[DF] Swashbucklers... but with whips!

[Tymathee]

Originally Posted by Varyon

The -2 is for Parrying with the handle, just like the -2 on flails is for Parrying with the handle there. It's not a good Parrying surface, and the whippy/flaily bit hanging around doesn't help matters, but at least it's capable of Parrying without some crazy technique that should probably require a dedicated Ready.

And the full 8 lb shouldn't be counted when figuring out what it can Parry without breaking, but your weapon is unbreakable anyway, so you're good there. It also shouldn't count when determining if a weapon Parrying it risks breakage; I don't recall if there are any rules covering that issue, but then again her super-special-awesome whip breaking lesser weapons is probably perfectly fine.

Do you mind providing a page reference or rules text quote? Or is this simply logic inferred from the rules? I apologize for my lack of clarity on this. Perhaps this is besides the point though, as the whip is not operating on rational realism anyways. Since this new version Fiend Slayer is mostly the Diabolical Whip with the serial numbers filed off, I too perhaps inferred from its rules and perceived intended realism that it straight up parries weapons effortlessly but I think my understanding of the RAW for the stats is in line with what was intended by the book. It is much less the hyperrealistic whip you appear to be envisioning and much more like the incredibly fantastic whip that the Balrog in LOTR wields (sans the flames, but as written they strongly suggest putting the Flaming Weapon enchantment on it). Its nonsense fantasy physics enable it to perform far more better than what a ordinary whip can do... which was my intent from the beginning with how I designed it, but Kromm coincidently had a more eloquent approach that I've opted to use instead. All I had to change was the morality detection bit really, as it coincidently had the enhanced intimidation factor that I was trying to achieve with the built in Combat Schtick Perk I tried to implement before. The coincidence in similarity of design intent is so coincidental that it almost feels like fate led me to this! :)

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by Tymathee

Do you mind providing a page reference or rules text quote? Or is this simply logic inferred from the rules?

Inferred from reality, with a touch of the rules involved. Something that's just a flexible weapon with no real parrying surface, would likely be Parry No. For your character and weapon, of course, stating the Parries are actually the character knocking attacks aside with the whippy part is perfectly acceptable - I was responding to how a less-cinematic character would Parry with a normal whip.

[Tymathee]

Originally Posted by Varyon

Inferred from reality, with a touch of the rules involved. Something that's just a flexible weapon with no real parrying surface, would likely be Parry No. For your character and weapon, of course, stating the Parries are actually the character knocking attacks aside with the whippy part is perfectly acceptable - I was responding to how a less-cinematic character would Parry with a normal whip.

Hmm, flew right over my head! I assumed it was mentioned in the context of the character and her weapon, and from scrutinizing the rules text for the Diabolical Whip stats that I've based the current version of Fiend Slayer off of makes it pretty unambiguous that it has none of the faults of a regular whip when it comes to parrying. Since it doesn't require to Ready maneuvers because it simply never becomes Unready after being used, and doesn't require Ready maneuvers for adjusting Reach, it very nearly moves as the wielder wills it to to some significant degree. And since it seems to move in mysterious ways, perhaps it also just selectively goes rigid to better Parry attacks. That's how I understand the reasoning for the crunch it has in Fantasy-Tech 2 anyways, and that seems to support the very blatant Balrog whip inspiration for the Diabolical Whip. It's been a bit since I've watched LOTR movies but I remember that whip seemingly working much like how Kromm statted out the whip.