00. Intro: Ewell [onlyme]

[onlyme]

Ewell turns to Snark. Your boss has fled. He must not care much for you. I have no quarrel with you and see no pleasure in watching you die.

He will stand ready to parry to defend, but will not attack.

[dmw71]

Snark hesitates, considering Ewell's words, but his pure evil nature ultimately wins out. "Snark deal wit' da 'boss' later.

Snark begins to twirl the length of chain, testing how it pulls around his neck while doing so.

"First, Snark kill you." He begins to circle Ewell.
"Den Snark catch Krul. Killin' him'll be fun." He rolls his ugly neck, clearly uncomfortable having the chain around his neck.
"Den I kill da' 'boss!'" he says.

With an unexpected quickness, Snark whips the chain around narrowly missing Ewell. "Drats." he growls. "Expect me next attack to wrap 'round yer throat!" he says, spitting in Ewell's direction. "Den we both have chain 'round neck. Only... I still be breathin'. You, you just be dead."

[onlyme]

Ewell immediately counters the attack with a quick thrust.roll 6284 was a 14, damage of 4[/o.edit to add I didn't include my strength bonus 3 to hit 4 damage.oc]

[dmw71]

You stab at Snark, piercing him. He clutches the wound, enraged! "Yer gonna pay fer dat!" he snarls, preparing his next attack.

---

Modified Initiative:
Snark: 14
Ewell: Please roll

[onlyme]

Roll 6286 was 8. I didn't add modifier. Not sure what it is. I know speed but do I add it

[dmw71]

Roll 6286 was 8. I didn't add modifier. Not sure what it is. I know speed but do I add it

Yes, going forward, please add your known modifiers (e.g. weapon speed factor) and I will update with unknown modifiers (if any) when adjudicating the action. Also, feel free to roll your attack and damage rolls at the same time as your initiative roll; that way, if you act first, I'll have what I need to finish the round.

[onlyme]

Ewell will use his lance once more. lance to hit: [1d20] = 18 , damage: [1d6+1 ] = 4+1 = 5 Plus adding 4 for bonus damage.

edit... actually plus 5 damage. ....so damage this round would be a 9... Edit to correct my flawed logic...

[onlyme]

Roll 6286 was 8. I didn't add modifier. Not sure what it is. I know speed but do I add it

Yes, going forward, please add your known modifiers (e.g. weapon speed factor) and I will update with unknown modifiers (if any) when adjudicating the action. Also, feel free to roll your attack and damage rolls at the same time as your initiative roll; that way, if you act first, I'll have what I need to finish the round.

This doesnt make sense... Is it the lower score wins or the higher? The light lance is a 6, so I had a 14...

[dmw71]

This doesnt make sense... Is it the lower score wins or the higher? The light lance is a 6, so I had a 14...

Yes, as the '01. Surprise and Initiative' rules explain, the low initiative goes first:

"In either method, actions will be resolved with the lowest modified initiative result acting first (tie results occur simultaneously)!"

It is counter-intuitive to those familiar with the simple d6 1E initiative rule, but it is a more realistic system in my opinion. Think of weapon speed factor or casting times as being almost penalites that you add to your 1d10 roll. There may be other modifiers as well but, at least for the most part, all you need to be concerned with is the actual roll plus the weapon speed. In fact, the following macro is what you would use if attacking with your lance in a given round:

Code: Select all

Initiative with lance [1d10+6]

If you're doing anything other than attacking with your lance in a round, you'll simply modify the above macro to suit your alternate action. If you have any questions about initiative or modifiers for any other actions, I'll be more than happy to help you out.

---

As to my other request, in addition to rolling for your initiative, I'd also like you to make your attack and damage rolls as well and include them all in your post. Your post should include something similar to this:

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Initiative with lance [1d10+6]
Attack with lance [1d20+3]
Damage with lance [1d6+5]

A few notes about your attack rolls. It doesn't appear, at least with your most recent roll, that you applied your '+3' to hit due to your strength. Also, regarding your damage, it ultimately results in [1d6+5]:

When the cavalier is dismounted and using a lance, damage is + 1. A heavy lance used while dismounted is treated as an awl pike, with respect to all specifications except length, weight, and speed factor. A medium or light lance used while dismounted is treated as a spear.

A light lance, used while dismounted, will weigh 5 pounds (as a light lance), have a speed factor of 6 (as a light lance), but do damage as a spear (1d6) plus the '+1' as specified in the rules. So, your damage with the light lance will be [1d6]+[1 (cavalier)]+[4 (strength)] or [1d6+5].

[onlyme]

Sorry, hard for me to scan posts for details on my blackberry. I corrected my macros after posting.
Also I have rolled my move for this round above.
It is a hit 21 (18+3)with 9 (4+5) damage.

Again, sorry for screwing up the + piece. I had a plus one, and couldnt tell if that was for the weapon or the cav bonus. I quickly checked the lance weapon and saw it had a plus one. I forgot I needed to check the spear and made the mistake.
As you can see, I do a lot of my posting on bb or my kindle depending on when and where I am (have 3 kids and LOTS of practices, classes, scout meetings to sit through...) As a result, I do have a habit of sending shortened posts with bare essentials, and then try to edit for correctness later.


Thanks

[onlyme]

As to my other request, in addition to rolling for your initiative, I'd also like you to make your attack and damage rolls as well and include them all in your post. Your post should include something similar to this:

Code: Select all

Initiative with lance [1d10+6]
Attack with lance [1d20+3]
Damage with lance [1d6+5]

If it is ok, I prefer to have the attack and damage as one roll. I have a separate initiative one.

Also, I havent found a shortcut to copying and pasting. And, on my kindle, it gets fairly laborious. Is it too much trouble if I do as I did earlier, and just post the roll# and results if on mobile, and update once on PC?
And I am really enjoying your narratives... One reason I could never be a DM. I am too straightforward and uncreative.
Thanks

[dmw71]

I've never tried it, but I've heard browsing on mobile devices can be a pain. I have no issues with how you've been posting, especially now that you've explained your shortcut methods. If it would help (and I'm guessing it might), I would have no problem if you kept your posts short; even so brief as to simply paste the results of your rolls and/or any narrative you wanted to add. For instance, you could post something as simple as:

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Ewell attacks Smark (+ narrative, if you'd like).  I = 14, A = 18, D = 5  

From the above, it's clear to me your intended action (attacking Smark) and what your rolls are (initiative = 14, attack = 18, damage = 5). If you add your own narrative, I can include it in my summary post. If not, I can add some simple details that fit the situation.

As for your rolls, even if you just include the results (e.g. I = 14, A = 18, D = 5), I can verify all your rolls here: Ewell D'Alton, so you really don't have to worry about including the Roll ID or any other details. If you can figure out the copy-and-paste functionality, it'd be more convenient, but it's not necessary. You're also more then welcome to combine your attack and damage rolls into a single macro. I'd have no problem with the following:

Code: Select all

Initiative with lance [1d10+6]
Attack with lance [1d20+3] Damage with lance [1d6+5]

---

As for my narratives... I'm glad you're liking them. That is the part of running this game I am most nervous about.

In fact, I am actually planning on requesting feedback from all the players to get their impressions now that the game is a week old (tomorrow). I'd like to get an idea as to what players like and, perhaps more importantly, don't like so far.

[onlyme]

I'd like to get an idea as to what players like and, perhaps more importantly, don't like so far.

Having to wait 48 hrs and counting to see if I skewered that snarky bastard...

[dmw71]

Having to wait 48 hrs and counting to see if I skewered that snarky bastard...

My apologies for the delay on the above. That should have easily been resoloved over the weekend; I think I got caught up our little back-and-forth over the die rolls, macros, initiative, etc... and forgot that there was actual action that needed to be resolved. My bad.

---

"Death by chain won't be painful...." Smark leaps at you, attempting to rake you with his claw. "... enoug---" he gasps.

Smark misses badly, perhaps your lance piercing through his unarmored flesh had something to do with that. You quickly realize the word "enough" will be the last taunt you'll likely ever hear from him as you quickly remove your lance from his body as he limply crumbles to the ground.


The dead bodies of Olog and Smark clutter your immediate surroundings (+30 xp) and there is no immediate sign of the "boss;" though you do have a general idea in which direction he fled.

[onlyme]

1) is there anything an honorable sort would do with dead enemies (leave them be, arrange them politely, etc. Is there a map I need to worry with here, ie. direction he was heading? or should that sort itself out? Assuming neither of these affect the response...

Ewell quickly wipes off his lance, and heads toward the fleeting sound of the cowardly master...

[dmw71]

1) is there anything an honorable sort would do with dead enemies (leave them be, arrange them politely, etc.

Truthfully, I do not know. I would think they would, out of respect for the fallen, but you won't be penalized if you don't formally announce that you're undertaking some formal ritual after each encounter. To me, it's just not a critical bit of detail.

Is there a map I need to worry with here, ie. direction he was heading? or should that sort itself out? Assuming neither of these affect the response.

No, no map (unless you're making one). Not yet, anyway.

[dmw71]

Ewell spends a few moments clearing the mess off his lance and paying respects to the fallen. Evil or not, they're still living creatures and, while vanquishing them is commonly the objective, the respect for life after the fact is a simple gesture.

(+100 xp for nicely played first encounter)

The sound of the fleeing master is no longer heard given its several minute head start, but now that the battle is over, it's obvious that it did leave a fairly obvious path in its wake, which Ewell begins to follow.

Exercising a healthy amount of caution, Ewell follows the path left by the ruthless boss and, after a few minutes of progress, stops in his tracks. He needs to be absolutely quiet for a moment. He strains to listen and, yes, his suspicions are confirmed: Off in the distance he hears the sound of running water.

[onlyme]

Ewell will progress toward the water source, looking for signs of an ambush along the way.

[onlyme]

(+100 xp for nicely played first encounter)

Thanks, by the way. He is just anxious to get his 500 to get to level 1. Being so honor driven, he may not take kindly to any sneers from fellow characters about being "slow" or "behind" them in DND school.

[dmw71]

Thanks, by the way. He is just anxious to get his 500 to get to level 1.

I'm sure you'll get there soon enough.