I'm fine as long as it is in the digital reporting system. I haven't seen the Playtest need any physical sheet for anything since we can't take anything we do in it to 2e.
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Critical hits are a bit different now. I don't expect them to change either when the 2e version comes out. A natural 20 is a critical hit. Exceeding the opponent's AC by 10 on your Strike is a critical hit. There are no more confirmation rolls. You meet one or both of the requirements for a critical hit and you have it. I like that myself. What is possibly subject to change is the damage on a critical hit. In the Playtest, a Strike's critical hit is always double damage. Note that is for weapons only. Spells have their critical hits based on other factors and it is outlined in the spell description. I am wondering if they might now change some damage for weaponry in 2e's release. I would not be surprised to see some of the heavier weapons get 3x, but then again that may not happen. Since weapons now get additional damage dice on Strikes when they're magical, x2 can be pretty lethal on its own. Consider that any +1 weapon now does 2dX damage on a hit and 4dX on a critical before any other bonuses. For pbp the critical hits are a pain because as a GM, you don't want to turn the encounters into a mechanical exercise by revealing the AC. You could state that an encounter with creature Y requires a 33 for a critical hit. That gives away the AC. But on the other hand, let's say the player rolls it but doesn't know it's a critical hit. The GM could roll the damage on their own and communicate to the player that the hit did do a lot more damage because it was a critical hit. That wouldn't give away the AC. The other choice is for players to begin including critical damage in the dice roller on the chance they had a critical hit. Either way we're going to have to adapt to doing something along these lines because otherwise the GM informs the player there was a critical and then we have to wait for that damage to be rolled by the player which drags out the pbp games. I'm of two minds on what to do about it. In the end, the community will ultimately make the decision on it based on their preferences.
Thanks for running this. I wonder how it would go with 1.6 rules. Or even the first scenario of Doomsday Dawn. Hope someone runs some of it eventually.
Seoni steps back and fires another Magic Missile using two actions at the harpy.
Seoni steps back five feet and casts Magic Missile using her two remaining actions to generate a second missile and aims both at the harpy.
In the first round Seoni moves up and casts Ray of Frost at the guard.
After she casts the spell she notices she's chipped a nail on her left hand and gets annoyed. "It must have happened while I was fighting those minotaurs! Now it will be days before I can get this fixed." When the male harpy comes out she considers what magical spells she can cast.
"Let's knock this flying chicken singer out of the sky!" She casts Lightning Bolt at the Harpy.
DC is still 19.
Seoni is quite happy for both the healing and to not expend her spell. "A harpy? Isn't that a bit unusual for them to attack minotaurs?"
Seoni throws her hands up in the air in exasperation at the thought of having to cast yet another one of her spells. She is really hoping the group has some time to rest overnight so she can recharge them. She looks at the minotaur with determination and utters the words of magic while making the gestures and using additional material components that trigger a Magic Missile spell that is more potent than it normally would be.
Seoni takes a five-foot step back and casts another Lightning Bolt at the minotaurs while hoping this one does more damage. "This is ridiculous having to use all my spells for this contest!"
DC is 19.
Seoni moves and then casts Lightning Bolt to slice through the three minotaurs.
DC is 19.
Seoni moves and then casts Glitterdust so that the burst catches the Red and Blue Minotaurs, but none of the party members. I think that puts it in the lower bottom right of the Red minotaur. DC is 19.
"Of course we will accept your contest. Amiri here will represent us in the contest. We are honored that you offer to engage us in a contest to show strength. It also shows great wisdom in doing so. Amiri! Step forward and show our new friends your fighting prowess!" says Seoni who is quite eager to find a way not to engage in melee combat herself.
Seoni will try Intimidate. "I said stop attacking caravans or I'll bring down the wrath of Absalom upon you and geld every male minotaur in your tribe!"
It's just slow. I'm okay with it. My goal is to learn more about the mechanics of the Playtest. So far I've learned they seriously gimped the crud out of magic. I'm glad to hear they are going to amp it up in the final version.
Seoni will use her Diplomacy skills in negotiating with the minotaur.
"We have come to discuss the reason for your raid on a caravan recently. Those people did not try to harm you in any way, yet you attacked them mercilessly. What is your reason for that attack?"
Seoni will do the Diplomacy. She will use a Focus Point to activate the Lesser Staff of Divination with the minotaurs talking to focus the language upon. "I will have to convince them to let me cast the same spell on one of them before we can really get around to talking about what is going on." "Put up your weapons and try not to do anything to antagonize them. If they attack, then go all out, but not until then. Let's try to talk this through so we can find out what is going on first before making any rash decisions. Ready? Let's go." Seoni begins to move towards the minotaurs with a slow and easy going stride and a smile on her face. One hand holds her staff like it's a walking staff and the other is outstretched with her hand raised up in greeting.
"I have to either cast a spell on one of them so they understand us, get one to drink the potion to understand us, or hope one of them understands a language one of us speaks. Also, whoever is good at getting people to get along should be the one whom I cast the spell on for our team. Everyone else needs to make sure they help that person or don't do anything to hamper their communications. So how do we do this?"
Seoni stops trying to fix her hair and says, "I could use my Staff of Divination to cast Comprehend Language which would let someone understand what the minotaurs are saying. There might be a chance we could figure out what caused them to attack the caravan as well as us. Then we could decide whether to attack them or not. I also have a potion of the same spell which we could use to allow them to understand us if we do negotiate. The only thing is whoever is going to listen to them needs to be within 30 feet of them for it to work. I could cast invisibility on someone so they can get closer." She holds up her staff and arches an eyebrow questioningly.
Seoni will use her Knowledge (Religion) to study the wooden religious symbol.
"I think this is the symbol of the demon lord Baphomet. Minotaurs are often worshipers of Baphomet, though the Lord of Minotaurs also finds worshipers among secretive cults and societies. I think there's something else about this. Let me think on it a minute."
She sighs as she just can't recall anything more. She twirls a lock of her hair with her left hand and says, "You know, I think there's something else involved with this.'
Try as she might, the information eludes her "Does anyone have Healer's Tools? That minotaur hit me kind of hard."
Seoni takes a five-foot step back and shoots the Blue Minotaur with her crossbow.
She drops the crossbow and pulls out her Wand of Frost.
Seoni is going to draw out her crossbow, load it, and move up to the edge of the wagon to give covering fire.
Seoni will move [[A]] up to the edge of the river and use her Seek action [[A]] to spot whatever she senses hiding from her.
Once she does this she draws out her crossbow [[A]]
"Inland it is I suppose. Shall we walk or get some horses?" She sighs as she just knows riding a horse will mess up her hair.
Seoni steps forward with one hand out in greeting and the other one petting her brand new hairdo and says, "Hello! Sorry to barge in like that, but we've been looking for Inisa Ardaali all over Diobel. We were told by a mutual friend at the lodge in Absalom that she might be here." Seoni sees the inept attempts to heal the wounded men and blanches at the sight of the blood. "Goodness! These poor men need help! Kyra, be a dear and tend to them, please. They need your expert care." She then looks to the men who had been tending the wounded. "Kyra is an expert healer. I'm sure she will have them fixed up quite soon although it may be a bit before they able to resume regular activities. How did these poor dears come to this? Is Inisa tied up in all of this?" She then looks back and sees her party standing around outside. "Don't dawdle, dears. Come in, we have much to discuss with these friends of ours and not a lot of time. Valeros, why don't you see to getting a pot of water boiling for tea? We might as well be comfy while we talk." She turns back to the two men and smiles most charmingly.
Seoni arrives with the rest of the party with a new coiffure and says it is the latest Diobel style. She will use Diplomacy to find out what is going on in the safehouse and who these people are. Her modifier is +10 and she is Expert in it.
Seoni keeps looking for a good hair salon and wonders if any do nails at the same time. She also keeps asking people questions about Diobel and the inland route. The salon search is just a cover for the information search.
"I agree with Valeros and Kyra. A good night's rest will see us able to find more information tomorrow as well as to find a good salon to get my hair fixed up after that horrid sea voyage."
Seoni will use her Diplomacy and Society skills in an effort to learn more about Diobel and where this safe house might be.
"Diobel? I hate that place. There are no good salons there. But if one of my sisters is in trouble, I must help her out." |