/vx/ - Videogames and Paranormal

Gonna roll the urban encounter table against myself and roleplay it for giggles.
https://www.realmshelps.net/adventuring/urban.shtml
Baltimare is metropolis-sized, but Posey is laying low so the mod is only +1
[1d20+1 = (2+1) = 3]

>>177507
"Name is Cavaliere, and yes I am from Nova Griffonia. You can find my papers here." This time he pulls out a wallet from a breast pocket and provides an ID.
"Just myself, and I would like to put down a deposit for a week's stay. Do you happen to have a suite available?"

>>177508
DEATH

>>177508
>Pickpockets
Well darn. Let's generate some stats for a thief of Posey's level and see if they steal something off of Posey.
I'm going to say it's a bat pony, because Bat ponies are gypsy-tier. I'm making him the same level as Posey because I like a challenge, although a Rogue has no chance of killing Posey.

>Here's a stat block for a level 4 Rogue in D&D 3.5e, specializing in Sleight of Hand and pickpocketing, with no racial traits except a 60-foot fly speed and darkvision.

---

**Name:** Shadow Thief
**Race:** Custom (60 ft. fly speed, darkvision)
**Class:** Rogue 4
**Alignment:** Chaotic Neutral

**Abilities:**
- **Strength:** 10 (+0)
- **Dexterity:** 18 (+4)
- **Constitution:** 12 (+1)
- **Intelligence:** 14 (+2)
- **Wisdom:** 10 (+0)
- **Charisma:** 8 (-1)

**Hit Points:** 25 (4d6 + 4)
**Armor Class:** 16 (Leather Armor + Dex)
**Initiative:** +4
**Speed:** 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (perfect)

**Base Attack Bonus:** +3
**Melee Attack:** +3 (shortsword, 1d6 damage, 19-20/x2)
**Ranged Attack:** +7 (dagger, 1d4 damage, 19-20/x2)

**Saving Throws:**
- **Fortitude:** +2
- **Reflex:** +7
- **Will:** +1

**Skills:** (total skill points = 32)
- **Sleight of Hand:** +12 (8 ranks + 4 Dex)
- **Hide:** +12 (8 ranks + 4 Dex)
- **Move Silently:** +12 (8 ranks + 4 Dex)
- **Search:** +10 (8 ranks + 2 Int)
- **Open Lock:** +12 (8 ranks + 4 Dex)
- **Pick Pocket:** +12 (8 ranks + 4 Dex)
- **Disguise:** +6 (5 ranks - 1 Cha)
- **Bluff:** +6 (7 ranks - 1 Cha)

**Feats:**
- **Weapon Finesse** (for dagger)
- **Stealthy** (bonus to Hide and Move Silently)
- **Improved Initiative** (increase initiative modifier)

**Rogue Special Abilities:**
- **Sneak Attack:** +2d6 extra damage on a successful attack if the target is flat-footed or if the Rogue has an ally within 5 ft.
- **Trapfinding:** Can find and disable traps.

**Equipment:**
- Leather Armor
- Shortsword
- 5 Daggers
- Thieves' Tools
- Cloak of Elvenkind (bonus to stealth)
- Various coins and small trinkets for pickpocketing.

---

>This Rogue is built for agility and finesse, excelling in stealth and pickpocketing while having decent mobility with a fly speed. Adjust the equipment and abilities as needed to fit your campaign!
Ask about gender
>Let's make the character female. She can have a mysterious and agile persona, perfectly suited for her role as a cunning thief.

Shadow Thief has no chance against Posey in combat (although she doesn't know that), but can she manage to snatch Posey's Purse? Let's see.
Sneaking check to approach Posey.
[1d20+12 = (16+12) = 28]
And then Sleight Of Hand
[1d20+12 = (18+12) = 30]
If it fails the sneak check, she'll make a bluff check brush past her before gyping her.

>>177510
Fuck! That's beyond my skill ceiling.

Opposed checks anyway
Listen (should be DC 15 at this range)
[1d20+3 = (17+3) = 20]
And spot
[1d20+3 = (18+3) = 21]

>>177511
Posey fails to notice Shadow Thief's approach, but manages to hear her moving past her. She pays the bat pony no mind.
"Hmm? I thought she looked familiar for a moment..."
Now I will roll pickpocketing tables to see what was stolen from her (luckily, she doesn't keep all of her gold on her at once).

>>177512
She went for the coin purse, duh.
>A level 4 necromancer might typically have around 100 to 200 gold pieces in her coin purse, reflecting her status and resources. For your rogue's successful pickpocketing, let’s say she managed to snag 150 gold pieces. This amount is reasonable for a character of that level while still providing a nice reward for the rogue's skill.
This is more than one tenth of Posey's total wealth (she would keep this much walking around money on her, because she would anticipate having to make quick bribes. She did not even get to fight her... Oh well.

I guess the encounter is over. Posey just lost, and will only find out when she wants to buy something.

>>177514
>>177513
This is 100% canon.

>>177515
That's alright with me. Maybe some day Posey will meet Shadow Thief again. She's already outed herself as an oblivious target with deep pockets...
At least she didn't steal her forged ID. That would have been a pain to replace.

>>177508
>Pickpockets: One or more rogues tries to steal from the PCs. A pickpocket has rogue levels equal to 2 less than the party level and a Sleight of Hand modifier equal to 4 more than the party level.
I overshot this encounter by far (of course they didn't expect you to just make a rogue character on the spot), but whatever: It's already canon. I did say I wanted a challenge.
Let's just assume that Shadow Thief is considered to be a big fish around these parts. At lvl 4, she is at maximum "local hero" level (lvl 5 being where characters enter "hero of the realm").
I humbly request that if the DM rolls additional urban encounter table (which is more than welcome; I love random encounters), that subsequent pickpockets not have such unbeatable pickpocket mods.

>>177517
IMO in a setting with modern population levels, after millions of said population were conscripted to fight in a massive war, level 5 probably wouldn't be that unusual. Highly trained soldier, maybe, but common enough that "hero of the realm" is a little excessive.

>>177516
> At least she didn't steal her forged ID.
Posey’s ID is real!

>>177517
no

>>177518
>IMO in a setting with modern population levels, after millions of said population were conscripted to fight in a massive war
Describes several d&d settings, including Eberron, especially Eberron.
>level 5 probably wouldn't be that unusual
It is in Eberron. Lvl 5 is remarkable, any anyone who makes it to that level is heroic.
99% if characters never make it past lvl 1, and PC classes are a minority.
>Highly trained soldier, maybe, but common enough that "hero of the realm" is a little excessive.
Lvl 5 would be considered a hero in a d20 modern game too. Once you reach lvl 5 you enter the "action movie protagonist" tier. John Wick would be between levels ~6-10ish.
d&d/d20 characters at any level would be considered to be heroes at any level. The question is what kind of challenges they face, and what the stakes of their adventures are.
That being said, "Tiers Of Play" is a 5e meme. 3.5e doesn't scale nearly as predictably.
>>177519
Reeeeeee

>>177520
I use level 3 fighters (mostly without flair) to make generic enemies, and most companions and quest givers are level 4 or 5.

>>177521
That's fine. It does bloat their CR a bit, but it seems as though that's not a major concern.

>>177507
"Well, uh...good morning! I hope I made for a pleasant sleeping companion!"

>>177523
“Uh…”
Neela looks around, uncomfortable that she’s surrounded by a giant snake. She looks over to one side, lowers her legs and then…

Jumps over Kira’s body to outside, moving out if the blanket in the process.

“Uh, sure?”

>>177525
Kira smiles at her friend. "I'm glad to hear! You were pretty adorable to watch, I must say."

>>177526
Neela scrunches

“Why were you watching me?”

>>177527
"There wasn't a whole lot else to do..."

>>177528
“I suppose…” she looks down, but then back up. “I should make sure the water heater is on.”

>>177530
That was just an AI-generated NPC who lifted three pounds of gold off of Posey and disappeared.

>>177529
"Okay! I'm going to make myself presentable, and see if the nice old mare next door is away so I can return her tea set."

>>177532
>an AI-generated NPC who lifted three pounds of gold off of Posey and disappeared
>lifted three pounds of gold off of Posey
>three pounds of gold
Three pounds of gold is 43.75 Troy Ounces. In modern prices, that's a bit over $120,000.00. Even in 1942 prices, that's over $1,550. The average annual income was $1,885, a house was on average $3,775, a new car was $920, and a year's tuition at Harvard was $420. Even if we are just weighing out three pounds, that is the same weight as 240 modern quarters. Or for a more comparable coin, that's 40 double eagles. Or 40 silver dollars.

No way anyone would carry that much on them, And no way any adventurer has enough money to buy eight houses. They'd retire.

>>177534
"Uh, sure. You do that." She says

>>177535
Kira slithers her way down to the bathroom, taking a look at herself in the mirror. She doesn't actually have any styling or mane-care items, so she basically just has to "wing it" and do her best with what she has. Once she's gussied up, she takes the tea set, and makes her way outside.

Hide: It's more difficult perhaps to try to hide her tail section in the daylight, but she still attempts to do so, so she doesn't give the old mare a heart attack.

[1d20+13 = (15+13) = 28]

Silver would use that money to buy eight different creatures houses, probably. Or spend it on his wives and children. Or whores.

>>177536
Kira probably wishes she had a brush, as there are some tangles in her mane.

Exactly how a 20 foot long, 800 pound snake, golden colored snake is supposed to hide in broad daylight escapes me, but sure. Kira presumably stands a bit off to the side for the door, such that only the pony part of her is visible from the open door and the rest of her body is not.

With just a couple knocks, the old mare opens the door.
“Oh hello there young filly. I see you’ve brought my tea set back.” She smiles at Kira.

nods

>>177537
"Hello! I'm sorry I wasn't able to catch you last night before you must have gone to sleep, we lost track of time in the middle of our chat." She offers the tea set back to her with a smile. "It truly is an amazing and beautiful tea set, thank you so much for letting us use it! I also made sure to wash it after our company left."

>>177538
"hehehe, my husband tells how he bought this set in a little shop off the side of the road at Mareway when we stopped there. It was many years ago, before the first revolt. I was there. At Mareway, not in the shop. You see we were stopped because we had gotten on the wrong train and - oh, yes, well, I think this is the right story - I was talking to this lovely mare and my husband realized that we didn't have a gift for a baby shower. That's where we were going, you see. To Ponderosa to see an old friend... I wonder how she's doing. Oh, I'm getting off topic, aren't I? You see, he went into this little shop to buy a gift for her and there he saw it. You know the shop keeper wanted nine bits for it? Nine bits! Ha! He offered seven, and he got it. Must be worth a lot more. It was a resell antique. I'm glad you got a nice use out of it. You must have if you had it all night. Must have been great company. I miss having company. You know, you should come in some time. Come in for coffee."

>>177540
Kira smiles and listens politely to the mare's story, nodding at points. At her final statement, Kira looks kindly but disappointedly at her. "Oh, I wish I could, but we've got so much to do today. We need to finish getting things for the apartment - a new tea set, for instance - and I've got a lead for work at Customs and I really need to get this job. Oh! But can I come and visit some other time? It sounds like you have so many little pearls of wisdom to share, and you seem like a wonderfully nice mare."

>>177542
"Oh yes, do come over some time. What a sweet little filly you are. She grabs Kira's cheeks. But she holds onto Kira and her smile fades as she looks at her skeptically

"Are you sure you're not one of them leather wings?"

>>177543
Kira giggles, even with her cheek grabbed. "Hehe, I'm pretty I'd know if I was born with a pair of bat wings."

>>177544
"Hehe," she shakes Kira's cheek. She does seem to notice that the cheek stretches far more and far more easily than any she has ever grasped before. She looks a bit unsettled by this as she moves her hoof away.

"Oh you. Well I'm glad you got to have tea time with my set. Feel free to come over if you want to talk, or even if you need something again. Like for another tea time." She smiles again

>>177545
Perhaps Kira's just unusually stretchy for a pony. Surely it's not unheard of for some ponies to be stretchy, bouncy, and otherwise find ways to defy the laws of physics. One of them was an Equestrian hero until recently, after all. Kira smiles back, regardless.

"Absolutely! Thank you again so much, I'll definitely be back over here to talk and listen some more!"

>>177509
"Yes." She nods, slowly, at first as if in disbelief. But she recovers quickly enough. "We do. A couple suite types in fact. Do you only need one bedroom?"

>>177546
We do not speak of the unspeakable """contained""" at 327 Cherry Hill

"Take care! See us soon!" She closes her eyes and waves at Kira

Cavaliere gives a polite nod. "Yes, I'll be staying alone for the foreseeable future. This does look like a very well-kept hotel. I am a visitor at Baltimare and an acquaintance of mine recommended this establishment to me."

>>177548
Kira waves back, and uses her hooves to back up like if she were a pony with four hooves, instead of a lamia with only two. Hopefully with Kira out of view, the nice old mare will close the door and Kira can stealthily slither back to her apartment.

[4d6 = 13] [5d6 = 10] [1d8 = 8]

>>177535
50 gp = 1 pound of gold
150 gp = 3 pounds of gold
Iirc, that translates roughly to ~$3000 (in the 90s) in d20 modern conversions.
I know it's retarded, but that just how it works. Ponies appear to trade in gold bits anyway, so many gold isn't worth the same in this fantasy land where various goods can be conjured out of thin air.
Posey got screwed bigly.
>No way anyone would carry that much on them
Posey would only carry so much if she needs to bribe someone in a pinch.
>And no way any adventurer has enough money to buy eight houses. They'd retire.
Unless they're "heroic" level, in which they might be trying to save the world or creating their own kingdoms, or buying magic items.
You need a bigger motivation than "making money" to be an adventurer. Otherwise you should just be a lvl 1 common with skill focus Profession (Farming) and roll in the gold you make every week.

Not here to defend 3.5e/d20 modern's pricing systems. I was just saying how much money I was erasing from my character sheet for that encounter.
>>177536
I had intended to use my money to equip an army and buy some land I could conjure a castle on.

>>177550
The mare looks at her. Then looks at her a little longer. Then it gets just a little awkward. But she shuts the door before Kira has to figure out how else to extricate herself from the situation.

>>177556
Whew! Don't worry, Kira will figure out a way to break it to the old mare gently what she really is. Right now, Kira is happy enough to slither away and back inside.

>>177557
As Kira slithers back home, she does have to have some concern about being seen by neighbors, or those on the street, given that she can’t hide herself so effectively on the sidewalk. It is at least, a short distance home.

Kira arrives at her apartment, which fortunately Neela has not burned down yet.

>>177558
Burned down? Why would Kira be worried about that? Is Neela doing something involving fire?

>>177559
Of course not! Neela wouldn’t burn down the apartment. She’s a good little doe.

Kira does not see Neela, however, after arriving back

>>177560
"Okay, tea set is returned. Now, what all does the apartment need, do you think? I know we need cooking and eating utensils."

>>177561
And… there is no Neela to reply.

>>177562
"...Neela?"

Kira looks around the apartment for her deer friend.