contest questions from Dread Domain on 2004-08-01 (HeroQuest-Rules)

From: Dread Domain <dreaddomain_at_...>
Date: Sun, 1 Aug 2004 00:39:14 -0400

One of my player wanted to create a character that would have as his primary ability a great reputation (Greatest warrior east of Kero Fin). While his combat abilities are good as well, he gained his reputation more by luck than deeds. Instead of fighting, he wants to use that reputation to talk his opponent out of a fight, more or less by intimidation telling them they stand no chance. I told him Heroquest was the perfect game for such a concept.

In a test run, he (lets call him Rep) had to face the character of another player, a huge angry uroxi (let's call him Huge).

So Huge, basically wanting to beat the hell out of him, chose Unarmed combat as a primary skill.

Rep wants to talk him out of it by using is Greatest warrior east of Kero Fin score.

First question : When it is Huge's turn, can Rep defend with his reputation score (and if so should he get a penalty) or should he use a more appropriate skills like Evade Blows (augmented by his reputation maybe)?

Second question : When Rep tries to talk him down, can Huge carry on with his combat ability or should he used another like Determined, Brave or No fear (augmented by his combat score perhaps)?

Third question : Since the one going first chooses his abilities and may well force a lower starting ability to the other (defending with Evade Blows instead of Greatest warrior east of Kero Fin), how do you determine who goes first? If we use the higher AP goes first option it's quite easy (Sorry Rep, Huge's ability is higher so he goes first. What are you gonna defend with?) but if you use highest bid goes first it becomes a bidding contest (Huge : I bid 7, Rep : I bid 8, Huge : Euh... I changed my mind, I bid 9, Rep : Hey you cannot change your bid!, Huge : Well that's not fair you knew my bid before you chose yours!)

Fouth question : If the defending character decides to keep his highest but less appropriate ability for his first defense(thus incurring a penalty on the roll), does his AP starts at his ability value or at his ability value minus the penalty?