Is there something about the slam rules I'm missing?

[sir_pudding]

I dunno my dumb babies really seem to jump slam things. The bigger dumber one with comically wide flailing forepaws. Butt-wiggle is super important, though.

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by JulianLW

Incidentally, I notice that Pizard's cheetah template is missing Sharp Claws, for some reason.

That's because cheetahs don't have them. They have non-retractable Blunt Claws like dogs instead of sharp retractable claws like most cats. This gives them extra traction when they do their savanna rocket shtick.

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by apoc527

And I believe cats reduce falling damage substantially via the...umm...Catfall...advantage (also prey is probably not a "hard surface" for purposes of falling damage).

I'd certainly allow Catfall to reduce damage due to Collision/Slam during a Pounce attack.

In any case, a successful Pounce means that you end up on top of your target, which usually counts as a soft surface (unless you've just ambushed an iron golem or mecha). Meanwhile, if your prey goes down, they take falling damage based on the sum of attacker's weight + victim's weight.

Feline attackers use the crucial seconds where the victim is suffering from Shock & Stun to shift the position of their grappling Bite to the victim's Neck or Face, initiating a combination Bite & Strangle attack. (Grappling the victim's muzzle to hold their mouth closed while also puncturing their nasal passages to fill them with blood is effectively the same thing.) If possible, they also shift their body and claws to essentially Pin their victim.

Meanwhile, the victim is trying to make Fright Checks and recover from Shock & Stun, so they can attempt to Break Free rather than flailing uselessly.

Versus small targets (say Size difference 3+) the pouncer doesn't actually fall down. Instead, they end up with their forepaws pinning the victim to the ground. Catfall definitely applies to avoid damage here while the victim suffers extra damage in lieu of knockback. Again, the pouncer uses the second where the victim is Shocked and Stunned to go for a deadly bite (Targeted Attack: Cervical Spine). (You'll notice that domestic cats have a small notch between their upper incisors. It turns out that it's perfectly designed to sever the spines of small prey like mice & birds.)

[Plane]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

if your prey goes down, they take falling damage based on the sum of attacker's weight + victim's weight.

I like this idea for GURPS but it's not an issue I've seen addressed.

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

Meanwhile, the victim is trying to make Fright Checks and recover from Shock & Stun, so they can attempt to Break Free rather than flailing uselessly.

We also need rules for how to do this for creatures that lack Terror

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by Plane

We also need rules for how to do this for creatures that lack Terror

Having a large creature suddenly appear on your back, pinning you to the ground, would be sufficiently terrifying to cause a Fright Check. If you had previously detected it and started running (or trying to fight back), the GM might waive this, although there is precedent for Fright Checks as a result of being attacked during combat (in Tactical Shooting), and again a large creature full of teeth and claws jumping on you and slamming you to the ground is something that I could easily see calling for such. Note that, outside of an ambush scenario (which is a double whammy, seeing as you may also be suffering from Mental Stun), the bonus for being in the heat of combat (even if you're running away, unless you're running away due to a previously-failed Fright Check) should apply.

[WingedKagouti]

Originally Posted by Plane

We also need rules for how to do this for creatures that lack Terror

Terror is not required to cause a Fright check. As per the Basic rules for Fright checks, a predator would likely count as a Monster for any potential prey.

[JulianLW]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

That's because cheetahs don't have them. They have non-retractable Blunt Claws like dogs instead of sharp retractable claws like most cats. This gives them extra traction when they do their savanna rocket shtick.

Blunt Claws isn't on that template, either.

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by JulianLW

Blunt Claws isn't on that template, either.

GURPS Animalia also doesn't give dogs Blunt Claws, so at least it's consistent in that regard (it does give the trait to bears, as well it should).

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

Feline attackers use the crucial seconds where the victim is suffering from Shock & Stun to shift the position of their grappling Bite to the victim's Neck or Face, initiating a combination Bite & Strangle attack. (Grappling the victim's muzzle to hold their mouth closed while also puncturing their nasal passages to fill them with blood is effectively the same thing.) If possible, they also shift their body and claws to essentially Pin their victim.

Yeah that is why I went with All-Out Attack (Double) on Pounce, it seemed the best option at the time to get everything in but could bear looking at more closely.

[Plane]

Originally Posted by Varyon

Having a large creature suddenly appear on your back, pinning you to the ground, would be sufficiently terrifying to cause a Fright Check.

How much larger though?

and what about intense grappling (lots of control points) where pinning doesn't exist (technical grappling) ?

Originally Posted by WingedKagouti

Terror is not required to cause a Fright check. As per the Basic rules for Fright checks, a predator would likely count as a Monster for any potential prey.

In lieu of Terror it seems like it'd be interesting to have guidelines on how other criteria effective emulate having it, whether that's how you look, what people know about the char, what the char does to them, etc.