Re: Blade Venom - just for Jeff

From: KYER, JEFFREY <jeff.kyer_at_...>
Date: Mon, 05 Jun 2000 14:33:13 -0400


Thanks... I feel blessed. Or something =)

Nick Hollingsworth wrote:
>
> I am in catch-up mode.
> Others may have already made better suggestions.
>
> "KYER, JEFFREY":
> > (mercifully, there's no blade vemom (yet))
>
> Aha! The perfect use of an augmentation roll for an edge.
>
> Venom has a potency. For simplicity this is its resistance to being applied
> safely.
> For the stable venom this all boils out the same as a normal augment.

Not really. Just treat it as a HeroWar poison. Perfect opportunty to use those rules rather than do something wacky.  

> There are two types of venom
> a) Volatile - does a lot of damage but only for the first exchange. Gives an
> edge equal to its potency.
> b) Stable - lasts for a long time and is represented by a smaller edge on a
> weapon but for the duration of the combat. Gives an edge equal to two fifths
> its potency.

I've found that handing out additional edges are not a good thing when running  

> Roll for augmentation in the normal manner using an unrelated action or
> before the trouble starts but...
> 1) The bladevenom potency is the difficulty, you cant choose this or the
> level of edge desired.
> 2) You need an 'apply poison' or 'handle poison safely' skill. Perhaps you
> could get away with a generic weapon skill with a nice *fat* modifier.
> 3) A failure, which is pretty likely, is selected by the whim of the ref
> from:
> skill reduction of one-fifth potency from all skills
> negative edge of two-fifths potency from all weapons
> AP damage of potency.

Or just losing the dose -- you drop it rather than cut yourself.

> 4) Don't double the augmentation on a critical. But do double the penalty on
> a fumble ;-]

Eh, I think its probably just easier to use a HW poison and then roll your 'apply poison' ability to coat the weapon. I'd probably let the degree of success (difficulty not being the poison but the situation -- applying carefully in your home is easy but in a howling storm while running is going to be a rougher trick. Failure could be a) you lose the dose, dropping it to OUCH, stabbed self in thumb, take a full dose. Successes might indicate how much is applied, how long it stays and so forth.

No need to bring a whole new set of numbers into the equation when they probably aren't required. But that's merely my thoughts on the matter. But again, I am try to err on the side of keeping things simple, perhaps to the point of excess.

Jeff

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