"Drownin & Covering"-but not at the same time

[Benjamin Austin <jedi@ecn.purdue.edu>]

First off, in regards to John's description on the default swimming 
check, it is described as if a person makes the default, they just beat 
the water to stay afloat.  While this may be part of it and it may very well 
look like their taking out painful childhood memories on the water, they 
are swimming and able to move about as though swimming because they have 
made their check.  Just as if a climbing check is successfully defaulted, 
the person ought to be able to move up and down the rope -- not just dangle 
there hanging on for dear (or antelope, or buffalo ... whatever) life.  I 
think the fact that swimming is strength based instead of agility is more to 
reflect the amount of energy it requires and not the elegance of it.


Secondly,

On Mon, 21 Sep 1998, Rob wrote:

> 
> Okay here's an idea i wanna throw on the table.  In several other games
> there exists the option to "cover" an opponent.  this allows a person to
> essentially hold a knife to 
> his opponents throat.  the way it usually works is that dukey the mad
> monkey rolls to strike george.  if he succeds in hitting he can chose to
> "cover" him.  Once an opponent 
> is "covered"  then the damage can be applied anytime the attacker chooses. 
> 
> 

Gotta say that I don't like this.  Sorry, Rob.  I can't see any (and I 
hate using this word in a fantasy game) 'realistic' mode for this to 
occur.  Logic (hate using that word too) would suggest that sometime in 
the insuing next four seconds of battle that the person to which (or is 
it whom?) you are holding the knife to would move in some manner in which 
he could no longer easily (like with the flick of a wrist) be struck and 
so you would have to make another full attempt to hit.  And I'm not meaning
that they parry and drop roll out of the way but more in just the fumbling
around that happens in a combat which is in part what the d20 represents.

Later, 

BJ