Lords Of Olympus Q&A XV
The fifteenth Q&A entry already. Jesus, I can't imagine what this will be like when the game is actually in print! Anyways, here we go again: if you have a question for me about Lords of Olympus, post it on this thread in theRPGsite, and I will answer!
This week's questions:
Q: How much might would a giant monster like the Hydra have?
A: Hydras’ Ability Classes vary in range from Heroic to Olympian, typically, but some very powerful ones, like the Lernaean Hydra slain by Heracles, have higher scores in Might and Fortitude.
Q: Is there any way for a character to have truly superhuman strength, on par with, say, your average spiderman?
A: I would think that the ability to toss around a car would be "truly superhuman" strength. Anyways, I can think of a few ways. First of all, a character might "cheat" his way to it by going to a world where the laws of reality worked differently enough that he would be much stronger than the average inhabitants; of course, anyone else from outside that world would be too. He could likewise change the laws of reality in an existing world to attempt the same thing. Finally, he could theoretically keep buying advancements "above first class" until he got to levels of Might Class to rival Heracles or Atlas. It might even be possible that some really remarkable artifacts could grant him super-superhuman levels of Might.
Q: Does the setting have technological universes? If so, how does it handle cross-tech or magic?
A: The setting does indeed have technological universes. Our own world, if you consider that a "technological" universe, features relatively prominently in the setting material. Likewise, its stated that just about any universe imaginable can theoretically exist somewhere along the three divine roads. So yes, there are all kinds of levels of high-tech worlds out there.
In the game, worlds are classified in terms of different qualities, for things like physical laws and characteristics of that world. Just like one of these qualities is the "Magic level" of the world, another would be the "Technological level" of the world. Characters who are skilled in Olympian or Primordial magic can affect these levels. Some worlds might have both high-magic and high-tech, some might have only one of the two. Because physical laws are different from world to world, its quite normal for certain kinds of technology having trouble working on a different world than its origin (unless that world has sufficiently similar technological qualities); and the same can theoretically apply to magic.
Q: What stat do you use for Hand to Hand?
A: When the character is grappling, wrestling or boxing with an opponent, he is brawling with Might.
It is possible for a character to try to rely on Prowess when unarmed if he is attempting to use his agility rather than brute strength to strike. Likewise, a character with a weapon in his hand can be striking with pure Might, using his weapon only as a brute extension of his strength. However, even in those cases, the strength of a person’s blow is measured by Might, while the ability to evade being struck is measured by Prowess.
Q: How do Olympian Magic and Advanced Olympian Magic, and Primordial Magic and Advanced Primordial Magic, differ from certain powers in other games?
A: Olympian and Primordial magic, and their advanced versions, might have certain vague similarities to powers you could theoretically find in other games, but they are entirely their own thing. In particular, the way that they function (which is quite clearly outlined) is unique to the Lords of Olympus game.
Neither Olympian magic nor Primordial magic allow a character to travel from one universe to another; you need world-walking for that.
As a general statement, Olympian magic like many other powers in the game require time and attention to utilize, they tend not to be all that useful in the heat of battle or in a tight situation unless the player character has been very careful in planning things through ahead of time. Olympian magic requires at least five minutes to craft a spell of probability, for example.
Primordial magic can be a bit more useful in battle, since evoking the maelstrom (basically a kind of entropic hole in space and time) takes only a few seconds, and it can be useful to give yourself a kind of magical shield and some space between you and opponents. Lines of force can also be useful in combat, being used for reaching out and making mental contact with opponents and (if the caster is really in a tight spot) can even be solidified with concentration to use as a kind of weapon. Olympian Magic, on the other hand, gives the user some protection against the entropic power of Khaos that the Primordial magic depends on.
Q: If someone with First Class in Might successfully punches someone with First Class in Fortitude how bad of an injury would the one punched get?
A: The answer would depend on a great number of factors. First of all, the way the player described his PC's attack. How is he punching, where is he hitting on his opponent's body? Is the defending character using some kind of armour? Is the "defending" character taken unawares, or was he braced for impact? All of these things can ultimately affect the situation; so can environmental factors, as well as whether the character taking the hit was already injured, or exhausted, or if he's at top health. Generally speaking, a single blow from a 1st Class Might character to a 1st Class Fortitude character where both are otherwise unaffected by other considerations, and where the guy taking the blow knows that its coming, and the location of the hit is neither particularly protected or particularly vulnerable, will take a serious enough hit (a Severe Injury) that will leave him dazed for a moment and might (if the hit is in an appropriate area) break a bone or two. But barring other factors, a single hit from a 1st Class Might blow would not be enough to leave a 1st Class Fortitude character out of the action (though if he can't figure out a way to stop himself from taking a few more of those blows, he'll be in serious trouble).
Q: Does Lords of Olympus include writeups of any characters suitable as starting PCs?
A: Along with the larger examples of how to handle the Bidding War, etc. there is a single full description of a character being created. Some of the less significant deities could also theoretically be usable as starting-level PCs. But honestly, the game isn't meant to be run that way; you could do it, but that would miss out on a huge chunk of the fun: Character creation!
Q: How quickly could a character with First Class in Fortitude regenerate their sight if they had their eyes burned out?
A: Assuming the player character doesn't have the Metamorphosis power, a loss of a body part (like an eye) would take between several months to several years to heal. The eye being a particularly complex body part, it would be at the higher end of that spectrum, possibly taking a decade or longer if no outside assistance is used.
Keep those questions coming!!
RPGPundit