>
For the most part, I wouldn't use a simple contest for something where I wanted or expected there to be a major chance of one of the PC's dying.
> In an extended contest we need players
> to be bloody stupid to get one. Well, that's a touch mean, but it
> isn't likely.
Don't forget that the NPCs also get to bid, and those bids are chosen by the Narrator. And can also take Parting Shots. If you want the PCs to face a significant risk of Complete Defeat, tailor your NPCs' bids to the level where they can achieve this.
For example:
PC Alex has 10 AP left and an ability rating of 15. NPC Betty has 15 AP left and also has an ability rating of 15.
Alex has been whittled down a little, but still seems to have plenty of AP left to be 'safe'.
However, if Betty bids all 15 of her AP, there's a 1/10 chance that Alex will be taken down to -20 AP or worse, setting him up very nicely for a parting shot of only 11AP from Betty to take him down to Complete Defeat. And, when he's facing that parting shot, he's got a 10% penalty to his ability for having been knocked down to -20.
A Complete Defeat is not so unlikely if you just pay a bit of attention to the size of AP bids.
When I run the game, I mostly avoid making AP bids that are large enough to make it likely that PCs will end up dying of physical injuries.
The players I've run the game for, if they're really looking to have their PC risk death on a particular occasion, are all too ready to make large and risky AP bids all on their own. I certainly do that myself, and that's how I got my first ever HeroQuest character killed, fighting some Lunars.
Regards,
Bruce
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