Episode 104 (S3-19) - "Nice to Meat You"

[Oneiros]

OR: "Best Laid Plans of Orcs and Goblins (and Humans and Halflings)"

*cues up generic heist planning music*
*camera cuts to overhead shot of LOLOMG standing around a table, lit by a single lamp, staring at factory layout*
*smash cut to opening to opening credits and individual splash screens for each character, complete with name and heist role*

So, it's time for a little breaking and entering as LOLOMG try to get to the bottom of the mystery at Ratchet's. Why is security so tight? What don't they want people to see? Why do these guards seem to be disobeying all narrative convention and actually displaying tactical competence? Why is there so much meat?

Why does this show veer perilously close at times to a crossover with The Magnus Archives? 

We get to see Sasha in her element as she puts her considerable sneaky skills to good use, and gets to show off the valuable expertise gained from her 'time in the antiquities trade'   And we find out that, yes, Azu can glow less if needs be - though obviously why would anyone NOT want to be a shining hot pink beacon of loveliness at all times??

So, after a few scrapes and mishaps, they make it in - what are they going to find?

[akelis]

"Silk will not stitch the butcher's meat". Yeah... there's no possible way any of this could go wrong at all.


Thank you guys for the sidelong Star Wars reference this week ; but isn't Hamid a bit short to be a storm trooper?

Go Grizzop with the making use of archery skills for the win. Since my preferred role is ranger for tracking skills and long range attacks, I'm all about those great trick shot moments. Even if stealth was clearly not the goblin's game this week it's clear they got a ringer for that distraction play.



(Side note: My son was super excited to hear his mom's name in the Patron's list this week. And major props to Alex for pronouncing my obnoxiously long name correctly when apparently most people cannot figure it out!)

[elbereth2502]

Grizzop's archery skills were really impressive this week. I myself love playing characters with range attacks and so I am always very happy if there are good shots in an episode. So go Grizzop, even though his sneaking ability lacked a bit, for going into the compelx sneaky.

And seeing Sasha in her element again was so good, especially because I am always "shocked" how high her bonuses are by now. It will be really hard for her to fuck up, if she does not role a 1.

[akelis]

I get the feeling Azu's armor an stealth penalties will be hindrance enough for all of them so Sasha's broken in just the right way scores make it all better. <3 Loved seeing Grizzop just make the best of a lousy roll and still make it work. But I agree, that lost chance at an advantage attack seems such a cruel abuse of a well earned skill.

[rainbowdeity]

It's an unfortunate limitation of Pathfinder, but also such a brilliant example of just how good a design choice the "advantage/disadvantage" system is in DnD5e. They managed to effectively revolutionise how DnD works in a fundamental way, without making it feel not DnD.

[elbereth2502]

I must say, I did never play DnD 5e but listend to some Podcast and I do Play a Pathfinder campaigne now and I really think, that the Pathfinder way without the Advantage/disadvantage-System is better. I mean, if you would be in such a Situation, there would not be any second Chance or things like that. If you do a bad jump over a fence you do a bad jump, and do not "roll again" to maybe have a better role. I know it sounds weird but the Pathfinder-way is, in my opinion, "more realistic".

[rainbowdeity]

The advantage/disadvantage system doesn't allow rerolls. The player rolls an extra D20 for a check: if they have an advantage they take the higher result; if they have a disadvantage they take the lower result. What this allows the game to do is create situations in which luck (or the situation) is on your side. The fundamental failing of D20 systems is that 20 is far too large a range, meaning that if you roll well your bonuses are meaningless (unless they're high enough to render the roll meaningless). E.g. It doesn't matter how well you planned it, if your bonus is 5 & you roll a 3 (which is just as likely as rolling a 20) you've failed and there's nothing you can do about it. With advantage it helps to muddle that relationship in a way that feels exciting without undermining what makes DnD iconic (the D20 itself).