Professional Tangling, is it all slap stick and drama?

jedion357's picture
jedion357
December 1, 2013 - 6:09pm
Would the dralasite tanglers of Terledrom go in for human style pro wrestling schtick and soap opera?
I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers!
Comments:

iggy's picture
iggy
December 1, 2013 - 10:41pm
I think that dralasites would enjoy pro wrestling like humans do.  When you put slap stick in the title I immediately immagined the three stooges.  Well liked by drals, but not what they would do in a tangling match.  I can see some grand stanging and speeches like in pro wrestling, but the tangle matches would be more like sumo.  Or greeko-roman with the option to end in a bit of kidding around.

There is tangling for status much like there is debate for status that is more serious.  There is tangling to let off steam.  Drals are a very strong bunch and that strength does have a reason for being there.  Think of still waters running swift and deep.  A dral can get mad and a tangle match might just be the way to get it out.  The impromptu matches where one blow off the pent up steam can often end in a good bit of kidding around and shape humor.

Then there is the tangling that is pure fun to show off what you can do much like the Harlem Globe Trotters.

I see tangling as a sport that only drals can really do.  Any other races are just muscle and moves where tangling goes beyond that into ties and shapes to subdue.  A clasic thing to do to show your better that the opponent is to get him to tie himself in a knot by leading his moves.  Or to predict a shape and lead your opponent to that shape either with you as part of it or him alone strikeing the pose.  Could this be a thing that we make a 5 or 10 minute at the table dice game to simulate? Yes.  But it would be all dralasite players.
-iggy

jedion357's picture
jedion357
August 4, 2014 - 4:58am
iggy wrote:
Could this be a thing that we make a 5 or 10 minute at the table dice game to simulate? Yes.  But it would be all dralasite players.


5 minutes of dicing using the ability score: STR + (10% for each limb more than one opponent) + (10% per level of wrestling skill) Highest score wins.

Or something like

STR check and PC with lowest passing check  wins round, play for 3 out of 5 rounds.
On any winning roll where the result is 01-05 or doubles the tangler can declare he's forming a shape in the process of doing the pin or throw and this will score him 2 points. His opponent gets a INT and RS check to anticipate beat the other dral to the shape (as described above). If he passes the INT and RS check then he gains a point instead.

This might be an activity between a PC and an NPC for the PC to gain status/respect or get the other dral to open up and talk to the PCs.
I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers!

jedion357's picture
jedion357
August 4, 2014 - 12:56pm
So for AD a tangling match between two dralasite characters (or a philosophy debate for that matter) would be run off an ability check. STR for tangling and LOG for philosophy. AD skills that would affect these activities would be wrestling skill or possibly Psch-social skill for philosophy.

Under skilled frontier, there are appropriate skills that could be tested off of

In all cases a dralasite could attempt the above on just an ability check if unskilled.

I've spent the day working and thinking about this and I'd like one simple mechanic.

mechanic is a straight up ability check by both participants and the one that wins by the largest % wins the round and best 3 out of 5 rounds wins match. Example: Contestant A needs a 70 and rolls a 25 for a difference of 45% while contestant B needs a 30% and rolls a 20% for a difference of 10%. While contestant B rolled the lowest contestant A wins with the highest percentage.

On any round where the winning contestant also rolled a dice result of 01-05 or a doubles 911,22,33,44, ect) he can declare that he is not alony performing a pin or throw but incorporating a "shape" for an extra point, gaining two points for that round toward the best 3 out of 5. The losing contestant can attempt to steal the round by anticipating and betting his opponent to the shape. He can only do this if he did not fail the ability check and if he passes a INT and a RS ability checks. if this happens then he has gained a point for the round and the dralasite that opted for the shape point gets nothing.

to give a nod to wrestling skill each level of skill adds 5 points to the STR score before the ability check is made thus a dralasite with 65 STR and level 2 wrestling skill would make an ability check against a 75%

a philosophy debate would be run in the same manner but lacking the shape point of the tangling contest.
I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers!

iggy's picture
iggy
August 4, 2014 - 1:38pm
I like this.  I want to play test it.  There could be this simple version and a more complex version where players actively try for different holds, pins, shapes, etc. 
-iggy

Malcadon's picture
Malcadon
August 4, 2014 - 4:50pm
I always figured that a theatrical competition between Dralasites would look like a costumed debate show. That is, it would be like a normal competitive debate, but all the participants take up a role.

As for pro-wrestling, I could totally see Dralasites as great wrestlers. They are strong, but stiff. Being smooth with tentacle-like limbs, and a lack of a bulbous head, they would be hard to hold or pin-down. Their multiple legs and heavy weight makes them sturdy like a tree trunk. And given their malleable form and ability to form multiple limbs (given time) they could grab and ensnare with impunity. Unfortunately, they tend to be slower than other races, and they lack the tenacity of Humans and Yazirians (although, its hard to keep up in that department, with that race).

jedion357's picture
jedion357
August 4, 2014 - 5:52pm
iggy wrote:
I like this.  I want to play test it.  There could be this simple version and a more complex version where players actively try for different holds, pins, shapes, etc. 


with due nod to malcadon's comments:

1. since a dralasite takes 10 minutes to absorb or generate a limb; this feature of dralasite physiology will not play a role in something lasting a combat round.

2. While classic human pins may not apply I'm sure that dralasites have developed pins of their own.

3. true enough that a pin is actually pretty tough on a dralasite perhaps throws are easier.

RE: a more complicated version of the tangling contest

1. I'd like to see a duel sort of contest, something that reminds me of the game play in Wings of War though not neccessarily the mechanic though i would not oppose the WoW mechanic.

2. while I think that a more complicated version of the tangling rules would be good, I do think at the core that the mechanic should be that of the simplified version with the manuevering of the player enhancing the results, perhaps to give an advantage that pays forward to the next round.?
I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers!

jedion357's picture
jedion357
August 4, 2014 - 6:01pm
Oh yeah a thought: someone mentioned that dralasite wrestling might be more like sumo wrestling, and in a FE article I wrote an article on dralasite philosophy and proposed that when a dralasite performed the traditional "stand in the circle of debate" he would wear a roman-esk toga. But what is a toga? -A piece of clothe wrapped around the body so what if the recognized wear for tangling was that same toga clothe wrapped around the body in a different manner- much like the way sumo wrestler wears a sort of traditional diaper?

Thus, being a very traditional dralasite would involve both being into philosophy and tanglings? you have one garment for both activities except that it is worn in two different ways?
I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers!

Malcadon's picture
Malcadon
August 5, 2014 - 12:28am
jedion357 wrote:
...I wrote an article on dralasite philosophy and proposed that when a dralasite performed the traditional "stand in the circle of debate" he would wear a roman-esk toga.

"Oh yeah! Zeeadus the Philosopher is holding his ground!"

*swipe*

Surprised

"Oh no! Mok the Mongolian just swiped its toga! The Roman Philosopher has just become a Greek one!"

rattraveller's picture
rattraveller
August 9, 2014 - 6:16am

Adding to the fun an episode of Sliders included a game in which the players had to answer science questions while claiming squares on the board with a basketball.

Thinking Dralasites would go two ways. First the tangling would also be a debate with the two contestants contending physically and mentally.

Second you need the funny. Maybe opening with cream pies?

Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go?