DFRPG questions: Discrepancy/errata (?) edition

[tbone]

Instead of my usual goofy batches of questions ("How does this rule work?" "What does this creature look like?"), I have a handful that look like possible discrepancies or errata. Maybe. Or I'm just missing something...


1) Highest HT ever?

Monsters lists ogres as having ST 20, HP 20, and HT 13 – with notes saying these stats can go as high as ST 30 and HT 23.

I wonder whether that was intended to be an extra 10 levels of ST (so ST 30, HP 30), not an extra 10 levels each of ST and HT. The text seems pretty clear on HT... but I've never seen a monster (or any GURPS creature/character?) approach that level of HT. I'm not even sure what HT 23 would represent...

But maybe ogres are weird that way?


2) Mystery asterisk?

The spear and trident have melee reach 1, 2* used two-handed, reach 1* used one-handed. The asterisk indicates "the weapon requires a Ready maneuver to change reach (e.g., between 1 and 2)." But one-handed use doesn't offer a choice of reaches, only reach 1.

Should one-handed use for these weapons correctly specify reach 1, not 1*? Or does the asterisk here indicate "requires a Ready to switch to two-hand use"? (Maybe that's it, though a few other weapons allowing one- and two-handed use, like the bastard sword, have no asterisk.)


3) The true cost of tentacular intrusion?

Magic Items 2 p44: The main text for the Wand of Tentacular Intrusion says the wielder can optionally cast the Evisceration spell with a melee strike, but "Cost is always 10 HP". I'm assuming that should be FP, not HP.


4) The breadth of Search?

In Adventurers, the description of Search skill suggests it's used only to search a person. The description of Smuggling suggests Search is also used to search packs, wagons, etc.

A discrepancy? (If so, it's certainly a minor one. I vote for a simple fix of "assume the Search description mentions packs, etc. as well".)


5) The worth of gems?

Exploits p74 makes clear that gems, unlike coins, need to be evaluated, and don't trade at full value; Exploits p16 backs this up. However, Adventurers p54 and p67, under discussions of Wealth, lump gems in with coins as items that do trade at full value.

Is this a disrepancy? Or do gems simply work differently from coins and normal goods? Maybe like this:

Gems fall between coins and other valuables, in that PCs' estimation of value matters, but Wealth level doesn't. That would set three classes of treasure, for purpose of selling value:

1. Coins, ingots, other forms of precious metals: Always "sell" at full value. (Neither estimation of value nor Wealth matter, at least for common precious metals.)
2. Gems: Sell at lower of full value and estimated value. (PCs' estimation of value matters; Wealth does not.)
3. Other valuables: Sell at lower of full value (modified for Wealth) and estimated value (modified for Wealth)

Is that how things work here?

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