LSO OOC Thread III

[BishGada]

JadedDM, I forgot to mention the coolness of the underwater map. Impressive.

[Chris1234]

It's great isn't it. I think the illustration he pulls out are pretty much all top notch.

[JadedDM]

Thanks. I just use Google Image Search, though. I actually have a big cache of pics on my hard drive of characters, vistas, maps, and monsters that I constantly add to. So nowadays, I rarely even need to actually search online, I can just check my cache. This has come in handy for new game I'm working on, to say the least.

[Breila]

Ouragana has mostly Mending spells memorised right now. Can they only be used to repair something, that is, put things into the shape they originally were, or could the spell be used on creative ways like "fixing" a broken chair around someone's torso and arms to pin them to his sides ?

[JadedDM]

Yeah. With your example, of the chair, the broken pieces need to be held up to the chair when the spell is cast. For instance, if you broke the leg off a chair, you'd need to hold the leg back up to where it is supposed to go when the spell is cast. If you instead destroyed the leg or lost it, then there would be nothing to mend.

So, theoretically, you could break a chair into parts, encase someone in them and mend them like that, trapping the person. Keep in mind, though, the spell is permanent. So if you later decided to free that person, you'd need to break the chair again (which might be difficult to do without harming the person in it). The spell can be dispelled magically, but only within 10 minutes of it being cast.

[Breila]

Thanks. I just wanted to know the possibilities Ouragana has. Right now, it seems I have to rely on her (and my) intelligence and acting skills.

[Breila]

I will be without internet access from August 21st to September 4th.
Hopefully, we will have finished the scene at the warehouse by then. I could do two posts daily if Horizon and Jaded can, too.

[JadedDM]

Should be done with that scene, and indeed the chapter itself, before the 21st. Then we'll be ready to begin the last chapter of this arc, hopefully.

[Chris1234]

{OOC: PHB p101 cites 'Save vs Parlysation, Poison & Death Magic: is used whenever a character is attacked by a paralysing attack (regardless of its source)',... and the 'Save vs Spells: is used provided no other type of saving through is specified...' and the guidance on Saving Throw priorityis 'Table 60 listed in order of importance [PPDM..RSW.. PP..BW..Sp]. Hold Person spell stipulates that Wis mod applies. And can't move = paralysed (regardless of source). Just saying, looks to me like Naras made the save. Of course, a specialist spell caster or magic item bonus would preclude that or Hold Monster or Hold Person targeted at two people. Had my say. I'll go mute now.}

[JadedDM]

(OOC: Baeros charges at the woman with both swords and orders Takit to bite the dwarf from behind and then run away. The idea is to make the dwarf miss his first shots. If possible after the first attack Baeros will try to place himself between the woman and the human male at attack each with a different swords, I guess in melee they can't aim the pistols just shoot randomly (which still can be bad...)
Can you describe positions before first round? Also can you describe what Baeros actually knows about pistols? Damage (In game terms) Time to reload? Effectiveness at melee etc? I might give more details about the attack. I assume since we just had chat we had about 4-5 feet between us and now it could be something like 10'. Still something you can close quickly. (and I guess deadly range for the pistols... but I hope with the intimidation, Takit attack and maneuver we will survive it.)
One more thing, I'm not sure how to take Brock limp into account. Can he close the distance as well? I thought it will hinder him from making quick movements and therefore more vulnerable to pistols. That's why he asks Drav to protect him from the first shot, but if he can close the range as the rest it is a better bet for him. Still he should do it after the others distract the enemy.)

These all seem like really important questions to have been asked before pulling a Leeroy Jenkins, but okay.

First, you cannot order Takit to sneak up behind an opponent with a whistle. It doesn't work like that. Takit knows the following commands: Attack, Hide, Watch Over, Track, and Patrol Camp. "Sneak up behind someone" isn't among them, and even if it was, I don't think Baeros could communicate such a complicated task with just a whistle.

Second, gunslingers are not spellcasters. You cannot 'interrupt' them with an attack. In other words, even if you hit one first, it won't have any bearing on their accuracy (anymore than you can disrupt a swordsman's or bowman's attack.)

Third, guns are actually more accurate the closer their target is. Right now the party is at point-blank range (30' or less; in this case, only 10 feet away), so the gunslingers actually get a bonus to hit with them.

As for how firearms work, they do take forever to reload so you only can get off one shot in a fight, usually (they take 3 rounds to reload). Damage varies on the type of gun; these are 'coat pistols' which means they are small and easy to conceal. However, all guns have the potential for unlimited damage. If you roll max damage on a gun, then you get to roll again. If you roll max damage on the second roll, you get to roll a third time. And so on and so on. Also, they ignore all non-magical armor. So Baeros has AC 10 right now, as far as the guns are concerned. Coat pistols deal 1d3 damage normally and do triple damage on a critical. However, on a fumble they backfire.

Brock's limp only affects his movement speed, which is irreverent at such close range. He is no more or less susceptible to being hit than anyone else.

Also worth mentioning is an important rule in the PHB for ranged combat (pg 52 under Effects of Specialization): "Furthermore, if the character has an arrow nocked and drawn, or a bolt loaded and cocked, and has his target in sight, he can fire at the beginning of the round before any initiative rolls are made."

This applies to guns, too. If you have the gun loaded, cocked and aimed and have your finger on the trigger, you can fire before initiative is made. In other words, it doesn't matter how fast Baeros is or how close he is. The guns are pointed right at him at point blank range, ready to fire. He won't be able to take a single step before they all fire at him. At once. So...we'll see if he survives or not. Guns are deadly, ask Horizon. That's how her character died in Three Relics.

[BishGada]

These all seem like really important questions to have been asked before pulling a Leeroy Jenkins, but okay.

Indeed, I tend to make a lot of assumptions...

I didn't mean interrupt as spellcaster but if you get your leg bitten before you shoot you move. (both by the pull of the jaws and instinctively moving your hands to deal with the problem) and therefore might miss. There is high chance that you will shoot off target completely judging from movies.

Gun would be accurate at 10' but when your body touches the other it is difficult to straighten your arm, look at the aim and shoot. You can shoot without aiming but it should be much less accurate. (Again from movies: Usually at movies it works. You charge, kick the person and the gun is out of use).

Takit worked with Baeros a lot. Sneaking from behind is not a command or a trick, it's strategy. The whistle mention attack. The dogs should have recognized the tension. And dogs are great at group strategies. They are hunters. Hope you will approve and let Takit survive if not Baeros.

Right now the party is at point-blank range + He won't be able to take a single step before they all fire at him
First, as far as I understood the post, one gun was aimed at each party member so one gun aimed at Baeros and not ALL.
About the range I see what you mean, but if everyone jump to the ground while Baeros attacks it is surprising and their aims are lost. Currently each pistol is aimed at different target. I think it would be fair to remove the bonus of initiative if you need to change the aim and aim again at a moving target... Of course the gun that is aim at Baeros will get the bonus.

Hmmm... AC10 - crap.... Guns are deadly, ask Horizon... crap!

[JadedDM]

I didn't mean interrupt as spellcaster but if you get your leg bitten before you shoot you move. (both by the pull of the jaws and instinctively moving your hands to deal with the problem) and therefore might miss. There is high chance that you will shoot off target completely judging from movies.

Gun would be accurate at 10' but when your body touches the other it is difficult to straighten your arm, look at the aim and shoot. You can shoot without aiming but it should be much less accurate. (Again from movies: Usually at movies it works. You charge, kick the person and the gun is out of use).

I understand what you mean, but there is no mechanic for that in D&D. And if there were, it would not just apply to guns, but every kind of attack. Because you could make the exact same argument for a crossbow, bow or even a sword. If this were how the game works, then Baeros should have suffered penalties to hit with his swords, because he was shot several times and this would have forced him to move and possibly miss, right?

Takit worked with Baeros a lot. Sneaking from behind is not a command or a trick, it's strategy. The whistle mention attack. The dogs should have recognized the tension. And dogs are great at group strategies. They are hunters. Hope you will approve and let Takit survive if not Baeros.

I could buy that Baeros has trained Takit to attack upon hearing him whistle. But a casual whistle of sounding impressed? That seems like it could really backfire on him.

DRAV: Hey, Baeros, check out my new sword. It can catch on fire at my command.
BAEROS: *gives an impressed whistle* Nice.
TAKIT: *tears out Drav's throat*

In any case, Takit isn't a mind-reader and also isn't some extension of Baeros' will. He does his best to follow his master's orders, but in general when a dog feels threatened or if it thinks its master is being threatened, they tend to growl and snarl, not stealthily sneak around opponents. But even so, they were all out in the open. There was no way for Takit to sneak around without being seen.

About the range I see what you mean, but if everyone jump to the ground while Baeros attacks it is surprising and their aims are lost. Currently each pistol is aimed at different target. I think it would be fair to remove the bonus of initiative if you need to change the aim and aim again at a moving target... Of course the gun that is aim at Baeros will get the bonus.

But again, the combat rules in this game don't work that way. Had everyone jumped to the ground like Baeros commanded, they would have only done so when it was their turn in initiative. So they wouldn't have jumped down until after the enemy had all fired their shots anyway. Also, while prone you actually suffer an AC penalty, meaning you are easier to hit! Taking cover would have been better, but again, it was too late for that. They had their pistols drawn and pointing at you. At this point it was impossible to surprise them, because they already had the advantage.

And Baeros could not have forced them to change their aim by moving first, because he couldn't move until it was his turn in initiative to do so. That's how initiative works. You cannot move or attack or anything else until it's your turn. The enemy was allowed to attack first, because their guns were already drawn and readied. All of your arguments here seem to be based on the premise that Baeros can move or attack before his turn in initiative, which he couldn't do.

Anyway, that's the end of this chapter. I'll calculate XP and set up the last chapter of the arc when I can.

[BishGada]

OK.
I'm glad everyone including Baeros survived. I do think at least that not all the four guns were aimed at Baeros and finally your description of

DRAV: Hey, Baeros, check out my new sword. It can catch on fire at my command.
BAEROS: *gives an impressed whistle* Nice.
TAKIT: *tears out Drav's throat*

Was hilarious. I loughed aloud for the first time in days.

[BishGada]

Surprisingly, the criticism does not come from Brock, but Drav. "If you have a death wish, try not to drag the rest of us with you next time," he mutters, sheathing his blades.

At least that made silent Drav speak.

[HorizonsDream]

The girls settle things peacefully for the most part, but the boys had to get rowdy.