How to protect casters?

[cmdicely]

Originally Posted by Gizensha

Isn't damage in GURPS and damage in the other game measures of significantly different things, though?

What damage is in GURPS is pretty clear, what it in the case of the other game is less so: fans of the other game will argue back and forth about the issue endlessly, with each side citing absolutely convincing (in isolation, naturally) quotes from the rules to support their position.

While GURPS limits HP to measuring injury, the other game has it measure things like lucky escapes, ability to dodge, etc.

Certainly, that's a popular position with some support in the rules, as is the "damage as injury" interpretation (especially given the fact that lucky escapes and dodging ability have their own mechanisms outside of HP in that game.)

Which means it's just as possible to make characters capable of soaking up as much 'damage' in GURPS as it is in the other game... It just won't look like you're soaking up damage because you're not. A few levels of luck, improvements to active defences, etc.

As others have pointed out, its quite possible (though it violates suggested limits for realism on extra HP) to do vast HP in GURPS, just as in the other game, even though its not as popular of an option in GURPS.

[khorboth]

Originally Posted by Anthony

I didn't say that the miss/squish problem is only a problem in DF. The miss/ping/squish problem is a generic issue with cinematic GURPS, and is a major reason I don't use GURPS for cinematic games.

I recently ran a VERY cinematic supers game. I was looking to make a brick who was hard to hurt and still would take a number of hits to go down. I was looking for the cinematic "lots of flesh wounds" thing which I think mirrors your desire. I dug through Supers and found Damage Reduction. With the enhancement (whose name eludes me) allowing it to progress on the speed/range table, I was easily (on a cinematic point scale) able to afford Damage Reduction 30 for my brick character. This meant that nearly any wound he took was a single HP of damage and he could be dramatically shot up without being in real danger of going down.

If you're looking for a TL3 fighter who can get stabbed a lot, bleed, and still keep trucking, I recommend Damage Reduction 2-5.

[blacksmith]

Originally Posted by khorboth

I recently ran a VERY cinematic supers game. I was looking to make a brick who was hard to hurt and still would take a number of hits to go down. I was looking for the cinematic "lots of flesh wounds" thing which I think mirrors your desire. I dug through Supers and found Damage Reduction. With the enhancement (whose name eludes me) allowing it to progress on the speed/range table, I was easily (on a cinematic point scale) able to afford Damage Reduction 30 for my brick character. This meant that nearly any wound he took was a single HP of damage and he could be dramatically shot up without being in real danger of going down.

If you're looking for a TL3 fighter who can get stabbed a lot, bleed, and still keep trucking, I recommend Damage Reduction 2-5.

THat is basic level 7 dammage reduction from supers.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by khorboth

If you're looking for a TL3 fighter who can get stabbed a lot, bleed, and still keep trucking, I recommend Damage Reduction 2-5.

At 50-125 points, that's rarely a good option compared to other uses for the same points.

[Kromm]

Originally Posted by Anthony

At 50-125 points, that's rarely a good option compared to other uses for the same points.

I don't think that many people running the sorts of games where distinctions like "squishy" and "tank" exist are using those power levels, though. This is why, for instance, Dungeon Fantasy settled on a 250-point starting level. More generally, when wearing my hat as the GURPS Q&A guy, I'd estimate that better than 80% of fantasy gamers appear to be playing at the 200-point level and above.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Kromm

I don't think that many people running the sorts of games where distinctions like "squishy" and "tank" exist are using those power levels, though.

Urrr...I didn't specify a power level. DR:10 is better than IT(DR) 2 unless average damage per attack exceeds 20, in which case +3 Spd, -2 Move (net 50) is better than either one, and +12 weapon skill is usually vastly superior to any of those choices, at least until skill is more than 30-ish.

[Kromm]

Sorry . . . I assumed that your 50-125 points referred to overall character value, not to points spent on a specific advantage.

[khorboth]

Originally Posted by Anthony

At 50-125 points, that's rarely a good option compared to other uses for the same points.

Originally Posted by Anthony

DR:10 is better than IT(DR) 2 unless average damage per attack exceeds 20, in which case +3 Spd, -2 Move (net 50) is better than either one, and +12 weapon skill is usually vastly superior to any of those choices, at least until skill is more than 30-ish.

IT(DR) may not be the most point-efficient way to go, but it's not as bad as you're making it out.

DR v. IT(DR) has an easily calculable break-point as you pointed out IF you buy the Force Field enhancement for the DR. In a cinematic game, however, there are likely to be a bunch of attacks with armor divisors. If you determine that DR is the way to go, then buy it with the limiter (-20% maybe?) "not for the first point of damage." Then the tank will again take a minimum of 1 point and be sufficiently bleeding for the drama.

Dodge and parry are bypassed in part or whole by: area damage, deceptive attack, surprise attack, unconsciousness, feints, critical successes, critical failures, etc. I don't think they're in the same category.

Regardless of efficiency, however, my point is: GURPS can do that.

Hmm... We've drifted a bit. You want to start a new thread?