D&D 5E [OOC] Uller's Out of the Abyss
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Uller
Adventurer
[MENTION=6776182]JustinCase[/MENTION] [MENTION=6801331]DMAesh[/MENTION] [MENTION=6801671]itcomeswithamap[/MENTION]
Some house keeping:
1) I don't think we can count on Ranger20 coming back anytime soon. I'm keeping him apprised of what is happening but he is really busy and I don't see it letting up for him any time in the next couple of months. So until hockey season is over in mid-March I just don't see him having the time to dedicate to any D&D other than our table game that is once or twice a month.
That said, I think we have to decide do we want to recruit a new player (and maybe encourage that player to play a full caster of some sort) or the other option is you can pick one or two NPCs that are "active" that I control (or you control) and utilize them and swap them out XCOM style when it makes sense. The other NPCs are just hovering in the background until needed. You can utilize Orsik, Klep, Bertram or any of the NPCs from the book in this way.
It's you're choice and I have no preference...another player or two will slow the game down a bit, but would be far more interesting than having a DM controlled NPC or player cohort. My style is that DMPCs/cohorts are always weaker than PCs to avoid them stealing the spot light and they serve more to fill in with roles the PCs can't and to provide info/guidance.
2) Speaking of pace, is the current pace good for everyone? I think I can maintain it...posting every day or every other day. I'm having a blast with it.
3) Leveling and XP: Two options. Normally I'd love to play this adventure with straight XP earned for monsters defeated, obstacles overcome and occasional story awards. But I think that would be VERY SLOW considering we've been at this since October and it's now the end of January (granted we took about about a two month hiatus) and we're just getting toward the end of chapter 1. So the other option is to just use milestone leveling and keep the story advancing. Personally, I prefer the latter and play it out as more of a survey of the adventure...we can handwave the parts that are a bit monotonous. But I don't really care. It's your game too so tell me what you prefer.
Some house keeping:
1) I don't think we can count on Ranger20 coming back anytime soon. I'm keeping him apprised of what is happening but he is really busy and I don't see it letting up for him any time in the next couple of months. So until hockey season is over in mid-March I just don't see him having the time to dedicate to any D&D other than our table game that is once or twice a month.
That said, I think we have to decide do we want to recruit a new player (and maybe encourage that player to play a full caster of some sort) or the other option is you can pick one or two NPCs that are "active" that I control (or you control) and utilize them and swap them out XCOM style when it makes sense. The other NPCs are just hovering in the background until needed. You can utilize Orsik, Klep, Bertram or any of the NPCs from the book in this way.
It's you're choice and I have no preference...another player or two will slow the game down a bit, but would be far more interesting than having a DM controlled NPC or player cohort. My style is that DMPCs/cohorts are always weaker than PCs to avoid them stealing the spot light and they serve more to fill in with roles the PCs can't and to provide info/guidance.
2) Speaking of pace, is the current pace good for everyone? I think I can maintain it...posting every day or every other day. I'm having a blast with it.
3) Leveling and XP: Two options. Normally I'd love to play this adventure with straight XP earned for monsters defeated, obstacles overcome and occasional story awards. But I think that would be VERY SLOW considering we've been at this since October and it's now the end of January (granted we took about about a two month hiatus) and we're just getting toward the end of chapter 1. So the other option is to just use milestone leveling and keep the story advancing. Personally, I prefer the latter and play it out as more of a survey of the adventure...we can handwave the parts that are a bit monotonous. But I don't really care. It's your game too so tell me what you prefer.
Uller
Adventurer
You probably could stand on the bridge between area 10 and 6-8 and reach with a bucket or something. That's how water is usually gathered for the outpost. You could also probably fill up waterskins and the like from the pool at the bottom and it would probably be just as drinkable as whatever is coming out of the waterfall (but again...you never know what is lurking in pools...). The water in the guard tower is a bit on the stale side but it's what the guards and slaves have been drinking since you arrived.
The feeling I'm trying to give you regarding the entire area is the state of disrepair it is in. The reliance on sub-par slave labor to do most of the work means barely adequate food and water and maintenance that leaves everything barely serviceable at best. The most valued slaves (ones that are more skilled and/or more docile) are quickly shipped off to the great houses.
SunGold
First Post
RE: Housekeeping
1 & 2: I lean slightly toward not recruiting a new player, because I feel like the game is just finding its feet. The group is gelling, we're working together, we're finding our pace...things just seems to be "working." I like this group; I like this pace. Sort of don't want to mess with it. But like I said, it's only a slight preference - if you guys want someone new, I'm hardly going to get bent out of shape about it.
3. You're the boss, boss. Milestone leveling is fine with me.
1 & 2: I lean slightly toward not recruiting a new player, because I feel like the game is just finding its feet. The group is gelling, we're working together, we're finding our pace...things just seems to be "working." I like this group; I like this pace. Sort of don't want to mess with it. But like I said, it's only a slight preference - if you guys want someone new, I'm hardly going to get bent out of shape about it.
3. You're the boss, boss. Milestone leveling is fine with me.
Re: Housekeeping
I agree with @itcomeswithamap in that I like how we are now, and we can hold off (EDIT: I probably meant hold out) until Ranger20 can come back. I am also fine with the pacing. We can do some RP for the NPCs too, to ease the pressure off of you, once we get a feel for them.
I also feel that for this game, and PbP in general, milestone levelling is probably better. As you will know generally how challenging it is, you can pick good times to level up.
I agree with @itcomeswithamap in that I like how we are now, and we can hold off (EDIT: I probably meant hold out) until Ranger20 can come back. I am also fine with the pacing. We can do some RP for the NPCs too, to ease the pressure off of you, once we get a feel for them.
I also feel that for this game, and PbP in general, milestone levelling is probably better. As you will know generally how challenging it is, you can pick good times to level up.
Uller
Adventurer
Okay, then I think we have at least a quorum. So unless JustinCase has a very strong and persuasive differing opinion we'll stick with the three of you as players and level up with milestones.
We'll keep things as they are for now but once out of Velkenvelve we'll decide on what NPCs to treat as cohorts and who controls/manages them. Certainly if you escape with spell foci the bard and cleric become much more useful to you so that makes for a nice incentive/reward.
Keeping the group the way it is also leaves open the possibility of one of the original players returning, too.
We'll keep things as they are for now but once out of Velkenvelve we'll decide on what NPCs to treat as cohorts and who controls/manages them. Certainly if you escape with spell foci the bard and cleric become much more useful to you so that makes for a nice incentive/reward.
Keeping the group the way it is also leaves open the possibility of one of the original players returning, too.
JustinCase
the magical equivalent to the number zero
Actually, my opinion is the same. I like this group and pace, and a new player might slow things down for a while. And this adventure has plenty of colourful NPCs to play around with.
As for XP, I don't have a particular opinion one way or another. The DM using milestones is easier on the players, since they don't need to keep track. But like I said, I'm fine with either option.
As for XP, I don't have a particular opinion one way or another. The DM using milestones is easier on the players, since they don't need to keep track. But like I said, I'm fine with either option.
Uller
Adventurer
Then press on as is we shall. It's kind of why I decided to start off with so many players...experience with PbeMail wargames and such told me about 1/2 to 2/3s would drop out. I agree we have a good group. I'd love to see one or two of the original players return and that door is open to them. I did tell Marcelus14 of Evendur's glorious end(?)...he was pleased.
Uller
Adventurer
A reminder on the surprise rules from the beginning of the game:
Surprise: In general only one side ever has any surprised characters. It will work slightly differently depending on if it is monsters or PCs. Like I said, I don't like the surprise mechanic. So I am changing it just a bit as outlined here.
A surprised character has the "surprised" condition at the start of the first round of combat.
- Attacks against the character have advantage
- The character makes dex saves with disadvantage
- The character cannot take reactions
- At the beginning of the character's group's turn it takes any start of turn effects, then it is moved into the last group in the round and it is no longer 'surprised'. So if it's a PC in the first group it will now just be moved to the last group. If it's a monster, it will be moved to after the last group of PCs (and usually either all the monsters will be surprised or none but sometimes maybe we'll have two groups of monsters).
Read more: http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?469475-OOC-Uller-s-Out-of-the-Abyss#ixzz3ykIzsfdD
So both Ezraen and Evendur are surprised. Ezraen beat the spider in init so he avoids having it's attacks on him be at advantage but will still go after the spider.
cliff hanger!!!! ;-)
Surprise: In general only one side ever has any surprised characters. It will work slightly differently depending on if it is monsters or PCs. Like I said, I don't like the surprise mechanic. So I am changing it just a bit as outlined here.
A surprised character has the "surprised" condition at the start of the first round of combat.
- Attacks against the character have advantage
- The character makes dex saves with disadvantage
- The character cannot take reactions
- At the beginning of the character's group's turn it takes any start of turn effects, then it is moved into the last group in the round and it is no longer 'surprised'. So if it's a PC in the first group it will now just be moved to the last group. If it's a monster, it will be moved to after the last group of PCs (and usually either all the monsters will be surprised or none but sometimes maybe we'll have two groups of monsters).
Read more: http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?469475-OOC-Uller-s-Out-of-the-Abyss#ixzz3ykIzsfdD
So both Ezraen and Evendur are surprised. Ezraen beat the spider in init so he avoids having it's attacks on him be at advantage but will still go after the spider.
cliff hanger!!!! ;-)
Uller
Adventurer
Moved rules explanation to OOC thread. NP questioning a ruling...in this format it might be harder to adjudicate rules because my brain comes in and out of the context of the game each round...at a table game, it stays in the context of the game much longer and makes it easier to keep track of everything.
It's dark, about as dark as a starlit night in the wilderness or maybe a little darker. The only sources of light in here is the lingering faerie fire effects and phosphorescent fungi in the cavern outside the tower that is filtering in through the arrow slits in the floor below...so very little light is making it up here. A full moon is about the dimmest light that would be considered "dim". So creatures with darkvision can see eachother but get disadvantage on perception checks because they are lightly obscured (and yes, the spider has darkvision and blindsight). Creatures without darkvision would be effectively blind in this room.
[MENTION=6801671]itcomeswithamap[/MENTION], Surana is up and can go whenever you want. We kind of have two fights going, I'll try to keep the rounds in sync until you are out of initiative.
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