[MA/HT] Innocuous Improvised Weapons

[Icelander]

I'm looking for suggestions for what would be good weapons for someone to carry in a modern campaign that absolutely do not look like weapons and would not raise eyebrows with even the most severe law officer.

I'm thinking things like household tools or tools that could be carried in a toolkit in an automobile. Even something that you could carry in you pocket without it being regarded as a weapon, simply as a tool or other reasonable object for a person to carry.

Ideally, I'd like it if forumites could link to specific models of wrenches, flashlights, remotes, pipes, pens, rulers, rods or other measuring tools that would make good bludgeons, but still not look like a dedicated weapon.

Knife skill

1) What are some things that would be perfectly ordinary for someone to carry on themselves or next to them in a car that would have the stats of SHORT BATON?

That is, weigh around 0.5 lbs., be balanced, short enough to receive -1 Parry and be usable with Knife skill, do sw-1 cr and thr cr.

Shortsword skill

2) What is the least suspicious item you could use as a balanced BATON?

That would weigh around a pound, Parry at full skill and do sw cr and thr cr.

Axe/Mace skill

3) What would be a good KNOBBED CLUB that didn't look like it was made to be a weapon?

Should be around 2 lbs., well-balanced enough to Parry at full skill and do sw+1 cr.

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4) Any other good weapons in a modern setting that don't look like weapons and someone who absolutely cannot carry weapons legally could have in his car for self-protection?

[DangerousThing]

A good sturdy umbrella. Any small metal flashlight could be useful.

[clu2415]

One option would be to carry an assortment of household tools. Pry bar (maybe as big as a crowbar), claw hammer, screwdriver, would not look out of place together. If you carry a bottle jack, you could have a sturdy jack handle for it. Any largish flashlight would not be out of place among automotive tools for changing a tire in the dark. For that matter, a tire iron.

[benz72]

Originally Posted by Icelander

Ideally, I'd like it if forumites could link to specific models of wrenches, flashlights, remotes, pipes, pens, rulers, rods or other measuring tools that would make good bludgeons, but still not look like a dedicated weapon.
1) weigh around 0.5 lbs., be balanced, short enough to receive -1 Parry and be usable with Knife skill, do sw-1 cr and thr cr.

a piccolo, a stiff metal ruler, glass soda bottle, (musical) drumstick

Originally Posted by Icelander

2) That would weigh around a pound, Parry at full skill and do sw cr and thr cr.

a muscle roller stick (like runners use), leg part of an adjustable crutch, power strip with the cord snipped off, violin bow, large dog rawhide bone

Originally Posted by Icelander

3) Should be around 2 lbs., well-balanced enough to Parry at full skill and do sw+1 cr.

a crescent wrench, a sturdy tennis (squash, racquetball) racket, golf clubs,

Originally Posted by Icelander

4) Any other good weapons in a modern setting that don't look like weapons and someone who absolutely cannot carry weapons legally could have in his car for self-protection?

a cloth grocery bag with a can of beans in it, section of garden hose with a brass nozzle on it, a shovel, a lit (immediately before an incident) road flare, T fence post

I hope that helps.

[aesir23]

Originally Posted by Icelander

Axe/Mace skill

3) What would be a good KNOBBED CLUB that didn't look like it was made to be a weapon?

Should be around 2 lbs., well-balanced enough to Parry at full skill and do sw+1 cr.

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4) Any other good weapons in a modern setting that don't look like weapons and someone who absolutely cannot carry weapons legally could have in his car for self-protection?

Originally Posted by DangerousThing

A good sturdy umbrella.

I've wanted this particular item since I discovered it existed: it's just an Umbrella with drastically improved DR and HP--it's perfectly legal everywhere, including on a airplanes, and any inspection will reveal it to be an umbrella.

[Kalzazz]

The instructor from my college kenjutsu class was extremely fond of the handle from a floor jack as a good thing to have in your car, both as a weapon and because floor jacks are much more convenient for actual lifting of a car

[Christopher R. Rice]

Keys. I have a series of weird scars on my lower abdomen that is from a punch of keys clutched between someone's fist. EVERYONE has keys.

[cdru]

Originally Posted by Icelander

Axe/Mace skill

3) What would be a good KNOBBED CLUB that didn't look like it was made to be a weapon?

Should be around 2 lbs., well-balanced enough to Parry at full skill and do sw+1 cr.

A baseball bat. It can also use Two-Handed Axe/Mace and +1 to damage, when gripped by both hands. GURPS Zombies also has a cricket bat, which can also do double knockback by striking with the flat, at the cost of (0.5) armor divisor

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by clu2415

One option would be to carry an assortment of household tools. Pry bar (maybe as big as a crowbar), claw hammer, screwdriver, would not look out of place together. If you carry a bottle jack, you could have a sturdy jack handle for it. Any largish flashlight would not be out of place among automotive tools for changing a tire in the dark. For that matter, a tire iron.

Originally Posted by cdru

A baseball bat. It can also use Two-Handed Axe/Mace and +1 to damage, when gripped by both hands. GURPS Zombies also has a cricket bat, which can also do double knockback by striking with the flat, at the cost of (0.5) armor divisor

Most of the tools above are perfectly legitimate things to have somewhere in a car, less so if you step out of it.

I was hoping to nail down something with SHORT BATON stats that could be kept in a pocket and couldn't really be called a weapon. Best idea I've got so far is a flashlight that has the right shape and balance. Does anyone know of a specific flashlight model that would use the SHORT BATON stats?

Baseball bats have the disadvantage that outside of a specific sporting context, law enforcement officers, judges and juries have no difficulty declaring them 'weapons' and treating people accordingly for carrying them. Tire irons, in a car, are at least as dangerous, but much more easily explained.

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by Christopher R. Rice

Keys. I have a series of weird scars on my lower abdomen that is from a punch of keys clutched between someone's fist. EVERYONE has keys.

Yeah, that's a Brawling fist-load, but it won't allow you any kind of Parry, even penalized, with an armed skill.

What's the smallest and least threatening thing you could carry to get a Party at -1 with your Knife skill?