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Message: <blockquote data-quote="MoogleEmpMog" data-source="post: 3797184" data-attributes="member: 22882">Well, sure.  Nothing in the SWSE rules makes it any harder for the characters to LOSE.  In fact, it makes it a lot EASIER for them to lose without being TPK'd, because they can face overwhelming power that is almost certain to drop one or more to 0 hp without the risk of truly killing off the party, and because, as they start at near full strength, they're far more likely to face encounters that are equal or greater in strength.On those occasions that S&S heroes face more than they can handle, it's usually not because they're tired or worn down; if anything, those are the situations where they heroically press on against all odds (i.e. take a second wind).  No, it's when they face things too bizarre or powerful for them to confront with wits and steel, regardless of their current condition.IMO, the Black Company is best represented by taking a page from OD&D and early AD&D.  The actual PCs are people like Croaker, One-Eye and Goblin, the Captain and the Lieutenant, and (depowered) Lady - and all of them survive through multiple books against major odds, often less because of personal power (i.e. levels) and more because of a combination of cleverness, guts, and luck (that last being a metagame mechanic in gaming terms).  The types that died after one or two chapters were henchmen and hirelings - good guy mooks, in other words.Reh?  My first-level soldiers were rocking Armored Flight Suits, which give a +6 to Ref and +2 to Fort, and are also airtight in space.  Otherwise known as 'awesome in a can.'If you say so.My experience was, again, just the opposite.  The jedi lost initiative and a group of clone troopers gunned him down to a handful of hp and -2 on the condition track when he deflected a mighty one out of four shots.  I've run the math on deflect.  With a reasonable build, it's better against only the first shot, at most slightly better against the second, and worse against the rest; my SWSE experience is that it's usually going to be 2 out of 4-12 shots.Conan did barely survive the fight with the spider, but it didn't actually poison him.  His companion was killed by it, though.As I've said elsewhere, the huge gain in fun and playability for new players vastly outweighs the minor negative of not being able to play WHFR starting characters for one or two levels before I get my sword and sorcery heroes and (unfortunately) eventual fantasy supers.  I hardly think experienced gamers, who are almost certainly the only ones who would have any knowledge of or interest in another way to play, are lacking in system choice for gritty play - including ones like, aptly enough, the Black Company d20, which provide gritty play all the way through character progression.</blockquote>

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