In reply to The Mists (msg # 43):

No no, I agree. RAW seem dumb.

In reply to SIRE (msg # 44):

Also, I think you taught me a thing: I didn't know it was possible to ready a move AND attack. I thought it had to be a single thing ("action" is a loaded term I'm avoiding)

The ready action was a move, she just happened to have her turn right after. You were right. The ready action is just one thing.

I believe you declare inspiration before the roll, because iirc it grants advantage, which is something that is rolled with the roll.

In reply to The Mists (msg # 47):

Do my doorway/bottle tactics bum you out for being boring?

No. Maybe at first I felt thwarted, but I didn't set up these encounters and when I think of your team like some Greek fighting unit, I really like it.

At some point your enemies will be smarter and calculating.

In reply to The Mists (msg # 49):

I really wrestled with the degree to which coordination could/should occur while we were playing in Questland. For maximum realism, I wanted to limit my actions (and everyone else's in the party) to just the information that our characters could share. That was the reason behind almost every character I played in that setting (not Zann) having a way to communicate surreptitiously--Fergan being the best, with telepathy. I suspect this is among the reasons that Allan specifically called out telepathy as a reason he does not like 5E.

On the other hand, there's SO much off-camera time that it makes sense that the characters could be able to coordinate intuitively, or in short hand, or with simple gestures or whatever, that some level of coordination among the players in control of those characters seems like it is adding realism, not detracting from it.

I had these characters yell things to one another for now, because they are relatively new to combat together and are inexperienced. I expect that they will continue to yell things at one another for a while, unless that yelling draws the attention of a nearby threat--because combat (and tactics) are so much more effective when everyone is singing from the same hymnal, and singing from the same hymnal is hard not to do when I am in control of the whole choir.

If I ever over-coordinate relative to the information that the characters would have, call it out and we'll rewind.

And Inmondo can re-center himself and recharge his ki.

There is no check for spotting mimics.

But I should probably have said something like Edwin realizes this is the first door they have come across in the dungeon complex. It shares the same worn look as the tunnel bracing.

But mimics exists to take away fun and make players hate DMs. I wouldn't want to stand in the way of that.

I was thinking that after death house I am not only going to not have mimics, but no invisible cubbies with monsters. Even thinking that trapped doors/chests will be somehow obvious, and the challenge is in the approach to disarm/bypass.

In reply to The Mists (msg # 54):

It makes sense that there be clues, at least. Maybe there was on the ghasts if Sen's beliefs allowed for looting graves without reason.

Heads up - I am going out of town for a couple weeks, so posting will be spotty.

In reply to The Mists (msg # 56):

No problem.

Have you read The Many-Colored Lands books? Apparently the is a character named Elizabeth Orme.

In reply to The Mists (msg # 58):

I have not read those books.

I am back to work and it is your turn.

Added Village of Barovia to Game Map section (the link above, not the thread).

Before we proceed, I need to know whether or not you knew "dig through the ditches and burn through the witches" was a reference, or if you thought it was not worth acknowledging.

In reply to The Mists (msg # 61):

I recognized it, but was ashamed of my inability to double down without looking up further lyrics, since those are the only ones that were ever memorable to me without the song playing other than "Do it, baybay! Do it, baybay!"

Rob Zombie is a unique lyricist and singer. His diction is fine, but his iambic meter is madcap, so it seems like you understand the words, without understanding anything.

BTW, his interview on Rogan is interesting, about him moving to NY when he was very young and seeing a lot of casual violence. And from... growing up around carnies? is what I want to say? And how there was a lot of craziness associated with that.

He talks a lot about film making and the horror genre, and how he won't work on bigger productions anymore because you lose creative control.

In reply to The Mists (msg # 63):

My birthday present from you could be you posting.

Haha! I have been busier at work because they moved me back to 1st shift on a boondoggle of a project that some fancy-ass manager cooked up. And now that people can get a hold of me they have me doing all kinds of things.

In reply to The Mists (msg # 65):

Oh no. That is the worst. I used to transfer teams every time that happened.

Have you seen Dorohedoro on Netflix? I know this is cliche to say stuff like this, but I thought it was very imaginative. Like, surprisingly unique. Madcap. Gritty.

Also, surprisingly good music. Like I don't think I skipped the intro once, and I listen to it and the end credit music on the reg. I think each ep has a different end credits song, or every couple.

In reply to The Mists (msg # 67):

I haven't even heard of it. Having now watched the dubbed trailer, I can safely say that I will never make it through that because I will be the only one watching it, and that will only happen after everyone has gone to bed.

Also, dubbed anime hard-ass man voice always strikes me as sounding staccato to the point of sounding constipated.