Re: Sudden Death extended contests

From: simon_hibbs2 <simon.hibbs_at_...>
Date: Wed, 09 Jan 2002 10:14:23 -0000

> On Tue, 08 Jan 2002 17:33:19 -0000, "simon_hibbs2"
> <simon.hibbs_at_m...> wrote:
>
> >The result of this reasoning is the Sudden Death method of
> >extended contest resolution. You say what you're doing in
> >the contest, and the GM sets an AP risk level (or however you
> >determine AP stakes) as normal. Instead of keeping track of APs,
> >whoever would normaly lose APs takes that as a penalty on
> >future ability rolls in that contest instead.
>
> These are called Penalties and Grievous Wounds, and are already in
the
> rules!

No they're not. I'm talkign about replacing AP losses completely with equivalent value temporary penalties (not wounds).

> ...Any loss of 7 AP may instead be inflicted as a Hurt (-1), any
> loss of 15+ causes a -1 with FULL AP loss in addition. As Grievous
> Wounds are treated as though "inflicted in another conflict", you
can
> get BOTH, for a -2, from one exchange. If you use these rules at
every
> exchange, you'll rapidly lose both AP and Ability.
>
> Nibbling away a point or two at a time isn't going to help much
> against multiple-mastery opponents, but if the two combatants
started
> out near equal it helps.

It helps a little, but doesn't often seem to make a significant, or even noticeable difference. Trading in Aps for a wound may affect the odds of a contest, but it also has the effect of making the contest last longer, thus weakening the drama.

Also deciding whether to trade APs for wounds is a rules mechanical decision, distracting from the narative situation.

Simon Hibbs