Humakti vs Undead Example (was: HW questions)

From: Andrew Dawson <asmpd_at_...>
Date: Wed, 05 Apr 2000 20:15:26 -0400


I had already sent Roderick a question about this example, but I'm going to mention my problems with it on the list since it has come up:

In the example (Kallai vs Huge Zombie, p. 16/31 of Playing Hero Wars chapter), Kallai starts the extended contest with his Sword and Shield 5w and 25 AP. It is explicitly stated that Kallai has 25 AP to start, so there are no negative modifiers on his Sword and Shield ability. I have marked James Turner's possible reasons for Kallai to switch abilities with bracketed numbers, [1] through [4].

[1] is not a valid explanation because Kallai starts with the full 25 AP; his Sword and Shield ability does not suffer a negative situational modifier. Kallai could still have a handicap, but the example doesn't mention this.

[2] is not a valid explanation because the example mentions that Kallai switches abilities. It does not mention that Kallai switches abilities because Sword and Shield doesn't work. If Kallai switched to Fight Undead Thing because Sword and Shield didn't work, then surely this should have been mentioned in the example.

[3] doesn't seem like a valid explanation to me. If the GM was secretly applying a negative modifier or handicap, then the example should have stated this clearly. If the GM was applying a handicap, then Kallai's player should realize this the first time Kallai wins an exchange to the point of getting transferred AP and gets shorted. In any event, this secret modifier thingy does not seem in keeping with the extended contest rules that allow you to know the opposition's AP total and other out-of-game stuff.

[4] gets to the heart of the problem with the example. We are not told why switching to a lower level ability is useful in this case.


There is another angle from which to examine this problem. Zombie stats are listed in the Creatures chapter of the Narrator's Book. Unfortunately, the zombie description doesn't elucidate the reasons for Kallai's ability switch very well.

Briefly, zombie's have (among other abilities) a Smell-Stench-Reek that "frightens off weaklings before they can attack". Zombies also have combat skills.

  1. I assume that the Stench vs. Kallai's resisting ability is resolved before actual combat blows because of the text I quoted above.
  2. So, I assume that the actual physical combat pits Kallai's and the zombie's combat abilities against each other.
  3. There is no other description of how a zombie would be more or less vulnerable to any abilities beyond a note that Humakti have certain feats to combat them.
  4. Zombies have the ability fight into negative AP, so maybe the Fight Undead Thing feat negates this. However, it would be nice if the example would even hint at this.
    How I would interpret this example:
  5. Kallai switched to Fight Undead Thing to counter the zombie's ability to fight into negative AP. Maybe in my game, Kallai can end the contest by reducing the zombie's AP to below zero when using Fight Undead Thing, whereas he must still whittle away at the zombie until its final death with Sword and Shield. This makes sense to me, but it is hardly explained in the example.
  6. Maybe instead, Kallai should use Fight Undead Thing to augment his Sword and Shield. This is not what the example is about.
    My conclusion is that there is at least one valid interpretation of why Kallai would switch abilities, but the example doesn't clearly explain this.

Thanks,
Andy

At 10:35 AM 04/05/2000 +0100, James Turner wrote:
>Switching abilities:
>In the draft there is an example of a humakti fighting an undead
>thingie. He starts using his 5W close combat ability then switches to
>his fight undead ability of 17.
>My question is why change to a lower ability?
[1]
>It could be that the GM has ruled that anyone fighting this undead
>thingie without a specific undead fighting ability suffers a handicap.
>But in this case he is always better starting with close combat as he
>gets 25 AP instead of 17. He should never start a fight with his fight
>undead ability.

[2]
>It could be that the undead thingie is immune to normal combat and can
>only be fought with undead fighting abilities.
>In this case though, surely you can't start with 25 AP from close
>combat as that ability can't be used. (Which brings up another question
>on how to handle immunities.)

[3]
>It could be that the GM is applying the handicap secretly.
>In this case the player is showing great insight in switching to his
>fight undead ability. Most players I feel would just assume it was very
>tough and keep fighting it with close combat. Either way he still would
>be unwise to start the fight with fight undead because of the lower AP
>amount.

[4]
>The only time he should ever open a contest with his fight undead
>ability is if the GM gives him a massive bonus to counter the loss of
>the mastery and 8 AP opening with close combat would give.

Powered by hypermail