Out Of Character Friendly Banter And Casual Conversation

[Nidhogg]

Clarissa just fired two shots in the action thread. I assume she should get 2 shots per hunting round.

She also has a +3 dexterity attack bonus for bows, and an elf +1 to hit. So I am pretty sure both shots (effectively a 20 and a 19) were hits. That is how I am to read the rules, correct?

I think you're correct.

Also, updated the reference thread of NPCs to include all those you've personally encountered in the game.

[zebediah]

I have the impression that we already have the upper hand as we have seen them while we are still apparently unnoticed...

[onlyme]

Belgos and Aelgar face three hobgoblins and are sorely pressed. Another three hobgoblin archers are firing steadily from where the track ascends a gentle hill. So, a total of 8 hobgoblins, 3 of them being archers.

My recommendation is to fire at the archers first, then go melee...

The hobgoblins don't look like typical hobgoblins do though. They have thick, coarse hair, red‐brown to black, covering their bodies, with red to red‐orange faces, with blue-red noses. But wear dark and exotic clothing, jewelry, and weapons, decorated with swatches of bright color. Most have their hair dyed in colors ranging from yellow to blue to green. Their skin is embellished with tattoos, scars, and piercings. All of it decorated with elemental symbols: fire, water, earth and air, and demonic and angelic wings.

I dont know what typical hobgoblins look like, but I take by the description that these are the prettier ones?

[ragnboneshopper]

Belgos and Aelgar face three hobgoblins and are sorely pressed. Another three hobgoblin archers are firing steadily from where the track ascends a gentle hill. So, a total of 8 hobgoblins, 3 of them being archers.

My recommendation is to fire at the archers first, then go melee...

Agreed. They'll cause a lot of havoc if we all go melee unless we take the archers out or at least thin them out and engage the remainder in melee, too.

Nidhogg, how far are we from the archers? Can I get around and into axe throwing range if I'm not already without plowing through the melee already in progress?

[Vargr1105]

I think the tactical discussion that is happening here is what the Strategy Thread was created for.

- OOC: If you decide to attack, it should start with one of you rolling initiative, to see if you can surprise the Hobgoblins, am I correct?
I think I figured out the forum dice roller. You seem to be lucky:
Hobgoblin initiative: [1d6] = 1

At the risk of being accused of being rules lawyer here is my response to the GM's query, based on what I have learned from playing in AD&D games and running one of my own.

There answer is: No. Surprise and Initiative and two different things. The PC party does not have to roll for Surprise as we were aware of the hobgoblins even before coming into the scene. The Hobgoblins have to roll for Surprise when the party attacks (unless the GM has fiendishly determined that they already know we are there ).

Declaration of actions is done first, before either Surprise/Initiative is rolled. Then Surprise is determined and if no one is surprised Initiatives are rolled.

I don't know how Nidhogg does Initiative on his game. Personally I prefer BtB group Initiative rather than Individual, and it will make things easier this being a PbP and all. In my own game the GM rolls Initiatives for both parties simultaneously after the players have declared what the PCs are attempting to do, and die rolls are made on declaration of action posts. If something happens that prevents the declared action from occurring the rolls are ignored.

Oh, btw. Missile users in the party should remember they get to add their Missile Adjustment from DEX to Initiative when their action is using a bow or crossbow which is nocked and ready to fire.


If Nidhogg uses that 1d6 die roll to determine Surprise, then that means the Hobgoblins are caught with their pants well down.

[Nidhogg]

I dont know what typical hobgoblins look like, but I take by the description that these are the prettier ones?

They are certainly more oddly-dressed.

Nidhogg, how far are we from the archers? Can I get around and into axe throwing range if I'm not already without plowing through the melee already in progress?

Let's see. They aren't that far, you can certainly run towards them and attack them, without taking it so long.

Since it's quite a complicated situation, I've draw a small map, to make the positioning a bit more clear:



Now, I think the map mostly speaks for itself. Red are enemies. Blue are friendly NPC and Yellow are you guys. I think you can determine which letters represent which characters ( B = Belgos, A = Aelgar, M = Mist, S = Sergius, AW= Agrim the Wanderer). The red dots: S are the swordsmen, A are the archers and W is the warlord.

I've chosen your locations randomly, you can still choose which way you want to go (go left of the bush, right and who wants to be where), you're entering from the south though.

I think the tactical discussion that is happening here is what the Strategy Thread was created for.

Yes, this is what the strategy thread was created for. Be aware though that I'm not looking at what you're typing there. So if you want clarification of something or want to wait for me to decide something, you should also ask it here.

At the risk of being accused of being rules lawyer here is my response to the GM's query, based on what I have learned from playing in AD&D games and running one of my own.

There answer is: No. Surprise and Initiative and two different things. The PC party does not have to roll for Surprise as we were aware of the hobgoblins even before coming into the scene. The Hobgoblins have to roll for Surprise when the party attacks (unless the GM has fiendishly determined that they already know we are there ).

Declaration of actions is done first, before either Surprise/Initiative is rolled. Then Surprise is determined and if no one is surprised Initiatives are rolled.

I don't know how Nidhogg does Initiative on his game. Personally I prefer BtB group Initiative rather than Individual, and it will make things easier this being a PbP and all. In my own game the GM rolls Initiatives for both parties simultaneously after the players have declared what the PCs are attempting to do, and die rolls are made on declaration of action posts. If something happens that prevents the declared action from occurring the rolls are ignored.

Oh, btw. Missile users in the party should remember they get to add their Missile Adjustment from DEX to Initiative when their action is using a bow or crossbow which is nocked and ready to fire.

If Nidhogg uses that 1d6 die roll to determine Surprise, then that means the Hobgoblins are caught with their pants well down.

[/quote][/quote]

Thanks a lot for the clarification. We'll use group initiative, BtB. It's what I prefer in PbP as well. It's actually also what I prefer in regular tabletop games as well. Even when playing 4e (which uses Individual Initiative), we usually house ruled group initiative in.

So, where are we? Now, this is the order of events in combat, everyone agrees?

1. Determine surprise
2. Declare actions.
3. Determine Initiative (d6, highest result is the winner). One roll is made for each side, not for each individual.
4. Party with Initiative acts first (casting spells, attacking, etc.), and results take effect.
5. Party that lost initiative acts; results take effect.
6. Anyone who “held” initiative acts, and results take effect (both sides simultaneously).
7. The round is complete; roll initiative for the next round if the battle has not been resolved.

I'd agree with zebediah that from a story perspective, you guys already have the upper hand, since you are hiding and they haven't noticed you. The roll made for the Hobgoblins, therefore, is a surprise roll, meaning they are indeed surprised.

I think I'll start determining initiative as Vargr proposed: GM rolling Initiatives for both parties simultaneously after the players have declared what the PCs are attempting to do, and die rolls are made on declaration of action posts. However, that will only be next round, since now it's time for your surprise. I guess they aren't so lucky.

Is everything clear now?

[zebediah]

Makes sense to me, so we have the surprise round to wreck hell over them and hopefully have any easier time on the following rounds.

[zebediah]

Say Nidhogg, Sergius will throw darts on the archers and set the dog + hawk on them.

Should I make rolls for Sergius attacks and the 2 animals now, or do you prefer to sort this out in some other way?

[Nidhogg]

Makes sense to me, so we have the surprise round to wreck hell over them and hopefully have any easier time on the following rounds.

Correct.

Also, I want to add that the fact that I drew a map doesn't mean we're using a "miniatute battle map" or anything like that, so don't worry. The drawing is just to give you some basic sense of what's where, nothing more. Just saying, since I know many people dislike battle maps.

Say Nidhogg, Sergius will throw darts on the archers and set the dog + hawk on them.

Should I make rolls for Sergius attacks and the 2 animals now, or do you prefer to sort this out in some other way?

Sounds good! No, you can make the rolls.

[zebediah]

Cool, I already rolled the dart attacks. Now I will try to figure out the right macros for the pets.

[Nidhogg]

Wow, nice rolls!

Must fight the temptation to say if it hit, until everyone has posted their actions....

I also notice you guys are already using the strategy thread intensively. Good! No questions or anything else?

[onlyme]

Wow, nice rolls!

I think you jinxed us... Hopefully they will be bewildered that they forget to attack...

[Nidhogg]

I think you jinxed us... Hopefully they will be bewildered that they forget to attack...

Yeah... somehow I doubt they'll forget to do that...

[Alethan]

Double-edge,

For help with dice rolling and macros, start here: viewtopic.php?f=33&t=473

Then go here for more info on playing on this forum: viewtopic.php?f=33&t=472
(especially number 4, as it directs you to the help pages on the dice roller site.)

[Nidhogg]

Thanks for your help, Alethan!

I think when Double-edge has posted his rolls, all players have done so, so it's up to me to post the results and roll for initiative.

[Alethan]

Just doing my part to try and keep the games flowing smoothly, sir!

[Nidhogg]

Double-edge?

Ehm, you okay? If you're still having problems, maybe somebody else could help you or post it for you?

[ragnboneshopper]

It's actually pretty simple, Double-edge. In case you don't have time to wade through other boards to find what you need, just go to the "Roll the dice!" page at Unseen Servant (where you made your character sheet) and click "new macro" under the character to whom the macro will belong.

Under "macro text", you should type in a description like "long sword, to hit" or "long sword, damage to S/M" and then follow the description by putting the roll in brackets, as [1d20] for instance, or [1d8+1]. Any modifiers can be added in the brackets as +/- numbers. So one macro might look like this:

long sword, to hit [1d20+1]; long sword damage, S/M [1d8+1], L [1d10+1]

The idea is to set up a macro that has the attack and damage rolls for a particular weapon all in the same macro, all in the "macro text" box. The "description" box is a place for you to give a short name to the macro for your own use, but is optional. Don't be confused by the wording.

Save the macro, then back on the "roll the dice" page just click the golden die beside the new macro in the list under your character and you will find yourself at a results page. Copy the play by post code (pbp) in the top box and paste this code into your post in the action thread for our game. This will pull your roll results directly into your post in the action thread and automatically link back to the roll itself for verification.

And if this was unnecessary, oh well, just flexed my technical writing muscles. Feel free to ignore. Cheers!

[onlyme]

Are there any suggestions on how to move forward from here? We were cruising up until this past weekend, and I would hate to lose momentum...

[rfrahm87]

Are there any suggestions on how to move forward from here? We were cruising up until this past weekend, and I would hate to lose momentum...

I think it would be fair if the DM made the rolls so the game can move along.