OOC 2 - More Rambling, Ranting, and Such

[rtdersch]

Afternoon fellers > crazy Wednesday, but I'll fire a post off tonight if I can; no later than in the morning. And from the look of the damage done to the huge dire wolf...he's meat!

Between Oggle and Cole you're going to have your hands full trying to balance the game. Those two can absolutely destroy level 1-3 creatures at 1rst level, and quickly.

Wow, if I'd taken the 20Str for Nokrugh instead of the 19 CON we'd have an brutal front 3. Tarrin and the elves could play gin-rummy while we cleaned up the battle field.

[AQuebman]

lol we have up front brute power but there are several ways to impair a group so i'm just all grins when I survive and put something down. One day Nokrugh is going to save my arse with his enhanced health and i'll be counting my lucky stars your built the way you are.

[rtdersch]

lol we have up front brute power but there are several ways to impair a group so i'm just all grins when I survive and put something down. One day Nokrugh is going to save my arse with his enhanced health and i'll be counting my lucky stars your built the way you are.

I hope I don't have to, but if that time comes Nokrugh will be there. I like this group. Darkstar with his bow, Greystone with his stealth and Tarrin with his range and spells offer a formidable back line. With Oggle, Cole and Nokrugh up front we should have a good chance against (most) anything we come up against. Still bummed about the loss of Thurgrum though, he's a great character and our only healer. We would have had the perfect party if he were still with us.

[Alethan]

there are several ways to impair a group...

This. Especially when things seem overtly out of balance.

[Hoondatha]

And I know what it is: healing. Or more specifically, total lack of it. There's a reason cleric is one of the four pillars of an adventuring band.

[hedgeknight]

Well, we have three options for a healer in the group:

1/ Keep Thurgrum on as an NPC
2/ Recruit a replacement player for Thurgrum
3/ Recruit a replacement player for a cleric

And then there's option four > stock up on healing scrolls, potions, salves, etc. Easier said than done in a frontier town, but still possible, and definitely so once you reach a larger city.

Thoughts?

[rtdersch]

It's late and it could be the fatigue speaking but regarding a cleric, I say we just push on. We have enough human run characters at the moment and we all need to work on developing the parties unity. A little conflict is fine but I have a feeling we're getting ready to hit a major story arc and we need some unity, and that's harder to do with new characters popping in and out of our game (No offense to Cole...we are very glad to have you).

I say we leave it up to Hedge, if we can get another proven player who won't abandon us and they A. want to take over Thurgrum or B. want to create their own character, then I say cool. Let's not settle though. We have a great group of role players and some pretty intriguing characters, let's work with that.

I just went back and re-read some of the "news" Hedge posted and there is a TON of adventure to be had. Cleric or no, we'll make it work.

It may be a bit tougher, but in the Mad Myrmidon of Bahamut I trust!

[hedgeknight]

It may be a bit tougher, but in the Mad Myrmidon of Bahamut I trust!

Love it!

[Belkregos]

i'm glad you guys have taken me in to the group and am just a little embarrassed it has taken me a bit to jump in (thanks for all the help with the site controls), but i trust on hedge and from what i've seen this is a great group

another option is that i make my character in to a cleric, i mean i'm just getting in to it and though Cole turned out great, a cleric could be interesting to work with and if it balances out the group, it could work,

i'm just getting back in to the 2nd ed rules (its been some time since i used the rule set) and the forgotten realms mythos but i read a bit on the cleric of Tempus (lord of battles) may fit well with the mirmidon, the beserker, i think it has some granted powers to help out with beserkers
a 1/2 elf fighter/cleric could work

[Hoondatha]

Ah, but if we're constantly buying healing supplies, we're not buying other things that could be of use.

Another option would be to do a little judicious stat shuffling, then make Tarrin a human-looking half-elf and a multi-class mage/cleric. There would need to be a reason for him to have not used that side of his abilities yet, however I tend to take those things as a challenge. How about making him a specialty priest of Shaundakul, god of travelers and caravans? At this point in Realms history, Shaundakul's faith is nearly dead; there's only a literal handful of priests left. Tarrin's family (all half-elves) could have barely escaped Myth Drannor (where Shaundakul's faith was strongest) when it fell, and they've been desperately trying to keep the faith, and the god, alive since.

That would give Tarrin another reason to have sacrificed himself to draw off the Zhents. He wasn't just trying to save his family, but his god as well. And it's taken him this long to decide whether to trust this new group enough to reveal his faith.

Anyway, that's another option.

[AQuebman]

I say keep Thurgrum on as an NPC and then see if anyone at some point wants to take over him as a PC so then we avoid adding too many people or running into more unity issues. I really like our entire party as it is they all are quite interesting and I don't want to change them just because a group with a healer is more OP.

[Computer +1]

I would hate to have any player change their character just to add a healer to the group. I also don't think it necessary to NPC our healer as that is just more work for Hedge.

So we could either add someone, which may change up the current group dynamic, or just deal with the threat of dying a bit more seriously. I dont mind running the risk, Darkstar will literally run away if necessary to stay alive.

[Alethan]

I always say, "play what you like; we'll figure it out."

If Belkregos or Hoondatha want to adjust their character stats, and Hedge allows it, and they WANT to play a multiclass cleric (I have to say, one of the more interesting builds I've seen lately is Garth, from Adventures in Foxmoor, who is an elven mage/druid. Hit points average a bit low, and progression is going to be slow (4500 xp to get both classes to 1st level), but... with WIS bonuses, he starts out with five spells at first level. And he can wield some weapons, even ranging with a sling if need be. The only real drawback is that he won't have healing spells until he can cast 2nd level druid spells.

Anyway... I thought it was interesting.

I think I agree with AQuebman on this one, though. We have a PC-turned-NPC healer. Let's just hold on to him. If someone ever wants to join the game, we have a character for them to take over. Otherwise, we're not messing with the cohesion of the party and we still get our heals.

But potions and scrolls and magic items are still welcomed!

[Alethan]

I also don't think it necessary to NPC our healer as that is just more work for Hedge.

To mitigate this, it could be more like, "Hmm... we need some healing. Could someone please pull Thurgrum out of the backpack and light him up?"

[AQuebman]

He could be a mechanical dwarf golem we keep in our backpack great idea! I actually enjoy some of the RP involving Thurgrum it would feel weird for him to just disappear that's my only issue with just bailing on him.

[hedgeknight]

Loving the "mechanical cleric in a backpack" option!

I really don't mind keeping an NPC as a cleric - not a problem for me, as I'm used to running an NPC or three from time to time. That said, I also don't have an issue if Belkregos and/or Hoondatha want to do a little tweaking on their characters.
Bel is new to the group and Cole could either be a cleric or could multi-class as a Ranger/Druid. Also, Hoon has a good idea for some more character development in that Tarrin is in truth a Cleric/Wizard of a god whose followers are rapidly dwindling. Even more, perhaps traveling through the portal "stunted" his cleric abilities and he has to regain them through some form of ritual or penance or service. Lots of possibilities for both characters if they wish to do that.
"I'm easy like Sunday morning" when it comes to this. Bel can vouch for that!

Also, it's likely that some, if not all, of our current NPC's will leave the group now that you are back in Grunwald. The Riders will want to return to Nesme, and Adain will probably stay in town if and when you leave.

We have six players now - a very solid group - so I'd rather not bring in anyone else. So, let's see how this plays out in town and what you all decide to do in game and OOC. Thoughts?

[Alethan]

Thoughts?

Just a nerdy one...

Hoon has a good idea for some more character development in that Tarrin is in truth a Cleric/Wizard of a god whose followers are rapidly dwindling. Even more, perhaps traveling through the portal "stunted" his cleric abilities and he has to regain them through some form of ritual or penance or service.

Umm... Change his name to Tarrinmoon, give him an obstinate female barbarian lover, and make him look for the long lost discs recording the rituals of his god.

Or... has something like that already been done?

[Hoondatha]

Umm... maybe in one of the only readable books to be published with the DL logo, perhaps?

But look on the bright side; if I do this, it means later I can drag you all to the death trap that is Myth Drannor to meet my god. Fun times for the whole family!

[hedgeknight]

But look on the bright side; if I do this, it means later I can drag you all to the death trap that is Myth Drannor to meet my god. Fun times for the whole family!

Too bad this forum doesn't have "like" button.

[AQuebman]

Thoughts?

Just a nerdy one...

Hoon has a good idea for some more character development in that Tarrin is in truth a Cleric/Wizard of a god whose followers are rapidly dwindling. Even more, perhaps traveling through the portal "stunted" his cleric abilities and he has to regain them through some form of ritual or penance or service.

Umm... Change his name to Tarrinmoon, give him an obstinate female barbarian lover, and make him look for the long lost discs recording the rituals of his god.

Or... has something like that already been done?

If Tarrin starts wearing skirts and has blonde pigtails Oggle's leaving.