Perdita - An Ongoing GWJ Community 5e Game - OOC Thread

I'm happy to see that Manta used the map I made
I guess I should point out that I'm adding locations as they are mentioned. I zoomed out a little to show the surrounding area a little more (I'll add the locations from this quest after the writeup is done to account for trails etc). Obsidian portal won't accept more than one map so I put it in my share folder (the working map is also in there but be warned that the working map changes as people come up with new places).
Maps

black lotus wrote:

I'm happy to see that Manta used the map I made
I guess I should point out that I'm adding locations as they are mentioned. I zoomed out a little to show the surrounding area a little more (I'll add the locations from this quest after the writeup is done to account for trails etc). Obsidian portal won't accept more than one map so I put it in my share folder (the working map is also in there but be warned that the working map changes as people come up with new places).
Maps

You did a good job, I just had to modify the monsters I was planning on using to fit the area , all my other plans worked fine with the terrain.

I had planned on open plains type situations, but mountain passes are probably easier in the long run. Also, that little area allows for some isolationism, which can be interesting if I can work it in.

manta173 wrote:

I had planned on open plains type situations, but mountain passes are probably easier in the long run. Also, that little area allows for some isolationism, which can be interesting if I can work it in.

You can work anywhere do anything! if you want a bigger plains area i can make it so. I don't want you to feel like you have to conform to my map. I am building it as the DM's say. if you want a floating island it will be in the next rendition of the map.

black lotus wrote:
manta173 wrote:

I had planned on open plains type situations, but mountain passes are probably easier in the long run. Also, that little area allows for some isolationism, which can be interesting if I can work it in.

You can work anywhere do anything! if you want a bigger plains area i can make it so. I don't want you to feel like you have to conform to my map. I am building it as the DM's say. if you want a floating island it will be in the next rendition of the map. :D

Hmmm, Really all I wanted was a long way and a short way to make the players choose their fate. Long route with less danger but more likely that the child won't make it, and a short route with more perils. Maybe if the mountains broke directly West of the town so that there was an easier route to get there, and they could still try the mountain pass if they wanted too.

so far I've been collecting as much information from the hooks and background on obsidian portal then reading the write ups (if i wasn't there) for as many geographical clues as possible then putting those things that were mentioned into the map. Which is, in a way, how real maps were generated sort of. You want two routes, one long and one short? It will be done, but after the game (the paths will be more accurate that way)

Sounds good to me. I have already done the creature prep for the mountain pass and most of it for the long way. I'll have to build my own creatures for what I want to finish the long way... I thought about velociraptors... but I figured I could do better than that and avoid the whole dinosaur thing.

All I really need to do is figure out how I want to do maps and things. I have never run anything on roll20, only participated, but I have had some success sharing a google document with the map and markers on it.

So if the roster doesn't fill up... can I run my Paladin through as a NPC? I think he would be fine with this as a pro bono anyways, and I'd rather not make up random guards to come along.

I keep meaning to sign up for it but I keep forgetting too. so you have at least three people.

I don't see any issue with that, provided he is not privy to a a share of the loot, though my preference would be to include a redshirt.

I hadn't thought about a redshirt... A horrible death can be fun to plan out.

Double the post for double the death?

The more redshirts the merrier! And dead-ier!

TheHarpoMarxist wrote:

The more redshirts the merrier! And dead-ier!

So you now have 30 halfling escorts... and the trip just got a lot more dangerous. Maybe a hydra... feed a halfling to each head and then run...

So I have a quick power gaming question, if I was to make a druid who had a single level in both Monk And Barbarian would I be able to add my CON, DEX, and Wis scores to my AC due to my animal forms being un- armoured? because if so I'd be able to turn into a dire wolf with an AC of 21 by level 5 and that seems absurd.

The general consensus my other group has is that early level Druids are a little unbalanced. As soon as the party gets mid to late level the other classes catch up, but a low level wild shaping Moon Druid has two bear forms uses with 34 HP. So that's 68 HP of bear per rest and then you still have a full caster if you cut through that. That's a level 4 or 5 character with roughly 90 HP. The monk powers also stack insanely well with the high HP, as do some of the barbarian powers as you've noted.

We could house rule that the monk Wis AC bonus or Barb Con can't both apply in wild shape. I'm inclined to leave it up to an individual DM's discretion. Sometimes good synergy is intended in the rules and sometimes it is an exploit. It's often hard to tell. If it costs multiple feats or involves sacrificing some scarce resource to achieve it is usually synergy. If it is just a level or two of another class, that could be an exploit IMHO. My gut says this is an edge case at the least, as low level Druids are already pretty powerful.

If I was DMing I'd be willing to let a player try it and if it diminished the overall fun / tension, I'd later house rule a nerf in there or work with the player to tweak or rebuild the character in a way that doesn't fully utilize an exploit.

I believe I saw one of the Wizards of the Coast guys say that you are correct about grabbing those bonuses. Basically adding a level of monk or barbarian or 2 levels of druid to any of the others was a good power gaming move. Assuming you don't want the top tier (lvl 20) abilities.

The loss of a level 20 power is rarely a sacrifice, IMO. I think the highest level I've ever achieved in a particularly long running / awesome campaign was level 16 in third edition. My hope is that Perdita can be pretty long running though. The model lends itself well to that.

At any rate, I'd certainly be up allowing a player to try it if that's the way they envision their character, with an understanding from the player that DMs are free to house rule.

Also, I'm super bummed I'm nto around on Saturday. I'd love to toss a fighter into that group and get a chance to play instead of DM :).

I have no problems moving it to Sunday if that is viable for you, and assuming I can drag the 3 already signed up over one day.

This is going to be my first non-premade DMing experience and I'm a little nervous. I have tried to make it very open and have planned for a few contingencies depending on the routes that you guys choose and how the group plans to get there. The rest of the plan is to wing it between the major plot points which the group probably won't get to on the first mission.

At this point I am just trying to figure out if I just want to straight up use the DMG loot tables or if I want to tailor stuff to the individuals, or probably both.

EDIT: I would love to have a character or two get to level 20 on here. I really hope we can keep it going that long.

Don't move it on my account, especially because you have people signed up already! My weekend schedule is topsy turvy anyway. I have a callback audition on Saturday and a possible one on Sunday that I probably won't know about one way or another until tomorrow.

My advice is a nic emix of randomness and catering to the players. Makes things more interesting. I'm sure you'll do great with DMing - just remember what you have fun doing as a player and try to make that happen!

Actually Sunday would work a little better for me as well. I can do either but I wouldn't have to move some other plans to next week if we move it.

1 down, 2 to go.

I'd rather have a full roster, but if all 3 cannot move it then I won't change the date.

If it stays on Saturday I'd like to play. Roval (wizard lvl 3)

Actually scratch that my other plans got cancelled so you're stuck with me.

Oh also I updated my character sheet (Which I thought I'd already done but I guess I forgot to hit the save button) so Findley is actually level two.

If anyone has some good header images for this and the other thread, I'd like to decorate . I have some temps up found via google image search, but I'd rather use community created artwork.

I think for this thread, a 1000x300 slice of the map might be the best choice. I'm open to suggestions for the Hall. I'd love some sort of medieval tavern image.

I do like a lot of the 5e artwork and they have desktop backgrounds on the WotC website, but that's not really community artwork I guess.

Thanks for the game manta. Sorry I was late!

Also I reached level four and I'm assuming we can use the optional feats rule. If not I can change what I picked.

Optional feats are in effect! Congrats!

woah woah what optional feat? I'm glad you mentioned it, more options bah hahah!

Yeah, you can opt out of the stat bump and take a feat instead.

So just a loot review from the weekend:
(I promise it randomly happened that there were 4 armlets and 4 players.)

4 Radiant burst armlets 15 ft cubic burst centered on the PC. DC 14 Con saving throw. 1d6 on save, 2d6 on fail. Use once per short rest. (I made this up for story purposes, so if it is OP let me know.)

1 Greataxe, a little musty but in good condition.

50 gp per PC due to good negotiations.

Bill the donkey stayed with the Underhills due to poor negotiations.