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Old 12-15-2017, 07:55 PM   #1
AlexanderHowl
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Default Blocking with Weapons and Parrying with Shields

In GURPS, you block with shields and parry with weapons, but it is should be possible to block with weapons and parry with shields because there are martial arts styles that teach those defensive techniques. I have made up some rules to reflect those defensive options, and I was wanting feedback from the community.

In the case of parrying with shields, I would allow a shield to parry normally on any turn that it is not used for an attack (suffering the normal penalties if you Parry after a previous Block or Parry). You would receive a Parry Bonus equal to the normal Defense Bonus, but you would lose the Defense Bonus for the remainder of the turn. The advantage of parrying with shields rather than blocking with shields is that the shield does not normally suffer any damage on a successful parry.

In the case of blocking with weapons, I would allow a weapon to block any attack that it could normally parry (suffering the normal penalties if you Block after a previous Block or Parry). You automatically deal normal weapon damage with a weapon block, but you suffer damage to your weapon from the blocked attack. The advantage of blocking with weapons rather than parrying with weapons is that you get to deal damage on a successful block (shields do not deal damage on a block because of the nature of their design). Parry bonuses increase or reduce Block and you cannot use fencing weapons to block.
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Old 12-16-2017, 12:47 AM   #2
sir_pudding
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Default Re: Blocking with Weapons and Parrying with Shields

In GURPS "block" means "defend with the Shield skill" and "parry" means "defend with a weapon or unarmed skill".

Many real world styles have defenses they call "blocks" that aren't intended to inflict damage.
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Old 12-16-2017, 01:45 AM   #3
zoncxs
 
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Default Re: Blocking with Weapons and Parrying with Shields

Quote:
Originally Posted by sir_pudding View Post
In GURPS "block" means "defend with the Shield skill" and "parry" means "defend with a weapon or unarmed skill".

Many real world styles have defenses they call "blocks" that aren't intended to inflict damage.
This.

For me I simply rename both and "Defense". Weather you "block" it or "parry" it would be determined by margin of success.

I consider parries deflections, you redirect the impact in such a way that the energy is minimized.

A block is when you place something between the intended target and weapon, which absorbs the energy and thus minimizes it.
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Old 12-16-2017, 08:23 PM   #4
Otaku
 
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Default Re: Blocking with Weapons and Parrying with Shields

I remember discussing this on the boards before here. I was originally trying to get a better idea of what the Active Defenses really mean, and not too far in, started asking about whether or not Block and Parry should really be treated as two different things, instead of variants on the same defensive technique.
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