@nitsua60 does AL allow poisons in general? I've never played AL and thinking I should delete my answer. I went with the assumption that what he did was legal.

AL allows poison. The tricky part comes from the accounting that has to be done for "treasure."

Best I can tell if the player extracts the component, crafts the poison, and uses it all within one session, they're fine.

(But crafting during a session's weird, too, as some would claim it requires a downtime expenditure the likes of which is only supposed to happen at the beginning of a session.)

Going across sessions, though... they've got to log their acquisition in order to have it at the next table. (Even if that table's all the same people as the last.)

@nitsua60 I followed (starred? favourited?) a KS creator, so I could see when they post more. Now, I keep getting notifications about KS's that they back

But if you log it as treasure, it's supposed to be converted to gp-equivalent and split among party members...

So we sort of just end up chasing our tails.

@Adeptus 6-word horror story: "KS notifications spawn more KS notifications."

Weird, could the DM rule that poison crafting netted enough for one use per player? I'm just guessing.

Yeah. And there's also some daylight in the wording that things the players can log after a session "usually are in a treasure subheading."

Emphasis on the 'usually.'

@nitsua60 @NautArch Hey guys, what magic would create a bubble that could be powered by a device?

Here's what I've got

The cave we left off in is a 5 Room Dungeon, created by ancient druids to house an ancient artifact

The artifact is, in fact, a phyllactery for a lich

This phyllactery is in a chest that contains a portable hole

Inside the portable hole, permanent darkness has been cast so the phyllactery is invisible

Since the phyllactery is in void space, the Lich cannot return, as soon as it is removed, the Lich can respawn in <plot appropriate> amount of days

What I need now is a device clever enough for the druids to think the artifact safe

And a way for 4 level 2's to disarm it

Or max like maybe level 8?

@Skathix So you're looking for a place to store the chest? Or something inside the chest that'll safeguard the PH?

Yeah

Basically

I'm down with it not being a chest

I need some way to feasibly guard a phyllactery that wouldn't be seen by others and yet if it were found, it could be taken by a group of adventurers

The domed ceiling/roof of the room is a planetarium. Gemstones set into the painted-black ceiling serve as stars.

Mmk

There's also a PH up there, held in place by annual layers of paint.

I have 3 rooms attached to the phyllactery room

PH?

Portable Hole.

Ah

Okay

It's a pure black thing, hidden in a pure black background.

Mundanely.

Omg

It's literally security through obscurity.

And the three rooms are all intricately designed with a switch in each that's difficult to get to, but they do nothing (except alert the guards to the shenanigans)

Okay, perfect, thanks @nitsua60

Don't thank me yet--you haven't yet gotten to a feasible way for your L2s to find it yet it to have remained hidden through the ages.

=)

Btw, we've already recorded the first episode, idk if I should link it here when we start posting episodes, but if anyone is interested I'll let you guys know when we get started

Oh I have a "Plan" for that

btw @nitsua60 -- is now a better time for us to talk on Discord?

also, how're things going @Skathix?

@Shalvenay good, heading out

@Shalvenay sorry, just got the kids down. Gimme ten more minutes?

@nitsua60 sure

rpg.stackexchange.com/a/109141/22420 So would anybody wanna guess what manner of madness I would unleash on Orcus?

If you actually kill Orcus while he's in the abyss he's gone for good right?

@Joshua Theoretically, yes, but in the case of Orcus specifically it's a bit trickier.

At the very least, you'd have to destroy the Wand of Orcus for there to be even a chance of him staying dead.

No problem. I have an attack in mind that will utterly destroy everything within 20 light minutes of point of origin that doesn't have a phylactary.

Using 1 8th level spell slot and no metamagic feats.

I can pretty much guarantee that it won't work, but go ahead!

Polymorph object doesn't care about mass but only volume. Therefore, planeshift to abyss while holding pebble, then polymorph it to cosmic black hole (volume = 0, mass = 10,000 suns)

it takes not less than 20 minutes for the polymorph to wear off

@Joshua abyss cruncher :D

The fact that this isn't exactly a new idea, and the whole "Polymorph Any Object into x physics concept" has been done to death aside, that won't destroy the Wand, and it's questionable whether it'd work on Orcus.

Artifacts can only be destroyed in specific ways - in the case of the Wand of Orcus, from memory, it can only be destroyed by bathing it in the blood of Tiamat.

And assuming you did this to Orcus, somehow retrieved the wand from the black hole, and then did the same thing to Tiamat, you wouldn't have any blood to work with.

I'm pretty sure if I crushed Orcus once and got his wand I know what I'm doing with it and it's not going after Tiamat. Thor seems a lot more upright and might know what to do.

In the adventure where they got the Wand, they went to Bahamut - way more upright than Thor, way more knowledgeable. And he said to bathe it in Tiamat's blood.

They got a free tree out of it and everything.

Hmm this mythos differs from my expectations here.

What were you expecting?

That Thor was at least as honorable as in Viking legends.

@Miniman did Bahamut tell you that himself? :P

I mean, it does seem like he would have bias there

@trogdor That adventure dates back to 4 years before I was born :P

@trogdor I can see an agenda, for sure. But apparently it worked.

@Miniman my point was that that sounded like a commercial for him

On failing to get good advice I suppose I can just leave the wand in an anti-magic field. (Will have to take the feat for ranged anti-magic field first.)

@trogdor Ah, right. I thought you meant how getting people to kill Tiamat would be in Bahamut's interests.

@Miniman yeah exactly "kill or at least bleed my greatest enemy, that will get you what you want"

@Joshua Artifacts aren't affected by antimagic fields, either.

@Miniman that too

ah right. well if Orcus resurrects near the wand it's going into the sun

The exact mechanics aren't really spelled out, but...hang on, let me link something.

Not to put too fine a point on it, Orcus is smarter and more devious than you or I could ever be. Killing him is like trying to get the best of Asmodeus in a deal.

on a different note...anyone got a list of templates in 3.5e handy?

@Shalvenay The minmaxforum handbook index lists one, but it's a WotC forum link, so no luck there.

@Miniman bloody wotc forum links

stepping back a bit, I'm trying to come up with some feat or the likes that'd add a fire effect to summons

=)

@Shalvenay web.archive.org/web/20121227102512/http://community.wizards.com/…

@Shalvenay There's one for cold, not sure about fire.

yeah, the cold one is Beckon the Frozen

Oooh, there's also one that lets you summon things from the list as ice constructs. That's... shades cool.

That's odd, that handbook doesn't mention Cloudy Conjuration.

Good thing those "modules" never came to pass =\

Not sure if there's anything out there, but if you could find a way to set arbitrary cloud effects on fire, that could work.

Sure I can BURNINATE some clouds

@Miniman Teller thought you could.

one other question: is there some shenanigan you can pull to get off-racial substitution levels in D&D 3.5e?

@Shalvenay I can't remember if Stoneblessed and Ruathar count for that.

This all sounds interesting, what are you building?

@Miniman working on hacking together a fire-druidess

the H-O racial sub levels have some nice stuff, but normally you have to be H-O to take them which kinda stinks

was thinking Strongheart Hin b/c they're one of the few non-human races I know of that gets a 1st level bonus feat

but Hin racial sub levels for druids aren't so hot

I don't think there's any way to count as a half-orc without being one.

drat.

guess I'll have to eschew the racial sub levels then and roll with the feat tax that I get sort-of-saddled-with as a result

I've been building a number of moderately optimised characters... latest one is a wildshape ranger 5 / master of many forms 10 / natures warrior 5. Basically a martial wildshaper. Not sure whether to trade away my animal companion and/or spells for ACFs - both are weak, but without spell access I can't use wands etc. Also haven't decided on feats - I'm thinking wildshape-buffing feats would be best.

(I may actually get to play one of these next year, pending DM approval...)

@Adeptus What does nature's warrior do?

@Shalvenay Imbued Summoning with an appropriate spell is about the only thing I can come up with.

@Miniman 5 level prc. Odd levels, gains a buff when wildshaped (choose from +dmg, +ac, DR, fast healing, etc). Even levels, +1 caster class level

@Adeptus Hmmm, interesting.

Afternoon all

Been a while

Welcome to the returnening

I have to create some re-skinned monsters in 5e

Is that hard to do?

I ask because to me "re-skin " is as easy as just calling it something else

Maybe changing the picture if you use one

Yeah, basically. The hardest part is finding an appropriate monster, that's the right level, with a few similar abilities.

Ah, I don't bother with some of that

For example, a monster that uses claw and bite attacks, can spit poison, and attacks in groups, but needs to be appropriate for level 1 groups.

Then again, I don't play much D&D anymore so there is that

@Ben I don't think there's anything that spits poison. I could be wrong, of course.

Level appropriate though,.... You don't neeeed that it's just a thing the system makes you think you need

@Miniman Adding that wouldn't be too hard, obviously. It'd just be a dex save, and a con save

Anyway I will stop being unhelpful now XD

@Ben Or the poison spray cantrip and call it a day.

@trogdor Well, you don't want a monster that can deal 4d6 damage and ignores 4 points of armour vs a level 1 party

@Miniman True

@Ben what I mean is that you can just make an orc higher level, or a dragon lower level

Not that you should fight level 10 stuff at level 1

@trogdor Oh right. But i'd prefer to use an existing stat block rather than meddling with something else to try and get it to match.

@trogdor That's too much like work :P

I'm ok at math... but that doesn't mean I enjoy it XD

Though I shouldn't talk like that because I know nothing about 5e

5e uses CR... except it doesn't... sort of...

Lol

@Miniman so is looking for the exact right already existing level appropriate monster :P

@Ben I ,.... Kinda just meant grabbing a level appropriate stat block and slapping a new paper face on it

Like, in this instance, I suppose a dog would fit.

Spoiler alert, I did that in 4e

@trogdor Yeah that's what I was going to do.

Ah fair enough

Just gotta find the right ones

Ah but I meant just grabbing two random ones and presto I am a monster

XD

@trogdor No, Trogdor, you're an inspiration.

Bow before the might of the one they call " that lazy %$#&#$"

XD

In the meantime... I bought a new shirt

spreadshirt.com.au/…

Wednesday?

The catch: wear it any day, except wednesday

Ah OK

I was going to accuse you of being criminally normal

Hahaha

Me? Never

Good answer

The only time I would wear it on a Wednesday is once I buy 6 more shirts. Then, for one week straight, with no explanation, I wear them all on the right day.

Then never again

I find this more than acceptable

@BESW I found some ginseng tea finally. Thanks for that suggestion!

@doppelspooker Yey!

Tonight's dinner: diced potatoes, tossed in a mix of teriyaki sauce, sesame oil, peanut butter, and cayenne pepper, baked with onions. Served with sunflower seeds on quinoa.

@BESW so much yes

@trogdor Here, have a dragon.

Tithe accepted

oh good lord it moves it's bones

and it's also cuter than it deserves to be

Lizards are just so cool.

they are indeed

best animals

I do still like mice and birds too, but lizards are on top

What about otters?

otters are punks :P

otters are fine but come on

how many favorite animals can I have?

too many apparently XD

mornin

top o the morn, @DForck42

@BESW how's the centipede problem?

@NautArch Seems to be resolved!

@NautArch how goes it?

@BESW whooop!!!

Used tea tree and peppermint oil as deterrent, sprayed diatomaceous earth to zap anybuggy that dared anyway. Haven't seen any since.

@DForck42 not too bad, getting our main campaign storyline going again next week. Let the drama ensue and I guess i'll find it if it's our last.

@NautArch fun

@BESW much safer (and available) than the boric acidsolution

@DForck42 but hopefully the DM doesn't go on an alpha male tangent and we just continue onwards

@NautArch hopefully

@DForck42 definitely. i miss playing my paladin.

@NautArch yeah, never got to finish the campaign where I was playing a paladin in 3.5

i don't remember why, but the game fell apart

there were a few games that just kinda fell apart

hi

@jwacalex hi

howdy @jwacalex

@DForck42 Not sure if I'd enjoy the strict LG paladin, but i probably would :)

@NautArch i played him lawful good, yes, but not lawful stupid

his inspiration was Michael Carpenter from the Dresden Files

on to Small Favor, by the way

@NautArch nice!

i made chicken schwarma Saturday night

i thought schwarma had to be done on a spit?

@NautArch traditionally, yes

for practical purposes, that's not what i did

hehe

the flatbread homemade?

@NautArch yup!

i made it all Saturday night

Tonight, Rovagug's cultists will perish, I can't wait!

@DForck42 looks mighty tasty!

@NautArch it was!

all of my guests (fiancée, her sister, and good friend) were all drunk and loved it

nothing like drunk schwarma :)

@DForck42 would you have described it as a schwarma-rama

@nitsua60 "Dungeon World; here's our future storyline."

@doppelspooker no?

i dunno what that is

@DForck42 oh. i meant as in -rama c(:

was playing around

@doppelspooker ahh, ok

Looking for input on my (RAW) interpretation here, if anyone's bored and wants to weigh in on semantics.

I guess with no bacon, not much discussion @CTWind

Yeah. Ah well. Just wanted to make sure my logic wasn't silly. Stuff like sanctuary's phrasing makes me real hesitant to assume any brief general statement means more than the further elaboration that follows it.

how do you keep players that show up every week from being overpowered compared to everyone else in a west marches cmapaign?

@THiebert You don't. People who play should benefit from showing up. Those who don't show up aren't helping the campaign. That's my two cents worth.

I've seen it done a few different ways. One is that ^. I know one large group ran ~4 person games (even though the pool was much larger), and then people who were 'too high' rolled new characters at the lowest level of the current playing group, letting them get started on an 'alt'.

but then the people that are behind are even less motivated to show up

I do not get this assumption about keeping people at the same level. When I played D&D in the 70's, we had a core group in college of about 11 people, but on game night we only had (usually) 6-9 snow up for various reasons in the campaign.

Those who showed up tended to advance in level higher since they kept the game going. We had characters from, at one point, level 6 to level 10 in the same party, with the occasional participation of a higher level MU and a very rare appearance by a 10th level illusionist.

gets a bucket of cockroaches to pour on the ground Do your part!

It worked. We had fun. people who showed up got XP. We sometimes save a magic item for someone who wasn't there if we found it and knew that it would be perfect for one of them.

@Trish I don't get it.

@KorvinStarmast Do your part civillian! Join mobile Infantry and become a citizen now!

(starship troopers)

@Trish I read the book a long time ago. I have read it again a few times since. Still a good book. I saw the movie when it came out. I am sorry, that movie did violence to the source material from my perspective. I get the imagery. Thanks for explaining.

I have players that are very concerned about their ability to help out in a significant way. These are the same players that would be missing sessions frequently if I were to run west marches, thereby falling behind and limiting their ability to contribute significantly.

@THiebert Depends on the system and group. In some systems level disparity doesn't have a big impact on agency; in others, even a tiny difference can mean the difference between "I'm helping!" and "I'm the load."

Personally I've found that folks stop coming at all if missing sessions reduces their ability to contribute when they do show up--whether because their PCs are lower level, or because they don't know the story anymore, or whatever "ability to contribute" means for that game/group/individual.

@THiebert TNSTAAFL The one campaign I am currently playing in as a player awards a small "RSVP" bonus in XP for committing a few days ahead of time and actually showing up. Incentivize participation however you can. (More inspiration points for those who show up more often?) I'd say that a whole "thing" about RPG's is to participate. Seems to me your westmarch group may need to revisit how the scheduling chaos is being handled.

IRL for adults, that darned scheduling thing is a bugger unless (for us married sorts) the spouse is also into RPGs. If I could only get my wife interested in RPGs ... we could have a weekly game night that she was a fan of.

As it is, sometimes it becomes a source of friction. (Arrggh).

i need to get my wife involved too

thinks its a nerd thing and that she lacks the imagination

Right now my group is on hiatus, while we get scheduling worked out. West Marches seemed like a potential solution that i wanted to explore to see if we could get going again.

my other idea is to jsut get my fix by going to AL games

My girlfriend would love to play something with tactical crunch, but I don't own any figurines or battlemaps or anything.

...and we're missing people to play with.

my wife loves when i'm painting minis, because she's fine getting involved in that (Ooh, he'd look good with a blue cape), but can't bring herself to play

@THiebert The other thing to do is discuss participation density with your high percentage participants ... and ask them to act in support roles to the ones who can't show up as often (assuming that you are all friends) so that when more schedule deprived get the chance, the more "powerful' players are mentors/supporters.

We did that A Lot in old D&D when someone ran into a string of dead characters (it happened, that genre was sorta lethal) so we got used to mentoring/supporting new adventurers with the higher level characters.

The guys who show up often are the "power players" who intentionally build things to do the most damage, and mostly like just getting in fights and killing stuff

I need to paint more of my miniatures. I have loads

it sounds like I just don't have the group for this to work well

@THiebert Sounds like a "two group" thing. Sorry. :(

I'm like 50% painted, and I just bought into Reaper KS4

I've got a lot of catching up to do

Heh, most of mine are 70's and 80's era Ral Partha stuff, but a few more recent ones.

@KorvinStarmast I've anticipated that, and tried to work that out, but they're all good friends and tend to want to play together.

heh, Daily Vote Limit Has Been Reached. My, I've been busy. Must now go and do other things. Best wishes.

@THiebert My solution was to switch to systems that don't do character advancement with "bigger numbers, better stuff."

@kviiri In my group we use my daughter's toys. They are remarkably useful

Prior to that, I ran a 4e campaign where I dropped XP entirely and just said "characters who play this adventure are [X] level," and whoever showed up set their levels accordingly.

New adventure, new level.

@BESW I find this to be such a useful and simple system I sometimes wonder why it's not the default in DnD.

XP isn't just a participation reward. It's also a way to control what the GM can reasonably do with the adventure, and a way for the group to set the kind of adventure they're having (because most versions of D&D gate certain kinds of gameplay by level).