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Old 06-01-2009, 10:10 PM   #31
cmdicely
 
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Default Re: "Save or Die" effects in GURPS.

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Originally Posted by LemmingLord View Post
Let's see.. Star Trek has phasers, instant kill.
Phasers may usually instantly kill (on certain settings), but they don't tend to be all-or-nothing, they are much better modelled as massive-damage weapons than as Affliction weapons except for the stun effects (and even some of those might work better as fatigue damage attacks.)

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War of the Worlds, Death Rays, instant kill.
Again, War of the Worlds heat rays are pretty clearly better modeled as massive damage weapons than Affliction weapons.
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Old 06-01-2009, 10:22 PM   #32
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Default Re: "Save or Die" effects in GURPS.

I think save or die is pretty easy to do in GURPS. You have your character roll vs. HT and if it succedes then the character survives but if the character fails then it will take 100d cosmic damage.
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Old 06-01-2009, 11:19 PM   #33
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Default Re: "Save or Die" effects in GURPS.

One answer is: Make it so. To take, for example, a leaf out of Mrs. Rowlings Harry Potter series, Avada Kedavara would invoke exactly a save (in this case, Dodge) or die condition. Since that murderous spell can be easily regarded as Missile spell, you got to dodge or you will die. And if you don't see it being cast, it's a save and die condition, as our AD&D2 gaming group would be likely to say...

Another answer is: Since (A)D&D#.# combat rounds are still longer than GURPS ones (I don't know about D&D4), follow-ups and ongoing effects may achieve the same thing. They have a nasty tendency of costliness, though.
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Old 06-12-2009, 08:48 PM   #34
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Default Re: "Save or Die" effects in GURPS.

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Originally Posted by LemmingLord View Post
Princess Bride, Iocaine Powder, instant kill...
Since one can "build up" a resistance to iocaine powder, it must not be lethal in all quantities at all times ....
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Old 06-12-2009, 09:25 PM   #35
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Default Re: "Save or Die" effects in GURPS.

Instead of trying to support the side that wants instant death effects, we have people saying they really aren't instant death. Funny, huh?
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Old 06-12-2009, 09:54 PM   #36
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Default Re: "Save or Die" effects in GURPS.

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Originally Posted by Ragitsu View Post
Instead of trying to support the side that wants instant death effects, we have people saying they really aren't instant death.
Well, yes. The usual argument in favor of instant death is that you need it to emulate fiction. The counterargument is that instant death, for protagonists at least, is not really fun, in RPGs or in more standard fiction. Examples are then produced demonstrating that even supposedly "instant death" effects are pretty much never applied to heroes - somehow, no matter how instant a death is supposed to be, a stalwart hero can fight through and resist.
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Old 06-13-2009, 05:57 AM   #37
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Default Re: "Save or Die" effects in GURPS.

Yeah, yeah - but that can be done by having a resistance roll, and have anyone who wants there to not be a resistance roll against their version of the 'instant death' power take 'Cosmic: No Defense Possible' or whatever it's called for +300%.

I see no reason to not have a 'save or die' effect in GURPS other than Heart Attack.
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Old 06-13-2009, 06:18 AM   #38
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Default Re: "Save or Die" effects in GURPS.

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Originally Posted by Langy View Post
Yeah, yeah - but that can be done by having a resistance roll, and have anyone who wants there to not be a resistance roll against their version of the 'instant death' power take 'Cosmic: No Defense Possible' or whatever it's called for +300%.

I see no reason to not have a 'save or die' effect in GURPS other than Heart Attack.
You fail RAW forever.
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Old 06-13-2009, 06:25 AM   #39
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Default Re: "Save or Die" effects in GURPS.

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You fail RAW forever.
Heh. Harsh, but fair.
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Old 06-13-2009, 06:44 AM   #40
Langy
 
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Default Re: "Save or Die" effects in GURPS.

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You fail RAW forever.
How so? The Cosmic I was referring to was 'Irresistable Attack' on Basic page 103. Yeah, you can use active defenses - if they're applicable. Which is fine - though another Cosmic that makes Active Defenses impossible might be called for in some situations.

And yes, I know there is no RAW 'save or die' effect other than Heart Attack. I think one is called for, though.
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