Re: [BNW] Sneak Weak?

["Steve Crow" <crow_steve@hotmail.com>]

> > > There's a couple of problems with that, though.
> > For one thing, a group of
> > > characters is only as sneaky as the least-sneaky
> > character (like the story
> > > about two guys trying to outrun a tiger).  The
> > same doesn't apply to combat.
> > >   Which means Sneaks are not that sneaky, overall.
>
>Think of it this way, when you used to play AD&D (if
>you ever did), what did the Elf Thief in the group do?
>  I mean besides rob the other players purses.  He
>normally played point man, or mingled in a crowd so as
>not to appear like a part of the group.  The same with
>the sneak.  If a large hoard of Primers rumble with
>the players, it's nice to have someone who can pick a
>few off with surprise attacks.  Or as the example with
>the compound, it's nice to have a diversion (either by
>the sneak or the party) so that the other group can
>get inside.
>

Sure, but the "pick 'em off from the rear" thing brings us back to the 
original question.

Sneak does not impart "invisibility" per se (except with the appropriate 
trick, and that isn't really relevant here).

So you have a Sneak who can have +10 in Stealth, and +5 in Shooting 
(assuming he maxes out in both, and we're talking starting level).

And we have a Gunner who can have +5 in Stealth, +10 in Shooting, and can 
otherwise pursue exactly the same tactics.

Which would you rather have providing cover fire with a silenced 
flash-suppressant rifle?

Or to put it another way (and as the original poster put it), would you 
rather have someone who can get one extra success on the single Sneak roll 
or two they need to get into position...?

...or someone who gets one success instead of two on that Sneak roll, and 
then continues to get an extra success (_plus_ the bonus initiative) on 
_every_ Shooting roll they make, and is more likely to be able to do 
something combat-effective with the extra success(es) they get?

As far as the diversion/compound example, it has never been my intent to say 
that Sneak was _useless_.  But rather that this is not a skill/power package 
that drives a story, or a climax, or whatever.  In this case, the Sneak is 
creating the diversion, or taking out the guard at the spotlight, so that 
the rest of the characters can get to where they are so that _they_ do the 
dramatic stuff.

Unlike a Computer's hacking ability, or a Healer's Medicine, or a Genius' 
various Science skills which can prove critical at the right moment ("You've 
got five rounds to find the cure to that plague!"), or combat skills, or 
even Persuasion, Stealth/Sneak is not a "conclusion" skill as much as it is 
a "get there so you can use those other skills" kinda skill/power package.  
Kinda like, say, Running or Swimming.

And then there's night-vision, which may be cool in a medieval setting, but 
is roughly useless 50% of the time in the BNW world (unless someone didn't 
pay their light bills, or everyone else in the group bought night-vision 
goggles and hopefully the villians forgot to :) ).

>Just because I guy is a sneak doesn't make him weak.
>It's all in how you use him.
>

No character is useless.  But from personal experience as a Guide I can 
attest that unless very carefully handled, the Sneak may be somewhat 
disappointed with the relatively peripheral role he may play.  Or that the 
rest of the group may become somewhat bored if you focus more on him and his 
unique albeit solo-oriented abilities.

As anybody who has read, say, Justice League with Batman in it (more the 
earlier 50's and 70's issues), Batman rarely gets to use his Stealth 
abilities, and when he does, he's off on his own.

>-Munch Wolf


---

Steve Crow

"Worm Can Opener Extraordinare"

Check out my website at:  http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Stargate/4991/

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