Defense Bonus for Staff questions (4e)

[Kromm]

Any balanced weapon used with Staff skill gets +2 Parry. However, there is no such thing as "+2U" Parry, which is why the naginata is "0U." Note that contrary to gaming myth, a tetsubo isn't really an iron staff . . . it's closer to a honking huge maul. It just happens to be baseball bat-shaped instead of hammer-shaped. It would definitely use Two-Handed Axe/Mace skill, not Staff.

[yffub]

Originally Posted by Kromm

Any balanced weapon used with Staff skill gets +2 Parry. However, there is no such thing as "+2U" Parry, which is why the naginata is "0U."

That makes sense. Thanks for the clarification.

Originally Posted by Kromm

Note that contrary to gaming myth, a tetsubo isn't really an iron staff . . . it's closer to a honking huge maul. It just happens to be baseball bat-shaped instead of hammer-shaped. It would definitely use Two-Handed Axe/Mace skill, not Staff.

I was going on the Martial Arts description of a tetsubo. I had no clue what they actually looked like.

Thanks!

[Kayal]

He's right...
It looks like an over-sized, metal-shod, baseball bat.

Here:
http://www.l5r.co.uk/chronicles/personae.htm
Scrol down to the picture of Hida Komatsu

[yffub]

A bat with nails in it. That's pretty cool.

[VadersFear]

And not to forget the tonfa!
I'm missing it's DB, or at least that I can use it with my Karate skill...

[Kromm]

Originally Posted by VadersFear

And not to forget the tonfa!
I'm missing it's DB, or at least that I can use it with my Karate skill...

Another one that needs to wait for Martial Arts, basically. It won't get a bonus to parry, I'm afraid . . . it's just not that much better than a stick without a sidegrip. It definitely needs to work with Karate, though, which lets you use the benefits of the Karate parry.

[Kromm]

Originally Posted by hal

What about weapons that were designed specifically as parrying weapons Kromm?

For example, a Jitte Sai - would that qualify for some form of parrying bonus? What about a basket hilted main gauche?

Well, the Basic Set didn't have room to list all these, but they'd have a Parry statistic of 0F. They wouldn't have a bonus to Parry; they're too short, however many tines they have. Still, 0F is a huge benefit.

[Skullcrusher]

Originally Posted by Kayal

He's right...
It looks like an over-sized, metal-shod, baseball bat.

Here:
http://www.l5r.co.uk/chronicles/personae.htm
Scrol down to the picture of Hida Komatsu

That looks like a D&D Morningstar.