Re: [HOE] Kids and their size

[Robert Holland <robert@macauley.com>]

>The only part I would not agree is Veteran part.  I mean, yeah, these Young
>'Uns are probably not as experienced in the world, but heck, look at Newt
>from Aliens--she was what, eight or something?  I'd call her a Vet....
>Still, an interesting concept for those players who want a challenge...

I dunno. She was pretty hardcore for a little kid, but she didn't have any
noticeable combat skills, and reacted to unfamiliar humans by shrieking and
running, which doesn't sound like much Guts or Grit even for a place with a fear
level as high as that one. I think the fact that she retained enough presence of
mind in the face of hideous xenomorphs to run away and hide rather than freezing
up and wetting her pants or fainting dead away, is enough to make her a Hero
rather than an Extra, but not enough to really make her a vet.

Anyway, the Veteran edges are supposed to represent abnormally long and intense
experience with the adventuring life. Newt had been on the run for, I forget, a
few weeks at most, and before that had been a normal, happy eight-year-old. I'd
have enough trouble figuring out where to put her basic skill points, let alone
Veteran points.

>ps  This goes for the previous post about what to do about Kids & Knowledge
>& Strength reductions once they are no longer a Kid.  I'd say when the
>player has to buy off the Kid hindrance, their stats should go back up to
>whatever they had initially.  Does that seem fair?

Not sure about that one either--you're effectively getting two stats boosted for
the price of buying off a two-point hindrance. If the Kid wants to pump iron or
go back to school once he hits 16, he should have to pay the same price for it
as everyone else. And come to think of it, Kid doesn't actually *drop* your
Strength and Knowledge, it just caps them. I don't think most players would
deliberately waste a d12 in Strength or a d10 in Knowledge when they could put
them somewhere else and get full use out of their draw.

--Robert Holland