Balistar Vinn's page

@GM Batpony - I'm not 100% certain of how reporting works, but I think I'm supposed to ask you to add your PFS number and initials on my PFS Playtest Tracking Sheet (link) - does that sound right to you?

"This," Balistar says, as he scribbles notes into his journal as Zor tells her tale and the pieces fall into place for the party, "is gonna make a wonderful story!"

Just finished the survey. It wasn’t bad - took less than 10 minutes. Thanks again, Batpony - see you over at the Resonance Test!

Thanks for running it, Batpony, and thanks to the group for a fun adventure. I am slightly - slightly! - less concerned about 2E than I was. I expect to be playing 1E for a long time yet, at home and on the forums, but I can see picking up 2E games as well.

Balistar gapes at the skeleton as it heals itself with the same negative energy it had used against the Pathfinders. Suddenly, the tumblers fall into place.

"Bloody 'Ell! That skelly's no warrior! It's a bleedin' priest! It's an undead cleric! Mebbe it's wot killed Justerian! Get 'im!"

Balistar casts Inspire Courage.

Balistar looks around the room for something sturdier than pieces of the splintered table, then smiles.

"'Let's see ya shrug this off, ya bony bastid! Smashy-smashy!"

With a flick of his fingers, a heavy, rusted iron skillet flies up from behind a toppled counter and hurtles towards the skeleton!

Balistar casts Telekinetic Projectile (two actions, ranged attack, using a blunt object yields bludgeoning damage).

Telekinetic Projectile, Inspire Courage: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 3 + 1 = 121d10 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Drat!

Balistar reels from the onslaught of negative energy. He rallies and shakes it off, but when his starts to speak, his voice is still raw.

"Remember... remember the unflaggin' spirit o' Durvin Gest! One skelly warrior? Why, 'ee woulda laughed himself silly, ee would! Let's send it back ta Pharasma wif a big red bow!"

Balistar casts Inspire Courage.

Glancing at the broken bits of furniture scattered around the ruined tavern, the young bard spies what he needs.

"'Ere we are! Nice an' easy, then. Jest like a game o' whackbat."

He raises his hands around the grip of his rapier, winds up, and swings like he's swinging a bat.

A mostly-intact leg from the shattered table rises from the floor behind the skeleton, pivots away from it, then swings forward into the creature!

Balistar casts Telekinetic Projectile (two actions, ranged attack, using a blunt object yields bludgeoning damage).

Telekinetic Projectile, Inspire Courage: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 3 + 1 = 141d10 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Kuch, did you add +1 to attack and damage for Inspire Courage?

Baltoros, if you intended to move next to Kuch last round, you must have forgotten to move your token on the map - it shows you on the other side of the room.

Don't forget to add +1 to attack and damage rolls from Inspire Courage, folks!

Balistar continues his inspiring cantrip. "'Ey there, Kuch! We're comin' ta help! Remember 'ow Ailson Kindler an' her party o' Paffinders used ta 'ave ta fight there way through 'ordes of the undead - if they could torch a nest o' vampires, while 'alf-drained o' their blood, we c'n take care of a coupla zombos an' this skeletal whatever the 'eck it is!"

Balistar strides over to the blue zombie and lunges at it with his rapier. "Now let go o' my friend, ya brain-eatin' bastard!"

Rapier, Inspire Courage: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 3 + 1 = 191d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

"'Ey there mates, I jest remembered that these zombos are partic'ly 'urt by slashin' at 'em, and by the kind o' energy Baltoros calls up for 'ealin'!"

Balistar, with his low-light vision, does not need a light source, but does not want any of the other Pathfinders not having a free hand if they need one. Before they go inside, he pulls a hooded lantern out of his pack, checks the oil, and lights it.

Once inside, when the dead start to shamble towards them, the skeletal warrior captures his attention first.

Bardic Lore (for Religion): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

"I dunno what that skelly is, but I know it ain't supposed to be walkin' around like it owns the place!"

Balistar spots the zombies as they stagger into the light from his lantern. Action 1: Recall Knowledge.

Bardic Lore (for Religion): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14

Does that get anything?

Action 2: Cast a Spell (Inspire Courage).

"C'mon, Paffinders, let's send these escaped corpses back ta Pharasma!"

Action 3: Draw a Weapon.

Balistar draws his rapier and glares at the blue zombie.

"Oi, come on then, ya shamblin' git! Let's see how ye dance!"

Fantastic, thanks, Baltoros!

Balistar gently stretches, testing his healed ribs, then claps Baltoros on the back once the priest has healed his own injuries.

"Good as new, or near enough! Thanks, Baltoros! An' thanks to Gozreh, too, if they're listenin'!"

The half-elf stops at Kuch's warning, then crouches low to try to find the edge of the sinkhole.

(I was going to suggest that Balistar would be better used to aid someone else's check, but given the higher DC for the Aid reaction than in PF1, and the strong possibility that he might make things worse with a critical failure, I think he should just make his own check.)

Survival: 1d20 - 4 ⇒ (19) - 4 = 15

Seems like I made the wrong call. Sorry, guys.

Fantastic, thanks, Baltoros!

Balistar gently stretches, testing his healed ribs, then claps Baltoros on the back once the priest has healed his own injuries.

"Good as new, or near enough! Thanks, Baltoros! An' thanks to Gozreh, too, if they're listenin'!"

The half-elf stops at Kuch's warning, then crouches low to try to help find the edge of the sinkhole.

Survival: 1d20 - 4 ⇒ (18) - 4 = 14

Nice!

I'm hesitant to push the game as -10 and -5 hp are quite significant,but if nothing else in 12 hours, I'll just continue as if you decided not to heal prior to exploration.

Sorry - I intended to post earlier. Balistar has no way to heal himself at this point. He does not have healer's tools - he bought his equipment before using Medicine to heal hit points was a thing. I was hoping Baltoros would make it down and be able to help, but that seems unlikely, as he will need to use his spells for himself. Unless someone else has healer's tools or another option, we should just move on when Baltoros and the rest of the party are ready.

Balistar staggers to his feet and weaves dizzily for a moment, then straightens up slowly, one hand on his side to keep his ribs from moving in ways they should not. "I'm fine, mates. Let's carry on."

"Aaaaa!" Balistar slips on the rope as he climbs down into the hole. He scrambles frantically at the side of the pit, desperate to grab a handhold.

Acrobatics (Grab an Edge): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

But his efforts are to no avail, and Balistar plummets into the mist!

THUD!

Balistar hits the ground outside the former tavern and safe house with a bone-crunching crash. He remains unmoving, eyes closed, as the sound echoes back up the hole.

"Oi, that’s not 'ow that's supposed ta work, is it?"

Balistar peers into the hole, then - with a shrug at Baltoros - follows Kuch and Agent Midnight down the rope.

Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
Athletics: 1d20 - 4 ⇒ (11) - 4 = 7

Once the group is gathered at the bottom, Balistar says,

"So I been finkin', mates. Baltoros 'ere pointed out that we only ever saw signs o' two people at Justerian's disgustin' mansion. If our late lamented cook weren't a priest o' Milani, an' he also didn't have no truck with the Pallid Princess, then it stands to reason that the signs o' Milani an' the signs of ol' PP 'erself must've come from the same person, don't it? Mebbe a shapeshifter or somefin'?"

Only then does he really look around.

"Oi, 'oo decided to stash freed slaves 'ere? An' what did they say to 'em to get 'em to come 'ere? 'Congratulations, you are all free! Thank you fer 'elping ta save the city from the invadin' Abyssal 'ordes, now please climb down this 'ole inta the gloomy misty dark an' go wait in that abandoned building until we call fer ya.' Yeah, that would go over big."

He thinks for a moment.

"OK, it woulda gone over big wif me, but I ain't most people, am I?"

Investigation mode, as usual.

Yes. I’ll stay away from expressing my positions, but I think whatever side of the aisle one is on, this election feels more consequential than usual.

Sorry - election night is a nail-biter. I’ll get caught up in the next couple of hours.

I've just barely started looking over update 1.6, but wow.

Upon returning to Ambrus Valsin, he listens curiously to your findings, and ask you the question. "Let's assume everything you've found for a moment is somehow connected, what can you decipher about the Rose Street Killer so far?" He asks the team before he provides you your final assignment.

Balistar snaps his fingers. "The first fing we foun' was a plague o' rats in the Puddles, in'it? 'Fore we even talked ta Dahlia or went ta the decrepit mansion? What could they hafta do wit' the killer?"

Bardic Lore to find a connection between a plague of rats and the murdered former slaves or Urgathoa?: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19

Well, that's a stumper.

"Any idea why 'ee was livin' where 'ee was livin'? Seemed a bit ... moldy fer someone wot worked wit' food."

With a glance at Agent Midnight, Balistar adds, "Er, yes, we're very sorry fer yer loss, Miss. We are doin' our best ta find the killer. One clue we found was a note to yer friend wot was signed 'W'. D'ya know if Justerian 'ad any friends wit' that initial?"

"Aye, that's a good bet, Baltoros, I was thinkin' 'bout that ripped up journal entry meself. Now let's see what this poor sod c'n tell us, shall we?"

Balistar assists inadvertently impedes Baltoros in his inspection of Justinian's corpse.

Medicine, Aid Another: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Balistar regains 1 HP. Might as well try for a little more healing!

Balistar points to the trail of bloodstains. "I'm right certain that won't lead ta nuffin good, mates. Still, needs must, eh?"

When they find the club and holy symbol, and the buzzing insects, Balistar wracks his brain for any relevant information that he may have read or overheard.

Club:
Bardic Lore: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13

Insects:
Bardic Lore, substitute for Nature: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20

Yes - sorry for the delayed posting, late night at work yesterday.

"Bloody 'ell, that was rough! Nice fightin', mates, an' thanks fer gettin' the bleedin' stopped, Agent M. Anybody 'ave any 'ealer's tools so's we c'n try ta patch ourselves up a bit more?"

Balistar has Medicine +1, and might be better suited to aid someone with a higher score.

Still bleeding?: 1d20 ⇒ 5

"Oi, Baltoros! Ye wanna be steppin' away from the bloodsuckers now!"

Balistar steps over to the bed, grabs the blanket, and flings it at the bat swarm.

Blanket fight!: 1d20 + 3 - 2 ⇒ (1) + 3 - 2 = 2

That can't be good. Does a Playtest swarm even have an AC? Or is it like attacking a PF1 swarm?

Sorry - forgot the check!

Still bleeding?: 1d20 ⇒ 4

Yup.

Once Balistar spots the blanket, he shouts, "Could we catch the bats by tossin' that blanket on 'em?"

Reflex: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

"Gaaahh!" Balistar yells and sputters as he tries to wipe the acidic sewage from his eyes and mouth.

"Let's not 'ave anymore o' that, then!"

Action 1, Crafting: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (15) - 1 = 14

Action 2, Crafting: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (12) - 1 = 11

After trying to shore up the ceiling, Balistar looks around for anything of interest.

Action 3, Seek: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

”If there ain’t anyfin’ in ‘ere we needs, mates, maybe we oughtta try one of the other rooms ‘afore these bats drain us dry?”

Is there a blanket or bedspread around?

Reflex: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17

I’ll post roleplay and actions in a few hours. I assume that’s half damage (-1) from the ooze? And another -2 from the persistent bleed damage from the bats? If I have this right, Balistar should be down -2 from the stairs, -4 from the bats, -2 from the bleed, and -1 from the ooze’s filth wave, for a total of -9?

Looks like I posted the bard feat for Lingering Composition instead of the power itself - I'll post it in the spoiler below. Did Balistar succeed in the Performance check? It will affect whether he needs to cast Inspire Courage again next round or can use the action for something else. Also, I'm sorry if I missed it, but did Balistar make his Reflex saves?

Balistar runs into the room to get away from the bat swarm (Action 2: Stride) and conveys what he knows about the bats and ooze. "'Ey there, the goop is jest a mindless sewer thing, it's acidic enough so acid can't 'urt it! It ain't got any real body parts, so it don' matter where ya hit it, won't be any better or worse'n anyplace else! An' these bats are awful 'ard ta 'urt jest by bangin' away at 'em, especially wit' a blunt instrument or by stabbin' at 'em! Baltoros, can ya try ta calm 'em down?"

Balistar draws his rapier and prepares to attack the ooze (Action 3: Draw a Weapon).

Bardic Lore (Bats): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18

Occultism (Oozes): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14

Reflex 1: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20

Reflex 2: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20

Balistar will use his first action to cast Inspire Courage.

"Oi, ain't this grand?" Balistar shouts, as he flails about swatting at the bat swarm. "Swarming bats! Awful oozes! This 'ouse, which is almost certainly 'aunted! It's like the most Paffinder-y thing we could do!"

Rolling a Performance check to use Lingering Composition. I'd like to post the next two actions after the result of knowledge checks.

Performance: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

Balistar holds up one arm and tries to breath through his sleeve. With his other hand, he points to the entry to the south room

"Seems like sumfin's nestin' in that room, mates. That 'orrible stench is like the worst combination of animal scat an' the garbage me landlady dumps in th'alley every Toilday an' Fireday fer the scavengers."

"I'll keep me peepers open fer strange an' unusual phenomena while we nose about," Balistar says, as he picks splinters out of his leg.

Investigating, with Occultism or Bardic Lore, if something else comes up, are both [dice=Recall Knowledge]1d20 + 3[/dice} for any seekrit rolls needed.

Nature untrained Bardic Lore, Recall Knowledge: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19
Nature untrained Bardic Lore, Recall Knowledge: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19

Well, that was unlikely!

Balistar looks around the abandoned mansion in delight. He nudges Baltoros with an elbow.

"It's wunnerful, i'nit?" the bard says happily. "Places like this, ya c'n feel the weight of 'istory jest pressin' down on ya, can't ya? I bet all kinds o' strange an' unusual 'appenins 'ave 'appened in this place!"

He watches Agent Midnight begin climbing the walls, and shakes his head, impressed.

"Heh. That's well enough for some, but I fink I'll jest take the stairs all careful-like, and trust me luck."

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Ruh-roh.

Hero Lab Online has updated to include Playtest Update 1.4 (as well as the Multiclass Archetypes update). While I got Balistar fixed up, I realized that although he gained the Natural Ambition ancestry feat, he lost his elven speed (I could have taken the Nimble ancestry feat instead, but getting Lingering Performance now was too good an opportunity to pass up). So he is now down to 25' speed with the rest of you slowpokes.

Balistar shakes his head in sympathy with Dahlia's tale.

"Oi, that's a right smelly kettle o' fish, that is." He pauses a moment, then adds, "I don' mean the actual fish, Miss. Those smell delish, but I do believe they might be gettin' a bit overdone, if ya know what I mean."

Balistar stops and tries again. "Anyways, mayhap ye could give us the skinny on where yer mate lives, where 'ee would 'ang when 'ee weren't cookin' 'ere, an' anyfin' ye've 'eard about these 'ere unnergroun' slavers 'ee were worried about."

Reluctantly, Balistar draws the pouch out from under his new cloak.

So long, me lovelies!

"We 'ave also brought wif us, officer Al-Shirati, purely as a gesture of good faif from the Paffinders, an' in particklar from our Venture-Cap'n Ambrus Valsin, this small token of the Society's esteem fer the Muckrakers to assist in yer important work."

With that, he hands Ziraya the pouch.

Sorry for the delay!

"Also, rats is vile, disgustin' creatures wot make my skin crawl. Yer doin' a real service 'ere, you are. But where are me manners?" Balistar bows. "Balistar Vinn, officer, an' jest by chance, I am a collector of tales of strange an' unusual 'appenings. 'Ave ya noticed anyfing strange or unusual 'appening 'round 'ere lately?"

Diplomacy, Make an Impression: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

Balistar buys a pair of boots, a cloak, and a nondescript outfit suitable for traveling - all gently used, and reasonably close to his size - from a small shop in a dingy alley without a sign of any sort. Returning to his rented room, his landlady comments on his new clothes.

"Felt like a bit of a change, I did, Mrs. R, and a good fing for you I did. The clothes I 'ad been wearin', why you'd 'ave smelled 'em all the way down at the butcher's if I'd worn 'em 'home." Balistar shakes his head. "No, I thought to meself as I left the Grand Lodge, no, I should go straight to the tailor and purchase meself some new rags so that these offending duds can go straight into the furnace! And Mrs. R, that is jest wot I did, it is. I said to Tailor Bennish, Bennish me lad, I'll gladly pay ya a silver for these new threads, an' worf every bit of it they are, but I implore you ta take this bundle of odiferous apparel and burn the lot."

Balistar receives the message from Ambrus Valsin with enthusiasm. Clapping a hand on the shoulder of the courier, he grabs his cloak and pack from a wardrobe near the front door, and hustles the young halfling outside. From the front step, Balistar calls back into the small rooming house, "Sorry, Mrs. R, duty calls! The Paffinders need me particular skills ta solve a turrible mystery! I'll prob'ly not be back until very late!"[/b] As the storyteller slams the door shut, Mrs. R's voice is just barely audible from inside, calling, "But Balistar! What about my rent?"

Balistar bids the halfling good morning, then walks off toward the Puddles, rubbing his hands together as thinks about the eventual payoff if his team is able to stop the murders and catch the killer.

Band of the Palm... Now what d'ya suppose that's all about, Bally me lad?

Society: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Not a clue, Bally ol' sot, not a single bleedin' clue.

-----

Arriving in the Puddles, Balistar follows the Venture-Captain's directions until he spots first the rats, then Agent Midnight, and finally the woman with the badge. He jerks back around the corner before remembering that he's actually looking for someone with a badge instead of the other way around. Sheepish, he saunters over to Agent Midnight.

"Top o' the morning, Agent M, top o' the morning. Leave it ta ya ta notice the details like the lady's animated tattoo. Me, I was focused on these here rats." He shivers, then continues. "Reminds me a bit too much of our last caper, eh?"

Turning to the tattooed lady in question, Balistar gives a jaunty salute. "A very good morning to ya, madam! Ya wouldn't 'appen ta be one of these well-known Muckrakers, would ya?"

Just started flipping through it. Are we required to use the pregens?

Sounds good to me - and I'll definitely bring Garduk 2.0 to the table.

I'm counting on it!

Balistar Vinn wrote:

I haven’t played any of the higher level scenarios and would be very interested in any of them! I just rebuilt several versions of Garduk the Unteachable (arcanist (occultist)) using the playtest rules now that all of the multiclass archetypes have come out - trying to figure out whether he works better as a wizard with the sorcerer archetype or a sorcerer with the wizard archetype. I'd love to take one version or the other out for a spin.

Hah! That would be interesting I see, I haven’t even thought about a pf2 version of Brayne yet, but I can imagine a Barbarian with multiclass into cleric! This excites me.

Oh, that would be good. He should take the Mindquake Survivor background from Doomsday Dawn!

Is Garduk the Unteachable the best (and only) student of Ostog the Untenured?

Ha!

Balistar shakes his head sadly.

"'Spect they got it by comin' inta possession o' the follower o' Milani, Agent M. Any chance one o' these guys will talk?"

He looks again at the names on the list. "Any o' these poor sods wot ain't been brutally murdered yet? Might be we could give 'em a bit o' warning."

Also, I have updated Balistar through PT Update 1.4 - he was able to take a new ancestry feat, Natural Ambition, which allowed him to take a new level 1 class feat, Lingering Composition. So Balistar no longer needs to spend one action every round to maintain his Inspire Courage.

I haven’t played any of the higher level scenarios and would be very interested in any of them! I just rebuilt several versions of Garduk the Unteachable (arcanist (occultist)) using the playtest rules now that all of the multiclass archetypes have come out - trying to figure out whether he works better as a wizard with the sorcerer archetype or a sorcerer with the wizard archetype. I'd love to take one version or the other out for a spin.

"Looks like these Dragons Sharks ain't gonna put up much of a fight! Let's finish this so's our Sewer Dragon friends 'ere can get back to ... doin' whatever it is they were doin' before these yahoos showed up!"

Action 1: Cast a Spell, Inspire Courage

Balistar shoots off a pair of arrows at the last kobold standing, using his bow in combat for the first time.

Shortbow, Arrow 1: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 181d6 ⇒ 3

Shortbow, Arrow 2: 1d20 + 3 - 5 ⇒ (6) + 3 - 5 = 41d6 ⇒ 1

I'd be happy to do them all - this is the only Playtest adventure I've played. And I can do the 1.4 update this weekend - Hero Lab finally updated through 1.3, so I'm confident I've got Balistar built right through that version.