Welcome to Thunderdome

On the sample sheet, try clicking on the attacks and spells to see the macros at work in the chat. Skills, tools, all of that is done with one click. You can hover over the displayed numbers in chat to see the rolls and modifiers that were applied.

If a macro gives gives you two numbers for an attack roll, side by side, the left number is the default. We can go over what the right number means, it's "advantage" - one of the big features of 5E.

If you hit, you click the weapon below the two numbers. That's damage.

If it isn't "super lame" we should prolly have a practice encounter before the real game starts. Maybe have a session zero to group up for the first time, and then a session zero prime a week later after we.have had time to digest what we've learned, and then do some application of that knowledge. THEN we can meet in the tavern for realsies to form as a group.

GORDON wrote: If it isn't "super lame" we should prolly have a practice encounter before the real game starts. Maybe have a session zero to group up for the first time, and then a session zero prime a week later after we.have had time to digest what we've learned, and then do some application of that knowledge. THEN we can meet in the tavern for realsies to form as a group.

Yeah, I'm in agreement. A introduction session would be a good first step here. Help us figure out our character sheets, set up our characters, how to work the Roll 20 site, what we're looking at, etc.

That was my plan. Make sure everyone feels good about software and sheets, and then if we have time I have a small, L1 adventurer-friendly tutorial map I. I’m not touching the campaign book, and things will be a bit railroaded, without the freedoms you’d get in a normal session. Just keep it to one tutorial tactical map and then debrief.

Gordon, sorry for calling your name lame yesterday.

Two things went through my mind:
1) I’m going to have to verbally repeat your dick joke a dozen times per session while referring to your guy.

2) Zelda is actually a woman, so I didn’t want to immediately scare her away with nonsense. She assured me she’s tough enough to handle guy jokes.

So all is good. I’m imagining needing to verbally refer to your characters often and quickly, so I’m trying to figure out short names for them.

BeeDee

GORDON wrote: BeeDee

Damn it, I like that.

Troy wrote: Zelda is actually a woman

Is she single?

TheCatt wrote:

Troy wrote: Zelda is actually a woman

Is she single?

Married, to me.

Troy wrote:

TheCatt wrote:

Troy wrote: Zelda is actually a woman

Is she single?

Married, to me.

I kinda figured.

TheCatt wrote:

Troy wrote:

TheCatt wrote:
Is she single?

Married, to me.

I kinda figured.

Ditto.

So we ARE role playing right? Not just playing with dice/numbers?

Point being, I need to be in character when we play. No funny voices or anything, but I need to make my decisions and actions based upon being this rogue and not me?

I'm going to work on backstory and a name today/this evening. How involved do these things get? For example: Can I add something like: "He watched his family get slaughtered by orcs, and as a result he has a bloodlust towards Orcs." Which could be taken into combat as a +2 to damage, but -2 to agility (he's not thinking about dodging, but hurting) or make it impossible for my otherwise suave character to talk to orcs?

I guess I also really need to decide where he falls in the alignment scale so I know what he would and wouldn't do. I assume that stuff is in the Player's Handbook?

Leisher wrote: Can I add something like: "He watched his family get slaughtered by orcs, and as a result he has a bloodlust towards Orcs." Which could be taken into combat as a +2 to damage, but -2 to agility (he's not thinking about dodging, but hurting) or make it impossible for my otherwise suave character to talk to orcs?

Troy hates you.

But.... maybe your wisdom drops when confronted by orcs, because you aren't thinking straight.

TheCatt wrote:

Leisher wrote: Can I add something like: "He watched his family get slaughtered by orcs, and as a result he has a bloodlust towards Orcs." Which could be taken into combat as a +2 to damage, but -2 to agility (he's not thinking about dodging, but hurting) or make it impossible for my otherwise suave character to talk to orcs?

Troy hates you.

I know, but I'm not actually going to use that. I just made that one up as an example.

Leisher wrote:

TheCatt wrote:

Troy wrote:

Married, to me.

I kinda figured.

So we ARE role playing right? Not just playing with dice/numbers?

Point being, I need to be in character when we play. No funny voices or anything, but I need to make my decisions and actions based upon being this rogue and not me?

I'm going to work on backstory and a name today/this evening. How involved do these things get? For example: Can I add something like: "He watched his family get slaughtered by orcs, and as a result he has a bloodlust towards Orcs." Which could be taken into combat as a +2 to damage, but -2 to agility (he's not thinking about dodging, but hurting) or make it impossible for my otherwise suave character to talk to orcs?

I guess I also really need to decide where he falls in the alignment scale so I know what he would and wouldn't do. I assume that stuff is in the Player's Handbook?

Yes, and I'll be trying my best with the NPCs too. Not funny voices but trying to give you the impression of actual people. Communication between players in sessions ought to be from a character perspective, it's just more fun that way, especially in combat.

It doesn't have to be a super involved backstory. See how your character plays and then ret-con important details later.

The NPCs in the campaign book have these short helpful blurbs for me to start:

An NPC Witch Hunter

IDEAL "Evil cannot go unchallenged"
BOND "To protect those I love, I must keep them distant and hidden from my enemies"
FLAW "I am cursed, Thus, I will never have peace"

From that, I can fill in the details as you guys interact with the NPC.

The general flow of the game.

I'll describe the scene. You say what you want to do. The party might confer (as their characters) to strategize. Generally, you can move your character, and do an action. We'll sort out what the actions and moves did. Then i'll keep describing how the scene updated, and you guys keep telling me what you are doing.

When monsters are on screen, we fight turn based, in initiative order. Monsters are in the order as well.

We won't be doing any "worldmap" stuff on Friday, so this is just for the small tutorial grid map.

I've been reading alignments. I thought a lot about Chaotic Good for my rogue. I'm avoiding the thief stuff, and want the guy to be able to make good choices and not just be a typical "steal everything" thief.

However, now I'm leaning Chaotic Neutral. He can do his thing, live by his code, and save a kid or kill someone he feels deserves it.

Does that alignment cause any issues with our Lawful Good paladin? He only can't team up with Chaotic Evil, right?

I've always seen thieves more as "good at spotting secret doors and disarming traps in dungeons" more so than a compulsive pickpocket.

great web page for everything and anything on alignments.

http://easydamus.com/alignment.html

i think i changed my mind. im gonna be this class, the gentlemen.

It's an Old Spice ad

https://nerdist.com/dungeons-and-dragon ... old-spice/