Details about the cestus

phiwum · 01-19-2022, 09:14 AM

So, I began by thinking about the cestus as being strictly worse than a dagger (can't be thrown, but can't be dropped).

But then I saw on ITL 113 that a single cestus is "treated exactly like a main-gauche". Now, that surprised me, since a main-gauche can block a hit, though has a -1DX penalty to do so. In addition, it's easy to strike with both cesti if wearing two.

So, let me see if I understand the cestus now:

(1) Melee damage is 1d-1, while HTH damage is bare hands damage + 3, all just like a dagger (or main-gauche).

(2) Cannot be dropped, voluntarily or otherwise.

(3) Two cesti can both strike in the same turn at DX -3. I assume that this is in both melee *and* HTH, the latter of which would make a cestus quite good.

(4) If the single cestus is just like a main-gauche, then that would give the following effects:

(a) Stops 1 hit.
(b) -1 adjDX. [1]
(c) Can be used as second attack for -4 DX.

My first question is whether I missed anything in this description.

My second question is whether it makes sense for a cestus to do main-gauche damage in melee (1d-1). The table says that the damage is ST-dependent, so I may be misreading this, but it's not clear what the damage should be. Is it the same as HTH damage?

The third question has to do with left-hand attacks. A main-gauche as a second attack is at -4 DX. When wearing two cesti, one can attack with both at -3 DX for each. Can one opt to attack with the righthand cestus at no penalty and the lefthand cestus at DX -4? The latter always produces better expected damage, except at adjDX 18 or 19, if I did the calculations correctly.

I'm guessing that one cannot opt to do one normal attack and one attack with -4 modifier, but the rules aren't quite explicit. The fact that a single cestus is just like a main-gauche suggests that two cesti are different than a main-gauche (but do I still get the 1 blocked hit benefit with two cesti?).

Thanks.

[1] I've houseruled that the stopping of 1 hit is optional -- this is important for fencers, say -- and the -1 DX penalty applies only when the main-gauche is being used for armor. I suppose the same would apply to the lefthand cestus.

01-19-2022, 09:14 AM	#1
phiwum Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Boston area	Details about the cestus So, I began by thinking about the cestus as being strictly worse than a dagger (can't be thrown, but can't be dropped). But then I saw on ITL 113 that a single cestus is "treated exactly like a main-gauche". Now, that surprised me, since a main-gauche can block a hit, though has a -1DX penalty to do so. In addition, it's easy to strike with both cesti if wearing two. So, let me see if I understand the cestus now: (1) Melee damage is 1d-1, while HTH damage is bare hands damage + 3, all just like a dagger (or main-gauche). (2) Cannot be dropped, voluntarily or otherwise. (3) Two cesti can both strike in the same turn at DX -3. I assume that this is in both melee and HTH, the latter of which would make a cestus quite good. (4) If the single cestus is just like a main-gauche, then that would give the following effects: (a) Stops 1 hit. (b) -1 adjDX. [1] (c) Can be used as second attack for -4 DX. My first question is whether I missed anything in this description. My second question is whether it makes sense for a cestus to do main-gauche damage in melee (1d-1). The table says that the damage is ST-dependent, so I may be misreading this, but it's not clear what the damage should be. Is it the same as HTH damage? The third question has to do with left-hand attacks. A main-gauche as a second attack is at -4 DX. When wearing two cesti, one can attack with both at -3 DX for each. Can one opt to attack with the righthand cestus at no penalty and the lefthand cestus at DX -4? The latter always produces better expected damage, except at adjDX 18 or 19, if I did the calculations correctly. I'm guessing that one cannot opt to do one normal attack and one attack with -4 modifier, but the rules aren't quite explicit. The fact that a single cestus is just like a main-gauche suggests that two cesti are different than a main-gauche (but do I still get the 1 blocked hit benefit with two cesti?). Thanks. [1] I've houseruled that the stopping of 1 hit is optional -- this is important for fencers, say -- and the -1 DX penalty applies only when the main-gauche is being used for armor. I suppose the same would apply to the lefthand cestus.