Silverhex Chronicles Questions.

[Brian Turner 355]

I've decided to go ahead and do Silverhex Chronicles and I have a few questions. First ive noticed there are a lot of Knowledge checks and perception checks. As a New GM im still not certain whether to let the group ask for the skill checks or just going ahead and asking for them. I know if there is a trap I need to ask for a perception check and then a disable device check but what about knowledge checks should I let the group come up with the idea to use certain skill checks or just ask the group for them.

In the second quest the players end up in the woods at a place that has a trap called Hideous Hunger. In the description of the trap it says it has a 30 ft radius around a stone slab. This puts the area of affect outside of a circle of stones that the stone slab sits in the middle of. But the text before it says:

"any PC who enters the ring activates a grotesque haunt. Should a humanoid creature enter the circle of stones, they are pervaded by the insane hunger of the cannibal druid who once worshiped—and fed—here."

This makes me think that the trap is only supposed to be contained within the circle of stones. But the range of the trap is a 30ft radius which is a 60ft diameter which is well beyond the stones. Am I looking at this right.

The trap also says that if they succeed a Perception DC 15 they will notice the stench of raw meat. is this just for aesthetics. Because even if they notice it once they enter the circle they activate the trap. or would they notice this smell before they would enter the circle.

Concerning Fog of War on Roll20. Do you use it when the map is a forest area. because if its not used than the players could see the stream and try to go down to it which would by pass the area of the trap.

Thanks for the help. Sorry about this being long winded.

[TheAmazingRando]

Usually for Knowledge checks at the beginning of the scenario I just ask the players for them. Speeds things along, and keeps them from guessing.

Hideous Hunger isn't a trap, it's a Haunt, which are a bit different mechanically. Once activated, it triggers a surprise round. Any one who makes the check to notice it (the DC15 perception check in this case) can act in the surprise round. The Haunt always acts on initiative count 10 in the surprise round. So, anyone who makes the Perception check, and moves before it, can attempt to stop it. Haunts have HP, though they can usually only be damaged by positive energy. If it's reduced to 0 HP before it acts, it's neutralized temporarily, and doesn't go off.

Even if they can see the stream, why wouldn't they check the circle of stones? They don't know where the thing they're looking for is.

[Paz]

I'm not in a position to give specific feedback, but make sure to familiarise yourself with the haunt rules which are from the Game Mastery Guide.

[DesolateHarmony]

Haunts aren't quite traps.

The haunt perception DC is not just for aesthetics. If a positive-energy channeler can meet that DC and also go before initiative 10, they can channel energy to disable the haunt.

It is a free action to roll a knowledge check in combat to identify monsters. They should ask for this, but new players need to be indoctrinated. It is alright to let them know they have this option.

Outside of combat, I like to let people know when a knowledge check might be appropriate. I also like when the players have the initiative to ask for them.

Noticing traps is something they need to actively do; they should be looking for them. The exception for this is the rogue talent 'trap spotter', which gives them a secret roll any time they get within 10 feet of the area of a trap.

PRD wrote:

Trap Spotter (Ex): Whenever a rogue with this talent comes within 10 feet of a trap, she receives an immediate Perception skill check to notice the trap. This check should be made in secret by the GM.

[kinevon]

Knowledge checks: Monsters as appropriate. Starting information, or deeper information on something they see: I usually ask for it.

Perception: I usually try to note the Take 10 Perception levels, so that we can just do a quick: I search the room, taking 10 thing. For finding traps, it takes either an active Perception (I take a look into the room or at the door, searching for traps kind of thing) or the action of the Trap Spotter rogue talent, which you won't see during Silverhex.

I think the haunt rules have been covered fairly well by others. As a haunt is, in some ways, trap-like, just think of the area inside the circle as the trigger location, but the actual effect covers a wider area. Sort of like a fireball trap being set off if someone steps on a 5' square. The fireball covers a lot larger area.

For Fog of War on Roll20: It depends on how energetic you feel. Another option, as long as your Roll20 account offers it, is to use Dynamic Lighting instead, but remember that, at least initially, the area near the Circle, if not the whole map, is covered in fog, limiting line-of-sight to only 5'.

I pity the poor casters and archers. ;)

[Gilardes]

On knowledge checks as a player: I always try to ask the GM, 'What Knowledge do I need for this,' or, 'Any gather information checks available?'

As a GM: If you give them the description and they just look at you blankly, then try things like, 'Well, you may be able to gleam some more information from the locals,' or, 'Maybe you can ask questions of the druid's guild.'

Also use judgement on the level of players you're working with. If they're newbies, do some grooming and meta it a bit for them, let them know they have options and then remind them of what those options are.

I always say that we're here for fun, and let the players ask, or try to find ways to be creative. The most fun and best games I've had were trying to overcome an obstacle, or find or do something without riding the train to murderhoboville. Anyone can min/max a barbarian or archer and kill everything they hit in one round, but that's not where the fun is.

Remember the rules are a guideline to keep everything fair and fun for everyone, don't let them break things, but bending is a requirement for a good GM, imho. If their idea is better than Paizo's allow it... lol.

[Brian Turner 355]

I have another question about the haunt on Silverhex Chronicles. According to the rules it says "All primary effects created by a haunt are mind-affecting fear effects, even those that actually produce physical effects." Now this makes me think that everyone needs to make two saves. One for the fear effect and one for the haunts physical attack. (causes them to eat there own flesh). Now is this true or is the initially save to be able to resist eating oneself also counts for the fear affect.

it doesn't say in the description that its a one time affect so im assuming that on its turn it will always cause the players to make a new fort save to resist hurting themselves.

It also doesn't say a thing about a face or body appearing to give the PC's something to attack just that they notice a smell of rotting meat. I'm thinking a second perception check around the same DC should give them a more exact location of where they smell is emanating from.

Thanks for the help.

[kinevon]

It is only a single save, the Fortitude save would gain any bonuses applicable against mind-affecting fear effects the target(s) have available. It doesn't have any sort of "runs away in fear" effect, it is a "fear makes you hungry" effect, instead.

It only happens once, then takes an hour, to reset, when it will happen again.

Now, if a positive energy channeller is within 30' of the stone slab, and he channels to harm, it has a chance of disabling the haunt for an hour. Since the effect is centered around the slab, that is where the positive energy to disable the haunt before it acts (on Init 10) needs to be targeted.

If they make the initial save, they should get an idea that "the smell of rotting meat seems to be coming from the stone slab in front of you."

What is fun is when the AC fails its save. It is, specifically, a taste for humanoid meat, so, attack his HC?

HC:

Human(oid) Companion

[Sewicked]

on P. 23 there's a reference: "Mark 'Special Information' box if they successfully bartered to learn [spoiler]".

There is no such box on the chronicle. The other special box referenced in the paragraph does exist on the Chronicle.

[Sewicked]

Sewicked wrote:

on P. 23 there's a reference: "Mark 'Special Information' box if they successfully bartered to learn [spoiler]".

There is no such box on the chronicle. The other special box referenced in the paragraph does exist on the Chronicle.

I'm running this weekend. No answer? No one noticed this before I did?

[IronHelixx]

Just make note of it on the sheet.

Sewicked wrote:

Sewicked wrote:

on P. 23 there's a reference: "Mark 'Special Information' box if they successfully bartered to learn [spoiler]".

There is no such box on the chronicle. The other special box referenced in the paragraph does exist on the Chronicle.

I'm running this weekend. No answer? No one noticed this before I did?

[StalkingWolf]

Can players run through the Silverhex Chronicles and apply it to a character that already has 2 other chronicle sheets applied to it? It states that they need to be applied to a first level character, which this still is, and you have to stop once you apply anything other than Silverhex chronicles. Does this include ones before starting Silverhex chronicles?

[DrParty06]

That can be done as long as they are playing a pre-gen in Silverhex. If you play 1 or more Silverhex quests then play another scenario, you can't then go back and play the rest of the Silverhex quests you didn't play.

[nosig]

I've got a bit of a tricky question...

I have a player who wants to assign this to a PC that already has 2 XP (so far that should be ok right?), and is fine with the "has to run an Iconic PC" rule...

But the PC he wants to add it to is a Grandfathered Tiefling, who has played two other games as a Tiefling. So, if he plays this, does that change his PCs race - invalidating the choice of Tiefling because he played the PC as something other than a Tiefling? I would think he is OK, as he actually isn't changing his real PC, just playing an Iconic... but "other people" have said this would be a problem...

so... opinions?

[Paz]

It would not change his race. If anyone disagrees, ask them what effect him playing We Be Goblins! would have; would his race now be tiefling or goblin?

[Starglim]

The race of the pregenerated character doesn't affect the character to whom he applies it, any more than its class, gender or (lack of a) faction. It's just a credit that he can apply to any PC. Only the date and level matter.

The only sessions that are relevant to the grandfather clause are those played before the cut-off date, or after he rebuilt his actual character to a different race.

[kevin_video]

Sewicked wrote:

on P. 23 there's a reference: "Mark 'Special Information' box if they successfully bartered to learn [spoiler]".

There is no such box on the chronicle. The other special box referenced in the paragraph does exist on the Chronicle.

I noticed this as well, and put it on the main thread for the quests. Never got any feedback either. I think I'm just going to write it in.