City of the Spider Queen (mini-campaign)

[HolyMan]

Available skill points (class+int+human):

1st level rogue = (8+5+1) * 4 = 56
4 levels of wizard = (2+5+1) *4 = 32
5 levels of US = (6+5+1) = 60

SUM = 148

HM's count says 147. I've summed up the points in the RG, and I get 147, as well. Well, I guess, I've saved one skill point for later. The languages are bonus for high int.

Side note: Aden has the Able Learner feat from RoD. This means you can purchase all skills for one point, even if it is cross-class. It was elemental to the concept of Aden, as otherwise, he would not have been able to increase several rogue skills as wizard. Only humans can take it, and it has to be taken at 1st level -> if that is available as a houserule, I would not need this feat.

Seems I forgot about mutiply ranks times 4 at first lvl and the human bonus. I now have 148 as a total. Always remember math and the HolyMan don't mix.

I am actually glad for the Able Learner it saved on the headache of figuring which skills ranks you used on cross-class skills at which levels.

NOTE: once you all have your SOP for when you find a door, marching order, and watches let me know them and I will post them in the first post of the IC for easier reference. And maybe we won't have to spend a week standing in front of a door wondering who does what.

HM

 

[jkason]

Talhia has Trapfinding as a class feature, but I didn't put any points into her Searching / Disabling with the assumption that our Artificer (now Aden) would be handling that. Possibly not especially well thought-out on my part to put so much into social skills in what looks like it may be more of a dungeon delve, but it works conceptually, so I'll stick with it.

Talhia's also one of the few without any low-light / darkvision capability

When it comes to doors, things to consider as far as she goes:

* If a lock looks particularly nasty to try to pick, she has knock on her spell list.

* As far as charging in, remember, too, that Talhia has a number of illusion spells that might be of use: several invisibility effects and silent, minor, and major image. If we know there's a fairly significant problem on the other side of a door (listen check, or can Fafnir's telepathy detect thoughts through a door?), Talhia can vanish the party and send in one or more distracting illusions that would draw attention while we get through the door and set ourselves up for attack.

* She also has a necklace of fireballs, so we can always lob one of those into the room first, too, before anyone gets in the way.

I guess I don't know how comfortable I am with just saying 'this is what Talhia does at every door,' given that there are a number of viable options, and there are any number of variables that 'coming to a door' can entail. Is it a heavy, ornate door? Are there noises on the other side? What kind?

Assuming that it's an unremarkable door with nothing special for its lock, and scouty types don't detect anything noteworthy on the other side, SOP is that Talhia keeps her crossbow ready and doesn't do much other than wait for the door to open.

If there *is* something noteworthy about a door (we find a trap, the lock is especially difficult and thus suggests something bigger on the other side, there's some kind of noise that makes us think there are enemies there), I'd like the option to have at least a minor consultation. I mean, that's the point of scouting, isn't it? To get advance information and make decisions based on it?

 

[Malachei]

HM, Hope you're feeling better!
(your posting rate suggests)

I did not know Platinus and Slash would be taking four squares, the map was a great help here. That will affect our positioning and the SOP. Nonetheless, no problems if we don't have a map where you don't need one.

--> jkason and Hella-Tellah: Maybe Renard can cast darkvision on Talhia?

[sblock=SOP]
General Movement SOP (draft)

1. The scout (Aden) goes first.
2. Those of the party who are unable to sneak / move silently stay approximately 30 ft. - 60 ft. behind
3. Dargun sneaks along with the Aden. While Aden searches for traps, for instance, Dargun will act as sentry, keeping an eye on the surroundings.
4. We will use no light while scouting and exploring (i.e. normally, we will use light only in combat)
5. The fighers (tanks -- Morrolan, Platinus with Slash) will enter rooms first after the scout has cleared them

[sblock=-> Marching order

10 ft. corridor:

1 1 1 1 1 1 1S1S1P1P1 1 1M1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1A1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1S1S1P1P1R1T1 1 1 1 1 1 1D1 1 1 1

A = Aden
D = Dargun
M = Morrolan
P = Platinus
R = Renard
S = Slash
T = Talhia

Just a quick draft so we can discuss. Maybe we can get this into a better map eventually. In the draft, I have positioned Platinus and Slash in the back, because I thought maybe we should have Renard and Talhia in the middle to have the max. protection. I think both Platinus and Slash move really fast, so they would be able to close more quickly than anyone else, right?
[/sblock]

Combat SOP (draft)

0. If we have surprise, scout will try to get a ranged sneak in before enemies are in melee
1. Front-line fighters will close in or charge enemies (Morrolan, Platinus, Slash) - they will try to bind the enemies, so they cannot attack the spellcasters
2. One of us (who?) will pull out the light item
3. The scout will stay in ranged combat whenever possible
4. Dargun is pretty mobile and can be "sweeper", i.e. close in with enemies who are not tackled by the front-liners
5. Both Talhia and Renard will cast spells and stay out of range


So this is really only a rough draft, and perhaps perrinmiller can go from there and update his version, or we could discuss.
[/sblock]

 

[HolyMan]

Yes I am feeling better (thank you) need to upgrade my status LOL. Just needed a couple days of sleep.

HM

 

[Hella_Tellah]

--> jkason and Hella-Tellah: Maybe Renard can cast darkvision on Talhia?

I was about to suggest that very thing! I'd need to meditate a few minutes to fill my empty spell slot, though, since Renard's definitely taking one casting of Darkvision for himself!

 

[Malachei]

--> HM: Great! Sleep is most often the best remedy.

--> Hella-Tellah: Great! I guess this will be part of the "start-of-the-day SOP" as long as we are in the underdark?

 

[perrinmiller]

For the Actual SOP stuff, opening doors and watching order, I have no problems with it. But so far it didn't mention whether Aden or Dargun want Fafnir on their shoulder or not. His flying is not as stealthy as just sitting there. Also for watch rotations, the biggest consideration is coordinating 8 hours uninterrupted sleep for spell casters. Morrolan needs 8 hours of uninterrupted rest to recover his spells, but only 15 minutes to prepare them.

As for the Combat SOP, throw that out the window. Once initiative starts SOP is not longer applicable. SOP is only for HM to move us along *until* we need to react and make decisions for ourselves.

Instead of a Combat SOP, I suggest everyone should share their standard tactics. And then we each post them in our character posts for others to reference later, rather than try to find them here in the OOC thread. Those will always be subject to change as spells are used, heavy damage is taken, or cool new items are found and able to be used.

Also HM, I have a request. Can you put [IC],

OOC: , and [RG] in the beginning of our thread titles to make them easier for me to find in my Subscriptions list.

 

[Malachei]

Aden will not take Fafnir on his shoulder -- Lai would not appreciate, and cats are not good at sharing (especially not the attention they feel they deserve).


It is fine with me to post individual tactics in the character post, and of course I agree there is no standard combat, but we could still agree on some general tactics we plan to use as a group and then adapt as we go on. For instance, having one person draw out a stone with daylight on it will be an advantage in a combat versus drow -- either they take the disadvantage, or they have to cast darkness or evade the area.

 

[HolyMan]

All SOP's should be made considering optium conditions (full hp, no adverse conditions, etc.) Once you get into the dungeon proper and need a "quick" switch till back at optium I will of course allow that.

This is really so when I say you come to a "T" section in the corridor I don't have to say "Which way do you go?" and wait four days till everyone agrees on a direction I can just post you through that.

So you will need marching order, watches, and which way do you normally turn (LOL). When you come to a door and do the check traps, listen, open locks, open door. That only goes for normal "nothing found" doors. Soon as one thing on the list comes up we will halt for everyone to react. Soon as you come to a room(without a door) or open area, again we pause for everyone to give thoughts on what they want to do.

Combat should be general I agree more of a what I usually like to do, so if it presents itself I will type thing.

Now is everyone OK with the stuff below so far?

[sblock=SOP]
General Movement SOP (draft)

1. The scout (Aden) goes first.
2. Those of the party who are unable to sneak / move silently stay approximately 30 ft. - 60 ft. behind
3. Dargun sneaks along with the Aden. While Aden searches for traps, for instance, Dargun will act as sentry, keeping an eye on the surroundings.
4. We will use no light while scouting and exploring (i.e. normally, we will use light only in combat)
5. The fighers (tanks -- Morrolan, Platinus with Slash) will enter rooms first after the scout has cleared them

[sblock=-> Marching order

10 ft. corridor:

1 1 1 1 1 1 1S1S1P1P1 1 1M1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1A1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1S1S1P1P1R1T1 1 1 1 1 1 1D1 1 1 1

A = Aden
D = Dargun
M = Morrolan
P = Platinus
R = Renard
S = Slash
T = Talhia

Just a quick draft so we can discuss. Maybe we can get this into a better map eventually. In the draft, I have positioned Platinus and Slash in the back, because I thought maybe we should have Renard and Talhia in the middle to have the max. protection. I think both Platinus and Slash move really fast, so they would be able to close more quickly than anyone else, right?
[/sblock]

Combat SOP (draft)

0. If we have surprise, scout will try to get a ranged sneak in before enemies are in melee
1. Front-line fighters will close in or charge enemies (Morrolan, Platinus, Slash) - they will try to bind the enemies, so they cannot attack the spellcasters
2. One of us (who?) will pull out the light item
3. The scout will stay in ranged combat whenever possible
4. Dargun is pretty mobile and can be "sweeper", i.e. close in with enemies who are not tackled by the front-liners
5. Both Talhia and Renard will cast spells and stay out of range.
[/sblock]

HM

 

[HolyMan]

Also HM, I have a request. Can you put [IC],

OOC: , and [RG] in the beginning of our thread titles to make them easier for me to find in my Subscriptions list.

OOC: You don't have an IC, OOC, and RG folders in your subscription area? HM