(thanks for the detailed example of encounter, BTW)
<me> So it seems (rather too) important to go first. <me> Or .... am I missing something.
>It's important, and the most skilled person usually gets to.
Ok, and indeed I think it should be a matter of skill rather than 'reactions', though I think reactions / surprise / and so on should help.
I think the decision of who should be 'actor', and therefore choose primary skills for the encounter, should be based on total AP with modifiers for surprise and initiative.
Here's a nice extreme example:
I stumble across Zorak Zoran - somewhere - and challenge him to a stare-at-the-sun contest (at which I'm particularly adept). Since he's in a peaceful mood he counters by challenging me to a survive-in-shade contest (at which he's rather nifty).
Now if I get the jump on him, let's say he was sitting on a rock trying to figure out how to cut his toenails with a maul and I crept up on him, then he's going to have to face me at a decided disadvantage, whereas if he smelt me coming then I'd sunk.
Should it really all rest on a surprise / initiative roll?
I think if I surprise him I should be allowed a bonus of 20AP but then who goes first, and therefore chooses skills, should be based on highest AP of best skill.
My stare-at-sun skill is 20w2 (pretty good, huh!) so I have 60APs + 20 = 80 His survive-in-share is 10w10 (rather better) so he has 210 APs.
So he goes first, with 210APs, and I have to answer with my skill 6 survive-in-darkness (6 APs) plus maybe the 20 for surprise (26). Oh dear. But isn't that just as it should be?
If not, consider what happens otherwise. Because I jumped him I go first. I get 60APs and a skill of 20w2 vs his 6 (we can safely assume). He gets 6 APs and a skill of 10w10 vs my 6. Interestingly enough, all those extra masteries don't help him, we're both always going to get criticals, so the chances are I'm going to win because of my extra APs. Is this how it should be?
Richard
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