[RPM] Survivable Sparring Help Ritual

[Kalzazz]

I'm pondering how to design a ritual that would allow 2 (or possibly more) people to go at it, using normal GURPS melee combat rules. until a winner is determined, but at the end have them not actually be dead/hurt etc (with emphasis on the not be dead, being hurt is after all repairable conveniently through magic, but being dead isn't, but ideally also wouldn't be hurt)

I admit I am a bit lost as to how to actually pull this off

[ericthered]

first decide what you want the effect to look like:

real weapons, real everything, magic just moniters, stops the training, and heals everyone afterwards

Magic blunts attacks but monitors what would have happened are reports it.

A training realm is made using the path of mind where everything is essentially done virtually.

Magical swords that do no harm but cause real pain are used to duel -- the magic swords are effectively illusiory with tacticile cues.

[Nereidalbel]

Assuming this is for some sort of tournament? Use Altered Traits to give every participant Unkillable 1, and anybody who loses consciousness is "dead" according to the rules, whether it's a 1v1 duel or mass combat. Then, you heal them up after the fight and let them spectate.

[Kalzazz]

The desired 'what this looks like' is the two (or more) combatants go at each other in normal fashion, with their normal gear (which may well include normal magic items and such), armor gets dinged, blood is spilled etc, but as soon as one is dead, knocked out, or yields then it resets nicely to pre combat status

[Celti]

I use Sorcery a lot more often than RPM nowadays — for that, I'd call it a Weapon Buff using a variant on the Supreme Control imbuement. Perhaps you can think of something from that angle?

[Nereidalbel]

Originally Posted by Kalzazz

The desired 'what this looks like' is the two (or more) combatants go at each other in normal fashion, with their normal gear (which may well include normal magic items and such), armor gets dinged, blood is spilled etc, but as soon as one is dead, knocked out, or yields then it resets nicely to pre combat status

Altered Traits to give them Duplication for long enough to compete in a sparring match or tournament, the Dupe wears the gear, and maybe dies.

Or, give them a charm that auto-casts Resurrection on death. Duplication and Unkillable 1 are probably going to be lower energy costs, though, and they have the advantage of being able to take Area Effect to hit all competitors at once.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Kalzazz

I'm pondering how to design a ritual that would allow 2 (or possibly more) people to go at it, using normal GURPS melee combat rules. until a winner is determined, but at the end have them not actually be dead/hurt etc (with emphasis on the not be dead, being hurt is after all repairable conveniently through magic, but being dead isn't, but ideally also wouldn't be hurt)

I admit I am a bit lost as to how to actually pull this off

If only someone had written a dueling system with notes for RPM. :-)

[Nereidalbel]

Originally Posted by Ghostdancer

If only someone had written a dueling system with notes for RPM. :-)

But, he's looking for people smiting each other with axes and swords, then being fine. Unless this one covers mundane dueling without murdering each other, in addition to mages dueling without murdering each other (and half the town)?

[Kalzazz]

Well, the goal is to allow people to murder each other using normal GURPS combat, then be fine, rather than to murder each other using a different combat system such as Codex Duello (and I admit, I unfortunately don't understand Codex Duello well enough to actually run it, I could figure out part of it, then got lost)

My current plan is 'Couple greater control crossroads, time spanning, throw an area effect and duration on there, make some vague discussion of 'time loops' or something, smile and nod at the DM and hope he likes it', under the notion that whatever happens in the area of the effect goes and happens, then 'time loops' or something and its back where it started. Because, magic?

[Christopher R. Rice]

Ahhh! Ok, do this then:

1) Figure the maximum amount of damage that the spell can effect (I'd call this 4d in most cases).
2) Buy damage for the spell, but don't pay the cost of it (see next step for why).
3) Purchase "No Wounding, -50%" and "Side Effect, Stunning, +50%" for 1 energy. This way you can't hurt your sparring partner, but you can hit him hard enough to stun him.
4) Add an appropriate subject weight, effect, duration, range, etc. (This is likely Path of Matter)


Now you have a spell that allows you to hit your target without hurting them and they need to make HT rolls not to be stunned by said hit.