These do actually exist as an optional rule in the current draft, well not Hit Points (cheers from me), but Wounds. Of course, they are all tied up with SPs, so Mike may not like them anyway. FWIW, I like the option - - and I like that its optional even more.
>I think the rules system should be modelling the world. That way I can
>discover
>what happens just as the players will. If my personal prejudices are
>allowed to
>rule the outcomes then I become (as GM) a puppetmaster not a co-creator.
This really goes to the heart of Mikes objections. As far as I can see, Mike is a died in the wool 'simulationist', believing that RPG rules should try and simulate reality. Which presumably means that there are all sorts of other rules that try and simulate literary conventions above reality that he objects too as well as Hero Wars
Its probably best to agree to disagree, Mike. If your objections are to fundamental issues at the heart of the design rather than specific mechanics, there isn't much hope it will ever become something you are happy with.
In reply to Brian Tickler, etc and to reiterate the point Mike Mittenbush made:
To make very clear a point that it essential to understand about the character creation system - you get to decide what abilities you have, and sometimes how many of them. You don't get to decide how powerful they are.
So saying 'mastery of death magic' doesn't mean you are a master. It means you know death magic. To say 'touch of death that kills quickly' doesn't mean its any more dangerous than 'close combat' (but with the added advantage of silence, and the disadvantage of 'can't be beefed up by using nice weapons'). 'Cancel any magic' doesn't mean 'Cancel any magic at all', it means 'can try to cancel any type of magic'. A character can start with a magic weapon, but it makes him as good as the other characters - an unusual way to define your character (buying your abilities OAF in Hero System talk) but valid, as you get no real advantage from it.
A particular note in the character creation rules says (paraphrasing) 'putting in adjectives that basically mean the ability is better serves no purpose, so don't do it'.
Cheers
David
'...never support evil as a preferred lifestyle'
-TSR Inc corporate standards OldThinkers UnBellyFeel HeroWarish! ------------------------------
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