[OOC] Game/Rules Talk and Discussions

Good looking dog Brutus. Is that an Australian Shepherd?

AI-created image of a Border Collie.

Definitely dont feel punished for that. Its nice to see someone actually enforce these rules. The penalty makes the class on its otherwise extremely powerful set of abilities feel well thought out.

Looks like stuff is kicking off already! I'll catch up and post tonight. Just started a new job today, so I'll be learning what my new schedule is like and what my regular post times will be. In any case, expect some mental criticism of the plebs.

I hope you are enjoying the conversations so far. I'm trying to play Amberstead as a master diplomat and one that is definitely skilled with words and politics.

I love it very well done DM!

Good show. Yes, Amberstead seems like an agreeable fellow, making appeals and compliments but inherently needs to fulfill his own interests and responsibilities.

I thought that Aundovold would have naturally taken up a leadership role, but it seems he is actually deferring to Aelwynd. This should be interesting.

Ha. Yeah I might hope to see Aundovold progress to a leadership tendency in the long term, but right now his deference to Aelwynd seems like the obvious choice. If that turns out to be unclear, Aundovald may reconsider - though he would think it odd to be otherwise.


Aundovald is only 17 years old, and at this point has questions in his mind about his own legitimacy and station. Also he is a Traditionalist. He yearns for the restoration of a legacy order and vibrant civilization. Inherent in that is his acceptance of traditional hierarchy and general recognition of the leadership roles and responsibility of the aristocracy.

So unless he formally defers, Master Arlwynd is the default superior in this unfamiliar situation, within Aundovald’s worldview.

And yes though, I too think Aelwynd’s response will be quite interesting.

So I kind of felt like that fight scene left out some of our player characters. (The dice screwed us on that one. 2d4 should have resulted in more than 3, but I felt like fudging it to make it more than that wouldn't have been right.) So here's what I'm going to implement, if it meets with your approval.

First of all, how do you all want to divide experience? I was originally going to just have it divided equally among everyone, but I'm open to other suggestions.

Next, if it meets with everyone's approval, I would like to implement a post-battle roleplaying conversation scene. It's not a scene that immediately follows but if you get to a tavern or some other base of operations, if you all spend some time roleplaying and talking about the battle: tactics, general ideas, perhaps even coming up with scenarios or something where you are truly trying to learn from the battle and come up with possibilities in the future, I will double the experience points you got from that encounter, and these additional experience points will be divided among everyone participating in the conversation scene.

What I am trying to implement here is the characters getting to know one another; especially on what they can rely in combat, strategies and tactics; an awareness of one another's character powers, spells, and abilities, and other elements like that.

I'm fine with the combatants getting the XP for the kills. Wilfrid played his part and let the rest do the dirty work. He will weigh in on the RP conversation - it's a great idea. I will get that post up later tonight, either starting the conversation or continuing it if others post before I get to tit.

I'm good with splitting XP or whatever system you want to come up with, DM ShadowKnight.
I think managing XP and progress advancement has always been a puzzle to figure out - and imo the rules as written leave something to be desired, not just for ACKS but for D&D broadly also. Seems like homebrew adjustments are more the normal trend than the exception.
Your idea of the post-event discussion sounds creative and worthwhile.

I think splitting xp like loot makes the most sense.

I also like the idea of an after action review.

My forays as being a DM back in the late 1980s were disastrous. I make a much better player than DM, at a table or otherwise, so I will leave it up to our DM.

If you want my advice anyway, I think it will lead to the least problems if the "appropriate" XP is split evenly and that the DM have a small bank of "extra" XP he can award to those he feels provided extra "spice" in their roleplay—be it combat, diplomacy, or really good scene setting for that matter.

Since the general consensus is to divide combat experience betwixt everyone in the group evenly, we'll go ahead and do that. And we'll have the post battle strategy session to double those experience points for anyone participating.

Wow @shadowknight, great intro into town! I'm mostly caught up now and will find time to post tomorrow evening.