The more I think about it the more I'd like to focus on the idea of LotR as a D&D campaign.  Question is: Who would Tim want to play in LotR setting?  Cannon character(s)?  Or character(s) of his own making?  And I'd like to play the books chapter by chapter.  Meaning our group is the fellowship of the ring or replaces the characters.

If we played the fellowship cannon:
Any halfling: Rogue
Gimli: Fighter w/axe
Legolus: Archer Ranger
Gandalf: (Human?) Wizard
Aragorn: Hunter Ranger
Boramir: Fighter

Yeah. LotR is where all the stereotypes came from. But whether we play stereotypes or not, I'm unsure whether I'd like to play the cannon characters. I *can*, granted there aren't enough players on this forum to only go 1 character each, but I would say unless *everyone* is interested in playing the cannon, we should all go original characters.

Joe, who expressed "I'm not creative and so can't play a new character!" tears, can go the way of Mittens and just have Joe. Same character sheet and all.

Heh if your wanting to play a LoTR game, why not just play Lotro since it is free to play and does not require a GM/DM. At least in Lotro the hobbits are hobbits and not called halflings.

You obviously didn't read the whole conversation. :)



So yeah. Would love to, but... RP.

While it is true that it is hard to RP on a MMO, it is possible if you find a guild that is primarily RP oriented and have friends who RP as well, but ya you'll always have to deal with the nutball for example someone named Laggolass or something that wants to only speak in Leet speak or some such nonsense that comes up and tries to be a pain.

Now if only Lotro had something similar to STO's Foundary... then you could play in instances where you could avoid such annoyances and control the RP interaction with NPCs to a degree as well.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:50, Mon 09 May 2011.

Oh! Oh! I wanna RP camping the night! XD Squeeeeeeee!

  I should check out the foundry sometime.  Granted, my lone (and bugged from patches, ill fix it up someday and make it a smother than original experience gimmick mission set) entry into the City Of Heroes mission creation was aided by my personal familiarity with the game and Robotics Masterminds being a lot more in depth than I have for STO (and aided by the custom enemies gig).

  If we did go for this Lotr bit, I suppose Cynical Archer Joe would be a potentially amusing contrast to Optimistic and good role model for Elven attitude Legolus.

I've decided against running LotR.  Was only willing to put in the mountain of effort if Tim was falling all over himself with enthusiasm for the idea.  So no need to spend any more brain cells on the topic.

Possible character musing when I actually sat and asked myself how to make the most accurate ranged character. Wasn't going straight Avenger because I wanted to see how high the attack number could get. Anyway... listing what I take at each level and how large the attack is and how large it CAN be from using powers and such:

Level 1:
Human Hybrid Ranger/Rogue. Chose Ranger Reflex.
Stats: Str 08, Con 10, Dex 20, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 10
Trained Skills: Acro (11), Ath (5), Bluff (6), Ins (7), Int (6), Perc (7), Stealth (11)
At-Will Powers: Preparitory Strike (Rogue), Probing Strike (Rogue), Twin Strike (Ranger)
Encounter Power: Fox's Cunning (Ranger)
Daily Power: Guardian Arrow (Ranger)
Feats: Hybrid Talent (Chose Rogue Weapon Talent: Crossbow Sharpshooter), Weapon Proficiency - Superior Crossbow

Attack: Dex mod (5) + Proficiency (3) + Sharpshooter (1) = 9
Potential Attack: Attack (9) + Combat Advantage (2) + Power Bonus (1) = 12

Level 2:
Utility: Begin the Hunt
Feat: Crossbow Expertise

Attack: See Level 1 (9) + Enhancement (1) + Half level (1) + Feat (1) = 13
Potential Attack: Attack (13) + Combat Advantage (2) + Power Bonus (2) = 17

Level 3:
Encounter Power: Fleeting Spirit Strike
Nothing special here. Just picking the most ideal encounter power, nothing for attack at this level.

Level 4:
Bonus to Stats: +1 Dex, +1 Wis
Feat: Action Surge (+3 attack when you use action point)
Half Level brings up base attack from 13 to 14

Attack: 14
Potential Attack: Attack (14) + C.A. (2) + Power Bonus (2) + Surge (3) = 21

---

As you can see, by level 4, the attack value is already nuts, needing only a roll of 6 to hit AC 20. And that's if I target AC and with my base attack. I can potentially hit AC 23 with a roll of 2 (since a roll of 1 is auto-miss, I didn't bother mentioning hitting AC 22 with a roll of 1)

But right now it's late, so I'll just leave it at that and continue this madness later. Enjoy the build for what it is. Pure accuracy.

Later possible feat
Feat: Against All Odds (if 3 enemies adjacent to you at start of turn: +1 attack)

Yom!  Fon!  Happy chargen haz.  :)

  Just did a quick lv 2 test. To double check Versatile Expertise results (Crossbow, Unarmed). And DAMNIT.  Crossbow Caster doesn't register according to webtools -.-;

  Or rather, it does, for NORMAL crossbows.  It doesn't calculate for SUPERIOR Crossbow.  OR Hand Crossbow.  What the hell man.  I can work things out by hand in future, but man this is annoying.  though worse yet, I have the lurking suspicion the answer will be 'LoL! You're only allowed to use Normal Crossbows It's working as intended LoL!'.

  Benefit: You can use a crossbow as an implement for your artificer powers and artificer paragon path powers.

  Though, a browsing of the Forums shows that the Status of 'Crossbow Caster.  All Crossbows like how Rouge sneak attack says 'crossbows' but works with hand etc,, or Just Regular Crossbow?' is one of the many unanswered questions.  Everyone is too busy trying to ask/work out how to use crossbow caster for Wizard powers and such to answer that basic detail.
  Tried my own hand at creating a thread in the Q&A board, but not getting my hopes up in favor of Superior Crossbow...  At least if it doesn't work, that frees up a feat slot?...

 Nooooooo! I want my super crossbow! Why Kord!?  Why have you forsaken me!?
This message was last edited by the player at 09:17, Sun 15 May 2011.

  Psst, Raichel.  You're Still Level 1.  You list Hybrid Talent(Storm Soul) as your Lv 1 feat, and that yo plan on getting Staff Fighting at lv 2.

durp.

  Regarding the wishlist parcels Tim is handling in Scales.  Wishlist item =Item you want, not 'get to pick item of that level range'.

  People want lower level items when a parcel lists a higher level item?  Just make the parcel the lower level item+cash difference, dooooy.

  This falls apart if you want a higher level item than a Parcel's value.  But that isn't a factor at this moment right now.

Something worth noting: DMG p41
Effects that last “until the end of the encounter” actually last about 5 minutes. That means they never carry over from one encounter to another, as long as those encounters are separated by a short rest. If characters use them outside combat, or plow through multiple encounters without taking a short rest, they enjoy the effect for a full 5 minutes.



Restrained doesn't prevent you from attacking, but Unconscious does. PHB p277

UNCONSCIOUS
✦ You’re helpless.
✦ You take a –5 penalty to all defenses.
✦ You can’t take actions.
✦ You fall prone, if possible.
✦ You can’t flank an enemy.

And technically, also with rules as written, monsters can't wake up from being unconscious, especially since many a monster have special powers just for that which insinuates they can not wake up. But just to further nail the point, PHB p295:



So no. Durpy could not wake up unless someone heals them to consciousness. Tim now knows that rules-as-written means imprisoned monsters can kill their wardens without weapons, so Tim won't be waking anyone up that way.

Yes, I know Mittens just interrogated him. Keep reading.

Also keep in mind that will work in our favor in the future if we ever get restrained. That's still retarded, though. I'd think you would have to make attempts to get unrestrained before you can attack, but there it is. Suffice it to say, though, if the gnomes are the type to run at under 10 hp, then they are the type to piss in their pants and NOT attack if they are at 1hp, bound, helpless, etc.

Just like technically, rules-as-written, one of us could eventually do infinity damage.

It's late and I need to go to bed. But I think I made my point.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:05, Thu 19 May 2011.

For the sake of sanity, "Tied up" = "Tied up."  NOT "restrained."

Pesky vague wording.
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:18, Thu 19 May 2011.

XD

Why did it never occur to me that DnD heroes might actually earn SUPER HERO names like in X-Men and such? People can easily come up with larger-than-life names for their heroes. Like Stonewall Jackson or how George Washington's Nickname is "Father of His Country". This could get fun...

Be honest with you, as game-breaking as this is, this has been bothering me normally. But in scales of war, at the very least, should do what page 291 (the entry on readied actions) says:

READY AN ACTION: STANDARD ACTION
✦ Choose Action to Ready: Choose the specific
action you are readying (what attack you plan to use,
for example) as well as your intended target. You can
ready a standard action, a move action, or a minor
action. Whichever action you choose, the act of
readying it is a standard action.
✦ Choose Trigger: Choose the action that will trigger
your readied action. When that action occurs, you
can use your readied action. If the trigger doesn’t
occur or you choose to ignore it, you can’t use your
readied action, and you take your next turn as
normal.

In other words, can't just say "some attack appropriate for something that happens", you have to spell out a pre-chosen attack for a pre-chosen trigger.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:40, Sat 21 May 2011.

No more readying actions outside combat from now on.  Or spamming "full defense" actions before combat either.

  Reset Initiative: After you resolve your readied action, move your place in the initiative order to directly before the creature or the event that triggered your readied action.

  We've also been outright ignoring that part.  Also, ZERO errata for the Ready an Action entry.  so cant say they snuck that one in on us.

  EDIT: HOWEVER!  Due to the BBoard nature of this game, claiming we will use out Reaction and interrupt powers if X or Y, is fine.  Because otherwise we can only ever use them in a retroactive manner.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:02, Sat 21 May 2011.

No objection to "skipping" the combat in Ascension since 100 gp to placate a bunch of meanies is easy and in character. But if they won't be placated by that, we could fight them so we can boast we beat up a minotaur. Though since you strongly want to skip it, I won't object.

I just strongly don't want to have to go to the effort of building a map and the effort of pointless combat.  I'm guessing it's there just for the XP.  Arbitrary ambush.  Nothing more.

  Eh, Can skip it then.  I just find it personally amusing that for once I'm good for an 'arbitrary because x y -z beta gamma blarg' reasoning built encounter when my examining the game with a magnifying glass has caused some issues for disliking such.

  Minotaur Fight Map Up (Well, the MAP map.  Status blocks and tactics and features still need to be filled in by Chris)
  Matt Initiative also edited into last Matt post (17).

  In other news, Whooo!  Beat the Cloaked Intentions Featured Arc and Got the Reman Bridge Officer with time to spare.  I'll go back and grab the second Horta item and Cloaking Tractor Beam Mines launcher later for giggles.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:51, Sat 21 May 2011.

  Hmm, considering it had been decided on that insanity would not be used for Scales despite the 'legitimate' (except when not) rules intentions because it's just far too stupid to use... *throws down hat in disgust* I quit.  I don't need this first thing on the internet today.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:15, Fri 27 May 2011.