[net.games.frp] Paul's rules, etc.

turner@randvax.ARPA (07/29/83)

        I'm new to this, so if I stub any toes let me know.

        If you are going to submit rules and etc., as Paul did, you should
at least put a copyright notice on your submission.  It may not matter to
you at the moment, but if you find someone selling \your/ work for cash
money, you'll probably be glad you did.

        Elsewhere...I don't know if anyone has mentioned it, but if you
find this news group interesting, you might be interested in the fanzine
scene.  Fanzines are basically SNAIL versions of this net.  I suggest A&E
as being probably the strongest fanzine around, as well as one of the more
consistently interesting.  A&E (Alarums and Excursions) should be available
at your local frp shop.  Don't be put off at first; as with the net it may
take a while to understand what is going on.  And the cost is minimal if
you become involved as a writer.

        Re Paul's FRP system:  One problem I have with this system
immediately is that it is not a new FRP system.  Rather, it is a
modification of AD&D, which is clear from looking at the rules and the
tables.  So I must ask why?  What does this system fix that is wrong with
AD&D?  Where does this system depart from AD&D and really make a
contribution?  I can't see anything that I haven't seen before.  That
doesn't mean that this system is worthless -- far from it.  But it probably
shouldn't be billed as "a new frp game system".

                        General Comments

        The basis seems to be AD&D style combat, changed over to
percentiles.  Hit point increases have been toned down, which is a fairly
common modification of AD&D.  Defense and Attack factors are computed
slightly differently but amount to the same thing as in AD&D, particularly
since they are added together (as opposed to having the Defender roll as
per a save).  Criticals and Fumbles are added, which again is nothing new.

                        Specific Comments


        Non-lethal fighting is a little bit better.  Overall, I can't
comment on the system because I would have to use it for a while to see if
the results are reasonable.  I'll assume that they are.

        Pummeling: the assumption seems to be that all pummeling is done
with the hand against the head.  That is pretty limited in light of the
various combat techniques prevalent throughout history.  It also won't work
very well on non-humans (although to my mind no one has tackled this
problem well enough).  I see that Agility is counted twice in Pummeling,
which agrees with my own experience (i.e., that speed is about twice as
important as strength).  However, I think Constitution should definitely
play a part, as resistance to pain is very important once the initial blows
have been struck.  This hits upon the difference between how much damage
you can take, and how well you can take it, which isn't really covered in
any current games.  I don't agree with Combat Level bonuses, since it isn't
clear to me why knowing how to use a sword makes you a better boxer.  There
should also be a decrement to effective Agility for wearing armor --
otherwise there is no point in not wearing armor when you box, which is
clearly unrealistic.

        Grappling/Overbear: you should have split the AF/DF for these two
categories.  Wearing armor decreases your attack factor which doesn't make
much sense for the Overbear case, since heavy armor should help you plow
over your opponent.  Because you have the same factors on both AF/DF, you
are really talking about the difference between the two opponents, which
might be more easily summarized in some other way (their difference in
levels?).  Why should a shield reduce damage when wrestling?  The effects
table (incidentally, "effect" not "affect") gives a result in the form of a
tactic.  In other words, what tactic you used depends on how successful you
were!  That's very strange.  I'd much rather pick a tactic if I were the
attacker, and have the dice determine how effective that attack was.  In
short, the most damaging attack is always the knee/kick/gouge.

        Can't say too much about your Critical/Fumble tables other than
they look okay if somewhat gory.  The other tables (weapons chart,
characteristic adjustments, etc.) just go to remind that this is warmed
over AD&D...