Based on the creature's description, does it qualify as a Large creature (and therefore +2 to attacks against it)?

The Marshal’s Handbook gives the Bone Fiend’s size as +3, which roughly equates to a Kodiak. However, the description of the critters, especially regarding their multiple limbs, suggests something that is larger. I’ll go ahead and call it Large, so the +2 bonus applies.

Bryan, since you’re inside and Tamsin’s outside, you can go ahead and proceed with your action.

I want the trapping for Lee's Damage Field to be E Honda's hundred hand slap:

Having been alerted to its presence, does Albert see the 'black skull in the middle' as Bryan stated? If so, what is the penalty to hit it?

13:54, Today: Marshal, on behalf of Albert Cooper, rolled 5,6 using 1d6+2,1d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 3,4.  Notice.

Albert, if you had already made the previous Notice roll I asked for after the fiend’s explosion, I wasn’t able to find it. Let me know if you did and I’m just being dense and overlooking it. Otherwise, you can use the one above, which I added a bonus to for Lee’s “callout”.

Amidst the rapidly reforming body of the bone fiend, Cooper can see a skull, black as pitch, giving off a faint blue luminescence.

For damage purposes, the skull has a Toughness of 8. Shooting at it is treated in the same manner as a called shot to the head. With the bones working to build a protective shell around it, it isn’t possible to walk up and blast it at point blank range.

LOL, are we playing with critical failures?

If so, this will be a doozy.

17:41, Today: Albert Cooper rolled -3,-3 using d10-4,d6-4, rerolling max with rolls of 1,1.  Shooting (skull,LFB).

The bullet that is chambered is Loaded For Bear, so it can even cause magical problems.

If we aren't playing with crit failure, Albert will be rerolling that one...

Chavez y Chavez is resilient. He’ll bounce back.

Just to clarify a couple of potential questions: The bone fiend won’t fully reform (and be able to act) until it reaches its place in the initiative order on the following round. Also, the beast reforming does not undo the damage it received prior to exploding. Those wounds still stand.

If anyone hasn’t yet given me an initiative draw for the next round, please go ahead and do so.

Well, damn. At least only one of the damage dice aced.

I get to try fail again soon.


10:17, Today: Albert Cooper drew the single card: KD using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.

Man, I feel you. My elven assassin in Evernight went from an ultra competent operator in concept to an occasional object of high comedy based on some of the botched rolls I made in that game.

On the good news front, nobody died or sustained any permanent injuries and Cooper, by virtue of his initiative draw, will likely get another crack at the beast before it reforms.

Speaking of Cooper getting another crack, since both Cooper and Lee go on the KD, I plan on holding Lee's action until Cooper takes his action.

He has a much better chance to hit the black skull than Lee does (the ranged TN will end up being lower than the melee TN to hit it).

Yet.

Okay. That’s fair. :)

A couple of housekeeping measures as we’re in the process of winding down the chapter:

• In honor of doing away with the undead invading Lincoln, everyone should take one advance. Note that this will move each character to Seasoned tank.
• Each of you should make a chip draw sufficient to put five chips in your hand. You’re welcome to discard any chips you have to make a fresh draw. Just let me know what you’re getting rid of.
• Note that I’m adding a Legend Chip to the pot, so use 1d36 for your draws. If you end up with an exploded roll, you’ll know the legend chip’s yours.
• Since each of you is of Seasoned rank, you should draw as many Adventure Cards as you need to put three in your hand. Like fate chips, you’re welcome to discard any unwanted cards and make a new draw, just let me know what you’re putting aside.

If any questions come up, please send them my way.

Yay the point in the game where everyone and their dog takes the Hip-Shooting Edge!

*not being literal

**though I've seen this happen

***more than once

Is Hip Shooting good?

Well of course it is.  The issue is people (often without a lot of experience in the system) think it's amazing.

You've seen someone's dog take hip shooting more than once? Impressive!



It is pretty solid, if you build a character around fanning the hammer. The penalty for fanning is -4 to all your shots. So you can fire off six shots all with a huge penalty, probably missing most, and then you're out of bullets.

So you need Speed Load to avoid having to waste actions loading. Hip Shooting takes the penalty down to -2. Then when you get Improved Hip Shooting, which eliminates the penalty altogether, it gets a little crazy as you can dump out six shots with no penalty.

So this is obviously the edge for me!

But just to expand on that:

Being really really good at fanning the hammer requires:

• A high Shooting
• Two Hip Shooting Edges
• The Speed Load edge as mentioned
• You use one of the statistically weakest weapons in the setting
• And though not a requirement it benefits a great deal from Trademark Weapon, Improved Trademark Weapon

So being really good at it is very expensive and leaves a character completely lopsided to do something that's a poor man's version of the Bolt power.

A character who builds around hip shooting exclusively is also going to lack in other important capabilities of the gunslinger archetype.

Given that Albert's already accidentally hit one of his friends, I think I'll go the exact opposite direction of just spraying bullets everywhere and take Marksman. Probably sub-optimal, but that's okay.

Marksman is quite good actually.

In reply to Kansas Kate (msg # 256):

I believe Bolt gets you 3 attacks at 2d6 damage vs. Fanning which can get you 6 at potentially 2d6+1 damage with the optimal worst gun, but definitely Bolt is much cheaper considering you can do it starting out of the gate with only one Arcane Background Edge (and there isn't the same risk of hitting your buddies on a 1 or a 2).

But yes, Marksman is fantastic - a solid choice. For example on fights like the last one, where you didn't necessarily have to move around a lot, you can really milk that flat +2 bonus and help make certain you're hitting with those Hexslinger bullets.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:36, Thu 28 Mar 2019.

Static bonuses like Marksman offers tend to be pretty powerful in Savage Worlds. If you consider that an average shooting roll needs a simple success (a four or better) for a hit, the edge will enable you to hit on any roll but a one, provided you’re not moving. Couple that with the extra punch that Hexslinger bullets can pack and...well, you get the idea.

A question I wanted to propose to the group, since we’re at the close of a chapter:

As previously mentioned, the new edition of Savage Worlds, the Adventure Edition, is now available. I’ve given some thought to shifting this game to the updated ruleset, but I wanted to get some input from each of you regarding how you’d prefer to proceed.

We could:

• Stick with the Deluxe rules for now and continue without any alterations, revisiting converting to the new rules at a later date.
• Proceed with the changeover now, which would likely entail a hiatus of a couple of weeks while I absorbed the new edition’s changes. It would also involve switching characters over to the new rules. Those that have access to the Adventure Edition could undertake that changeover yourselves, while I could convert characters for those that don’t have the new book.
• Put the whole game on hiatus for a while, if you’ve had your fill of Deadlands and/or Lincoln County, New Mexico for now. We could take an extended break and then revisit the game in a few months to see if there’s interest in forging ahead.

Just let me know what your feelings are, either in this thread, or via Private Message. Once I’ve got a sense of the direction the majority are leaning towards, I’ll put the next step in motion.