Main-Gauche

[Chris Rice]

Originally Posted by Steve Jackson

Created a number of characters today.

My question for myself and everyone else: What was I *thinking* with making the left-handed dagger -2 to the user's DX? Why would anyone ever take it instead of a shield? And why would anyone ever stab with it if it messed up their main attack by -4?

I cannot recapture my thought process on that rule. It's stood for 40 years and no one has picketed my office, but . . . (derp)

Proposed better rule, but not tested at all:

A left-hand dagger is a parrying weapon and reduces by 1 the DX of any hand-weapon attack made against you. It does not give this protection against polearms, missile weapons, or two-handed weapons. It does not prevent damage if you are hit.

If you attack with a main-gauche, it does not protect you against any attacks that turn. Roll the dagger attack at -4 DX.

I can't even find the rules for the main-gauche! However, I can only assume that, under the original rules, the advantage comes once DX gets higher; then the -4DX is less important.

The problem I have with the new rule is the "parry". So you can parry with a dagger but not a shield? This seems to be moving the rules into some new territory.