[Rq-rules] Re: Mongoose SRD

[Nick.Middleton at invensys.com]

>>> Strike Rank is based on the average of DEX and ...
>>> INT?!? Umm... WTF? Where did *that* come from?
>>
>
>Here's what MRQ had in version 5 (and iirc in earlier
>version) of their playtest rules. Much better imo..
>
>Strike Rank/Close (SR/c):  Take the character's DEX,
>add his SIZ and divide the total by two.  The result
>is the character's Strike Rank – Close modifier.
>
>Strike Rank/Ranged (SR/r):  Strike Rank – Ranged is
>equal to the character's DEX.
>
>Strike Rank/Magic (SR/m):  Take the character's INT,
>add his POW and divide the total by two.  The result
>is the character's Strike Rank – Magic modifier.
>
>In all cases the division by 2 is unnecessary mathematical paraphernalia, adding nothing to the overall
 gaming experience, and
>in fact detracting from it, and should have been scrapped IMO.

I disagree - it seemed important to me, as it put all three types of action
on to the same scale. Removing the division would have automatically made
ranged weapons MUCH faster than either close melee attacks or magic. And
leaving aside the magic issue, it would jar with many to have a swordsman
ALWAYS slower than a Bowman (because trust me, it takes time to draw and
loose, even if you have the arrow knocked)... One could of course have
doubled the DEX for Ranged and dropped the halving in the other two
categories, or added another characteristic to Ranged (INT perhaps) and so
also avoided the halving...

But the basic principle (that all three types of action should be on the
same scale) seemed basically sound... albeit why EVERYTHING couldn't just
be timed via DEX (with differing penalties for specific actions /
'technologies') eluded me: but then, that rather sums up the entire open
playtest for MRQ really...

Cheers,

Nick Middleton