User talk:Mqs

Randy: Is there any way that you could append your statements with a "Daryl" instead of just tacking on a sentence? (Makes it easier to follow the coversation when reading the page.) Thanks.

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Randy: Does fast healing count against our healing for the day?

Daryl: From a magical source, yes.

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Ryan: Pending allowance of a modified Fighter Variant: Thug. I think it would fit Tolmek's character more. [Class description.] We discussed a few things regarding your revision of fighters for IK and how those should affect this class.

• Things I'm fine giving up: No choice of strong reflex save.
• Things I'd like to keep: extra 1 point in a craft skill.
• Possible edition to the variant: Instead of losing the feat at first level, grant urban tracking as a bonus feat at 1st. I mean come on. Ranger lite.

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Ryan: I'm considering the Extra Music feat for Tolmek (+4 music uses/day). Is this adaptable for fell caller? Also, since the fell caller gets fell call uses per day at twice the rate of bard, would this feat be good for more than 4 uses/day?

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Daryl: thug as a fighter without a 1st level feat but 4 instead of 2 skill poitns per level and only light armor [and those skills]. that's fine. extra music's fine, though not too useful for fell caller comparative to bard.

Scheduling: Since there isn't going to be a gameday for LRC on 29 Dec and the session before the holidays was cancelled, would you mind if I ran LRC starting on 05 Jan? --Randy, DM 14:42, 27 Dec 2005 (EST)

Herman: Why were you surprised that I bought Races of the Dragon? (Or at least, what sparked the "Don't tell me you actually bought Races of the Dragon" comment.)

Also, you'll love the book. It's section on Kobolds is extensive and it has a set of classes that can easily boost a melee or a sorcerous kobold into a force to be reckoned with. A fighter 4, sorcerer 1, dragon disciple 10 can get a total of +10 to strength by 15th level. Plus Disciple of the Eye is one of the quirkier prestige classes that I've seen.

On a different note, I made mention of an article that proved that Improved Critical and keen should still stack. Here it is:

Rant: If Keen and Improved Critical Don't Stack, The Terrorists Will Have Won

I'm not asking for any rulings on improved critical by posting this article. I'm just posting it because I wanted you to know why I brought it up.

Daryl: I always liked the idea of multiple forms of threat-increasing stacking. But, I'd like to keep it by the rules. As for my asking that -- I knew you'd buy it. I was considering it but have not. I might if I catch another Mediaplay going out of business with 40% off all books.

Herman: That's okay. I didn't think you'd let them stack anyway. Besides, I don't think the writer of the article knew there'd be a greatsword with an 18 to 20 threat range.

As for Races of the Dragon, I'd've been surprised if you thought I wasn't going to buy it. It's just some of the comments about the scanners make me wonder if you've got another source for sourcebooks.

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Herman Daryl, I'd like to change Jamison's feats around a little. I was thinking Power Attack instead of Monkey Grip and either Cleave or Improved Sunder for the 3rd level feat. (Probably Cleave to get Great Cleave at 6th level)

I've looked at the math for Monkey Grip and the extra damage you get from having the Monkey Grip as a feat ISN'T ANY BETTER THAN POWER ATTACK. If I'm doing the math correctly, then it's actually worse.

Jamison gets an extra 1d6 from Monkey Grip for a -2 to his attack rolls, an average of 3.5 points of damage. But if he'd taken Power Attack instead he'd get +4 damage for the same penalty to hit. Even with critical hits factored in, power attack is still better.

There is also the fact that most weapons DON'T give 1d6 extra damage, they only up the die size once. The best other weapons give is 2d4 to 2d6 with Monkey Grip and most weapons don't do that.

This will change a grand total of next to nothing for roleplay purposes. Jamison will still carry a Cleft Greatsword which draws sideways looks and distrust. The only real benefits will be a slightly better chance to hit and the ability to carry a backup weapon that isn't a dagger. (14 pounds off of encumbrance.)

Jamison's gold will also stay the same because It's already been spent. I'm not even going to ask for a revision of his gold spent because I didn't make sure a feat was worth taking. It's not that bad a hit anyway.

I'm now wondering why Wotc even printed Monkey Grip. It's not worth the cost you pay when you take the feat.

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Herman: On a different note, I figured you'd like this since you're a fan of Kobolds. Races of the Dragon Web Enhancement It includes Kobold Traps from CR 1 to 10 and the Kobold Paragon. The Kobold Paragon even gives a reason for Kobolds to break from normal kobold society.

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Randy: I thought that you may find this wiki interesting. It's an architectual wiki that uses google maps to plot the location of the buildings.

IK: Faith Healing?

1. Is Faith Healing available in IK?
2. Would Faith Healing apply to all worshippers of Morrow, or just the specific ascendant?

Faith Healing is available. It applies to all worshippers of that religion and is not limited by ascendant. It is still subject to Pain of Healing saving throw.

Armors available for purchase

Randy: The Tanned Hide has gotten to Robhim the list of available armors.

Concerning Fun:

Herman: I really couldn't address this at the session, what with the interruption and all.

You said that D&D is about fun, not getting the highest modifier that you could. (Which you called powergaming.) That is true. (Mostly True.) D&D is supposed to be cooperative storytelling, not a competition. And I have been enjoying the IK campaign, despite a few minor annoyances, despite how much I might gripe. (Game mechanics annoyances, not player or DM annoyances.)

But you can't have fun with a sub optimum character. If I would have kept Jamison with Monkey Grip, I would have gotten frustrated every time that he missed by one or two because of the penalty from Monkey Grip. I would also have been frustrated every time Jamison had to switch weapons because Monkey Grip cost too much against high AC enemies. Power Attack showed the biggest reason it is better than Monkey Grip today. (Yesterday, by now.)

Power Attack is flexible. Against the High AC Mechanothrall, I didn't Power Attack to assure a better chance of hitting. Against the rats, full Power Attack was the way to go because of the low AC. Monkey Grip is static, offering no flexibility for different AC enemies.

I'd also like to note that Powergaming is simply putting together an effective build for a character. It can easily be taken too far, when all of a character's effort is placed into only one strategy for absurd damage. (Especially when that strategy excludes other options almost totally.) I happen to like Optimizing a character, without going overboard.

If I'd been trying to powergame Jamison, I'd have gone for a Chain Tripper, a Mounted Combat Build or an Archery Build. (Or he'd be a Barbarian W/Monkey Grip.) But I'm not, he's still got a good bit of "flavor" to him, it's just not blatantly across his back now. (Well, it is, but it's not so visible now. I'm also sorry to say, it's severely unlikely that Jamison will take Monkey Grip again. There are too many other feats to choose from and I consider Monkey Grip a subpar feat now.

If Jamison were a fighter, he would take it again at some point. Hexblades are too feat starved to take a "flavor feat" though. I'd probably still not have much fun dealing with the -2 penalty that MK imposes on attacks or the extra weight that a larger weapon adds.