The above shows the movement for the last round. Bergthora appears at the bottom of the ladder, Engelhart finishes saying a prayer over the body of Aleksandra. He hasn't the sage ability to properly give a burial, but he can say a few words to assure the dead that they are remembered and something will be done about their corpses (which actually
matters in game terms,
just to reassure Engelhart).
The beetle, however, is showing signs of awareness of the party. It has raised its head, it's forward feelers are moving rapidly all of the sudden and it is making a distinct clicking sound.
The party has initiative.
They use it to kill the beetle. Here's the end of everyone's movement:
30 comments:
Engelhart positions himself, spear in throwing stance, saying a few words with hushed urgency:
"Strike now, my companions!"
He then hurls the spear at the beetle.
Attack roll: 19 (+1 for agressiveness, +1 for Bless, -2 for lack of proficiency).
Damage roll: 6.
If I've any AP remaining, I'll move closer to the beetle.
I know that in most games, it is normal to do it as Engelhart just has. For a long time, at table, I have insisted on the following protocol:
- Player states action
- I confirm action, indicating that it is okay to roll a die.
- Player rolls a die.
Long ago, when I first started to play, I found that players were always just jumping in and throwing dice left right and sideways, without even knowing if they had a weapon out or if they had thought through their action.
Now, bonus points if someone can tell me what's wrong with what the CLERIC just did. Anyone?
Yes, that's correct. The cleric just threw a NON-BLUDGEONING weapon at an opponent.
Now, I know people will probably suppose that this is okay, that the weapon limitations only refer to what can be had as proficiencies, but no. Not actually. While real world clerics could certainly use whatever weapon they wanted, real world clerics did not have spell ability. Thus, limits are LIMITS. Clerics are not ALLOWED to use weapons not on the cleric weapon list. Period.
Is there something else you'd like to do, Engelhart, now that you have those two AP back?
I throw my javelin at the beetle.
I'll dash over to 1008 and throw my handaxe at the beetle from there.
I can't recall, but are Embla and I able to get attack and damage bonus from strength with thrown weapons? I feel like I'm misremembering something from 3.X or something like that.
Strength counts only for hand-to-hand. Neither of you have a sufficient dexterity to gain a throwing bonus.
Starting from here, I'll start using whoever comments first as the order of attack for the party. That'll be easier online than ordering by dexterity. We'll use the actual d20 roll as the measure.
Embla, throw a die with the javelin, and Pandred, with the axe. Pandred gets +1 to hit due to range.
I think Bergthora is Lothar's follower, so he should remember to give me her move as well.
5 to-hit. I'm not rolling for damage.
I heft my battleaxe and move to 1009.
Stepping over Gudbrand's remains as you go. No problem not rolling for damage if you don't hit AC 10.
Engelhart drops the spear he's holding, rushes up to 1109 while drawing his hammer and attempts to smite the beetle.
I move up to hex 1210 via 0909, 1010, and 1110. That will leave me with only one AP, so I can't attack this round. However, we do have a line. I'll have Bergthora follow me up to hex 1010 and hold there as backup.
Engelhart, go ahead and swing. Bergthora follows Lothar. Remember that the tomb does not represent an obstacle to the beetles' movement.
Attack roll: 13, modified to 15.
Damage roll: 6.
Kills it. One dead beetle.
I'll hold off on giving experience for the moment.
Valda descends into hex 0708, behind the party.
I've updated the map above to show the party's present position. What would you all like to do next?
Obviously, we've all made some noise since entering the barrow. Can I still use my stealth result of 5 to sneak towards the red glowing pits?
In the meantime, I retrieve my javelin.
Engelhart was wise enough to speak in hushed urgency, so your stealth is still in place. However, you just killed a beetle; it may not be a matter of sound at this point. I'd say more, but there is no druid in the party to give that information.
But be wary.
I'll redress loyal Gudbrand's want of last rites forthwith.
"We should take a defensive position by the rope and tomb. I'm sure more will be coming soon."
I pick up the dropped spear (in 809) and move northward. I believe I end up in 810 at the end of the round?
Apologies, work pulled me off before I got a chance to make my attack roll.
Would you like me to make it anyway, just because I'd have a chance to fumble/would need to retrieve the axe?
Nope. Never done that in all my days as a DM, Pandred. You saw Engelhart swoop in and kill the thing and you held back.
Thank you.
I'll hold position and wait to regroup with the others.
Laying God's promise upon Gudbrand, Engelhart rises and turns to his companions, ushedly urging them as he makes his way across the barrow's floor:
"My faithful, it behooves us that we charge and fall upon these God-despised crawlers even as they burst from their earthly abode!"
"If the seven of us can strive to encircle them at their source, we can visit much carnage upon them at but little detriment to ourselves!"
Can we discuss strategy freely now (in whispers), or are we still in rounds?
Feel free to discuss at any time, Lothar; so long as you don't give detailed instructions to other players (move to 809), I don't mind a discussion of larger strategy.
We are still in rounds.
Embla, Engelhart was in 0811 when he dropped the spear. Sorry that I didn't include it on the map above. The spear is in 0810 & 0910; you can pick it up in 3 AP, if you want to move 2 AP from either 810 or 910.
Embla is sorting out her move, I have a move from Engelhart (back to 0909), Pandred is holding her ground.
Can I get a move from Lothar, Bergthora and Valda?
Willa will appear at the bottom of the ladder once Valda moves. Funny the men failed their morale checks . . .
Alexis, I've deleted my last comment in accordance with your prescription for not giving detailed instructions. The previous one stands well enough on its own at any rate.
Valda moves: 0707, 0607.
Bergthora moves: 0910, 0810, 0709, 0708, 0707.
Lothar moves: 1011, 0910, 0810, 0809, 0808.
I like the idea of surrounding the nests, but we should be careful about how we move up. The sappers and I will guard the ladder until everyone is down, then we can move up in a wall and smash them all together.
Thank you Engelhart.
Just waiting for Embla now.
[Sorry I'm late to the party]
I'll move from 810 to 609 after picking up the spear.
Also, I doubt this will be relevant, but where did my javelin end up?
[No worries]
Move noted. I've added the javelin into the next post. I'd like to have it sticking out of the cave floor, but I don't seem to be able to plausibly draw that.
The next post is up.
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