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Loremaster Characters

Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2015 5:07 am
by Glorelendil
Does anybody else think that Loremaster Characters are often not...badass enough? Take Dreorg the Wargling from Rivendell: sure, he's got some good abilities, but his main attack is "only" unfavored 3, and he only has 20 Endurance. A couple of moderately lucky rolls and he's down.

Mooks are one thing, but (in)famous, named LMCs are another. Even the ones you're not supposed to actually fight, like Mogdred or Viglund, should be tough just in case you end up fighting them. (Something tells me Angelalex has already fought and killed all of the above.)

Yes, nameless pedants, a good LM will play these sorts of figures with cunning so that they never actually need superior stats (c.f., A 16 Hit Point Dragon), but if that's the case then why stat them out at all?

So, in addition to a bit more endurance, what do you think about giving some of these LMCs one or two of the "superpowers" on pages 67-68 of Rivendell.

Re: Loremaster Characters

Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2015 6:40 am
by Deadmanwalking
Eh...Dreorg also has Parry 7, and is not exactly a legendary and unbeatable threat, just the notable leader of a warg pack.

Viglund, meanwhile, lacks full combat stats but has favored Axe 4 and an Attribute of 7. Throw on Great Size and make his Parry 7 (possibly +3 for a Great Shield) and even 23 Endurance is a pretty solid threat (especially if you give him Favored Protection to boot).

And both of those should have a retinue protecting them as well, which certainly helps.

Re: Loremaster Characters

Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2015 11:41 am
by Rich H
I don't agree or disagree, it really is down to the respective abilities of each group as to whether an adversary is dangerous or not; and like your initial post states that isn't just about the stats. If that was the case however, like you've said, the additional abilities for adversaries found in Rivendell are great for tweaking and boosting the danger levels of anything that appears within the RAW, so the tools are already there for LMs that have this challenge.

Re: Loremaster Characters

Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2015 11:53 am
by Falenthal
I don't know exactly what to answer, also. I can only say that, up to now, the combats against Trolls I've run have been frustrating on the LM's side: the big brutes have fallen quick and without doing any serious damage. I haven't done lots of such combats, though. I still can't give an informed opinion.

Re: Loremaster Characters

Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2015 9:38 pm
by Majestic
Just wanted to add that I loved the 16 HP Dragon bit, Glorelendil. I think I'd read it before, but that was well worth a re-read! :D

Re: Loremaster Characters

Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2015 9:54 pm
by Angelalex242
If the warg is the one from the white tower, I killed him, yep.

Viglund, however, I diplomanced. My High Elf is a warrior diplomat, and I don't forget the diplomat part :) Being too quick to draw your spear is a good way to gain shadow, and I said elsewhere, I'm careful to avoid that like the plague. I tend to diplomance undead as well, since Against the Unseen protects me long enough to sing them out of their pain and woe so I can heal their souls.

Re: Loremaster Characters

Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2015 9:57 pm
by Glorelendil
Majestic wrote:Just wanted to add that I loved the 16 HP Dragon bit, Glorelendil. I think I'd read it before, but that was well worth a re-read! :D
Yeah, it's freakin' brilliant. I really like Dungeon World but haven't had many opportunities to play it.

Re: Loremaster Characters

Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2015 3:38 pm
by Majestic
Glorelendil wrote:
Majestic wrote:Just wanted to add that I loved the 16 HP Dragon bit, Glorelendil. I think I'd read it before, but that was well worth a re-read! :D
Yeah, it's freakin' brilliant. I really like Dungeon World but haven't had many opportunities to play it.
My daughter just picked up (and has been reading through, in preps of starting a campaign with her friends) Monster of the Week, which uses the DW/AW system. I'm eager to see how it plays, as I've never tried it before.

Re: Loremaster Characters

Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2015 4:09 pm
by Glorelendil
Getting off topic, but before playing DW make sure to read this.

Re: Loremaster Characters

Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2015 4:39 pm
by Rich H
Ah, Dungeon World... Best game of D&D I've ever had. Tell a lie, maybe just maybe, KAMB shaded it.