[Let's Play] Blood Sword I - The Battlepits of Krarth

[Shiritai]

Reed will cast White Fire and then move to engage the assassin in melee. My position doesn't matter too much, but I have a slight preference for 4. We should be able to one-round this guy.

...still, a ~27% chance of one of our guys dropping a round? That's rough for a first fight.

[Starmaker]

Reed will cast White Fire and then move to engage the assassin in melee. My position doesn't matter too much, but I have a slight preference for 4. We should be able to one-round this guy.

...still, a ~27% chance of one of our guys dropping a round? That's rough for a first fight.

How did you get 27% per round? He attacks for (2d6 <= 7)*(1d6+1 > 2) = 48.6% per round (at least if my head is screwed on right, of which I'm not sure after the 60 kph facial at the Raspberry Loop).

I wonder how Defend works. If one can declare to Defend before a higher-Awareness opponent gets to act (so characters with low Awareness -- including the Warrior, who should be good at melee combat -- can Defend at all), it's (3d6 <=7)*(1d6+1 > 2) = 13.5% per round (so, 25% in two rounds) if everyone goes full defense. If it doesn't work this way, yay, the possibly solo player character has a 56% chance of buying it in the first fight.

So if Defend can be used preemptively, I guess our best option is this:
I GTFO as my first action.
Dame Caecilia and Pepito defend.
Assassin attacks a defender and hopefully misses.
Reed, at 4, roasts the Assassin for 2d6+2.
I shoot for (2d6 <=7)*1d6, twice.
Quantum Assassin has a 35% chance of being dead. If he isn't, defenders defend again and Balhazar fries him.

If Defend can't be used preemptively, I stand at 1 and attack, because if someone buys it anyway, why not me. And even if he doesn't drop anyone, he stands a 23% chance of getting a second attack off, so we're looking at a 55% chance of at least one corpse.

[Shiritai]

Reed will cast White Fire and then move to engage the assassin in melee. My position doesn't matter too much, but I have a slight preference for 4. We should be able to one-round this guy.

...still, a ~27% chance of one of our guys dropping a round? That's rough for a first fight.

How did you get 27% per round? He attacks for (2d6 <= 7)*(1d6+1 > 2) = 48.6% per round (at least if my head is screwed on right, of which I'm not sure after the 60 kph facial at the Raspberry Loop).

Yikes, that sounds painful.

I was trying for an average if he randomly chose between the fighter, trickster, and either the sage or enchanter, but I completely flubbed that since I didn't factor in that +1 damage he does. So he's significantly more lethal than I first thought, and your calculations look spot-on.

Also, I echo Starmaker's battle plans.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Too tired to go over the numbers but Starmaker's plan looks good to me.

[angelfromanotherpin]

Dame Caecilia's first action will be to Move in to engage the enemy, as due to our order of march I am not currently in contact; once in close I will Defend. Also, when combat it over we should probably go to the default battle order so that I'm more likely to start in melee and the Trickster is more likely to start at range.

Also, I don't think the Trickster can disengage. Move only seems to take you to either an enemy or an exit, and there are no exits and only one enemy. Benedict should either Defend or use Quick Thinking to stab twice.

[Shiritai]

Oh, right, if we're stuck in that order that does change things for the worse. Either way, Reed attempts to cast White Fire until succeeding and then attacks in melee.

[SGamerz]

Also, I don't think the Trickster can disengage. Move only seems to take you to either an enemy or an exit, and there are no exits and only one enemy. Benedict should either Defend or use Quick Thinking to stab twice.

You can choose to disengage by moving from opponents even when there's no exit (taking damage if your Awareness is low)...but in this case angel is right, the Trickster can't move away because he's boxed in by his own companions. While Movement isn't restricted by distance, it is restricted by the positions of who/what is around you.

So regarding Starmaker's plan, Plan A doesn't work since he can't move away (at least, not until one of his companions makes his move and gets out of his way....and none of them can move before the Trickster because his Awareness is highest).

Regarding Defense, the book isn't terribly clear, but looking at the rules for Moving, I'd say it should be something similar. Which means a guy who lower Awareness cannot defend himself before someone with Higher Awareness hits him......but his Defend action will protect him in the next round when his opponent strikes again.

With this in mind, I think angel's suggestion of having the Trickster Defend in the first round makes the best strategy. By the book's default rules (playing without a DM rolling for the monsters) enemies will go for/strike at the nearest target, so the Assassin won't attack anyone else as long as the Trickster is the only one next to him....and the Trickster is fast enough to get into Defend mode before he can hit. If there's a DM in the game (me in this case), he can choose not to follow the default rules of having the enemy automatically attacking the nearest guy, but I'm going to stick to that in this fight, since it seems pretty realistic in this situation.

By order of Awareness level:

Trickster acts first. (8)
Assassin acts second. (7)
Warrior, Sage and Enchanter (6) act simultaneously.

So Trickster being in first position in this case isn't so bad....other than the fact that he can't move away.

If it doesn't work this way, yay, the possibly solo player character has a 56% chance of buying it in the first fight.

Keep in mind that solo characters start at higher levels, and therefore higher stats. An 8th rank character will have an Awareness of at least 7, which allows him to react in time to Defend against the Assassin (I'd count simultaneous actions - same Awareness level - as the Defend mode working in that round).

A further note regarding killing the assassin in an alternative section:

If you guys had let the Sage go ahead with using ESP, he'd have located the Assassin, giving you the chance to surprise him and fight him without him getting to use his poison dagger. You even get one free round of attack on him, and at 15 Endurance he probably wouldn't have lasted past 2 rounds in a 4-on-1.

I'll go ahead and run the combat on the assumption that the Trickster defends in the first round, since his plan was made on the assumption that he could move away instead and maybe I should have explained the rules more clearly....

[SGamerz]

ROUND 1....FIGHT!

Awareness 8 acts ...

Trickster [1] Defends.

Awareness 7 acts...

The Assassin, having only one close target, attacks the Trickster. He rolls 1+2+5 on 3 Dice (8) and just barely misses (got me nervous with the first 2 dice).

Awareness 6...

Sage [2] shoots an arrow (the Assassin isn't close enough to hit him and will have to spend 1 round moving close to do so, no need for him to Defend). Rolls 3+2 = 5 (Hits!). He then rolls a 3 and does 3 points of damage (no armour for the Assassin).

Enchanter [3] attempts to cast White Fire (I rule that he already has it in mind since Shiritai wanted to use it before the combat started). Rolls 2+2+1 [Complexity] Success! (5 is less than or equal to Psychic Ability (8) -1 (1 spell in mind).) Damage = 5 + 4 + 2 = 11!

Warrior [4] Moves out of the way so that the Trickster can retreat to safety.

Quick Thinking Bonus: Trickster Attacks Assassin (he's almost dead, and Trickster can still retreat next round). Rolls 3+2 =5 (Hits!) It doesn't matter what he rolls for damage because the Assassin has 1 Endurance left and doesn't wear armour.

The Assassin is dead.

'I need consider no more champions,' says Balhazar. 'Now it is time to equip you for the contest tomorrow.' He hands each player in the party an opal medallion; record it on your Character Sheets. Balhazar tells you that this will allow him to monitor your progress through the Battlepits, and possibly intervene with magic or advice when you are in trouble. He also gives the first player in the battle order (Trickster in this case) a strange item - an octagonal glass prism. He's not sure what it does, but thinks you will find a use for it. Then a servant shows you to bedchambers where you may get some rest.

You are up before the dawn, practising your combat techniques and preparing your ming for the ordeal to come. Balhazar and his guards take you out. The streets are full of bleary-eyed revellers - many of them have been up all night - jostling one another for a better view. You see the curtained litter of Magus Vyl, who obviously does not enjoy the dawn, accompanied by the three dark-robed Assassins who will champion him. Several other magi stand upon a dais in urgent consultation, making last-minute deals and alliances before the contest begins.

You are escorted across the cold tundra. Other groups are also filing away from the citadel. Among them you notice a group of bronze-armoured Barbarians employed by Magus Tor and the Master Warlock, Icon the Ungodly, who carries the pennant of Magus Uru. At last you reach a huge portal set into a hillside. Balhazar ushers you in, and you step through into the greatest adventure of your life ...

It's a real pity here that the Sage didn't use ESP before, because

if we weeded out the Assassin before he could try to attack Balhazar, our boss would have rewarded us further with a cool Giant-slaying magic sword.

And even if we somehow mistook the Assassin for Balhazar (ESP doesn't tell us that he's an Assassin, just that his was the only mind the Sage can detect because, everyone else is an illusion), the Assassin escapes, and Balhazar doesn't employ us (because we failed the test), but he'd still have given us a reward (a resurrection amulet!) for accidentally preventing his assassination attempt. Although that means we'd have to go back look for a decidedly more unpleasant Magus Kalugen to take our services.

With Balhazar's standard, you advance into the first chamber of the underworld. Torches flicker in brackets around the grime-encrusted walls. At the centre of the room, a vast marble table has been laid with a luscious array of sweetmeats and succulent viands. Balhazar watches you proceed through the heavy door as his servants swing it shut. 'Succeed in your quest to find the Emblem of Victory and I will reward you lavishly,' he says. 'But fail, and ...' His last words are drowned out by the deep clang as the doors swing shut.

If there is a Sage in the party, he or she can inspect the food. Otherwise you can eat or leave the room, either by a corridor at the far end or by entering an alcove to your left.

Since there's no other character options, there seems to be no downsides to just having the Sage look at the food (doesn't force him to eat it), so let's take a look:

SAGE:

You stoop to inspect the food, first crumbling it between your fingers to examine the texture, then sniffing at it, then finally tasting it gingerly. Detecting no trace of the poison you feared, you decide to eat.

Ok, so the book does arbitrarily decide to make you eat the food, but at least no harm is done.

Balhazar has provided excellent fare for you to begin your journey. Any wounded character who eats his fill restores one Endurance point. You may gather up some of the food to take with you. The portions you take (each healing one Endurance) can be stored in a backpack, and each counts as one item of encumbrance. You may eat one portion after any combat. Now you are ready to move on.

Will you enter the corridor leading from the far end of the room or the alcove in the side wall?

No one is wounded yet, but since there's apparently an unlimited amount of food here, I'll go ahead and fill up everyone's backpack with them. We can always drop them if we want to pick up anything else. Let me know if you object.

Which way to go now?

Also now that we've had a taste of what battles are like, do you guys wish to maintain/change the Battle Order (I've counted angel's vote to revert to the default one, any objections to that?)

Adventure Sheets:

WARRIOR:

NAME: Dame Caecilia Wither-Stoat
RANK: 2nd

Battle Order: 4

Fighting Prowess: 8
Psychic Ability: 6
Awareness: 6
Endurance: 12
Damage: 1 Die+1

Items:
1 Sword
2 Chainmail armour (Armour Rating three)
3 Money pouch (10 gold pieces)
4 Opal Medallion
5- 10 Food (eat one for +1 EN after combat)

TRICKSTER:

NAME: Benedict of the Crimson Spires, Honourable Duelist
RANK: 2nd

Battle Order: 1

Fighting Prowess: 7
Psychic Ability: 6
Awareness: 8
Endurance: 12
Damage: 1 Die

Items:
1 Sword
2 Studded leather armour (Armour Rating two)
3 Money pouch (10 gold pieces)
4 Bow
5 Quiver (6 arrows)
6 Opal Medallion
7 Octagonal glass prism
8- 10 Food (eat one for +1 EN after combat)

SAGE:

NAME: "Pepito" Cascadero, Master of the Mystic Way
RANK: 2nd

Battle Order: 2

Fighting Prowess: 7
Psychic Ability: 7
Awareness: 6
Endurance: 10
Damage: 1 Die

Items:
1 Quarterstaff
2 Ringmail armour (Armour Rating two)
3 Money pouch (10 gold pieces)
4 Bow
5 Quiver (5 arrows)
6 Opal Medallion
7-10 Food (eat one for +1 EN after combat)

ENCHANTER:

NAME: Enchanter Reed, Ninth of the Inverted Tower
RANK: 2nd

Battle Order: 3

Fighting Prowess: 6
Psychic Ability: 8
Awareness: 6
Endurance: 10
Damage: 1 Die-1

Items:
1 Sword
2 Silver armour (Armour Rating two)
3 Money pouch (10 gold pieces)
4 Opal Medallion
5-10 (eat one for +1 EN after combat)

[Starmaker]

Ouch, I somehow missed diagonal movement isn't allowed.

If there's a DM in the game (me in this case), he can choose not to follow the default rules of having the enemy automatically attacking the nearest guy, but I'm going to stick to that in this fight, since it seems pretty realistic in this situation.

Well, if he'd gone for anyone else, he'd have wasted a turn moving and eaten a free hit from me.

He rolls 1+2+5 on 3 Dice (8) and just barely misses (got me nervous with the first 2 dice).

In case it comes up: do I get +1 from Dodging Technique when I defend?

'I need consider no more champions,' says Balhazar.

Sure, we noticed how you were spoiled for choice, dude.

'But fail, and ...' His last words are drowned out by the deep clang as the doors swing shut.

"...and die! Just a friendly reminder, in case you forgot!"

Change the battle order and tjeck out that alcove.

[Shiritai]

Well, 'least I know what the game means by "directly adjacent" now. I second Starmaker; lets revert our battle order and investigate the alcove.

[SGamerz]

In case it comes up: do I get +1 from Dodging Technique when I defend?

You do. I did forget that. So the Assassin missed by a slightly larger margin!

The alcove is not very deep and is covered with a beautiful array of gold and blue mosaics that sparkle in the torchlight. You step into it, hoping to find a hidden door or niche. Instead you are momentarily blinded as the mosaics let out a blinding flash of light. You feel the room spinning uncontrollably. Lights dance and whirl across the walls, and there is an instant of confusion. You realise, too late, that you have walked into a Teleportation spell.

In an instant the spinning ceases and you are now in an ornate garden under a roof of coloured gems. Sitting on the edge of a gently bubbling fountain is an elfin-featured girl wrapped in a toga of green silk.

If you wish to attack her, turn to 524. If you try talking to her, turn to 274.

In one of my previous LPs this might have been the time for one of those many bad penetration pun joke, but fancy that, we have 4 PCs and not one of them has a elaborately penile name! Of course, the fact that 1 of them is female and 2 others are deliberately gender-ambiguous might have something to do with that.

Attack or chat?

[Starmaker]

Chat, although I'd defer to angel now that Dame Caecilia faces a probably high-Awareness threat.

[angelfromanotherpin]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G51zrfkSQnY

[angelfromanotherpin]

edit: double post.

[Shiritai]

We have no special options, so let's try diplomacy.

Also I prep White Fire.

[SGamerz]

She does not open her mouth, but her musical voice rings inside your thoughts. She is speaking to you telepathically. 'I am Larisha - called, by the ancients of Krarth, the Gift-Giver. Now that you have stumbled into my little bower, I am obliged to render a single gift to you.'

She reaches into the sparkling waters of the fountain and holds up a silver poniard. 'This is the Dagger of Vislet, the Prince of Thieves.' She allows it to fall into the water and then pulls out another item. This is the Golden Snuff Box used by the savant Shormiano, and this -' she drops the snuff box and takes a large gem from the water '- is the last breath of Astarandel the Dragonlord.' You notice a flicker of light in the green depths of the gem. 'The fiery energy of Astarandel's breath is contained by a mighty spell,' explains Larisha. 'The spell takes the form of this gem, and if you were able to find some way of negating the spell you would unleash the searing flames of the Dragonlord's last exhalation.'

Choose the item you will take - either the Dagger of Vislet, the Golden Snuff Box or the Dragonlord Gem - then turn to 453.

Nice!

This is apparently part of Balhazar's (relative) generosity, not only providing free food but also letting us start right next door to an NPC that gives out free loot. With Kalugen he'd drop us in a different part of the Battlepits to begin....and it won't be nearly as pleasant.

You tell the strange woman which gift you have decided to accept and she hands it to you. Your words of thanks are cut short by a dismissive wave of her slender hand. 'Do not trouble to thank me, for I am a creature without a soul and I merely perform the duty that the Fates have assigned ... Now, I must return you to the Battlepits.'

If there is a Trickster in the party who wishes to do something, turn to 147. If there is an Enchanter who wishes to act, turn to 414. Otherwise turn to 203.

2 choices to make here (at least for Benedict and Reed). Do the Trickster or the Enchanter want to do anything? And which free gift do we pick?

[Shiritai]

Sure, let's see what Reed can do. As for the gift, I'd vote for the snuff box; something that seems that useless has *got* to be good, right? Also the gem sounds one-use.

[Darth Rabbitt]

My guess is that the dagger is a Trickster item, with the other two being more context specific than class specific. I agree with Shirtai though, the snuffbox is bound to be of some use.

[Starmaker]

Snuffbox, and check our options (first Reed, then me if we go back to this paragraph).

[SGamerz]

The party gets the Snuffbox from Larisha before the Enchanter tries a spell:

On a whim, you summon a Faltyn. It appears as a flickering image on the edge of your vision.

['Larisha still has two objects concealed in her fountain,' you tell it. 'Bring them to me.'

The Faltyn hesitates for a moment. 'Larisha is a powerful entity - no, let us not prevaricate, she is a demon. I would require a generous payment for the risk I should be running. I will try to obtain the other two items, but you must let me have the item you have already been given.']

If you agree to this (the other party members, if any, have no say in it), turn to 327. If you won't pay the Faltyn what it asks, it vanishes in a petulant flash of light.

Unfortunately, this is one of those special character options that closes off the others. The Trickster will not get to act after this.

Reed has to decide whether or not to agree to the Faltyn's bargain (and whetehr to reveal that bargain to the others.

[Shiritai]

Huh, I was hoping we'd have more info on the snuffbox after we received it, and now we have the chance of giving it up in exchange for the other two items. Feel free to read the spoilered part, everyone; I wouldn't want to make this decision unilaterally. Worst case scenario, we might end up fighting that guardian.

[angelfromanotherpin]

My prediction: she catches and destroys the critter, whom we will have paid in advance like suckers. No deal.

[Darth Rabbitt]

I actually think we should do it, if not just because it'll be pretty cool if we can get a magic dagger and a dragon breath gem. Admittedly it's risky for the reasons angel pointed out, but I'm willing to take risks.

[Starmaker]

I would require a generous payment for the risk I should be running. I will try to obtain the other two items

Maybe it's my second language showing, but this sure sounds like he'll just dick us over. Plus, I like the snuffbox.

[Shiritai]

I would require a generous payment for the risk I should be running. I will try to obtain the other two items

Maybe it's my second language showing, but this sure sounds like he'll just dick us over. Plus, I like the snuffbox.

I agree, "try" is a weaselly word. Reed ignores the tricksy Faltyn.