Hirudo (the same thread...)

[Lyle H Janney <lhjanney@adpc.purdue.edu>]

-----Original Message-----
From:	DAVID WARD [SMTP:reddward@worldnet.att.net]

And they made GREAT campaign opponents!  But not player characters.
The rank 1 spell that gacks an opponent with no save would create an
unbalanced character class.  

-----Original Message-----
From:	Daniel Lawrence [SMTP:dan@aquest.com]


Dan replies briefly...

Minor point. The Hirudo must succeed at a grapple to hold to use this spell. 
The grapple defense is similar in probabilities although not exactly the same
As a resistance check.

Lyle (not so briefly) also replies...

Similar in probability?  Well, not exactly.  The best GDV you can get
without magical assistance or exceptional stats is 14 as is shown below.

Mobility + AGI/5 + WIL/5 + Armor + Shield + Weapon
3 + 3 + 3 + 2 +  0 + 3 (skip the shield and use a Staff as your weapon)

At worst case, a Hirudo would have to have spent ~2 ratings on his
Grapple mod to get a 4, making it a 50-50 shot of grappling another
adventurer (with way-above-average AGI _and_ WIL).  Then, if the
Hirudo had the initiative flip-flop on his side, *chomp* (with no chance
to save).  Otherwise, the adventurer does get a 4d6 vs. STR roll
(making the whole situation a bit more palatable (please pardon the
pun)), assuming, of course, that the Hirudo was not the brightest and
hadn't bought any wrestling skill (or had, but failed his roll to use it).

No, it is true, even a green, newly converted Hirudo can be a killing
machine in a 1-on-1 situation.  However, Steve is correct in his point
that a whole party against a single Hirudo (or a very small group, say
a Hirudo and his two progeny, assuming they weren't all powerful
adventurers in their own right before being 'brought over') should be
a cake walk.

However, we seem to be missing the real point, which, again, is
should Hirudo be allowed as player characters.  I know that Dan is
fundamentally against the idea, but those who will be most involved
in the Geleia campaign should have the final say in the matter.  Steve
has put forth a revised Hirudo description, and a number of people
have voiced their opinions one way or the other.  We could just put it
up for a vote at the next GM's meeting.  I think that there has probably
been enough lobbying over the idea that we can at least make an
initial decision.  If the decision is to allow Hirudo as PCs, then we
can discuss the actual rules that will apply.  Incidentally, I would
suggest that a tie on this initial vote result in maintaining status quo.