Chapter 12: Q&A / Discussions

[Ken]

Jeff: I believe the zombie closest to Belarin should also make a roll vs. his Fey Presence. It's within 10 feet.

[Darren]

Sept 6, 2015 12:46:59 GMT -4 Jeff said:

● Nycaloth's Wisdom saving throw (1d20+2=15) vs. Kal's Hold Person (success) / The nycaloth is unaffected.

Ugh. I guess Kal used up all his usefulness in the last fight....

[Ken]

That was a great try, though, Darren. Could've been huge.

[Jeff]

Pretty sure each round he would have been allowed a save to try to shrug it off so I don't think it would have lasted long but it could still have been very effective. And you picked the ideal timing, too.

[Darren]

It had a 75% chance. Probably the best option I had.

[Brian]

It was great idea, Darren. Well played.

[Jeff]

Sept 6, 2015 13:57:35 GMT -4 Ken said:

Jeff: I believe the zombie closest to Belarin should also make a roll vs. his Fey Presence. It's within 10 feet.

Sorry! Yeah, I let the yugoloth's roll overshadow it. I went back and added the roll, though the zombie actually saved where the fiend didn't.

[Brian]

Jeff, I have a question. Based on Condign's position on the map, is he still in difficult terrain? Not sure if the bone-littered shore counts as difficult terrain.

[Dave B.]

I just discovered that Shorak is missing a +1 bonus to his Strength, Dexterity and Constitution saving throws that he gets from his talisman. I don't think it makes any difference with the bleeding wound save, but how many times has he missed by 1? I wonder.

[Dave W.]

Sept 7, 2015 12:02:20 GMT -4 Dave B. said:

I just discovered that Shorak is missing a +1 bonus to his Strength, Dexterity and Constitution saving throws that he gets from his talisman. I don't think it makes any difference with the bleeding wound save, but how many times has he missed by 1? I wonder.

Theoretically wouldn't the +1 con give you 7 more hp?

[Dave B.]

Sept 7, 2015 15:06:46 GMT -4 Dave W. said:

Sept 7, 2015 12:02:20 GMT -4 Dave B. said:

I just discovered that Shorak is missing a +1 bonus to his Strength, Dexterity and Constitution saving throws that he gets from his talisman. I don't think it makes any difference with the bleeding wound save, but how many times has he missed by 1? I wonder.

Theoretically wouldn't the +1 con give you 7 more hp?

Nah, the item just gives him a +1 to the saving throws for each of those abilities.

[Dave W.]

well it was worth a try...

[Jeff]

Hey, guys. I've dole out XP: some individually for things your character has engaged in (Streko for bearing the infant spirit, Condign for ghost-wrangling, Belarin for Tangat-saving, etc.), and on top of the battle that just finished, everyone got 2,000 XP for escaping the labyrinth at last.

Everyone has leveled up to level 8! Except Kal, who already made it to 8 recently.

Unless you've got something you'd like to keep secret, let's just hash out some character options here. Hit points and hit dice will kick in immediately*, but all other class features need to wait for the group to take at least a short rest first.

*Regarding hit points, I'll give you each a choice: You can either accept a square number (a 7 if you normally roll a d10, a 6 if you normally roll a d8, and a 4 if you normally roll a d6). OR you can try your luck with Invisible Castle and try rolling for new hit points, but then you have to accept a lower roll as well. If you roll a 1, you can reroll. Otherwise, it's final. And of course if you have a Constitution modifier, that gets added.

[Ken]

Woo hoo!

Ah, to feat or not to feat, that is the question...

For Belarin, it's easy. I'll add +1 to both Dexterity and Charisma, giving him 18 in each. As for the hit points, I'll take your safer alternative, Jeff. ;-) No die roll.

I'll figure out spell choices tonight.

[Brian]

No die roll for me either. The probability of beating a 7 is simply too low. With Condign's Constitution modfier, that would give him 9 more hit points. He would then have a total of 72.

Speaking of Constitution, Condign's is currently 14. If I add 2 to that stat and bring him up to 16, his Constitution modifier goes from 2 to 3. Am I correct in assuming that I would add 1 to the above result (giving him 73 hit points) and add 1 to his previous rolls, adding an additional 7, for a grand total of 80 hit points?

For the alternative choice, a feat, I am considering Shield Master:

Shield Master
You use shields not just for protection but also for offense. You gain the following benefits while you are wielding a shield:
• If you take the Attack action on your turn, you can use a bonus action to try to shove a creature within 5 feet
of you with your shield.
• If you aren’t incapacitated, you can add your shield’s AC bonus to any Dexterity saving throw you make against
a spell or other harmful effect that targets only you.
• If you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage,
you can use your reaction to take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, interposing your shield between yourself and the source of the effect.

Condign's shield has an AC bonus of +2. His Dexterity is 10 (no modifier). Taking the feat rather than increase to his Constitution would give him +2 on his Dexterity saving throws, which is pretty cool. The damage mitigation (half to zero if he makes his save) could be very useful. But for a figher, the shove/knock prone ability is great. Imagine a sequence of Attack--Knock Prone--Attack with Advantage, each time he attacks.

I'm leaning toward the feat, but if anyone has any advice, I'm willing to listen.

[Jeff]

Re: hit points, got it, Ken and Brian. I've made the hp adjustments on the sheet now. I also put the same boost on current hit points.

[Ken]

Brian: Yes, a hit-point adjustment from raising your Con IS retroactive. :-)

[Dave W.]

I will also take the 7 (+2 CON = 9). How does the Lifedrain thing affect that? Am I still capped at 58?

[Jeff]

Got it, Dave. Yup, although he gains +9 hit points (max and current), he's still capped at 58 for current hit points (now he's at 56) until he takes a long rest.

[Brian]

After much thought, I've decided to take the Shield Master feat for Condign.

[Jeff]

Cool, Brian!

So anytime Condign uses the Attack action and wants to try and shove, go ahead and add that roll (a Strength [Athletics] check) as well and designate who he's trying to shove (in case there's more than one creature within 5 feet).

[Dave W.]

A while ago we talked about this and I'm sticking to that... Adamant will take Sentinel with appologies to the group and especially Jeff for the complications with opportunity attacks and reaction attacks... But Addy really wants to protect the group and so keeping people from getting to his friends.

A reminder of the feat:

Sentinel
You have mastered techniques to take advantage of every drop in any enemy’s guard, gaining the following benefits:
• When you hit a creature with an opportunity attack, the creature’s speed becomes 0 for the rest of the turn.
• Creatures within 5 feet of you provoke opportunity attacks from you even if they take the Disengage action before leaving your reach.
• When a creature within 5 feet of you makes an attack against a target other than you (and that target doesn’t have this feat), you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against the attacking creature.

[Joe]

I will also take the static HD roll. As to the rest, what are my options? Sorry and thanks in advance.

[Dave B.]

I'll take the 6 hps and the Dungeon Delver feat, please. Now Shorak can look for traps when moving normally, without slowing down the party. Not to mention the other fun things the feat offers.

[Ken]

Joe: At every fourth level (e.g. 8th), you can choose to increase one attribute by +2, or increase two attributes by +1. OR you can forsake that increase and choose one of the optional feats in the Players Handbook.

You also get one more 4th-level spell slot, the Destroy Undead feature, and another Divine Domain feature (based on your domain choice).

[Ken]

Jeff: For Belarin's spells, I'm going to drop Protection from Good and Evil in favor of Armor of Agathys... although, since Agathys is a Far Realm deity and Belarin is a fey pact warlock, I'll rename it to something more fey-like: Soulsorrow's Armor (Soulsorrow is a servant of the Prince of Frost in the Feywild).

For my new spell, I'm choosing Greater Invisibility.

Lastly, I'm swapping one of Belarin's invocations: Farewell, Shadow Walk! You're not what you used to be. In return, I'm choosing One with Shadows (essentially swapping the former's +1 to AC for the latter's near-automatic invisibility in dim light and darkness). Since Lich Lord Belarin has already activated Shadow Walk, I'll wait until we're out of Dolurrh to make that swap.

I'll make all the changes on my sheet.

[Darren]

I thought all of this needed to wait for a long rest. Kal hasn't actually taken any of his new level stuff that he got after the last fight....

[Jeff]

Sept 10, 2015 20:32:32 GMT -4 Dave W. said:

A while ago we talked about this and I'm sticking to that... Adamant will take Sentinel with appologies to the group and especially Jeff for the complications with opportunity attacks and reaction attacks... But Addy really wants to protect the group and so keeping people from getting to his friends.

A reminder of the feat:

Sentinel
You have mastered techniques to take advantage of every drop in any enemy’s guard, gaining the following benefits:
• When you hit a creature with an opportunity attack, the creature’s speed becomes 0 for the rest of the turn.
• Creatures within 5 feet of you provoke opportunity attacks from you even if they take the Disengage action before leaving your reach.
• When a creature within 5 feet of you makes an attack against a target other than you (and that target doesn’t have this feat), you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against the attacking creature.

Dave, cool! I've added this to your sheet. I only ask that you help remind me when things might apply. When possible, drop a note preemptively when posting an action.

Sept 10, 2015 22:42:49 GMT -4 Dave B. said:

I'll take the 6 hps and the Dungeon Delver feat, please. Now Shorak can look for traps when moving normally, without slowing down the party. Not to mention the other fun things the feat offers.

Got it! Sheet updated. This feat is definitely going to help later when you're in Xen'drik proper.

All sounds good, Ken.

Sept 11, 2015 7:20:58 GMT -4 Darren said:

I thought all of this needed to wait for a long rest. Kal hasn't actually taken any of his new level stuff that he got after the last fight....

Normally I like to have it so that any class features (including feats and spell additions and swaps) kick in only after a long rest. But given how much is being packed into so short a time, I'm ruling that a short rest will suffice. But the hit points are immediate for sure.

[Darren]

Sept 11, 2015 10:59:53 GMT -4 Jeff said:

Sept 11, 2015 7:20:58 GMT -4 Darren said:

I thought all of this needed to wait for a long rest. Kal hasn't actually taken any of his new level stuff that he got after the last fight....

Normally I like to have it so that any class features (including feats and spell additions and swaps) kick in only after a long rest. But given how much is being packed into so short a time, I'm ruling that a short rest will suffice. But the hit points are immediate for sure.

So, does that mean Kal DOES have his new powers/spells?

[Jeff]

Maybe! When did he level? Before leaving the ir'Serrel keep? If so, yes!