Adventures in Sigil - OOC - Part III [4E]

[Nai_Calus]

Originally Posted by Hzurr

...full of doom and gloom, aren't we?

I've been saying we're all going to die since the beginning of this, haven't I? And I figured you were going to have the attack go off and then rule that she managed it anyway.

You'll effectively push her off the couch and prone, so she won't be able to kiss you this round. If you hang around, however, she may try again.

Also, that effect doesn't dominate, it just prevents you from attacking her unless she (or her allies) attack you. You'll also throw yourself in harms way to protect her. Basically, you consider her an ally, but you're still in full control of your own actions.

Ah, OK. The way you worded it read like it was a domination power. Also I think I'm still in that 'screw up once and you're dead' mindset from too much Fourthcore last weekend. Plus, well, you know, that other thing.

Originally Posted by Hzurr

Actually, now that I think about that, let me include this update in the mid-round IC post. Things are about to get pretty hairy for Eltain & Zyrr, so I'll most likely need to make a secondary map for y'all. But yes, at the moment Eltain avoided getting snogged.

OK, now I'm confused. Should I post now or not? I was going to try to coordinate things with Toric tonight but he wasn't around when I was, so it didn't happen. I guess I'll just hold off a few days then? Let me guess, she's immediately going to get another turn before anyone else can do anything and this time she's going to use a domination power.

Don't worry, we've always thwarted your plans before, we will this time too.

Although next time Toric is dragging his heels on having Zyrr do something besides try to sell Eltain into slavery, Eltain is just leaving him rather than trying to buy time for him to act/get him away as well.

[dariathalon]

Originally Posted by Hzurr

Oh Visions of Avarice... My favorite wizard spell as a PC, my least favorite as a DM. It's awesome.

I know how much you love it. That's why I mostly pull it out for special occasions. (It's not my fault that you make so many of the battles a special occasion epic sort of battle. )

I figured with what were probably a lot of melee devils out on the field, laying down a huge zone of placement control early could be a good thing.

[Nai_Calus]

It's a good thing that Thrull made a pathetic insult, because that is a pathetic roll.

Now it's going to be time to play either 'Guess what Jon reskinned for this', 'Guess what level he downgraded it to', or 'Guess how long we'll survive against a L26 Elite Soldier'. Plus, you know, the dragon and all the other devils...

Although Zorella is likely either L22 or is L20 and had CA, and I doubt the latter, so above the high end of standard level range seems likely, unless Jon is going higher on Zyrr and Eltain since there are currently fewer enemies. Going off of average numbers, mind you.

Also good lord I am doing an obscene amount of metagaming here.

Also, having seen it last Saturday, I must note that Jon has an absolutely terrifying evil gleeful DM grin that I am picturing here. I have to admit my DM half is looking at this map and going 'bwahahahaha' itself even as my player half is going 'oh gods we're all going to die horribly'.

[dariathalon]

Well there's already obviously been some changes made to the by-the-book monsters. I'm almost certain that red dragons don't usually get any out of turn actions. Not sure about pit fiends without looking (though I doubt it).

Oddly, with all my D&D experience I think this might be my first ever pit fiend battle. Though I generally play lower level stuff, so I suppose maybe it isn't that surprising.

[Orsik Vondal]

Ash plans on putting most of the devils between himself and the dragon. So if the dragon wants to blow fire he can all he wants! Go positioning!

edit: Also I am about to do High Ropes this afternoon. If it happens to get to Ash's init, you may have to wait until the evening.

[Nai_Calus]

I usually just post whenever and let the DM sort the initiative out.

Well, both Pit Fiends and the semi-level-appropriate red have triggered actions. (Which Jon has cited in the past as a reason he wouldn't use a dragon, the liar. )

Though, yes, Jon does have a tendency to make stuff up. ;)

And that infernal Evil DM Grin. That grin haunts my dreams now.

Eltain actually isn't the highest-level character I've ever had, that was a L20... I forget if it was a Seeker or an Ardent. We started in mid-Paragon, though.

[Haberdashery]

Okay, I don't have much I can do at this range, with everyone relatively doing well, so I'll give Ash an RBA.

[Nai_Calus]

Hmm, granted RBA. Bow Warlord?

[Haberdashery]

Not quite.

[Nai_Calus]

Hmmmmm. *off to Compendium*

[Haberdashery]

So, from now on I'm going to be putting in a Buff spoiler box at the start of all my combat posts, right under my stats. Leaders give out a ton of buffs (well, depending on the leader), and it's really easy to lose track of who has what buff. If you don't know what buffs I've given out, just check the box. I'll separate buffs by character as well, when it makes sense to do so.

[Nai_Calus]

Aha.

Well we're not going to do much in the way of damage(Naturally, it's the strikers who have run off by themselves), but with two Bards and a Shaman we'll at least have plenty of healing/buffs/debuffs.

So we have:

Shep: Shaman
Lucan: Prescient Bard
Thrull: Cunning Bard
Aramil: Assaultmage
Pavick: Wizard
Karlvan: Knight
Asheroth: Hexblade

So three leaders, one and a half defenders, a controller, and a striker optimized for non-combat applications who does fire damage against fire-resistant enemies.

We are so screwed.

And then the optimized strikers are naturally off elsewhere in their own trouble. Clearly, this calls for some ludicrous BS no one in their right mind would ever contemplate and utter madness.

Fortunately, Eltain is in fact actually somewhat insane, and will be attempting said ludicrous BS at the earliest opportunity. I have approximately 1/16th of a plan and a blatant disregard for such silly things as 'sense'. This can't possibly go horribly wrong!

[Orsik Vondal]

Why so down in the face, Nai? Just because I'm good at social aspects doesn't mean I neglected my fighting skills. Anything with fire resist won't have it for long.

[Orsik Vondal]

Yeesh! A 1 on my first attack roll! How embarrassing!

[Haberdashery]

Ah, Mr. Forum-Roller, I see you have lost none of your spite.

[Mando Knight]

Originally Posted by Nai_Calus

It's a good thing that Thrull made a pathetic insult, because that is a pathetic roll.

Now it's going to be time to play either 'Guess what Jon reskinned for this', 'Guess what level he downgraded it to', or 'Guess how long we'll survive against a L26 Elite Soldier'. Plus, you know, the dragon and all the other devils...

Replace the third with "Guess how long we'll survive against a L30 Solo Soldier" since if Hzurr is actually using the Monster Manual stats for once, a Gargantuan Red means the Ancient version...

Also, stick to area attacks for the Legion devils. They're the foot soldiers of the Nine Hells, ergo minions. (Religion DC 15, auto-pass for Aramil, Pavick, and anyone with Religion training at this level, at least)

[Nai_Calus]

Who said anything about down? I'm just pointing out the amusingly bad balance of the party at present and my assessment of our chances. We will probably promptly ignore that and kill everything. And you kind of have neglected combat feats. Granted, I'm running one of the most optimized PCs in the group. It's Jon's fault, really. He keeps saying he's going to try to kill us, I take him at his word and build accordingly.

Granted, Eltain isn't a pure striker, and most of the time will only be doing 1d8+21 cold + vuln 5 cold/CA + 2d6 with his Eldritch Strike, so he's not that optimized. Well, Feypact Warlocks aren't known for their massive damage output. Warlocks period really. It's more the Controller Striker than the Striker-Striker, although Eltain branches into tank striker given his AC from the Cavalier side.

I actually meant the Pit Fiend when I said L26. Though yes, the dragon is probably rather horrific too.

Sadly Thrull has no AoEs. (Eltain does, but he's not here, naturally. :D)

I've seen a L14 party survive 3 rounds against a Balor. Granted, it went away after 3 rounds and there's no way we could have killed it, but we at least lasted a bit. ...That was also kind of my fault.

[Orsik Vondal]

Forum Die Roller, why do you hate me so?

Two 1s in a row...I'm guessing I can't talk my way out of this one...

[Orsik Vondal]

Intimidate- (1d20+21)[37]

[Nai_Calus]

Wait, how is Ash using Intimidate in the same round as an attack? Intimidate in combat is a Standard action.

[Orsik Vondal]

Flair, my friend, flair. It's like the cards you put between the spokes of your bike. They serve no purpose, really, but they make you look like a haas.

[dariathalon]

Originally Posted by Nai_Calus

Aha.

Well we're not going to do much in the way of damage(Naturally, it's the strikers who have run off by themselves), but with two Bards and a Shaman we'll at least have plenty of healing/buffs/debuffs.

So we have:

Shep: Shaman
Lucan: Prescient Bard
Thrull: Cunning Bard
Aramil: Assaultmage
Pavick: Wizard
Karlvan: Knight
Asheroth: Hexblade

So three leaders, one and a half defenders, a controller, and a striker optimized for non-combat applications who does fire damage against fire-resistant enemies.

We are so screwed.

Don't forget that many of us are multiclassed into leader classes. I don't think anyone has a lot of investment in their multiclass, but it is there to add to the insanity.

[Hzurr]

Saving Throw for the chain devil to avoid getting pulled through the fire from Pavick's attack: (1d20)[6]

[Nai_Calus]

Originally Posted by Orsik Vondal

Flair, my friend, flair. It's like the cards you put between the spokes of your bike. They serve no purpose, really, but they make you look like a haas.

And Intimidate in combat is still a standard action.

Originally Posted by dariathalon

Don't forget that many of us are multiclassed into leader classes. I don't think anyone has a lot of investment in their multiclass, but it is there to add to the insanity.

Hah, true. So add a MC Bard and a MC Warlord in there as well. 3.5 leaders!

[Orsik Vondal]

The next melee fighter who decides to join Ash on the front lines is going to get blessed. I assume that will be Aramil. Don't worry. It wears off after a while. Perhaps it can even confuse the devils a bit. Hells, Ash looks like a devil now anyway, and whoever gets blessed will have a similar resemblance.

Also, only two of my powers are fire damage only. So unless they resist fire and necrotic, I should be doing full damage with most of my attacks.

[Hzurr]

I'll have another post updating the Zyrr/Eltain/Zorella situation late tonight.

[Nai_Calus]

I feel unloved.

[DSCrankshaw]

Bah, another terrible roll. That said, assuming the pit fiend gets a bonus to save, the satire of evasion may last longer anyway. All right folks, better take advantage of it.

[Nai_Calus]

Roll a 2, drink the hooch.

[DSCrankshaw]

As a reminder, until the end of my next turn, any attack on the pit fiend that misses gets a re-roll. Now's a good time to attack with daily and encounter powers which you really want to hit.