Is Stunned Visible?

[Foxx!]

Heroes!

 

Do you tell players when an NPC is Stunned?

Likewise, do you tell players how much effect a PRE attack had?

 

Normally, I tell both because I like giving players an advantage and it's usually obvious in movies and comics.

 

Cheers!

[Rapier]

Re: Is Stunned Visible?

 

Do you tell players when an NPC is Stunned?

Likewise, do you tell players how much effect a PRE attack had?

 

It all depends on how you define "tell."

 

Do I say that NPC Y is Stunned? No. I tell them that LavaGirl, whom IceLad has just froze to the bone, is stumbling around in pain and doesn't appear to be tracking very well.

 

Do I say "You have acheived a +30 PRE roll and DonnaNatrix is NOW YOUR *****!" No. I tell them that DonnaNatrixes eyes go kind of glassy and she appears to be hanging on your every word.

 

If you tell the players too much information it takes the majesty and mystery out of the game. You NEVER tell a player some OOC information (eg Bricky LaReau takes 80 EGO Effect from your roll of 40...thus implying a x2 effect roll). You always coach things into ambiguities and never let on what the actual effect of the attack was.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Is Stunned Visible?

 

What Rapier said.

 

The only thing I'd add, is that, occasionally, a villain will pretend to be stunned (opposed acting or PRE roll of some sort), so when the player rolls in for the coup de grace, there is a nasty surprise waiting. Playing possum is a time honoured tradition.

[CBikle]

Re: Is Stunned Visible?

 

Yes and it works both ways: villains know when PCs are stunned.

 

Not really my preference, but it keeps our combats moving faster (each game is pretty much limited to three hours total).

[BlackSword]

Re: Is Stunned Visible?

 

We usually say that the NPC seems to stumble, may go down to a knee, looks punch drunk. All euphemisms for CON stunned.

[austenandrews]

Re: Is Stunned Visible?

 

By and large I give clues when an enemy is Stunned ("he staggers back," "it roars in pain," etc.). With PRE attacks, I just tell the results.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Is Stunned Visible?

 

Same here. I (almost always) give descriptions that make it fairly obvious, without putting it in flat game-system terms. If the player doesn't make the obvious connection and has their character start doing something stupid that is contrary to the understanding, I might make it more clear (obvious, obvious hints, or even saying it flat-out), or I might just chalk it up to battlefield confusion and let the player (and character?) hopefully learn from the mistake.

[McCoy]

Re: Is Stunned Visible?

 

Stunned, knocked out, and took BODY are, in my games, fairly obvious, though villians can play possum.

 

PRE roll necessary for are they Really Stunned, Really Knocked out, are they dead/dying, and did STUN get through defenses on that attack.

[Foxx!]

Re: Is Stunned Visible?

 

Sorry I didn’t explain in detail.

 

If an NPC is Stunned, I act by staggering, groaning, quoting, etc.

If an NPC is impressed less than +30, I act with voice and face only.

If an NPC is impressed +30 or more, I act with voice and full body.

Most of the people I play with are not Herophiles. I need to remind them of rules, but it’s boring to use game terms. If they don’t get the hint, I explain. If I am playing with people who understand Hero, I don’t need to do anything because the players look at the effect rolls and guess, but I like acting anyway.

 

By the way, some NPCs pretend to be Knocked Out or Impressed, but no one pretends to be Stunned.

 

Cheers!

[Dust Raven]

Re: Is Stunned Visible?

 

I never reveal game mechanics in role-playing context. I might refer to a certain mechanic as being the cause of a certain mechanical effect, usually to give an OOG example or simply to let the player know what defense to apply to a certain attack that hit them. Other than that, it's all descriptions of the action. A Stunned target "visibly staggers" or "stumbles" or "seems disoriented". A KO target with -10 to 0 STUN is "laying on the ground groaning in pain" or has "collapsled and is helpless", while one with -11 or less is "out cold" or has "passed out from the pain". For the most part, I might as well as say a target is Stunned or knocked out (and at what level), but it doesn't seem right. Also, describing the action allows a villain (or hero) to make an Acting roll to fool their opponents.

 

For PRE attacks, I just describe the resulting action. There really is no way to put it any other way. I'm not going to tell a player what effect they achieved anymore than I'd tell them how much PRE or STUN or whatever else is on the character sheet the target(s) has. The only mechanic they'll be aware of is the total of the roll. After that, they won't be able to tell the difference between an influenced target or one that's only pretending to be influenced (well, without further interaction and maybe a few skill rolls). Even if they roll crap, they might have found someone who generally agrees anyway and needs no charismatic convincing (and dare they accuse that person of being otherwise?).