Against the Giants 5e PBP (Full)

[VLAD the Destroyer]

Quinn AC17* HP 62/62 HD 9/9 PP19 SSdc18 4/4 3/3 3/3 3/3 1/1 WS 2/2 GB 4/4 CO 4/4 ET 1/1 DS 1/1 H 1/1 MS 1/1 Ba 1/1

WS = Wild Shape
GB = Guiding Bolt
CO = Cosmic Omen
ET = Eerie Token
DS = Disguise Self
H = Hex
MS = Misty Step
Ba = Bane

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Doc AC14 HP 84/84 HD 9/9 PP20 SSdc16 +Spells: 2/2 *Wails: 4/4 +Curse: 1/1 *Past Life:4/4 +Whispers:1/1
+=Short Rest
*=Long Rest

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Hey @FitzTheRuke,

I'm having fun doing some theory crafting for my mind controller.

Am I wrong that with calm emotions (with heightened + silvery barbs to ensure it sticks, if necessary), combined with skill expert (Charisma, with expertise in persuasion) and the help of magical guidance (1 sorcery point to reroll skill check), a character would be able to change a hostile creature's attitude to friendly fairly easily? Note that normally, one can't do this without long social interactions (unlikely during a fight), but calm emotions opens the door to it.

Calm emotions has never been on my radar, but it looks like a fun spell!
Cheers,

SG

My only issue with this is, ask yourself:

Is it going to be fun for the other players? (This sounds like you might be able to derail the entire adventure using it - maybe. Is it going to make everyone else (in particular players that made characters that want to bash giant heads) stand around while you end combats peacefully? (I mean, I love RPing monsters and writing dialogue, so it'll probably be okay for me). OR... is it going to make you a fun and useful part of the group?

 

[Kobold Stew]

Edit: Also, Healing Word counts as a healer in my book! The most useful use of healing is to wake the dying, after all. Song of rest is useful too. Point is, a Bard and a Druid can, in a pinch, replace a Cleric (while doing their own thing too).

...and some clerics have no interest in healing.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

...and some clerics have no interest in healing.

ya gotta think that a Warpriest of Gruumsh has better things to do than heal the .... weak.

@FitzTheRuke Question for you- how do you handle Hex? Given that a few of us have it (me, Vlad, maybe others?) I want to make sure I'm in-line with the table understanding. Is it assumed to be the "cast when you get up, and 'always on' until concentration break or spell runs out" version, or it the "cast in combat and must have new combat target and therefore ends at end of combat" version? Or something in-between?

I know that there are strong pro- and con- arguments regarding the spell, and I don't care how we are understanding it- just want to make sure I use it correctly if/when I use it.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Notes on Style:

Hey, I want you all to know, (in case you find it intimidating) that just because I'm writing in third-person past-tense, doesn't mean that I expect you to do it too. By all means, if you enjoy it (like I do), please do! But just know that there's no expectation of such. The only reason I am writing that way (as opposed to, say, second person present ("You see a giant...") that is the standard for D&D, is because I find it easier to write that way in PBP.

You'll find I have three "voices" in my posts. My Narrator (discussed above); My DM (the voice of authority you will find in GM-boxes) and the "real me" (which you will find in OOC boxes, or here, speaking to you directly of the mechanical or fiddly bits of the game).

I'd like it if in the Story Thread you use OOC boxes when you're discussing the fiddly bits, too. But do whatever you find the most fun/easy for your own narration. If you like to write like I do, go ahead, but if you prefer first-person ("I check under the rug!") like "normal" D&D... go ahead. That's fine.

Also... your posts don't have to be long winded. If you don't have time (or desire!) to write something big, a quick note will let me know that you're still playing, and I will move things along. It's all voluntary.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

ya gotta think that a Warpriest of Gruumsh has better things to do than heal the .... weak.

@FitzTheRuke Question for you- how do you handle Hex? Given that a few of us have it (me, Vlad, maybe others?) I want to make sure I'm in-line with the table understanding. Is it assumed to be the "cast when you get up, and 'always on' until concentration break or spell runs out" version, or it the "cast in combat and must have new combat target and therefore ends at end of combat" version? Or something in-between?

I know that there are strong pro- and con- arguments regarding the spell, and I don't care how we are understanding it- just want to make sure I use it correctly if/when I use it.

I'd say cast it in combat, because it would be terribly rude to Hex an innocent target first thing in the morning (what did that field mouse do to you that you'd want to 'curse' it?) but you can concentrate on it past the end of combat up to your duration.

 

[VLAD the Destroyer]

I'd say cast it in combat, because it would be terribly rude to Hex an innocent target first thing in the morning (what did that field mouse do to you that you'd want to 'curse' it?) but you can concentrate on it past the end of combat up to your duration.

So you're saying I can't carry around a box full of small fluffy bunnies I hex each morning and then ritually sacrifice so I can have the spell up and ready to go. You are no fun.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

So you're saying I can't carry around a box full of small fluffy bunnies I hex each morning and then ritually sacrifice so I can have the spell up and ready to go. You are no fun.

Well, you can, you just have to be aware of what it says about your character!

Aside: As a storyteller, my biggest issue with optimizers that take a one-level dip in Warlock is how many of them give no thought at all to the fact that their character "sold their soul" for that one-level worth of power. (Or at least it seems like they give no thought at all to it). Cheap souls, we D&D players have, when it's convenient for us.

 

[Maxperson]

I'd say cast it in combat, because it would be terribly rude to Hex an innocent target first thing in the morning (what did that field mouse do to you that you'd want to 'curse' it?) but you can concentrate on it past the end of combat up to your duration.

I'm pretty sure that the lion that ate my favorite valet for breakfast this morning had a thorn in its paw when I went to sleep.