"Darkness Rising" - Campaign Sign-up

[Exate]

Erfworld has already established that falling results in wound, incapacitation, or death. Everyone but Cupid has a 2/3 chance to survive, and a 1/3 chance to be conscious! I think that's more than fair.

While Erfworld has established those are the possible results of a fall, it has not established that the probabilities of each are equal.

[ETheBoyce]

3 casters is craaaazy, Well I guess I'll get Luckamancy for my secondary tree

[MarbitChow]

3 casters is craaaazy, Well I guess I'll get Luckamancy for my secondary tree

Note that you can't select a secondary tree's Rank 1 ability until you have a Rank 2 ability. Also note that you gain an additional selection at Level 3, but can't take a Rank 3 until level 4, so you effectively get 2 new secondary trees at level 3. There will be a lot of overlap in caster abilities.

[ETheBoyce]

Well presumably I could get the level 1 and 2 Luckamancy spells <_<

[MarbitChow]

Well presumably I could get the level 1 and 2 Luckamancy spells <_<

Yes, that's also an alternative. I'd prefer it if casters kept their primary disciplines as their highest-level, but the rules didn't spell that out explicitly, so I'll see how it plays out. The way the rules are currently spelled out, you could take ranks 1 & 2 of a secondary discipline at 3, then take the 3rd rank of that discipline at 4. If someone wants to switch their primary like that, I won't prevent it during this campaign, unless the rest of the players have a strong opinion either way.

Please note that the campaign has begun. Post your orders for this turn in the campaign thread, which you can find by clicking here.

[Exate]

If you want orders submitted here, you should really note that in the main thread. Possibly with a link.

At the moment, casters will have what, twelve abilities by level 9? That's maxing out three full schools. It's sort of a joke to refer to them as single-type mancers when their skills are diversified to that extent. We need many more spells per school (or to reduce the number of spells learned) so that casters actually cast primarily from their own discipline instead of having a grab bag to choose from.


On more tactical matters: The large number of elves makes me more than a bit nervous, particularly given that more than half our forces are ranged. If they get a decent charge together they'll easily be able to swarm us, down our casters and archer, and then dogpile our melee troops.

I hate to say it, but the optimal strategy may be for everyone to step forward, the heavies and warlord play defensively and tank for 1-2 rounds while the ranged troops focus fire on the archers, then after the enemy archers are dead everyone on our team retreats except Cupid, who proceeds to laugh maniacally as he picks off the entire hapless enemy force and levels four times.

[MarbitChow]

If you want orders submitted here, you should really note that in the main thread. Possibly with a link.

There was a link. I've edited my message to make it more clear.

At the moment, casters will have what, twelve abilities by level 9? That's maxing out three full schools. It's sort of a joke to refer to them as single-type mancers when their skills are diversified to that extent. We need many more spells per school (or to reduce the number of spells learned) so that casters actually cast primarily from their own discipline instead of having a grab bag to choose from.

Good point, although it will be some time before anyone nears level 9. Let me think about that. I may change the bonuses at levels 3/6/9 to AP instead of spells, and add in some caster-specific 1 AP abilities. That may make more sense, as it would allow a croakamancer to purchase dance fighting and be able to lead uncroaked.

On more tactical matters: The large number of elves makes me more than a bit nervous, particularly given that more than half our forces are ranged. If they get a decent charge together they'll easily be able to swarm us, down our casters and archer, and then dogpile our melee troops.

I hate to say it, but the optimal strategy may be for everyone to step forward, the heavies and warlord play defensively and tank for 1-2 rounds while the ranged troops focus fire on the archers, then after the enemy archers are dead everyone on our team retreats except Cupid, who proceeds to laugh maniacally as he picks off the entire hapless enemy force and levels four times.

I'm not running XP the same way LTDave is - you won't level off of a single kill in this scenario, so you can't guarantee that he'll level 4 times. I'm going to refrain from commenting on what is or is not an optimal strategy.

[ETheBoyce]

The shockamancer has heal scrolls, and the healomancer has shock scrolls <_<

Anyway given the amount of movement, just entering their space lets any of them hit us because they are all within 8 squares of the entrance. Also how does entering a square work with turn order? Like if one of us hangs back can we wait till after they've all gone then enter?

Also can created uncwoaked act immediately?

Also can a unit Guard another and then move away from them to attack?

[MarbitChow]

Anyway given the amount of movement, just entering their space lets any of them hit us because they are all within 8 squares of the entrance. Also how does entering a square work with turn order? Like if one of us hangs back can we wait till after they've all gone then enter?

You can move at any time after you'd normally react. So, this turn, for example, the casters could wait outside the hex until all the attacks have been made, then cross the border and cast or Fire. They would not be able to leave the hex again until the next turn, however.

Combat sequence is Move, then Attack/Strike/Fire/Cast. Once you've committed your action, you can no longer move that phase.

Also can created uncwoaked act immediately?

Yes, uncroaked can react the same turn they're created. However, they will react at the very end of the round, as if they had a Combat of 0 that turn for the purposes of initiative. Their actual combat score for purposes of attacking does not change.

[ETheBoyce]

Do scrolls cost juice to use?

Can a unit using Guard move away from the unit it's Guarding?

[MarbitChow]

Do scrolls cost juice to use?

No, scrolls do not cost juice. Using the scroll consumes it instead.

Can a unit using Guard move away from the unit it's Guarding?

If either the unit Guarding or the unit being guarded are not adjacent, the guarded unit loses it's bonus. The guarded unit also loses it's bonus if the guard dies or is incapacitated.
The guarding unit still receives the penalty for the entire round, however, even if it is no longer able to guard.

[ETheBoyce]

Final question, does an uncroaked unit arise where it fell or next to the caster?

[BLANDCorporatio]

Cupid, who proceeds to laugh maniacally as he picks off the entire hapless enemy force and levels four times.

We defeat our foes with the Power of Love.

[MarbitChow]

Final question, does an uncroaked unit arise where it fell or next to the caster?

Where it fell.

[Exate]

What I propose is that we take skills which do compliment when we level e.g. mighty blow and support or mighty blow and guard. first one to level gets choice pick. Agreed ?

Moving this here from PM because this is basically the discussion thread, and matters of tactics and growth concern everyone.

My thought is that Warriors in general should be taking Block and Mighty Blow, while Spearmen should be generally taking Support and Guard.

If you look at the elven formation in our current encounter, the power of spearmen with Guard becomes apparent- with more than one of them backing up the Warriors, and ordered (presumably) to Guard any of them who are attacked, the Warriors can draw multiple Guard actions and become practically untouchable to direct assault as long as the Spearmen remain intact. Assaulting them head-on would be practically suicide, even for heavies like us. Spearmen using Support wouldn't be quite as bad since they'd have to range into an enemy unit rather than a slightly closer friendly, but could still do serious damage.

That approach won't be anywhere near as effective for Warriors because of our more limited range. Relying on team moves would require us to constantly stick directly adjacent to one another, which I don't see as a reasonable expectation- and if we don't use our abilities we might as well not have them at all. Our Warriors should build themselves as solo combatants rather than team players, whether we go for supertank, killer bruiser, or something in between.

Opinions, anyone?

[MarbitChow]

Please note that both you and the opponents have to select who you are guarding at the start of the round. The bonuses / penalties kick in immediately (as long as the bonuses can be applied).

You cannot "guard anyone who is attacked". You must pick your target, before you know the results of the round. If you or your target are not next to each other, the bonus does not kick in until you are. However, the penalty is applied at the start of the round, as is the bonus if you ARE adjacent.

The reason for this is to prevent abuses like "I wait until after all the attackers have gone, then use Mighty Blow", to avoid having the penalty be meaningful.
It is also to allow a low-combat unit to be able to guard against a high-combat attacker. Even though the attacker goes much sooner, the declared bonus still applies.

[BLANDCorporatio]

I think Exate's got it right. Warriors should go for bruiser tank builds.

We don't have too many warriors though, and a bit too many casters. This will maybe come back to haunt us at some point.

[ETheBoyce]

Not if our Croakamancer gets Bone Puppeteer soon!