RE: [DL] In my defense... (was Re: How to kill a posse)

["Joe Frankovitch" <slvrdrgn@larp.com>]

--- jwtolle@altavista.com wrote:
> On Sun, 30 December 2001, Patrick Downs wrote:
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-----Original Message-----
From: owner-deadlands@gamerz.net [mailto:owner-deadlands@gamerz.net] On
Behalf Of Patrick Downs
Sent: Monday, December 31, 2001 5:20 PM
To: deadlands@gamerz.net
Subject: [DL] In my defense... (was Re: How to kill a posse)

> >I give Stone a 7d10 in Tale Tellin'
> > roll 5d10 (stone's Demolition aptitude)
>
> Other examples snipped
> You are seriously shorting Stone's stats.

>Not at all. When I make an NPC, I never give them
>d12s.
>I never want d12s for my characters, since it's easier
>to ace with a d10 I just like them better. 
>It's a personal preference I guess. 

Here is my dilemma with this whole thread.  I think we're missing the
point of Stat-less NPCs.  I think it is our job as Marshals to avoid
bringing them into situations where their stats come into play.  I would
never roll anything for Stone (or Hellstromme, or Grimme, or Raven,
etc.), for they are intended to be the Boogey-men of the setting.
Certainly of those listed, Stone is the most likely to directly combat
the Posse.  However, he so far outmatches any PC that rolling dice is
simply wasting time.  All of these NPCs should be used as foils, not as
direct opponents.  If Stone personally comes for a PC, that PC is dead.

Set it up however you want, but I would never roll Demolitions for him,
or shootin', or tale-tellin'.  I'd similarly never roll any skill for
Hellstromme, or Grimme.  Why make up stats for Stone that include "+8 to
all rolls, which means he cannot bust" and then proceed to roll?  Just
to prove how much cooler he is than the PCs?  Prove that by deed.  If
you've given him stats that mean that he can never fail (even on a
bust), then why give him stats at all?

To me, these NPCs should be used as literary devices.  IF I were to send
Stone after a PC, stone would hire mercenaries first, then better ones.
And if those plans continued to fail, he'd wait until the PC was alone
or asleep, Ghost in right behind him, and then shoot him in the head
until he died.  I would almost never let it get to that, though.  If you
want something really tough to kill your PCs, then fine, that is easy to
make.  As someone else mentioned, the best way to kill any PC is with
his clone.  If you want Stone to become involved with the PCs, then do
it with flair, with style.  You lose all of Stone's intended presence as
soon as you decide "he has d10s in everything".  "If you stat it, they
will kill it" is the motto of Pinnacle in their games.  This includes
Marshal created stats as much as Pinnacle published stats.

Of course, the whole start of this thread was about offing a powerful
PC.  The train plan sounds fine, but Stone, in my opinion, wouldn't do
it himself.  He would have someone else do it.  I don't care how good a
marshal-artist you are.  Two bullets to the head will usually do the
trick if they can't spend fate chips.  Always remember, fate chips are
just that.  If theres no way fate could intervene, they can't be spent.
A sleeping PC with a gun to his head is just dead.

Joe, and his 2 cents