[Magic] Turn Blade

[Gnome]

Should Turn Blade affect broadswords used for thrusting, rapiers, etc.?

[Dalin]

I'd lean toward no, it should only work on cutting (or swinging) blade attacks. This is not explicit, but is suggested by this sentence from GURPS Magic, p. 167:

Only good against blade attacks – it is useless against a spear, club, or the teeth and claws of an animal.

I'd lump a thrusting sword in with a spear. I don't see how it could convert the thrust to crushing damage.

Of course, it is magic, so I wouldn't quibble if a GM interpreted it differently.

[hal]

Originally Posted by Dalin

I'd lean toward no, it should only work on cutting (or swinging) blade attacks. This is not explicit, but is suggested by this sentence from GURPS Magic, p. 167:



I'd lump a thrusting sword in with a spear. I don't see how it could convert the thrust to crushing damage.

Of course, it is magic, so I wouldn't quibble if a GM interpreted it differently.

The exact wording of the spell description is such that it turns any cutting damage into crushing damage. Later on, you will see a reference to the TURN BLADE spell when used in the Graceful Weapon enchantment. Ironically, if you have the Graceful Weapon enchantment on a mace, it would appear that the turn blade aspect will not exist for the mace. It will however, exist for an ax.

So, per the spell description itself, transforms cutting damage to crushing damage. Everything else is simply fluff.

[Gnome]

Originally Posted by hal

.

So, per the spell description itself, transforms cutting damage to crushing damage. Everything else is simply fluff.

It also unreadies the weapon, which seems possible against a thrusting blade.

[Dalin]

Originally Posted by hal

The exact wording of the spell description is such that it turns any cutting damage into crushing damage.

So it is. That clinches it for me.

Originally Posted by Gnome

It also unreadies the weapon, which seems possible against a thrusting blade.

The wording, to me, implies that this is a secondary effect and thus would only happen if the primary effect kicks in, which it wouldn't for a thrusting/impaling attack. But it's probably ok if you rule it that way... the mage still gets stabbed, but might not gain a second before being stabbed a second time.

Speaking of which, if your weapon becomes unready after a spell like this, does that always absorb an action for the ready maneuver? You can't "fast draw" your sword in no time when it's already in your hand, right? Or are there some Martial Arts maneuvers that I might not know about? I'm not an expert on that book.

[hal]

Originally Posted by Dalin

Speaking of which, if your weapon becomes unready after a spell like this, does that always absorb an action for the ready maneuver? You can't "fast draw" your sword in no time when it's already in your hand, right? Or are there some Martial Arts maneuvers that I might not know about? I'm not an expert on that book.

Think of the spell as producing an automatic Critical Failure result of #8 (see page 556. Simply put, you have to ready your weapon before you can use it. That takes up an entire "turn" per the normal circumstances.

[Plane]

"Bladeturning" in Protection and Warning Spells could provide some insight to intent. The unreadying effect of the wrenched grip is represented by DR with "Reflection, Variant" and "Accessibility, Only to disarm, not break" and unifies with "damage-to-disarm" rule from page 11 of Gun Fu.

[Gnome]

Originally Posted by Plane

"Bladeturning" in Protection and Warning Spells could provide some insight to intent. The unreadying effect of the wrenched grip is represented by DR with "Reflection, Variant" and "Accessibility, Only to disarm, not break" and unifies with "damage-to-disarm" rule from page 11 of Gun Fu.

Sorry, I don’t think I have that book. Could you explain a bit more how this is relevant to my question?