Re: Masters in Extended Contest

From: David Dunham <david_at_...>
Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2001 09:05:45 -0700


I don't know if you're still involved in HW2 rules (I'm certainly out of the loop these days, probably because they know I won't like the changes?), but

> > Some argue for a reading by the table. Only the Lose/Lose case has a
>> Mastery special case. Others argue that both have failed, so it's
>> treated as if both had succeeded (which would mean Oskul forfeits
>> nothing, and Urgrain forfeits 3x).
>>
>> Hopefully this can be clarified in the forthcoming edition.
>
> A Fumble isn't a simple "Failure plus a little more bad", it is an order of
> magnitude worse than a mere Failure. So it is not considered a "Failure" for
> the purpose of the Mastery Special rule. The result is a Fail/Fumble, not a
> Fail/Fail, and as you note, only Fail/Fail has the Mastery special rule.
> This *is* intentional. Even the best can still make mistakes (or have
> mistakes forced on them, or have their mistakes siezed upon) by an equal in
> skill. That's the whole reason for the Mastery Cancellation rule.
>
> So the result of your question is: Oskul -1x Bid, Urgrain -2x Bid.
>
> Had both Oskul and Urgrain rolled "20", it would be treated as a
> Fumble/Fumble, not as a Fail/Fail bumped by the Mastery Special to
> Success/Success.

I agree with your interpretation, but I seem to be in the minority here. Their argument seems to be from aesthetics -- it doesn't feel right that Oskul does worse if Urgrain fumbles, since he'd rolled the same failure either way. (I see Russell makes much the same argument.)

-- 

David Dunham   <mailto:dunham_at_...>
Glorantha/HW/RQ page: <http://www.pensee.com/dunham/glorantha.html>
Imagination is more important than knowledge. -- Albert Einstein

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