Re: [HoE] The Boise Horror -- my review (LONG)

[Kirt Dankmyer <loki@triadntr.net>]

"B.D. Flory" wrote:
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> Simon is prioritizing.  Simon orders the PC's to accompany him.  Some might
> call this railroading- I call it realistic.  After all, if you're in the
> military, for example, and your CO gives you an order, do you accuse him of
> "railroading" you, or do you follow orders?

Um, I know. I read the adventure as well. If you read what I actually said, I
didn't criticize that section -- I thought it was well=written. I was just
providing information for those who don't have the adventure. I don't have any
problem with Simon ordering people around, that isn't railroading per se, it
makes sense in context.
 
> They can't all be gems.  I've never seen any piece of writing, within the
> game industry or without, be sheer genius from cover to cover.

Well, duh. I wasn't complaining about the "solid but uninspired" writing, just
reporting on it.

> The PCs really aren't expected to deal with this.  They're expected to do
> their best for a couple of rounds, until Simon is captured.  At that point,
> the Black Hats disengage, and the Junkyard Militia moves in.

Assuming they can ride out 6d20 massive damage, of course.
 
>  At this point, they're expect to take a stand, and they're also
> | expected to be capable of taking 6d20 massive damage when Simon hews
> through
> | an automaton and it explodes.
> 
> As far as this goes, I suspect this adventure was written using the old
> massive damage rules (indeed, the Automaton rules were written under the
> same circumstances).  Under those rules, and with a buff posse (which the
> adventure points out you should have), this is eminently survivable.

Eh. And such a buff posse could survive the automotons on the ship, thereby
skipping the cool bits with Simon on the ground, as my previous point.

> There is no doubt in my mind that Baphomet *should* be an incredible
> beating.  Again, we get back to that experienced Posse issue.  IOW, make
> sure yours is.  Not a problem, ASAIC, if they state this upfront, which
> they did.

Well, there's a difference between experienced and godlike.
 
> | The PCs are supposed to be "true heroes" and kill Baphomet now. Now, if
> | they're that cool, I have no idea why they can't handle the automatons in
> the
> | blimp scene, and why they can't be "true heroes" then.
> 
> Again, because this time, they don't have to worry about Simon catching a
> stray bullet.

This being the same Simon, BTW, has all the Templar rewards and can take being
hit by the Combine assassin with no problem. What about the reverse of the
blimp situation as the author sets it up? Have one person stay back and shield
Simon, while the rest deal with the automotons?
	-Loki