Flaming the Flaming: Aka Beatin' Preconceptions

[luke]

I would just like to say, for the record, that I had the joy to witness two Burning Wheel melees --one on one-- where the winner of both matches was the first one to be wounded.

I did not run these melees, nor play in them. They were part of a game that I was observing.

There is a popular conception that the BW death spiral dooms the one who is wounded first. While it is true that getting wounded sucks, and even the smallest wound can be your end, you can overcome this with smart scripting, commonsense and good roleplaying.

Some of the best roleplaying was on the part of the GM, who at one point when he saw he had a PC backed against a wall, changed his tactics and had the antagonist taunt and spit on the stunned/hestitating pc while screaming, "Give up!"

It was a very palpable and very human moment, and provided for some very nice roleplaying.

Why am I saying this? Because no matter what the numbers look like, i built a system where you can actually think around a problem. This goes for players and gms alike.

grr.
:x
-abzu

[Drozdal]

Hah and during that spitting incident i had to point that my pc lost total of 2 dices - so i was quite impressed that i came up alive (and victourious) from that fight. BTW. another creepy moment of the fight was my strike to opponent head (mark result with my axe) and of course his helment saves his ass - grr - that could ended like 3 exchanges earlier :0 Bou becuse of thta iwas way more eajoyable :)

Drozdal

[eruditus]

So a combat ensues amidst the PCs in my Saturday campaign. A nobless knight (a VERY scary woman) got her panties in a bunch when slapped by another PC for a misunderstanding (although it is suspected that something more sinister is involved in her actions). She storms off from dinner.
Sometime passes and in she comes suited up and crossbow loaded -

THWACK! heavy bolt in the back of the offending PC (B8 is a severe and down 2 dice, making 5 of six successes on his Steel check).

The groups leader jumps to it while the others stall in horror and confusion. He springs in front of the woman and tries to hold her back. the woman who is bigger and stonger than most of the men, fends off our leader, draws her sword and gives the leader a gaping chestwound for his troubles (Severe to the leader, who hesitates for several actions).

KWOK! A shot to the head with the cleaver and another severe and the leader is down for the count before the others can react!

The cavalryman tires to remove the bolt from his back and clammers over the stone tables to put distance between him and the crazed knight. The falconer draws his sword and takes a midi wound across his arm and stumbles back into a corner to tend it.

The monk then steps up to plate, disarms the knight and gives her a shot to her chin making her stumble back a little. He follows up locking the knight's arms then throat and she is incapacitated in seconds... fight over and everyone's alive yet a little worse for wear (so much so that they decide to hang in the monestary they were in for a month and head down the mountainside, ill equipped spiritually and professionally for the task at hand. Time to get back to the war against the troll incursion :)

[Kublai]

Oh my God! She sounds like the friggin' Terminator, just walking in and plugging the guy! Two Severe wounds?? Oh, the horror!

[Fifth]

I remember those guys from your dragoncon demo! What's happening? We used to be such a closely knit group!

[eruditus]

I remember those guys from your dragoncon demo! What's happening? We used to be such a closely knit group!

Not to further pollute Luke's rambling but...

Has a lot to do with leaving something behind after a battle with trolls (broken breastplate strap) and the newest addition to my troll lifepaths - three types of troll shaman.

Jerika was easily defeating the shamans attempts at possession but after weeks of climbing mountains, fighting trolls, and the final blow to her ego as Hassan brought his hand across her noble cheek put the knight at just the right disadvantage for the troll to take over that night. Luckily the group was with it enough to know this was uncharacteristic of her and used subdual methods... besides most of her companion's weapons just bounce off her white metal :)

[Kublai]

Wow! You're a bastard! :D :wink:

[Fifth]

Wow! You're a bastard!

True that.
:D

[eruditus]

Wow! You're a bastard! :D :wink:

I will take that as the highest form of compliment :lol:

The Burning Wheel has had a significant effect on my games in that there is VERY LITTLE combat that happens. I have put in place combative consequences to certain actions. No, I don't expect the group to start cleaning campsites and battlefields of all debris to avoid such thing, that i merely justification for interesting plot. However, I can say that I was surprised to see no casualties.

Someone once said, as a critique of the Wheel, that it is set up to really make people want to just stay home and be peasants (or better yet nobles). And I agree. However, thats exactly what I want. A game where everyone isn't an adventurer and a game that rewards people doing normal, safe life-oriented activities. But if you do and are willing to face the consequences the rewards are great - money, power, and practice that gives you an edge! I hate those worlds where adventurers make 100 times the GNP of most nations and any schlub with a pig sticker can take up the adventuring life.

"Oh, sure, theres goblins everywhere and we use 'em as training grounds fer the young'uns." There should be a DAMN good reason (up to the players and the GM to find motivation) why folks are wandering around the dangerous wilderness and braving sword and spell!