Episode three of the Penny Arcade/PVP/Me D&D Podcast is online!
Part 3 continues with a visit down the hole in the broken tower….
Something is waiting for them (and their rope ladder), but who (or what)? First down, Binwin the dwarf… where he discovers a room that was never finished, though it is occupied.
It's time for doughnuts, rope ladders, hanging from the ceiling—and for Binwin to drop into the midst of more followers of Orcus. How do things go? Well, here's the last line of the episode: "That is as bad as it could possibly be."
Several astute listeners have pointed out that I made an epic – and I mean eh-puh-hic fuck up when we played – I failed to account for Aeofel Elhromanë's weapon proficiency bonus, and his magic longsword, which means that should have added +4 to … a lot of rolls. We realized this shortly after the final encounter, and I felt incredibly stupid. In fact, I still feel incredibly stupid; I should have known better. Believe it or not, I was so excited to play 4E, so excited to play my Avenger, and so excited to be playing with my friends, I just overlooked it.
Anyway, in this episode, I confessed to everyone playing that I loved listening to the first series of podcasts (not much of a confession, really, because I'd mentioned this at PAX, at Comic-Con, at Emerald City Comicon, and then at PAX again) and pointed out that, as a fan of the original, I knew what it was like to hear them talking about cool stuff, without actually describing to us what the cool stuff was. So for the rest of the day, I gave little descriptions of what we were all seeing, so listeners would have some extra information to use when they imagined what it would have been like if they were in the room with us.
Extra-astute listeners may notice that the donuts arrive, and I actually eat one. Yeah, I'm not a huge fan of donuts, but from time to time, even I fail my save versus devil's food with rainbow jimmies.
Thanks for the descriptions! They are tremendously helpful in putting a visual picture together.
Also I have a question from the second podcast. How in the heck did you figure out that “pray to god equals clap of thunder” thing so fast!?!
By my recollection it happened once when a Healing Word spell was used, and then again when your character prayed to his god. Were there some other instances of thunder happening that got edited out? (actually that’s a second question…how much stuff gets cut from one of these episodes?)
It seemed to me, and I’m sure a lot of other people, that you were like House or something solving that puzzle so fast.
I don’t think anything has been edited out, so far.
The thunder thing was just an instinct that I had. I’m not entirely sure when it hit me, but it sure felt cool when that scroll showed up.
This series has been fantastic — along with the original series, it has become a staple on my iPod. Can one listen to a group of guys play D&D over and over again without getting bored? Apparently.
I don’t suppose anyone took pictures? I’m dying to see this foamcore terrain thing.
Yeah, my wife and I were discussing your unusually low modifiers vs AC and even she asked me if you remembered to add the weapon prof bonus. I said, no, he did his sheet by hand and I’m sure he was just so giddy and excited he forgot about it.
She thinks the DM should have totally noticed that, but that you sounded like you were having a lot of fun so it’s all good.
If you are ever in NC, stop on by. We’ll pull out the Dungeon Delve book and have a quickie! 😀 You know…because you are in NC so freaking often…
I loved the first round of podcasts and I’m glad they did a second. Just one thing – Binwin needs to start marking people!!! He didn’t do it all the first podcast, he forgot the entire first encounter and he prolly would have forgot in the second if the DM hadn’t reminded him.
I wish you guys had snapped a picture of the board, even a cell phone picture would have been nice. I’d like it to live up to the awesomeness I have in my head.
Also you guys should have knocked over the scaffolding. Its just like when the DM puts a hole on the board you need to knock it over.
I think Chris mentioned that my bonuses seemed low, but we were all just so into playing, we didn’t spend a lot of time investigating it.
That was a good catch. I had to rewind after you mentioned it but there is something else you guys missed. The lady that was the guardian of the tower before it blew up as a master of storm magic. (ie its not a coincidence)
I think someone did grab a camphone snap of the board, but I don’t know if it’ll ever be released.
It was really great to have a fourth player to listen to, especially someone so well spoken, and with a different Role Playing background from the other three. The descriptions were nice, and the excitement was apparent throughout.
Now, I keep hearing a camera going off. Where’s the photos?
Right in the first podcasts you hear one going off like crazy but alas no pictures ever saw the light of day. Also did anyone notice that Binwin is not in any of the images that accompany the podcasts?
he was in at least one from the first series.
Heh, if my wizard was hanging upside-down with a wand in each hand getting crits left and right I’d be having too much fun to notice myself. 😉 That’s what makes this game so much fun, those sorts of actions aren’t only possible, they are encouraged. 🙂
I can’t *wait* till next Wed to find out what happens.
These podcasts are awesome, even with the rules goofs and metagaming. The only thing that would make them better (and I’m going to keep suggesting this until it happens or someone explains why it can’t happen) would be for the sessions to be videos instead of just audio podcasts. A thousand words and all that.
I also think the next new hire of Acquisitions Inc. should be played either by Stephen Colbert or Vin Diesel.
Jim Darkmagic and Phil Ken Sebben in the same room? I’m fairly certain that would rip a hole in the space time continuum just from sear awesomeness.
If you’re interested in other actual play recordings, check out http://www.rpgmp3.com. They have 25 2+ hour sessions of 4e alone!
I was just going to post about that! I’d love to see a pic of that ROOM! By what you described, it sounded wicked!
Wil, I really wouldn’t feel bad about not noticing some of those bonuses. I’m running a 4th ed campaign with a mix of D&D vets going back to 2nd ed, all the way up to someone who’s never pen-and-papered before now.
And all of us, I mean ALL of us have missed some bonus or another at some point. My party is level 8 now, and last week my Cleric and I realized we’d been failing to add his implement bonus on a power he’s had since THIRD level. I felt really bad about that one.
It’s probably my only gripe about 4th ed so far, is that there are just so many potential bonuses to track. (That and Skill Challenges. Fie on you Skill Challenges!!)
So I’m sure there’s a lot of D&D vets in your place, Wil. Don’t feel bad, really. You’re still geek to us.
Wil, I can’t tell you how much I’m enjoying listening to these podcasts. Especially the realization that my gaming group is EXACTLY like other gaming groups out there in level of goofing off, riffing on bad jokes, botched rolls and completely forgetting to add bonuses. Kudos to you and all of Acquisitiions Inc.
PS Does Jim Darkmagic do birthday parties?
I’m also enjoying these a lot, though I haven’t played D&D in quite some time.
RE: Doughnut — was it at least a Top Pot Doughnut?
Wil, you guys are killing me at the end of each podcast – it just stops! No “We’ll return next week to see if Binwin can defeat the Barbarian!” No nothing! I feel like I’m hanging upside down in mid-air, but not firing spells.
Wil for Secretary of Geek Affairs!
paulandstorm.com
Brian
This podcast is one of the coolest things I have ever heard. I so want to start playing D&D again! I’m totally enjoying it and plan to pick up a copy of the 4e players handbook ASAP. Keep up the descriptions Wil. Thanks!
The third episode was highly entertaining, especially the rope antics. It would be so awesome if you all could get together and record these things more often.
Spoiler question: are all of the episodes done using the same DM? Or is it split between two different people like the first series of podcasts?
::shameless selfplug::
http://www.livingwithanerd.com
The only difference between this group and all the groups I have played with is the fact that there has not been one Monty Python reference. Come on guys, there is a Monty Python quote for every game situation.
Maybe this group is younger it is it is only the older people in the games I play in that make the quotes. What does that tell me? 🙂
Good question. I really like Chris (I think? Horrible with names) as a DM, and I found the second half of the first series lacking because I missed him.
First time posting, and it’s the D&D podcast that finally broke through my reserve. I played D&D back in the 80’s, and I’m female, so that’s got to be some kind of geek/dork/nerd record. Anyway, I absolutely enjoyed this. It was like the best kind of flashback. There is such great synergy between you all. It makes me miss the old days very much! Thanks for doing this!!
To your credit Wil, the weapon proficiency bonus is something a lot of people seem to overlook in their first game. I remember sitting down with my group for Keep on the Shadowfell and being *stumped* at where all these extra bonuses were coming from!
Anyway, I’m *really* enjoying the podcasts myself. The first series where what helped me get to grips with 4th Edition and I think listening to how Chris Perkins runs his games has helped me improve as a DM.
You, Mike, Jerry and Scott are fantastic to listen to. You’re table talk cracks me up, I grab the podcasts every Wednesday as soon as I get home from work. 🙂
Oh, first time posting as well by the way! 😀
Definitely agree. I liked James Wyatt but Chris is just fantastic to listen to. I love how he is doing all the voices this time around too.
I really hope that they stick with Chris the whole time. I think they do as this is a custom adventure that he made for them I believe…
Correct me if I’m wrong Wil. Correct me if I’m wrong!
Yeah, Chris made this specifically for us. I don’t know if WotC is going to publish it, but I really hope they do (so I can find out what [SPOILER] and [SPOILER] really [SPOILER] [SPOILER])
Ahh cool, I thought so. 🙂
It would be awesome if they published it. Although I imagine every wizard in the world will attempt to cast spells whilst hanging upside down on that rope ladder. 😉
Also, arrrghhh! Needs the next ones now!
“He just got Darkmagic magic’ed!”
http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/485797
Sister, you weren’t the only one. I, too, am female, and I’ve been playing D&D (+ countless other systems) since ’85 or ’86.
😀 If I go too long without my weekly fix, I start to get a bit neurotic.
Sorry to spam Wil, but I thought I should let you know that WoTC looks like they will be releasing the adventure in Dungeon magazine this month. 🙂
Saw this by Chris himself on the forums;
“The Penny Arcade adventure is something I wrote specifically for the podcast. It will be published in Dungeon magazine next month (March).”
Woohoo
AWESOME!
I envy you that you still play! For me it is long ago and far away….
I’m a couple years younger than Wil, and all my tables are full of Pythonisms as well. So it can’t be an age thing.
I’m loving these! Being an old school AD&D gamer who hasn’t had the time to play since I was young these are such a great blast from the past. I got excited when I began to realize it was ‘Keep on the Borderlands’, my first adventure into a world of RPGs.
Makes me want to break out all my old stuff, (and its old.. can you say Monster Manual 2).. where is my Dragon Bone! (Heresay you say, an electronic dice?!!? Yea it was gimicky but I still liked it, but not nearly as fun as rolling a Natural 20!).
🙂 Unfortunately, it’s almost my only social activity (aside from the Rebel Legion and 501st). I currently have a low level priest of Eilistraee barreling through the Realms on his riding lizard alongside a very Desperado-esque human bard, a barely competant elven rogue, a seldom present caster of some indeterminate origin, and a Thayan sorcerer. It’s good times, though our DM can be a little scatterbrained betimes.
I’m not a 4th ed convert though… I love my d20.
I have no idea why, and I’m sure that it pegs me as both a “huge fucking nerd of Potsie-like proportions” and entirely still stuck in the ’80s, but every time I see someone (rightly) refer to sprinkles on a doughnut as jimmies, I want to go and order a doughnut with Top Jimmies®.
Hi Wil,
Was just going around trying to DL your podcast of the DnD game you had, and saw that Part IV is up!!