[gurps] Fright Checks for Mortal Wounds

[Zan Lynx]

On Mon, 2006-10-09 at 09:49 +0100, Gareth Owen wrote:
> Never used the fright check mechanic, although it looks interesting. The
> rule I go by (introduced for my short lived GURPS:Water Margin campaign)
> was if an NPC is nameless (palace guards, bandits, etc) then one good solid
> hit (4+ points I think) will take them out of the fight, if they're not dead
> or crippled or KO'd they're crawling away and feeling sorry for themselves.
> Named NPCs and certain nameless NPCs (mostly fanatics, but also things like
> Gormelites) get to use the full rules if they want, i.e. it fits with their
> character. Even then, most NPCs tend to fall over once they go negative,
> but gormies and drugged up fanatics just keep going till you force them to
> stop.
> 
> I guess I roleplay it.
> 
> GLO


That's what I was going to say.  It hardly ever makes sense for NPCs to
fight to the death.  They should back off and tend their wounds or just
sit around in pain if they can't.

Only if they're berserkers, elite shock troops, desperate last stand
defending the King, fighting an enemy that eats prisoners, etc... would
they fight past the first serious wound and keep going into negative HT.
In my opinion anyway, that's how they'd act.

Just because PCs rarely want to surrender, doesn't mean NPCs have to be
insane too. :)

Although, every PC group should have the experience of fighting off a
few HT 14, ST 14 barbarian berserkers who all out attack with two handed
great-axes.  For extra amusement, track the PC knight's shield and armor
damage.  (Sorry, you can't block now, that shield is kindling.)
-- 
Zan Lynx <zlynx at acm.org>