From: jas@rdii.com (Jim Smith)
Newsgroups: rec.games.pbm
Subject: Re: Duelmasters: Need help with first roll-ups.
Keywords: Duelmasters, DM, RSI
Date: 15 Oct 92 21:19:43 GMT
Followup-To: rec.games.pbm
Organization: Racal-Dana Instruments, Inc.

>>OOP, ACK! Now I KNOW I ruined a potentially great TP.  Somebody pass the 
>>Kleenex. ;-(

>I was getting suspicious that no one was responding to my posts....
>Damn.  Sorry.

No apology necessary.  It was my own fault for being so impatient.  
Next time I'll wait a bit longer.

>>I ended up going with an 11-4-9-15-17-15-13 SL.  I figured I could
>>train up the con a couple and he would do OK.

>This is a bit subtle too, but I'll throw it out, anyway.  When you have a  
>warrior, his beginning stats can alter how his ratings fall.  Lungers with  
>high will tend to have better ratings than can be attributed to a higher  
>will.  With slashers, you see the same effect, but with wit and speed.

What about other types like BA, TP, Wastes etc?

>This guy will still be a good slasher, though. [right, Dave?]

Good, I was hoping this guy would be alright.  I'll train the con up
to 6 right away and maybe that will help him survive.

>>Is there any advantage to running short-term other than the thrill of
>>watching him hack and slash his way to victory for a few fights?  What
>>are the implications of running short term vs. long term characters?

>No particular advantage.  It _could_ result in a good record, which can  
>translate into a couple free fights... but who cares, if you get a few free  
>fights if all you're going to do is DA everyone you have?
>What do you mean about implications?  Short term means (hopefully) a few  
>quick wins, and maybe even a kill, while long term means (to me) a LOT of  
>wins as the years go by (AD, Primus, etc)...

What I mean is, are there aspects of the game that can be affected 
by a managers style?  For instance, are there POLITICAL implications
like entrance requirements for the various AD political factions or
other such silliness.

>>What is "bloodfeud"?  This is the first time I've seen that term.

>Isn't that in the FAQ?  Anyway, if someone kills one of your warriors, you  
>can make a bloodfeud challenge against that warrior by writing in the  
>warrior in the challenge space in your turnsheet, then CIRCLING it.  You can  
>make this challenge from any class to any class (which is why you sometimes  
>see a Champion killing an Initiate...).
>Clear?

I looked again and didn't see it in the FAQ.  Sounds like you better
be careful about who you kill or his big brother may come after you.

>>I sent in a LU at 11-13-12-5-21-9-13 making the CN mistake you spoke of
>>above.  Sheesh, did I ever blow this one.  I was figuring on DA'ing this
>>guy anyways so no huge loss I guess.

>Of course, but he could be good for a 2-1-1 before DA...  I don't know if  
>that's important to you or not...

This is true.  It *would* be a good opportunity to try various things
in the fights to see what happens without being overly concerned about
having the character die.

>>I went with an 11-10-7-17-13-15-11 ST to try and make an attempt at
>>a long term character.

>Not with a 13 wit.  You'll only be learning about 1 skill a fight.  You need  
>about 70 skills to get high enough and do well enough to go to ADM, and at 1  
>skill/fight, that's.....
>70 fights?  No, probably sooner, but he'll have a HORRIBLE record.  I don't  
>make long-term guys with < 15 wit.

Blech!  Think I'll just chalk this guy up to experience and DA.

>>I assume you mean a 9-10-12-9-17-10-17?  Again, it would have made a
>>good short term character, but I ended up going for the long term
>>again with a 9-10-12-15-17-10-11 LU.

>Ok, that's pretty decent.  Yeah, that'll work.

How bad will the 11 DF affect him and what can I do to compensate?
Should I train the CN up a point?  How about a good weapon choice?
I was thinking a short spear.  (My team name is "Zulus from Hell" 
so it seemed appropriate for a lunger.)

>>I don't have so much as a hint about how to fight these guys.  Any
>>suggestions will be most appreciated.

>Starting lunger strategy that I use:
>
>Minute:
>Offensive Effort: 10   10   8   8  6-------->  10
>Activity Level:   10   8    6   6  4-------->  10
>Kill Desire:      7    6 ------------------->  10
>Attack Location:  HE---------------------------->
>Protect Location: HE---------------------------->

Phew, that looks pretty tiring.  Makes sense though since the offensive
types need to go for the quick wins.

>You can choose weapons from the charts (do you have them?).
>I would only go out in ALE-L for armor and cap (Leather armor, Leather cap).

I have never seen the chart that tells which weapons are suited to 
each style and the chart that tells what stats are needed for the 
various weapons, both of which are mentioned in the FAQ.  I would
appreciate immensly if you could post or e-mail those to me.

>I would actually run the slasher exactly the same way, except use a slashing  
>weapon (try the SC, it's a beauty!).
>Actually, run all your short-term offensives the same way, except use a  
>weapon suited to the style, and don't wear ANY armor.

Will the slasher survive with no armor and a 4 CN?  It's appropriate
as all hell for a Zulu warrior to go out unarmored but am I of the
understanding that slashers tend to take a lot of damage due to the
fact that the slasher style is a bit weak on the parry abilities.

>>By the way, John, I used to drive to Pasadena every Friday night to play
>>a D&D variant called Warlock at Cal Tech.  I've got a few friends that
>>graduated from there that still go regularly and I go up once or twice a 
>>year so next time I'm up that way I'll let you know and maybe we can talk 
>>DM for a bit.

>Cool.  Can you get me a job, too?
>:-):-):-):-):-):-):-):-):-)

The way things are going I'm lucky *I* have a job!! :-)  The only advice 
I can give you is stay away from the defense industry.  I was lucky (and 
smart) enough to bail outta the defense industry 4 years ago.  Good thing
'cause a lot of my friends got laid off and are still looking for work.

Jim
-- 
jas@rdii.com                  | "If you put tomfoolery into a computer, nothing
Opinions (tm) property of     | comes out but tomfoolery. But ... having passed
James A. Smith, Sr. Engineer  | through a very expensive machine, ... no one
Racal-Dana Instruments Inc.   | dares criticize it."  Pierre Gallois