Re: [HoE] [HOPLER] Fear Check ?

[PEGHopler@aol.com]

In a message dated 8/2/99 10:26:50 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
crow_steve@hotmail.com writes:

<< There are a number of times, through the various source material, when it 
is 
 stated that veteran characters don't have to make Terror Checks at all 
 against certain Fear-type opponents.
 
 Looking at the Brainburner book, there is an encounter with walkin' dead in 
 a morgue where it notes that these are scarier than usual, so even Veteran 
 Characters should make a Terror Check.
 
 Since Pinnacle more or less states this officially, rather than leaving it 
 to the Marshall's discretion, what are the "official" guidelines for this?  
 This seems to go beyond simply having a higher Grit as a more experienced 
 character, and becoming complete immunity to certain "low level" Fear-types 
 that the character may have fought on many occasions and become innured to 
 (Dogs o' War, Walkin' Dead, etc.).
 
 All help appreciated. >>

There are no set rules on this because it all depends on the heroes' 
backgrounds and the Marshal's particular game. The Marshal's decision to 
require, not require, or possibly reduce the TN of a guts check depends on a 
hero's familiarity with the thing causing the guts check. A hero who was a 
Texas Ranger before the war and helped put down a walkin' dead outbreak in 
Nacogdoches probably isn't going to blink when he encounters another zombie. 
On the other hand, if the thing lurches out unexpectedly from a darkened 
corner, that would require a check due to the "boo" factor of the scare. As 
another example, I usually don't require checks for heroes who see dead 
bodies, unless they've obviously been killed in some horrible and terrifying 
way. Most people who have survived the Last War have seen enough dead people 
that a simple corpse isn't going to spook them.

Sincerely,

John Hopler
Pinnacle