FunGuyFromYuggoth

I'd add Block.

This actually has roots in other threads about BRP's unfortunate conflation of parrying with blocking. Does a shield parry or block? From what I've seen in historic recreations, it does both. You may want to have another skill that separates parrying from blocking. If you re-tool the old Block skill (DEX x2%), you get another application of "Shield." You keep the base % (usually 15% but varies) for other uses (if you combine or choose the option splitting attack/parry). The thing about the old Block skill is that it was written to include large enough objects you can use with two hands. Period. It also exempts two-handed swords and your hands--those were designed to "parry" (I'd argue in martial arts you also had the X-block in traditional East Asian martial arts, which are definitely not parries, but that's another thread...) If you houserule it to exempt shields which are specifically designed to block, (it does have nice handles that barstools and other objects lack) then you get the little extra oomph you are looking for. As houserules go, it may not be all that bad. You already have one exception for a type of shield. Remember that the pavise shield that archers use isn't actually used in a way most shields are used. In game, you'd use the Cover rules on page 220 for the pavise shield. For balance, I'd still keep the downside of Block--if the damage done to it exceeds the objects HP, the blocking item (Shield in this case) is rendered useless or knocked away completely. Plus the remainder of the HP damage goes onto the defender. This could force the defender to think a bit more tactically about blocking opponents with big weapons (yeah tell the player ahead of time and they'll forget it 2 seconds later). Plus it could make Shield combat a bit more entertaining vs. largish weapons ("Remember what I said about blocking that great troll's battle axe?") Finally, you get to re-introduce a skill that makes impromptu brawls fun again. Fire extinguishers, large wrenches, tree branches, trash cans, dead goblins, etc. are now in your Blocking arsenal.

I think the proof is in the final product, but the initial trailer was to my mind pretty horrendous, selecting out the parts most likely to provoke judgment. But you know what, I'm willing to hazard that this was a deliberate move by their marketing department to stir the pot and to get people talking about it. Like the conversation here... :ohwell:

I find your lack of faith...disturbing... <Force chokes....> :eek: Oh sorry, I like your work. My bad. :innocent: It deserves a nomination and a win.

Thanks for sharing that. I love "Dead Space." The PSN has been hosting it. I didn't realize it was elsewhere.

I am looking forward to seeing you at the podium making a drunken, slurring speech thanking Charlie, Dustin, and all the little people. Plus the part about how people really, really, really liked you. Followed by the reading of a poem you composed for the occasion. Shall we write to Chaosium through dustin at chaosium.com ?

Britain on alert for deadly new knife with exploding tip that freezes victims' organs Last updated at 11:06 AM on 17th July 2008 Senior police officers have been warned to look out for a new knife which can inject a ball of compressed gas into its victim that instantly freezes internal organs. The 'wasp knife', which can deliver a ball of compressed gas capable of killing its victim at the press of a button, may be heading for Britain, the Metropolitan Police fear. A needle in the tip of the blade shoots out the frozen ball of gas which instantly balloons to the size of a basketball, freezing organs. The Metropolitan Police have told colleagues in the West Midlands to be on the lookout for the blade, which is designed to kill sharks and bears. Enlarge The American-made weapon is sold to hunters and divers and injects the frozen gas when the small handle-mounted trigger is pressed.

Actually Japan did use shields until about the 4th Century CY when mounted horsemen arrived on the battlefield (probably from Korea and China), which emphasized mobility. A mounted horseman was harder to hit when moving and later on, they took it to a whole new level when Japan created an entire discipline of mounted archery called yabusame. Early on, when they did still use shields, they used a specific type of large shield (4 ft. or 1.2 meters) to defend archers.

Thanks for the response(s). The board is fine right now. I was just wondering what the future might hold. :cool:

How was "Pathfinder"? It was savaged by critics. Is it worth a rental? I think "The Incredibles" pretty much obviated the need for a Fantastic Four movie, but Jessica Alba needed a star vehicle and by the Gods of Chaos the studio gave her one.

We had a Traveller campaign, but in those old days could not fathom why there wasn't a character advancement system. It was fixed eventually, but back then, the only other choice was "Space Opera." Our FLGS didn't sell it. In this case, I think the very sketchiness of "Star Frontiers" and the emphasis on percentiles was a selling point for us and helped to prepare us for BRP and its percentile based system.

It's easy here to misunderstand and to be misunderstood. :innocent: I think that's part of the problem of not seeing a face and having to account for millions of years of social interaction--all of that interpretation having to be compressed into pixels on a shiny screen. Add what we already know about human nature and the readiness to reach for that heavy rock when somebody annoys us.

#1: See page 71 under the skill "Perform" (second to last paragraph) #2: See page 233 under "Superior Numbers"

I would submit that a very robust ruleset is freely available from the 1980s for the Star Frontiers game. It is available as a resource to be mined for GM's (especially those who remember with affection the old Star Frontiers game). The rules are convertible (deduct the setting specific information) and theoretically usable "out-of-the-box" with BRP because they rely on percentile dice ratcheted to a six level system on four skills: Piloting, Astrogation, Engineering, and Gunnery. A possible conversion could have Levels 1=1-15%,2=16-31%, 3=32-47%, 4=48-63%, 5=64-79%, and 6=80-95%) from here, but of course I am speaking about Knight Hawks (their starship rules). An explanation of how they can post it online without the Powers that Be raining locusts, blood, and lawyers on them here. I would not recommend the full-on wargaming experience in the advanced rules, but you can have some fun with their rules for economics (how to make and lose money), mining, movement--and of course, combat!

Oh, I know Nightshade. We're all friends here. :innocent:

An underutilized application of a shield: Shields let you close and pin people (Grapple) against walls so you can shank them (Short Sword).

The challenge is presenting the alt-1980s vibe. I am have having a hard time visualizing Se7en for superheroes. What aspect of that would you like to see? Alan Moore's art has always been hard to get across, though visually the costume design of the Swamp Thing from the 1980s got closest--the rest of the movie didn't make me happy. "V for Vendetta" as a movie (which I liked) seems to split the fanbase. Of course, Alan Moore hates all of the films based on his work...but he's a curmudgeon and I think enjoys the attention.

I didn't care for the stills at all, but you say there's footage? (Opens up another tab in Google to search for it.) I was speaking about the stills! (Searching... searching...) Wow! It's beautiful man! To the contrary, I love it! It's been over two decades since I first read it and I can't believe what I just saw. (Imagines another run of t-shirts with with the bloody bullet hole through it.) http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2008/07/watchmen_trailer_who_are_these.html

Question to those with knowledge of Superworld and how it stacks up to the new BRP: With the new BRP in my hands for use in a BRP superhero campaign, is it still worthwhile to purchase the Superworld PDFs?

Yes, Chaosium is listening and Dustin responded that while my idea was interesting, truly the best way to help Chaosium alive is to buy their books. :thumb:

Neither do I. I think it's just a matter of interpretation in a system that can exist as rules light (option boxes checked off) or rules heavy (all option boxes checked on--perhaps at risk of some of options not playing well with each other). As prospective GMs, we can exist in the same BRP framework and exist all along that spectrum. After all, part of the purpose of this forum is to present ideas and possible approaches that work for you and could help others in similar circumstances. I won't dispute your preferences when stating mine, but will certainly try to learn everything I can from everyone here (even if I don't use most of it).

I really must've ceased to care at that point! (Looking at watch probably.) Yes, 300 had a certain painterly epic quality to it. DotD remade had ferocious energy (though not as good as the original). The look of the heroes in the new Watchmen movie seems strangely flat. I was hoping for some filtering so they wouldn't look like a bunch of guys standing around in costume in front of Hollywood and Highland entertaining tourists. Still, I'm sure he's getting an earful from the fans, so I'm sure somebody got the memo. Don't give up hope.

Jason, I was wondering if you knew about the status of game statted characters from the DC and Marvel etc. Universes? I notice the thinly guised Alien, Jedi Knight, etc. templates in the BRP book, but that's a book sold as an enterprise whereas this web site is clearly not making anybody any money. Does presenting their statting create a problem or does that fall under the nebulous rubric of "fanfic" (shudder)? (Entertain me please, copyright baffles me.) :confused: Were those to appear here, would that be a problem?

That's easy. In "Undiscovered Country," the Klingon Chancellor is shot by Federation phasers and NOT disintegrated. Remember those drops of Klingon blood floating in the ether? That's not just an isolated case. Like this one. I remember hearing offhand remarks about "phaser burns" (Google it up) from my mis-spent youth, so it is surviveable. I think the writers of Trek were about as consistent as anybody and even then, they had to allow instances of people surviving getting shot by a phaser, but if they wanted something spectacular, they could do it when they liked. Evidently, though they only refer to "Stun" and "Kill," but in observation the effects include "stun", "heat", and "dematerialize." Confusing. I think the ST RPG addressed it better, but I never played it. Nightshade is right, if you're going to call it "disintegrator," you may as well not nerf it. There is a possible solution below: In Frank Herbert's Dune Universe, personal shields had the interesting effect of creating a particularly nasty side effect if shot with a "lasgun." KABOOM in a huge, ugly way!!! This helped to enforce the almost-medieval feel of the tech and the weaponry and ended the use of such weapons because of the generally undesirable side effect of killing everyone in the vicinity. In the "Firefly" universe beam weapons were outlawed. In "Star Wars" people were generally lousy shots. (I never much understood why Stormtroopers wore armor since it never helped.) Etcetera.

I have the opposite worry. My observation (YMMV) is that one needs to stop and open the rulebook for something frequently enough, players will start losing trust in the GM to tell the story and in turn derail the atmosphere that you've worked weeks to create. Some "rules' should be intuited. Some calls have to be made. That's the GM's responsibility.