Felltower Tryout: I Become a Holy Doorstop

I joined Peter Dell’Orto and the Felltower crew today. I’m playing Sigur, a 250-point Holy Warrior.

Initial observations: I oopsed on ranged attacks. I need Thrown Weapon (Axe), Thrown Weapon (Spear). I also need Fast-Draw/Fast-Ready so that I can change weapons quickly.

My primary loadout is a long spear (Reach 2, 3*) , an axe (Reach 1), and a long knife (Reach C, 1). I of course carry a medium shield. The ability to transition from spear to axe to knife is key for how my character needs to fight, and I need a few points allocated to make it happen.

We entered the dungeon and then encountered three or four cone-hatted cultists. Maybe four. Crossbow bolts were sent our way, and Sigur (my Holy Warrior) went chasing after a guy to the south who had fired his crossbow and I basically chased him away. Not even a chance to attack, but effectively denied the south flank while my fellow delvers KO’d two others; a fourth shot a crossbow and then left.

Some other exploration, and then three more cone-hatted cultists…unfortunately I had Leroy Jenkins’d my way across a corridor, only to be shot twice by crossbows. My meager armor was no protection and I suffered a major wound and dropped my shield. I was only stunned for a single turn while our scout peppered the three foes with arrows. I retrieved my shield (for blocking arrows), got healed completely by a very nice roll for healing, and then proceeded to stand back up. Well…yet another auspicious start.

Quote after an arrow shot to the vitals: “It’s important to remember to Aim. One might even call it … oh, nevermind.”

I know that I’ve had to learn this lesson before…but Move 3 is really slow. I probably need about $5,000 in loot to start optimizing my kit for weight.

“I’m so slow because I’m taking notes. Really. I’m mapping.”

“Puff. Puff. Puff. Puff…in the name…of the Good God…I lead us to victory!”

All of these cone-hatted cultists have their robes, a crossbow, quivers with variable numbers of arrows of different types (regular and AP bolts), a cheap broadsword (still worth $240). Some have leather armor, some don’t. One of the cultists had a full suit of mail! Sigur claimed that, increasing his DR from 2 or 3 to 4/2 with a slight increase in weight. We find a staircase down, but find another room to change from my old armor into my new. Yay, me.

We spend a bit of time armoring me up, then head down the spiral staircase, hopefully into a zone with more loot.

We wander for a bit, and the orientation of the walls changes a bit; many angles and forks. We open a door (with a crit!) and at least four robed bipedal things are in the next room! Maybe Sigur will actually be able to hit something this time. I joke I’ll block the door until I get at least one solid shot in. Then I wind up step-and-ready to discard my spear (Reach 2,3*) and draw my axe, since I can tell that there are now many (!) more foes than four, and I’m rapidly going to get to the point where changing reach on the spear is going to limit my actions.

I get blessed/hit with Protection from Evil, +5 DR vs evil, which these demon grunts qualify as, you betcha. I’ve also got the newly reformulated Higher Purpose 3 (Truly Evil), giving me +3 (or +3 per die) any time I roll. Yes, that’s +3 to defenses on top of an already-high Block score. So right now, I’m a-blockin’ the door and getting ready to wade in. I’ll wind up with 2d+8 vs these guys, with a boosted skill of 21…I see axe-to-the-neck going on, but many demons have no particular weaknesses there. We shall see.

Desmond spends a turn pauting, getting back some energy for spellcasting. One of the grunts uses a big-ol claw thing to grasp the barbarian’s leg, for both injury and control. I step in and crit across the neck! No defense, 18 damage…and it’s still up. That probably means it doesn’t take extra from the neck: it’s just a big bag of hit points. Ugh. I hit it again, hard, for another 15…and it’s STILL up. I get grabbed for 10 Control Points (-5 DX, -3 defenses), but thanks to Prot fr Evil and my own DR, I only take 1 injury (but full grapple power, which is why you grapple).

I cut off the hand of the person grabbing me; this was a “barely, but yes” effect. Durinn the Cleric goes for Turning. That doesn’t work because demons! He also Fast-Draws paut.

I’m attacked, but a crit success on a block has a result where its guard drops, making it easier to hit. They haven’t made any defenses yet, so this makes it less likely. All in all I’m attacked three times this round, and I block two and parry one. That parry rolled a 16 (I have ridiculous parry anyway and +3 from Higher Purpose), so I barely deflect it…but I do deflect it.

Belmak the barbarian is down and continues to be savagely grappled and mauled. He’s taking a lot of damage.

I Rapid Strike to try and take advantage of the crit block, but also try and bring down one of the three folks facing me; I hit for another 18 hp (making it a total of 49 cutting) and it’s still up. I do 13 to the guy with interrupted defenses due to the crit block. Someone flings an evil explosive acid ball at Belmak, who’s having a terrible day. I take a hit for 9 CP but no injury thanks to Protection from Evil and my chainmail. I block and parry two more attacks. This “stand in the door and hold it against evil” is precisely what Sigur was built for.

We decide that we’ll have to beat these guys through attritive amputation. Belmak Does Nothing, so doesn’t  have to make KO rolls. I’m grappled so I can’t target limbs this time; two hits to two guys and more HP…and the guy on the right finally disappears. We’re looking at lots of HP but Unnatural, then…so they’re either up or out.

I get grappled again; I’m now -9 DX, -5 to defend. I need to start chopping limbs with focused attacks like now. I do become the beneficiary of +5 to DB via a Shield Spell. I’m still vulnerable to crits, but my defenses vs further developing grapples and strikes is still good. I’m in deep trouble though unless I can hit and sever a wrist to free myself. This is quickly turning into a grind, literally given how the claw-guys are doing auto-injury via “worrying.”

I get critical-hit grappled again, and am now helpless. They worry at me for ever-increasing amounts of pure injury. Slowly slowly they get me to 0 HP. Then -8 HP. The only think keeping me and the barbarian, Belmak, alive is Protection from Evil providing DR. Otherwise we’d be catfood. It’s a race…who can cause folks to let go of me before I get killed.

The cleric finally remembers to pray for stuff: success! One of the three guys gripping me lets go! I’m now -9 to DX and ST, meaning I’m half damage but at least it’s back in the realm of not crazed: 18 to hit, +3 for Higher Purpose and -9 for DX might mean I can hit…and higher purpose bonus might just let me sever some limbs here. I parry at -5, though. Our scout injures the claw arm on one of the others grappling me…I’ll target that guy instead.

More and more rounds pass, with our scout and I desperately piling on the HP to one guy, since the less grappled I get the more effective I can be. I do need to get healed…a lot. But if I can just get free, I can start doing full-power strikes or even rapid strikes to demons. Even so, there are seven bad guys, three wounded, four hale and robust. That’s a LOT of HP I need to dish out and I’m the only one who can do it. Maybe I can get some free hits on backs of those grappling Belmak…which might make them let go. It’s an exponential release…ooo, and I pass another death check at -30 HP.

And an arrow and a hit to a random location finally kill one of the three facing me. Now I’m down to 9 CP, for -5 DX, -3 defense, and only grappler is on my left. A fortunate healing spell brings me to full hit points! Now I’m at full strength and plenty of buffs. Now time to kill the heck out of the remaining grappler. If I can stay un-grappled with mega-defenses and no crits, I can start hacking the opposition down, I hope.

…we call it there, as it’s STILL a grind.

We vote MVP as Durin the cleric, for Protection from Evil, Shield, massive timely healing, and an effective prayer that started the virtuous cycle to free Sigur.