Feng Shui The Path of the Empty Bottle
From: Bob the Dancing Monkey Posted on: 9/24/2002 9:42 am
To: ALL
Message: 91.1
Who _doesn't_ love this path? Throw the Old Master with Drunken Fist into a brawl and watch the named get confused, then die horribly. Now...here's the rub...In situations of impairment, the user loses ability with each drink except when he's in Drunken Stance and fighting. So of course, this covers pre-Drunken stance points in the sequence for attacking and dodging, but does it also count on the initiative roll?
From: CCAMFIELD Posted on: 10/11/2002 10:13 pm
To: Bob the Dancing Monkey
Message: 91.2
in reply to: 91.1
The Path of the Empty Bottle is *powerful*. At least so long as a drink is available. Up there with Path of the Leaping Monkey (although that's based on how the Monkey style looks; I haven't played it or seen it used).
From: Sensei Posted on: 10/14/2002 6:44 am
To: Bob the Dancing Monkey
Message: 91.3
in reply to: 91.1
I would have the penalties apply to the Initiative, as well. If the fighter was half-schnockered before the fight breaks out, it'll slow his reactions until he gets involved in the brawl, I would reason.

Plus, if you're concerned about how powerful the Path is, this is at least a way to counter that a bit.

From: Bob the Dancing Monkey Posted on: 10/14/2002 9:16 am
To: Sensei
Message: 91.4
in reply to: 91.3
I'm not actually that concerned with Empty Bottle's power - all of the Fu Paths can be pretty over-the-top. Anyone else have thoughts about Empty Bottle? I may try out the initiative idea with my Drunken Master player - he's very receptive to these sorts of tweaks (thank goodness, as he's also one of our best players in the group).

I have been toying with some...battle tactics to start challenging my players as they become more and more badass in the Netherworld. My co-GM had a great time during a fight taking it to the PCs by having the Darkness Queen scout them out and go after the major hitters first - I'm going to attempt evolve that concept a little more the next time the PCs go after a group that has kept its eyes open in regard to the Dragons' strngths and weaknesses.

From: eXceL111 Posted on: 12/11/2002 5:27 pm
To: Bob the Dancing Monkey
Message: 91.5
in reply to: 91.1
MY main problem with the path of the empty bottle is that, as I understand it, anyone with a higher initiative than you gets to attack you BEFORE you can turn on the drunken stance for the sequence. With the impairment you will usually carry, you are just a sitting duck, BLAM!
Plus, of course, anyone with that path is completely useless out of a fight: impaired skills, impaired speech, impaired movement (hey, jumping from roof to roof is not combat...).

So, I do not mind using an empty bottle style master as an antagonist, but certainly not as a player.

From: Bob the Dancing Monkey Posted on: 12/12/2002 8:50 am
To: eXceL111
Message: 91.6
in reply to: 91.5
Oh, it's worked well for Chon La, drunken master, thus far. It helps that he's also gaining other schticks. He's been amazingly lucky, but he also _does_ tend to get picked on by our two GMs a lot as the resident kung fu badass. The player of Chon has a great time with it and keeps us entertained. However, one of the upsides of a strong backstory like the Secret War is that information has a way to diseminate through the innerwalkers - some of the cadres that fight the Dragons are beginning to learn to attack Chon La _quickly_ before he enters Drunken Stance, fires off a Drunken Fist, or uses the Cleave, his Signature Kitchen Knife. Or to disarm Camille the Killer.


Edited 12/12/2002 10:38:49 AM ET by Bob the Dancing Monkey (BOBMONKEY)