[Benevolance]

Fugu: Glasgow's got a pretty good bluff check. Do you consider impersonation to be part of Bluff? Like, if he used his radio, pretending to be a guard, calling in and say the prisoners were on the way towards the engines? Or wherever happens to be a different direction that we are going?

[Fugu]

Hmmm. I'd let you roll bluff, but I'd borrow from the disguise system. The opposed roll would be your Bluff check - 3 (since you've heard the dude say, like, three words) vs the hearer's Listen check +6 (the disguise modifier for friends and associates). The -3 was chosen arbitrarily, but I think the circumstances are more difficult than the standard -2 ad hoc adjustment would indicate. I'd count a tie in your favor, so your check would have to beat the hearer's check by 9 to succeed.

[Barak]

Just so you know Lynx, I personally would have little issue with killing those waritis/humans. He-Who-Watches, however, is weird about such things. :)

[Benevolance]

I'm sort of anticipating with interest the inevitable clash of He Who Watches nobler ethics with Glasgow's selfish and mercenary sensibilities. :)

[Barak]

I rarely play elves, because I inevitably view them as having that "holier-than-thou" attitude, which I'm playing to the hilt, doubled with his monk training.. And i usually hate those people. :)

BTW.. If that grenade that hurt me allowed for a Reflex save, and I made it (which, by your description, is what happened), I have evasion, Fugu. :)

[Fugu]

Quote

BTW.. If that grenade that hurt me allowed for a Reflex save, and I made it (which, by your description, is what happened), I have evasion, Fugu. :)

Pffffffft. Class abilities, schmass abilities.

This post has been edited by Fugu: 06 June 2007 - 12:14 PM

[Barak]

Fugu, on Jun 6 2007, 02:13 PM, said:

Pffffffft. Class abilities, schmass abilities.

I agree 100%. Yet I still take no damage. :)

[Lynx Cat]

Barak, on Jun 6 2007, 01:50 PM, said:

Just so you know Lynx, I personally would have little issue with killing those waritis/humans. He-Who-Watches, however, is weird about such things. :)

I thought as much, and I don't mind anyway. Besides, my characters tend to have a mind of their own. I think it's fun to see them freak out a bit sometimes - like this time, when Morgan actually agrees with HWW's basic thoughts on the matter. The contradiction is what makes it fun :P

[Barak]

Hehe cool. The characters I usually tend to play would have killed those guys without a blink.. HWW is a bit of a departure for me in that way, so I'm careful not to annoy the other players with it. :)

[Fugu]

I'm working on an update. I just have to decide how to kill you all. :angel_not:

[Barak]

Soflty, with your song?

[Fugu]

I'll keep that in mind for future chapters!

Some notes on the environment:

To go back the way you came (to the south on the map) would mean some considerable backtracking before you could get back around to the escape hatch. It would also take you back through the thick of the search parties. You're far enough away from that now that if you resolve this situation quickly, you can make it to the hatch before reinforcements are likely to arrive.

The dock drones are robots built for ship maintenance and docking tasks. The landing star is a network of giant hydraulic arms that can receive and bear a ship that has no landing gear of its own--quite common among interstellar vessels.

Glasgow and Morgan have learned (from Pryatt the Pilot and from the Unidat) that most advanced species employ robotic servants and war machines, and humans also use mechanical exoskeletons for manual labor, exploration, and war. Neither of you know enough about such things to tell which you are facing right now--a robot, or a battlesuit with a person inside. A person could definitely fit inside the thing, but nothing so far indicates that there is or isn't one inside.

This is the second time I've taken a Monster Manual beastie and modified it for my purposes. I don't really need to say this, but just so we're on the same page, don't take this encounter lightly. I had to make some judgment calls on how powerful certain things would be, and when unsure, I tried to err on the side of challenging, especially since this is (hopefully) the final battle of the "escape" plot. The previous combat was against chumps; you coasted through without really trying. This will be a taste of the elite. So coordinate and kick some ass!

EDIT: Naturally, now that I've made that speech, you guys will kill it in three rounds without taking any hits. :doh[1]:

This post has been edited by Fugu: 07 June 2007 - 04:22 AM

[Lynx Cat]

Bring it on, dude B) (this means, I just innaugurated the new combat).

[Barak]

Oh my.

I'll have to wait until the mech acts before knowing what I'll do since it goes before me.. But yeah, that's not the type of opponent I excel against. :)

[Fugu]

Glasgow's map position is technically unchanged, despite the combat narration. Use the map as given in my latest Combat edit.

The [37] given, despite Morgan's 52 damage, is not a mistake. The fireball didn't hurt it as much as it would have hurt a person (though it was still pretty damn hot--15d6?!).

Lastly, in case it wasn't clear already, the big room is a dock. The high ceiling has (closed) bay doors to admit ships, but the dock is currently unoccupied, and looks to have been for a long time.

[Barak]

Alright, edited my action in..

[Benevolance]

Updated. Not a very inspired post, but I didn't want to hold the game up any longer than necessary. :)

[Fugu]

Okey-doke. Round 2, Morgan's action. Got any more fireballs?

[Barak]

Just to double check, the mecha is considered size Large, right?

[Fugu]

Correct.

[Lynx Cat]

Fugu, on Jun 8 2007, 03:02 PM, said:

Okey-doke. Round 2, Morgan's action. Got any more fireballs?

Got something better. That is, not necessarily better, but better against something that has some sort of resistance to fire. Unless it's got resistance to all sorts of damage, in which case, fuck you :P

(this means I edited in of course)

[Fugu]

I have some rules questions. A creature with improved grab and multiattack: can it make an attack on one foe, then a melee attack on a second foe, which deals damage and starts a grapple that also deals damage, and then use its third natural attack on the grappled foe? That seems like a lot--dealing damage four times.

Also, I assume HWW's grapple is the same as his attack mod, +13. Is that right?

I've been using character sheets at these links--Morgan, Glasgow, HWWWWWWW--but it occurred to me today that they might be out of date. Are they?

[Lynx Cat]

Wow, mine is updated. This is crazy since I haven't seen that link in a couple forevers.

[Barak]

Fugu, on Jun 9 2007, 02:07 PM, said:

I have some rules questions. A creature with improved grab and multiattack: can it make an attack on one foe, then a melee attack on a second foe, which deals damage and starts a grapple that also deals damage, and then use its third natural attack on the grappled foe? That seems like a lot--dealing damage four times.

Also, I assume HWW's grapple is the same as his attack mod, +13. Is that right?

I've been using character sheets at these links--Morgan, Glasgow, HWWWWWWW--but it occurred to me today that they might be out of date. Are they?

Actually, HWW has Improved Grapple, which gives him +4 to his grapple check. But he has Weapon Finesse and Weapon focus (unarmed). So.. Yes, his grapple check happens to be +13, but it's a coincidence. :)

And sadly, your reading of the rules appear correct. Improved Grab is Na-asty.

And my sheet's up-to-date.. We're still level 11, and haven't gained any significant equipment (well, at least I haven't..) so..

This post has been edited by Barak: 10 June 2007 - 09:01 AM

[Lynx Cat]

Dude, I was just reading the character sheets and noticed one thing - Glasgow and HWW have their "old" (10th level) HP values in the "maps and other info" thread, and in the Combat thread, you're using that outdated value as well. Also, did I roll a 1 in my d4 last level? Damn :(

[Fugu]

Quote

Also, did I roll a 1 in my d4 last level? Damn :(

As I recall, you did.

I fixed the hit points.

This post has been edited by Fugu: 10 June 2007 - 08:29 PM

[Barak]

So.. I'm grappled, right?

[Fugu]

Yes. The pincer is holding you up in the air, Dr. Octopus-style, but it's a normal grapple as the rules go.

This post has been edited by Fugu: 11 June 2007 - 09:41 AM

[Barak]

Alright.. I have questions. :)

If I -do- manage to escape the grapple, do I end up prone? If I do, is "kip-up" a real rule, or did my gaming group make it up (kipping up is standing up from prone as a free action with a tumble check DC20, I'm not sure if that's a real rule or if my gaming group made it up.)

You might want to check and see if I manage to escape the grapple first, since if I do not, the rest of the questions is academical anyway.

[Benevolance]

The only Kip Up is the ability for the Thief Acrobat, but our group house-ruled a similar rule addition as in your group.

Shouldn't Morgan's total damage be lower? He was only hit once and the damage he sustained does not match the paranthetical total.

Glasgow's action is updated. Sadly, rogues inflict little damage when the enemy is immune to sneak attack. Would Glasgow know how much damage the grenades were capable of inflicting?

I don't remember how many grenades he acquired, either, but the elf could theoretically quick draw and rapid shot thrown weapons, yes? Including grenades?

[Fugu]

Morgan's damage total includes his hit from the cryogrenade in the previous combat. Glasgow grabbed one each of two kinds of grenades. The one grenade his Morgan, so you know it's capable of dealing at least 21 lethal damage. HWW dodged the other grenade, so you don't really know how potent it is compared to the cryogrenade.

I believe one can quick draw and rapid shot grenades. Kipping up sounds fine.

[Barak]

Well then let me know if I manage to escape the grapple, and I'll let you know what happens after..

[Fugu]

You escaped on your 2nd attempt.

[Lynx Cat]

Well, we discussed Deflect Arrows, but does Protection from Arrows work against blasters and such? I understand that the big guy we're dealing with uses some sort of projectile, which should pretty much certainly be protected against, but just for future reference.

[Fugu]

The Mech is using energy blasts just like the other guns you've seen (sorry about the ambiguous wording), BUT, you learned during the scientists' diagnostics sessions that Protection from Arrows works against every form of ranged attack that they could come up with, including guns like the one being used by the Mech. (The experiment was of course contructed such that you would not have been harmed even if the spell failed.)

This post has been edited by Fugu: 11 June 2007 - 07:29 PM

[Barak]

I sorta wonder why Protection from arrows work, but not Deflect arrows. They are basically the same, except with deflect arrows being a tad better..

Anyway. If I succeeded on my second attempt, that means.. What? Am I prone? I must have used a full attack, since I had more than one attack.. So I have a 5' step left?

[Fugu]

I agree to the kip-up rule. You made your tumble check, and I guess could make your third attack and/or take a 5' step.

The difference between Deflect Arrows and Protection from Arrows is just my interpretation of the flavor of each. Deflect Arrows is the physical ability to react to material, relatively low-inertia projectiles, while Protection from Arrows creates a magical barrier that no mundane ranged threat can penetrate. As far as system balance, it's true that Deflect Arrows of minimal use in a futuristic setting--about as useful as Morgan's Spellcraft ranks.

[Barak]

It's all good. :)

I guess I'll take my third attack and stay there.. He most likely has reach and could move up 5' himself anyway..

[Lynx Cat]

Please do. I wouldn't want him to move around the corner or something :P

And I can't access gaming sites here, but isn't the wording in Deflect Arrows more restrictive than the broad "ranged attacks" reference in PfA? Not meaning to debate something that's Rule 0 anyway, just thinkin'.

Oh, and I have my Round 3 action ready, in case all y'alls folks didn't notice. Since Lance and Barak closed the 2nd round too, it's Fugu's turn :)

This post has been edited by Lynx Cat: 12 June 2007 - 07:20 AM

[Barak]

I think if I get regrappled (and I have a feeling I will!) and survive, I won't bother trying to get out next time. I can attack almost as well while grappled (well, at -4 to-hit), but wasting attacks trying to get out of the grapple sorta negates that, I think.

[Fugu]

Crap. For complicated reasons, I didn't give HWW an AoO for being grappled in Round 2, even though I should have. I just now rolled it--he would have damaged the Mech, negating the grapple and taking considerably less damage last round. He would also have been able to make more attacks against the monster since he wouldn't have needed to escape the grapple. Since this is a life or death situation, I've revised Round 2, assuming that HWW made a full attack on the Mech.

[Fugu]

For the throw, I used the Falling Damage rule that allows a DC 15 Tumble to reduce the damage.

[Barak]

Fugu, on Jun 12 2007, 03:02 PM, said:

For the throw, I used the Falling Damage rule that allows a DC 15 Tumble to reduce the damage.

Did you also take into consideration HWW's monkish ability of treating a fall as if it was 50' shorter if he's within reach of a wall (which I believe he was)? :)

Edit: Also.. Not to dig my own grave, but I wanna make sure you're aware that grapples started through the use of the Improved Grab special abilities do not, in fact, provoke AoOs.

This post has been edited by Barak: 12 June 2007 - 01:47 PM

[Fugu]

That's the thing--I decided not to give the Mech Improved Grab when I realized how powerful it was. I didn't include the 50' shorter thing, but I will, since it applies.

[Barak]

Oh good. :) Actions updated!

[Fugu]

A heads up: I'm moving in a few days, and then going on vacation for a week. I will be back in action around the 24th of June. I know last year a week-long hiatus turned into like five months, but that probably won't happen this time. Anyway, if we can all stay active for the next few days, we can finish the chapter before I leave, which would be much better than stopping in the middle of combat for a week.

[Benevolance]

I will try, but I'm writing my law exam tomorrow. I will try to make it online. I've posted my round 3 action. And, assuming that Glasgow can see a chink in the mech, next round he'll move forward and try to stuff a grenade.

This post has been edited by Benevolance: 12 June 2007 - 06:30 PM

[Lynx Cat]

Posty wosty!

[Barak]

Mine too.. I know the mecha goes before me, but I sorta doubt whatever he does will affect me.

With my luck, he'll be down to like 1 HP and I could have brought it down by just attacking, but I can't afford to take that risk. It's funny, my players always do that too, egtting all worked up and trying fancy shit when the enemy is on it's last legs and could be brought down easily by just attacking it..

[Fugu]

And Protection from Arrows saves Morgan's life!

And don't worry--the grenade going inside the mech meant that it bypassed the DR. Boom!

[Lynx Cat]

Whew. I thought the damage listed there was the "real" damage, but it seems it's before DR and such is counted. Score!

Edit: Oh, and I still have that blaster rifle I got in the wariti ship, right? As well as the artifacts, of course. Just keeping track, since my (minimal) equipment is the only thing not in the character sheet you linked to :)

This post has been edited by Lynx Cat: 13 June 2007 - 07:18 AM

[Barak]

You know what's gonna be a bitch in this game? Healing. :)

[Lynx Cat]

Oh yeah, bigtime. The thought crossed my mind more than a few times this combat :P

[Fugu]

All of your unconcealed possessions were confiscated when you arrived on the human transport. So I don't think you have the gun anymore. Glasgow lost his, too, but got a new one during the previous combat.

[Lynx Cat]

Oh. Well, no problem, I'm better off with spells anyway :P Will edit my post to reflect that.

[Benevolance]

My new gun comes with better rules!

I should be able to update more frequently now that my law course is over and I don't have another class this summer. The CGA program exempted from taking the writing course. :)

[Lynx Cat]

I'll be away for a few days next week, but of course that should coincide with Fugu's week off. And I'll have possibly problematic internet access next month, or maybe I'll get to check here regularly, I dunno. No idea how my daily routine and computer capabilities will be while I'm there (probably from July 20ish to Aug. 20ish, not certain though). My life is made of surprises! :P

[Barak]

So.. What sort of crap does HWW finds in the rack? :)