[UA] New GM - help me

[Susan Dohnim]

>From: "Jakob Pape" <jakob at discord.freeserve.co.uk>
>
>Hi - next week I'm going to start running my first game of Unknown Armies, 
>and I was hoping the list could help me out with a couple of rules queries.
>
>Firstly, is there a reason why close combat is deadlier than firearms?

It's not, except for crits -- don't judge the whole system based on that 1% 
fluke.

>My idea is that, instead of an instant kill, a hand-to-hand critical should 
>do damage equal to the skill >of the hitter - so for a skilled fighter 
>that's a lot, but it's not a 1% chance of an instant kill on the >Freak for 
>example.

Sounds like a fine house-rule. That weirdness has come up before, and I'd 
probably house-rule it too. I don't think that you should be sending the PCs 
up against the Freak in your first session, though :).

>Secondly - I'm looking for help with the insanity system. Now, I know it's 
>the best system I've ever met in an rpg, but I still feel like tinkering a 
>bit - it doesn't seem right that a 'normal' (0 hardened notches) character 
>has the same chance of freaking out when he's shot at, as he does if he 
>shoots a helpless opponent in the head. It seems to me that if the violence 
>stress is much higher than the hardened notches of the character making the 
>check, there should be some kind of penalty; what do you think?

Well, keep in mind that as-is (with no penalties) it's very difficult for 
characters with a Mind of less than 60 to avoid going bugfuck, unless:

1) They're in therapy regularly
2) They've got a buddy who is a Merchant or Confessor
3) They're a Flying Woman

I agree with you in principal, but trying to tweak the system might end 
being more trouble than it's worth. As is the system is quite simple and 
very effective -- though I think we'd all be interested in what you might 
come up with.

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