Able is at disadvantage for attacking while prone. Standing up does not incur an attack of opportunity. Attacking with a ranged attack such as eldritch blast imposes disadvantage on the attack.
However, Able is flanking with Charn, thus giving him advantage. As Able would have advantage and disadvantage, it all comes out in the wash. He would roll a single attack roll, regardless of whether he is doing so standing up or lying down.
Spear is simple, I believe, so that's +2, and +1 from Str for a total of 16 on the better attack roll. Damage would be +1 for STR (nothing special for 2 handed because the weapon damage increased from 1d6 to 1d8, right?) for a total of 7 damage if a 16 hits.
Standing up and using a spear would give you advantage, and you would have no sources of disadvantage. Rolling twice and taking the better result is absolutely correct!
Because Able is proficient in simple weapons (such as a spear), he can add the +2 proficiency bonus he has at first level to the roll. Your math is spot on - he got a 16 to hit. That is sufficient to land the blow.
Spears have the Versatile property, which means they can be used two handed for increased damage. Rolling the 1d8 instead of 1d6 is correct.
Able deals seven damage to Commie One. Commie One goes down as a martyr for the cause.
Is it possible to get an updated battle map? It's been a couple of weeks since we were going full bore and I just want to make sure I haven't missed anything...
The head commie, affectionately referred to as Marx, takes the disengage action. He bolts due East. It takes 9 squares of movement to get to square U9. Disengage takes his standard action, so his 6 squares of movement only let him get to square S9.
If he is not stopped before his next turn, he will get away. The PCs also have to deal with CommieZombie2, currently in melee combat with the rocks.
12 points of damage is a solid hit. To put that in perspective, that would kill most first level fighters (1d10 hp, +2 con mod) in a single arrow. That's one-shot territory.
Eryndir's arrow buries itself up to the feathers in Marx's fleeing left shoulder. Even if Eryndir wasn't an Elf, his eyes would see the small cloud of red that indicates the arrowhead punctured all the way through.
Being an Elf, however, the cloud is quite discernible, if not pleasurable.
Charn sloshes through the river to one south of commie three and slashes at him with his longsword crying, "Only the individual thinks! Only the individual reasons! Only the individual acts!"
"My philosophy is that each should be given what they deserve."
It looks like: The Eldritch Blast cantrip was unintentionally left out of the SRD but it is anticipated that a fix will be made by Wizards of the Coast.
Looking back through other posts, I believe I'm at +5 (+3 CHR +2 Proficiency) and I'm not currently threatened, so I think it's a straight roll, dealing 1d10 damage. If I'm mistaken on any points, please let me know.
I run most of my games in roll20, which has official licensing agreements with WotC. Their SRD contains it, so I assume there is something wacky going on.
Oops, sorry. Can I move through the druid's space? Seems like he agrees we're on the same team, at least until this combat is over.
If I can move through his space, Caleb wants to pursue Commie 2, ending his movement as close as possible to him and, if that means he's adjacent, he will make a melee attack with his mace. i dunno what his speed is, exactly, in medium armor - this whole time I was thinking I was reduced to 20' per round but I'm not sure if that's true in 5E. I read what it should be somewhere but can't recall.
Including rolls for attack and damage, as well as an Athletics check because although I'm mostly moving east, I'm also going to be moving at least one or two squares north to catch up.
Caleb and Able note that the druid cast Druidcraft and Prestidigitation. Druidcraft makes sense. Prestidigitation is not on the druid spell list. That doesn't mean he's not a druid as there are a variety of ways someone can pick up a cantrip. It does mean, however, he's not just a druid.
Eryndir and Caleb know some of the songs the druid sang. They all originate in the Greenbriar district of the Heartlands, near the capital. Greenbriar is known for its sporting events and the elector there, Jouseous Flinsover, is a known lich with substantial political power in the Church of the Monarch. The songs mark the druid as a current or former fan of some of the sporting leagues from Greenbriar, and possibly a member of the Church of the Monarch.
The bodies contain a total of 2200 cp, 80 sp, and 7 gp. There are three gems, one is green, one is red, and one is mostly clear but has veins of yellow/brown minerals dancing through it. It might be blemished or it might be crazy valuable. Hard to say.
There are four scimitars and four sets of leather armor. There are some personal effects, including letters from loved ones and communist pamphlets. There are three canteens which appear uninteresting but one other canteen which is obviously magical.
Marx must have also left his pack in the confusion, and Eryndir can easily find it while looting. It has 50 gp, a small bag of various spices, a golden holy symbol in the form of a sylized C, a spell scroll, and two potions.
Can I offer Investigation rolls for some of the items in the loot? Some of them seem to have special properties, and while Eryndir isn't the kind of expert who will know what the spell scrolls do or what magical properties the canteen has, I'd be interested in seeing what his review of the items told him.
Anything special about the gems?
Is it apparent what magical effect is on the canteen?
Is it apparent what the potions are?
One specific question Eryndir is interested in is whether there's anything about the personal effects that will tell him where these guys are from? He's interested in finding Marx and finishing the job. Addresses on the love letters, or particular dialects that give hints as to their geographic or cultural origins? Anything about the bag of spices that will tell us what kind of cuisine Marx likes?
What rolls would you like, sir? I would offer Investigation, but if there's something specific you'd like, I'm happy to roll it. Also, how many rolls would you like for those questions?
There are three ways to identify magic items. You can do so after spending a short rest with the item, or an hour or so of futzing about with the item. You can do so by casting the identify spell. Finally, you can try to "turn it on" and then observe the effects. What would Eryndir try to do with the canteen?
It takes very little effort for Eryndir to determine that the would be commie initiates are locals to the region. They're all young, between 15 and 23, and likely from poor backgrounds. Sadly, the personal effects reveal almost nothing about Marx aside from the fact that he is recruiting in the area around the outpost.
The spices are primarily salt and rosemary. Sadly, that doesn't mean much to Eryndir.
Ernydir would fill the magical canteen with water from the river, then pour it back into the river to see if the water was changed in any observable way. Then, he'd refill the canteen and pour it over his hands, washing them, to see if he could discern any effect. He'd sniff at the water in the canteen.
If nothing else works, he'd take a sip of water from the canteen.
I'm having trouble remembering what we're actually supposed to be doing here. Are we expected to return now that we've delivered the message? Now that we're here, are we expected to help this guy with whatever he needs? He doesn't sound like he's particularly concerned about any of the items on the agenda.
I guess a dungeon crawl sounds cool, it would be my first in 5E. But I don't know what that really has to do, if anything, with what our actual job is.
"Druid Hatepshon may have a request for you, but that's between you and him. This letter you're taking to him is my request of him that he look into these communists. He may ask you to help. You're welcome to help him or not. I do want you to address any trouble out there that you're capable of handling. The wilderness is vast and I don't want you to go getting yourself killed without letting us know what is killing you."
So, I think it's up to us which direction we go. I'm happy to go any direction. Eryndir only suggested the cave to get the conversation started. If folks want to go a different way, I'm happy to do it.
I think the tower is the ones who sent us out here. We are allied with them. The druid is saying we can go back and continue working for them, not murder them all.
Help me out here with the rules.
Commie 1 is standing right next to me and I'm prone. If I attack him I'm at disadvantage, correct?
If I stand up, does that incur an Attack of Opportunity?
If I use Eldritch Blast at the one that attacked Charn, do I suffer any penalties?
This is a sticky rules spot.
Able is at disadvantage for attacking while prone. Standing up does not incur an attack of opportunity. Attacking with a ranged attack such as eldritch blast imposes disadvantage on the attack.
However, Able is flanking with Charn, thus giving him advantage. As Able would have advantage and disadvantage, it all comes out in the wash. He would roll a single attack roll, regardless of whether he is doing so standing up or lying down.
In that case, I'll stand up. Then I'll have advantage, not disadvantage, so I'll roll twice and take the better. Ne?
Two-handed spear
Spear is simple, I believe, so that's +2, and +1 from Str for a total of 16 on the better attack roll. Damage would be +1 for STR (nothing special for 2 handed because the weapon damage increased from 1d6 to 1d8, right?) for a total of 7 damage if a 16 hits.
Standing up and using a spear would give you advantage, and you would have no sources of disadvantage. Rolling twice and taking the better result is absolutely correct!
Because Able is proficient in simple weapons (such as a spear), he can add the +2 proficiency bonus he has at first level to the roll. Your math is spot on - he got a 16 to hit. That is sufficient to land the blow.
Spears have the Versatile property, which means they can be used two handed for increased damage. Rolling the 1d8 instead of 1d6 is correct.
Able deals seven damage to Commie One. Commie One goes down as a martyr for the cause.
Commie Two swings on the Earth Elemental/Druid.
Commie Two can't get through the rocky exterior of the druid.
It is now Caleb's turn.
Is it possible to get an updated battle map? It's been a couple of weeks since we were going full bore and I just want to make sure I haven't missed anything...
Gently bumping this thread.
Sorry, I was also kind of hoping for an updated map.
I've started a massive new case at work and am solely the reason we can't have nice things.
I'll post an updated map no later than this evening.
Any updates? How is the case going? Will we finish fighting the communists?
No, the war against Communism requires eternal vigilance.
My responsiveness should increase now, as should my timeliness. It is now Caleb's turn.
Woo!
Caleb will move toward the top of the map (north?) four squares to engage Commie 3.
Well rested after his long hiatus, Caleb brings his mace down on the Commie, and hard.
Commie 3 goes down.
As he smashes the Communist's head, he cries, "Taxation is the price we pay to live in a civilized society!"
Incidentally, the communist agreed with that sentiment back when he was capable of agreeing with it.
The Earth Elemental/Druid/Probably Not a Commie stomps his foot on the ground, laughing with a hollow echo.
He sends a surge of rejuvenation through all PCs in the river - Caleb, Charn, and Able.
All three PCs in the river gain 9 HP. They also gain 5 temp HP.
The head commie, affectionately referred to as Marx, takes the disengage action. He bolts due East. It takes 9 squares of movement to get to square U9. Disengage takes his standard action, so his 6 squares of movement only let him get to square S9.
If he is not stopped before his next turn, he will get away. The PCs also have to deal with CommieZombie2, currently in melee combat with the rocks.
It is now Eryndir's turn.
Until Marx scampers up that river back, Eryndir should still have high ground...
Damage
12 points of damage is a solid hit. To put that in perspective, that would kill most first level fighters (1d10 hp, +2 con mod) in a single arrow. That's one-shot territory.
Eryndir's arrow buries itself up to the feathers in Marx's fleeing left shoulder. Even if Eryndir wasn't an Elf, his eyes would see the small cloud of red that indicates the arrowhead punctured all the way through.
Being an Elf, however, the cloud is quite discernible, if not pleasurable.
It is now Charn's turn.
Charn sloshes through the river to one south of commie three and slashes at him with his longsword crying, "Only the individual thinks! Only the individual reasons! Only the individual acts!"
Charn connects, dropping the previously battered and bloody commie.
It is now Able's turn. His viable targets are the fleeing Marx and Commie Two.
Targeting Marx.
"My philosophy is that each should be given what they deserve."
It looks like: The Eldritch Blast cantrip was unintentionally left out of the SRD but it is anticipated that a fix will be made by Wizards of the Coast.
Looking back through other posts, I believe I'm at +5 (+3 CHR +2 Proficiency) and I'm not currently threatened, so I think it's a straight roll, dealing 1d10 damage. If I'm mistaken on any points, please let me know.
I run most of my games in roll20, which has official licensing agreements with WotC. Their SRD contains it, so I assume there is something wacky going on.
https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Eldritch%20Blast#content
You're totally right about the roll. Nice damage. Unfortunately, it misses, so you blast the hell out of the river bank.
Commie Two disengages and moves due east, ending in Q10.
Caleb's turn.
Just a reminder, it is now Caleb's turn to remind the reds that they're about to be dead.
Oops, sorry. Can I move through the druid's space? Seems like he agrees we're on the same team, at least until this combat is over.
If I can move through his space, Caleb wants to pursue Commie 2, ending his movement as close as possible to him and, if that means he's adjacent, he will make a melee attack with his mace. i dunno what his speed is, exactly, in medium armor - this whole time I was thinking I was reduced to 20' per round but I'm not sure if that's true in 5E. I read what it should be somewhere but can't recall.
Including rolls for attack and damage, as well as an Athletics check because although I'm mostly moving east, I'm also going to be moving at least one or two squares north to catch up.
Unfortunately for Caleb, rivers are not roads and he is not able to go where he wants to go.
Obviously, Caleb should start a public works project to pave the river.
Can the druid end it?
Rolls
More rolls.
Any loot of note on the bodies that Eryndir would've picked over?
Caleb and Able note that the druid cast Druidcraft and Prestidigitation. Druidcraft makes sense. Prestidigitation is not on the druid spell list. That doesn't mean he's not a druid as there are a variety of ways someone can pick up a cantrip. It does mean, however, he's not just a druid.
Eryndir and Caleb know some of the songs the druid sang. They all originate in the Greenbriar district of the Heartlands, near the capital. Greenbriar is known for its sporting events and the elector there, Jouseous Flinsover, is a known lich with substantial political power in the Church of the Monarch. The songs mark the druid as a current or former fan of some of the sporting leagues from Greenbriar, and possibly a member of the Church of the Monarch.
The bodies contain a total of 2200 cp, 80 sp, and 7 gp. There are three gems, one is green, one is red, and one is mostly clear but has veins of yellow/brown minerals dancing through it. It might be blemished or it might be crazy valuable. Hard to say.
There are four scimitars and four sets of leather armor. There are some personal effects, including letters from loved ones and communist pamphlets. There are three canteens which appear uninteresting but one other canteen which is obviously magical.
Marx must have also left his pack in the confusion, and Eryndir can easily find it while looting. It has 50 gp, a small bag of various spices, a golden holy symbol in the form of a sylized C, a spell scroll, and two potions.
Who is currently holding the letter?
Up to the die roll.
1 - Able.
2 - Caleb.
3 - Charn.
4 - Eryndir.
Can I offer Investigation rolls for some of the items in the loot? Some of them seem to have special properties, and while Eryndir isn't the kind of expert who will know what the spell scrolls do or what magical properties the canteen has, I'd be interested in seeing what his review of the items told him.
Anything special about the gems?
Is it apparent what magical effect is on the canteen?
Is it apparent what the potions are?
One specific question Eryndir is interested in is whether there's anything about the personal effects that will tell him where these guys are from? He's interested in finding Marx and finishing the job. Addresses on the love letters, or particular dialects that give hints as to their geographic or cultural origins? Anything about the bag of spices that will tell us what kind of cuisine Marx likes?
What rolls would you like, sir? I would offer Investigation, but if there's something specific you'd like, I'm happy to roll it. Also, how many rolls would you like for those questions?
The gems are non-magical.
There are three ways to identify magic items. You can do so after spending a short rest with the item, or an hour or so of futzing about with the item. You can do so by casting the identify spell. Finally, you can try to "turn it on" and then observe the effects. What would Eryndir try to do with the canteen?
It takes very little effort for Eryndir to determine that the would be commie initiates are locals to the region. They're all young, between 15 and 23, and likely from poor backgrounds. Sadly, the personal effects reveal almost nothing about Marx aside from the fact that he is recruiting in the area around the outpost.
The spices are primarily salt and rosemary. Sadly, that doesn't mean much to Eryndir.
Ernydir would fill the magical canteen with water from the river, then pour it back into the river to see if the water was changed in any observable way. Then, he'd refill the canteen and pour it over his hands, washing them, to see if he could discern any effect. He'd sniff at the water in the canteen.
If nothing else works, he'd take a sip of water from the canteen.
Eryndir isn't quite sure what the canteen does, but he does know more water came out of the canteen than went into the canteen.
I'm having trouble remembering what we're actually supposed to be doing here. Are we expected to return now that we've delivered the message? Now that we're here, are we expected to help this guy with whatever he needs? He doesn't sound like he's particularly concerned about any of the items on the agenda.
I guess a dungeon crawl sounds cool, it would be my first in 5E. But I don't know what that really has to do, if anything, with what our actual job is.
The last instruction we got from Taron was:
"Druid Hatepshon may have a request for you, but that's between you and him. This letter you're taking to him is my request of him that he look into these communists. He may ask you to help. You're welcome to help him or not. I do want you to address any trouble out there that you're capable of handling. The wilderness is vast and I don't want you to go getting yourself killed without letting us know what is killing you."
So, I think it's up to us which direction we go. I'm happy to go any direction. Eryndir only suggested the cave to get the conversation started. If folks want to go a different way, I'm happy to do it.
Very helpful, thank you very much.
@Dafyd
I think the tower is the ones who sent us out here. We are allied with them. The druid is saying we can go back and continue working for them, not murder them all.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
Pages