I need tips on how to win a fight in fantasy.

[DouglasCole]

Originally Posted by Boge

I expect to have a fight with a swordsman sometime in our campaign. I have Broadsword 22. My opponent is likely 26 (from what I can gather from the GM's input). He also just lost an eye.

I suspect our speeds are similar at 7.00. My dexterity and other combat skills are probably better than his, brawling 17, dexterity 15, knife 16.

We have a house rule, if you step or move on your turn, you cannot retreat defend.

I was thinking of waiting for him to step in to attack me, then on my turn I could step into close combat and grapple or attack with a knife, but I was reading that he can still parry with his sword.

I'm just not sure how to negate his weapon, which is going to beat me if I go toe to toe, sword vs sword.

Tips?

Originally Posted by Anders

Slam him so he falls to the ground. Then curb-stomp him.

A few things here!

If you can get him lying down (as per the aforementioned slam), that's "only" -4, which is an even up proposition for you (22 vs 22). If he's ALSO grappled, that's now 18 vs 22 in your favor. Your raw DX is good, so you can do simple grappling moves at a good default.

I might suggest seeing if you can grapple their weapon arm directly. If you can use a main gauche, jutte, or sai to do so, or using the hilt of a swept-hilt rapier, booyah.

So maybe you let him attack, interrupt his attack by stepping into the same hex and trying to grappling his sword hand (-2) using DX; 85% chance to hit, but of course he can defend, though if he has a long weapon, that can be anywhere from "mild annoyance" to "holy crap!" depending on the rules in use (I recall that having someone step into your hex is a disaster unless you have a handy weapon that can strike into C in the Dungeon Fantasy RPG).

If you're stronger than he is, try Wrench Limb! It's based on ST and does freakin' swing damage. You can't impale someone with a sword if they're holding your dismembered sword arm in their hands! (I kid, but it takes remarkably little damage to cripple a limb relative to other things).

You only mentioned Brawling; it's a shame you don't have Wrestling or Judo in this case.

But you might want to look into ways of grabbing the weapon arm, so that the sword skill becomes moot. Failing that, roll him over face down, grappled, and he probably can't reach you with that pesky pigsticker of his.

[Black Leviathan]

Ambush. Once he has that first round of wound penalties the fight becomes very even. His high skill isn't as important if his sword is still in a scabbard. Grapple him. Hire someone to help you take him down. Even sword masters struggle two-to-one. You've already decided you're going to kill someone before they force you to. Stop trying to make it an honorable affair.

[Mark Skarr]

You've got almost fifty grand. Hire a mage to back you up.

[Anders]

Right. Hire a bunch of thugs to "talk" with him.

[Boge]

More clear...

It will be a dual, one on one. But according to the person presenting the challenge to me, he says I could win because I'm willing to cheat, "Kick dirt in his face or something." So, there will be no ambush and no help.

Grappling seems the best option to get the upper hand, but I don't think I can get the attack in as he can parry my attack with his sword no matter where I am, even with a run around attack at -4 he'll be parrying on a 12. I'd only be hitting on a 9.

I'm sure he's overconfident. I think he's a single sword fighter, I wasn't paying close enough attention. I believe I'm stronger than him and more versatile. I probably have the advantage everywhere but straight swords.

I think I might try a run around slam, get him from the side and knock him down. I'll propose a fight to submission or death rather than a points based dual. I probably have more HP and health than he does and might be able to outlast him if blows are damaging. Our GM does combat differently, sort of a "go together" thing, so I don't even know if I can get an attack at his side or back if he turns as I move. Odd, I know. House rules are probably ruining all my chances.

I'm sure I can bring knives to throw. I don't know about taunting, what that would do or how it's even ruled in Gurps combat.

If I can't get past his sword parry, I can't win.

[lvalero]

If you are willing to cheat, traps can be your best ally. Trick him to fall into a pit and use a bow to finish him.

You might as well defy him in a more "social" way. Use cheats and/or bribes to convince the royal guards that he is a dangerous criminal.

Hire thugs to assist you. Thugs with venom in the arrows!

[Boge]

Originally Posted by lvalero

If you are willing to cheat, traps can be your best ally. Trick him to fall into a pit and use a bow to finish him.

You might as well defy him in a more "social" way. Use cheats and/or bribes to convince the royal guards that he is a dangerous criminal.

Hire thugs to assist you. Thugs with venom in the arrows!

It will be a dual, so I can't set anything up before hand.

I need to negate his sword. Without it, he's nothing.

A slam would put him on the ground, but both of us in CC? He could acrobatic stand on his turn, but still be in CC for me to grapple. I'm not sure how hexes work in CC. If we're already in CC, can I step around to his side and grapple in order to give him a -4, or would that put me at a 1 yard range where he can parry? By the way, we're playing rules so he can't use his 1 yard sword in CC. I feel like I need a trial combat with the GM just to double check all his rulings.

[DouglasCole]

Originally Posted by Boge

If I can't get past his sword parry, I can't win.

Can you bring a maul or an oar or something too heavy for him to parry.

Caber Tossing?

[Shostak]

Do you have any unused CP that you could spend on die roll modifications? If not, would your GM allow you to go into a CP deficit (or take an immediate Disadvantage that you would have to buy off before using any CP to grow your character) to change a roll?

Feinting might help a bit, too, especially if you can combine it with the aforementioned CP spends.

[Boge]

Originally Posted by Shostak

Do you have any unused CP that you could spend on die roll modifications? If not, would your GM allow you to go into a CP deficit (or take an immediate Disadvantage that you would have to buy off before using any CP to grow your character) to change a roll?

Feinting might help a bit, too, especially if you can combine it with the aforementioned CP spends.

That's not allowed. I have 9 CP I could spend on an advantage, stats, or put 1 point toward a skill I used in the previous session, which wouldn't increase anything substantial.

However, the fight isn't likely to happen for a few sessions.

Originally Posted by DouglasCole

Can you bring a maul or an oar or something too heavy for him to parry.

Caber Tossing?

The details of the dual are not set. It might end up being a straight sword fight. It might end up being an anything goes fight. I'm sure I could coax him into an anything goes fight.