From: ccs012@george.ucdavis.edu (Riff-Raff)
Newsgroups: rec.games.pbm
Subject: Duelmasters: A Scummy Adepts Suggestions
Date: 16 Apr 92 20:34:51 GMT
Organization: Trump Gladiatorial Enterprises

Casey "Classify yourself," Adept of Odin writes...

>We have Demonspawn (4-1-1)
>Lunging
>Right Handed
>  has learned how to keep his foe in trouble
>  cleverly controls his foes' actions
>  makes clever attacks
>  is gifted at avoiding blows
>is incredible quick and active
>is incredible quick and elusive on his feet
>11-13-8-11-15+-16-11
>Expert in initiative.

Looks a lot like my original lunger.  Point Blank was 15-11-9-11-14-11-13,
was Duelmasters for 1 turn at 14-2, lost it, then regained it at 16-4 and
kept until he was 21-4, I believe.  Of course, that was the good ol' days,
when mediocre characters like this could still survive in Duelmasters.  He
graduated at 22-9-0 (yes, he went 1-5 after losing the DM), with (this is
the best part) AdEx Init and Expert Attack.

I would keep this guy as long as he continues to win, but DA him after he
loses 2 in a row (or maybe even just 1).  He could be the shining gem in
the Odin's Guard crown, but he is more likely to be just another lodestone
who gets kept because he had such a fast start.

>I currently fight him with the go all out style, and he responds pretty 
>good.  I fight him with:
>1st  2nd  3rd  4th  5th  6thOn  Desp
> 9--->
> 9--->
>10--->
>AB--->
>BD--->

Can I assume that his fights never get much into minute 2?  This guy doesn't
have a lot of endurance, and his attack rating isn't anything stellar, so
you'll probably want to drop the Activity and Kill Desire after minute 1,
tapering off with something like 9-7-7 in minute 2, 8-6-6 in minutes 3 and
4, 7-5-5 in minute 5, and 6-6-4 in minutes 6+.  I'd suggest a dodge strategy
in desperation, something like 3-9-3-Dodge.

>I know, it is very boring, but it seems to work.  His best
> weapons combination is the Short spear, and a dagger for
> parrying.  Demonspawn seems well suited to both weapons,
> and is now beginning to use the dagger with a little style.

Definitely drop the off-hand Dagger.  If this guy needs to parry, he's
probably already lost the fight, and you get a pretty good attack bonus
for using a shortspear two-handed. It's definitely worth it.

>I fight Demonspawn with no or little armor.

The only way to fight lungers.  I usually put mine in ALE/L to absorb a
blow or two at the beginning of the fight, but occasionally I think that
even this is too much, and I drop all the excess weight.

>Errant Zombie (2-3-1):
>Slashing
>Right Handed
>is Bright
>   has learned very well how to keep his foes in trouble
>   makes few mistakes
>is a very active fighter
>has poor endurance
>can take a lot of damage
>cannot carry a lot of weight in weapons and armor
>is quick on his feet
>   avoiding blows rather that parrying them
>does great damage with every blow
>9-15-12-14-9-14-11

The general idea of this set-up is good: high WT and SP matched with
at least an 11 DF will usually produce a winner.  However, I know from
(painful) experience that 14 WT/SP isn't enough to make a winner, de-
spite the fact that he's got great damage.

However, I also once had a slasher who survived on his damage rating,
who looked something like Errant Zombie (I don't remember the exact
numbers), who I gave to a friend (I co-managed, and when he moved away
I gave him my 9-4-0 Slasher and my 8-5-0 Waste - Both characters were
DA'd immediately.  They sucked, but the arena was talent-poor at the
time).  A character like this *can* be successful, but it's extremely
unlikely, and you can almost certainly get a better roll-up.

>Errant Zombie seems to be comming around, but with that low
> of a will, I fear the dark arena is in the near futur for
> him.  I fight him with a scimitar and a small shield.  He
> uses the shield to good advantage, and make the 'arcing
> attack' with the scimitar quite often.  It seems like he
> likes his current weapons.  I have to keep him around for
> a bit because he just killed another guys warrior, but
> after the blood fued limit is up, he is da bound.  Any
> ideas with this boy?

Nah, forget honor.  DA him immediately.  BTW, the SC is another weapon
that gives an attack bonus when used one handed.

>Drakus Durn (3-2-0)
>Bashing
>Right Handed
>  has learned to be decisive and quick
>  seldom wastes his endurance needlessly
>is slightly uncoordinated
>can take a lot of damage
>can do tremendous damage with a blow
>strength      :  11
>constitution  :  15
>size          :  17
>wit           :  11
>will          :  11
>speed         :  9
>deftness      :  11 (was 10)

Hmm, a basher with no WT and no WL.  Looks like the DA is just
begging this guy to come. :)  Seriously, you can have success with
low WT high WL Bashers, and you can have success with high WT low
WL Bashers, but you can never have success without one of the two.
Consider the main fact that this guy is never going to significantly
improve, and the fact that he's only 3-2 now.  He is probably going
to be a loser from Challenger Inits and up.

>I've tried Drakus out with a few weapons, and the greatsword
> seems to be his favorite.  The problem is he is not strong
> enough to wield it.  That usually does not stop him though.
> Last turn, I turned a TP into mashed patatoes.  Poor guy
> did not know what hit him.  I went 10 for all OE, AL, and
> KD. When Drakus's KD or AL or OE is too low, he just stands
> there.  But with all 10's, he goes beserk.  I think I'll
> keep him around until he works his way up to the adepts.
> Then I'll see how he fairs in the DA.  

While it's true that every character has a favorite weapon, rarely is
the 3 attack skill bonus (that's what you get for wielding it, plus
possibly an increase of one damage class) enough to turn a character
around.  I'd still off him.

UNLESS there was a low ranking TP/PS/PL/WS who you wanted to take out
first.  These are usually easy prey for young bashers, but don't expect
early success to translate to later success.

>Pari Pami Acier (1-4-0)
>Parry-Lunge
>Left Handed
>  makes clever attacks
>  parry intelligently
>can carry a good amount of weith in weapons and armor
>can do good damage with a blow
>strength      :  15
>constitution  :  13
>size          :  10
>wit           :  11
>will          :  11
>speed         :  13
>deftness      :  11

Once again, low WT/WL means that this character will never improve, at
least in relation to his opponents.  Plungers are hard enough to win
with as it is, and a handicap like this certainly doesn't indicate that
PPA will enjoy any better success in the future.

>The last warrior I'll leave out.  He is my new one, and was
> the topic of discussion a few days ago.  

I've got so much going on that I can't remember exactly what he looked
like, but I certainly hope he works out for you!

>I am open to suggestions by anybody, either masters, or scum
>like myself.

Depending on who you talk to, I may fall into either or both categories.
:)

Trump

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