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12:00 AM
Were there also robotic fish?
Ah I just googled it, it has an interesting article style
I kinda like that
 
Ben
Not sure about the fish... but I do remember robotic mice
 
@Ben no worries, it was just a little joke
 
Ben
Gotcha
 
What was making you think of it?
 
Ben
The Logical Journey of the Zoombinis
Haha.
That game has been rebooted a couple years ago. It just popped up on my newsfeed again this morning, and Machinarium is a similar type of game.
 
12:06 AM
Ah ok
 
 
2 hours later…
Ben
1:41 AM
So, it seems that BOTW has "point of no return" progression mechanics... Monster variants start to appear at certain points of progression throughout the game (not sure if it's related to levelling up or story progression) which makes the collection of the Hyrule Compendium entries nigh-impossible.
The only way once you pass that point is to buy them from an in-game vendor.
 
1:52 AM
I would be more upset by that if I ever planned to play the game or was interested in accumulation of that compendium
But regardless, that does seem like bad taste
 
Ben
All in all... It's more of an annoyance, if anything... I haven't missed out on anything, and I can still complete everything 100%...
But yeah, I think it would probably be better if that wasn't the case
 
Yeah, you would think they would understand that for those who want to collect that data,... Taking the ability to do so away entirely and hiding it behind a shop is not what they want
Having a shop you can fill out stuff you missed is great, forcing people to be unable to find something in the field for themselves isn't
The little annoying things about BotW, from my perspective, seem to all involve good ideas that they took too far
It's cool if you can see new monsters later in the game, but taking away older ones seems weird
Especially specifically in this case
I will say, it looks like a great game for what it is
It's Zelda with open world stuff that mostly makes sense
It's still got bosses and dungeons and items to find
I just don't like some of thier design or mechanics decisions
The weapon breakage is ever always a great excuse for me not to play it
 
2:09 AM
@trogdor It's not that bad honestly but to each their own of course.
 
Ben
You definitely get used to it. I for one have actually started hoarding weapons... somehow. Every enemy drops a weapon, and as the game progresses, enemies level up, which means they also carry better weapons for you to take.
 
@Ben Yeah I found it disconcerting only at first. And only in rare cases afterwords. But really the game is more than good enough to make the issue not impactful IMO
 
Ben
I currently have 4 Savage Lynel Crushers, 3 Royal Claymores, a couple of spears and some gimmicky weapons (korok leaf and sledgehammer) for when I need them.
 
@Rubiksmoose I understand for many it isn't the same kind of hang-up as it is for me
 
Ben
@Rubiksmoose Yeah. There was one point where I somehow ended up with nothing... can't remember how it happened, so I had to go back top the Plateau to get a few basic weapons to work my way back up again.
That said, weapons spawn regularly, and when you're late game, you can frequently re-visit Hyrule castle to stock up on weapons there.
 
2:22 AM
@trogdor For sure. If you ever have a chance to give it a try, I would. You may find it to be less of an issue for you than you think it will be.
 
Ben
Seconded.
It appears to be a nuisance, I for one am usually a bit OCD when it comes to weapon durability, hoarding equipment, etc (I played a lot of Dark Souls)... but you quickly move past it.
 
@Ben Yeah Im a hoarder as well and care a lot about weapons in most games.
 
Ben
After all my Lynel Farming... I use thunder arrows more than regular ones.
 
@Rubiksmoose I definitely have other games holding my attention at the moment
 
Very fair.
 
2:27 AM
@Ben Dark Souls doesn't really have weapon durability - it pretends to, but it never affects anything.
 
@Ben I should probably attempt to kill a Lynel one of these days.
 
Ben
Indeed. I had a friend that would often jump between multiple games frequently... I have issues with remembering the controls (motor control takes over)
@Miniman only In 1, after that they cheesed it.
@Rubiksmoose It is rewarding
 
@Ben My first playthrough of 1 was with a katana, and I sucked, and weapon durability still never affected me.
 
@Ben I'm worried now after all these hours that they are all silver lol
 
Ben
So I'd be playing Dark Souls, then switch to BotW for a while, then go to Bloodborne... And I'd be all thumbs
 
2:29 AM
Not to mention, I never used the repairbox.
 
Ben
@Rubiksmoose Haha. My suggestion: wear high armour and make Mighty food/potions. The main ones to watch out for are the Crusher Lynels
 
Seriously, the mechanic exists, but it has no actual impact on gameplay.
 
Ben
@Miniman Wow... fair enough. How often did you upgrade your equipment?
Because my stuff broke all the time. After that I made sure everything was always in tip-top shape (for at least the first few playthroughs)
 
@Ben I tended to upgrade my weapon whenever I was at a blacksmith anyway and had materials, armor never.
@Ben Weird. Maybe they patched something - I cane to the game extremely late.
 
Ben
Hmm.. Fair enough
@Miniman Ohh that's right. You are on PC
I came to it... maybe 6 months in? But I was on console.
 
2:33 AM
@Miniman so what happens when a weapon breaks In Dark Souls?
 
Ben
@trogdor You do no damage and you have to repair it.
You don't lose it though
 
Oh
So that is technically something
 
@trogdor No idea, haven't you been listening? :P
 
Ben
Shields and armour reduce in defensive capability
Not to brag, but I think I'm probably the one to ask about Dark Souls
 
@Miniman yes that's why I'm confused :P
 
2:37 AM
@trogdor your new avatar is confusing. I was like "Oh, lord_gareth is here... wait, no..."
 
@Ben Oh cool, I've always wondered - why is the broken pendant found on a crystal golem in the duke's archives?
 
@Adeptus lol
I didn't even think of that
It does look a lot like Lord Gareth
 
it's a different colour (and style and pose), but close enough to be confusing at a quick glance
 
Ben
@Miniman That's the key for the DLC. The pendant is meant to be broken (if that's why you're asking), but the reason for it's placement is just level appropriate. The DLC is levelled to for mid-late game progression, as it deals with a lot of references that already exist in the game (Sif and Artorias primarily).
 
Yes I can definitely see that
 
2:39 AM
(btw, hi! and now I'm going to get some lunch...)
 
Ben
o/
 
@Ben No, I mean why in the lore :P
@Adeptus Hibye!
 
Ben
@Miniman Yeah, then the last part. Lol
There's not "lore" to its placement, really.
 
@Adeptus that's what I'm doing, small world XD
 
@Ben You reckon? There's lore behind the crystal golems with Sieglinde and Dusk, there's lore behind the placement of every channeler outside the archives...you really reckon the pendant is just arbitrary?
 
Ben
2:42 AM
The only link that might be drawn is the connection to Seath. He is the one that created the Crystal Golems, and imprisoned Lady What's-Her-Face in the swamp.
 
Can anybody with the rep help me delete this answer? Got them to post as a question instead.
@Ben I'd really love it if that was her actual name
 
Ben
@Rubiksmoose Yeah. And then the Mushroom woman... Mrs Who's-a-mi-pop.
 
@Rubiksmoose boom.
 
Ben
But again... that link is very loose... since Seath has nothing to do with the DLC in any way.
@Miniman even Vaati hasn't been able to explain the placement.
 
@nitsua60 thank ye kindly!
 
2:47 AM
@Ben I know - that's why I asked you :P
 
Ben
@Miniman Haha well I'll take that as a compliment. :P
 
As a side note, I've made good progress with Nioh - definitely worth playing for Dark Souls fans, so if you're looking for another game in that genre, I'd be comfortable recommending it
 
Ben
In truth, Not everything does have a lore explanation. Chester, for example is very vague. There are theories, but nothing hard to place where/when he came from. I even thought he might be from Bloodborne. But the only connection people have been able to make is that he came from Carim. Other than that...
 
@Ben I'd argue that not all of the lore explanations are deducible from the information available, personally. I have no doubt there is some background behind Chester, we just have no idea what it is.
 
Ben
I like my Bloodborne theory haha
 
2:52 AM
Yeah, it's probably the best explanation, especially now that there's a blood connection in Dark Souls.
 
Ben
@Miniman I don't remember when I saw Nioh… My memory of it is vague, but I remember it didn't quite grab my fancy at first glance.
 
Took down a pit fiend (CR20) with two L18 characters tonight. "Never split the party" my toochus.
 
Ben
@Miniman Blood?
 
@Ben Yeah, I wasn't too sure either, but I'm having a good time with it.
@Ben of the Dark Soul, in 3
 
Ben
@nitsua60 You did the Gandalf did you? Nice
@Miniman Oh right... yeah. Forgot about that haha
 
2:54 AM
@nitsua60 Which two?
(Because, yanno, once 9th-level spells are on the table CR becomes meaningless.)
 
Ben
@Miniman Barb and Cleric... Wizard and Fighter perhaps...
I can see those working
 
@Ben Two wizards would be the easiest.
 
Ben
You know... I can really see why splitting the party can cause some balancing issues. Look at the Fellowship, for example. Gandalf Takes on the Balrog alone, comes back overlevelled.
5
Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli do a decent amount of work, just hacking away at the plebs.. they can hold their own.
Merry and Pippin have a go, and by then end they get some gear to make sure they don't get shanked... and Sam does a bit... gets to do a little bit of levelling...
But Frodo... Geez. You can see why he nearly dies 5 times.
 
@Ben I bet the DM only gave xp for combat encounters, not successfully avoiding combats.
 
Ben
Sméagol: "we would *never* hurts the Master!"
DM: Can I get Frodo and Sam to make a perception check
Sam: uh... 17?
Frodo: 4.
@JoelHarmon Head canon accepted
 
3:06 AM
I suppose it's that or the DM overcompensated for only having one worthwhile magic item in the campaign.
 
@Ben I think you mean Insight there :P
@JoelHarmon Which was also cursed.
 
@Miniman Rogue and battlemaster.
 
Ben
@nitsua60 Oh wow
 
@nitsua60 See, that is impressive.
2
 
Ben
Bet they felt pretty beastly after that! I would!
 
3:09 AM
@Miniman I think Golum had his fingers crossed behind his back :P
 
Hmmm...emphasis... that is impressive.
 
> See, that is impressive.
 
That is impressive even works.
@nitsua60 There's the one that doesn't.
 
"That is impressive" even works.
 
Gah.
 
3:10 AM
blah blah blah
 
See , that is impressive.
 
Ben
Everyone jump on the band-wagon
 
Wow NVM phone
You win this round
 
You people ARE monsters.
 
See, if you emphasize everything you can't be wrong!
 
3:11 AM
Lol
 
blah blah sneak attack blah commander strike -> sneak attack blah action surge blah precision dice convert misses to hits blah channel divinity blow all dailies in one encounter....
 
The emphasis wars have begun
 
> The emphasis wars have begun.
> The emphasis wars have begun.
 
Ben
@nitsua60 It would certainly require that...
 
@nitsua60 thanks sheep Yoda
 
Ben
3:12 AM
> The emphasis wars have begun.
 
Begun, the emphasis wars have.
 
Night, all.
 
Night
 
@nitsua60 ...channel divinity?
 
3:14 AM
@nitsua60 wait is this a 4e game?
 
Probably the best emphasis war I've ever heard of.
 
Man, I need to get off of here and study my Japanese. Emphatically.
 
Ben
@Rubiksmoose [Insert Yoda Chuckle]
 
@nitsua60 Night! The tendrils of darkness slithering into the minds of lesser beings, lulling them into the blank void to...uh...I mean...see you!
 
@Miniman tsk tsk tsk tsk don't inform the surface dwellers of that stuff
 
3:19 AM
@trogdor Sorry, it was a slip of the proboscis tongue.
 
Studying Japanese... [stares into the distance] I have been slacking.
 
@Pixie そうですね。
 
@Pixie Technically, I haven't - watching subbed anime and playing games with Japanese dialogue totally counts.
 
@Miniman nani?!
 
I did just watch a random video that popped up in my Youtube recs about how Japanese people tend to insult each other. Even though it wasn't anything I didn't already know, really... it totally counts. :P
 
3:25 AM
@Pixie It actually is really interesting culture-wise seeing as Japanese does not have swear words really.
 
@Pixie You mean by using honorifics that are one tier down from the appropriate?
 
@Miniman Or omitting them, or by referring to them (especially using the various different words for "you") in the incorrect politeness level.
 
@Rubiksmoose Yeah, it's always interesting seeing how different subbers try to translate that concept.
I think I've seen at least 20 different translations of "kisama".
 
@Rubiksmoose Yeah, not in the same sense English does. That was one thing highlighted in the video (NSFW, quite a few English swears in there). The only direct insults he came across, in his own experience and watching as many videos he could find, were baka, bakatere, and aho.
But, yeah, the real way you generally insult somebody is by addressing them improperly and speaking to them too casually.
 
@Miniman Yeah that is indeed interesting. I'm very very novice level, but I'm getting to the point where I can tell when people are being very polite or very crude by how they conjugate their words (in very simple sentences).
 
3:31 AM
@Pixie I kinda wish that was how it worked everywhere
 
(in anime) I don't really know enough Kanji or gramamr to do manga yet.
 
One thing to note, if you're using anime as a learning tool, is that anime characters usually speak super casually and often way more rudely than real people would be, heh. They don't really speak like real people.
 
@Pixie I'm not, I just watch a lot of it XD
 
Heh, same.
 
@Pixie Yeah especially if you are watching the standard shounen stuff where there are a LOT of very crude very "manly" language being used.
 
3:34 AM
I mean, many cartoons and shows have charters that don't speak like real people either
It's a safe bet you shouldn't use media to tell you how people actually talk or do things
XD
 
I definitely need to study more kanji. Maybe someday I'll be able to read some of the things I've bought without getting tired after two pages. :v
 
@Pixie Man it is really really tiring. I'm with you. So much looking up stuff for me.
 
@Rubiksmoose I was so proud of myself when I was able to tell without too much trouble that a piece of fanart for a series I like was about one character wishing the other a happy birthday. :,v
 
@Pixie I'm similarly proud when I can read Japanese food packages or read my company's brochures.
 
There's also a blog I follow that posts scanned pages out of Pokemon children's books they've collected. Being able to painstakingly make out text written for tiny children is nonetheless a nice feeling. :v
 
3:44 AM
@Pixie I've attempted to play Pokemon in Japanese actually, but I often just get tired and blow through the text. Because you know its Pokemon, and it doesn't really matter what people are saying lol.
 
Haha. I've considered trying that.
 
@Pixie It is a LOT of hiragana. And honestly it gets very tiring. The problem I had was that I didn't have a lot of reason to actually try most of the time besides wanting to learn. So it didn't work out that great for me.
 
Yeah, the only thing you'd really need to know, for the most part, is attack names.
 
But I'm also such a beginner that I really have very little I could understand unassisted anyways.
 
@Rubiksmoose in my experience most of them are saying "I really want to fight you for no reason now!"
"eye contact?, that means we must fight!"
"I wasn't even looking at-" "fiiiiiight!"
XD
 
3:56 AM
hahahaha very true.
 
4:06 AM
I feel like I have game prep ideas at work all day long, but, assuming I don't immediately fall asleep when I get home... I wind up drawing a blank. Where, precisely, are all those ideas I couldn't write down? :P
 
In the TARDIS somewhere I hope
It's much better than all our unused ideas being gone once we stop thinking of them
 
Then the TARDIS needs to give them back. I need those, darn it.
 
@Pixie I figure that the ideas which get away from one person, float around until they find a more compatible brain, and that's where epiphanies come from.
 
@BESW In other words, my brain is leaking. :v
 
Yes!
But it works both ways and you also get other peoples' brain leaks.
 
4:17 AM
Eeww
So the Eldritch entities that whisper to me are,... People's brain juices leaking?
I'm gonna be sick XD :P
@Pixie the TARDIS doesn't give back
It hoards everything
 
@trogdor Except River Song. Not even the TARDIS wanted her.
 
Nice one
 
user15026
@BESW This is....weird and comforting
 
@Ash Eureka moments are recycled derp moments!
 
BESW is really good at that
 
user15026
4:22 AM
@BESW giggles well I am glad that my derps helped someone, then :P
 
@BESW I feel like I end up giving a lot of those back
Still, some get used for character ideas
 
5:02 AM
The other way planning tends to go...
Me: I need to briefly detail this tavern. That's it right now. Really. The rest can come later.
Brain: Okay cool so the elven keep your PCs may not even go to has spider problems in their orchard, which occasionally supplies the town with fruit because it's much closer than the fertile farmland in the southeast part of the nation-
Me: Tavern.
Brain: Also the capital city on the other side of the country which your PCs probably aren't visiting at all is nestled into the mountains overlooking the sea which gave it a defensive edge that helped stave off an
 
For anyone who's interested, an update on my RPG activities...
the 3.5 game I'm running has suffered from Real Life - a lot of player illnesses, car breakdowns, and other such emergencies have meant that I've only run a couple of sessions since Feb. And both of those were with half the group, so the new module didn't get started... leaving me to (badly) ad-lib a random encounter. On the other side of the table, my wife has run a couple of sessions of 5e for me & the (not-so-) little one. She's only skimmed the rules, so I was the designated rules lawyer. Went quite well.
 
I'm glad it went well.
The 5e games I'm in have been rather sporadic due to similar RL sufferings, but it might pick back up soon. The GMs for said games also moved back (well, one moving back, the other moving with him) to my city, so there is a chance for... gasp... real life gaming in my future.
 
The thing I really don't like about T&T is the combat system. There's no separate attack & damage rolls. All combatants roll their attack dice + bonuses (depending on stats & weapons); each side's results are totalled; the losers take damage equal to the difference between the rolls.
Which means that it's very hard to take out individuals in a melee, unless you can somehow single them out.
 
5:18 AM
I listened to a bit of T&T being played, but the combat was one-on-one, and I wasn't following that closely... that does sound like a bit of a pain.
 
My 5e game on the side has had some issues with schedule too
My fair share of causing it too
 
Heh, it happens. Now that my friends are done moving, I think the biggest thing right now is one of the players is working six days a week, which is pretty rough on them.
 
Thankfully all my game days are on my days off
I couldn't do it as often otherwise
 
I can game any evening of the week but Friday, usually, though wakefulness has been a finite resource lately (... more than usual).
 
I can imagine
I just had to pick up my parents at the airport at 4 in the morning a couple days ago,... But I woke up at 2 and didn't dare try to sleep more
Not nearly the same thing but still sucked
 
5:28 AM
Ah, yeah, sounds like it would. Were you able to get some rest afterward?
 
Yes
I don't typically have major sleep issues
Thank God for that
I have enough other problems
 
Heh, yes. There are always plenty of problems to go around.
 
Sleep issues are a big one
It seems like they feed into everything else
:(
 
True. One of the things I do at work is check in magazines, including stuff like Prevention, and every time I see a headline about how sleep loss causes this or that, I'm like, "Please stop reminding me," lol.
 
Sorry
 
5:37 AM
Oh, no, no need to be.
 
Mk
 
This is me being kind of silly. It doesn't actually bother me. :,v
 
Fair enough
I just want to be that guy
The one who said the stupid thing about something somone struggles with their whole life
I personally get pretty ticked off when people spout some nonsense or other about Autism
 
Nah, you're good. You didn't say anything stupid. The articles I'm joking about are good information, too.
 
It's a sensitive subject for me and I don't want to pull the same thing about a different subject
 
5:49 AM
Yeah, I understand.
 
I try not to make a big deal out of it myself
But sometimes a person or a peice of media decides everyone remotely like me is trash
:/
Sorry for making that heavy
XD
 
No worries. I'm sure it's super frustrating.
I posted a bit in NAB about the few things that irk me re: narcolepsy, heh. There's really not much.
 
@trogdor Maybe you get bad press coverage because you keep burninating the countryside
 
6:04 AM
@MikeQ why you ;P
 
You just need to put a new spin on it. You're not burninating the countryside, you're... remodeling it with fire.
4
 
6:58 AM
Yeah yeah
That sounds like the perfect nefarious plot,... I mean Goodwill brainwashing,. .. I mean disambiguation campaign
 
With a little PR magic, it can be.
 
0
Q: Which option should I choose for bad but not-obviously-deletion-worthy posts in the Low Quality Posts review queue?

A_S00The "Low Quality Posts" review queue presents me with four options for each post. The guidance it provides on which one to pick is: Looks OK if nothing is wrong with this answer Edit if you can fix all the problems with this answer Recommend Deletion to recommend that this answer be d...

 
8:01 AM
hi everyone, is there a way to send private messages to users, or to invite them in a chatroom like this one ?
 
8:21 AM
@Boulash No way to do private messages, but you can invite them here by simply providing them with the link to this room. Or you can create a room and invite them there. They must have enough rep to join chat (20 IIRC).
 
@Rubiksmoose You also need 100 reputation yourself to create such a room. (It's a different privilege than the simple "write in chat" privilege.)
 
@Secespitus ah yeah good point. That as well.
 
8:44 AM
@Adeptus What's T&T like?
 
9:32 AM
That Shapechange question - I find it hilarious that we all answered at the same time, that we all clearly thought 'I should provide an example fo a spell where reagents are consumed for comparision' and that we all thought 'some sort of resurrection spell would be an obvious example' and then that we all chose different ones, Revivify, Reincarnate and Raise Dead have all been quoted.
 
And everyone picked a resurrection spell
Funny :D
Then again, those are the ones where the cost has a clear balance point.
 
I've clearly been institutionalised.
 
Can we get What about the ranger keeps making it weak? closed at the very least until the question is clarified/fixed up? I think that what OP is aiming for is actually much too broad and the question should be closed anyways. But even if you disagree with that, the question is very unclear right now.
 
I've already voted.
Not sure if it's traying into designer reasons.
it's straying*
I can't really envisage a satisfying answer to it, either way.
 
It's actually a very interesting question - the history of the Ranger in D&D goes back a long way, and covers a lot of changes. There are plenty of good answers to it out there on the Internet already, there's no reason we couldn't have some here.
 
9:45 AM
@Miniman But it really seems too broad. Specifically they want the history to explain why the current ranger is weak. Which, currently, is not even really a well-supported claim in the question.
 
@Miniman If you think that's true, perhaps you could suggest some productive edits?
I've got no idea.
 
@Miniman I agree it is interesting, but I don't think it is feasible or acceptable in its current scope.
Really the question is asking "Why is the 5e Ranger weak?" And that is not really a question we can answer insofar as "why" means "how did the design end up like this?". We can answer "what mechanically makes the Ranger weaker than other 5e classes" much better.
Welcome to Ranger week on RPG.SE!
We hope you enjoy your stay. Please check out the gift shop for all kinds of Ranger-themed gifts and trinkets!
 
10:00 AM
It's funny how the questions run through little spates like that.
 
10:10 AM
ranger danger
just remember, you can't spell "danger" without "dang"
 
And you can't spell ranger without "Chuck Norris"
 
i haven't heard of this meme in many a year...
 
10:25 AM
I only trade in the crustiest, oldest memes around.
Certified preowned antique.
 
do you trade in dancing bananas
 
@doppelgreener When they are in season for sure.
 
 
1 hour later…
11:56 AM
@Rubiksmoose - still here?
 
12:13 PM
@ravery I am now
 
12:30 PM
@Rubiksmoose - rpg.stackexchange.com/a/128722/42354 perhaps this edit is a better explanation of whay I mean about Smite
 
@ravery Yeah I think that is much clearer. I would say there is pretty much no ambiguity in the wording personally, but that is not a huge deal.
 
well the ambiguity comes from weapon damage vs attack damage. plain English would equate them. ie it would be reasonable for someone to think that a sword that does electric damage has weapon/attack damage and bonus damage and then read that bonus damage isn't doubled
 
12:47 PM
@ravery don't forget the wording though. Damage isn't doubled, damage is rolled again.
It is damage dice that are effectively doubled, not damage itself.
 
@Miniman I'm playing a "paladin" which, in my world, is a Ftr15/Cl3. Battlemaster/war priest.
 
@Rubiksmoose - well yes, but doesn't seem intuitive to me that 1d6 slashing + 1d4 electric would both double. That's why I added the part about Smite.
 
@trogdor No, it's 5e but the lingo's useful. (I don't feel like there's a set term in 5e for things like ki points, action surges, sorcery points... those things you can use a set number of per day and which recharge on rests.)
 
@ravery I see I see. Makes sense.
 
@nitsua60 The bit I was questioning was how the rogue and battlemaster used channel divinity.
 
1:02 PM
anyway, on to my next question... I have a Bard, that I allow to create a *Ring of Disguise*(based on disguise self). He seems to be planning to use it to impersonate a member of a closed group of cultists. Obviously disguise self would make him look like the cultist, but what other checks should he make to impersonate a person he's seen but does not know?
 
@Miniman My battlemaster is the "paladin"
(Which is a bit I shouldn't have left out.)
 
perhaps perforance for him vs insight for the cultists
 
1:18 PM
I think it went like: first turn distracting strike, commander's strike to get the rogue's advantaged 10d6 attack, crit, 4th attack for free from GWM. Action surge, three more attacks all hit (two more precision dice). Something like 150 damage, having used 4 of 6 superiority dice, bonus action, and the rogue's reaction, maybe a luck die, too.
Rogue's turn is bonus action hide then sneak attack, 45 damage.
Pit fiend almost takes out the rogue in one turn.
Second turn 4 attacks (war priest) all hit (channel divinity and another precision die), something like 100 damage.
 
1:40 PM
@ravery are they planning on speaking or just hanging out in the shadows?
 
1:53 PM
@NautArch I don't know, though there is a situation where he may attempt interaction
to gain info
 
@ravery just thinking that disguise self is physical, so if they talk they won't sound like who they are disguised as.
and if they touch someone, the size difference may be an issue if there is one.
 
@NautArch ah, true ... I was thinking about being able to act like someone they don't know while among people that know the person being impersonated
 
@ravery Do they have the Actor feat?
If not, I'm not sure how this will work successfully.
 
no actor feat, but a bard is a performer ..
 
Hard Deception check and good roleplaying? depends on the exact circumstances
 
2:02 PM
@SirCinnamon he also has a high suggestion bonus ...
 
Or the Friends cantrip
 
hey @nitsua60, did you ever wind up delivering the news to your players? :P (or having the heart to?) how'd they respond?
 
@doppelgreener I did! I printed the transcript from a year ago and handed it to them. They were as unamused (though, in think, secretly appreciative) as one might expect!
 
(For those who don't know what we're talking about, you might want to read a dozen or so messages starting here:
Aug 29 '17 at 0:26, by doppelgreener
I have a challenge for D&D DMs: have a magical creature give your players' characters a difficult and arduous quest, offering great and bountiful treasure in reward (they won't say what). When they complete it and return the creature explains to them cheerfully and completely unironically that the treasure was the friendships they have forged. (Then, out of interest, tell us how they responded and whether they did a violence upon the creature in response.)
)
 
2:09 PM
@nitsua60 :)
 
@nitsua60 oh boy XD
Is that how you delivered the news to them?
 
@ravery If he tries to cast Suggestion in a crowded room, that may not go so well :)
But there are mechanics for impersonating, and this character doesn't have them. I'd definitely set a very high DC for that.
 
Yeah, they'd still have to disguise their voice, and possibly make bluff checks to act like they know what the cultist would know
 
@MikeQ Is their amagical way to disguise voice?
 
@MikeQ bluff is a deception check yes? or insight for the cultists?
 
2:17 PM
@doppelgreener Well, the NPC said, unironically, that their friendships were the reward. And she went on and on and on talking about her old adventuring friends, detailing old stories, &c. &c. &c. After a minute or so of the players waiting awkwardly for the other shoe to drop I handed out the transcripts.
 
ooooh XD
AND THEN THEY JOINED RPG.SE AND TROLLED US ALL FOR REVENGE
 
O/ HELLO EVERYONE
 
GREETINGS
 
WAVES FRANTICALLY FOR ATTENTION
Whats up? @doppelgreener
 
Not much!
You?
 
2:24 PM
Very well
 
@NautArch Perform or Bluff check, maybe versus an Insight check or DC of passive insight?
 
@MikeQ passive insight would be 10+insight bonus right?
 
Generally speaking yes. And then maybe you can adjust the DC based on the situation and the difficulty of what they're trying to do
And since it's a cult, they probably have a lot of secret protocols and rituals that members would know, so I imagine faking it would be difficult
 
2:41 PM
@MikeQ perhaps they will leave the spying to the warlocks sprite familiar. :) thanks for the preplanning ideas.
they have 3 days to find out some critical info for the campaign to continue but I don't want to just trow it at them either
 
@ravery This is a similar challenge I'm having with my players. I've brought it up in the chat a few times before.
Do they already know what information to look for?
 
@MikeQ -- sort of... the know it's a spy mission. tracking shipments. Do you know Hoard of the Dragon Queen?
 
I haven't played it and I don't know what happens in it
 
@MikeQ that seems like it would be an advantage for the deceiver. But without the feat, shouldn't it be harder for them to impersonate?
 
@NautArch Yes, hence my followup message regarding adjusting the DC. So the minimum (baseline) DC would be the NPCs' passive insight, and then the GM could adjust accordingly. Maybe add anywhere from +2 to +5.
 
2:57 PM
@NautArch -- since he's a bard, I think performance vs insight might be reasonable. passisve insight for the cultists would be 10.
 
If they're pretending to be someone else, then I'd aim for a DC closer to 15
 
@ravery and that's why I think it's too heavily weighted to the bard. Maybe DC15 at disadvantage.
 
These are cultists who are aware that illusory magic such as Disguise Self exists. The premise of "Hey I'm your friend and my voice sounds funny because I have a cold and I accidentally forgot our secret handshake, and today I feel like asking a bunch of questions I've never asked before" is much less believable by comparison.
 
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