[HoE] Game Balance [HOPLER]

["Casey McGirt" <cmcgirt@hotmail.com>]

Regarding the balance of Arcane Backgrounds versus 'norms', I have to side 
with B.D. on this one.  It's not just HoE - even the Weird West is 
toughening up the Arcane Backgrounds at the expense of those without special 
powers.

Let's look at the requirements for some of the HoE Arcane Backgrounds.  A 
full-fledged Doomsayer costs a mere 8 points (5 Faith plus a 3-point Arcane 
Background).  Sykers cost 8 points as well, but this does not include 
important additions such as Fortitude or Meditation.  Junkers cost 9 points, 
but often want to spend more (there are a lot of useful things to buy in The 
Junkman Cometh). Templars are, without a doubt, the most expensive 
background in HoE.  However, most of the requisite skills are useful in 
their own right, and Templar powers have no risk associated with them.

Now that we have an idea of what those buying an Arcane Background are 
spending, let's see what they're giving up.  I'll use a Doomsayer for my 
example, since they seem to be the most powerful (in combat) of the Arcane 
Backgrounds.  Our example Doomsayer has bought his Arcane Background, and a 
Faith of 5.  In return, the Doomsayer has no need of a Shootin' skill (his 
powers are his weapon).  Which means when you compare our Doomsayer to a Law 
Dog (who probably has Shootin' 5), there's a whopping difference of 3 
points.  Less, if the Law Dog wants to use more than one type of gun.  The 
Doomsayer will have the disadvantage of being a mutant, but that's rather 
hard to quantify (if your party stays in areas with a lot of mutants, the 
Law Dog is the one suffering the disadvantage).  When you compare the two in 
combat, the Doomsayer is the one scattering bad guys like bowling pins 
(especially if the Doomsayer has MIRV).  Going bust is a very remote chance 
on 5d12, and would probably hurt the Law Dog nearly as much as the 
Doomsayer.

Back when Deadlands first came out, the limiting factor on Arcane 
Backgrounds was cost.  Everyone (except Blessed) had to pay a large amount 
of points to get their powers to a significant level.  The problem with the 
current system can be traced to the 'all in one' game mechanic.  Buy one 
ability (such as Faith), and use it for every aspect of the Arcane 
Background.  It's the root of most of the imbalance in HoE, and the reason 
few choose to play a normal.

But, wait!  Someone mentioned that bad guys in HoE are defeated by finding 
their weakness, as opposed to raw combat ability.  I would respond with two 
points.  First, as I pointed out in the example above, there's only a few 
points of difference between a Doomsayer and a normal at character creation. 
  Second, many monsters are killed easier by the person with the Arcane 
Background (Doombringers, for example).  Looking in the main rulebook, I 
couldn't find a single creature that a Law Dog would have an easier time of 
killing than a Doomsayer.

Is there a solution?  Only two things come to mind - change the rules, or 
change the environment.  Changing the rules isn't exactly feasible at this 
point, as it would have to be a significant change.  However, monsters could 
be designed with more mundane weaknesses, and locations could be created 
that are more hazardous for those with Arcane Backgrounds (just as the HoE 
environment in general is more hazardous for Hucksters).  Make sure there is 
enough equipment for the normal characters to keep up with the supernatural 
ones - it's one of the few balancing factors in the game.

Thinking on this a bit further, I think the biggest factor in this 
discussion is equipment.  If you give the players enough bullets to use 
automatic weapons in every fight, the Law Dog we're using for comparison 
suddenly becomes a lot tougher.  But the original representation of HoE 
seems to be a world where equipment is very hard to find (the movies Road 
Warrior and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome come to mind).

There's also the option of making combats rare.  Then again, that isn't 
exactly realistic in a harsh, post-apocolyptic world.  Besides, John Goff 
would go broke. :)

-Casey

P.S.  In my mind, the most unbalancing Doomsayer power isn't Nuke.  It's 
MIRV.  With a roll of 10+ on 5d12, the Doomsayer fires 5 2d10 bolts that 
will hit anything up to a TN of 10 - and all five can fire at the same 
person!


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