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Message no. 1
From: shadowrn@*********.com (Ice Heart)
Subject: [OT] Damage modifiers
Date: Tue Jan 22 14:45:01 2002
>From: "Meph" <meph@*********.net>

>In my sort experience with my group (experienced role-players, who are
>usually DAMN good and competent). Combat is VERY deadly! Unless >you're a
>troll with a TON of armor, even a light pistol can kill in >but two to
>three shots! that's deadly! And if you have a high skill, >staging the
>damage up become easy too! I couldn't believe it. >Beforing GMing, my
>bro-in-law and I had three different combats to see >how things worked. A
>mage vs a physad!
>We had three different combats, each only lasted only initiative >round.
>By the end of everyone's actins for the round, one of us was >dead! It was
>crazy!

When my players get tired the legwork, plot twists, mysteries, and double
crosses; we occasionally stage what we call Combat Night. On Combat Night,
players are require to take a template from an SR sourcebook. They can
tweak its stats, and spend its money for more gear. They can sell off the
gear they do not want for extra cash, such as lifestyles, DocWagon
contracts, contacts, etc. Everyone has 30 minutes to have a template
finished and submitted. I scan them for any errors in math (accidental and
otherwise). I finish out the starting hour by roughing out a combat areana.
When my brain feels mushy, I drag out a copy of my DMZ game. For the
remaining time, we fight...over and over. Sometimes people trade templates
for a battle. Alliances form and are broken. I sometimes toss extra
enemies into the arena unannounced. The really funny things is this. A few
hours into the night, people start roleplaying on me. :D They will
roleplay trying to negotiate cease fires and alliances. They will chat and
laugh...IN CHARACTER. By the end of the night, everyone is looking forward
to the next session, to roleplay a new understanding of the value of
teammates, and to apply new knowledge of useful tactics and maneuvers. Best
idea I ever had.
I also start every single campaign I run with a "dream sequence" combat
starring the new PCs. I put a matching team against them in a well
described scenario, and they fight it out. They always lose at least half
the team. They always take combat seriously when they "wake up" in
character and reflect on how lethal combat is.
For alternate, but similar fun; the SR book Shadowbeat has rules for Urban
Brawl and Combat Biker games. They are pretty nice distractions. Or run
group simsense session, where PCs take a vacation at a simsense theater
catering to groups...think holodeck. Zero consequence fun in ANY
environment you want, from fantasy to sci-fi. It will actually do your
games good, and give you a break from staying a step ahead of players with a
plot. I recommend it. :)
Kori


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Message no. 2
From: shadowrn@*********.com (Meph)
Subject: [OT] Damage modifiers
Date: Wed Jan 23 00:20:01 2002
> When my players get tired the legwork, plot twists, mysteries, and double
> crosses; we occasionally stage what we call Combat Night. On Combat
Night,
> players are require to take a template from an SR sourcebook. They can
> tweak its stats, and spend its money for more gear. They can sell off the
> gear they do not want for extra cash, such as lifestyles, DocWagon
> contracts, contacts, etc. Everyone has 30 minutes to have a template
> finished and submitted. I scan them for any errors in math (accidental
and
> otherwise). I finish out the starting hour by roughing out a combat
areana.
> When my brain feels mushy, I drag out a copy of my DMZ game. For the
> remaining time, we fight...over and over. Sometimes people trade
templates
> for a battle. Alliances form and are broken. I sometimes toss extra
> enemies into the arena unannounced. The really funny things is this. A
few
> hours into the night, people start roleplaying on me. :D They will
> roleplay trying to negotiate cease fires and alliances. They will chat
and
> laugh...IN CHARACTER. By the end of the night, everyone is looking
forward
> to the next session, to roleplay a new understanding of the value of
> teammates, and to apply new knowledge of useful tactics and maneuvers.
Best
> idea I ever had.


Combat Night sounds fun. I started my orginal SR campaign with the First
Run combat scenario. Piss off my players because it took so long, and it
was a hard fight for just two of them. But it taught me how to run combat!
:> I think I'll try Combat Night when my head starts hurting...thanks! I
used to do something like that in Hell On Earth and AD&D back in the day!
Good idea!

Meph

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