[PnP] noob questions part II

[Paul L. Ming]

Hiya.

> 1) Regarding tactical combat, do any of you folks have house rules for
> combatants who wish to flee?
>
> The way I read the rules, it sounds like if two combatants begin the
> movement portion of the phase adjacent to each other, and either
> wishes to fight, both must fight (and end the movement part of the
> phase).
>
> The obvious fix is to allow either combatant to flee, allowing the
> other to take a free attack AND allow that attacker to move as well.
> So, a slower combatant cannot flee from a faster one, but a faster
> combatant can flee from a slower one, he just may have to endure one
> or more free attacks in the process.
>
> Does that sound like what any of you folks are doing?
>   
I think you're reading too much detail into it. Don't think in terms of 
game mechanics; think in terms of "if I was there, could I do..." and 
"...if I did that, what would be my chances".

So, if you are fighting someone, and you want to run, you make a 
stab/poke/slash at your opponent to get him off guard or move him back a 
foot or two, then you turn and run like hell. As a DM, I'd rule that he 
gets a 'free swing' at you with a -5 bonus. After that, you're fleeing 
and he can do whatever he wants...like chase. Now you simply move to 
movement and keep on playing.

Really, don't try and come up with a "if X then Y" blanket rule...it 
will not work. Just go play 3.5e D&D to see what I mean. Pretty much the 
whole rule system is based on absolutes; if you do X, then Y 
happens...always, no matter what.

> 2) Weapon damage. I really like the idea that most weapons do similar
> damage (I never understood in D&D why a dagger would do 1d4 and a
> great sword would do 1d12 - seems like either would kill with a well
> placed hit). However I think there should be SOME varience in damage
> beyond the WSB. Maybe 1d8 for light weapons vs 1d10 for heavy/two hand
> weapons. Have any of you used similar house rules?
>   
I thought of that, but decided against introducing more dice types (even 
though I LOVE lots of dice!). In stead, for heavy/two-handed weapons, I 
increased the WSB potential as well as added a 'knock down' effect for 
good hits (Severe or Deadly). Here: 
http://abroere.xs4all.nl/pnp/M_twohanded.htm

> 3) The Communicate spell. As written, the target of a Communicate
> spell cannot attack or cast spells while he is still affected by it. I
> choose to read that as the target cannot attack or cast spells while
> actively communicating (rather than just affected by it), otherwise
> the spells seems to be overpowered for a base MP1 spell. Am I reading
> that right?
>   
   The way I read it, is that when Communicating, the two creatures 
(caster and target) can not fight or cast spells. If they stop 
Communicating, they can do whatever they want.

> 4) Switching weapons: the rules make it clear that if a melee
> combatant moves adjacent to an archer, and the archer has already
> fired, that the melee combatant can attack without fear of
> counterattack. That's fine, but what about the archer switching
> weapons even if no melee combatant moves adjacent to him? Does it cost
> any movement to switch weapons? It sounds like weapon switching is
> free so long as the character only makes either a missile attack or a
> melee attack, but not both. I just want to make sure I'm doing that
> right. Also, if this is the case, can I assume a character can only
> switch weapons once per phase? Finally, what part of the phase does
> the switch happen? (I assume during the movement portion).
>   
   Again, I think you're trying to read too much into it and trying to 
come up with an 'absolute' rule where "if X, then Y" as I mentioned 
above. Simplify it. For me, I'd simply say that drawing a 'light' weapon 
(dagger, knife, etc.) would simply 'cost' 1 PMR. A 'medium' weapon 
(sword, mace, etc.) would cost 2 PMR. A 'heavy' weapon (two-handed 
sword, pole-arm, etc.) would cost 3 PMR. Simple and easy to remember; 
light = 1, med = 2, hvy = 3.

 P&P is an extremely adaptable system. Probably one of the most 
adaptable I've played. Most of the confusion I had when learning the 
system was my reluctance at the time to "make shit up"...I was always 
looking for rules that I could point to and say "See? Right here it 
says...". When I finally 'got it' (it being the heavy reliance upon 
Referee interpretation, as mentioned constantly throughout the P&P 
rules), running a P&P game is dirt simple. :)

Paul L. Ming