Forums of the Megaverse®

Hey I was just wondering. When your players are shopping and they're nice enough to be surprised by the stuff on the shelves (don't know the stats) how do you describe the items. Like, do you just hand them the stats and let them buy away? Is there like, a standard, or types of stats that should be given in game or just sorta put it up to the salesman?

Example:
In game shopping: "This Wilk's <Insert favorite model here> packs a nice punch, decent range... blah blah blah"

In book shopping: "Whoa! Forget the Wilk's, this Naruni pistol does 1D4x10!"

Basically is there a way that you explain the differences between two weapons, especially weapons really close to each other in performance. Like the NG-33 and the Wilk's RMB pistol that I can't remember the number.

I just go by their skills. If they have weapons engineer they know everything about the weapon from examining it. Or for each level they attained in a WP they get to know 1 thing about the weapon they are buying. Other than that, if their character shouldn't know, then they don't, no matter how much they try to cheat out of character. If they aren't a weapons engineer, haven't encountered or heard about the weapon in character, then they wouldn't realistically even know it exists.

Zazshann wrote:You've just asked a major question that describes the difference between good roleplaying and munchkinism.

If you want to enforce good roleplaying, I'd keep a list of the characters who have any skill with weapons (weapons engineers, mid-level or higher men at arms etc) and give those a few tips when they inspect the weapons at a store. This is where as a GM you've got to play the part of the used car salesman trying to get rid of a piece of crap you've had sitting around for the longest and get a good price for it.

While yes, your average rifts player knows the books already and will be looking for that NE-200 constantly, that doesn't mean it's available or in working order when they find it (or has the amunition available for it).

Well said!