[Rq-rules] Thanks!

[Styopa]

On 10/22/07, Bjorn Stolen <stolenbjorn at hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> I'm not circling your main point, I'm trying to explain why I think the
> predictability of SR is realistic. I'm sorry if my attempts at showing my
> arguments is interpreted as cirling of main points.
>
> You say that fights are unpredictable; yes they are.
> You say that it's realistic that a cocked crossbow will act before a
> daggerdude on 10 yards range, and that we agree on.
> So far we agree, and everything is fine.
> Your last example of mr.X doing on sr7 and mr.Y doing on 9 is flawed IMO.
> If both have a melee sr of-say 6, and mr.X have a spear and mr.Y have a
> dagger, well, then it is both predictable and realistic that mr.XINITIALLY have an advantage. That beeing said, it doesn't at all mean that
> he automatically will go first. Let me try to explain why I think it is
> logical without you claiming that I'm "quibbling" (whatever that means).
>
> Say both mrX and mrY have basic knowledge of their weapons. Where would
> the fight start? If it's a barfight, the spear is probably stored in the
> hallway, and the daggerdude have all advantages and will act first. If it's
> an ambush, I would as a GM consider letting the daggerdude act first, if it
> was a well staged ambush. But if both parties are prepared and knows what
> they're doing, the opponents would start of at -say 4 meters range, weapons
> ready. On round one, the speardude have two options; acting passively and
> waiting to strike until the daggerdude gets in range (say the killzone for
> the spear starts out at 2 meters), or he acts actively, closes to 2 meters
> range and starts to feint and overwhelm the daggerdude. In either case, the
> speardude WILL HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF ATTEMPTING TO ACT FIRST. If you don't
> agree on this, pleace try to explain to me. If mrY have a melee-SR of 4 and
> the highest DEX, he could actually be able to do before the spear, as he's
> so agile that he'll be able to outfeint mr X!
>
> Anyways, you call for unpredictability, that's where the skill-rolls comes
> into play.  Let's return to our fight. I've allready explained mr.X's
> options, what about mr.Y?
>
> He have really one option, and that is to parry/dodge (get past the
> speartip), then end the fight at his weapons killlingrange, which starts out
> at roughly 1 meter. This is exactly what the RQ3 rules describes, and here's
> where unpredictability comes into play. You might want things even more
> unpredictable, and I'm OK with that, but you're miles away from convinsing
> me that the original RQ3-SR-rules are unrealistic, sorry.
>

Please, let me help you.
http://www.yourdictionary.com/quibble
quib·ble (kwib*′*əl)
noun
1. Obsolete a play on words; pun
2. an evasion of the main point as by emphasizing some petty detail; cavil
3. a petty objection or criticism

I'm referring to meaning 2 or 3, take your pick.

Your example is pointlessly chaotic.  Very simple: two guys with melee
weapons, within melee striking range.  Assuming NOTHING but that they stand
there and whack at each other.  We know for a fact that person A (who
happens to have a lower SR for *whatever* reason) is going to swing first
every single round.  Every round.  Is that even faintly realistic?  I'd say
no.
In fact, that predictability hands all the tactical opportunities to the
*disadvantaged* guy.  Does that make any sense at all?
If A has an SR of 5, and B has one of 6, B might as well step over to the
bar, have a sip of lager, maybe chat up a bird or two for 2, 3, even 4 SR
because it doesn't matter whether he goes on 6 or 10...he's always going to
swing second.

And in fact, if B's got a shorter weapon, he DOES have the option of closing
(using the RQ3 rules) if the longer-reach guy can't or won't retreat.
Ironically, a guy with a crappy DEX *should* use a toothpick, because then
he always has the shortest weapon and at least has the option of closing in
which case (if he can corner his opponent) he can make his abysmal melee SR
irrelevant.

So we have a system that encourages slow, clumsy people to use the shortest
weapon they can find?  Brilliant.
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