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Langy · 07-08-2011, 12:16 AM

Note that most characters probably won't do enough damage with a knife to the throat to kill, or even seriously injure, anyone. They'll be knocked down to about half of their normal HP, be bleeding, but still have a good few minutes to fight back, raise an alarm, etc.

This is something I consider to be a flaw in the GURPS ruleset. You need to be super-strong in order to perform a 'sentry-removal' type kill with a knife - otherwise, your foe'll just take the two or three HP of damage you can do with your puny weapon and then shoot you, call someone on his radio, and then calmly walk to a hospital to get patched up.

Here's an example:

ST10 Average Guy has a small knife, dealing 1d-3 cut damage on a swing. He steps up to The Mook, a ST10 guard, and all-out telegraphic attacks from behind, striking the neck arteries. Neck arteries are at -8 to hit(!), but his AoA+Telegraphic bonuses counter them, and he hits. He rolls his damage dice and gets a 6, reduced to 3 due to the damage penalty from using a knife. This leaves him with 3 damage, multiplied by 2.5 for hitting the neck arteries, leaving him with 7 injury. It's a major wound, but not enough to kill - and if he had rolled a 5 instead of a 6, it wouldn't even be a major wound. The Mook now needs to roll against HT-5 every 30 seconds or lose 1 HP due to bleeding. It'll take him at least six minutes before he dies due to blood loss.

Now, if Average Guy had enough Knife skill to be able to target the neck arteries without that AoA:Determined, and had a really big knife that was really sharp, he'd have a total of a +4 bonus to damage. That'd make his total damage 17.5 - enough to knock The Mook down to negative HP, but not enough to kill him. He'll still take one and a half minutes to die, though he'll have to roll against HT twice to avoid knockdown/stunning and unconsciousness. Still, there's a very decent chance that The Mook will still be alive, conscious, and able to call for help.

Average Guy would need to be replaced with Really Strong Guy in order to consistently threaten to kill The Mook with his knife-to-the-throat strategy.

EDIT: Also, a 'major wound' only takes down half of average people. It should take down much less guards and such (who should have Fit and higher-than-average HT).

07-08-2011, 12:16 AM	#11
Langy Join Date: May 2008 Location: CA	Re: Question about cutting a throat. Note that most characters probably won't do enough damage with a knife to the throat to kill, or even seriously injure, anyone. They'll be knocked down to about half of their normal HP, be bleeding, but still have a good few minutes to fight back, raise an alarm, etc. This is something I consider to be a flaw in the GURPS ruleset. You need to be super-strong in order to perform a 'sentry-removal' type kill with a knife - otherwise, your foe'll just take the two or three HP of damage you can do with your puny weapon and then shoot you, call someone on his radio, and then calmly walk to a hospital to get patched up. Here's an example: ST10 Average Guy has a small knife, dealing 1d-3 cut damage on a swing. He steps up to The Mook, a ST10 guard, and all-out telegraphic attacks from behind, striking the neck arteries. Neck arteries are at -8 to hit(!), but his AoA+Telegraphic bonuses counter them, and he hits. He rolls his damage dice and gets a 6, reduced to 3 due to the damage penalty from using a knife. This leaves him with 3 damage, multiplied by 2.5 for hitting the neck arteries, leaving him with 7 injury. It's a major wound, but not enough to kill - and if he had rolled a 5 instead of a 6, it wouldn't even be a major wound. The Mook now needs to roll against HT-5 every 30 seconds or lose 1 HP due to bleeding. It'll take him at least six minutes before he dies due to blood loss. Now, if Average Guy had enough Knife skill to be able to target the neck arteries without that AoA:Determined, and had a really big knife that was really sharp, he'd have a total of a +4 bonus to damage. That'd make his total damage 17.5 - enough to knock The Mook down to negative HP, but not enough to kill him. He'll still take one and a half minutes to die, though he'll have to roll against HT twice to avoid knockdown/stunning and unconsciousness. Still, there's a very decent chance that The Mook will still be alive, conscious, and able to call for help. Average Guy would need to be replaced with Really Strong Guy in order to consistently threaten to kill The Mook with his knife-to-the-throat strategy. EDIT: Also, a 'major wound' only takes down half of average people. It should take down much less guards and such (who should have Fit and higher-than-average HT).