RE: 5.3.13 Edges and Handicaps

[godsmonkey]

5.3.13 Edges and Handicaps

Your GM may want rules to represent opponents who strike rarely but with great effect or who strike often but with little impact per blow. The first quality can be represented with an edge; the second, with a handicap. Edges and handicaps are designated using ^ (^5, for example), handicaps with a minus sign (–^5).

Edges and handicaps affect only the advantage points bid in an extended contest. Your edge is added to your AP bid when your opponent must lose or transfer APs. Your handicap is subtracted from your bid when your opponent loses or transfers APs. A contestant’s edge or handicap never affects his AP when he defends, only when he is attacking.

Most GMs find edges and handicaps more trouble than they’re worth, and depict these phenomena with description alone. Earlier books made more extensive use of edges and handicaps to represent the quality of equipment carried by the PCs. For example, your suit for chainmail might be ^4 and your sword ^3. In games where restricted access to equipment is a significant part of the setting and your GM wants to use extended contests it may make sense to use them, otherwise we recommend ignoring them.


OK, so I get that certain edges or handicaps effect the AP bid. For example, the sword adding 3 AP to the bid. Easy. However, why wouldn't Chain mail lower the AP bid on a loss? If I allowed that would it break things? 

 

 

Also, is the edge added before or after the AP bid calculation? For example, both sides roll a success, with the PC winning the contest. The result is "Worse roll loses 1/2 bid" Say the PC bid 10 AP. Do I add the swords ^3 to the bid, then divide, or divide, then add it?

Thanks in advance.

Edited September 9, 2020 by godsmonkey

[Mugen]

HeroWars has the answers you seek:

-Armor works like you want in this game.  You apply an Edge or a Handicap equal to the difference between (attacker's) weapon and (defender's) armor ratings to the AP bid.
-Edge/Handicap are added to the bid before multiplication/division.

Edited September 15, 2020 by Mugen

[soltakss]

My advice, for what it is worth: Don't bother with edges and handicaps. Just treat them as a +N or -N adjustment to skills.

The absolute worst thing in Hero Wars, for me, was the bidding mechanism for Extended Contests, I dislike that very much. Edges to increase the APs lost is just another way of making a complex system even more complex.