Re: Duelmasters - Ok, what would you do with this?

From: ccmdenis@fella.ucdavis.edu (Donald Trump)

Date: Wed, 10 Jun 1992 18:26:39 +0000

In article <1992Jun10.060120.5899@cco.caltech.edu> johnjohn@cco.caltech.edu (John White) writes:
>Oh, I wasn't going to mention this before, but what the heck.  Here's a
>rollup that I got in an undisclosed arena.  What would you do with it?
>
>9-6-5-13-15-7-15
>
>And as Tom Kiefer said, I would appreciate it if people would refrain from
>telling me to DA it.  I have my heart set on running this guy.
>:-):-):-):-):-):-):-):-):-):-)(-:(-:(-:(-:(-:(-:(-:(-:(-:(-:(-:

Hardy har har... :) yourself 8-P

>Here's what I thought:
>
>11-6-5-17-21-7-17

Depending on style, you might try 9-6-5-17-21-9-17, but I don't see any
really good reason for this. It looks like this is about you're going to
be able to get out of this character. :)

>The stats seem to rule out the basher and striker, but everything else seems
>to be open season.  My immediate impression is lunger, due to high will, and
>decent wit and deftness, but I'll go through the process.
>
>A lunger might have:
>
>Attack: 19
>Init:   14
>Decise: 10
>Parry:  9
>Defense:13
>Riposte:10
>
>This is conservative, however.  He *could* be higher.  Imagine an AdEx and
>two experts...

I had a 11-10-5-16-20-11-11 LU (I know, I know, but it wast his or a
11-10-5-15-19-11-13 LU which, at the time, just didn't look too appealing -
sue me ;-) who had NEX Attack = 3 Init = 5 Decis = 2 Defense = 3.  This
was with a vastly inferior roll-up which actually had even numbers in
WT and WL.  I would imagine that your character would start out with
better numbers in every category.

My 17-12-4-15-13-14-9 LU (designed long ago) got Expert Parry in 10, so I
think that even your Parry rating would be good.

>A slasher:
>Attack: 17
>Init:   14
>Decise: 14
>Parry:  ?
>Defense:14
>Riposte:16
>
>Whoa, nelly!  I didn't think about this until I looked at the charts that I
>have.  Is this possible?  Dennis, can you confirm what I just did?  *FIVE*
>AdMasters?!

This is more the Wizard of Oz's area.  I'm in the middle of papers and
studying for finals right now (life outside of Duelmasters often impinges
on the good stuff), so I'm not able to verify this.  However, it looks
about right.  The chart seems to inflate Riposte (I think that most of the
Riposte skills must have been reported by Parry-Rippers, who seem to love
DF like slashers love SP), but other than it looks pretty solid.

>A Parry-lunger:
>
>Attack: 16
>Init:   10
>Decise: ?
>Parry:  13
>Defense:13
>Riposte:10
>
>How... unspectacular.  My immediate thoughts are: Lungers look much better
>than PL's.  Neither looks as good as a Slasher, besides that lungers' better
>attack.

Actually, for a little guy like this I would still be tempted to take plunger
over lunger, in fact I think that I would definitely do it.  The plunger
info I have is limited, but it does seem to indicate that plungers start out
with somewhat lower ratings than the the lunger.  However, the Defense and
Riposte skills are roughly equivalent (lunger has a slight edge).  So, the
skills come out with plunger lacking.

However, the plunger would be able to use this guy's greatest asset: his small
SZ.  The lunger is, most likely, going to get little damage.  Even normal
damage is death on a lunger's record, so I would try to maximize this guy's
strengths.  The plunger can look like a lunger, while burning less endurance,
and can also defend himself quite well in desperation, or in the middle of
a fight.

In addition, lungers do better against more foes.  The only style I can think
of where their record is worse than lungers against is Aimed Blows, and even
that can be mitigated.

I would choose a plunger for this roll-up.

>So it comes down to the lunger and slasher.
>
>My questions:
>Do you come to a different conclusion, and if so, what?
>
>Do Slashers really have a better init, riposte, and decise than a lunger?

It seems that they do, at the expense of even more endurance burn, and a
general style vs. style mismatch against every defensive and most offensives.

>Which would you choose, the chance at a starting AdEx Attack, or the chance
>at four AdMasters on skills?

Depends.  If you want instant success, then the AdEx Attack is really going to
help you out.  If you want long-term (i.e. Primus) ability, then the 4
Advanced Masters.  I'd pick the latter, personally.

>What do you all think?  And don't hate me...

You're beginning to sound like an Obsession ad, John.  "Don't hate me because
I am beautiful..."  "Don't hate me because I'm the luckiest scoundrel alive..."
:) :) :)  :) :) :)

Trump

References

Duelmasters - Ok, what would you do with this?
johnjohn@cco.caltech.edu (John White)
Wed, 10 Jun 1992 06:01:20 +0000