[Low-Tech] Boating vs Shiphandling

Phil Masters · 10-21-2014, 05:14 AM

I'd really tend to solve this by making competitive rowing into two Sports skills ("Oarsman" and "Cox"), although I'd then allow reasonably generous defaults to and from Boating (Oared). The setup is so artificial when compared to practical, getting-from-A-to-B rowing that this doesn't feel like a kludge. I mean, we'd do cricket or baseball with Sports skills, not with uncomfortable distortions of Throwing and Two-Handed Axe/Mace.

I don't think that one often if ever sees coxing as a refined skill in itself outside of a sporting environment, so we don't really need Shiphandling for things too small to be called a "ship" with a straight face. The chap in the back of the pirate longboat yelling "Row, ye scurvy whoresons, or we'll all swing from a Navy yardarm!" at the mob on the oars is just using Boating (floated to IQ), or Leadership, or Intimidation.

10-21-2014, 05:14 AM	#31
Phil Masters Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: U.K.	Re: [Low-Tech] Boating vs Shiphandling I'd really tend to solve this by making competitive rowing into two Sports skills ("Oarsman" and "Cox"), although I'd then allow reasonably generous defaults to and from Boating (Oared). The setup is so artificial when compared to practical, getting-from-A-to-B rowing that this doesn't feel like a kludge. I mean, we'd do cricket or baseball with Sports skills, not with uncomfortable distortions of Throwing and Two-Handed Axe/Mace. I don't think that one often if ever sees coxing as a refined skill in itself outside of a sporting environment, so we don't really need Shiphandling for things too small to be called a "ship" with a straight face. The chap in the back of the pirate longboat yelling "Row, ye scurvy whoresons, or we'll all swing from a Navy yardarm!" at the mob on the oars is just using Boating (floated to IQ), or Leadership, or Intimidation. __________________ -- Phil Masters My Home Page. My Self-Publications: On Warehouse 23 and On DriveThruRPG.