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Which system for a Star Wars game?
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<blockquote data-quote="ValhallaGH" data-source="post: 3246601" data-attributes="member: 41187"><p>First off, if the target doesn't take damage then the shot did not hit expertly. That's a common misunderstanding of d20 games; the quality of an attack is not in the attack roll, it is in the <em><strong>damage</strong></em> roll. If it kills the target then it was an expertly placed attack, while if it deals minimal or no damage then it was an insignificant strike.</p><p>Now, to the answer you wanted. If they're in armor then I simply say that the armor worked. If it's a lightsaber or the guy is not in armor then I usually go with a last minute parry/dodge; unless the character is just supposed to be that stupid-tough in which case he just shrugs it off.</p><p></p><p>"He shrugged off a lightsaber to his chest?"</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>"... I hate you."</p><p>"I know."</p><p></p><p>For actual damage, I find myself doing the same things Lucas did. Singed fur, grazed shoulder, gouged thigh, missing hand, etc. Whatever seems most appropriate to the scene.</p><p></p><p>You're welcome.</p><p></p><p>Diggus has presented a pretty good analysis of VP/WP.</p><p>The advantages are more built in flavor than standard hp, faster healing than standard hp, anyone can be one-shot killed, and mooks are very mookish since they have around ten wp.</p><p></p><p>The disadvantages are that anyone can be one-shot killed (including the Big Bad), a dangerous level of vitality damage is an instantly fatal level of wound damage, you get some really odd disconnects when people are standing next to a nuclear weapon that only deals vitality damage (I'm looking at you, thermal detonator) and they happen to have enough vitality to not be injured by the blast. Also it's a level based toughness mechanic, and it's less dangerous (but deadlier) than a d20 Modern-style massive damage system.*</p><p>Finally, like hit points, it's a mathematical system. You can figure out, with absolute certainty, the average time it will take a single character, or group of characters, to kill a foe. Worse, there is very little you can do to alter this time since it's all based upon the cold numbers of the system. </p><p> </p><p>Toughness systems introduce an element of "WTF!" by allowing a character of any level to break the laws of statistics and succeed when he should be killed (like Luke against Vader). This wild card element is what makes them especially appealing to me as it allows anyone to be killed in one-shot while leaving room for people that just won't die (even at level 1).</p><p></p><p>I hope that helps you understand.</p><p></p><p>*In VP/WP, the only really scary attacks are critical hits. With Modern massive damage, all attacks are scary since any single one of them can take a character out of the fight and even out of the adventure. When using weapons with similar damage outputs, the Modern-style will drop characters faster but with a better chance of recovering while the VP/WP characters will take longer to fall (on average) but will be less likely to get up.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="ValhallaGH, post: 3246601, member: 41187"] First off, if the target doesn't take damage then the shot did not hit expertly. That's a common misunderstanding of d20 games; the quality of an attack is not in the attack roll, it is in the [i][b]damage[/b][/i] roll. If it kills the target then it was an expertly placed attack, while if it deals minimal or no damage then it was an insignificant strike. Now, to the answer you wanted. If they're in armor then I simply say that the armor worked. If it's a lightsaber or the guy is not in armor then I usually go with a last minute parry/dodge; unless the character is just supposed to be that stupid-tough in which case he just shrugs it off. "He shrugged off a lightsaber to his chest?" "Yes." "... I hate you." "I know." For actual damage, I find myself doing the same things Lucas did. Singed fur, grazed shoulder, gouged thigh, missing hand, etc. Whatever seems most appropriate to the scene. You're welcome. Diggus has presented a pretty good analysis of VP/WP. The advantages are more built in flavor than standard hp, faster healing than standard hp, anyone can be one-shot killed, and mooks are very mookish since they have around ten wp. The disadvantages are that anyone can be one-shot killed (including the Big Bad), a dangerous level of vitality damage is an instantly fatal level of wound damage, you get some really odd disconnects when people are standing next to a nuclear weapon that only deals vitality damage (I'm looking at you, thermal detonator) and they happen to have enough vitality to not be injured by the blast. Also it's a level based toughness mechanic, and it's less dangerous (but deadlier) than a d20 Modern-style massive damage system.* Finally, like hit points, it's a mathematical system. You can figure out, with absolute certainty, the average time it will take a single character, or group of characters, to kill a foe. Worse, there is very little you can do to alter this time since it's all based upon the cold numbers of the system. Toughness systems introduce an element of "WTF!" by allowing a character of any level to break the laws of statistics and succeed when he should be killed (like Luke against Vader). This wild card element is what makes them especially appealing to me as it allows anyone to be killed in one-shot while leaving room for people that just won't die (even at level 1). I hope that helps you understand. *In VP/WP, the only really scary attacks are critical hits. With Modern massive damage, all attacks are scary since any single one of them can take a character out of the fight and even out of the adventure. When using weapons with similar damage outputs, the Modern-style will drop characters faster but with a better chance of recovering while the VP/WP characters will take longer to fall (on average) but will be less likely to get up. [/QUOTE]
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