Re: A discussion on MODs (was something about steel and weapons)

[Wright Frazier <khelek@ns1.cioe.com>]

I like the idea of being able to buy up DVs personally, but first
I'd rather see armour that wasn't insanely resitrctive to the point
that it is a hindrance.  But I do like the suggseted idea for
a 'defense' skill.

Wright

> Now, what's missing in all of this?  I believe AGI is
> missing in the equation.
> 
> Hmm..what if we could BUY CDV/MDV/GDV with experience, 
> capped by agility, or half of agility?
> 
> Make the base cost for CDV, MDV, GDV be 1.5 x base
> cost for the respective Melee Modifier...capped by 
> AGI x 0.5.  For warriors, base 300 all around.  
> Now, does the warrior buy up his combat mod to 20,
> or does he give himself some defense as well?
> And, for the mage to defend himself in combat...
> a gross 750.  Is it worth the cost?  I think
> not when Iron Defense is a base 300...but such
> is the choices we're allowed in AQ.
> 
> I like the idea presented above.
> 
> 
> Personally, although I am on the bandwagon of seeing
> some grossly high DVs out there...I think they are
> in the minority.  I am not sure there are more than
> a dozen characters with an average CDV/MDV of over
> 25 or so.
> 
> 
>  Just a thought,
> Pat
> 
> 
> -- 
> ____________________________________________________
> Patrick C. Collins      drunsen@ecicnet.org
> Process Engineer and Learner of Life

-- Start of included mail From:  Steve Ames <steve@ns1.cioe.com>

> Return-path:  steve@ns1.cioe.com
> Date:  Thu, 25 Jun 1998 09:07:58 -0500 (EST)
> To:  gmlist@cioe.com, shyryly@geocities.com
> Subject:  Re: Fw: [Fwd: Steel tech and weapons]

> > though...could just make a meta-rule that the greater magical protection
> > overrides instead...i.e. the +1 from shimmer and +2 iron defense don't
> > add...you get the +2 to the appropriate DV, and the shimmer affects the two
> > otherwise unaffected DV.  Thoughts, anyone?
> 
> Sounds good. I've always treated armor as such. If you get extra
> sized plate to wear over your chain, you just get plate... and some
> extra negatives :) You will run into some implementation problems
> (why won't a spell that makes my skin stronger work in conjunction 
> with one that deflects blades and be cummulative?) but hey... magic
> isn't a very well understood art and I'm sure the geeks at the mages
> guild have some explanation involving disruptive magical field
> theory.... in other words... PFM.
> 
> Hey... topic two: has anyone come up with a good explanation of
> what a DV actually is? Can anyone shed any light on why a a
> master combat artist cannot defend himself (ie increase his DVs)?
> 
> A while back a few "items" got released that allowed the player
> to add half their mod to their DV. That actually worked out 
> pretty well (from an experimental standpoint) until mods were
> bought way up into the 20s. Capping the MODs would bring this
> back into the "its working pretty well" range.
> 
> Consider. At rate two (with no mods) the average DV is 10. So on
> a normal roll I have a 50% chance of hitting you. At rate 10 
> (with a MOD of 6) the DV goes up to 13 and I have a +6 to hit. So
> my odds of hitting have gone up to 65%. But a with no mod, the
> ods of hitting me have gone down to 35%. When people learn to
> fight, most are learning for self defense, no to become faceless
> killers. I don't want to have to take damage and then hurt the
> person. I don't even want to be hit.
> 
> Take it to insane levels. I buy my strength up to 20 (hey, I'm
> a muscle bound freak, you think people would hesitate to attack
> me anyway, but...) so I can buy my mod to 20. This gives me an
> average (un-armoured) DV of 20. Since the average stat starts
> at 12.. I've spent 26.4 rates to buy up strength and 16.8 rates
> buying mod (assuming warrier) so I'm now (at least) rate 45.
> A person with no mod needs a natural 20 to hit me. My peers auto
> hit me. It'll take me almost 7 rates to go any higher and my
> peers will be buying a sword skill so it becomes a game of
> diminishing returns.
> 
> What have we created? We've created a system where a high rating
> warrior who is aware that he is being attacked will _NEVER_ be
> beaten by a farmer with a sword (short of the nasty crit and that's
> why crits are in the game). With the existing system that farmer
> has a 50% chance of hitting you regardless of your rate. Notice
> that I use the word "aware" above. All of the skill in the world
> won't save you if your caught by suprise.
> 
> Given the relative costs of mods and once again certain backgrounds
> will, as it should be, never be able to stand toe-toe with a
> warrior. Making the class distinction sharper at higher levels.
> 
> On the subject of Mods... by using the associated stat we are saying
> that someone has to be monstrously strong to be considered a good
> swordsman? And have the WIL from hell to be a master wrestler?
> 
> 						-Steve
> 
-- End of included mail.