OOC A Tide of Discussion: the d20 ToF OOC thread

Yep, that's fine, Mitth. So rather than summoning the angel, you're going to become an angel.

Ariel's Perception check: 21.

 

Actually, I think the "Eagle's Splendor" was for Skadi, since it boosted her Smite Evil bonus (or Zanaek's fast healing bonus on days when that's not necessary)

 

All right, I'll switch that over. I've got some minor corrections to make anyway -- I've overinflated a few saves and AC because I forgot morale and armor bonuses don't stack, not that it'll make a huuuuge difference to the numbers.

 

In case anyone needed to know ... Zanaek and Ariel failed their perception checks this time, and nobody else seemed to make a roll. Therefore, surprise round for the glabrezu, and it acts first.

I believe there's a quote from Men in Black that's apposite given William's work on the Ghostlord: "You ever pull the wings off a fly? YOU WANNA SEE THE FLY GET EVEN???"

 

A good death.

 

Point of order:
Just wondering... given the rise up, and the fall back to earth, wouldn't there kind of have been enough time to do something very instinctive, like levitate?

Especially in light of the thing pretty near openly warning us by stopping to talk and mention what happened to Zarl?

 

Debatable - it takes a full round to reach the roof of the ceiling per SRD, which I believe encompasses the surprise round if I'm following correctly, and then unless the SRD has specific nonsense DnD rules for falling time, 70 feet takes about 1.5 seconds to traverse - less if Toril is bigger than Earth, which most evidence suggests it is.

Edit: Of course, you only take about 3 damage per 10 feet of falling which means someone with sufficient levels in Commoner can actually survive a multistory fall quite able to function. So maybe the ****ing space phlogiston in the atmosphere dilutes the falling time.

So really what I'm saying is I hate the falling rules they are garbage.

 

If it takes a full round to reach the ceiling, and the demon talked first, surely there'd be time enough? I mean, feet leaving the floor is an instant giveaway, and you better believe somebody who's been thrown off high things is used to going weightless in a pinch.

 

Ah, but talking is a free action.

 

Then clearly so is thinking, which is sufficient to get some insight into what Big Ugly there was gloating about.

 

Yeah, but not when you're flatfooted.

 

Uncanny Dodge: Can't be caught flatfooted

 

You're still flat-footed, you just don't lose your DEX bonus to AC when you're flat-footed.

 

DM's call, I think, but in my opinion Rilwen kind of has the right of it - levitation would be fairly instinctive for a drow that's grown up in a world of potentially unstable caverns. In any case I'll hold off on posting in-game until y'all have a decision.

 

Well, the text of it from the class that usually has it:
Starting at 4th level, a rogue can react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so.
Leaving aside the exact stat effects, that does suggest a certain degree of ability to retain thinking-abilities...

 

Whether or not it's "instinctive" per the flavor is irrelevant to the rules discussion wherein I do not believe there is any moment wherein such an action could validly be taken. Also okay with GM ruling but this smacks of rules lawyering.

Edit: Also, practical matters aside, it is way, way funnier if our entire party gets wiped out because a demon pulled an anime villain move on us. "FOOLISH MORTALS! I CONTROL ALL OF SPACE AND TIME! YOUR POWERS ARE NO USE AGAINST MY DARK MAGICKS! YOUR PRECIOUS HEART OF THE CARDS CANNOT SAVE YOU NOW!"

 

I just want Maz to spend some of that levitation power to catch himself and if possible other people, since he has so much of it to spare.

But it's up to Saint, of course.
(Pretty please with an action point on top?)

 

No, sorry about that Rils. There isn't an action available. Uncanny Dodge apples to saving throws, to which Reverse Gravity doesn't really have one available, in that there was nothing for the party to grab onto in their immediate area.

The sequence is more or less this: surprise round, which by the rules says "No actions to be taken by anyone surprised," which is all of you. Reverse Gravity gets you to the roof within a round, which was the surprise round since the demon went first. Then the demon's turn comes up again, when he dismisses the spell and falling rules kick in, which are technically instantaneous. And that's leaving aside the hundred-odd pounds of pews that hit you when you reached the roof slightly ahead of them.

On the other hand, since it's been a pretty effective tactic, there's every possibility the demon might try it again. Two more reversals like that and at least one or two party members will be at death's door, so I'd certainly be ready to use that skill

 

Aww, okay. Had to ask, though.

 

Um... I'm pretty sure there's something to hold on to- the pillars that several party members are standing next to (and possibly party members who are holding on to the pillars). Additionally, you can make a DC 15 acrobatics check to reduce fall distance by 10 feet, reducing it by a further 10 feet for every 15 of your check result (Complete Adventurer). Everyone gets two checks, one going up and one going down. Assuming you can reduce the damage to 0 you land on your feet.

It's a DC 35 Acrobatics check to stand up as a free action. Only Corrath and Maz have any chance of making that, but it's still an option.

More importantly, the Reverse Gravity spell only carries its subject to the top of the spell area (otherwise you could cast it out in the open and your opponent would fly into space forever and die). As a 14th level caster, the demon gets seven 10 ft by 10 ft cubes, and requires seven cubes to cover most of the party. However, doing this means that the party is only floating 10 feet off the ground, won't hit the ceiling, and only take 1d6 points of falling damage after the spell is canceled. If you want to slam them into the ceiling, you need to stack all seven cubes on top of one another, but could only cover one 10 ft by 10 ft area, and thus could only hit a few party members. If you wanted to hit the whole party with the ceiling and the floor, you'd need 49 cubes (well, 56 including Ariel).

How'd this thing get a surprise round anyways? Ragnar at least should have had no trouble spotting it through True Seeing.

Skadi had Air Walk prepared and then cast it on herself, so I assume she's exempt from falling.

Also, no one seems to be hasted, I assumed they would have cast an extended version of that before entering the building, since it not only lets them murder faster, but also cover ground faster.

And Peng, you kind of really need to convey to the party which one is the real target. Talking is a free action that can be done when it's not your turn, so there's nothing preventing you from doing that immediately.

 

Well geez...

 

Music to my ears. ... Or... eyes... whatever.

 

Assuming Light's comment on Acrobatics stands, I shall make two rolls. Given William doesn't have that as a skill, I'm rolling a straight-up Dex check, as follows:

Going up: 1d20+1=4
Going down: 1d20+1=11

Bleh.

 

Oh, hey, yeah, forgot about that check. LET'S DO THIS.

Edit: So that's a 16 going up and a 5 going down. Huzzah?

 

Oh why not...

Going Up: 22
Going Down: 9

Well at least I made the first one.