11-12-2017, 08:14 AM | #1 |
Banned
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: https://t.me/pump_upp
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Spider Climb and Melee attacks.
So, you've got an insane martial artist in your group that spider climbs everywhere. When a fight starts he's standing on the ceiling arguing with swashbuckler #2 over the relative merits of the kukri vs the edged rapier when the knights of doom attack.
I say he's got a penalty to attack based on posture (upside down!). He says he spent 38 points to get spider climb (20 chi, 18 spider climb) and it includes the ability to fight. Am I being a killer GM, or is he just a butt-head? |
11-12-2017, 09:12 AM | #2 |
Wielder of Smart Pants
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ventura CA
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Re: Spider Climb and Melee attacks.
Well on one hand Spider Climb says you can "walk" on walls and ceilings, but on the other hand I don't think that it makes that much sense for a Martial Artist to just be standing upside down on the ceiling just like they were on the floor. Even wuxia movies usually have stationary hanging fighters needing three points of contact (although they are often ridiculous three points). So I would allow to make attacks from that position with one limb at a time, but I don't think that applying posture penalties is necessary.
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11-12-2017, 09:33 AM | #3 |
Join Date: Aug 2004
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Re: Spider Climb and Melee attacks.
I think I might be on the side of the butt-head here! Are you sure that "penalty" and "no effect" are the only good options? In an over-the-top genre like this, I think I'd be inclined to give the martial artist a bonus for his amazing mobility - he can attack from (and retreat to) unusual angles, and so forth. I'd want to say that the point he's spent on it show that he's used to this sort of combat, while his opponents are not. (In a world full of armored weapon master Knights, Martial Artists need a bit of help being effective in straight-up toe-to-toe combat, anyway, and this sort of shenanigans seems like precisely their schtick)
I don't have my books in front of me, and I could be thinking of GURPS rather than the DFRPG, in which case, my apologies), but I seem to remember some explicit rules that provide a bonus for just this situation.
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My (ahem... hugely entertaining... ahem) GURPS blog: The Collaborative Gamer Last edited by Joe; 11-12-2017 at 09:38 AM. |
11-12-2017, 09:58 AM | #4 |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Shoreline, WA (north of Seattle)
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Re: Spider Climb and Melee attacks.
Are you imposing a penalty on his targets' defenses for the odd angles of attack?
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11-12-2017, 11:09 AM | #5 |
Banned
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: https://t.me/pump_upp
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Re: Spider Climb and Melee attacks.
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11-12-2017, 01:15 PM | #6 |
Banned
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: 100 hurricane swamp
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Re: Spider Climb and Melee attacks.
I'm with sir_pudding, 3-Point Stance or the butthead falls on his... butthead.
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11-12-2017, 02:15 PM | #7 |
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Poland
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Re: Spider Climb and Melee attacks.
I'd say the Postures Table doesn't have an "upside down" entry, so the player was right to expect there is no penalty (though it would be nice if he talked with you about it while creating the character).
I don't see a reason to require three points of contact that aren't described anywhere in the book. Rules-wise, I'd say you might consider it Bad Footing for -2 (as movement along the ceiling costs more movement points), but also attacking from above target for +2, so it cancels out. The ability costs a considerable amount of 18 points, in the same ballpark as Song of Terror, I'd say, and not much less than Turning. It should be powerful.
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11-12-2017, 02:17 PM | #8 |
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Northeast Kansas
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Re: Spider Climb and Melee attacks.
There's nothing in the description about a 3 point stance, or even a 2 point stance, you can walk or crawl. Walking will sometimes mean only one foot on the ground. That said, depending on the ceiling height, I might give the knights of doom a bonus to hit the skull of our daring martial artist.
On the other hand: it can be a little obnoxious. If it's a problem, or its destroying the feel of the game; get rid of it, or reduce the price and limit it. |
11-12-2017, 02:33 PM | #9 | ||
Wielder of Smart Pants
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ventura CA
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Re: Spider Climb and Melee attacks.
Quote:
Quote:
Because the martial artist is supposed to be like a movie version of Hattori Hanzō, or The House of Flying Daggers, not the Roadrunner. Last edited by sir_pudding; 11-12-2017 at 02:39 PM. |
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11-12-2017, 04:17 PM | #10 | |
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Saint Paul, MN
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Re: Spider Climb and Melee attacks.
Quote:
I have a harder time wrapping my head around ranged attacks from someone upside down. Seems like gravity being backward would really mess with your physics instincts and even the basic mechanics of throwing or firing a weapon. Maybe something like this: ranged attacks while upside down have half the typical range figures for maximum and half-damage. In addition, they suffer double range penalties with a minimum penalty of -4. |
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