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Lt_Col_Pilgrim 08-31-06, 08:43 PM

Brothers & Sisters ... As new recruits of the Blackwheel Company I want to welcome you. Perhaps you had family before you came here, but perhaps not. Regardless, that is what we are now ... brothers and sisters working together towards a common goal. I, like all 'forged, began my time with my comrades without family. We became brothers ... an odd family to be sure. Like a family, we may argue and disagree but in the end we will always take care of our own. It is with this in mind that I speak to you today. Your initial training is nearly complete. Before long you'll perform the functions and duties of a fully-vested member of the B.W.C. You will be engaging dangerous adversaries and be placed in difficult situations. Your training will serve you well, as will your brothers and sisters. We will, as always, attempt to make mission-teams as balanced and capable as possible. Still, the most dangerous missions will be assigned to volunteers only. In those situations you may not always enter the field of operations with an optimal mix of skills and abilities. But, I have faith in you. Ultimately the B.W.C. will succeed or fail on your individual performance. As you progress the challenges you face will become more difficult. Your brothers and sisters will help as they can, but there are some guidelines I'd like you each to consider during these final days of training. Perparation and planning ... knowing what you'll likely face ... these are the keys to victory. Consider them. No one can do each of these well ... but think how you might be able to contribute. Maybe some are things you can't really do but if you can requisitioned the proper equipment (a potion or cheap scroll even if you can't cast it) you'd be able to contribute in a tricky situation. Melee Combat - Each of you needs to be prepared to fight face-to-face with whatever enemies you may encounter. Even those less inclined to melee should consider this ... what do you do if you're back is to a wall and you can't get away? Ranged Targets - Do you have some way to affect someone you can't reach? Specialization in one form of combat or another is exceptionally useful, but don't let it cloud your judgement. I encourage each of you to have some plan for dealing with a foe or target beyond your reach. Grappling - Not every beast or creature we fight simply strikes. Many may try to simply impair or restrain you. Those skilled as escape artists or accomplished grapplers themselves may have little to fear. Those who do not may want to consider carrying light weapons (such as a dagger) or some alchemical/magical means of escape. - Some creatures are of such massive size that they could potentially swallow you or your comrades whole. When facing a creature, consider how you may prevent this or escape if caught. Entanglement - Similar to grappling there are known natural environs and magical effects that can entangle and entrap. Be wary of these, and consider how you may eventually deal with them. - The opposite is also true ... this may be a useful tactic for your team. Difficult Terrain - We do not always get to chose where we fight ... and if your plan of attack assumes perfect conditions then it is a plan for failure. Blindness - Vision is perhaps the most crucial of the senses for the work we do. Many accomplished spellcasters have ways of taking your vision from you. Do not rely solely on your luck ... plan for this and be prepared. Blindfighting training can be most useful. Darkness - Far more common than full blindness, limited vision due to the environment (such as an engagement at night) could be a regular occurence. Do not let this hamper you; instead embrace it and learn to be effective within the shadows yourself. Deafness/Silence - Silence makes spells hard to cast and you can't hear each other to coordinate attacks. Snipers - A foe striking at range from a position of concealment can be difficult to spot. Even Mach, our master swordsman, has a means of striking at range. Ability Loss / Drain - You can rely on your strength of will, body or resources ... but some times that will fail. Warforged with their enhanced constitutions are still subject to this weakness. Sneak attackers - Some skilled individuals are trained to attack your weakpoints. Vigilence and good tactical positioning can help immensely with this. Vision Obscuring Effects - Fog, night or magical effects can cause your vision to fail. Opponents are harder to strike, regardless of your native skills. If the field is level (a mist or fog that provides concealment to you as well as your enemy), perhaps this is not a problem. Training in blindfighting or other means can aid you immensely otherwise. Incorporeal - Foul undead are the most common incorporeal beings. Ghost Touch weapons are expensive and uncommon but there may be spells or abilities you or your comrades may employ. Against the undead themselves, often cure spells delivered via a touch are very useful as if you were to miss you would still have the spell to attempt another touch. This tactic was used with great success by my brother Akropolis. Fliers - Similar to ranged threats, fliers pose an interesting problem. Most can be dealt with using ranged means ... but sometimes it is useful to ground them. Mind control / compulsion - Fighters are strong in combat, but often their minds will be assaulted by skilled enemies. If you are a fighter protect yourself. Without the right safeguards you become a liability to your team. Paralysis - Paralysis is not something from which my kind suffers, but others may. Take care and plan accordingly. Gaze Attacks - At times there are vile creatures and beings that affect you on sight ... remember that you can avert your eyes. Your chances of striking them will be reduced, but you will not be affected by their foul magic. Elemental Damage - An easy way to increase your combat strength is to empower your attacks with elemental damage. Use this as an offensive tool ... but do not neglect defense. Consider our foes may well use this strategy and arm yourself with resistance if possible. Melee Combat - Many times the simple and direct approach will work. Combat can not be avoided always and many of you are skilled in direct action. Coordinate your strikes with your team members and work out plans for flanking and maneuvering in combat ahead of time. Ranged Combat - Everyone should have some method of delivering an attack at range. Perhaps you foe is flying or otherwise separated from you. If they can strike you but you can't reach them you are at a clear disadvantage. By the same token, look to exploit these situations if you can. Overcoming Damage Resistance - Only the most fierce warriors can rely on their strength to see them through any encounter with the enemy. The rest of us will need to explore more traditional means of exploiting our foe's weaknesses. Adamantine, silver, byshek and other materials can help in these cases. You may even be able to requisition silversheen oil or other preparatory items and not be burdened with the weight of heavy gear. Bypassing Spell Resistance - Some among you are casters - both arcane and divine. Consider the foe who has spell resistance and ensure your spells can affect them. Some ignore this resistance and instead channel energy directly into the physical realm. If this option is not available to you, consider training in spell penetration. Fast Pursuit - You may need to get somewhere in a short amount of time. Perhaps you are pusuing someone, or simply need to get from one place to another within a small span of minutes. If you don't have natural speed do you have a way to get it temporarily? Do you have a way to boost the speed of party members? Short-Term Damage output - A battle can be likened to a race ... many are marathons with one side prevailing in the longer-term attrition against the other. Some, however, are sprints. These are fast and furious. Are you prepared to handle both? Levitate / Fly - Just like they are hard to take care of when we face them, can help give us an edge sometime too. Healing - The clerics among us are equal members of your team. They, just as you, have their own role to play. Do not assume that role is to provide you with all of the healing you need. Perhaps they are engaged or otherwise occupied ... or perhaps your mission team does not include a cleric. Always have a safety net. Diplomacy / Intimidate / Bluff - These are things that anyone can try ... but a few can do very well. They are valid options and can often prevent a fight. Scouting / Sneaking / Spotting - Reconnaisance is very useful ... no one will argue this point. Knowing what you will face will allow you to prepare ... and sometimes simply avoid an ambush. If no one on your team can do this well, take extra care and caution and hope to improve your circumstances. Traps / Devices - I personally have not dealt with a great many of these ... but they certainly exist. Every team needs a plan to deal with these. Hopefully you will have someone skilled who can disable these ... if not, you may have to rely on the healing powers of some and the fortitude of others. This is a painful route, but it can be effective. Research / Puzzles / Texts - I am not known for my wisdom ... but as part of a team that is not critical. Some of you will be very skilled at research, gathering information or figuring out puzzles. Play to your strengths ... I and others like me will not be as successful with the Karnathi Knot. Survival and Navigation - In the wild you may have to survive for a time on your own ... provide your own food, etc. You may also have to find your way without a map (or one that is less than accurate). - You may also need to track someone or something. There are means to do this both mundane and magical; plan accordingly. Climbing - Even if you are not particularly skilled you can carry a rope and climber's kit; this will allow the more skilled on your team to help you ascend or descend the trickier obstacles you may face. Languages - Xendrik is a continent of mysteries, including cultures with which we have no experience. The ability to communicate at a basic level can do wonders ... and it is impossible to effectively negotiate without the ability to understand each other. Assist Disabled Team-mate - Is there any way you can help a wounded, impaired or paralyzed teammate? Bringing another back into the fray can often swing the tide of battle. Balance Checks - Few combat encounters occur on flat, level ground in a stable environment. You may find yourself on the deck of an airship, on a slippery slope or crosing a narrow beam. There are methods you can use to improve your circumstances if your skills are not as strong in this area. Falling - In the event that you do fall have a plan. Perhaps you've secured yourself to safety with a rope ...or invested in a feather fall token. Either of these options are viable. Water Obstacles - This obstacle can cost you a day as your clerics prepare the appropriate magics ... but a scroll or potion isn't that expensive. As you progress, consider the time this will save your team. Long-range travel - 'Spur-of-the-moment' needs for long-range travel do arise. Do you have a mount or other means available? If not, consider the investment in one ... or possibly simply in a mount scroll so your team's arcane caster can provide one. Being Pursued - Can you flee or evade pursuit? If not with speed, can you hide? Sleight of Hand - Every once in a while you need to get the key from the sleeping guard's pocket or otherwise use subterfuge to bypass an obstacle. In the places you'll go the illegality of this behavior will be less of an issue than it is in the more civilized portions of Khorvaire. Loss of Equipment - Things are different when you're without your equipment. How do you cope? Can you function in this diminished capacity? Consider these well my brothers ... and go forth to victory!