OOC

cool. That was how I first read it. just wanted to double check before cut your rope... you could make dex save with advantage will narrate in an hour

Hi all. We had a discussion with a player and I want to fix something in the game, but before I do so I want to hear your feedback.
I do not have good idea what should trigger and how to avoid players doing repeated intelligence ability checks for recalling lore, because I can't put any negative outcome on a failed result.
Here is what I think I will do:
- Any time a player want his PC to "recall lore" about something, player just say "my PC share with others what he knows about X" and roll intelligence check. And either note or let me check if PC has proficiency in either arcana, history, religion or nature.
- I will provide certain (basic) lore info regardless of the roll if proficiency is related to lore I can share
- I will provide all the lore I could share if roll + int modifier is higher than DC I anticipate for the lore (which is based on how accessible and how "niche" lore is that)

Additionally Arcana proficiency will only help with lore. I will never be a "feature" that allows you to identify magic item, to "analyze" magic traps or to "figure out" what spells are cast. This proficiency means PC have been reading a lot, it does not say PC has acquired ability to deduce something.

There is
Investigation. When you look around for clues and make deductions based on those clues, you make an Intelligence (Investigation) check...

I have one more idea, what do you say about that:

1. Player announce his PC is trying to deduce something
2. DM make a hidden investigation check for him
3. DM announce conclusions PC has made: wrong conclusion if it is a FAIL and correct if it a PASS, but player do not know if it is a pass or fail

I am aware of passive perception to SEE evidence of traps and that Jim has advantage which gives him passive perception 19 for spotting trap or evidence of a trap. Nevertheless you failed to detect traps because:
1. Module described disadvantage due to environment, removing your +5
2. You could only perceive what you SEE. Let's take example:Notice DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check discerns the strange lack of foot traffic
First - your passive perception do not reach 15
Second - in temple there are NO lack of foot traffic and I will describe why in game thread


Now regarding pitons+hammer solution. Here is my OOC (and spoiling some lore I will provide in game thread)


1. It is a fact that every guide and treasure hunter in Chult knows about temple.
2. There are whole organization or treasure hunters and I have shared the info with you, not sure if you remember that.
3. Conclusion: there have been numerous attempts to get into this shrine and they all failed
4. Dodge or break a trap is first thing any treasure hunter would try to do, isn't it? Putting metal into the wall is a brute force, not an intelligent, innovative solution. I'm sorry if that opinion hurts, but that is my opinion
5. Since module claim that shrine traps are not yet broken by moment you arrive it means they CAN NOT be. The organization that have tried to break into the shrine before you had more resources and man power than you do, but failed regardless

By the way, this is last time I'm providing excuse and hints for why your PC fail to do what you assumed they will automatically succeed at. If you don't think it is fun to play DnD where most of nice things you have on your charsheet and some dice rolls does not help you to solve issues that are supposed to be a puzzle for players to crack by module designers, then we should end this game before everyone gets annoyed

Sorry, I overreacted. What I had to say is that I spoiled some extra info to back up following statement:

A goal of a trap in ToA is never to hurt player. Hurting is just an instrument to tell them they have failed to solve the puzzle, which a trap actually is. And since trap is a puzzle I am no more doing any OOC on them, but I will try to give you hints through lore dumps that you could request by doing intelligence checks as stated above.

Am okay for now, but slightly sick - hopefully doesn't get bad enough I can't post, but just a heads up in case

Hello all, I'm back and in the process of getting all caught up on all my games today.

Welcome back Dramasailor! Hope you are feeling better

Could you rephrase that question without using negative? I will try to guess your questions however and tell:
1. If you want to dig hole into house of crocodile I will safe your time and effort by reminding you that shrine is "80-foot-tall stone statue carved to look like a man with a crocodile on his back". The shrine is inside of the stone statue and you would need to get through 5 feet tall solid stone. I can't believe you could do that with your tools available, but I'm ready to be surprised.

2. Choosing to ignore chances to use twice as fast traveling option significantly increase chances for Syndra to die before you are able to locate soulmonger. That is not rocket science.

1. Since stone splitting is usually done with sledge hammers, a sledge hammer and war hammer is probably the best tools for the job right? It will take some time but if we can save Syndra here then mission accomplished.
2. It looks like you moved us only one hex per day instead of two hexes per day. You said boat travel was going to be twice as fast so I was just asking about why it was looking like it was only one hex per day.

You did not board boats. I never red you do

but you didnt read that we left either. Ha'aroo is waiting to see if he got finished with area 5 and Sharagwyn Sagelight is done with area 3.

Please see game description rule number 1
ToA have a huge content and things that require interactive DM-Party interaction that is not possible in PBP. I am doing my best to workaround this. If you feel I am failing... well I am probably not ap tu the task of DMing ToA on PBP and you could let me know that by leaving the game.

Nevertheless I have no fun arguing narrative with players. I will not do that any more.

As for mechanics:
I have been and plan to continue pushing you forward through the game based on what MOST OF THE PARTY members describe they want to do. If PC only argues about what they might do, then DM decides what the party actually do, trying to take into account the communication.

I've just updated your current map in this thread and remind that I'm waiting for the group decision of travel direction/plan. I still wait more players to announce if their PCs will try to do anything in the camp before moving you further, but I will need to know where to move you to in any case.

Technically you could travel let's say an hour longer. I.e. enough to get into safe distance from camp Vengeance and rest there for the night.