Re: Clarifying

From: David Dunham <david_at_...>
Date: Wed, 6 Sep 2000 15:07:31 -0700


Sir Ethilrist

>1.)- i remember there being suggestions what to do with the edges in simple
>contests, but cannot find the relevant messages. some rule all agreed at, or
>any official statements (roderick/robin)?

Roderick is right that I (and maybe others) think weapon ranks aren't worth dealing with. But I don't think that was your question...

If an ability does have an edge (either because you like using the weapon rank rules, from augmentation, or because of some innate ability), I proposed treating the edge as a reroll number. If I recall correctly (since I haven't tested it), if you are 12^2, then after you roll 12 or less, you'd attempt to roll 2 or less; if you succeed, you bump your overall success one level. I know one person liked this idea, but I haven't heard whether it actually works well in practice.

> (c1) uses his sword and shield ability, but after one exchange decides
>to do some light feat to scare the troll off. ability switch o.k.(page 137),
>but only the ability value would change. that does not sound right to me.
>switching to simple contest (troll rolls for blinding?)???

It's best if you don't think of feats as working (in game terms) like RuneQuest spells. If you are in an extended contest, you are still in it. You have switched your tactic. If (c1) succeeds with an exchange, the troll may be blinded, but of course trolls have other senses, so the troll simply loses AP -- it is now at a relative disadvantage. (Alternately, you may prefer to say it is intimidated by the light, which has the same result -- it's less willing to continue fighting.)

> having got rid off the troll (somehow, just an example), (c1) wants to
>help (c2) versus his two opponents. he enters the melee and (c2) leaves
>combat one round later, he re-enter. is there no penalty for having lost AP
>in the first place. who then prevents characters from leaving and
>re-entering extended contests as they wish (if they have someone to guard
>their rear of course)???

Taking a one-round breather doesn't sound like leaving a contest to me. Use common sense. If (c2) runs to the back lines and lies down for a while, and only returns to the melee when (c1) is knocked down, that is more plausibly re-entering a contest.

>2.)-page 134: what happened to the "abilities and feats which can only
>augment other abilities"? some feats seem to belong into this category (like
>"swordhelp") but can those feats/abilities "work on their own", or, to put
>it clearly: what is, for example swordhelp as augmentation, and what is
>it as a stand alone feat?

Almost all feats can be used either on their own, or to augment an ability. I think Swordhelp only augments, but even something like Fly, which normally just makes you fly somewhere, might be used to augment Climbing or Escape Foe.

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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