Re: (TFT) Variants = flavor of the age

[lifeisfun@aol.com]

The books are somewhat sketchy about the definition of strength.? I've heard many a GM spout the same argument you're proposing, but it's just not backed up by the rules.? If anything, the rules imply the opposite.? But, even after all the examples i'll list here, I too have made more of a single point of strength than I should have.? I think players like to think that one point means something.? And, to me, it does means something.? It means a lot of time playing a character.

Arguments:

A> Mele page 8 "Average strength for a human female is 9 to 11; average male strength is 10 to 12.? Anyone with ST of les than 8 is either injured, not fully adult, or so puny they shouldn't be allowed to leave the house. Any ST over 13 is powerful; anything over 16 is remarkable." To me this passage pretty clearly suggests that a child has strength below 8, an average man has a strength of 11, 14 is strong/powerful and 17+ is powerful. So, let's think of examples.? I have always put a physicially fit man at 12, a gymnist at 14, and a champion weightlifter at 17. 

B> Mele page 8 "At ST 18 or above, you can pick up items of furniture, big rocks, etc., and throw them for (1+1) damage."? By furniture, I read into this chest of drawers, or heavy chair or table.? Furniture was even heavier and more solid than the stuff we buy today.? My plushy couch didn't exist and even though it seems heavy, today's construction standards are pathetic.? In any event, the rule suggests not just picking up and throwing these items, but throwing them for damage.? This implies that you can weild them like weapons without the -4 DX adjustment. 

C> Mele page 8 "At ST 18, cloth or leath armor does not slow a figure at all, or affect DX. Chainmail only gives you DX-2 and MA 8."? This rule essentially suggests that 18 ST is a quasi-giant size and that leather is essentially a durable cloth that doesn't impair a figure of this size and strength at all.? Chain still impairs them, but to a lesser degree.? Having worn full chain, i'd say that chain's weight is harder to bear not because it's that much heavier (of course it is), but more because it does not change directions at the exact time that you do. Unless chain is incredibly tight (impossible to get on) or restrained with? ties, it moves in waves as you twist and turn.? It's always a second behind your actions.? So, I like this rule.? 

D> Advanced Mele page 10-11.? The strength needed to weild the different weapons on this page really suggests that there is not much difference between strength points.? A rapier can be wielded at ST 9.? This means a 9 strength allows you to weild this weapon at no DX adjustment.? Having taken fensing lessons, this really isn't that easy. Strength with the weapon is used to move it fast and to counter with force. Then, it takes a whole strength point to be a cutlass weilding pirate.? That's only a 10. You can use a shortsword at 11.? Oh come on, a shortsword isn't much heavier than a cutlass and it's generally balanced closer to the hilt and might be easier to weild. It might be a little heavier (might be). A broadsword can be used if you make it to 12. That's not much bigger or heavier than a shortsword. Remember, it's all about swinging it effectively and with force. 13 is your bastard sword, which is actaully much harder to wield with one hand than a broadsword.? But with two hands, it doesn't? take much more strength to use. The two handed sword is pretty heavy. Midevil swords were definately not the swords of today.? But, it's not terrifically harder to use than a bastard sword.? That one? extra point of strength is all you need.? And then to use the great sword, you need a 16. This I can understand since I've seen greatswords in the "Tower of London".? Those swords are freakin huge!? I remember that the guide explained that most knights were too weak to really weild them like you would a two handed sword.? Instead they lifted them straight up and held them high.? Then they would let them drop on their opponent. I kid you not!? Then they would stagger around lifting it back up and drop it again.? The sword didn't even have an edge.? It was a long chunk of iron 6 to 8 feet long.? For Mele, I picture an 16 ST figure actually swinging this gigantic sword.? You'd have to be a weight-lifter type person to do this.

So, while i'm sure that someone out there will applaud? you for your sense of egality, you can't seriously shove differences between races between ST 10 and 11.? Earth to David!? I don't even want to try to wrestle a teenage lizardman!

Good Fortune,
Richard


> From David's Last Email
??? The difference between ST 10 and strength of eleven is huge.? Staggeringly
huge.? Gi-normous.? Would you accept that everything you said is true if it
existed in the invisible space between 10 and 11.? Genetics does not create
variations within one species as large as 8 points.? Human beings are shaping
themselves in the forge of their weekly routines and it's balance of physical
training, practice, and study.? This is closer to a cultural or LIFESTYLE type
of result than a genetic one.? Whereas variations in height, weight, and
metabolism are probably evident at a smaller scale.? Fractions of a point.
Hundredths, maybe even thousandths of a point.

David Michael Grouchy II









-----Original Message-----
From: David Michael Grouchy II <david_michael_grouchy_ii@hotmail.com>
To: tft@brainiac.com
Sent: Thu, 11 Sep 2008 3:48 pm
Subject: RE: (TFT) Variants = flavor of the age



> I disagree.? . . . if you select one person from a race of half-giants and
one person from a race of gnomes, 99.9% of the time the half-giant will be
stronger.? Even more subtle differences exist that are cultural or even
related to a person's sex.? In my opinion, and this is also not represented in
Melee, but I think that some races should be superior to others in every way,
not just one or two statistics.? An average elf, for example might have better
stats in every category over an orc.

>

> Good Fortune,

> Richard

    The difference between ST 10 and strength of eleven is huge.  Staggeringly
huge.  Gi-normous.  Would you accept that everything you said is true if it
existed in the invisible space between 10 and 11.  Genetics does not create
variations within one species as large as 8 points.  Human beings are shaping
themselves in the forge of their weekly routines and it's balance of physical
training, practice, and study.  This is closer to a cultural or LIFESTYLE type
of result than a genetic one.  Whereas variations in height, weight, and
metabolism are probably evident at a smaller scale.  Fractions of a point.
Hundredths, maybe even thousandths of a point.

David Michael Grouchy II


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