Re: Hurts and bumping contests

From: Stephen <stephenmcg_at_...>
Date: Sun, 06 Dec 2009 22:33:01 +0000

I've found that it can be a problem if you have wildly differing approaches within a group as some players burn through their points while others hold on - those who spend them can be subsidising the advancement of those who do not as the group as a whole tends to benefit from individual successes.

L C wrote:
>
> Indeed.
>
> In my current Unfettered space game, it seems pretty split. A couple of
> the players are happily burning through 2-3 a session now that they're
> comfortable with it, and some seem to be saving them for desperate
> straits.
>
> Again, not sure if it is a bug or a feature. I think as we get to play
> more, it will depend on whether it seems to be resulting in wildly
> differing competences for the pcs. HQs somewhat self-balancing nature
> may make it rather moot.
>
> LC
>
> Trotsky wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> > I've always interpreted that as an encouragement only to use HPs to bump
> > as an absolute last resort. (As you said yourself elsewhere, this makes
> > minor and marginal victories more likely, which presumably is the idea).
> > I can only recall one instance where I've used a HP to bump in all the
> > games I've ever been in as a player.
> >
> > OTOH, it's clear that many people - probably most, in fact - are quite
> > willing to spend HPs to bump all the time, so it may not be quite the
> > issue it appears at first glance. In my group, as a GM, I've seen some
> > players burn 2 or 3 HPs every session, and some, like me, who will only
> > do so /in extremis/. Like you, I'm unsure whether this makes it a bug or
> > a feature!
> >
>
>