HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: millerl@wharton.upenn.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: RQ: First Aid
Date: 14 Dec 92 02:05:12 GMT
Organization: Newt World Order

Between RQ2 and RQ3 characters became capable of healing damage with
First Aid skill rolls, and I for one think that alters campaign feel in
undesirable ways. As the RQ4 rules propose to essentially double
characters' hit points I think that the First Aid rules could be cleaned
up a little, restoring the feel of the original rules, that damage is
permanent unless healed by magic, including divine means, or rest.

First Aid: The rough and ready art, often practiced by soldiers, of field
     medicine. This allows one to stop a wound from bleeding, to splint a
     broken limb, or to fashion a rough sling. A successful roll will stop a
     wound from bleeding in one round, and splint a broken limb or fashion a
     sling within five minutes. A failed roll will require four rounds to
     stop a wound from bleeding, and twenty minutes to splint a broken limb
     or make a sling, and the patient must make a CONx5 roll or pass out from
     pain because of rough treatment. A fumbled roll will not stop bleeding,
     the patient will bleed to death unless helped magically before that
     time, and will not fashion a useful splint or sling, and the patient
     must roll CONx3 or less or fall unconcious from incompetent and painful
     treatment. First Aid will not restore hit points of damage, prevent
     infection, or otherwise heal wounds. It will only stop them from getting
     worse quickly.

Comments?

-- 
whoah,
+++++++++++++++++++++++23
Loren Miller                           internet: MILLERL@wharton.upenn.edu
Mediocrity is a hand rail.                         -- Baron de Montesquieu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: esper@cs35b.cs.umn.edu (Dave Sherohman)
Subject: Re: Shadowrun -- Astral Perception and Spells
Organization: University of Minnesota
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 19:24:43 GMT

In article <Bz6xoG.5q6@rice.edu> hyatt@owlnet.rice.edu (David Waterman Hyatt) writes:
>A magician cannot, however, cast spells at invisible beings or
>characters in ASTRAL SPACE by using enhanced vision or
>ASTRAL PERCEPTION.
>
>The implication of this passage is that if I am astrally perceiving,
>then I CANNOT cast a spell at anything that is in astral space,
>unless I can see the physical component of that being.

This is correct in the the case of a non-active astral presence, as is made
clear in the Grimoire - if the subject of the invisibility spell is also
astrally perceiving, then you can nail him.  Or you can attack foci or spirits.
I would also allow you to nail the spell directly - the rules say that you
can't cast a spell at another spell, but I think this is meant to apply to
instantaneous spells (where you wouldn't have time to cast a counterspell),
and sustained spells were not considered.

esper@ima.umn.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: irvine@uxh.cso.uiuc.edu (Brent Irvine)
Subject: Re: STAR FRONTIERS:does anyone remember it??
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 21:57:28 GMT
Keywords: STAR FRONTIERS

In article <sfo.724367659@milton> sfo@milton.u.washington.edu (Stephen Omalley) writes:
>Does anyone out there remember Star Frontiers, T$R's SF RPG?? What happened
>to it? I admit it wasn't that good of a system but the Zebulon's Guide...  
>supplement was GREAT!!! I loved it! When was that released?? '86,'87 ??
>Boy,it's been a long time. That expansion was a hell of a lot better than 
>alot of the shit T$R is putting out these days. Does anyone know what 
>became of that (I assume it didn't sell) because that was only the first
>of many Zebulon's Guides planned (others were going to deal with things
>such as mecha, cybernetics and other fun SF junk not in the original
>game). If anyone does know what became of that game PLEASE POST!!!

What a dog of a system!  Not even a whole lot of fun to play, it was
the start of the end of T$R for me.  A Science fiction game that did
not even have any coherent space ship rules until about 6 months later
when Knight Hawks was released!  

It is a long dead system, but it sold so poorly that if you go to many
Hobby stores that played lip service to gaming (look for a lot of trains
and remote control and some tole painting supplies) may have a few
supplements lying about.  Some store may be able to get some for you from
distributors who want to get rid of the stuff as well.  Also check book
stores like B-Dalton who might have neglected game sections.

IMNSHO, TSR experimented with the bland Care-Bear whitebread no substance
generic game feel, ditched the beta system and took the theme over to 
their AD&D game!  [2nd Edition AD&D - blech!, also when they first
quietly removed Melnibonean Myths from Dieties and Demigods, and then
quietly changed the name to Legends and Lore I knew the end of the 
'golden era' of TSR was gone, reploaced by respecability/blandness].

Enough rambling,
Brent


>
>
>
>				Just a rambling old gamer,
>					Stephen F. O'Malley
>					sfo@u.washington.edu
>
>
>"I fall below the earth,
> I smell the ancient's breath,
> the feinds encircle me,
> they speak my name in tongues..."
>				-David Vincent, Morbid Angel 666


-- 
+-------------------------+-----------------+---------------------------------+
| Brent L. Irvine         | NE PER INGENIUM | The above personal opinions     |
| irvine@uxh.cso.uiuc.edu | MEUM SED DEI    | can be yours too for only $50!  |
+-------------------------+-----------------+---------------------------------+
From: at731@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Troy L. Nothnagel)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: SRII Is Magic getting out of hand?
Date: 18 Dec 1992 06:49:56 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Reply-To: at731@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Troy L. Nothnagel)
NNTP-Posting-Host: hela.ins.cwru.edu


In a previous article, pjmelody@eos.ncsu.edu (PATRICK J MELODY) says:

>I agree that magic is definitely out of hand in shadowrun.  I GMed a game
>a while ago and the magicians were so pumped up with increase attribite 
>spells, various foci, and elementals assisting them that it was ridiculous.
>Part of this was a result of some poor campaign design decisions, but there 
>were also problems with the game.  Usually the combat mages won initiative
>and then hammered with their spells doing lots of damage.  Even if the 
>samurai/merc types managed to go first, their contributions to combat were 
>small compared to the mages'.  The mages were also superior at surveillance.
>Non mages and non deckers didn't do as much as mages and deckers.

If you'll read the new SRII rules carefully, it says (at least as far as
_I_ can tell) that spells are not staged down.  It says that if the
'target' scores more successes than the caster, there is NO effect.  Not
that damage is staged down, but that there is no effect.  Under 'Casting
Spells':
 
"F. Determine Result
     Compare the successes.  If the spellcaster generated more successes
than did the target, the spell's effect is based on how many more net
successes the spellcaster roll made than the target.  See the specific
spell description for the actual effect.  If the target rolled more
successes, the spell goes off but there is no effect."

and under "Determining Spell Result":

     "Against resisting targets, compare the spellcaster's successes
against the target's successes in the Spell Resistance Test.  If the
target generated more successes, the spell does not affect him.  The
spell was successfully cast, however, so its presence may be visible
even though the target is unaffected."
 
 
That makes sorcery a hell of a lot less powerful, in my opinion, and if
you're complaining that it's too powerful that is probably why.

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: sos@oz.plymouth.edu (Steffan O'Sullivan)
Subject: GURPS Running (was Re: GURPS 1/8 and 1/4 Points, & high defaults)
Organization: Plymouth State College - Plymouth, NH.
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 92 13:47:26 GMT

dripton@csugrad.cs.vt.edu (David Ripton) writes:
>
>Does anybody out there have a solution to the abuse of running skill, 
>other than banning it or charging an Unusual Background? 

The official solution, published in old Roleplayers, is that Running
does not add to Dodge, and only adds to Move when actually Running - in
other words, when the sprint bonus would apply.

-- 
  - Steffan O'Sullivan		         sos@oz.plymouth.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: stxtnt@rs733.GSFC.NASA.Gov (Nigel Tzeng)
Subject: Re: SRII questions
Organization: Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md, USA
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 17:13:12 GMT

In article <1992Dec14.111610.2638@bnr.uk> jpmunday@bmdhh336.bnr.ca (Jonathan Munday) writes:

> A quick couple of questions,

>   a) Is the choke on a shotgun set once when the gun is made or is it
>   variable? (And if it is variable, how long does it take to change it ?)

The user can change it...for smart link users I think its a free
action and for others it is a simple action...can't be sure that is
right so you'll have to check the relevant rules section on actions.
It is listed there.  We never use it since we tend to fire slug
rounds...

> b) In a couple of the novels there are instances of people using
>ritual magic to LOCATE a person through an object containing a peice
>of their DNA, but I can't find any rules for this in the game (there
>are only rules for sending a spell at a remote target). Am I just
>looking at the wrong page or are there rules for this?

Hmmm...I don't know if the Grimore is out yet.  For now in SRII I'd
just wing it.  If the person is aware and resisting (like sitting in a
force 20 lodge :) do an opposed success test...otherwise assign a
difficulty and roll something you feel to be apropriate.  I have to
re-read my old SRI Grimore to see if it covers ritual magic any
better...I don't remember seeing anything in my SRII basic book.

Then again I'm playing a rigger and as GM none of my players have
toyed with ritual magic.

>			   thanks,	
>				   Jon.
--
Nigel Tzeng
.sig under construction
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: dunning@chainsaw.ecn.purdue.edu (GALACTIC COMMANDER)
Subject: Re: FANTASY HERO: duration for spells
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 20:41:42 GMT

In article <1992Dec13.032152.10325@daffy.cs.wisc.edu> hague@cat27.cs.wisc.edu (Vince Hague) writes:
>Presently, I am attempting to create a wide variety of spells
>for a FANTASY HERO campaign (since the ones in the FANTASY HERO book
>just don't cut it).
>   One of the problems I'm having with spells concerns duration. I know
>that there are several ways in which to get the different types of
>duration:
>  A) Instantaneous - single phase
>  B) Constant/Continuous - on til END is not payed
>  C) Persistant - on even if not awakw
>  D) Reduced END -    
>  E) Continuous charges - no END, extended duration
>  F) END Reserve - used to feed spell
>
>   Here are the things which I want to be able to do:
>     1) duration of up to a day (for low power spells) 
>     2) duration of up to a couple of hours (med power spells)
>     3) spells cast on others which last for more than one
>	phase; caster pays END when spellis cast (but not
>	huge amounts)
>         * like a magic resistance spell or missle deflection
>     4) really LONG duration spells (curses)
>
>  Lastly, can the DELAYED EFFECT advantage be used as follows:
>     An armor spell which will activate when the wizard is attacked...
>     Well???
>Vincent.

AH HA!  I love questions like this.  I have been running my FH campaign for
the last three years and the magic used to be a constant pain in my side
until I finally tweaked it enough to be enjoyable and all-encompassing.

First of all the best way to make long running spells is to buy them
with the charges limitation, continuous (if not already continuous),
then make the charges last for some length of time.  Alternate uses can
be purchasing END reserves and having them power the spells with a tiny
REC that will replenish over time.  If a spell burns 1 END/phase then a
small END reserve will power that spell forever.  This is one of the
best methods I have found long-running spells.

Delayed Effect can be used for combat spells, but not in the method that
you want.  Basically this spell allows the caster to activate the spell
as a 0 phase action.  You could buy the advantage Trigger, but if you
set the Trigger to Caster gets attacked then the trigger will go off
after the attack roll.  I have seen this used effectively with a nice
STUN aid to partially regain the lost damage, but it still goes off
after the attack.  Another use is to have it go off if someone moves
within one hex of you.  Interesting until your friends find out about it
and start playing around with your defenses.

If you need any other ideas just bang off some email and I will send you
some more.

Chip


--
-----------------------------\_/-----------------------------
   Elwood H Dunning III       |  CASE:  Proof that even the
                              |   smartest people can write
    GALACTIC COMMANDER        |   themselves out of a job.
From: un107041@wvnvms.wvnet.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: clo=DECKER FROM HELL
Date: 12 Dec 92 09:48:09 GMT
Organization: West Virginia Network for Educational Telecomputing

In article <1g66pdINNr60@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu>, at731@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Troy L. Nothnagel) writes:
> 
> In a previous article, skuff@vax1.mankato.msus.edu () says:
> 
>>I'm the GM of the last post on the "DECKER FROM HELL" it will not be allowed in
>>my game, never not a chance, no way (unless I use it as an NPC).  
>>
>>
> Anyone who lets players take tech from Shadowtech during character
> generation deserves what they get...
> 
Yes, but if you don't then it is almost impossible to afford.  Especially if
you take into account the cost of surgery and heal time.  I think what these
guys have found is a loop hole in the rules.  There were tons of them in SRI, 
and if you have a decent group and GM you don't take advantage of them.  My GM
lets us use Shadowtech in character generation, and we seem to do just fine,
and we don't create overpowered characters (although I try, I just love the
power trip of role playing a muscle character).  It's not the purpose of
character generation to create ways around the rules, it is to create a
character that you like and are able to role play well. 

williams@cs.wvu.wvnet.edu
or
un107041@vaxa.wvnet.edu
From: rhr9081@hertz.njit.edu (Ray Rich)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: T$R Newest "Product"
Date: 18 Dec 92 19:47:41 GMT
Organization: New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, N.J.

In article <BzFKFB.2Cv@bcstec.ca.boeing.com> hall@bcstec.ca.boeing.com (Robert J. Hall) writes:
>cadams@afterlife.ncsc.mil (Arthur C. Adams) writes:
> > A Hardbound version of the 1993 Catalog.
>
>Groan. How does this company stay in business? (They'll probably sell 100,000
>copies as well... :-(
>
>BTW, didn't some British miniatures company (Citadel?) start this trend by
>selling their hardbound catalog of miniatures?
>
>-- 
> Bob Hall                   |  if [ -bs message ]; then
> Boeing Computer Services   |      mv message /compost/heap/$$
> root@chicken.ca.boeing.com |  fi

	Well, Citadel did sell its miniatures catalog, but it wasn't nearly
as cheesy.  First, it was meagerly priced.  Second, it listed EVERY miniature
available at that time and in the foreseeable future.  Third, it allowed one
to order specific models or parts of models.  It let you purchase a specific
miniature without having to drop loadz on a bubble pack.
	It was kind of a rip, but if you bought lots of miniatures, say for
an army of Orcs, you ended up saving money by not ending up with useless
miniatures.

						Just my HO,
							Raythrax
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: flindholm@mta.ca
Subject: Re: SRII Insect Shamans
Reply-To: flindholm@mta.ca
Organization: Mount Allison U, Sackville, N.B. Canada 
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 03:23:56 GMT

In article <BzBJnu.8CG@jabba.ess.harris.com>, jcarl@jabba.ess.harris.com (Joe Carl Jr.) writes:
>Okay most shamans can summon some kind of spirits.
>
>Even a toxic shaman gets spirits to use from his standard base shaman totem
>it's just that they are twisted.
>But what can an Insect Shaman summon.
>Does he always have to have an insect spirit in a host?
>Can he summon normal spirits?
>Take a Spider Shaman for instance.  Shouldn't he have access to a spirit
>of man, or some aspect of the type of spider he has taken.
>A Wolf spider shaman would have acces to spirits of man and good with
>hearth spirits in particular?
>Any comments?

>Joe Carl Jr.               "It ain't what a man don't know that makes him a
>jcarl@jabba.ess.harris.com   fool, but what he does know that ain't so."
                                                           -- Josh Billings

  Insect Shamans are different from all the rest. They're dealing with
things totaly alien in nature to humans. No sense of pack like Wolf, no
pride like Lion, not even killer instinct like Shark; they're totaly 
different.

I'd say that the reason that insect shamans can no longer summon other
spirits is they have been corrupted by the insects alien nature. However,
this is not to say they are at a disadvantage, far from it. The thing that
gives the insect shaman so much power and makes him so different from other
shamans is that INSECT SPIRITS ARE NOT BANISHED AT EACH SUNRISE AND SUNSET.
 (SPOILER AHEAD)


 This is seen in not only the Universal Brotherhood Supplement/Adventure
but these permanent spirits are also found in Queen Euphoria and the 
novel 2XS. The reason insect spirits are able to stay on this plane is
that they forge links to it through their hosts which they incubate inside
when first summoned. 
  On the other hand, these are all hive spirits. I have no idea how things
work for solitary hunting insects like Mantis and Spider.

        Cyrus
From: valentin@husc10.harvard.edu (Brian Valentine)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: SRII Insect Shamans
Date: 17 Dec 92 20:10:19 GMT

jcarl@jabba.ess.harris.com (Joe Carl Jr.) writes:

>My question turns into what the hell is Twilight.  Its stats don't
>match anything like the other inscect spirts (worker, soldier, or queen)

>Its Willpower is 10.

>The only thing I can think of is that it use to be an ally and got free.

>But what does conjured in its great form mean then?

See the Grim II.  It essentially means conjured in a more deadly/larger
version with greater range on its powers.


>A different yet unrelated question Can you conjure insect spirits in
>their great form?

I don't know.  The Grim II doesn't say you can't, but I think Great Form only 
exists for Nature Spirits.

-Brian Valentine
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: dwb@Turing.ORG (Daniel W. Burford)
Subject: Re: Roleplaying Children
Organization: The Turing Project, Public Access Internet Host
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 22:06:44 GMT

You mention Stephen King's 'It': this was the source for an idea I've had
kicking around in my head for a GURPS Horror campaign which I've been 
wanting to present to the net community for feedback...(idea still vague, btw)

The players start as children in a modern-day setting, with each child having
some subtle 'wrong' thing about them, whether that be latent (weak, but 
very uncommon) psi power, ability to see things of the supernatural, or
just plain anti-social tendencies - all this to be discussed with the player
individually beforehand.  Each of the first four or five sessions of the
campaign would be a self-contained 'snapshot' of the character's childhood;
after the close of the session's action, I would allot enough character 
points for 'aging' the character two or three years ahead, and consult with
each player individually on how this would be done.  A common thread would
run through all the 'snapshots' of the characters' childhoods; some underlying
menace or fear or Dark Cosmic Horror, which might not even become apparent
for many years of game-time.  After about five sessions, the characters will
have reached adulthood, and also have LONG, DETAILLED character histories
to boot!  (worked out by the players in non-game time, mostly :)  Then the
adult characters would ultimately wind the campaign to a close by discovering
the source of the 'Dark Cosmic Horror' (whatever I decide to do for that)
and putting this conflict to rest.

I'm not sure if I can pull off such a campaign.  Has anyone ever tried 
anything remotely like this?  I'd welcome any input.  I ran the idea past
three of my prospective players; two were very excited about it, one said he
didn't think it could fly.

Dan
dwb@turing.org



-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dan Burford    |"I've never loved a girl enough to give her twelve sharp
dwb@turing.org | knives before."  |  "There is a way that seems right to a
Gilmore@DalMOO | man, but in the end it leads to death."
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: brandon@caldonia.nlm.nih.gov (Brandon Brylawski)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: RQ - Combat System Modification
Date: 16 Dec 92 18:58:59 GMT
Organization: National Library of Medicine
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL4

tsl@cs.mu.OZ.AU (Tim Leask) writes:
: The following is a suggested modification to the RQIV draft rules.
..
: Parries/Dodges of each opponent after the first are reduced by 30%.
: e.g. Rurik is fighting a Dark Troll and two trollkin. He nominates the
: Dark Troll as his primary opponent. He has his full parry chance against him.
: Against the first trollkin he reduces his parries by 30% and against the second
: trollkin he reduces his parries by 60%. 
: 
: All-Out Attack Mode
: The PC cannot parry or dodge but as a bonus can reduce their DEX SR by 1 for the
: round - (justification: you don't slow down to look at what others are doing)
: Someone beserk on fanaticised would also get this SR reduction.
: 
: All-Out Defense Mode
: Parry/Dodge skill is reduced by 20% for each opponent after the second.
: No attack possible.
: 
: 
: Further Notes
: Two blows cannot be parried on the same SR with the same weapon.
: Dodge can be applied to multiple opponents on the same SR but is reduced by
: 30 % for each opponent after the first.
: If two opponents attack on the same SR the one with higher DEX goes first.
: If their DEX is the same roll a die to decide each round.
: 
: Suggestions for Movement Effects on combat
: If moving at a walk - no penalty
: If moving at a jog - 30% penalty to combat skills
: If running - 60% penalty to combat skills
: 
: Spells and combat
: Spells targeted on someone else count as an attack regardless of the spell
: (e.g. healing someone else counts as an attack) a subsequent weapon attack 
: can follow 2 + DEX SR strike ranks after the spell attack or at
: the normal attack SR for that weapon + 2 + DEX SR which ever comes last.
: e.g. Rurik's spear attack is strike rank 6 he has DEX SR 2.
: He casts befuddle at a trollkin which comes off on SR 4 his attack has
: to be delayed until SR 10. If he parries he won't get an attack in this
: round.
: Alternatively another spell may be cast after (DEX SR + MP of spell)
: strike ranks later.
: 
: Spells targeted on ones self, including objects in hand etc., cause no delay 
: to attacks.
: 
: So what do you think?
: 
: Cheers,
: Tim
: 
I like the parry/dodge reduction rules very much, although perhaps it should
be -20 % per foe instead of 30% .The Spell SR rules seem ok at first examination
as well. Certainly the existing system, wherein you get one and only
one parry (unless you have skill > 100%) means that two-on-ones are
deadlier than they should be. It is indeed very hard to fight two-on-one, but
not impossible.

Brando
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc