Wizard with wand nerfed OR errata

[Captain Joy]

This doesn't seem correct to me:

1. DFA40: Wizard template gives two options—Staff: Staff[8] OR Wand and Buckler: Shield (Buckler) [4] and Smallsword [4]
2. DFA118: a Wizard's Wand is a Baton, $50, 1 lb.
3. DFA102: Smallsword-skill weapons — Baton is NOT listed.
4. DFA101: Shortsword-skill weapons — Baton is listed.

So, Wizards that choose the wand & buckler option end up with a baton they can not wield effectively as a weapon.

Solutions? Or, is this the intent of the rules as written?

[zoncxs]

probably should have read short staff. Both have the same stats too.

[Anthony]

Baton is a weapon in GURPS Basic, so probably just errata.

[ericbsmith]

Originally Posted by Captain Joy

So, Wizards that choose the wand & buckler option end up with a baton they can not wield effectively as a weapon.

Solutions? Or, is this the intent of the rules as written?

Smallsword is a fencing skill, Shortsword is not.
Both Batons (used with Shortsword) and Short Staffs (used with Smallsword) are essentially wooden "sticks" and either could be used to make a wizards Staff.

The stats for a Baton and a Short Staff are identical, except that the Short Staff has a 0F parry, meaning it gets the improved Parry (half penalty for multiple parries; +3 when retreating instead of +1) but suffer a penalty equal to encumbrance.

Since Wizards are normally lightly armored the bonus usually outstrips the penalty, so it seems the intention here is to give Wizards a better Parry. This means that the Wand should simply be treated as a Short Staff.

Of course, if a player wanted to play a heavily armored Wizard it would be equally valid to allow him to swap out the Smallsword skill for Shortsword and treat Wands as Batons.

[Captain Joy]

Adventurers Errata?

An updated listing of the RAW facts:

1. DFA40: Wizard template gives two options—Staff: Staff[8] OR Wand and Buckler: Shield (Buckler) [4] and Smallsword [4]
2. DFA118: a Wizard's Wand is a Baton, $50, 1 lb.
3. DFA102: Smallsword-(fencing)-skill weapons — Baton is NOT listed; Short Staff is listed.
4. DFA101: Shortsword-skill weapons — Baton is listed; Short Staff is NOT listed.
5. DF101-2: Baton and Short Staff weapon stats are identical, except Short Staff has an “F” parry.

So, Wizards that choose the wand & buckler option end up with a baton they can not wield effectively as a weapon.

Solutions? Or, is this the intent of the rules as written?

Originally Posted by ericbsmith

Smallsword is a fencing skill, Shortsword is not.
Both Batons (used with Shortsword) and Short Staffs (used with Smallsword) are essentially wooden "sticks" and either could be used to make a wizards Staff.

The stats for a Baton and a Short Staff are identical, except that the Short Staff has a 0F parry, meaning it gets the improved Parry (half penalty for multiple parries; +3 when retreating instead of +1) but suffer a penalty equal to encumbrance.

Since Wizards are normally lightly armored the bonus usually outstrips the penalty, so it seems the intention here is to give Wizards a better Parry. This means that the Wand should simply be treated as a Short Staff.

So, it sounds like the erratum is in the description of Wizard Wand. It should be described as a Short Staff (not a Baton).

Changing the Wizard template option to Shield (Buckler) and Shortsword (not a Smallsword) would also solve the problem.

I quoted ericbsmith, but thank you everyone for your input. I submitted an erratum on 24 Dec. 2019.