'Wizards' D&D Wednesdays' Campaign

[Dat]

What if i ran the wizards sessions in place of one of the wednesday sessions and alternate thursdays when star trek isn't running?
Just thinking that it would be a good scenario if i only got the content every week and was expected to report back to Wizards in that timeframe.
People may miss out on thursday sessions though, but given the carefree attitude wizards have towards people dropping in and out of these sessions, id guess they weren't missing out of much and could be given a catch up session the following week.

Suggestions?....

[Snakes in the Tiki Lounge]

Definately worth looking into. On reflection, it will almost certainly be best if we do simply try the first one or two then make decisions about the season, (Especially as there are some conflicting rumours over whether you are even 'allowed' to run on days other than wednesdays, which is rather silly and unenforceable, really.)

I believe that Bob and Michelle can only really do Wed, so the people to check for possible thursdays would be Andy and Vince, really.

If either can make it, (Or any other one or two alternate people, given the intentionally drop in-and-out nature of the encounters) then I'd say it's viable.

Also, front runner for my possible character is looking to be Tursten "Two Wolves" Hellbach, partially because it all starts at lvl 1 and my rapier weilding Kobold doesn't really start to work fully till level 2.
I AM considering a hard drinking, rough and tumble, fist fighting lady elf from the same culture as Min (my elf from phillip's weasel infested campaign) but will have to see if and when the builder updates what can be done with that, and if it's interesting enough to depose me wolfies.

[morgalahan]

While I am far more interested in continuing with the games and characters I'm currently playing, I would like to know more about this, so that I can at least get some character ideas going. That is of course if the game doesnt come with pre-generated characters we have to play. Any idea what level we get to be?

Also, run it whenever, but more conrete information would be very nice, and I also agree with Tiki that we should try it out first before completely agreeing to it.

[Snakes in the Tiki Lounge]

As far as I can find out, it starts at level 1, and you can indeed use pre-gens or build your own. (There are alledgedly some guidelines for the latter, to be announced in a while, but I've no idea wtf that's about or how important it would be to follow at all!)

It possibly involves a thing called the 'UnderMountain'? And you'll be around level 2/3 by the end, I think. Possibly dungeoneering focused, give or take some spelunking.

None of this is concrete, though, so, take with pinch of salt.

[morgalahan]

lol, Under Mountain? Isnt that the place directly beneath Waterdeep that leads to the Underdark and has Skullport? Also ruled by Halaster Blackcloak the Mad?

[Arnu]

Having games every Thursday is difficult but I could delay the second episode of the Star Trek Enceladus game until after we have tried the game.

I would be interested in playing a hybred Fighter/Wizard Eladrin (I like the idea of playing a spell slinging sword swinger)

Is it worth trying the first two adventures and then making a decision from there

That way if we don't like the game we have only delayed the two D&D games by a week each

Yes that is Undermountain (although I think it started as something indipendant from Toril)  Also I am sure that the Campaign guide says that Undermountain and Skullport are no longer there

[Snakes in the Tiki Lounge]

If you want to be a wizardly swordfighter, I cannot reccommend Wizard | Swordmage enough. Having two half-classes with matching primary ability score is very, very good. And If Hybrid works like I think it does, it would mean you could use your sword as your wizardly impliment from the get-go, meaning less magic items needed to stay competitive.

Also, no delaying the star trek game just yet! We'll try the first one on a wednesday and discuss possible thursday games then.

[edit]
From Website-

D&D Encounters: Undermountain
March 17 – June 2
Explore lost passages of the infamous Undermountain dungeon as you play through the mini-campaign Halaster’s Lost Apprentice! 1st-level characters are provided, or you may create a 1st-level character for play. As a special bonus this season, characters created are compatible with Living Forgotten Realms! Character creation rules for this season will be available by March 10 on the Official D&D Group.

[Arnu]

Here is my character idea.  She is an Eladrin of Noble Birth who has left her home in the Feywild to earn her name and place as a ruler of her people.  Sooraya can be arrogant and impatient but she is loyal to her companions and merciless to those she considers abominations (aberrants, Undead and Formorians)

(I will try the alternate Swordmage Hybred - for some reason I had not thought of the Swordmage)

Sooraya Kanath, level 1 - Eladrin Female, Fighter/Wizard (Hybrid Talent: Fighter Armor Proficiency)
Background: Eladrin - Noble Birth (+2 to Intimidate)

ABILITY SCORES: Str 14, Con 12, Dex 14, Int 18, Wis 12, Cha 10.
AC: 17 Fort: 13 Reflex: 14 Will: 13, HP: 24 Surges: 8 Surge Value: 6

TRAINED SKILLS: History +11, Intimidate +7, Arcana +11, Diplomacy +5
UNTRAINED SKILLS: Acrobatics +2, Bluff, Dungeoneering +1, Endurance +1, Heal +1, Insight +1, Nature +1, Perception +1, Religion +4, Stealth +2, Streetwise, Thievery +2, Athletics +2
FEATS: Hybrid Talent

POWERS
Hybrid at-will 1: Magic Missile, Reaping Strike
Hybrid encounter 1: Passing Attack
Hybrid daily 1: Flaming Sphere

ITEMS: Adventurer's Kit, Scale Armor, Longsword, Dagger (3), Heavy Shield, Spellbook

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(here is the alternate version)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sooraya Kanath, level 1 - Eladrin Female, Swordmage/Wizard - (Swordmage Aegis (Hybrid): Aegis of Assault)
Hybrid Talent: Swordmage Warding, Background: Eladrin - Noble Birth (+2 to Intimidate)

ABILITY SCORES: Str 14, Con 14, Dex 10, Int 18, Wis 12, Cha 11.
AC: 15 Fort: 12 Reflex: 14 Will: 14, HP: 26 Surges: 9 Surge Value: 6

TRAINED SKILLS: Diplomacy +5, Intimidate +7, Arcana +11, History +11
UNTRAINED SKILLS: Acrobatics, Bluff, Dungeoneering +1, Endurance +2, Heal +1, Insight +1, Nature +1, Perception +1, Religion +4, Stealth, Streetwise, Thievery, Athletics +2
FEATS - Level 1: Hybrid Talent

POWERS
Hybrid at-will 1: Greenflame Blade, Magic Missile
Hybrid encounter 1: Lightning Clash
Hybrid daily 1: Flaming Sphere

ITEMS: Adventurer's Kit, Longsword, Cloth Armor (Basic Clothing), Dagger (2), Spellbook

[Snakes in the Tiki Lounge]

A quick test sees a level 1 eladrin wizard | Swordmage with swordmage warding actually hitting an AC of 18 as soon as a sword is in hand, actually, with 26 hp, 9 surges each at a value of 6.
Half your powers will hit better, you're tougher, flashier, can easily get a 20 post-racial in your big stat (which helps your attacks, AC, Reflex and knowledge checks!) and still have room for more CON than in the above.

I'd reccommend Sheilding swordmage Aegis, personally, considering you are half defender and half controller, you don't really want to be stood around next to your enemies too much, and won't really have quite so much melee-basic-attack oomph, whereas reducing damage made in attacks that don't include you by 7 points? Not bad.

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
level 1
Eladrin, Wizard|Swordmage
Swordmage Aegis (Hybrid): Aegis of Shielding
Hybrid Talent: Swordmage Warding

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 14, Dex 13, Int 20, Wis 10, Cha 10.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 14, Dex 11, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 10.


AC: 18 Fort: 12 Reflex: 15 Will: 13
HP: 26 Surges: 9 Surge Value: 6

TRAINED SKILLS
Diplomacy +5, Arcana +12, History +12, Intimidate +5

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +1, Bluff, Dungeoneering, Endurance +2, Heal, Insight, Nature, Perception, Religion +5, Stealth +1, Streetwise, Thievery +1, Athletics -1

FEATS
Level 1: Hybrid Talent

POWERS
Hybrid at-will 1: Magic Missile
Hybrid at-will 1: Sword Burst
Hybrid encounter 1: Sword of Sigils
Hybrid daily 1: Flaming Sphere

ITEMS
Longsword, Cloth Armor (Basic Clothing), Adventurer's Kit
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

Just a quick skim for your perusal and comparison.

[edit - Ninja'd]
Just a quick note; Make sure to equip a longsword to your Swordmage version, or you don't see any AC bonus from the hybrid talent. My own build went for higher Int, and lower strength, which does change what powers are best to go for, too. Having the lower STR and higher CON also makes Sheilding that little bit better, so depending on what you want to do with Attributes, there's still plenty to consider. Looks good though, either way.

[Arnu]

Cheers Tiki

I will have a play again and re-jig the build

[Snakes in the Tiki Lounge]

So, that leaves the likely party so far consisting of a hybrid Controller | Striker (melee focused) and a hybrid Defender | Controller (Partially melee focused)

We could possibly do with a dedicated Leader, if the above stands, but there's certainly room for more of any role. (As long as we end up with part of a leader, we should be okay, it depends on what people are interested in. All other roles are at least partially covered, so there's really quite a bit of freedom. If we manage to get Vince, Bob, Michelle and Tim involved too, that means we need really at most a hybrid leader | something or a couple of multiclass leaders, and as many of the other roles as we like and still have a solid, rounded party.

[edit] For the record, I heartily endorse trying out convaluted or outrageous character concepts, as this feels the perfect opportunity to.

Best if people just build whatever crazy things they'd enjoy playing, because it's hard to make a truly unviable party.

For the record, my currently most likely character is these two;

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Tursten Hellbach, level 1
Human, Druid|Ranger
Hybrid Druid: Hybrid Druid Reflex
Hybrid Ranger: Hybrid Ranger Fortitude
Hybrid Talent: Ranger Fighting Style
Ranger Fighting Style: Beast Mastery (Hybrid)
Beast Companion Type: Wolf
Background: Silent Hunter (Silent Hunter Benefit)

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 11, Dex 14, Int 8, Wis 20, Cha 10.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 11, Dex 14, Int 8, Wis 18, Cha 10.


AC: 15 Fort: 12 Reflex: 14 Will: 16
HP: 23 Surges: 6 Surge Value: 5

TRAINED SKILLS
Athletics +4, Perception +11, Stealth +7, Insight +10, Nature +10

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +1, Arcana -1, Bluff, Diplomacy, Dungeoneering +5, Endurance -1, Heal +5, History -1, Intimidate, Religion -1, Streetwise, Thievery +1

FEATS
Human: Beast Protector
Level 1: Hybrid Talent

POWERS
Bonus At-Will Power: Pounce
Hybrid at-will 1: Predator Strike
Hybrid at-will 1: Savage Rend
Hybrid encounter 1: Darting Bite
Hybrid daily 1: Partnered Savaging

ITEMS
Hide Armor, Adventurer's Kit, Totem
RITUALS
Raise Beast Companion
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

A build that is quite capable of snarling up the battlefield and causing a reasonable amount of damage. Not the most durable, or heavily armoured, but with careful play that shouldn't be a problem.

[Arnu]

I am interested in hearing what the others would like to play

It would be nice to have a brief backstory on how we all met too.

I guess it would start with Sooraya and Tursten meeting and then add each character to the party until we are complete.

Sooraya has been sent to travel the prime world to earn her name and make her worthy of ruling her home land one day.  (maybe the two wolves follow her or warn her of an ambush by bandits).  From there Tursten decides to follow her (the question is does she know that he is actually human?)

[morgalahan]

Okay, so I dont have access to the latest update of character builder, but here's my character.

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Kanna Ravenwing, level 1
Human, Ardent
Build: Enlightened Ardent
Ardent Mantle: Mantle of Clarity

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 11, Dex 10, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 20.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 11, Dex 10, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 18.


AC: 16 Fort: 11 Reflex: 11 Will: 16
HP: 23 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 5

TRAINED SKILLS
Athletics +4, Intimidate +10, Insight +7, Diplomacy +10, Bluff +10

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics -1, Arcana -1, Dungeoneering +2, Endurance -1, Heal +2, History -1, Nature +2, Perception +2, Religion -1, Stealth -1, Streetwise +5, Thievery -1

FEATS
Human: Bolstering Mantle
Level 1: Weapon Proficiency (Fullblade)

POWERS
Ardent at-will 1: Energizing Strike
Ardent at-will 1: Focusing Strike
Bonus At-Will Power: Psionic Shield
Ardent daily 1: Implanted Suggestion

ITEMS
Fullblade, Chainmail, Adventurer's Kit
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

[Snakes in the Tiki Lounge]

Seems okay on closer inspection, still. Man, if I run two-wolves though, we're going to see everything. I mean, with the bonus from your class to insight and perception, I'm hitting 22, 23 passively.

Not bad stuff. Don't forget to pick a suitably amusing background, and stuff.

Anyway, I'd say if anything, and amusingly considering the group's history, we're actually for the first time ever lacking strikers at this point.

So I'm guessing Bob, Vince and Michelle are all considering playing rangers. ^_^

[Arnu]

We filled our quota of Rangers with Keep off the Shadowfell.

Tim actually has to legally call his Ranger a Rural Rogue to be allowed to play him. 

So how did Kanna Ravenwing meet Sooraya and Tursten?