Re: [DL] Rules Tinkerin': Natural Healing

[Ivan E <ivan_gaming@yahoo.com>]

I find the natural healing times to be very
appropriate. As Steve mentioned, if they're upset
about waiting a month (and letting the bad guys get
away) then you can smile and remind them that they
could have chipped their wounds.

Other reasons to keep time passing:

1) You avoid the feeling that the Weird West is
crawling with monsters. If they're on a new adventure
every week, eventually someone's going to ask why the
settlers of the West haven't all been killed or moved
out when there are hordes of walkin' dead appearing
weekly.

2) It lets you plan bigger plotlines. Knowing the
posse's got to heal for a month can be a big help to
the Mad Scientist whose latest plan was thwarted. In
that month's time, he can build another robot, hire
more goons, and set up another lab while the heroes
are resting in the hotel.

3) It lets you bring in weather conditions. The Sioux
Nations are a very different place in December than in
April, and a posse trapped and healing in, say, Donner
Pass in November is going to have a lot on their hands
if they didn't chip their wounds.

4) It bleeds off some of that verdammten reward money
the posse accumulates. A month's hotel stay with
medical assistance and meals is going to do a lot of
your work for you as far as motivating characters to
go out and find work.

Finally, remember that there are alternatives. If it
bothers you that much, give them a Blessed NPC with
the total Pacifism hindrance. S/he's no use in a
fight, but can patch the posse up afterwards. My
recommendation is to use this device for four or five
adventures - maybe the bad guy they're chasing has
also burned down the Blessed's convent, and when he's
caught and justice is done the Blessed no longer
travels with them. That might actually encourage the
players to gain some form of healing medicine
themselves...

Just my thoughts. Keep asking questions - I really
like seeing how other Marshals deal with these issues.

- Ivan
http://www.gamesgroove.com/ivan/index.html

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