[Rq-rules] RQ for D&D players

[Lance Dyas]

Styopa wrote:
> On 3/9/07, *Lance Dyas* <lancelot at inetnebr.com 
> <mailto:lancelot at inetnebr.com>> wrote:
>
>     Styopa wrote:
>>     Whenever I get the "why do you think RQ is better" question (not
>>     unrelated to yours) I point out the situation that summarizes RQ
>>     in a nutshell:
>>
>>     Highly experienced warrior (Level 10+ in D&D) suddenly finds
>>     himself face to face with a road bandit, 10' away, with a heavy
>>     crossbow aimed the warrior's chest.
>>
>>     Using the RQ rules, what might happen?
>>     - the bandit shoots and misses
>>     - the bandit shoots and hits
>>     > if it's a normal hit, the warrior can perhaps survive, as long
>>     as it's not in the chest or head.  In any case, the warrior is
>>     going to be hurt.
>>
>>     Using the D&D rules?
>>     - the bandit shoots and misses
>>     - the bandit hits, which makes no difference whatsoever because
>>     the Xbow does what, 2d4 at best, and the fighter has easily 80+ hp
>     And note a capable hero isnt randomly killed near the beginning of
>     the story in very many of my fantasy novels or the movies I watch,
>     nor do I particularly feel like pretending to be either the
>     incapable hero represented by a low level D&D character or the
>     high level RQ one who randomly died at an inappropriate juncture.
>
>     Those 80+hp represent fatigue and skill and a bit of luck and
>     maybe a few scratches.. The D&D fighters skill causes most of the
>     advancement...the luck and stamina are what gradually runs out... 
>     Note the D&D fighter doesnt get a progressive dodge or block or
>     parry skill except by way of this advancement desparate dodges
>     getting cheaper as you get better?
>
>
> We all have heard that rationalization.  It works (barely) for combat, 
> but it doesn't for coup de grace, poison, falling, or acid, as well as 
> a host of other factors.
If you want realism the military studies indicated people fight without 
impairment till taken out... the injury which takes them out may be 
relatively minor but doesnt even seem to be consistant for the same 
individual
one time a minor injury will stop the same marine who was only stopped 
by a major one previously....
>
> The problem with your description of a hero is the self-selection and 
> predestination problems.
Nope the "player" is not the "character" and you seem to think people 
want to play 1000 or more games before having a character who doesn't 
have a meaningless random death.... wow