A fork on the road

[Lorde]

Let say the gang need to achieve 2 objectives at the same time, and splitting the group is the best way to do that.

How would you split the group?

[Logic]

Well, we know that one path (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0002.html) didn't work out so well...

[Scarab83]

If they were all alive again?

Team A: Haley, Elan, and Durkon
Team B: Roy, Belkar, and Vaarsuvius

Durkon would be able to stand the lovey-dovey attitude between Haley and Elan, while Roy is able to keep Belkar on somewhat of a leash.

[truemane]

Assuming the two tasks were roughly equal in terms of difficulty and make-up, I'd do it this way:

Splinter 1:
Roy
Belkar
V

Splinter 2:
Haley
Elan
Durkon

Rationale: Splinter 1 has all the fighters and the Arcane Magic Person. This allows them to meet most difficulties directly and immediately. Roy and Belkar beat stuff, V fries the rest. Splinter 2, while less powerful in a stand-up fight, with some pre-preparation (which Haley can do) they can work around most encounters. And if they get caught up in a nasty fight, Durkon is there to fix them up after.

Plus Roy in the only one that can control Belkar, and V would go mad if forced to endure Haley and Elan for long.

EDIT: Ninja'd. Great minds think alike, eh Scarab?

[Yechezkiel]

Why not split up the healers? (Actually I can't remember if Elan can...)

[Scarab83]

EDIT: Ninja'd. Great minds think alike, eh Scarab?

Damn straight. :smallbiggrin:

[Pagz]

Team A: Haley, Elan, and Durkon
Team B: Roy, Belkar, and Vaarsuvius

I agree.

Elan should be able to cast Cure light wounds, if he took it as a spell, however regarding the sword-in-spleen incident, I don't think he has it (or was too worried that he'd fail a concentration check, and by seeing him in the strip, I don't think he would).

[Gaelbert]

Roy would have to be with Belkar so the Mark of Justice wouldn't be triggered.

[Setra]

Roy, Belkar, Haley, and Elan.

Durkon and V.

[Demented]

Team A: Haley, Elan, Vaarsuvius, Durkon.

Team B: Roy, Belkar.

Depending on how difficult things are, we may need to move Roy over to team A. :smallbiggrin:

[Iranon]

Team 1: Roy, Vaarsuvius, Durkon

Team 2: Haley, Belkar, Elan


Team 1 consists of boring if solid builds, which is also reflected by their professionalism. They have enough raw prowess to solve any problem they can't reason through with force . If stealth is called for, Vaarsuvius' spells can compensate for the worst of Durkon's and Roy's shortcomings.

Team 2: Two sneaks and one decoy, emphasising stealth over power and improvisation over planning. Haley is probably a semi-competent leader, despite her assessment that the three are 'staggeringly and consistently irresponsible'. If she got used to it, I have faith that she will whip them into being an effective team.

[EyethatBinds]

Seems the standard combo is Haley, Vaarsuvius, and Belkar with the default being other half being Roy, Durkon and Elan. But in #157 [no idea how to do the link trick] it is shown that sometimes things go awry. With Roy dead though I doubt the party will risk splitting up unless needed.

[Setra]

So you think V will regroup with the party?

Probably a good idea, invisibility only lasts so long, and they would be good protection.

[Lòkki Gallansbayne]

Assuming the nature of the task is unknown or such that it requires a broad range of abilities to solve, I'd go with:

Team A: Roy, Varsuuvius, Elan/Haley
Team B: Belkar, Durkon, Haley/Elan

That way each team has a meleer, a caster and a skill monkey of some description. I can't really decide which way round you'd have to put Elan and Haley to ensure a roughly even level of prowess (Belkar & Durkon combined are more powerful in melee than Roy alone, but Durkon isn't as prolific a caster as V), although I'm tempted to put Elan on Durkon's team simply because he seems to get hurt more often than Haley as far as I can remember and with his d6 hit die he could use the healing.

For maximum personality cohesion, I'd do:

Team A: Roy, Durkon, Belkar
Team B: Elan, Haley, Varsuuvius.

Roy and Durkon get on well and between them should be able to keep Belkar in line. Elan & Haley on the same team is obvious, plus V gets along well with Haley more than anyone else in the group.

For maximum humour:

Team A: Roy, Belkar, Elan
Team B: Haley, Durkon, Varsuuvius

I mean, c'mon, Roy on his own putting up with both Elan (even with his new found competence methinks he still grates on Roy a tad) and Belkar? :smallbiggrin:

[squidthingy]

Team 1: Roy, Vaarsuvius, Durkon

Team 2: Haley, Belkar, Elan


Team 1 consists of boring if solid builds, which is also reflected by their professionalism. They have enough raw prowess to solve any problem they can't reason through with force . If stealth is called for, Vaarsuvius' spells can compensate for the worst of Durkon's and Roy's shortcomings.

Team 2: Two sneaks and one decoy, emphasising stealth over power and improvisation over planning. Haley is probably a semi-competent leader, despite her assessment that the three are 'staggeringly and consistently irresponsible'. If she got used to it, I have faith that she will whip them into being an effective team.

Belkar didn't even use a sneaky tactic when he was a ranger, now that he has multiclassed into barbarion there is no way he would resist to urge to charge in weapon first

[jindra34]

Belkar didn't even use a sneaky tactic when he was a ranger, now that he has multiclassed into barbarion there is no way he would resist to urge to charge in weapon first

did he ever say who the sneaks were?

[squidthingy]

So you think V will regroup with the party?

Probably a good idea, invisibility only lasts so long, and they would be good protection.

V may have been implied as the other resonsible one (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0075.html), but haley is second-in-command, so if charge needs to be taken haley will probaly do it

[squidthingy]

did he ever say who the sneaks were?

elan's move silently check (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0090.html), even if he rolled a two(if he rolled a one he would have said 'natural one' because it is an automatic failure)that means he only has a maximum of two skill points in move silently, that's not enough to have him be consistently using the sneaky tactic

[jindra34]

elan's move silently check (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0090.html), even if he rolled a two(if he rolled a one he would have said 'natural one' because it is an automatic failure)that means he only has a maximum of two skill points in move silently, that's not enough to have him be consistently using the sneaky tactic

honestly i thought that was just his roll as he did manage to sneak out of captivity of the bandit camp.

[Yechezkiel]

elan's move silently check (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0090.html), even if he rolled a two(if he rolled a one he would have said 'natural one' because it is an automatic failure)that means he only has a maximum of two skill points in move silently, that's not enough to have him be consistently using the sneaky tactic

Since when is a Natural 1 a failure on a skill check? Thought that was limited to attack rolls and saves?

[squidthingy]

honestly i thought that was just his roll as he did manage to sneak out of captivity of the bandit camp.

that was using the boots of elvenkind which might only have a temperary effect, that would explain why he doesn't wear them all the time, that or wearing them causes him to not be able to do other things such as cast bard spells or fight


Since when is a Natural 1 a failure on a skill check? Thought that was limited to attack rolls and saves?

i think your right, i was thinking of our house rule, so elan has a maximum of three skill points in move silently

[Yechezkiel]

i think your right, i was thinking of our house rule, so elan has a maximum of three skill points in move silently

You poor souls... I hope you are rewarded for natural 20's somehow on your skill checks.

[squidthingy]

You poor souls... I hope you are rewarded for natural 20's somehow on your skill checks.

on skill checks natural 20 is automatic success and natural 1 is automatic failure, on attack rolls and saves natural 20 is considered a 30 while natural 1 is considered a -10

[Deuce]

elan's move silently check (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0090.html), even if he rolled a two(if he rolled a one he would have said 'natural one' because it is an automatic failure)that means he only has a maximum of two skill points in move silently, that's not enough to have him be consistently using the sneaky tactic

Remembering that the funny is the focus here, he could also have been given a major penalty on the roll, with the final result a 4, because he shouted his result.

Even with a 3, he's since gotten the Boots of the Elvenkind and had a couple of level-ups, so his score may be better now. He may also have spells that can help or even replace stealth.

[Chronos]

Belkar is actually a pretty good sneak, when he chooses to be. Remember his extended fight with Miko, after he escaped prison. He prefers to charge in with daggers blazing, but he's not suicidal about it.

[Kioran]

Actually, that´s were the Order really could have used Miko - if she ever chose to use her monk class features for human ressources Management

:elan: *insert random Elan stupidity*
:miko: *Flurry of Pimpslaps* (*)

* = 4x (1d10+x) nonlethal damage

mwahaha

[TOAOMT]

Just have to comment, I REALLY highly doubt that Miko can do 1d10 with her unarmed strike.

[Kioran]

Just have to comment, I REALLY highly doubt that Miko can do 1d10 with her unarmed strike.

Paged through the PHB....and found you are right. She might very well be 5 or 6, but not monk 8, that´s too unlikely. So it would be a d8 - still very educational(or not) :smallbiggrin:

[squidthingy]

human ressources Management


catbert evil director of human resources
http://www.vdi-nachrichten.com/_library/content/image/obj462_DT_Catbert_200.jpg

sorry could not resist

Edit: :elan: Better than a spoon or knife in the road! Ha ha ha!:elan:

sorry could not resist(again)

[squidthingy]

Just have to comment, I REALLY highly doubt that Miko can do 1d10 with her unarmed strike.

SHE'S A MONK, DUH, OF COURSE SHE CAN DO THAT MUCH UNARMED STRIKE, actually she could probaly do more than that with an unarmed strike, or a kama

[TheNovak]

No, she can't do that much. A monk's unarmed damage dice increase with level; she'd have to have at least 8 levels of monk to do that. I suppose it's possible, but I think she was probably recruited to paladinhood before that.

Also, Boots of Elvenkind are always on, don't prevent ya from spellcasting or taking any actions, and don't encumber you in any way that normal boots don't. If Elan's not wearing them all the time...well, he's Elan.

[Setra]

SHE'S A MONK, DUH, OF COURSE SHE CAN DO THAT MUCH UNARMED STRIKE, actually she could probaly do more than that with an unarmed strike, or a kama
I'm fairly sure she specified "A couple levels" of Monk.

So yeah. Probably 1d6.

Edit: My bad, it's "A few levels", so 4 is quite possible.

[mockingbyrd7]

If there was a fork on the road, Belkar's bare foot would be impaled on it.