[DL] A Motto for Marshals (was Re: In my defense...) [spoilers]

[Patrick Downs <knick_nevin@yahoo.com>]

--- Joe Frankovitch <slvrdrgn@larp.com> wrote:
> I think we're missing the point of Stat-less NPCs.  

> 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.

I haven't missed the point and I don't think Stone
loses any of his presence in my game (though I haven't
really used him yet to know)
I stat Stone because I want the players to have a
chance, however minimal, of surviving and possibly
beating Stone.

> Set it up however you want, but I would never roll
> roll any skill for [Stone]
> Hellstromme, or Grimme

> To me, these NPCs should be used as literary
> devices.  

well, that's your preference
but I don't like to say things like "this IS going to
happen no matter what"
if the villain has to survive until chapter 4 of the
story and the PCs manage to kill him in chapter 1, I
roll with it 
if the PCs manage to kill Stone (however I think this
is entrely impossible) then the world will be a better
place, and isn't that the real spirit of Deadlands?
fighting a losing battle

I could use a comparison to another role-playing
system here: Darth Vader
I've heard of games where Darth Vader was killed, and
I've heard of games where Darth Vader met the PCs and
unleashed death and terror onto all of them. 

First off, isn't it the prerogative of the Marshal to
include NPCs any way he wishes? 

Secondly, if the players meet someone who wants to
kill them and you don't have stats for the villain,
you just say "he's dead" and further more, this is a
villain who will meet every PC if they live long
enough eventually, who are you being fair to?
Shane? PEG? Yourself?
I say: be fair to the players
"If you stat it, they will kill it" shouldn't be a
warning to GMs, it should be a motto for how you run
any villain.

Thirdly, if you were in a game and you met the biggest
baddest villain of the game throughout perseverance
and/or luck and the GM simply says "ok, you're dead"
no dice-rolling involved, wouldn't you feel cheated?

-doc

p.s.- my answers: yes, not to the players or their
characters, yes

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