Re: Re: Crystals & Truestone; improv; ridiculous?

From: KYER, JEFFREY <jeff.kyer_at_...>
Date: Fri, 02 Jun 2000 11:03:19 -0400

David Dunham wrote:
>
> David
>
> At 07:35 +0000 06/02/00, hw-rules_at_egroups.com wrote:
> > I've been contemplating how to translate them into the HW system.
> > I have no problem with dropping magical effects that don't seem
> > to translate well into HW, for example Spell Matrixes don't have to
> > translate directly.
>
> Spell matrices seem like items that let you cast a spell. If you lose
> the item, you can no longer cast the spell.

Hmmm. They could simply be funky items now. (Like the imfamous Wheel of Statis which incites admiration amongst the Mostali).  

> > My take on crytals is to treat them similiar to spirits. Each would
> > have a "might" stat that can be used to increase AP's in a magical
> > contest, i.e. one in which the character has a magical ability that
> > would be used in. I can certainly see alternate variations, such as
> > using it as an augmentation (although it would be hard to see it
> > "failing" and giving a negative modifier).
>
> Seems plausible, though it'd be nice if they were somehow different
> from just being fetishes for non-animists. I'm not coming up with
> anything else this morning, mind you...

Possibly that they would give a bonus with a particular kind of feat -- or provide a specialized feat or magic. Standard jo-boring unpowered crystals would probably be something like a naturally occuring fetish, but withoutthe huge and hungry costs of spell casting, the need for power cyrstals is much lower.  

> > Truestone seems like it would normally store feats, ala the Issaries
> > secret.
>
> Truestone might be able to store magic in such a way that when you
> use it, you don't suffer ill effects from failing? (Not sure this
> really works.)

Yeah. Truestone'd be weird stuff. Rare, precious and very good for arm-waving narrators.  

> BTW, it's worth mentioning that most magic items give you an ability
> like "Magic item 12" -- we interpret this as loosely as any other
> ability, so my character made this roll to see if her magical boat
> would be fast, or if it would come when she whistled.

That's how I'd interpret a lot of translated items.  

> >>The improv penality is also supposed to be -3, not -5.
>
> >That's a matter of dispute. :-)
>
> The rules say -3. Places that are not in the core rulebook may say
> -5, but since the synopsis was prepared before the rules, it must be
> superceded.

True. And some places have specific penalties, like Initates vs Devotees have a -5 (though I really wish I had a more valid copy of the rules!)  

> But as Roderick points out, the improv penalty is supposed to be
> determined on a case by case basis (the only totally standard case
> being initiates improvising feats).
>
> Alex
>
> > > (Luckily, weapon ranks are an optional rule.)
> >
> > It's a rule of law, see pp. 144-148...
>
> Nope. "To make equipment a factor of the game ... use the following
> simple rules." Thus, narrators who believe the preceding section
> (which has a typo and should read "equipment alone is not worthy of
> description"), wouldn't use the following rules.

Possibly. But I don't see it not being used by narrators and certaily by players.  

> Roger
>
> > How have people been playing the case where two combatants call on the same
> > God for aid in a direct competition?
>
> I suspect in our game they'd blast each other with (the god's) magic
> and let the god sort it out...

Fwakoom Them All. Orlanth Knows His Own. Remember, free will is at very dear premium amongst the deities.  

> Michael asked
>
> > This is my problem with the whole 'narrative game' thing. If the system
> > produces ridiculous results how the galloping Norah am I supposed to
> > make my players feel as if they are there and involved in the action?
>
> We played the game for over a year, and the only time we got
> ridiculous results was a consequence of a rule that's been changed.
>

Same here, though we've only played since December. The only time it got silly was when someone was being silly and decided to back it with HP's....

Jeff

Powered by hypermail