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Old 07-14-2018, 03:41 AM   #11
Chris Rice
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: London Uk, but originally from Scotland
Default Re: Advanced Combat Skills

If I read the UC Talents right, it's now quite simple for a beginning character to be a "Master of the Martial Arts" as UC (V) requires an IQ of 12 but only 9 Talent points. They'll be doing 2 extra dice damage with bare hands (3 with a kick) all hexes count as front hexes, etc. The DX prerequisite is only 12. So with IQ12 DX12 I can easily have a character like this. UC (V) used to be something to aspire to, not something to start out with.

I've heard arguments that this sort of character is less powerful than an armed and armoured fighter and maybe in the Dungeon, in some circumstances, that's true. But many of my adventures aren't limited to Dungeons and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

Am I missing something as this proposal seems way overpowered to me?

Last edited by Chris Rice; 07-14-2018 at 03:50 AM.
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Old 07-14-2018, 03:49 AM   #12
zot
 
Join Date: May 2018
Default Re: Advanced Combat Skills

This is great, I love all the new options. These will make combat more fun and interesting!
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Old 07-14-2018, 03:51 AM   #13
pyratejohn
 
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Columbia, Maryland
Default Re: Advanced Combat Skills

From UC V, this...
Quote:
• Punch. Does 2 extra dice of damage with bare hands in either HTH or regular combat
Stacked with this...
Quote:
• Nerve blows. If you strike an armed foe for more than 3 points of damage, that foe is hit on a nerve and automatically drops his weapon.
Does this seem particularly overpowered to anyone? An average ST warrior is going to do what, 3d-3 with each hit, i.e., about 95% chance with every shot of making someone drop a weapon (not accounting for armor, of course).
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Old 07-14-2018, 03:52 AM   #14
zot
 
Join Date: May 2018
Default Re: Advanced Combat Skills --> Weapon talents. Rick's comments.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rick_Smith View Post
-- I really like the bonus damage for the shrewd blow, but the bonus damage is too high for the DX penalty. Why would anyone ever NOT do a shrewd blow? I would suggest that the DX penalty is -6 for experts and -3 DX for masters.
The way I read it, a shrewd blow is at -4 DX in both cases. Am I missing something?
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Old 07-14-2018, 03:54 AM   #15
zot
 
Join Date: May 2018
Default Re: Advanced Combat Skills

Does Two Weapons still work with cestus?

If so does it work with normal punching?

What about Two Weapons with UC?
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Old 07-14-2018, 04:30 AM   #16
Rick_Smith
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Coquitlam B.C.
Default Re: Advanced Combat Skills

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Jackson View Post
...

Weapon Expertise (3) - found at IQ 10 ...
• Bonus to hit. An Expert gets +1 DX on each attack with that weapon type, ...
• Shrewd blow. An Expert may attack at -3 DX and do an extra die of damage.
...

Weapon Mastery (3): - found at IQ 12
• Bonus to hit. A Master gets +2 DX on each attack with that weapon type, including thrown attacks if the weapon is throwable. ...
• Shrewd blow. A Master may attack at -2 DX and do an extra 1d+2 of damage. ...
Quote:
Originally Posted by zot View Post
The way I read it, a shrewd blow is at -4 DX in both cases. Am I missing something?
Hi Zot,
In the first case it is -3 DX, but because the talent also gives a +1 DX, it really is only at -2 DX.

In the second case it is at -2 DX, but with the +2 DX bonus it really is at +0 DX.

These talents are kinda a grab bag of advantages. I would rather that they were more tightly focused. That said, I am delighted that they are including ANY advanced talents.

Warm regards, Rick.
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Old 07-14-2018, 04:32 AM   #17
Rick_Smith
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Coquitlam B.C.
Default Re: Advanced UC Skills --> Auto drop weapons?

Quote:
Originally Posted by pyratejohn View Post
...
Does this seem particularly overpowered to anyone? An average ST warrior is going to do what, 3d-3 with each hit, i.e., about 95% chance with every shot of making someone drop a weapon (not accounting for armor, of course).
Hi PyrateJohn, I agree, it does seem over powered. In my post I concentrated on the bonus damage, but you are right. The very high damage combined with the nerve hit is worse.

Warm regards, Rick.
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Old 07-14-2018, 04:38 AM   #18
Rick_Smith
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Coquitlam B.C.
Default Re: Advanced Combat Skills

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Rice View Post
If I read the UC Talents right, it's now quite simple for a beginning character to be a "Master of the Martial Arts" as UC (V) requires an IQ of 12 but only 9 Talent points. ...

Am I missing something as this proposal seems way overpowered to me?
Hi Chris, everyone.
OMG! I never considered this. A STARTING character can take UC v!!! I hadn't noticed that the minimum DX had dropped from DX 16. I wonder if it is a typo?

Rick
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Old 07-14-2018, 05:25 AM   #19
David Bofinger
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Sydney, Australia
Default Re: Advanced Combat Skills

My thoughts:
  • It should be possible to have some unarmed combat skill without being considered a martial artist. The basic level of unarmed combat, UC I, should reflect just being a guy who knows how to punch. It should be cheap, probably IQ 7, give a modest bonus to damage, and not enable anything fancy like a kick. If necessary, add this in as a level below the present UC I.
  • That kick is quite effective and most characters will probably give up on punching. Unarmed damage is so anaemic that an extra die of damage is a gift beyond rubies, well worth a -2 DX. I think the kick is overpowered.
  • I'm not a big fan of powerful advanced weapon talents that are weapon specific. They lead to warriors who need a precise kind of weapon and if they don't have it they regress back to being beginners. It makes it very hard to make a warrior who uses several different weapons, but that can be a fun type. I think some fighting talents should be weapon-independent.
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Old 07-14-2018, 05:25 AM   #20
RobW
 
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Join Date: Mar 2018
Default Re: Advanced Combat Skills

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Jackson View Post
Weapon Mastery (3): - found at IQ 12
• Shrewd blow. A Master may attack at -2 DX and do an extra 1d+2 of damage.
Prerequisite: appropriate Weapon expertise, DX 12 or more
I'm worried this is far too good. A cutlass master at 2d-2 is now doing battleaxe damage of 3d -- with one hand. He's moved up 5 positions on the weapons table.

And this doesn't consider the other advantages.

Perhaps a bonus of 1 or 2 damage points.
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