Round 3
Subject Round 3
Fight? Hmmm. I must have missed an email or two.
From: Karl
Subject Round 3
(OOC - OK, I'm mostly up to speed, I guess, but I didn't get the original email with the maps attached.)
Salix, hearing the commotion heads to the door. He moves to the side a little so Kal can pass. Better to have the impetuous Elf in front of him where he can keep an eye on him.
From: Mark
Subject Sneak attack
Here are the rules for sneak attacking damage
Sneak Attack: If a rogue can catch an opponent when he is unable to defend himself effectively from her attack, she can strike a vital spot for extra damage.
The rogue's attack deals extra damage any time her target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the rogue flanks her target. This extra damage is 1d6 at 1st level, and it increases by 1d6 every two rogue levels thereafter. Should the rogue score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied.
Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet.
With a sap (blackjack) or an unarmed strike, a rogue can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. She cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual --4 penalty.
A rogue can sneak attack only living creatures with discernible anatomies--undead, constructs, oozes, plants, and incorporeal creatures lack vital areas to attack. Any creature that is immune to critical hits is not vulnerable to sneak attacks. The rogue must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. A rogue cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach.
So since there is only partial light, and Surin does not have either darkvision or low light vision, I would say that he would not be able to do sneak attack damage, since he can not get a good enough view of the creatures anatomy, to figure out where to strike.
Mund is also in the same situation. The creatures basically have partial concealment against him. Ran has low light vision and as long as the door stays open and lets light in from the hallway he will be able to see fine. Ragnar and Harp have dark vision 60 feet and can see just fine, although it might be in black and wihite.
From: Randy
Subject Round 3
And Ran does not disappoint. He moves to flank and strike hard with his sword.
From: Derek
Subject Round 3
Allistair hears the sound of battle ahead. At least this time everyone seems to be agreeing on whether to fight the adversary or not. Seeing Kal and the others charge forward into the room, Allistair runs to the entrance of the room, hopefully he can let loose a magic missle or two at the new foe they are facing.
From: Mark
Subject Round 3
Round 3
Initiative Harp (24), Ragnar (21), Ranthir (20), Mund (19) Surin (11), Allistair (10), Scorpions (10), Kal (6), Salix (6)
Harp grins as the room fills with allies. This should not take too long, he thinks. Taking a quick step to his left, and ducking under the waving claws he stabs his sword at the face of the scorpion (S2). (AC16, 9+11=20, hit, damage 9) His sword buries itself in one of the creature's eyes. Harp pulls the sword out before the claws get a grip on him.
Ragnar also takes a step, but this time to the right. Jumping over a claw (S1) that grabs for his leg, he slices down with his own sword and connects with another solid blow. (AC16, 17+9=26, hit, damage 9) His sword severs another clawed foot and now the creature wobbles a bit when it moves.
Ran sees Harp's head nod to the side and the 1/2 elf takes a step to his right, keeping the large scorpion (S2) between the two of them. As the tail whips by his head he takes another swing at it. (AC16, 12+10=22, hit, damage 3) Another chunk is taken out of the tail but the stinger is still attached.
Mund is glad to see that his axe can hurt this creature. He had heard stories about monsters that could not be hurt by normal weapons. This was just an oversized crawdaddy. Shouting to the rest of the party in the hallway "its two giant crawdads. Anybody wanna come help kill 'em?" With that he turns back and lashes out with his axe (AC16, 4+11=15, miss) at the tail, but misses it as it passes in front of him.
Surin hears the commotion from the room from his place in the hallway. Moving as fast as he can he passes through the door and steps to the side, trying to get an idea of how the fight is going before he does anything else. His one hand plays with the throwing axe at his waist.
Allistair also approaches the open door; trying to determine is his magical aid is needed.
The scorpion facing Harp attacks the 1/2 orc with both claws and its stinger. (AC21, 6+6=12, 11+6=17, 17+1=18, miss, miss, miss) The 1/2 orc is easily able to evade all three attacks, catching the last one on his shield again.
Ragnar is not so lucky. One of the claws grabs his leg and crushes the armor, pinching the flesh beneath. (AC22, 10+6=16, 19+6=25, 17+1=18, miss, hit, miss, damage 5).
Kal, hearing Munds call, charges into the room, his rapier drawn. Seeing the barbarian locked in battle, Kal rushes to his side and attacks the scorpion (S1). (AC16, 5+12=17, hit, damage 8) His rapier pierces the armored hide and slides in hilt deep. The creature shudders and as Kal pulls the rapier free it starts to try and take a step away from the two people behind it.
Salix moves up next to Allistair in the doorway, observing the combat. He remembers what he knows about scorpions and knows that they are mindless insects that will attack anything that moves.
OODM: I need round 4. I will send a map tonight when I get home.
From: Porter
Subject Round 4
Mund attacks the same creature again.
From: Randy
Subject Round 4
Ran continues to flank the creature taking his cue from Harp. He waits for his opening and when he sees it, he strikes.
From: Ashley
Subject Round 4
I'm not sure Surin will be able to get there this round. if the low level of light has the same movement consequences as darkness, he can't run or charge. Nevertheless, Surin will move as fast as his wee legs can carry him to help his much larger friends.
From: Jason
Subject Round 4
Ragnar will keep doing the same thing, except the part where he got hurt hopefully.
From: Ashley
Subject Round 4
As soon as he crosses the threshold into the room, Surin can hardly see enough to put one foot in front of the other. Cautiously, and with the dizzying feeling that every step could land him flat on his face, he moves toward the noises ahead of him as fast as he can without landing himself in an invisible hole or wall. He puts his rapier away, realizing that he can hardly fight in this situation, and brings up his trusted axe. Inching as close as he dares, he sizes up the options ahead of him. For all he could see, Harp and the rest had a handle on the situation, and Surin could only interfere. Raising his axe, Surin waits for any opening that he could take against the creature.
OOC: Does the darkness have any other effects on a miss chance with a ranged weapon? I'm thinking back to the rule that if you throw a ranged weapon into a melee and it misses by more than 4, it hits someone else. Assuming I *don't* want to hit the other folks in the party (yet), would it be a good idea to throw an axe into the mix?
The only thing I found was this rule concerning darkness: All opponents have total concealment from a blinded creature, so the blinded creature has a 50% miss chance in combat. A blinded creature must first pinpoint the location of an opponent in order to attack the right square; if the blinded creature launches an attack without pinpointing its foe, it attacks a random square within its reach. For ranged attacks or spells against a foe whose location is not pinpointed, roll to determine which adjacent square the blinded creature is facing; its attack is directed at the closest target that lies in that direction.
So*, assuming Surin is within range, and he can pinpoint one of the giant roaches, he'll hazard throwing an axe at the nearest one (unless there are some uberserious attack penalties I don't know about). This might take until next round, if Surin still has space to cover. He'll try to stay far enough away from the things' reach, if he can.
From: Mark
Subject Round 4
Well since the door is open there is light coming from the hallway. Surin is not in total darkness.
In fact there is enough light for the elves and 1/2 elves to see very clearly due to thier low light vision.
Only the humans and the halflings would have any problem and that is just some concealment.
There is a problem with throwing into combat.
Let me check the rules, however, I do not expect this to take another round. I expect they will be dead before we get to the scorpions turn.
From: Kevin
Subject Insects
OOC: The scorpions, hearing themselves referred to as mere "insects", instead of the proper Scorpiones order fo the class Arachnida, rear up in anger at the entity who summoned them here. How dare it/he/she/they refer to these majestic creatures as mere "insects"? Why, bees were insects. Scorpions were the king of the desert, not to be confused with mere 6 legged creatures. Ants had six legs. How droll.
