Chapter 17: Q&A / Discussion

[Darren]

I'm giving you a hard time. It's really okay.

[Elvis]

A couple of things...

1. I hope you guys are on your way back.

2. I hope the thunderwave spell didn't shatter the mirrors so you guys CAN get back.

Yikes. 

[Brian]

Mum's the word from us until the boss says so.

[Jeff]

Did Thul lob rocks at hornet's nest as a kid, I wonder?

[Brian]

Thus manages what no other enemy could: a total party wipe with one, first level spell. Bwahahahahah!!!!

[Elvis]

On the plus side, the slaad will rid the party of Thul.

And Thul may even soften them up a bit for the rest of you. 

[Elvis]

Now THIS is a worthy end for a PC!

[Brian]

I'm not sure how much you're jesting, Elvis, but speaking for me, I have no desire to see Thul gone. I'm even starting to like the fellow!

And, as an FYI: Thul can take the Dodge action, if the fecal matter hits the rotating blades.

[Elvis]

Let's call the dodge action "Plan B".

Thul isn't going out easy.

[Dave W.]

I'm still not reading the main thread. Hopefully that we will all come back together at some point...

[Jeff]

You don't have to avoid it, Dave. Just be good at separating player knowledge vs. character knowledge, that's all. Up to you.

[Dave W.]

Well to be fair, I'm also not reading the main thread because I'm swamped at work... I will catch up before I need to...

[Brian]

"Bull-in-a-crystal-shop." Nice turn of that phrase, Elvis.

[Elvis]

Not that Thul has ever even seen the inside of a crystal shop.

[Dave W.]

Just caught up on the main thread... I think it would make a hell of a movie... possibly horror... but a good one.

[Jeff]

Probably rated NC-17, what with Thul's mouth and the bursts of violence on all sides.

[Joe]

Fek that.

[Jeff]

Oct 24, 2019 10:48:01 GMT -4 Darren said:

Damn, Kal thinks. Why must we always fight? He rolls his eyes even as quickly draws forth the wand he carries at his belt, positioning himself so that there is a straight line between where his previous attack was and the wall, avoiding his friends. A bright streak of light fills the small space, the after-image bright in the eyes of everyone caught looking directly at it.
_____________________
Kal will move one square north and three east. This should give him a clear line through where I think the enemies are based on where his previous attack landed.

He will use the Wand of Lightning Bolts to cast a 3rd level Lightning Bolt across the area.

Damage is a 24 on a failed save and 12 on a successful one.

Darren, I'm not at all clear on where Kal is targeting the spell. It sounds like you're throwing it in a trajectory that could hit Shorak. He cannot discern the actual creature or know precisely where it is. Remember, there are two such creatures. One is definitively 1 square SE of Kal's starting position on the map.

[Brian]

Joe, Shorak has 2 hit points. He could’ve benefited from some healing.

[Dave B.]

Oct 24, 2019 20:27:24 GMT -4 Brian said:

Joe, Shorak has 2 hit points. He could’ve benefited from some healing.

It's okay. I wasn't able to post in proper turn and Streko wouldn't know just how badly injured Shorak is. He does now though.

[Joe]

Streko wouldn't have known (really), I guess. He's had his own issues to deal with recently and he's not 100% certain this is entirely real. Now meaning to meta-game, but Streko's entire focus now is trying to get those things off Mel and Shorak and disposing of them as quickly as possible. Streko will get to you, brother, don't you worry!

[Brian]

To be fair, Belarin called out to Streko that he “had a patient” and indicated Shorak. But it’s all good. Just saying...

[Darren]

Oct 24, 2019 15:23:23 GMT -4 Jeff said:

Oct 24, 2019 10:48:01 GMT -4 Darren said:

Damn, Kal thinks. Why must we always fight? He rolls his eyes even as quickly draws forth the wand he carries at his belt, positioning himself so that there is a straight line between where his previous attack was and the wall, avoiding his friends. A bright streak of light fills the small space, the after-image bright in the eyes of everyone caught looking directly at it.
_____________________
Kal will move one square north and three east. This should give him a clear line through where I think the enemies are based on where his previous attack landed.

He will use the Wand of Lightning Bolts to cast a 3rd level Lightning Bolt across the area.

Damage is a 24 on a failed save and 12 on a successful one.

Darren, I'm not at all clear on where Kal is targeting the spell. It sounds like you're throwing it in a trajectory that could hit Shorak. He cannot discern the actual creature or know precisely where it is. Remember, there are two such creatures. One is definitively 1 square SE of Kal's starting position on the map.

Sorry, I think I misunderstood the map a little. I was trying to move 1 square north and 3 east, and then aim diagonally SW, which would go through the square to Kal's SE, and I guess I thought there was another one SW of that square.

But....if moving will instigate an opportunity attack from the one SE of Kal, he'll just stay where he is and aim directly SE. Hitting the one is better than hitting none.

[Brian]

How many experience points does Melethos get for poisoning the entire damn party!

Sorry, guys.

[Jeff]

He can get vicarious XP if they're slain by the bad guys.

The deep irony here is that Dust of Sneezing and Choking, by default, seems to be Dust of Disappearance (even by the rules). And even an Identify spell doesn't reveal the truth. But if you guys ever gave it to Kurra, her artificer skills would have shown it for what it was, and then you could even weaponize it. I totally envisioned Adamant (who is immune) being the one to unleash it in the midst of foes (because it has a wide radius). I figured it was 50/50 whether you'd ask Kurra to verify it before ever trying to use it. But nope, Melethos had it, and he has a track record with cursed/harmful magic items.

But to be fair, it was a good idea. It'd have leveled the playing field in this battle had Alaq not been hardwired for betrayal.

[Dave B.]

Oct 25, 2019 6:17:25 GMT -4 Jeff said:

Belarin, Kal, Melethos, Shorak, Streko only

Streko's conjured sickle, which glows like the shine of golden coins, slashes the unseen creature between Belarin and Melethos, and you hear shrieks of air in response.

I've moved Shorak to the farthest he can get with 60 ft. (remember diagonals are 5 ft., 10 ft. alternatingly).

Joe, the spiritual weapon placed 20 feet away from Streko then has to move 5 ft. westward again in order to attack the creature. Also, as always, you make a melee spell attack with the sickle per its description (which is +8 for Streko, not +1 for Strength which what I assume you were doing. And since the stalker is invisible, it's made with disadantage.

Second roll for spiritual weapon for disadvantage: 18 (still a hit) / stalker takes 8 damage

Darren,per my query here, I'm unclear about Kal's targeting. Can you clarify, using exact squares and this updated map (definitely refresh the page)?

8 - Kal
3 - Melethos

Okay. Sorry to be a nudge, but I am a carpenter by trade and my math is pretty good. I've double and triple checked this move and where I said Shorak wanted to move to is only 55 feet and that does take into consideration the extra 10 for every other diagonal move. But, I will show my work - 1 square south (5'), 2 squares SW (15'), 6 squares west (30') 1 square SW (5') 5+15+30+5=55.

Just sayin'. Now I will go read the rest of the posts.

[Dave B.]

On another note, I will wait to make Shorak's Con save until after the air stalkers go, since if he's hit he goes down anyway. Then he'll nned to start making death saves. Unless, of course, he still needs to make the Con save before making his death save. If I have a grasp on the RAW correctly, if Shorak goes down while still suffocating and fails the Con save to be able to breathe, then he automatically will take a death fail, because he only has a +1 constitution bonus and he is already unconcious and dying.

[Jeff]

Oct 28, 2019 15:02:32 GMT -4 Darren said:

With the choking dust now out of his lungs, Kal scowls at the bottle Melethos has dropped. If Alaq lives...I will kill him the next time I see him. Seeing Belarin drop, Kal calls out to Streko. "Save him," then focuses his own energy through the wand in his hand, releasing a ball of electricity at his tormentor.

_________________
Kal will use Lightning Orb again. Damage is 6 (or 3 on a save).

You hurl a ball of crackling electricity into a point that you can see in range. Each creature in a 5-foot radius (typically a 10-foot cube) must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 2d4 lightning damage, or half as much damage on a successful save.

This spell’s damage increases by 1d4 when you reach 5th level (3d4), 11th level
(4d4), and 17th level (5d10).
So Lightning Orb has a radius of 5 ft., meaning you would actually choose not a square but a point between squares. It's a 10-by-10-ft. area. Safe to assume this, then, is where you're targeting so as not to hit anyone else like Melethos?

Note the little blue + that indicates the actual center of the spell.

Attachments:

[Darren]

Yah, that's the spot. Thanks!

[Jeff]

It might help to reference this moment again.