Shards of the Silve Flame -- OOC thread

[drothgery]

As for a question: An preferred format for the rogue's gallery thread?

Not really. I just want a format that makes it obvious where everything comes from (i.e. skills should be broken out into ranks, ability score bonuses, synergies, special abilities, and anything from equipment; anything that's not from the PHB or DMG should be attributed).

 

[Anax]

Hmm. Rules question for the DM: (I suppose it's a bit silly to ask here, but oh, well.)

I've always treated synergy with multiple skills as stacking. But when I was reading the description for synergy on Diplomacy the other day, it struck me that you could interpret it as "if you have at least five ranks in any of the following skills (Bluff, Sense Motive), you get a +2 bonus" and not "if you have five ranks in Bluff you get a +2 bonus, and if you have five ranks in Sense Motive you get a separate +2 bonus, giving a total +4 bonus if you have both."

A simple +2 shouldn't be huge, but I'd like a judgement on that so I get everything done up proper.

 

[drothgery]

Hmm. Rules question for the DM: (I suppose it's a bit silly to ask here, but oh, well.)

I've always treated synergy with multiple skills as stacking. But when I was reading the description for synergy on Diplomacy the other day, it struck me that you could interpret it as "if you have at least five ranks in any of the following skills (Bluff, Sense Motive), you get a +2 bonus" and not "if you have five ranks in Bluff you get a +2 bonus, and if you have five ranks in Sense Motive you get a separate +2 bonus, giving a total +4 bonus if you have both."

A simple +2 shouldn't be huge, but I'd like a judgement on that so I get everything done up proper.

I think multiple synergy bonuses aren't supposed to stack. I thought otherwise until recently, but I'm pretty sure a recent spin of the FAQ came down on the side of synergies not stacking.

 

[Anax]

Okay, noted. Thanks!

 

[stonegod]

I could move Oswin's history from Thaliost to Flamekeep. This would put poor Oswin as living on the streets of Flamekeep and possibly taking part in the same get the poor off the streets program as Hariel initially.

Another thing to consider: Saalin would have been established in Thaliost a long time and thus could have found/known/advised/run-across/etc Oswin there before Oswin became part of the higher-ups (Saalin would have had some Church contacts through his Flamekeep contact Lycia before moving on and joining the Order of the Pure after the War).

As for how Saalin made contact with Alistair, Alistair could have heard of him through Saalin's (human elder w/ regards to Allistair's probable age) contact and confidant Lycia---they may have even met before he left for Flamekeep and Alistair could have been involved in his joining the Order of the Pure. Since most of Saalin's life has been outside of Thrane mainstream (he is an ex-member of an enemy military force, let us not forget), his outcast nature could appeal to Alistair's need/desire for more "colorful" agents.

 

[ShaggySpellsword]

As for stacking skills, the WoTC Core FAQ (Pg. 12, left column, second section) in the Skills chapter specifically says that synergy bonuses are unnamed and therefore stack.

The new variant PHB, Iron Heroes from Malhavoc press uses a slightly different skill systems, and doesn't allow stacking synergy bonuses.

That is just RAW. If DM says otherwise, then that is, after all, the rule.

 

[drothgery]

As for stacking skills, the WoTC Core Errata (Pg. 12, left column, second section) in the Skills chapter specifically says that synergy bonuses are unnamed and therefore stack.

Okay, that's the FAQ, not the errata, and I guess I misread something.

 

[ShaggySpellsword]

I fixed my statement. Oops. I meant FAQ. I promise, I wasn't trying to cause a fight or anything...like I said, DM is the boss and I'll follow in line.

 

[drothgery]

I fixed my statement. Oops. I meant FAQ. I promise, I wasn't trying to cause a fight or anything...like I said, DM is the boss and I'll follow in line.

Hey, if I make a mistake on the rules, call me on it.

I probably won't backtrack and change things in a combat scene (unless I made an error that results in a PC death or something like that), but I will update things going forward.

 

[ShaggySpellsword]

I have a confession to make:

I am a recovering Rules Lawyer, doing what I can to avoid annoying rules lawyering in favor of just having fun. If I get annoying on rules stuff, call me on it. I'm trying to quit.