Trollslayers - Shields & Armor

Shield                  STR      DEX      DV      DEF      ENC    Cost    

Buckler                    5           8          2        +1          1         2       

Shield, small             9           9          3        +2          2         4

Shield, medium        12         10          4        +3          3         8         

Shield, large            14          11         5        +4          4        12

Shileds are used one-handed, and if used as weapons (aka a 'shield bash'), the attack type is Blunt.  If charging an enemy while attempting a shield bash, 2/3 of the attacker's current MOVE score can be added to the user's STR for determining damage, up to double the user's current STR.  

Unlike melee weapons, the DEF bonus is also figured against missile attacks.  

Bucklers can be worn strapped to the arm, allowing the user to handle a weapon in that hand, but if this is done the DEF bonus does not apply. 

If being attacked by something that has a wide area affect (dragon's breath, a rain of rocks from above, etc), the GM may opt to allow adding the DEF bonus to the AR of any armor worn (in such an instance, a med shield worn with chain armor would provide a total AR of 8, for example).    

Armor                  STR      DEX       AR        DEF      ENC    Cost      

Cloth                       3             -       1 (C)          -          1            1

Leather                    5           -1       2 (C,B)     +1          2            5

Brigadine                 7           -2       3 (C.B)     +2           3          20

Banded                    9           -3      4 (C,B)      +2           4          40

Chain                      12          -4      5 (C)         +2          6          65

Plate                       16          -5      6 (C,B,P)   +3         10        200

The DEX number listed is not a minimum, but rather the penalty to the user's DEX score for wearing the armor (similar to the DEX penalty for being Encumbered).  This penalty is decreased by one for Warriors and Paragons, and increased by one for Magicians and Commoners who lack combat training.  A talent in Armor can be taken, negating one point of the penalty for each level of said talent.  

The AR is the Armor Rating, showing how much damage the armor absorbs, and the attack types the armor is best against.  If being attacked by an attack type that the armor is not designed to handle, the AR number is halved (round down).  If it is not clear whether or not the armor should provide full protection against an unusual attack, assume full AR for the armor.  

The DEF number represents the armor's ability to deflect (instead of absorb) incoming attacks; if being attacked by an attack type the armor is not designed to defend against, the DEF bonus is halved (round down).

C'mon, you gotta have standards

I know I've been relatively quiet of late.  This week has been rather busy on multiple levels, which doesn't keep me from feeling like a slacker for not posting that much.  I should get back into the groove relatively soon (currently working on how I want to handle shields and armor in Trollslayers), but until then, here's a little something to amuse and distract you...

I swiped this image from Warren Ellis...

...knowing that I would only have one chance to post it.  Well, today's the day (click to enlarge):

Capsule reviews: Comics from 3/2

Jonah Hex #65 (DC, $2.99, Justin Gray, Jimmy Palmiotti, Jordi Bernet) - Hex finds himself in the middle of a blizzard, and takes refuge with a stranger who is trying to make a life of his own as a cattleman out in the wilderness.  As Hex is healing from his injuries, the two must face the elements, a pack of deadly wolves, and a dangerous group of gunmen.  In the end, we learn why Hex was in the area in the first place, and that he is not incapable of mercy and forgiveness.

Once again, the story is solid and well-told, and I'm appreciative that Gray and Palmiotti are telling the majority of their stories here in single issues, something that unfortunately runs contrary to the rest of the industry these days.  Bernet's art has a rough quality to it, and won't appeal to superhero fans who like their artwork superslick and photo-realistic, but it's growing on me over time.  It doesn't hurt that his art is somewhat reminiscent of Joe Kubert.  Once again, this series is highly recommended.

First Wave #6 (of 6) (DC, $3.99, Brian Azzarello, Rags Morales) - The conclusion of the mini-series of DC's pulp imprint.  It ends decently enough, with some nice action pieces, but nothing truly spectacular.  This mini was supposed to spin off into some pulpified versions of some of DC's characters that had appeared here, such as Rima the Jungle Girl and the Blackhawks.  Unfortunately, due to long delays and low sales, that isn't going to be the case.

Which is a shame, because I would have like to have seen those books.  Sadly, pulp is something of a hard sell in the comics these days - for mainstream superhero fans the characters usually aren't superhero-y enough, and for indy fans they're a little too superhero-y. Throw in the previously mentioned delays, and the #3.99 cover price, and it's no real surprise that the entire line is apparently up for cancellation.

As for the comic itself, this issue is better than the previous ones.  Azzarello's story, which had dragged and meandered a bit previously, wraps up everything nicely.  Morales' art is the main selling point here; this isn't his strongest work, but his pencils and layouts are clear and engaging.  For those who like pulp-related stuff, if this gets collected in trade format, it's worth picking if you had bypassed the series in its monthly format, warts and all.

Joe The Barbarian #8 (of 8) (DC/Vertigo, $3.99, Grant Morrison, Sean Murphy) - Given that the final issue of this story had been delayed quite a bit, I went back to re-read the previous issues to refresh myself on what was happening.  That was probably just as well, as this is a series that reads better in one setting than it does in serialized format.

In this oversized (40 pages) issue, we get proper conclusions for the two storylines that have been running through the story, concerning both Joe's fantasy world and the normal, mundane world.  The question of whether the fantasy world is or isn't real is left somewhat vague, but I think that people harping on the lack of clear answers in that regard are missing the point.  Joe has been dealing with the specter of death throughout the story, and the lessons he has learned in the fantasy world, hallucination or not, have meaning in the 'real' world as well.

Morrison's writing isn't going to be to everyone's taste, but most people already know that going in.  The real standout here is Sean Murphy's art.  Murphy takes a story where things are admittedly not completely clear on the surface, and illustrates it beautifully.  Both Joe's mundane and fantasy worlds are clearly defined, and done so in a way that interlinks the two, while at the same time giving each of them their own unique feel.  If you haven't been reading this already, this is definitely one to pick up when it comes out in trade format.

Powers #7 (Marvel/Icon, $3.99, Brian Michael Bendis, Michael Avon Oeming) - This is apparently the week for long-delayed issues to show up - in addition to First Wave and Joe The Barbarian, we get a new issue of Powers after I don't know how many months.  This is being advertised as the beginning of a new story-arc, but it really picks up on something that was brought up in the previous issue; the death of a god.

The crux of the story, of course, is just how Walker and Sunshine have to go about the business of investigating and interrogating a pantheon of self-styled 'gods'.  Which is, of course, even more difficult than dealing with the usual superheroes and supervillains that they have to deal with.  Are these beings really deities, or are they merely super-powered types with an even larger-than-normal ego?

Thrown into this mix is the return of Deena Pilgrim, who is now working for the feds, and gets to snark at her replacement Enki Sunshine.  If you can't see how that could be fun, clearly you're not familiar with Deena.  Her appearance is really the high point of the issue.

This issue is mostly talking-heads stuff, but as per usual Oeming makes it work.  The only real weak spot here is the various interrogations/questionings; normally, Bendis handles this sort of thing fairly well, but here it drags a bit at times.  Still, it's a good story, with an appropriately bloody cliffhanger, and promises to be an engaging storyline, dealing with the topic at hand as only Powers can.  I only hope we don't have to wait another half a year to get the next issue (seriously, Bendis, dial back on that Avengers stuff and concentrate on what you're really good at).

Oh, I suppose I should mention that this is another oversized issue (again, 40 pages).  Besides the longer than normal installment of the main story, the the extended text pages are cut back to a single page, in lieu of an 8-page preview of Takio, an upcoming all-ages graphic novel dealing with two squabbling sisters who gain superpowers and decide to become superheroes.

Doorways #4 (of 4) (IDW, $3.99, George R.R. Martin, Stefano Martino) - The conclusion of the mini-series, adapting the original proposed TV pilot from the early 90's.  As one might expect from a story based on a TV pilot, while there is a degree of resolution to the immediate story, not everything is wrapped up neatly, and it is left open enough to allow for future storylines to be told.  From a comic book standpoint this works relatively well; if the sales here are good enough, there's no reason why we might not see future mini-series with these characters.

Martins' plot and characters continue to entertain, and Martino's art does everything it's supposed to.  If you haven't been picking this up, and if you like alternate-reality stories, then by all means pick this up when it comes out in collected trade format.  Hopefully, the sales on this will encourage IDW to publish more tales of Thomas and Cat in the future.

Trollslayers - Missile Weapons

(continued from the Melee Weapons post)

Weapon               Type     Hand      STR      DEX      DV      Range    ENC    Cost  Notes

Bow, short               P           2           9         10          4          360         2        12    H, I, J

Bow, medium           P           2          12        11          6          540         3        20      H, J

Bow, long                P           2          14        12           9         720         3        35       H, J

Bow, great               P           2          17        13         12         900         4        60      H, J 

Crossbow, light         P          2       7/8/13        8          7          600         3        40      I, K

Crossbow, medium   P          2       8/12/17      9          11        750         4        50      K

Crossbow, heavy     P           2       9/14/22     10         16        900          5        75     K

Dagger, thrown        C           1          5           8        x1/3        x3           1         3      I

Hand Axe, thrown    C           1          11          9        x1/2         x5           2         3      I    

Rock, thrown           B           1            5         8        x1/4         x6            1         -      I

Sling                         B           1          5        10       x2/5        x20          1         1      H, I, J

Spear, thrown           P           1          12        12       x3/5         x4           2         2      I 

Missile weapons provide no DEF bonus.

If the DV listed is a multiplier, that multiplier is based off of STR, as with melee weapons. Bows and crossbows have a set base DV, dependent on the 'pull' of the weapon.

Range is listed in feet.  If a multiplier is give, that number is multiplied by STR to determine the weapon's range.  Point Blank range is 1/10 the maximum range, and gives a +1 to hit. Short Range is from 1/10 to 1/4 the maximum range, and gives no modifier.  Medium Range is from 1/4 to 1/2 the maximum range, and is -1 to hit.  Long Range is from 1/2 to 3/4 maximum range, and gives a -2 penalty to hit.  Extra  Long Range is from 3/4 maximum range to the maximum range, and is -3 to hit.

Notes

H - if the user does not have a talent with this weapon, an extra -1 penalty to hit is incurred.  

I - may be used from horseback.

J - normally takes one round to reload; someone with a talent with this weapon can attack the same round the arrow is nocked at a -1 penalty.

K - the first STR required score is simply the minimum STR needed to use the weapon without penalty.  The second score is the STR needed to reload the weapon using mechanical aids; this normally takes four rounds.  The final number is the STR needed to reload the weapon manually, which takes one round.

Occasionally, real world

Will eventually get back to posting, but this week has been a busy one.  A large part of it has been dealing with my wife's car accident - she's fine, just having to deal with all the insurance bullshit.

On a brighter note, we went to see Porgy & Bess by the Atlanta Opera last night:

Which was awesome.

Review: "Permanent Waves"

Coming off the success of Hemispheres, Rush was ready to switch gears a bit.  Their new album, Permanent Waves, was released on January 1 of 1980, perhaps indicative of a new beginning for the band.  

(The album cover is unique in that it is the only Rush album to have a band member on the cover, albeit not recognizably so - that's Neil Peart in the background, waving next to the sign)

This is one of the band's many transitional albums, as they shift from one musical style to another.  There's still a strong prog-rock feel to the album, including two longer pieces, but the shorter pieces have more of a hard rock feel to them, even though synthesizers playing a larger role on this album than previous ones.   The natural response from many prog fans is that this is when the band began to 'sell out', but it's probably more fair to say that, as the group's musical and lyrical prowess continued to improve, their ability to craft catchy-yet-engaging singles had also improved.  It's not that the shorter pieces have been dumbed down in any way, but rather that the band was developing the ability to make musically complex and multi-layered pieces that were nonetheless more accessible to a wider audience.  The album's first track, 'The Spirit Of Radio', received a good amount of airplay on album format stations, and along with 'Freewill' would remain classic rock staples to this day.

It wasn't just the musical side of the band that was evolving.  Starting with this album, Peart would mostly abandon using fantasy and science-fiction motifs for his lyrics, instead moving toward a more philosophical approach.  The albums's two longer pieces, 'Jacob's Ladder' and 'Natural Science', both employ a science-as-metaphor technique, something Peart would periodically go back to on later albums.  Also, Geddy Lee lowered his vocals a bit, helping to make their songs a little more accessible to the general listening public.

This is another extremely strong album, one that became a huge seller for the band - it would reach #4 on the US album charts, and eventually go Platinum.  The band were long past their initial growing pains, and were willing to move beyond the confines of the prog-rock ghetto, all the while retaining their own unique musical style.  Permanent Waves is considered a classic by most Rush fans, and for good reason - although sometimes it is overshadowed by what was to follow.