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Path: utzoo!watmath!jagardner
From: jagardner@watmath.UUCP (Jim Gardner)
Newsgroups: net.games.frp
Subject: More on Fantasy Hero
Message-ID: <14018@watmath.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 19-Apr-85 10:31:35 EST
Article-I.D.: watmath.14018
Posted: Fri Apr 19 10:31:35 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 20-Apr-85 05:39:56 EST
References: <5055@ukc.UUCP>
Reply-To: jagardner@watmath.UUCP (Jim Gardner)
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 40

[...]

Slight correction: In my recent review of the playtest version of
Fantasy Hero from Hero Games, I claimed that anyone with magic ability
could attempt to cast any magic spell.  That was based on a fairly brief
glimpse of the rules.  Having now had a chance to read the rules more
thoroughly, I find I was wrong.  Anyone with magic ability can BUY the
ability to cast any spell (using the standard "character building points").
You must buy the spell (at the time of character creation or later, with
experience points) before you can cast it.  Therefore, there is no such
thing as a Level 9 spell that you cannot use at all until you reach a
certain experience level; however, when you first build a magic-using
character, there will be many spells he or she cannot cast, simply because
you didn't have enough points to buy these spells.

If anyone has more specific questions about this new game, mail to me.
The game is scheduled to be unveiled at Origins this year, though Hero
Games unfortunately have a terrible record with meeting deadlines (for
example, Fantasy Hero was SUPPOSED to have come out at Christmas).

On another topic, I'd like to ask for people's opinion on Critical Hits
(if you play a role-playing game that makes use of the concept).  Do
Critical Hit systems speed combat or slow it down?  We've only been using
a critical hit system for a month or two in a SF campaign, and contrary
to expectations, it has speeded our combat.  Yes, you have to make an
extra roll to find where someone has been hit, but very often it means
that the players or their opponents go down a LOT faster and fighting
ends much sooner.  Have other people found this, or is it just the way
we carry out melee?

As a matter of fact, how DO other people conduct melee?  Tight time limits
on how long someone can think before acting?  Fairly loose?  Any gimmicks
that make it faster or more interesting?  One of the useful things about
the Net is that you can find out about other people's _style_ of gaming.
Almost all my role-playing has been with the same half dozen people here
in Waterloo, and I'm eager to find out what others are up to.

			Jim Gardner, University of Waterloo