Digest Archive vol 1 Issue 307
From: owner-champ-l-digest@sysabend.org
Sent: Sunday, May 02, 1999 12:03 AM
To: champ-l-digest@sysabend.org
Subject: champ-l-digest V1 #307
champ-l-digest Sunday, May 2 1999 Volume 01 : Number 307
In this issue:
Re: Spock's Brain and Intuition
Re: Combat banter, part 2
Re: Confirmation for subscribe champ-l
RE: CHAR: Darth Vader (rough)
Re: <FHList> eating and sleeping
Re: Darth Vader
Re: Darth Vader
Intelligence & Einstein
CHAR: Rust Monster v2.0
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 1999 23:35:20 -0400
From: "Len Carpenter" <redlion@early.com>
Subject: Re: Spock's Brain and Intuition
Christopher Taylor writes:
>I guess I have never understood the desire to turn COM into a talent, what
>exactly is the old 1-10 scale of rating looks if it is not a statistic of
>appearance? COM costs so little its not like you are robbed when you buy
>some, and it has virtually no effect on combat (thus the low cost for the
>characteristic). I like seeing a character and going "24 COM, that guy's
a
>stud" or "2 COM, eeek shes a troll!!" The Talent idea either eliminates
>any granularity ("wow, shes cute!" "How cute?" "I dunno they all look the
>same") or has the same result if you make it a stepped talent (3 points, 5
>points etc) as having a stat.
For one thing, Comeliness takes up space on my spreadsheet. Too many damn
stats as it is. Gotta squeeze in Mana and Mana Recovery somewhere. It's
certainly a waste of space on my abbreviated sheets for NPC cannon-fodder,
monsters, and animals. Who cares what a war-horse's COM stat is?
For another, it's not at all important for so many characters, even if you
do plug COM into some PRE-based skill formulas--a character with average
COM won't be influencing his interpersonal skills. Saying whether a
character is exotically handsome or brutishly ugly (by the common standards
of the culture) under the character's description, next to hair and eye
color, is sufficient, if not more descriptive. COM can also be a truly
subjective judgement call, especially in a world as varied as a Hero
campaign can be. ("I don't care if she does a 24 COM. She has only one
head and no scales. Gross.") No arguing over whether a character is
strong, tough, or swift. And it can certainly be pointless to assign any
COM value to certain characters. ("That's a real purty giant robot ya got
there, suh.")
As a talent--or as a skill-roll modifier, if you prefer--COM should indeed
be stepped to provide the needed granularity. If a character doesn't need
it--and most won't--it doesn't take up space on a character sheet.
Len Carpenter
redlion@early.com
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 1999 20:42:12 -0700
From: Ben Brown <benbrown@primenet.com>
Subject: Re: Combat banter, part 2
At 04:30 PM 4/30/99 PDT, Richard O'Marro wrote:
> Personally, I allow this, but it's somewhat stupid for the characters to
do. Such conversation CAN NOT be done quietly in the midst of combat, so
unless they have some sort of code worked out, the villians are going to
know exactly what they are planning.
> Now of you look at the comics you see characters there doing it all the
time, from Captain America organizing the Avengers to everyone's favorite
X-man teamwork play, The fastball special, which is ALWAYS done with a loud
call for it beforehand.
>
The loud call beforehand is a staple in the current group I'm in.
Especially amongst the anime fans in the bunch.
My take is that you have to play it by ear. A lot of banter generally
means a lot of role-playing, even in the combat sequences. Besides,
if the characters are giving their strategy away, all you need to do
is give the villains a DCV bonus for overhearing what's going to be
thrown at them, and the characters will learn soon enough.
Mind you, if someone takes advantage of the fact that soliloquies take
no time to quote the entire first act of _Hamlet_ before tossing a blow at
the villain, let the villain hit the character. Then let the
others in the room hit the PLAYER.
- -Ben
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 1999 21:13:29 -0700
From: Christopher Taylor <ctaylor@viser.net>
Subject: Re: Confirmation for subscribe champ-l
>Someone (possibly you) has requested that your email address be added
>to or deleted from the mailing list "champ-l@sysabend.org&"
LOL hmmmmm apparently I made someone mad
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sola Gracia Sola Scriptura Sola Fide
Soli Gloria Deo Solus Christus Corum Deo
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 1 May 1999 01:37:10 -0400
From: Indiana Joe <jrc3@home.com>
Subject: RE: CHAR: Darth Vader (rough)
At 9:49 AM -0400 4/28/99, Johnson, Adam wrote:
>This is probably why GURPS has an optional combat rule, "Imperial
>Stormtrooper Academy Marksmanship," or something like that. The gist of it
>is that on the first round of any ranged combat, the enemy will always miss
>their intended target.
I've used a variant of this for some of my "villian lieutenants" in
martial arts games. They buy some of their DEX with the limitation, "Not
when they meet the heroes for the first time in combat (-1/4)". This lets
the heroes defeat them easily in the first fight, but they are more potent
in later battles (which happens often). (Presumably, the master villian
tells them what they did wrong.)
Joe Claffey | "In the end, everything is a gag."
jrc3@home.net | - Charlie Chaplin
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 01 May 1999 14:02:49 -0500
From: Lance Dyas <lancelot@radiks.net>
Subject: Re: <FHList> eating and sleeping
Ah then we are in total agreement now what game mechanics would you use?
Christopher Taylor wrote:
> >> As I understand it an average person that is not doing moderate exercise
> >> will die from lack of water in around a week (this may hold true for total
> >> rest as well) and from lack of food in around two weeks. As demonstrated
> >> by zealous terrorists/cum martyr saints via hollywood, one can live for
> >> about a month before coma sets in without food, assuming total rest.
> >
> >I think your 2 weeks is an underestimate or implies less than total rest..
> >many/most people would last a month not two weeks (assuming they also had
> plenty
> >of water) without food and Americans 5 weeks... we average 20lbs
> overweight ;)
> >yes that is sarcasm and I know excess weight is typically ineffeciently
> stored
> >so bleah.
>
> I didnt state it clearly. You can live about a month without food if you
> are at total rest, and about 2 weeks assuming moderate exercise. Water,
> however, is very critical, as I understand it a week is tops, even with rest.
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Sola Gracia Sola Scriptura Sola Fide
> Soli Gloria Deo Solus Christus Corum Deo
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 01 May 1999 14:05:12 -0500
From: Lance Dyas <lancelot@radiks.net>
Subject: Re: Darth Vader
Arent the Storm Troopers supposed be clones that does make them
atleast if not their vessels cookie cutter products....
Tracy L Birdine wrote:
> On Fri, 30 Apr 1999 17:54:27 +1000 Phil Chappell
> <pchap@macquarie.matra.com.au> writes:
> > The real point about Star Wars combat, though, is - why do
> > Stormtroopers
> > wear armour? It doesn't doing anything (as far as I can remember
> > no-one
> > evers deflects a blaster shot) except slow them down and limit their
> > field
> > of vision.
> >
> > And why are the crew on the Deathstar weapon wearing armour? Are
> > they
> > expecting to be attacked at any moment by rebel infiltrators?
> >
> > Suspension of disbelief is a wonderful thing!
> >
> > Phil
> >
>
> And while we're at it, how TIE fighters, Bombers, and Interceptors are
> unshielded? Does the Empire have cookie-cutter molds to produce these
> things cheaply?
> >
>
> |- /\ \\/ |< [ ICQ: 32038562 ] ghostwalker@ifr-inc.org
> CO/4th Batt., The Horsemen, Black Horse Regiment
> *---===( )===---*
> Black Horse Webpage: http://www.ifr-inc.org/staffpages/tb.html
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 01 May 1999 14:10:47 -0500
From: Lance Dyas <lancelot@radiks.net>
Subject: Re: Darth Vader
OOOOOh I have the Rogue Squadron Demo and My birthday is coming up
so Im gonna get that pretty baby yes I am, whether or not anyone buys it for me
or not. Very cool stuff.
> Id also like to note that the game Rogue Squadron was (one of) the first
> pieces of Star Wars media that George Lucas actuially sanctioned as Cannon
> Material. :)
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 01 May 1999 14:59:13 -0500
From: Lance Dyas <lancelot@radiks.net>
Subject: Intelligence & Einstein
Transcending and Expanding the known boundaries in any skill seems
poorly
simulated by high skill levels.
Many or should I say most Genius Caliber IQs do poorly when required to
perform
for the validation of others in subjects that are tooooooo simple for
them, They
lack interest entirely. That is the high school math problem. And you
will see this
in many children who are understimulated in school, Implying they think
slow is rediculous too.
Absent mindedness does seem more like a psyche limit to me so I still
disagree
with your ;) assumptions
Tim Statler wrote:
> Lance Dyas wrote:
>
> > This does nicely make the HERO mechanics fit the verbage and would
support
> > Michaels otherwize
> > ludicrous idea that Einsteins INT could easily have been 10.
> >
>
> Einstein did have a lower INT. He flunked math in High school,
misplaced an
> invitation from President FDR to visit the White House, after he came
to the
> US, (actually, he hadn't really looked at it, he was using it as a
bookmark.).
> And, as many other scientists, WHO KNEW HIM, said, he was your typical
> absent-minded proffesor. So he did have only a 10 INT but had the
Scientist
> skill ehancer and bou-coo science and physics skills.
>
> Tim Statler
> student of history
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 2 May 1999 00:02:20 -0400 (EDT)
From: Michael Surbrook <susano@dedaana.otd.com>
Subject: CHAR: Rust Monster v2.0
RUST MONSTER
Val CHA Cost Roll Notes
15 STR 0 12- 200kg; 3d6
15 DEX 15 12- OCV: 5 / DCV: 5
10 CON 0 11-
12 BODY 4 12-
3 INT -7 10- PER Roll 10-
5 EGO -10 10- ECV: 2
10 PRE 0 11- PRE Attack: 2d6
10 COM 0 11-
3 PD 0 Total: 9 PD / 6 PDr
3 ED 0 Total: 9 ED / 6 EDr
3 SPD 5 Phases: 4, 8, 12
4 REC 0
20 END 0
22 STUN 0
Total Characteristics Cost: 14
Movement: Running: 9" / 18"
Swimming: 2" / 4"
Cost Powers & Skills
Combat Training:
4 Combat Skill Levels: +2 with Transformation Attack
Rust Monster Powers:
7 Unnatural Composition: Density Increase1 Level, 0 END (+1/2),
Persistent (+1/2), Always On (-1/2): +5 STR, +1 PD/ED, -1" KB,
200kg
30 Metal to Rust Elemental Control: 30 Point Pool
45 1 - Metal to Rust: Transformation Attack: 2d6, Major,
Cumulative (+1/2), Damage Shield (+1/2), 0 END (+1/2)
20 2 - Metal to Rust: Transformation Attack: 2d6, Major,
Cumulative (+1/2), 0 END (+1/2), No Range (-1/2)
7 Bite: HKA: 1 pip (1/2d6 with STR), 0 END (+1/2)
9 Knobbed tail: HA: +2d6, 0 END (+1/2)
18 Armored Hide: Armor: DEF 6
2 Eats Rust: Life Support: Need not eat/excrete or sleep, Eat
only (-1)
6 Running: +3" (9" total), END 2
19 Metal to Rust: Tunneling: 4" and 7 DEF, 0 END (+1/2), Only vs
Metal (-1), No Noncombat Tunneling (-1/4)
18 Smell Metal: Detect: Metal, Sense, Ranged, 14-
5 Heat Vision: IR Vision
5 Extra Limbs: 2 tentacles and a tail
195 Total Powers & Skills Cost
209 Total Character Cost
75+ Disadvantages
15 Distinctive Features: Thickly-plated rock-like creature (NC)
15 Physical Limitation: No fine manipulation
15 Psychological Limitation: Greedy for metal (C, S)
89 Experience
209 Total Disadvantage Points
Appearance:
A rust monster is about 5' long, with a large, globular body that greatly
resembles a lump of stones. It has a long tail, four legs, two tiny eyes,
a small beak and two long tentacles. Typical coloration for these
creatures is a grayish tone.
Ecology:
Rust monsters live deep underground, where they search out and devour
metals of all sorts. They prefer ferrous metals (such as iron and steel)
and will eagerly seek such things out.
Motivations:
Normal animal motivations. Their only real desire is a stead diet of
refined metals..
Combat Techniques:
Rust monsters don't engage in combat per se. They will pursue a source of
food, but prefer to get their diet of rust without a fight. As a rust
monster's mouth is too small to be of real any use, their only real
defense is their thick skin and running away.
Other Names: None.
Rumors:
It has been pointed out that such a diet of rust and metal seems to go
against all known ideas of ecology, meaning that rust monsters may be
unnatural creatures. Most people believe that rust monsters are the
creations of a sorcerer, although others hold forth that they are
extra-planar creatures and consider the Elemental Plane of Earth to be the
rust monsters natural home.
Designer's Notes:
The rust monster is an amusing - if impossible - creature that could only
exist in a fantasy setting. Considering how much naturally occurring
metal there is just 'laying around', odd are a rust monster would soon
starve. However, considering the extensive subterranean world that the
AD&D universe postulates, it seems likely that they would find sufficient
food after all. Much worse, of course, would be the effects of letting
such a creature loose in the modern world. Cars, homes, guns, street
signs, virtually anything one could think of would contain food for these
animals.
- --
Michael Surbrook - susano@otd.com - http://www.otd.com/~susano/index.html
"...If said motherboard is equipped with an Intel central processing unit,
an appropriate warning label bearing the words 'Intel Inside' shall be
permanently affixed to the case in a prominent location."
Bruce Murphy, excerpting a new OSHA regulation for computer systems
------------------------------
End of champ-l-digest V1 #307
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Date: Tuesday, June 29, 1999 03:53 PM