JollyDoc's Shackled City: FINAL POST [Updated 11/2!!]

[R-Hero]

Ike likes what he see's so far..

It is worth probably worth noting that Grimm's real power is not in sheer damage-dealing capability, however, but in his ability to control a battlefield with reach, AOO's, trips, disarms, and (JD's Bane) Stand Still.

This is a nuance of fighting that Ganguokia/Ike hasn't seen before. The character developement will steer toward learning a more scientific approch to battle from Grimm. Ike's fighting style is opponents pound each other untill one falls.

Having said all that, Fred's new Goliath character (when given the chance) is the one that can deal WITHERING amounts of damage,

Minimum damage from Ike's Greathammer is 18 (3d6+15), max single blow is 33
Throw in a spongy organ system or brittle skull=x4 critical, (unless opponent is in Fortification enchanted armor,BLAST YOU JD) the result is anywere from 54 to 132 hps. Multiply that by three succesfull attacks 162-396 hps.

Ike is learning from Grimm about how to otimize Power Attack (Max P.A.+Max Crit x 3 Attacks =474 hps) for even more hit point loss and Damage reduction to make even invincible out-worlders bleed.

 

[war wizard]

Like Ike, I like it too,

Excellent post JD, I would stilll like to hear Rich’s take on the “kinda sorta update” I’m sure he’ll get to it eventually. It just seems like a good story-telling nugget. Hate to see it go to waste.

As to Coach Grimm’s take on the home team, yes we are very balanced force. Two tanks, (Grimm & Ike)
Two arcane spell casters, (Dalthon and Houshang) Two divine spell casters (Rusty and Gunther) and the two wild cards. Kiko and Tilly. (The Stun and stab twins). I’ll also throw a mention of Kiko’s fast movement. That Ricky has utilized quite effectively in times past. We’ve worked well and gotten through quite a bit, but I think the main battle to prevent Caldron from becoming demondand central, is going to push us to the limit.

Let’s hope the armor, artillery, ground support and airborne have enough gas to see through to the final conflict.

 

[monboesen]

I did not really realize you are that many players. How does the DM accomodate the module for this group that is exactly twice the "core" size.

 

[Neverwinter Knight]

I did not really realize you are that many players. How does the DM accomodate the module for this group that is exactly twice the "core" size.

Well, they still die more or less frequently. Also: Ice Devil!

'nuff said.

 

[war wizard]

X2 party size

Not every player is present every week, and to give credit where credit is due. The good Doc is an excellent DM, the only thing that bog's down the gaming activity is the occasional debate over a nuance of a rule interpretation, movement, AOO cause or susceptible. Sometimes it can be referenced quickly and a decision made. Other times it seems to dwindle to the downright nit-picky :\

But even then that seems to have melded into the experience of playing with this group. I am very glad that I've been fortunate enough to find a group of like minded players and a quality DM.

I’d also like to thank Mrs. Jollydoc for the hospitality, because if there is one power that will overrule the DM , it is the DM’s spouse.

 

[Hammerhead]

Rule -1: The GM's spouse is always right.

 

[Joachim]

Not every player is present every week, and to give credit where credit is due. The good Doc is an excellent DM, the only thing that bog's down the gaming activity is the occasional debate over a nuance of a rule interpretation, movement, AOO cause or susceptible. Sometimes it can be referenced quickly and a decision made. Other times it seems to dwindle to the downright nit-picky :\

I admit that our discussions on the rules commonly become the proverbial immovable object vs. the unstoppable force, but we rarely have a conflict that lasts more than a few of minutes or so before we put it to a quick vote and move on. Getting nit-picky is in my detail-oriented, engineering nature, much like it is with JD.

 

[war wizard]

I admit that our discussions on the rules commonly become the proverbial immovable object vs. the unstoppable force, but we rarely have a conflict that lasts more than a few of minutes or so before we put it to a quick vote and move on. Getting nit-picky is in my detail-oriented, engineering nature, much like it is with JD.

True the debate on rules rarely takes up more time than say, the discussion of Alabama /Auburn's performance in the last football game, or the question of who showed up at Ultimate, or the impromptu renditions of pop songs from the 80's...

Besides that a methodical detail-oriented mind set is a definite plus in an engineer or a physician.

My previous post was just an observation; no judgement or criticism was intend or implied. Just the way things work with JD at the helm. And again things work quite well in my opinion.

I'm sure things will be subtly different if/when the eberron campaign starts,
And everyone’s favorite engineer is the DM.

Add a player - remove a player and the gaming session is changed, switch DM's and a bigger change is noticed. But I think that is one of the strengths of the concept of RPG's.

 

[Joachim]

Add a player - remove a player and the gaming session is changed, switch DM's and a bigger change is noticed. But I think that is one of the strengths of the concept of RPG's.

To be honest, the biggest change will really not be with the DM (I think that largely Joe and I run similar-style games), but with the change in the player list. Joe and I play differently as characters, possibly very differently, but we are equally as brutal/merciful on players.

My problem with DM'ing is that I get an adventure started, but because it is a 'secondary' campaign it often falls to the wayside when we get back to JD's 'primary' campaign. C'est la vi.

I am looking forward to running the Eberron campaign, but when we start I would like for everyone to sit together and work on 'party construction' rather than 'character construction'. This is one of the reasons that I went through so many characters at the beginning of this current campaign because I was trying to find the PC-type that would complete the group's skill-set. And thus, Grimm was born from the husks of Ajax, Gardrid, and Salazar.

 

[JollyDoc]

Hi gang! Sorry to be out of touch for a few days, but I was visiting lovely Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Had a great time, but I must say I've never seen such a wide variety of mullets gathered in one place.

Anyway, I appreciate War Wizard's, aka Eddie's, commentary on our game. The addition of him, his brother Fred (aka Kylon/Ike) and Ricky (aka Kiko) have greatly enriched our game.
As far as party size goes, it is a challenge, but I have found, and I think my players will agree, that the adventures, played "as is" would routinely TPK a standard 4 character party of appropriate level. Five, or maybe six can survive successfully usually. For seven or eight, I have used the "Scaling the Adventure" ideas to up the challenge a bit.

It is my intention to have a new post up by this weekend, so bear with me.