IJBM D&D game! (discussion)

Nova

I will ensure that the final boss is a vampire called Schmacula, just for you.

vandro

hell no. at least give im a proper name

Super Lazuli

ew, vampires.

with that highly intelligent comment, I bid you all good night.

Nova

hell no. at least give im a proper name

Schmacula is totally a proper name.

(Eh, Dracula Schmacula.)

Noimporta

Damn kids, staying up all night fighting skeletons... I assume I'll just take my initiative last.

 

Actually, it does.

The rules note that skeletons (non-living creatures) will not be knocked unconscious. It will blind and stun it for 2d4 rounds, then than an additional 1d4 rounds, then stun it for one round.

That is portentously silly.

Nova

Damn kids, staying up all night fighting skeletons... I assume I'll just take my initiative last.

Actually... Well, I assume it was because everyone was up late, so I didn't yell at anyone, but nobody should have posted their actions at all. I was waiting for everyone to roll initiative before I did anything.

When the combat actually starts, I'm going to take a look at the initiative rolls and determine the orders. At the moment, for example, I would look for Lazuli's action, and execute it. Then, I would take Thevel's action next, followed by Djanain, then the Skeletons, then Hobbe, then etcetera.

That is portentously silly.

Isn't it just?

Normally, I don't like rules lawyering, but the more I look at the specific rules for events, the more little things I allow to slip by just because I find them hilarious.

For example, the only rule on improvised weapons is as follows:

Sometimes objects not crafted to be weapons nonetheless see use in combat. Because such objects are not designed for this use, any creature that uses an improvised weapon in combat is considered to be nonproficient with it and takes a –4 penalty on attack rolls made with that object. To determine the size category and appropriate damage for an improvised weapon, compare its relative size and damage potential to the weapon list to find a reasonable match. An improvised weapon scores a threat on a natural roll of 20 and deals double damage on a critical hit. An improvised thrown weapon has a range increment of 10 feet.

Thus, a Sorceror with a Strength of 7 could totally technically kill a dragon, then pick it up by the tail and wield it like a Colossal club.

I would very probably rule that that is ridiculous, but it's allowed by the rules and I might allow it just for the sheer absurdity.

Noimporta

Well, they actually couldn't because:

*It would probably be way above their allowed load.

*If I recall correctly, a club is a two handed weapon, and it's above their size (and assuming they're medium sized), making it unusable. Even if it was one handed, they'd still only be able to use a Large one as a two handed weapon (with a -2 penalty).

I'd still allow it depending on the circumstance.

 

Anyway let's try this rollin' thing:

(Rolled: 1d20+6. Rolls: 11. Total: 17)

Nova

*It would probably be way above their allowed load.

*If I recall correctly, a club is a two handed weapon, and it's above their size (and assuming they're medium sized), making it unusable. Even if it was one handed, they'd still only be able to use a Large one as a two handed weapon (with a -2 penalty).

Dragons don't actually have a weight category in the monster description.

Clubs are actually classified as one-handed weapons, yes. However, improvised weapons are not defined as clubs- rather, it is left up to the GM to decide what to classify it as, to determine whether it is how it is wielded and what damage it deals. Technically, it could be classified as a light mace (or even a dagger, albeit a Huge one, meaning that a Rogue could potentially Sneak Attack a target to death while wielding a Huge dragon).

You are right about the cumulative effects of size, though; I forgot about that.

Nova

Anyway, at this point, initiatives have been rolled here.

It is Lazuli's turn to roll both an attack roll (1d20+2), and a damage roll (1d6).

It will be Noimporta's turn after, etc etc.

All Nines

ew, vampires.

Booooooooo

Actually... Well, I assume it was because everyone was up late, so I didn't yell at anyone, but nobody should have posted their actions at all. I was waiting for everyone to roll initiative before I did anything.

Sorry about that. I kinda just followed Clock's lead, since he seemed like he knew what was up.

Also, any chance we could get a map of the room(s)?

Nova

I think it was like three AM where he was.

Not blaming anyone; that's why I didn't mention it. I figured I'd bring it up if asked or else before the next encounter.

Also, any chance we could get a map of the room(s)?

Honestly... I was hoping to avoid drawing up maps again. It's actually kind of really time-consuming, especially when I have this much homework.

I was hoping to just let everyone imagine a rough sketch of the room in their heads, like "So and so room is 40 feet wide and 30 feet long and there's two doorways, one five foot wide and leading further into the building and one ten foot wide and leading out of the building."

All Nines

I mostly ask because some of my spells are going to require very specific zones to use, so I don't know how it would work out if I can't see where the skeletons are on a hard map.

It would still be really great if we could ever get MapTools or RPTools or whatever it is to work.

Nova

I don't think it would work when there's such a mix of timezones and work schedules

You can always just ask me if it'd work, and I can say "Yeah, the corridor's wide enough that a cone would spray" or "the room is big enough that it can splash without hitting your teammates" etc.

Or I could like... use letters.

IIIIOIII
ILLLLLLI
ILLLLLLI
ILLLLLLI
ILLLLLLI
IIIIOOII

does that tell you anything 

All Nines

I could deal with that, certainly, and I know what that means, in context. As long as it can handle letters that signify enemies without the map getting distorted, I would have no problem with that.

EDIT:

IIIIOIII
ILSLLLLI
ILLMLHLI
ILFLLLJI
ILLLALLI
IIIIOOII

So, of course, some letters distort this a bit. Are there any fonts that have most/all of the letters at the exact same width (with the exception of, like, "I")?

Nova

You weren't meant to say yes <_<

All Nines

:C

Although I wonder if underscores would be better for doors.

IIII_III
ILLLLLLI
ILLLLLLI
ILLLLLLI
ILLLLLLI
IIII_|_II

All Nines

IIIIOIII
I_____I
I_____I
I_____I
I_____I
IIIIOOII

Alternatively, stairs.

Nova

I could make up maps for you.

It's just that... blah. I have a lot of homework to do, and drawing up maps takes a long time- it used to take me over an hour to draw one up, and it takes even longer now that I have a decent program to draw them on.

So I was hoping that I could just describe the rooms and the enemy's positioning, and if you liked you could draw up a map of it if you wanted.

All Nines

Would it take quite so long with lettermaps like these? I mean, it's your choice, either way, but if there was some other way to do it that was both easy and intuitive, I'd prefer that, if only because it would help me a bit, and D&D relies a lot on grids. 3.75 not as much as 4 (4e would be silly without actual maps), but to some degree, still.

Nova

It wouldn't take quite as long, but they're a pain in the ass to draw up.

All Nines

Fair enough.

Nova

Actually, this is fairly easy to use. If I could figure out how to add objects to it, that's be perfect.

Nova

Hrm. It's ugly in terms of 'who is what', but it works for drawing up the layout of the map, if that's what you're after.

All Nines

Looks fine to me.

Super Lazuli

I rolled dice and things

All Nines

This image has been resized to fit in the page. Click to enlarge.

Hrm. It's ugly in terms of 'who is what', but it works for drawing up the layout of the map, if that's what you're after.

Come to think of it, are those icons the only things you can attach to the map, for the purpose of denoting things that aren't tile? How difficult/time-consuming would it be to save a picture like that to your computer, draw letters on the tiles with Paint, and upload that here?

Also, would we currently be able to see how many skeletons there are, and how they're arranged? I also can't really get a grasp of Djanain's position, relative to the rest of the party (which is mostly my fault, granted), let alone the skeletors.

EDIT: The preliminary draft of my backup character (as in, only the class features, feats, etc; I have yet to roll for wealth or write up a backstory) is done, just because.

Nova

Come to think of it, are those icons the only things you can attach to the map, for the purpose of denoting things that aren't tile? How difficult/time-consuming would it be to save a picture like that to your computer, draw letters on the tiles with Paint, and upload that here?

They're not the only things, but everything else is like, barrels and chests and shit.

As to that... It would not be very time-cnsuming, but it would be ugly.

Also, would we currently be able to see how many skeletons there are, and how they're arranged? I also can't really get a grasp of Djanain's position, relative to the rest of the party (which is mostly my fault, granted), let alone the skeletors.

I'm actually confused as to the positioning of party members myself, as everyone seemed to just rush at the doorway.

As to the skeletors, though:

Nova

(the blue box with a cross in it is also a skeleton)

Super Lazuli

I missed. :[

Nova

Maybe you should aim your lightning bolts better.