Author Topic: CO Diary: The life and art of Beguiling  (Read 23389 times)

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Havok4

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Re: CO Diary: The life and art of Beguiling
« Reply #40 on: March 24, 2010, 07:11:54 PM »
That seemed unnecessarily harsh for that combat due to the likely hood of a party member dieing. Could you possibly put up your party members stats as well?

Hallack

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Re: CO Diary: The life and art of Beguiling
« Reply #41 on: March 24, 2010, 07:40:58 PM »
That seemed unnecessarily harsh for that combat due to the likely hood of a party member dieing. Could you possibly put up your party members stats as well?

Sure, at least to some degree.

PC party members are my Beguiler, Carthus, and Tabitha.

5 NPCs are currently journeying with us and we met 3 more in previous session.

Carthus (PC)- 5th level human Conjuerer, Abrupt Jaunt, Spontaneous Divination (Banned Ench and Evoc)
           Spells were something along the line of Mage Armors, Color spray, Mirror Image, glitterdust, alterself,
           fire arrow(Fiery Burst reserve)
           Has Runestaff of Evocation, +1 Dagger of Warning

Tabitha (PC) -5th level Whisper gnome Rogue- Undead sneaking variant (1/2 dice), TWF
            Items of note: +1 Sword of Subtly that also has a 3/d Improved Persistent Blade (swift actions to
             move)

Draix (PC)- 5th level Shade drow Beguiler --- see front page

Capt. Mathews (NPC)- Warrior of some sort I at least around 7th level but not more than 9th I believe. 
               Gear particulars unknown though seems to have decent AC and damage though not optimized.

Randolph (NPC) - Evoker? that loves fire likely 7th level. 
                   Has Ring of Extraordinary Spell Aim 3/d (used to think he was at least 9th level due to this)
                   Lots of fire spells to include Fire Wall (or so he said in character).

Cain (NPC) - Wizard of unknown level but likely 3-5th.  Have seen him cast Magic Missle and mage armor but
                  not recalling much besides.

Bardis (NPC) - Warrior of some sort also likely 3-5th level.  Wearing Plate and using longsword I think.  I don't
                  remember abotu shield.

Sara (NPC)- Cleric 5-9th level? has done very little in time we have been with the caravan other than a few
                cures.   Buffed us for the first time this past battle with Prayer.  Technically given what we have
                seen as I recall she could be a low as 3rd level but I think from fluff and impression in the range
                stated above.

We joined up with 3 more NPCs which were I believe 3 Crusaders with levels from 3-7 as best I can guess.  One I think was a Ruby Knight Vindicator though as before we joined them he had done Turn Undead.  I did not see him cast any spells though.


There is the list within the limits of my knowledge for the party make up for Session 10.


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Hallack

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Re: CO Diary: The life and art of Beguiling
« Reply #42 on: March 26, 2010, 01:11:24 PM »
We ended up getting to play another time this week and had another very fun session.

Check out Touch of Shadows in the Temple of Pelor
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Black Knight

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Re: CO Diary: The life and art of Beguiling
« Reply #43 on: March 26, 2010, 02:31:42 PM »
That seemed unnecessarily harsh for that combat due to the likely hood of a party member dieing. Could you possibly put up your party members stats as well?

During the entire session there was only 1 save or die saving throw for a party member, due primarily to some great play on Carthus' part.  He used his benign transposition to literally save the day by yanking Tabby out of harm's way (she'd been surrounded by 3 Marrow grapple/injectors)

Did the encounter evoke a sense of mortal imminent danger among the adventurers?... oh, yes... and that was the exact atmosphere/charged emotion that this encounter was supposed to elicit.  And the "OMG... if we don't stop these things NOW, they will take over the whole world!"  aspect was the other part of it.  The PCs definitely felt that they needed to do something to stop them, after that.

Having said that, I agree it was fairly harsh and must admit that I did shudder a few times myself.  Good thing I'm not planning on more encounters like that one, anytime soon...  (bet you're glad to hear that aren't you Hallack?  hehe)
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NiteCyper

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Re: CO Diary: The life and art of Beguiling
« Reply #44 on: March 29, 2010, 01:57:12 AM »
Retraining applies before a level is taken. Switch for Heighten, take Shadow Adept, retrain Heighten when you hit 3rd level spells naturally. Otherwise, do you have any Dragon's Tear handy?
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Hallack

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Re: CO Diary: The life and art of Beguiling
« Reply #45 on: April 01, 2010, 02:46:56 PM »
Session 12: Raging ogres and a Hydra eats my lunch is posted

Hit 7th level and gained a Shadow Adept level as well as a feat letting my Mind Affecting spells work on Undead.
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NiteCyper

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Re: CO Diary: The life and art of Beguiling
« Reply #46 on: April 01, 2010, 05:44:48 PM »
Right after I cast Slow I am attacked from behind by an Invisible Flying 5 headed Hydra!!!  I've not done any buffs so it hits me 3 times doing 33 points of damage dropping me to -1. 

... I move some 60 more feet away from the Hydra attempting to Hide with the -20 Sniping penalty (my Hide ends up being +7 or so not counting distance mods).

...  Through some as yet unexplained custom mechanic/flavor I was able to manipulate and absorb the radiating Shadow Magic from the armors and now have what the DM calls a Shadow Pool with 5 points.  In some way as yet unknown these will work as Action Points or something like.

...  4 CR 7's and 1 CR 8 against our not so min/maxed party.

1. Always be Hiding (cast from the grass, or even take the "Intensify Darkness" feat to make your Darkness SLA last all day),
2. re: Sniping: i) this option is dumb (if you go by one Hide check per full attack), ii) you only take the penalty for hiding while attacking (i.e. you're trying to stay hidden while (i.e. during) attacking),
3. I bet a "Shadow Pool" mechanic already exists (outside of your GM's home-brew),
4. You guys are min/maxed (e.g. Whisper Gnome, Conjurer (Immediate Magic ACF), Shadow Adept, Grease, etc.)
« Last Edit: April 01, 2010, 05:48:06 PM by NiteCyper »
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Hallack

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Re: CO Diary: The life and art of Beguiling
« Reply #47 on: April 01, 2010, 06:19:01 PM »
My sniping reflects casting a spell then Hiding.  If it doesn't work that way and I can stay hidden or hide without that -20 please point it out.  DM and myself are under the impression the Casting and Hiding would work similarly to attacking and hiding.

Is there no Hide penalty for hiding with a move action after taking a standard action cast?

Yes, the 3 PCs are decently optimized.  The 3 NPC however are not.  In fact tier 2 at best other than the Mage Cain who has been at least tier 3 in usefulness.  Granted this is because the DM is steering away from NPC's showing us up which is actually a good thing though I keep giving Black Knight grief about how horribleness of the Cleric Sara (7th level and her actions are Bless then reactively heal).  I've even joked that she must be a spontaneous cure cleric that actually prepares cures hehe.  In that regard today he asked me to make a list of spells I'd like to see come from her.

The downside that I have been discussing some with my DM is that he is calculating generally Strong challenges based on 6 party members but really only 3-4 are ussually very effective (not always the same ones either).

Many of my post probably come across and as decrying the horrible evilness of Black Knight as a DM but in most instances isn't too bad... or it isn't so bad that it ruins the fun :P  He is no Kevin_Video DM though it wasn't too long ago most of our players would say he was (ain't that right BK?)

But we are all learning and playing (surprising really how much we are learning when we kinda thought we knew it all) and having a good time of which part is picking on each other.

Cheers
« Last Edit: April 01, 2010, 07:54:21 PM by Hallack »
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NiteCyper

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Re: CO Diary: The life and art of Beguiling
« Reply #48 on: April 01, 2010, 07:47:51 PM »
I make a Hide check, thus am hidden.
A threat appears.
I attack.
My previous Hide check is subjected to the penalty (-20) for hiding while attacking, unless I mean to make myself known.
I Hide afterward with no penalty.

Sniping:
Same as above except the attack can only be one ranged attack.

This is the awesome way of looking at it, however Sniping is rendered obsolete.
Alternative(s): Hide check after every attack, a new Hide check is made for each full attack,
« Last Edit: April 01, 2010, 07:52:00 PM by NiteCyper »
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Hallack

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Re: CO Diary: The life and art of Beguiling
« Reply #49 on: April 06, 2010, 03:06:01 PM »
Well that is a house rule I don't get to use :)
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Hallack

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Re: CO Diary: The life and art of Beguiling
« Reply #50 on: April 07, 2010, 07:13:13 PM »
Session 13: Giant's dares, Beholder's stares, and Divinations laid bare has been added.

Enjoy.
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NiteCyper

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Re: CO Diary: The life and art of Beguiling
« Reply #51 on: April 07, 2010, 09:01:00 PM »
(we do not know the particular words for those that have multiple spellings)

Homonyms.

Session 13: Giant's dares, Beholder's stares, and Divinations laid bare
[spoiler]·    They take us to the place of the Challenge.  It is a large cavern with about 5ft footing around the edge and about a 100ft fall.  Along the footing were many Frost Giants holding ropes that were connected to a 5ft wide stone span crossing the cavern to about 120 ft across.  In the middle of the span was a circular platform around 15 ft across that radiated Conjurations magics.  The giant leader explains that the challenge is to simply get to the other side alive.  Those that succeed can proceed.  Other than that there is no rules other than the challenge begins when we step on the stone pathway.

·    Using Arcane Sight and just looking I learned that the leader was a divine caster (turns out 8th level Blackguard) loaded with magic gear and that the center of the stone span was under conj magics.  Looking about we also noted piles of stones on the far side of the span and also near where we were standing.  Not knowing what to expect we took some time in trying to decide how to go about the challenge.  We basically decided that we were going to buff and go.  Buffing with spider climb (used 4 of my spell slots), Haste (another of mine), and even Invisibility Sphere centered on the warrior Bardis (my spell again) we were hoping to be able to quickly run along the walls to the other side.  During this time the Giants (and DM ) were getting somewhat impatient.

·    We were allowed buff time by the giants and Carthus sharp vampire nose caught the scent of what he thought were Griffins.  The challenge would begin when we stepped onto the Stone Span.

·    But when I cast my Invisibility Sphere the giants started acting assuming we may be on the bridge.  Those behind us (some 11 including the CR 17 one) basically started Bull Rushing in formation to push us into the pit.  During this time Carthus was originally planning on summoning a Mount as per our Divination hint but circumstances dictated that he had to stop the giants from pushing us into the pit.  That being the case he cast sculpted Grease knocking down about 1/2 the formation and stopping their tactic.  I cast Haste on us and we all began running around the cavern on the walls trying to avoid the stationed giants.

·    We had assumed that the giants were going to cause the Stone Way to turn by pulling the ropes.... well they did but not like we were expecting.  They gave their ropes a tug and basically the Stone way took off like fan blades (and that fast too).  It was spinning so fast that we had to make DC 15 reflex Saves of fall.  It should be noted that  Carthus is spider climbing but also has Fly and as the rest of us began running Cain (NPC wizard) just Dimension Doored or Teleported across (sigh.....).

·    This encounter overall had some confusion and basically a rewind as well which lead to 3 of the party surviving their otherwise deaths.  First round of the Wind Bardis fell to his death and the second round Sara (cleric) and me (Beguiler) fell to our deaths.  DM just rolled high on his 10d6 and did enough to put me at -10 on the money hehe.  I was ready to pick up my Ruby Knight Vindicator hehe.  But, it was brought up that Cain had Feather fall prepped and would have cast it on himself and not costing him anything extra would have applied it to us as well.  So the rewind had us fallen saved by Feather Fall. 

·    As I fell Carthus had gotten to the other side and the next round cast his Mount spell from scroll.  When he did so a Roc came swooping down from the unseen heights of the cavern grabbing the horse and landing on the center magicked area of the spinning stone fan.  Upon doing so the Roc, the horse, and the stone blades disappeared and those of us who had fallen climbed our way up to the cavern exit we were trying to reach.[/spoiler]

I don't understand this definition of the room.
« Last Edit: April 07, 2010, 09:31:58 PM by NiteCyper »
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Hallack

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Re: CO Diary: The life and art of Beguiling
« Reply #52 on: April 08, 2010, 12:41:50 PM »
Hopefully this will help.  I'll add it to the Diary Section too.

[spoiler][/spoiler]
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Hallack

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Re: CO Diary: The life and art of Beguiling
« Reply #53 on: April 17, 2010, 04:13:06 PM »
Session 14: Whitespawn, Mirrors, and Druid Idiots has been added

Enjoy.
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Hallack

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Re: CO Diary: The life and art of Beguiling
« Reply #54 on: April 20, 2010, 01:33:54 PM »
Hehe, DM is already plotting on how to shut down our use of Phantom Steed for travel   :beathorse

Apparently we are likely to run into difficulties staying on the beasts and/or other difficulties.
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Havok4

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Re: CO Diary: The life and art of Beguiling
« Reply #55 on: April 20, 2010, 03:49:21 PM »
Why would he do that, does he not like it that your characters can move quickly from one area to another while everyone else travels at the speed of plot?

Hallack

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Re: CO Diary: The life and art of Beguiling
« Reply #56 on: April 20, 2010, 04:56:35 PM »
Why would he do that, does he not like it that your characters can move quickly from one area to another while everyone else travels at the speed of plot?

Yes. :D

Or more correctly the speed may interfere with speed of plot hehe.  (right BK?)
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Havok4

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Re: CO Diary: The life and art of Beguiling
« Reply #57 on: April 20, 2010, 09:32:32 PM »
What I do not understand is that he could just give your enemies a faster means of transport (horses, airship, dragons or winged hippos) rather than restricting your options.

Hallack

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Re: CO Diary: The life and art of Beguiling
« Reply #58 on: April 21, 2010, 11:17:26 AM »
Well, it became a non-issue at least for last nights session which I will be adding later today. 

And the bad guys don't need other fast means of transport.  They (three different factions) are constantly scrying us so they just teleport in when they want as they did last night. 
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Black Knight

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Re: CO Diary: The life and art of Beguiling
« Reply #59 on: April 21, 2010, 06:19:02 PM »
What Hallack is not mentioning is that the NPC wizard, Cain, offered to teleport the entire group for free back to civilization (he just leveled and learned teleport) ...to the largest city within the region and the PCs declined to teleport with him.  -- Ok, it's true that the most familiar place within the city for Cain was a cell in it's dungeon... but still, they could have gotten out of that situation fairly easily.

And as far as Phantom Steed is concerned, I've never said that the PCs couldn't use the spell.  Just that they needed to be cautious with it's use... as they learned from Session 15, there were multiple factions scrying on them and could easily set up ambushes.  Think of Wall of Dispel Magic, or Move Earth type challenges...

Anyway... Hallack is just encouraging me to stop providing advice before actions are taken, since it's being taken as 'shutting down' options, instead of its intent...   :banghead
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