Topic: Problems with HARP

[Ramoran]

Or...

CSI: Yeah, but look at the wounds.  This guy was stabbed in the heart, both lungs, both kidneys, the spleen, the pancreas, and the knife was left sticking out of the back of his skull, between an impaled brain and a severed brain stem.  Clearly sneak attack damage has been applied here, and judging from the severity of this I'd say it's at least ten d6 or more.  We're looking for a high-level rogue, possibly with ranks in assassin or invisible blade.  Or Xena.  Could be Xena.

[GoblynByte]

Or...

CSI: Yeah, but look at the wounds.  This guy was stabbed in the heart, both lungs, both kidneys, the spleen, the pancreas, and the knife was left sticking out of the back of his skull, between an impaled brain and a severed brain stem.  Clearly sneak attack damage has been applied here, and judging from the severity of this I'd say it's at least ten d6 or more.  We're looking for a high-level rogue, possibly with ranks in assassin or invisible blade.  Or Xena.  Could be Xena.

Well played, man.

[jasonbrisbane]

Actually, I prefer:

Medicial Examiner: (Looks strangely at CSI) "Well, my misinformed friend you seem to be under a cloud of confusion here. This injury here is the killing wound." (points to wound with gloved index finger). "Clearly this is a well placed strike to the left lung. The victim would have slumped to the ground and died in 6 rounds of wheezing agony. Probably had a -50 to movement and suffering from 6 rounds of Stun to boot."

(HA! One for RM and HARP Fans Everywhere!) WOOHOO!

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

Sheesh... some folks have way too much time on their hands... hehehe

[Thos]

Every year lots of folks end up in the morgue as the result of "ineffective" knife attacks.

"Ineffective."  I like that.  I'm going to steal it. 

Heh, I can see this play out on an episode of CSI:

Medical Examiner: "We have a victim of a knifing.  Two stab wounds to the chest with a blade approximately 6 inches in length.  Time of death 0800 hours."
CSI: "But that's impossible!  That's the size of a dagger.  Daggers only do 1d4 damage!  Clearly ineffective!"
Medical Examiner: "Maybe against your standard body guard, but this guy was breaking and entering at the time of the assault."
CSI: "So..."
Medical Examiner: "So...Thieves generally have fewer hit points than Fighters."
CSI: "Ah!  Case closed."

 

Yeah, that gets a laugh point from me!

[Thos]

I personally find very few problems with the HARP system that can't be remedied with house rules. I think if one is looking for non-realistic combat, HARP is not for them. But the fact that so much detail goes into making combat as realistic as you can get with fairly simple rules, in a fantasy game has always impressed me.

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

And the funny part is that it was never the intention to make combat "realistic". Only to make it quicker than in RM and keep the flavor of criticals...   

I guess you could call it serendipity... 

[Arioch]

Every year lots of folks end up in the morgue as the result of "ineffective" knife attacks.

"Ineffective."  I like that.  I'm going to steal it. 

Heh, I can see this play out on an episode of CSI:

Medical Examiner: "We have a victim of a knifing.  Two stab wounds to the chest with a blade approximately 6 inches in length.  Time of death 0800 hours."
CSI: "But that's impossible!  That's the size of a dagger.  Daggers only do 1d4 damage!  Clearly ineffective!"
Medical Examiner: "Maybe against your standard body guard, but this guy was breaking and entering at the time of the assault."
CSI: "So..."
Medical Examiner: "So...Thieves generally have fewer hit points than Fighters."
CSI: "Ah!  Case closed."

 

ROTFL!  Great!