[OOC] D&D 5e - Hoard of the Dragon Queen

[The Harbinger of Ferocity]

We are all confident and eager to see your post, @VitaVitaAR.

[Hekazu]

Right, as much as I would love to see everyone introduce themselves before continuing, I cannot allow the RP to lose all activity this early. This evening (4-8 hours from this message) I will be having to do something, likely kick the adventure off with or without the final party member as unfortunate as the latter would be.

This decision is not made lightly and I am only doing it due to knowing first-hand what inactivity does to games and how several players have already contacted me and asked if we could go on.

In the future, the usual rule of 4 to 3 days will apply until I need to move things forward by gently nudging the inactive members towards the rest of the party. This is not something I can do for an intro post though, so that is why it has not yet been the case. But as I implied, after my next post this will be in full effect. It is open for discussion on the occasional request of more time, but as it has already been established earlier as a functioning limiter we'll go with it.

[VitaVitaAR]

I'm sorry, I'm going to have to drop.

Please understand this is nothing against the RP, I ended up demoralized and low on ideas. I'm sorry.

[Hekazu]

As sad as it is to see a group member go, I bid you farewell @VitaVitaAR.

Even with this unfortunate incident, I have continued the story. Given how this module is prebalanced around four adventurers we should see how we fare with this amount for now, given how we have a sufficiently wide mix of classes. Any objections?

[Lucius Cypher]

I'm sad to see Vita go, but I guess it'll be okay. Would you still be willing to accept another player for a group of five?

[Hekazu]

Well, I did think we could go with four, given how the classes are now a bit more mixed up and how the introduction of new players would need to wait until "checkpoints". A fifth player could work, but even then they'd have to wait for some time. I can put up an open recruitment once the next checkpoint approaches if it looks like we'd greatly benefit from adding the new member. Four is more or less the optimal size for this module, which is why my search range was set at 3-5.

[SadCubone]

Hey are you guys still allowing people to join?

[Hekazu]

@SadCubone Sorry, but we are full for now. We might recruit more people later on, but as things are currently I'll have to deny entry.

EDIT: On another note, I've edited the first OOC post to better reflect the current situation of the game. If I missed something feel free to point it out!

[Lucius Cypher]

Btw, are we suppose to role for our own skills? I kinda thought @Hekazu would handle that since he'll be the one who'll tell us what we'd find or how something works. Orchid also is doing perception check, but I'm waiting to see if he does notice anything or not.

[Hekazu]

@Lucius Cypher The thing was that since people usually prefer doing their own rolls I gave it to them via the Preemptive rolling system^TM _{not really trademarked...}. This would mean that if you think I would call for a roll with the text your post has, you can include it in your post. If I don't think such a roll is necessary, I'll ignore it. If not, well I don't have to roll it myself. Even if you neglected the system, I'd roll them for you, but since people like their dice rolls... I'm going in loops again, am I not? Well, I hope the point got across.

[Lucius Cypher]

Okay, I was just confused a bit about how we do this. Mostly cause I didn't even know we had a dice system in the RPGuild, so I didn't even know how we'd do dice rolls. Ima edit a roll into my last post and see if that gets me anywhere.

[The Harbinger of Ferocity]

My intent is to have a post this coming afternoon, even if it is just Brannor reacting to Parum. Something to keep the momentum of the events moving rather than nothing.

[Hekazu]

Then I believe I shall put up my post to respond to the activity that has been going on thus far. Would have preferred to see the actions of Trear first, but I can work with this.

[Hekazu]

On another note, since we've agreed on a 4 day period of time, I will generally avoid moving things forward like this. At this point, since the next event had to be this due to how I set things up (and I made the hurried decision to move) it had to happen. Next time something like this is up, I'll probably ask people to wait, to give the promised amount of time for all the players.

[VKAllen]

I am now in the process of posting.

EDIT:

Posted!

[Hekazu]

It should come as no surprise for you that Trear's aggression turns this situation into a fight. If any of you have a way you would like your character to react before the situation escalates to such level, feel free to post about it! Please limit it to the moment the fight will begin though and roll your initiative to go with it. If you'd rather add your next post into the combat itself instead, do say so in the OOC and include the rolled initiative.

I'll have a potentially rather busy weekend, but I should be able to squeeze a post here and there. The Saturday will likely be 100% no posting from me... I'm getting married, you see.

[Lucius Cypher]

Nah, Orchid is itching for a battle too. Question though! I'll admit my knowledge of action economy is still a bit limited, I wanna know: would it be possible for Orchid to move within 20 feet of a kobold, throw his harpoon (roped, so the range is shorter) and then draw his machete? I know drawing ones weapon is part of a move action but I'm uncertain if I could use movement, followed by an attack, and then another move action. If he could draw his machete, could he also draw his shield at the same time?

[Hekazu]

@Lucius Cypher Let me break that down to individual things and evaluate their intensiveness for educational purposes.

• Moving the twenty feet onto range, assuming you are 30 ft. away of the kobolds (which you are) costs the 20ft. out of your 30 ft. pool.
• Throwing a harpoon is an action of the attack type. You know the drill.
• Drawing the harpoon for an attack is a special case, something what you are granted one per turn unless you take a feat that allows more of it. The feat I speak of is "Dual Wielder", PHB p.165.
• Drawing the machete falls under the ruling above, rendering doing both impossible.
• Equipping your shield costs 1 action, as does putting it away (PHB p. 146).

Now, a quick refresher on a turn in combat of 5th edition: What you can and cannot do!

Each round, you have your movement, action, bonus action and your reaction. You generally use most of those on your own turn with the reaction being, well, your reaction to someone else. If you can do something as a bonus action (other than attacking with an off-hand weapon) it is likely a spell or a class feature, so you'll know if you can do it. Your movement is, well, your movement. Limited only by the maximum amount per turn, you can for example step 10 feet, attack, step 10 feet, shout, and move the remaining 10.

Now, actions are probably the most varied of the bunch. You can do many things, all neatly described in PHB p. 192 and onwards, alternatively available in the Basic Rules linked on the Characters tab. No "move actions" in 5th edition, nor "5-foot step".

[Lucius Cypher]

@Hekazu

Cool, cool, but Orchid already has his harpoon out. He had it in his hands in preperation to fling it at the dragon, though now he would just fling it at the kobolds instead. With that in mind, he could still move, hurl the harpoon already in his hand at the kobold, and then draw his machete, yea?

[Hekazu]

@Lucius Cypher Yes. I seem to have neglected a detail, so you would be correct.