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[BerkaZerka]

The following is Errata and Clarification material for the Bounty Head Bebop and other i20 RPgs.

Errata and Clarification Index
Berserk & Nausea Durations
Brass Knuckles Clarification
Called Shots/Grapple Maneuvers (Clarification)
Combat Axe Clarification
Hypergates Travel Times Are In Hours
Jump Skill Addendum
Luck to Reduce MTN Clarification
Martial Throw Edge (Clarification)
MTN (Minimum Target Number) Clarification
Sap Clarification
Sharpshooter Edge (Clarification)
Thumper Rounds Clarification
Treat Injury Clarification
Vitality and Wound Points (Clarification)
Tasing Gun
Harmony Change
New Luck Point Option For Psychics

BZ

[BerkaZerka]

Treat Injury Clarification

As written –

This is the ability to administer first aid and bind wounds. A successful roll will Stabilize a Dying character and restores a number of lost Vitality Points equal to the X-Roll. Using this skill to restore Vitality is only effective once per wounding. Provided one is conscious, it is possible to use this skill on oneself, but the difficulty is MTN 10.

The MTN 10 penalty to applying the skill to oneself, should be MTN 10 or Crit

(And) refers to the using the skill to Stabilize oneself, not to the normal application of restoring the X-Roll in Vitality Points.

In other words, someone can treat their own wounds easily (though a small penalty might apply for a hard to reach injury; like on the back or such) – while trying to Stabilize oneself from Dying is very difficult.

BZ

[BerkaZerka]

Combat Axe has been ommited from the table of Thrown Weapons.  It should read –

Combat Axe: Acc -2; Dmg 4+L; Rng 10x'

Note that it does +1 Damage when thrown (as does a foil).

BZ

[BerkaZerka]

Note that Brass Knuckles can be used with either the Unarmed Skill or Melee Skill - as chosen by the character (use the better of the two).

BZ

[BerkaZerka]

Thumper Rounds
20mm Shotgun Thumper Rounds fire as Slugs (-1 Accuracy and same range), but should do a base 14S♠ instead of the 16S♠ marked in the book (this is a typo).

The Damage entry for the 40mm Grenade Round Thumpers should be 18S♠ (it is missing the ♠ symbol in the book)

Further, the entry description should read:
Thumper rounds do 2X-Damage to Vitality Points against Soft Targets (animals and personnel), but 1/2 Damage to Wound Points.  A Crit on the Attack roll KO’s the target.  

BZ

[BerkaZerka]

MTN (Minimum Target Number) Clarification

As noted in the BHB core book

When to Roll And Difficulty
There are five levels of Difficulty used for resolving die rolls: No Roll, Roll, MTN 10, MTN 15, and Crit.

Each sets a level of Difficulty that will effect how the task is resolved in comparison to the character’s Target Number. Use the following guidelines when determining which Difficulty to use for any particular die roll.

Difficulty	When To Use
No Roll	Don’t roll if the task is easy or impossible.
Roll	If the task has a moderate chance of failure. This is the default Difficulty, where the character needs only roll TN or less to succeed.
MTN 10	If the average person would fail. In this case, the character must not only succeed, but also do so with a die roll of 10 or higher.
MTN 15	If practically everyone would fail. In this case, the character must not only succeed, but also do so with a die roll of 15 or higher.
Crit	If failure is almost assured, but dumb luck could apply. The character can only succeed if he rolls his TN exactly.

Minimum Target Number
Minimum Target Number (MTN) represents a difficult task where only the most skilled can succeed. If the character’s TN (after modifiers) is less than the MTN, he has zero chance of success and doesn’t even get to roll, unless the Difficulty also involves a Crit.

As noted in the table above, to succeed when dealing with a MTN, the result of the die not only has to fall within the TN, but also has to meet or exceed the value set by the MTN.

BZ

[BerkaZerka]

MTN (Minimum Target Number) Clarification  

The following clarification is provided to better explain Minimum Target Numbers (MTNs) and their use in the game.

First, MTNs are not used for every roll, nor do they represent the actual Target Number (TN) of a roll.

In a roll with normal difficulty, your TN is what you are trying to roll and is derived from the character’s skills.

MTNs only come in when the task is unusually difficult and most people would fail to accomplish it.  In this case, the character’s TN is still his TN, but now he’ll not only have to roll his TN or less, but the die result also has to equal or exceed the MTN.

For example, picking the lock on a set of handcuffs is a standard Open Locks roll if the handcuffs are on someone else, while picking them on yourself (and probably behind your back) is a MTN 10 Open Locks roll.

Say a character has an Open Locks TN (see his skills) of 15.  To pick the handcuffs off another person, he has to roll a 15 or less on his die roll.

If the same character is trying to pick handcuffs off himself (MTN 10), then his TN is still 15 – but now his roll has to succeed with an actual die result of 10 or higher.  This means that a roll under 10 (while it meets the character’s TN) would still fail, as it does not meet the MTN.  Here the character would actually have to roll a 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, or 15 to succeed – as only these results meet both the character’s TN and the MTN.

BZ

[BerkaZerka]

I'll go ahead and post my question here, since you asked so nicely.

This is the right place  

Reading through the rules, I noticed that a lot of special combat maneuvers (such as choke, disarm and pin) are MTN 10 actions. That means, if I understand it correctly, that unless the character's Total Value for the appropriate combat skill is higher than 10, he has basically a 5% chance of pulling it off.

This is correct (as the Called Shots/Grapple Maneuvers (Clarification) points out.

My concern over this is that it seems to discourage creativity in combat. Why bother kicking or shooting the goon's gun out of his hand? It's easier and more effective to just punch him or riddle him with holes. But the former is cooler and more appealing from a story point of view.

It might present a problem in a less anime-style system, but the way BHB handles it not only encourages such action, but also provides a way for PCs to pull it off.  I'll explain further below –

To give you a specific scenario as an example: our heroes are attempting to infiltrate a crime boss's hideout. A sentry stands guard outside.

In your standard movie or comic, the goon would be quickly dispatched by grabbing him in a chokehold and bringing him down. But unless one of the characters is a Bruce Lee clone walking round with a 15 or higher Grapple rating, that would be downright stupid in the game. So all of a sudden, the rules get in the way of the story.

I suppose the player could burn a Luck point to lower his MTN but that would be using a very limited resource to achieve what is really an incidental encounter. (I'm assuming players do not get additional Luck points during the session).

Do you see my problem?  

The nice thing about Luck Points is they pretty much let a character succeed at what they need to (if it is important enough to the character to spend Luck on in the first place).  

And actually, in addition to Luck Points being refreshed at the start of each game session, Temporary Luck Points can be earned during a session for doing something cool (see Experience/Other Rewards section).  So spending Luck Points can actually earn you Luck Points

There are other considerations as well.  For example, in your standard movie or comic, protagonists that perform such maneuvers are usually pretty bad-ass, which beginning (key here is beginning) BHB characters are not (yet).  Add a few Edges however and a Luck Point or two and suddenly things are different.  Check out the Grapple Master Edge and see if it doesn’t dramatically change the above scenario.

It also helps in the above scenario (and a second printing of the rules will address this) that I encourage GMs to let all Luck Points (including for lowering an MTN) to be spent retroactively; so you don’t waste your Luck Points on failed rolls.

Currently, the rules read that you need to declare a Luck Points for lowering an MTN before the roll, but this is a misnomer, originally intended to mean that if you can’t roll because your TN is too low (and a Crit is not a factor in the Difficulty – as that lets anyone roll) then you would have to spend the Luck Point first to lower the MTN to a point that allowed you to roll against it in the first place.  Confusing right?  It is simply easier and cooler to just let them roll and see if, after the fact, a Luck Point will have any impact on the outcome.  (Easier to explain too.)

Overall, I think the balance in BHB between letting the characters do cool stunts now and then and keeping every schoolmarm on the street from TPK’ing the entire group with a handbag full of tissue papers and yarn, is pretty darn slick

Hope this helps

BZ

[BerkaZerka]

Sharpshooter (Marksman)
The character has a dead aim and suffers no penalties for Small or Tiny Size; opponents with Partial Cover; who are Prone; or when firing into opponents engaged in Close Quarter Combat. For targets of Miniscule Size the penalty is reduced to MTN 10 or Crit.  Further, the user can also make Called Shots without first taking an Action to line up the shot.

BZ

[BerkaZerka]

Called Shots/Grapple Maneuvers

Just a note that the all Called Shots and Grapple Maneuvers with a Minimum Target Number (MTN 10) should also include a Crit in the Difficulty (MTN 10 or Crit), to allow anyone the opportunity to attempt one.

BZ

[BerkaZerka]

The following clarifies the standard durations of the Berserk and Nauseated Conditions.

Berserk
The Character is out of control and attacks anyone and everyone within sight, using his most effective attacks to do so. He may not use Defense Actions and can only use Move Actions to get closer to potential targets. He will spend Surge Points when beneficial (including for Extra Attacks), but will not use Surge where it will cause Fatigue.  Berserk Characters never bother to reload, going for Close Quarter Combat after expending all Ranged Combat capabilities.  After one minute (10 rounds) of being Berserk, the character can make a Willpower Save each round to regain control of himself (with a +1 bonus each additional round until he succeeds).

Nauseated
Nauseated Characters are unable to attack, use powers, or even concentrate on anything other than their roiling stomach distress.  They may only take a single Action each round for either Movement or Defense, although they can still use surge for an additional Action (even an Attack Action) if desired.  The Nauseated Condition is similar in duration to Unconscious, in that it lasts for at least a minute (10 rounds).  After one minute (10 rounds), the character can make an Endurance Save each round to shake off the Nausea (with a +1 bonus each additional round until he succeeds).

Optional Mechanic
If the durations of Berserk or Nausea are too long (ie. because they will usually take a character out of entire combat scenes), then make the Duration 10 or 6 Rounds, minus the character's Wisdom Score for Berserk or Constitution Score for Nasea.

BZ

[BerkaZerka]

Jump Skill Addendum

A character can jump up to one half (round up) his normal Jump Distance without a roll. 

So for example, your average Joe (with a Strength of 3) must Roll to jump up to 15ft long or 3ft high (his normal Jump Distance).  His No Roll Jump Distance would be up to 8ft long or 2ft high.

BZ

[BerkaZerka]

Vitality and Wound Points cannot have a negative value.  

Damage beyond Vitality Points goes against Wound Points, while Damage beyond Wound Points causes the Disabled Status (or Dying for Extras).

The lowest value either can reach is zero.

BZ

[BerkaZerka]

Thanks to Kedamono for pointing it out, but ‘In Hours’ was accidentally dropped from the Hypergate Travel Times table on page 89 of the BHB rulebook.

Hypergates Travel Times Are In Hours

While not specifically explained in the setting yet, every wormhole between each pair of Hypergates (except the Jovian and Saturn Mini-Gate Systems – see Blast Off Starship Supplement) pass through the Sun.  This means that the distance and travel times between each gate remain constant, regardless of the alignment of each planet or moon in solar system.

To get the Travel Times for each Hypergate combination, we add together the orbital distance in miles (from the Sun) of each connected planet or moon, then divide by 250 (the reduction of space granted by the wormhole), then again by 60,000 MPH (standard ship speed) to get Hours. 

(((Distance A From Sun) + (Distance B From Sun) /250) /60,000) = Hypergate Time In Hours.

BZ

[BerkaZerka]

Martial Throw (Martial Artist or Grappler)
The character knows how to use the ground against an opponent.  He can cause unarmed damage on any successful Grapple Trip and +5 damage on a successful Grapple Body Slam attack.

You can use either the Martial Artist or the Grappler Edge as the prerequisite of the Martial Throw Edge.

BZ

[BerkaZerka]

Here's the Stats for a Tasing Gun -

Tasing Gun
The tasing gun fires up to two small barbed projectiles, each on its own thin wire, that connect to an electric capacitor in the tasing gun itself.  Anyone struck by one of the tasing barbs must make a Fortitude Save or be Stunned.  In addition, as long as the barb remains in the target with the wire attached, further jolts (each with its own Fortitude Save or Stun) can be delivered through the wire at the rate of two per round.  The tasing gun’s capacitor can deliver up to 10 jolts before being drained and takes 12 hours to recharge.

Tasing barbs are capable of penetration clothing, but are completely defeated by Armor.  A tasing barb can be pulled out with a single Action, but doing so causes 1 Point of Lethal damage.  The thin wires that connect the barbs to the tasing gun itself can also be broken, with a successful Grapple, Unarmed, or Melee roll.

Weapon	Acc	Dmg	Rng	Cap	Rate	Avail	Cost w
Tasing Gun	| -1	| ♠	| 40’ Max	| 2i	| ST	| M10(R-P)/2w	| 4500

BZ

[BerkaZerka]

Luck to Reduce MTN Clarification

Currently, the rules read that you need to declare a Luck Points for lowering an MTN before the roll, but this is a misnomer, originally intended to mean that if you can’t roll because your TN is too low (and a Crit is not a factor in the Difficulty – as that lets anyone roll) then you would have to spend the Luck Point first to lower the MTN to a point that allowed you to roll against it in the first place.  

Confusing right?  It is simply easier (and cooler) to just let them roll and see if, after the fact, a Luck Point will have any impact on the outcome.

The entry shoud be changed from "Reduce a MTN by 4 (declared before the roll)" to "Reduce a MTN by 4 (before or after the roll)"

BZ

[BerkaZerka]

Sap Clarification

The entry description should read:
Double the X-Damage (Stun Damage only) against Vitality Points of any successful attack made with a Sap, but reduce all damage to Wound Points to 1/2.

BZ

[BerkaZerka]

Harmony Change

The Feng-Shui Power Harmony, should be usable as a Free Action rather than taking an Action.

(The Feng-Shui Power Alter Chance However, should remain as is, with the One Action cost to use).

BZ

[BerkaZerka]

Surge Point Option For Psychics

Ive decided to add the following Surge Point Option for Psychics

•   Resist Effects of Psychotic Break (but not Psychosis gain)

BZ