Expanding Striker [Basic]

[AlexanderHowl]

Striker is a great advantage, giving a C Reach attack that provides an extra weapon parry, deals thrust damage, +1 per die, plus Brawling bonuses, for the same cost as one level of the comparable Innate Attack. Since it is equal in cost one level of the comparable Innate Attack, it should be easy enough to expand the types of damage of Striker beyond cutting, crushing, impaling, large piercing, and piercing (3 CP for small piercing, 4 CP for toxic, 5 CP for burning, 8 CP for huge piercing, and 10 CP for corrosion or fatigue).

In addition to expanding the damage types, it would make sense for Striker to gain the benefits of the standard enhancements, or suffer the standard penalties, available to melee attacks, except when otherwise noted under Striker. For example, Destructive Parry would add +10%, Dual Weapon would add +10%, etc.

What do you think? Would expanding Striker be a viable option? Or would it be better to use other options?

[whswhs]

Rather than constantly asking "Here's this combination of advantages and modifiers; what can we use it to represent?" I'd rather see the question "Here's this attack/defense/move/sensory ability/other option I've thought of; what could represent it?" The other approach seems to invite coming up with abusive absurdities just because they give extra bang for your character points.

[Varyon]

1. (Purchase and) Open the .pdf for Pyramid #3/65.
2. Go to the “Natural Weapon” article.
3. Read said article.
4. Congratulations! You now have a properly-reviewed (and thus unlikely to be horribly unbalanced) framework to expand Striker.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Varyon

[*]Congratulations! You now have a properly-reviewed (and thus unlikely to be horribly unbalanced) framework to expand Striker.[/list]

*cough*. Properly reviewed for a e-zine article != properly reviewed for a supplement. Natural Weapons have some serious balance issues, though they're less broken than the strength-based enhancement.

[AlexanderHowl]

A Reach C-1 Crushing Striker costs 10 CP. For 10 CP, I can get Crushing Attack 2d+1 (Melee Attack, Reach C-1, -20%; Variable, +5%). I would need to have a ST 21+ for Striker to be cheaper than the equivalent Innate Attack. The advantage of Strikers over Innate Attacks though is that they do not use up a hand.

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by Anthony

*cough*. Properly reviewed for a e-zine article != properly reviewed for a supplement. Natural Weapons have some serious balance issues, though they're less broken than the strength-based enhancement.

My main issue with that article is when PCs go crazy on enhancements, especially the damage bonus. I'd like to see it revisited myself.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Refplace

My main issue with that article is when PCs go crazy on enhancements, especially the damage bonus. I'd like to see it revisited myself.

Yeah, swing vs thrust and per-die bonuses should be base cost modifiers, not enhancements.

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by Anthony

*cough*. Properly reviewed for a e-zine article != properly reviewed for a supplement. Natural Weapons have some serious balance issues, though they're less broken than the strength-based enhancement.

While the Pyramid review process was undoubtedly less intense than that for a full publication, I’ll generally trust it over a typical user’s house rules. Personally, my biggest beef with Natural Weapons is that they’re so incredibly light, and changing this is overly expensive, and that I feel Destructive Parry may be underpriced (hence my Limit Breakers having heavier base weapons than default and Destructive Parry not being available). I can see where there can be other issues, as you note, but I don’t think they tend to get too awful.

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

A Reach C-1 Crushing Striker costs 10 CP. For 10 CP, I can get Crushing Attack 2d+1 (Melee Attack, Reach C-1, -20%; Variable, +5%). I would need to have a ST 21+ for Striker to be cheaper than the equivalent Innate Attack. The advantage of Strikers over Innate Attacks though is that they do not use up a hand.

Crushing Natural Weapon (Extra Reach 1 +30%; Hidden +20%; Increased Damage 1 +30%; Single -20%) [8] will give you a single thr+1 cr, Reach C,1, freely-retractable Striker-equivalent, but will unfortunately take up a hand. I’d argue a dedicated “weapon mount” for it would cost [1] (weapon mount is usually [2], and this is only usable for your Natural Weapon). Alternatively, Hands-Free would make sense as a +20% Enhancement.

Really, take a look at the article - I strongly suspect it has what you’re looking for.