Re: I forget the subject line, but, Edwards-style AP-lending.

From: charlescorrigan <charles_at_...>
Date: Fri, 10 May 2002 17:14:32 -0000

>
> Charles:
> > In our game, a character at negative
> > APs in a combat, may be lent APs by
> > another character describing that
> > they attack the first character's
> > opponent to give them room to recover.
>
> What about a half dozen rounds after any
> "opponent" was showing a blind bit of
> notice in him -- how would you describe
> that?

I can't recall a contest that lasted more than 5 rounds[1] ;-) As our extended contests are relatively short, AP lending tends to be given as quickly as possible, frequently in the same round, always in the next.

> And notice that you're effectively
> presupposing a sort of "recovery" open
> during the contest (but possibly long
> after the action that necessitated the
> recovery) that isn't open to him after
> the contest at all.

I presuppose that the final status is not clear until the entire group extended contest is over. Quantum superposition of states and all that! As I noted in a previous post, APs measure capacity to act, not damage. A large loss of capacity to act is converted to damage only after the contest is over.

So you might call it as a different sort of recovery but I would respond "recovery from what?".

Say that there is a debate, where one participant is at a total loss for words. Without further help, they have lost. Now say that a friend offers them another line of argument. With this argument they proceed to demolish the opposition and win. This is the model I use, even for physical combat.

regards,
Charles

[1] We tend to push each other into bigger bids - the normal range is between 1/7 and slightly under 1/3 of the current APs - unless the actor is clearly outclassed and acting defensively until a more powerful character can help. At the levels we are at now (and including followers), bids of 30 APs (or more) are not uncommon.