They took all our guns
And locked us in the kitchen
Time to get cookin'— Mac "Iron Chef" Steel, in Take-Out V: Tall Order
As every action fan knows, when something that
could be dangerous shows up on screen, smart money says it will be burning, crushing, dismembering, or otherwise doing something terrible to somebody by the end of the scene, act, or film.
Maybe it'll be an accident – but probably not. More likely the hero will be meting out hastily improvised justice to a villain who foolishly believed he had the upper hand.
When this happens, the GM
can just "roll and shout" to keep the action moving . . . but gamers being gamers, that won't always be satisfying. On the other hand, delving into detailed, realistic rules is a surefire way to derail a
GURPS Action campaign, which should be a cinematic, seat-of-the-pants affair, not physics homework.
GURPS Action 5: Dictionary of Danger splits the difference.
This is an A-Z guide to Bad Things to do to enemies using a vast number of objects that aren't
technically weapons – or simply by cleverly exploiting the environment. It provides the GM with advice on when and how to put this stuff into the game, plus dice-based methods of determining what's there when the players turn a throwaway description into the cornerstone of a cunning plan. It offers players ways to use obscure skills and clever tactics to pull victory from the jaws of defeat. Most important, it provides stats for the cinematic results.
Whether it's simple pleasures like pushing someone down an elevator shaft, or a complicated scheme involving a shark, a live wire, and an overpressurized oxygen cylinder,
GURPS Action 5: Dictionary of Danger has you covered better than that lousy sidekick who handed over his gun to the villain's goons.
WARNING: Contains action violence. Use in realistic campaigns at your peril. You have been warned!
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