At the Adventurers' Table: Chapter Twelve

[Purr]

Heya! Sharseya got moved (within the Hosted Project section). Nothing else changed. Just want to be certain you can post and whatnot here. =)

Kaerri Wolf Rawrrr Psychie Sherwood Captain Hesperus

 

[Sherwood]

You got it.

 

[Purr]

Oh, snap! Somebody rolled a Nat 20 for Initiative! And we have not one but two roll-offs! (That's about as exciting as Initiative gets, right?)

Initiative Totals
Bren - Natural 20!
Luna - 20
Otiorin - 20
Bria - 17
Oreleth - 17
Nivirea - 5

So! Sherwood Captain Hesperus Which of your characters is going first?
Psychie Paladin Bria would like to go before Oreleth (perhaps to initiate a flanking situation for Oreleth the Rogue to take advantage of). What say you? If you would rather Oreleth go first, I'll roll straight d20s (white being yours) and high roller takes it.

But first, Brendoran the Healer and leader gets to go first (before the goblins)!

 

[Kaerri]

Question, because I can't remember and because it might have changed: if I delay, does that change my initiative for every round or just this one?

 

[Kaerri]

Also, I think I'll take being warm over the surprise round, under the circumstances.

 

[Purr]

Note for all: Just for OOC clarification - there are a total of 8 goblins and 2 young wargs. The wargs and warg-riders have not yet entered the tunnel.

Question, because I can't remember and because it might have changed: if I delay, does that change my initiative for every round or just this one?

Every round.

However, you can use the Delay action to take a moment to reassess your situation (basically doing nothing in this round). This lets you put yourself at whatever Initiative you want at the beginning of the next round. Also, one can use the Ready action (described below).

Also, for those interested parties, here's how Initiative works in 2.0.

Spoiler: Initiative

From Rulebook, Page 304

Step 1: Roll Initiative
When the GM calls for it, you’ll roll initiative to determine your place in the initiative order, which is the sequence in which the characters will take their turns. This roll marks the start of an encounter. More often than not, you’ll roll initiative when you enter a battle, which is often called a combat encounter. As a default assumption, these rules are written for that type of encounter.

Typically, you’ll roll a Perception check to determine your initiative. The more aware you are of your surroundings, the more quickly you can respond. Sometimes the GM might call on you to make some other type of check for the initiative check. For instance, if you were Sneaking during exploration (see page 317), you’d roll a Stealth check instead. Alternatively, a social encounter could call for a Deception or Diplomacy check. If you are about to start a wrestling match, the GM might ask how you want to play the opening move in the competition and decide based on your answer that your initiative roll should be an Athletics or Acrobatics check.

The GM rolls initiative for any potential adversaries in the encounter. If the potential adversaries include a number of identical creatures, she could roll once for the group as a whole and have them take their turns within the group in any order she wishes. She could even change the initiative order within the group from round to round. The GM could also roll any or all creatures individually.

Unlike a typical check, initiative rolls are ranked instead of being compared to a DC. This ranking sets the initiative order in which the encounter’s participants act. The character with the highest result goes first. The second highest then follows, and so on until whoever rolled lowest takes their turn last. If your initiative roll result is tied with an opponent’s result, that opponent goes first. If your initiative roll result is tied with another player character’s result, you can decide between yourselves who goes first when you reach that place in the initiative order. Once you’ve resolved who goes first, your places in the initiative order usually don’t change during the encounter.

TRACKING INITIATIVE
The GM keeps track of the initiative order for an encounter. It’s usually okay for the players to know this order, since they’ll see who goes when and be aware of one another’s results. However, the GM might want to conceal the names of adversaries the PCs have yet to identify.

Once the encounter’s order is set, it’s not necessary to track the original initiative numbers. The GM can create a simple list, use a series of cards or other markers, or use a Pathfinder Combat Pad, which has magnetic markers to allow for easily rearranging the
initiative order.

Changing the Initiative Order
Any method used to track the initiative order needs to be flexible, because the order can change during the encounter. A creature can Delay to change its place in the order (see page 307), in which case you can erase it from the list or pull its marker aside until it reenters the initiative order. It can Ready (see page 308) to usean action that’s activated by a trigger but that does not change its place in the order. When a creature gets knocked out, its initiative order changes automatically (see page 295).

 

[Purr]

Bren is readying a Heal spell, one using his Channel Energy power rather than a spell slot, to be cast after someone in the party takes damage.

Your post is very good. I am going to request a change to your wording (for the sake of clear communication) - please capitalize all game terms.

Ex: "Bren is going to use the Ready action to use Channel Energy."

By putting it like that, I have a clear idea that you're using a game term and not just using the word "ready" in a sentence.

 

[Kaerri]

I have edited. Is it good?

 

[Purr]

Iz good! Thank you! =)

Now we just wait until we hear from everyone else concerning the roll-offs (except for poor Wolf whom I rolled low on. Sorry, Wolf! =) ).

 

[Sherwood]

I have no problem with Captain Hesperus going first; he has the bow, and may be able to remove one of the little buggers from the fight before they get in range.

Mechanics question: you said that each character gets three actions per round. How many of those actions does my Burning Hands spell use up? I want to try and maneuver into a position where I can hit as many of them as possible with the flaming cone.

 

[Psychie]

@Psychie Paladin Bria would like to go before Oreleth (perhaps to initiate a flanking situation for Oreleth the Rogue to take advantage of). What say you? If you would rather Oreleth go first, I'll roll straight d20s (white being yours) and high roller takes it.

That would be great to have Bria go first. I want to see what kind of bonuses I can get in flanking in 2.0.

 

[Purr]

Sherwood, this spell takes 2 actions to cast. It has a verbal component and a somatic component; each of these count as 1 action. The spell is on page 208 of the rulebook if you require further details. =)

Psychie, you got it!

Captain Hesperus As for Cap'n, I still need a response from him. Otherwise, I'll have take Otiorin use the Delay action (giving him a lower Initiative number in the round, but still allowing him to act thus round). I would prefer to get a response from him prior to my next post (and the reason behind that will make itself crystal clear, I'm certain). =)

Wolf, I realized one benefit for having your character go last in the round is at least you'll have several examples of gameplay by the time it gets to your turn. Not that you're complaining about this; I just thought it was worth pointing out. =)

 

[Purr]

All - Just some rule goodies here that might help you.

Concerning actions, anything that takes up more than one action (from casting a spell with more than one component to using some powers) is called an activity. Activities differ from just using actions in that one must perform the activity during one's turn. Example: If a cleric casts a spell with all three components (material, somatic, verbal), that would take up all three of the cleric's actions that round. The cleric cannot use two actions on one turn and a third on their next turn to complete the activity - they must all be spend on their turn.

Some activities last a lot longer than one round (like, say, baking a cake). If an activity (including a spell) gets interrupted, then the spellcaster must start all over from the beginning - any time spent on the activity is wasted. Kind of like climbing a rope. If you fall, guess where you start from when you try again? But if you go through the entire activity without interruption, the rewards for your achievement are yours to enjoy. =)

 

[Captain Hesperus]

Otiorin is going to (attempt to) severely maim one of the Wargs, the beast not the rider. Other than that, he's going to go with the flow of the party.

Captain Hesperus

 

[Purr]

Very good! So, I take it you don't mind Sherwood allowing you Initiative either? No problems there?

 

[Purr]

In case you're not getting alerts, Cap'n. Captain Hesperus (Apologies. I need to know for certain whether Luna or Otiorin move first before I move on.) You'll see why when I post next in-game. =)

 

[Purr]

Captain Hesperus Hmm. You're offline now. I'll just give you Initiative between you and Luna, tag you again here in this post, and see what Otiorin does after the goblins go.

What do I mean? Well, in 2.0, when opponents of the PCs tie in Initiative, it is the opponents who go first (as those of you who have read the post above concerning Initiative already know).

Gang, I will do my best to resolve the goblins' turns by this time tomorrow night. =)

Initiative Totals
Bren - Natural 20! (Ready action - Trigger = Use Channel Energy upon first ally who takes hit point damage)
Goblins - 21
Otiorin - 20
Luna - 19
Bria - 18
Oreleth - 17
Nivirea - 5

 

[Purr]

No, not happening tonight. I'm asking for a headache if I do. Will try again tomorrow. *signs off and goes to bed* Sleep well when it's your turn, friends! =)

 

[Purr]

Initiative Totals
Bren - Natural 20! (Used Ready action to Channel Energy upon Nivirea, healing her first wound)
Goblins - 21
Otiorin - 20
Luna - 19
Bria - 18
Oreleth - 17
Nivirea - 5

Captain Hesperus It's Oti's turn! Do it to it! =)

Spoiler: Maps!

Warg Rider 1 (with the red dot by him) is the one who has the pack that is lit up as if by magic.

Color Map

(Image credit: Michael Fitzhywel and Roll20.net)

Tactical Map

(Image credit: Michael Fitzhywel and Roll20.net)

 

[Sherwood]

Can't wait to fire off my first spell of the fight!

 

[Purr]

I just realized that Cap'n's earlier post designating Otiorin's action is still probably exactly what he wants to do (in other words, that the Goblins acted first on Initiative likely does not change the action he wants Otiorin to take).

So, Cap'n, unless you say otherwise, I will have Otiorin fire twice to maim but not kill the young warg.

As previously mentioned, every attack in round after the first incurs a -5 penalty. If you attack three times, the penalty on that third shot is -10. However, If you miss a roll by 10 or more points, you have Fumbled. I don't know if you want to chance that, hence the two attacks. Again, let me know if you want to change this course of action.

I'll try to post again when I have some dice in front of me. =)

 

[Captain Hesperus]

Yes, sorry that is my intent. I'm currently working night shifts so mt brain asdgfwefsdjivm;eoirga;r

Captain Hesperus

 

[Purr]

Ha ha ha! No worries, dear Cap'n! I know how much you love night shift.

Thanks for the clarification!

 

[Purr]

O.K. Gang! Let's have a little archery walkthrough for the sake of learning Pathfinder 2.0, shall we?

Spoiler: Or if you plain just don't have the time, here is the short version

Otiorin shoots Warg 1 twice for 11 Hit Points damage, wounding it badly, but not slowing or stopping it.

So, back to Otiorin's turn. You'll notice on the latest maps that Otiorin now has a goblin right beside him. Otiorin is using a Dex-based ranged weapon (in this case, Oreleth's Composite Longbow +1). I subtract the arrows he uses first and note the weapon he's using. It has the Volley trait (specifically, volley 50).

Spoiler: Volley trait

Volley This ranged weapon is less effective at close distances.
Your attacks against targets that are at a distance within the number of feet listed take a –2 penalty. (Rulebook, page 183)

So, what this means is that if a composite longbow is fired under 50 feet (yes, it's in feet), the archer takes a -2 penalty to each shot (it's a long-distance weapon after all). The goblin is 25 feet away, well within that distance. However, Otiorin currently has the Point Blank Shot Feat.

Spoiler: Point Blank Shot Feat

1st level Class Feat: Point-Blank Shot (Fighter, Open, Stance)
Requirements You are wielding a ranged weapon.
You take aim and hold your weapon to pick off nearby enemies quickly. When using a ranged volley weapon while in this stance, you don’t take the
circumstance penalty to your attack rolls within the weapon’s volley range. When using a ranged weapon without the volley trait, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus to damage rolls on attacks made within the weapon’s first range increment.
Page: 89

So this Feat negates the volley trait's penalty. Moreso, it puts Otiorin into a stance. So I'll go ahead and say Otiorin drops into a firing stance (one he probably recognizes, being born a half-elf). With that done, I roll Cap'n's chosen color d20 (blue).

On his first shot, I roll an 8. In the Rulebook on page 178, I learn that I add +3 (his Expert proficiency in Martial Weapons which is his character level +2). Add to that +5 (Dexterity) and +1 (Composite Longbow) and I get a grand total of 17. That's a pretty good jump from having only rolled an 8, especially for a 1st level character, huh? =)

That 17 is good enough to nail the young warg. I roll damage (d8) and get a 5. +1 from Oreleth's bow makes that 6 Hit Points damage to the young warg - a good hit.

I roll his second shot and the d20 comes up with an 18! Even with the -5 from his second attack, I know that's good enough to sink another arrow into that young warg. But will the damage dice roll true? I roll and... get a 4 (+1 from the bow) for 5 Hit Points damage. Add both together and Otiorin scored a grand total of 11 Hit Points of damage on that young warg.

Now, Otiorin gets a third action. Since his player didn't state any course of action for his third action (and is not himself because he's stuck on night shift), I'm going to hop in here and help Cap'n a little. Now, don't get used to me doing this. As time goes on, I am going to expect you, the PCs, to learn your reasonable share of these rules. But for now, I state Otiorin takes the very valuable Step action. This is basically the "5-foot step" from Pathfinder 1.0, where you can move here and not set off any attacks of opportunity triggers or the like. When I next show you the combat maps ("battle boards"), Otiorin will be one square (5 feet) down from his current position. This places him just a little bit further from that snarky goblin whirling the spiked chains.

Back to the archery. That young warg is hating life, but he's still up, if only barely. In Pathfinder and D&D both, taking down the Hit Points of a creature in no way slows it and there are no specific rules in Pathfinder 2.0 that I can find for "maiming" a baddie, especially when your characters are but 1st level, so we are left with Otiorin badly-wounding the young warg, but the furry bastard is still getting away with something Otiorin (and the Moonlit Edge) want very badly. But Otiorin has something the goblins don't - great teammates in the Wayward Wanderers!

Is anyone else feeling the suspense? More importantly, does anyone have questions about this example of PF 2.0 rules here? =)

* * *​

Initiative Totals
Bren - Natural 20! (Used Ready action to Channel Energy upon Nivirea, healing her first wound)
Goblins - 21
Otiorin - 20 (fired two arrows for 11 Hit Points damage to Warg 1)
Luna - 19
Bria - 18
Oreleth - 17
Nivirea - 5

Sherwood It's Luna's turn!

 

[Sherwood]

If Luna moves to a position where she can target Goblin with Dogslicer and Warg Rider 2 with her Burning Hands spell, will that provoke an attack of opportunity?