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(TFT) Strength
Statistics in The Fantasy Trip
What follows is the rational behind my use of 100lbs force per point of Damage.
The only part of this that "shows" to players is a few of rules of thumb.
First, 1pt Dam = 100lbs force.
Second, the force generated by 1pt ST is relative to the Figure being considered and is given by; the Figures ST * 10, in lbs of force.
Third, any object or locations resistance to Damage, or breakage, is given in Passive Strength, or pST, which is equal to 100lbs force.
Notice that fST from Exhaustion is tied to relative ST, while pST is fixed to 1pt Dam.
Everything that follows is rational for the above.
strength, n. [M.E. strengthe; AS. strengthu, from strang, strong.]
1. the state or quality of being strong; force; power; vigor.
2. the power to resist strain, stress, etc.; toughness; durability.
3. the power to resist attack; impregnability.
4. legal, moral, or intellectual force or effectiveness.
5. (a) capacity for producing a reaction or effect; potency, as of drugs, liquors, etc.; (b) great capacity for producing such effect.
6. intensity, as of sound, colour, odor, etc.
7. force, as measured in numbers; as, the battalion is at full strength.
8. a source of strength; that which makes strong; support.
9. in the stock exchange, a tendency to rise or remain firm in prices.
On the strength of; based or relying on.
strength of an electric current; the amount of electricity passing in a circuit in a given time; amperage.
strength of a magnetic field; the intensity of a magnetic field at any point as shown by the force with which it acts on a unit magnet pole at that point.
ultimate strength (of a material, etc. ;in mechanics, the result found by dividing the maximum load by the original area of cross section; the greatest inherent force which the particles of a material can exert in opposition to a stress.
Syn. -force, power, robustness, toughness, lustiness, firmness, solidity, puissance, efficiency, energy, vehemence, potency, vigor.
Webster's New Twentieth Century Dictionary Unabridged (second edition-delux color) Copyright 1983
STRENGTH
Melee
Strength governs:
(1) how many hits a figure can take. "Hits" represent combat damage. The hits a figure takes are subtracted from its ST; when ST reaches 1 a figure collapses and cannot fight, and when ST reaches zero, that figure is dead.
(2) what weapons a figure can use. Each weapon has a ST number. Only a figure whose ST begins at or above that number can use that weapon.
(3) how well the figure does in unarmed combat.
TFT ITL
STRENGTH (ST) governs:
(1) how many hits a fighter can take. "Hits" represent
injury. The hits a figure takes in combat are subtracted from
its ST; each hit reduces ST by 1. When ST reaches 1 a figure
falls unconscious; when ST reaches 0 it dies.
(2) how many spells a wizard can cast. Each spell (listed in
the Spell Table) has a ST cost. This is the number of ST points
a wizard expends casting the spell. This is a fatigue loss to
the wizard, rather than an injury, but it is treated just as
though the wizard had taken hits, and marked against his ST.
A wizard who throws the Trip spell loses 2 ST, just as though
he had taken 2 hits. Some spells are "continuing" spells, and
cost ST each turn after being cast until the wizard turns them
off. NOTE: a wizard cannot cast a spell which would reduce
his ST to 0 or less. He CAN cast a spell which reduces his ST
to l.
(3) how much weight a figure can carry - see EQUIPMENT.
(4) how resistant to poisons the figure is, how easily it can
resist being knocked down, grabbed, or otherwise physically
mistreated, and how heavy a weapon it may use in combat.
Average strength for a human female is 9 to 11; average
male ST is 10 to 12. Anyone with a ST of less than 8 is either
injured, not fully adult, or so puny they shouldn't be allowed
out of the house. Any ST over 13 is powerful; anything over
16 is remarkable.
{also}
NOTE: a strength of more than 30 is highly improbable by
Earth standards. If a GM wants to run a "realistic" campaign,
he should consider limiting the maximum ST of human-type
figures to 30. Of course, in a pure fantasy world, super-heroes
capable of sustaining massive damage while performing incredible
feats of strength are common; if you want this type of
game, you should allow characters to build up to any ST they
can earn.
Me now...
>From the text it appears that St has no active component in normal battle situations, the main exceptions being spells such as Magic Fist that do X dam per fST, HTH, and clubs.
By this, I mean that Strength serves more as a passive measure of how long a figure can remain in the fight rather than as a variable of success in the manner of Dexterity.
ST is a resource to be protected.
Also of note is that the text is a bit muddled (this is the pot calling the kettle...).
I read the text this way;
TFT ITL Jay's edit
Strength
STRENGTH (ST) governs:
(1) how many hits a fighter can take.
(2) what weapons a figure can use.
(3) how many spells a wizard can cast. (Exhaustion)
(4) how easily a figure can resist being knocked down, grabbed, or otherwise physically mistreated.
(5) how well the figure does in unarmed combat.
(6) how resistant to poisons the figure is.
(7) how much weight a figure can carry.
A re-write might look something like this;
TFT ITL Jay's re-write
Strength
STRENGTH (ST) governs:
(1) how many Hits a Figure, object, or location can take in the form of Damage.
(2) how much weight a Figure, or Vehicle can carry.
a.- how easily a Figure can move with large weights.
b.- what weapons a Figure can use.
(3) the magnitude of Strength related Damage a Figure can inflict.
note: AM Clubs BEGS for Strength related Damage for most melee weapons, and Weapon related Damage for Firearms, crossbows and similar weapons whose damage is not imparted by the physical force of the the Figures Strength.
This has been mentioned before I think.
HTH, also.
(4) how much Exhaustion a Figure, (Strength Battery) can absorb/emit before requiring rest.
(5) the Figures, or objects success range for Strength Checks and Saves.
a.- how resistant to poisons the Figure is. (illness)
b.- how resistant to being knocked down, grabbed, and other physical effects the Figure is.
I add the sub-points to show where I have subsumed points from my edited list.
Damage aside for the moment, we have rules for weight so let's take a look at that.
ITL TFT pg35
WEIGHT CARRIED
The weight a figure can carry is directly related to its
strength, as follows:
Less than its ST: No penalty of any kind. Dog-paddling or
swimming allowed.
Less than 2 times ST, in kg: No penalty of any kind on land.
No swimming.
2 to 3 times ST: MA reduced to 8.
3 to 4 times ST: MA reduced to 6. DX -1.
4 to 5 times ST: MA reduced to 4. DX -2.
Note that these speeds refer to running (i.e., combat)
speeds. All figures walking normally through the labyrinth are
assumed to have a MA of 3.
A figure may not carry more than 5 times his ST and travel
normally. However, it is possible to move very heavy loads for
a short distance. A figure can carry up to 7 times its ST for a
short time - not over 10 minutes. His ST is reduced by 1
every 2 minutes due to exhaustion.
The maximum a character can lift is his ST, squared. However,
a character can shift 21/2 times this weight, if he can get
into a position which gives him leverage.
Comparison Examples;
ST 10 ST 15 ST 20 ST 25 ST 30
Swim - 20lbs 30lbs 40lbs 50lbs 60lbs
MA 8 - 30lbs 45lbs 60lbs 75lbs 90lbs
MA 6 - 40lbs 60lbs 80lbs 100lbs 120lbs
MA 4 - 50lbs 75lbs 100lbs 125lbs 150lbs
Carry - 70lbs 105lbs 140lbs 175lbs 210lbs
Lift - 100lbs 225lbs 400lbs 625lbs 900lbs
Shift - 250lbs 562.5lbs 1000lbs 1562.5lbs 2250lbs
Alright, now let's compare my assumptions and see if we're in the ballpark.
[HTH 1d-3 Dam, max 3]
ST 10 = 100lbs force * 6 = 600lbs max force / 100lbs (1pt Dam) = 6pts max Dam {{-3}} = 3pts max HTH dam.
(Damage assumption for {{-3}}, a Figure useing Dagger, Cestus, or Main-Gauche does HTH Dam + 3, so I went the other way with bare fists. I'll say more in Damage.)
[HTH 1d-2 Dam, max 4]
ST 11 = 110 (* 6) = 660 (/ 100) = 6.6 (- 3) = 3.6
ST 12 = 120, 720, 7.2, 4.2
[HTH 1d-1 Dam, max 5]
ST 13 = 130, 780, 7.8, 4.8
ST 14 = 140, 840, 8.4, 5.4
[HTH 1d Dam, max 6]
ST 15 = 150, 900, 9, 6
ST 16 = -, 960, -, 6.6
[HTH 1d+1 Dam, max 7]
ST 17 = -, 1020, -, 7.2
ST 18 = -, 1080, -, 7.8
ST 19 = -, 1140, -, 8.4
ST 20 = 200, 1200, 12, 9
[HTH 1d+2 Dam, max 8]
ST 21 = -, 1260, -, 9.6
ST 22 = -, 1320, -, 10.2
ST 23 = -, 1380, -, 10.8
ST 24 = -, 1440, -, 11.4
[HTH 1d+3 Dam, max 9]
ST 25 = 250, 1500, 15, 12
ST 26 = max Dam 12.6
ST 27 = max Dam 13.2
ST 28 = max Dam 13.8
ST 29 = max Dam 14.4
[HTH 2d+1 Dam, min/max 3/13 ?undefined]
ST 30 = 300, 1800, 18, 15
Please note that if you subtract the TFT HTH Damage addon, +1, +2, etc., from the max Dam, given on my table, the figures match better.
More about this in Damage.
Okay, so now we have a rough correlation between my assumption of force, and Damage.
It's not perfect but it's not bad either.
Now consider this.
The Guinness Book for '81 gives the following classes, and Records as of 4 Aug '80;
Flyweight 52 kg (114.5 lb) Snatch 249.75 lbs. Jerk 314 lbs.
range 4 kg
Bantamweight 56 kg (123.25 lb) S 275.5 lbs. J 347 lbs.
range 4 kg
Featherweight 60 kg (132.25 lb) S 292 lbs. J 368 lbs.
range 7.5 kg
Lightweight 67.5 kg (148.75 lb) S 326.25 lbs. J 429.75 lbs.
range 7.5 kg
Middleweight 75 kg (165.25 lb) S 354.75 lbs. J 453 lbs.
range 7.5 kg
Light-heavyweight 82.5 kg (181.75 lb) S 391.25 lbs. 490.5 lbs.
range 7.5 kg
Middle-heavyweight 90 kg (198.25 lb) S 398 lbs. J 491.5 lbs.
range 10 kg
untitled 100 kg (220.5 lb) S 403.25 lbs. J 506.75 lbs.
range 10 kg
Heavyweight 110 kg (242.5 lb) S 419.75 lbs. J 529 lbs.
range 10 kg
Super-heavyweight Over 110 kg (242.5 lb) S 442 lbs. J 564.25 lbs.
Finally some damn book I read (The Medical Encyclopedia For Better Health Volume 2 of 2) says that the average human has about 1/13 his body weight, in pints of blood.
More on this in Damage.
I'm gonna make another assumption, Joe average weighs 130lbs.
This gives him 10 pints of blood, and puts him as a heavy Bantamweight by the weight groups above.
So let's compare.
Joe Average
TFT ST 10
Swim - 20lbs
MA 8 - 30lbs
MA 6, -1 DX - 40lbs
MA 4, -2 DX - 50lbs
Carry - 70lbs
Lift - 100lbs
Shift - 250lbs
Jays assumptions
ST 10 = 100lbs force * 6 = 600lbs max / 100lbs per 1pt Dam = 6pts Dam - 3 = 3pts max HTH dam.
He weighs 130lbs or roughly 60 kg (132.25 lb) and is able to lift around 300lbs maximum over his head in a single motion, Featherweight 60 kg (132.25 lb) S 292 lbs. J 368 lbs.
It's not a perfect fit, but it's in the ballpark.
Checking another reference.
In Olympic (in which only men compete) and other championship competitions, contestants often lift up to 95 kg (209 lb) more than their body weight in the snatch, and up to 135 kg (298 lbs) more than their body weight in the clean and jerk.
"Weightlifting," Microsoft(R) Encarta(R) 98 Encyclopedia. (c) 1993-1997 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Assuming they are talking the biggest lifts, we are talking Super-heavyweight Over 110 kg (242.5 lb).
For a Figure at 250lbs weight, we can generalize the snatch at 1.8 times (4/5ths) body weight, or 450lbs, and 2.2 times (6/5ths) body weight for the clean and jerk, or 550lbs.
Just about dead on for 250lbs.
110 kg (242.5 lb) S 442 lbs. J 564.25 lbs
This would set Joe Average at 234lbs for the snatch, and 286lbs for the clean and jerk.
60 kg (132.25 lb) S 292 lbs. J 368 lbs
Again, not perfect, but not soooo far off the mark, and wiggle room should be built in anyway, i.e. a scream or battle cry can increase force by as much as 1/3rd, etc.
This seems to provide relative measures of Strength to body size.
I would suggest that part of this is due to an animals Strength being roughly proportional to the cross-sectional area of it's muscles when determining its speed.
For design purposes S ~ L^2 where L is the animals linear size and S is Strength.
In doing work against gravity, as in lifting, m*g ~ L^3.
So S = F * v = m * g * v, which is roughly L^3 * v, and compared with the relative Strength of the animal we get v ~ 1/L.
This is approaching swinging masses about at quick velocities.
note: In Running over level ground, it is the air resistance that is considered for an animal, which is proportional to its speed and its cross-sectional area.
For the majority of animals (I can imagine weird insect examples, maybe hummingbird wings?) wind resistance is a kind of engineering "sound barrier"(end of whips).
Again, in doing work against gravity, as in running uphill, m*g ~ L^3.
All this means that the running speed of any animal is independent of its size, so rabbits still run as fast as horses on level ground, but run up-hill quicker.
MA can be converted from speed without reference to Strength.
I babble.
As these guys get stronger, they get bigger.
And I have scaled chits.
Crrrrrrraaaaaaazy, mad as a hatter I am crrrrrraaaaaaazy...
I'm gonna leave it here for now.
There's more on Damage, and pST, but I'll leave those to Damage and Buildings.
Just be glad I pulled Dexterity and IQ, although I should have IQ done for tomorrow...
Jay
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