conversations: human
conversations:  {table=head] |A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L 
   1 ||||||||||||
   2 |
   3 ||| C | C ||||| C | C ||
   4 ||| C | C ||||| C | C ||
   5 ||||||||||||
   6 |
   7 |
   8 ||||||||||||
   9 ||| C | C ||||| C | C ||
   10 ||| C | C ||||| C | C ||
   11 |
   12 |||||||||||[/table] 
  Squares are 5 feet each.   C  represents column positions, running floor to ceiling.  Walls and columns are stone, with coral accents.  There are exits at F1/G1 and F12/G12, not that it matters unless you want to retreat.  Ceiling is 30 feet high.  There's a 10' square tunnel at F6-G6-F7-G7 that goes up another 30 feet.  Light is normal.
  
  Starting positions:  You pick a starting square in row 1 or 2, I pick a starting square in row 11 or 12, chess style.
  
  Buff time:  Both characters have all-day effects active (ie any effect that lasts a full adventuring day of 12 hours or more), but get no preparation rounds, unless anyone wants one.
  
  Both parties are aware that there's an enemy in the vicinity and are considered to be in combat.  Match ends when one character concedes &amp; withdraws from combat, dies, or is similarly rendered unable to continue.
  
  As we've both got characters in the dungeon, we won't be able to enter regardless of who wins, so I guess you could call this a 'friendly'.
  
  - Saph
conversations: Saph:
conversations: human
conversations:  My initiative:   (1d20+3)[ 15 ] 
  
  Starting position:
   
   Spoiler 
  C11
   
conversations: Saph:
conversations: human
conversations:  Initiative:  (d20+4)[ 13 ] 
  
  Starting position:
   
   Spoiler 
  
  2D
   
  
  
  Statblock/Buffs/Other Observer Stuff :
   
   Spoiler 
  
  HP : 104
  AC : 25 / 17 / 19
  Saves : +14 / + 13 / +5
  Stance : Blood in the Water
  Maneuvers Prepared :  Dancing Mongoose, White Raven Tactics, Moment of Perfect Mind, Wall of Blades
   
  
  
  Initiative is yours.
conversations: ex cathedra:
conversations: human
conversations:  Guess I go first?
  
  And . . . what's your location, Intelligence score, and creature type of you and any other creatures you're brought into the area?  :P
  
  (Yup, Mindsight.  After the third Test of Spite character with Hide In Plain Sight and an impossibly high Hide check, I got sick of playing hide-and-seek and decided to put Mindsight on all my characters from here on.)
conversations: Saph:
conversations: human
conversations:  Haha, excellent idea.
  You sense a  Monstrous Humanoid  with  10  intelligence in square  2D . Proceed.
conversations: ex cathedra:
conversations: human
conversations:  You hear a woman's voice spellcasting.  Spellcraft to ID is 18, don't bother rolling if you have +17 or more:
   
   Spoiler 
  Shield, Heroism
   
  
  Listen check for location, if you like.  DC 15 and you know the spellcasting comes from:
   
   Spoiler 
  SW corner of the room.
   
  
  DC 25 and you know the spellcasting comes from:
   
   Spoiler 
  Square C11.  And after that I move to B10.
   
  
  Your turn.
conversations: Saph:
conversations: human
conversations:  Listen :  (d20+2)[ 12 ] 
  Not surprised.
  
  The creature moves to F4. Line of Sight?
conversations: ex cathedra:
conversations: human
conversations:  OOC:  I'm in B10, up against the pillar, so I don't think either of us can see each other.
conversations: Saph:
conversations: human
conversations:  ( Uh. I thought you had mindsight. )
  
  Actions:
   
   Spoiler 
  
  Ready an attack against the first creature I see.
   
  
  
  Your move.
conversations: ex cathedra:
conversations: human
conversations:  Mindsight's still not as good as line of sight.
  
  Anyway, my turn:  peep my head around the corner at B9.  What do I see?
conversations: Saph:
conversations: human
conversations:  ( Le description time! )
  For size:
   
   Spoiler 
  
  This halfling has somewhat of an odd look about him; He's slightly taller and more muscular than most of his race. His fingers end in what seem to be razor-sharp talons, and his smile (or grimace, as the case may be) reveals large, sharpened canines. His skin is well tanned, and his hair is both short and unkempt. A scowl of perpetual boredom adorns his face. His clothing is simple and unassuming, and three sheathed daggers are suspended on his belt. He appears to be wearing leather armor.
   
  
  
  In particular, he's scowling at  you , and the daggers are drawn; two of them in his right hand.
conversations: ex cathedra:
conversations: human
conversations:  Elanora 
  
  You see a young woman with green eyes and shining gold hair that hangs loose around her shoulders.  She's quite beautiful, in an otherworldly way.  She wears a blue robe, overlaid with shining armour of light, and carries a short staff, though both are mostly hidden by the column.  At present she's peeking around the corner.
conversations: Saph:
conversations: human
conversations:  You've now met  Atlas. 
  He'd say something, but it's your turn, I believe.
conversations: ex cathedra:
conversations: human
conversations:  "How can you hold two daggers in the same hand?"  Elanora wonders briefly, then ducks back out of sight again.  The blades look kind of sharp and she doesn't want to be too visible a target.  Atlas hears the sound of another spell being cast behind the pillar.  Your turn.
  
   
   Spoiler 
  Move back to C11.  Spell is Greater Blink.
   
conversations: Saph:
conversations: human
conversations:  In a way entirely unsuited to stabbing with them.
  
  " Ah... a lady, " muses the halfling. " Don't run away, girly... I'm not that scary. "
  He walks to B7. Line of Sight?
conversations: ex cathedra:
conversations: human
conversations:  I'm in C11, so you can probably see a shadow or an ankle or something.
conversations: Saph:
conversations: human
conversations:  He sighs audibly.
  
  " Why must you run? We could be friends! "
  
   
   Spoiler 
  
  Readies an attack once he sees her full body.
   
  
  
  Go ahead.
conversations: ex cathedra:
conversations: human
conversations:  "Well, all right then."  Elanora leans half out to get a good look.  (Move action to take cover, adjusting slightly.  If you're readying to attack, this is the most you're going to see before I take my actions.)
  
  Oh, and Elanora is now blinking in and out of view in a purposeful sort of way.
conversations: Saph:
conversations: human
conversations:  " You see? I told yo- " The halfling interrupts himself with a vicious snarl, and hurls two of the daggers at you.
  
   (d20+20)[ 31 ] 
  Concealment (1-50 Hits) :  (d100)[ 55 ] 
  Damage :
   
   Spoiler 
  
   (2d3+6)[ 11 ]  + 2 negative levels. 😳
   
conversations: ex cathedra:
conversations: human
conversations:  Elanora flinches and ducks as the daggers miss by a hair.   "That does NOT count as making friends!"   She aims her staff and a ray flashes out, followed a second later by two more.
  
  Rays, ranged touch attacks.   If you can't see invisible, add another +2 to each attack roll and you're flat-footed against them.
  
  Quickened Ray of Clumsiness:   (1d20+14)[ 19 ] .
  On hit, gives a  (1d6+5)[ 7 ]  penalty to Dexterity.
  
  Split Ray of Exhaustion:   (1d20+14)[ 32 ] ,  (1d20+14)[ 30 ] 
  On hit, make a DC 20 Fortitude save.  Exhausted on fail, Fatigued on success.  If both hit, you're Exhausted regardless of saves.
conversations: Saph:
conversations: human
conversations:  ( Drat. So, are daggers melee weapons? Yes they are. Is throwing a dagger an attack? Yes. Therefore, I do believe, throwing a dagger is an attack made with a melee weapon (though, admittedly, it is not a melee attack.) Could I then, theoretically, throw a dagger at your ray via Wall of Blades? 😛)
conversations: ex cathedra:
conversations: human
conversations:  Eh, it's an amusing enough idea.  Only works if you're not denied your Dex bonus, but I guess you've probably got Uncanny Dodge anyway.  Which ray, the first one?
conversations: Saph:
conversations: human
conversations:  (The first, yes. And, yeah, warblades do have that going for them.)
  Uh.. you can make a martial lore check to learn the name of a maneuver you already know.
   Wall of Blades  :
  Opposed attack roll :  (d20+22)[ 34 ] 
  Fort saves :  (d20+14)[ 33 ] ,  (d20+14)[ 26 ] 
  
  So, exhausted. -6 Str/Dex penalty, right?
  And continue.
conversations: ex cathedra:
conversations: human
conversations:  OK.  Ray of Clumsiness is deflected.  Both saves against Ray of Exhaustion succeed, so you're Fatigued + Fatigued = Exhausted.  -6 Str, -6 Dex, and you move at half speed.
  
  Your turn.
conversations: Saph:
conversations: human
conversations:  The halfling pants as the rays strike him. His daggers reappear in his waiting hand, and he snarls before hurling them at you.
  
   
   Spoiler 
  
  Improved Rapid Shot, palm throw on main hand, full attack with two-weapon fighting.
   
  
  
  Format :
  Attack
  Concealment (1-50 hits)
  Damage
  
   (d20+17)[ 36 ] 
   (1d100)[ 3 ] 
   (2d3)[ 3 ]  + 2 Negative Levels.
   (d20+17)[ 18 ] 
   (1d100)[ 41 ] 
   (2d3)[ 5 ]  + 2 Negative Levels.
   (d20+17)[ 26 ] 
   (1d100)[ 27 ] 
   (2d3)[ 5 ]  + 1 Negative Levels.
   (d20+12)[ 17 ] 
   (1d100)[ 8 ] 
   (2d3)[ 2 ]  + 2 Negative Levels.
   (d20+12)[ 25 ] 
   (1d100)[ 69 ] 
   (2d3)[ 3 ]  + 1 Negative Levels.
   (d20+7)[ 19 ] 
   (1d100)[ 53 ] 
   (2d3)[ 6 ]  + 2 Negative Levels.
  
  Waiting for results before continuing.
conversations: ex cathedra:
conversations: human
conversations:  Immediate action as the flurry starts to cast Wings of Cover.  Incorporeal wings of force appear and shield me against the first attack (only the first, though).
  
  Remaining ones . . . let me check again.
conversations: Saph:
conversations: human
conversations:  ( Of course, the one that threatened and likely the only one that hit. It's quite the one-trick pony, indeed. )
conversations: ex cathedra:
conversations: human
conversations:  Okay, attack number 2 is a natural 1, auto-miss.  Numbers 3 and 4 bounce off my AC and cover.  5 and 6 miss due to Blink.
  
  Done?
conversations: Saph:
conversations: human
conversations:  No thanks. I don't care enough to have you roll martial lore. 🙂
   White Raven Tactics  myself to immediately after myself.
  
   Dancing Mongoose , followed by another flurry. (Same Format)
  
   (d20+17)[ 30 ] 
   (d100)[ 18 ] 
   (2d3)[ 4 ]  + 2 Negative Levels
   (d20+17)[ 34 ] 
   (d100)[ 90 ] 
   (2d3)[ 5 ]  + 2 Negative Levels
   (d20+17)[ 29 ] 
   (d100)[ 83 ] 
   (2d3)[ 4 ]  + 2 Negative Levels
   (d20+17)[ 35 ] 
   (d100)[ 64 ] 
   (1d3)[ 3 ]  + 1 Negative Levels
   (d20+17)[ 37 ] 
   (d100)[ 43 ] 
   (1d3)[ 2 ]  + 1 Negative Levels
   (d20+12)[ 17 ] 
   (d100)[ 49 ] 
   (2d3)[ 3 ]  + 2 Negative Levels
   (d20+12)[ 21 ] 
   (d100)[ 44 ] 
   (1d3)[ 2 ]  + 1 Negative Levels
   (d20+7)[ 21 ] 
   (d100)[ 69 ] 
   (2d3)[ 6 ]  + 2 Negative Levels
conversations: ex cathedra:
conversations: human
conversations:  Threat  for 5 :
   (d20+17)[ 20 ] 
conversations: ex cathedra:
conversations: human
conversations:  I knew you were going to do something like that, and no, you can't do it.  :P
  
  You get  one  Swift or Immediate action per turn.  You used yours when you activated your Wall of Blades.  You can't use White Raven Tactics until after the end of your turn.
  
  Edit:  Can't seem to access the SRD for some reason, odd.
conversations: Saph:
conversations: human
conversations:  ... Using an immediate action on your turn is the same as using a swift action, and counts as your swift action for that turn. 
  
  Wow. I'm ashamed that I somehow never read/knew that. I'm so sorry. Odd about the SRD.
  
  Edit: Yes, of course, I end my turn. Really, sorry for that blatant oversight again.
conversations: ex cathedra:
conversations: human
conversations:  No problem, I only know it because I habitually play characters with half a dozen Swift or Immediate abilities.
  
  Yeah, link was bad.  Tried to fix it and found that  http://www.d20srd.org/  is down at the moment for some reason.  Oh well.
conversations: Saph:
conversations: human
conversations:  If by  down at the moment  you mean  functioning perfectly , yeah, I can see that. I know how swift actions work, but I'm honestly rather surprised that I didn't know that when I first familiarized myself with immediates.
conversations: ex cathedra:
conversations: human
conversations:  "Okay, I am  not  making the mistake of standing in front of you again." 
  
  Take a standard action to cast a spell.  Elanora's skin sheens over with golden dragoncales and the area under your feet suddenly goes slippery.  ( Grease  spell.  DC 18 reflex save, don't forget the -6 to Dex, and you'll need a Balance check, DC 10, next turn if you want to move.  Did you remember to put ranks in Balance?)
  
  After that, Elanora moves away behind the pillar and out of sight.  As soon as your turn starts, you hear yet another spell being cast from roughly the opposite side of the pillar.
  
   
   Spoiler 
  Arcane Fusion for Grease and Dragonskin (gold).  Move to C12.  On Atlas' turn, cast Greater Mirror Image for  (1d4+4)[ 5 ]  images.
   
  
  Your go.
  
  By the way, I'm not sure how to read those daggers.  Are they dealing 2d3 damage plus 2 neg levels?  Or are they doing 2d3+2 negative levels?  Because if it's the second, then 😦
conversations: Saph:
conversations: human
conversations:  The first. Each dagger does 1d3+3 (-3, due to strength now) +1 Neg level.
  Balance? I'm a  Bloodstorm Blade.  It's for some inexplicable reason a required skill; 8 ranks!
  On an entirely unrelated note, I've done a very spiteful thing with my WBL. I'm fairly positive that nothing I have will be usable by you. Informing you due to the fact that you will inevitably loot my corpse/shivering, unconscious body.
  
  Reflex:
   (d20+10)[ 19 ] 
conversations: ex cathedra:
conversations: human
conversations:  You pass the save.  Your turn.
conversations: Saph:
conversations: human
conversations:  I don't move. ☹️
   
   Spoiler 
  
  Ready an attack.
   
conversations: ex cathedra:
conversations: human
conversations:  I'll give you some incentive, then.
  
   
   Spoiler 
  Regenerate an image, move to F11, cast Stinking Cloud centred at C6/D7.
   
  
  A cloud of nauseating fog materialises around you.  Stinking Cloud spell, obviously.
  
  DC 20 Fort or be nauseated for  (1d4+1)[ 2 ]  rounds, and DC 18 Reflex or fall over if you're still standing in the grease.
conversations: Saph:
conversations: human
conversations:  Fort :  (d20+14)[ 21 ] 
  Ref :  (d20+10)[ 16 ] 
  Bal :  (d20+11)[ 18 ] 
conversations: ex cathedra:
conversations: human
conversations:  Fort passes, Balance passes, Reflex fails.  You fall over, but you're not nauseated.  You can see 5' with concealment, nothing beyond that.  Your turn.
conversations: Saph:
conversations: human
conversations:  Do you think that  Stinking Cloud  blocks  Scent ? It seems illogical, I know, but... 😉
  
  Anyways.. what precisely have you done to my movement? Halved a few times, I can't see more than 5'. I'll crawl to B6, I guess. Is that cool with you?
conversations: ex cathedra:
conversations: human
conversations:  Sure, that works.  You passed your Balance check, so you can move out of the Grease.  Stinking Cloud doesn't restrict movement.  You'll still need to spend a move action at some point to stand up, though.
  
  As for Scent . . . I doubt it'll make much difference, to be honest.  Maybe reduces the range a bit, but Scent only gives direction, and you know my rough direction anyway.
  
  For reference, the Stinking Cloud's centred at C6-D7, so it reaches as far as B3 to the north, and B9 to the south.  My turn?
conversations: Saph:
conversations: human
conversations:  Yes, go ahead. I was kidding about scent. 🙂
conversations: ex cathedra:
conversations: human
conversations:  Move.  You hear spellcasting from directly south of you, then get clobbered by a flurry of flickering scaled dragon wings.
  
  Spell is Wings of Flurry.   (13d6)[ 49 ]  damage and you're dazed for 1 round.  Reflex 21 halves the damage and negates the daze effect.  Also, another Fort 20 save against the Stinking Cloud or be nauseated for  (1d4+1)[ 5 ]  rounds.
  
  Your turn.  New location is:
  
   
   Spoiler 
  B11.
   
conversations: Saph:
conversations: human
conversations:  Reflex :  (d20+10)[ 22 ] 
  Fort :  (d20+14)[ 27 ] 
  It's about time for me to fail one of these, I believe.
  
  Double Move to B4.
  
  Edit: Ha! Way to be awesome, statistics!
conversations: ex cathedra:
conversations: human
conversations:  Well, if you're going to do the same thing, I'm going to do the same thing.  Wings of Flurry you again.   (13d6)[ 41 ]  damage, Ref 21 for half damage and avoid the daze, Fort 20 to avoid being nauseated for  (1d4+1)[ 4 ]  rounds.  Then move.
  
   
   Spoiler 
  Move edited as Aether changed his move.  I'll move to B10 before casting, instead.
   
  
  Your turn.
conversations: Saph:
conversations: human
conversations:  Reflex :  (d20+10)[ 23 ] 
  Fort :  (d20+14)[ 30 ] 
  
  I stand... and move to C2, it seems. Best rolls  ever. 
conversations: ex cathedra:
conversations: human
conversations:  "For the love of Hanali Celanil!  This is getting ridiculous.  Fine, dodge  this !" 
   Web  the corner.  A1-A4, B1-B4, C1-C2, and D1-D2 are now covered in webbing.  Reflex DC 13 or be immobilised and entangled.  Success means you're just entangled.  Moving in a web is a pain in the neck:  look up the spell for details, but basically you need a Str or Escape Artist check as a full-round action to get anywhere.  After that, move.
  
   
   Spoiler 
  Move around to H7.  Spell is from an item, hence the low save DC.
   
conversations: Saph:
conversations: human
conversations:  Reflex :  (d20+10)[ 16 ] 
  Full round to move to D2 : Escape Artist :  (d20+1)[ 3 ] 
  
  " This is,  indeed , becoming ridiculous, " grumbles the entangled halfling, who at the moment wasn't doing very well.
  He  hated  spiders
  
  
  Edit: Or, like, not. Proceed.
conversations: ex cathedra:
conversations: human
conversations:  Elanora comes flying and blinking around the edge of the edge of the stinking cloud, touching down in square H2.   "Mr Anderson!  Welcome back!  We've  missed  you."   She aims her staff at Atlas.   "Do you know the best thing about being me?" 
  
  Another Elanora comes around the corner, then a third, then six more.   "There's so  many  of me!"   The crowd of Elanoras aim at Atlas and fire.  A volley of yellow beams streak out, making an 'uhh' sound.
  
  Ray touch attacks.  You get +4 AC from the web cover and -2 effective AC from being entangled.
  
  Split Ray of Stupidity:
  Attack 1:   (1d20+16)[ 26 ]  vs touch AC.
  Damage:   (1d4+1)[ 5 ]  Int damage
  Attack 2:   (1d20+16)[ 35 ]  vs touch AC.
  Damage:   (1d4+1)[ 3 ]  Int damage
  
  Assuming those work, follow up with Quickened Ray of Stupidity:
  Attack 3:   (1d20+16)[ 33 ]  vs touch AC.
  Damage:   (1d4+1)[ 3 ]  Int damage
conversations: Saph:
conversations: human
conversations:  An 'uhh' sound, you say? Curious.
  
  Also, I think I've been vegetablized. Or vegetated. Or something. I think you see what I'm getting at. Good game, I guess. Sorry I produced a character who couldn't beat a  Greater Invisibility  spell. 😉
conversations: ex cathedra:
conversations: human
conversations:  It's in the spell description.  Kind of silly, but there you go.
  
  How many HP did you have left?  I was thinking of doing a barrage of scorching rays - I could have managed six or so without too much trouble, for 84 average damage, but I wasn't sure that would have been enough.
  
  I didn't actually have Greater Invis, though.  I've found that it rarely works, and it's hard to adjudicate in PbP anyway.
conversations: Saph:
conversations: human
conversations:  75 or 80. Fast Healing 5. 🙂
conversations: ex cathedra:
conversations: human
conversations:  So that was why you didn't seem bothered by the Wings of Flurry damage.
  
  So . . . you used Soul Eater to get the energy drain ability, necrotic focus to channel that through a melee weapon, and Bloodstorm Blade to turn that into a ranged attack, right?  But the one thing I can't figure out is how some of those daggers were doing 2 negative levels instead of 1.  How did that work?
conversations: Saph:
conversations: human
conversations:  Palm Throw, from Master Thrower 1. Two daggers with one attack roll, hence three daggers in total. Of course, 4 +4 weapons outstrips WBL, which is why I only used one dagger offhand. Bloodstorm Blade made them return immediately, so I could full attack with three daggers.
conversations: ex cathedra:
conversations: human
conversations:  Ahh.
  
  Well, interesting, but yeah, it wouldn't work too well in a dungeon.  You basically automatically win against any monster vulnerable to your energy drain, and automatically lose against undead or anything with Death Ward.  :P
  
  - Saph
conversations: Saph:
conversations: human
conversations:  Yes, well, as if those are realistic to encounter. 😉
  
  You seem to be forgetting that's he's a  halfling. 
conversations: ex cathedra:
conversations: human
conversations:  So that just means he's a sneaky *******.  There are enough Killer Gnome characters running around that characters ought to have learned by now not to get cocky about an opponent being Small.  :P
  
  Anyway, time for me to get some sleep, as it's 1am over here.  Good game, night.
  
  - Saph
conversations: Saph: