The rocky experience of a KotS test run (spoilers)

[JustKim]

I assume you're talking about "Fighter Weapon Talent"? You may want to re-read the description. It says a fighter gets a +1 bonus to attack rolls, not damage. The +1 to attack is part of the fighter's +6 attack with the maul.

That's my mistake then, oops! I looked at the character sheet wondering why the paladin dealt more damage than the fighter, while using a shield. It seems wrong somehow.

Flatfootedness has been renamed "Suprised" (it's on the condition list on page 13). The surprised condition says "You can't take actions, other than free actions". An opportunity action is a different action type than a free action, so I'd say no.

Thanks for bringing that to my attention, I did not catch it.

Also I'd reccommend following the advice on tactics for each encounter, in many cases it actually helps the PCs. Particularly A3, if you don't follow the tactics as listed you'll almost certainly TPK. If you lead an attack with minions it'll also give the PCs a chance to reduce the effect of the kobolds' Mob Attack ability.

It hadn't occurred to me that the tactics are meant to direct the combat instead of provide the DM with a strategy. I will definitely run the next encounters faithful to the tactics section and see if that changes things.

I ruled that Sleep does not break on damage. It is a magically induced state, and a save to throw off the effect is the only way to awaken. Note that if a creature falls asleep, they will be unable to act until the round after they save, as saves are made at the end of each characters turns.

I'm really leaning this way as well. There are so many saves to break the effect that not allowing damage seems excessive.

Thanks also for the answers on cover and Lay on Hands. Has that information come from other sources or did we miss them in the books somewhere?

 

[Victim]

That's my mistake then, oops! I looked at the character sheet wondering why the paladin dealt more damage than the fighter, while using a shield. It seems wrong somehow.

Because it is? The fighter does do more damage: 2d6+3 is more than 1d8+4. The fighter's STR isn't as high though, so the bonus is lower.

 

[MortalPlague]

• Does damaging a creature affected by the sleep spell wake it? I ruled it does, but this makes a bad spell even worse.

Consider that this magic compulsion is powerful enough to put one to sleep in the middle of a swirling, vicious melee, with adrenaline running through your veins and danger all around you. I think the official ruling is that damage does not awaken you from sleep, rather a saving throw does.

On a related note, I played this adventure with Bram from the boards here, and our group had very little trouble with the first and second fights. The second fight in particular was easy, since we dropped the wyrmpriest pretty early on. A3 is, however, a nightmare; we just managed to survive... I think only three of our five characters were still standing, and they were all on the edge of death. Best of luck when you return to the module!

 

[JustKim]

Because it is? The fighter does do more damage: 2d6+3 is more than 1d8+4. The fighter's STR isn't as high though, so the bonus is lower.

In play the paladin frequently did more damage than the fighter by marking and using Holy Strike for 1d8+5 damage. Statistically the fighter should deal .5 damage more on average I suppose, but then he hits less. The fighter always seemed to be playing second fiddle, although this could have just been due to player choices.

 

[Boarstorm]

In play the paladin frequently did more damage than the fighter by marking and using Holy Strike for 1d8+5 damage. Statistically the fighter should deal .5 damage more on average I suppose, but then he hits less. The fighter always seemed to be playing second fiddle, although this could have just been due to player choices.

How were you using the paladin's mark? This seems hinky to me.

 

[Ingolf]

How were you using the paladin's mark? This seems hinky to me.

No, that's spot-on. Holy Strike gets +1 damage against targets that Paladin has marked. Divine Challenge is an at-will minor, so a sound tactic for the Pally is to Challenge & then Holy Strike (unless he's surrounded and wants to get the to-hit bonus from Valiant Strike)

I think the issue is the Pally has a better chance to-hit, and the OP indicated the player was having "dice issues." So it's not surprising the fighter might have seemed a bit lacking under those circumstances.

 

[Andur]

I believe alot of the "rockiness" is due to the fact that you had one player playing 4-5 characters. Less suggestions of tactics available, less focus on any single character (most likely reason for not using dmage on miss abilities), and an unconscious "boosting" of the character(s) one likes while a "slighting" of the character(s) one does not like.

 

[Kwalish Kid]

I believe alot of the "rockiness" is due to the fact that you had one player playing 4-5 characters. Less suggestions of tactics available, less focus on any single character (most likely reason for not using dmage on miss abilities), and an unconscious "boosting" of the character(s) one likes while a "slighting" of the character(s) one does not like.

I missed that it was only one person running five PCs. That makes a big difference. Unless you're like Abdominal who can stalemate in chess with God while playing Vishnu and Buddha on separate boards.

 

[Ilmyryn]

I would like to add 2 Rules questions I have not been able to find any answer to in the prerelease material.

1. What happens when I move into an allies square and then he wants to stand up. Is it a move action to stand in adjacent square? What about when an enemy moves into a downed PC's square and then the PC receives healing? (I don't recall this ever really being addressed in 3e either)

2. What about using encounter powers outside of combat. Can a Eledrin teleport 5 squares to escape a jail cell? The one my players specifically wanted was to use Healing word outside of combat during their short rest to reduce the number of healing surges they needed to use outside of combat to get back to full.

Thanks for any insight anyone has.

 

[JesterOC]

2. What about using encounter powers outside of combat. Can a Eledrin teleport 5 squares to escape a jail cell? The one my players specifically wanted was to use Healing word outside of combat during their short rest to reduce the number of healing surges they needed to use outside of combat to get back to full.

Thanks for any insight anyone has.

You can use encounter powers outside of combat once every 5 minutes as long as you rest between uses.

JesterOC