Fantasy A Tide of Flames: a d20 Dungeons & Dragons adventure

Elf, Zen Archery? Or if you're going to be a primary healer... aiming for Radiant Servant?

*blank stare* Huh? No. Just a simple human who can heal. Dont need to be a special race or class to specialize in that. Just simply select the healing type spells, max out on the Heal and Knowledge [Herblore] skills and have lots of medkits and potions handy.


Yeah I'll be the character the bad guys want to kill first. Lol. Oh boy.

OOC: Good news, feeling a bit better, I'll work on finishing my sorc

Well, you said "ranged", and clerics usually get just proficiency with Simple Weapons, which means crossbows (slow), javelins and darts (limited ammo) or slings (not exactly impressive). Elves get free bow proficiency, so an elven cleric can use a bow.

"Radiant Servant" refers to "Radiant Servant of Pelor" (or Lathander, in this case), a prestige class from Complete Divine, never mind.

When we use that online die roller do you want us to put our screennames in or the character's name in "Character Name" slot?

I'd like the character's name to go in there; it's going to make things a bit easier to track. And that goes for everyone, incidentally. It keeps everyone honest.

Might I also add that our last "slot" -- the eighth and final spot -- is going to be taken up by MasterPrenn, who tells me he's very interested in and likely to play a monk. And with that I'm not accepting new players for now other than to be put on a wait list in case someone for unexpected reasons can no longer participate.

Having said that, I should like to re-emphasise LightWarden's exhortation that people SHOULD POST REGULARLY. I'll have a house rule or two regarding abandonments in combat in due course, but the d20 combat system relies on an initiative roll which sets up a specific order in which people then act. If someone goes missing, it makes it inconvenient to skip over them and go on to the next one -- especially if other characters are, say, waiting on a "Fireball" spell to cover their attack and the mage is off playing Battlefront II.

Approved by Saintheart

I bring you the groups Healer! Now dont let me die!!


Name: Zanaek Grahorn [zahn-ach gray-horn]
Race: Human
Class: Cleric
Hit Dice: 1d8 +1 [Con]
Hitpoints: 25

Initiative: +5 = +1 [Dex] +4 [Feat]
Speed: 30 feet (20 ft, chainmail)

AC: 17 = 10 +5 [chainmail] +1 [dexterity]+0 [medium]
Touch AC: 11
Flat-Footed AC: 16

Base Attack: 0
Grapple: 1 [base + Str]
Attacks:
--Handheld: +1 [base + Str]
--Missle: +1 [base + Dex]
Damage:
--Crossbow, light [1d6/1d8+1, crit 19-20/x2, range inc 80 ft., 4 lb., light, piercing]
--Longsword [1d6/1d8+1, crit 19-20/x2, 4 lb., medium, slashing]
--Shield, light [1d2/1d3+1, crit x2, 6 lb., light, bludgeon]
--Dagger [1d3/1d4+1, crit 19-20/x2, range inc 10 ft., 1 lb., light, piercing]
Face/Reach: 5x5, 5 ft
Special Attacks: 0
Special Qualities: 0
Saves:
--Fortitude: 3 = 2 [base] +1 [constitution]
--Reflex: 1 = 0 [base] +1 [dexterity]
--Will: 6 = 2 [base] +4 [wisdom]

Abilities: [Base Score] + [Modifier]
--Strength: 12 (+1)
--Dexterity: 13 (+1)
--Consitution: 12 (+1)
--Intelligence: 9 (-1)
--Wisdom: 18 (+4)
--Charisma: 17 (+3)

Skills: (Ability modifier) + (Rank modifier) = Total modifier
--Concentration: (+1) + (+4) = +5
--Heal: (+4) + (+4) = +8
--Knowledge [Religion]: (-1) + (+4) = +3

- Turn Undead 3 + (+3) [Cha] = 6x per day

Feats:
--Armor Proficiency (All) - No armor check penalty on attack rolls, clerics receive this feat automatically.
--Endurance - +4 to checks or saves to resist non-lethal damage, including Swim check, Constitution checks on continued running, forced march, holding breath, and starvation and thirst, Fortitude saves on hot and cold environments and suffocation. Can also sleep in light and medium armor without fatigue penalty.
--Rapid Reload - Allows you to reload a crossbow (hand or light) as a free action or a heavy crossbow as a move action. Allows you to fire a hand or light crossbow as many times in a full attack action as you would use a bow.
--Improved Initiative - +4 bonus on initiative checks

Spells:
Level 0: 3
--Detect Magic - Detects spells and magic items within 60 ft.
--Light - Object shines like a torch
--Read Magic - Read scrolls and spellbooks

Level 1: 3 = 1 + 1 [Bonus Spell] + 1 [Domain]
--Cure Light Wounds - Cures 1d8 damage +1/lvl (max +5)
--Divine Favor - You gain +1 per three levels on attack and damage rolls
--Protection from Chaos/Evil - +2 to AC and saves, counter mind control, hedge out elementals and outsiders.


Languages: Common
Alignment: Lawful Good
Deity: Torm
Gender: Male
Age: 22
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 122 lbs

Equipment: Crossbow (light), Longsword, Shield (light steel), Dagger, Bolts (quiver of 10)x3, Chainmail, Healer's Kit, Holy Symbol, Explorer's outfit, Backpack, Candle (2), Flint & Steel, Grappling Hook, Lantern (Hooded), Oil (1), Pouch (belt), Rations (7), Hemp Rope (50 ft.), Sack, Signal Whistle, Torch (2), Waterskin, Holy Water (1)
Weight: 94 lb

Appearance:
[image=http://fc05.deviantart.com/fs21/i/2007/309/f/2/Templar_by_InfernalFinn.jpg] [image=http://www.sfinternational.se/Upload/11ECDD53-967F-466A-AF85-5F6009B28462/Arn-Scener4.jpg]
Torm's Symbol
[image=http://images.wikia.com/forgottenrealms/images/a/a5/Torm_symbol.jpg]

Looks exactly like images above minus the helm and the Templar Cross is replaced with Torm's symbol above.

Personality: Zanaek Grahorn is a kind, simple and religious man. He will help those who are need of healing and does not turn away even a dying enemy. It is of his opinion that kindness can turn even a diehard enemy into a friend, even if he'

I'm looking forward to seeing what that "Rapid Reload" feat is going to look like IC -- and the best image I've got is Arnie's "shotgun cartwheel" he uses in T2 to put another cartridge in the chamber.

You're the second character I've seen posted with three feats. Where do you guys keep getting them? Should have a feat from first level, and then a bonus feat from human (or fighter, in the case of our dwarf). Not that it's going to matter once we bump the campaign up to the fun level, but whatever. May want to invest in the "Zen Archery" feat later on, which allows you to use your Wisdom modifier instead of your Dexterity modifier on ranged attacks, which will improve your accuracy.

Clerics don't have proficiency with weapons such as longswords unless they have the War Domain, which Torm does not offer. Stick to the mace, I think. Speaking of which, what *are* your domains? By the way, the first damage listed for weapons is for small-sized beings such as gnomes and halflings, so you don't really need to write it down. And your AC is 16 unless you've got your shield out, in which case it's 17.

You're short a skill, humans get a bonus skill, which balances out your intelligence penalty. Perhaps diplomacy?

That's probably my fault, Light: I thought humans get two feats, and then the bonus feat under House Rules. Having said that, might as well leave the feats as they are. Mitth did mention his domains in PM to me -- Healing and Protection. You're also right on AC, though; I should've spotted that. 16 it is.

Diplomacy's not a bad idea, actually. Given Xan's Rogue is the only other one with Diplomacy (at a +7, IIRC) it might be useful to have a backup.

Nah, all we did was move the feats so instead of every 3rd level, it's every 2nd level, giving them more feats at a faster rate. Humans just get one bonus feat on top of that. So a 1st level human (or strongheart halfling) has 2 feats, plus class bonus feats, everyone else has one feat plus class bonus feats.

And Prenn, if you want, I can help you build your monk if you send me your stats and a general idea of what you want to do with yourself. Monks can do some neat stuff with technical feats such as tripping and throwing their opponents, or letting off stun attacks powerful enough to hit the guy next to him.

I was gonna edit my post but I ran out of time, but my domains are Healing and Protection. As for my AC, the shield modifier was computed in because I was using an actual character sheet so I could fill out your rather confusing one. The shield I chose does allow me to wear it at all times unless I'm wielding a two handed weapon that it would interfere with like a bow, a 2h sword or spear for example. Thats why I chose the crossbow. I can hold and fire it with one hand but it requires two hands to reload. I don't need to take the shield off to do that because the type allows me to hold non-weapons or operate things. With Rapid Reload, I can reload my weapon in the same action round it took me to fire it.

So my AC will be 17 unless I remove it for some reason. *glues shield to arm*


As for skills I've always been confused on that. But if you say I have an extra skill, I won't dispute that! *writes it down* Diplomacy +7 = 3 [Cha] + 4 [Rank]?



I have a very important question. HOW are we going to write this? Forum is very much different from paper & pencil tabletop D&D which is just dice, numbers, and verbally saying what you're doing. Are we going to play this like we normally would for an RP with descriptive posts or are we going to keep it simple and in first person?

ie.: I'm going to move up to help Ktala fight the two orcs by targeting the one she's not fighting.

I draw my sword!

I prepare to cast Fireball on the large group of goblins to the north east of me!

Play it like you usually do, just append it with a little bit of information at the bottom.


Flavor Text and roleplaying describing what you're doing, how you're feeling, and all of the other good stuff.

OOC description of what you're doing in game terms.

Shortened Stat block


Don't worry, it works, I've seen it done plenty of times by plenty of people. With a play-by-post, things go a bit slower, but you have time to add little details about your character to your post when you feel like it./>/>

OOC: Final version of my elven sorc has been sent in, awaiting approval

GM approved!

Name: Celbrandir Silverwind
Race: Elf
Class: Sorcerer
Hit Dice: d4+1
Hitpoints: 14

Initiative: +4
Speed: 30 feet

AC: 14
Touch AC: 14
Flat-Footed AC: 10

Base Attack: 0
-Melee Attack: 0
-Ranged Attack: 4
Grapple: 0
Attacks: 1
Damage: Dagger 1d4(crit 19-20 x2), Shortbow 1d6(20 x3)
Face/Reach: 5x5, 5 ft
Special Attacks: none
Special Qualities: Elf traits
Saves;
-Fort+1(0 base)
-Ref+4(0 base)
-Will+4(2 base)
Abilities;
-Str: 10(+0)
-Dex: 18*(+4)(16 before racial bonus)
-Con: 13*(+1)(15 before racial penalty)
-Int: 14 (+2)
-Wis: 14 (+2)
-Cha: 16 (+3)

Skills: 4
Bluff: +7(4 base)
Knowledge(arcane): +6(4 base)
Concentration: +5(4 base)
Spellcraft: +6(4 base)

Feats: Heighten Spell, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot
Languages: Elvish, common, draconic, and Sylvan
Alignment: Neutral Good
Deity: Ellismae
Gender: Male
Age: 325
Height: 6?1?
Weight: 165

Equipment: Dagger, Shortbow, arrows 40, Backpack, bedroll, waterskin, componet pouch. (that?s all I need for demo right?)
Weight: 20lbs

Spells;
Level 0(per day 5): Mage Hand, Light, Disrupt Undead, and Detect Magic
Level 1(per day 4): Enlarge Person, Magic Missile

Appearance: Wears a travel worn green-gray tunic and cloak. Fair caucasian skin tones, attractive features. Piercing silver Blue eyes and light toned hair.
Personality: Can be impulsive at times and at others completely calm. Often when he sets his mind to something it takes a lot to dissuade him.

Biography (not very long, limited knowledge of D&D): Celbrandir has spent most of his days traveling across the various lands, part from an enjoyment of seeing new places, and part from a want to be able to use his abilities. Celbrandir has enjoyed solving challenges and overcoming them in the past. His earlier life was spent in the wooded realm of his birth, one of the reasons he enjoys the woods. When he discovered his abilities he eventually chose a travelor?s life and has held to it ever since.

325 means you're kind of old. And why do you guys keep doing that thing with the feats?

13 HP, and you actually get 6 skills because we bumped up everyone who was at 2+Int to 4+Int. Go team.

Attacks: +0 dagger, +4 shortbow

Special Attacks: Spells

Also, you can have a familiar if you wish.

When are we starting?

Patience - Prenn has to finalise his monk, and then we'll commence. Fear not, the axe-swinging shall commence come Hades or high water.

Then change the age to 176 or something, as to the extra feat, Saintheart told me to grab an extra one when i first sent in my charaqcter. Didn't know abot the extra skills though, In that case I'll go with the cross class spot and listen skills for a total of...
---------
Spot+6(2 base)
Listen+6(2 base)
---------

Yep, that's my mistake. Sorry. We'll leave the feat in, though.

On skills, as I calculate it your modifiers for those two skills -- because they are cross class -- should be as follows:

Spot: base 3 [half your level plus three = 3 as fractions are rounded down] + 2 [elf] + 2 [Wis modifier] = +7
Listen: base 3 [half your level plus three = 3 as fractions are rounded down] + 2 [elf] + 2 [Wis modifier] = +7

EDIT: P.S. Mitth, that AC of 17 is right when you include the shield. Fair enough. As for diplomacy, yes, you've got that modifier correct: Diplomacy is a class skill for clerics, so the modifier is: [class level + 3] + [Wis modifier] + [Any racial features]. Because you're human, it's [4] + [3] = +7.

EDIT THE SECOND: As a further (and probably unnecessary) expansion on how post mechanics might work in-game, here's a very little "sample" of our old friend Conan the Librarian posting. This example assumes that the player has helpfully made two rolls on the 'Invisible Castle' website ahead of posting.




IC - Conan the Librarian

Candlekeep Library (Basement Archives)

There was a musty smell in the place. Conan really hated being sent down into the archives to dig up yet another notation as to Leomund's Tiny Shelter spells. But what else was a poor, untalented librarian to do with his time?

For all his complaining, though, Conan was still a very resolute man, and as he entered the library, candlelabra in hand, he peered around, looking to see whether there were any signs of vermin or moth damage on the books nearest to him.

TAG: GM

OOC: Conan makes a Spot and Listen check. He rolls 18 and 6, respectively.

*cough*DiplomacyUsesTheCharismaModifier*cough*

Also kids, don't be too surprised if the DM makes rolls in secret, especially when dealing with NPCs. Chiefly, this involves spot, listen, and sense motive checks, because whenever those are made, there's a difference between failing the check because you suck, and failing the check because there's nothing there to begin with. That, and if the DM says "roll for Sense Motive", most players know something is up, unless the DM is just screwing with them. With that said, it's usually a good idea to keep your senses stuff located at the bottom of your post, since that tells the DM that you're paying attention and allows for rolls without the DM having to go digging for stuff. Additionally, it may be easier if the DM rolls for all attacks and saves, since that makes it so that combat flows faster. But if you want to roll for yourself and post your total for the DM to arbitrate, that works too.

So you might have something like this:

IC - Conan the Librarian

As the dust bunny looms before him, Conan lashes out, launching into the "Arching Wave Beneath the Crescent Moon" kata.

OOC: Full attack, Flurry of Blows +7/+7 1d8+2, first attack is a trip attempt (+8), if it succeeds, Improved Trip gives me a free attack against him.

OR

Full attack, Flurry of Blows, 1st attempt is a trip.
Trip: 1d20+8= 28 (20! WOOT!)
Attack: 1d20+7= 17, 1d8+2 damage= 9
Attack: 1d20+7= 27 (I'm on fire!) 1d8+2 x2 damage = 6 (aww...)

I prefer the first option, since otherwise you have to roll for everything in the sequence, assuming it goes correctly. If the opponent had rolled well, resisted the trip, and then tripped Conan in return, the remaining rolls are sort of a waste. Admittedly, it does feel better when you roll those criticals, but with the DM rolling, it makes it easier to work things into the flow of the battle sequence. That, and it means less work on the part of the player. But, whatever you feel works better. Just don't expect to make every single roll yourself, since the DM still can do magic behind the screen.

*coughSillyGMStrikesAgaincoughcough*

Hm. That dust bunny's kicked up a lot of filth into the air. I'm really finding it hard to post.

(ooc: So, Light, you're suggesting something more like this?)

Right, list anything that has something to do with what you're currently doing.

Likewise, during a round write-up, the DM will usually post a miniature stat block listing various items and such.

Name
HP:
AC:
Attack/Damage:
(Ammo)
(Spells)
Saves:
(Potions)
(Status Effects)

So, for example:

Conan the Librarian
HP: 60/60
AC: 18 (+4 Dex, +2 Wisdom +1 Monk, +1 Armor)
Attack/Damage: Unarmed +8 or +7/+7, 1d8+2 Dmg
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +9, Will +7
Potions: 1 Cure Moderate Wounds, 1 Haste

While a few rounds later, it might look something like...

Conan the Librarian
HP: 8/60 (CRITICAL)
AC: 17 (+2 Dex, +2 Wisdom +1 Monk, +1 Armor, +1 Haste)
Attack/Damage: N/A
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +3
Hasted: +30 ft move speed, +1 Attack, +1 AC, +1 Reflex Extra Attack (1 round)
Panicked: -2 on Saving Throws, Skill Checks, Ability Checks, Must Flee (9 rounds)
Poisoned: -4 Dex
ON FIRE!: 1d6 points of damage/round, -2 Attacks/Checks/Saves

It sounds good to me -- and I'll adopt that system. Clearly, poor old Conan's bitten off a lot more than he can chew:

Dust Bunny
HP: 120/131
AC: 16 (+10 Dex, +5 Natural Armor, +1 Haste)
Attack/Damage: +19 claw/+17 claw (4d10+2 damage), +15 bite (see below)
Other Attacks:
--Breath Weapon (Flaming Lint): 30 foot cone, 6d6 damage (Reflex save for half damage)
--Gaze: causes Panicked state of mind (Will save for no effect)
--Bite: success on bite causes character to be Poisoned (Fort save for no effect)
Saves: +21 Ref, +10 Fort, +18 Will
Potion of Cure Critical Wounds
Hasted: +30 ft move speed, +1 Attack, +1 AC, +1 Reflex Extra Attack (1 round)


Incidentally, if anyone was wondering what LightWarden's excitement was over rolling a 20 back there, it's for these reasons. We'll cover combat as we go through the demo campaign, but this is a rather neat aspect of the system it's handy to go through now:

You might be wondering what those "20/x3" notations for your weaponry are. That's called the "critical hit range" for a weapon. When you make an attack roll, if you get a 20 on your dice roll -- i.e. 20 is the result before you apply any modifiers -- it's called a 'critical hit', or just a 'critical': you automatically hit your opponent, and you multiply the damage you do by the amount indicated.

Take a look at Conan's last hit:

Attack: 1d20+7= 27 (I'm on fire!) 1d8+2 x2 damage = 6 (aww...)

In other words, Conan scored a 20 on his dice roll. (His second, which is statistically unlikely: there's a 5% chance on any d20 roll it'll come up 20. Hence the "I'm on fire" remark. ) His feet (because he's a monk and has trained in killing things with his bare hands) are treated as lethal weapons and have a x2 on damage when he makes a critical hit. Therefore, Conan not only scores a hit on the dust bunny, but he then gets to double the damage he does to said bunny.

Here, as simple mathematics shows us, Conan only got a 1 when he rolled an eight-sided dice -- 1d8 -- to see how much damage he did. (Thus explaining Light's somewhat bipolar exclamation immediately afterwards ) He adds his modifier of +2, which gives us 3. He then doubles the damage because it's a critical hit, which gives us 6 points.

Some weapons have a wider 'critical hit range', which gives you the same effect for more numbers on the dice. You might see some people's weapons have a notation of '19-20/x2'. This means if they roll a 19 or a 20, a critical hit follows. And the feat "Improved Critical" also gives you this effect if you take it.

However: the converse is what we call a 'critical failure': where you roll a 1 for your attack roll -- a "natural 1" -- then it doesn't matter what modifiers you've got: you miss.

A similar rule applies to skill checks, but we'll discuss that later.