Gaming Ballistic - GURPS Content Posts

[DouglasCole]

Thursday is GURPS-Day, and having just updated The Grappling Mat and posted another Firing Squad interview, this time with Hans-Christian Vortisch of GURPS Tactical Shooting fame, I thought I'd post the link the the FS repository, where you will find links to 18 interviews, including Steve Jackson, Kenneth Hite, Steven Marsh and Sean Punch. I've chatted with most of the VTT creators (or at least many of them), plus RPG notables such as Erik Tenkar, Richard LeBlanc, and Stacy Dellorfano .

Most of these can be viewed (MP4), listened to (MP3 audio), or read (full text transcript).

[Kalzazz]

Regarding the Arm Lock post


1. When Mr. Dodeca starts his second turn and is considering whether or not to Break Free, Mr. Lockenkey (if the DM allowed Power Grappling) could use ST based Judo instead of straight ST as his baseline here to resist?

2. Mr. D will throw a punch at Mr. L, which Mr. L will defend with his Judo Parry. How is Mr. L doing Judo Parry when both of his hands are occupied grappling? On Pg. 123 of Martial Arts I see the discussion of leg parries, but those are only for attacks vs the lower body. If Mr. D had a reach C weapon in his non grappled arm he could have tried using that, like a knife? If Mr. D had a reach C weapon in his grappled arm it is not doing him any good now at all and could as well be an iPhone for its use in the fight?

3. Could Mr. L on his second turn have kicked Mr. D since his legs are not grappled and kicks have reach C? Does Power Grappling have any effect on his Arm Lock damage? Does Power Grappling perk do anything for throws from locks?

4. Is the iconic movie idea of 'sword and knife' particularly effective defense vs grapplers? It would seem if a reach 1 weapon is good, but useless after the grapple begins, that attacking with the reach 1 weapon is good while trying to maintain reach, and then even if your reach one weapon arm gets arm locked (due to being parried and then Arm Locked) having a sporting chance at inflicting damage at reach C with the other arm with a reach C weapon?

Sorry if any of this has been answered, I've read the thread and attempted to read through the relevant areas of martial arts again while I wrote this, but I probably have asked some stupid things

[DouglasCole]

Originally Posted by Kalzazz

Regarding the Arm Lock post


1. When Mr. Dodeca starts his second turn and is considering whether or not to Break Free, Mr. Lockenkey (if the DM allowed Power Grappling) could use ST based Judo instead of straight ST as his baseline here to resist?

Yep, that's the way the perk works.

2. Mr. D will throw a punch at Mr. L, which Mr. L will defend with his Judo Parry. How is Mr. L doing Judo Parry when both of his hands are occupied grappling? On Pg. 123 of Martial Arts I see the discussion of leg parries, but those are only for attacks vs the lower body.

Yah, you can do hands-free against grapples, but not strikes. He'll need to let go with one hand to parry or dodge.

If Mr. D had a reach C weapon in his non grappled arm he could have tried using that, like a knife? If Mr. D had a reach C weapon in his grappled arm it is not doing him any good now at all and could as well be an iPhone for its use in the fight?

Yes, locking an arm with a weapon in it is a great way to render that weapon useless. Likewise, he can try and stab with a knife if he has one. Won't do him much more good than a fist in terms of hit probability, but injury potential is higher.

3. Could Mr. L on his second turn have kicked Mr. D since his legs are not grappled and kicks have reach C? Does Power Grappling have any effect on his Arm Lock damage? Does Power Grappling perk do anything for throws from locks?

Yes to the kick. Yes to the arm lock, in that if your ST is higher than your DX, "normally DX-based" rolls in Quick Contests can be floated to ST. I'd say throws from locks can probably float to ST-based.

4. Is the iconic movie idea of 'sword and knife' particularly effective defense vs grapplers? It would seem if a reach 1 weapon is good, but useless after the grapple begins, that attacking with the reach 1 weapon is good while trying to maintain reach, and then even if your reach one weapon arm gets arm locked (due to being parried and then Arm Locked) having a sporting chance at inflicting damage at reach C with the other arm with a reach C weapon?

Seems valid. Stabbing someone (or cutting them) with a reach C weapon has lots of advantages. Shock lowers ST for breaking free. Weapons are easier to do damage with. The rules are a bit contradictory on whether the -4 for being locked applies to all moves or just the locked arm (I can find firm statements for both positions in Basic - which says it's just the body part - and martial arts - which implies it applies to anything you do.) There's some room for wiggles here, too.

[vicky_molokh]

Edit: wow, ninja'd just one minute faster.

Originally Posted by Kalzazz

Regarding the Arm Lock post


1. When Mr. Dodeca starts his second turn and is considering whether or not to Break Free, Mr. Lockenkey (if the DM allowed Power Grappling) could use ST based Judo instead of straight ST as his baseline here to resist?

Originally Posted by PU2, p.7

Moreover,
whenever you make a ST roll that usually enjoys a ST bonus
from Sumo Wrestling or Wrestling – e.g., the roll to break free
– you may waive your bonus and attempt a ST-based Judo,
Sumo Wrestling, or Wrestling roll instead.

^ This seems to indicate yes by B/MA/PU2: the roll is affected by Wrestling ST, so it is affected by Power Grappling ST.

Originally Posted by Kalzazz

2. Mr. D will throw a punch at Mr. L, which Mr. L will defend with his Judo Parry. How is Mr. L doing Judo Parry when both of his hands are occupied grappling?

See

Originally Posted by MA119

If your attack roll succeeds, your opponent can try any
close-combat parry with a free hand; a Jam, if you kicked; a
grappling skill parry with the arms he’s using to hold you; or
a dodge.

Originally Posted by Kalzazz

Does Power Grappling have any effect on his Arm Lock damage? Does Power Grappling perk do anything for throws from locks?

PG allows moving DX-based Judo rolls to ST-based ones. Whether it is a good deal in those situations depends on relative levels of Judo, ST, Lifting ST and DX.

Edit: wow, ninja'd just one minute faster.

[DouglasCole]

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

If your attack roll succeeds, your opponent can try any
close-combat parry with a free hand; a Jam, if you kicked; a
grappling skill parry with the arms he’s using to hold you; or
a dodge.

I don't think this means you can avoid the requirement to let go - it means that grappling somoone doesn't forbid letting go with a hand or hands in order to parry. It seems only defending against grappling attacks with a grappling parry allow a hands-free parry or technical counter.

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by DouglasCole

I don't think this means you can avoid the requirement to let go - it means that grappling somoone doesn't forbid letting go with a hand or hands in order to parry. It seems only defending against grappling attacks with a grappling parry allow a hands-free parry or technical counter.

That seems unlikely, since MA117 says that releasing a hand is possible only on my turn. The two rulings don't look like one is an exception to the other. Also, the full section is:

Originally Posted by MA119

If your attack roll succeeds, your opponent can try any
close-combat parry with a free hand; a Jam, if you kicked; a
grappling skill parry with the arms he’s using to hold you; or
a dodge. The last two options represent shoving you aside.

I can't be 100% sure, of course, but I would think it sounds like a defensive use of Shoving People Around.

[DouglasCole]

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

That seems unlikely, since MA117 says that releasing a hand is possible only on my turn. The two rulings don't look like one is an exception to the other. Also, the full section is:
I can't be 100% sure, of course, but I would think it sounds like a defensive use of Shoving People Around.

That does seem pretty clear. On the other hand, I think that the section under defense while grappling states that in order to carry you have to let go. That sentiment, that in order to use the arm is your grappling with you must release your grip, is repeated throughout basic and martial arts. This may be a case of contradiction with in the book. If you could take a look at the actual page references, and put them all up for our Peru's all, that would help. I'm onThe road and can't access my books for probably the next eight hours.

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by DouglasCole

Yah, you can do hands-free against grapples, but not strikes. He'll need to let go with one hand to parry or dodge.

You'd need to release your grapple if you were going to retreat, but dodging wouldn't require it. You can almost always dodge.

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by DouglasCole

That does seem pretty clear. On the other hand, I think that the section under defense while grappling states that in order to carry you have to let go. That sentiment, that in order to use the arm is your grappling with you must release your grip, is repeated throughout basic and martial arts. This may be a case of contradiction with in the book. If you could take a look at the actual page references, and put them all up for our Peru's all, that would help. I'm onThe road and can't access my books for probably the next eight hours.

I'm not sure what else to add. The other paragraphs talk about other stuff than shove-parries.

But do note that only grappling skills are eligible to parry with the hands that are holding the attacker. That seems to be another indication that this is a special form of parry. It mentions shoving an opponent, it doesn't mention letting go, and normal shoving doesn't involve letting go. Might want to check with Kromm, ultimately.

[DouglasCole]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

You'd need to release your grapple if you were going to retreat, but dodging wouldn't require it. You can almost always dodge.

Sorry. Speech to text did not capture the inflection there. I meant let go with one hand, or Dodge.