Chapter 16: Q&A / Discussion

[Jeff]

Just FYI, since we’ve got two players MIA I’m deliberately stalling. It’s just too much to proceed without them. This includes the magic items talk. It’s all relevant.

[Dave W.]

Aug 6, 2018 10:27:34 GMT -4 Brian said:

I'd not known that one of the Battle Master class features is a proficiency with an artisan tool. I discovered this about a month ago. Jeff and I talked about it, and I decided on the artificer's tools. I'm working it into the story now.

Adamant approves of this action...

[Jeff]

Aug 9, 2018 10:40:27 GMT -4 Darren said:

I guess Kal will temporarily "de-tune" his sharrash so that he can use the new wand.

He can still use it as a weapon, right? He just can't use its freezing power?

Right. The sharash remains a +1 weapon for whoever wields it, even if they're not attuned to it.

Also, it takes a short rest to attune to an item. But Kal has plenty of time in this same day to attune to the wand. Also, the wand can be used as an arcane implement, outside of having its charges.

[Darren]

Right, but he's mostly going to use the Wand of Splintering Fire for that, since it gives him bonus damage on his lightning attacks.

[Brian]

Celerity 2 - (2 doses) - Each dose replicates the Haste spell with a duration of 5 rounds (no concentration needed). Your speed is doubled, you gains a +2 bonus to AC, you have advantage on Dexterity saving throws, and you gain an additional action on each of your turns. That action can be used only to take the Attack (one weapon attack only), Dash, Disengage, Hide, or Use an Object action. On the 6th round, however, you can’t move or take actions for 1 turn, as a wave of lethargy sweeps over you.

Jeff, when you say the person consuming the potion can't move or take actions for one turn, do you mean a ten rounds turn, or just one turn in the initiative list?

[Jeff]

A ten-round turn! WHOA, that's an oldschool question! Yeah, that was a 1st/2nd edition definition of turns.

A turn in 5E is just what you do when your turn comes up in a regular round of combat. So you basically just lose one round.

[Dave W.]

Yeah, in 5e, if a thing has a duration of a minute it's just listed as "1 Minute" instead of the older "one turn" (10 6-second rounds).

[Jeff]

By the way, once your characters have laid some good foundation in-character (as Melethos and Thul are doing excellently right now), I'm okay with then some out-of-character mechanic-speak. It's all about supporting and allowing for that. Then it doesn't feel like metagaming because you're sharing what you can do.

[Ken]

That was outstanding, Darren!

[Darren]

The tune has been in my head for a while. I just needed to get at my Eberron book to fill in the locations.

[Brian]

Glad you had time to sneak in a brief post, Darren. Man, that was incredible.

[Dave W.]

Great song Darren (I almost wrote Kal ).

[Elvis]

I have sketched out a couple of formations for us to consider. 

Would it be easier to use the google drive for this?

[Jeff]

You could do that, if you're most comfortable with that, just make sure to provide direct links here.

[Brian]

I'm pretty packed today at work with client appointments. I'll focus on posting once I get home.

[Elvis]

I'll upload some images of formation ideas for your review later tonight.

[Elvis]

drive.google.com/open?id=1GP7oC0Fb6Doj-cPlK6xQGDHKnyOp7ST0




I really wish google would be more user friendly.



Jeff shared with me, but I can't easily click on his name and say share with...



Oh well.



Here is the link.



I will work on post to explain the idea behind each one.

[Darren]

Aug 18, 2018 19:23:16 GMT -4 Elvis said:

Thul nods at the old woman. "How quickly can you make those on the fly? Given enough bodies, how many?"

Thul turns to the Warforged, "I appreciate your concern for my well being, Warforged."

To the gnome, he says, "Can you create illusions of the undead? Multiply whatever numbers the old woman can reanimate?"

To the minotaur, he says, "A few of us may need to break ranks to reach a more dangerous adversary further away. Anything you have that can get us there if needed would be useful to have on hand."

Oh man! I can't wait to see how Histra responds to being called "old woman"!

[Elvis]

That should clear things up. 😄

[Brian]

Darren, were you aware that Melethos is standing next to Adamant, asking just about the same thing Kal is?

[Jeff]

If so, my suggestion is to not try and undo anything—just let these be two separate conversations. Dave, maybe let Adamant answer Melethos first....and then separately Kal's?

[Dave W.]

That's fine... I know I'm holding things up but work is being unhelpful right now... I may not get to reply until tonight...

[Darren]

I realized it after I wrote my post, but it kinda still works.

[Darren]

Kal will definitely address Thul leaving, but I want to wait for Adamant to respond before moving on.

[Brian]

Same here.

[Jeff]

Just a reminder—though I think we all know this at the core—that we're all here to have fun. Whenever your character does something, or when I have an NPC do something, the ultimate goal is enjoyment for all. Consider thinking of it like this:

• #1 - Do what's going to be fun for you and for others to see play out, immediately or over time.
• #2 - Do what's productive for the story (which doesn't mean no inter-party conflict, just not all the time).
• #3 - Do what's true to your character.

Thus item #3 is important but not above 1 and 2, you know?

So this means not taking personally any behavior from other characters (that is, don't take it out of character if it's not delivered out of character), but also, beg mindful of that overarching banner of fun we're trying to have when you're the saying stuff.

[Brian]

Melethos is such a diva.

[Jeff]

I don't know, man. This is becoming The Desperate Housewives of Xen'drik. (And Belarin hasn't even said anything yet!)

[Joe]

Aug 22, 2018 14:42:43 GMT -4 Brian said:

Melethos is such a diva.

He's taken that title away from Kal. Streko is...I don't know WHAT he is. LOL!

And for what it's worth, Jeff, I'm not taking anything Elvis portrays as Thul personally. Streko is, however, and that is true to his character. I think Streko's actions are, if not productive, at least moving the story forward. And, truthfully, Thul's character SHOULDN'T be liked (not as being played) and there SHOULD be a level of distrust, especially between those who are not typical fighters and are of a more religious bent. I love Dave's way of playing Adamant (and I hope the big guy gets rid of that flame thing soon...I'd hate to stand against such a beautiful soul, even if it was corrupted). I love the way everyone plays their characters and I think they all play them true. Especially Elvis, who has to play a mostly unlikeable character. You're doing a great job, Elvis. Hopefully, the character's dynamics change over time. Streko will learn to trust over time (unless he perceives Thul as a universal threat to one and all).

Also, just FYI...this is the final week of the first Masters class I've taken that I have disliked (useless instructor). The readings have been interesting, but this final 15 page paper is killing me (Espionage and the Evolution of Warfare). It is due on Sunday and I'm about halfway through it. Anyway, if I start going on military tangents as Streko, you will know why.

[Elvis]

Thanks Joe. I've commented to Jeff multiple times how much i am enjoying the dynamics of the characters.

Me - as a player - i love contrasts. The bolder the better. Thul is meant to be unlikable. I am glad it is coming across.

That being said, he is also part of a gaming group and contibutes to drivibg the plot forward. So, as assholish as he cones across, he is tethered to the principles of a cooperative game.

He is also designed to evolve - and hopefully cause others to evolve too.

Anyway. I am on here daily because it is definitely a highlight of my day.

The old woman is my fav npc so far. 😉