Uller
Adventurer
IC: http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?469472-IC-Uller-s-Out-of-the-Abyss
New Rogues' Gallery: http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?470797-RG-Uller-s-Out-of-the-Abyss-Character-Tracking
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...6cEYIZL1FRIf7acpQQH6KA6Xn4/edit?usp=drive_web
About the Campaign
This will be my attempt at a PbP play through of OotA. Put as much or as little RP into your posts as you like. My style at the table is more of a narration style...I say what happens and what the NPCs say, I don't speak in character much and leave much of the detail to the players' own imaginations. But (as you can see) I'm a bit verbose when typing so I suspect I'll get more into storyteller mode.
This is my first attempt at PbP. I will endeavor to post regularly but sometimes life will prevent me from posting. Please be patient. If you have suggestions or constructive criticisms, feel free to PM me or bring them up in the OOC thread.
Starting players:
We will begin with 8 players which is all the ones that have expressed interest (yes...I'm a softy). I expect people will drop over time. As they do, we won't replace them. They'll just drop...So here are the players I have seen expressed interest. Sorry...no more until we drop below 4. Then maybe we'll add some (or not...who knows). With such a large group we may have to institute a combat alternative init system to allow the game to move at a reasonable pace. So see below.
Here are the initial players. I'll PM you later to make sure you see the game...
DMAesh
JustinCase
itcomeswithamap
Herobizkit
Zansy
Marcelus14
Ranger20
With so many players, I will not be tracking much about the PCs other than current conditions, hp and HD.
Rules:
We will use the 5e rules, RAW/RAI as best I can do. When in doubt I tend towards what seems most fun to the group. I am the sort of DM that looks for ways to make sure the PCs are getting ample chances to use the abilities. House rules will be introduced over time.
If a rule is ambiguous (I'm lookng at you, stealth!) we'll establish how we play it then, see how it goes and adjust as we see what works and what doesn't in this format. Rest assured, I am not a "DM-may-I" sort. It is always my goal to find ways for PCs to do the kewl things they were built to do.
The only major departure from the rules at the start will be the way initiative works to a) facilitate moving the game along and b) I really don't like 5e's surprise mechanic. 5e combat's are so short (and I'll be making them shorter by making small changes to the monsters) that the potential to go twice before your opponent goes at all is just too powerful (and you will be surprised sometimes...I don't want to see a PC die before he or she gets a chance to react!). More on that below. Other house rules may be introduced later as we find things that just don't work in this format...
Setting/Races/Classes:
We'll be keeping this set in Forgotten Realms. I am by no means a FR expert (or fan for that matter). So don't expect me to know much beyond what's in the adventure. My son and I have a couple of FR and Neverwinter source books but I doubt I'll be cracking them much except maybe for an occasional narrative interlude.
All PHB Races and Classes are in play. I don't see any need to restrict things. Multiclassing is in play but no more than two or three classes, please.
Part of the fun of the early portion of the campaign is the wonder and horror that is the underdark. So it it were me, I'd play a character that is as totally alien to the underdark as possible. But that's me. Do what's fun for you.
Character Builds and Variants:
Variant Humans and Feats are in play. If you are interested in any other variants, just ask. Probably yes. Use a 27 point-buy. 1st level PCs. I expect there to be a lot of PC turn over. Feel free to create a 2nd or 3rd PC to have waiting in the background in case...how shall I put this...something unfortunate happens to the first. I am far from a killer DM. In fact, I think the only PC death I've seen in 5e (including the playtest) so far was one that I played (one of the pregens in LMoP). However, I don't pull punches. I try to play the monsters and NPCs realistically. I make all rolls publicly unless there is some need to conceal it and I don't fudge.
You may use the optional background information in appendix A if you have access to the adventure (or you can download it...I just tried and couldn't for some reason. I'll check again and edit this post if I can find a working link).
Fair Warning on the Campaign Start and Character Backstories:
I assume you heard by now, but just in case: your PC will begin the game as a prisoner of the drow, either to be used as a slave or to be killed. How you came to be captured and why you are still alive is up to you. A backstory of 250 words (and no more than 500 or so) will earn you inspiration to begin the game.
When you post your character to the Rogue's Gallery, roll a d6 with your post.
XP, Milestones and Character Death:
These WotC adventure paths seem to work much better with milestone so I think that is what we'll use. If a PC dies we'll have ways of introducing new ones in short order (especially in the first half of the campaign). New PCs will begin with standard wealth/equipment and 2 levels below the highest level PC in the party and will level up faster than the others until level parity is achieved. We'll cross the TPK bridge if we come to it. Hopefully we won't.
Battle Grid vs Theater of the Mind:
I plan on running this theater of the mind most of the time. But we'll see as we progress.
Posting Etiquette:
As I said, I'm new to PbP but I used to play a lot of PbeM wargames and the number one reason the games fail is people stop taking their turns. I will endeavor to post daily, 48 to 72 hours at most. If your character is not going to do anything, please respond and say so so we don't keep waiting. If you don't post a reply within 72 hours, we'll assume you do nothing or I'll decide what you do if we're in a situation where your companions are relying on you. If we go 2 weeks without hearing from you you will be dropped.
Stuff happens. If you need to take a break for life, just say so. We'll either take a break too or just have your character fade in the background.
If you are a PbP veteran and have any advice for the group or for keeping things moving, please feel free to share.
Combat, Initiative and Surprise:
At the beginning of combat everyone rolls initiative (when I call for it). For the monsters I will average their rolls so they will all go at the same time. This way each round can be broken down into:
1: PCs that go before the monsters
2: The monsters
3: PCs that haven't gone yet.
It doesn't matter what order members within each group act. At the beginning of each group's turn any reactions that were triggered by the last group can be used and then any start of turn effects take place, then that group gets to act. Feel free to use the OOC thread to coordinate what you do on your turns.
Surprise: In general only one side ever has any surprised characters. It will work slightly differently depending on if it is monsters or PCs. Like I said, I don't like the surprise mechanic. So I am changing it just a bit as outlined here.
A surprised character has the "surprised" condition at the start of the first round of combat.
- Attacks against the character have advantage
- The character makes dex saves with disadvantage
- The character cannot take reactions
- At the beginning of the character's group's turn it takes any start of turn effects, then it is moved into the last group in the round and it is no longer 'surprised'. So if it's a PC in the first group it will now just be moved to the last group. If it's a monster, it will be moved to after the last group of PCs (and usually either all the monsters will be surprised or none but sometimes maybe we'll have two groups of monsters).
So...a sample combat round with some monsters surprised:
The PCs spot an Ogre and 3 orcs and attempt an ambush and succeed. PCs 1,2 and 3 all beat the monsters' init. PCs 4 and 5 don't.
-PCs 1, 2 and 3 all get to act. They get to attack with advantage, the orcs and ogres make dex saves with disadvantage.
-On the monster's turn, any start of turn effects take effect, then the monsters are moved to the end of the round and can now take reactions.
-PCs 4 and 5 now get to act.
-Now the monsters can take any reactions triggered by PCs 4 and 5, any new start of turn effects take place on the monsters and now the monsters can act.
From that point on, all the PCs go then all the monsters (in this case. If some monsters were not surprised, it may get split up a bit). Most of all we all have to be patient. Things might change as people use reactions to negate damage and such)
Also, there may be times where I decide one side is more ready for combat than the other but not enough to warrant full blown surprise. In those cases, I'll give one side or the other advantage (or just specific characters).
That should be more than enough to get us started. Let me know in the next 2 or 3 days if you are in or not by replying to this thread. If you are, PM me your first cut of your PC. Hopefully we can get started with initial posts soon.
New Rogues' Gallery: http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?470797-RG-Uller-s-Out-of-the-Abyss-Character-Tracking
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...6cEYIZL1FRIf7acpQQH6KA6Xn4/edit?usp=drive_web
About the Campaign
This will be my attempt at a PbP play through of OotA. Put as much or as little RP into your posts as you like. My style at the table is more of a narration style...I say what happens and what the NPCs say, I don't speak in character much and leave much of the detail to the players' own imaginations. But (as you can see) I'm a bit verbose when typing so I suspect I'll get more into storyteller mode.
This is my first attempt at PbP. I will endeavor to post regularly but sometimes life will prevent me from posting. Please be patient. If you have suggestions or constructive criticisms, feel free to PM me or bring them up in the OOC thread.
Starting players:
We will begin with 8 players which is all the ones that have expressed interest (yes...I'm a softy). I expect people will drop over time. As they do, we won't replace them. They'll just drop...So here are the players I have seen expressed interest. Sorry...no more until we drop below 4. Then maybe we'll add some (or not...who knows). With such a large group we may have to institute a combat alternative init system to allow the game to move at a reasonable pace. So see below.
Here are the initial players. I'll PM you later to make sure you see the game...
DMAesh
JustinCase
itcomeswithamap
Herobizkit
Zansy
Marcelus14
Ranger20
With so many players, I will not be tracking much about the PCs other than current conditions, hp and HD.
Rules:
We will use the 5e rules, RAW/RAI as best I can do. When in doubt I tend towards what seems most fun to the group. I am the sort of DM that looks for ways to make sure the PCs are getting ample chances to use the abilities. House rules will be introduced over time.
If a rule is ambiguous (I'm lookng at you, stealth!) we'll establish how we play it then, see how it goes and adjust as we see what works and what doesn't in this format. Rest assured, I am not a "DM-may-I" sort. It is always my goal to find ways for PCs to do the kewl things they were built to do.
The only major departure from the rules at the start will be the way initiative works to a) facilitate moving the game along and b) I really don't like 5e's surprise mechanic. 5e combat's are so short (and I'll be making them shorter by making small changes to the monsters) that the potential to go twice before your opponent goes at all is just too powerful (and you will be surprised sometimes...I don't want to see a PC die before he or she gets a chance to react!). More on that below. Other house rules may be introduced later as we find things that just don't work in this format...
Setting/Races/Classes:
We'll be keeping this set in Forgotten Realms. I am by no means a FR expert (or fan for that matter). So don't expect me to know much beyond what's in the adventure. My son and I have a couple of FR and Neverwinter source books but I doubt I'll be cracking them much except maybe for an occasional narrative interlude.
All PHB Races and Classes are in play. I don't see any need to restrict things. Multiclassing is in play but no more than two or three classes, please.
Part of the fun of the early portion of the campaign is the wonder and horror that is the underdark. So it it were me, I'd play a character that is as totally alien to the underdark as possible. But that's me. Do what's fun for you.
Character Builds and Variants:
Variant Humans and Feats are in play. If you are interested in any other variants, just ask. Probably yes. Use a 27 point-buy. 1st level PCs. I expect there to be a lot of PC turn over. Feel free to create a 2nd or 3rd PC to have waiting in the background in case...how shall I put this...something unfortunate happens to the first. I am far from a killer DM. In fact, I think the only PC death I've seen in 5e (including the playtest) so far was one that I played (one of the pregens in LMoP). However, I don't pull punches. I try to play the monsters and NPCs realistically. I make all rolls publicly unless there is some need to conceal it and I don't fudge.
You may use the optional background information in appendix A if you have access to the adventure (or you can download it...I just tried and couldn't for some reason. I'll check again and edit this post if I can find a working link).
Fair Warning on the Campaign Start and Character Backstories:
I assume you heard by now, but just in case: your PC will begin the game as a prisoner of the drow, either to be used as a slave or to be killed. How you came to be captured and why you are still alive is up to you. A backstory of 250 words (and no more than 500 or so) will earn you inspiration to begin the game.
When you post your character to the Rogue's Gallery, roll a d6 with your post.
XP, Milestones and Character Death:
These WotC adventure paths seem to work much better with milestone so I think that is what we'll use. If a PC dies we'll have ways of introducing new ones in short order (especially in the first half of the campaign). New PCs will begin with standard wealth/equipment and 2 levels below the highest level PC in the party and will level up faster than the others until level parity is achieved. We'll cross the TPK bridge if we come to it. Hopefully we won't.
Battle Grid vs Theater of the Mind:
I plan on running this theater of the mind most of the time. But we'll see as we progress.
Posting Etiquette:
As I said, I'm new to PbP but I used to play a lot of PbeM wargames and the number one reason the games fail is people stop taking their turns. I will endeavor to post daily, 48 to 72 hours at most. If your character is not going to do anything, please respond and say so so we don't keep waiting. If you don't post a reply within 72 hours, we'll assume you do nothing or I'll decide what you do if we're in a situation where your companions are relying on you. If we go 2 weeks without hearing from you you will be dropped.
Stuff happens. If you need to take a break for life, just say so. We'll either take a break too or just have your character fade in the background.
If you are a PbP veteran and have any advice for the group or for keeping things moving, please feel free to share.
Combat, Initiative and Surprise:
At the beginning of combat everyone rolls initiative (when I call for it). For the monsters I will average their rolls so they will all go at the same time. This way each round can be broken down into:
1: PCs that go before the monsters
2: The monsters
3: PCs that haven't gone yet.
It doesn't matter what order members within each group act. At the beginning of each group's turn any reactions that were triggered by the last group can be used and then any start of turn effects take place, then that group gets to act. Feel free to use the OOC thread to coordinate what you do on your turns.
Surprise: In general only one side ever has any surprised characters. It will work slightly differently depending on if it is monsters or PCs. Like I said, I don't like the surprise mechanic. So I am changing it just a bit as outlined here.
A surprised character has the "surprised" condition at the start of the first round of combat.
- Attacks against the character have advantage
- The character makes dex saves with disadvantage
- The character cannot take reactions
- At the beginning of the character's group's turn it takes any start of turn effects, then it is moved into the last group in the round and it is no longer 'surprised'. So if it's a PC in the first group it will now just be moved to the last group. If it's a monster, it will be moved to after the last group of PCs (and usually either all the monsters will be surprised or none but sometimes maybe we'll have two groups of monsters).
So...a sample combat round with some monsters surprised:
The PCs spot an Ogre and 3 orcs and attempt an ambush and succeed. PCs 1,2 and 3 all beat the monsters' init. PCs 4 and 5 don't.
-PCs 1, 2 and 3 all get to act. They get to attack with advantage, the orcs and ogres make dex saves with disadvantage.
-On the monster's turn, any start of turn effects take effect, then the monsters are moved to the end of the round and can now take reactions.
-PCs 4 and 5 now get to act.
-Now the monsters can take any reactions triggered by PCs 4 and 5, any new start of turn effects take place on the monsters and now the monsters can act.
From that point on, all the PCs go then all the monsters (in this case. If some monsters were not surprised, it may get split up a bit). Most of all we all have to be patient. Things might change as people use reactions to negate damage and such)
Also, there may be times where I decide one side is more ready for combat than the other but not enough to warrant full blown surprise. In those cases, I'll give one side or the other advantage (or just specific characters).
That should be more than enough to get us started. Let me know in the next 2 or 3 days if you are in or not by replying to this thread. If you are, PM me your first cut of your PC. Hopefully we can get started with initial posts soon.
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