At the Adventurers' Table

[Sherwood]

Then you add into it bonuses from Gravity Bow, and your arrows go from doing 1d8 to 2d6 each. Ouch!


BTW, Dann, you have done a good job in summarizing the combat rules there. Impressive.

 

[Purr]

Thanks, Sherwood! =)

 

[Kaerri]

Then you add into it bonuses from Gravity Bow, and your arrows go from doing 1d8 to 2d6 each. Ouch!

Only if he's cast it, though. Which we can worry about later.

 

[Sherwood]

True. True. First off, we need to see just how many of the bad guys make it through Luna's Fireball spell, then we can start to pick off the stragglers with more precise shots.

 

[Purr]

O.K. In Real Life, the past few days at work have been less-than-amusing (or in other words, stress-producing). So I'm going to have a little fun with that fireball Luna just hurled, or rather, the other effects such spells can cause on a battlefield...


=)

 

[Sherwood]

Don't blame Luna if she blows everything up; she's a fire mage, after all.

 

[Kaerri]

Uh-oh. The GM is rolling dice and laughing over there...

 

[Sherwood]

That is never a good sign.

 

[Sherwood]

Completely off topic, I went to a small concert by a gamer girl band called the Doubleclicks while at GenCon. Damn funny stuff! I immediately downloaded three of their albums and ordered a t-shirt. I highly recommend them to all.


[media]



[/media]
[media]



[/media]

 

[Purr]

Thanks for the funnies, Sherwood!


Re: Gnolls and saving throws. O.K. While it's not likely that gnolls can successfully make the required Reflex Saving Throw of 20 provided by Luna's Fireball, it is still possible. But when not only do none of the ten caught in the blast make the save (taking 29 points of damage each), three of them rolled ones on the die...


... it's a bad day to be in gnoll Group 4! Gnoll Flambe, anyone? =)

 

[Purr]

@Wolf Rawrrr Oh, I nearly forgot! Please roll a second attack for Wolf (+5 to hit) followed by two damage rolls (the first shot definitely hit - 19 on the die! Great first bow shot!). d8+1 for each damage roll (and I will add the second damage roll if the second arrow hits). =)

 

[Purr]

Combat initiative order:


20 - Otiorin (Gravity Bow active. Using longbow)


20 - Luna (Mage Armor and Shield active. Sparkle's status: Startled, but alert. Spell Resistance: 12 active.)


18 - Wolf and Pecker (Pecker's status: Alert and high above.)


18 - Non-combatants (Bronze, the Meadowsweets, Stewart)


15 - Kitrin


14 - Bria (using Force Shield ring and walking stick)


13 - Grimdell's Guardians (35/40)


12 - Powerpaw (using two-handed maul)


10 - Entire gnoll force


Current situation: Everyone except for the non-combatants are out of the cage-wagon. There are 3 shocked remaining gnolls within 30 feet of your position. They are armed with melee and throwing weapons. Grimdell's Guardians have noticed your presence. 3 other gnoll groups are still close in the area.

 

[Wolf Rawrrr]

Whoah. That's alot of info, thanks!


But in my longbow:

Longbow


1d6 (S), 1d8 (M), x3 crit, 100 feet range (3 lbs) P

What are the S and M values? You already said I should be using M, but why? Also what is the P at the very end? (as I literally just copied from the resources online)


Also, is there a limit to the number of uses in a single encounter for my active feats?

 

[Purr]

@Wolf Rawrrr My pleasure! =)


S is for a small-sized longbow (the kind halflings and gnomes would use, for example).


M is for medium-sized creatures.


And Powerpaw has a large-sized longbow over his shoulder. Damage varies accordingly. =)


P is the damage type for your arrows. There are three basic damage types: Piercing (P), Bludgeoning (B), and Slashing (S). Note that some creatures out there can perform more than one of these types of damage in a single blow (a bite, for example, causes all three). This becomes important when you encounter creatures out there with certain vulnerabilities or protections (known as Damage Reduction or DR).


Skeletons are a good example; they possess a DR 5/bludgeoning. What this means is Piercing and Slashing weapons do less damage to them (absorbing the first 5 points of damage from each and every hit on them. Yes. That means Wolf would have to hit the darned thing for a minimum of 6 points of damage with an arrow, and the skeleton would shrug off the first 5 points). You want to take that bag of bones down? Smash it with something that does Bludgeoning damage. Those types of weapons bypass the skeleton's DR and strike for full damage every time. =)


I know what weapons your party is carrying (and not carrying), so don't expect to run up against a giant horde of skeletons anytime soon? =)


I find DR to be a pain the butt in the long run. It's neat for some types of creatures, but quickly overused by some Storytellers. I am not one of those Storytellers that is huge on throwing DR-heavy creatures at your party, battle after battle. The party winds up having to carry an entire arsenal of weapons, just to harm particular types of creatures, and I find all that weapon-collecting to be a chore.


More DR examples include silver weapons to take on were-creatures, cold iron to battle fey, magic weapons for creatures that aren't vulnerable to normal weapons, Good-aligned weapons to take on evil creatures that otherwise have a high Damage Reduction, fiery weapons to take on those trolls that will regenerate your damage otherwise, oh and did you leave your Ghost Touch weapons at home by mistake? Well, good luck hitting those life-draining incorporeal spectres your party needs to get past...


The list goes on in a typical Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 game (and at first glance, it appears to be the same in Pathfinder). Sure, having weapons that do different types of damage is fun (who wouldn't want a flaming sword or dagger on their hip?), but when they become dire necessities, it's a case of "no thanks, I'll pass on this adventure if it means going on another adventure just to properly arm the whole party." My goal in Sharseya has been to keep a fun balance between creatures with DR and the means to defeat them.


Re: Feats. Unless otherwise stated in the feat's description, there is no limit. So rock on!

 

[Purr]

[QUOTE="Captain Hesperus]
:/ Darn it, I'm too used to playing Exalted and using 'Supplemental Charms'. Oh well, there goes a nice little set piece post...
Captain Hesperus

[/QUOTE]
For what it's worth, Cap, I enjoyed reading it. It's that kind of writing that separates "cardboard cut-out characters" from characters who are fun to read about. =)

 

[Purr]

That is never a good sign.

In most cases, I think you're right. However, I also think it depends on the Storyteller. There are many STs out there that like to have a good time at the expense of their players ("Oooh, I can't wait to see their faces when they realized I've tricked them into falling into that troll-filled mosh pit! Hur, hur, hur!"). I avoid those people.


The way I see it, we are all in this together. If you're not having fun, I'm not having fun. That's just the way I roll. =)


So yeah. =) Laughing at those three gnolls that rolled ones on their saves against Luna's Fireball was funny because I realized the opportunity I had to share just how blown-up they had become (when a typical gnoll reaches -16 hit points, it's done! Or should I say, "well done"! Ha ha!). Plus, it always gives Powerpaw great joy to see something like the burning bodies of his enemies go flying over his fuzzy head. I imagine a huge smile on that fanged face as he watches it happen. He really loves violence. And after a tough few days at work, I enjoyed writing that. Luna's Fireball was, in a way, just what I needed in that moment. Thanks, Sherwood! Hee hee. =)

 

[Kaerri]

And on that note... incoming bashing bludgeoning damage! Rawr! (I'm forever getting that mixed up...)

 

[Purr]

All. Powerpaw is requesting targets from you. He will likely be backed up by Bria if the rest of you decide to take on a target besides his. Since you don't have an established leader, anyone with an opinion can offer direction. And though the conversation in the story might be cause to reset initiative in a tabletop game, I am going to keep it simple here and keep with the initiative we have now.


Combat initiative order:


20 - Otiorin (Gravity Bow active. Using longbow.)


20 - Luna (Mage Armor and Shield active. Sparkle's status: Startled, but alert. Spell Resistance: 12 active.)


18 - Wolf and Pecker (Using longbow. Pecker's status: Alert and high above.)


18 - Non-combatants (Bronze, the Meadowsweets, Stewart)


15 - Kitrin (Flail +2 and Heavy Shield +2)


14 - Bria (using Force Shield ring and walking stick)


13 - Grimdell's Guardians (35/40)


12 - Powerpaw (Maul +2)


10 - Entire gnoll force


There are currently three groups of gnolls within your vicinity (there are more attacking other parts of the caravan).


Group 1 (10 gnolls). These are trying to pull some of the caravan staff out of the wagon directly in front of you (which is big enough to be Bilal the Rich's main wagon). They are stabbing and laughing and reaching to shadowy forms that scurry for safety.


Group 2 (18 gnolls). This force is attacking one squad of Grimdell's Guardians with a passion. They are doing their best to pull each of the remaining 6 guardians out of formation before surrounding and hacking him to pieces.


Group 3 (6 gnolls). These fiends are attacking horses, apparently for their meat and to enjoy the sounds of the screaming.


Current situation: Everyone except for the non-combatants are out of the cage-wagon.


Grimdell's Guardians have noticed your presence, and are moving on to battle gnolls in other parts of the caravan. They are not in a position on the field to see their fellows in danger against Group 2.


Who do you send Powerpaw to attack?

 

[Sherwood]

Are there any groups of gnolls that are out in the open, and not directly engaged in melee with allies? I want to try and utilize another Fireball, but not if it will take out anyone fighting the monsters.

 

[Kaerri]

I say let's send him and Bria at the horse-attacking group, while we go save the caravan staff. Maybe throw in a yell at the Guardians to let them know about their fellows? Or let the Guardians go after the staff, and we'll go after the others.

 

[Purr]

@Sherwood Yes and kind of. Group 1 has about 5 gnolls that are open, and Group 2 has the same number, if Luna places her second Fireball at the edge of their group. Given Luna's Intelligence score, I doubt she'll miss her intended target.

 

[Kaerri]

Or send Powerpaw at the group attacking the staff. That works too.

 

[Sherwood]

I just posted Luna aiming him at the second group to save the civilians of the caravan. I also want to try and locate any obvious leaders; do you want a Perception roll for that?


EDIT: I'll just go ahead and place one here.


[dice]719[/dice]

 

[Kaerri]

Yeah, saw that after I posted here.

 

[Wolf Rawrrr]

@Sherwood I believe Group 1 is attacking the wagon with the staff, while Group 2 is going for the horses. You meant the first one, I think.


Also, @Dannigan are all the horses together? Like our horses together with the horses of the caravan? Wolf would be concerned for his mare if she's in danger.


As for Powerpaw's target, I agree with Sherwood to send him at the gnolls attacking the large wagon - though Wolf has different motives for the same decision