Good points all. I wasn't saying we should ACTUALLY have a surprise round every combat. Just geeky bit of game rules pondering.
Scales of War #1 Rescue at Rivenroar (Full)
- Thread starter Goonalan
- Start date
Good points all. I wasn't saying we should ACTUALLY have a surprise round every combat. Just geeky bit of game rules pondering.
I'm not suggesting for a moment we start every combat with a surprise round- far from it, I will generally draw a line in the sand and state- you move to here, you spot X; X seems not to have spotted you... Movement to this point is safe, movement beyond requires a stealth check.
There are occassions, for instance in this encounter when I made it clear (or as clear as I'm going to make it) that the creature had in all likelihood spotted you...
Quotes-
Velani hacks her way in to the chamber... the creature in the corner, she can just see it, doesn't stir- yet...
Kyalia unleashes two arrows into the mass of webs high in the corner... alas only one strikes its target, scoring no more than a glancing blow, the bulbous spider-thing stirs- but only for a second, and then resumes its lurking squat.
and prior to that-
Kali and then Kyalia creep a little forward- the spider-like creature remains attached to the wall in the thick of the webs, in the north-west corner, Kyalia notes its location.
There's a clicking noise within the chamber... then silence, eerie...
I'm trying to describe what's happening of course... but I'm also trying to give clues, things are not as they seem- the creature is making a decision not to attack- it sees you, takes an arrow shot, and still waits...
I agree with all that you have said, although-
So, if you use surprise round mechanics, the melee characters who go first can only move, and then the other side gets to charge them.
Seems to make my job more difficult- this has perhaps been the only 'ambush' style predators you have encountered, that's the thing they do- I should play them that way. If the melee character gets a high init and decides to get half way to their target then... that's there look-out. I don't mean this in a nasty way but- so be it. That's how an ambush works, their are of course alternatives for you guys.
Back up... and fetch out missile weapons.
Don't back up and fetch out missile weapons anyway (or have the Mage fire Magic Missile after Magic Missile at the thing until it either goes away or comes to you), and don't start the Init clock running until you're ready- everyone gets to throw or fire- draw weapon/implement and go bonkers next round, and the bad guys don't even get their action triggered- unless they can charge or...
The point being the mechanics of the game are not unknowable (to all), we've got to fathom out a way of interpreting them that works situation by situation- they're knowable but elastic afterall.
Just out of interest how would you have played this one... with what you know so far, how would you make the PCs think we've got the drop but... that's not the case. How do you use Ambush style creatures- particularly if some or all of them start unseen?
Do you just roll init and see how it falls- no surprise, genuinely interested and want to learn.
Cheers PDR
tiornys
Explorer
Good deal, although I wasn't precisely against the idea. More like I was analyzing the consequences of such a house-rule and thinking "out loud", listing things off as I came up with them.
I don't have a ready answer to this, which is part of why I said I was ok with surprise round mechanics here. By "ambush style", I'm not sure if you mean any creatures that are trying to get the drop on us, or if you mean a specific tactic of exposing one creature to draw out attackers while others lie hidden and wait for an opportune moment to come in.
For the former, I think straight mechanics work fine: the monsters start stealthed. One of four scenarios occurs. If the PC's detect the monsters without being detected or the monsters detect the PC's without being detected, then that side has an opportunity to move into place/wait for the other side to move into place, then launch an attack with full surprise. The longer they wait, the more chance there is for the other side to detect, in which case we wind up one of the other two scenarios.
If some of the PC's and monsters detect each other, but not all, then we have an immediate surprise round, where only those who detected the other side act, and then we go into normal initiative. If everyone becomes aware of each other at once (an unlikely initial condition in a setup where the monsters start stealthed, but possible if for example the PCs detect first, try to move to better positions, and fail their group stealth), we have normal combat with no surprise, even in cases where one side had a chance at a surprise round.
For the latter--I don't know the best way to handle that, especially if you're trying to fool the players and not just the characters. What I probably would have done is used scenario three when Kali spotted the creature in the corner--Kali is aware of the enemy, the enemy is aware of the party, the enemy and Kali get surprise round actions. In doing so, of course, I would have made it explicit that the enemy knew of the party rather than dropping hints, so I'd have lost some potential for tension.
But yeah, there are scenarios that are hard to handle well, and this is one of them. As I said, your way of handling this was reasonable, and arguably better than what I would have done.
t~
I considered this-
What I probably would have done is used scenario three when Kali spotted the creature in the corner--Kali is aware of the enemy, the enemy is aware of the party, the enemy and Kali get surprise round actions.
The problem with that of course is... well you've not seen the whole set up yet, but without ruining the surprise there's another creature to act after Viator, and that creature is the controller (in all ways) of the other two.
My problem really is if you can't ready an action outside of Init then the surprise round has to be the way to go- otherwise how do you simulate an enemy that lures creatures in, or ambushes. The problem is compounded by the fact that creature is really waiting for an event to occur (for the PCs to get close). To all intents and purposes it is a readied action...
Oddness.
As stated previously I'll mostly use the this line is good, this line requires stealth- or similar.
Thanks for going through this with me, I'm out for consensus- if you have a better idea then I would have changed to fit your suggestion. I usually try to evolve an understanding of each edition of D&D.
Cheers PDR
Thanee
First Post
I think, I would handle it like this...
1) Both parties are aware of each other:
Roll Initiative, no Surprise.
2) One party is aware of the other only:
No Initiative, aware party can begin combat with a surprise round at any time, at that point Initiative is rolled.
But if in scenario 2) the party gets spotted before they launch their surprise attack, it becomes scenario 1) essentially, and the surprise is ruined. They have waited too long.
Bye
Thanee
1) Both parties are aware of each other:
Roll Initiative, no Surprise.
2) One party is aware of the other only:
No Initiative, aware party can begin combat with a surprise round at any time, at that point Initiative is rolled.
But if in scenario 2) the party gets spotted before they launch their surprise attack, it becomes scenario 1) essentially, and the surprise is ruined. They have waited too long.
Bye
Thanee
tiornys
Explorer
[MENTION=83060]RavenBlackthorne[/MENTION]: moving up on your turn is fine, but you cited "all I can do is get LOS" as your reasoning. So, I'll point out that you actually have line of sight to SH#2, although it has superior cover from you. Draw your sight-line from the I/J:11/12 corner of your space through the G/H:10/11 corner of the wall, and you'll see that the sightline passes through SH#2's E/F:9/10 corner. That corner you can't see, since it's blocked by the wall, but you CAN see the D/E:9/10 corner. So if you wanted to attack rather than moving up, you can easily center a burst at E:10, and suffer no penalties at all to the attack.
t~
t~
RavenBlackthorne
First Post
Done! And gave me an opening for some backstory! Fab, thanks.
Just a note to say that I am writing up the action on the Obsidian Portal site- this usually takes me a few drafts, not that I'm aiming for perfect you understand. Besides I'm not a great prose writer, anyway... when I hit respectable I'll post a section here, just to make sure that everyone is okay- or else I've made glaring errors, or something.
If you get five minutes then take a look, if there are errors tell me and I'll fix, anything else you want to say then again- message me, good, or bad.
Here's the Gasper No section (the Prologue), although you've probably read this previously-
Fallcrest, the Nentir Inn, late Fritag night.
Gasper No couldn’t stop grinning, here he was in the Nentir Inn, a place he could previously never afford to eat in, the best Inn in Fallcrest in fact. He’d just finished his meal – baked Stirge in a rosemary crust with winter vegetables, followed by a flambéed mini-Gelatinous Cube with a caramel sauce, accompanied by half-a-bottle of a most agreeable Elven Chimblee.
Gasper wiped his mouth with his napkin and opened his purse, for the first time in the evening his smile faltered, nervously he flopped out two dozen gold coins, enough for the meal, the wine and a hefty tip – why not he figured, plenty more where that came from.
However, here was the test – Gasper let the coins sit on the counter, Ayella the barmaid wandered over, picked up the coin – as if there was nothing wrong, and then with a smile wished him good night.
Gasper sat for a moment, still watching- waiting, as Ayella made her way back to the till and placed his money within… nothing.
Ayella went back about her business, leaving Gasper smiling again.
Less than two hours ago the coins that he had paid with had been copper – he’d done it, he had truly done it – he was certain.
Gasper No had discovered the Philosopher’s Stone, he’d discovered the way to transform base metals in to gold, no magic just alchemy, he had spent 42 years searching for the secret, more than once he had come close to madness, the pursuit had left him almost penniless, at times homeless, and for several decades now friendless.
Gasper got up from his stool, waved a last goodbye and moved over to the door, knowing that he was about to return home to start the job of making himself rich. He had only one gold coin left in his pocket but that didn’t matter, he would have to get some change – 100 copper coins, which he would turn this very evening in to 100 gold, and from there…
Gasper did a little dance on the way to the door, spiralled on the spot – nobody was watching, why not.
He pulled open the door of the Nentir Inn, looking back to offer a last ’G’night’ to the staff and the other patrons – he turned back and…
Standing in the doorway was the biggest Hobgoblin he had ever seen, strange he thought, and then was swiftly decapitated.
And thus the secret of the Philosopher’s Stone remained a secret for a little while longer.
The evening however would nevertheless come to be remembered, not for Gasper No and his 42 years of work, but for the Goblin attack on Fallcrest, and the heroes that took up arms and implements to defend the city from the terrible foe.
Cheers PDR
If you get five minutes then take a look, if there are errors tell me and I'll fix, anything else you want to say then again- message me, good, or bad.
Here's the Gasper No section (the Prologue), although you've probably read this previously-
Fallcrest, the Nentir Inn, late Fritag night.
Gasper No couldn’t stop grinning, here he was in the Nentir Inn, a place he could previously never afford to eat in, the best Inn in Fallcrest in fact. He’d just finished his meal – baked Stirge in a rosemary crust with winter vegetables, followed by a flambéed mini-Gelatinous Cube with a caramel sauce, accompanied by half-a-bottle of a most agreeable Elven Chimblee.
Gasper wiped his mouth with his napkin and opened his purse, for the first time in the evening his smile faltered, nervously he flopped out two dozen gold coins, enough for the meal, the wine and a hefty tip – why not he figured, plenty more where that came from.
However, here was the test – Gasper let the coins sit on the counter, Ayella the barmaid wandered over, picked up the coin – as if there was nothing wrong, and then with a smile wished him good night.
Gasper sat for a moment, still watching- waiting, as Ayella made her way back to the till and placed his money within… nothing.
Ayella went back about her business, leaving Gasper smiling again.
Less than two hours ago the coins that he had paid with had been copper – he’d done it, he had truly done it – he was certain.
Gasper No had discovered the Philosopher’s Stone, he’d discovered the way to transform base metals in to gold, no magic just alchemy, he had spent 42 years searching for the secret, more than once he had come close to madness, the pursuit had left him almost penniless, at times homeless, and for several decades now friendless.
Gasper got up from his stool, waved a last goodbye and moved over to the door, knowing that he was about to return home to start the job of making himself rich. He had only one gold coin left in his pocket but that didn’t matter, he would have to get some change – 100 copper coins, which he would turn this very evening in to 100 gold, and from there…
Gasper did a little dance on the way to the door, spiralled on the spot – nobody was watching, why not.
He pulled open the door of the Nentir Inn, looking back to offer a last ’G’night’ to the staff and the other patrons – he turned back and…
Standing in the doorway was the biggest Hobgoblin he had ever seen, strange he thought, and then was swiftly decapitated.
And thus the secret of the Philosopher’s Stone remained a secret for a little while longer.
The evening however would nevertheless come to be remembered, not for Gasper No and his 42 years of work, but for the Goblin attack on Fallcrest, and the heroes that took up arms and implements to defend the city from the terrible foe.
Cheers PDR
Encounter #1 opening- this is the bit I really want you to take a look at and check over-
The Nentir Inn, Fallcrest.
The PCs don’t know each other as of yet… that’s about to change, it’s just another quiet night in the Nentir Inn, that is until a gang of Hobgoblins and Goblins smash their way in to the bar room. The creatures come from every direction – even the kitchen, worse still the Goblins are wielding bitumen torches…
Encounter #1 – 780 XP – Level 2 Encounter.
10 Hobgoblin Grunts (Level 3 Minions)
3 Goblin Blackblades (Level 1 Lurker)
Skill Challenge: Putting out the Fire (Level 1 Complexity 1)
PCs
Ah-shahran, Male Deva, Hybrid Shaman-Warlord, Level 1
Freggo, Male Human, Swordmage, Level 1
Kalimaru, Male Razorclaw Shifter, Ranger (Scout), Level 1
Kyalia, Female Elf, Ranger, Level 1
Magnus, Male Dwarf, Fighter, Level 1
Viator, Male Eladrin, Psion, Level 1
The Goblin’s scream and rant, ‘for the Red Hand’, one cries, another – ‘Sinruth!’, repeatedly – like a chant. The foul creatures even wear smart red patches on their poorly-maintained armour – the insignia of the ‘Red Hand’1. The initial attack sees seven Hobgoblin Grunts armed with longsords – already drawn, and two Goblin Blackblades, wielding shortswords and the aforementioned bitumen torches, the host stream in to the bar – out for blood.
The effect is instantaneous, patrons scream, shout, run and duck for cover; one of the Inn’s bouncers dives in to a large plant pot and attempts to dig to freedom.
A pair of Goblins, each leading a seperate force, throw their fiery torches in to the mix – Viator narrowly avoids being set ablaze – however the burning torch still rests at his feet, licking at his cloak – the danger is not over. Worse still the second torch lands behind the bar, the work top there is soon burning gloriously- above is the open liquor cabinet.
Magnus, a Dwarven Fighter – consoling himself with a pint of ‘Brown Nadder’, sees his beer spilt, he grimaces – wars have started for less. He leaps off his stool and on to the bar, grabs out his Warhammer and Charges at the Goblin that has just spilt his pint – and thrown a torch in to the liquor cabinet, but that’s of secondary concern. He screams, “Let’s see how well ya laugh with a broken face”, and connects with his warhammer – a swat rather than a hit however, the Goblin Blackblade looks, if anything, mildly peeved.
Freggo, a young Human Swordmage – fresh-faced and out for adventure – having spent his youth reading tales of daring – do, leaps to his feet, he knows exactly what daring to do. He dances towards the fight, declaring as he goes – “Stand back everyone! Freggo the Hero, Last of the Red-Hot Swammis, is here!” The Hobgoblin Grunt before him is somewhat bemused by the young man’s constant feints and practice slashes – it’s like Freggo has only recently been introduced to his longsword, all very pretty but to no effect, and just as the Grunt finishes this thought he feels… light-headed, the Hobgoblin sinks to the floor- dead. Freggo’s Luring Strike does for him, “magic do as you will…” Freggo mumbles and points at his next victim, another Hobgoblin Grunt – now subject to his Aegis of Ensnarement.
Alas this maneuver doesn’t turn out too well – two Hobgoblin Grunts decide that the Swordmage is some great hero, they gang up on poor Freggo – both slash and cut – neither wounds are deep but the cumulative effect is not good – Freggo gulps and wonders, not for the last time, is he perhaps out of his depth. Meanwhile an innocent punter, a fat merchant – who bobs up from behind the bar, is swiftly decpaitated by another of the Hobgoblin Grunts, “Sinruth!” the beast screams.
Two more of the steadfast Hobgoblins burst in to the bar room – stop, momentarily, and look around for a suitable target, their eyes alight on a pale-faced, nervous looking Eladrin at the bar. They Charge and slice at Viator – their longswords leaving red tracery in their wake – the Eladrin bleeds, and stutters, Viator like Freggo, is wounded but not quite bloodied.
Viator blinks rapidly – seemingly staring down at his feet, the flaming torch shifts and wobbles – then skitters forward, unaided – untouched, seemingly of its own volition. I skitters over to lie at the feet of one of Viator’s Hobgoblin attackers, as if manipulated by some Far Hand. The Eladrin Psion looks up, grins awkwardly at the Grunts, and then disappears – Fey Steps away to a much safer corner of the bar. Seconds later a dull haze forms over a cluster of the Hobgoblins, including his assailants, the haze as suddenly dissipates – two of the Grunts clutch their heads, mumble and stagger, minds burnt out they slump to the floor and like flopping fish squirm and soon expire.
Ah-shahran, a worldly-wise looking Deva, with a tired face and sad eyes stands – seemingly angered by the interruption, he holds a chess piece in each hand. The Deva tosses the two black bishops in to the fray, midair the chess pieces transform in to Twin black Panthers – the first paws, cuts and bites at a Goblin Blackblade who is left scratched and bleeding. The second feline pounces and crashes in to a Hobgoblin brute – it doesn’t let up – cuts, bites and rakes at the Hobgoblin’s face, the creature is left shredded – and dead. The Twin Panthers fade out of existence. Moments later Ah-shahran’s Spirit Companion, Gorm – a slightly dopey, but fierce, hound appears standing next to Freggo, who suddenly feels energised – and a little more confident of his own abilities.
From further in to the bar a hulking man, actually Kalimaru the Razorclaw Shifter can easily pass for a Human, leaps to his feet – scattering tables and drawing a battleaxe and a hand axe in the process. He glares at a wounded Goblin perched on the bar, marking it for death with his Assassin’s Shroud, then hurtles towards the fracas, leaping a low hand rail to get at his enemy. This does not go well (‘1’), Kali catches his foot on the rail and is sent sprawling – its all he can do to prevent himself being left in a heap on the floor. “Chipsticks!” The big man curses, and looks around to make sure no-one has seen his embarrassing moment.
Further in to the bar still, Kyalia, a beautiful Elven woman finishes the last of her wine, puts the glass down tidily – fusses a moment and then leaps on to the table, which bucks and spills the aforementioned wine glass, but is quickly and easily tamed. Her bow is instantly in her hands. She sights, and settles her Hunter’s Quarry on one of the wounded Goblin Blackblades. She fires, then again – her Twin Strike finds the target, the dumb Goblinoid is left gasping and cursing – sicking up blood, and desperately trying to reach and remove the two arrows embedded deep in its back.
And still, inbetween the islands of action, a tide of bar patrons run screaming, or else hide, or curse the day they were born. Suddenly the liquor cabinet behind the bar explodes – the fire balloons and spreads. Bottles of spirits shatter and explode, gouts of flame errupt, while splinters of glass fill the air, another of the bar staff goes down, peppered by a million tiny daggers.
Meanwhile the flaming torch, thrown earlier at Viator, and then shifted away, flares and begins to burn the underside of a table, the smoke coils…
The bar is hotting up.
End of Round 1
Two PCs wounded – Viator (26/16+4 HP) and Freggo (27/17 HP).
Four Hobgoblins killed.
Two Goblins wounded – one bloodied (25/21 & 25/9 HP).
Lots of Fire…
1 The emblem of the Red Hand is a, well… a red hand – go figure, the red of course is blood, although… it could be ketchup.
The Nentir Inn, Fallcrest.
The PCs don’t know each other as of yet… that’s about to change, it’s just another quiet night in the Nentir Inn, that is until a gang of Hobgoblins and Goblins smash their way in to the bar room. The creatures come from every direction – even the kitchen, worse still the Goblins are wielding bitumen torches…
Encounter #1 – 780 XP – Level 2 Encounter.
10 Hobgoblin Grunts (Level 3 Minions)
3 Goblin Blackblades (Level 1 Lurker)
Skill Challenge: Putting out the Fire (Level 1 Complexity 1)
PCs
Ah-shahran, Male Deva, Hybrid Shaman-Warlord, Level 1
Freggo, Male Human, Swordmage, Level 1
Kalimaru, Male Razorclaw Shifter, Ranger (Scout), Level 1
Kyalia, Female Elf, Ranger, Level 1
Magnus, Male Dwarf, Fighter, Level 1
Viator, Male Eladrin, Psion, Level 1
The Goblin’s scream and rant, ‘for the Red Hand’, one cries, another – ‘Sinruth!’, repeatedly – like a chant. The foul creatures even wear smart red patches on their poorly-maintained armour – the insignia of the ‘Red Hand’1. The initial attack sees seven Hobgoblin Grunts armed with longsords – already drawn, and two Goblin Blackblades, wielding shortswords and the aforementioned bitumen torches, the host stream in to the bar – out for blood.
The effect is instantaneous, patrons scream, shout, run and duck for cover; one of the Inn’s bouncers dives in to a large plant pot and attempts to dig to freedom.
A pair of Goblins, each leading a seperate force, throw their fiery torches in to the mix – Viator narrowly avoids being set ablaze – however the burning torch still rests at his feet, licking at his cloak – the danger is not over. Worse still the second torch lands behind the bar, the work top there is soon burning gloriously- above is the open liquor cabinet.
Magnus, a Dwarven Fighter – consoling himself with a pint of ‘Brown Nadder’, sees his beer spilt, he grimaces – wars have started for less. He leaps off his stool and on to the bar, grabs out his Warhammer and Charges at the Goblin that has just spilt his pint – and thrown a torch in to the liquor cabinet, but that’s of secondary concern. He screams, “Let’s see how well ya laugh with a broken face”, and connects with his warhammer – a swat rather than a hit however, the Goblin Blackblade looks, if anything, mildly peeved.
Freggo, a young Human Swordmage – fresh-faced and out for adventure – having spent his youth reading tales of daring – do, leaps to his feet, he knows exactly what daring to do. He dances towards the fight, declaring as he goes – “Stand back everyone! Freggo the Hero, Last of the Red-Hot Swammis, is here!” The Hobgoblin Grunt before him is somewhat bemused by the young man’s constant feints and practice slashes – it’s like Freggo has only recently been introduced to his longsword, all very pretty but to no effect, and just as the Grunt finishes this thought he feels… light-headed, the Hobgoblin sinks to the floor- dead. Freggo’s Luring Strike does for him, “magic do as you will…” Freggo mumbles and points at his next victim, another Hobgoblin Grunt – now subject to his Aegis of Ensnarement.
Alas this maneuver doesn’t turn out too well – two Hobgoblin Grunts decide that the Swordmage is some great hero, they gang up on poor Freggo – both slash and cut – neither wounds are deep but the cumulative effect is not good – Freggo gulps and wonders, not for the last time, is he perhaps out of his depth. Meanwhile an innocent punter, a fat merchant – who bobs up from behind the bar, is swiftly decpaitated by another of the Hobgoblin Grunts, “Sinruth!” the beast screams.
Two more of the steadfast Hobgoblins burst in to the bar room – stop, momentarily, and look around for a suitable target, their eyes alight on a pale-faced, nervous looking Eladrin at the bar. They Charge and slice at Viator – their longswords leaving red tracery in their wake – the Eladrin bleeds, and stutters, Viator like Freggo, is wounded but not quite bloodied.
Viator blinks rapidly – seemingly staring down at his feet, the flaming torch shifts and wobbles – then skitters forward, unaided – untouched, seemingly of its own volition. I skitters over to lie at the feet of one of Viator’s Hobgoblin attackers, as if manipulated by some Far Hand. The Eladrin Psion looks up, grins awkwardly at the Grunts, and then disappears – Fey Steps away to a much safer corner of the bar. Seconds later a dull haze forms over a cluster of the Hobgoblins, including his assailants, the haze as suddenly dissipates – two of the Grunts clutch their heads, mumble and stagger, minds burnt out they slump to the floor and like flopping fish squirm and soon expire.
Ah-shahran, a worldly-wise looking Deva, with a tired face and sad eyes stands – seemingly angered by the interruption, he holds a chess piece in each hand. The Deva tosses the two black bishops in to the fray, midair the chess pieces transform in to Twin black Panthers – the first paws, cuts and bites at a Goblin Blackblade who is left scratched and bleeding. The second feline pounces and crashes in to a Hobgoblin brute – it doesn’t let up – cuts, bites and rakes at the Hobgoblin’s face, the creature is left shredded – and dead. The Twin Panthers fade out of existence. Moments later Ah-shahran’s Spirit Companion, Gorm – a slightly dopey, but fierce, hound appears standing next to Freggo, who suddenly feels energised – and a little more confident of his own abilities.
From further in to the bar a hulking man, actually Kalimaru the Razorclaw Shifter can easily pass for a Human, leaps to his feet – scattering tables and drawing a battleaxe and a hand axe in the process. He glares at a wounded Goblin perched on the bar, marking it for death with his Assassin’s Shroud, then hurtles towards the fracas, leaping a low hand rail to get at his enemy. This does not go well (‘1’), Kali catches his foot on the rail and is sent sprawling – its all he can do to prevent himself being left in a heap on the floor. “Chipsticks!” The big man curses, and looks around to make sure no-one has seen his embarrassing moment.
Further in to the bar still, Kyalia, a beautiful Elven woman finishes the last of her wine, puts the glass down tidily – fusses a moment and then leaps on to the table, which bucks and spills the aforementioned wine glass, but is quickly and easily tamed. Her bow is instantly in her hands. She sights, and settles her Hunter’s Quarry on one of the wounded Goblin Blackblades. She fires, then again – her Twin Strike finds the target, the dumb Goblinoid is left gasping and cursing – sicking up blood, and desperately trying to reach and remove the two arrows embedded deep in its back.
And still, inbetween the islands of action, a tide of bar patrons run screaming, or else hide, or curse the day they were born. Suddenly the liquor cabinet behind the bar explodes – the fire balloons and spreads. Bottles of spirits shatter and explode, gouts of flame errupt, while splinters of glass fill the air, another of the bar staff goes down, peppered by a million tiny daggers.
Meanwhile the flaming torch, thrown earlier at Viator, and then shifted away, flares and begins to burn the underside of a table, the smoke coils…
The bar is hotting up.
End of Round 1
Two PCs wounded – Viator (26/16+4 HP) and Freggo (27/17 HP).
Four Hobgoblins killed.
Two Goblins wounded – one bloodied (25/21 & 25/9 HP).
Lots of Fire…
1 The emblem of the Red Hand is a, well… a red hand – go figure, the red of course is blood, although… it could be ketchup.
Praise and a fiery question
Wow, that's greatness! Makes me nostalgic for those first fights, good times those! In any case, I heartily approve of the write-up! I might express concern at the level of detail... how ever will you make it through if each round is a page? Of course, if you're up for it, all the better! If it proves too daunting, I imagine the same treatment could be given the fight as a whole, with maybe a few exciting highlights. Or maybe just one sample round and the rest summed up?
Regarding the current fight: Freggo is thinking of using his Green Flame Blade attack on the webbing to get rid of some of the difficult terrain. The power allows Freggo to attack a melee opponent, and does damage to ENEMIES that are adjacent to that opponent on a hit. So that implies that Freggo to direct the secondary flames to that they don't go into squares with friends. Thus I'm thinking that Freggo could attack a webby square and consider all adjoining webby squares to be enemies. He would not be able to clear webs in occupied squares without singing his friends of course, but it make make movement easier.
So does that sound feasible? Maybe if Freggo's attacks beats an AC of 10ish (webs being a fair passive target) and he passes some kind of Arcana check to use his magic in a slightly unorthodox manner?
Wow, that's greatness! Makes me nostalgic for those first fights, good times those! In any case, I heartily approve of the write-up! I might express concern at the level of detail... how ever will you make it through if each round is a page? Of course, if you're up for it, all the better! If it proves too daunting, I imagine the same treatment could be given the fight as a whole, with maybe a few exciting highlights. Or maybe just one sample round and the rest summed up?
Regarding the current fight: Freggo is thinking of using his Green Flame Blade attack on the webbing to get rid of some of the difficult terrain. The power allows Freggo to attack a melee opponent, and does damage to ENEMIES that are adjacent to that opponent on a hit. So that implies that Freggo to direct the secondary flames to that they don't go into squares with friends. Thus I'm thinking that Freggo could attack a webby square and consider all adjoining webby squares to be enemies. He would not be able to clear webs in occupied squares without singing his friends of course, but it make make movement easier.
So does that sound feasible? Maybe if Freggo's attacks beats an AC of 10ish (webs being a fair passive target) and he passes some kind of Arcana check to use his magic in a slightly unorthodox manner?
