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

[beowuuf]

Feel free to just RP and leave the mechanics to me for now, some spells won't be directly translate or included. Your imagination is the limit except that the feat must be instantaneous, an effort of will, and have no lasting physical effect. So you could not summon a bird, but you could create the image of a bird for a second. Or create a burst of light for a moment to blind people wit. Or create a noise somewhere. Or create a gust of wind or quick telekinetic burst to shift or pull something.

I think I will post an update now, before getting some early sleep for a chance. I can do any editing due to comments / clarifications tomorrow. That I can do at work at lunchtime So you can sneak in any last-minute comments to each other before you face the Trolins!

[beowuuf]

Updated!

Ok, so, you're in a combat-like situation. WHAT DO YOU DO?

Actually, most of you will know, but just to be thorough. Firstly, I've already got you to roll a d20. This was a sneaky dexterity check, and using this it let's me determine initiative: ie. who will be quickest off the mark each round. This initiatives score remains for the rest of the combat encounter.

'Combat' will be split into rounds. Each round, everyone gets to make six seconds' worth of actions. Assume a single main action (speaking earnestly for six seconds, swinging a sword, using a skill). This is called a standard action. Either before or after making this action, you can also move. Unsurprisingly, this is a move action. Your base speed is given on your character sheet - Westian and Haynuus can move 30 feet (6 squares), Ameena and Falkor 20 feet (four squares). If Ameena drops down (a free action), she can move 40 feet (8 squares), but will need to give up a subsequent move action in order to stand.

You may also make small comments, small gestures (pointing, dropping items, etc) during the round. These are known as free actions. They are of course limited by common sense.

Example: The Trolin feels the headache again, and looks around in anger. He decides to simply charge at the nearest fleshy object in range of his club, moving towards the rat.

Free action: Stop hitting self with club.
Move action: Move to B3 infront of Ameena
Standard action: Swing club at Ameena.
Free action: Snarl racial epithets at Ameena's Murafu heritage.

The above is the way to report the 'fight'. Post your intentions as normal, and then post in bold your standard action, move action (if any) and any free actions you need to take that affect the game (dropping items, etc). That's as simple as it gets!

If you plan to do an attack, or use a skill, or attempt anything you think has a chance of failure, please roll a d20 (as always). If you plan to do an attack, please also roll for damage (Haynuus will do 1d6 with a club, Westian 1d3 with his fists, and Ameena/Falkor only 1d2 with their fists).

To make a melee attack, you need to be standing in a square beside your opponent (including the diagonal). Be aware that those without weapons are vulnerable to being counter-attacked irst by those with weapons. Also note that without armour, many of you are easy to hit.

Anyway, that's how combat and fast paced 'combat' situations work in D&D. Note that in the 'real' world, combat or frantic discussion would be happening simultaneously for everyone. The usual D&D combat mechanics are designed to foster a suspension of disbelief, where each combatant's actions are split into discrete parts that are resolved in turn one combatant at a time. Due to the mechanics of a play-by-post game, and the need to keep the game moving as fast as possible, a small part of the simultaneous nature of combat can be brought back. Everyone should be aware that actions will be resolved in initiative order, and post contingencies in the OOC thread. However, everyone should post their actions in the main thread assuming everything is happening almost at once, your initiative order determining a small delay. Note you can easily explicitly have your character delay their action to lower their initiative score so they act after someone else. If your character does this, they keep this new lower initiative position.

Hopefully a few rounds will see you victorious in however you proceed, and also get people used to either combat or the oddness of play-by-post games during combat. Or both.

Good luck!

[Ameena]

Just to check a few things...
First - I take it we can move diagonally, but just to check, can we?
Second - Don't forget Ameena also has her Bite attack - presumably she can only use that within melée range, unless she can do it by leaping at them from one square away or something (not that she plans on attacking unless she really has to). And I can't remember what the damage is on it, but I can just check if I decide I want to use it. Oh, and if she wants, can she get a Sneak Attack on it?
Third - Can the trolls even see Ameena, standing as she is behind everyone else (and being so much shorter and everything)?
Fourth - I noticed on the map that Troll 3 is the furthest from the corner he just came round, but in the IC description bit you said all he did was stick his head round the corner - is he actually the first troll but has been relabelled or something?
Fifth - What you said about what Ameena can smell - do you mean that she could smell the trolls quite strongly before but now they're standing there she can actually smell them less, as though they're moving away? There isn't a wind blowing the scent away, is there? Because realistically she'd notice that - sensitive whiskers, and everything.

[beowuuf]

we can move diagonally

Yes. In third edition, the first diagonal counts as 1 square, the second 2 squares, the third 1 square, the fourth 2 squares, etc

Don't forget Ameena also has her Bite attack...can she get a Sneak Attack on it?

In all respects except one it is like a unarmed strike. An unarmed strike inflicts non-lethal damage, and an attacker takes a -4 hit roll penalty to inflict lethal damage with. For Ameena, the reverse is the case. Ameena still only does 1d2 damage as Falkor would. A 'leap' would be your normal move action, you can characterise it how you like You get sneak attack damage if your opponent is 'flat-footed'. Ie, if you act in the first round of combat before them, or if you make a feint with your bluff skill then attacked next round. You can also gain sneak damage if you flank you opponent - ie if you are on one side, and one of your group is directly on the other side.

Third - Can the trolls even see Ameena

Now that Falkor has moved forward, less likely. Remember that the figures are a representation, and each square is 5 foot wide. You 'take up' that square because you need space to move around and swing a weapon. Falkor, being small, will only provide partial distraction and sight blocking. I assume from ow you are talking Ameena wil use Falkor as a 'shield' from view. If she starts moving, she may well be noticed.

Fourth - I noticed on the map that Troll 3 is the furthest from the corner

He is partially between the two square just now, so is only partially around the corner. Just like Ameena would, he is hugging the back wall. Troin 1 took a diagonal step and can fully around the corner when seeing the group. The Trolin is not so scared he is hiding against the near wall and putting his head round (Troln 1 wuld bock that)but he is keeping back.
[
There is no appreciable wind, just the air currents in the dungeon from things moving around, and the air being drawn in from outside however throuh cracks and fissures. Ameena caught the Trolin scent onwhatever current when thye first broke the door, but since then it hasn't gottn any stronge, even though tey were coming closer. Now they are standing there, it is as if the smel were slowly disipating.

Hope that answers everything!

[ian_scho]

I'm tempted to have a go at Intimidating them! Any better suggestion? My Cha is a bit low.

[oh_brother]

We could try talking to them, using diplomacy. But I don't speak orcish, and I don't know if they speak common. Maybe intimidation is the way to go?

[beowuuf]

You can take the risk they don't know common, since you have two translators currently by your side who should hopefully (between them) convey your words.

Your initiative is low. Westian won't really get into full flow until after the Trolins have a gut reaction. If you have them delaying their action for some reason then a speech may have a better chance.

So you can all choose to go the intimidation route. Haynuus rolls the primary roll (and more importantly plays it out), while the rest of you do what's called an 'aid another'. You roll (and play it out) to support him. It's a less difficult roll that gives Haynuus a bonus for success.

Alternatively, you go good cop bad cop. Haynuus (and Falkor) intimidate, then if they don't react badly Westian (and Falkor if he didn't intimidate) has a good chance to go diplomacy, Falkor translating if needed.

Or you take the risk of a slow start, abd everyone delays to help Westian with his diplomacy roll (and speech).

Or you offer them Ameena as a free action right now It's the wonderful wide world of D&D

[ian_scho]

If no-one says otherwise I'll be screaming orcish at them in an hour

[money]

I'm up for intimidating them also, at least put them on the back foot and react if that fails...

[beowuuf]

The question is money, will you try intimidating them with a skill check and looking mean, or will you actually try and use your untested powers of magic.... the consequences could be hilarious, fatal, or spectacular ..

Ok, rushing around at work, so I will leave you lot to post your stuff and might not get to the updating until this evning. Have inventive fun!

[ian_scho]

An Intimidating roll. (1d20=3)

Doh!

[money]

Trying to cast Message spell... ope i'm still on the right path.. http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/message.htm Falkor rolls 1d20 and gets 18.

[beowuuf]

Lol, interesting roll for Haynuus there....

Money, you don't need to stick to the exact effects of the 0-level spells, just that will certainly be the limit of your magical 'will' in this game. I'm sure certain uses, such as making others hear weird messages in their head or making them think what you want, could be called 'Message' though.

And really nice use of the power , and nicely backed up... let's see what happens though...

[beowuuf]

Oh dear god, I usually won't do this, and I certainly discourage my players from checking up on any rolls I do in the background since then you'll know when I'm ignoring them. Still, this one had me laughing out loud. I so had the reaction to Haynuus's 'fail' written out in my head already, but Haynuus deserves this:
Intimidate-opposing level check (for behaviour) (1d20-1=0)

Edit: Anyway, waiting for OB and Ameena to give me their moves, and then on with the next update. Certainly not in the direction I expected given Haynuus's initial roll. The gods of chance and Falkors quick wit have given your characters a good start. Let see how Westian and Ameena can capitalise on this!

[ian_scho]

Is that a Woot! with my low Cha modifiers added in there, or is a roll of a 1 on a d20 ALWAYS a bad, bad thing?
Still Funny Though!

[beowuuf]

Remember you took 4 ranks in intimidation to counter your bad charisma, so you actually have +2. But even if you had -2, you WOULD HAVE WON! MADNESS!

For skill rolls, a 1 does not have any specific auto-fail, so if you are brilliant at something you will alsways pass easy checks.

Lucky for you, these particular Trolins have a low chrisma, even the 'boss;. Which you would have to assume, given how easy they run away in DM.

With that opening, surely the talking machine Westian will see you alright...surely...

[oh_brother]

Sorry for the delay today, a bit of an emergency at work (over now thankfully!).

Westian is trying to bluff the trolins (see Story Thread for details). He rolls a 19+3 = 22.

[ian_scho]

Brilliant - you fooled me!
(Money is logged on in chat at the moment and I'd love to talk but am at work too).

[oh_brother]

Yes, it seems Westian has a talent for lying!

OB, you might therefore spot the parallel possibilities for a cleric and how to unlock them. I will leave it up to your conscience as a player as to whether your character would natural invoke such abilities without realising it. If he wouldn't, I am sure some update or future roll might allow him to remember his powers later

I don't think he would automatically invoke just because he saw Falknor, but seeing the spell, and smelling the mana (IIRC from the DM manual mana has a smell!) he would quiz Falknor and try to pool knowledge. Westian knows the LO rune, maybe that could kick-start something.
But that is for a time when less trolins are staring at us!

[Ameena]

Details on the IC post i just made - So Ameena takes a move action, putting her into square I5, next to Westian. Before doing so, she would have entered Sneak mode. Or tried to. I presume that will need a roll. She has 4 points in the "Stealth" skill, and also has the "Stealthy" Feat. I'm not sure how that would affect a roll but I take it I just need to make one to see if her Sneak worked...and yes I did remember that I have real dice now...pfffft, rolled a 3 lol .
If that means she successfully Sneaked (and is now "Hiding in Shadows" or whatever the term is that you use in this one), then I'm guessing that if she attacks a troll as he comes through the door she'll get a Sneak Attack or something. But she'll wait, of course, to see if any violence actually does occur.

[beowuuf]

@oh_brother: Nice bluff roll! Of course, a bluff just means they believe you. As you can see, sometimes that's good thing, and something that's a bad thing

For the magic aspect, I will spoil it as it's more fun having an informed player. At the end of the day both effects are drawn from mana. However, as I see it mages shape the mana from their learning and will, using the runes. Therefore, their training allows them to 'cheat' and focus their will on the world, temporarily using mana to provoke minor effects quickly gone. These would be of similar scope to the 0-level spells, and would be the spell-like effects Falkor has a limited number of per encounter. 1 of which he has successfully used!

As I see it, the priest imagines they are petitioning external forces such as nature and their god to affect the world, using the runes to formalise this. Therefore, a priest (well, cleric) can surely invoke their god directly for small aid in their cause. This would not be as powerful an aid as actually using spellcraft (after all, the gods cannot directly interfere with mortals too much, can they?) but you would gain small blessings for your endeavours.

Anyway, this was what I was hinting at before at one point. I would certainly encourage Falkor and Westian to talk shop at the end of this. Falkor needs another chance at a runes knowledge roll, and Westian was certainly were on the cusp of remembering a second power rune!

@ameena: Stealth is an odd one. The check is part of your movement action, so that is no problem. If you check the hide skill link here you can see that you need to be in cover or consealment to use it. I was a bit evil and not mention something the Trolins possess. You might want to check Haynuus's character sheet out for a hint.

If the Trolins hadn't been looking in your general, or if the darkness gave you consealment, it might have worked. Just to point out, moving normal speed gives you a penalty, you need to move at half your normal speed to keep stealthy really. I assume you dropped on all fours and ran, then got back up into a crouch (you moved, then used your standard action as a move action).

People sadly don't make perfect cover (too many scrawny limbs not blocking sight). If the Trolins had been up close to the rest of the group, I would have still given it, but they were too far back so would have easily spotted the movement under Haynuus and Westian's legs.

Anyway, there was nothing wrong with what you did, mechanics wise I hadn't explained cover nor the inner workings of hiding, so you were well within common sense with what you did. If that was all that spoiled the stealth attempt, Ameena would have happily scurried hidden. The thing that got you spotted was an evil DM and monsters with a certain quality in the end. At least Westian has no clue you are beside him! (Hope you both appreciate me rolling a 2 on your behalf when it didn't matter!) So yeah, pick your moments but keep stealthing in the future!

In the heat of battle, stealth alone won't help you make a sneak attack really. An enemy is too prepared for anything coming at him and always looking around. I would certainly give you a bonus to attack though. Stealth will certainly let you flank if you have the chance though - which will let you make the sneak attack - without an enemy spotting the danger. And if the enemy isn't in combat, stealth could let you make a movement during a surprise round. Hopefully, that would also let you sneak attack him when the combat was then started, before he got up to speed and started paying attention.

At the end of the day, rules are guidelines for fairness. If it's fun or narratively satisfying, you may get the sneak attack, so never stop giving reasoning in the OOC thread here.


Right, I think that's it guys. That was a good round! Instead of a hostile Trolin, backed up by an obedient Trolin in your faces, with a cowardly Trolin getting less cowardly and coming forward, you've now got one Trolin gone, one Trolin ready to go, and one Trolin possibly on your side. Or, you know, one stupid Trolin ready to blow the whole thing and make it fight, one Trolin called back and one Trolin angry at being duped. Who knows!

Looking forward to seeing what your going to do next

[beowuuf]

Obviously, if you have any questions about that round - including my details for what the Trolins did- yell!


Also, everyone apart from oh_brother, I'd encourage you to quote a copy of your character sheet and post it yourself into the character sheet thread. You can keep any notes you need to on there, and of course it will let you alter it right away when you gain levels!

Don't remember why I posted them in the first place - probably something to do with rushing character creation before PAX! They're your sheets, you should be able to edit them to your heart's content!

Money, as you find your feet with the character, feel free to post me details of his background as you saw it. Let's see if we can't get a fun bio for Falkor!

[Ameena]

Regarding Ameena's move - no, she didn't drop to all-fours. If she had, I'd've said so. Her natural (upright) movement rate is four squares (you mentioned that in the post a few posts before this one, I think, when overviewing the combat rules), and the square she moved to is four squares away. I didn't know movement was halved by Sneak and I thought she might have got away with trying to Sneak due to being mostly in shadows (since not only was she much further back, the torchlight was also blocked by Haynuus etc). But never mind. Maybe the trolls will forget about her and crap themselves when she launches herself at one of them (should it come to that). Incidentally, if Westian should suddenly step her way (according to you he hasn't noticed her movement), she's got the common sense to step aside so he's not gonna fall over/step on her. The adrenaline's sort of overridden her previous fears for now, so her reactions are sharp (well, umm, unless the dice decide otherwise ).
I'm completely confused as to which troll is which now, since you got them muddled up between their first post and their second and now in this latest one I don't know whether you've switched them back again or what, so I don't know whether it was the thick one who ran away, or the one who spoke, or the hesitant one who didn't come around the corner straight away. To begin with it was First whos poke, Second who was a doink, and Third who stayed partially hidden. Now, I have no clue, lol. I suppose it won't matter so much anyway, since they're probably "only" trolls, and won't have much of an impact on the story past this initial encounter. Well, you know, probably. Maybe. Maybe our group will scare all of them off and they'll run on ahead and trigger a bunch of traps to get them out the way for us .

[beowuuf]

You get a -5 penalty to your roll if you move full movement with stealth. So with your high bonuses, you can always attempt it if your foe seems less than sharp-eyed, or if they are distracted.


Yeah, sorry everyone abut the numbering mix-up, I only realised as I posted that I had mixed up 2 and 3 in my head. You couldn't see it, but around the corner the corward was walking beside the 'lead' trolin and the idiot was trailing. Hence my metal confusion posting later when they swapped positons because the coward stayed back and the idiot kept walking : )!

Number two (the coward, whom I refered to as the third previously and was only partially around the corner) has now gone and legged it. Number three (the dull one who walked into the first one, that I previously called the second) has now walked up to Westian. Trolin one has always been the first one

And I am shocked to hear you call any of my creatures 'just trolls' Ameena! They have as much life as ...well, ok, as the story and the players give them, I guess. Unless a cruel DM has an evil fate in store for them, their lives are in your hands!

[Ameena]

I didn't call them "just trolls", I called them "only trolls" . And somehow I don't think this threesome (well, twosome now, I suppose) are going to be spending the rest of the game travelling with us or whatever so am referring to them as minor characters, as it were .

[beowuuf]

They're called pinky and perky and they'll be with you until the dragon

[beowuuf]

Ok, just to clarify since the T2/T3 thing might have confused the issue...

T3 standing by Westian is the stupid Trolin Falkor sent the message to. T3 is quite slow, and so irritatingly has missed the point of alot of your previous bluffs and spells. That doesn't mean you can't try to reinforce them again this turn, as he's not being beligerant, merely curious.

T1 is the 'leader' Trolin, temporarily backed off due to intimidation of Haynuus (and assorted aid in weirdness). He's a bigger potential threat, although at the moment he isn't threatening the group.


An additional bit of info for Ian - Haynuus will recognise that the current behavious of the T3 trolin is odd. Very odd. Even the stupid Trolins you have enountered have been beligerantly stupid.

Ameena - I forgot to agree with oh_brother's point earlier - when Falkor focused the message on the Trolin, he would have expended mana, and it would have left a definite scent. If Ameena concentratea, it will be a residual scent detectable on Westian, Falkor, and for some reason the Trolins (although it will be as faint as their normal scents, which are still getting less).

[oh_brother]

I did not want to post yet in the story thread because of my low initiative (well, my low initiative roll!)

Westian would be willing to talk to the Trolin T3, ask about the snark-grag. Maybe try and get a guide through part of the dungeon. The problem is T1, I don't think he will be as easy to fool, so we would need to get rid of him completely. But failing that Westian will try to reason with both of them, unless some else has other ideas.

@beowuuf - so Westian would remember simple "prayers" to ask his god for something? So a similar action to casting a spell, with some minor outcome?

[ian_scho]

We could try to ask about the snark-grag, and help get the king back, yes.

[beowuuf]

@OB: Pretty much! As with money, you shouldn't feel bound by the explicit level 0 spells, just use them as a guide in what to expect. So yes, Westian will well remember feeling his prayers were answered during trying times with extra strength, courage, etc. It is up to you if Westian's order has specific prayers for asking for strength in troubled times, asking for guidance, or if he would instead give encounter-specific prayers.

The effects would usually fall into the guidance/virtue/resistance level of help (see here), but your helpful god (cough DM) may well tailor an effect. As with Falkor's magic, the DM world does not allow your god to just magic food or water or any permenant effect around you, not without you specifically invoking runes of power and investing great magic yourself. Similarly, a prayer might delay poison's effects subtly, but only a VI BRO potion can cure posion.

Unlike 0-level cleric spells, these prayers are not automatic effects. Unless you convince me otherwise in a case by case basis, a standard pryaer will require you to make a knowledge (religeon) check, the effect sought determining the DC.


Money, you will find your 0-level magical effects (your will invocations) will require a similar check, but to your knowledge (arcana).