Beopere's page

Mercia sits unusually silent at this pre-dawn hour. Past days would have seen workers going about their repair of the wounded town, but today, the day following the feast celebrating the town and its heroes' victory, they rest awhile longer.

But not Irravin and Vladimir. Already they make their final preparations to meet with their guide. They must make their way to the northern gate of Mercia in the next hour. But what do they do with their final hour before leaving Mercia? How do they ready themselves, or what farewells do they seek?

Hey guys!

We'll use this thread for out of character discussions and banter, as well as organizing our posting times and resolving more complex rule issues.

This is for the players of Irravin, Raziel, and Vladimir. Please post your status spoiler using your avatar.

After some searching I've seen a few threads about learning who your character is and how to be that person better. However, in this case I'm more thinking of DM tactics to get everyone out of school/work/driving mode and into I'm a fantasy character mode. I find that this can be especially difficult if more than a month passes for a session.

I've tried having players recount previous sessions to get everyone remembering what's happening. We've started a few sessions with dinner and ate dinner in character (that went well!). Still, sometimes it seems like people aren't in character until we get some dice rolling, usually through combat and not in skills. But it doesn't always make sense to have a combat early in a session.

Do you guys have any techniques you'd recommend?

A Haphazard guide to play by posting with Beopere in no particular order (derived in general from many other awesome GMs on these boards, particularly stolen from GM Angry Ankheg).

General Posting
Ideally the gameplay thread should be able to be read like a novel. Try to be clear, consistent, and in character.

When posting please follow these conventions:
Bold is for some formatting, but mainly character speech. Please still use quotations when speaking in character.
Normal text is for description.
Italics is for character thought.
OOC is for out of character (obviously). This should be used for clarification and MINOR joking only. Serious out of character discussion should be held in a different thread, like the discussion thread.

For example:
Beopere viewed the character sheet with a bemused expression.

He calls that a character concept?

"Cool character, Gozrehtime." He says with a friendly smile.

Gozrehtime did show Beopere the character sheet right? If not then Beopere doesn't acknowledge him yet
End example.

This is a little different than playing in person, but I feel is the real strength of play by post. By staying in character and taking time when making a post, the level of detail can be fantastic.

You may address events up to your last post, addressing several posts that might have happened in between. To post about an event previous to your last post is only for correcting errors or retconning with GM permission.

For example:
My last post was about entering a shop and asking about the wares. An eager player and the gm have since made 5 posts discussing various things, making purchases, and even leaving the shop to visit the Inn! My next post includes interactions with both the shopkeeper and innkeeper as well as the other play character (separated clearly of course and in chronological order). However, my post could not address something before entering the shop, as that occurred before my last post.
End example.

Spoilers

Often the gm will make posts with spoilers. The description of the spoiler is the requirement to open it. It might be a particular character or a skill DC.

Examples include (yes you may peek if you fail your check. Just this once).

Rolling Dice
When rolling dice use the preview option to see the result before posting. You can then add additional info as needed, the roll result will not change. For example if an attack critically threatens you can add the confirmation roll. Additionally you might add some character speech to attack you know hit for significant damage, or fail miserably.

Please describe each roll being used and include various modifiers separately. You need not separately explain BAB, STR, and weapon enchancement, but it is useful to mention flanking, heroism buff, etc.

Example:
Attacking the injured Gnoll, #2. Flanking, Higher ground Greatsword: 1d20 + 6 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 6 + 2 + 1 = 25 for:2d6 + 9 ⇒ (3, 3) + 9 = 15 damage

(because I know this is an easy hit)

Beopere's stoic face breaks into a confident smile. "Now you have tasted my strength! Run while you are still able."
End example.

Many times the GM will also roll dice for you (Perception, initiative, and saves being the biggest ones). You will need to have many stats and skills correctly calculated and available to the GM. Character tracking will follow later.

Combat

Combat can get complicated! Do your best to follow all the rules and prompt the GM for certain events. You may post slightly out of initiative, as people's posting times vary and this can greatly increase game speed. In general the GM will call for the next 3 combatants who may post at their leisure.

Always post the turn and initative! When posting out of order (or in order with possible complications) you may include if/thens in your post.

Example:

Round 2, Initiative 17
If Gnoll #2 is standing after Thineia takes her turn:
Beopere charges gnoll #2, probably provoking an AOO from gnoll#1. Assuming Beopere is still able, he attacks!
Charging Greatsword: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 6 + 2 = 16 for:2d6 + 9 ⇒ (3, 5) + 9 = 17

If Gnoll#2 is down after Thineia takes her turn:
Beopere places his hand upon Daniel and uses Lay on Hands (4/6 remaining)
Lay on Hands, Daniel: 3d6 ⇒ (4, 1, 1) = 6
End example.

For spells please include the relevant DC, results, and possibly a link.

Example:
Round 43, Initiative -2

Beopere casts Flesh to Stone on gnoll #21b. DC 19 fort save or be turned to stone.
End Example.

This is where I'll stop for now. I need to work out the details for: moving on map, tracking treasure, character tracking. Let me know if you have any questions or if I'm forgetting something big!

This is for the players of Thineia and Daniel.

Recall:
Our normal house rules which shall be linked.

20 point buy.

Know who you character is, but a lengthy back story isn't necessary as death is immediately possible.

I did a little searching, but couldn't find a solid answer. Sorry if this has been explained before.

I've seen a few people mention using dimension slide to escape grapples and such, but it seems it must be used as part of a move action. I interpret this to mean a move action to move your move speed, not a move equivalent action like getting up. This makes it very good, but having some weakness (as compared to shift from the teleportation subschool, which can escape grapples).

Is this how you guys read it?

hm... After re-reading that I am disappointed with my lack of clarity.

Ultimately: can you escape a grapple with the Dimension Slide Arcanist exploit?

Dragons, as we all know, have a lot of wealth at their disposal. Can they not use it to equip themselves? Whenever a dm runs a dragon, should it be equipped with stat boosting items and cloaks of resistance ETC, or can Dragons not use such things?

I equipped a Dragon for one of my encounters with a small portion of its loot, and found that its CR had jumped enormously. I like my gaming world to be logically consistent, so if they can use these items they will in my world.

Wishing for inherent bonuses at higher ages presents the same problem. Should all the cr ~20 dragons have plus 5 str, con and cha?

I guess my question is what items can dragons use, and when you run them do they utilize said items?

Shadow Strike: Sorcerer/Wizard 5, Hexblade 4, Witch 5
School illusion (shadow)
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a handful of sand)
Range close (25ft. +5ft./2 levels)
Effect quasi-real double and invisibility
Duration 1 round/level
Saving Throw Will negates; Spell Resistance yes

You simultaneously create a doppelganger from shadow substance while rendering yourself invisible. Your shadow double appears superimposed upon yourself and immediately charges a target you chose at the time of the casting of the spell. It will continue to attack this enemy, or the closest enemy if the original target is impossible to reach or slain. You may redirect its primary target as a move action. It only employs physical methods of attack.
Enemies who perceive the illusory nature of your double take only 20% damage from it, and treat its AC bonuses as 1/5 as large. Regardless their disbelief, the shadow double has as much health as you designate up to 1/5 your maximum. The shadow double attacks with all your skill(including enchancement, feat, and ability bonuses) and, to a believing adversary, strength. It does not however utilize any skills that you have access to on a limited basis, such as stunning fist. It wields your currently equipped item, or utilizes the most logical weapon you possess, including unarmed strikes. Items with temporary charges are duplicated in sight, but not in effect, including spellstoring weapons. Enchantments on yourself persist onto your double at the time of casting, except for invisibility. The shadow spills into sand if destroyed, dispelled, or the duration expires.
An enemy watching you cast this spell will believe that you are your double, until he receives reason to believe otherwise. Any enemy struck by the shadow may make a saving throw. Enemies with true seeing, see invisibility, or enemies that rely heavily on senses other than sight will not be fooled.
Upon the completion of this spell you receive the benefits of invisibility as per the spell, but for only 1 round/level.

Ended up being a bit longer than I intended. Obviously mainly benefits a Gish character (or a heavily buffed polymorphing character I guess). Too strong? Against a failed willsave increases your damage pretty enormously...

EDIT:miss type on the duration

I'm slightly confused about using a metamagic rod to cast a spell that you wouldn't be able to cast otherwise. For example lets say your level 3 wizard with a rod of silent spell. Could you cast a 2nd level spell with it? The spell slot would be fine, but you wouldn't be able to cast it normally...

This doesn't seem odd except when I think about a maximized level 9 spell or something else. I can't find a rule otherwise in the book.

The exact question is can you use a metamagic rod to cast a spell you wouldn't normally be able to cast at all, or a spell who's value would be a slot over level 9.

Suppose I'm a Druid in a form with constrict. Every time I make a successful grapple check I damage my opponent. What if I take the greater grapple feat? It says I may choose to make 2 grapple checks if I desire, to harm the opponent as one of the options. Does this mean I can essentially deal my constrict damage 4 times in one turn?

move action --> successful grapple (constrict) choose to harm my opponent (constrict or natural attack)

Repeat.

I was considering making an Eldritch Knight, but I'm a little curious about their spell critical ability. Since it requires a Swift Action to use, you cannot combine it with the arcane armor training feats (or arcane strike for that matter). I was wondering what people can come up with to get around this.

The only options I can think of are:
Use armors with low spell failure chance, such as mithril chainmail.
Rely on mage armor and protective spells/control spells
Rely on bracers of armor and protective spells/control spells

The bracers of armor options seems the best, however it is quite expensive compared to the equivalent AC through a mithril chain shirt.

I don't suppose anyone knows of any item enchants that can reduce arcane spell failure?

If your zombie is stuck to single actions only can it 5 foot step and still attack? I had a zombie being kited a tiny bit too close to charge, but to far to hit w/o moving. Being a stupid zombie it just stepped up and got hit, while the player backed up. I didn't think it'd be smart enough to pause or ready an actions.

If it cannot 5 foot step did this zombie act appropriately?

I'm trying to design a spell and was wondering what level it should be put at.

Its essentially a souped up unseen servant. The spell lasts one hour per level, as allows you to manipulate items within reach as if you had extra hands. This means that you could for example carry a your bonded item and a metamagic rod, while having your spellbook float in front of you, and a potion or scroll at the ready

I wrote out some technical details about its dexterity and strength, but it boils down to near useless for wielding weapons or attempting to do a complex task with it, such as pick a lock. However by being able to manipulate it around your entire body and spin it w/o regards for hands I figured it would still be difficult to disarm, and leave it at your own CMD or maybe slightly higher.

Obviously it has some uses, but I also think the flavor of hovering a scroll in front of you as you activate it is pretty awesome.

I was thinking a level 2-3 spell? There is also a debate on whether it could have separate minor actions (probably from a list), such as drawing a weapon/potion. However I'm a little afraid creative players might abuse that a bit. Any thoughts?

I'm sure this has been asked before but I've seen varying replies to this. Ultimately the question is simply:
Do iterative attacks have any effect on the characters CMB.

For example, for a level 6 fighter, my attacks are +6/+1. If I try to disarm on my second attack in a full attack do I calculate my CMB with +1 or +6 from my attack bonus? Going purely from RAW it seems that it never changes... the formula specifies BAB which is a constant 6.

This is OK as it simplifies things a lot, however it seems that it is more advantageous to perform maneuvers on your later attacks since you don't lose effectiveness.

If it does go down with iterative attacks things become much more complicated. There are multiple values for each attack to keep track of (although there are simply -5 each time). But it seems to get even more complicated for a monk. A monk, past like level 2 I think, gets his level instead of his BAB to his CMB. So if a level 20 monk NOT using flurry of blows has attacks of +15/+15/+5. But if he performs maneuvers with these are they +20/+15/+10? Doesn't that seem a bit odd? And when he flurry of blows what do they become? I suppose +18/+18/+13/+13/+8/+8/+3.

Ultimately I'm just rambling on about ramifications of the answer. My question is simply does CMB depend on BAB or the attack bonus for that individual attack, for disarming/tripping/sundering.