Re: Re: Defensive Edge = Min. bid?

From: Roderick and Ellen Robertson <rjremr_at_...>
Date: Fri, 2 Nov 2001 08:19:14 -0800


> > So in this case if Boomer's opponent was using his fist (i.e. ^0)
> > and bids 9AP then, yes, 9-(9-0) = no effect,
>
> IIRC, bids cannot be reduced to less than 1 AP, so a 3x transfer
> in this case would be max(9-9, 1) x 3 = 3. Which would indicate to
> me that Boomer's opponent's best bet is probably to always bid 1,
> because he'd have to bid 11 to get any greater effect. Unless, of
> course, he has so many AP (a couple dozen followers, perhaps) that
> the difference between 1 and 11 is negligible. Or is it the
> intention of the rules that his opponent cannot bid less than 10?
> If so, what happens when said opponent is a lowly narrator character
> not allowed to bid more than current AP and has only 9 remaining?
> Is he forbidden to act directly? (I.e., can he only take unrelated
> actions or attempt to find an ability that Boomer cannot resist with
> the ability to which the edge/handicap is applied?)

Yep, this is when you reach deep into your bag of tricks and use an ability that ignores your opponent's Armor. Throw your cloak over his head to blind, confuse and disorient him. Take his breath away with Air magic, or make his equipment too heavy with Earth magic. Trip him. Run away and make him chase you. Throw acid or sand or hot water at his eyes to make him flinch. Drive him backwards over the 100' cliff. Make him think that reinforcements are coming with your "Throw Voice" ability. Taunt him into making a stupid move. Do a Three Stooges eye-poke ("Doink! Nyuk nyuk nyuk").

Anyone faced with a -10 Handicap/Defensive Edge is in a bad way to begin with. Claiming that he's screwed *because* of the rules is ignoring the fact that he is screwed *outside* of the rules. Is anyone going to defend a RQ-style "I have a 1d4 Fist and he's wearing Iron Plate worth 12 points" as "screwed by the rules"?

The whole idea of the contest system in HW is that any applicable ability can be used in a fight. You don't *have* to whack him with a chunk of metal to defeat him; you can outthink, outwit, or outmaneuver him.

And yes, edges & handicaps only reduce a bid to 1, not 0.

RR

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