conversations: human
conversations:  Overnight guard duty.  Again.  It's important, you know, but it does seem like you find yourself drawing the short straw on scheduling all of the time.  You're not sure why, but the Captain apparently doesn't like you.  Oh well, you're not going to get any favors by complaining, and here in the guard house, at least there's a decent fire and some company.  Probably also a game of dice, if you... 
     *BOOM*   
   The sound is instantly recognizable.  Something is trying to ram down the gates. 
     *BOOM*      *  CRACK  *   
   And they're succeeding.  You know your duty.  You must hold off the invaders until reinforcements can arrive. 
   
   Spoiler 
  
  Okay, recruits.  Drop and give me a d20.  An initiative roll, specifically.  Look on your character sheet to find your initiative modifier.
   
conversations: Duke of URL:
conversations: human
conversations:  "Initiative"  - (d20+1)[ 14 ] 
  
  The as yet unnamed Human Fighter looks around and gets his bearings on the situation.
conversations: Xsesiv:
conversations: human
conversations:  Initiative  - (d20+3)[ 14 ] 
  
  Reynard jumps to his feat, drawing his short-sword.
  
  ((Xsesiv, names don't matter at the moment))
conversations: Reynard:
conversations: human
conversations:  Initiative  - (1d20+3)[ 17 ] 
  
  Shouting  "To arms! Enemies at the gate!"   the halfling fighter readies herself to battle.
conversations: Strawberries:
conversations: human
conversations:  Initiative  - (1d20+1)[ 11 ] 
  
  Tayln heaves his axe along as he runs towards the gate.
conversations: Tayln:
conversations: human
conversations:  The gates come crashing down and into the alley-style entrance to town, you can see eight short, yellow-tinged humanoids.  Goblins.  They look ready for a fight, and you can sense that they have reinforcements that will likely arrive before yours. 
   
   
   Spoiler 
  
  Pick a color to represent your PC.  First-come, first-served.  We'll use these colors from here on, however.
  
  So, let's get some goblin initiative rolls:
  
   
   Spoiler 
  
    Init1  - (1d20+1)[ 11 ] ,   Init2  - (1d20+1)[ 20 ] ,   Init3  - (1d20+1)[ 18 ] ,   Init4  - (1d20+1)[ 7 ] ,   Init5  - (1d20+1)[ 15 ] ,   Init6  - (1d20+1)[ 9 ] ,   Init7  - (1d20+1)[ 12 ] ,   Init8  - (1d20+1)[ 4 ] 
   
  
  
  Now, let's talk about actions in combat, and your options.
  
  In general, you have a standard action and a move action you can use in a combat round (there's also something called a swift action, but that doesn't apply right now).  Some actions are a "full-round" action, which use both your standard action and your move action.
  
  Moving with a move action allows you to move up to your maximum movement rate.  For each 5' of movement you have, you can move one square on the map; diagonal movement costs 1.5 squares per move -- due to rounding down, this means the first diagonal costs 1 square of movement, the second 2 squares of movement, the 3rd 1 again, etc.
  
  A normal melee attack is a standard action.  This means you can move and attack in the same round.  However, our halfling fighter must use a full-round action to gain the benefits of both weapons; (s)he can attack with just the main hand as a standard action or with both hands as a full-round action. Given your sizes (small and medium) and weapons, you can only attack ("threaten") an opponent occupying one of the 8 squares adjacent to your own.
  
  In any round where you don't actually move (but are free to move), you may elect to take a free 5' (1 square) step.  While trying to move past or around opponents might normally provoke a retaliatory attack, movement with a 5' step never does.
  
  So, your basic options at this point are to:
  
  1) Wait for the goblins to come to you.  If you get to act before they do, you can  ready  an action, to, for example: "attack the first goblin to come within reach".
  
  2) Go meet them.  You can
  
  a) Take a move action to get to them (or get close), and then attack (if possible) with a standard action -- if you can't get all the way to them, you can  ready  an attack with your standard action as above.
  
  b) Take a "double move" by using your standard action as a second move action (you can do this, but not vice-versa) to get to the goblins, but you won't be able to attack on your turn this round.
  
  c) Use the   charge   maneuver.  If you move in a straight line and there are no obstacles in your way (including any teammates), you may move at twice your movement speed and make a single melee attack (as with a standard action) against a target.  You gain a +2 to attack rolls for charging, but also take -2 to your armor class until the start of your next turn.  See the link for definitions and restrictions.
  
  For any of the attacking options, you may apply a feat if you have an applicable one.  For example, the human fighter can use Combat Expertise to lower attack bonus for a bonus to armor class and the half-orc barbarian can use power attack to sacrifice attack bonus for extra damage.
   
conversations: Duke of URL:
conversations: human
conversations:  I'll take  green .
  
  So, the order goes:
  
  Goblin 2
  Goblin 3
  Strawberries
  Goblin 5
   Reynard 
  Xsesiv
  Goblin 7
  Tayln/Goblin 1
  Goblin 6
  Goblin 4
  Goblin 8
  
  Right?
conversations: Reynard:
conversations: human
conversations:  I'll take  red .
  
  And on my turn I intend to charge the nearest goblin.
conversations: Xsesiv:
conversations: human
conversations:  Yup, the initiative order is:
  
  20 Goblin 2
  18 Goblin 3
  17 Strawberries
  15 Goblin 5
  14 Reynard (wins tie due to higher init modifier)
  14 Xsesiv
  12 Goblin 7
  11 Tayln (wins tie because [houserule] I let the PC win on a tie if init modifiers are equal)
  11 Goblin 1
   9 Goblin 6
   7 Goblin 4
   4 Goblin 8
  
  The first two goblins will go after everyone has claimed colors.
conversations: Duke of URL:
conversations: human
conversations:  I'll take  blue , then.
  
   
   Spoiler 
   So, just to make sure I understand, I can move aand attack with just one weapon or charge (with just one weapon as well) or wait for someone to come near me and then attack with two weapons. I can't move 5' and attack with both weapons because I need a full round to use two-handed fighting. Did I get everything right?
   
conversations: Strawberries:
conversations: human
conversations:  One goblin charges straight at Xsesiv, while another one slides around his companions and manages a strike at Tayln.  Both attacks fall wide of the mark, however. 
   
   Spoiler 
  
  Goblin #2 charges to E13 and attacks (  Attack  - (1d20+3)[ 7 ] ,   Damage  - (1d6)[ 3 ] ) Xsesiv.  (vs. AC 17 -- since you haven't acted yet, you lose Dec to AC)
  
  Goblin #3 moves to C13 and attacks (  Attack  - (1d20+1)[ 11 ] ,   Damage  - (1d6)[ 3 ] ) Tayln. (vs. AC 15 -- ditto)
  
  Strawberries is up.
  
  Note the above map should be updated.  Refresh your browser cache is it's not showing the movement.
   
conversations: Duke of URL:
conversations: human
conversations:  I'm going to move and attack the goblin right in front of me (in C13).
  
   
   Spoiler 
   If I understood everything, in order to do that I have to roll [roll]1d20+5 [/roll] for damage with my shortsword and then roll  (1d4+1)[ 2 ]  for damage. Did I do that right?
   
conversations: Strawberries:
conversations: human
conversations:  Rolling again since I managed to get the code wrong
  
   
   Spoiler 
    (1d20+5)[ 17 ]  and for damage  (1d4+1)[ 3 ]  for damage.How is that this time?
   
conversations: Strawberries:
conversations: human
conversations:  Okay... just so you know, remember what I said about the 5' step?  You could take that step and still use a full-round action (attack with both weapons), if you like.  If you want to do so, I'll just take -2 off your attack roll and you can roll the offhand attack, or you can leave it as it is.
conversations: Duke of URL:
conversations: human
conversations:  Spoiler 
   Sorry 😳. I'm going to attack with both weapons, then.  Rolling for the second attack  (1d20+3)[ 5 ]  and  (1d4)[ 3 ]  for damage
   
  
   "Where did they came from?"  The halfling draws both her weapons and swings them towards her nearest opponent, all the while praying for the reinforcements to arrive soon  "We have to hold them off!" 
conversations: Strawberries:
conversations: human
conversations:  Strawberries connects with one blade, wounding the goblin in front of her as another goblin comes forward to join the fray. 
  
  Goblin #5 comes forward (to C12), but is unable to reach anyone this turn.
  
  Reynard then Xsesiv are up.  Feel free to post actions in either order, and I'll resolve them.
conversations: Duke of URL:
conversations: human
conversations:  The human fighter brandishes his longsword and chops at the goblin who charged him.
  
   
   Spoiler 
    Attack  - (d20+4)[ 6 ]   Damage  - (d8+2)[ 3 ] Well, that couldn't have been much worse.
   
conversations: Xsesiv:
conversations: human
conversations:  Reynard bounds forward, then slashes at the Goblin attacking Tayln. 
   
   Spoiler 
  5 foot step 1 square, then attack with both weapons.
  
    Attack1  - (d20+5)[ 14 ] 
    Damage1  - (d4+1)[ 3 ] 
    Attack2  - (d20+3)[ 11 ] 
    Damage2  - (d4+1)[ 5 ] 
   
conversations: Reynard:
conversations: human
conversations:  Reynard's first slice causes the goblin to scream in pain, as the second just misses.  Xsesiv is lucky not to have dropped his weapon with a clumsy strike. 
  
  (No, you really wouldn't have dropped your weapon, that's just flavor text to describe a bad miss. 😁)
  
  Goblin 2 is injured, but still fighting.  Goblin 7 moves to F12.
  
  Tayln is up.
conversations: Duke of URL: