What about the bomb launcher?
The more interesting version of this question is the Thrower’s Bandolier
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It actually works very well with Summoner once you get past level 2; you only ever 'lose' 2 slots total, (versus as many as 10 eventually for other casters), and you get back .75 slots per combat on average (75% chance every time you surge, etc. etc.) So, at three combats per adventuring day, you break even, and if your party tends to go longer than that (For example the Summoner in my currently otherwise all martial, can go all day with some medicine checks gang), you can come out well ahead on slots. I wouldn't call it optimal, but it's good enough to not be a burden if you think surges are more fun than nuisance (your table may vary on this).
I'll simply apologize for my inactivity; got slammed by a surprise change to travel rules for work that have meant that I've been commuting 5-7 hours a day plus work. In theory, the light at the end of the tunnel comes after the holiday weekend... In theory.
I think Soractus is at 0? And Valarius, if you want to return, now is the time. 0/10 from lethal damage is unconscious, no?
Ummmmm... Guys, please don't leave me bleeding out and unconscious?
Someone going to CDG it? It is helpless until it wakes, so you're essentially out of Initiative. CDG is a full round action, or I would!
Soractus looks over the Automaton, before nodding to Dryth. "Wake it up, then stand back and level a weapon; the rest of us should do the same. Whatever is in there is connected to this thing, and I'd rather not leave it behind us and then we wake up some kind of global activation later. Besides, every morsel of information we can gather before taking another step is another bullet in the chamber, as it were. You said it looked like a repair drone, right? It shouldn't be too well armed then, if it comes to that."
"Well, if they won't let us in, we'll just have to force the matter... Simeon, help me find the seam on this door. You two, keep an eye down the slope, and holler when we've got incoming..." Soractus gets down to his knees and begins tapping on the steel panel, hoping to locate it's edge, and with it, a latch or mechanism that he can break...
"Well, S@#%, we've been spotted, that's for sure... The smart thing to do here would be to try to remotely take control of- or at least, overload - that alarm system and shut it down. I wish Aeg were here right now... this is what she's good at, g@!++*nit. Simeon, you're the technician, think you can do it?"
Soractus blinks for a second on hearing the transmission, before he recognizes it's hypnotic properties. As his training kicks in, he slaps himself in the face lightly and regains his composure. "I'd suggest investigating further; reporting now will be pretty bare bones, and not terribly helpful. We were chosen for this assignment under the apprehension that we ought to be able to handle the difficulties it was likely to present. We weren't informed of the reality on the ground, so as not to prejudice our actions, but I suspect that what we've unearthed so far is going to be no surprise to the Council. Maybe our sleepy friend over here..." at this, Soractus drives an elbow into the ribcage of the now bound and unconscious prisoner. That shouldn't hurt him, but it ought to leave a bruise he'll feel when he comes to... "has some idea what's going on."
Again - I'm fine with Initiative in whatever order is posted. Right. And I'm thinking strategically, what with having the nonlethal weapon in hand, it's better if I wait and let somebody else plink him down. :P The fact that my turn in Initiative nominally comes after the people I'm waiting on anyway is just an interesting coincidence.
I was mainly waiting to see how the bottom of the initiative worked out, as I don't think I can do enough damage with one hit from a Sap to bring him down this round on my own. I'm fine either way.
Seeing that the other Archer has fallen and that the last one standing appears to be momentarily mesmerized by the sorcerer's spell, Soractus holsters his firearm, and moves in to subdue the last enemy standing. "You might think you are lucky to be taken alive. You would be *highly* mistaken to continue to hold that notion. Would you prefer to do this easily? Or would you rather be... difficult?"
Bender over. Posting normalcy resumes.
"You have been warned. You have ignored that warning, and raised weapons against Citizens of Hermea. You have *harmed* them through willful and deliberate action, premeditated and with malice aforethought. Furthermore, these Citizens were acting in accordance with orders sanctioned by The Council and the will of Mengkare. In the absence of a Magistrate, I pronounce you Guilty of Assault, Attempted Murder, and Treason, and Sentence You To Death." With this, Soractus fires on the wounded bowman and watches as he collapses with a satisfying *crack* from his revolver. Always knew I was a better shot than those damned Lucarans; shame I never got the chance to demonstrate it in more peaceful circumstances. Suppressing the urge to gloat, he lets his actions speak for themselves, and surveys the situation; seeing his compatriots closing on the other wounded archer, he moves into a defensive position and prepares to take aim at the frightened man at the rear. "As of this moment, you have raised arms against us, but haven't harmed anybody. This is your last chance, and I will not extend this offer again. Drop your weapon, place your hands behind your head, and fall to your knees, and you might yet get the chance to throw yourself upon the mercy of a Magistrate. As for myself, I'm afraid my supply has run out." He levels his Revolver and prepares to fire... he does not expect compliance.
I am not najeung guarantees that won't post sooner, but odds are i will be too drunk to post until about 48 hours from now.
"If you're not going to cooperate, than I regret to inform you that the penalty for firing upon Hermean Citizens is death. In the absence of a magistrate, and under circumstances such as these, the formality of a trial is generally dispensed with. What I'm saying here is... " Rather than finishing his sentence, Soractus rolls out from behind the tree and moves into a more suitable firing position, cursing as he realizes just how exposed it leaves him. Still, he can see that the one in the rear is frightened and confused - much less of a threat than his comrades, and instead seeks to take down the one that just took a shot from the Epaphran's large rifle; a shot from a big gun like that ought to have knocked him on his heels already, and maybe a well placed bullet can take him down and make this situation a little less dangerous...
Sure - in this case, it is DC 11. Don't forget that you have to be within 30' Yup! Post updated. and can only Intimidate one individual at a time For now. >:)
Soractus moves forward and brandishes his revolver, making no further attempts to hide. "Slow down now, we didn't come here to hurt anybody or take anything. You ought to know full well that raising a weapon against a Citizen of Promise anywhere on the island of Hermea by a resident is a very serious crime. If you drop your weapons now, I'll be sure to report that you were merely out hunting after hours, and didn't have any intent to harm us. A truth that will have been reflected by your actions. If, however, you don't drop those bows now, I'm afraid to inform you that as an Officer of the law, as designated by Tribe Alkaeus, I will have full authorization to impose the proper and mandatory sentence upon you at this time. You won't like that sentence."
For the purposes of Intimidate checks, can I get HD/Wis Mods on request? (Writing up a post using one now; given those will saves, it's certainly successful, just trying to figure out how successful.)
Does that 20% concealment apply to me, given Low-Light Vision?
Soractus spots the huddled figures trying to approach in the darkness; seeing that Simeon has put up a silent signal, he opts to try to make himself scarce. Let the others try to parley, since they insist on it. It was time to be prepared for things to go sideways.
He slips out of position, and crouches lower to the ground, slowing his pace and widening his arc so that as the two parties meet, he'll be positioned a few yards behind the poorly hidden locals trying to sneak up. He draws his Sap in one hand, and keeps the other ready on his Revolver.
"Oh yes, they will open right up when we requisition lodging. Let's ask them first, shall we? No need to rile everyone up." Dryth switches on a flashlight to guide them in the darkness. "Is there a difference? They're obliged to say yes, regardless of how polite we are. I'm not advocating being a jerk, but there's no need to be dense about the fact that asking is fundamentally no different from a demand, coming from us, out here. Besides, if they were to refuse, we'd have another problem on our hands entirely."
"Probably best to requisition lodging from the first domicile we come across; no reason to go barging through town in the middle of the night; There'll be plenty of time to request a meeting with the local Originean administrator in the morning." Having said his piece, Soractus fans out to the right, and allows his eyes to adjust to the twilight. Taking advantage of the superior vision provided by his Elven heritage, he doesn't bother wasting a silverdisk on a Flashlight. Besides, if things do go sideways, better to let him strike from the shadows, an unseen flank.
"I think we can safely rule out a comms issue. As Simeon said - there's no good reason for them not to send a messenger over something so simple as that. That means that either something has happened that has rendered them unable to communicate with the outside world - and that something must have been serious enough to either imprison or incapacitate them, or something has happened that has rendered them - or those that remain - unwilling to communicate with the outside world." At this, Soractus clears his throat, not wanting to be misunderstood as paranoid, again. "Without more thorough background dossiers on the entirety of the research staff, I've no particular reason to believe either is more likely, and we'd best be prepared for both eventualities."
As the party walks approaches the gate, Soractus slows his pace slightly, falling back to the rear of the group by a few strides, and then begins to slowly drift towards the walls of the buildings along the street. About 100 yards from the gate itself, he reaches out and begins to brush his hand along the stones, and, when he feels the right one, reaches up to a windowsill just out of sight, and pulls on a leather strap. A small sack falls quietly from the sill, and Soractus continues walking, without breaking his stride, carrying an extra small bag, which he casually loops off of his belt, blending with his various other packs, vials, and miscellaneous gear. Inventorying this will have to wait. I hope they were able to get everything in there. He's the last to arrive at the Autocarriage, and, after glancing at the two occupied front seats, curses quietly to himself before jumping into the back. Let's roll.
"Standard supply requisitions then, I assume? Standard weapon, Panic Suit, Rations and Field Gear, plus the typical tools of the trade, yes? Very well, I'll write it up." Soractus pulls out a small notebook and writes up a small list, handing it to the Consul. "I trust this should be sufficient. Do inform me if anything can't be procured in time. I do fully expect that it will be difficult to fill completely, but I'd hate to be surprised by any of the specifics."
After finishing the list, he pulls out his Whisperline and makes a few calls. The first is to Lucalino, who, not working doesn't answer. He leaves a message. "Listen, I'm sorry buddy, but I've been called out on Assignment and can't make the Games tomorrow. I'll have an Automaton sent over to your place with the tickets tonight. I trust you'll make excellent use of that second ticket, and not let seats that good go to waste, right? What was the name of the Zyphran you'd had your eye on? I expect some good news on that front when I get back, you hear me?" The second, is to an office at the Oculus; "Yes, hello?... Aegedyce, how are you! Listen, I know we had dinner plans, but I'm going to have to cancel. ... Yes, I know how hard it is to get the ingredients, but I'm afraid I don't have much choice in the matter. Listen, we'll reschedule, and I'll get a vintage bottle of red. ... Don't worry about how, Lucalino owes me a favor. Listen, I'll see you when I get back. Spoiler:
I do hope they can get that kit to the drop in time. It wouldn't do to be heading into a research facility without picks... With all of his arrangements made, Soractus looks around at his new companions, and asks; "So then, now that supplies are arranged, should we be off? Or does anyone have any further last minute preparations to make?"
It wasn't an outburst form Soractus... more of a quiet warning. "There are people here we might not be able to trust implicitly, the way we do those here in Promise." Though this newer post, could easily be described as an outburst if you like. He might have some trust issues...
"Indeed, plenty in the farmstead are perfectly loyal. Whether they be citizens-in-waiting, whose admission is only a matter of time, or those who don't meet the exacting standards of citizenship, they toil happily, knowing that their lot is still better than those across the sea, that they still share in the bounty of Hermean prosperity and advancement. But you all know as well as I that there are also those who are rejected for citizenship not because they lack the ability, but because they lack the commitment to Mengkare's vision. Because they are duplicitous, or greedy. Because they harbor doubts about Hermea, about Promise. There is a reason Origines oversees the farmsteads. Conducts routine searches. Performs interviews. There is a reason citizenship is earned and not simply granted. And it behooves us to keep that in mind when venturing beyond the walls of Promise. Venturing among those who have not earned it. Because while the vast majority of them are good people, loyal people, we have no way of knowing those who are not. We have no way of knowing who we can trust. If this mission is truly one of utmost secrecy and care, it is imperative that we remember that, most of all among those whom we have the least reason to trust. That's all I'm saying." After concluding his digression on exactly why it's so important to remember to remain tightlipped, he turns back to the Consul to continue exploring the details of the mission. "With those considerations in mind, Consul, and given the classified nature of this mission, is there an official explanation that you would prefer that we hew to? Both while explaining our absence to colleagues here in Promise, and, more importantly, in order to ensure that our explanation of our presence out on the island is... agreed upon and consistent. As to the requisitioning of supplies, I'll need to procure some basic tools and utility items, in addition to armaments. I trust that won't be a problem? If not, I can requisition them from my own Legate before departure, assuming we'll have time to do so? It would not be unusual for me to request such basics before departing the city for any reason, so it shouldn't raise any unusual flags."
"Is there any... history within Torch of trouble? Any of the Residents have a history of being troublemakers? At this, he looks pointedly at Dryth and Archaelos; "We must remember not to be blinded by nostalgia. Not all those who live on the farms do so for having failed the tests of physical strength or mental acuity. Sedition and rebellious conspiracies are... Not uncommon in the farmsteads. Especially among the older residents. I'd put no actions past them, and it sounds like this team of researchers didn't have a proper security detail." As he finishes, he glares at the consul. This whole project seemed wildly irresponsible. He would need to report it's mere existence to the Oculus eventually, but it would probably be better to wait, to see just how large a fish he could reel in before setting the line.
64 surveys his new companions. According to the orders from 6, these were disposable youths, but it wouldn't hurt to call in some quick background checks over the whisperline before departing. The actor in particular was an odd choice. Presumably he was there to liaise with the locals, but the Oculus has long known that Nikophorans - and actors in particular - were prone to getting odd ideas in their heads. It wouldn't do for the spokesperson for this party to be spouting heresy or sedition at every turn.
"Soractus. Infiltration, reconnaissance, interrogation. That sort of thing. I'm your eyes and ears. Not a bad shot either, for what it's worth, and I know an arcane trick or three for good measure, though they're nothing fancy."
I still need a profile (crunch and background) from Soractus. Let's make sure that we have them all finished. Any last points to go over? Whoops, my bad! I never copied it over. Should all be fixed and there now. :D
"Garaeus? Pah, he's a clown and you know it. You know as well as I that if I weren't still serving a three year ban from competition for having been an officiant that I'd be up there myself, and it wouldn't even be close! At least the perk of being banned from competition is a better draw in the ticket lottery. These are some fantastic seats. Here, let me give you yours, just in case you can't find your way to a good cup of coffee fast enough tomorrow. Last thing I want is to have to wait outside for you during the opening rounds!" Soractus rifled through his pockets, which were admittedly bulging with scraps of paper, notes, and other detritus, before his hand settled on the slip that had the right shape and texture to be a festival ticket. He pulled it out, and thrust it outward to the watchman. The multi-hued metallic inlay on the Hermean insignia shone brilliantly as the sun angled low in the sky. Come to think of it, it *is* funny how the officiants drawn from Alkaeus tend to be among our best and brightest, whereas those pulled from other houses tend to be those who failed to qualify... it's almost like they deliberately tank every year. "Anyway, I'd best be on my own way. I'd promised a friend that I'd meet her over at the Agora for a drink after the ceremony, and if I have any intention of exceeding my promise of just a drink, I'd best not be late!"
Excited about getting started! I'll warn you that I'm pretty new to PBP, so lots of feedback is *definitely* appreciated. Also, as a heads up, my 9-5 is of a variety that usually keeps me from posting; I can generally check in a few times, and respond to things very briefly, but most of my composed posting'll happen first thing in the morning, or later in the evenings. (Or on occasionally days when I'm not in the field, you might see something mid-day. But don't grow to expect those. :P)
As the ceremony comes to a close, Soractus takes advantage of the opportunity to mingle among the assembled citizens of Promise. He is unremarkable. By design. A dark skinned, dark haired man of average height, wearing the blue coat of an off-duty patrolman from House Alkaeus. He has dark green eyes, and his ears seem a bit larger than his head requires - a sign of probable Elven descent. Unusual, but not unheard of in Promise. He listens closely to their chatter, his keen senses paying little attention to the content of most conversations, focusing in for the various key words his training had taught him were indicators of sedition. He didn't expect to hear anything of course. That was the beauty of Promise. While it was important that people like Soractus be present to preserve Mengkare's vision, most of the other 6,000 citizens were committed; not just through fear - though fear helped - but also through real devotion to the pledge they had just recited. As he exited the pavilion he spied his friend and neighbor Lucalino, standing watch across the street from the exit, and approaches to greet him. "Night shift tonight, eh? Tough draw. Are we still on for going to watch the Games tomorrow? Or are you going to be too exhausted...?"
Wouldn't he be able to take it at level 3, assuming he takes Weapon Focus at level 1? Can't take Weapon Focus without BAB 1.
Here's a preliminary statblock. Still need to grab a second trait, and figure out gear, but it's a decent approximation of where I'll end up. Soractus
Spoiler:
Male half-elf (half drow) investigator (infiltrator, steel hound) 1 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Class Guide 30, 100, 103)
LG Medium humanoid (elf, human) Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +7 -------------------- Defense -------------------- AC 14, touch 14, flat-footed 10 (+4 Dex) hp 10 (1d8+2) Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +3; +2 vs. enchantments Immune sleep -------------------- Offense -------------------- Speed 30 ft. Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1st; concentration +2) . . 1/day—dancing lights, darkness, faerie fire Investigator (Infiltrator, Steel Hound) Extracts Prepared (CL 1st; concentration +5) -------------------- Statistics -------------------- Str 12, Dex 19, Con 14, Int 18, Wis 13, Cha 12 Base Atk +0; CMB +1; CMD 15 Feats Point-blank Shot, Rapid Reload Traits bruising intellect Skills Bluff +5, Craft (alchemy) +4 (+5 to create alchemical items), Craft (firearms) +8, Disable Device +8, Disguise +5, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (local) +8, Perception +7, Sense Motive +5, Sleight of Hand +8, Stealth +8; Racial Modifiers +2 Perception Languages Common, Draconic, Elven, Infernal, Protean, Sylvan SQ alchemy (alchemy crafting +1), elf blood, inspiration (4/day), master of disguise Other Gear 150 gp -------------------- Special Abilities -------------------- Alchemy +1 (Su) +1 to Craft (Alchemy) to create alchemical items, can Id potions by touch. Elf Blood Half-elves count as both elves and humans for any effect related to race. Elven Immunities - Sleep You are immune to magic sleep effects. Inspiration (+1d6, 4/day) (Ex) Use 1 point, +1d6 to trained skill or ability check. Use 2 points, to add to attack or save. Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in low light, distinguishing color and detail. Master of Disguise (Ex) Disguise in 1d3 minutes. Reduce penalties for different traits by 2 each. Point-Blank Shot +1 to attack and damage rolls with ranged weapons at up to 30 feet. Rapid Reload (Pistol) You can reload fast with one type of Crossbow or Firearm. As far as bonds go, anybody feel like being a snitch in Soractus's current web of informants?
Drow pops sounds good, and I strongly agree with your reasoning thereof. :) Re: starting gear: I know currency isn't reslly a thing in Hermea, but given that we're ballparking a value of ~150 GP of starting stuff, are there any price changes to firearms or tech items that might affect their availability as starting stuff?
Hey, this works now. I'll fill out the crunch and make a second pass at avatars because I'm not sure about this one after dinner. |