World of Warcraft - Interbellum (OOC Thread)

[WindStruck]

Ravenloft? Sounds interesting.

[BananaPhone]

Do not fret, sweet Adbiel, we are loyal and patient.

[MrAbdiel]

Whew! Post is in!

[WindStruck]

Uh... so are we rolling initiative for this now? Or perception checks for anyone else regarding this Centaur Marion seems to have spotted?

[MrAbdiel]

I guess we’re going straight to initiative! It wasn’t just Marion who got a high enough roll to detect the enemy; but her roll was highest, so I let her see and react to it first. And she is staunchly, it seems, opposed to the union of man and horse.

Initiative rolls if you would be so kind, everyone! Feel free to look at the Marion spoiler in the last post as everyone whirls to see what her attention, and wildly defoliating spell, reveals.

[WindStruck]

Well I think I may want to use the one victory point that I probably have to roll high on this initiative..

because dear god, I've got a bad feeling that it is a mistake to immediately attack a sentient being with a spell like Death and Decay which melts raptors....

[BananaPhone]

Perfectly reasonable reaction...

[MrAbdiel]

Well I think I may want to use the one victory point that I probably have to roll high on this initiative..

because dear god, I've got a bad feeling that it is a mistake to immediately attack a sentient being with a spell like Death and Decay which melts raptors....

I am perfectly willing to allow your VP to be spent on an 'Edit Scene' function, so that Isaera, perhaps hearing Marion's sharp intake of breath, turns to see the centaur watching at the same time; and perhaps by dint of the fact that Isaera was at that moment detecting magic, she notices that Marion is almost instinctively hauling together the fel powers for a Death and Decay spell, may act before Marion commits completely to casting. It's up to BananaPhone to decide if that intervening action will be enough to change her course of effort, naturally; but yeah! Dive in there. Regardless of rolls, Isaera's initiative will be 5 higher than the highest. And I will take that VP. Num num num.

Perfectly reasonable reaction...

You may or may not yet have you some fun, depending on how Isaera's desperate intervention proceeds!

[WindStruck]

Just a few concerns. There is actually an advantage that exists which lets you spend a victory point to go first in initiative. But Isaera doesn't have it.

What it does say in the Victory Points page is...

One Victory point allows you to re-roll any die roll you make and take the better of the two rolls. On a result of 1 through 10 on the second roll, add 10 to the result, an 11 or higher remains as-is (so the re-roll is always a result of 11-20). You must spend the Victory point to improve a roll before the GM announces the outcome of your initial roll. You cannot spend Victory points on die rolls made by the GM or other players without the Luck Control effect

So I could roll to improve initiative I guess... but even with a 20, it comes out to 18.

On the other hand, initiative wasn't even rolled yet. So, uh... I dunno. Maybe 'edit scene' is more appropriate?

Does BananaPhone mind?

[Feathersnow]

(1d20+1)[20] initiative, if it gets that far

[BananaPhone]

Yes, I'm sure the centaurs, known for their friendly personalities, are just here to welcome us to the area and dispense cakes and tea

[BananaPhone]

Does BananaPhone mind?

Oh I don't mind Isaera attempting to get Marion to change her mind.

Like I don't want to be a **** about it hah, but Ms Mordis has been to the School of Hard Knocks for the past 4-5 years or so where she's learned that it's better to shoot first, ask questions later.

[MrAbdiel]

Just a few concerns. There is actually an advantage that exists which lets you spend a victory point to go first in initiative. But Isaera doesn't have it.

What it does say in the Victory Points page is...



So I could roll to improve initiative I guess... but even with a 20, it comes out to 18.

On the other hand, initiative wasn't even rolled yet. So, uh... I dunno. Maybe 'edit scene' is more appropriate?

Does BananaPhone mind?

Noted. I'll go with Edit Scene for now, because this is less about Isaera being so fast she gets the jump even on her ambushers, and more about Windstruck, the player, wanting a chance to influence the scene differently, which seems to me the ideal use for Edit Scene. Go for it. Roll initiative as well, and we'll see how the whole thing washes out!

[BananaPhone]

Marion initiative: (1D20)[11]

[JoyWonderLove]

Paladin Initiative: (1D20)[3]

[WindStruck]

So Isaera's Initiative would be... (1d20-2)[12]

[Plaids]

Rolling for initiative
(1d20+1)[7]

[JoyWonderLove]

Yes, I'm sure the centaurs, known for their friendly personalities, are just here to welcome us to the area and dispense cakes and tea

On the other hand, initiative wasn't even rolled yet. So, uh... I dunno. Maybe 'edit scene' is more appropriate?

Does BananaPhone mind?

My mostly blind guess is that WS is right on this particular occasion (based purely on an OOC assumption I have right now), but that BP is reacting how most practical people would. Chances are that the 'average' centaur would be outright aggressive based on what little we know.

Glad Feathersnow actually spoke to them though. Kinda funny it's MorLag that did first considering all the personalities involved.

[MrAbdiel]

Now the ball, terrifyingly, is in Marion's court. Her allies have moved to support her, but as they are moving in, she needs to make a decision about whether she'll honor Isaera's cry to halt her attack, or bull through and draw first blood. What's the call, Marion?

[WindStruck]

Maybe it might help if you were to arbitrate the results of my actions? Do I need to make any other rolls?

In any case, I spent a VP (didn't I? It sure did sound like you enjoyed nomming it) and THEN I beat banana's initiative, so I would like to know what may come of that.

[MrAbdiel]

Ah yes, the glomping. I completely lost the physical element of the objection in the substance of the vocative yelp.

I’m not sure I want to make it an attack roll - it’s not exactly an attack, atleast Marion isn’t going to be defending herself from it like an attack.

I think I’ll say… Marion can make a strength roll, DC 10 + Isaera’s strength. So… DC 8.

Failure means the pair go skittling to the grassy ground, and Marion’s spell is disrupted. Success means Isaera makes a waifish sort of half-grapple; which might be convincing enough for her to voluntarily abandon the spell.

I’m winging it here a bit because we’re not strictly inside combat yet, we’re negotiating the up or down on the event which would immediately turn the encounter into combat whether or not it was going that way before. The VP bought Isaera the right to, basically, change the moment from one where Marion notices the target and attacks while her allies are surprised, to one where Marion and Isaera notice at more or less the same time, and Isa has a chance to intervene.

Gimme a strength check, Banana. The lowest DC strength check you’ll ever be required to roll.

[BananaPhone]

Strength check: (1D20)[20]

[WindStruck]

Well I guess you still would completely decide what Marion does...

Also with a complimentary girlish hug.

[BananaPhone]

It was all the heavy boxes she's been lifting for the past few weeks .

[BananaPhone]

So sorry to be a **** guys, but Marions actions are pretty much what she'd do under the circumstances.

She's 19, had a helluva traumatic past 5 years with the Scourge in Lordaeron, and she's learned you need to strike first and hard or flee the scene.

Fleeing the scene isn't an option, so...

[Feathersnow]

Makes sense to Mor'Lag. The expedient use of power in one's own interest is the definition of virtuous living

[MrAbdiel]

Spoiler: P.S. BananaPhone!

Show

Heads up, I think you'll find your Blastwave, Corruption and Death and Decay all have DC 5 less than your sheet describes. My proficiency with the system is increasing, and I'm learning things!

Basic formula for attack stuff is damage powers have a resistance DC of 15+Rank because they incorporate an attack roll. Corruption, as a Perception based power, automatically hits; but the tradeoff for not having to roll to hit is the resistance DC of 10+Rank. Similarly, I've learned more about Area powers like Blastwave, and Death and Decay. With area effects, the impacted enemies get a Dodge Resistance at 10+Rank first. That's to determine if they're hit for full effect, or for half ranks (or none, in the case of a minion). After that, they get a resistance check - with no attack roll, the Resistance roll is the appropriate defence (Toughness, Fortitude or Will) at DC 10+Rank. (I had felt it was weird to be rolling dodge to avoid disease - now I read the rules again the whole thing makes so much more sense.) If you think I've misunderstood something, let me know!

Well, it's time to see how this unfolds, then! Isaera exerts her heroism nobly attempting to salvage what she thinks is a disastrous effort, but alas; Marion maintains her spell and, in the split second of decision making, chooses offense as the best defence. Functionally, I'm running this like Marion getting a surprise round inside combat to cast her Death and Decay; then combat begins normally. Initiative track is as follows:

21 - Centaur(s)
20 - Mor'Lag
12 - Isaera
11 - Marion
7 - Jakk'ari
3 - Emilia

Highlights: The lady centaur succeeded on her save against the Death and Decay; two spears missed marion, and one collected Isaera - no good deed goes unpunished. a DC 20 Toughness check against the glass/ice cannon suggests a likely wound. The first blood Isaera has bled in the group's company, I think. Unless there's a nat 20.

Mor'Lag is technically up next - but it's all you guys next, so feel free to queue up your actions, and if it turns out resolving them in initiative order creates some weirdness, I'll resolve it sensibly and not penalize you for being proactive.

[WindStruck]

Yep, not only is Isaera extremely squishy, but she hasn't even got her new frost armor ability up....

toughness: (1d20-3)[7]

So that's three degrees of failure. Already staggered, and now a -1 penalty on top of that.

Can Mor'Lag reach the centaurs with her charge? I was thinking an attack roll from her was in order.

[BananaPhone]

Spoiler: P.S. BananaPhone!

Show

Heads up, I think you'll find your Blastwave, Corruption and Death and Decay all have DC 5 less than your sheet describes. My proficiency with the system is increasing, and I'm learning things!

Basic formula for attack stuff is damage powers have a resistance DC of 15+Rank because they incorporate an attack roll. Corruption, as a Perception based power, automatically hits; but the tradeoff for not having to roll to hit is the resistance DC of 10+Rank. Similarly, I've learned more about Area powers like Blastwave, and Death and Decay. With area effects, the impacted enemies get a Dodge Resistance at 10+Rank first. That's to determine if they're hit for full effect, or for half ranks (or none, in the case of a minion). After that, they get a resistance check - with no attack roll, the Resistance roll is the appropriate defence (Toughness, Fortitude or Will) at DC 10+Rank. (I had felt it was weird to be rolling dodge to avoid disease - now I read the rules again the whole thing makes so much more sense.) If you think I've misunderstood something, let me know!

Spoiler

Show

Do you have where it mentions that, specifically? I'm not saying you're wrong, but I checked the SRD again, here https://www.d20herosrd.com/9-gamemas...ion-adventure/, and this was the entry:

PERCEPTION AND AREA EFFECTS
Perception and Area effects do not require attack checks, they automatically affect a given target or area (see the Area extra in Powers). Because of this, these attacks cannot score critical hits or misses, nor do modifiers affecting the attack check—including various maneuvers—affect them.

The trade-off for perception/area effects is that you cannot crit nor effect the damage rank with modifiers (like Power Attack etc). In exchange, they auto-hit, barring the resistance, and do the normal DC 15 + Damage Rank (which in Death and Decay's instance is 3, so DC 18).

Also, as Death and Decay doesn't have a specified alternate Resistance, the default Resistance type is Dodge. So if this spell hits you, your only real chance is getting out of dodge before its effect takes place.

And even if they do successfully pass the initial Dodge check, they still take half the ranks worth of damage (so DC 15 + 1 = DC 16), as stated here:

AREA (+1 COST PER RANK)
This extra allows an effect that normally works on a single target to affect an area. No attack check is needed; the effect simply fills the designated area, based on the type of modifier. Potential targets in the area are permitted a Dodge resistance check (DC 10 + effect rank) to avoid some of the effect (reflecting ducking for cover, dodging out of the way, and so forth). A successful resistance check reduces the Area effect to half its normal rank against that target (round down, minimum of 1 rank).

The Area effect in this case being the Damage 3, which is resisted by Toughness.

So she throws the spell at you, you get to make a Dodge check DC 13 (10 + Area Effect Rank, which is 3 in this case). If you pass then you've jumped out of the worst of it and only take a Toughness DC 16 (15 + 1, half the 3 effect rank), but if you fail then you take the brunt and have to roll a DC 18 (15 +3) Toughness check as your body starts to rot away.

Again, totally open to being wrong, but this is what I've read and gathered. Is there something I'm missing?

[MrAbdiel]

Yep, not only is Isaera extremely squishy, but she hasn't even got her new frost armor ability up....

toughness: [roll0]

So that's three degrees of failure. Already staggered, and now a -1 penalty on top of that.

Can Mor'Lag reach the centaurs with her charge? I was thinking an attack roll from her was in order.

Owww. Sorry Isa!

And no, I don’t think Mor’Lag has any movement boosters. So she moved 30 and used her action to move another 20, getting up in the face of one and making herself a target.