Incapacitation and dropping weapons

[mirtexxan]

Hi guys,

I was wondering, taking a look at the Incapacitating conditions... which of them also implies that you drop what you are holding?

Because it seems unlikely to go unconscious and still keep your hold on your weapon/staff/torch/whatever... or not?

Going by RAW only knockdown explicitly states to drop whatever you are holding. What do you think?

Finally, a related question: if the condition ends in combat time, how many actions (including shortcuts if available) would you require to regain your weapon/whatever in a "ready" position?

I'm assuming that if you simply fell and your muscle relaxed, then you can grasp your weapon as part of the Change Posture maneuver, but you'd still need a Ready maneuver (or a Fast Draw roll).

[sjmdw45]

Originally Posted by mirtexxan

I'm assuming that if you simply fell and your muscle relaxed, then you can grasp your weapon as part of the Change Posture maneuver, but you'd still need a Ready maneuver (or a Fast Draw roll).

Your assumptions seem reasonable to me. I'd go with your gut here.

DFRPG rules are usually pretty clearly written but there are occasional holes. Fortunately the underlying philosophy is "try to make rules that match reality", so following the GM's intuition is a pretty good way to patch those holes.

So in lieu of giving my personal opinion on each of the incapacitating conditions I'm just going to say "it doesn't matter that much" or rather "that it makes sense to you and your players is what matters most."

Is that enough of an answer for you?

[mirtexxan]

Originally Posted by sjmdw45

DFRPG rules are usually pretty clearly written but there are occasional holes. Fortunately the underlying philosophy is "try to make rules that match reality"

[...]

Is that enough of an answer for you?

Unfortunately not, because I'm not really sure how "reality" works in some cases :P So, please indulge me.

For instance, when you are in strong pain (agony), do you usually contract your hold on something or you release everthing? I'd go for contracting, so nothing gets released.

Choking: I'd give the victim a choice, maybe after a Will roll (the natural instinct seems to be to immediately use your hands to try to help you in some way breathing)

Dazing: I'd say, well, you do nothing, your status remains unchanged, so nothing gets released.

Ecstasy: I'd say that you release every tension in your muscles, for exactly the opposite reason why you contract them while in agony :)

Hallucinating: GM fiat depending on the situation.

Paralysis/Stasis: As for dazing, your situation remains unchanged (but for a physical/magical reason, not a mental one)

Retching: I'd say no release, maybe depending on a HT roll.

Seizure: No idea! A seizure gives to me the impression of contracting muscles, but you tremble so much... DX roll?

Sleep: Clear release.

Stunned: No release, unless coming from a knockdown. This seems to be RAW.

Unconsciousness: Clear release

[sjmdw45]

Originally Posted by mirtexxan

Unfortunately not, because I'm not really sure how "reality" works in some cases :P So, please indulge me.

For instance, when you are in strong pain (agony), do you usually contract your hold on something or you release everthing? I'd go for contracting, so nothing gets released.

Choking: I'd give the victim a choice, maybe after a Will roll (the natural instinct seems to be to immediately use your hands to try to help you in some way breathing)

Dazing: I'd say, well, you do nothing, your status remains unchanged, so nothing gets released.

Ecstasy: I'd say that you release every tension in your muscles, for exactly the opposite reason why you contract them while in agony :)

Hallucinating: GM fiat depending on the situation.

Paralysis/Stasis: As for dazing, your situation remains unchanged (but for a physical/magical reason, not a mental one)

Retching: I'd say no release, maybe depending on a HT roll.

Seizure: No idea! A seizure gives to me the impression of contracting muscles, but you tremble so much... DX roll?

Sleep: Clear release.

Stunned: No release, unless coming from a knockdown. This seems to be RAW.

Unconsciousness: Clear release

These are my opinions: how I'd feel as a player if my GM made this ruling.

Agony: agree, contracting makes sense.

Choking: it's probably simpler to just say "no release" but I won't complain about having the option to drop things. I'll just never use it.

Dazing: fine. (I might argue that my Disarm attempts against a dazed target should have a bonus though.)

Ecstasy: cogently argued! You've persuaded me.

Hallucinating: yes, or player fiat if it's happening to my PC.

Paralysis/stasis: check. I agree.

Retching: in this case no release feels a little bit wrong to me. If there's any condition you want to give a second look to I'd call it this one. It just seems unnatural to vomit with an axe in your hands, y'know? HT check isn't a terrible solution, but... I guess watching a dozen videos on YouTube of people vomiting could convince me either way. At the same time, as a player, I wouldn't really MIND "HT check not to drop stuff", but... I guess I'd be 1% happier if it were a HT check at -2. No biggie though either way.

Seizure: this seems like agony to me. Contraction, not relaxation; not dropping seems better. Edit: nope, I'm wrong. Turns out that it depends on the seizure type: https://www.epilepsy.com/what-is-epi...tonic-seizures For Tickle spells though I guess I'd accept DX roll not to drop. (Rolled only once, not every turn.)

Sleep: agree.

Stunned: agree.

Unconscious: agree.

Does that help?

[mirtexxan]

Originally Posted by sjmdw45

These are my opinions: how I'd feel as a player if my GM made this ruling.

[...]

Does that help?

Yes! :) Thanks a lot