OOC

[TheGratefulNed]

I know Stix often times likes to use the hit location and special damage rules...just not sure if we are here or not.

[TheGratefulNed]

Nov 11, 2009 18:06:33 GMT -5 john said:

(Dunno if there are any modifiers for engaging the thing from behind or whatnot. John's rolls just aren't up to snuff for whatever monster he engages for the moment. :E )

If Stix determines you're flanking, it's +1 to hit, if you manage a rear attack it's +2 and the target doesn't get the benefit of any AC improvement due to dexterity.

[john]

Yeah unfortunately I doubt a nycanoloth's ac is that much derived from dexterity for it to matter, even if he did. I'm a little suprised we haven't had any PC casualties yet this fight. Thank the fact that the yugoloths are kind fractricidal for that.

[exile]

I don't know, the PCs look pretty fratricidal too if you ask me. We've got people channeling pain into other PCs, bashers sounding the retreat left right and center, some folks who are using petitioners as sandbags, and one clever tactical maneuver wherein an incapacitated enemy was awakened with a toothpick to the eye. If we have a death this combat, I'd say we deserved it. I just hope its not Hadrian

[Stix]

All natural 20s deal double damage. The rest is optional, but you may want to take advantage of it.

You can roll to confirm the critical (a second attack roll with the same modifiers), and roll 1d10 for a hit location.

If the critical is confirmed, special results can follow, such as bleeding wounds, severed limbs, and even instant death. Roll:

1d6 (for a weapon smaller than the size category of the target)
2d4 (if weapon size = target size)
2d6 (if weapon size = 1 more than target size)
2d8 (if weapon size = 2+ more than target size)

Examples: stabbing a mezzoloth (size M) with a shortsword (size S) is 1d6, as is hitting the nycaloth (size L) with a morningstar (size M) or dagger (size S). Longsword (size M) vs. mezzoloth (size M) is 2d4. While nobody's using a size L weapon (longspears, two-handed swords/axes, polearms, etc.), the critical roll would be 2d6 against a size M mezzoloth, or 2d4 against the size L nycaloth.

Likewise, if the nycaloth,with its two-handed axe (size H), gets a critical against one of the PCs (size M), the critical result roll will be 2d8.

A net result of 12+ is always a permanent injury, a severed limb, incapacitation, or death. Any questions, ask away.

[skelterjohn]

Nov 11, 2009 22:14:26 GMT -5 exile said:

I don't know, the PCs look pretty fratricidal too if you ask me. We've got people channeling pain into other PCs, bashers sounding the retreat left right and center, some folks who are using petitioners as sandbags, and one clever tactical maneuver wherein an incapacitated enemy was awakened with a toothpick to the eye. If we have a death this combat, I'd say we deserved it. I just hope its not Hadrian

Hah, if Jocyl hadn't done as he had, Abaia might not have entered the fight! Chalk the eye stabbing up to... balance.

[exile]

I think the operative word there is might

Hadrian might be a level 20 Paladin wielding a Holy Avenger of Nycanoloth slaying.

But then again he might not be.

[john]

Someone's sounding the retreat? That part of JOhn's brain must have turned off. He's just bounding from the biggest threat to the biggest threat.

[Stix]

Nov 11, 2009 22:14:26 GMT -5 exile said:

We've got people channeling pain into other PCs, bashers sounding the retreat left right and center, some folks who are using petitioners as sandbags, and one clever tactical maneuver wherein an incapacitated enemy was awakened with a toothpick to the eye.

Hey, that's all just one PC.

Nov 11, 2009 22:34:18 GMT -5 skelterjohn said:

Hah, if Jocyl hadn't done as he had, Abaia might not have entered the fight! Chalk the eye stabbing up to... balance.

Sometimes, neutrality makes me laugh. (That probably means it makes me cry an equal number of times.)

Actually, given that Jocyl's got a weapon that can injure it, he can stir its brains with the shortsword and put it to a quick death, but a coup de grace is a full-round action, and if that mezzoloth decides that he's the enemy, it'll be on top of him next round. Otherwise, he can get a free damage roll against it (a successful attack roll would've made it an automatic critical, but that didn't pan out), start running, and pray he's the better athlete.

As for finding cover, the nearest pilgrims are at least a mile away -- distance is hard to judge on Elysium.

[john]

I think the reason people are just posting initiative is that their actions are going to be dictated by what the greater fiend does, Stix. As in, posting an attack after it vanishes/teleports whatnot would seem silly if their raw initiative indicates they weren't even reacting until later.

[Stix]

Combat's slow enough in PBMB, but in the rules-as-written everyone declares their actions before initiative is rolled for the round. If you start to swing at the nycaloth and it teleports away, you swing into empty air.

It's my fault for even mentioning it, but I didn't want to leave anybody feeling gypped out of an action.

[john]

Ah, sorry, was thinking of 3rd edition where holding action was viable. No worries!

[TheGratefulNed]

Nov 12, 2009 15:18:20 GMT -5 Stix said:

in the rules-as-written everyone declares their actions before initiative is rolled for the round

So...what are all of the 'loths doing?

[Stix]

For positioning purposes: Abaia and Gl'Fnak get no bonuses, Nuuko gets a +1 for flanking, and Tllith gets a +2 for rear attack.

[exile]

I don't have my books with me at the moment, but a quick glance at Hadrian's spell list brings a couple options to mind. I think Wind Column in and of itself is enough to spare the Bleaker's life, but I don't know if it could support the pair of them. Can I get a DM ruling about whether the judicious use of Lighten Load or Reduce would allow him to save John as well?

[Stix]

Nov 15, 2009 14:46:27 GMT -5 exile said:

I don't have my books with me at the moment, but a quick glance at Hadrian's spell list brings a couple options to mind. I think Wind Column in and of itself is enough to spare the Bleaker's life, but I don't know if it could support the pair of them. Can I get a DM ruling about whether the judicious use of Lighten Load or Reduce would allow him to save John as well?

Well, if the nycaloth moves out of the way, Hadrian and John will still be about 15' apart. If you can close the distance, Hadrian could use Reduce and Lighten Load to carry John as the equivalent of a 40-pound pack. He'll take 12d3 damage from the fall, and John will take 10d2.

That said, it's better than a several-mile fall to certain death.

[john]

Well I must admit this is amusing.

[exile]

For the sake of argument could I angle the wind column to close the gap?

[Stix]

Nov 15, 2009 21:46:38 GMT -5 exile said:

For the sake of argument could I angle the wind column to close the gap?

I'm not sure the spell can be used that way, but if it's not vertical it won't slow the descent enough to make a difference. I'd allow Dex-8 checks for each of them to move a foot closer to the other each round. After ten successful checks, they'll be within arm's reach of each other.

A weighted rope could also do the trick, but manipulating an object requires a successful Str and Dex check to keep it under control.

Let's keep the fight going, folks still in it -- it's gonna be many rounds before they have a chance of landing again.

[TheGratefulNed]

Positioning question regarding the active mezzoloths:
#2 is beset by Gl'Fnak, Nuuko, Tllith, and Abaia
#4 is back a bit, having just dropped #6
#5 has just been awoken by #7
#8 and #9 just popped in from Gehenna

So as far as area-effect spells/powers go, #5 and #7 are close to each other, #8 and #9 are close to each other, where's #4 in relation to either or both of these groups?