Iren's PbP - Fantasy Rules

[maidenhaver]

I needed a roll at or lower than my DEX, which I got. Let me know if I need to roll for anything else, or if I need to use Skirmish to escape the cellar.

Safe to say you "escaped" freely since the fight was over and there was no threat nearby.

Why did... nevermind.

[ERYFKRAD]

Nicely played maidenhaver

[Irenaeus]

How does my Stealth skill work? I don't see an entry about that in the -ACK rulebook. Is it analogous to Hide in Shadows?

Speaking of Hide in Shadows, should I roll for that now? Or do we assume I hide successfully since we're currently out of combat?

Stealth means Move Silent and Hide In Shadows in the Thief class. I was going to use a singular stealth skill before but decided to follow the rulebook.

[logincrash]

Are we following the Cleaving rule? Because Hrod is killing it on the battlefield, literally.

[ERYFKRAD]

Are we following the Cleaving rule? Because Hrod is killing it on the battlefield, literally.

@Irenaeus did mark Hrod down as downing two or three rats with a single attack so I guess we are following some variety of cleaving. Being just 1 hp rats I guess Hrod's cutting them like they are butter against a heated knife.

[Humbaba]

May I suggest putting short stat blocks (only AC and hp, maybe number of attacks) of the remaining enemies in of those summary posts after each round of combat? Would make keeping track of things more convenient.

[logincrash]

Could I use Medicine in combination with Bandages to approximate something close to the Cure Light Wounds? Maybe for 1d4 instead of 1d6?

[rusty_shackleford]

Could I use Medicine in combination with Bandages to approximate something close to the Cure Light Wounds? Maybe for 1d4 instead of 1d6?

(not meant to butt in on DM's decision, just wanted to point to ACKS rules to help iren since he's new to the system)

Fed the SRD to an LLM and asked the question, it gave me this:

In ACKS, there isn't a dedicated "Medicine" skill or mechanic that directly replicates magical healing like cure light wounds. However, there are several proficiencies related to healing and herbalism that can improve recovery from injuries and somewhat approximate minor healing effects over time.

The Healing proficiency

The primary mechanic for non-magical healing is through the Healing general proficiency:

• A healer adds +1d3 hit points per day to a patient's natural recovery while resting.
• He may attempt to cure light wounds effects (restore 1d6+1 hp immediately after battle) if he has selected Healing twice, with a proficiency throw of 18+ (i.e., quite difficult but possible once per day per patient).
• With three ranks, he can attempt to cure serious wounds with a proficiency throw of 14+.
• An adventurer treated with healing and complete bed rest gains the healer's bonus in addition to the normal 1d3 hp per day of natural rest.

This means with two ranks in Healing, a skilled practitioner can at least simulate a minor version of cure light wounds in the field, if he can make the throw (which could be boosted with herbs, see below).

Herbal remedies

Using plants like comfrey or woundwort adds bonuses:

• Comfrey: an herbal poultice used immediately after battle that restores 1d3 hp (essentially like a small healing potion, once per day per character).
• Woundwort: when used with Healing proficiency, grants a +2 bonus to treat injuries with cure light wounds or serious wounds attempts or recovering from mortal wounds.

This lets a healer function a bit more effectively, though still nowhere near the reliability or speed of true magic. But it definitely approximates low-level magical healing in a campaign with the right supplies and training.

Summary

• Medicine in ACKS is represented via Healing proficiency and herbal remedies.
• With high proficiency and herbalism, a healer can approximate minor magical healing effects such as cure light wounds on occasion.
• This is not as immediate, reliable, or potent as clerical magic, but it can definitely help reduce downtime and improve survivability, especially at lower levels or in low-magic campaigns.

So, in conclusion, yes: a combination of Healing proficiency (especially taken twice) plus appropriate herbs effectively provides a non-magical, skill-based approximation of minor healing comparable to cure light wounds. It's just generally slower, requires successful skill checks, and herbal supplies, unlike the relative reliability of magic spells.

Hope that helps

[Irenaeus]

Are we following the Cleaving rule? Because Hrod is killing it on the battlefield, literally.

@Irenaeus did mark Hrod down as downing two or three rats with a single attack so I guess we are following some variety of cleaving. Being just 1 hp rats I guess Hrod's cutting them like they are butter against a heated knife.

You're correct that I introduced a variety to cleaving:

I have a suggestion to modify the cleaving rules from the book:

Cleaving: If a character or monster successfully kills or incapacitates an opponent with an attack, they might be able to make additional cleave attacks against other adjacent targets. The number of cleave attacks possible in a round depends on the attacker's Hit Dice and attack throw progression. Each cleave attack still requires a separate attack roll against the new target, and the damage dealt would be from the same initial attack.


My proposal is that in addition to the number of cleave attacks possible in a round depends on the attacker's Hit Dice and attack throw progression, all Fighters have a +1 cleave bonus meaning that in the first level they can kill an enemy and cleave the next, and in the second level they can kill two enemies and cleave the next, and so on.

By the way, all Fighters have a default +1 bonus to damage (both melee and missile).

Basically making cleaving easier to everyone, particularly fighters.

[logincrash]

@Irenaeus, could you make a decision on whether the Reaction rolls are 1d20 or 2d6? Or tell us which one to roll when you call for a Reaction roll?

[SpellSword]

@Irenaeus, could you make a decision on whether the Reaction rolls are 1d20 or 2d6? Or tell us which one to roll when you call for a Reaction roll?

I understand that with a 1d20 roll the goal is anything 10 or above. With 2d6 is the threshold for a positive outcome still 10?

[Irenaeus]

@Irenaeus In the near future, would I be able to get Stein to use his Survival skill to skin the rat and make a 'rat cloak'?

► I figure the rat ruined Stein Von Steiner's clothing, some reciprocal action is in order.

Sorry for not answering earlier, be aware that editing a post and including a mention does not notify the other user.

As for skinning a rat (many rats I guess) and having enough leather to make a "rat cloak" requires the following list of skill checks:

Skinning:
1) Survival or Naturalism or Animal Husbandry (the more skills the easier and better result)

Making a cloak with the skin:
2) Craft (leatherworking)

Optional for better quality:
3) Craft (tailoring)

This came from the General Discussion thread, and I'd rather discuss it here, leaving that thread more for strategies between players. But it's ok, I'll answer rules questions from there too, trying to bring them here if possible.

[logincrash]

@Irenaeus, please, clear up the "2d6 or 1d20 for Reaction" question.

[Irenaeus]

@Irenaeus, could you make a decision on whether the Reaction rolls are 1d20 or 2d6? Or tell us which one to roll when you call for a Reaction roll?

I understand that with a 1d20 roll the goal is anything 10 or above. With 2d6 is the threshold for a positive outcome still 10?

We're using the ACKS rulebook with some variation, as that system is less about NPCs and discussion stuff and more about classic dungeon crawling. Sorry if I picked a system I wasn't familiar with, I had always wanted to do a more "talky" adventure and not just hack-n-slash. Oh well, we learn and adapt.
ANYWAY,

Here's what we are using from the rulebook (page 99). What goes for monsters, goes for NPCs in our game.



Diplomacy and Mystic Aura skills improve the result by 2. I'll be considering the other factors that may improve or lower results by judging myself the situation (arguments, tone, context).

I'll try to research and improve the reaction system for future phases of the game, but for now we are going with this. If anything changes, I'll announce it.

@Irenaeus, please, clear up the "2d6 or 1d20 for Reaction" question.

Sorry for the delay, I was composing the answer.

[logincrash]

Here's what we are using from the rulebook (page 99). What goes for monsters, goes for NPCs in our game.



Diplomacy and Mystic Aura skills improve the result by 2. I'll be considering the other factors that may improve or lower results by judging myself the situation (arguments, tone, context).

I'll try to research and improve the reaction system for future phases of the game, but for now we are going with this. If anything changes, I'll announce it.

@Irenaeus, please, clear up the "2d6 or 1d20 for Reaction" question.

Sorry for the delay, I was composing the answer.

I suggest we adjust the result in the table to be less harsh when it comes to NPCs. We could make the 12+ rolls result in very helpful reactions and the 9-11 range result in agreeable reactions. The 2-8 rolls are, I think, fine for NPCs.

[Irenaeus]

Here's what we are using from the rulebook (page 99). What goes for monsters, goes for NPCs in our game.



Diplomacy and Mystic Aura skills improve the result by 2. I'll be considering the other factors that may improve or lower results by judging myself the situation (arguments, tone, context).

I'll try to research and improve the reaction system for future phases of the game, but for now we are going with this. If anything changes, I'll announce it.

@Irenaeus, please, clear up the "2d6 or 1d20 for Reaction" question.

Sorry for the delay, I was composing the answer.

I suggest we adjust the result in the table to be less harsh when it comes to NPCs. We could make the 12+ rolls result in very helpful reactions and the 9-11 range result in agreeable reactions. The 2-8 rolls are, I think, fine for NPCs.

You're right, the table was made for MONSTERS, after all
I'll keep your suggestion that in mind and judge accordingly when considering the numerical results from the rolls.
The rest of the players can also give their impressions of the system so we have a fair (and fun!) game.

[rusty_shackleford]

Just asking to clarify, is reaction being used for e.g., requests or just when you first meet?

[Irenaeus]

Just asking to clarify, is reaction being used for e.g., requests or just when you first meet?

For simplicity and to avoid all continuous rolling, first meet (think of it as your first impression). That's the way I'm using for now. Any comments and suggestions welcome as there's not much about it (almost nothing) in the rulebook. I think the game system wasn't designed for continued relationships between PCs and NPCs outside hirelings and merchants.

[Irenaeus]

Here's what we are using from the rulebook (page 99). What goes for monsters, goes for NPCs in our game.



Diplomacy and Mystic Aura skills improve the result by 2. I'll be considering the other factors that may improve or lower results by judging myself the situation (arguments, tone, context).

I'll try to research and improve the reaction system for future phases of the game, but for now we are going with this. If anything changes, I'll announce it.

@Irenaeus, please, clear up the "2d6 or 1d20 for Reaction" question.

Sorry for the delay, I was composing the answer.

I suggest we adjust the result in the table to be less harsh when it comes to NPCs. We could make the 12+ rolls result in very helpful reactions and the 9-11 range result in agreeable reactions. The 2-8 rolls are, I think, fine for NPCs.

Here's how I'm using the on-the-fly, newly created "NPC Reation Table":

NPC Reaction Table

Adjusted Die Roll Result
_____________________
2 or less - Hostile
3–5 - Unfriendly
6–8 - Neutral, Uncertain, Indifferent, Uninterested
9–11 - Cordial and Helpful
12 or more - Friendly and Very Helpful

_____________________


What do you all think? Go into "production" or back to development?

[Humbaba]

2 or less - Hostile

Oops lads I aggroed the innkeeper and I didn't quicksave.

[maidenhaver]

George is a late sleeper, meaning he needs 10 hours of sleep for every 8 others require, or he gets easily surprised, and other maluses the DM wants. However, George can't sleep over four hours at a time in settlements. Just a tweeest I added. This means he's got to get his 10 innawoods, or spread out through the day, usually three, three to four hour naps, making rest difficult anywhere but in nature.

Also, sort of a tie-in, here's what Claude says about the Lost trait:

In ACKS, what does the Lost character trait do?

In ACKS (Adventurer Conqueror King System), the "Lost" character trait is a personality proficiency that characters can select during character creation or through advancement.

The Lost proficiency represents a character who is disconnected from their home culture, having been separated at a young age and raised in a different environment. Characters with this proficiency:

Are considered foreigners to their own native culture and people
Have been raised in and adopted the customs of a different culture
Speak the language of their adopted culture as their native tongue
Must learn the language of their ancestral culture as a separate language
Often experience a sense of not fully belonging to either culture
This proficiency is typically taken by characters who have a mixed cultural background or were raised away from their ancestral homeland, such as orphans adopted by another culture, children raised in exile, or those separated from their people at a young age.

The Lost proficiency primarily serves as a roleplaying trait that adds depth to character backgrounds rather than providing specific mechanical benefits in gameplay.

I want to play it as George feels uneasy in civilization, and so he mostly keeps to himself. He's an outlander wherever he goes, except back to his druid surrogate father's grove innawoods. @Irenaeus

[Irenaeus]

George is a late sleeper, meaning he needs 10 hours of sleep for every 8 others require, or he gets easily surprised, and other maluses the DM wants. However, George can't sleep over four hours at a time in settlements. Just a tweeest I added. This means he's got to get his 10 innawoods, or spread out through the day, usually three, three to four hour naps, making rest difficult anywhere but in nature.

Also, sort of a tie-in, here's what Claude says about the Lost trait:

In ACKS, what does the Lost character trait do?

In ACKS (Adventurer Conqueror King System), the "Lost" character trait is a personality proficiency that characters can select during character creation or through advancement.

The Lost proficiency represents a character who is disconnected from their home culture, having been separated at a young age and raised in a different environment. Characters with this proficiency:

Are considered foreigners to their own native culture and people
Have been raised in and adopted the customs of a different culture
Speak the language of their adopted culture as their native tongue
Must learn the language of their ancestral culture as a separate language
Often experience a sense of not fully belonging to either culture
This proficiency is typically taken by characters who have a mixed cultural background or were raised away from their ancestral homeland, such as orphans adopted by another culture, children raised in exile, or those separated from their people at a young age.

The Lost proficiency primarily serves as a roleplaying trait that adds depth to character backgrounds rather than providing specific mechanical benefits in gameplay.

I want to play it as George feels uneasy in civilization, and so he mostly keeps to himself. He's an outlander wherever he goes, except back to his druid surrogate father's grove innawoods. @Irenaeus

Thanks for posting, that's very interesting! I'll keep in mind when judging and writing about your character's actions.

[Irenaeus]

For the experience earning rule of 1 gold piece looted = 1 experience point, I going to change it to 1 silver piece looted = 1 experience point (XP). This will reflect the scarcity of metallic money in the campaign and hopefully be more balanced.

So far the adventurers gained zero XP from money anyway, only for defeating the rats. The total of the prologue was 150 XP divided by the 12 PCs that at least went to the cellar even if they didn't contribute much, I rounded up to 13 XP. Here is the table:

► Show Spoiler

Updated the table to included Adjusted XP. It doesn't matter much now, but it will on the long term.

[swbgtoc]

How does the dog combat work?

edit: I assume I should use this, Cnut is a mastiff so a war dog.

dog ACKS.jpg

[Irenaeus]

How does the dog combat work?

It's undestood that the dog you start with, your character has a pretty darn good bond with. You control it as your character in combat (if it's gravely wounded I may request a morale roll).
Stats are:
1d6+1 hp, AC 2, 1 bite attack for 1d4 damage.

[swbgtoc]

I was 90 feet away so he's just running for this turn
Nevermind it's 150' I don't know what the 50 is, movement while wounded maybe?

[Irenaeus]

I was 90 feet away so he's just running for this turn
Nevermind it's 150' I don't know what the 50 is, movement while wounded maybe?

The first number 150' is feet per turn (10 minutes) in exploration. The second value in brackets (50') is feet per round (10 seconds) in combat.

[swbgtoc]

I was 90 feet away so he's just running for this turn
Nevermind it's 150' I don't know what the 50 is, movement while wounded maybe?

The first number 150' is feet per turn (10 minutes) in exploration. The second value in brackets (50') is feet per round (10 seconds) in combat.

Oh okay so he is running after all

[Irenaeus]

edit: I assume I should use this, Cnut is a mastiff so a war dog.

I was using Hunting Dog stats for all dogs of the PCs.

[swbgtoc]

edit: I assume I should use this, Cnut is a mastiff so a war dog.

I was using Hunting Dog stats for all dogs of the PCs.

Yeah I just saw war dogs were more expensive and powerful. I guess he is a young mastiff or something.