World of Warcraft - Interbellum (OOC Thread)

[MrAbdiel]

...It's the nightmare scenario. I'm rolling great for the monsters and my players are rolling red-hot garbage. But I'll lose my GM platinum card if I wimp out and soften the encounter too early!

The infernal resists the frost bolt, the frost bolt's affliction, the arcane missiles, and Jakk'ari's lightning bolt misses. I'm describing all these things in terms of the infernal soaking the damage, but mechanically it's "dodging" (eg, moving around enough that you can't easilly target anything vulnerable).

And to make it a little worse, Tablesmasher lands a blow with an extra degree on ol' Brokenhorn. Oof. He's dazed, and at -1 toughness rolls in future. It's Marion's go, then the resolution of a bunch of NPC's from me, then Mor'Lag!

[WindStruck]

Well, this is RNG. I tend not to like it so much because it sometimes feels more like gambling and taking calculated risks, rather than roleplaying and just.. being rewarded for doing something smart. But I guess we have yet to truly do something out of the box or clever.

Spoiler: some basic maths

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You could say a perfectly average (but optimized) PL 4 character has +4 to hit, deals 4 damage, has 4 parry/dodge, and has 4 toughness. Let's call him Forbes.

For PL 7 (which I believe these infernals are) these numbers are just 7. I'll call him Sevrin.

Now then. Suppose Forbes attacks Sevrin. The 1d20+4 needs to hit 17 or higher. So you need to roll 13. That's a 40% chance to land a hit. If that hits, Sevrin then must roll toughness of DC 19. The 1d20+7 needs a 12 to negate the damage. The failure rate is 55%, and so, combined with hit chance, each attack Forbes makes has a 22% chance to damage Sevrin.

To break it down in detail:
60% chance to miss.
18% chance to soak damage.
10% chance to -1 toughness.
10% chance to -1 toughness and daze
2% chance to -1 toughness and stagger.

Now let's reverse who attacks who. It's Sevrin's turn. Sevrin rolls 1d20+7 to hit 14. Only needs a 7 to hit, which means a 70% chance to hit. If Sevrin hits, Forbes must roll for a toughness DC of 22. He only has 1d20+4, and so would need to roll at least an 18 to negate the damage. On average, Sevrin has a 59.5% chance to damage Forbes.

A breakdown of this interaction:
30% chance to miss.
10.5% chance to soak damage
17.5% chance to -1 toughness.
17.5% chance to -1 toughness and daze.
17.5% chance to -1 toughness and stagger.
7% chance to get knocked out cold.

The math shows that on average, like if we're just trading blows, the infernals are three times as likely to be effective. We are at quite a disadvantage, and would need to actually come up with some good tactics or clever use of powers in order to win. Just for fun, let's see what the odds might look like in a few rounds after each side has taken a -2 penalty on toughness.

Forbes attacking Sevrin:
60% chance to miss.
14% chance to soak damage.
10% chance to -1 toughness.
10% chance to -1 toughness and daze
6% chance to -1 toughness and stagger.

Sevrin attacking Forbes:
30% chance to miss.
3.5% chance to soak damage
17.5% chance to -1 toughness.
17.5% chance to -1 toughness and daze.
17.5% chance to -1 toughness and stagger.
14% chance to get knocked out cold.

It's quite possible that Forbes could already be staggered at this point, which means if that were to happen again, or worse, we could already be looking at a 31.5% chance of being taken out of the fight if attacked again.

I hope all the number crunching gives you an idea of not only how hard it would be to fight these things, but also give you an idea of just how many attacks, or attempts at attacks, it would actually take to bring just one infernal down.

[Plaids]

If the odds of winning a fight don't appear to favor the party, then changing tactics might be a good idea. I think persuading Felix to fall back and putting distance between incoming infernal is a good idea.

[MrAbdiel]

A clever move, Plaids; but I think Control Environment is still a standard action, so it might have to wait until we loop back around to Jakk'ari's initiative again!

[BananaPhone]

Posting tonight. Sorry about the delay, I have been distracted by IRL.

[MrAbdiel]

RL is a jerk like that; no problems. Give ‘em Fel, Marion.

[WindStruck]

Unless you spend a victory point to take another action!

Hah, I'm the backup point broker!

[BananaPhone]

Did I say tonight? I did my TBC arenas with buddies got drunk watched Tiger King 2 did my work outs and am going to bed sorry tomorrow.

[MrAbdiel]

Did I say tonight? I did my TBC arenas with buddies got drunk watched Tiger King 2 did my work outs and am going to bed sorry tomorrow.

Sounds like a hell of an evening!


Marion's Shadow of Flame hits and slaps Headshot, dealing another -1 penalty and dazing it so it can only dumbly lope after the retreating Felix. And Curbstomp managed to fail to punch the palisade, so he just faffs about. Felix misses, and falls back; Zachary aims; Brokenhorn misses. It's Mor'Lag's go, after which it will be Jakk'ari again. Plaids, did you want to spend a VP to have done that movement restricting action in an extra action, or do you want to push it to this coming turn? Or revoke it entirely? Plaids presently has Headshot coming at him, having robbed it of Felix.

[Plaids]

I didn't know you could spend vp to get extra actions. I'll cram a movement hindering ability by spending a victory point next turn.
I forgot about Marion's action so it looks like the movement impediment did not happen.

It looks like Felix is relatively safe for now with a wooden wall behind him. But Jakk'ari now has an infernal behind him that just failed to break through palisade and one in front of him ready to attack him. So, it now looks like a good time to spend a victory point.

[Feathersnow]

Mor'Lag attempt a power attack on the back of the Infernal

(1d20+6)[26]

[MrAbdiel]

Mor'Lag attempt a power attack on the back of the Infernal

[roll0]

Looks like a critical hit to me! Cinematic timing. That gives you a couple of options, Feathersnow - did you want to boost the effect DC by 5, or add an additional effect the infernal has to roll against like an affliction, or turn the whole attack into an alternative effect?

EDIT: I think you might have rolled your close combat skill there (+8, -2 from power attack) when you ought to have rolled an attack roll (probably +3, -2 from power attack.). But with that roll, you’re in business either way.

Spoiler: Feathersnow

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Adding an effect is unlikely to help much - the DC would be 15 and they get a +7 to most rolls, so they have a decent chance of resisting.

Cranking up the effect of the damage makes it almost certain the enemy will take damage from the punch, and in decent measure. But another option is using the “alternate effect” option to turn the damage effect into, let’s say, a banish, as the advent of Mor’Lag’s instinctive powers. What do you think?

[Feathersnow]

Looks like a critical hit to me! Cinematic timing. That gives you a couple of options, Feathersnow - did you want to boost the effect DC by 5, or add an additional effect the infernal has to roll against like an affliction, or turn the whole attack into an alternative effect?

EDIT: I think you might have rolled your close combat skill there (+8, -2 from power attack) when you ought to have rolled an attack roll (probably +3, -2 from power attack.). But with that roll, you’re in business either way.

Spoiler: Feathersnow

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Adding an effect is unlikely to help much - the DC would be 15 and they get a +7 to most rolls, so they have a decent chance of resisting.

Cranking up the effect of the damage makes it almost certain the enemy will take damage from the punch, and in decent measure. But another option is using the “alternate effect” option to turn the damage effect into, let’s say, a banish, as the advent of Mor’Lag’s instinctive powers. What do you think?

Spoiler

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Alternative effect works for me!

[MrAbdiel]

Spoiler: Feathersnow!

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Alright, here's what we're looking at for this Alternate Effect. I'll roll the Infernal's resistance roll after I post this.

BANISHING BLOW-

NULLIFY - 4 Ranks (Nullifies Powers with the “Summon” Descriptor)

Base Cost 1 Per Rank
Reduced Range -1 Per Rank (Banishing Blow is used in melee, rather than range.)
Secondary Effect +1 Per Rank (Banishing Blow attempts to banish a target once on a successful hit, and again next turn if they resist the first effort.)
Feature 1 Flat Point (Melee modifiers like Power Attack and Precise Attack can be used with this power, effectively increasing or decreasing the power's rank for the purpose of the opposed roll.)
Noticeable 1 Flat Point (When the attack makes contact, it produces a sound like a thunderclap, and the indistinct echo of a pair of masculine ogre voices; sometimes with more lingering, occult after images.)

Final Cost 4pp.

That's what Mor'Lag is about to manifest, in my description pending. You'll be able to use it again in the encounter by using Extra Effort. After this encounter is over, if you want to keep it, you'll have to buy it with points - perhaps, the first power in what will become an array of ogre warlock powers.

[MrAbdiel]

Jakk'ari - 20
Infernal3 ("Tablesmasher")- 17
Marion - 15
Isaera - 15
Felix - 15
Infernal1 ("Headshot")- 15
Hapless Ogre - 12
Infernal2 ("Curbstomp")- 8
Zachary - 7
Mor'Lag - 4

Turn (2) Sequence

20 - Jakk'ari uses Extra Effort to hustle up to the palisades, and uses deflect at a value of 11 on Felix.

17 - Infernal 3 slams a power attack onto Hapless Ogre (hits with a toughness dc of 23 (!)), but the ogre nat 20's the toughness roll for a 24 (!).

15 - Marion launches a Shadow And Flame volley at Infernal1, but a 17 which would normally hit misses because of the circumstantial cover of the palisades for the infernal. The wicked shadow energy goes wide, but arcs back toward the construct for another homing chance next turn.

Isaera conjures up a frostbolt, which pulses in her grasp and launches after she finishes casting it at the beginning of her next turn (with a 19!)

Felix hits again, but the infernal shrugs off the blow. Felix manages to avoid burning to death for having the temerity to try.

Infernal1 also power attacks, a giant fist slamming down at Felix. It hits, but Felix incredibly rolls a 20 on hit +3 toughness roll to resist the dc 23 impact. What an absolute chad.

12 - Hapless Ogre sees Mor'Lag incoming, and feints at Infernal3, successfully making it Vulnerable to Mor'Lag's next attack.

8 - Infernal2 stomps into the ruin of the hut to gratuitously revel in its power.

7 - Zachary takes a wild snapshot at Infernal 1. It's a clean hit, scoring a -1 injury on it.

4 - Mor'Lag double-moves up, to flank Infernal 3 with Hapless Ogre. They're set up to clobber next round!

Turn (3)!

Infernal1 is punching on Felix but has taken damage from Zach, so you know they can be hurt; Infernal2 has curbstombed his previous opponent and is now free to start causing a ruckus; Infernal3 is squaring off against Mor'Lag and the poor hapless ogre stuck in the mix here. I'll give them a name in the IC description post. Felix so far has avoided paying a price for his hubris. And Zach rolls for his fear... [roll0].

Jakk'ari, you're up. And as is always the case, I'm willing to sacrifice almost anything to allow people the freedom to post whenever they can, so feel free to post ahead of your initiative and if someone's action before yours changes your decisions, I'll be super generous about allowing ret-cons and rerolls and such.

Jakk'ari - 20
Infernal3 ("Tablesmasher")- 17
Marion - 15
Isaera - 15
Felix - 15
Infernal1 ("Headshot")- 15
Hapless Ogre - 12
Infernal2 ("Curbstomp")- 8
Zachary - 7
Mor'Lag - 4

Turn (3) Sequence

20 - Jakk'ari flings a lightning bolt at Headshot, who soaks it.

17 - Tablesmasher slams a power attack onto Brokenhorn who fails to soak, getting injured and stunned.

15 - Marion's Shadow And Flame hits on the second pass, injuring and dazing Headshot. She summons Varghast, the Voidwalker.

Isaera's delayed Frostbolt and rapidcast Arcane Missiles are both launched, but neither succeed in injuring Headshot.

Felix misses, and begins falling back.

Headshot moves to Jakk'ari, and recovers from being dazed.

12 - Brokenhorn misses Tablesmasher, and recovers from being dazed.

8 - Curbstomp embarasses himself by missing a wall.

7 - Zachary takes aim.

4 - Mor'Lag charges up, critically hits, and spontaneously manifests Banishing Blow on Tablesmasher. Tablesmasher manages to pass his first save against banishment, but will need to make another next turn.



And so far in turn 4, Jakk'ari has made an offhanded (unsuccessful) attack against Headshot, and VP'd to create impairing terrain as he falls back. This round, only Curbstomp is successfully slowed. Varghast manifests and uses Torment, but only Curbstomp is successfully taunted. And Isaera nails Headshot with a frostbolt, damaging, hindering and dazing it! Marion needs to go, then the NPC bundle, then Mor'Lag!


EDIT: Also, I had a look and I can't see where VP's allow you to take another action. BUT! I like it especially as a use for PbP games. I'll go as far as to say players can spend a VP to act immediately in the initiative order, even out of sequence. That's a single action, not the whole move-action combo of a turn; but if you really want to do something, that'll empower you to do it without waiting for the slow glide of the online initiative order to make its way back to you. :D

[WindStruck]

I probably have misremembered something. Looking at it, I think I confused it for some things you can get from using extra effort.

But VP can be used to remove fatigue and exhaustion anyway, so it's about equivalent...

[MrAbdiel]

I probably have misremembered something. Looking at it, I think I confused it for some things you can get from using extra effort.

But VP can be used to remove fatigue and exhaustion anyway, so it's about equivalent...

There it is! Yeah, so extra effort permits you to take another action on your turn, and using a VP alongside it means you don't take the detrimental tiredness from extra effort. But I'm gonna go ahead and say you can do that at any point in the initiative order anyway, for the reasons I outlined above; I just am going to have to find more ways to extort VP point-yielding moments out of you all.

But I have such plans for that...

[Plaids]

It looks like Felix jumped back into the frier and is running alongside Jakk'ari.
Is he close enough for Jakk'ari to touch?

[MrAbdiel]

It looks like Felix jumped back into the frier and is running alongside Jakk'ari.
Is he close enough for Jakk'ari to touch?

Yeah, he tried a feint but it didn't work. But he's keeping up with Jakk'ari, so, yeah!

[BananaPhone]

Posting tonight!

(for real this time)

[MrAbdiel]

Marion's attack misses, but it'll have another chance next round. Varghast has now taunted all the infernals, but Headshot seems like he's ready to wear the attack penalties to keep going after magical artillery squad if only he wasn't crippled with slows. He's on a -4 Penalty to wound checks now! That means he's at a mere +3, and a non-trivial chance of eating dirt against a decent hit. He's also been feinted at by Brokenhorn, who is using Teamwork to give Mor'Lag the benefits, making the most wounded infernal vulnerable to their attack. And it's Mor'Lag's turn, too!

Additionally, Feathersnow, after you've done Mor'Lag's turn, can you roll me a d20+6? It's for the opposed roll from Banishing Blow, which I'll resolve after your turn. If you win that roll-off, Tablesmasher is toast.

[MrAbdiel]

Strictly speaking, the attack missed; but the nullify went off successful, so I rolled the description into a single triumphant kali-mah.

Tablesmasher is toast, Headshot is suffering, Curbstomp is being tanked by the Voidwalker. It’s Jakk’ari’s go!

[Plaids]

Jakk'ari just healed broken horn.
I don't know if degrees of damage count as damage conditions but removing one was my intent. For heroes taking four degrees of damage incapacitates them and failing a resistance by x degrees gives them x degrees of damage.
I'm new to healing in M&M. So I'd like to know what works and what doesn't for future healing opportunities in the campaign.

[MrAbdiel]

Jakk'ari just healed broken horn.
I don't know if degrees of damage count as damage conditions but removing one was my intent. For heroes taking four degrees of damage incapacitates them and failing a resistance by x degrees gives them x degrees of damage.
I'm new to healing in M&M. So I'd like to know what works and what doesn't for future healing opportunities in the campaign.

No worries! From the SRD:

You can heal Damage conditions by touching a subject and taking a standard action to make a DC 10 Healing check. Each degree of success healing one Damage condition, starting with the subject’s worst condition, and working down, as if the subject were recovering rapidly. If the subject is dying, the highest degree of success stabilizes the subject, removing the dying condition. If the Healing check fails, you must wait one minute or use extra effort in order to try again.

That last line is the stinger. But otherwise it’s one condition for one degree!

Also, with Tablesmasher gone, we have all the PCs in an action block, and all the NPCs after!

Isaera, and Marion, are free to act again. Marion, you can roll the second chance on that Shadow and Flame too!

[WindStruck]

It's not quite how damage works. Degrees aren't cumulative. Only the penalties to resist damage are.

So when you take damage and roll your toughness save, the degrees of failure (if any) just tell you what happens as a consequence. Any failure imposes a further -1 penalty to damages. But it's -1 across all types of failures.

1 degree: -1 penalty

2 degrees: -1 penalty, and dazed for a turn.

3 degrees: -1 penalty, and staggered until they recover. If staggered again from damage, incapacitated.

4 degrees: incapacitated.

So it isn't just, "you take damage 4 times and you're out". A character could potentially take damage many, many times. Or, perhaps get unlucky and only be hit once or twice, depending on their toughness and how damaging the attack is.

What determines if you are taken out of the combat is if you get 4 degrees of failure, or 3 degrees twice. It's why I said combat can really drag on.

[BananaPhone]

Making a Homing roll for second Shadow and Fire: (1D20+4)[13]

Does that hit?

[MrAbdiel]

Making a Homing roll for second Shadow and Fire: [roll0]

Does that hit?

Not unless you use your second VP to boost it by ten, here toward the end of the scenario when VP are wiped and refreshed!

[WindStruck]

wiped and refreshed? Huh. I thought it was some thing where it was give and take, based on the complications ...

[MrAbdiel]

wiped and refreshed? Huh. I thought it was some thing where it was give and take, based on the complications ...

It’s certainly -give- based on those, but you start every new scenario back at 1VP. The rule, as I understand it, is to encourage the use of them against the players’ natural tendency to hoard metaresources.

[BananaPhone]

Not unless you use your second VP to boost it by ten, here toward the end of the scenario when VP are wiped and refreshed!

Ahh, might as well then. Okidoki Ill spend thst VP for +10 to hit.
That means with multiattack I should get +5 damage too, maybe! If so DC 24 toughness check, if not then DC 21.