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Old 10-20-2017, 12:11 AM   #33
tbone
 
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Default Re: A sack of DFRPG questions!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kromm View Post
Cowardice works just as it does in GURPS: It is about physical danger, mainly fighting, and doesn't have a social danger facet. Intimidation is social (even if it can have physical overtones), so it has no interaction with Cowardice. Fearfulness is the trait of being a general fraidy cat.
A good clarification. Thanks. (And to evileeyore for the similar response.)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kromm View Post
In general, no – as in GURPS. Encumbrance has no effect when you use Acrobatics to pounce (Exploits, p. 40), dodge (Exploits, p. 48), deal with knockback (Exploits, p. 53), attempt the tricks in Speed Is Armor! (Exploits, p. 58), or break a fall (Exploits, p. 67). But for the specific tasks under Dungeon Parkour (Exploits, pp. 20-21), yes. You'll note that Adventurers, p. 12 speaks of "all uses" for Climbing, Stealth, and Swimming, but not for Acrobatics; this is why
Got it. FWIW, I've always penalized any use of Acrobatics for encumbrance, and will continue doing so as a house rule. But it's still good to know what the official ruling is.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kromm View Post
So long that you have to do it "before combat" – say, several minutes, so it makes no sense to try to do it when counting seconds.
Sounds good. If it ever matters, I suppose I'll say something like "5 minutes plus 1 minute per extra dose" – with more hurried application possible at considerable risk to the poisoner.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kromm View Post
All forms of Esoteric Medicine require a kit when you treat injury – so yes, this skill is nearly always used at a bonus in that context. Many uses don't mention the kit, though; e.g., weird treatments (Exploits, p. 63), dealing with swallowed acid (Exploits, p. 65), and counteracting a heart attack (Exploits, p. 66). That is, when the skill stands in for "general medical knowledge."
Sounds good... though, I just re-read the Healer's Kit description on Adventurers p114, and have questions again. (Sorry to pick at this, but the nitty-gritty of medical tasks is life & death stuff.)

I was about to ask whether the +1 bonus for a healer's kit means that it's essentially a good-quality healer's kit – but the description makes clear that it's basic equipment. (Which also preempts my follow-up question: "Isn't there a basic-level healer's kit?") So why the +1 bonus? If I'm inferring correctly: If a task can be accomplished by First Aid or Esoteric Medicine, then the healer's kit simply substitutes for a first-aid kit, which would also offer +1; hence the +1 for either kit. (From that bonus, I assume that the $50, 2-lb. first-aid kit itself counts as a good-quality first-aid kit; $10 plain bandages are its merely-basic equivalent.)

Do I seem to have that right?

As for Esoteric Medicine tasks that don't require a kit: Such tasks could logically exist, sure. But unless I'm missing a key passage, I wouldn't be able to pick that up from the rules text alone. None of the mentioned tasks (weird treatments, etc.) say a kit isn't necessary, while the healer's kit description lays down a pretty authoritative-sounding "Required to use that skill [Esoteric Medicine]". Unless there's a published clarification down the road, I think new players are going to read this as meaning that, yes, a healer's kit is always necessary for Esoteric Medicine (and thus the +1 bonus always applies).

While on the topic of kits, a few quick questions with reference to "Equipment Modifiers" (Exploits p7):
  • Would you say it's generally kosher to allow kit-based Esoteric Medicine rolls at -10 for no equipment? Or -5 for improvised equipment? (Again, this is a matter of how strictly to take that word "required" in the kit description. If kit-less attempts are possible, I'd think that a simple first-aid kit, the wrong specialty of healer's kit, or surgical instruments would count as improvised equipment; does that sound sensible?)
  • Keeping in mind that the general first-aid kit is already good-quality (if I understand correctly), is there a theoretical fine-quality first-aid kit ($200, 8 lbs.)?
  • Is there a theoretical good-quality healer's kit ($1000, 50 lbs.)? Fine-quality ($4000, 200 lbs.)? And if a basic healer's kit functions as a good-quality first-aid kit for a +1 bonus (for those tasks allowing First Aid or Esoteric Medicine), should a good-quality or better healer's kit function as a fine-quality first-aid kit for a +2 bonus?
  • I assume that good-quality and fine-quality surgical instruments ($1500, 75 lbs, +1 bonus / $6000, 300 lbs., +2 bonus, respectively) are perfectly allowable; any objections?

Finally, one more question about kits: Are there kits that are required for, or kits that can optionally aid, the following skills?
  • Diagnosis
  • Herb Lore*
  • Pharmacy*
  • Poisons*
  • Veterinary
*For analyzing, brewing, etc.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kromm View Post
No. Druids use the roots and berries in their kits, so even when Nature is in a bad way around them, they have access to that. Clerics . . . mostly, they pray and hope for the best, so their situation isn't the same.
Got it.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kromm View Post
If somebody thinks it's fun to play fantasy Reuben Tishkoff, why not?... It isn't any more "bad" or "broken" than somebody playing the cleric who shells out for Power Investiture 5 and lots of Energy Reserve to Bless people all the time and walk around at -1 to spells...
I don't think it sounds bad or broken either; it all sounds fun to me. Just wondering whether there were any major considerations that would throw cold water on the Moneybags scheme. (There are some minor ones, I see; your points about Signature Gear and Weapon Bond are good ones!)

In short, I'd be happy to let DFRPG players try this sort of thing; if they all enjoy it, then great. If problems do crop up, the GM should be able to come up with all kinds of subtle discouragements.

For example, just the social intricacies of dependence on Moneybags should give at least a little pause to more munchkin-y players. They'll want to keep in mind that, no matter how happily communal the group is in money-sharing, there'll always be that post-sale moment where Moneybags alone holds all the coin. (They do trust him completely, right?) Shady fences in town, and the thieves they deal with, will take note of all this cash flowing through one PC; lots of eyes will be on Moneybags as he makes his rounds of high-priced sales. And merchants who are willing to pay top coin to Moneybags, with his slick Appearance and smooth Charisma, might be less willing to cut sweet deals when he's surrounded by ragged, uncouth adventurer pals.

Finally, there's this problem: What if Moneybags – who didn't spend lots of points on sweet dungeon survival abilities – gets clobbered by an ogre? Boom, no more easy income.

Me, I'd pay good silver to see this scene of panic play out among a party of Dead Broke PCs: "Guys, don't worry, don't worry! We'll just get Moneybags resurrected! We've picked up at least $15,000 in loot, so we'll go to town, have Moneybags sell it all, and... wait... "

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kromm View Post
They'll be terrible at Intimidation due to low Will (a mere 8) and the Automaton trait (which gives -3). Starting at default Will-5, they'll have skill 0; with the equivalent of 1 or 2 points, they'll have skill 4-5. So I say go ahead and give them +2 because they need the help!.
Yeah, with or without Ginsu hands, I guess they won't be doing much Intimidation.

Good thing they don't negotiate, either. Shaking hands on the deal would not be advised.
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Last edited by tbone; 10-20-2017 at 01:07 AM. Reason: Edited note on negotiating with corpse golems, as they don't do that.
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