The Long Arm of Lauto 1: Algarezh Hoofchew

[balth]

. While this is going on the archers will be climbing to take the second floor... by the time they enter the upstairs guards should be focused on us, allowing the archers to surprise them... and I should be able to drop a giant ball of fire on the stairs to discourage anyone else from going up to harrass them.

I'm not primarily a tactician, but what do you think?"

Balth arches an eyebrow at the mention of the archers climbing to the second floor. With a large inviting smile on his face, he says Climbing should be no problem! Let me pull my grappling hook out of my quiver... He reaches back, feeling around behind him, and shrugs his shoulders while the smile vanishes from his face, all signs of good humor disappearing as he shows his empty, open hand he reached back with to you. Running through the forest? Yes. Blending with shadows? Yes. Scaling sheer walls? I would need to be a half-spider to accomplish such things well. He separates his fingers. No webbing. Not to mention, setting a set of wooden stairs on fire with magic fire in a wooden building while your archers are on the second floor...?

He trails off, nodding towards Les. I like her plan better. It doesn't involve me attempting to shimmy up the side of a building in broad daylight. If they charge out the bottom, we shoot them. If they charge upstairs, we shoot them. In my experience, simple generally works best.

He pulls out an arrow from his quiver. Many of these, I have. He smiles broadly once again, the scar on his face becoming very pronounced. I do not mean to offend; it is just that I think we should play to our strengths. That, and I care not to be flame broiled this day. It would hardly make for a fitting song of our deeds. He sounds rather sincere about both points.

[sblock=OOC]Insert "Have it your way" Burger King theme here. I'll take one flame-broiled elf, hold the quivers, please [/sblock]

 

[Lord Sessadore]

Raiyek mulls over the conversation on tactics so far, thinking over the pluses and minuses of the various plans. "Les' plan seems sound to me; the only problem I can see is if we don't get inside soon enough and they barricade us out, we could be in trouble."

The paladin takes a moment to think, then offers another set of suggestions. "I would also like to keep the fighting inside, away from any possible innocents. Perhaps if the main group could storm in and take the stairs? Use the stairs as the choke point instead of the door; that way we keep the battle contained, limit how many of them can fight us, and our archers can take up positions on the balcony if they so choose. We could have another group at the other door to come in for a rear attack once the fighting has started, as well." After a short pause, he says, "What do you all think of that?"

[sblock=ooc]@covaithe: what kind of DC are we talking about for the Athletics check to scale the wall to the 2nd storey? Wondering if it's feasible to plan on or not ... then again, both of our archers (who I was thinking were the most likely to scale the building and enter on the 2nd floor) have +0 Athletics :S[/sblock]

 

[balth]

Raiyek mulls over the conversation on tactics so far, thinking over the pluses and minuses of the various plans. "Les' plan seems sound to me; the only problem I can see is if we don't get inside soon enough and they barricade us out, we could be in trouble."

Balth nods at this point, it had apparently crossed his mind, as well.

Perhaps if the main group could storm in and take the stairs? Use the stairs as the choke point instead of the door; that way we keep the battle contained, limit how many of them can fight us, and our archers can take up positions on the balcony if they so choose." After a short pause, he says, "What do you all think of that?"

Balth cocks his head for a moment, thinking. Do you mean as in have us storm in with you, and fend off the people downstairs as upstairs is secured and then give you support from above while you take the fight back downstairs? If so, I like the sound of that. He grins, toothily, for an elf.

[sblock=ooc]then again, both of our archers (who I was thinking were the most likely to scale the building and enter on the 2nd floor) have +0 Athletics :S Oh sure, I can do a triple-back-handspring out the window and down the wall, but I'm likely to kill myself going up it. Thanks, acrobatics vs. athletics! [/sblock]

 

[Lord Sessadore]

Balth cocks his head for a moment, thinking. Do you mean as in have us storm in with you, and fend off the people downstairs as upstairs is secured and then give you support from above while you take the fight back downstairs? If so, I like the sound of that. He grins, toothily, for an elf.

Raiyek smiles back at Balth, saying, "Yes, something like that. Of course, 'no plan survives contact with the enemy', so things will likely change on us anyway. As long as we can keep the orcs from being right in your face you can do your work, correct?"

[sblock=ooc]Yeah, I figure with 9 PCs, 5 of which are melee-oriented, we should be able to find enough people to block for the ranged attackers for the round or two it'll take to get to the stairs The only problem with bunching up like that is if Hoofchew himself has some sort of AOE power (I wouldn't be surprised if he did, to be honest). [/sblock]

 

[SeaPainter]

Not to mention, setting a set of wooden stairs on fire with magic fire in a wooden building while your archers are on the second floor...?

I see elf... you misunderstood me. I meant that I could quite literally place a ball of fire on the stairs... and move it around, and use it to chase away anyone who tried to go up after you two.

Why you would assume I'm stupid enough to suggest simply setting the building on fire after we entered it... of course, I was guilty of assuming that you would be capable of getting up into an advantageous firing position and shooting your arrows into a crowd engaged in melee without hitting your comrades. Perhaps it would be safer for everyone if you're shoulder-to-shoulder with us on the killing floor.

We'll just let them keep the high ground, or we can try walking up the stairs in a straight line... I'm sure they don't have any way to stop us from just walking up there... and I'm sure we won't have to take cover from the orcs' arrows, giving the shaman plenty of time to work some form of magic against us. No, no... I'm sure a nice, simple "walk in & hope for the best" plan will work fine.

Hell, I'm not that worried either way... because if we do this simple, then I'm one of the last ones through the door.

 

[ukingsken]

Enough bickering. Les speaks soundly but Raiyek is right, we cant chance being barricaded out of the building. We should take action soon lest we lose the element of surprise.

[sblock=ooc]My plan still stands for vashik. The minute I'm inside I'm firing an acid arrow at Hoofchew[/sblock]

[sblock=acid arrow]Primary attack (1d20+5=19) Primary Attack
secondary attack (1d20+5=20) Secondary Attack 1
secondary attack (1d20+5=19) Secondary Attack 2
primary damage (2d8+5=18) Primary Damage
secondary damage (1d8+5=9, 1d8+5=6) Secondary Damage 1&2[/sblock]

[sblock=ooc]I realize the guards are not currently adjacent but this way if they move no one is waiting on me.[/sblock]

 

[dimsdale]

Kruk hears strategies from everyone and then states: "If we're kicking down the door, let me go first! I will scream a battle cry and attack the first orc I see. All attention will be drawn to me so that the rest of you can attack unsuspecting targets (he nods to One Eye about his proposed attack on HC). Besides, I need room to swing my axe."


[sblock=OOC] My initial attack will be a brute strike. I'll make the roll when all plans are finalized. My target is orc 05 assuming we bash through the door closest to the stairs.
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[covaithe]

[sblock=climb DCs and initiatives]Sorry, should have mentioned this earlier. This building, like most in Overgrowth, is covered in clinging vines, so it's not terribly difficult to climb. Call it DC 12.

For initiative, don't forget that you've got warlords in the group. [/sblock]

 

[balth]

we can try walking up the stairs in a straight line... I'm sure they don't have any way to stop us from just walking up there...

He seems to acknowledge your returned sarcasm, but does not reply in kind. If you can use that fire without setting the building on fire, then so be it. But we do have the element of surprise, and I agree we should act quickly while we still have it. The tables inside can be knocked over for cover.

If Kruk will be taking the one closest to the door on the left, then that should allow me to get to one of the tables on the far south of the building, and shoot the one on the far right of the room. The only one pretty much directly between the stairs and us. If the second story guards come down the stair, then you get to use your ball of fire. If they don't, then you get to use it downstairs. Either way, like you pointed out, you'll be in the back, and I'll be covering you and clearing the way. Just get to those southern tables as the path becomes clear, and I will keep anyone who approaches you full of arrows until we reach the stair, Cross.

He nods to Raiyek, if you shiney types can keep them off Cross and I, we can most effectively pick off the reinforcements as they arrive, as well as any who look to flee.

[sblock=Suprise round action]Move to behind the table at g14 and Twin Strike orc7.

OOC: It's usually one action in a suprise round, right? Can I hunter's quarry or no? I'm a little confused how that works, since moving and shooting would be two actions? Also, I asked earlier, can you spend an AP in the surprise round, or no? [/sblock]

 

[covaithe]

[sblock=surprise round clarifications]I had to go look this stuff up myself, but you're right: only one action in a surprise round, either standard, move, or minor, but not a normal full round's action, and no action points. See PHB p.267.

Since hunter's quarry takes a minor action, you can't both apply it and attack in the surprise round.

Sorry, I should have clarified this earlier, since it will necessarily affect your tactics. You may also want to keep in mind that breaking down a wooden door requires a DC 16 strength check as a standard action.
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