Dungeonaday campaign/freeform combat playtest [PFRPG][OOC]

[HolyMan]

Ok first playtest question: How important is it to know where your character is postioned?

I mean in the regular play it is everything but to what we what to try how important?

We just entered a large room and my first thought was for us to mark where are characters are, like make a grid for the map. But to do it that way takes away from are free-form style so my next question is.. Do we go old school here? The DM asking each of us in turn-What does your character do? We post all actions we wish to take and the Dm decides how it flows from there?

Hate to slow down the fun trust me I want to stick something lol

HM

 

[Walking Dad]

I vote for posting something vague (like 'near the entrance') and let the DM do the rest.

 

[HolyMan]

I vote with WD and if I'm not on as i am going to work soon Yuin will be near the south end of the pool.

HM

 

[Rhun]

Agree...something free form, and let the DM decide exact placements. You know, like "Anundr walks about the perimeter of the room, his torch held high, examining the walls." Then Mal can decide exactly where he is when and if anything happens.

 

[Malvoisin]

Agree...something free form, and let the DM decide exact placements. You know, like "Anundr walks about the perimeter of the room, his torch held high, examining the walls." Then Mal can decide exactly where he is when and if anything happens.

Right, exactly like this. If we don't want to worry about precise positioning for combats, we certainly don't want to mess with such when out of combat.

If something unexpected should occur, I'll determine as fairly as possible which PCs would be affected. Of course, the more detail you guys put in your posts, the easier that will make that for me.

 

[jkason]

Right, exactly like this. If we don't want to worry about precise positioning for combats, we certainly don't want to mess with such when out of combat.

If something unexpected should occur, I'll determine as fairly as possible which PCs would be affected. Of course, the more detail you guys put in your posts, the easier that will make that for me.

You know, this might point to a new wrinkle we should consider, especially since we have a rogue checking for traps. If there's no exact positioning, does time / rolling for trapfinding checks change in any significant way?

jason

 

[Malvoisin]

You know, this might point to a new wrinkle we should consider, especially since we have a rogue checking for traps. If there's no exact positioning, does time / rolling for trapfinding checks change in any significant way?

jason

I think I will go ahead and assume that you are always 'Taking 10' on Perception checks as you move around (assuming you're in exploration mode, and not run for your lives mode.) Having said that, you should still call for Perception rolls on a regular basis, because this dungeon has lots of hidden things that are well worth finding. Taking 10 won't always cut it, especially at low levels where your Perception mods are pretty low. You guys will miss a lot of fun stuff if you don't make Perception checks.

That said, you can always Take 20 as well, but I reserve the right to make torches burn out, check your food and water status, and especially consult the wandering monster table if I think you're abusing that.

 

[Rhun]

I think I will go ahead and assume that you are always 'Taking 10' on Perception checks as you move around (assuming you're in exploration mode, and not run for your lives mode.) Having said that, you should still call for Perception rolls on a regular basis, because this dungeon has lots of hidden things that are well worth finding. Taking 10 won't always cut it, especially at low levels where your Perception mods are pretty low. You guys will miss a lot of fun stuff if you don't make Perception checks.

I actually like this idea a lot! I may adapt it into my own games.

That said, you can always Take 20 as well, but I reserve the right to make torches burn out, check your food and water status, and especially consult the wandering monster table if I think you're abusing that.

This is cool too, though I believe Zooey's everburning torch puts a bit of a damper on things. I'm all for having torches burn out and have to use food and such. Great ideas, Mal, especially for lower level adventurers.

 

[Malvoisin]

This is cool too, though I believe Zooey's everburning torch puts a bit of a damper on things. I'm all for having torches burn out and have to use food and such. Great ideas, Mal, especially for lower level adventurers.

Okay, so maybe not the torch thing, but you get the idea.

It's just a bit of a pet peeve of mine when players creep along and take 20 on Search checks (Perception checks now) every...five...feet. There's a time and place for it, but it shouldn't be standard operating procedure, in my view.

 

[Guest 11456]

Ok first playtest question: How important is it to know where your character is postioned?

I mean in the regular play it is everything but to what we what to try how important?

We just entered a large room and my first thought was for us to mark where are characters are, like make a grid for the map. But to do it that way takes away from are free-form style so my next question is.. Do we go old school here? The DM asking each of us in turn-What does your character do? We post all actions we wish to take and the Dm decides how it flows from there?

Hate to slow down the fun trust me I want to stick something lol

HM

This brings up something that I was already wondering about. Since we aren't worried about exact position like in the old 1st edition days, do we need a map? When I played 1st edition back in the day, everything was explained to us by the DM including what would be the map. "...opening the door reveals a 40' by 30' room. You see two other doors in the room. The first appears to be a stout wooden door at the mid point of the oposite wall. The other gleams in your lantern light. It appears to be made of a shinny metal. It is on the left wall close to the corner near the back. In the middle of the floor lies a stone coffin about 6' by 2' with odd frescos carved into the sides..." If we as players wanted a map we had to draw it ourselves.