Realism; Strength is not important for swordsmanship(?)

Gollum · 07-11-2016, 05:35 AM

In Japan, in Tokyo if I remember well what explained my Senseï who visited it, there is a room, a very long hallway, in which the best kyudoka (bowmen) did bow competitions. Shooting the target in this hallway is very hard because it is far away and there is the ceiling. Modern bow competitors are not able to reach the target. But kyudoka did, with their old wooden bows. How did they do that?

Actually their training required a lot of arm muscle training. They arms were very strong, so strong that very few people can bent their bows. Despite of the fact that they could have been quite thin.

What say the guy in this video is true: the bulk doesn't really matter. Except if you strike like an oaf, putting all your weight in your attack ... But strength does still matter. The problem is that strength is very specific. The strength of a karateka isn't at all the same than the strength of a weightlifter which isn't at all the same as the strength of a rock climber ...

So, how to handle these different strengths in GURPS? With the right advantages. And with the skill level.

In reality, the skill is as important as the strength. Someone who isn't trained to use a sword don't know the right angle of attack to do maximum damage. He doesn't either know how to best put his feet and the perfect hip move to improve even more his strike ...

Try to cut wood with an axe and compare your effectiveness with the one of a professional woodcutter. Even if you are generally stronger than him, his blows will be stronger than yours because he is very used to do that. He did that thousands of time!

GURPS doesn't take the skill into account for damage. But it still allows to take it into account through advantages. A good swordsman may for instance have Striking strength and many other advantages that improves damage rather than a flat high basic strength.

07-11-2016, 05:35 AM	#10
Gollum Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: France	Re: Realism; Strength is not important for swordsmanship(?) In Japan, in Tokyo if I remember well what explained my Senseï who visited it, there is a room, a very long hallway, in which the best kyudoka (bowmen) did bow competitions. Shooting the target in this hallway is very hard because it is far away and there is the ceiling. Modern bow competitors are not able to reach the target. But kyudoka did, with their old wooden bows. How did they do that? Actually their training required a lot of arm muscle training. They arms were very strong, so strong that very few people can bent their bows. Despite of the fact that they could have been quite thin. What say the guy in this video is true: the bulk doesn't really matter. Except if you strike like an oaf, putting all your weight in your attack ... But strength does still matter. The problem is that strength is very specific. The strength of a karateka isn't at all the same than the strength of a weightlifter which isn't at all the same as the strength of a rock climber ... So, how to handle these different strengths in GURPS? With the right advantages. And with the skill level. In reality, the skill is as important as the strength. Someone who isn't trained to use a sword don't know the right angle of attack to do maximum damage. He doesn't either know how to best put his feet and the perfect hip move to improve even more his strike ... Try to cut wood with an axe and compare your effectiveness with the one of a professional woodcutter. Even if you are generally stronger than him, his blows will be stronger than yours because he is very used to do that. He did that thousands of time! GURPS doesn't take the skill into account for damage. But it still allows to take it into account through advantages. A good swordsman may for instance have Striking strength and many other advantages that improves damage rather than a flat high basic strength.