Re: Conversion tables and scales (tricky situations)

From: Boris yarko <babeldemeter3_at_...>
Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2007 22:37:17 -0000

> >1)players are trying something unexpected : "I challenge this
> >humakti guy to single combat". Then the gamemaster needs a scale to
> >estimate if "this humakti guy" should probably be a challenge, a
> >victim, or the nemesis of the bully player.
>
> Why do we need a scale for this situation ?
> Say our hero has close combat 5M
>
> If we want him to be a challenge we make him of equal strength.
> If we want him to be a hard nut we give him a small advantage say
+5 = 10M.
> If we want him to predominate we will add +20= 5M2.
> Etc.

"We" wants nothing ! The situation is : "the player wants to challenge an humakti guy", nothing to do with the plot.

I, as a gamemaster, have to know if this humakti guy, considering he's the captain of a minor mercenary band for example, should be a challenge or not for the player.

Yes, I'm considering things from the outside, because I want :

  1. to play in a nearly consistent world

So a captain of a minor mercenary band belongs probably to that scale of swordsmanship, even if I can choose to lower his rank if I think it would be funny for the story : "he makes the others fight instead of him", "he inherited his prank", "he's scarced by the player", "he's sick" or to increase it, because I want him to be a real challenge for the player to put some suspense in the scene.

Because world's consistency increase players' pleasure !

As a player, I don't like to be badly beatten by an obvious weaker NPC, unless I can understand the reason of it : this shepherd is blessed by the gods, a veteran soldier... That's the reason why he gets "nasty swordsman 10M1" and he nearly killed my young weaponthane.

2) help players to understand where they're in the scale of warriors, seducers, sorcerers...

We're not in D&D when every innkeeper should be an old ranger / barbarian / magician 12 to prevent evil players to burn and plumber his inn ! Whereas the captain of the king's guard is only a 6 level fighter...

As a player, when I can evaluate my "level" in an ability I try more heroic or funny deeds. I describe my actions in a consistent way. I understand the story. I feel the universe.

> Story, not numbers !

So what the point of having numbers then ? If the description of the ability is the only thing that matters ? Why don't we just estimate a probability of success in a contest of "best runner of the tribe" vs "run like a galloping horse" ?

It would be more clear. No numbers, just words. Because high rating with a n humble ability is absurd : "novice sorcerer" (5W4) is stupid and incomprehensible !

> If all thats challenging, are foes with bigger ratings you´re doing
> something wrong IMO. This is not D&D !

Don't judge my way of playing especially if you hadn't ever played with me...
My characters are not built to destroy ennemies and earn bloody XP, I 've grown up.
Not sharing your point a view doesn't mean that I'm unable to focalize  on the story, the atmosphere, the moral dilemma, to build up stories on a pure oneiric idea or to master a scenario without much technical parts (contest, dicerolling, and so on).

Cheers

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