[MA/HT] Innocuous Improvised Weapons

[malloyd]

Originally Posted by Icelander

What's the smallest and least threatening thing you could carry to get a Party at -1 with your Knife skill?

A hand weight? A candlestick? The base to the mag-mount antenna on your car? A wooden beer mug? Maybe that one uses Shield skill instead.

I think the issue here isn't so much finding something, as finding a reason to be carrying it. Nothing "everybody" carries around all the time is a useful weapon, because anything big and strong enough to be a weapon is inconveniently large and/or heavy. If it's big and long enough to count as a baton it probably won't fit in your pocket, certainly not comfortably. It has to be longer than your hand so some of it sticks out when you are gripping it, and your clenched fist is usually pretty close to filling the width of even a large pocket. All of this stuff is only innocuous situationally. If you have a reason to be carrying a tool belt (you're at a job site) or a hiking pack (you're somewhere people hike) or a heavy flashlight (it's actually dark), walking around with those is not something you are going to be asked about. If you carry them into city hall, exactly the same items are going to draw suspicions.