Re: Re: Augment-only stats

From: Todd Gardiner <todd.gardiner_at_...>
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 2010 10:56:01 -0800

In most literature that I read and movies I see, the equipment of the opponents almost never affects the "results of the contest". Only when it is ranged weapons vs. the melee weapons of the hero(es) are the hero(es) made to suffer from the situation.

Gear differences between the PCs and their resistance values, in my opinion, should be bundled into the Pass/Fail cycle and not be made a modifier of that value. In other words, if there is a significant situational bonus for Iron plate against the bronze swords of your foes, then these foes should be describes as exceptionally skilled so the resistance value matches the expected Pass/Fail value.

But I can see how that would work when the heroes make specific plans to counter a known obstacle, such as seeking out iron weapons before raiding trolls or elves.

On Fri, Jan 8, 2010 at 10:26 AM, Nikodemus Siivola < nikodemus_at_...> wrote:

>
>
> 2010/1/8 L C <lightcastle_at_... <lightcastle%40gmail.com>>:
>
> > Nikodemus Siivola wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >> Semi-unrelatedly: my general preference is to handle weapons and armor
> >> as situational advantages.
> >>
> > That's the official rule, no?
>
> Not quite.
>
> P. 55: "HeroQuest models arms and armor like it does everything else:
> any piece of gear, if sufficiently important to even mention, is
> treated as an ability you use to solve problems."
>
> P. 56: "You can also create separate abilities around your gear: you
> could have a Knightly Combat ability of 18, and a Gleaming
> Armor of 16. You could then use Gleaming Armor to try to
> augment Knightly Combat before wading into battle."
>
> The text, as I read it, suggests giving modifiers for (1) using
> equipment badly matched to the ability like a knight without his
> armor, and (2) genre-motivated class superiority like iron-using Sea
> People vs bronze-using Hittites.
>
> That said, I don't see any problem with RAW here -- I just find it
> easier to look at contestants, and assign a modifier based on superior
> weaponry/position/whatever. People can still take equipment as
> abilities, but that tends to represents exceptional stuff and things
> with special story significance: not "Sturdy Axe" or "Gleaming Armor",
> but "Axe of Grimhawk", etc.
>
> Situational superior weaponry is less narrative oriented than HQ2 for
> the most part.
>
> Cheers,
>
> -- Nikodemus
>
>
>

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