(TFT) Word value

["David Michael Grouchy II" <david_michael_grouchy_ii@hotmail.com>]

_________________________________________________________________

          AD&D drops the bomb on itself

(A breif study of the use of the word ?hero? in AD&D,
              with a TFT conclusion)



    In CHAINMAIL a hero was listed as being equal to four heavy horse.  In 
MEN & MAGIC a hero was four dice 8.  In THE PLAYERS HANDBOOK it was four 
dice ten.  In DEITIES & DEMI-GODS the average hit points of the 22 listed 
heroes is 139.6363.  The minimum number of dice ten that could cover such a 
massive number of hit points would be fourteen.  It is an average roll for 
twenty six dice ten.  Listed in order of publication the inflation of 
numbers against the word value of hero is clear.

HERO
4D6     CHAINMAIL           (c) 1971 ?Tactical Studies Rules?
4D8     MEN & MAGIC         (c) 1974 ?Tactical Studies Rules?
4D10    PLAYERS HANDBOOK    (c) 1978 ?Tactical Studies Rules?
14D10    DEITIES & DEMI-GODS (c) 1980 ?Tactical Studies Rules?

    It seems clear that the number value of the word ?hero? gets bigger 
over time.  That shows me a lack of understanding for their own formulas.  
It makes me wonder if they weren?t just selling bigger numbers in each 
subsequent edition.  I mean, aside from all that artwork.
    The word value of hero has been under examined.  A hero as defined by 
AD&D is a fourth level Fighter.  One should think that it was the use of the 
word ?hero? that lead to the idea of ?henchmen? as a game mechanic.  Any 
AD&D character can have charisma.  Charisma usually does not increase 
without the use of wishes.  I find this strange.  The people at TSR seem to 
have missed the point.
    I should think that Charisma, or number of followers, is what would 
make a ?hero? in AD&D terms.  This would make more sense to me than inflated 
numbers over time.  TFT specifically lists Charisma(cost 2) and New 
Followers(cost 2) as two separate talents.  Neither one is listed as an 
attribute like in D&D.  Also Charisma(2) is listed as a prerequisite of New 
Followers(2).  I take this to be intentional on Steve Jackson?s part.  To 
explain in a more logical set of rules how his system is different from D&D. 
 Steve Jackson?s work shows a greater awareness of word value.
    The word value of ?hero? in TFT means anything that is not a Wizard.  
Even a thief or assassin is a type of hero.  A wizard is not.  A hero has to 
spend four points of IQ if they wish to have followers.  A Wizard is 
required to spend eight points of IQ if they wish to have followers.
    This distinction has an interesting correlation to the four heavy horse 
of CHAINMAIL?s ?hero? and the eight heavy horse of CHAINMAIL?s ?super hero?. 
 My final conclusion on the word value in D&D, AD&D, and the rest, is that 
there is almost none.  In addition, what ever value it once had was lost.  
In that sense, TFT has been served better by being a dead game than a living 
one.  Who knows what would have happened had TFT gone through multiple 
editions.  To end this with a terrible mangle of puns and meanings; an IQ 
point is equal to one heavy horse, a hero is any non Wizard with followers, 
and a super hero is any non Warrior with followers.

    David Michael Grouchy II
_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com

=====
Post to the entire list by writing to tft@brainiac.com.
Unsubscribe by mailing to majordomo@brainiac.com with the message body
"unsubscribe tft"