Chapter 13: Q&A / Discussions

[Jeff]

It's about 5 feet from the underside of the dock to the top of the water. If it weren't stormy and choppy, the distance might be greater.

Adamant wouldn't be able to reach Shorak from the dock just by reaching (if he were upright and somehow standin on the surface of the water, different story). Instead weight much greater than his is bearing him down and to the west, If Shoraks spends and action to actively try to swim against this pull, the best he can hope for is to remain still briefly. But he would be giving up trying to get free.

So yes, someone can jump in and try to assist. Not easy but it would increase Shorak's own rolls.

[Darren]

Given that Spell Sniper allows Kal to ignore 3/4 cover, is there any chance of him targeting the net and not Shorak?

[Jeff]

I'm afraid not. More of a common sense situation with a bunch of factors. For one, not sure it makes sense that Kal would really know what's going on that specifically on that side of the battle. He could hear a splash and see that Shorak is not on the dock anymore. But the net is much too fine for Kal to discern in this weather. And now that Shorak is in the water and below the level of the dock, I would say Kal can't even see Shorak or the smaller construct anymore.

Even if he could, the net isn't visibly substantial enough to provide Shorak cover so Spell Sniper doesn't come into play here. Targeting an object in its own square is easy enough but if you target an object in someone's square you definitely have a good chance of hitting that someone instead.

I hate to say no, so if Kal had a good line of sight on it I'd allow that in a natural 20...but it sure would be risky! Lightning isn't the best way to cut a buddy free. 😉

[Darren]

Yeah, I figured it was a long shot but I'm trying to think outside the box.

[Jeff]

Use the map as your guide and just remember not everything is on the same level.

[Dave B.]

Just in case, I'm thinking half-Orc Barbarian for my next character.

[Ken]

....

Well, THAT was unexpected!

[Dave W.]

I'm so desperate to help Shorak that I'm even looking at spells!

So, if Addy casts Bless, Shorak's only about 15' away so he'd get the effect. Two questions then,

• It says it adds +1d4 to attacks and saves, would that include a STR check to break free?
  
• It's one of the spells that requires a material component that until recently I didn't realize meant something other than my holy symbol. Can we retro a little holy water (and deduct an appropriate amount of coin of course)? It's my bad for not knowing what I needed so I'm fine if the answer is no, I'll do something else.

[Jeff]

Sept 7, 2016 10:21:22 GMT -4 Ken said:

....

Well, THAT was unexpected!

Sept 7, 2016 10:23:56 GMT -4 Dave W. said:

So, if Addy casts Bless, Shorak's only about 15' away so he'd get the effect. Two questions then,

• It says it adds +1d4 to attacks and saves, would that include a STR check to break free?
  
• It's one of the spells that requires a material component that until recently I didn't realize meant something other than my holy symbol. Can we retro a little holy water (and deduct an appropriate amount of coin of course)? It's my bad for not knowing what I needed so I'm fine if the answer is no, I'll do something else.

A Strength is a check. In the game, there's basically three types of d20 rolls: checks, attacks, saves. The wording is always specific about which ones can be used. So I'm afraid the +d4 wouldn't help that.

Adamant doesn't need holy water for Bless. Unless a gp amount is given, any material component can be substituted for a divine focus, which is your holy symbol.

[Dave W.]

Sept 7, 2016 10:27:50 GMT -4 Jeff said:

Adamant doesn't need holy water for Bless. Unless a gp amount is given, any material component can be substituted for a divine focus, which is your holy symbol.

Oh, I didn't understand what I didn't understand!

PS: Wait, what?!? Why does it look like Condign is attacking us? Sneaky devil.

PPS: I love the net trap... also devilish.

[Jeff]

Sept 7, 2016 10:32:51 GMT -4 Dave W. said:

PS: Wait, what?!? Why does it look like Condign is attacking us? Sneaky devil.

We traced the line! The call is coming from inside the party...

[Jeff]

Sept 7, 2016 13:28:34 GMT -4 Dave W. said:

"No no no no no" Adamant reacts to Shorak being pulled into the sea. "Aven! Help Shorak free from the net if you can!"

---

probably should wait for Kal's turn to toss out an instruction... but it seems like a proper reaction..."

Totally fine. Short little verbal responses are appropriate. In some ways it makes up for what we lose not playing tabletop style, where when something dramatic happens with the character, the players can be as shocked or elated as their characters might be.

[Brian]

Sept 7, 2016 23:22:22 GMT -4 Dave W. said:

Sept 7, 2016 20:28:39 GMT -4 Jeff said:

Wow, that’s a pile of damage if it all hits… 15 bludgeoning damage, 14 fire, and 24 radiant… 53 damage!

Dave W, that was one amazing round. Well done!

[Darren]

Well....at least my plan to sink the constructs under the dock worked out.....kind of.....

[Darren]

Wow, Dave, I never thought the dice roller would hate anyone more than me, but you proved me wrong.

Sorry.

[Jeff]

Geez, you sourpusses. Don't you guys feed each other's superstition about the dice roller.

Dave, Shorak doesn't need to make a Con save until he's still underwater after 2 minutes of holding his breath or if he gets hit bad, etc. something that could risk him exhaling. He's fine for now.

[Darren]

No way, dude. That dice roller is out to get us. Dave know what I'm talking about.

[Dave B.]

I was being silly with my bye-bye aside.

Sorry, that part about the con save wasn't clear to me. Got it now.

Now Shorak may just survive and I really wanted to try out that half-orc barbarian.

Also, I have taken a new Zen approach with the dice roller. I certainly don't have to like when I get bad rolls and I probably will make the occasional negative remark when they don't roll Shorak's way, but the rolls for this encounter have really been pretty decent. Especially when you take into consideration that he gets +9 or +10 on his attack rolls, which mathematically should turn into a 75% success rate most of the time. I mean he successfully escaped the first net and he'll most likely get free of this one as well, since the DC has dropped and he has advantage as long as Aven continues to help, and I think he's hit a wererat every round. He did take out the leader after all. Hey, this encounter has been a bit scary and challenging, but it has also been fun and exhilarating. I've been playing Shorak as a survivor, who sometimes acts a little like he can survive anything. Even though I may be concerned for his welfare, he is not. He doesn't believe he's going to die and he'll probably continue to believe that until he one day does.

[Darren]

Dice roller bad!!!! :B

[Darren]

Before I post for Kal, besides Condign, are there any enemies left? I assume Kal can't target Condign because he can't see him?

[Jeff]

The only visible foe is the rat-thing, but it's down. It's not clear if it's dead or not, but it at least looks incapacitated at present.

Condign has never attempted to hide, so his location is obvious. You can still target him with melee or ranged attacks so long as he has no cover (he doesn't), they're just disadvantaged to hit him. If a saving throw is involved, as opposed to an attack roll, it's neither advantaged or disadvantaged.

[Jeff]

Sept 9, 2016 14:41:39 GMT -4 Darren said:

Kal will release the Storm Sphere because he's going to need concentration....

...and then he'll cast Detect Thoughts on Condign. Let's find out what's going on in that crazy tiefling's head.

Darren, I love your choice of spell right now. But the problem is, Detect Thoughts specifically states that you need to be able to see the target. It's not quite enough to know where they are.

It was a really good idea, though.

[Brian]

I agree with Jeff, Darren. It was a great idea.

[Darren]

Well, dangit. So....here's a question....Streko made Condign invisible, but Streko is dying now. Is the spell still in effect?

[Jeff]

Belarin did, but you know what...

[Brian]

Belarin made him invisible....

[Jeff]

Hang on a sec, need to do some rolls.

[Brian]

Uh oh...now I'm nervous.

And I was hoping to kill the entire party.

[Ken]

Ah crap, I forgot that the Greater Invisibility spell required concentration! (I knew it when I cast it...)

Sorry, Jeff.

[Jeff]

No worries, Ken. I think we forgot because those first hits against him were buffered so didn't really run the risk. At some point, that stopped. It makes sense that it's over now, anyway (would've been in a few more rounds anyway).