> From: "Mike Holmes" <mike_c_holmes_at_...>
> Subject: Changing Goals in Extended Contests (Was:Digest Number 2198)
> In the second contest, if B changes his goal from flee to kill A (turns to
> face him, perhaps realizing he can't outrun A), then he hasn't allowed his
> opponent to obtain his goal.
True enough. But if the new goal is sufficiently different from his original it's effectively withdrawing from the original contest (which his opponent can allow or resist) and attempting to initiate a new one. However, he should not be allowed to do so until any appropriate penalties from the original contest have been applied.
> Now there may be situations in which you can't reasonably change to a
> certain goal, without allowing your opponent to win. But the barbarian and
> princess situation is not one of them. Just because you kiss her, doesn't
> mean that you've accepted the premise of the original argument. You've just
> changed tactics and your goal.
But if you're losing a contest, unless you switch to a goal and an ability which gives you a very good shot of taking your opponent out with a single action, then you're probably still going to lose the contest because when it comes to the opponent's turn, they're going to go back to the ability they were kicking your butt with to try and finish you off. Your APs don't change. You're still losing the contest and if you have an ability that's so much of a sure thing, then why weren't you using it before your APs got so low?
So in all likelihood, the barbarian kisses the princess and she, after straightening her tiara and fixing him with an icy glare, eviscerates him with more proof of her point, adding that he kisses like a cow and smells worse.
Brian
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