Re: Re: Secrets

From: Jakob Pape <chaomancer_at_...>
Date: Wed, 4 Jan 2006 13:11:35 +0000

On 04/01/06, Jane Williams <janewilliams20_at_...> wrote:
>
> > All of which IMHO slightly misses the point which is
> > not that the
> > secrets are all good "value for HP" as such but
> > whether they are fun.
> > Some of the less useful ones have some fun
> > applications either for PCs or NPCs.
>
> I've always seen that as the point of them myself, I
> have to admit. It's the drama factor "wow - he can
> kill you with a glance! Keep out of his way!"
>
> But then I started wondering how/if you'd get that
> effect without knowing the Secret. Well, you improvise
> a "kill with a glance" feat off that Death affinity
> you've got a double mastery in, don't you?
> I'm not sure if this technique applies to all Secrets,
> but I don't see why not.

Hi - I've been lurking on this list for quite some time, and figured I'd take this opportunity to start posting.

I agree that the Secrets aren't necessarily all that useful, but rather fun and interesting. Looking at the Death Secret, though, in addition to being able to kill at a glance I've always figured it to mean you don't *have to* improvise that effect off an affinity - it's sort of there all the time, making you that spooky Humakti - everything you look at feels the chill of Death, plants wilt a bit and so on. Also, it kills if you can take someone's AP under 0 with it at all - no needing to get to -31! (Though I may be misunderstanding that bit, as I never read Hero Wars, only HeroQuest)

Of course, some god's Secrets are cool, and very useful - like Vinga Avenger, who adds the Secret to both Combat abilities and the Combat affinity for purposes of revenge! Limited use, but very powerful inside that area. You couldn't improvise for that effect,

Jakob Pape

"Sometimes subtlety comes in the form of large explosions and jammed open airlock doors."