Re: Duelmasters Init. Roll-Up Help Sought

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

Date: Thu, 11 Jun 1992 11:00:52 +0000

>I just yesterday got my initial set-up from RSI (took three weeks --
>reasonable), and was hoping to generate some views from the net.  I have a
>decent idea what to do for most of them, but am unsure about a few, and would
>also appreciate it if anyone told me if I was doing something completely
>idiotic.  So, here they are.

In Duelmasters, if we do something idiotic, we call it an "experiment"
or an Aimed Blow. :)

>15-10-9-6-12-10-8

>This guy's WT sucks, so I figure he's not much good for long term.
>He's got a great strength, but his SZ is medium, and his CN isn't great.  I
>was thinking either

>17-11-9-9-17-10-11 ST, or

>21-11-9-7-17-10-9 ST.

As a personal preference, I never make a striker if I can make some-
thing else, and I can *always* make something else. :)  Try this:

17-10-9-7-17-11-13 BA

It can use all the bashing weapons (I think, the WT might be a little
low - it's been a while since I've had to worry about a basher's
WT - usually it's deftness), do a lot of damage, and hit with fair
regularity.

I took a point from your roll-up off CN and put it on SP because one
extra point of CN isn't going to help you very much, and you should always
try to make the "money" stats (WT/WL/SP/DF) odd.  It really hurts your
character if you start with even numbers in these areas.

Also, I took 2 points off of WT, because the WH (the best bashing weapon
outside of the QS - oops, just found one you lack the WT for.  Well, you
would've lacked the WT for it with a 9, too) only requires a 7, and I
really doubt that you're going to be training skills with this guy often
enough for it to hurt him. :)

>I'm not sure if DF is very important for a
>striker, or if I should worry about the WT, but rather go for the 21 ST.

The general rule of thumb I use is that if you can't get the WT to 13,
don't worry about it at all.  WT only really matters after 10-15 fights,
which this guy will never reach.  The best "power" strikers are the high
ST/DF guys, who do a ton of damage and hit a lot.  Not as good as power
bashers overall, but definitely quicker off the jump.

>Anyway, my second guy looks like this:

>9-10-16-5-13-13-4

This guy actually has better numbers than the last guy.  I would go

12-10-16-5-19-13-9 LU

He will do a lot of damage, as well as being well-suited to the LS.
Should be quick, too.

>Once again, a WTless warrior.  He's got great SZ, so I immediately
>thought Basher.  I don't know if SP helps a basher, but on the thought that
>it does, I was going to go

>14-10-16-5-17-17-5 BA

>and train up his strength on the first fight.  If, on the other hand
>speed isn't too important I would go with either

>15-13-16-5-17-13-5 BA or
>
>14-10-16-5-17-13-9 BA.
>
>I'd be more inclined to boost ST, CN or SP than DF, though, since his
>DF will never be better than mediocre.

Stay away from adding CN to characters whose lives mean nothing to you
anyway.  Also, stay away from adding SP to any style except SL and ST.
Bashers don't need it...at all.  A 5 is plenty, a 9 is almost too much.

I would set this basher up like this:

13-10-16-7-17-13-7

This guy is borderline, though, because he only barely meets the req's
for the WH.  He might do better with a MA, but I doubt it.  Unless a
low DF basher has a lot of WT (17+) the DA is pretty much automatic.
I've tried a few of these types (WT 13 SP 13+ DF 7) bashers, and I've
never had any success.  Doesn't mean it can't work, just not for me.

>My remaining three warriors all look like they have the most long-term
>potential, but they're also the one's I have the least idea what to do with.
>Next, is

>12-8-6-15-8-7-14.

13-9-6-17-13-9-17 AB

Run him like a LU (10-10-6 in the first minute in light armor and a LO)
and he should do really well.  He's set up even better than an I'm
AB I'm running who's currently 5-1-2 with 11+-17-7-17-9-7-17.

>Well, maybe not immediate, but I came up with it eventually.  But I
>still have some questions about this guy.  Would he be better as

13-9-6-21-13-7-15, or

12-8-6-21-13-9-17,

The second would be better, but unfortunately you only get 84 points on
the roll-up, not 86. :)

>Finally, come the two with serious potential, on which I am seriously
>confused.  There's

>5-12-11-15-14-4-9,

9-12-11-17-17-5-13 WS

Just awesome, my man.  I wish I could be this confused.

>which I considered turning into

>9-15-11-17-17-4-11 SL,

Once again, stay away from adding CN to characters, especially offen-
sives.  If you start designing slashers who can absorb damage, their
overall skills will suffer, and they will *have* to absorb damage.
Being a human pincushion is not good for your rep!

>7-9-14-15-12-4-9,

9-9-14-17-17-5-13 WS

Another awesome character.  I like these guys!  Can I interest you
in a trade for some roll-ups that will be less confusing? :)

>which the best I could come up with was
>
>13-9-14-17-17-4-11 BA.

Pretty good, but once again check your arithmetic.  A better basher would
be 11-9-14-17-17-5-11.  Eat the strength penalty on the heavy weapons,
and try out the QS and WF.  If he likes either of them, you're set!

>So, what do people think?  I'm open to any and all comments and sug-
>gestions, either posted or emailed, especially on those last two.  Let me hear
>from you.

I think you've got a hell of a team.  Good luck!  And e-mail me if you
want to get some suggestions on good beginning strategies for these
warriors.

Trump

References

Duelmasters Init. Roll-Up Help Sought
gharris@jade.tufts.edu (George W. Harris)
Wed, 10 Jun 1992 17:23:53 +0000