Tips and bitch, please be honest.

[Sebastien]

Please feel free to speak about issues and things that you would like to see less of or more of something.

Thanks!

[Kerait Heasiraheal]

For the DM:

I think over all combat was good, monsters weren't too challenging aside from the golem, and I liked the variety you used. Could make them a bit tougher or require some further knowledge roles to gain insight into the situation to make it a bit more interesting. Still they were lots of fun to dispatch as Pat ran away .  

Though the social RP was long, I also enjoyed it, it all felt like it had purpose. Only thing I felt was a bit lacking was the two spots where we had questions/research but nothing immediately gained specific to our characters. It would be nice to have some bit of knowledge or the like that our characters find right away, and then give you specific things we were looking up post session. That way it's not just like here's an amazing library, tell me after the game what you do. Still wasn't bad, just something to think about tidbit wise.

I think you need to work a bit on your knowledge for skills, and their functions a bit more. For instance what monsters each of the knowledge skills apply to and what it actually gives you.

IE Arcana: Arcana (ancient mysteries, magic traditions, arcane symbols, cryptic phrases, constructs, dragons, magical beasts), which as I'd mentioned doesn't give you any insight into studying or comprehending an actual spell, more summoning circles and rituals etc. Or knowing game mechanics like tumble off hand.

I had some really good cheat sheets for those things I was using in your game, I'll see if I can't find them again and print a set for you.

Otherwise there isn't much, even the skills wasn't bad or anything, I'm just mentioning things you can improve on, not that necessarily need to be. Didn't take us long to look up tumble or the like regardless .

In terms of players:
Kyn, just try to bear in mind the overall alignment of the party, and what helm actually does. You're a protector, but you have to decide what you're protecting. Bear in mind helm is impartial in his protection. If you're protecting the troupe of 10 people going towards a destination, taking a dangerous detour to check out some circling vultures could put that party in danger for very little chance of anything. Helm isn't some heroic god of justice, and going off to save every single person who is likely already dead will make it difficult to follow you without meta-gaming constantly.

"Helm (pronounced HELM [11]), also known as the Vigilant One and The Watcher, was the god of guardians, protection and protectors. He was worshiped by guards and paladins both, long being seen as a cold and focused deity who impartially took the role of defender and sometimes also enforcer. His activities in the Time of Troubles caused the folk of Faerûn to look differently on the Watcher. " http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Helm

It's not really a fight for the weak, or go after every bad guy you see kind of god. You protect those around you who need protection at all cost. Obviously given your good alignment there is for sure room for interpretation, but try not to put the party in anymore ultimatums of I'm going period, whether you guys come or not. It doesn't make enjoyable play, and it's nonsensical for the deity you chose to represent to sacrifice our protection for some likely dead guards. Obviously as the party ties grow closer it will make more sense for us to amicable in helping you on your quest, as you will help us on ours, but for a first session move it was a "this is what I want to do, and I'm going to do it regardless." kind of thing. And you were willing to break the one rule you've told me time and time again frustrates you to no end if a player does "Never split the party".

Again as with Sebs thing, not a huge bitch, just a small thing that could make party jiving seem to work a bit better.

Those are my ten cents, hate it or love it you guys are free to post bitch and tips for my character as well.

[Sebastien]

Awesome feedback, thanks for taking the time to do this Zedd.

I will improve on the game mechanics for skills and feats in the near future. As for the creatures.. absolutely! I was saying before game that this one was to test you guys. I ended up giving you guys a few "Overpowered" items or abilities and I wanted to make sure not to wipe you guys

Great post though and next game will be better.

Sorry about the library thing, I saw what time it was and I was pushing to the keep. I apologize.

[Hiroshi Isamu]

I'm trying to think about any other things I'd like to add to the post, but I believe that Zedd summed it up pretty well the thoughts I had after the end of last.

That being said, I believe I was the biggest perpetrator of the knowledge: Arcana affair, so what I've done is added a cheat sheet with some of the skills that I'm not 100% on, so that that way I can not tie up game.

Another thing I think we should keep in mind, that I've seen become a problem in other games sometimes, is too many DM's at one table; IE, saying someone can or cannot do something, making a call instead of Seb. I didn't see it hugely apparent, and I don't expect it from this caliber of players, but something we should keep in mind (myself included).

[Kerait Heasiraheal]

Seb you're absolutely welcome, but please no need to apologize! It was a great session, and like I said nothing really bad about it. I suppose the library for me was probably more noticeable since I'm such a stickler for knowledge skills, but again not something that was bothersome, just something that can be fun in the future.

Tony I appreciate you taking the time to look through your skills, I think that if everyone is fully understanding their usage of their skills it will cut down on the secondary DMs piping up.

I know I'm generally a big perpetrator of pointing out when another player is breaking a rule because it kills the fourth wall for me. If you're using something like your knowledge arcana(just an example!) to make checks for something only my spellcraft is meant to do, it winds up making me feel it was a bad investment for my character to spend points on that, and perhaps I should have done something different. Same thing when I tend to make calls out on when people are meta-gaming or putting me in a position where I feel I HAVE to meta-game in order to cater to their role. I think you're definitely right that with the caliber of players we have this shouldn't happen too much, and I'll do my best to cut down on it as I know I'm terrible at that when I feel I've lost immersion into my character, or that rules are being broken/abused. I'm sure if I do it too often our very generous DM will not be reluctant to be generous with his punishment for me being annoying haha.

So that being said I'll do my best not to make those calls during the game, and see if I can't learn to push past it and get immersed again without having to correct the broken rules. I apologize if it caused the same problem for others.

[Veshiss]

On my side fisrt game was great, i love the play between each other and i think its going to make for a bad ass group once we get to do more stuff together. i need more games to start with the bitch and tips lol.

[Hiroshi Isamu]

There was no slight taken good sir. I was poorly eluding, and I don't mean to be mean, but a similar style to how Julie sometimes interrupts flow with a minor semantic correction that everyone understood. The parts where you feel slighted, by all means let it be known, i meant more for something inane.

[Sebastien]

You will all rarely find me going through a book to make sure something is certain. I will 99% of the time trust you guys.

I think I showed that last game. I'd rather just keep the game flowing.
Keep in mind that I do believe that rules are rules and they are there to make it all work better.

[Guest]

all i have to say here is that everyone should play their characters and let others do the same. i as a GM do not believe in splitting the party but if seb is okay with it then please feel free to do what your character wants to do.

[Sebastien]

It's that time again.

Please feel free to post what you would like to see improved. Maybe things that I did good or bad.

I appreciate the feedback

[Veshiss]

ok so here are my two cents, i like having a few choices to know what my character can decided what to do in this time of war. Im used to and like to also be directed on one thing to do and just go with it till that sayd story arc is done. I whent a little crazy in murdering zents last game lol, that being said i like seb that when i hunted that guy in the woods you joked about finding a picture of a little girl. i would like to keep that idea. it would make my guy realise that zents are people too and they have families and somethimes we do things because we have no other choice.

There was alot of arguments about the virtus of a paladin. and honestly this party is not good aligned enough to bend to the paladin and i know that its going to create friction with other players in the future, set asside my murders that i will contain we will have to do things at one point that will go agains tyrs dogma. tyr is blind and that even though kyn is trying to not play black and white unfortunetly tyr is not. i know there are other gods out there who could be suited to kyns mentality and honestly you can now play a c/g paladin ive read it somewhere. its not second edition anymore.

Im greatly looking foward to the next game

[Guest]

It is not tyr sadly. It is being a paladin. Helm or any god can't over look evil acts. And honestly except for the one with killing everything else was good. It is stuff for me to role play.

Bringing in people to be judged rather then just killing them makes it harder for me not you. Harder is not bad it just means I have role playing opportunities.

Which is one point I do want to make. I love a good fight and all but I also enjoy role playing. I mentioned it yesterday but it has been two sessions that were very combat intensive with our only interaction with npc being done to give us info without any personality.

I also would like to see some of our good actions being rewarded. Seb said that pat's hunting of the man was going to get him in trouble. I was hoping that bringing in the zhants would have had a positive reaction. For one thing in war, even in the Middle Ages, you did not just kill everyone you captured. Mostly you made then indentured servants. A lot of times you just let them go because as you pointed out seb when some of our opponents got scared during the battle they don't want to die. I would like to see mercy being rewarded as well is what I am saying.

[Veshiss]

I found this and honestly it is about good but also the alignment read from Unearthed Arcana:

Paladin of Freedom:

As standard paladin except:

Class Skills: Replace diplomacy with bluff.
Aura of Resolve (Su): You are immune to compulsions and give a bonus to compulsion effects to allies close to you. Immunity to compulsions is probably better than immunity to fear, as it's probably easier to come by.
Spellcasting: You gain the spells: protection from law, magic circle against law, remove curse, dispel law, freedom of movement. You lose: death ward, discern lies, dispel chaos, magic circle against chaos, protection from chaos. Freedom of movement is a good spell to have, but so is death ward. The other spell swaps are not that important.
Code of Conduct: A paladin of freedom must be of chaotic good alignment and loses all class abilities if he ever willingly commits an evil act. Additionally, a paladin of freedom's code requires that he respect individual liberty, help those in need (provided they do not use the help for lawful or evil ends), and punish those who threaten or curtail personal liberty.

[Kerait Heasiraheal]

On the game, I think given Sebs DM style where we choose to go is largely going to influence whether we hit large npc reactions, or large combat sections. We woke up in the middle of a war, and were given the choice to aide where we wanted, we chose to use the session to free a besieged city, so I expected heavy combat, and the like. I just hope we get a chance to properly RP the Emerald Falcons in game as opposed to doing it in the forums.

My only real bitch. Players please learn what your skills do, or have a copy of the skills you use printed or written so we don't have to check books each time. Heal for example offers very minimal help without intensive care and down time,  diplomacy doesn't affect player characters, ride doesn't allow an ability to increase your horses AC. I felt this session we spent a lot of time going through things to figure out how our abilities worked, and I feel we all have enough experience with the system that everyone should know their skills and the appropriate ranks needed in them for certain actions. I'm not just saying you guys, but me too.

For Seb the only thing I would suggest, since you know I'm going to spellcraft literally every caster out there maybe start marking the DC's in the side margins of your casters notes so we don't have to calculate it each time? Or for knowledge's for monsters if you make the appropriate role you gain information about the monster, what kind of attacks they have, and weaknesses etc. I would like to see that bit for knowledge religion, nobility, local, and history maybe giving you a bit of insight into a human opponents tactics if they're part of a faction etc.

Just so you don't have to look,

spell-craft is: 15 + spell level Identify a spell being cast. (You must see or hear the spell’s verbal or somatic components.) No action required. No retry.

For knowledge:

Answering a question within your field of study has a DC of 10 (for really easy questions), 15 (for basic questions), or 20 to 30 (for really tough questions).

In many cases, you can use this skill to identify monsters and their special powers or vulnerabilities. In general, the DC of such a check equals 10 + the monster’s HD. A successful check allows you to remember a bit of useful information about that monster.

For every 5 points by which your check result exceeds the DC, you recall another piece of useful information.

That's pretty much it on the game. As for Pat's comment above what you're referring to is a Paladin of Freedom, it's a class variant from Unearthed Arcana, but it is a completely different style of play. He's not just chaotic good, their charter is to encourage freedom wherever they go. They lose protection from chaos, etc, and it's protected with all lawful protection or attacks. It would wind up being Zealot in another direction but perhaps a bit more playable.

For kyn I don't agree bringing people in is only harder on you, I think Seb was showing you the inconvenience of the prisoners. Again you kind of went to Captain Selkirk and made a decision for the entire party. He made it clear for you to keep these prisoners you had to be able to take care of them and feed them, to which you responded "WE" will. "WE" have nothing to do with it, "WE" are not interested in the prisoners, and are happy executing them in a time of war where they will be given nothing but death anyways. I don't care that you fought to keep them alive, I do care that you implied our party would be responsible for them. Please don't do that again.

[Sebastien]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

I'm not really going to argue some points. The dales and the Zhents have been at each others throat for hundreds of years. They hate each other and will execute each other in times of war. High ranking members excluded, due to the ransom VS family ties delima.

IF you had released them, those soldiers could possibly of remembered you at a later time after the war maybe... occupying a city and tanking you...

Each and everyone of your actions will be to further your reputation within the dales.
Merek will be known as a challenging paladin that is fighting to bring the law within the land, above it's present state.
Veshiss will be known as a cold blooded killer with loyalties to his group and friends. City above all.
Hiro will be known as the just and serene warrior of incredible prowess.
Kerait will be known as a tactical man, someone that can be counted on to further the greater goal.

I said it at the start.. your actions will affect the outcome of the Dales.
Right now, is the most important time to choose correctly what you will do and how.

As for the RP, I am more of a action packed DM. BUT someone had it right in saying that it's currently the time for war and you have made some choices to increase that portion of it.

Rp session will come... trust me. It's game two and my "Movie" always starts with a bang!

Zedd, I will rely more on tactics than skills for said information. If you would of faced creatures, I would of given you information. Thri-Kreens are alsmot unheard of in your parts.
If you can roll knowledge for an insight bonus on the zhents... they could very well do the same for the dales.

I will Absolutely work your skills into the game. I've given you guys some small tidbits of lore of people. What they stand for and how they will act. Maybe you could ask more specific questions and I can help.

A few technical errors on skills is not a concern of mine. Something that got missed is silly to fight over. We should know our skills better, Myself included. But Checking 4 different times during the game to verify something that has.. little effect on the game is a waste of time.

Example : Tumble, DC 15 to go through enemies and DC 25 to go through the square they occupy is good to know... not game stopping worthy.
Ride, That you can increase your horses AC because of your ride affects the game a little... not much.
Heal, should not permit you to heal ability damage. there would be almost no use for the restoration potions.

I think we could spend 30 mins next session to read uncertain skills.
would this help?

Amazing feedback guys.

-Know our skills
-More noteworth RP
-Less friction with the Paladin's sense of authority.

?? anything else?

[Hiroshi Isamu]

I like he idea of a bit more to. It'll really sort of cement the party a little more if we have further time to talk and establish connections with the PC's as much as the NPC. I think the other things I was thinking about got covered. I didn't really mind the IC friction, the skills checking thing The way Seb said I'm a hundred percent for so were good. I had a lot of fun despite Rolling shit on Lucius, watching a tieflig lava sword a guy and burn him from the inside out and then I ducking Kano a guy by punching him right through his fucking chest. It was pretty fucking epic. I actually really like how our tactics as a party managed to come off that game, I think we did good.
There's things to work on but that will come with learning our characters, and were on a good start

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