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

[oh_brother]

Yes, I won't be around tomorrow. But you could update and I will post on Thursday. That way it would mean an extra update before Monday, even if not everyone sees it on the same day.

[money]

I'm also struggling at the moment, will do my best to update as we go.

[ian_scho]

lol - this is the forum thread I follow 7 days a week so time is almost irrelevant to me
OTOH having less to mull over during a weekend is good too. I dont mind either way!

[beowuuf]

Ok, looks like I won't be out tomorrow after all, but will still try and take it gently with the updates. I think Haynuus's comments deserve a response, but otherwise I'll just get the map ready.

Also, money, I sent you the PM wit hthe levellling up information. If you want me to just give you a possible build, yell, or if you want me to quickly nip into chat to talk anything through, also yell. You've been a wizard held back far too long! Your new bonus feat should hopefully give you a little more oomph.


Speeeeeaking of which, one tweak I've thought to make is to introduce a 'floor value' when casting spells with random variables. As you rise in level, the floor value of any damage/healing will be dependant on your (caster level / 2)

So for example, at 6th level Westian will automatically do 3 healing/boosting with a VI/YA potion, and Faljkor would automatically do 3 points of damage with an offenseive spell.

It might not seem much, but as the players level up higher, ir would ensure that the LO, UM, and even ON spells retain some usefulness, being good surefire utility spells instead of potentially pointless wastes of a combat round It also echoes DM, in that at higher levels, a spellcaster's basic spells are more powerful than when they first started using them.

Anyone have an issue with this?

Not that it mean that the feat spell penetration, which at the moment had very limied uses (caster level is applicable to less spells than I originally intended) once again becomes a useful feat to have as it would raise this floor value.

[beowuuf]

Here's the map with descriptions:

[ian_scho]

Lets hope that the squire and other dude are not... already... ugh...

[beowuuf]

Oh man, I love Westian's commitment. You know what, I hadn't actually thought the scorpion would be anything more than a potential hazard, and a fun reason to not drop the hazes.

Edit: Still, you better believe I made sure that, incase you actually fought the scoprions later, these guys were pretty tough. Well, reasonably tough. Well, look bit anyway!


If everyone else is backing up Westian and Farel (yes, you better believe the knight is racked with enough guilt about his trapped squire to want that scoprion freed aswell) then I guess I better set out the combat map a little early. If I can get everyone's relative positions, that would be good. I think I know roughly where you guys are.

Just so you know, as there might be some confusion,there is no gem actually in the door to open/close, there is only the pendant (apparently) that Brighteyes is using. So he'll need to rush across to the door and close it for you lot.

Anyway, we were stopping for the weekend anyway, so what a way to stop! I'll throw as much info as I can if you guys are backing up that play, otherwise let's have a fun moment of party conflict right before the mage shows up

I still ahve a large smile on my face, I still cannot predicat at all how any encounter is going to go moment to moment. That's pretty cool. Means all my contingency planning and building up of the NPCs and the world in the background can actually pay off!

[Ameena]

Oooh, hehehe, this is gonna be good, I bet .

[oh_brother]

Oh no, what have we done!

Well, lets just hope that we roll well! If we ever needed some natural 20s, now is the time!

For positions...what do other people think? Looking at the map the best I could come up with is that we stand near the north wall. The scorpion charges us, we can all gang up on him. And someone can run around from behind the table to attack him from behind. Maybe Falkor could let off a fireball before he moves, and/or someone throws whatever nasty potions we can find (ful bombs, ven bombs?).

Also we try to identify the other potions, and distribute them as evenly as possible. Westian can cast a magic shield spell (@beo, do I have my ON spell back, or do I have to wait?)

Of course if anyone wants to try and give an alternative to pressing the button then there is still time, but I am sure it will be tough to convince Farel.

[oh_brother]

Also, Westian will try to identify the potions (maybe Brighteyes can do it himself, but I don't trust him!)

I rolled 6 dice: and got 4, 20, 9, 4, 15, 14.

[ian_scho]

Flanking the scorpion has to be the best bet, while supping on health for those that such on it's pincer.

[beowuuf]

Remember you guys can ready actions, which can only be one action, but can be interrupting the middle of the scorpion's action. So if it gets in range of a spell, or melee attack, then letting forth.

Of course, being one action, you couldn't then get out of the way before it retaliated upon one of you.

The potions are more the drinking kind, but you might get lucky. Brighteyes will probably hint there are more dangerous and useful items downstairs.

Anyway, I have work to dp!

[Lord_BoNes]

I'm thinking that trying out "Handle Animal" on the scorpion might by the best best. I wouldn't know what I'm rolling against, so it could still swing either way (even with my +9 rank).
I'd be aiming at the using the "stay" command on it... standard DC of 15, but Beo could've made it much higher

After all, I'd just have to keep it still long enough for Farel to get the squire out.... what do people think? If this is the plan, then I'm going to say that I'll take the closest square possible to the scorpion before we drop the barrier.

[ian_scho]

I'll try anything for the sake of roleplay or watch a paladin's arm get ripped off. Go for it!

Just don't turn off the teleporters yet until we're ready!

[beowuuf]

It's just crazy enough to work! I love it! Roll dice for it and use that as your standard action, your fellow players might want to do some readied actions to help you out should it go pear shaped

[oh_brother]

Good idea! Assuming pressing the red button a second time re-activates the haze. Just in case the button does not work, or you roll pretty low, we could still have a second line of defence near the table.

[beowuuf]

Lol, you know what I always say about assumptions form my players. They're fantastic! Need to do some tidying up (not in London tonight) then I can give you guys an update.

So right now you have...

Aurek in harm's way, ready to run the hell away?
Westian at the red button, ready to fall back to the table?
Haynuus checking out potions, then going...?
Falkor quickly checking the door, then scrolls, and then falling back to...?
Farel standing by the squire's position, ready to go to him when it drops.
Brighteyes advising Haynuus, then running across to the door.

As you may notice, the NPCs are doing what NPCs should be doing, which is not being too quick off the mark to be too helpful. Farel's gone above and beyond the call of duty in the last two encounters, so you can expect him to fully be a complete anchor round your neck this time around, as he protects his charge and completely ignores the rest of you.
And you know exactly what Brighteyes will do - take too long gettign the door shut, and only then perhaps start throwing the spells. As long as you guys aren't doing anything too interesting. And of course, that's when you find out he's got like one 10 foot level one fireball to his name

You guys are all grown up with five levels now (and believe you me, six once this whole encounter/scorpion/Seeroc situation is done) so I'm sure you can handle it.

[oh_brother]

That sounds about right. If we could hold off for a second we could identify/divide the potions before we are charged by an angry, poisonous scorpion. Speaking of which, lets hope that one of those potions is Bro! (I know you said the scorpions stinger was broken, but we are not going to take any chances, even though we trust you completely ).

Westian will cast YA IR, I hope at ON level if he can, otherwise at UM.

[beowuuf]

Don't worry, as far as I'm concerned you'll get an update telling you everything you've found, a little more about the room's layout, and so on, and then you guys will have a whole weekend plus monday to firm up on everything.

So no haze down scorpion out fun until monday evening at the earliest.

And sorry, your ON spell went to Falkor's potion, not enough time has passed (it's only been a minute or two) so you'll have to make do with an UM YA IR! +2AC for a round, +1AC for a round, remember you can use a 0-level prayer before or after casting the shield to nominate an enemy. That enemy will not receive the protection bonus if adjacent to you.

[beowuuf]

I know you said the scorpions stinger was broken, but we are not going to take any chances, even though we trust you completely

I liek this statement for so many reasons. It shows you do read my stuff, get how the world should work, but correctly don't make assumptions. And you trust I won't be a douche.

So yeah, I won't just throw a scorpion at you and laugh. That would be wrong.

I'd only kill you in an outmatched fight if your own actions were the cause of it, like attacking a golem or setting free a giant....scopri....

Nm.

[ian_scho]

Haynuus will end up with the paladin, in front of the Scorpion, when the haze goes down.

[beowuuf]

Lol, in times to come, people will remember where they were whjen the haze went down.

But the thing is, when the haze goes down, you'd better be ready!

[beowuuf]

Ok, things I think you guys need to do:

Ian: Decide if Haynuus would take any of the three potions (gree, yellow or red) that Brighteyes indicated, and if he does what he would do with them. Alternatively, Haynuus can always just grab a handful of the good potions from the other shelf and start drinking!

Money: Obviously by Monday it might be a good idea to level up Also, sorry but while your searches turned up some cool stuff, you won't instantly get any new spells or runes (basically you can imagine you've foudn your reward already if you can get to stay in this room). However, the scrolls Falkor was drawn to might still be useful - if you can consult with Brighteyes in the next few rounds, you might be pelasantly surprised.

OB: Obviously you are the rallier here. Your original plan was to gather everyone to the table. You might want to consider where else might be tactically good depending on what Farel/Ardur do, and depending on how it goes with Aurek!

LB: Right, the 'standard' DC of 15 isn't standard for anything except normal stuff I'm afraid. Or when it's standard, it's the base you add stuff to Anyway, the normal usage of handle animal is for training purposes. You are doing something closest to a 'push', which is a DC25 task. I might just treat this as an intimidate check, so you'll roll your handle animal check against a modified level check for the scorpion. It won't be a single success encounter, you will need to keep it going for a few rounds. The more successes you get, the more you will be able to limit the advance or perhaps even passify the scorpion. Note any RP ideas for how to pitch the attempt could net you a +2 bonus to the check.


Right, that seems to be that for now. Enough for you lot to be thinking about, anyway!

[beowuuf]

LB: Not sure your character would make the connection, but as a player remember that you snagged a wand. Maybe too late for this particular endeavour, but if you guys get a chance to audit what you possess, it might come in handy!

[Ameena]

Ooooh, this fight is gonna be interesting to watch . I'd love if you were halfway through fighting the Scorpion and then Seeroc suddenly decides to make his big entrance. Maybe he'll one-shot the Scorpy to show off his power and then just sort of stand there with his arms folded looking at the rest of you in a manner that suggests "Yeah, I'm that good - what are you gonna do about it?". Or maybe Seeroc won't turn up but you'll actually be foiled by the Screamer which decides to...well...scream at you at a critical moment or something, hehehe.
Meanwhile, Ameena is...well, is/was...perhaps you'll find out someday .

[oh_brother]

Hmm..I think that if Aurek is in front of the scorpion we should be nearby.

The scorpion will have to move forward if he wants to attack, and the blue haze will be down, so we could all swarm him as soon as it seems he is not pacified. And get flanking bonuses like Ian suggested.

I think Aurek should drink a YA potion for a bit of extra staying power. Westian will try to stay in the middle of the fighters to give everyone a bonus with UM YA IR (using level 0 effect to exclude the scorpion). Also I will pre-fill any empty flasks with LO VI potions.

[beowuuf]

Sounds good. Anyway, run out of time - see where we're at Sunday!

[Ameena]

I bet that Scorpy's gonna be a nasty bugger...even with the sting and one pincer missing, I bet it'll try to use those appendages anyway, which will mean that the unlucky recipient will most likely have a triple-hitting attack coming at them. Whether there'll be any poison left in the tail without the stinger actually being there is another matter - better hope that Seeroc keeps an inscription of the Bro rune around somewhere though, just in case, eh?
Of course, I suppose the Scorpy could alternatively lash out at different people with its three attacking limbs...then multiple people would get donked at the same time. And even if the damaged limbs aren't usable as combat weapons, I bet the remaining pincer is gonna bloody hurt .
At least, I think I remember that right - one pincer and the stinger is missing, I think?
And that's assuming that the Screamer doesn't join in or Seeroc suddenly show himself. Woo, GM-kill!

[beowuuf]

Seeroc is the screamer!

[oh_brother]

Of course, I suppose the Scorpy could alternatively lash out at different people with its three attacking limbs...then multiple people would get donked at the same time.

Don't give beo ideas! I bet that the scorpion is already half-dead.