Sagiro's Story Hour Returns (new thread started on 5/18/08)

[Sagiro]

I think Galfridus is the one with the house rule.

The Target for comprehend languages is "The Character"; Range: Personal. Assuming Dranko cast the spell, there's nothing wrong.

PS: the giants' report was hilarious.

See, that's the same mistake I made. But if you read the text of the spell description (at least, in the SRD), it says you have to touch the creature whose language you're comprehending.

Glad you liked the giants! I love acting out characters like that.

-Sagiro

 

[Geoff Watson]

Sagiro’s Story Hour, Part 185

This allows Morningstar, directly above his head on the wooden rooftop, to fire off a detect thoughts.

Eigomic resists.

Morningstar tries twice more. Eigomic resists again, both times.

Why didn't Eigomic do anything when the spells were cast on him?

Geoff.

 

[Sagiro]

Why didn't Eigomic do anything when the spells were cast on him?

Geoff.

Because he didn't know that they were cast. Because they were silent. Which I guess I should have mentioned.

-Sagiro

 

[shilsen]

Because he didn't know that they were cast. Because they were silent. Which I guess I should have mentioned.

-Sagiro

I think what Geoff Watson may have meant is that a creature saving against a spell (as Eigomic did) would realize that a spell had been attempted against it (PHB pg.150).

 

[Sagiro]

I think what Geoff Watson may have meant is that a creature saving against a spell (as Eigomic did) would realize that a spell had been attempted against it (PHB pg.150).

Huh. My knowledge of the rules has clearly eroded significantly over the years. Didn't even occur to me.

I'm forced to wonder which of these is true:

a) I make significantly more rules gaffes than other story-hour writers
b) other writers get picked on just as much as I do for rules violations, but I haven't noticed
c) I'm blessed with a particularly nitpi...er, discerning audience.

-Sagiro

p.s. If it makes you feel better, had Eigomic realized someone was casting on him, he would have looked around suspiciously, seen nothing, and then more-or-less done exactly what he did anyway. As you'll see when I next post...

p.p.s. ...which I fear to do, wondering what new rules ignorance I'm about to reveal!

 

[Destil]

p.p.s. ...which I fear to do, wondering what new rules ignorance I'm about to reveal!

What, you mean aside from an antimagic field only supressing access to extra/non dimentianl spaces (and thus the tundra eyes wouldn't have had the group tumbling out of their rope tricks)...

I only tease because I'm in general awe of the story, and the true evilness of that random encounter.

And because I wish I had thought of that, too...

 

[el-remmen]

I'm forced to wonder which of these is true:

a) I make significantly more rules gaffes than other story-hour writers
b) other writers get picked on just as much as I do for rules violations, but I haven't noticed
c) I'm blessed with a particularly nitpi...er, discerning audience.

At least they notice yours. . . Mine either go under their radar, or I have established my reputation as a not very rules-oriented DM and they don't bother to mention it. . . because I do make quite a bit of not only rules/spells mistakes, but problems with some internal consistancy. . . but when you do that there fancy writin' like I do it is easier to hide the latter

 

[Sagiro]

I must really be in a slump.

Here I am, in the midst of writing up the last session I ran, which I'm more-or-less transcribing from audio tape. There's (and I'm sure this comes as a shock) a combat with some giants. Thanks to the tape I'm able to go turn by turn through the combat and not miss important stuff.

Hm. That's odd. Why haven't the giants gone yet?

<click> <rewind> <playback>

Ok... Aravis goes... yes, then Step... mm hm... then Ernie... ok, now its should be the giants turn...

[Sagiro listens in horror to the tape]

Surely I missed something.

<click> <rewind> <playback>

[Sagiro buries head in hands]

It's clear what happened. I use index cards to keep track of the initiative order. When a combatant goes, I put their card on the bottom of the pile and read off the new name on top to go next. Works like a charm.

Aravis has readied a fireball for when the giants go.

The index card saying "giant" comes to top. "The giants advance!" I say, putting their card on the bottom.

"Wait!" says Aravis's player. "My readied action goes off."

We spend some time rolling dice, making saving throws, decrementing hit points, etc. I put the Aravis card on the bottom of the pile.

I look down at the card on top. It's Dranko's card, so I instinctively say "Dranko, you're up." Combat continues.

I'm sure you note the omission. If any of my players noticed it, they sure didn't say anything.

And here all this time I thought my campaign's low mortality rate was due to my players being clever, plus all the clerics and the paladin and the wands of cure serious wounds. It turns out, my monsters don't get to go!

Someone should revoke my license or something.

-Sagiro

 

[el-remmen]

Oh, don;t be so hard on yourself, Sagiro, old chum. . .

I'm sure if we had recordings of our games we'd all find gaffs - I occasionally come across them in the round for round notes one of my player's keeps for me for the sake of the story hour (very helpful - thanks helene!).

As for your error - well, that's why I use a dry erase board. . .

 

[StevenAC]

And here all this time I thought my campaign's low mortality rate was due to my players being clever, plus all the clerics and the paladin and the wands of cure serious wounds. It turns out, my monsters don't get to go!

Someone should revoke my license or something.

Heh. I use initiative cards too, and they're helpful but certainly not foolproof, what with my players' propensity for delayed and readied actions galore.

I usually wait until the end of a character's action before I move their card to the back of the pack. If they decide to delay or ready, I take the card out of the pack and put it aside. Then, when they finally act, I just pick up their card and put it back on top.

As for rules violations, don't get me started... My first "buries head in hands" moment happened in the second or third session I ran, in The Sunless Citadel. The party comes across the little white dragon and (as usual) rushes straight into combat. Barely a round later, the thing is neatly subdued and tied up into a neat package ready for transport back to the kobolds. Didn't have the slightest chance to do anything.

As I'm driving home afterwards, I realise things would probably have gone rather differently if I'd remembered that all dragons are immune to sleep...