Martial Arts: Polearm/Quarterstaff/Weapon Adaptation

[bearit]

Originally Posted by Railstar

Checking my copy of Low Tech, there are weapons that use the Staff skill and do not give +2 Parry. Duelling Polearm is among them, with 0U Parry when swung and 0 Parry when thrusting. It also has [18] which says it's the butt of a two-yard polearm (list includes naginata) used as a staff.

On that basis I would assume no bonus to Parry from using Weapon Adaptation, because the +2 Parry is not universal. One could argue it is the skill and not the weapon… but other weapons on the list have +2 Parry when used with the Staff skill (not when used with Two-Handed Sword for quarterstaff or Broadsword for jo staff), and I doubt they are intended to give +4 total.

In essence, I would only give the +2 Parry if both the skill and weapon are a staff (although I would count spears as a staff unless stabbing).

Under Weapon Adaptation it says, "This lets you wield the weapons covered by one weapon skill using a different skill and its techniques, with all the benefits and drawbacks of that skill, provided the replacement skill defaults to the usual one at no worse than -4 and uses the same number of hands (emphasis added)."

Perhaps I just don't know what this perk does.

What are the benefits and drawbacks that are gained from the replacement skill?

What remains from the replaced skill/weapon?

[malloyd]

Originally Posted by bearit

What are the benefits and drawbacks that are gained from the replacement skill?

What remains from the replaced skill/weapon?

This is not specified, and given the number of times it's been asked without being officially clarified I suspect it never will be. Ask the GM.

I find Weapon Adaptation to be much clearer if you ignore the way it is written and interpret it as "Adds a line to the Weapon Table under the extended skill allowing it to be used with some weapon not ordinarily covered". This new line can be borrowed from a line that already exists under another skill, but does not have to be, and can be edited if it is. Yes this requires the GM to determine all the specifics rather than providing some deterministic mechanism for the rules lawyers, but personally I consider that a positive feature.