Elven Swords

[Kromm]

Or you could just do Defensive Attacks, which let you trade off -2 to damage for a full parry with a "U" weapon whenever you like. :)

[Ze'Manel Cunha]

Originally Posted by Kromm

Or you could just do Defensive Attacks, which let you trade off -2 to damage for a full parry with a "U" weapon whenever you like. :)

Good point, I probably just have one level of the Perk to reduce it to -1 damage, but I wrote the post above without looking at my notes.

Guess remembering all that stuff without looking at notes is where that "Line Editor" guy comes in. *grin*

[Anders]

Remember, this guy literally wrote the book on GURPS Martial Arts...

[LoneWolf23k]

Originally Posted by Kromm

Or you could just do Defensive Attacks, which let you trade off -2 to damage for a full parry with a "U" weapon whenever you like. :)

Would making the weapon Very Fine quality off-set the penalty?

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by LoneWolf23k

Would making the weapon Very Fine quality off-set the penalty?

In the sense that 2-2=0; yes. But with a normal attack the Very Fine blade still does +2 over the Defensive Attack.

[Celjabba]

Would you allow a U weapon wich is fine(balance) to do defensive attack at -1 to damage instead of -2 ?
(replacing the usual bonus of +1 to skill in this case)

celjabba

[Kromm]

I wouldn't. The "U" doesn't come from lack of balance. This is something I wish we had made clearer. It comes from there being distinct offensive and defensive stances, grips, or footings used with the weapon. You can only shift between these once at the start of your turn, so if you just attacked, you can't instantly end your turn ready to parry . . . The way Defensive Attack works is that it lets you use one of the defensive postures to attack anyway. Since that posture is less-than-ideal for attacking, the strike does less damage. Improving balance wouldn't change any of that.

To get, say, an axe that does full damage and can still parry, use a hatchet or a magical axe, not a better-balanced full-sized axe. When you attack with an axe, you take it out of a defensive position for a significant time to wind up, and then swing it such that it's carried out of line for defense afterward. Making it lighter – using a hatchet – might help you with that. Leaving it just as heavy so that it does full damage, but balancing it better, would not. If it's heavy and swift enough to do damage, then your enemy is your momentum, not your balance.

Alternatively, just tap sharply with a snapping strike from the wrist. That won't carry the axe out of line for parrying. This is what Defensive Attack represents.

[Celjabba]

Originally Posted by Kromm

I wouldn't. The "U" doesn't come from lack of balance. This is something I wish we had made clearer. It comes from there being distinct offensive and defensive stances, grips, or footings used with the weapon. You can only shift between these once at the start of your turn, so if you just attacked, you can't instantly end your turn ready to parry . . . The way Defensive Attack works is that it lets you use one of the defensive postures to attack anyway. Since that posture is less-than-ideal for attacking, the strike does less damage. Improving balance wouldn't change any of that.

To get, say, an axe that does full damage and can still parry, use a hatchet or a magical axe, not a better-balanced full-sized axe. When you attack with an axe, you take it out of a defensive position for a significant time to wind up, and then swing it such that it's carried out of line for defense afterward. Making it lighter – using a hatchet – might help you with that. Leaving it just as heavy so that it does full damage, but balancing it better, would not. If it's heavy and swift enough to do damage, then your enemy is your momentum, not your balance.

Alternatively, just tap sharply with a snapping strike from the wrist. That won't carry the axe out of line for parrying. This is what Defensive Attack represents.

I was a bit confused on this, thanks for clearing it up.

Celjabba

[Diomedes]

Originally Posted by Kromm

I wouldn't. The "U" doesn't come from lack of balance. This is something I wish we had made clearer. It comes from there being distinct offensive and defensive stances, grips, or footings used with the weapon. You can only shift between these once at the start of your turn, so if you just attacked, you can't instantly end your turn ready to parry . . . The way Defensive Attack works is that it lets you use one of the defensive postures to attack anyway.

That being the case, what does a Defensive Grip represent? That would seem to be the logical term for "holding a weapon in a defensive posture", but it doesn't let you attack and parry with a U-parry weapon. Is this just a matter of game balance, or am I missing something in what it means?

[Kromm]

Defensive Grip is a consensus name, chosen because one of its effects is to strengthen parries. It could as easily be called by my original name, Presented Grip, which is closer to what it is but probably less intuitive. The basic idea is that the weapon is in two hands, centered in front of you, and held deliberately forward between you and your foe(s). This is nominally defensive, whence the name.

It doesn't interact much with "U." You can still use this grip for aggressive attacks with big windups; if you do, its effects on defense are lost. You can still use it for short, probing attacks; if you do, its effects on defense stack. It doesn't actually help you transition any more quickly. (In real life, it may even marginally slow such transitions.)