Northman Barrows and other such places

[aramis]

2) The AB does state:

The Loremaster assigns the Hate point loss in any way he sees fit.

If the Hate Point loss applied to *all* adversaries equally then there'd simply be no need for that line as the same number of Hate points would be lost across all opponents. That line being in the rules means you take the number of points in the result and assign the loss of Hate points as you see fit - eg, in the case of an extraordinary success that could be all 3 to one opponent, 1 to three opponents, or 2 to one opponent and 1 to a second opponent.

I came to this same conclusion for the same reasons.

I generally allow the narrative to determine who is awed (loses hate) by a given awe, but if they run out, someone else takes the other point or two.

[trystero]

I agree that Intimidate Foe is a bit weak if it's just one/two/three points of Hate from among an entire force of adversaries. But having it do one/two/three points per adversary is too strong, even if the Loremaster can divvy those points up unevenly across a force.

Is there a middle ground? Has anyone found a way to strengthen this ability a bit without overpowering it? And should this be its own thread? (Okay, I know the answer to that last question.) :-)

[Robin Smallburrow]

Hermes Serpent

The other thing you are missing is the importance of Initiative- if the Enemy gets to act first then the chieftain can act first, give all his troops Hate so then they can all act- and in fact that is how I would run this, illustrating the power of whoever holds the Initiative in this game has a BIG advantage in combat

There are a lot of clever tactics to this game!

Robin S

[Corvo]

I agree that Intimidate Foe is a bit weak if it's just one/two/three points of Hate from among an entire force of adversaries. But having it do one/two/three points per adversary is too strong, even if the Loremaster can divvy those points up unevenly across a force.

Is there a middle ground? Has anyone found a way to strengthen this ability a bit without overpowering it? And should this be its own thread? (Okay, I know the answer to that last question.)

I was toying with the idea of "-1 hate to 1 enemy/ -2 hate to 2 enemies/ -3 hate to 3 enemies".
This way it's easy to remember, far more powerful, but not so powerful to affect more than 3 opponents (so you cannot rout 9 goblins with a lucky roll, just 3).
Never tested it, though: for the moment I keep the RAW.

[trystero]

Has anyone found a way to strengthen [Intimidate Foe] a bit without overpowering it?

I was toying with the idea of "-1 hate to 1 enemy/ -2 hate to 2 enemies/ -3 hate to 3 enemies".
This way it's easy to remember, far more powerful, but not so powerful to affect more than 3 opponents (so you cannot rout 9 goblins with a lucky roll, just 3).
Never tested it, though: for the moment I keep the RAW.

It's a starting point, at least: thanks for the idea. I might try that with my group.