Grith's page

I'm sorry guys, but I'm going to dip out of this game in the name of other commitments. Have fun.

Grith considers silently, deciding he may try to make a temporary rune to help him fight ghosts if needed. He's not totally sure what such a rune will look like or how long it will take, but it's worth a shot.
"I'm not in any hurry. We'll get to it soon enough."

Hoping I can use Ritual Caster to give myself ghost sight.

Once again Grith's thrill-seeking behavior wins out and he is easily convinced. "I'm up for it. Don't know how to fight a ghost but I know how to run. Sounds like fun!"

Grith shrugs. "I have done a bit of this, a bit of that..." His eyes wander over the scars and runes that decorate his body, though the red-hot runes hardly make a difference in the already steaming water. He remembers the years he spend finding and channeling this elemental power, and what it was like to finally succeed.

He briefly wonders if he'd do it all again.

"I guess you could call it adventure."

Grith, already missing his shirt, quickly disposes of the rest and grabs the towel. Any hint of embarrassment or even modesty is completely lost on the dwarf and he marches along dutifully as he's told without a word to be said about it.

Grith decided to stand. He was short enough as such anyway and didn't care to put himself in a vulnerable position. Additionally dwarves just aren't known for sitting terribly much.

Grith came along after realizing he could probably use a bath. Thankfully nobody felt the need to tell him.

Nodding to the doorman he offers him a gold and says gruffly, "Just gimme the best you got." Then Devon mentions Fiscus and Grith withdraws his hand. "Oh, yeah." He waits impatiently, hoping he'll still get a chance for the bath.

Grith is confused when the men run away but shrugs it off and takes his seat again. "So, Boomer, who's Torm?" He seems not to notice the man that's approached them.

Grith looks a little surprised that Devon has found them again. "Hoi, thought you were rabble." He shrugs, tosses a gold to Boomer, and hops down from his human-height stool.
Holding the stein in his hand, he looks over the thugs and says simply. "I'm Grith."
He downs the rest of the contents and then swings the stein wildly.

Improvised weapon attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24
DC 18 toughness + any from the "weapon"

Yeah, this is stupid. But it's Grith. Here we go!
Hoping that counts as a surprise round because nobody does that.

Init: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5 welp

After drinking he introduces himself. "Call me Grith. Been years since I was in the mountain holds of my youth, but that's where I grew up. You one of these city dwarves?"

Grith eyes the other dwarf with some uncertainty, then finally accepts the drink with reluctant satisfaction. "Ok Boomer."

Grith briefly considers incinerating the dart board, but he decides to simply make good on his bet and buy himself something to wash down the sour taste of defeat.

I lost my internet for a time but I seem to be back. Trying to catch up on things.

I suddenly realize I have literally no skill in ranged combat.
Dart: 1d20 ⇒ 6
Dart: 1d20 ⇒ 11
Dart: 1d20 ⇒ 6
Grith hurls a few darts clumsily as though he were swinging a hammer. One manages to hit the board, technically. He narrows his eyes but says nothing.

Grith shrugs and steps up. He's fairly sure he doesn't recognize the dwarf, and thus, the dwarf isn't likely to recognize him. He won't be around enough to figure out...
"Hah! I'll show you how to throw a dart." He boasts proudly.

It's a shame Devon isn't here. I think he could have been a contender.

Grith notes the rowdy fellows playing darts and scoffs to himself. Then he elbows Kal. "When they're done I'll take you for the next round." He watches an errant dart rile them up anew, then adds, "Less we have to drag these guys out first."

Grith flips the kid a coin of some value. "No place for a kid. Go home." With a self-satisfied grunt he continues forward with the others towards the Grey Minstrel.

Grith completely ignores the sorceress' question as he frankly doesn't care what the drink is if it's alcoholic. At least not today.

As they pass the boy shouting his advertisement, Grith snorts and asks casually, [b]"What kind of thrills?"[b] A much more interesting question, in his mind, than what kinds of drinks.

Sorry to hear about that. I'll still be here whenever you make it back.

Grith considers the sum in his purse with a smile and then looks around. "Drinks?" He says gruffly to the others with a smirk full of avaricious trouble.

Grith's backstory is that he just finished his big adventure and now has to find a new home or new adventure, as he can't go back to his dwarven hold.

Now that said, they've just been paid so maybe it's time to party.

"Well that's a bit..." Grith strokes his beard as he considers the heads of the apparent enemies of the city.
"Eh..."

"Aye, the museum! I'm sure there's some marvels to see down below."
Grith had simply grunted at the receipt of his payment but was now in a distinctly positive mood.
"Come on lad, unless you're afraid of wasting in your boots!"

"Fine size. If not worth a price, at least worth breakfast." Grith suggests with a thoughtful hunger.
"But we're here for the nest. If you can wizard up some way to kill one without making a mark, have at it. I'm here to kill."
He spins his hammer in one hand and dusts off his chest, the runes glowing brightly beneath.

"Say, how much would the professor pay for a few o' those?" Grith says with an avaricious grin.

"Don't know that I feel like strangling an ankheg today." Grith admits casually. "But I suppose you meant something more magical." He adds with a wave of his fingers.

Grith shoulders the larger hammer with a slight grin and looks down at the fallen creature with satisfaction. Then he looks at the impromptu cage the young mage created for the other.
"Say, can these critters burrow?" He asked with narrowed eyes as he began to put away his weapons.

Grith's hammers continue their arcs as he seems to be getting the better of the beast.
Warhammer power attack: 1d20 + 6 - 2 - 2 ⇒ (18) + 6 - 2 - 2 = 20 DC 23 Toughness
Parry hammer: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9 17 defense this round

Welcome back

It seems they can't hurt each other as the ankheg can't get past his hammerwork and Grith can't make a dent in its tough hide. It's a little reckless, but he decides to put his whole body into the strike this time, hoping he can still keep the thing away with his other hammer.

Warhammer power attack: 1d20 + 6 - 2 - 2 ⇒ (15) + 6 - 2 - 2 = 17 DC 23 Toughness
Parry hammer: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21 21 defense this round

I'd guess that would grant an all-or-nothing Dodge save to get out of the area, just like the area attack function of Create.

Grith begins to laugh as he dances with the Ankheg, deflecting its dangerous maw as he swings again.
Warhammer: 1d20 + 6 - 2 ⇒ (17) + 6 - 2 = 21 DC 21 Toughness
Parry hammer: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24 Wow, 24 defense this round

-1 Toughness

With an ankheg now bearing down on him Grith sidesteps the blow and draws his hammers. He strikes out with the heavier while he uses the lighter to control the beast's advances.
Warhammer Attack: 1d20 + 6 - 2 ⇒ (13) + 6 - 2 = 17 DC 21 Toughness
Defend: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23 23 defense for next round

-2 Toughness

Did we already kill one? I thought there were two.

Grith shrugs, thinking the plan seems a bit dramatic and overly complicated. But even so his own part is easy enough, and akin to what he was going to do anyway.
As the coordinated assault plays out, he channels a ribbon of fire straight into the ankheg, towards the mouth.
Fort vs Weaken Toughness: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
If I read that right since it's an area attack it adds a flat 1 success, none of the usual saves & rolls & such.

-3 toughness

Grith attempts to weaken the creature but to no avail. It resists the effects of the spell.

I should note that the Weaken is against me, as a side-effect of channeling fire.

Are these guys immune to fire or did you forget to roll against my last action?

That player is in one of my other games and hasn't shown up in a while there either.

Grith steps forward and plants his hammer in the ground before him.
"Save him that one!" He commands with a gesture to the speared beast as he channels fire between his hands, unleashing a ribbon of flame like a serpent that coils around and strikes at the beast.
Fort vs Weaken Toughness 6: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15

DC 16 Dodge for half of R6 Damage (DC 21 or 18 Toughness)

Status: -1 Toughness

"Strange lot." Grith wonders to himself. "What brings them here?"
He stays silent and keeps his eyes forward.

Toots is still taking us to the nest, right?

"Not out on some nature walk. Don't care why it's hungry. Things get hungry. Let's stay on task." Grith smothers out his fire and shoulders the larger hammer as the smaller hangs idly at his side. "We're here to hunt."

Grith seems unshaken by the event, considering for a moment what further destruction he might cause to the lifeless form. Eventually he just nods to Toots.
"Good luck? Sure."
He ignores the curious elf, but part of him is shocked to see him still standing.
"Not bad with that bow either." he allows himself to think. "Maybe not useless after all."

Pausing, Grith takes a moment to channel fire on the ground before him.
I should be able to make a small fire that activates my regen without, y'know, accidentally burning the world down.

Ah okay. I mean I really haven't played much M&M and it's been a while, but yeah.
I once read a game design rule that said to roll once for everything. That is, for an attack, either the attacker rolls (like a Pathfinder weapon attack) or the defender does (like a Pathfinder saving throw on a spell), but not both. Likewise with damage, either you roll it (like a Pathfinder weapon damage roll) or it's static & the defender soaks it (like in M&M, Shadowrun, etc), but not both.
Just something I still carry with me from who even knows where.

I'm confused. I thought in 3e attacks were resolved against passive defense (usually Dodge or Parry +10) vs active defense (rolling every time), which requires the defend action. I could be thinking of something else though.

Toughness: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21
Athletics vs Trip: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7 -5 if attacker has Improved Trip
Grith takes the bite and snarls back, shaking the creature to get it off of his thick leather boot. However, it shakes him worse and he flips over onto his back with a heavy thud.
Grith grunts with the impact but quickly stands back up and re-engages with his hammers.
Hammer + guard weapon -2: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20 DC 21 toughness
Defense + guard weapon: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9 +8 for 17

-1 DR

Since there's no such thing as a Reflex save in 3e, should I be making another kind of save? I think trip is normally Acrobatics or Athletics vs Acrobatics or Athletics (attacker & defender choose which they use), with Improved Trip granting the attacker the choice for both.
For the sake of expediency I'll assume the attacker rolled a 15 on its trip roll.

It's pretty GM-handwavey territory, but by RAW M&M doesn't have a lot of long-term/permanent effects. However, I think if you added Concentration (and optionally Sustained from there) you could maintain it indefinitely. Otherwise you could just keep hitting it once a minute with your Affliction and since you can transform it to have no save it's not really an issue.

I feel like it's important to note that Kal's hostile transmutation, although cumulative, is still an Affliction that is not yet at level 3. As such, the target should get a save at the end of each turn to shake off (some of) the effects, making it less likely that he can keep advancing the degree via Cumulative.

Also, if he should succeed at a full transformation, I believe it only lasts a minute. We'll need to destroy the resulting mass to prevent it from becoming a problem again very soon. Which is fine, but it isn't going to leave a trophy (for future consideration).

Seeing the beast and the party locked in combat, Grith leaps in with his hammers and swings a heavy blow even while keeping the thing at arm's length.
Hammer + guard weapon -2: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8 DC 21 toughness
Defense + guard weapon: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11 +8 for 19
But there's too much going on around the single foe, and Grith's swings are wild and careless.

I took the defense action, so I've already acted. FYI.

Grith draws his hammers and watches for an attack, holding back for now.
Defend: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24

Grith leers at the sorceress. "Isn't she fun..."

"I like to think an arrow hole would be forgivable. But don't expect me to keep you alive in there. The strong survive, understand?" The words sound harsh and critical, but his face is without expression. To Grith he's simply stating truth.

Loving the RP but I'm ready to hit the road. All in favor?