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Post by Wolfgar on Sept 24, 2012 18:45:23 GMT -5
I believe we currently have:
Group A (in the passage above): -Dan -Mary (paralyzed) -Haddiq -Gabul -Azhbar
Group B (on the roof top below): -Paavo (attacking from the ground) -Bolo (in Cube 1) -Friedrich (in Cube 1) -Trommer (in Cube 1) -Nordel (in Cube 1) -Colby (in Cube 2)
Group C (at the camp): -Khaddil -Basmadoos -Youssef -Mamnoon
No one in Group A that is not paralyzed has a way to get down to Group B immediately. Dan has just attempted to summon an angel using one of his prayer beads. An angel should be able to transport people down or up as well as mow through some Cubes. FYI, the angel is a Movanic Deva (see MM2 p 43). They attack 3 times a round with a flame tongue sword and are immune to attacks from creatures of 4 HD or less.
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Post by venger on Sept 25, 2012 10:15:13 GMT -5
Where is Nordel's hawk? In the room with Nordel? Nordel is currently unable to give it commands, so what does it do? Or can Gareth determine that? The hawk did not enter the dungeon. It is flying around somewhere within a mile of the Tower, hunting and doing hawk-like things. I believe we currently have: Group A (in the passage above): -Dan -Mary (paralyzed) -Haddiq -Gabul -Azhbar Group B (on the roof top below): -Paavo (attacking from the ground) -Bolo (in Cube 1) -Friedrich (in Cube 1) -Trommer (in Cube 1) -Nordel (in Cube 1) -Colby (in Cube 2) Group C (at the camp): -Khaddil -Basmadoos -Youssef -Mamnoon
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Post by Wolfgar on Sept 25, 2012 12:48:09 GMT -5
Next time we should try the golden skullcap. A psionic blast against non-intelligent creatures is pretty much instant death.
Also the wand of flesh to stone should work well given their poor AC and poor saving throws. Do you think only the outer membrane is turned to stone or the whole thing?
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Post by Ginger on Sept 25, 2012 13:12:45 GMT -5
Next time we should try the golden skullcap. A psionic blast against non-intelligent creatures is pretty much instant death. Also the wand of flesh to stone should work well given their poor AC and poor saving throws. Do you think only the outer membrane is turned to stone or the whole thing? I'd be very hesitant of turning a cube to stone on segment 5 when there's a chance it could eat a party member on a prior segment.I guess you'd just be trapped in stone and not turned to stone yourself. I agree that the skullcap is a great idea. Especially because we've ruled that you can use it while paralyzed.
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Post by venger on Sept 25, 2012 13:20:56 GMT -5
RE: the skullcap Let's clarify this thing mechanically-- DMG says:
Psionic strength when using the skullcap is equal to the average of their wisdom & intelligence x 10.
Jellies/oozes, plants/fungus, undead and some other types of creatures without brains are immune to psionic attack.
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Post by Wolfgar on Sept 26, 2012 12:27:51 GMT -5
I don't think Paavo is going to do this but can he stand up while defending? With two attacks a round can he stand with one and attack with the other?
I think his best bet is to stay down and hope to take out the cube with Colby in it at the start of round and then attack the other cube at the end of round. He is more likely to be hit but he will rely on his good saving throws to keep him going.
These cubes have had a lot of hit points for 4 HD. I don't think a single one has been destroyed by a single blow. Usually it has taken 2 or 3 blows. I am guessing they are close to maximal. Probably something to do with the fact that this is their high temple.
Given that the cubes are non-intelligent what is the likelihood that they will attack Trommer as opposed to Paavo? If something is actually directing the cubes and that thing is evil then I would think Paavo would get his +2 for protection from evil.
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Post by venger on Sept 26, 2012 13:12:12 GMT -5
I don't think Paavo is going to do this but can he stand up while defending? With two attacks a round can he stand with one and attack with the other? Standing up doesn't work as part of an attack routine. Defending does. These cubes have had a lot of hit points for 4 HD. I don't think a single one has been destroyed by a single blow. Usually it has taken 2 or 3 blows. I am guessing they are close to maximal. Probably something to do with the fact that this is their high temple. Sometimes non-randomly encountered monsters are assigned max or near-max hit points when I create encounter scenarios in order to challenge characters with super-heroic stat increases every level and weapon specialization. I mean Trommer does 24 damage a round vs. cubes, minimum, assuming he doesn't roll a 1. For roleplaying purposes we can pretend it's their temple. Given that the cubes are non-intelligent what is the likelihood that they will attack Trommer as opposed to Paavo? Not sure that's a precedent the party wants to establish. Paralyzed/unconscious/etc. characters have always had a certain unspoken safety in melee. But maybe if you want, on a d6, 1-5 Paavo, 6 Trommer. If something is actually directing the cubes and that thing is evil then I would think Paavo would get his +2 for protection from evil. I agree. Unfortunately Drolb isn't evil. He's just chaotic-hungry.
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Post by Ginger on Sept 26, 2012 13:51:02 GMT -5
If something is actually directing the cubes and that thing is evil then I would think Paavo would get his +2 for protection from evil. I agree. Unfortunately Drolb isn't evil. He's just chaotic-hungry. Wouldn't this same logic apply to zombies, which are otherwise neutral?
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Post by venger on Sept 26, 2012 14:02:24 GMT -5
Yeah. It's all about context. If you're plundering the necropolis of Khosura and some skeletons animate randomly, they're going to be neutral. If you're attacking the temple of Kali and the clerics are sending zombies at you, they're evil.
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Post by Wolfgar on Sept 26, 2012 20:01:59 GMT -5
Speaking of skeletons. We should bust out the bag of bones. Actually I am not sure if skeletons are immune to paralysis. Some undead are listed as such, some are not.
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Post by venger on Sept 26, 2012 20:20:45 GMT -5
Almost all undead are immune to sleep, charm, hold, mind-affecting magicks, poison/paralysis and cold.
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Post by Ginger on Sept 26, 2012 22:18:51 GMT -5
Speaking of skeletons. We should bust out the bag of bones. Actually I am not sure if skeletons are immune to paralysis. Some undead are listed as such, some are not. That sounds like a great idea, but Colby is currently a gargoyle, thus all of his items are currently unavailable.
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Post by Bolo on Oct 7, 2012 14:25:10 GMT -5
In Group A at the top of the shaft, Gabul keeps an alert watch for more cubes. But for a brief moment, his mind wanders to the purple lotus flower in his backpack.
He recalls reading once that "the juice of the purple lotus which grows in the ghost-haunted swamps of southern Stygia" can be applied to a blade (actually, to a needle concealed in a ring) and "its touch produces temporary paralysis." [/li][li]
[/li][li] Robert Ervin Howard, "The Scarlet Citadel," 1933 (one of the original Conan the Barbarian stories).
Does Gabul have any idea whether the purple lotus he has in his backpack is the same type of purple lotus that grows in the ghost-haunted swamps of southern Stygia?
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Post by venger on Oct 8, 2012 10:46:02 GMT -5
Very nice.
Lotus flower, at least in the form that Gabul receives it, is pressed and dried. There is no "juice," per se. But lotus flower is imported from the south, near Aegypt, in the Land of the Lotus-Eaters/Stygia/Abyssinia, etc.
The party actually witnessed the processing of yellow lotus in the Gardens of Ulshamaran.
And was subjected to the paralyzing effects of purple lotus when the mongrelmen attacked with their darts/blowguns.
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Post by venger on Oct 10, 2012 19:26:39 GMT -5
Feel free to use the messageboard to plan out what you want to do on Sunday. :-/
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Post by Wolfgar on Oct 11, 2012 8:28:30 GMT -5
Not much to plan.
The first thing to do is save the guys in the cubes. Then we need to wait for their paralysis to end while defending from additional attacks. Then we need to press on to the altar room after healing people who need it. The whole place is on high alert so there will be no quick smash and grab. Then we need to figure out how to get out of this place.
After that do we push on to another temple while we have the angel or do we go back to camp and heal up? If we do attack another temple I would suggest Sif Muna or Demogorgon. The magic resistance of the angel will be helpful against the spell casters at Sif Muna. Angels vs. demons is classic.
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Post by Wolfgar on Oct 15, 2012 9:00:49 GMT -5
So Chris knows, we wiped up the demons pretty quickly after you left. Once Paavo and Trommer were able to join forces against the type 5 and type 6 they went down quickly. Then Paavo charged the ettin and took it out with a single blow. Got to love +10 damage against chaotic evil. We didn't get a chance to loot the place or the bodies but any resistance is gone at this point. If we can kill the remaining demons and priest that would be good from Paavo point of view.
Where to next?
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Post by venger on Oct 15, 2012 9:55:34 GMT -5
So Chris knows, we wiped up the demons pretty quickly after you left. Once Paavo and Trommer were able to join forces against the type 5 and type 6 they went down quickly. :'(
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Post by Ginger on Oct 15, 2012 10:10:34 GMT -5
If the angel will stick around with us and still has a good amount of juice left, we could press on. Colby's still got several good spells left and our HP situation seems decent. An ally with 55% magic resistance will be really helpful against Sif Muna's followers.
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Post by Friedrich on Oct 15, 2012 14:25:46 GMT -5
Yeah, we're not in bad shape. MT still has a 3rd level spell left and most of her 1st levels. She's got 15 HP's. Friedrich is good on HP's. But the shield is now used up....which I have begun to realize is not very useful of an item especially when we are fighting enemies that can tela-charge. And the +2 axe (sometimes!).
@ Venger: Didn't you say axes, long swords and broadswords were mainstay weapons in your world? So far we've seen as many Holy Avengers as we have axes that are NOT mundane....namely 1!!!! What about a plain old +1 Ring of Protection? PC love those items! [/end whining]
But, I'm glad to hear that we didn't get killed there. It was looking bad for a second. Unless Friedrich got wailed on after I left, he should still have 55 HP's. Mary has 15/16 plus we should have a bunch of heal spells left. Friedrich did lose his "endure heat". I'm not sure how much of a mechanical significance this has. Is overheating an issue indoors? at night?
Anyways, I had a blast and the Redskins won!
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Post by Mr. Trommer on Oct 15, 2012 14:55:46 GMT -5
Trommer picked up the two Axes of Wounding for Friedrich after killing the demon.
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Post by Wolfgar on Oct 15, 2012 15:29:16 GMT -5
Which are +1 weapons. Friedrich will likely kill anything before it has a chance to bleed significantly. They are nice against creature that polymorph or otherwise regenerate. Friedrich could be using the bardiche if he wants more bonuses to hit and damage.
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Post by Friedrich on Oct 15, 2012 16:13:40 GMT -5
Which are +1 weapons. Friedrich will likely kill anything before it has a chance to bleed significantly. They are nice against creature that polymorph or otherwise regenerate. Friedrich could be using the bardiche if he wants more bonuses to hit and damage. What does the birdache dp? And is Friedrich 2x specialized with it?
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Post by venger on Oct 15, 2012 20:55:21 GMT -5
@ Venger: Didn't you say axes, long swords and broadswords were mainstay weapons in your world? So far we've seen as many Holy Avengers as we have axes that are NOT mundane....namely 1!!!! Friedrich should then cherish his (sometimes) +2 battle axe, as it is very rare indeed. Didn't that throwing axe +2-to-hit get lost through a portal to the desert? What about a plain old +1 Ring of Protection? PC love those items! [/end whining] The party has had multiple rings of protection and bracers of defense. More were available for purchase(!!!) at the bazaar in Barb-el-Shay but nobody wanted to spend the money. Friedrich did lose his "endure heat". I'm not sure how much of a mechanical significance this has. Is overheating an issue indoors? at night? Overheating is the same problem it has been since the party's arrival in the desert, from the hours of noon to sunset. I think we've covered this exhaustively. Does Friedrich's specialization include bardiches? They seem to be related to axes. If not, could he be trained to extend his axe skills to it? The bardiche with its moderate enchantment we have may be a better weapon than the black iron axe. It would have to be used two-handed though. *It's a pole-arm so he can't have double specialization (+3/+3) but I'll let him have regular specialization because the UA says it's a great axe. In addition, I am looking at weapons in UA. Another that stands out to me is a pole-arm called a "man catcher" 3. The text states that this is a pole-arm. You have said Friedrich gets spec bonus when using one. So I take it to mean that I can use this weapon and get the WS bonuses, correct? This is incorrect. I will allow Friedrich single specialization with the BARDICHE, as it is described as a great axe. At no time did I say he was specialized in all pole-arms.
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Post by venger on Oct 15, 2012 20:56:20 GMT -5
see above re: bardiche specialization
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Post by Wolfgar on Oct 15, 2012 21:02:34 GMT -5
Bardiche - two-handed weapon, 2-8/3-12 damage, moderately enchanted (+3?), single-specialization for axe specialist, 2 attacks/round.
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Post by Wolfgar on Oct 15, 2012 21:13:52 GMT -5
If Dariel is willing he could use his teleport without error to take Dan or Paavo with the temple offerings to Antioch. We could use the helm of telepathy to give him a mental image of the place and he could be there and back in a jiff. If nothing else, the beings who are looking for what was taken will be looking far afield while we continue to work on the other temples. He could also stop by Barb-el-Shay and retrieve the armband from the vault.
While Dan is injured by the axe of wounding, Paavo will give him the ioun stone.
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Post by venger on Oct 15, 2012 22:18:16 GMT -5
No, he cannot, as these places are not known to him which is a requirement of Teleport w/o Error.
And the Helm of Telepathy will not cut it for Teleport purposes. Read the description of the item. It can only communicate in language or, failing that, emotion.
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Post by Ginger on Oct 15, 2012 23:13:19 GMT -5
The Bardiche would be a great call for Friedrich, since he could use his black iron axe once per day when fighting magical creatures with the shield brooch, and then use the 2 handed weapon otherwise. We'll have to experiment to determine exactly what "moderately enchanted" means, but it's almost certainly a net improvement.
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Post by Friedrich on Oct 15, 2012 23:39:37 GMT -5
Ok, good point, there was the throwing axe that got lost when Friedrich hit the aberration, which subsequently crit-fumbled itself through the portal...and thus, out of the campaign. Them the breaks yo! And regarding the bardiche, I knew the rules had been posted somewhere but I was lazy and didn't feel like searching for it. HA!
This entire analysis is assuming a situation where the shield brooch is not an option and the bardiche is a +3 weapon:
Non-magic enemies, both med and large: The bardiche, being a +3 weapon; vs non-magical enemies, in spite of the difference between spec (+1, +3) and double spec (+3, +3), is superior to the sword and board style. Two handed fighting is something I will have to calculate later.
Against medium sized magic enemies, it is a little closer call. The ave damage for Friedrich vs a medium magical enemy with the black iron (BI) axe is 1d8(4.5) + 5 (strength) + 2 (BI bonus) + 3 (spec) = 14.5. With the Bardiche it is 2d4 (5) +5(str) +3 (weapon bonus if Josh is right about +3) +3 (single spec bonus..which is the same as double spec) = 16
The issue here is that I am 5% less likely to hit with it. The two point of THACO lost from fighting with a weapon which I am 1X specialized in is partly made up for by the additional 1 point bonus (+3 for Bardiche vs +2 for BI axe). If this was the only consideration, I would say that Friedrich is slightly better off fighting with the Bardiche as the expected increase in damage is just over 10% (10.3448%) which is > the 5% loss in expected damage output penalty incurred due to decreased THACO by roughly 5.345%. But, Friedrich has to give up 1 point of AC which makes him 5% more likely to be hit which needs to be taken into consecration.
Final analysis fighting vs medium sized magic enemies with the bardiche is a 5.345% increase in expected damage output....but an incurred 5% increase in expected damage sustained. So mathematically it seems like the differences between the two are negligible.
Against large creatures the scales are tipped in favor of the bardiche (assuming the shield brooch is not an option and the only shield option is a mundane one) All variables remain the same except for damage dealt vs large: bardiche is 3d12 (7.5) + 11=18.5. BI axe is 1d10 (5.5) + 10 = 15.5 which is roughly a 19.35% increase in expected damage output. Take away the 5% THACO penalty and its still a 14.35% increase. Take into consideration the 5% AC increase for Friedrich (which I'm not exactly certain how I should be mathematically considering this variable but for simplicities sake I will just consider it a 5% decrease in expected damage output!).
Final Analysis fighting vs large magic enemies: Friedrich's expected damage output is better using the birdache is increased by 9.35%!!!
And if you thought I was done...think again:
The marilith dropped those two +1 axes, that could actually be pretty sweet when Friedrich is fighting non-magical enemies (and even magic enemies if one was a hand axe). Especially if he has already used the shield brooch for the day or he doesn't have time to activate it. Fighting with an off-hand weapon is certainly a viable option for him especially when all he is giving up is 1 point of AC with a mundane shield.
Are the axes the marilith dropped hand-axes or battle-axes. The MM states that mariliths use "battle-axes" so I'm guessing that that is what they are. If one of those weapons was a hand axe I will have to do another long winded mathematical analysis tommorow that will probably only be read by Josh and maybe Dan (and maybe Dana..if he reads this).
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