Pinning down a fix

[phiwum]

Originally Posted by Shostak

We’re forgetting something. What HTH option would one use to cast a spell in HTH?

That's a good point, though as Henry points out, there was an option in Advanced Combat. TFT Legacy isn't Advanced Combat, but a number of folks have discussed casting in HTH in previous threads.

See Henry's old thread about spells in HTH. (For bonus points, see if you can guess the name of the wizard who found herself in HTH.)

[Steve Plambeck]

Two new options for figures in HTH that might be fun to have...

GAG OPPONENT - instead of attempting to stab, punch, pin, etc. Attempt to clamp a hand over the opponent's mouth. If successful, the opponent cannot voice a spell, cry for help, or shout any information to their friends.

BITE - to be used vs GAG. The mouth is freed for use next turn unless the opponent makes a saving roll vs IQ (or ST??). Bonus to saving roll if gloved. Cannot be used against gauntlets such as normally worn with plate armor.

[hcobb]

The most important thing to do after applying a pin is to Drain Strength into unconsciousness.

[phiwum]

Originally Posted by hcobb

The most important thing to do after applying a pin is to Drain Strength into unconsciousness.

Oh, I'm sure we all regarded that tactic as common knowledge. What else, after all, is a pin good for? What greater good could be gained than replenishing the all-important goblin witch?

The tricky bit, of course, is to bring the opponent down to a multiple of 5 ST before pinning.

Originally Posted by ITL 24

The victim must never be killed by the spell. If the victim had 9 ST left, a wizard could take 5 away (giving himself only 1) but could not take the other 4 away. The backlash would kill the wizard!

So, if he has 5, 10 or 15 ST when pinned, you can drain him to unconsciousness. Otherwise not.

[hcobb]

Aid then drain.

[phiwum]

Well, there's the two turns pinning grants you. I hope you (1) don't miss either DX roll and (2) actually know what the victim's current ST is. It would also be good if you don't end up using more ST on Aid than Drain ST produces.

I'm not sure this is the most important tactic for dealing with a pinned opponent. Why not an IQ 11 Sleep spell instead of Aid plus Drain ST? Or, I don't know, some non-magical tactic? Call for his surrender perhaps? Have the wizard beat him to unconsciousness with her staff?

Too pedestrian?

[hcobb]

Occult zap is a better choice for pinnies (Once you've drained all you can) so you never accidentally hit your pinner.

[phiwum]

I assumed, since you were using Drain ST, that you weren't aiming to kill the opponent.

As far as occult strike goes, it's an attack, not a thrown spell, so you run the same (very small, per RAW) odds of hitting your ally with it as with any other attack, far as I can tell[1]. Of course, Staff III provides a boost to DX for the attack, but if you play according to RAW, you already have a +4 DX to hit a target in HTH[2] and the same bonus to miss your ally.

A pinned target could be an automatic hit or at least a significant bonus to hit.

[1] Please let me know if I've missed something here.

[2] I've houseruled away the +4 DX bonus to hit someone in HTH, because it makes accidentally hitting an ally too improbable for my liking. A DX 10 attacker has a 9% chance of missing the baddie, followed by a 9% chance of hitting the ally, so less than a 1% chance of accidentally injuring his buddy. Without the +4 bonus, the odds of hitting an ally goes up to 25%.

[hcobb]

Special Spells (including Staff) are noted as being all or nothing at ITL 140. They have no roll to miss.

[phiwum]

But the Occult Strike is not a spell at all. The Staff spell creates a staff which is "an occult weapon". Using it as such is making an attack, not casting a spell.

I disagree with this interpretation of the rules. The spell is made to create a staff. The attack that one can make with the staff isn't a spell at all (with no gestures or incantations, for instance -- I don't regard pointing a weapon as a magical gesture).

I'm pretty sure we've discussed this before, so if my argument didn't convince you then, I reckon it won't convince you now. Anyway, we've rather strayed from issues regarding pinning. I suppose we should drop this derail.