Chapter 18: Q&A / Discussions

[Ken]

Jeff, what visibility does Belarin have into the hut? Can he see that there's a slaadi?

[Jeff]

I'm pretty sure that Kal hadn't actually identified it aloud (hence Sem's frustration), but with the slaadi's last turn, yes, both Shorak and Belarin were able to glimpse briefly the head of the blue slaad when it attacked both Thul and Litrix. But with the vine curtain, Belarin does not have constant line of sight on it. It's still inside the hut.

[Dave W.]

Jan 30, 2020 16:22:38 GMT -4 Jeff said:

by request, I'm posting for the flu-ridden Elvis...

Flu's not good. Rest and recover Elvis...

[Brian]

We thought he might have the coronavirus. Turns out he had the molsonvirus.

[Dave W.]

At least it's not the Budwirus...

[Jeff]

Jan 31, 2020 16:07:51 GMT -4 Dave W. said:

Also, not to nitpick too much, but when Lizardman "Sa" is attacked by Red, wouldn't Adamant get a weapon attack under Sentinel rules?

Just in case he does get a Sentinel attack:
dlw32:1D20+8 → 15(7 + 8)#reaction attack
dlw32:1D12+4 → 12(8 + 4) slashing damage…

It's not nitpicking at all; it's using your ability. I'll address it after Brian's next post.

[Jeff]

Feb 12, 2020 11:53:18 GMT -4 Dave W. said:

Move Action: 1E, 1 SE, 3W. Should put him next to both the red slaad and the red tiefling!

Dave, do you mean 1 W, 1 SW, 3 W? East is throwing me off. Adamant wouldn't be getting far in that circular movement.

[Dave W.]

woops... typo.. yes, he's heading West. 1 W, 1 SW, 3 W is correct... doh. I'm having a day...

[Darren]

Jeff, if Kal were to theoretically cast Storm Sphere inside the hut, would it put out the fires?

[Jeff]

That's a creative use for the spell! Particularly since they're not magical flames. I'd allow that, yes, if you roll the bludgeoning damage well enough; otherwise the winds are liable to simply fan the flames. But there's a solid chance, if positioned just right between the two.

[Dave W.]

I will wait to see if Kal casts Storm Sphere cuz that's such an inventive way to use the spell, I'd love to see it work...

[Jeff]

Feb 16, 2020 12:32:00 GMT -4 Dave W. said:

"Sem, can you explain to him he has a... poison? ... from the injury? That his wounds will not heal unless the poison is dealt with."

---

is that the limping lizardman from earlier? or is this a different lizardman?

Yup, same one. The non-fighter shaman lizardman is Sauriv, and he's the only shaman among them.

[Dave W.]

sorry, i disappeared a while... crazy weekend

[Jeff]

Feb 20, 2020 10:51:48 GMT -4 Ken said:

Belarin walks over to Kal and says, "Kal, I know it's a significant use of your magic, but when it's time to go back to the ship, could you do that 'lightning leap' of yours to take one of the slaad corpses back with you? Histra could make good use of it - it'd certainly be a stronger guardian that what we had before."

I'll let Kal answer, of course. But FYI, remember that Lightning Shift is all about letting you move faster; it does nothing to increase encumbrance. To move a Large object (or dead creature), it would have to fit in your inventory. Normal encumbrance rules apply.

[Darren]

I assumed Ken was actually talking about Dimension Door.

[Jeff]

Since Kal does have an actual Lightning Shift spell, I sure didn't assume that. But even Dimension Door wouldn't allow Kal to bring so much dead weight. It can transport him plus any gear he can carry. Kal couldn't even properly lift a Large slaad.

[Ken]

Yeah, this is a situation where I'm trying to separate what Belarin knows about how Kal's magic works vs. what Ken knows about 5e spells. Belarin isn't sure that it would work, but he figured he'd give it a shot.

[Darren]

Well, Kal COULD use Telekinesis or Animate Objects on the dead slaad, right?

[Jeff]

Not so sure about Animate Objects, but Telekinesis? Absolutely. A single slaad is less than 1,000 lbs.

[Darren]

Is a dead body not considered an object?

[Ken]

If I can jump in, I'd say that a dead body does not fit the definition of an object. "For the purpose of these rules, an object is a discrete, inanimate item like a window, door, sword, book, table, chair, or stone." A body - even a dead one - would be too complex. I'd go with Telekinesis.

[Jeff]

Bodies are a grey area, to be sure. Because you could make an object out of the bones of a creature and it's surely an object by itself. But how long must a body sit and simply just be an object int he larger world? Seems inevitable.

So on this topic, I'd take it very case by case. I don't think Animate Objects should intended to be able to animate the dead, for example; and there may be cases where even that's allowable, but for the time being in a technical way I'm ruling the slaadi bodies as not objects for purposes of Animate Objects under the grounds that Animate Objects only animates "nonmagical objects" and the slaadi are magical beings insofar as they are spawned from planar chaos.

[Dave W.]

Let's talk spells a minute.

I keep Aid preped. I think it's a good spell but I never have cast it.

Upsides: Three people will have increase current and max hp by 5hp for 8 hours. It's not concentration so it continues without me.

Downsides: it's only 5hp, though I can get it to 10 if I use a 3rd level slot but then that uses one of the possible Revivify castings. It lasts 8 hours but that's only a 3rd of the day. If we know we're about to get into a protracted series of combats I'd cast it but we never seem to know that before hand.

I keep thinking that I should swap it out but can't figure what for either. A number of the better spells are concentration and Bless is too awesome.

Anyone have any thoughts?

[Darren]

Mar 13, 2020 11:17:55 GMT -4 Dave W. said:

Let's talk spells a minute.

I keep Aid preped. I think it's a good spell but I never have cast it.

Upsides: Three people will have increase current and max hp by 5hp for 8 hours. It's not concentration so it continues without me.

Downsides: it's only 5hp, though I can get it to 10 if I use a 3rd level slot but then that uses one of the possible Revivify castings. It lasts 8 hours but that's only a 3rd of the day. If we know we're about to get into a protracted series of combats I'd cast it but we never seem to know that before hand.

I keep thinking that I should swap it out but can't figure what for either. A number of the better spells are concentration and Bless is too awesome.

Anyone have any thoughts?

I agree that 5 hp isn't a lot, but it CAN be the difference between life and death sometimes, so it's not NOTHING....

[Brian]

Darren, did you miss Melethos's question to Kal, or is Kal simply ignoring him?

[Darren]

Mar 13, 2020 13:51:43 GMT -4 Brian said:

Darren, did you miss Melethos's question to Kal, or is Kal simply ignoring him?

I think I missed it. I'll go look again.

[Joe]

Mar 13, 2020 15:07:16 GMT -4 Brian said:

Melethos:1D20+5 → 6(1 + 5)#Wisdom (Survival) Check

I'm sorry...I just think this is funny. Melethos, the great hunter...gets a 1 on fishing. Then Dave gets a 7...hence my #ohgod for Streko's survival check. It's all just so much fun to play!

[Brian]

On a fumble, who knows what Mel will pull out of that river.

We're gonna need a bigger boat!

[Jeff]

Mar 20, 2020 9:43:15 GMT -4 Brian said:

Mar 19, 2020 20:56:48 GMT -4 Dave B. said:

"I don't have them on a list," Melethos replies. "Bring them up with Kurra. The only unidentified item is Kal's glass rod." He turns to Kal. "I assume you still want it identified?"

I took this response from Darren as him not adding the rod to the list. But it's Kal's call...

[Ken]

Okay, here are my ideas regarding the scrolls:

Belarin:
Scroll of Protection (Beasts)
Scroll of Protection (Aberrations)
Hypnotic Pattern (3rd, DC 15) -- it's the one spell that's actually on the Warlock list
Tasha's Hideous Laughter (2nd, DC 13)

Kal:
Delayed Blast Fireball (7th, DC 18)
Vitriolic Sphere (4th, DC 15)

Histra:
Cloudkill (5th, DC 17)
Forcecage (6th, DC 17)

Sem:
Arcane Eye (4th, DC 15)
Nystul's Magic Aura (2nd, DC 13)


Any other thoughts?