[StormFront] PbP Character Thread

[Bulsarra]

Getting Started Update

Hi Guys,

It appears that it's coming together.

DougP: (we gotta find a way to seperate the Doug's) your background is great! I can incorporate that into the World so I dont think there will be any major changes.

DougB: I updated the web page with your character sheet. I can easily do the same for anyone else. Check it out, it looks cool! I assume you did that with eTools, right Doug?

Jay: Thanks, man. Everyone on the board can see why I say that.

Now: I'm about as ready as I can be once Vann and Clayton get their characters posted and reviewed.

Remember to bookmark this thread and www.luisalejandro.net/stormfront!

More soon....

 

[Mirth]

Re: Getting Started Update

we gotta find a way to seperate the Doug's

We could just use their character names from now on...

Jay

 

[dougbass68]

Ranstaar

Jesus, Jay, did I do anything right? Just kidding - thanks for your help, but I have questions for you, of course

My AC was incorrect because I didn't equip my character properly - just bought the stuff but didn't equip it.

I bumped up my Hide and Move Silently skills up +2 each like you suggested, but it didn't affect my skill-check penalties that I could see. I'm using eTools to do this.

The net: I didn't realize that I would be penalized for using it. I just thought it might come in handy for ensnaring monsters.

The sunrods: I didn't realize I could see well in low light, but even so, they'd still be helping everyone else out. But if you don't think I should get them, I won't. Does everyone else have light sources?

The mirror: I wasn't going to look at myself in it I thought it might be useful for signalling each other, or for trying to confuse an enemy. And CHA of 10 is above-average anyway, isn't it? So maybe I am a ladies man after all. I think I'll work something about that into my character's past.

The longbow vs. the crossbow: the longbow does 1d8 damage, but the composite crossbow does 1d6 (though you said i'd get a +1). So, with the longbow, I could do anywhere from 1 to 8 points damage, but with the crossbow, I'd do 2 to 7 damage. Is that what you're saying, and is that better? I guess it makes sense that it would be.

I added the Two-Weapon Fighting and Ambidexterity feats, but eTools didn't give them to me for free, for some reason. I think I remember reading about those, but I forgot to add them.

I got rid of the Quick Draw feat, and added Weapon Finesse (Shortsword), as you suggested. Sounds like a good idea.

Thanks for all the time you took to look my character over. I'm going to the beach this weekend, and you can bet I'm going to bring my PHB and the Ranger book Chris lent me. So I won't be posting again until next week probably (maybe tomorrow).

I'll upload my new character to http://www.dougbass.com/stormfront/ranstaar.htm in just a minute.

Thanks again, dude.

Ranstaar

 

[dougbass68]

Character Sheet

Yes, Chris, I used eTools! It's pretty cool!

Oh, and I think my check is correctly showing as -1 - I was looking at the wrong thing.

 

[Idsquare]

OK, I'm reading all this very technical stuff that sorta/kinda makes sense (it probably will when we eventually start playing and I see what goes on). But, how do I equip my weapons, armor, etc.? I thought when you bought it the stats were automatically added to your character. I guess not (based on Jay/DougB dialogue). So how do I equip Xyffor? I used eTools also and like it very much, but it takes getting accustomed to. I still don't understand some of the screens. I'm assuming, Jay, that my character is good for now and I just need to wait for Chris to post our first story/quest/mission/or whatever-it-is-that-DM's-do. It's a good thing Xyffor got a room while he's waiting for the mystery group at the eatery. He anticipated the wait to be a long one. Lol. This is going to be a lot of fun! I'm already learning a great deal and can't wait to get started and see how all this comes together and the mechanics of the game. I still don't understand how you know about equip/armor/weapon stats, and what all the +3 and -1 means. I think it will make sense when we start to play.

By the way, DougB, how did you add that little character picture to your signature line? I'd like to do the same for mine.

Chris, I don't know how to download my character sheet from eTools so you can post it on webpage like you did DougB. I know how to export the character sheet in html format, but I can't get it to post on this website. Can you walk me through the process. I've got the character sheet saved to my hard drive (in html format) and I can print it. What do I do from there? Also, I saw that DougB's character pic is also on his character sheet. How do you do that? Newbies . . . they are such a pain in the ass!!!!!

By the way, everyone, this web site sucks. It's down more than it's up. I can't get in most days, and some days you can only get on if you hit it the right 2 hours that it's working. Are there any other more responsive web sites to consider?

 

[Mirth]

Ranstaar,

I don't have a PC. They don't make eTools for the Mac, so there you go. I'm coming up with these rules the ol skool way by looking them up in the book.

And please remember that all of this is just advice, not the word of God (Chris?).

Looking a little closer at your sheet, I'm guessing that the negatives on your Hide and Move Silently skills come from the fact that you are carrying a Medium Load of gear (it's towards the bottom of the sheet).

TOTAL WEIGHT CARRIED 77 lb.
59 - 116 MEDIUM LOAD

It's up to Chris as to whether he wants to enforce this rule or not. As a DM, I've always ignored it (within reason - pretty much you can carry a bunch of crap around with you and it's not going to hinder you much, but you try to carry an elephant or a piano and you're gonna get it). But if Chris wants to enforce it, then you are going to incur some penalties for having that gigantic woman-purse slung over your shoulder.

I don't think you need the sunrods.

As for the short bow, it just seems that over the course of time, mathematically, you will end up doing more damage with it than with the longbow. I could be wrong.

That's all for now,

Jay

ps. I think you might need that mirror after all, missus. If I'm not mistaken, that picture on your character sheet has b00bies.

 

[Mirth]

I still don't understand how you know about equip/armor/weapon stats, and what all the +3 and -1 means. I think it will make sense when we start to play.

Xyffor,

When I was talking to Ranstaar about his armor (Studded Leather) only giving him -1 on his skill checks, I was consulting the armor chart (Table 7-5) on p104 of the PHB. See the 5th column called Armor Check Penalty? That's where I found the -1. If you look directly above that chart you will see a description of what specifically the Armor Check Penalty does and what skills it affects. Your eTools program simply does all the bookwork for you, but as I said before, I don't have a PC, so I gots to go at it ol skool, yo. I'm not trying to talk down to you, I'm just trying to make this less confusing (although it confuses me mightily most of the time).

Basically, D&D 3rd Edition revolves around rolling a d20 and trying to get the highest possible score in order to accomplish something. When Ranstaar wears Studded Leather Armor, it provides him protection (an Armor Bonus of +3) making him harder to be hit by others, but it also hinders his ability to Hide and to Move Silently (an Armor Check Penalty of -1).

If Xyffor was trying to hit Ranstaar with his longsword, he would need to roll a 16 or above on a d20. Xyffor's BAB (Base Attack Bonus) is +1 and he has the Weapon Focus (Longsword) Feat which gives him another +1 and his Strength is 16 which gives him another +3 for a total of +5 on his attack roll. Which basically means that if Xyffor rolls an 11 or above on a d20 (11 + 5 = 16), then he successfully hits Ranstaar with his Longsword, if he rolls a 10 or below, he doesn't. There are many more factors to consider, but that's the basic outline of a melee attack.

The information on combat basics can be found on p117 of the PHB, and Chapter 8 deals with combat in detail.

If Ranstaar was trying to Hide from Xyffor (because the big billy bad@$$ paladin would put a hurtin' on him), then he would need to roll an opposed skill check with your Spot skill (which you can use untrained by just rolling against your Wisdom, including any bonuses). Ranstaar has 4 ranks (+4) in the Hide skill and his Dexterity gives him a +3 bonus, but his noisy armor gives him a -1 for a total of +6 on his skill check. Xyffor has no ranks (+0) in the Spot skill, but his Wisdom gives him a +2 bonus. If Ranstaar rolled a 12 (12 + 6 = 18), then Xyffor would have to roll a 16 (16 + 2 = 18) or above to Spot him. On the other hand, If Xyffor rolled a 12 (12 + 2 = 14), then Ranstaar would have to roll an 8 (8 + 6 = 14) or above to Hide from Xyffor. Again, there's more to it, but that's the basics of how to use an opposed skill check.

The information on using skills can be found on p60-62 of the PHB, and Chapter 4 deals with skills in detail.

By the way, everyone, this web site sucks. It's down more than it's up. I can't get in most days, and some days you can only get on if you hit it the right 2 hours that it's working. Are there any other more responsive web sites to consider?

Morrus, who owns the Enworld site, is in the process of moving the whole site to another server which can better handle the amount of traffic the site gets. That's why we're experiencing so much up and down time. Once the site is finally completely moved over, the problems will cease.

Hope all this info helps. Questions?

Jay

 

[Mirth]

Xyffor,

Also, your AC should be 17 (10 Base + 1 Dex + 4 Scale Mail + 2 Large Wooden Shield = 17).

Jay

 

[Idsquare]

I've revised stats on Xyffor to reflect the new equip/armor/weapon. I'm still trying to figure out how to post my character sheet.

 

[Mirth]

I'm still trying to figure out how to post my character sheet.

Chris? Chris? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?