Re: [DL] Hexslinger vs Shootist

["Mr. Christopher McGlothlin, M.Ed." <sosentinel@adelphia.net>]

At 12:38 PM 11/19/2002, Dr. Nick wrote:
>O.K., here's my understanding of the situation:
>
>* Hucksters: Your original flavor, cards-in-hand caster of hexes; learns
>from Hoyle's Book of Games and peers

         Check.

>* Hexslingers: More gun-oriented Hucksters who get their hexes from other
>Hexslingers; learns only from their peers, but can learn Huckster hexes from
>Hoyle's Book of Games
>* Shootist: An "official" group of Hexslingers run by the Texas Rangers;
>learns the same way as a Hexslinger but in a structured environment

         I think of a Law Dogs "Hexslinger" as Version 1.0 of the Shootist. 
The original idea was solid, but the name always caused confusion and the 
text of Law Dogs (which was edited by a woodchipper) left many key points 
unclarified.
         It was my intention to make the Shootist more different from 
Hucksters than the LD write-up had made them, giving some hexes only they 
know, a different way of visualizing the duel of wills, and their own attitude.
         To me, what was actually published in LD is pretty much Hucksters 
with guns. If that's exactly what you want in your game, as I wrote in LS, 
go with that. However, the Shootist is, IMNSHO, a more distinctive and 
flavorful option, which benefits from 3 years of playtesting and advice, if 
nothing else.


Deo Vindice,
Mr. Christopher L. McGlothlin, M.Ed.

Educator & Freelance RPG Writer
Fellow, Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design
Moderator of the New Gamers Order Listserver

"Look upon me! I'll show you the life of the mind!"
--Charlie Meadows (John Goodman), _Barton Fink_