[tbeard1999]

My favorite TFT story...

We had an arrogant, overconfident and over the top player (James) who ran an arrogant, overconfident and over the top swashbuckler. Think George Hamilton in Zorro the Gay Blade. At the time of the tale, he probably had ST 10, DX 18, IQ 11, Fencing, Two Weapons, etc.

Anyhow, the party was clearing out a wizard's tower. The party was split up, and James (alone) cornered the wizard alone. The wizard was wounded and down to ST 4 or so. As he closed in on the wizard, James engaged in much banter. James boasted of his abilities, invincibility, etc.

The wizard smiled thinly and cast an illusion of James.

James smugly noted that he wasn't afraid of a 32 point fighter, no matter how unbearably good looking he might be.

Sympathetically, I said "but James, an illusion of someone you know has all the abilities that you think that person has. So he's as good as you think you are..."

James actually gulped and said "oh sh*t."

The illusion leapt into the air, did 3 backflips and went to work on James. James desperate tried to defend himself and screamed for help. The illusion just tore James up. James couldn't score a hit because, well, he thought he was invincible. I recall James had a run of awful dice, too. Sometimes the Cosmos cooperates.

As the sneering illusion prepared to administer the coup de grace, John, a huge barbarian entered the room, heavy crossbow readied.

Unfortunately, the DX modifier was enough to make a hit unlikely. John argued that if the illusion was as good as *John* thought James was, then the crossbow should automatically hit for triple damage.

"That's right!" James exclaimed. "He thinks I suck!".

I told John to take the shot. The shot miraculously hit and killed the illusory James.

But you know, I'd have given him that kill no matter what he rolled.

Oh, and James ultimately put the killing blow on the wizard. He relished it as much as I’ve ever seen a player relish a kill. He was downright vindictive about it.