DM themed play-by-post D&D game : OOC thread

[beowuuf]

Q: How did the gnome get knocked prone?

He got blown clear when the door energised.

Q: What did he do last turn?

Nothing yet, technically speaking (and just like I did with Haynuus) Brighteyes and Falkor now act at the very start of the round, instead of the very end of the previous round. So technically speaking, everything you guys are about to do will happen after

Sorry, just wanted to move the narrative forward rather than leave it hanging without money's post. The idea was that there was nothing you could do with the door last round that would have instantly switched it off anyway, it would still have needed two rounds of actions. Depending on your actions this round, I'll double up the effects to bring you back to where you should be.

If that wasn't the case, I would have had Brighteyes acting or delayed the game for money's action over the weekend.

So yeah, sorry as it leaves you guys who posted last round posting blind this round - just like the heat of combat though!

Q: In all of the confusion, what's the door 'doing'?

The last Haynuus saw of it, it and the key were still glowing. He would be acting in parallel with whatevr actually happens to it anyway - who knows, possibly something explosive.

If I can't see any progression with the door open, this is the only easy chance in getting the half-orc to one of the alcoves.
Even moving a few fighters in line with 'Q' row would be an idea, so as to form a defence along with the golem Haynuus to Q3, for example.
Westian could give some aid to Aurek, Aurek could give some aid to that last undead

Suggestions?

[/quote]

I had Farel act to protect Aurek simply because the paladin's situation was obviously dire. With the new threat behind them, and the only original undead slowed and almost dead now, Farel will happily run to the alternate alcove or form up a defensive line as Haynuus urges.

So just give the word, Ian

[beowuuf]

@Ian: sorry, I just read your post after I had updated! Westian is struggling with the key - I can help form a line next round if we are all still alive.

I think Westian's actions are pretty sound... just be interesting to see what Falkor has done ahead of time...

Oh, I keep forgetting to ask, a) you people in full armour, do you wear the helmets and gloves that come with the suit or not? b) who has a torch? At the moment it seems to be Farel alone - Haynuus has a two handed weapon, and Westian has his shield.

[Lord_BoNes]

@OB: "If we are all still alive"? Now THAT'S optimism

@Ian: It may work, but initiative order might screw you over at the moment. It would form a line, but these new undead are gonna be twice as strong as the last lot and they have already taken more than a 1/4 of my HP. Being a kick-ass paladin has its downers sometimes

[beowuuf]

Actually, initiative order is working for you now - the creatures act after everyone now, instead of acting in the middle of your guys.

And another benefit of being a paladin is having the options of a shield spell, VI potion or YA potion (temp hit points) if you want it.

[Lord_BoNes]

Yes! Forgot about that one. Can I do a shield this round, if I don't move?

[Lord_BoNes]

I also have the two YA flask still, right? I think now might be a good time to give one a test-drive.

[beowuuf]

I'm afraid not, you only get one standard action per round. Move actions are lesser actions (since you can be doing the move at the start or end of a standard action, really) so can't be traded for standard actions. You can of course trade a standard action for a second move.

[Lord_BoNes]

BUMP! Don't think you caught my double post above...

[beowuuf]

Yup, missed the second post. Yup, grabbing and drinking the potion would be a move action - it will generate an AoO if the critter is still alive beside you, but I don't think you need to worry about that

Note temporary hit points don't stack - so you get no benefit from drinking both at once, except to have a chance at a high initial score

[Lord_BoNes]

Edited my IC post to encompass the idea of drinking a YA potion... I really need to remember that I've got the OTHER one

[beowuuf]

Sadly they were only lowly soldiers, so unless I was being generous, they should be only LO level - 1d6 extra hit points.

[Lord_BoNes]

I'll let you roll em. That sort of important thing, I leave to the DM (or CPU in the case of Neverwinter Nights ).

[ian_scho]

@Beo I see! I'd completely forgotten that this was a 3/4 post Apologies

I'll move Haynuus nearer the golem as I said then. Give you a free turn or two to try to get that door open!

[beowuuf]

Ready is buried at the end of the combat section in a separate initiative actions section!
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/specia ... .htm#ready

Nominae your conditional (undead comes close?)

The d20org search function works well for finding stuff like this, since the rules can have items buried in weird places

[ian_scho]

Taht's it. Undead steps within his reach! Thanks

[beowuuf]

Remember to rollfor your attack! And roll for an AoO incase they keep trying to move passed you! And maybe rolls another die for the heck of it incase a golem desides to charge you again

[ian_scho]

Nooo, he'll get out of the way if he can this time

[beowuuf]

I haven't seen money around this weekend, so I'm going ahead and saying the update will be tomorrow evening.


I need to study at some point for Friday, and will be distracted from Thursday morning right until Monday evening. I might answer any questions, but don't expect a major update at that time - especially if combat is still on!

Anyway, so certainly I'll be trying to dial back to a light (on my side) update on Wednesday early evening, and then the next update on Monday night.

As I like to give you guys something light to keep a hand in with during a break, I might have a discussion topic for you all to ruminate over connected to the current plot stuff.

[ian_scho]

Good luck with the exam/assessment/dirty-few-days-away or whatever.

[beowuuf]

PCB inspection training qualification (a challenge test) and at the same time my mum is down for a long weekend.

And thanks!

[ian_scho]

Hmmm, I'd have liked to have seen everyone escape this round, leaving both Haynuus (who'd have received a AoO) and Farel in the doorway.
I think I'll step back in line with Aurek now then, and the little people can escape. The Paladin and Cleric REALLY need to get out of that room though, eh?
Everyone else should get out this round imho.

Maybe we have the paladin and cleric with one last righteous shout, then, with Haynuus and Farel providing support. We flee taking AoO's next round? To the doorway. I'll post soon. Swing, and take a step back to Aurek ready for next round.

[beowuuf]

Remember you can use a withdraw action, which is just a double move with the added bonus of getting the first square for free. No-one will be able to run out of the room, due to the twisting corridor (you can't go straight, and you can't see what's around the corners!) only double move anyway.

And yes, at the very least while the holy people stay, the undead will be in full flow. What the limits of this effect are - if they can leave the room, and can keep combining after ... I'll leave you lot to discover

[ian_scho]

Maybe the short people can see if they can close the door on the other side as the rest of us pass through, hmmm?

[beowuuf]

Interesting idea...though them being short presents a unique impediment if they find anything

Edit: Just awaiting OB's movements, so we should have a quick update this evening, assuming I get my butt in gear!

[ian_scho]

Two Short people == One Biggish person

(With one standing on shoulders)

[oh_brother]

Sorry for late posting, between now and Thursday I might be a bit erratic!

Btw, I have +5 for turn undead on my char sheet, but I have no idea how I got that number! Any ideas beo?

[beowuuf]

Funnily, I got it into my head you had +7, but then haven't got back to justifying it...

Hmm, +2 for a 4th level cleric, +2 for 5 ranks in knowldge(religeon)...I'll look into that last +1 for you Note if you have a holy symbol you will also get a further +2. But you don't right now, so you won't :p

Edit: Oh, wait, your charisma would grant +2 aswell. So that's +6. I guess we can split the difference, and if I work out where that last +1 comes from, can add it on

[beowuuf]

Oh, Haynuus won't appear to take any further damage from his wound, but the low level VI potion won't restore his constitution point. If I recall, I made it an EE level at least to start curing like that!

UM VI will restore 3d6, because of Westian's spooky powers, unless Westian means one of his LO potions that is acting like an UM potion.

[beowuuf]

Oh, did I remember to mention the glove has no charges left, money? The price of a lucky rescue I'm afraid!

[beowuuf]

Anyway, tonight will be my last night updating until Tuesday lunchtime/evening most likely - how will you survive?

Well, a few ways.

1) You all hit level five! Woohoo! Ian and OB, I have complete confidence in your abilities to level up. You might want to take this time to double check your sheets, and ensure that nothing has been missed out anywhere. IF, like the turn undead, anything doens't seem clear, give me a PM or note it here, and I'll look into it. I do plan on vetrting everyone's sheet at some point to make sure I've not screwed you over. LB, you finally get to level up Aurek! I think you have the background details well enough in hand to be able to do it yourself. Money, since you seem so busy (you still need to level from last time), I will probably PM you exactly how I would level up your character, and you can give me an 'ok' or a 'change this'.

2) I want you all to check back over the the previous fight. My maps thread should let you quickly see the maps to remind you about it. Basically, your group homework is to work out if you think the fight went well, or if the wheel could have come off big time anywhere.

Group discussion while I'm gone people! Things to think about:

a) Did your character do their part ok? If not, why? (like the turn undead seemed to be a big miscommunication on my part. Yell if I have not made cool moves or powers understandable or obvious)
b) Do you like your character as they are for dealing with encounters, or is anything starting to bug you about them? If so, we can do some hand waving retcon.
c) Did you as a group feel you all complimented each other, or managed to work as a team ok? If not, was that for RP reasons (cool) or was there something else?
d) Could the group have got more information beforehand? If so, why didn't they? (If RP reasons, great! If some other reason, yell!)
e) Could the group have got more items beforehand? If so, why didn't they? (Again, RP reasons are cool. I think that's what happened in the meeting with Brighteyes. Everyone snuck some items from under his nose, instead of just ignoring the NPC and going looting).
f) Did anything throw your group dynamic off? Were updates unclear (eg would an map showing what had moved be useful). Were NPCs/enemies erratic behaviour knocking your plans?

I think that's it for the fight. Some interesting questions on group cohesion - obviously I'm designing fights with the group as a whole in mind, and with what you - as players - could possibly do. As a group it might be interesting to see if you can tighten up anywhere. As a DM, I'm interested in knowing my players' mindset so I can pitch challenging encounters without unfairly introducing a 'gotcha' mechanic that was only clearly avoidable to me as DM.

3) We hit 6 months of gaming next week! Woohoo! To celebrate, each of you as a player (or each of your characters) gets one thing. Think of it as a limited wish spell. Maybe not as severe as levelling up, but is there something you want for them or yourself? To see a certain monster, to get a certain item, to suddenly 'remember' a certain skill, to have a certain plot point revealed (or at least made clearer)...

Go ahead, make a wish.


Anyway, that's probably enough things to be going on with if you want to keep your hand in. Seriously, three whole days of no uodates plus a weekend? That's an eternity!