[D&D] The Lost Mines of Phandelver

[Scepticalscribe]

Sleep strikes me as perhaps the better option here.

How do we plan it - actually, execute it - so that it doesn't have an effect on ourselves?

I assume that casting Sleep may also affect Sildar Hallwinter, though that may be a mercy he may come to welcome given the traumatised state in which we have found him.

Well, @Don't panic, please advise me on how best to proceed.
[doublepost=1458579243][/doublepost]

>>> the fire is on the lower level, and the five goblins are around it.

And the other one, who has not yet seen us, is he sitting on the upper level?

I take it, then, that we approach the mouth opening of the lower level when we reach the entrance of the cave.

 

[Don't panic]

if you get to where you were before, you can cast sleep on one of the goblins farther away. the range of your reach with the spell is 90 feet (way more than needed here), but the range of the spell itself is 20 feet, so you would be farther than that i think. (you are immune anyway). id we are behind you, we would be safe from its effect.
in any case, all the goblin we killed so far had 7 Hp, so they would likely be targeted before any of us is (and unlikely you'll get more than 3-4 down at full health. if you roll 35 or more on 5d8, you can get 5).
Silar would be the first one to go down if conscious, or he doesn't matter iff already unconscious.

we can probably orchestrate a surprise attack, where we use our ranged weapons to take down as many as we can either after you cast sleep (if that is the trigger of the surprise attack), or possibly before if the order of the surprise is determined by the initiative order. in that case, sleep might be even more effective, since their hit points would be lower after our attacks

 

[Scepticalscribe]

if you get to where you were before, you can cast sleep on one of the goblins farther away. the range of your reach with the spell is 90 feet (way more than needed here), but the range of the spell itself is 20 feet, so you would be farther than that i think. (you are immune anyway). id we are behind you, we would be safe from its effect.
in any case, all the goblin we killed so far had 7 Hp, so they would likely be targeted before any of us is (and unlikely you'll get more than 3-4 down at full health. if you roll 35 or more on 5d8, you can get 5).
Silar would be the first one to go down if conscious, or he doesn't matter iff already unconscious.

we can probably orchestrate a surprise attack, where we use our ranged weapons to take down as many as we can either after you cast sleep (if that is the trigger of the surprise attack), or possibly before if the order of the surprise is determined by the initiative order. in that case, sleep might be even more effective, since their hit points would be lower after our attacks

Which of these options do you recommend?

 

[Don't panic]

I am fine with any approach

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I am fine with any approach

Fair enough. But which would be more efficacious? Which would be better in your mind?

What are the thoughts of our other comrades in arms, @twietee, @Plutonius, @Moyank24 ?

A co-ordinated orchestrated ranged attack - where an attack combines with the sleep spell? Or, I cast the sleep spell first, taking care to aim at a goblin seated farther away, and then you can launch an assault with a co-ordinated orchestrated attack?

 

[Plutonius]

> well, let's do the ol' "raise your hand if you're willing to kill a sleeping opponent" before we proceed.


*imagines sawing on a medium burned and partly chewn on leg in the near future*

*raises hand*

edit:
Syllin (@ravenvii), did you see a cage or something alike where the prisoner is/was held? We could lock them up for good that way.

Reply to Veit: I see a difference between killing them in combat and killing a tied up opponent. They are evil creatures who are eating one of the prisoners. I have no qualms about killing them in battle if Syllin puts them to sleep.

Reply to all: I would rather have Syllin attempt to sleep the five goblins near the fire. The burning hands spell might ruin any chance Veit has of re-attaching the leg of the prisoner. Myself and Portia can attempt to shoot the goblin on the ledge while the Count and Veit can kill any of the goblins the sleep spell doesn't affect. Syllin would need to cast the sleep spell before we ran into the cave (we don't want to be affected by it).

 

[twietee]

I am fine with any approach.

 

[Moyank24]

Reply to all: I would rather have Syllin attempt to sleep the five goblins near the fire. The burning hands spell might ruin any chance Veit has of re-attaching the leg of the prisoner. Myself and Portia can attempt to shoot the goblin on the ledge while the Count and Veit can kill any of the goblins the sleep spell doesn't affect. Syllin would need to cast the sleep spell before we ran into the cave (we don't want to be affected by it).

This plan sounds good to me!

 

[Don't panic]

Reply to Veit: I see a difference between killing them in combat and killing a tied up opponent. They are evil creatures who are eating one of the prisoners. I have no qualms about killing them in battle if Syllin puts them to sleep.

Reply to all: I would rather have Syllin attempt to sleep the five goblins near the fire. The burning hands spell might ruin any chance Veit has of re-attaching the leg of the prisoner. Myself and Portia can attempt to shoot the goblin on the ledge while the Count and Veit can kill any of the goblins the sleep spell doesn't affect. Syllin would need to cast the sleep spell before we ran into the cave (we don't want to be affected by it).

i agree with pretty much everything with a couple of notes
- notwithstanding Veit recent miracle on your hand, reattaching/regrowing a limb usually requires Regenerate, a 7th level spell, which can be used by clerics of the 13th level or above. for a leg which has been cooking it might be even more challenging. but then, it is in the hands of the gods.
- if we use range in the first round of combat, we won't be within the sleep spell effect range
- even if we melee, as long as we are not hurt below 7HP, the spell would target the goblins first anyway
[doublepost=1458584194][/doublepost]i slip the scimitar in my belt and have a javelin in one hand and the shield in the other.
I am ready to move and attack one of the non-sleeped goblins as soon as Syllin does her thing

 

[Plutonius]

@ravenvii, Orders: I have my bow out and am ready to shoot the goblin on the ledge after Syllin has casted her spell.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Alright. Gritting my teeth, I retrace my steps again, this time back to the opening of the cave and examine the noisome goblins who are sitting around the camp-fire, relishing their loathsome and repellant cooking, and chortling to one another in their foul tongue of Goblindegook.

Off to the side, Sildar Hallwinter lies, barely conscious of what is happening, - a brief sleep will be a benison and perhaps, a boon for him in his current condition.

With an eye half shut in order to perfect a firm focus on the one seated farthest from me, I raise my hand - a pinch of fine sand already in it, removed from my pouch, - and proceed to cast a fluid but precisely aimed Sleep Spell at him.

Thereupon, I take a step back, and prepare to watch the effects of the Sleep Spell ripple noiselessly outwards towards his feasting, but foul comrades.

 

[Don't panic]

nice

 

[ravenvii]

Alright. Gritting my teeth, I retrace my steps again, this time back to the opening of the cave and examine the noisome goblins who are sitting around the camp-fire, relishing their loathsome and repellant cooking, and chortling to one another in their foul tongue of Goblindegook.

Off to the side, Sildar Hallwinter lies, barely conscious of what is happening, - a brief sleep will be a benison and perhaps, a boon for him in his current condition.

With an eye half shut in order to perfect a firm focus on the one seated farthest from me, I raise my hand - a pinch of fine sand already in it, removed from my pouch, - and proceed to cast a fluid but precisely aimed Sleep Spell at him.

Thereupon, I take a step back, and prepare to watch the effects of the Sleep Spell ripple noiselessly outwards towards his feasting, but foul comrades.

The spell took form, visible only to you.

*** CHECK ***
You toss a 5d8 to determine how effective the spell is.

Syllin: 7
Syllin: 1
Syllin: 2
Syllin: 5
Syllin: 5

Total: 20

Sildar Hallwinter is immediately knocked out, then you knock out 2 goblins, leaving three awake.
*** CHECK ***

Sildar Hallwinter, barely conscious, was mercifully sent into the world of dreams. As two goblins, the one furtherest away from you and the one to his left, fell over in a deep slumber, the other goblins laughed even louder. They were too stupid to realize that the sleep was not natural. The goblin on the higher ledge notices this, and after laughing out loud, shouts down at the group in goblin.

You translate the shouts as "Stupid donkeys! That means more leg for me! You don't eat more, I do! Stupid donkeys!" the goblin laughs and plops down on the edge of the ledge. "The leg looks cooked! Bring me the thigh!"

 

[Don't panic]

what about our attacks?

 

[Plutonius]

@ravenvii, does this mean we get another surprise action before initiative ?

Whisper to all: It might be a good idea for us all to range attack the leader who just jumped off the ledge while we have surprise. Then we finish off the remaining three when normal combat commences .
[doublepost=1458593737][/doublepost]

what about our attacks?

I think @ravenvii is giving us another round of surprise since they are not aware of us yet. We were waiting on Syllin's sleep spell and now we have the option of staying our attack to discuss.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

@ravenvii, does this mean we get another surprise action before initiative ?

Whisper to all: It might be a good idea for us all to range attack the leader who just jumped off the ledge while we have surprise. Then we finish off the remaining three when normal combat commences .
[doublepost=1458593737][/doublepost]

I think @ravenvii is giving us another round of surprise since they are not aware of us yet. We were waiting on Syllin's sleep spell and now we have the option of staying our attack to discuss.

Well, my Sleep Spell has been cast, dispatching two of them to the land of Sweet Slumbered Dreams. The rest of them - the remaining three around the fire - haven't cottoned on to our presence as yet, and the character on watch has succumbed to his greed and leapt down to join them in feasting on their hideous repast.
[doublepost=1458595203][/doublepost]

what about our attacks?

Now, seems to me to be an exceedingly good time to launch an attack. A ranged attack, perhaps.

Meanwhile, let us not waste too much time disputing the precise mechanics of an attack, as the spell won't hold forever.

 

[Plutonius]

Well, my Sleep Spell has been cast, dispatching two of them to the land of Sweet Slumbered Dreams. The rest of them - the remaining three around the fire - haven't cottoned on to our presence as yet, and the character on watch has succumbed to his greed and leapt down to join them in feasting on their hideous repast.
[doublepost=1458595203][/doublepost]

Now, seems to me to be an exceedingly good time to launch an attack. A ranged attack, perhaps.

Let us not waste too much time disputing the precise mechanics of an attack, as the spell won't hold forever.

Yep, good job with the sleep spell.

 

[Don't panic]

agreed, let's get them.
i already described my action.
i guess if it needs more specificity, i try to skewer the one closest to us

 

[Plutonius]

@ravenvii, when everyone is ready, I'm shooting the goblin that jumped of the ledge.

 

[twietee]

Order?

I will throw my handaxes after the leader. But only if nobody finished him off before.

 

[Moyank24]

I'll use my shortbow on the bridgejumper as well!

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Hm. I think the greedy goblin who jumped from the ledge will end up very dead indeed, with three individuals Master Claus, Portia and Master Veit all aiming for him.

Two of his comrades are sound asleep, that leaves three more gluttonous goblins around the fire to be addressed, and a task of dispatching the two who are sound asleep to a state where their sleep may be rendered more permanent.

 

[ravenvii]

>>> note that the leader is sitting on the edge of the ledge, not actually down with the others. For ranged attacks however, that makes little difference.

Suddenly, the air is filled with two arrows, a javelin and a handaxe. The handaxe and the arrows are flying towards the goblin sitting on the edge of the ledge --

*** CHECK ***
AC 14 as always. Veit has a 4+, Portia has a +5 and Claus has a +7, and all have advantage so:

Veit: 9
Veit: 7
Portia: 15
Claus: 17

Veit misses, but Portia and Claus hits! So the damage is:

Portia: 6 + 3 = 9
Claus: 4 + 3 = 7

Portia and Claus hits the goblin for 16 damage, killing it!
*** CHECK ***

-- the handaxe flies past the shocked goblin's head while two arrows hits its torso. The goblin let out a croak, and falls to its back, dead. Its legs continue to dangle from the ledge. Simultaneously, the javelin is flying towards a goblin sitting at the fire with its back turned towards the party --

*** CHECK ***
AC 14, and Bartholomeus has +5, plus advantage:

Bartholomeus: 1
Bartholomeus: 5

Miss
*** CHECK ***

-- and the javelin flies past the goblin, barely missing the goblin's head.

The goblins are now definitely aware of the party.

*** INITIATIVE! ***

Bartholomeus: 17 - 1 = 16
Veit: 12 - 1 = 11
Portia: 10 + 3 = 13
Syllin: 17 + 2 = 19
Claus: 1 + 3 = 5
5x Goblins: 11

Re-roll:

Veit: 6
4x Goblins: 19

So the turn order is: Syllin, Bartholomeus, Portia, 4x Goblins, Veit and Claus.
*** INITIATIVE! ***

>>> @Scepticalscribe what do you do?

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Our attack killed two goblins, if I read it correctly. Thus, four remaining, two of whom have succumbed to the sleep spell. For now.

*To myself: It is no small thing, indeed, it is a strange and slightly unsettling thing to see Ser Bartholomeus miss an oblivious target….*

With my shortsword - at which I have some small proficiency - I will attack the Goblin Leader.

While, normally, sleeping or distracted antagonists do not invite death by my sword or sorcery, there are exceptions to that belief system: And one of these is the deeply disturbing sight of the desecration of the dismembered limb of the unfortunate Silldar Hallwinter.

 

[ravenvii]

Our attack killed two goblins, if I read it correctly. Thus, four remaining, two of whom have succumbed to the sleep spell. For now.

*To myself: It is no small thing, indeed, it is a strange and slightly unsettling thing to see Ser Bartholomeus miss an oblivious target….*

With my shortsword - at which I have some small proficiency - I will attack the Goblin Leader.

While, normally, sleeping or distracted antagonists do not invite death by my sword or sorcery, there are exceptions to that belief system: And one of these is the deeply disturbing sight of the desecration of the dismembered limb of the unfortunate Silldar Hallwinter.

>>> I edited the post after seeing @Moyank24's order. The goblin leader is dead.