Q&A with the new BRP Author

[Simlasa]

Originally Posted by Jason Durall

Yeah, it always bugged me that the system was so inconsistent about them.

HP = [CON+SIZ]/2
MP/PP = POW
SAN = POW x 5
FT = STR+CON

I always wanted to make them all sort of work in the same method and refigure the rest of the values, like this:

HP = CON+SIZ (healthier, bigger people have more HP)
MP/PP = POW+CON (healthier, more willful people have more PP)
SAN = INT+POW (reasoning and will help resist insanity)
FT = unchanged

This, of course, would lead to changing weapon damages, power use costs, sanity losses, and fatigue, and I'd treat all of those resources like something that does damage against them.

I can see why those characteristics might play better into the secondarys... but why not divide the sum by 2... to keep the result similar to the numbers we already have and avoid having to reconfigure the rest of the system (weapon damgaes, power use costs, etc.) to suit?
At least for HP, MP, PP, FT... it seems like averaging the combined stats gives a number still within the normal range... just better representing the character.
Or am I (more than likely) missing something obvious?

[Jason Durall]

Originally Posted by Simlasa

I can see why those characteristics might play better into the secondarys... but why not divide the sum by 2... to keep the result similar to the numbers we already have and avoid having to reconfigure the rest of the system (weapon damgaes, power use costs, etc.) to suit?
At least for HP, MP, PP, FT... it seems like averaging the combined stats gives a number still within the normal range... just better representing the character.
Or am I (more than likely) missing something obvious?

You raise good points.

Mainly, I'm finding that when I play BRP for fantasy settings, I like the player characters to be more robust... which is why I had the heroic HP optional rule in the BRP corebook (heroes and special NPCs figure HP as SIZ+CON, mooks use the regular formula). Having the numbers creep up into the 20-30 range (on average) for HP and PP/MP makes for tougher combats, more powers being able to be used, etc.

But that's just me. There's no reason at all one couldn't just do all of the averaging and keep the other factors (except for SAN) at the same values.

One of the alternatives that I conceived during the playtesting (but didn't put into the book) was using Fatigue at [STR+CON]/2 as non-lethal HP.

With this system:

• Damage with non-lethal weapons (mostly hand-to-hand) is rolled normally.
• The minimum possible roll value is subtracted from the roll and applied to HP. The rest come out of Fatigue.
• If you're using the Martial Arts skill and succeed in using it, you can chose to make your unarmed attacks all FP, "normal", or all HP. You need to announce what you're doing before rolling, though.
• Criticals and specials work as normal, with points subtracted as above.
• If your Fatigue reaches 0, you're out cold.
• Any excess FP are taken out of HP.
• FP regenerate normally.

For example, if you're using Brawl (1d3+1d4db), you'd roll your 1d6/2 and your 1d4. Assume a roll of 5 (2+3). You can roll a minimum of 2 on 2 dice. You subtract 2 from 5, inflicting 2 HP and 3 FP on your opponent.

[drohem]

Originally Posted by Jason Durall

One of the alternatives that I conceived during the playtesting (but didn't put into the book) was using Fatigue at [STR+CON]/2 as non-lethal HP.

With this system:

• Damage with non-lethal weapons (mostly hand-to-hand) is rolled normally.
• The minimum possible roll value is subtracted from the roll and applied to HP. The rest come out of Fatigue.
• If you're using the Martial Arts skill and succeed in using it, you can chose to make your unarmed attacks all FP, "normal", or all HP. You need to announce what you're doing before rolling, though.
• Criticals and specials work as normal, with points subtracted as above.
• If your Fatigue reaches 0, you're out cold.
• Any excess FP are taken out of HP.
• FP regenerate normally.

For example, if you're using Brawl (1d3+1d4db), you'd roll your 1d6/2 and your 1d4. Assume a roll of 5 (2+3). You can roll a minimum of 2 on 2 dice. You subtract 2 from 5, inflicting 2 HP and 3 FP on your opponent.

I like the concept of non-lethal damage. I'll have to give it some thought.

[Joseph Paul]

Originally Posted by Jason Durall

At the bottom of the scale is hide/soft leather/heavy clothing with an armor value of 1, and at the top is powered assault armor with a 24.

Full plate is 8.

Gear head question- and that 24 point powered armor represents how much of what kind of material?

[Jason Durall]

Originally Posted by Joseph Paul

Gear head question- and that 24 point powered armor represents how much of what kind of material?

Assault Armor (Heavy), Powered: Similar to ‘Assault Armor’ above, but massive and with thick armored plating and internal servomotors boosting the wearer’s strength. Combatants in powered heavy assault armor often use it to wield massive weapons. It is often given modular enhancements, such as jetpacks, and is sealed against chemical weapons or the vacuum of space.

[Enpeze]

Originally Posted by Jason Durall

One of the alternatives that I conceived during the playtesting (but didn't put into the book) was using Fatigue at [STR+CON]/2 as non-lethal HP.

With this system:

• Damage with non-lethal weapons (mostly hand-to-hand) is rolled normally.
• The minimum possible roll value is subtracted from the roll and applied to HP. The rest come out of Fatigue.
• If you're using the Martial Arts skill and succeed in using it, you can chose to make your unarmed attacks all FP, "normal", or all HP. You need to announce what you're doing before rolling, though.
• Criticals and specials work as normal, with points subtracted as above.
• If your Fatigue reaches 0, you're out cold.
• Any excess FP are taken out of HP.
• FP regenerate normally.

For example, if you're using Brawl (1d3+1d4db), you'd roll your 1d6/2 and your 1d4. Assume a roll of 5 (2+3). You can roll a minimum of 2 on 2 dice. You subtract 2 from 5, inflicting 2 HP and 3 FP on your opponent.

Excellent idea. the only prob is if in play reality the FP amount is not too much for bookkeeping. But I like it and I think I will try this rule in one of my next games. How does FP regenerate in your rule?

How do you like the idea that you subtract the targets STR bonus (eg. 1d4, 1d6) from the damage you do with non-lethal weapons or brawl? Would simulate the "tough" and trained guys are more difficult to damage in hand-to-hand combat.

[Jason Durall]

Originally Posted by Enpeze

Excellent idea. the only prob is if in play reality the FP amount is not too much for bookkeeping. But I like it and I think I will try this rule in one of my next games. How does FP regenerate in your rule?

If you're using the FP rules as normal, on average a character will have 20ish FP. If struck by a character with no damage bonus, they can take around 20 punches to be knocked out (assuming a roll of 2 on 1d3), but then, they'll also have taken 10 HP in damage, which should be enough to put them out cold as well. Against someone with a 1d4 damage bonus, you're looking at an average of them taking 2 HP and 2-3 FP per round, making for a much shorter fight, but simulating more of both the reality of trying to punch someone out cold, as well as cinematic unarmed combat.

Originally Posted by Enpeze

How do you like the idea that you subtract the targets STR bonus (eg. 1d4, 1d6) from the damage you do with non-lethal weapons or brawl? Would simulate the "tough" and trained guys are more difficult to damage in hand-to-hand combat.

I think it's double-dipping.

A character's SIZ is already helping with a damage bonus, and in all likelihood, a character with high STR+SIZ is also going to have a higher number of HP than average. The damage bonus is a tremendous edge over a character without one, and I think it's just too unbalancing to make it also add armor protection (especially considering how low most armor protection values already are).

[Enpeze]

Originally Posted by Jason Durall

If you're using the FP rules as normal, on average a character will have 20ish FP. If struck by a character with no damage bonus, they can take around 20 punches to be knocked out (assuming a roll of 2 on 1d3), but then, they'll also have taken 10 HP in damage, which should be enough to put them out cold as well. Against someone with a 1d4 damage bonus, you're looking at an average of them taking 2 HP and 2-3 FP per round, making for a much shorter fight, but simulating more of both the reality of trying to punch someone out cold, as well as cinematic unarmed combat.

I think it's double-dipping.

A character's SIZ is already helping with a damage bonus, and in all likelihood, a character with high STR+SIZ is also going to have a higher number of HP than average. The damage bonus is a tremendous edge over a character without one, and I think it's just too unbalancing to make it also add armor protection (especially considering how low most armor protection values already are).

Real life is also unbalanced. Its really hard even for a martial artist to take out muscular, trained guys and this finds not enough reflection in the BRP rules. And to counter this I came up with this idea. Its not a real armor protection. I would rather call it absorption, because its only against unarmed combat and similar damage and not against normal weapon damage. With subtracting the targets damage bonus from your unarmed damage roll I think it is dealing with the problem. It can also be applied if you like to hit an animal with your hands or feet.

Eg you kick a bear in BRP (Cthulhu now rules) and martial arts. You are trained and have +1d4 damage bonus. So you have 2d6+1d4 damage, an average of 9,5, The hide of a bear absorbs just 2 points I guess)
This means in average a damage of 7,5 goes through. And this is totally unrealistic, because one slightly above the average kick in the stomach will take out the bear and two will maybe kill him.
Not so, if you subtract the damage bonus of the bear (2d6) from your kick damage only an average of 2,5 goes through, which seems much more plausible to me. Applying such a rule means also that only a strong person (or martial artist with double damage skill) will in average be able to damage another strong person with unarmed combat. Criticals brawl rolls are an exception, because like as always "armor" will be passed by.

Another reason for this simple little homerule was that you can make brawling less lethal in many situations without having to introduce many other rules.

[Lord Twig]

Trying to stick to the question/answer format...

Do you know if campaign or setting books will include all the rules needed to play or if the BRP core book will be required?

If the BRP core book is required to use setting books, is there an easy method to indicated which optional rules, if any, are used by a setting? Something like a form that can be filled out that shows all the optional rules used.

For instance, the Deadworld setting that is coming out. Is there a simple, standard way to know if they use Sanity or not? Hit locations or not? etc.

[Jason Durall]

[quote=Lord Twig;2216]

Originally Posted by Lord Twig

Do you know if campaign or setting books will include all the rules needed to play or if the BRP core book will be required?

I believe the plan is to support the core book with smaller setting books, rather than reprinting the core rules over and over again.

Originally Posted by Lord Twig

If the BRP core book is required to use setting books, is there an easy method to indicated which optional rules, if any, are used by a setting? Something like a form that can be filled out that shows all the optional rules used.

I submitted a checklist for optional rules with the manuscript, but I suspect that it'll be up to the individual authors whether or not to utilize such a thing.

Originally Posted by Lord Twig

For instance, the Deadworld setting that is coming out. Is there a simple, standard way to know if they use Sanity or not? Hit locations or not? etc.

No idea.

It's not a Chaosium product, so it's really up to Chris Helton and the gang at Seraphim Guard what portions of the core rules to use or change. I don't know what the licensing guidelines are, but I'd be surprised if it allowed Chaosium to dictate what optional rules are present in the game design.