Do you allow Find Weakness in games using Hit Locations?

[Zanthis]

Re: Do you allow Find Weakness in games using Hit Locations?

 

So if I make a called shot at a hit location on her Head' date=' she has a XX- roll to see if she has a wardrobe malfunction and the chainmail is suddenly covering her face?[/quote']

No, both conditions must be true before the Armor would function. It must both hit the protected body locations AND the Activation roll must succeed. Failure of either means the Armor does not protect the character. This means that a chain mail bikini with an Activation 10- that only protects the chest has a 50% chance of blocking damage if and only if an attack strikes the chest. If the blow lands anywhere else, you won't even roll activation.

 

Let's try to make the case that the 14- Activate roll on the 8 defenses of this armor actually does have a chance of protecting ANY hit location (including the Head) on the wearers body.

 

What is the special effect of this?

The armor isn't perfect in coverage. It is "holey" for lack of a better word. I could easily see a character with Chain Mail (Armor:8rPD/8rED,Locations 3,4,6-17) putting Plates over this that are (Armor:6rPD/6rED,Activation 14-,Locations 7-16). Now, the plates aren't perfect in their coverage, but they do cover most of the body. Just in some places, probably joints, their are gaps that an attack will sometimes slip through. GM'ing attacks against this armor would drive you nuts though .

 

Edit: I agree with Dust Raven. I wouldn't allow LoW to be Linked to a defense with Activation, nor would I allow it the sectional limitation: a limitation that isn't limiting is worth no points. This doesn't mean you couldn't put the LoW on the same OIF as the Armor power though.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Do you allow Find Weakness in games using Hit Locations?

 

No' date=' [i']both[/i] conditions must be true before the Armor would function. It must both hit the protected body locations AND the Activation roll must succeed. Failure of either means the Armor does not protect the character. This means that a chain mail bikini with an Activation 10- that only protects the chest has a 50% chance of blocking damage if and only if an attack strikes the chest. If the blow lands anywhere else, you won't even roll activation.

Ok, sorry for not saying target and HIT.. anyway, you are desribing something quite different than the example I am quoting from the Dark Champions playtest doc.

 

The armor isn't perfect in coverage. It is "holey" for lack of a better word. I could easily see a character with Chain Mail (Armor:8rPD/8rED,Locations 3,4,6-17) putting Plates over this that are (Armor:6rPD/6rED,Activation 14-,Locations 7-16). Now, the plates aren't perfect in their coverage, but they do cover most of the body. Just in some places, probably joints, their are gaps that an attack will sometimes slip through. GM'ing attacks against this armor would drive you nuts though .

The writeup I quoted is describing 2 different aspects of one suit of armor but the 2 aspects are not linked per se. The activate roll has no effect on the sectional chest coverage. The fact that ANY of it is being described with Hit Locations should, IMHO, mean that ALL of the various levels of defense should be described as Hit Locations.

 

Mixing Hit Locations and Activate rolls for limited coverage SFX in the same focus write-up is just weird and actually more disturbing to me than mixing Hit locations and Find Weakness.

 

The subject is very briefly discussed on page 334 of FREd and gives an example breakdown of Activate Roll and the coresponding Hit Location Coverage. Does anyone here know enough Statistical Math to plot a chart that would allow you to pick and choose percentages of coverage that when totalled equal that of the typical Activate Roll percentages?

 

 

Edit: I agree with Dust Raven. I wouldn't allow LoW to be Linked to a defense with Activation, nor would I allow it the sectional limitation: a limitation that isn't limiting is worth no points. This doesn't mean you couldn't put the LoW on the same OIF as the Armor power though.

I concede this point for now. I was only trying to show a flaw of using the 2 mechanics side by side. I am learning new stuff all the time though.

[Dust Raven]

Re: Do you allow Find Weakness in games using Hit Locations?

 

Does anyone here know enough Statistical Math to plot a chart that would allow you to pick and choose percentages of coverage that when totalled equal that of the typical Activate Roll percentages?

 

Well, figuring out the probability of rolling any particular number is easy (and the work's already done, though I can't remember what sidebar it's in). From there you just add up each number/location and take the overall percentage roll it equates to (taking the next one down if you fall between two).

 

I concede this point for now. I was only trying to show a flaw of using the 2 mechanics side by side. I am learning new stuff all the time though.

I'm thinking it's not so much a flaw in the system as it is a flaw in implimentation. You're working too hard. Sit back, drink a Dr. Pepper and watch a George Carlin video. You'll feel better in no time .

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Do you allow Find Weakness in games using Hit Locations?

 

Sit back' date=' drink a Dr. Pepper and watch a George Carlin video. You'll feel better in no time .[/quote']

I love George Carlin.

I'm using that as my sig.

 

While we are on the subject of George Carlin, here is something I had been working on a while back:

 

D&D and HERO

by Hyper-Man (with help from George Carlin's Football and Baseball)

 

D&D is a hack & slash game.

HERO is any kind of game you want it to be.

 

D&D is played on a table...the gaming table.

HERO is played anywhere convenient, floor, table, PBEM, herosphere etc.

 

The D&D field is made up of squares.

The HERO field is a hexmap or whatever is handy.

 

In D&D, you need any number of D20, D12, D10, D8, D6, D4 etc.

In HERO, you only need 3D6!

 

D&D is concerned with rounds and initiative. Who's got initiative? Did you roll inititiative? I rolled a 19! I Won!!

HERO has a Speed and Dex chart to bring order to combat.

 

In D&D, if it isn't a fantasy setting, we don't play.

HERO is played in any kind of setting--fantasy, sci-fi, supers and everything in-between.

 

D&D has cure light wounds, resurection and everything in between.

HERO has the phase 12 recovery and Aid.

 

And, of course, the objectives of the games are also completely different.

 

In HERO, the object of the game is for the Game Master, sometimes called the GM, to be on target with his storytelling, riddling the players by hitting his plots with deadly accuracy in spite of the bad rolls, even if he has to use the threat of a perception check. With short bullet humor and long plots, he marches into enemy territory, balancing this entertainment assault with a sustained group effort designed to punch holes in the forward wall of any players lack of enjoyment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In D&D, the object is to kill . . .

everything

.

 

[zornwil]

Re: Do you allow Find Weakness in games using Hit Locations?

 

It makes sense now, I think.

 

However, I think it's both more sensible and easier to apply FW to whatever defenses apply for the attack used, period. That may lead to issues, but I think it's easier as a GM to see those issues than to wade through some different types, and overall the game effect will be low IMHO, while reducing complexity, and, besides, it just seems a lot more sensible the simpler way.

 

PS - thanks everybody!

[Dust Raven]

Re: Do you allow Find Weakness in games using Hit Locations?

 

While we are on the subject of George Carlin, here is something I had been working on a while back:

 

D&D and HERO

 

Bwhahahahahahahahahahaha!!!