Re: Mods (open discussion)

[John Hogg <johnhogg@expert.cc.purdue.edu>]

In regard to the plethora of options for dealing with John Smith warrior
with DV of 44, all effective examples for dealing with the situation as a
GM.

However, in regard to high combat mods:

1) Most preceding examples tend to indicate skill or magical ability will
negate mods.

I agree.

2) A high mod's greatest utility is the ability to hit the Gargoyle, or
the CDV 44 warrior (with magic resistance).

(keep reading, before you respond, folks, I hit lower-end mods in a bit)

I disagree.

Yes, going toe to toe with creatures/actors/characters with obscene DV is
dumb.

This makes a straight-up warrior nearly worthless against them, and
completely undamaging, UNLESS he buys his mod sky-high.  (therefore being
a pretty damn high rating character) 

Such entities are designed to make it difficult for ANY one character to
whack them, and even damaging them would take a powerful character  (i.e.
a pretty damn high rating)

Ex:  whipping around finessed R12 earth spells, R12 priest spells, etc.

Wait a minute, A GM throwing a darn-near-impossible-to-kill-with-any-kind- 
of-direct-confrontation actor against a party ... UNHEARD OF!

Such a creature is DESIGNED to be a pain in the ass.  Any GM that has
wipped out such a baddie that the party HAS TO kill is a poor GM.

(exceptions being the party who's combined rating looks like the interest
on the national debt) 

as such,

To extend the argument that MODS are there to make it possible for a
warrior to go toe-to-toe with such a creature is also poor reasoning.


MODS ... mmmmmmmm.

the coolest thing about a mod of, say, 10 (less than 5 ratings of ep) is I
don't miss the guy with the AGI of 15+ and STR of 15+ (CDV = 10) EVER if
he's not in armor.

AND, if he's in plate, with a shield, and a 1-handed weapon, (+10 to CDV)
a.k.a. as tweaked as one's DV can get WITHOUT magic, I still hit him as
easily as I hit someone unarmored and unarmed 5 rates ago.

(oops, forgot the helmet, but you get the point)

AND, why should I use skill to increase my to hit, even if I can split
dice, when I can rattle off an extra attack that will ALSO be +10?  Two
attacks at +10 are FAR more devistating than one attack at +12, or one
attack +2 to damage.

Regardless, 
Extreme DV (20 +) are there to circumvent people with mods from hitting.
(as those without CAN'T hit a dv = 20)

Therefore DV greater than 30 or 40 is there SPECIFICLY to deal with the
sword-toters with high MODS


Now,

IF, we want to have a more human(oid)s as villain trend in GMing (brought
up as one of the benefits of Gelelia, an existing strength in Centralia,
and all-around good idea for Rugtero),

IF, we want to make the warrior's skills more attractive,

IF, we want a warrior skill to be the only non-magical means of elevating
our character's DV's above armor,
(yes, I know Dodging is Marine)

IF, as a rule, actors (extend this to characters) should not be based
around brute force, but rather finesse,

Should we not reconsider the effect of MODS?


John Hogg					johnhogg@expert.cc.purdue.edu
I'll tell you what I've learned today!  I've learned Nature can be cruel ...  
BUT I CAN BE CRUELER!!!!!!    BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
		-Ren Hoek	"Lumberjerks"	The Ren & Stimpy Show