Start BODY at 2 instead of 10

[Inu]

Re: Start BODY at 2 instead of 10

 

I couldn't agree more with this philosophy' date=' and I can't stand "heroes" or "good guys", even ones who's desire it is to kill the enemy, makes sure everybody taken down gets an extra arrow just to make sure they'll never get up. Any military force (even a small one) would scare the crap out of others. No one would want to hire them or even associate with them. The common folk would view them as assassins, and actual assassins would hate them for being far to open with their killing. Eventually, somebody who hears about them near their area would send real assassins to kill them.[/quote']

Speaking heroically or historically? From my limited knowledge of this area of historical behaviour, life was cheap. Dirt cheap, particularly if you weren't of noble blood, and the only reason enemy wounded were allowed to live was because they were of more utility alive (showing goodwill to conquered locals, ransom for nobles)... but as I say, my knowledge is limited.

 

And, of course, there were different rules for nobles than there were for peasants, especially during wartime. A massacre of the wounded on the field after a battle may be a lot more acceptible than the slitting of the throats of wounded bandits.

 

Then again, if the PC in question is a noble, and the victims bandits, this may be simply seen as their legal duty. Heck, they may even be obliged to hang 'em from the nearest stout tree, in some settings.

 

Is there anyone who knows more about the historial applicability of this? Or perhaps this is an unwarranted threadjack, and we should just stick with the more heroic default of not putting down enemies after a fight. ;

[Phil]

Re: Start BODY at 2 instead of 10

 

A big cat going all out to hurt you will do damage and will make you bleed. One attack is probably not going to kill you. But repeated attacks can in fact inflict serious injury. A 1-pip HKA doesn't seem unreasonable.

 

Sorry, seems completely unreasonable to me. 8 cat hits and you're dead? Even if a cat is really going for it? I guess a lucky strike might get an artery one time in a million, but far less likely than being killed from a single punch - and no-one is suggesting punches should be a killing attack.

[Markdoc]

Re: Start BODY at 2 instead of 10

 

Sorry' date=' seems completely unreasonable to me. 8 cat hits and you're dead? Even if a cat is really going for it? I guess a lucky strike might get an artery one time in a million, but far less likely than being killed from a single punch - and no-one is suggesting punches should be a killing attack.[/quote']

 

Agreed. Cats, squirrels, bunnies and similar small creatures in my game have penetrating - allowing them to put a couple of stun on you, but that's it. In theory, if you got swarmed by 150 angry tomcats, they could drag you down with enough attacks that did 1-2 points of Stun and then start chewing on you once you were helpless, but it's not very likely.

 

cheers, Mark

[Grail Quest]

Re: Start BODY at 2 instead of 10

 

Agreed. Cats, squirrels, bunnies and similar small creatures in my game have penetrating - allowing them to put a couple of stun on you, but that's it. In theory, if you got swarmed by 150 angry tomcats, they could drag you down with enough attacks that did 1-2 points of Stun and then start chewing on you once you were helpless, but it's not very likely.

 

cheers, Mark

 

This type of situation is why I came up with this proposal for Killing Attacks:

 

http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39253

[zornwil]

Re: Start BODY at 2 instead of 10

 

So how come Pinky the cat didn't kill that guy?

 

cheers, Mark

Hey, my first superhero PC had a cat named Pinky Blue (after the Altered Images title).

[zornwil]

Re: Start BODY at 2 instead of 10

 

I don't think this has been stated but I only browsed quickly, so forgive me if so, but another thing to consider in setting very low BOD is the heroes will be generally deprived of the chance to save someone. Decreasing such a chance is fine, but making it virtually impossible (which 2 BOD does) makes it hard on PCs who would prefer to be saving lives when possible. It pretty much makes that hopeless (unless you do lots of hand-waving). That's where the bleeding rules can make a big difference, and simulate a reasonable grittiness in terms of the "I have to stop him bleeding!" drama.

[Old Man]

Re: Start BODY at 2 instead of 10

 

I agree with zornwil. Saving civies is very heroic and a main component of many campaigns.