Dropped Wpns

[Paul L. Ming]

Hiya.

> > Burton seems to rule that any failure that has double dice is a fumble.
We
> > ruled for a time. A few years ago we had a fumble rule that any roll
over
> > 95+EL/2, before any modifiers, was a fumble. Are there any other
thoughts
> > on how to implement fumbles in p&p? And what are the consequences? Lose
one
> > phase, lose weapon, or what.
>
> I like the doubles rule since it's quick and requires no math.  The
> chance of failure already has the EL factored in anyways.

    Well, what I've always done when running P&P only really use "fumbles"
as a dramatic effect.  And when I say fumble, I'm talking any roll...not
just on combat.  Someone who, for example, is playing a shaman; and that
shaman is in combat and attempts to hit some parasitic-like creature off a
pary member...and rolls 100.  I look at the situation and say, "Well, I
guess you crack her one if you hit here; roll to hit her on BL 0".  Then the
player rolls, oh, lets say a 02.  BAM!!  Right in the noggin.  She lives,
and the battle is over.  So, the same shaman, who's feeling rather bad about
that whole bonk-on-the-head thing casts some cure spell.  Only to get...100.
Hmmm.  Needless to say, the shaman would probably wonder off on his own,
away from the party, and (knowing his luck) run into some fire demon that
immolates him in 6 seconds flat.

(ATTN: Tim -->  ;-P  )

    In short, I treat 99-100 as "especially bad" failures.  Most of the time
the resulting outcome is common sense (as in the shaman above hitting the
party member in the head...lucky she had a helmet!).  If nothing leaps to
mind when someone rolls 99-100, then I just treat is as 'a real bad roll',
but noting imediately "fumble-like".

^_^

Paul L. Ming