Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site mcc-db.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!ut-sally!mcc-db!patrick
From: patrick@mcc-db.UUCP (Patrick McGehearty)
Newsgroups: net.games.frp
Subject: Re: Re: command spell
Message-ID: <263@mcc-db.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 24-Jul-85 12:36:17 EDT
Article-I.D.: mcc-db.263
Posted: Wed Jul 24 12:36:17 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 26-Jul-85 00:34:03 EDT
References: <3059@pur-ee.UUCP> <15300003@convexs> <464@busch.UUCP>
Organization: MCC (Austin, TX)
Lines: 58

This is in response to Moshe's idea of when sure things are sure.
First, there are very few sure things in frp.  Otherwise life (in the
frp world) would be boring (which is why we play frp :-))
I can think of a number of reasons why Moshe's examples are not as
clearcut as he thinks:
> Number one:
> 
> 	You are asleep.  I hit you over the head with a -15 billion
if the sleep is not magically induced, the victim might wake up before
being struck, and roll out of the way, thus only taking partial damage.
> 
> Number two:
> 
> 	I am the Grandfather Assasin.  I fight dirty and I command the
> ...
> +5 cloak, his talisman vs. poison, his +3 ring and he saved on a -3 or above!
> 
Super nasty poison can have penalties on the save, but seriously, would the
highly experienced Grandfather Assasin waste time with poison on a heavy
Cleric??  Dieties protect their suppororters in subtle ways.
However, the Cleric is not absolutely secure.  Mortals always fail
saving throws on a 1 or 2.
A quick garrote would seem more likely to succeed.
> 
> Number three:
> 
> 	We once ran a high level campaign for the real helluva it no
> matter how improbable the characters were.  I was a mage naturally.
> ...
> interfering.  I cast a time stop and tell the dm that I will extend it's
> time limit as long as neccesary with lim. wish or wish etc. but that I'm
> going to strangle this fucker.)  Now it happened that Justice was with me
> so I rolled a 15 on the assasination chart, but in all seriousness folks,
> the Druid was dead, period, no saving throw.
> 
That Druid must have been awfully slow moving.  I agree that once you
finish the timestop you have plenty of time and options to finish the
Druid, although even then, there are possible problems with wish wording
and timing (I always require precise playing in PC vs PC actions),
but however did you get the spell off?  9 segments is 54 seconds,
with you waving your hands, etc, why didn't he clobber you with his
+5 scimitar with a speed factor of 4, thus blowing your spell?
After all, for the timestop to work, you must have been within 30' of him.
Once you are meleed, the outcome is in serious doubt unless you
have a Power Word or wand/staff/rod ready.

I fear you would not survive long in the 10-20 level campaign I run in. :-)
Actually, vice versa is also true.  Local campaign rules about relative
speed effects of spell casting, movement, and combat have dramatic effects
on combat tactics.

The important point is that sure fire situations are boring.
Even no saving throw spells such as PW Kill are not guareented.
60+ HPs is a specific, but rings of spell turning, Volley Spells,
and Rods of Absorption play havoc with the Power Words, not to
mention Cubes of Force and Scrolls of Prot. from Magic and Anti-Magic
Spells.  I leave other possible protections up to your collective
creative conceptions.