Question about Picts

[Trodax]

It's also worth clarifying again I suppose that any foe caught without either Dodge or Parry, not even necessarily both at the same time, can be sneak attacked. This is clarified on pg177 when refering to ranged sneak attacking being possible becuase a target of such an attack cannot Parry it.

You can only be sneak attacked if you are unable to Dodge and unable to Parry an attack (in other words; if you are unable to defend yourself at all).

The passage on page 177 only explains the unusual situation that comes with the Reflexive Parry feat (ie. that a flat-footed character with Reflexive Parry is protected from hand-to-hand sneak attacks, but isn't protected from ranged sneak attacks, since Parry can't be used to defend against ranged attacks).
I can't think of any other situation where this sort of thing will happen (that you can use one of Dodge or Parry, but not the other), its a situation thats pretty specific for Reflexive Parry, methinks.

 

[Sutek]

Well, you can't Dodge unless you have a free square or one that is occupied only by a friendly, but that only incurs the -2 to the Dodge.

You can't Dodge while climbing or balancing, but you can still Parry, and you don't need the feat.

But balance seems to call out ranged attacks as a means of sneak attacking such targets*, but not melee, so I guess you're right. Climb doesn't have such a clarification.

I suppose I just misread based on those skill descriptions. 177 is sort of saying that if you can do either, you can't be sneak attacked, unless it's a ranged attack.

*page 79: Being attacked while balancing, last sentance.

 

[MadDog]

Any GMs out there want to read an Act of the adventure I am writing ? I could use suggestions. PM me.

Mad Dog

 

[Sutek]

Sure, but start a new thread under the adventure title and your name so we can tell which thread to look for. Something like "Torment of the Tomb" - Mad Dog adventure....or whatever.

 

[MadDog]

I want to make sure the players dont get ahold of this material. Must...be....sneaky.......

Mad Dog

 

[MadDog]

Another session that actually has the players introduced to plot elements.

The players, while on patrol, hear a scream in the distance. Rushing to the scene, they find a group of picts looting a homestead, while 2 picts are trying to wrestle a woman out of an outhouse. Off in the distance, a second group of picts is leaving. Immediately attacking, the players closed the 150 foot distance while firing arrows along the way (1 stygian bow, 1 shemite bow, 3 hunting bows). The picts, alerted, assemble inside the homestead perimeter (there was a split log fence around the homestead) and take cover before firing (3xBrb-1, 4xBrb-2, 2xBrb-3, 1xBrb-4). After 8 rounds or so, 3 of the players were lightly wounded, while 7 of the picts were down. 3 picts fled. Only 1 of the players went into hth, while the rest fired arrows. The picts did not concentrate fire this time (forgot to implement this).

After rescuing the woman in the outhouse, she tearfully begs them to rescue her kidnapped husband and son (taken away by the other group of picts).

A short pause for healing, the players chased after the picts until they made it to a fast moving narrow river......

Mad Dog

 

[MadDog]

.....hot on the trail of the pictish raiders, the players come across a rapidly moving, narrow river. Fortunately there is a shallow ford across it.

Before trying to cross, several attempts to toss a grappling hook are made. Unfortunately, most players dont have Use Rope skill so the attempts are fruitless. Finally, one of the Zamoran thieves (the one with Use Rope) gets tired of waiting and lobs the grappling hook behind a tree the first time (rolls a 20). This is a pleasant surprise for the Zamoran, and an unpleasant surprise for the pict hiding behind that same tree in an ambush.

Chuckling to myself I figure the grappling hook has snared the pict and pinned him against the tree. When the Zamoran starts crossing the river, using the rope and hook and a brace, I figure I ought to give the players another chance to Spot/Listen the ambush due to the pict struggling to get the hook out. In an amazing display of Spot and Listen, most of the players avoid being flat footed. This, however doesnt prevent all 17 of the picts (hidden in ambush around the crossing) opening up on the unfortunate Zamoran like a flak battery on a B-17. In a flurry of arrows over 2 rounds (good pict init, bad player init), the Zamoran does his best porcupine imitation and gets knocked down to 0 hp. Finally, he manages to stagger back out of the crossing, avoiding further arrow fire. 10 more rounds pass as both sides trade arrow volleys (17 picts with hunting bows vs 5 players with 1 hyrkanian, 1 stygian and 3 hunting bows). When the picts run out of arrows, they flee, accomplishing thier job of delaying the players. The picts leave 13 downed picts, while the players have 2 people down.

The tactic of combining fire onto a single target is effective, but in cases where it isnt clear who to fire on, I have the leader pict direct the fire.

After the picts flee, the players take some time to heal and coup any live picts. That done, the players limp on, following the trail of the remaining picts........


Mad Dog

 

[MadDog]

Taking some small amount of time to recover, the players set off once again. The remaining Picts were loaded with the 2 captives, and finally the players caught up with them, outside a small cave. The captives were nowhere to be seen, and strange chanting could be heard from the cave. 2 burly looking Picts stood in front of the cave, who took cover upon spotting the players. Charging to the attack, the players volleyed arrows until one of the picts shouted a challenge to the players for single combat. Tacticus, the Poitanian noble accepted, and thr 2 traded a few blows...until the single combat became a mass melee with the other players "helping" out. While Tacticus wsnt pleased, the pict (Brb-5) went down in a hurry.

Meanwhile, the strange chanting coming from the cave continued. 3 of the players snuck a look into the cave, to see an old, blind pict, his animal companion (boar) and the 2 captives, bound on a crude stone altar.
Without hesitation, Tacticus chrged and did a mightly blow on the poor old blind pict (I chided him on this as not being very chivalrous, but the old man was a Scholar-8...not that Tacticus knew that). After a brief combat., the old man and his boar were killed and the catpives rescued.

Massing arrow fire does much better for the picts and the players got a little lucky in a few places.

Mad Dog