Fractional Speed Query

[AnotherSkip]

I have always seen an advantage to Fractional Speed (say 3.7 off of a 27 Dex Character) as being that an Adjustment Power Aimed at Speed would have a greater "level" to overcome to reduce the first point of speed (in the example given 17 vs 10) and on a 3d6 Spd Drain, good flipping luck on getting a 17+ vs a 10+ and on a 10 spd target if he gets 15+ on 3d6 it lasts another turn (and about the same time if you rolled a 16+ as if you rolled a 17 + with the Fractional Speed.

[Simon]

Is there a question in there?

 

You're absolutely correct, to my knowledge.....though, admittedly, my main area of expertise right now is in the creation rules and I may be a bit rusty on the actual game-time rules like this one.

 

My understanding of it is exactly as you state, however: fractional SPD, if present (not a common thing, but it happens) is of use against Drains and the like.

[Farkling]

I can certainly see that as a minor benefit to having it.

 

And on the gaming side of it, I have NO players buying the fractional SPD points back...they almost ALWAYS buy it up to the next level.

[Vondy]

I allow characters to use them to offset drain effects, but I don't allow them to sell them back.

[melessqr]

According to Steve Long (queue angelic choir) Fractional speed Only exists for the purpose of buying the speed up to the next level full point of speed. There is no fractional speed for any other purpose...

 

So, "No."

 

Of course... Steve's wrong, but what ya gonna do?

 

Melessqr

[cutsleeve]

Of course... Steve's wrong, but what ya gonna do?

 

This is more of a personal veiw point. I usta play using 4th edition rules and thats how i always ruled it. You could buy your speed fraction up to the next level but you couldnt buy it down since it is rounded down anyway. since it is rounded down there technically isnt any fraction. Its really only by the GM's graces that he allows you to buy the fraction up. I usta play with GM's that said it rounded down and then you had to buy that one point up regularly, for 10 points.

 

But melessqr if you feel in your campaign that your players should be allowed to buy it down then you bought the game and you are running it therefore you have to right to run it in any way you feel. If your playing in another persons game the same thing applies he is running it and how he rules it is as valid as your method. Most people seem to see logic in not being able to buy your speed fraction down and i admit i also see logic in it but thats merely a matter of opinion.

 

Does this need to be changed in the rules or in the next printing or edition. No, why would it if people dont like the rule theyll ignore it anyway. But that decision is up to the GM running the game he has to deal with the consequences of the rule he omits or changes. In general though when people ask about a rules question they want to know the official Hero system ruling on it.

 

Lambasting steve for a rule he wrote in The Hero System is not helpful in any way and in some ways can be rude. He had to make a decision and no matter how he ruled it he would be laughed at, ignored, or ridiculed for it. Yet he still made the decision and put it into the rules, like everything else, to clarify the rules, smooth them out, and present them in the nice, neat, cleaned up volume you paid 39.95 +tax for.

 

Now if you feel cheated out of your 40+ dollars because of one rule then please send me your copy. Ill keep it for awhile and probably pawn it off on another gamer and let him enjoy all the crunchy goodness. There are no roleplaying games with which people have not disagreed with the rules or disliked in some way. If there ever where a perfect roleplaying game it wouldnt require second editions and thirds and fourths and fifths and sixths and especially not 3.5's.

 

But on that note perfection is only a matter of personal opinion. One person may think its good while another may think its is toilet paper. but like i stated its all a matter of personal opinion and taste As far as i know there is no scientific measure for calculating how good a roleplaying game is and i would venture to guess that if there where it would end up being something thats horribley time consuming and brain numbing like "rolemaster".

 

Again thats about all i have to write in this reply. And again id like to ask that before you start tearing it apart that you read it entirely and take in every bit rather then a peice here and a peice there. Thank you.

[Simon]

Well there you go.

 

I've apparently been playing it wrong for quite some time (on multiple levels). Though, thankfully, this has only come up rarely (extremely rarely).

[AnotherSkip]

actually Steve still manages to leave that fuzzy.

 

(gotta love lawyers )

 

he ony says essentially "that you need to affect a full point"

 

it doesnt matter if the CPV of a Point is 3, or 5, or 10, or 20.

 

and this is one of the few cases wherein a character can still have a "percentage" of a full thing, essentailly partial points invested in a power. now then If I was as a character buying the next level of an ability (like Drain) and had "prespent" Xp on the item (if the Gm decided that I needed to keep track of it that way) then I would expect the points spent to "defend" from drains. you havent taken away anything until you get that first die.

 

 

 

crud.

 

 

 

 

i think I just argued myself into a hole

 

 

erm

 

 

Help?

[Simon]

He's not leaving it "fuzzy".

 

There is no such thing as fractional SPD for anything except for buying up your SPD to the next level as a Characteristic.

 

If you have a 27 DEX character and do nothing with his SPD (leaving him at a 3 SPD), when he is hit by a Drain, the Drain needs to do 10 points of affect to the character before he loses a point of SPD.

 

Likewise, if you hit that character with an Aid, the Aid needs to do 10 points of affect to the character before he gains a point of SPD.