4e / GSL Running player commentary on PCat's 4E Campaign - Page 20

**Rel** · 8th March 2009, 01:28 AM

How many sessions is this? I'm curious about the rate of advancement.

I'm opting for about 3 sessions per level.

**Piratecat** · 8th March 2009, 01:49 AM

This was session #10. That puts advancement at every five runs, something I'm comfortable with. It means we'll rise 5 levels a year, and the campaign will be over in six years.

Perfect!

Alomir · 8th March 2009, 04:29 AM

Ah, I hadn't thought it through that way. Well, from the perspective of one of your players, that sounds just about perfect.

**Rel** · 8th March 2009, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piratecat

This was session #10. That puts advancement at every five runs, something I'm comfortable with. It means we'll rise 5 levels a year, and the campaign will be over in six years.

Perfect!

I absolutely adore the fact that this is a "pretty brief campaign" for you guys.

Blackjack · 8th March 2009, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sagiro

Logan and Caldwell are both amateur alchemists, eager to brew up some trouble.

Excuse me. I didn't spend five years at university learning the arts of medicine to be called "amateur".

-Dr. Caldwell

The party's got pretty good niche protection when it comes to Alchemy; Logan, who has experience in an alchemist's shop and the Thievery skill, is eager to make things that go flash and boom. Dr. Caldwell, a physician with the Nature skill, wants to make healing poultices, clearsense powder, and the like. So stat-wise, they both have the Alchemy feat, but in-game, they're not making the same stuff, just sharing the laboratory equipment.

(Caldwell's also going to be taking Brew Potion as soon as he can, both to help cover the party's lack of cleric, and because it makes character sense.)

Mustrum_Ridcully · 8th March 2009, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mephistopheles

Get yourself preserved as a head in a jar and game on.

Exactly. Show some determination and respect for your fellow players!

Aravis · 9th March 2009, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piratecat

This was session #10. That puts advancement at every five runs, something I'm comfortable with. It means we'll rise 5 levels a year, and the campaign will be over in six years.

Perfect!

Hey, don't just end it when we hit 30th level...give us a few runs to have fun with the level...

- Aravis

Aravis · 9th March 2009, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sagiro

You misspelled "entirely."

According to the DMG, a party that has just hit 3rd level should have 1,760 GP worth of monetary treasure. And the lizardmen stole HALF OF IT. So, yeah, we feel a bit poor at the moment.

I like to view that as a minimum recommendation. As for Maximum...the sky's the limit.

- Aravis

TarionzCousin · 10th March 2009, 03:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sagiro

The lizards’ ability to attack at range from the middle of a swift river made it impossible to flank them. I can see going forward that nested snipers are going to be one of the toughest kinds of fight for our 40%-rogue party.

Don't let the DM know this or he'll use it against you.

... um, what?

KidCthulhu · 12th March 2009, 06:37 PM

Did we leave out one of the big RP highlights of the game? What about Doc attempting to convince Stron that it is female? What about Stron's venture into the world of stand-up comedy.

[I've been gradually "rediscovering" Stron's sense of humor, which is dry to say the least. Stron was working on smiling, and I had fun getting feedback from my colleagues about how to do it right. "More teeth! No, wait, less teeth than that!"

theskyfullofdust · 19th March 2009, 06:47 PM

This deserves a bump. When can we expect the next update? I find this thread very interesting.

**Piratecat** · 19th March 2009, 08:12 PM

We play tonight! So, probably tomorrow. The Grey Guard are headed out into the swamp, hopefully to harry the lizardfolk from their rear flank as they advance to attack. And I can't say anything else without spoilers for my players.

Upon reflection, having a reward come in the form of alchemy supplies/formulae is something I'm really happy about. Here's what I sent my players (only, you know, with proper tabs):

Spoiler:

In case anyone's curious, they're copying the formulae and making:
- one each of alchemists acid, frost, and fire (60g)
- one each of antivenom, clearwater solution, clearsense powder, and herbal poultice (90g)
- a second copy of two of the healing ones (40-50g)

I'm interested to see how this affects combat. Ahem. Not that there'll be any combat tonight. Ahem.

**Piratecat** · 20th March 2009, 05:40 AM

A quick note on tonight's game, before Sagiro writes it up:

I figured, "hey, they're four 3rd level adventurers. I'll sic another four 3rd lvl adventurers on them and see who wins!" So I ignored the rules and made four enemy NPCs using the glorious ddi Character Builder's "quick character." (I should have used the flash monster builder on the ddi site, but it's buggy as anything and would have taken about twenty times as long.)

I learned that this "full character sheet for NPCs" is an option, but it's definitely slower for me to run than a streamlined NPC or monster would have been. If I were to do that again, I'd adjust the enemy hit points to be what they should have been for a monster of that level. I'd also narrow down their abilities greatly to make on-the-fly combat easier.

But hey, I got to play a druid, beast ranger, warden and sorcerer -- and a pack of stirges. I feel fulfilled.

Mathew_Freeman · 20th March 2009, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piratecat

But hey, I got to play a druid, beast ranger, warden and sorcerer -- and a pack of stirges. I feel fulfilled.

I was looking at the Sorcerer preview again yesterday, and ye gods does that thing do a lot of damage. How did it turn out in play?

Aravis · 20th March 2009, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mathew_Freeman

I was looking at the Sorcerer preview again yesterday, and ye gods does that thing do a lot of damage. How did it turn out in play?

Um, er, you said it best. Ye Gods, did that thing do a lot of damage.

Of course, a concerted attack from two rogues pretty much shut it off almost as quickly as it had begun. Seems, it can't really take any where near as much damage as it can dole out.

--Aravis

**Rel** · 20th March 2009, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aravis

Um, er, you said it best. Ye Gods, did that thing do a lot of damage.

Of course, a concerted attack from two rogues pretty much shut it off almost as quickly as it had begun. Seems, it can't really take any where near as much damage as it can dole out.

--Aravis

They should fire their defender. But I have a feeling you guys may have helped them out in that department.

Harlekin · 20th March 2009, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piratecat

(I should have used the flash monster builder on the ddi site, but it's buggy as anything and would have taken about twenty times as long.)

May I suggest Asmor's Monster Maker?
Monster Maker - Asmor.com

It is a lot nicer than the Wotc App, works offline and is actually supported. Plus you can save your creations and go back and edit them.

Aravis · 20th March 2009, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rel

They should fire their defender. But I have a feeling you guys may have helped them out in that department.

Yeah, he went down mere moments before the Sorcerer. Besides, I am unconvinced that there really is much a Defender can do if two rogues decide to take down one of his group.

-- Aravis