Two gems is better than one.
Also, pretty much an identical situation with the other gem: elemental wants to be freed and wants vengeance against the people of Crownhold.
She doesn't phrase it as a question because of the way she is, but it is merely a suggestion. Our alternatives are another spell slot of Yujin's (a big cost given we've already got a distraction) or 10 minutes and a roll that's more likely to fail than not; none of us are great at Arcana or Nature
I'm good with keeping the second one and throwing it at someone.
Two gems is better than one.
yes, let's go with that.
Okay, so I'm looking at possible rooms for this ambush. I'm thinking we want to pick a room that is somewhat isolated so not too many enemies can join the fight. I don't know if Ordulf will call for reinforcements but better safe than sorry. I get the feeling he's not the type to run away so sealing off escape routes is less of a worry than reinforcements are.
The furnace room where we found the gems could be a good possibility.
The room on the 1st floor where we currently are has some nice space to move around but I don't know what is upstairs. Maybe Yujin could go invisible and peek up the stairs quickly. She still 3 more invisibities for the day. If the upstairs looks clear, the room we are in could be a possibility too. Otherwise, right-most room on the first floor is okay, but it is more cramped.
I wouldn't pick anything on the fourth floor with that owl-roc around.
It doesn't look like I have any spells I'd really use ahead of time.
Cutting that fishing equipment seems like it would have a beneficial effect...or it will get Yujin killed. But I'll probably start combat by doing that, so that I can free up my hands for other stuff later.
Someone should also weild that Storm Flash weapon, for this fight, at least. Suryo or Ajoran have the best melee attacks, so I'd suggest one of them use it.
Also, y’all have officially hit your Bulk limit for the spacious pouches, so anything else you find you’ll have to carry on your person. I know Yujin has at least a spare 5 Bulk she can carry.
I hadn't looked at spacious pouches. They aren't that expensive. Maybe I'll invest in one next time to help carry some loot.
Some observations:
Greater Frost ignores cold resistance and he's in turn resistant to Cold damage, so the energy mutagen is next to useless Suryo. That said you can at least do a breath weapon attack that will probably do some damage, and may catch any bodyguards if he has any. (You should probably start with that though otherwise you'll get weakness 5 to fire and with Yujin around...)
Janna has a rank 6 slot available that she could cast Heroism on someone. It would be good for her Spell Attacks, but it doesn't do anything for DC so it's probably better on someone doing mostly strikes, Ajoran or Suryo, I'm not sure which. The other could have a rank 3 version. The main competitor for the rank 6 slow would be slow on up to 10 targets, but I'm guessing he's only going to have a small number of bodyguards so I'd lean toward the Heroism.
My plan is to save the rank 7 slot for a teleport later, that would avoid us having to find a place to stay overnight.
The Insult Ordulf action seems very strong, we should probably do some of that! Janna is not suited to it, but everybody else is a Master of Intimidation.
We've got three Breath of the Mantis Gods available with DC 33. I'm expecting his Fort save to be monstrous though, so it feels unlikely to be helpful.
Achaekek's Clutch is neat but will trigger a Reactive Strike which we probably want to avoid.
His Gorum boon is tremendously dangerous! My reading is that it would even resist Death effects. Suryo's Zealous Inevitability seems like the best weapon against it, so I'll give him the +2 Heroism.
Yujin is going to smash the fishing equipment on round 1, I think that's a great plan. Janna has to cast a spell in order to Unleash as quickly as possible, and I'm thinking maybe Bless or Albatross Curse or something helpful. I think someone should break the Elemental Fragment but it needs two actions, so if Ajoran or Suryo has the actions to spare we could have them do it.
Location wise I think we could do with some space (he might have reach, or become enlarged somehow, and we could do with getting out of his reach), but ideally be away from potential help. I like the room we're in but should we be worried about the Polar Bear things?
Buff-wise Janna would cast the two Heroisms, See the Unseen from the mask and Darkvision from her staff (I doubt either of the effects will help against a Gorumite, but you never know)
The Insult Ordulf action seems very strong, we should probably do some of that! Janna is not suited to it, but everybody else is a Master of Intimidation.
Yujin is a master in Intimidate with a +27 bonus. I agree with trying to utilize the Insult. It is a two-action action, so it would be instead of casting a spell that round. Still, I'll try to work it in.
Achaekek's Clutch is neat but will trigger a Reactive Strike which we probably want to avoid.
I don't see a range on that spell. I didn't think it was touch. I was thinking about getting that spell on him. A few of us have it, so whoever gets the opportunity.
Location wise I think we could do with some space (he might have reach, or become enlarged somehow, and we could do with getting out of his reach), but ideally be away from potential help. I like the room we're in but should we be worried about the Polar Bear things?
Maybe. I noticed they are 3 spaces big and the doors are 2 spaces big, so they'd need to squeeze through. Maybe we can lock those doors somehow like we locked the guards in their rooms.
In addition to Achaekek's Clutch, I'm going to try to get bloodspray curse and impending doom on Ordulf as quickly as possible.
If Ordulf manages to kill someone, which is possible, Yujin has both breath of life and shock to the system to help get people back up.
I don't see a range on that spell. I didn't think it was touch. I was thinking about getting that spell on him. A few of us have it, so whoever gets the opportunity.
Oh interesting you're right, there's no range listed. I just assumed it was touched based on the description. Hopefully not!
I'd also not noticed the two action on the taunt. It's still great, but annoying for a spellcaster as you say.
Shock to the system is very cool I've not seen that before
Pulling back the curtain: With 14 Infiltration Points, that means there is a 0% chance of Ordulf calling reinforcements. Don't think about creatures in adjacent rooms joining the fight; it won't happen whatsoever.
Achaekek's Clutch is neat but will trigger a Reactive Strike which we probably want to avoid.I don't see a range on that spell. I didn't think it was touch. I was thinking about getting that spell on him. A few of us have it, so whoever gets the opportunity.
Error on AoN's part; it's a range of 30 feet.
His Gorum boon is tremendously dangerous! My reading is that it would even resist Death effects. Suryo's Zealous Inevitability seems like the best weapon against it, so I'll give him the +2 Heroism.
That is correct; the power of a deity trumps everything else. Your best bet is to hasten the inevitable (pun intended) with Suryo's Zealous Inevitability.
Okay. If we aren't worried about reinforcements, the big square room on the first floor looks good.
We've got three Breath of the Mantis Gods available with DC 33. I'm expecting his Fort save to be monstrous though, so it feels unlikely to be helpful.
Him having to succeed three times though is worth the shot.
I think someone should break the Elemental Fragment but it needs two actions, so if Ajoran or Suryo has the actions to spare we could have them do it.
Agreed. I think this helps to keep him a little more occupied.
Roleplay wise, a space without an audience seems appropriate, but of course we're to leave the mark afterward.
Zealous Inevitability is going to be a constant effort from Suryo either pretty immediately or after he breaks the elemental gem if he does that. Shadow of Death and Slay will be key methods of bringing down Ordulf, which is why making him doomed is so important.
Suryo can hunt prey, but I don't believe there's actually an advantage to that in this situation.
If Ordulf can cast spells Suryo can Silence the Profane. Tumbling theft could be fun to relief Ordulf of key weapons?
Inscribe Shadow Pamor could be beneficial if he can work it in early (make him dazzled).
I don't think it will work, but he could try his Demon Mask to instill fear. However, if that does work then Dread Striker becomes another means to ensure sneaks beyond Gang Up.
He has a Fortune's Coin, which is essentially like an extra hero point.
I think that's most everything that's relevant?
Storm flash does look nice and since Suryo isn't doing the whole twinning thing with the sabres he might be the best candidate to wield it? It lacks the agile trait, so in a round perhaps Storm Flash -> Sawtooth -> Sawtooth.
Has it been an hour so that we'll be able to use crimson shroud again?
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Yes; Janna spent an hour pouring over Ordulf's prayerbook
Ajoran could use storm flash if the party wanted. It shouldn't mess with his interactions with implements much, the runes are great for his doubling rings, and losing [twin] isn't a big issue since so much of his damage comes from class features.
If Ajoran is going to have time to Exploit Vulnerability before the fight, he could stand invisible on the front lines. That way if Ordulf starts off by charging I can open up with free attack or two?
Besides dropping an insult early on, I think laying into Ordulf with raw damage. With some luck, I'll get some ↻ attacks off if he tries to cast spells or chase down a caster. Twin Feint every round and likely Opportune Backstab, and either ◆Intensify Vulnerability to fish for crits or contributing to Intimidate.
On that note, we may want to have the people good at Intimidate set a rotation of debuffing.
I could also get off some Debilitating Terror off to either make it harder for him to kill me (if he succeeds) or force him to focus someone else (fail) and make him eat some ↻ sandwitches on his way to a different target.
Most of my spells are a little situational, besides prebuffing a +1 heroism and maybe fleet step if a minute long spell isn't too tricky to prebuff right before fight. Darkness might be good, but only if the whole party can see in it. And it's unlikely that our man of the hour would be vulnerable to something so basic.
Do we have an answer for the animated axe? A dispel magic, maybe?
I could also get off some Debilitating Terror off to either make it harder for him to kill me (if he succeeds) or force him to focus someone else (fail) and make him eat some ↻ sandwitches on his way to a different target.
Zealous Inevitability is going to be a constant effort from Suryo either pretty immediately or after he breaks the elemental gem if he does that. Shadow of Death and Slay will be key methods of bringing down Ordulf, which is why making him doomed is so important.
Note that Slay and debilitating terror are both incapacitation effects, meaning they’re less effective if Ordulf is level 15 or higher (spoiler alert: he is).
Also, Ajoran, I noticed that you didn’t have Achaekek’s clutch listed among your spells. This is noteworthy because that gives you a third Focus Point.
ALSO also, your shroud of the mantis allows you to be invisible for 10 minutes, if that’s what you wanna do.
Suryo can hunt prey, but I don't believe there's actually an advantage to that in this situation.
It’s mostly for stuff not related to your build since you worship Achaekek (e.g. an avenger of Gorum would need to Hunt Prey before being able to sneak attack with a greatsword), and decided not to take Twin Takedown.
However! Your Hunt Prey does have one noteworthy reason for existing:
The triggering spell is disrupted on a critical success, or on a success if the target is your hunted prey and the spell is a divine spell.
Emphasis: mine.
Do we have an answer for the animated axe? A dispel magic, maybe?
Um…yeah, a weapon that’s been Set Free is, by definition, unattended, so a dispel magic would indeed work. So because it’s a level 13 rune, it’d be counteract rank 7, counteract DC 31.
EDIT:
We've got three Breath of the Mantis Gods available with DC 33. I'm expecting his Fort save to be monstrous though, so it feels unlikely to be helpful.
Note that Activating an inhaled poison causes it to fill a 10-foot cube for 1 minute, and creatures that enter the cloud (and, I’ll house-rule “start their turn in the cloud”) makes a save against the poison. I’m also gonna say that Activating the poison doesn’t count as the creature “entering” the cloud (because otherwise it’d basically be making three saves against it in the first round: once on Activation, once on turn start, and once on turn end against an ongoing poison). Even the two saves per round feels a bit much, but to me it makes a bit more sense for a creature that’s stuck in a cloud of poison gas!
Alright, so lemme just see if I got preparations right:
Ajoran Exploits Vulnerability beforehand
Janna casts 6th-rank heroism on Suryo and 3rd-rank heroism on Ajoran, and starts combat with a dose of breath of the Mantis God in each hand
Suryo starts with his saber in one hand and the elemental fragment in the other, intending to switch to the storm flash afterwards.
Yujin starts with a saber in one hand and the other hand free with the intent to break the fishing gear.
Also bear in mind that the living magma’s aura deals 15 fire damage indiscriminately, so y’all would likely want some kind of fire resistance if you can manage it.
Janna is also going to do a rank 5 See the Unseen and a rank 2 Darkvision from her mask and staff, but I accept that we can probably ignore those in practice.
Oh that aura is going to be a problem. 15 damage with a pretty high fort in 40 feet! Enfeebled until out of the aura on a fail (i.e forever) too. Ouch.
Janna could brew four greater energy mutagens (fire) that give resist Fire 15 for 10 minutes, so we'd only take damage on a crit fail, but it would give weakness 5 to cold, i.e every hit of Ordulf. But then the extra fire damage would probably hurt Ordulf, so swings and roundabouts. The aura might even enfeeble him eventually.
It would be all of Janna's quick alchemy and so remove most of her utility options like numbing tonic and soothing tonic for extra survivability. Thoughts? Is anyone hiding a rank 7 Resist Energy?
I unfortunately don't have resist energy. But also, I don't expect the fire elemental to last long. Once it is dead, the aura won't affect anyone.
How the hell did I forget to buy a spindly white pearl aeon stone -_- It's so inexpensive at this level and just auto-heals over longer periods.
Because it’s an uncommon item.
That would do it. I'm used to them being more available in PFS.
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Ok, let's stick to the plan, and Janna will offer a to anyone that wants one. It just occurred to me that the Quick Alchemy duration reduction means the breath weapon option doesn't work, but it's not a big loss in this case.
Janna will take one in addition to her other buffs, and hope she doesn't get hit much with the cold axe.
Been having internet issues at home. Brief delay on posting while I get that sorted.
FYI for Ajoran when he gets back: your hotbar says your AC is 33 when it's actually 35.
Alright, we have a temp solution to the internet that should last us until I can get our dead router replaced. Back in the fray and I have updated my character sheet as per the Gm's suggestions. Funny thing about Achaekek’s clutch is that I missed it because I the logistics/flavor of the first sentence and kinda skimmed the rest of it.
And I'm finally including Implement's Empowerment in my damage. I didn't even have to write it on the chalkboard like Bart Simpson.
Probably not gonna get around to a post tonight; just spent my evening at a Weird Al concert XD
He's fun. I didn't realize he still did concerts.
Ohh, sounds like a lot of fun! Happy to hear he's still putting in the work.
Also, having multiple party members with Opportune Backstab is a very special kind of gross and I love it.
I already had this conversation with Yujin, but I’m also letting the rest of y’all know for the sake of transparency: oracular curse says that “As your curse is a direct result of divine power, you cannot mitigate, reduce, or remove the effects of your curse or any ability with the cursebound trait by any means other than Refocusing.” So that means (based on my reading) that Yujin’s persistent fire damage can’t be reduced by Yujin’s fire resistance (or even fire immunity, if she somehow got that).
Quick reminder, since this was kinda mentioned in passing, and was before Ajoran's player joined: part of your assassination is to also recover Ordulf's personal religious symbol (a necklace that he wears) and return it to Ilizmagorti for the Blood Mistress to perform rites to appease the gods.
Good reminder. Thank you.
Died to the Foretell Harm
That's really funny. I did not expect that to happen.
Have we yet left sufficient mark that our organization did it?
There were witnesses. So yes.
I'm coming to realize a lot of the spells I picked have the incapacitation trait, which I didn't realize was a thing at the time so they aren't going to be as effective as I thought.
I was thinking to my blinding fury reaction but since it has that trait, I'll probably become a critical success and do nothing. Oh well. I'll have to save those spells for lesser things.
Hero Points have reset
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You are 100% correct about the Hero Point thing, Janna; that was human error on my part.
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Sorry about being slow to post. Things have been hectic lately. Car troubles, lawn work overdue, and 4th of July weekend making stuff hectic at the job.
Will try to post something tomorrow morning/noon!
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Today’s gonna be particularly hectic for me. I’ll try to get a post in if I can, but I make no promises.
...Janna regains a Focus Point...
If you've spent Focus Points only to amp psi cantrips or fuel psychic abilities since the last time you Refocused, you regain 2 Focus Points when you Refocus...
Please Sir, can I regain two focus points? I appreciate the Psychic refocusing was written before the remaster when Refocus was rewritten, but I'm hoping we can keep the two-for-one
Location wise for the ambush I'm honestly not sure. The third floor is open, and would provide a good view of a frontal approach or an easy way to bottle-neck if they came up the stairs. They might be flying and casting spells at us but we could always retreat inside the rooms to try go them to close (or even engage in the air given the potions)
If the castle is empty, can we see the rest of the second floor to see if any room there would be good?
Otherwise, maybe the basement again. It's fairly large and has only two entrances.
If the castle is empty, can we see the rest of the second floor to see if any room there would be good?
Otherwise, maybe the basement again. It's fairly large and has only two entrances.
Will do so in a sec.
EDIT: Done.
...Janna regains a Focus Point...If you've spent Focus Points only to amp psi cantrips or fuel psychic abilities since the last time you Refocused, you regain 2 Focus Points when you Refocus...Please Sir, can I regain two focus points? I appreciate the Psychic refocusing was written before the remaster when Refocus was rewritten, but I'm hoping we can keep the two-for-one
Whoops! My bad!
Yeah, the basement is reasonably open as well. I could go either way between that and open-air floor 3.
Part of me hopes the frost rocs return partway through (but perhaps they were raptured with the rest of the bodies).
Ok. 3rd floor is fine with me.
The only spell I'm casting ahead of time is using my mantis mask to enhance vision with see the unseen.
Heads up, I am going to be out of town for my annual family reunion, starting tomorrow (7/10) through to Sunday (7/13). I can certainly TRY to post during that time, but I make no promises.