September 27th & 28th
Saturday Game-
(4 Players)
^ I fixed the problem we were having and the Ranger and Rogue hooked up, were given a 'Golden Opportunity' to jump into a con-job dealing with Snow Leopard-like humanoids in the Tshabishan Mountains north of Qerzyk...
^ A clan leader of the Snow Leopard-like humanoids was whisked-off in a Kherstic League Grav Vehicle back to Qerzyk, but it was intercepted hours out by the Ranger and Rogue posing as KL reps who were there to seal the deal of expansion into nearby territory. Now, the KL is really trying to establish relations, but a criminal syndicate boldly decided to steal the reins and get into the area fast.
^ The KL Diplomat's Military liaison spotted the hinkiness and quietly cut herself in for 50%.
^ The Technical Rogue retrofitted the PC Snow Leopard Barbarian's Great Sword with 1d10 Electrical damage, and a +1 to Edged/Slashing damage overall.
:: TL;DR Playa's got game; kitty's got boltz ::
Sunday Game-
(7 Players)
^ Entered the Demiplane of Death and found treasure, much of which was cursed or very 'dark'
^ The Yaesh Rogue/Assassin no has a dagger that buries itself in his right arm ready to eject at will, and only cost him a permanent loss of 3 HP. He made out with and was bitten by the Social Media savvy Princess Nyx, the Negative Lightning Patron and leader of vampires, gaining the Spider Climb ability. He also found three daggers in a thigh sheath that look like resting bats.
^ The Undead Barbarian found an Imperial Era, Truenamed Sword which negates one of his Negative Levels while holding it, and is anchored to the CHAIN galactic network, providing the Khark access with his Astrogation DataSlate.
^ The Vrun Warlock of Mistress Abyss met Her and was levelled up to 4th (gaining roughly 400 XP), and was gifted with an animated Scourge/Bullwhip that Poisons on a Critical. Th Mistress was seated on a living throne of contorted submissives and the whip was drawn out of one of their mouths. Abyss gifted the Western Isles Vrun Frost Wizard with, 'Black Ice', a version of Grease that still falls under her Ice/Frost tag, and is the gateway to darkness, obscurement, and other spells. Abyss shared that all of the Elemental Patrons are related, and that Frosty didn't need to worry about offending Lady Arctise by accepting the spell. Princess Nyx stopped by to complain that Game of Thrones was disappointing, but Abyss countered that Nyx should keep watching through at least the Red Wedding episode.
^ A Vrun Cleric of Life tied to Prince Donner of the Positive Lightning Plane was freed by the Khark, and has joined the party. He gained an extra Channel Divinity use per day.
^ The party exited via an elevator the Emperor installed traversing the 16 Elemental Planes. The railroady stop they took was to 'Basement 1', an artificial Plane that had many doors leading elsewhere; while there all Elemental Patron powers were cut-off or suppressed. The exit they chose opened to a stone floored but metal walled corridor.
:: TL; DR: Awesomness ::
Monday, September 29, 2014
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Weekend of 20th and 21st, September '14
Saturday Evening-
^ Eastern Vrun Ranger with the Soldier background having fought in the Abbekqorru and Sneer campaign a few years back, now working in besieged Qerzyk City attempted to hook up with the other PCs, but had the most difficult time. His animal companion is instead, an AI Drone with a glitchy unspeaking personality/temperament.
^ Yaesh Rogue Thief who is on the sh!itlist of a gangster was supposed to hook up with the Ranger, but instead hid, evaded the drone, and left to wait in a lair in the city. A rumour about an indirect fire weapon battle fought north of town was overheard.
^ Western Isles Ranger who seemed ambivalent about a strange situation she noted in the wilds about two days north of Qerzyk. Apparently two vehicles were in a battle, and one destroyed the other.
===
Sunday Evening-
7 Players around the table:
^ Western Isles Frost Lady Wizard
^ Khark Fighter
^ Yaesh Rogue Assassin
^ Vrun Barbarian
^ Vrun Warlock of Mistress Abyss (Blade Pact) with the worst dice
^ Drow Ranger Outrider with Sniper Rifle
^ Yaesh Monk
TL; DR: An encouter with vicious racoonoids turned into a battle with two undead Clerics and an Eldritch Knight/Wizard Skeletal Warrior resulting in the opening of a Demiplane of Death via rift in the forest of a former golf course. The Barbarian became undead and is now a modified Paladin of Lord Worm, down inside the Demiplane filled with awesome, glittering treasure.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
LINK to the WotC D&D 5e forum where this entire discussion is being held.
Hi,
I've been remembering my old 1e AD&D days, where gaining Ability Score increases were only rare [occurrences] of magic item or through Wish spells. I think the effect on the game was that one stopped worrying about what one didn't have and concentrated on how to maximise the strengths of the PC, as well as more lateral thinking about how to be better prepared for contingencies, as well as group dynamics (not to mention using 10' poles to check for traps).
Imagine, if you will, 5e without Ability Score boosts, and instead, every four levels being only Feats. Whatever one's stats are will be the way barring [generosity] of the GM in magic item selection, or luck of the dice on the MI lists granting Manuals of Gainful whatsit, or the like.
Everything else works the same as RAW 5e, just without the [escalation] of, 'I think it is more important to get your Stats to 20 as fast as possible.'
Sound interesting to any of the old timers? The OSR crowd? New D&D players?
--I think I'm going that route with my gaming group.
[snip]
Karnos wrote:
I hope you are prepared for a party of 5 wizards.
Weapon attacking classes are very [dependent] on main stat. For example, a fighter with 20 strength does an incredible double the damage of a fighter with 12 strength with a longsword.
Casters, not so much. While some features may allow them to add ability score bonus, and spell saves are based on casting ability score, a failed save often still does some damage and the overall effect of +5 damage on a 8d6 damage spell is very small compared to that same +5 damage when applied to a 1d8 damage attack.
[snip]
How many players who wanted to play anything but a Caster will go Caster simply [because] it makes more numerical sense for them to capitalise on the factors you have stated?
Very few, I think, but, I could be wrong. Funny, that. It was often said that Wizards or (Magic-Users in days of yore) completely out-performed Fighters at high levels, but the ironic thing about that was an all Wizard party likely never reached those levels due to only having d4 HD. ;) Once PF raised HD from d4s to d6, things got a little better, but then Sorcs got their d8s and the race was off to have Wizards compete in Melee [with] the d6-d8s and the Fighters then had to go Feat-happy to retain their edge, again. lol.
Part of the charm of Old School is that it is a long term play strategy with very little payoff at lower levels for even a 'balanced' party of the big 4 classes (wait, I hear old grognards complaining about the inclusion of d4 HD Thieves and d6 Clerics with a spell at 1st level!). It became/becomes a chess [game of] opportunities and unexpected increases of power when a rare spell (let alone magic item) came into the party's hands. Once a party started to include more than one of a the classes, or in AD&D, the sub-classes, then it got a little easier to pull things off.
I don't know of too many parties that cons[is]ted only of Assassins, Druids, Illusionists, and Barbarians, but, there were each of those accessorising Big 4 parties for added effectiveness.
It is a multi-piece machine that can be reconfigured in thousands of base ways, taken to exponential [manifestations] through Player styles and strategies. The obvious Power Gamer [strategies] in CharOp are the most superficial ones this game of ours offers.
Hi,
I've been remembering my old 1e AD&D days, where gaining Ability Score increases were only rare [occurrences] of magic item or through Wish spells. I think the effect on the game was that one stopped worrying about what one didn't have and concentrated on how to maximise the strengths of the PC, as well as more lateral thinking about how to be better prepared for contingencies, as well as group dynamics (not to mention using 10' poles to check for traps).
Imagine, if you will, 5e without Ability Score boosts, and instead, every four levels being only Feats. Whatever one's stats are will be the way barring [generosity] of the GM in magic item selection, or luck of the dice on the MI lists granting Manuals of Gainful whatsit, or the like.
Everything else works the same as RAW 5e, just without the [escalation] of, 'I think it is more important to get your Stats to 20 as fast as possible.'
Sound interesting to any of the old timers? The OSR crowd? New D&D players?
--I think I'm going that route with my gaming group.
[snip]
Karnos wrote:
I hope you are prepared for a party of 5 wizards.
Weapon attacking classes are very [dependent] on main stat. For example, a fighter with 20 strength does an incredible double the damage of a fighter with 12 strength with a longsword.
Casters, not so much. While some features may allow them to add ability score bonus, and spell saves are based on casting ability score, a failed save often still does some damage and the overall effect of +5 damage on a 8d6 damage spell is very small compared to that same +5 damage when applied to a 1d8 damage attack.
[snip]
How many players who wanted to play anything but a Caster will go Caster simply [because] it makes more numerical sense for them to capitalise on the factors you have stated?
Very few, I think, but, I could be wrong. Funny, that. It was often said that Wizards or (Magic-Users in days of yore) completely out-performed Fighters at high levels, but the ironic thing about that was an all Wizard party likely never reached those levels due to only having d4 HD. ;) Once PF raised HD from d4s to d6, things got a little better, but then Sorcs got their d8s and the race was off to have Wizards compete in Melee [with] the d6-d8s and the Fighters then had to go Feat-happy to retain their edge, again. lol.
Part of the charm of Old School is that it is a long term play strategy with very little payoff at lower levels for even a 'balanced' party of the big 4 classes (wait, I hear old grognards complaining about the inclusion of d4 HD Thieves and d6 Clerics with a spell at 1st level!). It became/becomes a chess [game of] opportunities and unexpected increases of power when a rare spell (let alone magic item) came into the party's hands. Once a party started to include more than one of a the classes, or in AD&D, the sub-classes, then it got a little easier to pull things off.
I don't know of too many parties that cons[is]ted only of Assassins, Druids, Illusionists, and Barbarians, but, there were each of those accessorising Big 4 parties for added effectiveness.
It is a multi-piece machine that can be reconfigured in thousands of base ways, taken to exponential [manifestations] through Player styles and strategies. The obvious Power Gamer [strategies] in CharOp are the most superficial ones this game of ours offers.
Weekend 13-15 September
#dnd5e
#urutsk
Saturday: Played a 5e Paladin in a Freeport game.
Sunday: Urutsk (Vrun contintent): Had seven players, only got about an hour in, but that saw the Khark willingly go under Possession after learning that it is the Shorrannin who possess his people, not their Ancestors. He was struck by the Yirinn Fighter who burnt 8 Blood to land a blow -- but the damage wasn't enough after halving to KO the Khark, who fled into the misty morning of hte spillway. Before that, a Thronetree piloted by its unconscious captive (a new PC Khark Monk) appeared in the area, and threatened to damage the broad bridge. The party all joined in to attack the thing, but its DR 5/- bark proved too tough to get a good feel for what it would do if it were not inanimate after teh Monk stopped piloting it.
Monday: Played my Fighter 1/Warlock 2, Hekaethra, and gathered a bunch of spell components (skeleton dust, witch dust, unnamed potions, holy water from a LN temple that also sells Unholy Water, Healing potions, and other stuff. She is now sporting a black gryphon cloak, shield, and has 3 goblin daggers. XP total so far: 1,200.
#urutsk
Saturday: Played a 5e Paladin in a Freeport game.
Sunday: Urutsk (Vrun contintent): Had seven players, only got about an hour in, but that saw the Khark willingly go under Possession after learning that it is the Shorrannin who possess his people, not their Ancestors. He was struck by the Yirinn Fighter who burnt 8 Blood to land a blow -- but the damage wasn't enough after halving to KO the Khark, who fled into the misty morning of hte spillway. Before that, a Thronetree piloted by its unconscious captive (a new PC Khark Monk) appeared in the area, and threatened to damage the broad bridge. The party all joined in to attack the thing, but its DR 5/- bark proved too tough to get a good feel for what it would do if it were not inanimate after teh Monk stopped piloting it.
Monday: Played my Fighter 1/Warlock 2, Hekaethra, and gathered a bunch of spell components (skeleton dust, witch dust, unnamed potions, holy water from a LN temple that also sells Unholy Water, Healing potions, and other stuff. She is now sporting a black gryphon cloak, shield, and has 3 goblin daggers. XP total so far: 1,200.
Monday, September 1, 2014
Weekend 5e Urutsk Update Aug 30-31st
Saturday Urutsk 5e Game-
^ Acolyte Vrun Oath of the Ancients Paladin with Assault Scout, with (Engineering?), BioSci and Survival Instructor starship Caste Clan Training Backgrounds. Water Blooded.
^ Sage Western Isles Vrun Wizard with BioSci and Food Service Tech Backgrounds. Earth Blooded.
The paladin mustered out in the Fernglens and looked for something to do. Reports of burglaries, rumours of an Ancient arteact or relic found in the area. A troupe of performers arrive at the Red Dawn tavern and begin shenanigans until someone gets offended and leaves with his mate in a huff. They are dropped dead by phantasmal Reaper appearing in a white cloud. The paladin determines it is neither good nor evil, and cannot be bothered to do anything to it. The reaper disappears and the folks inside learn that the locals were killed. TLDR: A duellist and a confidence artist in the troupe were running an Antagonist/Protagonist scam in the towns they visited, and when the duellist should have died, instead, one of the locals instead dies in his place. This tracked down to a cursed necklace and the Wizard uses Scortching Ray to heat it up and burns a day's 1st level slot to break the enchantment. The duellist dies when this happens.
Days later, the paladin now a deputy, is on patrol and spots the suspected burglar, and intervenes after a murder is committed. TLDR: The humanoid has no idea about laws or order and stole the metal to fuel its Elemental Earth Blood diet (although it had a sweet tooth for preserves). It summons an elemental gnome in its likeness (but shorter) who is ready to wreck the place until he is released, but the wizard dismisses it. They hang the creature from chains and it slides through after snapping its neck, and the chains rust at the noose.
The wizard sold failed spells to the Guild Council for 100 gp.
Sunday Urutsk 5e Game-
^ Female Vrun Tempest Cleric with Elemental Blood Silt (Lord Worm)
^ Khark Hermit Fighter (Earth Blood?)
^ Yirinn Outlander Fighter with a host of Starship skills and Earth Blood
^ Vrun (Outlander? Hermit?) Fire Blooded Barbarian
^ Western Isles Vrun Frost Blooded Wizard
After last session, we were down the Yaesh Shadow Blooded Monk, but up the Khark and Barbarian. The forge operator couldn't communicate in any of heir languages, but he Fire Barb is also a Smith and they emphatically sussed out each other's intent through their shared connections. The Green Sneer bellows operator was trying to sell the PCs out to the Big Bads on lower levels, but our Yirinn is a living lie detector, and even without sharing a language, could tell the Khark who was capable of communicating with the GSneer he was lying. The forge operator tried to kill the Green, but was stopped by the Cleric who didn't understand his motivation. That honour went to the Yirinn who split him in twain. Not long afterwards, they loot the Violet Sneer overseer and get magical goodies: three Fire Beads worth a +1 Level Fire Magic effect each, cumulative; next, a crystal 'drive' capable of down and up-loading magic to devices built to use. The Yirinn kept that after intuitively determining its function (Dual Brain and Heightened Brain Function). He also determined that there is an active subterranean trade in place, by the coins the overseer was carrying (in addition to a nifty pocket knife).
The party doesn't heed the forge operator's advice, and get Slept by a Night Hag; all except the Barb who succumbs to her Frightful Visage [her true form is that of Black Beetles crawling over her skeleton]. They wake up and the Khark and Barb fail saves and go off to each gain 1 negative level in the Succubus sauna. The rest of the party are being straight talked to by the Vampire that they can freely drink of his chalice and perform a Geas, or they can die and know they've sentenced their buddies to become undead. The Cleric pours out he black blood onto the ancient floor and the dust and crumbling mortar form a Silt which she drinks up after burning 12 HP for 3d6 Silt Effect and contacting Lord Worm who gives her the OK. TLDR: Lord Worm is the Vamp's boss, too, and the kids are sent on their way; the negative levels are converted to obligation to Lord Worm tattoos, and the Cleric gets a big one on her chest, marking her as His chosen. She is leveled up to 3rd and they are now free to go. The Yirinn who had been Charmed to lap up the black blood gains 30' Darkvision and his canines grow.
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