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Old 09-22-2019, 06:51 AM   #1
AlexanderHowl
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Default Fast, Graceful, and Vicious Attacks [Powers]

One of the staples of fiction are melee attacks that are so fast, graceful, or vicious that they leave not only their victim stunned but also do the same to anyone who witnesses the attacks. I was thinking that the best way to represent this would be something to use Terror (Confusion) for fast attacks, Terror (Awe) for graceful attacks, and Terror (Fear) for vicious attacks. So the attacks would look something like the following:

Fast Attack: Crushing Attack 2d (Link, +10%; Melee Attack, C-1, Destructive Parry, Dual Weapon, +0%) [11] plus Terror (Confusion; Link, +10%) [33]. When attacking while unarmed, the character attacks with such quickness that they leave their victim and any witness confused by what occurred.

Graceful Attack: Crushing Attack 2d (Link, +10%; Melee Attack, C-1, Destructive Parry, Dual Weapon, +0%) [11] plus Terror (Awe; Link, +10%) [33]. When attacking while unarmed, the character attacks with such viciousness that they leave their victim and any witness in awe of the character.

Vicious Attack: Crushing Attack 2d (Link, +10%; Melee Attack, C-1, Destructive Parry, Dual Weapon, +0%) [11] plus Terror (Fear; Link, +10%) [33]. When attacking while unarmed, the character attacks with such viciousness that they leave their victim and any witness in fear of the character.

What do you think? Do you think that it is a good representation of the phenomena? If not, how would you represent the phenomena?
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Old 09-22-2019, 07:49 AM   #2
lvalero
 
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Default Re: Fast, Graceful, and Vicious Attacks [Powers]

What about Terror (Accesibility, only while succesful attacking and not defended -20%)?
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Old 09-22-2019, 07:56 AM   #3
Varyon
 
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Default Re: Fast, Graceful, and Vicious Attacks [Powers]

Terror strikes me as rather heavy-handed here. I’d be more inclined to base it off Rapier Wit. Instead of Public Speaking, roll against Combat skill at -2 (Average Technique can buy this up to Combat Skill +2), appropriate Combat Art or Performance, or Intimidation, for Fast, Graceful, or Vicious, respectively. Based on this thread, I’d call it [10] in a campaign where Rapier Wit is normally available, [15] or [20] otherwise. The first price has Words of Power +100%, treats changing it from Hearing-based to Vision-based as +0%, and treats having to link it to an actual attack (instead of being a free action) and not needing a few rounds of setup banter as a wash. The latter prices basically just tosses in an Unusual Background.
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Old 09-22-2019, 08:30 AM   #4
AlexanderHowl
 
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Default Re: Fast, Graceful, and Vicious Attacks [Powers]

Rapier Wit suffers penalties when used against a group (-1 per person in the group), which limits its overall utility. It also pretty much only causes stunning, so I would consider it a lighter version of what I am discussing. Since it is an attack (even if it only takes a free action), it would need to be linked to an attack to be delivered simultaneously. Otherwise, it would probably serve as a lighter version (replace Terror (Link, +10%) with Rapier Wit (Link, +10%: Words of Power, +100%), so a difference of -22 CP).

Now, it does offer an interesting comparison. The lighter version could be used to stun one opponent on a successful Contest of Will or a group of opponents on a successful Contest of Will (-1 per additional target beyond the first) per successful attack. The heavier version would require a Awe, Confusion, or Fright Check for anyone witnessing the attack (meaning that a 14+ would normally fail), with stunning being the best that any victim who failed could hope for.
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Old 09-22-2019, 09:09 AM   #5
Anders
 
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Default Re: Fast, Graceful, and Vicious Attacks [Powers]

Maybe Side Effect (Stunning) on the Crushing Attack would serve for the fast attack?
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Old 09-22-2019, 09:57 AM   #6
Varyon
 
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Default Re: Fast, Graceful, and Vicious Attacks [Powers]

Quote:
Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl View Post
Rapier Wit suffers penalties when used against a group (-1 per person in the group), which limits its overall utility.
There should be an Enhancement to negate this, and I can’t see this being worth more than +100% (or [+5]), if it’s a problem.

Quote:
Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl View Post
It also pretty much only causes stunning, so I would consider it a lighter version of what I am discussing.
Aside from Vicious, Stunning is really the only appropriate result. In settings where responses other than Stunning are appropriate in response to a Vicious attack, seeing someone eviscerated by a “normal” attack should already call for a Fright Check.

If you instead want a supernatural attack with a confusion, awe, or fear effect tacked on, Linked Terror (assuming Terror requires a Maneuver) is the way to go.

Quote:
Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl View Post
Since it is an attack (even if it only takes a free action), it would need to be linked to an attack to be delivered simultaneously.
Mechanically, there’s no difference between “only usable immediately after an attack” and “only usable concurrently with an attack” for a free action. The former is clearly a Limitation - the latter shouldn’t be an Enhancement. Honestly, “only usable immediately before an attack” is a Limitation (it requires you to make an attack, rather than being able to use it freely), yet is more useful than either of the previous (as this version lets you immediately take advantage of a successful Stun).

Quote:
Originally Posted by Anders View Post
Maybe Side Effect (Stunning) on the Crushing Attack would serve for the fast attack?
If it’s a single attack built as an Innate Attack (or built via the modifying ST-based attacks guidelines) or a single Natural Weapon, this is the way to go. If the character can technically do it with any attack, from a kick to a sword thrust, modified Rapier Wit may work better.
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Old 09-22-2019, 10:22 AM   #7
Varyon
 
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Default Re: Fast, Graceful, and Vicious Attacks [Powers]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Anders View Post
Maybe Side Effect (Stunning) on the Crushing Attack would serve for the fast attack?
Upon further consideration, this doesn’t work, as we need something that a) affects those who see the attack, not just the target and b) (presumably) works even if the attack misses, or hits but is absorbed by DR.
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Old 09-22-2019, 12:40 PM   #8
AlexanderHowl
 
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Default Re: Fast, Graceful, and Vicious Attacks [Powers]

As a GM, I object to allowing Rapier Wit to being more effective than Affliction for stunning people, so I would not allow any form of Cosmic that would negate the group penalty (nor would I allow it to work by sight instead of sound).
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Old 09-22-2019, 12:43 PM   #9
Anthony
 
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Default Re: Fast, Graceful, and Vicious Attacks [Powers]

I'm not sure which cinematic trope you're actually trying to emulate, the versions I generally see are:
  1. Someone does something that reveals they're a badass. Observers go 'OMG, that guy is more dangerous than we thought', and depending on the situation, might need to make a fright check or be more vulnerable to intimidate. This doesn't require special rules.
  2. Anime-style 'killing intent' or similar, which doesn't generally require any specific action.
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Old 09-22-2019, 01:12 PM   #10
Aldric
 
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Default Re: Fast, Graceful, and Vicious Attacks [Powers]

For case one, just make that Cutting Ranged attack with no signature (invisible blade for example) and your choice of area, rapid fire or whatever.
When 10 fully geared soldiers fall with arms flying off, heads rolling and a body or two cut in half, you can even look like a little girl with pink hair, but the other soldiers might still run away in fear.

For the second case, roll to Intimidate, and see if you can have any special effects to boost your skill.

And I would never consider Rapier Wit as an example, it's made for some very specific characters and campaigns and it works there, it's not a general example
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