Post by Mutant Lord: William McAusland on Apr 17, 2013 18:22:46 GMT -8
Questions about The Mall of Doom...
by Xhaosdaemon » Sat Mar 24, 2012 11:08 pm
So I am running my Skype/Maptools group through the MoD and I have taken the time to prep up what is in the rooms/encounters ahead of time so I can just jump in. One thing I noticed is the section on the *special* moaners where you roll and then cross them off. Is that intended to be used instead of the random determination for each moaner having a possible mutation, relic item, or implant? (as written moaners have a 50% chance of 1 mutation + 1 flaw, a 15% chance of a relic weapon, and a 12% chance of an implant) Moaners definitely take a step towards much tougher when half of them may have a mutation never mind the chance for relics and implants (not that that is a bad thing).
Also, I have been curious about the -3 penalty to moaner initiative. The group was "ambushed" by about 30 of them before moving into the moaner area of Map 6 and things were starting to move towards TPK then I noticed I had forgotten the -3 to initiative. Putting that in changed the odds significantly although it was still a tough combat (the mutant bear PC with 180+ Endurance was a particular target and was almost dropped). Is that penalty for their initiative due to their being sickly and at least somewhat insane?
Re: Questions about The Mall of Doom...
by Blood axe » Thu Mar 29, 2012 1:30 pm
I'll try to answer, but I might be incorrect.
I have the Mall of Doom & read it over pretty well. I thought the chart for Mutant Moaners was to help speed up play. So you don’t have to take time rolling mutations.
I only use mutant Moaners when the book calls for it. Like p76 at the bottom, or unique encounters as on p80. With the players having mutations, having half of the Moaners be mutated just slows things down.
Moaners are slow. So they have the Initiative penalty. Slow= Zombies. Rubble Zombies, Dead Folk. Helps the players a bit since they are gonna be outnumbered.
Re: Questions about The Mall of Doom...
by WillMcAusland » Mon Apr 02, 2012 5:25 pm
Yes, Bloodaxe has it right. The unique moaners listing is to speed up the action scenes by saving time having to roll up mutations and whatnot form the Hub Rules. Just an option, though. When I GM for a group of creatures that may have a mutation or implant, I often pre-assign one baddie to have a relic , mutation or implant to keep it interesting, instead of rolling for the odds of each one having some special feature. The table in the Mall of Doom just creates a shortcut and by crossing them out as they are encounter, avoids the PCs meeting the same one twice.
I must confess that moaners started out much more pathetic than they appeared when published, but after seeing I Am Legend, we juiced them up a bit. Their -3 initiative comes from a combination of illness, insanity, brain damage, inattention, misshapen sensory organs and the fact that when grouped together they are often bickering among themselves, arguing religious truths, and testing each's hierarchy in the pack. Although when expecting trouble, and in ambush, the GM or published adventure may have them primed for the attack and so have no initiative penalty.
30 moaners at once in a narrow passage... that's a hell of a fight. Might want to call it a day and regroup in Walsave for a day or two to heal... maybe send a rider to find old buddies from Overpass (maybe another PC per player?).
WM
by Xhaosdaemon » Sat Mar 24, 2012 11:08 pm
So I am running my Skype/Maptools group through the MoD and I have taken the time to prep up what is in the rooms/encounters ahead of time so I can just jump in. One thing I noticed is the section on the *special* moaners where you roll and then cross them off. Is that intended to be used instead of the random determination for each moaner having a possible mutation, relic item, or implant? (as written moaners have a 50% chance of 1 mutation + 1 flaw, a 15% chance of a relic weapon, and a 12% chance of an implant) Moaners definitely take a step towards much tougher when half of them may have a mutation never mind the chance for relics and implants (not that that is a bad thing).
Also, I have been curious about the -3 penalty to moaner initiative. The group was "ambushed" by about 30 of them before moving into the moaner area of Map 6 and things were starting to move towards TPK then I noticed I had forgotten the -3 to initiative. Putting that in changed the odds significantly although it was still a tough combat (the mutant bear PC with 180+ Endurance was a particular target and was almost dropped). Is that penalty for their initiative due to their being sickly and at least somewhat insane?
Re: Questions about The Mall of Doom...
by Blood axe » Thu Mar 29, 2012 1:30 pm
I'll try to answer, but I might be incorrect.
I have the Mall of Doom & read it over pretty well. I thought the chart for Mutant Moaners was to help speed up play. So you don’t have to take time rolling mutations.
I only use mutant Moaners when the book calls for it. Like p76 at the bottom, or unique encounters as on p80. With the players having mutations, having half of the Moaners be mutated just slows things down.
Moaners are slow. So they have the Initiative penalty. Slow= Zombies. Rubble Zombies, Dead Folk. Helps the players a bit since they are gonna be outnumbered.
Re: Questions about The Mall of Doom...
by WillMcAusland » Mon Apr 02, 2012 5:25 pm
Yes, Bloodaxe has it right. The unique moaners listing is to speed up the action scenes by saving time having to roll up mutations and whatnot form the Hub Rules. Just an option, though. When I GM for a group of creatures that may have a mutation or implant, I often pre-assign one baddie to have a relic , mutation or implant to keep it interesting, instead of rolling for the odds of each one having some special feature. The table in the Mall of Doom just creates a shortcut and by crossing them out as they are encounter, avoids the PCs meeting the same one twice.
I must confess that moaners started out much more pathetic than they appeared when published, but after seeing I Am Legend, we juiced them up a bit. Their -3 initiative comes from a combination of illness, insanity, brain damage, inattention, misshapen sensory organs and the fact that when grouped together they are often bickering among themselves, arguing religious truths, and testing each's hierarchy in the pack. Although when expecting trouble, and in ambush, the GM or published adventure may have them primed for the attack and so have no initiative penalty.
30 moaners at once in a narrow passage... that's a hell of a fight. Might want to call it a day and regroup in Walsave for a day or two to heal... maybe send a rider to find old buddies from Overpass (maybe another PC per player?).
WM
