> David Dunham reminded us all (well, me at least) that only the winner
> gets to decide if 7APs will be converted to a wound. Why was that rule
> added? I could see the loser taking a wound instead of giving up
> position as a valid tactical decision. I could also see that slowing
> the contest. Can anyone shed light on this rule?
The rule was my idea, and implemented by Robin (and probably rewritten by the development team). I wanted people to have a tactical option, but I don't believe in rewarding characters who fail their dice roll.
Remember, even if you "win" an exchange by failing when the other guy fumbles, you lose AP and may be knocked out of the contest (if you were low enough). I don't call that winning, and I don't see it as an advantageous situation where you have much choice.
So that's the light. One rule, added at one time.
Mikko
> Would those of you closer to the source (I live in far off Finland) try
> to find out and make public a list of actual descriptions for the
> feats. I'd like to know what they are intended to accomplish, and what
> the story behind them is.
Is this under the assumption that there is such a list which was edited out for space? I've never seen descriptions in any draft (with minor exceptions on a feat-by-feat basis, similar to how berserking is described).
> Frex I'm sure one of the authors had a clear meaning behind the feat
> Sunset Leap, but I'm afraid I have no idea what it meight have
> been...
I wouldn't be so sure, I think many of the names were intended to be evocative and encourage players to use their imaginations. I think sometimes this did end up with over-ambiguous names, Sunset Leap being one. But heck, it's in the Movement affinity, and Rock-jumping presumably lets you leap to the top of (or ever) rocks, so Sunset Leap can always be considered a long jump with a cool name. I don't think you have to read anything more into it than that.
> Lightning sword:
>
> (What's this supposed to mean... a sword charged with lightning... a
> bolt of lightning wielded as a sword... an enchantment that makes the
> sword move lightning fast...)
All of those sound plausible to me. The first might give an edge (to Close Combat), second would allow direct attacks using the feat, the third gives a bonus.
> Swordhelp: ???
I always assumed this is an enhancement-only feat, which can be used to give a bonus or edge to Close Combat with a sword.
> Disruption (cause wound): This spell enables one to bid 7AP, and if
> succesful causes a wound on the opponent.
I think descriptions like this would kill the game. Firstly, it's too constraining just in a mechanical sense (can you bid other than 7? What if you just want to defeat him by driving him to 0, rather than giving a wound? What if I'm running a character with 10 followers, could I bid 70 and do 10 wounds?)
Secondly, you'd be swamped in them -- someone would have to remember the rules of each one (just as in most games).
And it would stifle creativity. If the feat is "Cause Wound" pure and simple, you can bid what you want, describe it how you want, and use the contest results to see how well it worked.
David Dunham <mailto:dunham_at_...>
Glorantha/HW/RQ page: <http://www.pensee.com/dunham/glorantha.html>
Imagination is more important than knowledge. -- Albert Einstein
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