Re: [DL] Goin' Bust

["B.D. Flory" <bflory@frontiernet.net>]

> In every case, your chances of going bust /increase/ when you go from 2dn
> to 3dn or from 4dn to 5dn. It's really noticeable for the smaller n's,
but
> it's true for all of them. This seems to be just a bit broken in terms of
> how this should play. I like the concept of Goin' Bust a lot, but am
> slightly troubled by the statistical behavior.

Agreed, it is an abberation in what is an otherwise sound system. A similar
issue arises when dealing damage to size 6 targets with 1d4 vs 1d6. To wit,
it's more likely to score a wound with 1d4 than 1d6.

> So, do we play with a (slightly) broken mechanic, or is there an elegant
> fix to this? I haven't thought of one, myself, but someone might have.

I've been playing and GMing DL for a few years now (on and off), and I've
found the problem is not as severe as one might think. The relative rarity
of going bust in the first place makes this a minor concern (it is
similarly rare to deal only 1d4 or 1d6 damage, though I'm uncertain if the
statistical anomaly crops up with greater numbers of dice, such as 4d4 vs
4d6. It probably does...)
 
In short form, I find the general consistency and just plain fun of the DL
system overcomes these mechanical oddities.

YMMV.

B. D. Flory

"Man is not made for defeat. A man can be destroyed but not defeated."
                                             -Ernest Hemingway