A Dramatic Confrontation Problem

[Kuato]

My players have finally gotten the idea of BW into their min-maxing skulls and have started really driving the plotline of our campaign with their own actions. The problem is where their ambitions have led us.

The players have arranged for their characters to be delivered into the sanctum of a powerful Atlantean warlord in order to end his regime, blah, blah, blah. They are all very excited about the prospect of making such sweeping changes to a nation, but are very aware that this ancient warrior may just wipe the floor with them all and call it a day. The Runecaster in the group has already told them that not all will emerge alive from such a confrontation. In short, they are on the edge of their seats to kick this guy's ass in the next session, and suddenly I realize....

I have no frickin clue how to run a multiple participant combat--were many gang up on the one. Help! They'll lynch me if I ruin it.

[Thor Olavsrud]

Hey Kuato.

Glad to hear your group is coming around!

Many against one is NASTY. It works the same as any other combat. I hope your Atlantean warlord is either: a. a Wizard that has Turn Aside the Blade, b. has a wizard in his employ that can cast Turn Aside the Blade on him, or c. has guards who will leap into the fight in a moment's notice.

Otherwise, they'll likely cut down your warlord in no time flat.

What exactly is your worry about many against one system-wise?

[phredd]

Judiciously greying out some of the Warlord's stats, skills and weapons may help too.

[Thor Olavsrud]

Judiciously greying out some of the Warlord's stats, skills and weapons may help too.

gah! I'd avoid the Gray weapons. Otherwise you'll have one-hit kills.

[luke]

what are the talents of the players' characters?

[Kuato]

Thor-->Mechanics-wise, I just wasn't sure how the scripting would go. I don't know if everyone just has to script once, or (less likely) the warlord scripts against each player individually, or how he divides his dice trying to avoid getting axed. From your answer, it sounds like he just scripts once and tries in vain not to die. I kinda don't want him to die so easy, though...

Phredd-->He's got a few grey stats, and a parrying blade enchanted with TAtB. I don't want to make him too crazy.

Abzu-->The characters are a "master" swordsman (training from childhood specifically to overthrow this Warlord), a Dwarven Runecaster with some axe skill, a bright young merchant-noble with a huge verbal arsenal (his DoW started the riot that allowed the players access to the sanctum) but not much else, a young witch recently released from slavery, and a bar thug good with his fists and some really good Affiliations. Is that what you were looking for? Hope this helps. Post back if you need some more info.

Thanks for the help, as always.

[Kaare Berg]

I don't know if everyone just has to script once, or (less likely) the warlord scripts against each player individually, or how he divides his dice trying to avoid getting axed

The warlord scripts once. The everyone scripts once.

I'd start off with avoid and then wing it from there. Postioning tests might be all important here. If he maintains against one, the others still have to beat his postioning test to get into their optimal ranges. This way the warlord can prevent all from ganging up on him.

Yay, postioning tests.

However you'll find that BW tends to suprise you when it comes to the big bads, I've lost many to one exchange including a sorceror with TAB at eight to one blow and one arrow.

When it comes to running the battle I'd run it volley by volley since all are involved (otherwise I tend to finish one exchange before moving to next player).

[Thor Olavsrud]

Well, for all intents and purposes it sounds as if it will be three against one. The blade enchanted with TAB is a great idea. That's probably all he needs to balance things up.

Is he wearing armor?

What exactly are his gray stats? More than one is pretty powerful!

[Kublai]

It's no sweat, really. Everybody gets one script. The villain have to choose which action goes against which of the three characters when it's time.

From experience, I've been the 1 against the many and come out on top. Some good armor, a high skill, and a smart script ensures this. I didn't have TAB or anything but some fortunate dice results. Also, like Thor said, with the new positioning rules, a swift warrior can control the entire fight!

[donbaloo]

Does the swift warrior's positioning test hold true against all of his opponents?

[Kublai]

If he comes out with more successes than anyone else, yes! If not, then I think he can position against anyone he beats.

It's all about intent. If the villain wants only one character to be in optimal and the rest out of striking distance and he wins the test, his intent is accomplished. If one player beats him, I'd say that player chooses his distance, but then the villain's intent applies to everyone else.

If the players are smart, they will realize that helping each other to close will be their only hope.

[Thor Olavsrud]

Does the swift warrior's positioning test hold true against all of his opponents?

Absolutely. Let's say we start out of striking distance. The Warrior scripts Maintain. The PCs script Close. For our purposes, lets say the PCs are all rolling individually, and not Helping on the test. The Warrior gets 4 successes. Player 1 gets 3 successes, Player 2 gets 6 successes and Player 3 gets 4 successes.

Player 1 and Player 3 did not beat the Warrior, so they are Maintained at outside striking distance. Player 2 beat the Warrior by 2, so he can Close to Lunging or Optimal, whichever he prefers.

[Kuato]

Thanks for all the help guys. The players are eagerly awaiting the fight this weekend, and I think it may be a good one now.

I also came across the other threads in this forum about many attackers and many defenders, and those helped a lot as well.

I'll try to post a copy of the warlord later if you guys would like, but I'm at work right now.

Thor--He normally wears armor, but I'm thinking that the characters caught him only partially prepared and lightly armored (a la Conan in The Phoenix on the Sword) to even things out. And of course, he's too arrogant to care.