Re: [DL] Hexslinger Required (holistic storyline questions)

["Jeff Yates" <jyates@poboxes.com>]

<SNIP> -ed here and there...

> > > 1a. Hexslingers don't necessarily need to see their hands.
> >
> >But they do, they just don't see cards.  They need to see their gun.
> >
> Here is where is gets a bit muddy.  Hexslingers don't have to be focus
> dependant.

In my campaign, even if the gun wasn't a focus, it was where most of the
Hexslinger's hexes manifested (Argent Agony (on bullets already in the gun),
Loaded For Bear) and therefore had to be seen.  The player probably could've
held up a handful of ammo as well.  The glowing manifestation of power in
the weapon or ammo is then equivalent to the glowing cards, as far as
tell-tale sign for on-lookers.  A Huckster does have a difference in that
the meta-physical contest isn't over until the Huckster looks at his
'cards', and therefore must see the hand he got 'dealt'.  Theoretically the
Huckster could start the contest, but then not look at the cards for a
while, delaying either the spell effect or the backlash effect (but not
avoiding -- I'd give automatic backlash if the PC decided to not finish the
hex).  The Hexslinger's in my world don't have that option, their contest
happens and is done all in one fell swoop.  You either outdraw the manitou,
or not.

Now, your example was Vim-n-Vigor.  If a Hexslinger cast that, with out a
focus, then the witchcraft-accusation-causing effect would be that the
Hexslinger's person glows/sparks/pulses.

> But that just raises another question.  If Hexslingers are so all fired
> different why aren't they just an example of how a huckster sees his game.
> Like with chess peices or the Hexagram thing Steve long put out a while
> back.  The difference is there.  Hexslingers are not hucksters.  They
share
> a common spell list and ancestry but if anyone here plays D&D3edition the
> differences are like wizards and sorcerers.  Common but very different.

But I thought they were just an example of how one style of Huckster saw the
process.  They don't get the Gamblin' bonus, because they aren't gambling
(in a poker sense) during their contest with the manitou.  But they are
still Hucksters -- just ones that want to be able to kill things with their
guns, and are willing to muck with demons to increase their ability to kill
with their guns.

> Which is Why I think a new relic is in order.  Maybe Doc's journal or
Graves
> diary...something important but rare.

Well, now, that would just make things much too easy for the PC ;-)  A good
idea?  Sure.  But then I'd require the player to take Accademia:Occult to
understand the importance of the writings.  Unless you have the creator of
the book do something like write all his secrets down in plain English.
Hmmm... then maybe call the book a work of fiction -- hiding the thing in
plain sight.  It'd be kinda funny, especially if the player had the book in
his possession for a long time without realizing it _wasn't_ fiction.

> This is all true.  I don't argue that the mechanics and general theory are
> still the same.  The duel and all still apply but the hexslinger brings
some
> important differences from Hucksters in manner and layout that contridict
> the basic premise of spellcasters in deadlands.

I don't believe that there are contradictions -- at least not in the way the
character type got interpreted by me and my group.

> The huckster invariably was more handy because of his copy of hoyles and
> access to more spells.  The hexslingers never got caught casting spells
> however because they didn't need to hide thier glowing guns.  The huckster
> however was almost lynched in town when the local preacher caught him
> casting black lightning in the middle of a bar brawl.

Well, anyone tossing black bolts of electricity around a room is just
begging for a lynching ;-)  And if your local bystanders aren't seeing the
Hexslingers tell-tale signs, well, make them.  They might not get lynched
directly, but no one will trust them.  Them guns is just weird!  Especially
if they (or the whole Hexslinger) sparks during a long term effect hex.  And
 if they start using the Black Lightning they learned from the Huckster,
then they are just as easy to spot as he was.   -- Is it just all the turkey
I've eaten, or have I just committed some of the worst use of pronouns in
this paragraph? --

> A pair of nickle plated revolvers at high noon is not nearly as noticeable
> when you cast spells.

True, which is the Hexslinger's equivalent to Slight of Hand, to disguise
the magic cards with real ones.  The glint of the sun off the shiny guns
_could_ mask the electric blue tendrils of energy coruscating down the
barrels...

All comments made with the usual disclaimer:  That's how I do it in my
world.  YMMV.

Jeff Y.