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Old 08-16-2013, 05:52 PM   #2
Varyon
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Default Re: GURPS Overhaul - Combat Skills

To start, we'll look at the new list of base skills, with the base defaults listed:
  • Knife (DX/E): Brawling -3, or Sword -2
  • Sword (DX/A): This includes all Shortsword and Broadsword weapons. Axe/Mace -4, Knife -3, or 2H Sword -2
  • 2H Sword (DX/A): When using Defensive Grip with a Broadsword-sized weapon, use the better of Sword and 2H Sword. 2H Axe/Mace -2, Polearm -4, or Sword -2
  • Axe/Mace (DX/A): 2H Axe/Mace -2, Flail -4, or Sword -4
  • 2H Axe/Mace (DX/A): Axe/Mace -2, 2H Flail -4, Polearm -4, or 2H Sword -4
  • Flail (DX/H): Axe/Mace -3, 2H Flial -2
  • 2H Flail (DX/H): 2H Axe/Mace -4, Flail -2, Kusari -4
  • Kusari (DX/H): 2H Axe/Mace -4, Monowire -2, Whip -3
  • Whip (DX/A): Kusari -4, Monowire -3
  • Monowire (DX/H): Kusari -2, Whip -2
  • Spear (DX/A): Includes Staff weapons. With a Ready maneuver, you may opt to switch to and from a Staff Grip. A Staff Grip grants +2 to Parry, removes the need to Ready to change Reach, and gives the option to swing. However, it but reduces thrust damage by 1 and removes the option to Tip Slash. Polearm -2
  • Polearm (DX/A): As with Spears, Polearm weapons have the option to use a Staff Grip. For Polearms, however, Staff Grip only grants a +1 to Parry (and doesn't remove Parry U), and also reduces swing damage by 2. Spear -2
  • Shield (DX/E): Brawling -2
  • Brawling (DX/E): Brawling also covers the use of the cloak. Grappling -3, Knife -3, Shield-2
  • Grappling (DX/A): This functions much like Wrestling, but with a maximum +1 to ST and using 1-handed Parries. Grappling also covers the use of garrotes. Grappling is also a special case for the modifiers that come later - special rules for defaulting from a modified Grappling skill can be ignored. Brawling -3

Unstated above is that all skills default to each other at -6, with an additional penalty if defaulting from an easier skill (so defaulting off Brawling - DX/E - for Flail - DX/H - is at -8, while going the other way is at -6). Additionally, at the GM's option, weapons with multiple skills for their use (such as a Greatsword using 2H Sword normally, Sword for one-handed use, Brawling for pomelling, and 2H Axe/Mace when swinging by gripping the blade) have more generous defaults when defaulting from the weapon's primary skill (in the above example, 2H Sword should be the primary, with one-handed use defaulting at -1 and the other listed uses defaulting at -2). Also unstated above is that, for armed skills, damage values from weapon tables assume at least [4] points in the skill (or defaulting to a comparable level from another skill). If a character has invested fewer points in it, attacks suffer -1/die to damage.
Skills can be further modified, which changes their difficulty. Note this can change difficulty beyond the limits from the Basic Set - just keep in mind that every +/-1 to difficulty is -/+1 to skill for a given CP investment. Following are some modifications available:
  • Fencing: The skill relies on footwork and mobility. Using a fencing skill allows fencing parries (reduced penalty for multiple parries, +3 when retreating), but encumbrance subtracts directly from skill when attacking and Parry when defending. If the character uses any Fencing skill, all skills are considered to be Fencing unless specifically bought up differently. Going between Fencing and non-Fencing imposes a -4 penalty to skill. +1 difficulty
  • Efficient: The skill makes use of non-intuitive movements to maximize power. Practitioners often train their bodies to react much differently to stimuli than "normal" humans. With [8] or more points invested in such a skill, damage increases by +1/die. Additionally, many special techniques making use of such training may become available (such as Exotic Hand Strike and the like). Unfortunately, more "natural" striking techniques are typically unavailable, and Efficient skills are far more specialized - unarmed skills have a much-reduced set of weapons available, Familiarity penalties are (at the GM's option) doubled, and all skills suffer from harsher defaults (multiply defaulting penalties by 1.5, rounding up). Defaulting between Efficient and non-Efficient skills is impossible. +1 difficulty.
  • Special: The skill has some extra utility, and also benefits from improved technique selection. The only current example would be Judo's Parry-throw option, but gaining the advantages of a jitte/sai-type weapon without needing to use one would also be an option. Special skills do not default from other skills (at the GM's option, exceptions can be made for Special skills with the same Special characteristic), but other skills can default from Special skills normally. +1 difficulty
  • Off-hand: The character has specifically trained for using this skill exclusively with his off-hand. For purposes of this skill only, treat the off-hand as the main hand, and the main hand as the off-hand. Defaults work normally (and use the main hand). No change in difficulty
  • Focused: GURPS assumes skills that are well-suited for engaging multiple opponents in a chaotic atmosphere. Focused skills, however, are dedicated to fighting a single foe at a time. When using a Focused skill, a character needs to Engage a foe, or suffer -2 to hit or defend against said foe. Engaging is a free action that can be made at any time, but only once per second. Focused and non-Focused skills default to each other at -4. -1 difficulty
  • Weak: These rather simplistic skills do not emphasize any sort of efficiency of action. Weapon skills suffer -1/die to damage, while unarmed skills get no damage/strength bonus. At the GM's option, Weak skills are only allowed if [4] or more CP are invested in them. Defaulting between Weak and non-Weak skills is impossible. -1 difficulty.
  • Restricted: The skill has some special restriction to offense or defense, unrelated to the characteristics of the weapons used. Restricted skills also often have fewer techniques available. Possible restrictions include Punches Only (like Boxing) or requiring two-handed Parries (like Wrestling). Multiple Restricted categories may be able to stack. -1 difficulty

The above are meant to be able to recreate most of the skills from the Basic Set, although some are at a different difficulty level (notably, most of the sword fencing skills are now DX/H, although you could make a point of removing the option to swing via Restricted, and change "Reduced Techniques" to "Reduced Weapon Selection" to bring them back down to DX/A). Below are some worked examples of possible variants, including many of those missing from above:
  • Karate (DX/H): Brawling with Fencing and Efficient
  • Judo (DX/H): Grappling with Special (Judo Parry-Throw) and Weak
  • Wrestling (DX/A): Grappling with Efficient and Restricted (2H Parries)
  • Sumo Wrestling (DX/A): Grappling with Efficient, Special (Shoves and Slams), Restricted (2H Parries), and Restricted (no choking/pinning/neck snap)
  • Boxing (DX/A): Brawling with Fencing, Efficient, and Restricted (Punches only)
  • Rapier (DX/A): Broadsword with Fencing and Restricted (thrust/tip slash only; limited weapon selection instead of reduced technique availability)
  • Main-Gauche (DX/A) : Knife with Fencing and Off-hand; note this doesn't get rid of the -1 Parry of knives!
  • Savate (DX/A): Brawling with Efficient and Restricted (Kicking only)
  • Graceful Blade (DX/VH): Broadsword with Fencing and Efficient

Even with the above, a few skills are no longer represented. These are Jitte/Sai, Force Sword, Lance, and Tonfa. Jitte/Sai, Lance, and Tonfa are easy enough - Jitte is really just Prongs (LTC2 p15) applied to another weapon, Lance is at best a Spear Technique, and Tonfa can be safely split into Brawling and Sword.
Force Sword can be treated a few ways. One is to make each version (Knife, Sword, Glaive) an Exotic Weapon, imposing -2 to use until a character buys this off with a Perk. Another would be to treat the use of a Force Sword as a Technique, again at -2. Call it "Massless Weapon" or something. A final way would be to make an additional set of skills. Knife and Polearm versions would default to Knife-1 and Polearm-1, respectively (the weight of a knife isn't as important as that of a sword, and a Force Glaive is going to have comparable - albeit lighter and more balanced - weight to a physical polearm). Force Sword would default to Sword -2 or 2H Sword -2, depending on how it's being used.
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