From: Martin Laurie (MLaurie@compuserve.com)
Date: Tue 01 Feb 2000 - 01:54:39 EET
Bob:
> Subject: Onslaught
> - -..as we Onslaught fans know, he'd actually *bite* the poor bugger to
death.
> It's not that I actually hate Overtkill, I mean Onslaught. It's
that I
>dislike the 'poetic license' that describes him crossing a room, getting
>three aimed blows to the head, and getting back out of reach before anyone
>can see him and react.
Sure, its not your cuppa tea. Personally I find more "vague" combat
descriptions more enjoyable than the detailed ones. Onslaught often bores
people into a coma at social functions by actually describing all the
various blows and moves he makes in each of his fights (some of which last
hours) in excruciating detail. As the writer, I prefer to leave that but
out and let the reader determine what he did. You simply "saw" it
differently to me, and thats fine. That is your view of things.
>I prefer games where the combat rules mean
>something, rather than being thrown out for some personal power fantasy.
Hmm, as a writer I am unconstrained by rules other than those of English
and what I and the reader enjoys. As a GM, I am largely constrained not by
the rules, which are always a framework in any game stystem to aid the GM
and players. Instead I view the action to be important and most vital, is
the _pace_ of the action. Under no circustances should rules get in the
way of pace. The moment I actually start _thinking_ about rules, I begin
to lose the moment. I think my players agree, but thats just us. Each to
their own.
> IMG, he would have charged across the room, taken his first action
as a
>divided attack against two foes, and his second action as an attack
>against the third foe. All of the foes would have had a parry chance,
>which should have saved their lives, unless he had very large Damage
>magics and STR enhancements already cast to overcome their parries and
>armor. Also, three head hits are highly improbable since the blows
>couldn't have been aimed.
These points are valid within the RQ rules system. I was not writing for
the RQ system, which is in itself an abstract of combat anyway, with the
combat round representing many actions within the simple one or two action
limit. As a writer of fiction I fail to see why I should be limited by
this. Particularly as I'm working within the HW rules framework these days
as a GM.
>It's not that he couldn't have incapacitated or even killed them with one
blow, it's just >a personal cry for story balance and limits for heroic
abilities.
Story balance? Would you have preferred a long drawn out fight? That
As for limits to heroic ability, there are limits. Onslaught is himself
would be completely missing the point of the story. Onslaught is there as
a story component more as an elemental force rather than a serious attempt
to see him in combat. His ability is overwhelming and thats all that needs
to be said. Pointlessly reiterating his superiority over the Greydog carls
would detract from the lesson the clan learnt.
totally two dimensional as a hero. He can kill, and fight and lead people
to kill and fight (though he is not a great leader in the sense of a
Napoleon) and thats about it. Argrath is far more versatile and hence
unable to compete with specialists like Onslaught in combat but can kick
there ass in other areas.
Thanks for the input though.
Martin Laurie
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