Re: Tonnage, Armour and Hit Points, Oh My!

Static <eshum@??????.???.com> meandered fecklessly...
> In our last episode, Leroy Van Camp III said:
> >Static <eshum@??????.???.com> spewed forth...

> 	So you didn't read it either!?!? :)
>
> 	All it did was separate helms into catagories, which could
> then be used as guidelines for making new helms.

    Actually, considering the vagaries of my ISP's e-mail
server, I probably didn't see it.
    Now, if it was more easy accessible, say, on a web page, I
may very well take a look. :)

> 	I like your system, but I'm still wondering if it's "the right
> approach".  It seems like you're defining too much for a system that
can't
> be defined.

    I don't know... while I agree SJ is not a setting where refinement
of rules to minute details is helpful, I think a bit more "defining"
can't hurt.  It is all a matter of opinion, of course, but my system
strikes me as a good balance between playability and believability.

> Let me demonstrate by example.  Somebody on this list used
> a cardboard box (CB) vs a cedar chest (CC) example to show that CC
can
> take more kicks.  Their conclusion was that CB had less HP than CC.
It
> could also be argued that CC had a better *AC*, which meant that it
took
> damage *less times* than CB.  Does that make sense?

    Actually, that was my example.
    Although I did not state it in the example, I think we are both
right.  I don't think it has to be a "one or the other" kind of deal.
I think both concepts work: in addition to being able to take
more actual damage, cedar also has the ability to defelct blows
without taking damage.  This was fully intentional in my system.
    After all, armour in AD&D doesn't add more HP's.

>  That point, in case you missed it, :) is that you can't build a
>  castle in a swamp (or some other cliche).  It's like adding
>  presision to an inaccurate value.

    I think a better way of looking at it is that you can only
add so much precision to a symbolic value.  I am looking for a
middle ground.


Leroy Van Camp III
malacoda@???????.???????.com
owner-mystara-l@??.com

"You know, not kneeing you in the groin is a constant struggle."
					MST3K