The Earth's Upheaval OOC - Out of Character Thread

[Rain Yupa]

At no point should there ever be a post in the main thread that completely lacks anything in character. Questions, out of character discussions, funny jokes, not-so-funny jokes, real life status updates, links to youtube videos of cats, Kowsauni pimping his wife's art skillz, and all tactics planning should be done here.  

[Kowsauni]

So...How do we want all our characters to meet? Do we all just want wander into town separately and happen into an inn at the same time? Or we can plan a little back story out in here how we all met before arriving to town. Either way works for me.  

[Mik4ilah]

Kowsauni

So...How do we want all our characters to meet? Do we all just want wander into town separately and happen into an inn at the same time? Or we can plan a little back story out in here how we all met before arriving to town. Either way works for me.

first of all, thanks for redirecting me here i had no idea what was i doing. second, I was planning something with flames within. our characters are supposed to be related by friendship, but i guess we'll be arriving separately. I think our character should meet at the Inn.  

[Kowsauni]

Mik4ilah

Kowsauni

So...How do we want all our characters to meet? Do we all just want wander into town separately and happen into an inn at the same time? Or we can plan a little back story out in here how we all met before arriving to town. Either way works for me.

first of all, thanks for redirecting me here i had no idea what was i doing. second, I was planning something with flames within. our characters are supposed to be related by friendship, but i guess we'll be arriving separately. I think our character should meet at the Inn.

No problem, An Inn sounds perfect. I know the first thing Ambra is going to want to do is blow off some steam from her uptight mage academy with a drink. Whether the bar tender thinks she old enough to buy one, well, thats another story.  

[Rain Yupa]

Two of you can even arrive together, the other two individually. Mix and match if you want! It's just helping facilitate the way your character is introduced smile  

[Mik4ilah]

hey i know it has terrible quality, and the tone doesn't help, but until i have a scanner (or a decent camera) I won't upload anything of relative good quality, so if you don't mind I'll be using this pic for now.  

[Professor Nep Nep]

apologies for being rather inactive as of late~ stuff has been rather crazy lately  

[Rain Yupa]

No worries, I came into a sudden bout of busyness myself. Like, I got home less than 10 minutes ago, and I already need to go to bed to get up for work in the morning >.<

As much as I want to do a quick post, I'm super tired and can't think straight enough to post anything other than rubbish.

I'll see if I can squeeze in something 'round lunchtime tomorrow (12pm PST).  

[Kowsauni]

Mik4ilah

Flames Burning Within

Hey, I just wanted to point out that in this sort of situation, you would want to roll an insight check.

Perception checks are used to pick up physical details in a room, or to hear something going on.

Insight checks are for social situations. If you're getting a weird vibe from someone or the room feels tense for some reason, you would roll insight to see what your knowledge on human behavior reveals about their behavior. Insight is also used to tell if someone is lying to you.

In essence, perception is for things, insight is for people.  

[Rain Yupa]

DMing styles may differ, but generally, my style (and my experience as a player prior to DMing), I will ask for a check when it's obvious you should be making one. Example:

You open the door to the next chamber. However, you are taken aback by the sight before you: The room is divided by a massive, yawning chasm, devoid of light. The door to progress further into the dungeon lay across this divide. Everyone, give me a perception check.

The reason for asking this, is that there are critters skittering up the walls of the chasm, since the fighter of the party had to make several (failed) strength checks to break down the door, and awoke the things below. Basically, it translates as "give me a perception check; if everyone fails, you'll probably be the victims of a surprise round of combat" (or some other bad thing). But sometimes DMs will ask for perception (or other) checks for no reason, just to screw with the players and keep their guard up.

Likewise, for insight, if you're interrogating someone and I had him disguise a lie with a half-truth, or maybe just blatantly lie and no one caught on, I would ask for an insight check; failure means he got away with it, and you probably, as players, don't know what he got away with, but know out-of-character that he probably DID get away with something. However, if you're talking to someone who you have no suspicion that they might lie to you or withhold information, I wouldn't ask for a check. Maybe I'll check Passive Insight if I think it's plot-critical info.

That said, in situations where I don't ask for a specific check (though I may allude to one, like I've done in the main thread), you are still entitled to make one. Often, I (and probably other DMs) are hoping players will make the skill check on their own without prompting, because it's usually very rewarding to figure something out on your own (like solving a riddle to get past a door guardian without any hints or help)! This is one of those times, with the insight check Kowsauni mentioned.

Also, on that matter, both he and Plainsfox would be entitled to make the same check too - but they have no prompt for it, like you two did (because you two had higher passive insights). But if one of you mentions it, they would be entitled to the same check. However, if they made it WITHOUT any prompt from either of you, they could technically still pass it - they may have intended to do it all along, who knows - but I would give them a higher DC (Difficulty Class, basically the # they have to meet or beat) if I think they were acting off of pure metagame knowledge.  

[Mik4ilah]

ohhhh... i had no idea what was the Insight for, that was why i was relying on perception for everything in the department of noticing things. I'll keep an eye for what might need insight instead. thanks for the heads up.  

[Rain Yupa]

Mik4ilah

ohhhh... i had no idea what was the Insight for, that was why i was relying on perception for everything in the department of noticing things. I'll keep an eye for what might need insight instead. thanks for the heads up.

Would you like a summarized run-down what each skill is typically used for?  

[Mik4ilah]

Rain Yupa

Mik4ilah

ohhhh... i had no idea what was the Insight for, that was why i was relying on perception for everything in the department of noticing things. I'll keep an eye for what might need insight instead. thanks for the heads up.

Would you like a summarized run-down what each skill is typically used for?

yes please!  

[Rain Yupa]

Mik4ilah

Rain Yupa

Mik4ilah

ohhhh... i had no idea what was the Insight for, that was why i was relying on perception for everything in the department of noticing things. I'll keep an eye for what might need insight instead. thanks for the heads up.

Would you like a summarized run-down what each skill is typically used for?

yes please!

Also, for the record, you are TOTALLY free to ask "what would be a good roll to make here?" if you know you want to roll and can't figure out what. Not just here, but in any game. Only a douchey DM would ever fault you for that.

ANYWHO! Without further ado:

Acrobatics (Dexterity based) - The skill you need to roll if you want to do anything nimble. Walking a tightrope, doing backflips, jumping under a closing gate, slipping out of restraints... all acrobatics.

Arcana (Intelligence based) - Knowing about magic! If you think whatever is before you involves (or at one point involved) magic, then you roll this to see if you either know about it, or glean information from it to figure it out.

Athletics (Strength based) - Doing stuff where muscles matter. Climbing, jumping, running, swimming... basically, "being athletic".

Bluff (Charisma based) - Deception! But not necessarily always so sinister-sounding. Basically, when you want make someone believe something that they normally wouldn't, and probably isn't necessary true, you roll bluff. Bluff is when you alter someone's state of mind or opinion in your favor (so tricking them, seducing them, make a disguise seem believable, etc).

Diplomacy (Charisma based) - Honesty! This is the nicer older brother of Bluff. Diplomacy is generally rolled when you want to stop bad feelings or encourage good ones. The major difference to Bluff is generally, Bluff will change their mind to think in your favor. Diplomacy changes their mind to think in the way that benefits everybody, not just you. Stopping a brawl, convincing a guard to let you in for good reason, declaring your (truthful) innocence... all diplomacy.

Dungeoneering (Wisdom based) - Stuff involving dungeons! And caves and such too. Generally, anything underground or enclosed would be dungeoneering. Recognizing that kind of stonework, these mushrooms are edible, these mushrooms will make your adventure very interesting, gauging how far underground you've travelled... Dungeoneering is where you turn.

Endurance (Constitution based) - Endurance is typically rolled in two cases: When you're doing physical things for an extended period of time, or resisting things that will make you unwell. Running a short race with someone would be Athletics - running to the next village to deliver a warning of an incoming invasion would be Endurance. Endurance will probably keep you from that mushroom effect mentioned above, and help you fend off diseases and poisons.

Heal (Wisdom based) - Medicine, basically. Whenever you're doing nonmagic stuff to gauge someone's health, or to improve upon it, you're rolling Heal.

History (Intelligence based) - The past! If it involves stuff that happened long before you got your dirty mitts involved in it, you're rolling History to see if you know about it.

Insight (Wisdom based) - This used to be called 'sense motive' in the previous edition. Insight is gauging people. You roll insight to see through someone's bluff, to see if a diplomacy check is actually a diplomacy check, and to get a general feel of what people are feeling. If you're fighting some kobolds in a dungeon and have them backed into a corner, insight might reveal that they actually don't want to fight, don't want to die, and have indeed pooped themselves.

Intimidate (Charisma based) - The skill to make someone poop themselves. I mean, it has other uses too, I GUESS. Making a wounded opponent consider surrender is one that comes up on occasion. To bully your way past a guard. To show some jerkfaces that think they know what's going on that you absolutely are NOT to be fracked with right now.

Nature (Wisdom based) - The above-ground equivalent of Dungeoneering. If it involves knowing things about the outdoors, away from civilization, and you can see the sky, you're likely rolling Nature.

Perception (Wisdom based) - In the previous edition, this used to be two different skills: Spot, and Listen. Now they're lumped into one skill, which also links up your remaining three senses as a courtesy. When you use your eyes, ears, nose, taste buds, or fingertips to decipher your physical surroundings, guess what? You're perceiving! This is the skill used to find traps and tracks too (and follow the latter). Also, searching a room for clues (oh, who am I kidding, searching it for treasure!).

Religion (Intelligence based) - Kind of like History, but knowing about Gods and Demons and Planes of Reality and anything that probably involves the divine.

Stealth (Dexterity based) - In the previous edition, this used to be two different skills: Hide and Move Silently. Now they're one! This is quite literally the opposite of Perception. If you won't want to be Perceptored, use Stealth.

Streetwise (Charisma based) - This is a two-part skill, IMHO. One is 'street knowledge'. Knowing where a specific location in a town or city would be streetwise. Knowing where the black market might operate would be streetwise. Knowing who to talk to, to get this useful magic item that people would frown at you for possessing no matter how good your intentions: Streetwise. The other side of this skill is 'gather information'. Talking to people around town to get information would be Streetwise as well. It saves the roleplaying of dozens of unimportant characters and pretty much gets you the tidbits you may be looking for (if you roll well enough).

Thievery (Dexterity based) - Whereas Acrobatics is more "agility", this is actually proper "dexterity". Or, probably more accurately, sleight or deftness of hand. If you're using your hands to do something that requires finesse (and probably not legal), you use this. Disabling traps, opening locks, picking pockets, sleight of hand tricks all use this skill.

I do suggest seeing if you can see that link Flames found before this started with the rulebook, it goes into a smidge more detail about the skills and what they can do for you. Some things to note:

If something refers to a 'knowledge skill', they mean either Arcana, Dungeoneering, History, Nature, or Religion. Those mainly involve you just knowing stuff, probably via experience or having read it.

Some things skills can do for you too: Tell you about monsters. Certain skills will tell you more about a monster you may have learned about (or fought before). Arcana will help you with Elemental, Fey, or Shadow monsters; Dungeoneering will help you with Aberrant monsters; Nature will help you with Natural monsters (one that exist normally/naturally in the world); and Religion will help with Immortal or Undead monsters. When in doubt, you can simply ask which to roll.  

[Mik4ilah]

Rain Yupa

Mik4ilah

Rain Yupa

Mik4ilah

ohhhh... i had no idea what was the Insight for, that was why i was relying on perception for everything in the department of noticing things. I'll keep an eye for what might need insight instead. thanks for the heads up.

Would you like a summarized run-down what each skill is typically used for?

yes please!

Also, for the record, you are TOTALLY free to ask "what would be a good roll to make here?" if you know you want to roll and can't figure out what. Not just here, but in any game. Only a douchey DM would ever fault you for that.

ANYWHO! Without further ado:

Acrobatics (Dexterity based) - The skill you need to roll if you want to do anything nimble. Walking a tightrope, doing backflips, jumping under a closing gate, slipping out of restraints... all acrobatics.

Arcana (Intelligence based) - Knowing about magic! If you think whatever is before you involves (or at one point involved) magic, then you roll this to see if you either know about it, or glean information from it to figure it out.

Athletics (Strength based) - Doing stuff where muscles matter. Climbing, jumping, running, swimming... basically, "being athletic".

Bluff (Charisma based) - Deception! But not necessarily always so sinister-sounding. Basically, when you want make someone believe something that they normally wouldn't, and probably isn't necessary true, you roll bluff. Bluff is when you alter someone's state of mind or opinion in your favor (so tricking them, seducing them, make a disguise seem believable, etc).

Diplomacy (Charisma based) - Honesty! This is the nicer older brother of Bluff. Diplomacy is generally rolled when you want to stop bad feelings or encourage good ones. The major difference to Bluff is generally, Bluff will change their mind to think in your favor. Diplomacy changes their mind to think in the way that benefits everybody, not just you. Stopping a brawl, convincing a guard to let you in for good reason, declaring your (truthful) innocence... all diplomacy.

Dungeoneering (Wisdom based) - Stuff involving dungeons! And caves and such too. Generally, anything underground or enclosed would be dungeoneering. Recognizing that kind of stonework, these mushrooms are edible, these mushrooms will make your adventure very interesting, gauging how far underground you've travelled... Dungeoneering is where you turn.

Endurance (Constitution based) - Endurance is typically rolled in two cases: When you're doing physical things for an extended period of time, or resisting things that will make you unwell. Running a short race with someone would be Athletics - running to the next village to deliver a warning of an incoming invasion would be Endurance. Endurance will probably keep you from that mushroom effect mentioned above, and help you fend off diseases and poisons.

Heal (Wisdom based) - Medicine, basically. Whenever you're doing nonmagic stuff to gauge someone's health, or to improve upon it, you're rolling Heal.

History (Intelligence based) - The past! If it involves stuff that happened long before you got your dirty mitts involved in it, you're rolling History to see if you know about it.

Insight (Wisdom based) - This used to be called 'sense motive' in the previous edition. Insight is gauging people. You roll insight to see through someone's bluff, to see if a diplomacy check is actually a diplomacy check, and to get a general feel of what people are feeling. If you're fighting some kobolds in a dungeon and have them backed into a corner, insight might reveal that they actually don't want to fight, don't want to die, and have indeed pooped themselves.

Intimidate (Charisma based) - The skill to make someone poop themselves. I mean, it has other uses too, I GUESS. Making a wounded opponent consider surrender is one that comes up on occasion. To bully your way past a guard. To show some jerkfaces that think they know what's going on that you absolutely are NOT to be fracked with right now.

Nature (Wisdom based) - The above-ground equivalent of Dungeoneering. If it involves knowing things about the outdoors, away from civilization, and you can see the sky, you're likely rolling Nature.

Perception (Wisdom based) - In the previous edition, this used to be two different skills: Spot, and Listen. Now they're lumped into one skill, which also links up your remaining three senses as a courtesy. When you use your eyes, ears, nose, taste buds, or fingertips to decipher your physical surroundings, guess what? You're perceiving! This is the skill used to find traps and tracks too (and follow the latter). Also, searching a room for clues (oh, who am I kidding, searching it for treasure!).

Religion (Intelligence based) - Kind of like History, but knowing about Gods and Demons and Planes of Reality and anything that probably involves the divine.

Stealth (Dexterity based) - In the previous edition, this used to be two different skills: Hide and Move Silently. Now they're one! This is quite literally the opposite of Perception. If you won't want to be Perceptored, use Stealth.

Streetwise (Charisma based) - This is a two-part skill, IMHO. One is 'street knowledge'. Knowing where a specific location in a town or city would be streetwise. Knowing where the black market might operate would be streetwise. Knowing who to talk to, to get this useful magic item that people would frown at you for possessing no matter how good your intentions: Streetwise. The other side of this skill is 'gather information'. Talking to people around town to get information would be Streetwise as well. It saves the roleplaying of dozens of unimportant characters and pretty much gets you the tidbits you may be looking for (if you roll well enough).

Thievery (Dexterity based) - Whereas Acrobatics is more "agility", this is actually proper "dexterity". Or, probably more accurately, sleight or deftness of hand. If you're using your hands to do something that requires finesse (and probably not legal), you use this. Disabling traps, opening locks, picking pockets, sleight of hand tricks all use this skill.

I do suggest seeing if you can see that link Flames found before this started with the rulebook, it goes into a smidge more detail about the skills and what they can do for you. Some things to note:

If something refers to a 'knowledge skill', they mean either Arcana, Dungeoneering, History, Nature, or Religion. Those mainly involve you just knowing stuff, probably via experience or having read it.

Some things skills can do for you too: Tell you about monsters. Certain skills will tell you more about a monster you may have learned about (or fought before). Arcana will help you with Elemental, Fey, or Shadow monsters; Dungeoneering will help you with Aberrant monsters; Nature will help you with Natural monsters (one that exist normally/naturally in the world); and Religion will help with Immortal or Undead monsters. When in doubt, you can simply ask which to roll.

oh thanks a lot. btw what is up with Perceptored??