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Old 04-13-2006, 01:20 PM   #48
Kromm
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Montréal, Québec
Default Re: How to make an archer ...

Note that skill 14 and 1d+1 damage is pretty lame for a fantasy warrior. I routinely see skill-18 warriors with damages in the 2d range in pure fantasy, where fighters mainly worry about fightin'. I'd expect something more like this:

ST 11 [10]; DX 13 [60]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 12 [20].
Damage 1d-1/1d+1; BL 24 lbs.; HP 11 [0]; Will 10 [0]; Per 13 [15]; FP 12 [0].
Basic Speed 6.00 [-5]; Basic Move 7 [5]; Dodge 9; Parry 10; Block 10.

Advantages: Acute Vision +4 [8]; Cultural Familiarity (Elvish) [1]; Signature Gear (Composite Bow) [2]; Weapon Master (Bow) [20].

Perks: Weapon Bond (Composite Bow) [1].

Disadvantages: Campaign- and personality-specific traits worth -40 points. [-40]

Quirks: Personality-specific traits worth -5 points. [-5]

Skills: Armoury/TL3 (Missile Weapons)-12 [8]; Bow-18 [20]; Brawling-14 [2]; Camouflage-12 [4]; Fast-Draw (Arrow)-14 [2]; Fast-Draw (Sword)-13 [1]; Hiking-12 [2]; Observation-12 [1]; Running-12 [2]; Shield (Buckler)-14 [2]; Shortsword-14 [4]; Stealth-14 [4]; Survival (Woodlands)-12 [1]; Tracking-12 [1]; Wrestling-14 [4].

Equipment: Composite Bow (SG; 4 lbs.); Fine Bodkin Arrows x20 ($120; 2 lbs.); Hip Quiver ($15; 1 lb.); Leather Arms, Boots, Gloves, Helm, Legs, and Torso (DR 2; $340; 19.5 lbs.); Medium Buckler (DB 2; $60; 15 lbs.); Shortsword ($400; 2 lbs.). Total Cost: $935; Total Weight: 43.5 lbs., or Light Encumbrance.
His damage is thr+3 with a composite bow, for a basic 1d+2, but he adds +2 for Weapon Master and +1 for fine arrows, for 1d+5. These are bodkins, so damage is 1d+5(2) pi. He doesn't care about piercing vs. impaling, because he aims for the vitals and both damage types get x3 there. He'd shoot at skill 18, +3 Acc, +1 for Weapon Bond, or a base 22 on aimed shots. Aiming for the vitals (-3), he'd have good odds out to 70 yards. If he hits plate armor (DR 6), it'll be treated as DR 3 for the bodkin. His damage roll will be from 6 to 11. After DR, that will be from 3 to 8. Tripled to the vitals gives from 9 to 24. A low-damage hit will be a major wound to the vitals, and likely drop the target. A high-damage hit is likely lethal to a HT 10-11 man. Average damage means incapacity.

That's what I'd consider a "first level" fantasy archer. A better archer would have up to seven more levels of skill so that he could aim at chinks in armor over the vitals (-10) or at the eyes (-10); he'd have ST 13 to 15 for more damage; he'd have Combat Reflexes to aid Fast-Draw and defenses; he's have Basic Move 9 or so for maneuvering; he'd learn Zen Archery; and he'd have far better signature gear, probably a fine, magical bow and magical arrows.
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