Re: Digest Number 682

From: Thom Baguley <t.s.baguley_at_...>
Date: Mon, 24 Sep 2001 14:32:35 +0100

> From: Nick_at_...
>Subject: Re: Re: Combat & Simple Contests
>
>Thom writes:
>
>> Using a simple contest will tend to make the combat more dangerous
>> to the PCs (a bad roll could kill them).
>
>OK, I'll bite:
>
>Wot No Hero Points?

For beginning players in their first session, maybe not. With only 1 HP they may have spent it!

In general, I would try to avoid life-or-death simple contests (most life-or-death contests warranting a little more detail).

>Wot No Mastery Bumps (against *trollkin*, fer crying out loud)?
>
>Explain again just why you call them "heroes"?

I wouldn't give a player a mastery bump against a trollkin (it just strikes me as a clumsy thing to do).

As I said, I'd handle it differently! My favourite way would be via roleplay or a non-combat action. For example, if my Humakti drew his sword and charged some trollkin I'd treat that as an intimidate contest (the worst result being the shame of not being able to scare off a few trollkin!).

Thom