Re: Re: A Question about Abilties

From: Roderick and Ellen Robertson <rjremr_at_...>
Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2001 08:56:30 -0800

> On the other hand it is not as if the players have gotten any points to
> build their heroes with from taking these flaws (in HW as opposed to GURPS
> and Hero). In fact they have spent potential min/maxing resources (words
in
> their description or one of their traits) to get the flaws!
>
> The players use resources to add character to their heroes and I (the
> G...Narrator) must ensure that they really feel that the flaw is a flaw
and
> not something that is sometimes good but mostly bad?
>
> Why?

Because flaws cost no resources (HP) to increase. "Okay, I put another point into 'Hunted by Lunars', it's now 10w2. Watch out ladies, Joe Lunarbane is in town". I doubt that any narrator will blink if a player wants to add a flaw over and above the 10 (list method) or a few words over 100 to say "Joe is hunted by the lunars". BUT, then the player turns around and uses the "flaw" as a positive ability for free. Now, if you as a narrator are keeping to a strict 10 item/100 word policy including flaws, then yes, the player has spent "resources" (1 item/5-10 words) at charcter startup.

If the player constantly does something like the above, they should be charged HP for their Non-flaw.

Yes, I'll admit that Mini-maxing rankles me, and getting positive benefits from something you don't "pay" for sems unfair to me.

RR