Anything But Normal, Sailing the Endless Falls

[Voidrazor]

Welcome Bront!

 

[Bront]

Well, I guess the decision's already been made, but I'd actually have preferred not to add another character. Nothing against Bront, but I just don't see it as a problem we can't overcome on our own. Between the high-unhittable Nissa, powerful distance attacks, and good scouting and free-action -5 penalties to attacks from Lupaz, not mention excellent roguery and flight from Vaukriel and Tempest, I think we can do just fine without heavy healing. But if you guys want to do it, I guess I'm okay with it.

No Offense taken btw

 

[Kelleris]

Nothing can stand up to healing, though. Not distance attacks, not scouting, not buffs.

As to the chart of stuff--I accidentally said Vaukriel, but I meant Lupaz for Survival. For Disguise Self, I do have that listed for Lupaz in additional notes.

If you say so. My experience as a player and DM has been different, suffice to say. And I wasn't talking about "standing up to" anything in any case, just that having no healing is something that can be worked around satisfactorily.

 

[Kelleris]

No Offense taken btw

Heh, I don't mean to look like I'm trying to keep you out, it's just that my group has a long-standing tradition of having no healer better than a bard (if that) and doing just fine, so I don't see the worry. Granted, it takes a receptive DM (one who will let you rely on other strengths to minimize the damage you take to a level that items can handle), but then, what doesn't?

 

[Bront]

What race is the captain btw?

 

[Kelleris]

A duskling. It's kinda like a feral halfling-type with an affinity for being Totemists. From Magic of Incarnum.

 

[Rystil Arden]

Granted, it takes a receptive DM

Admittedly, it's true that it's possible to get around lack of healing if the GM pulls punches (not using poison, ability damage/drain, disease, etc, and fighting only one or two encounters per day, etc) I do agree with you. However, it's much easier on the GM to just pick things that are fun to do, and with a healer to help the PCs roll with it, balancing becomes an easier task (without a healer, certain monsters have ad-hoc CR changes because balance shifts).

 

[Shayuri]

In Which Shay Responds To Things

Hello all!

Isida - Shiny metal can is in the Rogue's Gallery. Sorry for delay.

Skills - Most of the skills that Trey truly bites at are ones that the Boots of Levitation, Ring of Feather Fall, and rope with grapple can make up for in other ways. As for Swim, he can't drown, so he can just trudge along the bottom. And Survival...well, he won't be starving anytime soon either. Note too that Trey's docent, Watcher, has skills. +2 Spot, +3 Search, +12 Listen. Plus it can use Detect Magic at will and is constantly detecting scry attempts. Not too shabby!

Defense - Yeah...a little slack. Trey's main defense is his list of living construct immunities. He has less than a handful of defensive spells too. Or spells that have defensive aspects (Fire Shield eg). On the average, we're not too bad for 8th level. We'll need to improve things fast though.

Party Roles - This is of concern. We lack a major damage sponge, like a dedicated fighter or barbie or similar. We also lack significant healing. Note that Trebuchet CAN heal himself. He has Repair Moderate Damage as a 3rd level spell, thanks to his Eclectic Learning class ability. He can also use Craft to repair himself mundanely over time. Still, what worries me is how we'll fare against "melee monster" encounters. That's to say, monsters with few to no supernatural powers, but high Str, tons of damage potential, and loads of hit points. The list is large. Grey Rendrs, Athaches, most giants, elementals, golems...etc.

We might consider looking into summoning minions, or using items like Bag of Tricks, or the various Figurines of Power, to provide us with disposable meatshields in emergencies.

New party member - Yay Bront! I say yay.

 

[Kelleris]

Admittedly, it's true that it's possible to get around lack of healing if the GM pulls punches (not using poison, ability damage/drain, disease, etc, and fighting only one or two encounters per day, etc) I do agree with you. However, it's much easier on the GM to just pick things that are fun to do, and with a healer to help the PCs roll with it, balancing becomes an easier task (without a healer, certain monsters have ad-hoc CR changes because balance shifts).

I wasn't talking about pulling punches, merely running the game in such a way that information-gathering and good tactics mean something substantial - they frequently don't although I think they should. And certain monsters have ad-hoc CR changes regardless of the make-up of the party. Certain things are always more or less difficult depending on party make-up. For instance, even with healing a largish construct will be a problem for us because it's resistant to many of our best attacks (drowning, ranged spells, fear effects) whereas a sneaky rogue-type would be in deep trouble against us due to a combination of detection abilities and the ability to really hammer Fortitude and Will saves. Not having any healing doesn't require any more care on the DM's part than these sorts of considerations.

 

[Rystil Arden]

This is of concern. We lack a major damage sponge, like a dedicated fighter or barbie or similar. We also lack significant healing. Note that Trebuchet CAN heal himself. He has Repair Moderate Damage as a 3rd level spell, thanks to his Eclectic Learning class ability. He can also use Craft to repair himself mundanely over time. Still, what worries me is how we'll fare against "melee monster" encounters. That's to say, monsters with few to no supernatural powers, but high Str, tons of damage potential, and loads of hit points. The list is large. Grey Rendrs, Athaches, most giants, elementals, golems...etc.

We might consider looking into summoning minions, or using items like Bag of Tricks, or the various Figurines of Power, to provide us with disposable meatshields in emergencies.

Nissa can summon a water elemental once a day for an hour, but it isn't very strong. Actually, the low-AC high-HP 'meat sponge' is kinda healing intensive. Nissa is a decent tank in the other direction (they are unlikely to hit her if they power attack). Oob has a goodly number of HP and more AC than normal, but yeah, you guys with 20 or 21 AC and like 30-40 HP will go down in one pounce from a Dire Tiger (+20 to hit, 2d4+8/2d4+8/2d6+4/2d4+4/2d4+4).