Arabesu's Eyes of the Lich Queen, w/ Boons! - OOC

[Fangor the Fierce]

LOOT!!!

I wouldn't mind one of those amulets of Nat Armor +1. All the other items are too small, or too large... nothing 'just right', lol. Would I be able to wield the small MW composite Longbows? -2 to hit for size difference, right? Still pretty good considering that would grant me a 1d4+2dmg on hits with it. Since we have plenty of arrows now...

 

[Arabesu]

Fangor,

Healing belt operates with a range of touch.

Thus you don't need to take it off and have another put it back on. One issue about the charged items is that they all renew at the same time and renewing charges requires them to be used or worn at the time of recharge (generally this is the case, witchlight reservoir is an exception, but a pretty crummy augment crystal so its no big deal). Thus, having more belts than you have people in the party is wasted, unless you want to spend multiple days recharging. Since you have two right now, this is not a concern, but carrying twenty healing belts around is not a good replacement for having a cleric. Also, don't forget the +2 bonus to heal checks.

Yes, you can use size inappropriate longbows at a penalty. I think you are correct, it is a -2. I will check though.

As to your character's comment in the IC thread regarding Verdin's long term cooperation. I will only have him stick around if you (or someone else) want him for a cohort. Otherwise he will try to leave at the first opportunity. So if you think you want him as cohort, or a hireling, then confirm your intentions here so that we have no misunderstanding.

If you wish to hire him as a guide, using the DMG rules for obtaining hirelings, you will have to make some checks to convince him. Scouting is arguably the most dangerous profession for an NPC in a dungeon so he would probably require some pretty hefty wages to ensure his continued assistance. Your discussion in the IC thread will give you a bonus so keep it up if interested. If you want to commit to taking him as a cohort then no checks are needed; they are implicitly satisfied by the feat.

 

[Arabesu]

Houserule: resizing items through craft...

I generally find the size rules somewhat limiting when it comes to treasure time, but understand the the verisimilitude issue. Here are two house rules to help.

1) resizing armor. Magical (not just masterwork) armor or shields can resize one category to fit specific wearers. Generally most magical armor or shield are manufactured to medium or occasionally small specifications. Most large opponents actually wear medium armor resized to fit them since its much cheaper. Body plan does not adjust so don't expect to wear that horse's barding. I am implementing this mainly so that medium and small pc's can use each other's gear at high levels. Resizing takes 8 hours of putting parts on, letting them adjust, and moving then on to the next component. Armor taken off, doesn't resize immediately but instead requires a command word, i.e. "relax," or after 24 hours time. Armor or shields resized to a size different from their true size seems to be under visible strain indicating that it will resize soon and preventing unscrupulous individuals from trying to dupe merchants by resizing a medium suit to large for the premium price.

2) mundane or magical weapons with similarity (mass shape and general use) to a weapon of different size category can be converted to the other size category with the craft skill. This skill can be thought of as a retrofit of the item for the new user, i.e. lengthening or thickening the handle, tightening the bow string etc. This costs the absolute value of the difference in gold. I will adjudicate if a trained skill check or tools are required, as well as which weapons are easily convertible on a case-by-case basis, so ask if you want to do this. The later is generally obvious though: a small longspear can be converted to a medium spear, a small longbow can be converted to medium short bow, etc.

For example a small sized longsword can be converted to a medium sized short sword with a craft check or checks able to earn 5 gp, with a consumption of 1.66 gp of raw materials. In this case, with a standard DC 15 weaponsmithing requirement, it would take a minimum of about 2 and a half days but faster with a better check result. The conversion for masterwork versions of the above two items is more difficult, requiring a DC 20 check, but as a result may actually be faster for one who knows what they are doing since the difference in price is still only 5 gp.

 

[Fangor the Fierce]

Ah, range of touch, NICE! Didn't know that. In that case, I would gladly use the belt to heal up Rosa as needed. As for the scout, here's what I see as using him might be an option:

Hireling as Mercenary Leader is 6sp per day, for a 2nd level warrior. This is one of the highest on the list, so it should be ok to assume that this entry would work for this guy. Secondly, there is a line that for each level past 2nd that this guy has, you add 3 more sp per day. So, L3 Scout costs 9sp, L4 Scout costs 12sp, L5 costs 15sp.

Since this guy is an option for a cohort, I would have to assume that his level is no higher than L3, as that is the highest level available. Cohorts have to be no higher than 2 levels lower than the character with the Leadership Feat. Or this guy could be L4, and once we get to L6, he stays at L4 as a cohort option.

I don't mind dishing out 9sp for this guy to stick around per day. Hence the reason I kept 100gp in stash, in case we needed some bribery funds and such. Looks like it might turn out well.

I haven't really planned out the future of this guy, in regards to feat advancement, as I like to do that stuff during the game, as the character grows. His actions mold his options on leveling, to me. If he's got a knack for it, he might want to try out the Leadership feat, considering the fact that we just lost two characters from no posting.

Anyone else have any comments on this? I would like to look into having him as a cohort as an option. I will pay him for now, to see how he does. If he lives by the time we get to Level 6, then perhaps he'll earn the chance to get to be a cohort,

 

[Arabesu]

You are pretty confident it will cost more than 9 sp per day unless you do very well on your diplomacy check. Let me look at the table, give it some thought and come back. If you return his gear to him then he might be more amenable to the cost you propose, but that still seems low.

He is level 4 right now, FYI. So if he doesn't advance then he will be level appropriate for a Lvl6 PC's cohort.

Level 6 is the earliest you may take leadership anyway.

Let me put it this way, at your current rate, after resting it will be two, maybe three DAYs in game before you level. :O Unless you do one encounter and rest, one encounter and rest, etc. So at that rate he will only earn 2 gold for helping you clear a dungeon level. You should at least offer him a 1/9 (i.e. a half share) of any treasure if you really want him to stick around.

 

[Fangor the Fierce]

I figured those rates were skewed anyways. I propose more of a rate per job quote. Say, 25gp for helping them complete their mission, with the chance for bonus depending on the outcome/aid offered. So, it would be base 20-25gp that Trent would offer for his services while in this area, and then there would be a chance for greater reward should he prove worthy of it.

Yes, I knew Leadership was Lvl 6 feat, hence the reason I stated it would not be feasible until another level for any of us to have that option. But, I like this concept, of having available npc's as possible cohorts, depending on diplomatic outcomes. Besides, should I take the Leadership feat, then his funds would more than likely be coming out of my share, wouldn't they?

How do you handle cohorts? I have seen it where the DM simply allows the cohort to level up when the 'leader' character levels up, to stay within that 2 level gap at all times. Others stick to the xp guide for cohorts.

How are funds distributed as well? Some DM's make the 'leader' character equip the cohort out of their own funds, while others might allow a percentage of the treasure to go to the cohorts.

Leveling in about 3 days game time is pretty quick, but I am sure that we'll have to earn that increase in level. These encounters have had the possibilities to be pretty hard, but I think we've had some good luck. That might run out with two characters wandering off into the wilderness now and seemingly lost to the jungles. Leadership would help out the group, as I don't intend to be leaving this game at all!

 

[Fangor the Fierce]

Ok, the fees I found were from the DMG and I think there is another rating chart for Eberron. Although, there aren't any associated with simply a scout. I do see that the Dragonmarked (LEAST) can be a hireling, costing 12gp per day. Does this guy qualify for that, hence the higher rate?

 

[renau1g]

Hmmm... Leadership would be great! I just know many DM's avoid it, two PC's can slow things down sometimes, but so far I think things are moving along well enough.

 

[Arabesu]

I did some math.

He has 4 levels in a PC class. Per the epic level rules he would be appropriate as if he were a 7 level NPC classed follower (i.e. a 7th level warrior). He knows he is going into a situation far above his level where each of you face peril, let alone him with his meager 4d8 hit dice, and this "danger pay" imparts a doubling. He also suspects that this will be a short term assignment rather than a long term commission, which should double his fee again. Soooo...

3 sp X 7 X 2 X 2 = 8.4 gp per day. If the mission involves three days then that would be...

Huh.

I guess we come up with the same answer. 25 gp would be a reasonable number to ask him to help you scout the temple. Good guess.

You have to work it out with the rest of the group how you want to do treasure. Also, he would be a pretty crummy cohort if he doesn't get his gear back.

 

[Arabesu]

Leadership can be both a boon and a curse. If you let the player roll up and craft the NPC then it tends to lead to power creap. Almost a doubling of the PC power for only an investment of one feat since the player will over optimize the heck out of the cohort. As a player I have fallen for this tantelizing fruit in our STAP game.

If you instead have the DM craft the cohort, then that puts the responsibility on them to come up with something cool and fun. And that can be almost as much work as a week of posting sometimes. So all of a sudden you have a bunch of stuff to do.

So drawing cohorts from existing cast seems the best option. The player knows more or less what they are getting, and the DM doesn't have to do that much to throw the cohort together. And it makes sense with the story.

Anyway, I think it can be a boon to a PBP game because when a player has time to post he can post both characters' action. I.e. there is actually less of a lag time between posts since the extra character is posted at the same time as the main character.

So there will be a few cases where I encourage you to pick up one or two cohort to pad the group and this is one of them. However, I still want to keep the total number of bodies low. Eight at the most. Right now we would be at 5 plus whatever Shayuri comes up with. So thats cool.