Converting D&D/Other Adventures to DFRPG

[restlessgriffin]

Originally Posted by mlangsdorf

I've run and played DF and DFRPG for 15 years with dozens of different people. Scouts are ubiquitous to the point that I can't think of a group that didn't have a scout of some kind. And scouts kill things that are vulnerable to arrows at range.
...

And I'm not sure what is unrealistic about establishing that Fauxgolas, the elf archer, can shoot a bird's eye out at 100 yards, and then realizing that he can shoot out anything's eye out. He's significantly less effective against 10 orc footmen with shields, because he can't do anything about their shield blocks.

Dungeon Fantasy/DFRPG are NOT realistic. It's heroic fantasy, maybe grim hack and slash dungeon crawling. So yes, Scouts with ridiculously high skill and Heroic Archer can shoot out eyes. Personally, what I find odd is big enemies/monsters aren't equipping themselves against this. One issue is dragons in GURPS DF/DFRPG seem to have breath weapons with ridiculously short range. Giants and ogres should hurl the big rocks at scouts and wizards first. I guess just like GURPS PCs, big tough enemies have problems with numbers. One on one I think big enemies probably can take out the scout if they are played intelligently and viciously.

[mburr0003]

Originally Posted by restlessgriffin

Is that House Rules or is it from one of the multitude of GURPS Dragons books/PDFs?

In DFRPG, it's a House Rule... in the greater GURPS field it's Power Parries from GURPS Powers.

Originally Posted by restlessgriffin

Except it isn't moving the entire body.

You don't have to move the entire body for a Dodge, just the part that's in danger.

I'd want to be able to get a better dodge with the head than the body. Maybe allow Enhanced Dodge to be applicable to the head on a dragon with flexible neck.

Oh sure, that's perfectly apporpriate.

OK, so this is a D&D game play, NOT DFRPG.

*4* fireballs? OK, definitely D&D.

Yeah, but it's illustrative of the problem magic can sometimes bring to the table. Granted you won't find too many GURPS Wizards casting that many 5d fireballs back to back, but it's not impossible, just highly unlikely.

But for say a velociraptor, where are the vitals?

In DFRPG that's what the skills Survival, Naturalist, or Veterinary (natural creatures), Hidden Lores, Theology, Thaumatology, etc can be for.

Sure, the book says to use Physiology... but in practice no group of PCs will learn all those separate Physiology specializations, they'll just start turning every fight into a slog of "target torso" if you try to go that route. Allowing a more diverse selection of skills means the Scouts, Druids, Barbarians can use Survival (appropriate area) or Naturalist (Druids can use Veterinary), Wizards will use Thaumatology for golems and constructs (Wizards might actually buy Physiology, they tend to have the high IQ for the skill), Clerics and Holy Warriors* have Theology and Hidden Lore for Undead and Demons, etc.

Just tack a bit of penalty if you think something should be really unfamiliar.


I actually removed Physiology and Psychology from my DF/RPG games, no one ever bothered buying if they didn't have to, it was a points sink to the one PCs profession forced to buy it (Holy Warrior) as they usually failed their rolls unless they dumped lots of points into. It really became the provenance of the occasionally hired sage.


* And allow Holy Warriors to add their Higher Purpose to those rolls. In fact, just let them add Higher to any roll that gives information on or directly opposes their Higher Purpose foe - Stealth, Perception, Intimidation, etc. Your Holy Warriors will appreciate it. Also let Holy Might/Power Investiture add to Exorcism and Esoteric Medicine, just trust me on this (and then be careful to buff up certain things you don't want them to be able exorcise too easily).

[sjmdw45]

Originally Posted by restlessgriffin

Dungeon Fantasy/DFRPG are NOT realistic. It's heroic fantasy, maybe grim hack and slash dungeon crawling. So yes, Scouts with ridiculously high skill and Heroic Archer can shoot out eyes. Personally, what I find odd is big enemies/monsters aren't equipping themselves against this. One issue is dragons in GURPS DF/DFRPG seem to have breath weapons with ridiculously short range. Giants and ogres should hurl the big rocks at scouts and wizards first. I guess just like GURPS PCs, big tough enemies have problems with numbers. One on one I think big enemies probably can take out the scout if they are played intelligently and viciously.

Don't get too focused on eyes in particular. Yes, an eyeshot that a giant fails to dodge or block will end the giant's participation in the fight (unless he's wearing a full face helmet a la Adventures pg. 108), but so will a halberd to the knee from a strong fighter, or a spell from a Druid/Wizard, or a Song of Command from a bard, or Rapier Wit from a Swashbuckler, or Kiai from a monk.

The lesson to learn here is that in DFRPG the best defense is a good offense, and quantity has a quality of its own, so hit those players hard and fast!

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by restlessgriffin

Is that House Rules or is it from one of the multitude of GURPS Dragons books/PDFs?

It's not a houserule for the void wyrm.

It can “power-parry” attacks, even if insubstantial or energy-based, with Parry 17*; if successful, roll 3d, subtract that from the basic damage, and apply it as damage to the weapon or unarmed attacker!

AFAICT it's not a rule for other dragons, expressly. Although, personally, I had already used it for other dragons before I wrote "More Psionic Threats".