paizo.com Recent Posts in Advice on tracking time. [Spoilers]paizo.com Recent Posts in Advice on tracking time. [Spoilers]2017-06-21T21:32:25Z2017-06-21T21:32:25ZRe: Forums: Ironfang Invasion: Advice on tracking time. [Spoilers]Archimedes The Great (alias of christian kramer)https://paizo.com/threads/rzs2uf1u?Advice-on-tracking-time-Spoilers#102019-05-14T16:42:11Z2018-11-28T16:35:27Z<p>I am creating a reasonable sized hex map of the southern Chernasardo Region on roll20. The PCs clearly have their original home base identified, but under the GM view I have several hexes marked for only me to see.</p>
<p>The "Events" occur on their own after so many days, or are triggered by actions, but the Locations and Encounters have physical locations. The party is able to travel "their speed" (6 hexes) and back in a single day if they pass my assigned Knowledge Geography DCs (otherwise they get lost and move slower or in a random direction etc.), or choose to move further and camp-out in the wild wherever they stop.</p>
<p>Any of the marked hexes that they pass through they trigger that encounter or foraging opportunity or whatever and it then becomes view-able to them on their map. It will be reminded to them though, via notes or interrogation that they are being pursued and that the refugee camp may not be safe on their own for too long.</p>
<p>Days are just tracked by normal days on a calendar.</p>I am creating a reasonable sized hex map of the southern Chernasardo Region on roll20. The PCs clearly have their original home base identified, but under the GM view I have several hexes marked for only me to see.
The "Events" occur on their own after so many days, or are triggered by actions, but the Locations and Encounters have physical locations. The party is able to travel "their speed" (6 hexes) and back in a single day if they pass my assigned Knowledge Geography DCs (otherwise they...Archimedes The Great (alias of christian kramer)2018-11-28T16:35:27ZRe: Forums: Ironfang Invasion: Advice on tracking time. [Spoilers]Oliver Veyrachttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2uf1u?Advice-on-tracking-time-Spoilers#92018-02-14T19:14:37Z2018-02-14T19:14:37Z<p>[Spoiler omitted]</p>
<p>I just finished book 1 and this is how I did ours. I hope that it helps.</p>[Spoiler omitted]
I just finished book 1 and this is how I did ours. I hope that it helps.Oliver Veyrac2018-02-14T19:14:37ZRe: Forums: Ironfang Invasion: Advice on tracking time. [Spoilers]Louis Lyonshttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2uf1u?Advice-on-tracking-time-Spoilers#82017-08-01T21:49:46Z2017-08-01T21:45:19Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Aunders wrote:</div><blockquote> Trail of the Hunted says a lot about how much time they're going to spend in the Fang Wood - like the crazy storm that thrashes your camp if you're not already moved into the Trog Cave. My question is, what's a good way to keep track of time but also a good way to drag out the time they spend in the woods so they do all of the events? I'm thinking of limiting my players to 3 excursions a week, the rest will be spent maintaining their gear, healing, tending to the refugees, and maintaining the militia. Any suggestions? </blockquote><p>I'm facing the same question myself because I want to keep track of time in a way that feels natural and organic and to mark the passage of time. I intend to simply buy a regular day planner calendar (though a wall calendar will work), replace the months with Golarion Months, and cross of the days as they go by since the beginning. That way I can keep track of in-game time as the weeks and months go by, as well as the seasons, so that I can add environmental and weather changes such as snow, ice, winds and rain as the seasons change. I intend for the game to begin at the start of Spring (the market Festival will be held on the Vernal Equinox). And of course I can calendar particular future events and encounters that will happen.Aunders wrote:Trail of the Hunted says a lot about how much time they're going to spend in the Fang Wood - like the crazy storm that thrashes your camp if you're not already moved into the Trog Cave. My question is, what's a good way to keep track of time but also a good way to drag out the time they spend in the woods so they do all of the events? I'm thinking of limiting my players to 3 excursions a week, the rest will be spent maintaining their gear, healing, tending to the refugees, and...Louis Lyons2017-08-01T21:45:19ZRe: Forums: Ironfang Invasion: Advice on tracking time. [Spoilers]grandpoobahhttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2uf1u?Advice-on-tracking-time-Spoilers#72017-07-06T20:06:12Z2017-07-06T20:06:12Z<p>You could use the Slow XP track for random ENC (especially if they're limited to 1-2 per day); then use the medium XP track for the planned encounters (or when there are >3 encounters per rest period).</p>You could use the Slow XP track for random ENC (especially if they're limited to 1-2 per day); then use the medium XP track for the planned encounters (or when there are >3 encounters per rest period).grandpoobah2017-07-06T20:06:12ZRe: Forums: Ironfang Invasion: Advice on tracking time. [Spoilers]Captain Morganhttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2uf1u?Advice-on-tracking-time-Spoilers#62017-07-05T22:49:22Z2017-07-05T22:49:22Z<p>You could also dabble with a slow track XP system if you are going to heap on the extra encounters... Perhaps valuing non-essential encounters at a lower XP award or something.</p>You could also dabble with a slow track XP system if you are going to heap on the extra encounters... Perhaps valuing non-essential encounters at a lower XP award or something.Captain Morgan2017-07-05T22:49:22ZRe: Forums: Ironfang Invasion: Advice on tracking time. [Spoilers]takshttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2uf1u?Advice-on-tracking-time-Spoilers#52017-06-27T14:22:09Z2017-06-27T14:22:09Z<p>Sounds fine to me. Just be careful if you are tracking actual experience. Random events/encounters can add up. You don't want to push their level too high too soon. Some people get around this by simply advancing their parties when they are supposed to be advanced, ignoring experience. I can't do that, not yet at least. I'm old school, getting experience was what I always looked forward to. :)</p>Sounds fine to me. Just be careful if you are tracking actual experience. Random events/encounters can add up. You don't want to push their level too high too soon. Some people get around this by simply advancing their parties when they are supposed to be advanced, ignoring experience. I can't do that, not yet at least. I'm old school, getting experience was what I always looked forward to. :)taks2017-06-27T14:22:09ZRe: Forums: Ironfang Invasion: Advice on tracking time. [Spoilers]Fenrick Talonhttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2uf1u?Advice-on-tracking-time-Spoilers#42018-09-19T14:54:20Z2017-06-26T21:48:24Z<p>I just started the campaign; we are wrapping up my prequel adventure this Friday, and then the invasion will start. I have my campaign map ready and plotted all of the event sites for the first three books on it. My concern now is - area and distance.</p>
<p>In response to the above post by Aunder's, that might work, except the forest is huge and these encounter locations are very spread apart. As in... DAYS apart. Per the core rules, travel in a trackless forest is 1/2 movement. For the typical party with a base rate of 20, that limits them to traveling 8 miles a day through the forest. If the plan is to explore a single "5 sq mile grid area", that alone would take several days of hiking around in it. Now compound that with going 5 or 6 squares away, and it could take over a week just to travel in a straight line. I made a d20Pro map using a 5 mile square grid. Here is the base map (all of the locations are overlayed in d20pro for me; I'll post a screenshot including those.) What I'm saying then is the party may be gone from the camp frequently for periods of a week or more as they begin scouting the more distant areas.</p>
<p>Go to <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ljxls7hwzzosiqa/AAD6poNpY56DtLiC7FLlNRbya?dl=0" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Share</a></p>
<p>What I'm going to do is use a homebrew encounter system. I'm still hammering it out. Here is what I have so far. I'll put the Word doc in the above share and continue updating it.</p>
<p>Wilderness Encounters
<br />
This system is a work in progress, and was inspired by an article by the AngryDM. The gist of this system is it replaces percentages for random encounters with a visible time counter to help create urgency and tension for the players. It could be adapted to multiple environments and time increments.
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Each hour that passes, the GM will drop a die into a tray visible by all players to count off the passing of time. Every four hours, the GM will roll all of the dice in the tray – the total number of “1’s” rolled will result in a negative event. The total number of “20’s” rolled may result in a boon. The two events may be combined.
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Die to drop. The GM will need to make an estimation of the danger and die to drop.</p>
<p>Die / Danger Approximation / General Description /
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Survival Check DC•</p>
<p>D4 / Very Dangerous / Very difficult terrain (Mountains), Deep forests, hostile controlled region / DC 30</p>
<p>D6 / Moderately Dangerous / Lower mountains, ravines, very far from any population centers / DC 25</p>
<p>D8 / Somewhat Dangerous / Rough terrain, denser forest / DC 20</p>
<p>D10 /Average Danger / Typical wilderness travel, open spaces, rural rolling hills, light forest / DC 15</p>
<p>D12 / Low Danger / Rural areas near population centers / DC 10</p>
<p>D20 / Very safe / Well-travelled / patrolled roads / DC 5</p>
<p>•Survival check to add a D20 to the pool instead of the lower die. In Very Safe areas, no Die will be added on success.</p>
<p>If an encounter is rolled, remove all of the 1’s. Parties travelling through varied regions over time could easily have different dice in the tray.
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Stationary / Camped groups can make a Survival check to not attract attention for each 4 hours instead of each hour. </p>
<p>Example: Typical day, exploring a dense forest away from urban areas. For the 8 hours exploring, the lead survivalist can make an
<br />
aided hourly check, DC20. On each success, add a d20 to the pool. On each failure, add a d8. After 4 hours, roll the dice. If 1’s are rolled, consult the table. Remove the 1’s. Repeat for the next 4 hours. Assuming the party is not doing a forced march, but will then camp for 12 hours only 3 rolls are required for the evening and night, still rolling every 4 hours.</p>
<p>Results. To be fleshed out. The number of 1’s rolled will equate to the chance of a violent encounter (e.g. x3 1’s = 30% chance of hostile creature or party, per appropriate tables). Otherwise, a mishap occurs. A single one would be a minor mishap (broken gear, someone gets stung by an insect, gets a rash putting them at -2 for the day) while x5 1’s should be very serious. Someone falls in a trap and suffers a major injury, major weather event, party gets lost, loses all 4 hours to a dead end.</p>
<p>Conversely, the number of 20’s rolled could be a discovery, found treasure, a friendly / helpful encounter or some other boon.</p>I just started the campaign; we are wrapping up my prequel adventure this Friday, and then the invasion will start. I have my campaign map ready and plotted all of the event sites for the first three books on it. My concern now is - area and distance.
In response to the above post by Aunder's, that might work, except the forest is huge and these encounter locations are very spread apart. As in... DAYS apart. Per the core rules, travel in a trackless forest is 1/2 movement. For the typical...Fenrick Talon2017-06-26T21:48:24ZRe: Forums: Ironfang Invasion: Advice on tracking time. [Spoilers]Aundershttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2uf1u?Advice-on-tracking-time-Spoilers#32017-06-22T15:35:48Z2017-06-22T15:35:48Z<p>I did some more thinking on it and I think I found a good system for it. I would like your opinion on it if it sounds fun and engaging.</p>
<p>So the Fangwood is a confusing and difficult environment to travel through. Because of this, I'm limiting my PCs to three expeditions a week where I'll roll a die to see what event they stumble into next. On the way to the event I'll roll an chance for a random encounter, and on the way back from the expedition I'll roll it again. This way things can happen on the way to a location, at the location, and on the way back from a location. I feel like it will make things a little more interesting and add to the vastness of the Fangwood.</p>
<p>One day of the week will be dedicated to resolving Militia actions, they can do a couple of checks this day, but for the most part they're drilling the Militia, commanding teams, and any other actions the militia requires.</p>
<p>The two other days of the week are personal down time, giving people time to bathe, sharpen their swords, fletch some arrows. </p>
<p>So in theory a week should run like this: Militia, Expedition, Downtime, Expedition, Downtime, Expedition - Repeat.</p>I did some more thinking on it and I think I found a good system for it. I would like your opinion on it if it sounds fun and engaging.
So the Fangwood is a confusing and difficult environment to travel through. Because of this, I'm limiting my PCs to three expeditions a week where I'll roll a die to see what event they stumble into next. On the way to the event I'll roll an chance for a random encounter, and on the way back from the expedition I'll roll it again. This way things can happen...Aunders2017-06-22T15:35:48ZRe: Forums: Ironfang Invasion: Advice on tracking time. [Spoilers]takshttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2uf1u?Advice-on-tracking-time-Spoilers#22017-06-22T13:22:08Z2017-06-22T13:22:08Z<p>Hell's Rebels does something similar, at least in the beginning. Maybe that's worth looking into? Seems reasonable to me, either way. Frankly, time is something I always struggle with for my games, even with dungeon exploring. How much time did it really take to search that room? Did our protection from fire wear off yet? Was I really lost in the woods naked, tripping out for 3 weeks? Never ending...</p>Hell's Rebels does something similar, at least in the beginning. Maybe that's worth looking into? Seems reasonable to me, either way. Frankly, time is something I always struggle with for my games, even with dungeon exploring. How much time did it really take to search that room? Did our protection from fire wear off yet? Was I really lost in the woods naked, tripping out for 3 weeks? Never ending...taks2017-06-22T13:22:08ZForums: Ironfang Invasion: Advice on tracking time. [Spoilers]Aundershttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2uf1u?Advice-on-tracking-time-Spoilers#12017-09-22T04:50:41Z2017-06-21T21:32:25Z<p>Trail of the Hunted says a lot about how much time they're going to spend in the Fang Wood - like the crazy storm that thrashes your camp if you're not already moved into the Trog Cave. My question is, what's a good way to keep track of time but also a good way to drag out the time they spend in the woods so they do all of the events? I'm thinking of limiting my players to 3 excursions a week, the rest will be spent maintaining their gear, healing, tending to the refugees, and maintaining the militia. Any suggestions?</p>Trail of the Hunted says a lot about how much time they're going to spend in the Fang Wood - like the crazy storm that thrashes your camp if you're not already moved into the Trog Cave. My question is, what's a good way to keep track of time but also a good way to drag out the time they spend in the woods so they do all of the events? I'm thinking of limiting my players to 3 excursions a week, the rest will be spent maintaining their gear, healing, tending to the refugees, and maintaining the...Aunders2017-06-21T21:32:25Z