Want to play Dungeons and Dragons 5E?

[Troy]

Screw it, I'm just going to stick with Thief. The skills it gives apply to our combat and play style, and we won't be dealing with anything that might be broken or unbalanced. Apparently, the fact that I can now, thanks to Fast Hands, use an object during every turn of combat is a big deal.

I assume that means I can reload my crossbow every turn?

Also, I think I might need to retcon my stats a touch...maybe?

One thing that has driven me crazy is everyone saying "Let the Rogue use Perception", yet while I have a bonus to investigation, I have no bonus to perception. That has seemed odd to me. Turns out that while the PHB says grab INT as your second most important stat, this guide says INT is only for investigation (finding traps) and Wisdom is the second most important stat for a rogue.

This INT/WIS or Investigation/Perception thing is why I was so miffed when you took Investigation away from me last session. The Rogue is built to be the one to spot traps and all that, but if I couldn't use INT to see a trap and figure it out (which Cake pointed out is exactly what should have taken place), then I was screwed. It, literally, cost us a piece of treasure and some health points when ______ just destroyed the chest instead. I felt like I was worthless to the party at that point aside from ranged attacks.

There might be a remedy here other than moving stats around...You threw together my character for me and of the two skills you gave me for "Expertise" I'm thinking Persuasion can be dropped. Investigation is the other one, and part of why I get a +5 to Investigation rolls. However, when have I used Persuasion and the +3 roll? Never. Would it make sense to pick Perception there instead? Or even boost something else higher, like Acrobatics (+6), Sleight of Hand (+6), or Stealth (+6)? Or I can leave Investigation and also be proficient in Theives Tools.

Also, the math is the bonus gets doubled. So correct me if I'm wrong, but those +6 would go to +12? Also, why is my investigation +5? Shouldn't it be +6 as my INT is +3? (3+3=6)

Fuck. Rogue's are complicated. I just checked a bunch of rules related to Koban:


1) I read the crossbow rules in the PHB. It looks like the "loading" thing actually means you can only fire it ONCE per round as a reaction or action. So no more of the "having to reload" stuff. It just limits you to not be able to attack twice with it in the same turn. Which you couldn't do anyway, I think?

2) Here's the list of "extra actions" you can take with the Fast Hands:

Player's Handbook p. 97

The following items all require the use of an action in their descriptions:

Acid
Alchemist's Fire
Ball Bearings
Caltrops
Climber's Kit
Healer's Kit
Holy Water
Hunting Trap
Lantern, Hooded
Oil
Tinderbox
It would also let you draw an extra weapon after you used your free action to swap a bow to a rapier, for example.
Probably more (it only denies potion use)

Normally those would take someone a full action, but you can do them with Fast Hands.

3) Cake figured out the order is Perception Check to detect, which if you succeed gives you a DC and the trap type. You then use your tools on the trap or the lock. If it's a magical trap I'll tell you on the Perception Check and it's supposed to be an "Arcana" check.

4) Here's how your expertise is supposed to work. Everyone has a "proficiency" bonus of +2. At level 1 start, you apply that bonus to 6 of your skills. You also add the modifier from whatever statistic.

For Persuasion.
1 (Cha) + 2 (proficiency) = 3

for Investigation
3 (Int) + 2 ( proficiency)) = 5

All your Dex based ones
4 (Dex) + 2(proficiency)) = 6

this all implemented right. What isn't implemented is your Expertise currently. You can pick two skills. Then you can double the proficiency bonus for them.

Example

You pick Investigation.
3 (int) + 4 (Double proficiency) = 7

If you want to remap your skill proficiencies, you can. But it's Level 3 time, so that's it. You gotta keep what you choose. With expertise you could have a +4 to perception, I think.

[Leisher]

Which you couldn't do anyway, I think?

I could not. In fact, while fighting the swamp monster I had to switch weapons because you said reloading the crossbow would cost a turn by itself. So we can do away with that? After firing I just assume Koban reloads the crossbow, ala the shortbow?

Rogue's are complicated.

Yes. I realized I had not been using sneak attack as often as I should be. Here's the breakdown:
Once per turn, you can deal an extra 2d6 damage to one creature you hit with an attack if you have advantage on the attack roll. The attack must use a finesse or ranged weapon. You don't need advantage on the attack roll if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn't incapacitated, and you don't have disadvantage on the attack roll.

It's 2d6 now because I'm lvl 3.

3) Cake figured out the order is Perception Check to detect, which if you succeed gives you a DC and the trap type. You then use your tools on the trap or the lock. If it's a magical trap I'll tell you on the Perception Check and it's supposed to be an "Arcana" check.

Ok, so here's the big question:
Should I swap WIS (10) and INT(16)? (I'm going to leave this in your hands Troy because I don't have a clue if it should be allowed or even if I should make this change or not.)

That would make my WIS +3 meaning Perception is immediately +3. My passive perception would also jump from 10 to 16.

Dumping Deception, which I've never used, and choosing Perception instead would give me +7 Perception. However, Investigation would drop to +4.

OR

Don't swap stats and Investigation would be +7, while Perception would be +4 (I'm definitely dropping Deception as a proficient skill). I could also move Persuasion to Arcana due to my high INT and get that up to +7.

Just FYI, I have changed my character sheet to reflect this second option. Troy, can you check it out at your convenience and confirm?

Investigation now has +7, Deception is unchecked and down to +1, and Perception is now checked and at +4.


On a different note, Koban shows as only having 15 GP. I am WAY messed up when it comes to loot distribution.

[Troy]

From what I've gathered the ranged weapons are always unloaded. On a crossbow you do a quick 6 second load and fire. With a shortbow and two attacks you can load twice and fire twice. A crossbow and two attacks is just one shot.

I've been trying to give you those sneak attacks when I can remember. I think you got one off on the initial shadows in the well room.

One glaring omission was the ritual room massacre. You definitely should have gotten a sneak attack on each of those spirits ya'll exterminated.


I like option 2, it's a cleaner option than re-mapping your actual stats. I'll double check but sounds like you did it right.


That's the 15g your character had in his pocket when you set out from Baldur's Gate. The party should decide how the loot pile is split up and then we can add your loot shares to whatever you had in your pockets. Second half of tonight is a good time for us to get into that.

Alex and Koban have bought some stuff. But then it was mission-critical type gear. So maybe it just comes out of the party pool? It's up to the party. I'll keep track of the treasure pile until you split it up.

[Cakedaddy]

According to the DM guide. . .

A trap’s description specifies the checks and DCs needed to detect it, disable it, or both. A character actively looking for a trap can attempt a Wisdom (Perception) check against the trap’s DC. You can also compare the DC to detect the trap with each character’s passive Wisdom (Perception) score to determine whether anyone in the party notices the trap in passing. If the adventurers detect a trap before triggering it, they might be able to disarm it, either permanently or long enough to move past it. You might call for an Intelligence (Investigation) check for a character to deduce what needs to be done, followed by a Dexterity check using thieves’ tools to perform the necessary sabotage.

So traps are:
1. Perception to detect it. - WIS
2. Investigation to determine trap type/mechanisms. - INT
3. Thieves tools to disable/remove the trap. - DEX

But it's your world! Do it how you want. Just sayin'.

I have two Level 2 spells to pick. I also want to try to figure out those other two spells in that book.

[Troy]

Jeez it takes 3 separate skill checks? I guess that makes sense. I’ll implement it in the next place that has traps.

[Troy]

Home and will be online to talk L3 pregame.

Zelda’s almost home. Already picked out her two new L2 spells. I quizzed her on them last night and she’s locked and loaded.

[Troy]

From the NPC point of view tonight was: "Donavich's drunken exorcism"
or "Laslo's not-so-good-plan"

Session 6 :

Starting
459 GOLD
3 Moss Agates
2 RUBY
1 TOPAZ
2 GARNET GOBLETS
75 PLATINUM


Sold:
2 Rubies - 30g
2 Goblets - 30g
Topaz - 10g
Shortsword - 10g
Leather Armor - 10g
2 White Eye Opal - 50g
3 Moss Agates - 31g
1 Lock of Mordigan's Hair - 1p


Added:
Cloak of Shar
Pouch w/ 1 Death Dog figurine
Scroll of Color Spray (Sorcerer Scroll)
Silver Candelabra (2 units of silver)
Shadow Orb (spell focus)

Used:
Potion of Malady
Flask of Holy Water (Donavich)

Current Money:
630 Gold
76 PLATINUM (1:10 gold)
= 1390 Gold

278g per PC


Mordigan
278g
-50g (Scroll)
228g

Koban
278g
-50g (Potion of Cure Malady)
228g

Alex
278g

Zelda
278g

BeeDee
278g

Aged:
Koban - 15 years
Zelda - 15 Years
Alex - 5 Years


Ya'll did great tonight with the RP. Zelda said she had fun.

BeeDee - half the party got Death Dog Disease and ran up to the tavern for lay-on-hands. We have to resolve a BeeDee/Ismark side adventure before we can merge storylines.

[Cakedaddy]

It was argued that since we went to the Inn to get BD to exercise the demon, he would have been outside for it as well. Even though Don performed it. Thus, he would have been exposed to the event and should take a save against it.

In your list, did you account for the 10 plat potion Alex bought from the Jersey Shore vendor? Did we buy/sell anything else to him? I know we tried to sell the armor, but it had blood on it and he didn't want it.

I know there's still a ton more to do in the campaign, but next Friday will need to have some (potentially, a lot) of time dedicated to us working through the drama that Mordigan and Zelda stirred up. I know there's talk of a cure in the next town over or something. I'm betting there's a gypsy SOMEwhere out there that can do something. I'm wondering if there's a gypsy that would allow the 'damage' to be transferred onto someone else. Say, a 'Youth Exchanger' potion. One person can give their years to someone else! Probably not. But maybe!

Gordon, here's a recap:
Remember those opals with the eyes painted on them that Mordigan and Zelda thought were a good idea to steal even though multiple other people said it was a bad idea and they should be left alone? Ya. Well. Mordigan ended up possessed by that dead chick. So, being his friends, we try to help him out and seek you out to do an exorcism or something. Overhearing what we were at the Inn for (you were at the Inn with Isli. . . whatever his name is), Donovich volunteered to do the deed. In fact, he seemed very excited about it and pretty much just went for it. A Flurp and Zerp later (maybe it was a Zerp and then a Flurp), a screeching, hideous, banshee of a thing bursts out of him scaring the shit out of everyone. Mordigan dodged any affect of the fear, but Zelda, Koban, and Alex didn't fare so well. Alex was so scared that he immediately aged 5 years. Zelda and Koban, they both aged 15 years. Koban is PISSED. Like, royally. The shit really hit the fan. Mordigan feels bad and knows he fucked up. A lot was said and I THINK I heard an apology from him. But I don't remember. What I do remember is he DID buy Alex a scroll from a merchant as a way to make up for his mistake. A scroll. For 5 years of my youth. After Mordigan went to the bar to be alone with his thoughts and contemplate the SHIT SHOW HE CREATED!!, Koban snuck over and attempted to steal Mordigan's precious laced muffin. Mordigan caught him though. He grabbed Koban's hand and set it on the bar. He showed signs of remorse by not fighting Koban over what he just did. You could tell he understood why Koban was doing it, and let it go. Koban just glared at him and walked back to the merchant, or maybe went outside. I don't remember which. But at any rate, Koban did go outside and Alex followed. He could tell we were on the verge of losing a party member. Alex attempted to talk him down. Koban was talking gibberish A LOT (Leisher kept breaking character!!). But we could tell that Koban has never taken shit from anyone before. In fact, if someone has caused him harm, he goes after that person like, well, I'll avoid the obvious analogy here! But he pretty much attempts to erase you from existence. Alex is arguing that we need to give Mordigan the chance to make up for what he's done. There has to be SOMETHING that can even things up. Yes, a moment of greed has brought great harm. It was a BIG mistake. But maybe there's a way to make up for it. Some great, selfless act for the sake of the rest of us.

And that's where it ended. So, we are in the middle of trying to work through this shit show.

Side note. . . My wife asked how our session went. She was curious because she overheard much of what I had been saying during the game. So she knew something had happened. I told her about the events (pretty much how I described them above). Told her about the conversations Koban and Alex were having. How Mordigan feels bad, we were really getting into our characters, etc. She said "That's the gayest thing I've ever heard". BUT!!! She then said "When do you play again?" She wants to know what happens!!!

[GORDON]

jesus fuck.

[Cakedaddy]

Here's my idea for the 'cure'. Mordigan has to drink a magic potion that sucks the life out of him and into the potion he just drank. Then, he has to collect his next piss. That piss contains the youth that Mordigan just gave up. So, Koban's cure is having to drink Mordigan's piss!!! Mordigan just has to hope that Koban never finds out that's what it was.

[Cakedaddy]

So, knowing all that now, did BD come out for the exorcism?!

[GORDON]

he insisted.

BUt who was possessed, again?

Also, was the anger being only directed between the characters, or with the real people?

[Cakedaddy]

Mordigan was possessed.

Lets just say, it's a good thing we are all playing remotely.

[Stranger]

he insisted.

BUt who was possessed, again?

Also, was the anger being only directed between the characters, or with the real people?

For a bit there I thought Koban was actually pissed at me because he kept saying OOC that he seriously don't think we could be in a group together. But I don't think that's the case.

[Leisher]

Koban was talking gibberish A LOT (Leisher kept breaking character!!)

I wonder why he kept doing that?

Lets just say, it's a good thing we are all playing remotely.

For a bit there I thought Koban was actually pissed at me because he kept saying OOC that he seriously don't think we could be in a group together.

Oh! Here's why! Everything was in character, but I was SUPER nervous about peeps thinking I was legit pissed. I couldn't let it go though or else why RP? Koban simply wouldn't accept the events that went down and continue on like nothing was wrong. Plus, to be fair to our DM. I was about to do stuff that I assumed he was not prepared to handle. (I also assumed he didn't tell his wife that at least two of us thought she did something way out of her alignment.)

Stranger played his character perfectly as well. (I assume, I can't see your traits.) That fed into firing Koban up even further.

The night was an absolute blast though. Gordo, as I told Stranger and Cake, I never really got a chance to bust out descriptive stuff. There's only so many ways to fire a crossbow. I was lamenting that fact when this shit went down. Koban's personality trait is that he does NOT handle injury to his person well at all. (Keep his background in mind and you can understand why.) So I got to have some fun.

Plus, as Cake pointed out later, we're all really upping our RP game. It's been YEARS since we've all done this, or at least for most of us, so a few sessions in, it seems like we're all digging much deeper into our characters now.

We just need voices...

P.S. Important note for ALL: Fill out the personality traits, ideal, bond, and flaw. The PHB says 2 personality traits and 1 each of the rest.

Pick stuff that goes together! Koban's meltdown during the last session actually link both personality traits, his bond, and his flaw...If you were paying attention, they were on full display.

Here is a link I posted before to help:

Help with your traits, ideals, bonds, and flaws.

Between those and alignments, not only will it help you flesh out your character and help the DM determine if you're being true to your character, but it might also lead to some advantages during game play.

Troy might want to read the PHB page 126...

I really want to talk more about the events of Friday, but I think they're at a good spot right now and I don't want to spoil anything. Alex has engaged him and we'll see if he asks the right questions. I Know how Koban sees the night playing out, I'm just not sure if the DM sees it going the same way.

[Troy]

Worth noting is that the party has committed TWO acts of grave robbery in the current day.

I also assumed he didn't tell his wife that at least two of us thought she did something way out of her alignment)

Zelda and I definitely talked about that a few sessions ago. Her response: "Zelda wouldn't give a shit. She's a hermit Outlander acting out"

paraphrasing:
She didn't think Zelda would care about burial rules and customs. Zelda is impulsive as a character trait. She's kept to that: she still has that bread, she was one of the divers in the swamp, she investigated the junkie house on a hunch, stuff like that.

I Know how Koban sees the night playing out, I'm just not sure if the DM sees it going the same way.

Hmm... some options I've thought over:

Well, either ya'll start Fighting (in which case we should have the Paladin and the only remaining member of the city watch back in our timeline)
or
You can figure out a plan to address the problem
or
You could try fixing up that musty furniture shop and build rocking chairs and embrace your elderly years

[Leisher]

Worth noting is that the party has committed TWO acts of grave robbery in the current day.

I don't consider the crypt grave robbing. When he become ghouls voluntarily and the thousand people that inhabit your grave are plotting a takeover of the world, I don't think it's a grave anymore.

Also, Laslo might have had a good option, but he refused to negotiate. I tried my best to get him to relent, but he was adamant about one of us staying and becoming a shadow. That was a deal breaker.

Zelda and I definitely talked about that a few sessions ago. Her response: "Zelda wouldn't give a shit. She's a hermit Outlander acting out"

paraphrasing:
She didn't think Zelda would care about burial rules and customs.

Wouldn't that make her Chaotic Neutral though? (Serious question.)

Hmm... some options I've thought over:

Well, either ya'll start Fighting (in which case we should have the Paladin and the only remaining member of the city watch back in our timeline)
or
You can figure out a plan to address the problem
or
You could try fixing up that musty furniture shop and build rocking chairs and embrace your elderly years

Option #1 *answer redacted to avoid spoilers, although this should already be quite clear...*
Option #2 I think Alex might be attempting this right now.
Option #3 Is it possible to murder the DM?

In all seriousness, option 2 is what is being attempted by all parties. I don't want to re-roll a new character, but Koban isn't going forward with Mordigan until there is a resolution. The problem is we have 90 minutes until we need to be boarded up for the night. Koban has a plan for the evening, and things he will say to Alex if Alex asks the right questions and if things go the way Koban expects.

If you need to know more so you can plan things, let me know and I can IM you his intentions. I know for a fact that what YOU allow Koban to do means you're going to have to prepare for it.

[Leisher]

I cannot fucking wait until Friday.

[Troy]

Wouldn't that make her Chaotic Neutral though? (Serious question.)

Possible, but just yoinking a shiny gem isn't going to tilt the meter enough to matter. It's in the wheelhouse for her alignment. She paid a heavy price for her impulsiveness, to boot.

She's also the only member of the party to pet any animals so far. I awarded her 5 fuzzy points for that.

[GORDON]

FYI, will be in a hotel in Georgia, Friday.