Re: Disengaging

From: Mikael Raaterova <ginijji_at_...>
Date: Wed, 9 Aug 2000 11:27:36 +0200


> > I wrote:
>> >How do you escape from an on-going contest? By winning the contest that
>> you
>> >wanted to escape from because you were losing!
>
>Mikael wrote:
>
>> From what you write below it seems you mean changing the contest or
>> starting a new one, which is not the same thing as
>> disengaging/withdrawing from same.
>>
>
>We know that you can change skills within a contest while retaining the APs
>you started with. This inevitably means changing your statement of what you
>want to achieve _in each exchange._

No. Switching abilities means that you change the means by which you intend to achieve your objective. The statement of what exactly you are doing may change every exchange, but not your objective.

You may want to convince your chief to bless a raid. How you get him to do that can change every exchange. You can boast of your own skill and likely success ("boast" or "leadership"), you can claim it is the traditional, Orlanth-blessed thing to do ("adhere to tradition"), you can point out to him that most of the clan supports the raid ("well-liked by clan"), you can claim that the clan-to-be-raided are lunar symps ("fuel anti-lunar sentiments") etc.

If it seems like the chief isn't going to be persuaded, you may want to withdraw from the contest lest you face a humiliating defeat. You can say that it wasn't a serious proposal anyway, and since the chief probably won't have any motive to continue the contest, the withdrawal is automatic and the result of the contest is inconclusive. Or, rather, you didn't win, but neither were you defeated.

>How far can you go in changing from
>what you originally set out to do before you have changed the aim of the
>contest?

If you set out to convince the chief to bless your raid, then you can't suddenly start to try to convince the chief to lead the raid himself without starting a new contest.

>Me again:
>>
>> >How do you do this? By changing your chance of success or edge. How do
>> you
>> >do this? By changing your statement of intent such that either:
>> >
>> >(1) You increase your Target Number
>> >(2) You decrease your opponent's Target Number or
>> >(3) You decrease both Target Numbers but affecting your opponent more.
>>
>
>Mikael again:
>> This is merely switching abilities within the same contest. It does
>> not represent a change of contest, rather it represents that you try
>> to achieve the same objective by slightly different means.
>>
>
>But what of the situation I was addressing? How do you disegage from a
>contest that is going against you without changing the aim (or at least your
>aim) of the contest?

Remember, a contest is only a contest as long as you have a conflict of interests.

It doesn't change the aim of the contest; it is ended prematurely, with no winner or loser. In some cases, withdrawal means leaving a walk-over. If you are defending the gates against someone who wants to enter, and you run away, then the opponent can enter freely.

>I charge into combat with Leakim the hideous chaos monster declaring my
>intention to carve him into little bits. He slithers forth his prehensile
>tongue and instantly lashes to death a couple of spear-carriers with his
>Tongue attack 15w3. Realising I am horribly outclassed I decide to run
>awaaaaaaay!
>
>To escape I change the aim of the contest - page 138 of HW:RIG says we can do
>this, "the purpose and desired outcome of the contest have changed, but the
>characters do not start a new contest (with new AP totals); instead they
>continue with the AP they currently have."

Yes, the rule does say that. OTOH, the rules for withdrawing is hopelessly confused and Wrong, as i've said earlier and which Roderick has agreed with.

If your opponent wants to stop you from leaving the contest, resolve as a simple contest. If you win, you have withdrawn from the contest. A new contest may ensue, but it is a new contest with new APs.

If you rejoin the original contest, you use the AP total you had when you left it.

-- 
-
Mikael Raaterova        [.sig omitted on legal advice]

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