Chapter 11: Q&A / Discussions

[Dave W.]

btw, In addition to the +1d4 to your saves from the Bless, any of Adamant's friends who are within 10' of him (right now only Syrdan) also get an additional +3 to saves.

Ironically those in danger of being stuck if they fail a save will have to move to get the save bonus.

PS: I love that they recently let me get to this site at work!

[Dave B.]

Assuming Shorak makes his saving throw, would he have advantage on the centipede closest to him?

[Brian]

May 20, 2014 16:25:33 GMT -4 Dave W. said:

Oh, actually I could give you 5 hp at range (Aid)... not sure that's much of a help, though I could do the same for 2 others at the same time...

Or I could Sanctuary Kal and see if he likes it better than Lerrhana did... you wouldn't be able to attack (or cast I think) without breaking it but it might buy some time for you to get near Streko or Adamant...

Oh, or Condign... he's got some healing stuff too...

All Condign has now is Rally, and he used it already...on Adamant. The rest of his healing abilities (feats) were lost when they eliminated the Warlord class. Now he's a simple fighter. Sorry.

Additionally, with Kal up on the catwalk and Condign fighting bugs down below, I can't see how Condign would know that Kal is in trouble. I know, but my character really couldn't. Am I correct in this, Jeff?

[Jeff]

May 20, 2014 21:55:02 GMT -4 Dave B. said:

Assuming Shorak makes his saving throw, would he have advantage on the centipede closest to him?

Right, Shorak does need to not be restrained by the webs first. He also wouldn't have advantage, but he could sneak attack it anyway so long as Condign is still within 5 feet of it. The requirement being: You have advantage on the attack roll, or if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet it and you don't have disadvantge on the attack roll.

May 21, 2014 4:47:08 GMT -4 Brian said:

All Condign has now is Rally, and he used it already...on Adamant. The rest of his healing abilities (feats) were lost when they eliminated the Warlord class. Now he's a simple fighter. Sorry.

Additionally, with Kal up on the catwalk and Condign fighting bugs down below, I can't see how Condign would know that Kal is in trouble. I know, but my character really couldn't. Am I correct in this, Jeff?

Well, one of your feats now does grant hit points, but it's a before-battle sort of thing.

Right, no one knows Kal's hit points. If he were closer to them and the could see how bloodied up he is, different story. Right now they've only just heard him yell out at Nerrin with annoyance.

[Darren]

Shorak nearly doesn't catch his boomerang, because it returns to him with a chunk of centipede face attached to it, altering its flight.

Is it wrong that I giggled at the phrase "chunk of centipede face"?

[Dave W.]

If so, then we're wrong together Darren

[Jeff]

Ken:

Arcana check to positively identify the creature: 1d20(2) + 5 = 7. Yep, very hard to see!

Move: One square back (East) only if that would still give Belarin a clear shot at the orc and not put him in easy melee reach of the imp-thing. If not, he’ll stay where he is. Minor AC bonus from Shadow Walk is still in effect.

Essentially, the 5-10 feet between the top roof level (where the orc and the little creature are, although on separate roofs) and the roof level Belarin is in means there's some cover (+2 AC) provided if attacking an adjacent, different-level space.

If Belarin wants to move 5 feet east, he'll provoke an opp attack from the orc.
IF he stays where he is, his eldritch blast ranged attacks will be at disadvantage (being shot almost point blank) and will allow the orc to have +2 cover to his AC.

As for as the creature goes, I don't know that I'd allow Belarin a free Arcana check right now anyway. Perception, maybe. The creature has made a little noise now, that's the only thing that would tip Belarin off that something's there. Otherwise, in the dim light and Belarin being human, it's quite hidden from Belarin's notice.

So where do you want Belarin to be? If he moves 5 feet, his aim will be clearer but he will invite the free attack from orc #10.

[Ken]

Okay, I see. I thought the orc was on a level BELOW Belarin.

Belarin will step back and risk the hit.

[Jeff]

Regarding saving throws that you guys need to make. Whenever it's less of a rush, I'll ask you to make the roll. When I need it right away for something, I'll just roll/post it myself.

Also, you may have noticed that I'm posting the links for all the NPCs' rolls now. I'm trying out the visibility. I enjoy it more. Please try not to metagame the numbers too much. There may be times when I won't post a link just so I preserve more important "power assessment" info. But for the most part I'd like to keep doing it this way.

[Ken]

Even with Adamant's bonus, Belarin's Constitution save is a miserable 5:
invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4510668/

Jeff, does grappling create an attack of opportunity anymore? I don't see anything to that effect in the alpha PHB.

[Brian]

Okay, Jeff just clarified a few things for me. I can do more healing than I thought. Help is on the way.

Sorry about that.

[Jeff]

May 22, 2014 15:33:34 GMT -4 Ken said:

Even with Adamant's bonus, Belarin's Constitution save is a miserable 5:
invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4510668/

Jeff, does grappling create an attack of opportunity anymore? I don't see anything to that effect in the alpha PHB.

No opp attack for attempting to grapple, no. It's just a Strength check in place of an Attack action, contested by Strength or Dexterity of the opponent.

Okay, thanks. I'll post again about the save.

[Dave W.]

You guys know that Invisible Castle will let you do formulae such as "1d20+1d4+1". You don't have to do "1d20+1; 1d4" and then add it yourself. I confess I prefer letting the roller do the math mostly because I am so God-awful at basic math.

And may I add, Ken, 1d20+1d4+1 = 5... that's some mighty fine rolling there...

[Dave B.]

If we survive this, Kal and Belarin are going to have to sleep for a week.

[Dave B.]

Does Shorak get the feeling that this is the same imp that attacked them at his former abode?

[Darren]

Hey, Jeff...a question regarding the burning webs. If I understand Wall of Fire correctly, Kal designates a "hot" side and a non-burning side for it. Since the inside of the circle was designated as the hot side, doesn't that mean that only any webbing which was inside the circle would burn, and not the webbing on the outside?

[Jeff]

May 23, 2014 11:06:25 GMT -4 Dave B. said:

Does Shorak get the feeling that this is the same imp that attacked them at his former abode?

He wouldn't be able to recognize such a creature by face to differentiate one from another, but he remembers the imp at his residence was a little larger and had black and red skin. This one's a little skinnier and smaller, and is gray-skinned. They don't really look like the same species.

May 23, 2014 11:07:43 GMT -4 Darren said:

Hey, Jeff...a question regarding the burning webs. If I understand Wall of Fire correctly, Kal designates a "hot" side and a non-burning side for it. Since the inside of the circle was designated as the hot side, doesn't that mean that only any webbing which was inside the circle would burn, and not the webbing on the outside?

Sure, only one side is the damaging side that sends waves of heat rolling off of it, but the outward-facing side is still fire, and will ignite anything it's touching, and the webs reached the wall and into it. So they're going to be on fire for sure. The outer edge of the wall isn't like a cool seal that stops it from acting like fire on the outside. It's just that it doesn't deal hit point damage to people next to it.

[Darren]

Got it. That's the part I didn't understand. Thanks for the clarification!

Kal can dispell it at any time, though, right?

[Ken]

May 23, 2014 10:40:59 GMT -4 Brian said:

Wreathed in flames, Condign roars, “BELARIN! REMEMBER YOUR PROMISE!”

Oh, VERY GOOD, Brian. ;D

[Brian]

Thanks. Sometimes I have my moments.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using proboards

[Jeff]

By the way, this chapter will close soon, and you'll all be getting a hefty amount of XP (from this fight, but moreso from the gala). Shorak and Syrdan will be leveling.

[Dave W.]

Let me know if anyone wishes to give chase. I'll update the map tonight, if needs be.

I was just going to post for Adamant and he had this speech to the orcs about how they were outnumbered and outmatched and should flee. So he's not going to give chase...

[Jeff]

I'm amused by thinking of Adamant getting preachy internally even as he fights. Speech-writing going on during melee.

[Dave W.]

May 28, 2014 17:43:32 GMT -4 Jeff said:

Poison purged and 15 hit points restored to Belarin. Dave: If you look in the Quick Notes box on Adamant's sheet, you'll see where I've tracked the Lay on Hands pool.

Yes, I see that now. Thanks!

I'm not sure what you mean about Adamant being amusing... he's nothing but serious!

[Dave B.]

I assume Shorak saw nothing of interest to grab quickly as he passed the dead orcs?

[Jeff]

GAH. I just plain forgot. Sorry, I will update in a bit.

[Jeff]

Okay, I've added a couple of new paragraphs to my last post.

[Ken]

Those new paragraphs are awesome! I love details like that!

[Jeff]

Thanks, Ken. Details are always fun.

XP has been added to the Quickstats tab. Scroll down to see how I'm doing it. In any case, it was 315 XP for defeating 10 orcs, two ogres, 1 imp-thing, and driving off the wizard, and 500 for the PCs' involvement (your roleplaying) at Lorsmarch Palace.

Shorak and Syrdan are now level 7.

Shorak, as a 7th level rogue, gets:

• 1d6 new hit points. Go ahead and roll it. If you get a 1, 2, or 3, reroll until you get a 4, 5, or 6. I always do hit points like this in my games. Then add 1 from Constitution. 
• Evasion. This seems to work just like it did in 3rd Edition: "Evasion: You can nimbly dodge out of the way of certain area effects. When you are subject to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail."

Syrdan, as a 7th level avenger, gets:

• 1d10 new hit points. If you get a 1-5, reroll until you get a 6-10.
• A new Oath of Vengeance feature, Relentless Avenger. "Your supernaturel focus helps you close off a foe's retreat. When you hit a creature with an opportunity attack, you can move up to half your speed immediately after the attack and as part of the same reaction. This movement doesn't provoke opportunity attacks."
• A new 2nd-level spell per day.

Mike, with spells, you have to choose 7 spells (your Wisdom modifier + ½ your avenger level) each day that you'll have ready for the day, and of those you can cast any using up the spell slots you have. We didn't do it before because we had just made the conversion. But now we should do so. Note that I put ✓ marks next to those spells you have auto-prepared all the time specifically due to your Oath of Vengeance. So you never need to prepare those. Just choose 7 others. I suggest just tracking them by putting a number in the same column until you've counted up to 7.

[Dave B.]

Only two tries. The first roll was a 1. Changed hps on the character sheet. Didn't change current hps or HD, since Shorak hasn't slept yet.

HP second attempt (1d6+1=6)

Also, I'm curious. Ken ran some encounters with us for testing last night and the pregen rogue had d8 for her HD. What's up with that?