Newbie (sort of) and the First blood rule.

[san*klass]

Returning to CT after having not played it since the early eighties and using TTB.
I am wondering if anyone uses the FB rule exactly as written, or if they houserule it just a bit?
It seems to me that given an average 777 in physical UPP and 3D6 damage for most guns, then the FB rule will result in 10mins unconsciousness most of the time. Is a case of use Cover and Evasion to not get hit? Or some serious houseruling?
I can't remember it being a problem back in the day, but can't recall why.

 

[atpollard]

A whole topic on it from the recent past ...

FIRST BLOOD

 

[atpollard]

Returning to CT after having not played it since the early eighties and using TTB.
I am wondering if anyone uses the FB rule exactly as written, or if they houserule it just a bit?
It seems to me that given an average 777 in physical UPP and 3D6 damage for most guns, then the FB rule will result in 10mins unconsciousness most of the time. Is a case of use Cover and Evasion to not get hit? Or some serious houseruling?
I can't remember it being a problem back in the day, but can't recall why.

To directly answer your question, I found it all too fiddly and went with something more like STRIKER.

 

[mike wightman]

I use the spirit of the first blood rule but as a critical hit - you have to roll a natural 12 to hit to get the effect.

 

[aramis]

Returning to CT after having not played it since the early eighties and using TTB.
I am wondering if anyone uses the FB rule exactly as written, or if they houserule it just a bit?
It seems to me that given an average 777 in physical UPP and 3D6 damage for most guns, then the FB rule will result in 10mins unconsciousness most of the time. Is a case of use Cover and Evasion to not get hit? Or some serious houseruling?
I can't remember it being a problem back in the day, but can't recall why.

I used it as written. Thing is, most fights aren't with 3D weapons. Those that are, first hit's usually a drop.

Now, vs a 7, a 3D weapon is a 74% one-shot stop. That's unrealistically high - but not too badly so. Buckey Firearms Association¹ shows a 58% for centerfire rifles and for shotguns; most pistols are in the 30%-45% range. If we, however, assume the average target is the average randomly generated Army Trooper, that pushes the stats to 888xxx, and 74%.


All games damage systems are broken in some way.

¹BuckeyFirearms.Org "Alternate Look: Handgun Stopping Power" (html)

 

[Ulsyus]

I do wonder how much of things like FB should be based on just physical stats and how much something like Will or Orneryness should come into it. My observations on the variations between attitudes about being bashed, shot and stabbed lead me to a position where it seems that the physical ability to carry on and the willingness to carry on could both be expressed as threasholds, the first of which to be exceeded then being the point at which unconsciousness or worse would be applied to the PC/NPC.