure/restore) with Restore Health
* Telekinesis Sphere - Parry
* Dagger -> Longsword

DR2/Magic
Resist Fire (5)
Bite Attack (like claws not very useful given strength 8…pretty much ignoring that they exist)

Website says that I should have transformation as a bonus feat? Where can I find that?

@Aerith: Just remember that the Limited Restoration means you lose either Restore or both Cure and Invigorate. There's no way to keep both Cure and Restore with that drawback.

Transformation of a Spheres feat found HERE. It's basically a Kitsune's innate shapeshifting ability, but a dragon instead of a fox. :-)

Ah! Good catch. I’ll take medicinal then. It will help explain why she wasn’t healing anyone before this level…she just didn’t have the tools for it.

Also see PMs for questions regarding transformation

Mahmoud level 3
• BAB +3
• saves +3/+1/+1
• combat talent (Barrage: Close Combat Specialist)
• reliable strike 1/day
• second wind (swift)
• FCB: +1 skill
• Knowledge (divine) +1, Perform (dance) +1, Sense Motive +1, Use Magic Device +2
• Deific Obedience (Pharasma)
• resistance +1

Aerith taking the Life sphere should allow her to activate wands of cure light wounds, so we should be able to heal up between fights relatively painlessly. Also, Mahmoud got the second wind ability, which basically lets him Invigorate himself as a swift action. So, maybe we'll find that's most of what we need going forward.

Starting at 4th level, Mahmoud will be able to cast burning hands, cure light wounds, cure moderate wounds, darkvision, or see invisibility as spell-like abilities using his martial spontaneity ability (by taking the relevant Item Mastery feat), as long as he has a magic weapon. At 5th level he can cast lesser restoration; at 6th level he can cast cure serious wounds, dimension door, dispel magic (targeted dispel only), fly, or lightning bolt; at 8th level he can cast cure critical wounds; at 9th level he can cast remove blindness/deafness or remove paralysis; and at 10th level he can cast breath of life. So we might not be completely lost without a dedicated healer.

I've updated the loot sheet. Looks like we've got a shopping trip coming up!

Speaking of shopping YBD, since your rules have a version of Automatic Bonus Progression, can Mahmoud find and buy a magic dagger with a special ability? When he gets the attunement power at level 5, does that work like Pathfinder's ABP where attuning the weapon reduces the bonus by the amount invested in the item?

Thanks for making the sheet!

24776, so 6194 each.

Aerith had 1364 saved up, so 7558 gold to spend.

Mithril Elven Curve Blade
80 + 700 (Mithril) + 300 (MW) = 1080

Ring of Sustenance = 2500

Cloak of Hedge Wizard Abjuration = 2500
* At-Will: Prestidigitation, 1/day Endure Elements / Shield

She is really weak. A light elven blade will be perfect. She can even keep it in her 5lb pocket dimension. Plus damage is now 1d10+10! So a great damage spike. The ring is a must-have for casters, and the cloak makes up for lack of said spells with spheres as I can’t spare the feats.

1478 gold left. It can be used to help buy a wand as needed.

I suggest that we all contribute a share of our funds towards a wand of cure light wounds. Since we don't have anyone who can prepare status removal spells, we might even want to establish a pool of funds to purchase things like scrolls and potions that we can all benefit from in emergencies. (Have we talked about this? My apologies if I'm re-hashing an old discussion.) What does everyone think?

Do we want to run a 'cut' for group healing and such items?

I'm good with that, or we can all chip in to buy items individually.

Sorry y’all. Busy this weekend.

I’ll post 3rd level in a bit. Just note that Epperson already owns a wand of CLW.

I just realised that y'all are getting favoured class bonuses (FCB), but I've never done one for Epperson and to be fair, I don't even know what the FCB for a malefactor would be.

I'm happy to make it a bonus HP, and to grab the 2 bonus HPs from levels 1 and 2 with this level up as well if you're cool with that, GM.

HP always help, I'm still working on Tribim, it will be tomorrow before I get him done. Long day away from home, and I'm trying to make him more lethal.

@Epperson: The dwarven FCB for Malefactors is +1/6 to malediction DCs. Pretty nice - although it won't do anything until Level 6. You're welcome to take that or retroactively give yourself the 3 bonus HP. :-)

Epperson, you can use the adamantium flail Right?

What did we do with the flail? We're making Epperson keep that right? With has much 'DR' as we've ran into it only make sense to keep the one adamantine weapons we've found.

Adamantine is only useful when fighting constructs or other creatures with hardness; it doesn't bypass other kinds of damage reduction. I'm not opposed to keeping it if Epperson wants it, of course, but I wouldn't say it's essential.

I haven't marked anything on our loot sheet as 'Sold' yet, so if there's anything that any of us want to keep we can leave that out of the pool. Does Tribim want a mummified cat? :)

@YBD, can Mahmoud purchase an agile dagger, and would it work when he throws it?

Adamantine is only useful when fighting constructs or other creatures with hardness; it doesn't bypass other kinds of damage reduction. I'm not opposed to keeping it if Epperson wants it, of course, but I wouldn't say it's essential.

Honestly Mahmoud as many different creatures with different DR we've met already, keeping the adamantine weapon that the dwarf can use seemed a no brainer.

But Epperson can do what he wants.

As far as group dispersal of funds, I'd rather someone in the group have an adamantine weapon and not need it, than need it and not have it. So, if I have to give up my percentage of the money that's fine with me. But let's decide what is or isn't being sold and if we are or aren't giving a fifth cut for group healing needs before we calculate what we have to spend.

Edit: No tribim does not want a mummified cat.

FYI, so I may sound a little salty. I'm still trying to figure out how Tribim will respond to his 'friend' Unatti leaving the group and the events that led up to it basically being his fault. I realize that's an in character thing, not a reality thing, but I'm still trying to come to grips with it.

With YBD's permission I replaced spear dancer with a fencing sphere. Here is Tribims updated info. I'll change the 'gear' on his page once we verify the amount of money to spend.

@ 3rd lvl:
Chosen Benefit: Feat: Sphere talent: Dual Wielding
Other Benefit: Resistance + 1
Rogue
Hp +6
+1 BAB, Fort. Will
Avoidance: Unflinching (Ex)
Finesse training: gladius
Sneak attack 2d6
+ 10 skills: + 1 to Acrobatics, Disable Device, Deception, Escape Artist, Influence, Knowledge (civilization), linguistics (Osiriani) (ancient Osiriani) Lore (ancestors), and Stealth.

@Mahmoud: The agile enchantment works on thrown weapons as long as they're finessable. An agile dagger is perfectly acceptable and will cost 2,302gp.

750 gp for another wand, unless we are all going in on one together. But since Epperson has his own, maybe everyone else would prefer to have their own too?

I'm ok with that as well, we just need to decide.

We have a wand already and with restore from life sphere we should be alright for most effects. I think we are in good shape.

Ok, going with the 6,194 gp. figure.

Tribim will sell the MW spear and the MW buckler for 228.5 gp. he will purchase: ‬
Muleback Cords shoulders; Price 1,000 gp; Weight 1/4 lb.
Clasp, Swarmbane neck; Price 3,000 gp; Weight 1/2 lb.
mithril gladius: 1,515 gp. Weight 2 lbs.
MW cold iron gladius: 330 gp. Weight 3 lbs.
Handbo @ 2: 2 gp. 4 lbs.
Total: 5,847‬ gp. - 228.5 gp. = 5,614.5 gp.

I'd like to keep the adamantine flail. I've checked with the GM and it's a light flail, so that seems aligned with Groetus TOO well.

I'm working on Epperson still. Here's what I've got so far:

3rd lvl Malefactor:
Feat: Sphere (Guardian) talent: Defend Other
Resistance + 1
Hp +6 + 3 (FCBs - didn't take any previously). Total: 29hp
+1 BAB (Total +2)
Saves: (+1 to Fort; also +3 to all saves due to Luck of the Damned)
Luck of the Damned
+ 6 skills: + 1 to Athletics, Lore (Curses), Knowledge (Occult), Crafting, Profession (Guard), Use Magic Device

I'm working on Fanny (my dark messenger). Soon to be done with that.

I'd like to keep the adamantine flail. I've checked with the GM and it's a light flail, so that seems aligned with Groetus TOO well.

I'm working on Epperson still. Here's what I've got so far:

3rd lvl Malefactor:
Feat: Sphere (Guardian) talent: Defend Other
Resistance + 1
Hp +6 + 3 (FCBs - didn't take any previously). Total: 29hp
+1 BAB (Total +2)
Saves: (+1 to Fort; also +3 to all saves due to Luck of the Damned)
Luck of the Damned
+ 6 skills: + 1 to Athletics, Lore (Curses), Knowledge (Occult), Crafting, Profession (Guard), Use Magic Device

I'm working on Fanny (my dark messenger). Soon to be done with that.

Ok, Fanny is done. She's got Devotion Against the Unnatural as her level 3 feat.

Epperson is moving directly into the "sponge to soak up all the damage" role of the party. He won't deal much damage, but he will help a lot with attacks on others. As an immediate action (now that I have Defend Other), I can expend an AoO and give any of y'all once per round a +3 AC boost (dependent on me making an Aid Another check). And even if that doesn't make it a miss, I can instead take the damage myself.

SO yeah......use Epperson! He's a pawn of Groetus, after all.

Now, I'll take advice on what item/armor/magic Epperson should get. What advice has the group?

ETA: OOPS, I just discovered a massive problem, I had accidentally put the weight in the quantity column for some of the items, which made the spreadsheet think we had 10 adamantine flails and 3 mummified guardians. That's why it thought we had so much money.

I marked all the treasures (except for the adamantine flail) we found at the House of Pentheru as sold/discarded, and according to the spreadsheet that is equal to 5,190 gp. Divided by 4, that works out to 1,297.5 gp each.

Mahmoud has 849.44 gp saved, which with his share works out to 2,146.94 gp. I think I should have him purchase an agile dagger (to improve his damage) for 2,302 gp, which means he's 155.06 gp short. Can anyone loan him the extra? I also feel like we should all contribute towards Epperson's wand, since we're all benefitting from it, but maybe we can agree to repay it next time we sell stuff?

For things Epperson might purchase, I might recommend saving up for a mithral breastplate or boots of striding and springing (to increase his speed). I imagine there's special abilities for his weapons and armor that would be useful, like benevolent-- though that probably doesn't do anything until he can attune them.

Actual Gold: 1364 + 1297 = 2661

Mithril Elven Curve Blade and Muleback Cords: 2661 - 1080 - 1000 = 581
She can loan the 155 gold

GM: How can Aerith get prestidigitation? It is purely for RP purposes of being a mage who can use magic to do things like stay clean.

With Dex 8 why have a Mithril breastplate? As a dwarf it won’t improve his speed and it won’t help with his AC

Boots of striding and sprinting, though? Great choice. As is a ring of sustenance. A lesser Dwarven commander’s helmet is also good to save for.

Sadly, Tribim will not have enough to purchase the mule cords, or any of the other fancier items. But will purchase a CLW wand, and have enough money left over to loan Mahmoud the 155.06 gp. if still needed.

Tribim will sell the MW spear and the MW buckler for 228.5 gp. he will purchase: ‬
2 MW cold iron gladius: 660 gp.
2 Kunai: 4 gp.
CLW wand: 750 gp.
Total: 1,414‬ gp.

With Dex 8 why have a Mithril breastplate? As a dwarf it won’t improve his speed and it won’t help with his AC

I had been thinking at first glance it would reduce his armor check penalty, which I assumed he cares about because it’s an agile breastplate. :)

Sadly, Tribim will not have enough to purchase the mule cords, or any of the other fancier items. But will purchase a CLW wand, and have enough money left over to loan Mahmoud the 155.06 gp. if still needed.

Tribim will sell the MW spear and the MW buckler for 228.5 gp. he will purchase: ‬
2 MW cold iron gladius: 660 gp.
2 Kunai: 4 gp.
CLW wand: 750 gp.
Total: 1,414‬ gp.

Liquid Glass for Gladius costing 800 gold]This heatstone-derived glass is warm to the touch and slightly malleable, as if it were still liquid. A pliable nature allows this otherwise razor-sharp crystal to repair itself when it takes damage. An item made from liquid glass repairs damage to itself at a rate of 2 hit points per day, even if the weapon is broken or destroyed (but not if the weapon is destroyed in a way that the pieces cannot be retrieved, such as via disintegrate). If a weapon made from liquid glass has full hit points, it grants a +1 bonus on damage rolls. Items made from liquid glass have 10 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 10.

I had been thinking at first glance it would reduce his armor check penalty, which I assumed he cares about because it’s an agile breastplate. :)

True...but thats a steep price for ACP reduction. Lvl 4 Extra Traits, armor expert. -2 ACP / -0 ACP for Climb checks and Acrobatics checks). 4k gold is probably better spent elsewhere.

Unless it is mithral + armored kilt! Then it is absolutely $ well spent! Add in armor expert for 0 ACP.

@Aerith: The base ability of the Illusion sphere gives you the equivalent of prestidigitation as a Trick (at-will ability). If you're not wanting to spend a talent, it looks like you could purchase a slotted magic item that grants it as an at-will SLA for 900gp. Alternately, if you're only wanting some of prestidigation's effects, you can grab them as tattoos for 125gp per effect (clean + flavor + smell would be 375gp, for example) like we did in CotCT.

Wonderful! Spending 375 on clean+smell tattoo. Even if never mentioned again, I’m happy knowing that this privileged noble-born mage can magically care for herself. Gold very well spent. :)

I'll assume both Aerith and Tribim loaned Mahmoud 77.53 gp and buy the enchanted dagger. :)

Sorry about that everyone. A silly mistake!

Sorry about that everyone. A silly mistake!

No biggy, but I do have a plan for the next three or four thousand :)

Indeed. I’m just grateful you are keeping track.

And now that I’ve got my prestidigitation, I can now save for a ring of force shield. :)

Thanks for the ideas, everyone.

With just 1297.5gp (+ a banked 25gp) to play with, I think Epperson will just get a 50gp talisman of beneficial winds and save the rest.

In case Aerith and Epperson want to do any last-minute prep, I'll wait to update Gameplay until right before I go to bed. :-)

The rooftops are 15ft off the ground, and the rubble-filled squares are difficult terrain.

Are all the gold enemy on rooftops? It looks like three of them are on the ground behind cover.

Three enemies are on rooftops, and the other three are on the ground behind cover.

I know the surprise round and aoo missed, but what about round 1 attack?

Bludgeon 30ft range: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23
Damage: 1d10 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12

I knew I missed something. That hit but didn't do enough damage to defeat him.

@Epperson/Mahmoud: In case you're recovering from a busy weekend or whatnot, I'll give you another day to get caught up. :-)