Spider Climb and Melee attacks.

~~Taliesin~~ · 11-12-2017, 08:14 AM

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?

sir_pudding · 11-12-2017, 09:12 AM

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.

Joe · 11-12-2017, 09:33 AM

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.

Apollonian · 11-12-2017, 09:58 AM

Are you imposing a penalty on his targets' defenses for the odd angles of attack?

~~Taliesin~~ · 11-12-2017, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Apollonian

Are you imposing a penalty on his targets' defenses for the odd angles of attack?

Yes, that's in the book under active defensive modifiers.

~~evileeyore~~ · 11-12-2017, 01:15 PM

I'm with sir_pudding, 3-Point Stance or the butthead falls on his... butthead.

11-12-2017, 08:14 AM	#1
~~Taliesin~~ Banned Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: https://t.me/pump_upp	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, 09:33 AM	#3
Joe Join Date: Aug 2004	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. __________________ 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
Apollonian Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Shoreline, WA (north of Seattle)	Re: Spider Climb and Melee attacks. Are you imposing a penalty on his targets' defenses for the odd angles of attack?

11-12-2017, 01:15 PM	#6
~~evileeyore~~ Banned Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: 100 hurricane swamp	Re: Spider Climb and Melee attacks. I'm with sir_pudding, 3-Point Stance or the butthead falls on his... butthead.

11-12-2017, 09:12 AM	#2
sir_pudding Wielder of Smart Pants Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Ventura CA	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.