Lone Wolf RPG - Accuracy Issues (some spoilers)

[Smyslov]

I bought this thing, and the Darklands supplement, just because I find Joe Dever`s Lone Wolf setting to be incredible, complex, deep, and believable. The RPG book and supplement do, however, contain things that appear to outright contradict what has been laid down before by Joe Dever himself.

One, though, I have a question about, and one I can recall without checking the book. The thing has Vordaks as being slightly more powerful than Helghasts. Is this correct? Until I saw this book, I`d always assumed it was the other way around. Helghasts always struck me as being more powerful. In one of the books, you battle with a Helghast one on one, but have an opportunity to battle with a whole group of Vordaks. Which is more powerful? I don`t think Joe Dever ever comes out and says Helghasts are stronger than Vordaks, but I did always have this impression. The RPG book outright comes out and says Vordaks are more powerful. Is it correct?

I have other such questions for later, but I don`t have access to the book at this time.


PS: I`m older than you might think, but nitpicking over trivia is one of my obsessive hobbies. It`s why I read RPG books and have never even played one in my entire life. I just love details, rules, and everything making sense.

[The Tagazin Poodle]

Helghasts are a heckuva lot harder to kill than vordaks, the RPG notwithstanding. As for who would win an arm-wrestling contest, who can say?

[Zipp]

Not only this, but don't you need magic or fire to kill a helghast, while Vordaks can be hurt by normal weapons?

Well, actually, you can also hack a helghast to pieces if you try hard enough...

[North Star]

The Vordak (CR 6) is tougher than the Helghast (CR 5) because although the Helghast's DR is 20/magic and the Vordak's is only DR 5/good or magic, the Vordak is also immune to cold, has magic resistance 18 and regeneration 2.
The Helghast is harder to harm, certainly, but the Vordak is much more difficult to kill.

NS.

[Gazguz]

I always thought the Hellghasts were tougher to kill than vordaks simply because you basically couldn't kill a Helghast with anything other than a magic weapon.

But I think difficulty to kill is just one aspect.

The Vordaks seemed to be higher ranking and more intelligent than Helghasts. Both have mental powers of attack, but Vordaks are better at finding you using mental powers, while the Helghasts seem to be a bit stupid. Remember... Spoiler alert in book 1 going to get the sommerswerd when you and Rhygar get attacked. Despite you being the primary target of quite significant importance the five or six remaining Helghasts waste time slaughtering your escorts instead of determining that you were not there and hunting you down.
Conversely when in Shadow on the sand when you are being hunted the Vordaks use their mental senses to try to hunt you down individually rather than just slaughtering everyone it comes across. To the point of jumping on Kraan and Zlanbeast and following you out into the desert just to get you specifically
Perhaps that makes them more worthy opponents or gives them a higher rank.

[Dusk Fox]

I'm with Gazguz--Vordaks show a lot more initiative and intelligence than Helghasts in the series, and have a much more variable set of abilities. Helghasts, however, are simply hard to kill. This is sort of in line with a tough but stupid thug being a lower challenge rating than a clever and adept field captain with less impressive direct combat abilities.

Still, Helghasts are some tough mothers.

[darktalon]

I know which I was more afraid of when I played the books, but Vordaks have some advantages which aren't reflected in the book CS and EP scores.

[Runeheart]

The RPG book states Vordaks have Int 6 and Wis 10, identical with Gourgaz, yet Helghast have Int 13 and Wis 14 (both a little over average). Vordaks have average 52 hps while Helghasts average at 35. One reason Vordak may have a higher challenge rating is that they are almost always accompanied by other troops (and have military status to command them), where a Helghast is often outside the military chain of command ( assassination, arson, whatever), they are used to operating in gangs or alone. So maybe the difference in CR isn't only the creature itself but in the situation you meet them in.
I too remember who I was afraid of more in the books.

[Dusk Fox]

Huh. Well, go figure. I never looked at the stats (I don't possess a copy of the core rulebook, but the USPS should be remedying that in a couple days), but that doesn't quite translate for me. I can see the whole "situational" thing, except that's not how CR works. Curiouser and curiouser....

[North Star]

I'm guessing that the USPS is your equivalent of the Royal Mail?

NS.

[Dusk Fox]

Yeah. United States Postal Service, general mail for the States.

[Zipp]

Though Royal Mail sounds much cooler. And no-one would confuse my college with it.

Well, my old college, since I transferred last year.

(The old college was University of Puget Sound, or UPS for short)

[Dusk Fox]

I didn't know you lived in the Puget Sound area, Zipp. That makes us neighbors. How... surprising.

[North Star]

Which state is ME?

[Dusk Fox]

Maine