Pt. 3: "Showdown at Biggs Ranch"

Oooo... battletech!

Robyo wrote:Well, level-appropriate in Radiance terms, would be: total PC levels vs encounter levels. That means your combined levels would, I think, now be 15 levels (given JP's post-mortum buff). So you would in theory, be balanced against 15 level-one creatures, or a 15th-level solo, or some combination thereof.

The total levels of NPCs on this ranch exceeds that estimate. Not all of them are considered aggressive, however (as you have seen). It kind of depends on how the PC's interact as they go along... This is a stronghold, so the ratio is going to be skewed?

Ok, that makes sense and sort of answers the question. If the boss is lvl 6 and his body guards somewhere in the 3-4, maybe 5 range this IS a level appropriate zone for 2 lvl 4s and 5. We were just not particularly smart about confronting them in a large group (their advantage) instead of more stealth and trying to pick some off 1 at a time (our advantage) until we thinned out their numbers. our bad!

knowing Biggs was a 6+ alder townie probably would have made me wait, just in comparison to being a lvl 3 (at the start) Marshall. Kind of like a low level cop trying to arrest a congressman.

Maybe it is just Radiance too, it just seemed that JP got killed in 1 rd of 2 shots and that Reaver nuked a whole room full of people. To me that seemed over powered compared to our level, but maybe that's just my perception too.

Our levels are really only 13, JP may be +2 lvls as a ghost, but he seems to have lost power, not gained it, imo.

Ok - I vote to stay and try to survive!
*that may include jumping on my horse and going "brave sir robin"

Monsters and NPCs are balanced by points against PCs, but the thing about townies, is their hyper-specialization. It probably wouldn't seem as realistic in a standard fantasy genre, but Radiance accommodates an industrialized age, where-by apprenticeships and colleges can account for a higher specialization. A standard Townie is second level (but they can be higher too), but they can spend their build points in a more focused way then the standard PC. This means 5 2nd-level townies could have a decent chance of taking out a 10th level PC. I believe it makes PCs more accountable to society. PC's can take Townie levels too.

Consider that 3.5 rules (and previous editions) regard NPCs as 0-level canon fodder for the most part. Even NPCs with classes like Expert and Warrior were still weaker than PC classes. Those commoner types also exist in Radiance, but townies give them more leverage. Also, despite the industrialized slant, there is magic to deal with, so characters with power need to be able to defend themselves in a meaningful way. In Golarian for example, you might have a king who is only 2nd level. Their leadership feat buys many perks. But in Radiance, that king would probably be in the teens or higher (if he expected to have a substantial reign). It's the Conan effect: those with true power, have fight to keep their power.


I believe it's still Auren's turn...

navyik wrote:Oooo... battletech!

Word on the street is they're working on a new edition...

Robyo wrote:
I believe it's still Auren's turn...

So in the spirit of not rushing..... Josh and JP haven't voiced their opinion about the reset or continue options.

question about acting vs declaring actions.... let's say Auren picks up his sword, moves to R23 (hustle) and then makes a Rapid Attack. Can I swing once at Storm and see the results before I declare the second swing?

ie if Storm is still alive, swing again at him, if storm drops Swing at Bossman?

Chris wrote:

Robyo wrote:
I believe it's still Auren's turn...

So in the spirit of not rushing..... Josh and JP haven't voiced their opinion about the reset or continue options.

question about acting vs declaring actions.... let's say Auren picks up his sword, moves to R23 (hustle) and then makes a Rapid Attack. Can I swing once at Storm and see the results before I declare the second swing?

ie if Storm is still alive, swing again at him, if storm drops Swing at Bossman?

Sure, that's fine.

I'm good with staying and seeing where this goes

while we are asking questions.... JP floated his dynamite and made it chase someone, if I recall.

what are the map coordinates where the blast occurred?

was there any damage to structures? for instance - the gate, the fence, etc

Chris wrote:while we are asking questions.... JP floated his dynamite and made it chase someone, if I recall.

what are the map coordinates where the blast occurred?

was there any damage to structures? for instance - the gate, the fence, etc

JP can only "float" stuff up to 10' at a time. He opted to run with the explosives (while the fuse was lit) right up to the gate entrance. He extinguished the fuse, but a heat ray was blasted by the well-dressed man, which ignited the dynamite bundle. Since JP was incorporeal at the time (he can shift back and forth to material and immaterial forms, but it costs Vitality), so he suffered no damage. Currently, he's standing outside the gate and the others haven't seen him yet. The well-dressed man disappeared. Grok and the stranger are the only apparent survivors at the gate. The gate doors are currently open. The gate suffered damage and the doors are scorched, but the apparatus is still standing.

Ok, I guess JP is dead either way, since he was killed before the Biggs\arrest part.

back to the action!

Auren will pick up his sword (move) and Hustle (-1 vit) to move to R-23 next to Storm and Biggs.

Auren will take 2 swings, using Rapid Attack

first swing at Storm

Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +10" :

3 + 10 = 13 WHIFF

2nd swing at Storm
Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +10" :

9 + 10 = 19

if that hits, damage

Result of the throw of dice "2d6 +22" :

3 + 4 + 22 = 29 + 5 if evil

Auren swings twice, missing twice.


Round 2:

New Initiative Lineup:

1) Tommy
2) JP
3) Sina
4) Storm
5) Biggs
6) Well-Dressed Man
7) Stranger
8 ) Grog
9) Henry
10) Marvin
11) Auren


Tommy is up...

"enough of this fightin' on the ground horse shit... " Tommy uses rapid reload to reload his rifle as a swift action. He moves 30 ft towards Goliath and then takes another shot at storm

To Hit:
Roll(1d20)+10:
16,+10
Total:26

If that hits:

Roll(2d12)+5:
8,12,+5
Total:25

whit10 wrote:"enough of this fightin' on the ground horse shit... " Tommy uses rapid reload to reload his rifle as a swift action. He moves 30 ft towards Goliath and then takes another shot at storm

maybe I am misreading the map, but it looks like Tommy and Auren are right next to their horses

As a move action, jp will whisper closely to the two by the gate, (but he will remain invisible): "run! Whaahl yeu zteel cahn! Everrrywahn weel dah! (Getting louder) zey weel ahl dah! Ha ha ha!
(As a standard action he will magehand the unattended revolver to point at them so as to encourage their flight through the gate away from the ranch. He will fire it if he can).

oh, well, cancel the move and he's just standing next to the horse?

whit10 wrote:oh, well, cancel the move and he's just standing next to the horse?

look at the map on page 4 and ask Rob, but you could probably get mounted in 1 move I would guess

whit10 wrote:"enough of this fightin' on the ground horse shit... " Tommy uses rapid reload to reload his rifle as a swift action. He moves 30 ft towards Goliath and then takes another shot at storm

To Hit:
Roll(1d20)+10:
16,+10
Total:26

If that hits:

Roll(2d12)+5:
8,12,+5
Total:25

Tommy is next to his horse.
Tommy shoots Storm and he falls down dead.

navyik wrote:As a move action, jp will whisper closely to the two by the gate, (but he will remain invisible): "run! Whaahl yeu zteel cahn! Everrrywahn weel dah! (Getting louder) zey weel ahl dah! Ha ha ha!
(As a standard action he will magehand the unattended revolver to point at them so as to encourage their flight through the gate away from the ranch. He will fire it if he can).

You can use a swift action to speak 10 words or so. You get 3 swifts per turn, so JP can manage to say those things and still get a move and standard actions.

It's also a swift action to draw/levitate the revolver. He can shoot the gun (standard), using his normal abilities for firearms.

So it's still your turn...

JP also happens to notice back up the road a ways (where he had just come from) 3 horsed men. They had been riding south and have stopped by JP's body. It is still laying at the side of the road. They are looking down at it and at the gate, pointing and talking amongst themselves. Two of the riders are human and one is a kobold.

[quote="Robyo"]

navyik wrote:
JP also happens to notice back up the road a ways (where he had just come from) 3 horsed men. They had been riding south and have stopped by JP's body. It is still laying at the side of the road. They are looking down at it and at the gate, pointing and talking amongst themselves. Two of the riders are human and one is a kobold.

Zyd and the guys from the hunting cabin! (or Derr maybe)

nice shootin Tommy-guns

"I guess the strain was more than he could bear." Tommy says with almost no expression.

Rapidfire at the stranger: 8+9=17
if it hits 7 dmg (3+4)
And 14+9=23
If it hits 9dmg (5+4)

Then he walks through their bodies (if he can) to go help boots and pretty boy. The gun will stay pointed at the stranger and grog if they do not flee.

navyik wrote:Rapidfire at the stranger: 8+9=17
if it hits 7 dmg (3+4)
And 14+9=23
If it hits 9dmg (5+4)

Then he walks through their bodies (if he can) to go help boots and pretty boy. The gun will stay pointed at the stranger and grog if they do not flee.

When JP speaks, still yet unseen, Grog looks scared and begins to run away (he can't until his turn). JP fires at the stranger and the second bullet hits. JP walks through them and the gun continues to levitate and be pointed at them, but when JP moves beyond the 30' range of his mage hand, it will drop (next turn). The injured horse by the gate whinnies as JP's eidolon passes by. Animals can sense the spirit world.

He will take the revolver with him before he leaves the range. I'll give you a square # in a sec.

Going to j-9

Did Tommy climb on his horse? It would have been a move action, which he could have done. He began his turn standing next to Goliath.


Sina heard Tommy's gunshots and turned around. She fires once from her horse and misses Tommy. The bullet whizzes by his head.


The Bossman tries to grapple Auren: 19 vs Fort: miss.


Back at the gate, the well-dressed man speaks, still unseen, "You fools! He's getting away. Do I have to do everything myself?"
"But I don't see anyone!" the stranger replies, confused.
"I ordered you to kill him!" the invisible man says.
"I thought I did!"
"And yet he continues to be. Perhaps he is one of the Enscribed. No matter, I will finish this!" The well-dressed man reappears by the gate and holds out his finger pointing at the incorporeal Frenchman.
Heat Ray to JP: 30 vs Will, 16% miss!


The stranger still can't see JP and does nothing.


The horseman arrives at the gate as Grog runs past him. "What's going on Grog?" he says.
"Black magic!" the orc responds, not stopping.
The rider turns to the other two. "Good morning, Jethro," he says to the stranger. "Good morning, Mr. Joffrey," he says to the well-dressed man. "What's all the trouble?" He doesn't appear to see JP either.


The rider of the ox-wagon stops in the middle of the road (M-5). He pulls out his shotgun, waiting to see what happens.


Auren is up...

"You had your chance Bossman. Resisting arrest and assaulting an officer are felonies, Mr. Biggs."

Rapid Attack on Biggs

1st swing vs Fort
Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +10" :

18 + 10 = 28

damage, if that hits
Result of the throw of dice "2d6 +22" :

1 + 3 + 22 = 26 +5 if evil-aligned

2nd swing vs Fort
Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +10" :

10 + 10 = 20

if that hits
Result of the throw of dice "2d6 +22" :

2 + 5 + 22 = 29 +5 if Evil-aligned



For my move action:

I will either just shift near Biggs (to S-23, next to my horse) if he is still up or mount my horse if Biggs goes down.

er, yeah, Tommy gets on the horse as well

Auren's first swing is a hit. The Bossman grimaces and glares at his attacker. "No more Mr. Nice Guy," he declares.


Round 3:

Tommy is up...

"Corvis, gimme some love..." Tommy will use a faith point to add a +5 to this attack roll. (it basically just cancels the -5 from shooting into melee)

One shot and moving the horse to the south of my current position by 20 ft.

attack:

Roll(1d20)+10:
11,+10
Total:21

er, hmm, not so lucky... hit?

If so,
Roll(2d12)+5:
3,6,+5
Total:14


Rapid Reload either way and done.

whit10 wrote:"Corvis, gimme some love..." Tommy will use a faith point to add a +5 to this attack roll. (it basically just cancels the -5 from shooting into melee)

One shot and moving the horse to the south of my current position by 20 ft.

attack:

Roll(1d20)+10:
11,+10
Total:21

er, hmm, not so lucky... hit?

If so,
Roll(2d12)+5:
3,6,+5
Total:14


Rapid Reload either way and done.

Who are you shooting at, Tex?

Is that a Boon you bought for 1 Faith point? If so, which Boon? Otherwise, a Faith point expenditure would add 1d6 to your attack roll (houserule thread).

shooting at the boss. Sorry, forgot its a d6 added. It's the Boon called stroke of Luck, its a +5 to any d20 roll before I know the target number

Jp will turn the floating 6-gun on mr. Joffrey firing twice.
D20+7=13 vs. Ref
If it hits 2d6+5dmg=11
D20+7=24 vs. Ref
if it hits 11 dmg again.
As a move action he will walk through the rider's horse hoping to provoke mr. Joffrey to attack the rider.
As a swift action, jp will whisper to the rider, "queeklie, keel zeh mahd weezahrd befeuore he keel yeu!"

I kind of like phantom frenchie, maybe you should stay a spook

...he could be the 'phantom menace'

"Ah ahm lahk ah fahrrrt een zee weend- yeu cannaht tehl weech waiy ah cohme ahnd go!"

Robyo wrote:

navyik wrote:Oooo... battletech!

Word on the street is they're working on a new edition...

Now THAT deserves a tabletop group!

navyik wrote:

Robyo wrote:

navyik wrote:Oooo... battletech!

Word on the street is they're working on a new edition...

Now THAT deserves a tabletop group!

yeah, you really need to sit down and play with miniatures and terrain for Battletech. like warhammer, half the fun is the model building, painting, etc

Is it still going to be overly complicated and take five hours for one fight? lol

whit10 wrote:Is it still going to be overly complicated and take five hours for one fight? lol

I hope so!

I don't know if it still exists.... but there was a battletech center in Chicago. full 6v6 or maybe 12v12 team battles. you sit in a fully enclosed cockpit with actual battlemech controls, heat sinks, choice of mecha, etc. graphics would be outdated by today's standards, but they were decent back in the day. I want to say I went with Matt's old roommates, so that might have been..... egads.... 20 years ago

Alan, you're a friggin weirdo..

Chris, I think that center is still open. And yeah, 20 yrs... means we're old.

whit10 wrote:shooting at the boss. Sorry, forgot its a d6 added. It's the Boon called stroke of Luck, its a +5 to any d20 roll before I know the target number

Cool. I figured you were targeting Bossman (a melee-embattled foe), but I wanted to make sure, since Sina shot at Tommy. Stroke of Luck Boon sounds good.

Bossman takes the shot and spits a curse.

whit10 wrote:
Chris, I think that center is still open. And yeah, 20 yrs... means we're old.

we're a classic

navyik wrote:Jp will turn the floating 6-gun on mr. Joffrey firing twice.
D20+7=13 vs. Ref
If it hits 2d6+5dmg=11
D20+7=24 vs. Ref
if it hits 11 dmg again.
As a move action he will walk through the rider's horse hoping to provoke mr. Joffrey to attack the rider.
As a swift action, jp will whisper to the rider, "queeklie, keel zeh mahd weezahrd befeuore he keel yeu!"

The second shot hits Mr. Joffrey.

Everyone at the gate sees the gun "floating." He's really carrying the gun and it looks like it's floating, until they focus on incorporeal JP. He is hard to spot, but not invisible. He's giving himself away by carrying the gun with him.

Floating the gun with telekinesis would be a move action. Just lifting it off the ground is a swift, but moving it around is a move.

*Mage Hand ability is normally a standard action, but this is a special circumstance. I want JP to be able to move guns around and fire them. It makes the ability a little over-powered, so be it.

Sina shoots at Goliath:
27vsRef = 22 damage
You've been keeping score of Goliath's HP, Josh? He's definitely wounded now.


Bossman attempts to grapple Auren:
28vsFort = Auren is grappled.
He shouts, "Sina, get back here! We're being raided! Sound the alarm!"


Back up at the gate, Mr. Joffrey tries wielding some magic, but he fumbles.
"Curses!" Then he points at JP and the floating gun. "Bring the specter down, you fools!"


Jethro points his rifle. "I'll kill you again," he threatens.
22vsRef, 07% miss!
27vsRef, 85% hit! = 17 damage


Grog continues running and goes inside the house.


Henry stays where he's at on the wagon.


Marvin is confused and mystified by JP walking through his horse. The horse whinnies and rears up. "Whoah, Darla. Keep it together," he says, but his own voice is quivering. He pulls out his pistol and his hand is shaking. He shoots at JP but it's wild and misses.


Auren is up...

whit10 wrote:Sina shoots at Goliath:
27vsRef = 22 damage
You've been keeping score of Goliath's HP, Josh? He's definitely wounded now.

I have been but I have a question. Mounted combat is used to keep a rider from being hit once a round, why not the mount instead when that's what usually gets targeted?

If not, Goliath is wounded.

Robyo wrote:

navyik wrote:Jp will turn the floating 6-gun on mr. Joffrey firing twice.
D20+7=13 vs. Ref
If it hits 2d6+5dmg=11
D20+7=24 vs. Ref
if it hits 11 dmg again.
As a move action he will walk through the rider's horse hoping to provoke mr. Joffrey to attack the rider.
As a swift action, jp will whisper to the rider, "queeklie, keel zeh mahd weezahrd befeuore he keel yeu!"

The second shot hits Mr. Joffrey.

Everyone at the gate sees the gun "floating." He's really carrying the gun and it looks like it's floating, until they focus on incorporeal JP. He is hard to spot, but not invisible. He's giving himself away by carrying the gun with him.

Floating the gun with telekinesis would be a move action. Just lifting it off the ground is a swift, but moving it around is a move.

*Mage Hand ability is normally a standard action, but this is a special circumstance. I want JP to be able to move guns around and fire them. It makes the ability a little over-powered, so be it.

Oh... i thought i was using it remote control style... does the bullet hit the horse too?

How big are the rocks at 8-h and 9-i?

whit10 wrote:

whit10 wrote:Sina shoots at Goliath:
27vsRef = 22 damage
You've been keeping score of Goliath's HP, Josh? He's definitely wounded now.

I have been but I have a question. Mounted combat is used to keep a rider from being hit once a round, why not the mount instead when that's what usually gets targeted?

If not, Goliath is wounded.

Mounted Combat: Give me a Handle Animal check...

navyik wrote:How big are the rocks at 8-h and 9-i?

Those particular rocks are only 2 feet high or less.

Horsey isn't hit.

Handle Animal:

Roll(1d20)+14:
6,+14
Total:20