Re: HP bumps.

From: Benedict Adamson <badamson_at_...>
Date: Fri, 03 May 2002 17:16:08 +0100


Alex Ferguson wrote:
...
> I personally feel [NPC HP bumps] is a suspect notion altogether... If the
> purpose of (PC) HPs is to give them overt narrative input, then what
> purpose does NPC HPs serve, given that the Narrator is, well, narrating
> anyway? My fear is that this could degenerate into "to thwart player
> use of HPs", or "to equalise the HP wargame".
...

So far, I've touched on objective objections to the idea of NPC HP bumps. I have a subjective dislike of the idea too.

I feel I have to work for my HPs; they require cunning, inventive or amusing play. In our games, at the end of a session, we have to convince the Narrator that we DESERVE extra HPs (the individual, discretionary points). If this subsequently enables me to dispatch the evil bad guy, haven't I EARNED the right to do so?

I think I would feel cheated if I had spent any HPs in a contest, and then an NPC spent some. In effect, each NPC HP negates one of mine, game mechanically. I don't get that HP back again; its as if I'd never had it. Your amusing role-playing earned you a +1 HP several sessions ago? Not anymore, it was, in fact, worthless.

Powered by hypermail