[PnP] my first post - a few very noob questions

Sat Sep 15 20:22:47 CEST 2007

If you're going for more realism, factor in Current Hits, Energy Level, Will and Stamina/Constitution, as well: an exhausted, injured, or (what's the adjective for someone low on Energy Points?) "spiritually tapped" character will have more trouble keeping track of his surroundings. A strong Will could help overcome this, to a degree. Pardon me if I'm parroting someone.

Agility seems to me to be one's ability to adapt and change with his surroundings, whereas Dexterity involves manipulation of body parts and held objects. I'd use Agility, Empathy, and Will (note that the ability to wake up is a factor of Will and Empathy according to the core rules).

Just my 2 cents - worth a bit more in the Yukon, I guess :)

----- Original Message ----
From: Albert Sales <drite_mi at yahoo.com>
To: The Powers and Perils Mailing List <pnp at abroere.xs4all.nl>
Sent: Saturday, September 15, 2007 12:45:26 PM
Subject: Re: [PnP] my first post - a few very noob questions

   My understanding is Dexterity is your character's ability to respond and spatial awareness within about 2 arm's lengths.  Agility gets used for missile-fire, which doesn't really involve much movement, but does involve perception.  If the Dexterity gives you the steady hand and the fine manipulation to point the arrow exactly where you want to, it must be the Agility that lets you find where that is, including leading the target.  I can see how agility would be a factor, in this sense.
     I try to give Empathy as many uses as I can.  Most characters in my games have neglected their Empathy before I looked for all the wonderful extra uses (even casters and socialites have had only moderate empathies).  I have made up for this by stacking it with other uses, such as being a major perception factor.  If other referees have not had this problem, Agility would work well.
     One of my
 players mentioned the formula I use to me for spotting range (which I find funny, because I've never turned it into a formula).  It is a base of I + (Em X 2). This is multiplied by 3+Survival EL+Special factors.  If the number is less than 0, it becomes a divisor.  I might actually start using this; myplayers already think I am (my estimates are consistant, obviously) and it makes sense.  I'll try to come up with situation modifiers. (I love having a math wiz in my group.)
      To demonstrate this, a normal human male has I13, Em 8.  This gives a Base of 29.  With a survival max of 3, over a grassy field in daylight, they should spot someone about 180 feet out.  In a barren field, I'd apply a factor of about 150 (nothing to block LoS, so Familiarity matters little unless an ambush is attempted), it's about 4500 feet.  In a moonlit (-3) foggy (-3) forest, they notice someone at about 15 feet if that is their
 max survival.
     Yes, the heroic character class individuals get a HUGE advantage in the stats for the Base, but that's why they are heroes.  I think I'll flesh this out more, and, if anyone wants, repost when I actually have something.  

"Paul L. Ming" <pming at northwestel.net> wrote:
  Hiya.

  The reason I went with A in stead of D was twofold. First, Elves get a better overall A bonus and I wanted elves to be slightly more 'observant/aware' than others; very minor, but when players look at the bonus they subconsciously are thinking "Huh...elves would have a decent Awareness"...it helps I think. :)  Second, Agility seemed more like "general awareness of where your body is in relationship to what you see" and Dexterity is more specific to your immediate location. I guess I see it that a person
 with a high Agility might be running at break-neck speed over a bolder strewn stream bed; he will 'look ahead' to get a feel for where he should jump, duck, roll, etc...always looking 15' ahead, knowing where his body needs to be at any particular place. The person with a high Dexterity could do the same thing, but he would be looking down at his feet, maybe 5' forward at most because his ability concentrates on his immediate location and how fast he can move his arms/legs into position.

  I know, a minor quibble, but I just see Agility as more "surroundings" and Dexterity more "quickness". Tai Chi vs. Karate I guess. ;)

  Am I making any sense? Or just kinda rambling?

Paul L. Ming

      I have created my own stat called "Awareness" (I+A+Em / 3, ru).       
 Why A instead of D?   You nailed it. So have we. I'm going to try that idea inspired from  Paul's post, regarding the derived awareness/stealth values from the  pertinent wilderness survival skill (or trailing if urban) and agility  (for stealth) and intelligence (for awareness).    _______________________________________________
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