Meat Cleavers

Ed the Coastie · 03-09-2010, 09:42 PM

One of my daughter's friends -- a would-be gothling obsessed with vampyre-demon anime --has a thing for cleavers. Whenever we game, she always asks if her character (which is always named May Harada, regardless of genre) can have a meat cleaver.

I have an upcoming game in which her character could very well possess such an implement. (Please note my wicked chuckle, as I contemplate her finding out just how poor a weapon a meat cleaver actually is...) I was going to write up stats for one...but thought I would ask first and see if there were already canonical GURPS stats for a meat cleaver (probably from Horror...) while I am at work and so not near my books.

So...meat cleavers?

AmesJainchill · 03-09-2010, 10:01 PM

Just a guess based on size...large knife, swing only? Maybe a long knife for a larger one, with a penalty to Holdout because it's squarish instead of thinner?

Dwarf99 · 03-09-2010, 10:04 PM

could be all the way up to short sword for larger ones I'd imagine

Stone Dog · 03-09-2010, 10:05 PM

I would have sworn it would be under Improvised Weapons in Martial Arts.... but I guess not.

I'd go for calling it a cheap, small axe.

cmdicely · 03-09-2010, 10:24 PM

I'd be tempted to treat it almost as a Small Axe but with sw cut and reach C,1, both modified from normal Small Axe stats because of the shorter handle.

Polydamas · 03-09-2010, 10:29 PM

Maybe use some of the stats for Kukris or Falchions in Martial Arts? It will probably have -1 or -2 to hit when used as a weapon, but might be of any quality for breakage and damage purposes.

Icelander · 03-09-2010, 11:03 PM

I'd call it a Small Falchion.

sir_pudding · 03-09-2010, 11:15 PM

Such a character would probably be advised to take the Improvised Weapons Perk.

Nymdok · 03-09-2010, 11:24 PM

Large KNife no thrust.

Doesnt really seem to have the weight to get hatchet.

But it also depends on the size of the cleaver, I remember seeing grand-mama addams stalking a cat with one that looked like a horse cutter (DINNERS GONNA BE LATE!)

Nymdok

RyanW · 03-09-2010, 11:42 PM

I would agree with the call for kukri (or small falchion for a very big one). I don't think it's not quite unbalanced enough to be called a hatchet.

You might be able to get a useful thrust by catching with the corner, but I would say no thrusting. It isn't built for combat, so maybe a -1 or -2 to attack. By the time the cleaver comes out animals don't normally have much fight (or blood, entrails, or anything else) left in them, so butchers normally use telegraphic AOA.

03-09-2010, 09:42 PM	#1
Ed the Coastie Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Sierra Vista, Arizona	Meat Cleavers One of my daughter's friends -- a would-be gothling obsessed with vampyre-demon anime --has a thing for cleavers. Whenever we game, she always asks if her character (which is always named May Harada, regardless of genre) can have a meat cleaver. I have an upcoming game in which her character could very well possess such an implement. (Please note my wicked chuckle, as I contemplate her finding out just how poor a weapon a meat cleaver actually is...) I was going to write up stats for one...but thought I would ask first and see if there were already canonical GURPS stats for a meat cleaver (probably from Horror...) while I am at work and so not near my books. So...meat cleavers? __________________ "It's never to early to start beefing up your obituary." -- The Most Interesting Man in the World

03-09-2010, 10:01 PM	#2
AmesJainchill Join Date: Jun 2005	Re: Meat Cleavers Just a guess based on size...large knife, swing only? Maybe a long knife for a larger one, with a penalty to Holdout because it's squarish instead of thinner? __________________ My gaming groups Wiki: GURPS Star Wars house rules, example spaceships, etc.

03-09-2010, 10:04 PM	#3
Dwarf99 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas	Re: Meat Cleavers could be all the way up to short sword for larger ones I'd imagine

03-09-2010, 10:05 PM	#4
Stone Dog Join Date: Feb 2008	Re: Meat Cleavers I would have sworn it would be under Improvised Weapons in Martial Arts.... but I guess not. I'd go for calling it a cheap, small axe.

03-09-2010, 10:24 PM	#5
cmdicely Join Date: Aug 2004	Re: Meat Cleavers I'd be tempted to treat it almost as a Small Axe but with sw cut and reach C,1, both modified from normal Small Axe stats because of the shorter handle.

03-09-2010, 10:29 PM	#6
Polydamas Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Central Europe	Re: Meat Cleavers Maybe use some of the stats for Kukris or Falchions in Martial Arts? It will probably have -1 or -2 to hit when used as a weapon, but might be of any quality for breakage and damage purposes. __________________ "It is easier to banish a habit of thought than a piece of knowledge." H. Beam Piper This forum got less aggravating when I started using the ignore feature

03-09-2010, 11:03 PM	#7
Icelander Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Iceland*	Re: Meat Cleavers I'd call it a Small Falchion. __________________ Za uspiekh nashevo beznadiozhnovo diela!

03-09-2010, 11:15 PM	#8
sir_pudding Wielder of Smart Pants Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Ventura CA	Re: Meat Cleavers Such a character would probably be advised to take the Improvised Weapons Perk.

03-09-2010, 11:24 PM	#9
Nymdok Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Houston	Re: Meat Cleavers Large KNife no thrust. Doesnt really seem to have the weight to get hatchet. But it also depends on the size of the cleaver, I remember seeing grand-mama addams stalking a cat with one that looked like a horse cutter (DINNERS GONNA BE LATE!) Nymdok

03-09-2010, 11:42 PM	#10
RyanW ☣ Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Southeast NC	Re: Meat Cleavers I would agree with the call for kukri (or small falchion for a very big one). I don't think it's not quite unbalanced enough to be called a hatchet. You might be able to get a useful thrust by catching with the corner, but I would say no thrusting. It isn't built for combat, so maybe a -1 or -2 to attack. By the time the cleaver comes out animals don't normally have much fight (or blood, entrails, or anything else) left in them, so butchers normally use telegraphic AOA. __________________ RyanW - Actually one normal sized guy in three tiny trenchcoats.