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Old 03-09-2016, 05:00 AM   #75
vicky_molokh
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Default Re: (Unofficial) FAQ of the GURPS Fora

Q: Main-Gauche's skill description seems a bit ambiguous. Do I get any drawbacks?
A: Yes, since it's a Fencing weapon (suffering Encumbrance penalties) and harder than the Knife skill. Otherwise . . .

Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter V. Dell'Orto View Post
Main-Gauche is basically "knife plus" - it's a better version of knife. If you have it, you don't also need Knife. It does everything Knife does plus a bit more; however it is more difficult and is a Fencing weapon (which has its own ups and downs) so if you don't need the "extras" you are better off with Knife. The line about using a Knife as a primary weapon is confusing, but I am 100% certain you can use a knife as a weapon - to attack, to defend, and in either hand - using Main-Gauche - thanks to discussions with Sean concerning GURPS Martial Arts.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kromm View Post
Don't forget that Main-Gauche qualifies as a fencing skill, which gives the twin benefits of allowing +3 rather than +1 when you retreat whilst parrying, and halving the penalty for multiple parries with the same weapon. Add that to the ability to ignore the -4 to DX/-2 to Parry with the off hand, and the further ability to ignore the usual -1 when parrying with a knife, and the main-gauche is an exceedingly potent defensive weapon. Moreover, when doing anything short of an All-Out Attack that commits your main weapon in such a way that it can't parry, the main-gauche retains all of these benefits. Thus, you can do nutty things like flying lunges and sword tosses with your rapier, and still parry like mad.

Offensively, Main-Gauche isn't any more potent than Knife. It requires Off-Hand Weapon Training to be really effective, and Dual-Weapon Attack to be even more effective . . . just like Knife. And while it's handy in close combat, it's no more handy than Knife.

But that's as it should be. Generally, the main-gauche is compared to the buckler, cloak, and other parrying weapons. It's only rarely considered a useful part of offense. If what you want is lots of offense, do what some real rapierists did and carry two rapiers instead. Just be careful in close combat. Also, be rich . . . a rapier isn't cheap like a main-gauche is.
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