Sniper and Medic

[Harald387]

Originally Posted by Ragitsu

Is there a way to fix the bell curve for this type of gamplay, or do you recommend another set of rules?

Give the *good* sniper Luck, or use the 'Buying success' optional rules, and just assume he's never going to miss a shot.

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by Ragitsu

Is there a way to fix the bell curve for this type of gamplay, or do you recommend another set of rules?

Well, that depends.

Do you want the sniper to be able to make shots this difficult with 98% regularity and without aiming or having to do anything particularily impressive to achieve it? Or do you want a sniper who can make such shots only when dramatically appropriate, but otherwise functions at closer to human level?

If it is the latter, you can allow, as Harald points out, the Buying Success with Points rule. In that way, when it really matters, the PC can simply declare that he makes the shot.

Or, alternatively, you can allow him to buy abilities that allow him to shoot better when he's really motivated or something similar. A +x to his skill that only works a few times (or once) per adventure. The cost would be a lot less than buying the skills that worked all the time.

But note that the skill score needed to make the above shot after aiming is much less. Using a Very Fine (Accurate) sniper rifle with the proper loads, a good scope and a combination of range finding gear and calculator can result in as much as 10+4+3+2+1=+20 to the shot. That would mean that 'only' skill 29 is needed to make the shot (skill 26 if the sniper has Single-Minded) and I can see that happening in a cinematic campaign.

[Ragitsu]

Originally Posted by Icelander

Well, that depends.

Do you want the sniper to be able to make shots this difficult with 98% regularity and without aiming or having to do anything particularily impressive to achieve it? Or do you want a sniper who can make such shots only when dramatically appropriate, but otherwise functions at closer to human level?

If it is the latter, you can allow, as Harald points out, the Buying Success with Points rule. In that way, when it really matters, the PC can simply declare that he makes the shot.

Or, alternatively, you can allow him to buy abilities that allow him to shoot better when he's really motivated or something similar. A +x to his skill that only works a few times (or once) per adventure. The cost would be a lot less than buying the skills that worked all the time.

But note that the skill score needed to make the above shot after aiming is much less. Using a Very Fine (Accurate) sniper rifle with the proper loads, a good scope and a combination of range finding gear and calculator can result in as much as 10+4+3+2+1=+20 to the shot. That would mean that 'only' skill 29 is needed to make the shot (skill 26 if the sniper has Single-Minded) and I can see that happening in a cinematic campaign.

The sniper will want at least 90% accuracy (if I had to assign an amount off the top of my head) with the ability to assure at least a handful of shots per adventure won't miss using any decent sniper rifle, so it seems I will have to look for a compromise between abilities to best guide them on how to properly create their character.

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One more thing for now. Going back to the medic and the issue of healing: are there rules for consumable healing devices that fit in the palm of one's hand? I'm going to need them to dole out to the PCS to keep up the day-long adventures and stretches of combat that will inevitably occur.

[Kaldrin]

Originally Posted by Ragitsu

Is there a way to fix the bell curve for this type of gameplay, or do you recommend another set of rules?

The example given was completely out of the realm of realistic analysis. The nature of higher skill levels in GURPS is to do things that an ordinary person wouldn't even think about. Sure he's got the same roll for ridiculous things as he would plinking cans from 20 feet away, but if I was a GM I wouldn't even make a character like that roll for it. It's a non-pressure situation.

[Ragitsu]

Originally Posted by Kaldrin

The example given was completely out of the realm of realistic analysis. The nature of higher skill levels in GURPS is to do things that an ordinary person wouldn't even think about. Sure he's got the same roll for ridiculous things as he would plinking cans from 20 feet away, but if I was a GM I wouldn't even make a character like that roll for it. It's a non-pressure situation.

That is a good line of thought. Sometimes the best roll is the one you never have to make :-).

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by Ragitsu

One more thing for now. Going back to the medic and the issue of healing: are there rules for consumable healing devices that fit in the palm of one's hand? I'm going to need them to dole out to the PCS to keep up the day-long adventures and stretches of combat that will inevitably occur.

Well, in a realistic TL8-9 campaign, such devices would probably only be really good bandages and anti-infectants. They wouldn't really help in case you got a bullet in your body, you'd still need lots of rest and a real medical facility. Look at Ultra-Tech, Chapter 8; Medical and Biotech that starts on p. 196 for examples of what I'm talking about.

In a more cinematic one, of course, go right ahead and allow them to add +whateryouneed to the points recovered by a successful First-Aid roll.

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by Ragitsu

The sniper will want at least 90% accuracy (if I had to assign an amount off the top of my head) with the ability to assure at least a handful of shots per adventure won't miss using any decent sniper rifle, so it seems I will have to look for a compromise between abilities to best guide them on how to properly create their character.

I've played a former Marine Scout/Sniper in a modern day campaign and he never missed a sniping shot yet. He's got skill 19. He's got a good score in his Precision Aiming Technique and is well-equipped (as he should be, since he's the Supply Sergeant for his outfit and a trained armourer as well).

If you're going for real sniping shots, at real world ranges and against humans (not flies), you don't need skill 46.

[Kaldrin]

Originally Posted by Ragitsu

2. I'm writing a game set in a near post-apocalyptic future with TL8/TL9 alien invaders, and I already know one of the PCs is going to be one of those healers able to whip up necessary equipment from virtually anywhere and pull off moderately to highly impressive results patching up his patients. What would he have to pick, and what house-rules would I have to employ to make this possible? Do keep in mind magic won't exist, and superscience is difficult to come by.

Just one question about this: the doc is able to make things like an old ratty mattress into suitable sutures and gauze? That sounds like a cosmic gadgeteer to me.

Maybe use the Healing advantage with some sort of accessibility limitation and extra time based on him having to make the stuff from whatever's handy.

[Ragitsu]

Originally Posted by Icelander

Well, in a realistic TL8-9 campaign, such devices would probably only be really good bandages and anti-infectants. They wouldn't really help in case you got a bullet in your body, you'd still need lots of rest and a real medical facility. Look at Ultra-Tech, Chapter 8; Medical and Biotech that starts on p. 196 for examples of what I'm talking about.

In a more cinematic one, of course, go right ahead and allow them to add +whateryouneed to the points recovered by a successful First-Aid roll.

I meant to say that the campaign in general is TL8/9, but there are elements of higher TL present (part of which is the aforementioned healing device).

Still, it shouldn't be too hard to cobble together stats for what I need. Thanks for the supplement reference all the same.

Originally Posted by Icelander

I've played a former Marine Scout/Sniper in a modern day campaign and he never missed a sniping shot yet. He's got skill 19. He's got a good score in his Precision Aiming Technique and is well-equipped (as he should be, since he's the Supply Sergeant for his outfit and a trained armourer as well).

If you're going for real sniping shots, at real world ranges and against humans (not flies), you don't need skill 46.

I figured as much :-D. The smallest targets I anticipate them having to shoot will be crow/cat sized (xenofauna).

Originally Posted by Kaldrin

Just one question about this: the doc is able to make things like an old ratty mattress into suitable sutures and gauze? That sounds like a cosmic gadgeteer to me.

Maybe use the Healing advantage with some sort of accessibility limitation and extra time based on him having to make the stuff from whatever's handy.

The latter Healing solution sounds like the cleanest, if not most accurate way, to portray his abilities. He can do things that stretch and barely break believability, but not much beyond that. Most of the raw material comes from a mostly unoccupied city with perhaps 40% of it's supplies left.

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If you don't mind another question (I mean it this time. Promise!), here it is: usually, how much does HP rise above HT in the average cinematic campaign? Are there any other rules that will facilitate this campaign where the PCs are out on their own for up to days at a time and need to be especially resilient (in general. I am aware of Advantages such as Hard to Kill) to survive battles against troops, the occasional vehicle and always lurking "monster"? The NPCs will suffer from Stormtrooper Academy Syndrom most of the time, but should they get a shot in, it will probably be "just a flesh wound" or very slightly incapacitating.

I like being able to scale back to "realism" when needed, but not have it at the forefront of the campaign's feel.

Hopefully some of that came through coherently :-P.

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by Ragitsu

I meant to say that the campaign in general is TL8/9, but there are elements of higher TL present (part of which is the aforementioned healing device).

Still, it shouldn't be too hard to cobble together stats for what I need. Thanks for the supplement reference all the same.

Just consider what kind of wounds you want the device to be able to cure. A nasty cut (2-3 HPs)? A deep stab wound (5-6 HPs)? A 9mm bullet through the body (9-10 HPs)? A 9mm bullet through the lungs (25-35 HPs)?

Originally Posted by Ragitsu

If you don't mind another question (I mean it this time. Promise!), here it is: usually, how much does HP rise above HT in the average cinematic campaign? Are there any other rules that will facilitate this campaign where the PCs are out on their own for up to days at a time and need to be especially resilient (in general. I am aware of Advantages such as Hard to Kill) to survive battles against troops, the occasional vehicle and always lurking "monster"?

I like being able to scale back to "realism" when needed, but not have it at the forefront of the campaign's feel.

This sounds like it would be tailor made for the 'Flesh wound' optional cinematic combat rule on p. 417 of Basic. Just spend the CPs and the annoyingly crippling bullet wound becomes a 1 HP flesh wound.

Just a tiny note, though. HPs are figured from ST, not HT. And they can go to up to 30% higher than ST in a realistic campaign.

If you ignore that rule (which, in a cinematic campaign, you're perfectly entitled to do), I'd make the extra HPs not count for slams and falling damage. Otherwise, you're making the tougher PCs more massive, which would be kind of weird.