Re: [HoE] Junkman Cometh/Huckster ?

[AJSolis@aol.com]

In a message dated 6/23/99 11:56:29 AM Central Daylight Time, 
crow_steve@hotmail.com writes:

> 
>  Actually, I was trying to come from both angles. 
   Yes, I noticed, but your major arguments did seem to revolve around rules 
fairness, which is certainly a valid stance, but since I have yet to play HoE 
is of less concern to me.  I am a theorist, so what I am really worried about 
is the consistency in the game setting. 

> To agree with...Mr... Solis? As far as the strength of manitous.  
Particularly 
   Yes, that is my name.  Or call me Adam, if you prefer.

> 
> Since the proposed change doesn't make "Ace-level" Manitous disappear.  It 
> makes "Ace-level" manitous disappear for Ace-minimum hexes.  But it also 
> makes Jacks-level manitous disappear for, say, Gambler's Luck.  Ummm, huh?
>  
    Now, my original theory for Hucksters was that their skill represented 
how efficient they were in using Hunting Grounds energy.  However, my 
research indicates that indeed Deadlands claims otherwise, instead the skill 
represents how big the Manitou is.  Which doesn't make much sense to my way 
of thinking, unless Huckstering involves summoning Manitous.  Instead of 
relying on the Manitous that may be hanging around, the huckster forms a 
connection to the nearest Manitou with the sufficient amount of energy, and 
skill simply represents how much Manitou energy one can channel safely.  
    Anyway, bigger manitous (which can be connected to with more successes) 
represents bigger hands, equaling greater chance of success, and greater 
chance of backlash.  So, if all manitous are bigger in HoE, then hucksters 
would all be working with bigger hands when they cast a hex.
    However, I would have to believe that the poker hand instead represents 
how efficient the huckster himself is in channeling the energy of the 
Manitou.  A Plus four cards Manitou is still a four cards plus Manitou 
whether the huckster gets an Ace or a straight flush.  So, again the increase 
in minimum hand would still not make any sense, because that involves the 
huckster's skill and not the Manitou at all.   
   So, to recap, I have no problem with increased backlashes, the Reckoners 
walk the earth after all, but instead of an increased minimum hand the 
Hucksters should simply get more cards, which would both increase the chance 
of backlash and allow for greater success at hexes, simply because that is 
what is consistent and makes sense in the shared Deadlands/HoE setting.