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Old 11-25-2022, 10:39 AM   #1
thom
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Default Shields Up! Fast-draw(shield) question

Just bought this from Gaming Ballistics and I'm enjoying it quite a bit. One concept I'm having trouble with, however, is the Fast-Draw(Shield) being an Easy skill. Seems to me that pulling a shield that is attached-or even strapped-to your back should not be easy to do in a 1-second turn! I'm thinkin' it should be Average-or even a Hard skill to accomplish this. Am I missing something?

I can see the broadsword & shield guy in my group of PCs taking this and then saying: OK, First I fast-draw my broadsword as a Free action. (Assuming he succeeds), Now I fast-draw my Medium shield; and if he succeeds, in 1 second he has his sword and shield out. Perhaps I'm worrying overmuch about this. Would it be a problem in a regular (i.e. non DF) GURPS game?

thom
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Old 11-25-2022, 10:45 AM   #2
DouglasCole
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Default Re: Shields Up! Fast-draw(shield) question

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Originally Posted by thom View Post
Just bought this from Gaming Ballistics and I'm enjoying it quite a bit. One concept I'm having trouble with, however, is the Fast-Draw(Shield) being an Easy skill. Seems to me that pulling a shield that is attached-or even strapped-to your back should not be easy to do in a 1-second turn! I'm thinkin' it should be Average-or even a Hard skill to accomplish this. Am I missing something?
Fast-Draw is DX(Easy) in the core rules, so it's easy here. We don't rewrite that sort of thing.

Quote:

I can see the broadsword & shield guy in my group of PCs taking this and then saying: OK, First I fast-draw my broadsword as a Free action. (Assuming he succeeds), Now I fast-draw my Medium shield; and if he succeeds, in 1 second he has his sword and shield out. Perhaps I'm worrying overmuch about this. Would it be a problem in a regular (i.e. non DF) GURPS game?

thom

Check the details of how this works under the section on guige use (p. 4)

Bringing it instantly ready is from "slung" to "hands-free," which is at a significant penalty to skill (-6 to skill, -3 to block).

To bring it from "hands-free" to "ready" takes additional maneuvers: one for a buckler-gripped shield, or equal to DB for a strapped one to use unpenalized.
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Old 11-25-2022, 11:00 AM   #3
thom
 
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Default Re: Shields Up! Fast-draw(shield) question

Thanks for the answers Doug! I see why you can't change the skill; but in your professional opinion do you think it would be unreasonable to modify the skill to Average or Hard?

Also, on Page 5, under the Fast-Draw skill description, success means one Ready maneuver is a free action. Which means a medium shield can be readied in only one second (unless I'm reading it wrong). BTW, I'm defining all medium and large shields as being the Strapped version.

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Old 11-25-2022, 12:17 PM   #4
DouglasCole
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Default Re: Shields Up! Fast-draw(shield) question

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Thanks for the answers Doug! I see why you can't change the skill; but in your professional opinion do you think it would be unreasonable to modify the skill to Average or Hard?
The usual way to do this is modifiers (say, apply a penalty to F-D equal to DB, or double-DB, or DB -1, or whatever works for your table), but if you think it's a point harder, easier to change the skill difficulty. It literally doesn't change anything other than slap that -1 to skill point tax on everything.

Quote:
Also, on Page 5, under the Fast-Draw skill description, success means one Ready maneuver is a free action. Which means a medium shield can be readied in only one second (unless I'm reading it wrong). BTW, I'm defining all medium and large shields as being the Strapped version.

thom
I'm going to point you back to page 4, where "specific trumps general," and a medium, DB 2 strapped shield takes 1 ready to go from "slung" to "hands-free," dangling from the strap but your arm isn't in it, and then two more Ready maneuvers to get your arm into the straps.

Fast-Draw saves you one: What would normally be 3 is now 2.
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Old 11-25-2022, 04:17 PM   #5
thom
 
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Default Re: Shields Up! Fast-draw(shield) question

Hmmm...I must be missing something here. Per DFRPG Exploits (p. 32)

"...Picking up or unslinging a shield or cloak and getting it ready for combat takes a number of consecutive Ready maneuvers equal to its Defense Bonus. [Emphasis mine]

So for a medium shield, that would be two Ready Maneuvers. I was thinking that a Fast-Draw (shield) roll, with a -2 penalty for the DB (thanks for the great idea!) would make one of those two Ready maneuvers as a free action.

Maybe a better example would be:
* First turn: the warrior makes a Fast-Draw (1H sword) roll and succeeds as a free action. Then he starts his first Ready maneuver to get his medium shield off his back.
* Second turn: now the warrior attempts his Fast-Draw (shield) roll (with a penalty); on a success his shield is now ready, and he can take a normal maneuver, on a failure he must spend this turn finishing Readying his shield...

Does that make more sense?
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Old 11-26-2022, 09:43 AM   #6
DouglasCole
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Default Re: Shields Up! Fast-draw(shield) question

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Hmmm...I must be missing something here. Per DFRPG Exploits (p. 32)...
Shields Up, p. 2:

Required Reading

Shields Up! is based upon the materials found in the Dungeon Fantasy RPG boxed set. The books found within that game are referenced frequently.
  • Adventurers. The Shield skill gets a facelift, broadening its scope. A wider variety of shield types, weights, and grips can be found in Shields as Equipment.
  • Exploits. To save page flipping, all the relevant rules pertaining to shields are repeated here. Where the two books differ, Shields Up! replaces the rules in Exploits and elsewhere within the Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game.
  • Fantastic Dungeon Grappling. The concept of a shield bind—using a shield as a grappling tool to redirect your opponent, protect yourself, and open up lines of attack—was first introduced in Fantastic Dungeon Grappling (p. 3). Shields Up! assumes the use of those rules.


So the new rules are intended replace the old ones where they differ. If you don't care for it, certainly you can change it back.
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Old 11-26-2022, 11:00 AM   #7
thom
 
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Default Re: Shields Up! Fast-draw(shield) question

Doh! ::slaps self:: That's what I get for racing to the fun parts first, instead of reading it thoroughly! Thanks for all your insight Doug, I appreciate the answers.

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