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Old 07-17-2015, 09:13 AM   #27
roguebfl
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Melbourne FL, Formerly Wellington NZ
Default Re: [Combat]: Do you bow, bro?

Here are some useful base lines for your comparisons.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kromm View Post
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.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kromm View Post
Just for comparison, here's a heroic 150-point hack'n'slasher who'd fit in with the 150-point heroic archer in a fantasy game. Again, I'd regard him as "starting level" for heroic high fantasy. He'd be unlikely in a realistic campaign, of course.

ST 15 [50]; DX 14 [80]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 12 [20].
Damage 1d+1/2d+1; BL 45 lbs.; HP 15 [0]; Will 11 [5]; Per 10 [0]; FP 12 [0].
Basic Speed 6.00 [-10]; Basic Move 6 [0]; Dodge 9; Parry 11; Block 11.

Advantages: High Pain Threshold [10]; Signature Gear (Granddad's Sword) [1].

Perks: Weapon Bond (Granddad's Sword) [1].

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

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

Skills: Armoury/TL3 (Melee Weapons)-12 [8]; Brawling-14 [1]; Broadsword-16 [8]; Carousing-12 [1]; Fast-Draw (Sword)-14 [1]; First Aid/TL2-12 [4]; Hiking-12 [2]; Intimidation-12 [4]; Lifting-12 [2]; Shield-16 [4]; Stealth-13 [1]; Wrestling-14 [2].

Equipment: Boots (DR 2; $80; 3 lbs.); Broadsword (SG; 3 lbs.); Gauntlets (DR 4; $100; 2 lbs.); Legionary Helm (DR 4; $150; 6 lbs.); Mail Sleeves and Leggings (DR 4/2; $180; 24 lbs.); Medium Shield (DB 2; $60; 15 lbs.); Scale Torso Armor (DR 4; $420; 35 lbs.). Total Cost: $990; Total Weight: 88 lbs., or Light Encumbrance.
His damage is sw+1 with a broadsword, for 2d+2 cut. He'd swing for the neck at skill 16, +1 for Weapon Bond, -5 for hit location, or 12 or less -- or for the brain at 10 or less. His damage roll will be from 4 to 14, averaging 9. If he hits DR 4 on the neck, like his own armor, he'll average 5 points; due to the extra DR 2 for the skull, he'd only average 3 points to the brain. Doubled to the neck or quadrupled to the brain, that's 10 or 12 points, respectively. His average damage will incapacitate most foes. Maximum damage will kill an ordinary man in one shot either way.

A high-powered swordsman would add Combat Reflexes, Weapon Master, and more skill. He'd probably have a fine sword and more ST for higher damage, too. I'm also fond of leadership skills. Perhaps:

ST 17 [70]; DX 16 [120]; IQ 11 [20]; HT 14 [40].
Damage 1d+2/3d-1; BL 58 lbs.; HP 17 [0]; Will 12 [5]; Per 11 [0]; FP 14 [0].
Basic Speed 7.00 [-10]; Basic Move 7 [0]; Dodge 11*; Parry 13*; Block 13*.

Advantages: Combat Reflexes [15]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Signature Gear (Fine Elven Sword) [5]; Weapon Master (Broadsword and Shield) [25].

Perks: Weapon Bond (Fine Elven Sword) [1].

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

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

Skills: Armoury/TL3 (Melee Weapons)-12 [4]; Brawling-16 [1]; Broadsword-19 [12]; Carousing-14 [1]; Fast-Draw (Sword)-17* [1]; First Aid/TL2-12 [2]; Hiking-13 [1]; Intimidation-12 [2]; Leadership-12 [4]; Lifting-13 [1]; Shield-18 [4]; Stealth-15 [1]; Tactics-12 [8]; Wrestling-16 [2].

* +1 for Combat Reflexes.

Equipment: Boots (DR 2; $80; 3 lbs.); Fine Thrusting Broadsword (SG; 3 lbs.); Gauntlets (DR 4; $100; 2 lbs.); Legionary Helm (DR 4; $150; 6 lbs.); Mail Sleeves and Leggings (DR 4/2; $180; 24 lbs.); Medium Shield (DB 2; $60; 15 lbs.); Scale Torso Armor (DR 4; $420; 35 lbs.). Total Cost: $990; Total Weight: 88 lbs., or Light Encumbrance.
His damage is sw+1 with a broadsword, for 3d cut. He gets +1 for blade quality and +6 (+2 per die) for Weapon Master, for 3d+7 cut. He'd swing for the neck at skill 19, +1 for Weapon Bond, -5 for hit location, or 15 or less -- or for the brain at 13 or less. His damage roll will be from 10 to 25, averaging 17.5. If he hits DR 4 on the neck, like his own armor, he'll average 13.5 points; due to the extra DR 2 for the skull, he'd only average 11.5 points to the brain. Doubled to the neck or quadrupled to the brain, that's 27 or 46 points, respectively. His average damage will kill most foes. Maximum damage is too disgusting to consider. And with a thrusting sword, he could instead stab at the weak spots over the vitals at 10 or less, for 1d+7 impaling (1d+2 basic thrust, +2 for a thrusting broadsword, +1 for fine quality, and +2 for Weapon Master).

Note that none of these four guys are "min/maxed." You could easily get rid of the IQ, noncombat skills, etc., and crank ST and skill further. You could probably get some godawful equipment by playing with Signature Gear and Wealth (or just buying things that I overlooked). The idea is to present well-rounded fighters with at least some roleplaying potential.
Quote:
Originally Posted by roguebfl View Post
Using Fast-Draw(Arrow) and GURPS Martial Arts Quick-Shooting Bows p.119-200 you can fire 1 per second, but it takes 3 rolls
You need to take an Attack or All out Attack (Determined) maneuver
  • Fast-Draw(Arrow) to draw the arrow
  • Bow -6 to ready the arrow
  • Bow -6 to attack.

Weapon Master (Bow) and/or Heroic Archer will modify this a bit
Quote:
Originally Posted by roguebfl View Post
  1. Draw an arrow. This normally takes a Ready Maneuver. This maneuver can be skipped with successful Fast-draw (arrow) skill roll.
  2. Nock an arrow and draw the bow. This normally takes a single Ready Maneuver. This maneuver can be replace with an Attack or All-Out Attack (Determined) Maneuver with a Bow-6 roll for Quick-shooting.
  3. Loose the arrow. This normally takes a separate maneuver of any Attack type, Using the Bow skill. However if can be the same maneuver as step 2 if Bow-6 was successful however this means a second Bow-6 roll to attack if so.

Both Bow-6 rolls can be reduced to Bow-3 by having either Weapon Master(Bow) or Heroic Archer, or Bow-1 with both.

Following those three steps. it can at worse take 2 Ready plus 1 Attack Maneuvers to attack or 1 Ready and one Attack Maneuver with a successful Fast-Draw. or only 1 Attack Maneuver of limited choice, with a successful Fast-Drawn and two penalizes Bow skills rolls.
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