D&D 5E [OOC] Uller's Out of the Abyss

[Uller]

Hey Uller, can you have Eldeth hold her action to dash with me on my turn?

Ooo. I just noticed this. Oh well. Fog of war, I guess.

 

[Uller]

OOC: [roll0] What a lame crit

I'd like to propose an alternate crit rule for us to use from now on. It results in about the same damage but is more consistent. It was the original crit rule in D&D Next:

Max damage plus one damage die (use the largest die).

So, for example...a paladin with 18 Strength crits with his great axe and uses smite for +2d8. (so damage expression is 1d12+2d8+4).

Crit damage is 12+8+8+4+1d12.

RAW Crit damage average is 36. With this rule it is 36.5. It lacks the potential for massive damage but also lacks the potential for "lame" damage too. It is entirely up to you if you want to use it or not. My table players like it because they usually roll damage separately from their attack so they can just add up their maxed damage dice and roll one more die.

If it is okay with you I'll use the house rule to avoid swinginess in crits.

 

[DMAesh]

For one of my games, I use max damage plus the entire damage roll again. (Chris Perkins uses this rule in the Acquisitions Incorporated game.) Adding, the static bonuses only once. This makes crits much more dangerous, on both sides. It certainly makes it satisfying to roll a crit.

That being said, I am happy with that proposed critical method going forward.

 

[SunGold]

I'm cool with that.

 

[JustinCase]

I don't have a preference and are willing to follow any agreed-upon method for crits.

 

[SunGold]

It is possible to make a shove attack to push a creature from the ledge. Those with a natural climb speed get advantage on the check to avoid falling (not causing it) if they have one hand holding onto the ledge. Anyone that is not attempting to hold on at all has disadvantage to avoid falling.

I'm kind of confused about why the HH Derendil shoved off the ledge didn't have to make this check?

It's what stopped me from trying to shove the HH on the ledge. I thought we had to win the contested shove, and then they also had to fail a DC10 dex check w/advantage. Odds seemed small.

Did I misinterpret this?

Edit: Ohhhh wait. Maybe you meant it gets advantage on the contested check? I was thinking of "the check to avoid falling" as that standard DC10 don't-fall dex check. In that case, still looks like the HH should've had adv versus Derendil, unless it just didn't hang on for some reason.

 

[Uller]

Right. I meant on the contested check. If you shove a hook horror it will have advantage on the contested check because you don't have a climb speed and it does. If you beat it, it falls 10-30' then gets a chance to catch itself. I guess I should have given it adv on the check to catch itself since it has a climb speed.

Derendil is better able to leverage the wall and to shove.

I think you are better off having killed it.

 

[SunGold]

OOC: When he gets to the ledge/outcropping, Ez will stand by Surana, to back her up.

Honestly, I'm much more worried about Orsik & Derendil right now. Even if they make it to the ledge without getting KO'd (looking unlikely for Orsik, who has 8 hp left), I'd much rather keep them safe/healed than her.

Surana's not tied to anyone, but she's also not squeezing, since the ledge is 5'. If she gets KO'd, she'll just fall on the ground. She's the ideal KO.

Derendil will still be squeezing even on the 5' ledge, so if he gets to 0 hp, he's taking our two most important party members over the ledge with him. (I guess they might get that chance at disadv to hold him up.)

And Orsik...he's the only way Surana can see down here. I don't even wanna think about how rough things get if he dies.

In summary, screw Surana. I can only hope she draws enough hits to go down. There are much better companions to be looking out for.

 

[Uller]

Derendil doesn't have to "squeeze" since he has a climb speed, but he does have to hang on no matter what (which is why he is below the level of the trail). He's doing all right...but starting to show some signs of losing it mentally. It will take at least two more good hits to take him down to 0. Orsik has one spell left. He could give him a cure wounds to give him some breathing room. You could get Derendil to back away with a "disengage" action but it might take a persuasion check since he's starting to get angry. Or you could let him take a good swipe at HH3...might help bring it down this round.

 

[DMAesh]

I am assuming it will take an action to make that Persuasion check, yes?