I did some more fiddling with the math and the mechanics, tested the team against a revised rot creeper, played with the numbers some more, and ultimately ended up with a compromise. I decided that armor (and a new ability: magic resistance) reduce damage directly (a passive ability that always kicks in with no dice roll required), whereas I’ll still roll checks for traits to resist magic and beast abilities. The big slowdown was with armor checks… now, armor applies automatically. Because of that, I had to revise hits and damage across the board. This is a pretty significant change, but I’m hopeful that it will speed up play. I keep the target of 10 for everything, because that’s just so intuitive. The big change from the character side is that you add your might to melee damage and your reflex to ranged damage, which offsets the automatic soaks from armor against every attack. If you are not a caster (with access to the vestments spell), you’re probably going to want at least might 2 so you can wear some decent armor.
I make a few executive decisions. The heroes search the goblin caves entirely, the kobold caves entirely, and the bugbear’s caves. The wolf that was up there ran away. Teothas ‘donates’ all of his money and xp to the twins. When they arrive in Buckler’s Keep, a messenger from the High Marshal has arrived, demanding that Teothas return at once with an update on the Sevenfold Rod. He encourages his niece and nephew to continue searching for it while he returns to his lord to give a report. His hope is that the twins can find and hide it while he makes a plan. He is concerned that if the Sevenfold Rod is recovered, giving it to the High Marshal might not be the best idea…
They have earned:
99 xp (so exactly 50 each - halfway to next level!)
44 gold and 89 copper in wealth
Chainmail 3
A Small Enchanted Shield 1
4 Potions of Healing
2 Weapons (4)
I change their names again (the h’s were starting to bother me) to Taliana and Torothryn (so Tali and Toro for short. Those are a little bit better). Teo has the last name Moonharper, so I give that to them as well.
Because he rolls a natural 12 on his mind check to negotiate, Toro is able to make a lateral trade for one of the weapons 4 for a longsword 4. He trades in his blade 3 (getting 3 gp for it), his leather armor (also 3 gp) and small shield (3 gp as well). He dons the chainmail and takes the enchanted shield. Tali turns in her short bow (5 gp) and gets a hunter’s bow 3 (25 gp). They have 33 gp remaining, and are in very good shape. Each takes 15 gp, giving tips to the barkeep and the vendor who has sold them goods.
Taliana Moonharper - Headstrong Elfin Arcane Archer 1 (XP 50); 15 gp
Armor 0 (2); Hits 12; Move 60’; Bow (+2*/6) or Dirk (+1/1)
Traits: Might 0; Mind 3; Reflex 3
Tags: Archer; Mystic (Common, Wild); Sharpshooter
Gear: Hunter’s Bow 3; Ring of Health (5); 2 Potions of Healing (6 hits)
Spells: Glimmering Weapon (1 mana)
Torothrin Moonharper - Astute Elfin Lightbearer 1 (XP 50); 15 gp
Armor 3; Hits 15; Move 60’; Blade (+2/7) + Shield (+2/5)
Traits: Might 3; Mind 3; Reflex 0
Tags: Mystic (Common, Light); Two Weapons; Warrior
Gear: Chainmail Armor 3; Enchanted Small Shield 1*;
Longsword 4; Ring of Health (5); 2 Potions of Healing (6 hits)
Spells: Glimmering Weapon (1 mana)
They are ready to set off back towards the Dens of Discord! There are only two of them, but a) they each have +5 health, which amounts to another character between them in terms of total hits they can sustain and b) they are well geared now (a few potions and a magic shield to boot), so they are more viable than they were before these upgrades. I think they will be okay…
I don’t roll any random encounters, but I want one anyway, so I roll and get 3 boars… so, as they near the Dens, three boars step out onto the road, take notice of them, and prepare to charge. The boars are 50’ away. They automatically win initiative, since it will take the boars the full round to charge, and they will attack at the end of next round.
Tali casts glimmering weapon and fails. She attacks and hits with a 10, dealing 6 damage. It suffers 5 hits and is down to 6. In the second round she tries glimmering weapon again, and succeeds. She attacks that same boar again, hitting for 6. It is down to 1 remaining.
Toro casts glimmering weapon and fails. He has no ranged attack, so he waits for the next round, casting glimmering weapon again succeeding (it will last 4 rounds from rolling an 11). He attacks the injured boar and hits with a 12 with his sword, killing it. He attempts to shield bash a second one, but fails.
Each of them is attacked by a boar. The one on Tali misses, but the one on Toro hits. He attempts to use his shield to block the attack. He fails to do so, despite the +1 edge (rolled 3 and 1). He suffers 6 hits, less his armor of 3 leaves him at 12 hits.
Tali is trying to step back 10’ to fire again (as Toro tries to get between them to take on both boars). She hits for 6 damage, dealing 5 and leaving it at 6.
Toro hits the injured one with his sword, dealing 7 and just barely killing it. He tries to shield bash the last one, and just barely misses.
It attacks him, missing.
Tali hits with an 11, leaving it at 5 hits. Toro misses with sword and shield.
The boar misses.
Tali hits, finishing it off.
Toro is able to heal himself (eventually) and they set off towards the final caves…
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