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"Aura Party" in Play
- Thread starter Patlin
- Start date
Patlin
Explorer
Last night was our second game in the aura party campaign, a month later. (We're supposed to meet every week, but life happens.) We remained 6th level throughout the night, though we accumulated enough xp that we'll be 7th next session.
The first battle was a serious test of our abilities, as it hit us in an area that we really don't have covered: Incorporeal Monsters. Without anyone to sling magic missiles at them, we found ourselves subject to the 50% miss chance. My Druid wanted no part of them, as they had a wisdom damage ability and I figured he ought to preserve a high enough wisdom to memorize and cast Lesser Restoration after the battle. He was momentarilly unsure what to do, admittedly because after a month I was feeling a bit vague on how to play the character. I then figured it out: summon somethng! I ran off a bit away from the battle intending to spontaneously cast a summon natures ally spell. Unfortunately, when I was ready to begin casting and went to decide what to summon, I reached the conclusion that nothing on the SNA I through III lists has the slightest chance of effecting an incorporeal creature. Correct me if I'm wrong on this, please, but I concluded that nothing on those lists met the requirements for even a 50% chance to effect incorporeal.
I wasn't the only one who was rusty after a month, either. Someone pointed out to the warblade during the third encounter of the evening that she hadn't used a single maneuver thus far. Oops!
By the end of the night, we were playing better... and the incorporeal monsters were the only ones against whom we felt completely incompetent. We lost the duskblade in heavy combat at one point, but we were able to retrieve her with the McGuffin of Reincarnation the DM had provided us with (the major purpose of which, I believe, is to maintain a consistent part for RP purposes.) Improved Trip proved usefull for my shapeshifter once more, especially when we encountered a cleric who had been working with the numerous undead. He held back away from the front line, and I used my great maneuverability to intercept him one on one. Rather than trying to fight, he tried to get away (apparently to fight alongside the next group of undead.) This was a mistake, as I used the AOO he provoked to trip him, and I managed to keep him on the ground until I managed to rip out his throat with a critical hit. I felt very wolf like: cutting out a weak member of the prey, isolating it, and ripping its throat out! I'm highly satisfied with how the druid shifter variant works at 6th level.
The Dragon Shaman seemed to be playing well, also. The breath weapon seems like a fun and usefull ability, and most of the time anyone near the DS got a +2 damage bonus.
The Divine Mind seemed chronically short on power points, but the auras were constantly usefull. I've found out that the DM player and the DM had conspired before the campaign started and created some house rule feats for the Divine Mind to address what they perceive as weaknesses in the class. (You all told me so, but would I listen?) The only downside of this is that you should probably consider this campaign invalid for measuring the utility of that class.
The Warblade was usefull but boring without remembering to use maneuvers, but naturally was a lot more fun once she started actually using her abilities. Note that another full night of gamin passed in which she had Moment of Perfect Mind (the concentration check instead of will save maneuver, if I have the name wrong) ready the whole time and didn't get hit with anything requiring a will save. Likewise, Iron Heart surge proved useless for simple lack of a qualifying effect for her to counter. He strike ability and the White Raven change your buddies initiative ability remained quite nice when she began using them though. The stances she did use all night. Mostly she had up the bonus damage on charge one, though we found a lot fewer opportunities to charge due to rough terrain and getting in each others way.
I don't have anything specific to say about the duskblade. She used several spells and was always in the thick of combat, but didn't do anything that specifically caught my attention other than dying.
Hopefully episode 3 will be a week away, rather than a month, and we can see what happens as everyone tries out their level 7 abilities.
The first battle was a serious test of our abilities, as it hit us in an area that we really don't have covered: Incorporeal Monsters. Without anyone to sling magic missiles at them, we found ourselves subject to the 50% miss chance. My Druid wanted no part of them, as they had a wisdom damage ability and I figured he ought to preserve a high enough wisdom to memorize and cast Lesser Restoration after the battle. He was momentarilly unsure what to do, admittedly because after a month I was feeling a bit vague on how to play the character. I then figured it out: summon somethng! I ran off a bit away from the battle intending to spontaneously cast a summon natures ally spell. Unfortunately, when I was ready to begin casting and went to decide what to summon, I reached the conclusion that nothing on the SNA I through III lists has the slightest chance of effecting an incorporeal creature. Correct me if I'm wrong on this, please, but I concluded that nothing on those lists met the requirements for even a 50% chance to effect incorporeal.
I wasn't the only one who was rusty after a month, either. Someone pointed out to the warblade during the third encounter of the evening that she hadn't used a single maneuver thus far. Oops!
By the end of the night, we were playing better... and the incorporeal monsters were the only ones against whom we felt completely incompetent. We lost the duskblade in heavy combat at one point, but we were able to retrieve her with the McGuffin of Reincarnation the DM had provided us with (the major purpose of which, I believe, is to maintain a consistent part for RP purposes.) Improved Trip proved usefull for my shapeshifter once more, especially when we encountered a cleric who had been working with the numerous undead. He held back away from the front line, and I used my great maneuverability to intercept him one on one. Rather than trying to fight, he tried to get away (apparently to fight alongside the next group of undead.) This was a mistake, as I used the AOO he provoked to trip him, and I managed to keep him on the ground until I managed to rip out his throat with a critical hit. I felt very wolf like: cutting out a weak member of the prey, isolating it, and ripping its throat out! I'm highly satisfied with how the druid shifter variant works at 6th level.
The Dragon Shaman seemed to be playing well, also. The breath weapon seems like a fun and usefull ability, and most of the time anyone near the DS got a +2 damage bonus.
The Divine Mind seemed chronically short on power points, but the auras were constantly usefull. I've found out that the DM player and the DM had conspired before the campaign started and created some house rule feats for the Divine Mind to address what they perceive as weaknesses in the class. (You all told me so, but would I listen?) The only downside of this is that you should probably consider this campaign invalid for measuring the utility of that class.
The Warblade was usefull but boring without remembering to use maneuvers, but naturally was a lot more fun once she started actually using her abilities. Note that another full night of gamin passed in which she had Moment of Perfect Mind (the concentration check instead of will save maneuver, if I have the name wrong) ready the whole time and didn't get hit with anything requiring a will save. Likewise, Iron Heart surge proved useless for simple lack of a qualifying effect for her to counter. He strike ability and the White Raven change your buddies initiative ability remained quite nice when she began using them though. The stances she did use all night. Mostly she had up the bonus damage on charge one, though we found a lot fewer opportunities to charge due to rough terrain and getting in each others way.
I don't have anything specific to say about the duskblade. She used several spells and was always in the thick of combat, but didn't do anything that specifically caught my attention other than dying.
Hopefully episode 3 will be a week away, rather than a month, and we can see what happens as everyone tries out their level 7 abilities.
blargney the second
blargney the minute's son
What did they do to the Divine Mind? One of our players just started playing one as well.
-blarg
-blarg
Erywin
First Post
Sounds like you are enjoying your druid I was wondering how your party dealt with all the bonuses from auras and such? Do you all constantly give each other reminders of what bonuses you are providing the party? I ask because in the campaign I am running, the players get all bogged down with the different bonuses and who is giving what to which person.
Cheers,
E
I was wondering how your party dealt with all the bonuses from auras and such? Do you all constantly give each other reminders of what bonuses you are providing the party? I ask because in the campaign I am running, the players get all bogged down with the different bonuses and who is giving what to which person.Cheers,
E
just a thought: poker chips.
maybe have a different color chip for each person, and they can toss them out to other players to make it easy to count bonuses to various rolls? i'd have everyone make a stack of chips for attack rolls, another for damage rolls, and one more for AC.
maybe have a different color chip for each person, and they can toss them out to other players to make it easy to count bonuses to various rolls? i'd have everyone make a stack of chips for attack rolls, another for damage rolls, and one more for AC.
Patlin said:
I strongly suspect you're aware of this, but the alternate class feature requires a swift action to shift, not a free action.
That being said, thanks for sharing your experiences here. I'm personally in the middle of a gestalt campaign with a DragonShaman/Sorc, Crusader/Ranger, Druid/Warlock combo and they're synergizing really well. Healing is always available, it seems. Between the Warlock's invocations, the DragonShaman's auras, and the Crusader's stance/strikes, it's very much a rub-my-back-I'll-rub-yours configuration.
In another campaign that I'm running right now, we've got a Swordsage/Fighter with the Island of Blades stance who is really helping out the Rogue/Duskblade and the Ninja/Cleric. Yes. Ninja/Cleric.
Patlin
Explorer
Anguish said:
Yes, I misspoke. I've been doing it correctly in actual play.
As to keeping track of stuff, we usually manage it by saying things like "So that's +2 attack and +4 damage from the auras, right?" By thinking out loud, we cross check each other.
As to the house rule on the divine mind, it turns out that the player and DM agreed that the mantle based auras were generally weaker than the default auras, and created a feat allowing the divine mind to keep up a mantle aura in addition to any other auras he might have. This allows the Divine Mind to give us all a little DR (from the guardian mantle IIRC) in addition to the bonuses he would otherwise provide. Before anyone else says so, let me admit this is a killer no brainer feat and clearly not balanced re: other feats. Since I'm the druid player not the divine mind player or the DM, I wasn't aware of the change during the first session, and only copped to it when I asked the other player "So how are you managing to do this?" They had mentioned they had gotten together and fiddled with a few things, but I guess I just wasn't paying that much attention.
To be clear, I have no objection to the use of house rules, and I am not saying this is in any way unfair. My sole reservation is based on the fact that I started this thread to discuss the balance and play aspects of this sort of party arrangement, and to the extent that the house rules make the discussion less applicable to RAW I see that as unfortunate. Of course, we have other house rules too, such as non random hit points, a somewhat expanded range of unconciousness before death, no more than one prestige class per character, and probably others I'm so used to I'm not even thinking of them... but I suspect my group is hardly unique in this respect. I suppose the old phrase "your mileage may vary" applies.
Wik
First Post
I like the idea of an all-aura group. It's a fun one.
\
In fact, themed parties is always a great idea. And mechanical themes can always be fun. I want to get a "unlimited powers" group going, where everyone in the group has abilities that have no limits on uses per day. So, a Dragon Shaman, Bo9S characters, Rogues, and the like... but sorry about the thread highjack.
We had a dragon shaman in our STAP game, and he was a cornerstone in our party. As for the rest of your group... haven't had any experience with 'em. Kind of glad to see that the druid with the shapeshifting variant is still fun and playable in game.
\
In fact, themed parties is always a great idea. And mechanical themes can always be fun. I want to get a "unlimited powers" group going, where everyone in the group has abilities that have no limits on uses per day. So, a Dragon Shaman, Bo9S characters, Rogues, and the like... but sorry about the thread highjack.
We had a dragon shaman in our STAP game, and he was a cornerstone in our party. As for the rest of your group... haven't had any experience with 'em. Kind of glad to see that the druid with the shapeshifting variant is still fun and playable in game.
Erywin
First Post
/threadjack
This is my plan for the next campaign I run Might have an open spot for ya. Have yet to find a good healer class to add to the mix. There was a thread about this a few weeks back, great list of classes to use, tho I would modify it a bit.
/threadjack
Back to your regularly scheduled discussions.
Cheers,
E
Wik said:
This is my plan for the next campaign I run
Might have an open spot for ya. Have yet to find a good healer class to add to the mix. There was a thread about this a few weeks back, great list of classes to use, tho I would modify it a bit./threadjack
Back to your regularly scheduled discussions.
Cheers,
E
Erywin said:This is my plan for the next campaign I run
Cleric. There's a Reserve Feat in Complete Champion that basically lets you do low-grade healing up to 50% for free. Not terribly unlike the Dragon Shaman vigor aura. Not perfect, but about as close as you're going to get.
