Re: Re: Conversion tables and scales (tricky situations)

From: Ashley Munday <aescleal_at_...>
Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2007 10:52:04 +0000 (GMT)

There's a fundamental point you're missing here - quality of an ability (in so far as it's use for beating something else in a contest) is a function of the NUMBER, not the DESCRIPTION. The rules go as far as saying that you can add all the superlatives you want to an ability and it doesn't change the utility of it.

Description -> number of situations you can use the ability in

Score - how effective it is when you find something you can apply it to

You're "I am death incarnate 13" can probably be used in a lot more situations than "I've been to a few fencing classes 10W4" but it's going to be pretty ineffectual.

It's a similar thing to the pompous magic rules - you can call an ability what you want, but that doesn't make your characters any more effective when they find a way of applying the ability.

Ash

• Boris yarko <babeldemeter3_at_...> wrote:

> --- In HeroQuest-rules_at_yahoogroups.com, Ashley
> Munday <aescleal_at_...>
> wrote:
> >
> > This has been done to death so many times...
>
> But I wasn't there to read it... :) even if I can
> understand your
> weariness.
>
> > Abilities come in two parts - the description and
> the
> > score. The description determines the
> applicability of
> > the ability to a conflict, the score determines
> how
> > effective the ability is at resolving conflicts in
> the
> > character's favour.
> >
> > You can have "wipe out the planet in one blow 13"
> as
> > an ability, but if it ends up in a conflict with
> > another characters slightly less megalomaniac
> "twat
> > 'em with big stick 10W4" guess who's going to come
> off
> > worse? Hint: It's not the geezer with the big
> stick.
>
> If you don't find that a guy with "incarnation of
> war" (5M1) is
> beatten by a lad with "neophyte fencer" offends
> against common sense.
> so be it...
>
> But I have difficulties to understand it. In this
> case the "neophyte
> fencer" is not really a neophyte or is blessed by
> fate. There should
> be some explanation...
>
> Your point of view is easy to comprehend when the
> descriptions set a
> huge gap between the two challengers : "run like the
> wind" vs "best
> runner in our clan". The fisrt one can't be beaten.
> Point.
>
> But when the difference is not so clear : "run like
> a galloping horse"
> (17) vs "increedible runner" (17), how do you in
> practice handle the
> conteste ?
> Give some bonus to the guy with "rune like a
> galloping horse" ?
>
> Just tell me.
>
>
>
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