Re: Re: Magical Augments - A little extreme?

From: David Cake <dave_at_...>
Date: Thu, 11 Apr 2002 14:19:28 +0800


At 10:29 PM -0700 10/4/02, Roderick and Ellen Robertson scribbled:
> > THe problem is not the guys with incredibly high abilities,
>> its the guys with big abilities being wasted by the guys who aren't
>> as good and have a few rounds to prepare.
>
>> And, to put it another way, the guy who can access the higher
>> plane of reality being smacked down by the guy with better time
>> management.
>
>Like three Roman legions getting slaughtered by a bunch of near-naked,
>undisciplined Germans in the Tuetoburgerwald. Like JFK getting killed by a
>disgruntled wannabe. Like two airplanes slamming into the World Trade
>Center.
	No.
	All of these took more than a few minutes, for a start. 
Comparing elaborate plots that take months with 5 minutes worth of augmenting - who was it you were accusing of hyperbole?

        Also, where any of these people multiply using their affinities? And thats not as silly as trivial an issue as it appears. We are not talking about the overall effect of well prepared ambush in general - we are talking about the specific effect of multiple augments from an affinity in ambush. Confusing the two is pointless.

>We *are* talking about someone who knows what's coming (or is planning on
>making it happen), vrs. someone who doesn't have a clue. Ambushes *should*
>be deadly, and are a great way to overcome a discrepency in power. Anyone
>caught "cold" by an ambush (whether it is physical combat, or a law case, or
>someone stealing your girl) should have a much harder time winning than the
>ambusher.

        In HW, +5 or so is 'a much harder time'. +10 is crippling. +w is devastating.

        Now, do I think someone who sets an ambush should get a decent bonus. +5 to +10 is about right for most cases. I don't think this should be much huger if the ambusher happens to be a devotee.

>I'd have a hard time believing that all my efforts to prepare were
>for naught, because "it doesn't feel right" that an ambusher can beat his
>victim. That's the whole reason for ambushes!

        No, it doesn't feel right that the important element in an ambush is that it gives you the opportunity to multiply augment.

        The ambush should be effective because its an ambush, regardless of whether you are a devotee.

        Put it this way - if it feels right that a well prepared ambush should be devastating, then it should be devastating when carried out by someone with no affinities at all. Which means that multiple augments from affinities is not the effect you are looking for.

	Cheers
		David

Powered by hypermail