DreamLyrics™ Play-by-Post Forums Fantasy SKT: The Storm King's Thunder OOC thread

... there is also the fact that many spots that are good for hiding also may provide partial or full cover......., such as popping up from behind a wall or a wagon and shooting and then dropping back down.

I think you were there. And if so you might recall that at Gencon, Lingo (my rogue) was in an encounter with a beholder. While it zapped everyone else, Lingo would take 2 steps into the open, fire at the beholder, take a few steps back behind a wall and hid. It's very doable.

The other important point I forgot to make is that Jaliera (and any rogue) needs to hide behind something. Lingo didn't need walls, bolders or trees because he was a Lightfoot Halfling and they have this racial feature:

This racial feature underscores the need to hide behind or near something. You can't just stand out in the open and say "I'm hiding."

Our horses can provide cover...

Yes, they can. Even if they're dead.

Sure, you can... it just becomes "I think I am hiding" because you can think anything you want, even if it isn't true.

Makes me think of Bert in the comedy soap opera "I am invisible now," which of course he wasn't.

[ooc:
Looking at some options:
Can Davroar wild shape into a grizzly bear being surrounded as he is?
If Davroar wild shapes into a small cat, can he escape south-east direction from the ring of bandits and mounts, or will he be subject to attacks of opportunity from all that surround him?
My other option I'm thinking is turning into a badger or another quick digging creature and escape underground. Can you use 'dash' while digging to gain extra depth and avoid attacks of opportunity? ]

OOC: Yes, you can wild shape into a large creature. Squeezing rules would apply:

Creatures fill the entire 5x5 cube, so there's not really any space to escape. (Technically speaking the don't "fill" the space but they "control" it completely.) (EDIT: Yes you could escape because the enemy would be two sizes larger than you. However, you would trigger opportunity attacks, unless you used the disengage action. But using Wild Shape takes an action so you can't do both on the same turn.)

But speaking of small cats, a Tressym is now a possibility and its stat block says "If pursued by larger flying creatures, they will go to ground and seek a small hole or crevice to conceal themselves in." I think a suitably small creature in the middle of a bunch of horses, could effectively hide.

Yes you can dash while burrowing and double your burrowing speed, but burrowing is movement. You'd need to create a situation where you didn't move on your own, such as falling into a hole you (or someone else) created, and I don't think a badger can make that big a hole.

(OOC: Just Curious but what is the likelihood that mounts that just lost their riders due to a yelling ogre with a very large club and other means actually staying put and not running off? out of being spooked?)

[OOC I am really growing to like Glork! ]

OOC: Good question, and I've already been thinking about that.
1. Officially by the rules, they are now independent mounts and under DM (that's me!) control. So it's whatever I arbitrarily decide!
2. Glork may be yelling but they can't hear him It's possible Davroar wild shapes into a creature horses are scared of, though. Like a spider.
3. They aren't doing anything until their turn in initiative, which they rolled a 3; but since they already moved this round it's going to be another whole cycle before they do anything except reactions.
4. If another one of the mounted attackers is dehorsed, they would obey simple orders from them to allow them to remount.
5. They're rather easy to kill, and that may be a tactic of one of the melee people to free their trapped allies.
6. If none of the above situations occurs, it's more likely than not that they'd use their disengage actions and move away from the combat.

[OOC: So it is Sindar's turn, correct? I don't know the rules of disengaging, but it seems he has open space behind him in the sense the horses are without riders and control. I think unless he can move without provoking enough attacks of opportunity to kill him, which I am pretty sure he can't, his only viable option is to attack with his rapier. Is there a defense option that would improve his AC while using his weapon?]

No, still Davroar, waiting for Dugan to decide what to do.
The mounts and their riders are separate creatures. After the rider is killed the horse becomes an "independent mount" under control of the DM. See my answer to Miales 2 paragraphs above on what's likely to happen in the future. Even if they don't attack, they're probably going to restrict your movement for this turn and your next one, unless someone kills one, and even then the others can do opportunity attacks. If by "behind him" you mean one square to the east, then yes, that's a reasonable movement.

Not that I'm aware of. My thoughts on Sindar's best options are (in my newbie-DM guess in order of how good a choice they are, but I may be wrong):
- Don't attack, and use the dodge action. This would give enemies disadvantage normally; at present the mounted riders have advantage so it would negate that and they'd attack normally; it would give disadvantage to ranged attacks from everyone else... there are three archers and the combat cleric who cast the silence spell, who may (or may not) target Sindar.
- Use the disengage action (which would prevent opportunity attacks) and move one square east. This would take you out of melee reach of 2 of the riders, leaving you with only one likely to attack you, and the lovely smell of horses on your other three sides that you will one day compose an epic song about, if you live to tell the story. Realize that these riders actually have had 2 ranged attacks and that may be worse than a single non-advantaged melee.
- Attack someone (and the rapier looks like the best weapon) and attempt to inflict some damage on one of the riders, hoping your allies do more damage to it. This could be a futile and stupid gesture but it might feel good.

Insert DM ruling here:
The feature doesn't specify that the words are "verbal" so if you can channel your inner mime I would totally allow this based on a suitable music-less and voice-less bit of bard entertainment.

(UPDATE):
Hmm... the feature description does also say:

The "can't hear you" does seem to imply that it requires sound. Still, I think I'd allow it if it's entertaining enough.

OOC: Ah, you are correct. I completely forgot about the "two sizes smaller" bit. Yes you could move and if you disengaged you could avoid opportunity attacks and abandon Sindar.

Which I see you didn't.... but then realized disengage is an action that you couldn't take after wild shape since you only have one action (I think). Moot point as your claw attack missed at AC 13.

C'mon. Giant Crabs attacking people battling over shiny things? I can't be the only one.



Update... attempted to make the crab "glitter".... Alas, failed.

I am certain Cutting Words has a verbal component, so no, I don't believe that is an option.

(OOC - Pande - Note on the "Disengage" action, it prevents Opportunity attacks on you from all opponents.)

RAW, true. Because flipping people off in combat is amusing, however, I'm going to permit it on the melee attacks where the deafened attackers can see it.

Thank you

Hmm, so can Davroar find any gems laying around if he survives the battle?

Given the attackers are not the gem-holding type, this seems unlikely.

Given the DM sharing responsibilities I think I'm missing something and would welcome a PM if gems are supposed to be important.

Just having fun AquaDyne. Seeing the funny video from Moana I was thinking Davroar might have a similar encrusted shell of gold and gems, but alas I guess not.