Re: Re: Masters in Extended Contest from Roderick and Ellen Robertson on 2001-10-10 (HeroQuest-Rules)

From: Roderick and Ellen Robertson <rjremr_at_...>
Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2001 11:38:11 -0700

> If one wants an "uncluttered" table, I'd suggest the following. Delete
> the mastery special case, and treat lose/lose as a "tied" mutual defeat,
> as with the mere Unmasterful.
>
> Instead, alter the _cancelling_ rule: Stop cancelling if it would
> reduce _both_ participants below 10W. e.g., 2W vs 2W: no cancelling.
> 2W3 vs. 14W3, cancel to 2 vs 14. 2W2 vs 9W2: cancel to _2W_ vs _9W_.
>
> (The 10W is a somewhat arbitrary breakpoint, but the idea is to
> avoid both "everyone keeps losing" and "everyone keeps criticalling"
> being the most common result, each of which is Icky.)

I think you really mean "below 10 no mastery" (especially in light of your second example - reduce to 2 vrs 14).

Unlike you, I have no problem with both "masters" being unable to 'lay a glove' on each other, slowly grinding each other down - it points up the evenly-matched aspect of the fight in a way that Success/Success doesn't (Crit/Crit sorta does in the "Narrator Choice/Fight to a standstill"). BUT, I also can see your side that both pummeling each other into unconciousness is, in a way, non-dramatic.

Personally, I think a slow realization that you can't harm each other *is* dramatic, myself - it leads to "Who *are* you?" questions. A lot can come from such a situation, usually the two heroes learn that they are related, or can be friends (or at least respectful enemies), or whatever. Unfortunately, in a RP environment, you often have no cause to become friends with the Lunar villain because that is the way the game has been set up. Most players are wary of the "introduced NPC" because of bad experiences in the past, but a "mutual respect for enemies" attitude is a good one (as opposed to "By Orlanth, if I ever see that Lunar b*****d again I'll kill him even if I have to do so with a magical poisoned arrow from ambush and mutilate his body so he stays dead"). A Mutual respect enemy is usually a little more concerned with your welfare ("because you are a brave fighter..."), and might even become an ally when he realizes that he is on the wrong side in the struggle for Mom & Apple Pie (or when *you* do...).