Welcome to the Dragon's Egg RPG subforum

[Philip Overby]

I don't think I've hit a single enemy this whole game...

 

[Phietadix]

I don't think I've hit a single enemy this whole game...

Well Sir Matthew has been in since the begining. How many battles was he fighting the whole time (Or at all)? The first one.

 

[Nihal]

Well Sir Matthew has been in since the begining. How many battles was he fighting the whole time (Or at all)? The first one.

You managed to fight in the ship, saved Father Harald and even tanked a little. Better than nothing! ^^

@Phill
Nod will have an awesome story to turn into a song now! He summoned lizards missing a shot in the dark, then rode an impressive barbarian woman into battle!

--
I'll use an avatar with Mauve while I can... who knows for how long will she stay alive?

 

[Sparkie]

You managed to fight in the ship, saved Father Harald and even tanked a little. Better than nothing!

Glad to know that you've actually read the old threads, Nihal. Hope you enjoyed them!

 

[Philip Overby]

@Nihal: You want to make bets who dies first, Nod or Mauve?

 

[SeverinR]

The blessed arrow crits, but does only 2 damage out of possible 8.
How nice would it have been to hit and do above 50% damage?

Virtual dice seem to roll badly.

 

[Nihal]

@Sparkie
I tried to refrain from reading everything - to not slip when RPing - but ended reading anyway, hah.
By the way... did Rydh just jumped at Mauve's side? I hope it was after her spell. (I'm hoping the walls block the runaway magic the same way it block a bunch of successful enchantments)

Uh, at least Rydh has something nice to peek at.

@Phill
It's a hard to guess the winner! Mauve has good survival instincts but can easily kill herself by accident, suffering from such a bad luck that it's not only about spells anymore.

Nod likes to do stupid things - I think he can even be pushed to perform heroic acts! - and is riding Bald, what can be a good or a really bad thing.


@SeverinR
Awesome shot! If you had aimed for some specific part of his body - like eye - you would hit it!

 

[SeverinR]

@Phill
It's a hard to guess the winner! Mauve has good survival instincts but can easily kill herself by accident, suffering from such a bad luck that it's not only about spells anymore.

Nod likes to do stupid things - I think he can even be pushed to perform heroic acts! - and is riding Bald, what can be a good or a really bad thing.


@SeverinR
Awesome shot! If you had aimed for some specific part of his body - like eye - you would hit it!

I considered making a spell caster, but with what your char has gone through, I'm glad I went with the thief.

Would have called a shot, but they suddenly became visible, and my rolls haven't been the greatest. Maybe I should bless all my arrows. lol

 

[Steerpike]

"Called shot" penalties are steep. The rules allow them in the context of modern weaponry that is sufficiently accurate, though you could apply it to suitable fantasy weapons like bow. As written, the player has to take full round, remaining stationary, to aim the shot at the target, and then suffers a -8 penalty to the attempt. I'd probably loosen up the full round spent aiming and just say it's the only thing you can do that round, and other situational modifiers may apply.

The reason for the strict rules on this sort of thing, apart from reflecting the actually difficulty of trying to get in a called shot during combat, is how quickly games with loose "called shot" rules go off the rails. I've run games where suddenly every shot being fired is a called shot to the eye (95%) or some other vulnerable body part (5%). Then, the monsters start using the same tactic and you have a bunch of characters with at least one eye out or going blind and things devolve rapidly from there

 

[Nihal]

Oh, seriously, no one should use Mauve as an example of caster. Her fails don't reflect the reality! xD


@Steerpike
Yes, and that's why I avoid this kind of maneuver. But with a natural 20 he would had hit it, wouldn't he?

 

[Steerpike]

I've done it different ways, Nihal. After some bad experiences with called shot, my last group decided that there was never an automatic hit on a called shot, so natural 20s did not hit as a called shot. I'm open to however the group wants to do it, with the caveat that the monsters will avail themselves of the same rule.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

@Steerpike, Yeah... I can see why a called shot has a -8 penalty!

@Severin R, At least by rolling a natural 20, your arrow made it through all of the friendly targets.

@Phietadix, You do have control over how often Sir Matthew fights or sits out, and as both a player and a reader, I'd prefer to see the most balanced fighter in the party (tied-best AC, 2nd best attack and health) kick some butt!

@Phil, Mauve, Advice: don't die! Seriously, though, I'm enjoying the way your characters' stories unfold and I see them as outcasts fitting in. I do have a death scene mentally prepared for Baldhart (and plans to write her into a project of my own--which I'll have more time to work on if that scene comes before the other interesting stuff I hope she lives to see/do/share in-game), but there's that naive part of me that wants to see entire the party live to the end.

I kind of hope the characters can put aside their differences--especially when lives are at stake--and I'm seeing that happen now. So unless my charging into a trap is the mistake that costs us the battle (sorry!), I think we're functioning quite well as a party.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

I've done it different ways, Nihal. After some bad experiences with called shot, my last group decided that there was never an automatic hit on a called shot, so natural 20s did not hit as a called shot. I'm open to however the group wants to do it, with the caveat that the monsters will avail themselves of the same rule.

I'm for whatever does NOT lead to a bunch of mutiliated characters. That "everyone loses and eye" scenario you described is a huge turn off. I'll admit that I was very much relieved to find out that the severed hand was staged. I thought, once is cool. But if everybody loses a limb or an eye, we're all pirate cliches. The cool factor goes out the window if negative permanent maimings become commonplace. We become a Monty Python skit, but in a bad way.

 

[Ireth]

I'm for whatever does NOT lead to a bunch of mutiliated characters. That "everyone loses and eye" scenario you described is a huge turn off. I'll admit that I was very much relieved to find out that the severed hand was staged. I thought, once is cool. But if everybody loses a limb or an eye, we're all pirate cliches. The cool factor goes out the window if negative permanent maimings become commonplace. We become a Monty Python skit, but in a bad way.

I heartily agree.

Also, Cadell still needs help getting Baldhart back behind the shield wall, so if anyone can lend a hand (no pun intended), that'd be awesome.

 

[Nihal]

@LS
But... I don't want Mauve to die! The dices hate me. D:
About the party, I find it kinda hard to happen right now. They're so full of themselves and Mauve has a strong temper... She did her best for them, but it wasn't enough, so still means to leave as soon as possible.

@Ireth
Don't forget Darin. I'm placing my bets on him.
(P.s.: The mean practical side of Mauve also considered the possible damage Bald would suffer if stuck here. She estimated Bald would be able to resist it. >D)

@Steerpike
I trust in your experience as a GM!

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

@LS
About the party, I find it kinda hard to happen right now. They're so full of themselves and Mauve has a strong temper... She did her best for them, but it wasn't enough, so still means to leave as soon as possible.

Yeah... I know what you mean.

 

[Steerpike]

Doesn't look like posting from work will be feasible today, so as soon as I get home I'll get things moving!

 

[Ravana]

"Called shot" penalties are steep. The rules allow them in the context of modern weaponry that is sufficiently accurate, though you could apply it to suitable fantasy weapons like bow. As written, the player has to take full round, remaining stationary, to aim the shot at the target, and then suffers a -8 penalty to the attempt. I'd probably loosen up the full round spent aiming and just say it's the only thing you can do that round, and other situational modifiers may apply.

The reason for the strict rules on this sort of thing, apart from reflecting the actually difficulty of trying to get in a called shot during combat, is how quickly games with loose "called shot" rules go off the rails. I've run games where suddenly every shot being fired is a called shot to the eye (95%) or some other vulnerable body part (5%). Then, the monsters start using the same tactic and you have a bunch of characters with at least one eye out or going blind and things devolve rapidly from there

I'm with you here. Ten seconds is more than enough time to line up a shot, so making it the only action for a round is perfectly reasonable. And yes—and more importantly—even with steep penalties, called shots can get overpowering rapidly: once characters start gaining levels, the penalties stop mattering a whole lot… no matter how steep they may be.

Which is why I usually dislike allowing them as a core rule as well. Against that, there's the whole "rewarding characters for creativity" thing… so I dislike blanket disallowing them, too.

Though the most important point is the one about intelligent opponents being able to do all the same things the characters can… karma can be a real biç. *

Was gonna give one of my extended analyses on the matter; after taking a look at it, I decided all it did was work back around to "Steerpike's right," so there didn't seem much point inflicting it on everyone. Bottom line: major potential for abuse. Honestly don't have any good suggestions on this one.

•••

* Took one to the eye from a NPC.

•••

I've done it different ways, Nihal. After some bad experiences with called shot, my last group decided that there was never an automatic hit on a called shot, so natural 20s did not hit as a called shot. I'm open to however the group wants to do it, with the caveat that the monsters will avail themselves of the same rule.

This one, I think I can contribute to: "automatic successes" should only apply to normal activities, never to exceptional ones. Otherwise, everything has at least a 5% chance of working, no matter how ridiculously impossible it might be. Which is how ability checks work—even "normal" ones, depending on what modifiers they're facing: sometimes, the target number is higher than 20, and your modified roll has to reach that number.

Normal combat attacks don't use the same mechanism, so natural 20s automatically hitting can be justified as part of that mechanic. (I'm also inclined to allow natural 20s to automatically succeed on saving throws, even though those are ability checks.) If you're trying something other than a normal attack… nope, your target number can range up to infinity.

 

[Ravana]

The arrow and javelin strikes are too much for Burnbright, and with a yell she attempts to clamber over the table into the hallway. She catches her foot and falls face-first to the stone floor, accidentally discharging her bolt into the ground at Mauve's feet.

"Miss Burnbright? I'm Anson, from the Keystone Municipal Police Department, Human Resources Division. Have you ever considered a career in law enforcement…?"

Kid's got guts, give her credit for that. (And with any luck still will—in their usual location, that is—once this is over.)

•

((I'd add something about the spellcaster, but I'm not there, so.…))

 

[Sparkie]

Oh, Phil...

At least Mauve has hit somethin'.