Re: Broad abilities (combat)

From: Tim Ellis <tim_at_...>
Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2001 13:10:53 -0000

>
> >
> To give an example from my own game, lest anyone think it's merely
> my delicate sense of game-mechanical aesthetics: I described an NPC
> weaponthane, Alynra Speardottir, as being the best bare-fist fighter
> in the clan (it being evident from context that she wasn't
> ordinarily the best at "close combat"). This caused some eyebrows
> to be raised, since "by the book", combat skill don't work in that
> manner. Now, is that a clear, legitimate example of game mechanics
> tripping up narrative?

Of course if her CC score is within the improvisation penalty you give the other weaponthanes who don't have "Bare Fist Fighting" as a listed aspect of Close Combat then "by the book" she does work

Alynra Speardottir: Close Comabt 5w (Spear & Shield, Bare Fist Fighting)
Grimulf the Axe: Close Combat 7w (Spear & Shield, 2 Handed Axe)

If you use a "standard" -3 penalty for a non-listed style then Grimulf is better than Alynra with both spear and Axe, but she is better than him at Bare Fist fighting...

(OK I admit it's clutching at straws, but it's better than pointing out "Best 'x' in the clan" is not a valid HW description....)

The reason this is more of an issue in a RPG than in Genre fiction is that in fiction the Hero isn't going to suddenly throw away his normal rapier when he discovers the GM gives 2 handed Troll Maul an edge of ^7!! (In other words it is only an issue that you can develop lots of different combat styles very cheaply if you want to develop lots of different Combat styles. There is little game advantage in doing so (you can only use one at a time and can't improvise one with another). If you only stick to two or three skills (1 handed weapon, an unarmed combat...) then you never even need to worry about all the rest