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Old 01-27-2010, 04:01 AM   #1
Carlos
 
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Location: Campos dos Goytacazes - RJ - Brazil
Default Quick switch Bow to Sword & Shield

I'm playing a Dungeon Fantasy game with a wood elf Knight/Scout. He's quite skilled in both Broadsword (21) and Bow (23*). I want to do something like "CQC Style" (Close-and-quarter combat), which allow me to kill enemies without moving out from my position, but also to slice them if they're close enough. It would not be a problem if this character uses only swords (one handed or two handed), but his style is Sword and Shield Fighting (MA 199-200), he make use of a Broadsword/Longsword AND a medium shield.

I want to know if there's someway I can switch quickly from Bow to Sword and Shield when the combat gets to close.

* Thanks to Forest Guardian 4 bonuses.
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Old 01-27-2010, 04:14 AM   #2
DanHoward
 
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Default Re: Quick switch Bow to Sword & Shield

The only realistic way is to have a small shield strapped to your forearm while you are firing the bow. There is no way you can quickly sling a larger shield on your forearm.
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Old 01-27-2010, 04:41 AM   #3
Carlos
 
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Default Re: Quick switch Bow to Sword & Shield

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Originally Posted by DanHoward View Post
The only realistic way is to have a small shield strapped to your forearm while you are firing the bow. There is no way you can quickly sling a larger shield on your forearm.
The game is not realistic, it's cinematic.

I have tought about to strap a shield in the forearm, but I wasn't sure about how to do that. It seems that a medium shield and even a SMALL shield always ocuppies one hand.

The bow can be released as a free action and the sword can be prepared instantly with a Fast-Draw broadsword. I just want want to know how to deal with the shield issue.

Can I fast-draw a medium shield? Can I have one straped in the forearm? That's what I want to know, because in the Scout's template (DF I, pages 10 and 11) they can have one-sword and shield (not buckler) skills.
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Old 01-27-2010, 04:44 AM   #4
Carlos
 
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Default Re: Quick switch Bow to Sword & Shield

By the way, I would love to have a LARGE metalic, spiked and bladed wall-shield, since this character is a knight, but it would make things even harder to use a bow in ranged combat, so the medium shield seems to be a better choice.
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Old 01-27-2010, 05:07 AM   #5
davidtmoore
 
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Default Re: Quick switch Bow to Sword & Shield

A buckler strapped to the arm.

Apparently, there's a fourteenth-century buckler somewhere that was believed to have been worn by archers for pretty much this purpose.

Otherwise, you're looking at three-to-five Readys to sling a bow, unsling and ready a shield and draw a sword.

You could allow style Perks to reduce this time?
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Old 01-27-2010, 05:25 AM   #6
chris1982
 
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Default Re: Quick switch Bow to Sword & Shield

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Originally Posted by Carlos View Post
By the way, I would love to have a LARGE metalic, spiked and bladed wall-shield, since this character is a knight, but it would make things even harder to use a bow in ranged combat, so the medium shield seems to be a better choice.
Use the shield as cover by ramming a spike at the bottom of the shield into the ground. Then drop the bow as a free action, use a ready action to put on the shield and fast-draw the sword...

After all its cinematic...
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Old 01-27-2010, 06:46 AM   #7
Joseph R
 
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Default Re: Quick switch Bow to Sword & Shield

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Originally Posted by davidtmoore View Post
A buckler strapped to the arm.

Apparently, there's a fourteenth-century buckler somewhere that was believed to have been worn by archers for pretty much this purpose.
I don't know my historical terminology, so obviously someone like DanHoward would be the person to confirm the accuracy of that description. What I will say is that as far as the rules go, you may cause confusion of the issue by not using the GURPS terminology correctly.

In GURPS, a "buckler" is always: Held in the hand, rather than strapped to the arm. Can be readied in 1 second and dropped as a free action. Uses the Shield (Buckler) skill. Means that the hand wielding it can't hold anything else.

In GURPS a "shield" is always: Strapped to the arm, rather than simply held. Takes minimum 2 seconds to ready and 1 second to remove. Uses the vanilla version of the Shield skill. Means that the hand wielding it can usually carry but not actively use an extra item (spare weapon, for example).

EDIT: so to summarise, GURPS defines them as shields or bucklers solely by how they are worn/wielded, irrespective of size (which is a separate property of the item).

I point this out to hopefully prevent confusion :)

Last edited by Joseph R; 01-27-2010 at 06:49 AM.
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Old 01-27-2010, 08:09 AM   #8
blacksmith
 
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Default Re: Quick switch Bow to Sword & Shield

Clearly your character needs more arms. Buy and extra arm for this and problem solved.
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Old 01-27-2010, 08:56 AM   #9
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Default Re: Quick switch Bow to Sword & Shield

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Originally Posted by blacksmith View Post
Clearly your character needs more arms. Buy and extra arm for this and problem solved.
Coleopterans are, indeed, awesome. Coleopteran Knight would be even more awesome, but pretty expensive.
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Old 01-27-2010, 09:22 AM   #10
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Default Re: Quick switch Bow to Sword & Shield

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Originally Posted by chris1982 View Post
Use the shield as cover by ramming a spike at the bottom of the shield into the ground. Then drop the bow as a free action, use a ready action to put on the shield and fast-draw the sword...

After all its cinematic...

As Dan Howard points out, it isn't really reasonable to strap on a shield quickly. However, a large center-grip shield used as you describe could be employed using the Buckler skill. I know the shield stuck in the ground as cover as a pavise, but there may be other more-correct terms for that. I think the character would require the Skill Adaptation perk (Buckler uses Shield Skill), but I don't know if that's even the right perk name - IDNHMBWM.
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