 August 4, 2009 - 7:02am | With my currently running F2F group, who I just happen to play D&D with, I knew that neither of them would want to play the medic as we always have to have a sacrificial lamb who plays the cleric in D&D. So I run a Yazerian Priest archtype form the zine as an NPC. Kahn sur-Ock has martial arts, medical, and Psycho-social skill as the arch-type makes a logical pairing of all those skill into one character- in fact his Priest PSA is those 3 skills. Plus I figured that taking medical and psycho-social skills would plug holes in the party's skill set Anyhow, in my experience the Psycho-social skill is the red headed step child of the skill list getting very little love from most players. but since my voice in the party has it I've used it frequently and often- the hypnosis subskill rocks. If you have time you hypnotize a PC to give them a +10% on a skill its an auto-succeed with a willing subject and it can last for D10 hours (my rule) for non combat skills (1 hour for combat skill- AD rule) For 1st level characters this is huge. I beleive I've used hypnotism more than medic skills. you could even meta game a bit by taking just 1 lvl of psycho skill and since hypnosis of a willing subject is auto succeed level is irrelevent all you need is lvl 1. to get a crucial +10 for a skill check. plus the racial bonuses for vursk and drals with this skill are nice as well. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 August 4, 2009 - 3:03pm | Hypnosis can only be used for combat once every 20 hours and takes 10 minutes. Of course, If the Referee allows, you could mix skills in an effort to enhance effects. You could enhance the combat hypnosis with anesthetic hypnotism (negates wound modifier for 1d10 hours once every 20 hours) or use the anesthetic for a different combat situation to increase effectiveness in two different combat situations. The suggestion hypnotism (jedi mind trick) would also be very useful, I would think. You could even enhance it with your Persuasion skill. (Though failure in that combo could be dangerous.) The communication bearier that causes the -10% could probably be negated using the Communication skill. The combination of suggestion hypnotism, persuasion, and psycho-pathology could be useful to more successfully overcome fear effects or scare a guard away from their post. There's no greater motivator than fear. View my profile for a list of articles I have written, am writing, will write. "It's yo' mama!" —Wicket W. Warrick, Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi "That guy's wise." —Logray, Star Wars Ep.VI: Return of the Jedi Do You Wanna Date My Avatar? - Felicia Day (The Guild) |
 August 4, 2009 - 4:15pm | Oh, I can think of one or two motivators greater than fear....lol. Seriously, tho, combat huypnosis lasts an hour?! Isn't that a little overpowered, or are my combats run just a little too quickly? I mean, the longest gun battle I've run to date's only been ten turns(1 minutes). Could this be used for starship combat, for the fighter pilot who has to get that money shot in the two-meter reactor vent? Is autohypnosis possible in the rules? If so, that Yaz priest could really wreak some havoc by trancing himself before he has to go Kwai-Chaing Cain on somebody. "You're everything that's base in humanity," Cochrane continued. "Drawing up strict, senseless rules for the sole reason of putting you at the top and excluding anyone you say doesn't belong or fit in, for no other reason than just because you say so." —Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stephens, Federation |
August 4, 2009 - 4:56pm | I don't think it's overpowered, seeing as characters don't typically run into more than one battle an hour unless it's some cave adventure, and often don't get the time to even do the hypnosis, because they can't know when they're going to be attacked (As GM, I would certainly take advantage of surprise attack opportunities to handicap the characters, thus the GM is in control). Also, it's only once every 20 hours (essentially once a day). I would think it would help a fighter pilot. However, the time to hypnotize would be equal to a full round of ship-to-ship combat. I don't see any rule or restrictive wording against the psychsocial character hypnotizing himself. He is, after all, a willing subject and self-hypnosis is indeed possible. View my profile for a list of articles I have written, am writing, will write. "It's yo' mama!" —Wicket W. Warrick, Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi "That guy's wise." —Logray, Star Wars Ep.VI: Return of the Jedi Do You Wanna Date My Avatar? - Felicia Day (The Guild) |
 August 4, 2009 - 7:05pm | B-S skills are a great acquisition for starting characters, re: pick two skills and start playing. You take your military or tech skill as per PSA and snag a B-S skill to fall back on later as needed. And yes to the combat hypnosis tims...considering the average character (STA:45) can absorb a point blank burst from a machine gun with nothing more than the commonly issued skeinsuit (average damage being 60 points against a single target). Get a 12 on 12 scenario with standard weapons and defenses and it can turn into an old west gunfight, where you find yourselves reloading frequently before anyone drops (although in the case of the old west, it was due to ammunition irregularity, causing misses. You can pelt away all day at a screen before causing any damage LOL). |
August 4, 2009 - 8:52pm | Actually the combat +10 bonus from hypnosis played out well on the serena dawn in SF-0 as I tracked the 1 hour and the party got 2 fights out of it. the skill descriptions just suggests some possibilities like the combat modifier and the anesthetic effect to eliminate pain and wound effects. I think the 1 hour limit for the combat mod is good as it gives you a chance to prep for a big combat. and allows for multiple subjects to be hyptnotized with the d10 minutes time requirement. Obviously the skill description only give some possiblilties and doesn't limit it to only its suggestions so I think its reasonable to allow for other skill mods for hypnosis. I also reasoned that since combat involves so much excitement that the effects should wear off fast hence the 1hour limit but for non combat skill I give a D10 hours limit. but really a mod for robotics would only be used for an hour or two before the PC was done tinkering with the robot. I was tempted to dump his exp points on a second level of physco-social but since the big use here seems to be hypnosis of willing subjects I do believe that Kahn will dump them on martial arts which should prove to have very tangible effects cause if nothing else the Priest rolls a lot of nerve combat results during the fights with pirates. I'm wondering if there should be a limit on the number of times a PC could be hypnotized in a day: say once for combat, once for pain and once for some other skill- call it 3 times in a day total. to prevent to much craziness. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 August 4, 2009 - 9:11pm | I don't have a problem with this. Certain abilities and skills have the potential to improve the entire party. I actually like the angle. By this time, techniques in helping the mind and understanding it and "nudging it" in the right direction, without drugs, would have developed to a meaningful level. I might insert a racial penalty, under some circumstances, if a Vrusk, for example, is trying to hypnotize a really rednecky human. |
August 5, 2009 - 1:19am | I don't have a problem with this. Certain abilities and skills have the potential to improve the entire party. I actually like the angle. By this time, techniques in helping the mind and understanding it and "nudging it" in the right direction, without drugs, would have developed to a meaningful level. I might insert a racial penalty, under some circumstances, if a Vrusk, for example, is trying to hypnotize a really rednecky human. Unless the Vrusk is naked and has beer. LOL. @ C.J.: For the fighter pilot scenario, I was thinking of hypnotizing him, before combat begins, like during the briefing on the run to the reactor vent, then send him out. Autohypnosis would work here too("use the Schwartz!"). "You're everything that's base in humanity," Cochrane continued. "Drawing up strict, senseless rules for the sole reason of putting you at the top and excluding anyone you say doesn't belong or fit in, for no other reason than just because you say so." —Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stephens, Federation |
August 5, 2009 - 5:37am | If this does become too much of a crutch then I can easily see myself as GM doing a bait and switch: players think a combat is coming and they use up their 1 hypno/20 hrs and then the combat doesn't materialize or its a minor mook. or the mooks run a way with a 1 hour chase ensuing oops no +10 for this combat now! I can just imagine a red neck with this skill! -Comedian Joff Globworthy says, "You might be a red neck if you use hypnosis to...." I'm sure the punch line includes something to do with nakedness, beer, or shirking work. I dont really want to add limits to the number of times a PC can be hypnotized but I dont think I want it going on every other turn either. So if it starts to play out that way I think I'll have enforce a 3x maximum with only 1 combat mod hypno as per the AD rules. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 August 5, 2009 - 12:37pm | It sounds of the conditioning mentioned in the Starship Troopers novel. I also remember the Sathar use some kind of hypno training to get more work done, but it can also kill them if captured some how. In every age, in every place, the deeds of men remain the same. |
August 5, 2009 - 2:28pm | For the fighter pilot scenario, I was thinking of hypnotizing him, before combat begins, like during the briefing on the run to the reactor vent, then send him out. The big drawback to KH scenarios is the ten minute game turn. Starting on opposite ends of the hex map (unless you begin at ludicrous speeds anyway), the hypnosis could effectively wear off before acquiring the first target. But I would have no problem allowing it in a game. |
August 5, 2009 - 4:14pm | For the fighter pilot scenario, I was thinking of hypnotizing him, before combat begins, like during the briefing on the run to the reactor vent, then send him out. The big drawback to KH scenarios is the ten minute game turn. Starting on opposite ends of the hex map (unless you begin at ludicrous speeds anyway), the hypnosis could effectively wear off before acquiring the first target. But I would have no problem allowing it in a game. Yeah, it would wear off in six turns, only problem I see with it as well. Turn 1: All birds launched at ADF 5, our hero is told to open his mission package(a specially prepped audio data "tape"), ship goes on autopilot while sounds of nature lull our hero into a hypnotic trance, where he's then programmed for the money shot down the trench. All other birds run interference. Turn 2: Our hero rockets toward the objective, still using his full ADF 5, for a total speed of ten, all other fighters run interference. Turns 3 and 4: As above. Turn 5: With a speed of 20, the pilot handily reaches his objective, fires his birds and Junior Birdmans the hell outta there. Turn 6: Back at the barn, his buddies cheering and buying him beers, our hero wonders just what the hell happened? @Jedi: Don't forget hunting. Rednecks and hunting go together like Clem and Virgil.... "You're everything that's base in humanity," Cochrane continued. "Drawing up strict, senseless rules for the sole reason of putting you at the top and excluding anyone you say doesn't belong or fit in, for no other reason than just because you say so." —Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stephens, Federation |
 August 5, 2009 - 6:36pm | Relaxing at 5 gees? Good luck. "Somebody wanna wake up Hicks?" ;) Regarding the "old west shootout" a-ways up there, as an infantry veteran of the First Gulf War, I can tell you that the vast majority of human beings panic to some degree in a fight. They will spray lead without aiming out of fear and the hope to scare the $#!& out of the other side. It is a unique individual who can keep his head, look down the barrel of a Colt navy revolver, *aim*, and shoot. The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of
the strong. * Attributed to Mahatma Gandhi |
 August 5, 2009 - 8:19pm | Much agreed Georgie. I was also in the First oil war. I remember just shooting because everyone else was a few times. I couldn't see anyone to shoot at, But I didn't want anyone to think I wasn't joining in the fight. Dang you guys used Colt navy revolvers? I thought my platoon was poorly equipped. we at least had A2's..hehe At least I got to scare an alien rabbit thingy...... |
August 5, 2009 - 11:33pm | True that, on sticking your head out... But let's face it, ammunition technology back then isn't what it is today. Your first round could have effectively been a 125 grain piece of lead backed by x amount of powder, the next round could have been 130 grains backed by y amount of powder, the htird round could have been 120 grains backed by z amount of powder, etc etc etc. So the reports would have been along the lines of Bang! BANG! (poof) BANG!!! bang BOOOO-oo-oo-mmmm!!! (reload, try again...) The infamous shoot out at the OK Corral is said to have entailed anywhere from a total of 30 shots fired in 20 seconds up to 30 shots fired per survivor over a period of five minutes, at a range varying from 8-20 feet between shooters in an open area, all depending on which versions of the history you access (every account I've come across isn't 100% proven). One of the only consistent facts is the fight was between three armed cowboys & 2 unarmed cowboys versus three armed lawmen and an armed & dangerous Holiday (the latter had Virgil's dbl barrel shotgun in addition to his own six shooter, the rest of the fighters on both sides had a six shooter apiece). BTW, thanks for your service overseas fellas! Turn 1: All birds launched at ADF 5, our hero is told to open his mission package(a specially prepped audio data "tape"), ship goes on autopilot while sounds of nature lull our hero into a hypnotic trance, where he's then programmed for the money shot down the trench. The only question I have here is if the hypnotist is required to be face to face or not. The rules only state that he must be able to communicate without a polyvox or translator, but doesn't actually mention anything else beyond that. I would probably have to utilize the face to face ruling though, considering what the various entertainment outlets feature (live shows here in Vegas, TV shows, etc) but I'd want to research it a little more thoroughly than that before making a ruling. But seat of the pants, if I had to make the call during a live play game right now? I'd go with face to face. That being the case, the hypnosis would have to occur prior to take off, and the birds would have to launch at the end of the first turn thus losing those tenminutes, having five turns left for the bonus to apply. LOL at your ending scenario though..."What the hell just happened?" |
August 6, 2009 - 5:33am | I have to agree with shadow on this the face to face limitation is probably best- I would think that hypnotism is one of those things where the practitioner "reads" the subject and adjusts techniques as he's doing it. Otherwise you have hypnotism tapes and you just play them and magically anyone listening is hypnotized. Its never going to be the magic bullet for every combat but certainly could help for a combat you see coming but may be totally impractical for fighter pilots. Plus the fighter jock mentality would not be very positive toward this skill with the whole cocky attitude endemic to the breed. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
August 6, 2009 - 4:08pm | True that, on sticking your head out... But let's face it, ammunition technology back then isn't what it is today. Your first round could have effectively been a 125 grain piece of lead backed by x amount of powder, the next round could have been 130 grains backed by y amount of powder, the htird round could have been 120 grains backed by z amount of powder, etc etc etc. So the reports would have been along the lines of Bang! BANG! (poof) BANG!!! bang BOOOO-oo-oo-mmmm!!! (reload, try again...) No arguments here. I was short on time and neglected to reinforce that you have a valid point. It came across perhaps as if I was disagreeing when I was really adding food for thought. LOL @ umungus. I wanted the M24 (a Remington 700 sniper rifle), but had to settle for the Pig (M60 machine gun). I had the range, but not the accuracy. ;) The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of
the strong. * Attributed to Mahatma Gandhi |
August 8, 2009 - 3:54am | It's cool, there's tons of factors about shooting, and no doubt a huge thread could be dedicated to listing all of them. One other factor in the OK Corral shoot-out: no doubt some members on both sides were intoxicated...the number one initiation in many old west gun fights: cowboy A talks smack to cowboy B after both have been tilting whiskey glasses, then proceed to step outside and shoot everything but each other. Sherrif comes along after both run out of bullets and tosses them into the clink. Throw in the "Bang! BANG! (poof) BANG!!! bang KER-BLOOoo-ey" factor and it's a small wonder that any gunfighter grew to have a reputation, before succumbing to another drunken altercation. Then of course there's presentable target size and environment. I'm not going to brag, perhaps it's because the guys I go shooting with just don't shoot worth a $#!T, but I would typically hit targets with a single handgun shot that they're missing with rifles and class 3 weapons (for those not in the know, that's a legal full auto fierarm or a firearm with a silencer, or both). One example comes to mind, my two buds were missing a bowling pin at about 50 yards, one with a 30-06 scoped bolt action rifle and the other with a full auto MAC-10 or 11 (whichever is chambered in .45ACP, I can never keep track which is which). When they were all done I cracked off a single round from my 4" barrel .357 and sent the pin to the ground. Now, to make a few changes to that scenario: 1> Add in an environmental deterrant: crosswinds gusting from 15-30mph or set the pin against the sun rising/setting in the horizon. Or just start running toward the pin. All of that will affect your aim. 2> swap the bowling pin out for a refrigerator. The guy with the MAC had a decent grouping, the hail of lead near the bowling pin was consistent and pretty close judging by all the dirt kicking up near the pin, but just not hitting the pin itself. I'm pretty sure no less than half of that 30 round mag would have hit a fridge. And as for the guy with the 30-06, well if you can't hit a fridge at 50 yards with a scope you'd better consider taking up knitting instead. 3> swap the bowling pin out for a jackrabbit scampering away. About the same size, but bolting and changing direction with uncanny precision that would be tough to draw a bead on. If I had my choice, I'd want the scoped 30-06 to take the shot with...but that's a much tougher shot for any of the firearms in use. 4> swap out the pin for another guy sporting the same firearm. Not to rehash what's already been said on the subject, but it's much easier to shoot bullseyes than bullseyes that are capable of returning fire. 5> same as above, but turn out the lights. Even if you're 100% sure where your target is, do you really want to discharge a shot whose muzzle flash will be spotted by his buddies (or him, should he actually not be where you thought he was), thus giving away your exact position? |
August 8, 2009 - 4:06am | P.S. on the original subject --- jedion if I were you I'd have some fun with your NPC priest. Follow the guidelines from the D&D basic book (Moldvay version), "If you displease the cleric he may not heal you..." that concept could teach your party the inherrent value of having such skills. Or better yet, mandate a "donation" to the yaz's church (of course the yaz will be able to deposit such donations when he gets back home) prior to any medical attention. |
August 8, 2009 - 5:04am | 2> swap the bowling pin out for a refrigerator. The guy with the MAC had a decent grouping, the hail of lead near the bowling pin was consistent and pretty close judging by all the dirt kicking up near the pin, but just not hitting the pin itself. I'm pretty sure no less than half of that 30 round mag would have hit a fridge. ... A little off topic, but it reminds me of my first trip to the machine gun range in basic training. I'm prone behind the M60 with a drill sergeant sitting on me as I was lining up a group of 4 silhouettes at 800 meters. I squeeze off a 6 round burst and temporarily lose sight of my target from muzzle falsh, vibration, and dust kicked up in the target area. I call out, "Hey Drill Sergeant, did I get'em?" "No," he says dryly. "But you scared the living [explitive] outta them!"  The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of
the strong. * Attributed to Mahatma Gandhi |
August 8, 2009 - 3:21pm | Yeah that's another factor. One of the guys I shoot with has a .50 Barret and that's a prone gun, prone to kicking up dust and small rocks into your face. Fortunately with the range of that thing, you have time to clear your eyes and see the misses (another dust cloud a few miles away LOL). |
August 8, 2009 - 7:35pm | 3> swap the bowling pin out for a jackrabbit scampering away. About the same size, but bolting and changing direction with uncanny precision that would be tough to draw a bead on. If I had my choice, I'd want the scoped 30-06 to take the shot with...but that's a much tougher shot for any of the firearms in use. Now, swap that bowling pin out for Hogzilla. This is a big-azz boar we are talking about(in his case, a half ton SAE measure, and not good meat at all, but that's beside the point). Any hog above, say, six hundred pounds is going to be hard to kill and old Hawgzilla's a particularly tough old boar. You had better be one damn good shot to drop him, and none of the above weapons(especially anything full-auto), except maybe the .357, is going to do a blessed thing but piss that old pig off, and, believe me, you don't want to do that, unless your white azz can climb a tree really, really fast. The weapon I'd use would be a good old-fashioned Colt M1911A1, chambered in the originial .45 ACP(as is the MAC-10, BTW), with a good, clean shot, right between the eyes. And, even then, that might not drop him, least til an hour and a half after he's got you treed and is ramming the SOB full-force. 4> swap out the pin for another guy sporting the same firearm. Not to rehash what's already been said on the subject, but it's much easier to shoot bullseyes than bullseyes that are capable of returning fire. Yeah, tell me about it. Usually, it's the one with the steadiest nerves who survives that exchange. It's not just enough to be the first to the draw, there's other factors, like panic, hesitation, etc., to consider. 5> same as above, but turn out the lights. Even if you're 100% sure where your target is, do you really want to discharge a shot whose muzzle flash will be spotted by his buddies (or him, should he actually not be where you thought he was), thus giving away your exact position? Either invest in a pair of night-vision goggles and pray your opponent doesn't have any, or pop off a flash bang, and shoot him while he's blinded and deafened. "You're everything that's base in humanity," Cochrane continued. "Drawing up strict, senseless rules for the sole reason of putting you at the top and excluding anyone you say doesn't belong or fit in, for no other reason than just because you say so." —Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stephens, Federation |
August 8, 2009 - 7:36pm | P.S. on the original subject --- jedion if I were you I'd have some fun with your NPC priest. Follow the guidelines from the D&D basic book (Moldvay version), "If you displease the cleric he may not heal you..." that concept could teach your party the inherrent value of having such skills. Or better yet, mandate a "donation" to the yaz's church (of course the yaz will be able to deposit such donations when he gets back home) prior to any medical attention. Agreed. "You're everything that's base in humanity," Cochrane continued. "Drawing up strict, senseless rules for the sole reason of putting you at the top and excluding anyone you say doesn't belong or fit in, for no other reason than just because you say so." —Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stephens, Federation |
August 8, 2009 - 7:42pm | 2> swap the bowling pin out for a refrigerator. The guy with the MAC had a decent grouping, the hail of lead near the bowling pin was consistent and pretty close judging by all the dirt kicking up near the pin, but just not hitting the pin itself. I'm pretty sure no less than half of that 30 round mag would have hit a fridge. ... A little off topic, but it reminds me of my first trip to the machine gun range in basic training. I'm prone behind the M60 with a drill sergeant sitting on me as I was lining up a group of 4 silhouettes at 800 meters. I squeeze off a 6 round burst and temporarily lose sight of my target from muzzle falsh, vibration, and dust kicked up in the target area. I call out, "Hey Drill Sergeant, did I get'em?" "No," he says dryly. "But you scared the living [explitive] outta them!" LOL. Another reason why the doctrine of spray and pray doesn't quite work out the way it's supposed to, and marksmanship beats firepower any day of the week. How did you do on your second trip to the MG range? "You're everything that's base in humanity," Cochrane continued. "Drawing up strict, senseless rules for the sole reason of putting you at the top and excluding anyone you say doesn't belong or fit in, for no other reason than just because you say so." —Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stephens, Federation |
August 8, 2009 - 7:45pm | Yeah that's another factor. One of the guys I shoot with has a .50 Barret and that's a prone gun, prone to kicking up dust and small rocks into your face. Fortunately with the range of that thing, you have time to clear your eyes and see the misses (another dust cloud a few miles away LOL). Okay, so I guess my next question would be what guns aren't legal in the State of Nevada? "You're everything that's base in humanity," Cochrane continued. "Drawing up strict, senseless rules for the sole reason of putting you at the top and excluding anyone you say doesn't belong or fit in, for no other reason than just because you say so." —Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stephens, Federation |
August 8, 2009 - 9:03pm | P.S. on the original subject --- jedion if I were you I'd have some fun with your NPC priest. Follow the guidelines from the D&D basic book (Moldvay version), "If you displease the cleric he may not heal you..." that concept could teach your party the inherrent value of having such skills. Or better yet, mandate a "donation" to the yaz's church (of course the yaz will be able to deposit such donations when he gets back home) prior to any medical attention. Actually I had envisioned him as a sort of outsider sect that is not well liked by the Family of One. This lets him be more of a nice guy priest and leaves me a set up for latter, should I need it, to explore the break in Yaz society over the heavy handed dealing by the family of one and break away colonies. This guy would be tailor made to support the resistence and call on old buddies for help. Since I had taken inspiration from the Kung Fu TV series he's a bit of a goodie 2 wings looking to help the down trodden and oppressed which though the players don't know it now it has great possibility to be a pain for them. Plus his life enemy is injustice which will cause him to get involved in stuff other players will want to avoid but it gives him a sort of flaw. I'm tempted to have him go native Ul-mor as he discovers similarities in his belief and theirs. Have him start talking all mystical. Since one player wants to have mentalist powers I plan to use the Ul-mor "great link" ceremony to initiate that and figured that the priest would pick up mentalist powers too and start an SF verision of the Jedi Knights based on Volturnus but that could negate the exploring of a Yazerian Civil War. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
August 9, 2009 - 3:29am | I've tried wild boar meat before and have to agree...it would have to be a toss up between that and Taco Smell for my worst dining experience. I just can't fathom a reason to go toe to toe with one. As for what's not legal here, I think we're tied with Arizona for the most relaxed gun laws. We're still a good ol' boy state, despite the recent rash of Californiafication attempts (some of which sadly passed). Basically if you don't mind tying up purchase cash for 4-6 months waiting for a tax stamp approval (that's the class 3 process, a $200 tax stamp approved in D.C. pending local and FBI bakground checks) you can pretty much acquire anything here. Although I remember the Barret being listed as a possible addition to the nationwide assault weapon ban (which was recently repealed but up for reinstatement again), my friend acquired it before any of that hoopla began. Right now it's the ammo cost plague I worry about, a box of handgun bullets is getting close to the price of a fixer-upper motorcycle. I never thought I'd see the day when I thought the close out final box of .357 mag ammo for $32.99 would be considered a good deal. Sheesh, wasn't even five or six years ago I could get that same box for about $15. How I long for the SF pricing of $2 for a fully loaded pistol mag! |
August 9, 2009 - 7:47am | P.S. on the original subject --- jedion if I were you I'd have some fun with your NPC priest. Follow the guidelines from the D&D basic book (Moldvay version), "If you displease the cleric he may not heal you..." that concept could teach your party the inherrent value of having such skills. Or better yet, mandate a "donation" to the yaz's church (of course the yaz will be able to deposit such donations when he gets back home) prior to any medical attention. Actually I had envisioned him as a sort of outsider sect that is not well liked by the Family of One. This lets him be more of a nice guy priest and leaves me a set up for latter, should I need it, to explore the break in Yaz society over the heavy handed dealing by the family of one and break away colonies. This guy would be tailor made to support the resistence and call on old buddies for help. Since I had taken inspiration from the Kung Fu TV series he's a bit of a goodie 2 wings looking to help the down trodden and oppressed which though the players don't know it now it has great possibility to be a pain for them. Plus his life enemy is injustice which will cause him to get involved in stuff other players will want to avoid but it gives him a sort of flaw. I'm tempted to have him go native Ul-mor as he discovers similarities in his belief and theirs. Have him start talking all mystical. Since one player wants to have mentalist powers I plan to use the Ul-mor "great link" ceremony to initiate that and figured that the priest would pick up mentalist powers too and start an SF verision of the Jedi Knights based on Volturnus but that could negate the exploring of a Yazerian Civil War. In my SFU, I did it the other way around, making the Family Of One relatively nice guys, while an evangelical minority(comprised of Humans and Yaz) are the a$$holes of the Universe. Politically powerful a$$holes, holding sway over Streel, the Pale Worlds, Hargut, and gaining ground on Histran and Hakosoar, following their SDA problems. They also have a toehole on Inner and Outer Reach, with their President and rep on the Council of Worlds being of this evangelical branch of the Family(tho the believers would say they're the true believers and the mainline Fam of One are all heretics, whores, whoremongers, idolators, etc.). As for the rest, I plan to introduce Living Steel elements(particularly the Kami)in the form of the Vast Empire, sometime in the near future, assuming I can get all my players back.... Good stuff on your end, Jedi, per usual. "You're everything that's base in humanity," Cochrane continued. "Drawing up strict, senseless rules for the sole reason of putting you at the top and excluding anyone you say doesn't belong or fit in, for no other reason than just because you say so." —Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stephens, Federation |
August 9, 2009 - 8:00am | I've tried wild boar meat before and have to agree...it would have to be a toss up between that and Taco Smell for my worst dining experience. I just can't fathom a reason to go toe to toe with one. Boar meat's good, it's just that Hogzilla wouldn't be...he's too old, too big(read too muscular, since almost all of a boar's weight is muscle mass, and the more muscular, the tougher the meat) and battle scarred for anyone not out for a f*king trophy to hunt with anything but a camera. Your best meat comes from a hog that's in the 7-900 pound range, since they're still relatively young and their musculature's not as developed. (And, also, like everything else, it's in how you prep it and cook it, but, each his own) Still and all, they're nasty, ornery, tough SOBs to tangle with. As for what's not legal here, I think we're tied with Arizona for the most relaxed gun laws. We're still a good ol' boy state, despite the recent rash of Californiafication attempts (some of which sadly passed). Basically if you don't mind tying up purchase cash for 4-6 months waiting for a tax stamp approval (that's the class 3 process, a $200 tax stamp approved in D.C. pending local and FBI bakground checks) you can pretty much acquire anything here. Although I remember the Barret being listed as a possible addition to the nationwide assault weapon ban (which was recently repealed but up for reinstatement again), my friend acquired it before any of that hoopla began. So, it would grandfathered in no matter whether the ban passes or not...IMO, if it does pass, it will be a paper tiger, only good enough to get the radicals in the NRA—of which I was a member til 20 April, 1995, at which point I burned my card and cancelled my membership—good and riled up over "liberals" taking away our Second Amendment rights. But, that's a can of worms for another time. But, yeah, I believe you when you say Nevada's a good ol' boy state...kind of like Oklahoma(and Georgia), where you can carry anything concealed, provided you're willing to spend the money on permits and classes. Right now it's the ammo cost plague I worry about, a box of handgun bullets is getting close to the price of a fixer-upper motorcycle. I never thought I'd see the day when I thought the close out final box of .357 mag ammo for $32.99 would be considered a good deal. Sheesh, wasn't even five or six years ago I could get that same box for about $15. How I long for the SF pricing of $2 for a fully loaded pistol mag! I hear you on the ammo costs. Have you considered collecting your brass and reloading your own ammo? "You're everything that's base in humanity," Cochrane continued. "Drawing up strict, senseless rules for the sole reason of putting you at the top and excluding anyone you say doesn't belong or fit in, for no other reason than just because you say so." —Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stephens, Federation |
August 9, 2009 - 12:00pm | A little off topic, but it reminds me of my first trip to the machine gun range in basic training. I'm prone behind the M60 with a drill sergeant sitting on me as I was lining up a group of 4 silhouettes at 800 meters. I squeeze off a 6 round burst and temporarily lose sight of my target from muzzle falsh, vibration, and dust kicked up in the target area. I call out, "Hey Drill Sergeant, did I get'em?" "No," he says dryly. "But you scared the living [explitive] outta them!" LOL. Another reason why the doctrine of spray and pray doesn't quite work out the way it's supposed to, and marksmanship beats firepower any day of the week. How did you do on your second trip to the MG range? Damned if I can remember, other then it was good enough to qualify. :I need a shrug emoticon: The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of
the strong. * Attributed to Mahatma Gandhi |
August 9, 2009 - 4:40pm | A little off topic, but it reminds me of my first trip to the machine gun range in basic training. I'm prone behind the M60 with a drill sergeant sitting on me as I was lining up a group of 4 silhouettes at 800 meters. I squeeze off a 6 round burst and temporarily lose sight of my target from muzzle falsh, vibration, and dust kicked up in the target area. I call out, "Hey Drill Sergeant, did I get'em?" "No," he says dryly. "But you scared the living [explitive] outta them!" LOL. Another reason why the doctrine of spray and pray doesn't quite work out the way it's supposed to, and marksmanship beats firepower any day of the week. How did you do on your second trip to the MG range? Damned if I can remember, other then it was good enough to qualify. :I need a shrug emoticon: Good enough for me. "You're everything that's base in humanity," Cochrane continued. "Drawing up strict, senseless rules for the sole reason of putting you at the top and excluding anyone you say doesn't belong or fit in, for no other reason than just because you say so." —Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stephens, Federation |
