Since we're planning on starting over this campaign with fresh characters, I might as well start up a thread to set up characters and party discussion here.

In reply to David Foxfire (msg # 1):

sticking with meiou :p

For simplicity's sake I may copy/paste Tark myself, or at the very least stick with Fighter as a class.

Admittedly, part of that is how I can't consider a Vanilla Warlock worth the effort here.

Now, let's see... David's Pandafolk and their bonkers "Add Prof bonus to AC" is pretty tempting, light armor only isn't much of an issue when you quickly blow past full plate (Usual homebrew "I have +2/+2 stats to anything but STR/CON only" doesn't hurt either.)

But as easy head start as that is, being handy with Javelins and STR weapons, or getting a feat to start with are more my style. So I'll be sifting through my more usual options through the night.

who i play will largely depend on tim's choice.  i can't decide.  :p

How would you handle having a merfolk in the team, David? I mean mechanics aside... would you be able to have such a thing? Like would we be around water enough times to bother? Whether we were or not, would I be allowed a wheelchair or some such? Just curious because I have been wanting to try playing a merfolk for a very long time and it is just one of those things that isn't conducive to us landlubbers and our land-based campaign settings. :p

Get her a carriage.  Problem solved!

www.disneyclips.com/imagesnewb4/images/ariel_eric_carriage_ride.gif

...(and new problem arises)
This message was last edited by the player at 03:45, Mon 23 Jan 2017.

In reply to Tam Selhana (msg # 5):

could potentially create an artifact like my reequip bracelet that makes you human for say X many hours or till undone but you need to rest in water for 8 hrs to recharge. just an idea.

I'm 99% done with a Boring Human Fighter™ Outside of a request for a Character Name *Checks dust collecting bin of recycled names*  James Hill, There's basically just one quirk left I need to ask about.

Main thing is whether or not this game will allow me to swap out my Fighting Style for OOC Game Mechanics later (Once I get some real armor* and/or cloak of protection), rather than something like "Please In character fill out a dozen forms, pay a fantasy college loan, and spend several uninterrupted months or you have to start over."

So if I could start out Duelist, and switch to Great Weapon once I'm allowed to move past slumming it with bargain bin heavy armor, that'd be handy.  Otherwise, it's the usual gig of shrugging my way through a fresh Two handed build fighter with a one handed weapon until then.

*Useless Facts: "Real Armor" is the name of the heavy armor tree in Dungeonmans.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:29, Mon 23 Jan 2017.

Since we're restarting Lost Archive, there won't be enough water to have an appropriate Merfolk character in here, but I will allow Triton Characters.  (Otherwise known as Sea Elves)  You can find them in Volo's Guide to Monsters

I have not only reset the Roll20 table, but also set up a Public Onenote that all of you can edit, so you'll have a place for character sheets, Campaign Notes, the requested Monster Stat Blocks, and so on.

For those who aren't in Roll20 yet, the invite link is: https://app.roll20.net/join/1254542/VtXw2A (It's the same one as the Friday table, so most of you are already in here.)

The One Note's link is https://1drv.ms/u/s!AjghU-xdUFQahUKiEjBUdcRy0XQB

You're still going to bury the needed on demand RPOL/Roll20 game information... In One note... Baby steps.... Baby steps...

But for serious. Putting the enemy stat blocks in the one note is not going to help matters beyond a bare minimum "Well, technically I did what you asked" sense.

While it would be okay for a slow to browse glossary, one note listings for the enemy information is horribly obtuse for actually playing a game.

Since I figure Roll20 GM tags for all your players are right out when it comes to you (The streamlining in the usual games I'm in use that to make the GM notes section on enemy tokens viewable to all players, along with us being able to adjust them as needed)...

Actual, viable play by post methods for getting that information across in a practical manner open to you are:

A: Listing the stat blocks in the opening RPOL post, reminders on first GM post of fresh pages.  Keeps it in site without disrupting gameplay to do the digital equivilent or running to your bookshelf for the monster manual one note is.

B: Making player accessible Handouts in Roll20.  Lets you reference the information, in roll20, while you roll your dice in roll20.

See also: Listing character sheets (or at the very least direct links to them. Not "Here is a link to a main page, have fun digging through the sub folders!") in your RPOL Character description. So if people need to check something to help their fellow players, you don't need to try and recall which one of a dozen one note links given months ago (and then which sub folder inside a subfolder that might not even have their name on it).

TL;DR: Please, pretty please, sweet baby Jesus please.  Put the information relevant to playing your RPOL and Roll20 games players need to see.... where you can see it on RPOL and/Or Roll20.

You know. Use the play by post functions of play by post websites, trying to run a play by post game.

The overarching campaign info and the like works very well for One Note, because you don't need to check that when you're in the middle of trying to roll dice.  Not so much anything relevant to actual in the moment gameplay and combat.

Now to try and scrounge up some sleep after coming away from RL shenanigans only to see this and I cant finish this sentence without what's left of my self restraint crumbles like Sarah Connor dreaming of judgment day.

EDIT: And also the frustrated 'that wasn't supposed to make it to the live post' stuff you miss when being awake for roughly 20 hours.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:50, Mon 23 Jan 2017.

In reply to Tark (msg # 11):

After hearing what you said, I should just focus on the Roll20 table and not One Note for the campaign.  Perfectly understandable.  I felt I was pushing things myself.

It'll take me some more time for me to reset everything there then.

Oh, by the way, everybody starts at Level 1.  Meiou, because it's fitting your theme, you can have the Requip Bracelet, but at zero renown invested in it.

For balance, everyone else can have a Common to Uncommon Magic Item of your choice, on top of any standard equipment.  (This is to keep you survivable at the first couple encounters.)

Thank you very much, seriously.  Part of the "Why is this small thing so frustrating?" situation was how so close yet so far things have been.

The One Note itself overall isn't the problem, you can list as much stuff as you want there for the convenience of yourself, as much as others.

The real stumbling block, is the not making any of the stuff needed on the spot in the middle of combat or (post combat healing/Pre combat buffs etc) readily viewable or usable "In Game" such as it were.

MOST of the stuff you want to list on One Note, is just fine with an always in plain view link there. Typing up the same character sheets multiple times is a pain for GM and Player alike. So you preferring to store your own full character sheets in your usual places also makes perfect sense.

Along with the campaign notes and similar bulk information where asking you to copy/paste the updates in multiple locations would be a dick move to the GM.  Because that is the kind of thing where your preference for One Note IS quite helpful, so long as the link is handy.

The big deal stuff for making readily accessible and viewable "In Game", will be FULL Monster info. And cheat sheets for player info on their Roll20 Tokens GM Notes block so YOU have an easier time in combat as well. (The top of a sheet HP/AC/Saves "Did I hit/Get hit?" stuff).

Full Player character sheets meanwhile, or a direct link to them, are most conveniently stashed in the RPOL "Character Description".  This means that not only can you select it from The Cast listing, but all you have to do is click on their name on the post to bring you to it.  If you clicked on Tark's name over to the left, for example.  Easy on demand viewing of my sheet.

The distinction of RPOL "Character Description" vs RPOL "Character Sheet" is also important.  Me and my pals have been using the character description section for our sheets for years.

Because the actual RPOL "Character Sheet" involves a dozen extra button presses for the GM to deal with,per character, and nobody else can see them anyways.  They are designed more for the "GM control freak/Hide your PvP sheet" style. Not an exaggeration, because players are not even allowed to write in their own character sheets by default (That takes ANOTHER, per character, button for the GM to press).

TL:DR:
Listing Combat relevant information in RPOL And/Or Roll20, good.

Listing Overall campaign information in One Note only (with an always handy link), Good.

Listing Combat relevant information in RPOL/Roll20, AND One Note, Good.

Listing Combat relevant information ONLY on One Note (And not so much as a link to a character sheet in your RPOL character). That's the bad part.

The RPOL "Character Description" box is better for character sheets (Or links to them), than the actual "RPOL Character Sheets". For reasons ranging from "Save the GM from a million extra button presses" and "Players can't even write in their own character sheets? what"


This is super convenient, and also caters to my obsession with "Why yes, I did count pennies for mundane items like soap" with mundane objects that only ever hits me when I'm writing a level 1 character. Which develops when you can't even play an alien space commando in a high powered comic book setting without a GM telling you "Hey, you never specifically said you bought a flashlight!"

My sheet's all sorted then.  So I just need an RPOL character name (James Hill) for them.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:40, Tue 24 Jan 2017.

James Hill created! Enjoy!

Thanks, got my sheet set up. I can revise the "+1 Maul of Caber Tossing" if required.

Magic item wise, I hooked myself up with a weaker version of an older edition weapon.  Being able to chuck a +1 maul with no other Damage/On Crit/Side effects perks may not seem as impressive as other options at first...

But when 5th ed likes to do things like to slash ranged weaponry option distances compared to multiple other editions, suddenly "12 tile thrown weapon" is that much more attractive.

Take sling effective ranges for example.  Pathfinder, 10 tiles, -2 penalty if you try to shoot a bit past that. 4th ed, 10 tiles and a -2 penalty if you try to shoot a bit past that.
5th ed? LOL 6 tiles sucker, and reroll take worse if you fire it so much as 1 tile more than that!

I'll be playing Mittens.  Haven't figured out build yet.  Please do me the favor of adding a character sheet to your roll20 place and giving control to me.  And/or simply make me a GM so i can do it myself.

Here's what I'll be playing:

Chestnut Quickstep (Kender* Bard)
   A kender who wants to learn other people's customs to try and fix the way his people interact with other races. He likes high-paced music and tends to write very METAL lyrics / songs. Primarily plays violin, but is musically versitile while also being quite versatile in the skills department.

*I tend to just use halfling stats for Kender since that is more or less what Kender are; just the Dragonlance halflings.

Okay, I know that Nathan will need a new character sheet, so who else needs one?

I'm currently avatar hunting. In the meantime, since I picked Chestnut, I actually already know what to ask for as my magic item: His platinum violin. It is made primarily of platinum, has gold strings, can repair itself if broken, can teleport to me if taken away from me without my consent, is always perfectly in tune, and makes celestially beautiful sound. As per this picture:



It gives me no mechanical benefit other than to have an instrument on hand at all times. Chestnut earned this instrument once in the first game I played him in by doing a personal favor for Bahamut. Not that anyone believed him unless Bahamut himself showed up (which he did at times).

I can come up with a different story for the violin if you prefer, but there you go. That's the magic item I want. It is custom and only useful for flavor and never being without a violin. :)

Doesn't break means you could technically play the character like El Kabong.



...though also getting the rope of sky swinging wouldn't hurt.  ;D

Looking through Chestnut's old character sheet, I had forgotten he had an intelligent magical silver platter named "Captain Shiny Pants" that if he ate off of it, he gained a +5 to AC while eating.

....why Chestnut had a Voodoo doll? I completely forget. XD
This message was last updated by the player at 08:11, Tue 24 Jan 2017.

We had a very... creative GM.  XD

Mittens is ready for adventure!  =^.^=



I can haz thread for opening in?  :3
This message was last edited by the player at 07:30, Wed 25 Jan 2017.

I've got the Roll20 Table reset, and will write the opening thread when I get back from Encounters tonight.

Gotcha, when the time comes for combat you can hook me up with a James Hill token+access and I'll fill it in with HP and the usual.

Just grab whatever closed helmet knight image is most convenient for use as my token. As a player, I can't make anything myself (or even supply the GM images to use) for your Roll20 board.

So I'd have set this up by now for you if I could have, but I'm all set to just plug stuff in once it is.  Thanks for putting everything together for everybody.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:02, Thu 26 Jan 2017.

So far, I have Meiou's, Chestnut's, and Mitten's Tokens on board, but I need help connecting which character to which Roll20 Account.  Laserface, Ethan, and Dylan need to let me know which PC is theirs and what Token to use.  Thanks in advance.

I'm Laserface on RPOL.  Sorry, I forgot that since it's been so long since Tark was needed on the other board, you had good reason to not remember which one I was.

So, Mitten, Chestnut, Meiou, and James is playing.  That means that I have a team and I can start the game.  I'll do that this week.

Take the time you need for setup.

At least with Play by Post being used again, you don't have to worry about "get everyone online at the same few specific hours or no game happens" being a problem anymore.

Well, so long as the required player accessibility stuff beyond a Realtime Tabletop Mindset is dealt with.

Glad you're trying to set that up now, that's going to prevent a lot of half posts where people can't heal eachother right, or resolve their own monster attacks, etc.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:01, Mon 30 Jan 2017.

Progress, but not quite there yet.  For example, while a good start (And a quick example of the most basic of stats in a post is nice), it's still missing important information that makes it so players may not be able to even take their turns in the first place. (I checked over on the Roll20 assuming you listed the Full monster manual entries there like you agreed but... welp!)

So for example.  Half the spells in the game (and some martial attacks) are currently useless to players.  Because no enemy save modifier info, means no being able to make a full post if someone wants to use a Save vs anything.

So. From the top. I may be overlooking some fine details I take for granted as obvious/just used to that being done.  But the big primary play by post accessibility bits are-

PC tokens viewable and editable by all players. You're not in a game with a bunch of assholes, so that second part works and will speed up later PbP aspects. (Imagine if Darcy wasn't allowed to heal people's tokens, for one comparison example of the current situation)

PC cheat sheets viewable by all players, in game (NOT, full character sheets in Roll20.)  Initiative, Move speed, Prof bonus. HP, AC. AND your Save modifiers.  Any relevant resists.  And your bare bones Attack/Casting DC defaults.

Monster tokens viewable and editable by all players. Allows wonderful basic things like not having to switch back and forth between tabs to know which enemy has how much HP left. Because we still cant see their hitpoints on the game board, let alone adjust them.

Full monster manual entries viewable by all players, in game.

EDIT: oh right. Encounter details are also a thing.... I'll get into "How much" and "Pros/Cons to avoiding nonstop constant retcons" for that later.

I've just come in from early AM shoveling after not having slept yet, so now I'm going to try and grab a couple hours of sleep before my eye exam (and hope it doesn't just snow back over in the meantime).

So further elaboration on the "Pretty please do X, don't do Y." to avoid things like the above mentioned problems that crop up in PbP that you don't think about in realtime tabletop logic, will have to wait until I'm far more coherent.

... And to top it all off, I rolled a total of 3 on my Initiative. Whoo.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:46, Wed 01 Feb 2017.

In reply to James Hill (msg # 31):

1. I need to find a place where I can actually splice in stat blocks.  Roll20 doesn't have a decent place for me to plug in the blocks; and graphic clip and pastes can overload the space in my Roll20 account.  So I moved the stat blocks (or at least a minimalized version) to RPoL, so I can edit the blocks easily.  (Unspoken is the obvious:  I don't want to reveal too much about the monsters you're going to slay.  I prefer to keep that hidden until it's actually used.)

Also, there is a Monster Manual available, or soon to be available, on Roll20, but it is beyond my budget.

2. Attacks that require a save will be summarized in the initial attack.  I'll probably go something like:  "Monster X attacks with Y.  He rolls a {19} to Hit.  If hit, you take {4} Slashing and you need to make a DC 14 CON save."  The person being attack deals with that information and makes his rolls accordingly.

3.  I turned off restrict movement in the maps, so everyone can move all the tokens.

4.  I have PC Sheets available on Roll20, but not everyone is asking for them or filling them out.  I hope I can get them either there or here so we can have a reference.

5.  Having the Player Character sheets, Campaign Notes, and Monster Stats in one place are the reason why I suggested a One Note book, but that was rejected.

1: Handouts section.  You can drop images in, as well as copy/paste or transcribe text.  I admittedly assumed you'd use those, since you are already setting up player accessible handouts in the game as it is for information purposes.

2: Half the point of practical play by post is not requiring the GM to have to field every single roll and result.  So "But they can just tell me what they did, and I'll summarize!" is still leaving players unable to take their full proper turn for multiple posts.

Even before the fact that will screw with combat changes like "Okay, this first attack has a chance to knock them prone. I need to know if that happened or not, so I'll know what my roll for my second swing is.  And then, when the GM responds to THAT, will be my THIRD post for- and a million other reasons.

4: Roll20 sheets are not as helpful as you think they would be even if filled out because *Error, too tired to explain this*.  Full sheets or links to full sheets on RPOL cast listings are practical for player sheets.  But quick cheat sheets with small amounts of stuff is useful on roll20.

You don't need a list of someone's entire inventory and prepared spells for that day, to know "Hmm, maybe I should buff the player with a worse CON save in this fight full of poison"

5: It was rejected as a location for "Relevant to combat" stuff, because that is not in game.

One note is incredibly obtuse to use as a quick reference. That's why I told you it's okay for stuff like campaign info, and your own full character sheets (So long as you directly link them).  But not for stuff like monster stats and current encounter info.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:27, Wed 01 Feb 2017.

couldn't get back 2 sleep.  getting caught up.

Really enjoying the exciting opener!  ^.^

As for smoothing out game mechanics more suited to play-by-post, it's looking like it would probably be best if Tim and I were to talk things out w/ David via Teamspeak some time this week on that.  This evening would be best if you're available.  I've recently been learning a lot of really handy roll20 shortcuts, and Tim can help with relaying what we've learned through years of play-by-post experience with Joe...  (his memory waaay better than mine, and lately i've been having weird brain-freeze issues where i can't remember basic words.  like, "grilled cheese sandwich" basic.)

need to go gets some injections.  i'll be log into teamspeak as soon as i'm available.

Stomach problems.  Napping.  BBL

Look!  It's our team!

https://img.ifcdn.com/images/e...285b74955e1b9c_1.jpg

In reply to Mittens (msg # 37):

Long Sessions, screwed up sleeping schedule, Fire Emblem Heroes, to each his own.

By the way, do I have everyone's character sheets?  I knew there was something missing.

Hope you feel better, my whole immediate family sympathizes with wonky sleep schedules.

I know James and Chestnut are all sorted Sheet wise and listed in the usual location for our RPOL game sheets (same as all our other sheets made for this game, and elsewhere).

I dunno if Mitten's mechanical sheet is sorted yet.

My mechanics sheet was on roll20 exclusively.  Everyone's been granted GM access, so you should be able to check it out.  Stats have been ironed out, but I may not have fixed my sheet by the time you read this.  Everyone will get the following stat array: 16, 16, 15, 14, 11, 10.  Before racial mods.  Which are allowed to push stats beyond 17 at lvl 1.  Tim put AC into the blue bubble of the monster tokens for our convenience.  Monster HP will be the red bar because that's what the GM is used to, green is fine for PCs.  Monster quick stats are in the journal section and I pasted them into the GM notes section of the tokens for click convenience as well.  Players will not be required to use OneNote.  Chris did in fact confess to not going near it in the past.

player wiki can be found here:
http://foxfirestudios.net/aethercoil
This message was last edited by the player at 05:07, Sun 05 Feb 2017.

Got the James RPOL sheet and Roll20 references updated (Which brings my initiative roll result up to.... 4.)

It's no Fighter Matt situation, but at least James's Perc/Insight is above average for a Fighter.

ill get to posting tomorrow. late night last night and not alot of sleep so brains not working fully XD

As far as I know, Tim's computer is still being a huge jerk to them.

In reply to James Hill (msg # 43):

Yeah, he had to install a new hard drive and put in a virgin Windows Installation.  It takes a whole day or two to get everything up and running right.