[OOC] Last Words

[Lormador]

It's no problem, this is the first match.

For future reference, the gate opens on its own initiative count on round 1d3-1. In this case, it opened on initiative count of 18 on round 0.

In the other match the gate opened on initiative count 17 on round 2.

The randomness might be confusing at first, and I apologize for that, but I think it introduces nice complexities into buffing decisions. Buffing might result in a big advantage, if the gate happens to stay closed that round. Or it might hand the opponent the opening aggressive act on a silver platter.

[davide15]

[Ithamar]

Originally Posted by Davide15

So Freemo's attacks hit AC of:
45, botch, 40, 33, 27, 30, 16, 33
Damage: 25, Botch, 25, 17, 19, 20, 19, 19, 18

Unless Ump is immune to Energy Drain effects each successful blow does 2 negative levels of damage to him.

Freemo has gone underground and you can tell with your tremor sense that he has set up shop at C/D/E18/19/20, but unless you have a way of forcing him up he is going to stay there for No I am not kidding90 rounds.

Only the 45 hits, and yes Ump is immune to energy drain. Are your attacks considered magic? Just need to know for DR purposes.

But 90 rounds, really? How far underground are you? Maybe Ump can dig... Though I didn't put a shovel on my inventory.

[davide15]

Originally Posted by Ithamar

Only the 45 hits, and yes Ump is immune to energy drain. Are your attacks considered magic? Just need to know for DR purposes.

But 90 rounds, really? How far underground are you? Maybe Ump can dig... Though I didn't put a shovel on my inventory.

I am not sure about the magic factor of Freeom's attacks, I know I get a +1 to attack and damage from Freemo's Mantle of the Beast so I am going with a maybe on that one. It probably doesn't matter though, because in 90 rounds your fast healing will have completely repaired you. I am just waiting on my own to do the trick. I will be back up in 9 minutes and we can go at it again.

Next time we meet you will need to make sure to bring a spade.

Obviously I am going to need to try another tack here, lucky for me their are so many to choose from.

[Ithamar]

Originally Posted by Lormador

First, to prevent interference in heavily wagered-upon matches, and secondarily to protect the audience, an Invisible Prismatic Wall (affecting both magic and psionics) covers the lip of the Arena. It is rumored that a similar dweomer extends down through the walls surrounding the Arena, as well as beneath the floor.

I really hope this rumor is true.

[aivanther]

Ouch, Laeric...so much as for just some light testing at first.

[Fil kearney]

I'm guessing that was an effective attack?

Laeric's a good sniper for the most part... only exceeded by his ability to Run Like Hell.

[davide15]

Originally Posted by Ithamar

I really hope this rumor is true.

All I can say to that is; I can dig it. Don't worry I will be back shortly, and in 9 minutes we will rejoin battle, fresh and rested, ready for action.

Can you smell what the guy under the rock is cookin'?

[Ithamar]

Well if the arena crowd got pissed just because you started out invisible, I'm sure they'll be nice and riled up by the time 9 minutes passes. I think Ump is going to go grab that pretty amulet though and then maybe [SECRET PLANS DELETED].

[Fil kearney]

I bet they riot after 3 minutes.

[Lormador]

Originally Posted by Ithamar

I really hope this rumor is true.

Yeah, it's true enough....

...it's not that deep, either: not enough for a Huge creature. The round might be heading for a bloody conclusion.

I guess most rounds have that sort of conclusion.

[Fil kearney]

gestalt amplifies the stereotypical "whoever draws first wins" paradigm of high level games.
worth noting: only a crappy feat and higher con scores can increase hit points, yet all our characters need triple their available HP to really have any semblance of a fight.
that sweet spot of 9th - 13th level where a decent fight can take 3-5 rounds has your average fighter with, say, 85-100 hp while only attacking about 3 times per round, with only 2 likely to hit for around 15 - 20 damage each, and the wizard only jacking around 50 damage per spell.

If our characters had 500 HP at level 16, they could afford to stand toe to toe for a couple rounds... but as it is right now, my character alone can likely dish out 3x anyone's HP each round if I really wanted to go Nova... barring immunities.

Which is the next problem of high level: DR and resists don't scale properly either.
We are getting close to "immune y/n" to possible attack modes.


Granted, none of this is complaint... it takes mid-teen levels to fully realize a character concept.
In a real game, Lorm could safely throw 1/2 a dozen CR 20's at us and we'd have a decent fight with nominal chance of instagibbing if they don't focus a single target each round... but 1 v 1 is going to be fast death for whoever is not properly guarded/out of position... dueling just can't happen with only 250 HP or less.

/rant

[Ithamar]

Ump is getting close to the 400 HP range. But that is because he has 16d12 for HD and a nice, chunky CON score. But I definitely know what you mean. You either need tons of immunities, nigh impenetrable defenses, or a godly amount of HP to make it more than a round or two.

In the arena I run, for a while I was pitting CR 20 monsters against level 14 gestalt gladiators. Without fail the gladiators won. And I'm talking about a balor whose 1st round action was to summon another balor. So 1 gladiator fighting 2 balors, and the demons basically always lost. The tarrasque was taken down in a round or two. Heck, I threw a hagunemmon against an ECL 18 (non-mage) gladiator, and it was an incredibly close fight.

[Tj99]

Fil, you forgot about characters who like to hide

[Fil kearney]

Originally Posted by Ithamar

... pudding...

There's proof in there!

As a DM I would normally just take whatever appropriate CR critter and tack an extra 300 - 700 hp depending on the number of opponents and how long i wanted the battle to last.
For example, it's "ridiculous" for a marilith, for instance, to have 7 attacks dealing between 25-40 damage with 700 hp... but it's the only way the game can scale up from level 10 fun into epic absurdity... As a team, we could take down 8-10 of these without too much concern where we're at right now. (look back at the Gestalt Eberron game I had ran in '08(?).. even the weak 1-hit stuff had around 150 hp each)

Originally Posted by Tj99

Fil, you forgot about characters who like to hide

LoL! That would be the same as displaced/ethereal/perminvisibled... cannot be seen, cannot be killed. Most of us have alternate detection redundancies. (Laeric has 3 or more, for instance)