Chapter 14: Q&A / Discussions

[Darren]

Got it. I wasn't sure of the size difference between the rider and the wyvern.

[Jeff]

I'll just add that the rules tend not to go this far, so it's always just DM's ruling. So of course if it was an ogre on the wyvern's back (which frankly it couldn't carry), and the ogre failed the save I'd consider that the ogre's weight would either have an impact on the wyvern's movement or else simply break the too-skinny harness. Of if you Thunderwaved someone into a spike wall, then yeah, I'd throw in some ad hoc damage for that.

[Elvis]

Round 2. Shorak, Belarin, Melethos, and Thul can all act before even the first wyvern flies out of sight. Even when wyvern #1 is gone, Adamant and Kal can both act before wyvern #2 is out of sight. Etc. So go ahead and state your actions in any order, but as before we'll follow this order anyway. It doesn't look like there will be a round 3, given the speed of the roc. However, they can maneuver better than the roc and could theoretically intercept it again on another circle, higher up. You just don't know.



26 - Shorak

24 - Belarin

19 - Melethos

15 - Thul

14 - wyvern #1

12 - Adamant / Kal

11 - wyvern #2

10 - Streko

9 - wyvern #3

1 - wyverns #4 and #5

Clarification on the above:

How far away are the wyverns at the start of round 2?

Also, as the wyverns are flying away from us, are their riders more visible? Do they benefit from any cover by the their wyverns?

How do attacks of opportunity work? Do Thul and Kal get one as the wyvern flies out of our reach?

[Jeff]

Use the grid as a guide. Each square ring 5 feet; the distance between Belarin and wyvern #3, for example, is 50 ft.

Riders have no cover, nah.

No opp attacks just now. Those use reactions and you used yours already in round 1 by taking readied actions (which essentially let you take your normal action AS a reaction).

[Elvis]

I have calculated that Thul is 105' away from Wyvern 2. 

I send my turn glowering at it.

Then when it decides to come back within range of my axe, I will do the same as I did before. Chop chop!

[Jeff]

Post whatever in the main thread, though!

[Jeff]

Sept 11, 2017 5:26:33 GMT -4 Brian said:

Jeff, a physics question: should Melethos fly up and attack, would he even be able to keep up with the speed of the roc? My concerns is the speed differential between the roc's flight and the 60' per round flying speed of the spell. I don't want to have Melethos left behind, with no way to catch up, and have the spell end with him in midair.

The roc is moving much faster than speed 60 ft. So yes, if Melethos were to jump free and fly on his own, he cannot give chase or easily rejoin his companions. In fact, the wyverns cannot simply whirl around and pursue. They're not as fast as the roc, either. The only way they can attack again is if they intersept elsewhere in the roc's circling ascension. You don't know if they will or not.

The current round is more about whether you wish to do anything just before the wyverns are all out of sight again. Parting shots, or whatever. They're going to be out of range at the end of this turn, and you'll be out of theirs.

[Darren]

To be fair, Kal didn't say, "Don't scout," and his comments weren't directed at Shorak alone. It was more of a we don't have to sneak in kind of statement.

He also told everyone to watch out for an ambush.

[Jeff]

Remember, as I've said oh-my-god-so-many-times before, that spoken words are not stated actions. Even Kal isn't being on watch here, he's just telling others to be. I can't emphasize this enough. I look for this.

[Darren]

No, no, no. I know. I was just defending Kal because you called him out.

[Brian]

It wasn't just Kal. Melethos went strolling over the bridge before letting Shorak check for billy goats.

[Jeff]

[Darren]

Jeff, I know you don't like Kal, but he's not on the map. Did he...y'know...go....over....?

[Ken]

Jeff, can Belarin tell whether any of the attackers is the rider that he tagged with Hex? The way we've played it is that the Hex spell creates a link with the target's life force.

[Jeff]

Darren: hahah. No idea. I'll fix.

Ken: The link would tell him if the guy died or went unconscious but it wouldn't allow him any means of identification. But those lightly-armored guys in black on the wyvern bear little resemblance to these uniformed guys. He doesn't think so. But then Belarin isn't really close enough to see these guys either yet.

[Darren]

Jeff, given that you said the ledge the soldiers are on is 10' down, I'm assuming they can't easily back up, right?

Kal might have a plan. Involving fire. And a wall.

[Jeff]

Correct. They don't have a lot of space to move around.

Kal's back on the map, but you have to refresh.

[Darren]

Jeff, remind me of your policy on characters saying short things out of sequence in combat? If Kal wanted to give some general tactical advice to Melethos and Belarin before their turn, could he? Something like, "Head for the manticore" or "Keep clear of the bridge" or something like that?

[Jeff]

Those examples are fine, a few words out-of-turn doesn't bother me, but base it on what your character can perceive from where they are, not from all of what you can see the on the map. I've already stated that only Adamant, Thul, and Melethos can see the Claw dudes down below the main level, and only Melethos can currently see the manticore at all. So, keep out player-only knowledge.

[Jeff]

Sept 21, 2017 23:38:18 GMT -4 Ken said:

Belarin curses himself for a fool for not considering that the Claw soldiers -- who had to know the party's destination -- would set up an ambush on the floating island. Cursing again, now at the lack of shadows, he tries to ascertain the position of the spellcaster who's causing trouble for Melethos and Thul.

I was initially thinking this would be an interesting encounter because of your Seeming spell. Then you got rid of it, and that changed how this was gonna go down.

Anyway, I need to hear Shorak's actions (both times!) before we can proceed.

[Dave B.]

Sept 21, 2017 9:58:55 GMT -4 Darren said:

To be fair, Kal didn't say, "Don't scout," and his comments weren't directed at Shorak alone. It was more of a we don't have to sneak in kind of statement.

He also told everyone to watch out for an ambush.

To be fair, Shorak is tired of seeing his friends walking into ambushes. It doesn't help to keep giving our foes surprise attacks.

[Dave W.]

Sept 22, 2017 5:33:11 GMT -4 Jeff said:

I was initially thinking this would be an interesting encounter because of your Seeming spell. Then you got rid of it, and that changed how this was gonna go down.

To quote Helmuth von Moltke the Elder, "No plan survives contact with the Players."

[Brian]

Sept 22, 2017 10:38:58 GMT -4 Dave B. said:

Sept 21, 2017 9:58:55 GMT -4 Darren said:

To be fair, Kal didn't say, "Don't scout," and his comments weren't directed at Shorak alone. It was more of a we don't have to sneak in kind of statement.

He also told everyone to watch out for an ambush.

To be fair, Shorak is tired of seeing his friends walking into ambushes. It doesn't help to keep giving our foes surprise attacks.

Dave, you are 100% correct. And I take responsibility for this one. I should have had Melethos call Shorak to the front to scout. That's Shorak's job.

I apologize for that.

[Ken]

Sept 22, 2017 5:33:11 GMT -4 Jeff said:

I was initially thinking this would be an interesting encounter because of your Seeming spell. Then you got rid of it, and that changed how this was gonna go down.

Attachment Deleted

[Dave B.]

Sept 22, 2017 11:34:49 GMT -4 Brian said:

Sept 22, 2017 10:38:58 GMT -4 Dave B. said:

To be fair, Shorak is tired of seeing his friends walking into ambushes. It doesn't help to keep giving our foes surprise attacks.

Dave, you are 100% correct. And I take responsibility for this one. I should have had Melethos call Shorak to the front to scout. That's Shorak's job.

I apologize for that.

Well, I have to apologize for my less then timely posting. I had Shorak try to stop you or at least catch up to you, but I hadn't posted for, i think 2 days, so it was a little too late. Oh well, these things happen. We just need to try to work harder at not giving our enemies the opportunities to draw first blood.

[Darren]

I've got a few different options planned, so I'm waiting to see where everyone else ends up before I post anything.

[Elvis]

No worries. Thul can take it. 

If you are so inclined, you could make the wall only 10' high instead of it's max. 

Just sayin.

[Darren]

No, I did that on purpose so that the manticore can't shoot thru it. I know it blocks off Adamant, but Kal is too squishy to give the manticore that chance.

[Darren]

Oh, I just saw your post in the main thread. Thul isn't in trouble, yet. He just needs to move before the end of his turn. If he ends up within 10' of the wall at that point, THEN he's in trouble.

[Elvis]

Ah. Ok. Makes sense.

Do i need to make a check? Something akin to the old reflex save?

Thul did wait to see what Kal was going to do...