Re: found them: the questions - LONG

From: W. Quadros <wquadros_at_...>
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 2000 16:30:50 -0800

> 2) in terms of simple contests, it says that in cases where there's a
> tie in success levels, the low roll wins? If you have someone skill 4
> vs someone skill 8w, and the 4 rolls a 4 (success) and the 8w rolls a
9
> (=fail, bumped to success by mastery) that means the skill 4 WINS?
> That seems really goofy - in this case, the 4 only marginally made it,
> while the 8w succeeded by quite a ways from failing? In this case,
> there's no useful difference between a low mastery (say 1w or 3w) vs.
a
> high nonmaster (16 or 18) since, the master will RARELY make their
> skill roll, and the nonmaster usually will. Since then it's based on
> the raw roll, then the mastery of the master is functionally
irrelevant.

This shows "beginner's luck" in a way. Even the most skilled master smith can make mediocre product and a raw apprentice can make a masterpiece. And you are correct, the only difference between a skill 19 and a skill 2w is that the 2w scores a crit on a 1 or a 2.

>
> 3) it seems some of these "world numbers" start to get w-inflated. A
> 6' leap is 5w? Egad - since I think typically a 6th grader can jump
6'
> from a standing broad jump and typically adults jump around 9' or so.
 

9'?! I am no slouch and I just did 5' in the office; and I am not wearing chainmail and a helm, carrying a sword, dagger, battle spear and 20 pack.

Of course these numbers are guidelines, modify as you see fit in your game. In our game we do not use these numbers. Martin asks us to roll an appropriate skill (Gudny flies over crevases :) ) and keeps moving.

The interesting world-numbers we encounter are:

GM: Varax falls off the rope
Gudny: I try to catch him
GM: Roll simple contest, Gudny's brawny verses Varax's Strong. Gudny/Varax: Oh oh.

> And a dryad or nymph is 10w2, meaning that a normal person has utterly
> NO chance of resisting them? Yikes.

That is what the village has godi's and champions for. >:)